Little Fish and Mint - Chapter 19

Yu Nuo paused, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

She stopped, watching them.

Xu Yitong, looking up at Yu Ge, said obediently, “Should I put this in the fridge?”

Yu Nuo hesitated, still unnoticed, just a few steps away.

Xu Yitong, still cheerful, continued chattering, seeking his approval. “I picked this watermelon myself. Look at the color! The vendor even complimented my good taste.”

Yu Ge, unable to get a word in, listened patiently.

Yu Nuo watched her brother, worried.

He listened to Xu Yitong’s chatter, seemingly unfazed, not even noticing Yu Nuo standing there.

The scene felt… strange.

As if she were intruding on a private moment.

Xu Yitong continued her enthusiastic watermelon presentation, her shark hair clips bobbing.

The late afternoon sun, streaming through the windows, painted a warm glow on her face.

Yu Ge’s hand twitched.

He was much taller than her, even more so standing on the steps above her. He reached out.

Xu Yitong stopped talking, her eyes widening slightly as his hand reached her face. For a moment, she thought he was going to touch her cheek.

Then, his hand moved past her face, taking a slice of watermelon.

The absurd thought vanished. “Trying some?” she asked, her eyes shining with anticipation.

He didn’t deny it, taking a bite.

Noticing his damp hair, she said, “Dry your hair first. You’ll catch a cold.”

She turned to go to the kitchen and froze. “Xiao Nuo, what are you doing here?”

Yu Nuo, startled, looked up, meeting Yu Ge’s gaze.

Seeing the watermelon in his hand, she felt strangely embarrassed, both for him and herself.

“I was just… passing by,” she mumbled.

“Oh.”

After Xu Yitong left, the siblings stood in silence, the air thick with unspoken words.

Yu Ge’s expression was as indifferent as ever.

Seeing him about to speak, Yu Nuo quickly said, “I didn’t see anything.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing! I’ll go check on my soup…” she mumbled, hurrying away.

…

In the kitchen, Xu Yitong hummed cheerfully as she put the watermelon in the fridge.

“Tongtong-jie, are you hungry?” Yu Nuo asked, entering the kitchen.

“Not yet.”

“I can get you some soup if you are.”

Xu Yitong sniffed the air, then grinned. “I was wondering what smelled so good! Your soup! You’re such a good cook! Chen Yuzheng is a lucky guy!”

Yu Nuo shushed her.

Xu Yitong quickly covered her mouth.

Amused, Yu Nuo looked around, then whispered, “Let’s talk outside.”

They sat in a wicker swing in the garden, shaded by trees.

“Is it too hot out here?” Yu Nuo asked.

“No, the AC inside is freezing,” Xu Yitong rubbed her arms.

“I’ll get you a jacket if you’re cold.”

“You’re so sweet,” Xu Yitong smiled, patting Yu Nuo’s head. “How are things with Chen Yuzheng? He’s not bullying you, is he?”

“He’s very good to me,” Yu Nuo smiled faintly.

“When are you meeting the parents?”

“What?!”

“Just kidding! It’s your relationship,” Xu Yitong said. “But… are you going to tell your brother? Does he know?”

“I’ll tell him when things are more stable.”

“I understand. Chen Yuzheng isn’t exactly… presentable,” Xu Yitong said sympathetically.

“No, it’s not him,” Yu Nuo quickly defended him. “You know my brother. He’s…”

“Perfect?” Xu Yitong finished for her, then giggled.

Looking towards the security booth, she said casually, “I just saw the security guard. He seems to have some trouble walking.”

“Oh, Uncle Li. He was in a car accident a couple of years ago. Lost his job.”

“Oh dear, what did he do before?”

“He was a chef at my brother’s high school.”

“So Yu Ge got him this job?”

“Yeah.”

“Yu Ge is such a good person,” Xu Yitong sighed.

Yu Nuo’s face fell. “Uncle Li… was very kind to my brother,” she said quietly.

“He seems nice. I’m sure good things will happen to him,” Xu Yitong said, not reading too much into Yu Nuo’s quiet tone.

Yu Nuo suddenly asked, “Are you and… my brother… close now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You were chatting earlier.”

“I was just making conversation,” Xu Yitong said, swinging her legs.

Was that really all? Yu Nuo wondered. Yu Ge wasn’t the type to engage in meaningless small talk.

“What’s my brother’s type?” Xu Yitong asked. “Do I… have a chance? You know, a pretty, lively girl like me?”

“He doesn’t talk to me about these things,” Yu Nuo said honestly. “But… I don’t think anyone wouldn’t like a pretty, lively girl like you.”

Xu Yitong burst out laughing at her serious tone.

Yu Nuo, however, didn’t laugh, staring at her thoughtfully.

She saw a bit of Chen Yuzheng in Xu Yitong, especially in their bright, energetic smiles.

Like the winter sun, bright and full of warmth.

Like a creature that had lived in darkness for so long, drawn to the light, even at the risk of being burned.

Even those accustomed to darkness crave the warmth of the sun, she thought.

She was that creature, longing for warmth.

What about Yu Ge?

✧✧✧

Around 6 PM, the housekeeper called them for dinner.

When Xu Yitong and Yu Nuo entered the dining hall, the team was already seated at a large round table.

A large TV on the wall showed recent LPL matches.

They watched and discussed the games.

No wonder OG is so good. They even study during dinner, Xu Yitong thought.

Seeing an empty seat next to Yu Ge, she sat down.

He glanced at her, then looked back at his phone.

Little C handed her a bowl and chopsticks.

“We meet again,” Awen said.

Xu Yitong fidgeted with a ring, twisting it around her finger, then accidentally flicked it across the table. It landed near Yu Ge.

Oops, she thought, definitely on purpose.

He picked up the ring and handed it to her.

“Thanks,” she murmured, leaning closer. “What game are you playing?”

He tilted his phone slightly, showing her the screen.

It was a simple reaction game, a white background with colorful dots appearing and disappearing. He continued playing as he showed her, his fingers moving quickly, clearing the dots.

She was mesmerized by his speed and precision.

Leaning in closer, her head blocking half his screen, she started giving him instructions, oblivious. “Top left! Right, right! Bottom! Yes! Oh no, you missed two!”

Yu Ge: “…”

He finished the game with his lowest score ever.

“Is that it?” she asked, disappointed, lifting her head.

“You want to play?” he asked indifferently.

Her eyes lit up. “I have pretty good reflexes.”

He restarted the game and handed her his phone.

She took it, a confident smile on her face.

Her smile quickly faded.

The dots appeared faster and faster. “Wait, wait! Too many!” she exclaimed.

“You missed all the ones at the top,” he said, his tone flat, like a robot.

Panicked, she used both hands, but it wasn’t enough.

Game over.

She looked at her score, even lower than his previous one, then handed him back the phone, not noticing the amusement in his eyes. “Okay, you win.”

“Another game?”

“I’m good,” she said, defeated.

Everyone at the table pretended not to notice, except Awen and Will, who exchanged a subtle look.

Little C, sitting closest to them, thought, He set the difficulty to max. Was he teasing her?

…

Xu Yitong, initially not hungry, found the food surprisingly good. She ate two bowls of rice, stuffing her cheeks like a little hamster.

“Haven’t you eaten in days?” Awen teased.

“I’ve been busy with renovations. No appetite in this heat.”

“Your friend’s store?”

“It’s… our store,” she admitted shyly.

“Wow, that’s great! I’ll help you promote it,” Awen joked.

“Thanks!” she grinned. “CC and I were just discussing promotions. I’m thinking of asking my cousin to visit when we open. He’s pretty popular now.”

“Conquer?”

“Yeah! Pretty smart, right?”

“He is popular, but…” Awen paused. “Why not ask the guy next to you?”

“Huh?”

Yu Ge ignored them.

“Conquer can’t compare to Fish in terms of popularity. Millions of Weibo followers. The face of the LPL. A walking money tree. Don’t you want that?”

“I can’t afford him,” she mumbled, then turned to Yu Ge, teasing, “Mr. Influencer, would you grace our humble store with your presence?”

Yu Ge finally looked up. “You can afford me.”

“I have plenty of money. Name your price.”

Before he could reply, Roy suddenly exclaimed, “Tong, do you know Conan Cake?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s Yiyi’s birthday next week. She loves their cakes. I wanted to order one, but they’re fully booked for the next two weeks. Do you have any connections?”

“A friend ordered from them before, but I don’t have their contact info.”

“Oh well…”

Seeing his disappointment, she said, “Tell me what you wanted. I’ll ask my friend.”

He handed her his phone.

She scrolled through their chat history.

Conan Cake wasn’t a high-end brand, just recently hyped by influencers. Xu Yitong knew exactly how to deal with them.

She called the number.

“Next week, right? A double portrait cake, crown, white roses. That’s all,” she confirmed, then looked at Roy for confirmation.

He nodded.

The person on the other end continued with their rehearsed lines, “I’m sorry, miss, our earliest availability is next month. We require advance notice for special ingredients, so…”

Xu Yitong suddenly turned to Yu Ge. “Okay, okay, stop talking!”

Everyone looked at Yu Ge, who hadn’t said a word.

Yu Ge: “?”

She continued, her tone impatient, “Stop going on and on about how you have millions of followers on Weibo. So what? The cake shop already said they don’t have time. It’s not like they care whether you’re some big internet celebrity!”

Yu Ge: “…”