The Little Bookworm Marked Her Ex-aunt - Chapter 31: Shu Yue, Want a Hug?

Chapter 31: Shu Yue, Want a Hug?

“Little Yue? What’s wrong?”

Seeing her suddenly crouch into a ball in the corner, Lin Chu asked with concern.

“Feeling unwell?” Lin Chu asked again.

Shu Yue hurriedly said, “No, no.”

She muddled through, “I just zoned out for a bit.”

Lin Chu raised her hand and knocked on Shu Yue’s forehead, “Zoning out, zoning out, all you do is zone out every day. Don’t call yourself Shu Yue anymore; I think you should change your name to Shu Dai.”

Shu Yue immediately pulled out a book to block her forehead and refused, “No way.”

“Stay for dinner later?” Principal Gu enthusiastically invited from behind the two, “You helped us so much today; we have to let our head chef show off and let you taste our authentic Qingqi Yuan cuisine.”

Before Zhou Miao could speak, Lin Chu eagerly responded, “Want to eat, want to eat! Principal Gu! I want to eat!”

Zhou Miao gave her a sideways glance and turned to Principal Gu helplessly, “Then we’ll trouble you.”

Principal Gu waved his hand, “What’s the trouble? You rest first, or you can wander around the school. When the cafeteria opens the small stove, I’ll call you.”

The village school wasn’t big; using the word wander to describe it was a bit of an exaggeration. After all, as soon as Shu Yue walked through the school gate, she could see the entire layout clearly.

Afraid of disturbing the children in class, the few of them only strolled around the area called the playground, which was more like a courtyard.

Suddenly, a little bundle ran over.

With pigtails tied like goat horns, wearing a floral shirt, her eyes sparkled brightly.

After stopping in front of the four of them, her big, dark eyes scanned their faces, finally landing on Shu Yue. She stepped closer and asked, “Sister, do you want to play with us?”

Shu Yue pointed at herself, “Me?”

Little Goat Horns nodded, “Hmm!”

“And the other sisters—” she dragged out her voice, her gaze lingering on Ji Shiyi’s face for a while before shyly looking away.

Shu Yue looked toward the children on the playground, each stretching their faces in their direction, clearly waiting for the scout, Little Goat Horns, to bring back good news.

Shu Yue herself wasn’t interested in playing these games. She turned her head, glanced at Ji Shiyi, quickly looked away, then looked at her senior sister and mentor.

Lin Chu had already rolled up her sleeves.

“We’re here anyway, with nothing to do, so let’s play for a bit,” she crouched down and asked Little Goat Horns, “What’s your name?”

“De Yu,” Little Goat Horns said crisply, “My name is Tian De Yu.”

She keenly sensed that Lin Chu might be the easiest to talk to in the group, so she shuffled closer and invited, “Sister, play together?”

Lin Chu agreed at once, “Play, play, let’s go.”

She stood up and pushed Shu Yue, who had just been crouching to talk to Little Goat Horns. The push nearly made Shu Yue lose her balance. Her body lurched forward, and she reached out to steady her slipping glasses frame awkwardly.

Furious, she stood up and chased after Lin Chu.

Lin Chu shouted, “Mentor! Help! My junior sister is slaughtering her fellow disciple!”

Zhou Miao’s lips twitched slightly, and she turned to Ji Shiyi, “Sorry, Miss Ji, for making you witness a joke.”

Ji Shiyi smiled, “It’s fine, very lively.”

Neither she nor Zhou Miao joined the children’s game. They found a shady spot and sat on the cement edge of a flower bed.

Little Goat Horns pulled Shu Yue and Lin Chu to play a game of throwing sandbags.

Lin Chu was agile like a dog, standing in the designated area drawn with chalk, dodging with precision.

Compared to her, Shu Yue’s reactions were much slower. Just a short while into the game, she got hit twice.

Each person had three lives, and if Shu Yue got hit once more, she’d be out.

Shu Yue stood rooted to the spot, trembling with fear, determined to dodge properly this time or make a big move by catching the sandbag. She spread her legs slightly, leaned forward, eyes fixed ahead, pushed her glasses up her nose with bent fingers, and watched the child outside the chalk line, lightly tossing the sandbag, like an eagle.

Her aura was perfect.

Her posture was perfect.

Bang—!

The fast-flying sandbag slipped past Shu Yue’s palm, veered at an angle, and even affected Lin Chu, who was preparing to dodge.

“Aaah!” Lin Chu screamed in collapse, “My perfect record!!”

“Little Yue! I’ll kill you!” Lin Chu raised her hand and grabbed Shu Yue’s neck.

Shu Yue’s face was full of resignation, giving up resistance, letting Lin Chu punish her.

She really wasn’t cut out for games.

At the flower bed’s edge, Ji Shiyi asked, “Are they always like this?”

Zhou Miao said, “Chaos and commotion, normal.”

Shu Yue was penalized and dragged her half-dead body to crouch nearby. After a while, her legs grew tired, so she sat cross-legged, watching Lin Chu and the kids continue playing enthusiastically.

Suddenly.

A cool sensation came from her cheek. She turned her head and saw a mineral water bottle, frosted with icy mist, held by Ji Shiyi.

“Take it,” Ji Shiyi said.

Instinctively, Shu Yue wanted to refuse.

“I’m not thirsty,” she said.

Ji Shiyi looked at her, “Not thirsty? Listen to your own voice; it’s practically gone.”

Shu Yue coughed twice to check, found it odd, and meekly took the bottle, saying thanks. She twisted the cap and noticed it was already half-loosened.

She glanced secretly at Ji Shiyi, who didn’t notice her gaze, busy calling the kids over to drink water.

Ji Shiyi’s other hand pushed a small cart from somewhere, filled with mineral water and drinks.

The kids swarmed over to pick, sweetly thanking Sister Ji.

The sandbag game paused as a result.

Shu Yue sighed in relief, raised the bottle, and gulped down two sips.

The coolness slid down her throat into her stomach, easily easing her heat. A shadow fell beside her as Ji Shiyi sat down on the ground, mimicking her.

Shu Yue noticed, hesitated, then took off her sun-protective jacket and placed it under Ji Shiyi.

“Dirty,” meeting Ji Shiyi’s questioning gaze, Shu Yue looked away and explained, “You’re wearing white pants; it’s inconvenient.”

Ji Shiyi didn’t protest, only asked, “Then this jacket, you don’t want it anymore?”

Shu Yue wrinkled her nose, unconcerned, “Wash it a couple times, it’ll be fine. Bought it for twenty-nine ninety, two pieces with free shipping, very cheap.”

Ji Shiyi smiled and said, “I watched the sandbag match earlier, Little Shu, you’re kind of bad at it.”

Shu Yue accepted her fate, “These competitive games, I’m really not good at.”

Ji Shiyi said, “From what you say, you have games you’re good at?”

Shu Yue’s eyes lit up, “Of course! If it’s deductive reasoning, puzzles, or finding people, I’m great at those. Miss Ji, have you played the color-finding game? Let me tell you, back in elementary school, we always loved playing it. No matter who was the ghost or what color they picked, I never lost.”

As she spoke, Ji Shiyi just quietly watched her.

After babbling for a while, Shu Yue grew embarrassed, reached to smooth her low ponytail, gripped the still-cool water bottle, and asked, “Miss Ji, what about you? Are you good at these games?”

Ji Shiyi unscrewed her bottle cap with one hand, took a sip of the same mineral water as Shu Yue, and said lightly, “Don’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Shu Yue heard such an uncertain answer from Ji Shiyi for the first time.

Ji Shiyi hummed, “I didn’t play games with others as a kid.”

Shu Yue was somewhat surprised.

In her memory, during their era, kids’ worlds weren’t yet dominated by electronic devices. When bored, they’d go out and always find a chance to play a game or two with peers.

Logically, Ji Shiyi, being older, should have had even more of such a childhood.

“That surprising?” Ji Shiyi saw her expression and chuckled.

Shu Yue nodded, honestly, “Somewhat hard to imagine.”

Curious, she asked, “Miss Ji, what did you play as a kid then?”

Ji Shiyi thought briefly and said casually, “Too long ago, don’t remember.”

Shu Yue took another sip from her bottle, pondered, screwed the cap back on, and stood up. In Ji Shiyi’s questioning gaze, she extended her hand, “Miss Ji, let’s play a game together then.”

Ji Shiyi paused, placed her hand in Shu Yue’s palm, stood up with her help, then bent to pick up Shu Yue’s sun-protective jacket, shook off the dust, and draped it over her arm.

“Friendly reminder, if you team up with me, we might lose,” Ji Shiyi said.

Shu Yue took the jacket back from Ji Shiyi’s arm, tied the sleeves around her waist, and knotted it.

“What’s that matter?” Shu Yue said nonchalantly, “Losing games, I’m the best at that.”

She turned and shouted to the kids scattered like ducklings in the courtyard, “Who else wants to play sandbags?”

“Me, me, me!”

One little hand after another shot up.

Lin Chu got excited, stood up from the ground, brushed the dust off her butt, and set down her unfinished cola.

“Let’s split into two teams,” Lin Chu directed, “Little Yue, you and Miss Ji are one team, me and Mentor are another. Each team takes some kids, and whoever loses washes dishes for the next week!”

Zhou Miao, inexplicably dragged into it, flatly refused, “I don’t want to.”

Lin Chu wailed, “Come on, come on, Mentor, you’re not young anymore, don’t just sit there, it’s bad for your health. Haven’t you seen online? Middle-aged and elderly need to stay active, or their bones will rust.”

Zhou Miao: “…”

She turned to Shu Yue, “Can I join your team? Three against one.”

Lin Chu slid to her knees in apology, “I was wrong, Mentor, I was wrong.”

She forcibly grabbed Zhou Miao’s arm and pulled her to her side.

Little Goat Horns sidled up to Shu Yue and eagerly volunteered, “Sister, can I be on your team?”

Shu Yue ruffled her head, “Of course.”

She counted her soldiers, eight kids in total.

“You’re just gonna play like that?” Zhou Miao suddenly said.

Lin Chu tossed the sandbag in her hand, “How else?”

Zhou Miao bent down and asked a kid to fetch chalk. When the child pattered back, she crouched and drew circles on the ground.

First a large circle, then smaller ones inside, from a distance looking like a shrinking snail shell.

Zhou Miao put the leftover chalk back in the box and explained, “This is how we played as kids, ‘siege.’ Two teams, one inside the lines, one outside. The attackers start from this entrance.”

Zhou Miao walked to the snail’s opening and pointed.

“Enter here, run along the path I drew, five circles total. Defenders throw sandbags from one meter outside the circle. If someone gets hit while running, they’re out. If someone steps out of the circle, it’s a foul, and they’re out too.”

Shu Yue raised her hand.

Zhou Miao, amused by her gesture, said, “What do you want to ask?”

“How do you win?” Shu Yue asked.

Lin Chu jumped in, “Is it that if you reach the middle, the fifth circle, the innermost spot, you win?”

Zhou Miao nodded.

Lin Chu rubbed her hands eagerly, “That doesn’t sound too hard!”

She smugly told Shu Yue, “Little Yue, watch, your senior sister will show you how it’s done.”

Lin Chu’s confidence made Shu Yue a bit nervous.

Ji Shiyi’s hand lightly rested on her shoulder, patted, and said nothing.

The two stepped apart, ready to start the game.

Some kid blew a whistle, and Lin Chu led the charge into the circle.

Shu Yue threw a sandbag at Lin Chu first, but Lin Chu dodged easily. She even made a goofy face at Shu Yue, infuriatingly smug. Zhou Miao seemed steady but got surprisingly into the game, directing the kids behind her, “Don’t all go in at once! Go in batches! Crowding makes you easy targets!”

As soon as she spoke, two kids were out.

Lin Chu shouted, “No worries, no worries! Watch your sister take this city for you!”

“Wait till I catch two sandbags, I’ll save you back!”

Lin Chu eyed the sandbag passed back to Shu Yue’s hands, vowing confidently.

Ji Shiyi’s gaze sharpened, hesitating not a second, grabbed the sandbag from Shu Yue, and hurled it at Lin Chu.

Lin Chu, brimming with confidence, prepared to catch it, but the sandbag’s force was immense, somehow curving midair, hitting her and making her step back.

Little Goat Horns, sharp-eyed, shouted excitedly, “Stepped on the line! Sister Lin Chu stepped on the line!”

Shu Yue turned to Ji Shiyi.

Ji Shiyi raised the corner of her mouth, “Little Shu, though you said losing doesn’t matter, sorry, I’m more used to the word win.”

Once Ji Shiyi got going, she was unstoppable.

Every throw hit its mark, clean and swift, incredibly fast.

Zhou Miao held out until the third circle but finally succumbed to Ji Shiyi’s attack, getting knocked out.

Now, only three kids remained in the snail siege.

One timid girl with glasses screamed whenever a sandbag flew her way.

Ji Shiyi went easy, not targeting the kids, and tossed the sandbag to other children.

In the end, only the screaming girl reached the innermost circle.

Lin Chu’s team felt discouraged, but Zhou Miao comforted, “It’s fine, as long as we stop them from getting anyone through later, we still win.”

Shu Yue quietly poked Ji Shiyi. When she turned, Shu Yue whispered, “Miss Ji, we’re doomed.”

“How so?”

“You seem to have sparked Mentor’s fighting spirit.”

“Serious consequences?”

Shu Yue recalled, “Last time Mentor got competitive, I spent half a month revising my paper.”

Ji Shiyi raised an eyebrow, “That’s pretty serious.”

“But, coincidentally, I’m feeling quite competitive now too.”

Shu Yue, “Huh?”

Ji Shiyi, “Do you know what happened last time I got competitive?”

Shu Yue shook her head.

How would she know?

Ji Shiyi reached out, took the sun-protective jacket tied at Shu Yue’s waist, patted off the long-gone dust, and gestured for Shu Yue to wear it.

Shu Yue, puzzled by the sudden move, waved her hand, “It’s not sunny now.”

Ji Shiyi’s gaze fell on her loose collar.

“You’d better wear it,” Ji Shiyi advised, “It’ll get windy when you run.”

Shu Yue looked down, saw the redness near her collarbone hadn’t faded, and realized bending over would expose it.

Her face flushed, and she put on the jacket, zipping it to the top.

Following Ji Shiyi to the siege entrance, she kept her head down, looking like a little mushroom from afar.

With Lin Chu’s team’s experience, this time, Ji Shiyi made arrangements before entering the circle.

“Go in pairs,” Ji Shiyi said, “They only have two sandbags. Little Shu and I will go first to draw fire. You kids split into teams, seize the chance, and dart in.”

The little radishes chorused, “Okay!”

Shu Yue braced for getting hit from the moment she stepped into the circle, but she found, surprisingly, that sticking with Ji Shiyi seemed to eliminate that risk.

Ji Shiyi always managed to catch the sandbags.

Shu Yue couldn’t help but wonder if this had to do with Ji Shiyi’s spirit animal being a cat.

After all, in games testing eyesight and agility, cats were master-level.

Lin Chu and Zhou Miao attacked Ji Shiyi several times without knocking her out, instead letting her gain three lives.

Each time Shu Yue got hit and prepared to leave, Ji Shiyi pulled her back, reviving her on the spot.

“No way,” Lin Chu mused, holding a sandbag, “Gotta change targets. This Miss Ji is tough.”

“Hit Little Yue,” Zhou Miao directed, “Since we can’t stop Ji Shiyi, our goal is to keep both of them from reaching the end together.”

After strategizing, Zhou Miao and Lin Chu focused their throws on Shu Yue.

Shu Yue felt the pressure mount.

“Senior Sister?! Mentor?!”

What’s with this?!

Ganging up on her alone?

Spotting a sandbag flying from her side, she quickly pulled in her left foot, shifted her weight right, dodged the sandbag, but nearly lost her balance. About to step on the line, Ji Shiyi reached out and pulled her into her arms.

The watching kids let out a “wow” cheer.

Ji Shiyi grabbed another sandbag thrown by Lin Chu, hurled it back at her.

“Ow—!” Lin Chu’s calf stung, incredulous, “You can throw it back?”

Ji Shiyi raised her brow slightly, “No rule says you can’t, right?”

Lin Chu marveled, “Wow—”

She tossed the sandbag high, now truly competing with Ji Shiyi and Shu Yue.

Mid-throw, Little Goat Horns let out an excited scream, “We won! We won!!”

Lin Chu’s mouth dropped, looking behind Ji Shiyi and Shu Yue.

Two tiny kids stood in the circle’s center, jumping joyfully.

Lin Chu puzzled, “When did those two get there?”

Zhou Miao shook her head, “I didn’t notice either.”

Lin Chu sighed, “Diversion, absolute diversion!”

She played heartily and conceded quickly.

“Fine, you got lucky, Little Yue. For the next week, you can admire your senior sister and mentor’s dashing dishwashing skills.”

Zhou Miao gave her a look, too lazy to respond.

Shu Yue snickered, “Don’t worry, Senior Sister, I’ll take photos to capture your heroic dishwashing.”

Lin Chu huffed, “You better make me look good.”

“Go wash your hands,” Lin Chu said, looking at her dusty palms. Zhou Miao joined her, heading to the school’s bathroom.

Shu Yue wanted to wash her hands too, but Little Goat Horns and her friends surrounded her tightly, leaving no room to move.

Little Goat Horns looked at Shu Yue, then Ji Shiyi, her big eyes full of unhidden gossip, “Little Shu Sister, are you two a couple?”

Shu Yue’s heart tightened, and she shook her head quickly, “Of course not, don’t talk nonsense.”

Little Goat Horns said, “Oh,” and walked to Ji Shiyi, “Then, Sister, when I grow up, can I pursue you?”

Ji Shiyi crouched down, amused by her childish words.

“Why do you want to pursue me?”

Little Goat Horns answered without thinking, “Because you’re beautiful! And amazing at sandbags! The most amazing I’ve ever seen!”

Little Goat Horns said clearly, “Sister, my mom said when I grow up, I’ll definitely become an alpha, and then I’ll come pursue you, okay?”

Ji Shiyi said, “Tian De Yu, I can’t answer your question now. How about you grow up first, and we discuss this later?”

Tian De Yu said anxiously, “But it’ll take so long to grow up.”

Ji Shiyi hummed, “You know that, huh.”

Tian De Yu’s face scrunched up, then she asked, “Then, Sister, what kind of alpha do you like? I’ll grow in that direction.”

“Who said I must like an alpha?” Ji Shiyi said.

Tian De Yu’s eyes widened, “But, but—”

Her mom taught her AO biology, and she clearly saw the omega-specific suppressant patch on Sister Ji Shiyi’s neck.

Wasn’t it natural for omegas and alphas to be together?

“The world has many possibilities,” Ji Shiyi said, brushing dust from Tian De Yu’s floral shirt from playing sandbags, “When you leave this village, leave Qingqi Yuan, leave Lu County, De Yu, you’ll find the world has endless possibilities.”

“You’ll also find there are prettier people, better at sandbags.”

Ji Shiyi reached out, patted Tian De Yu’s fluffy head, and pinched her stiff, skyward pigtails.

“If one day, when you grow up, go far enough, and still remember today’s words, you can come find me.”

Tian De Yu, half-understanding, asked, “Sister, how big is big, how far is far?”

Ji Shiyi thought, “I can’t answer that; it’s different for everyone.”

Tian De Yu pouted, “Okay.”

A question even the pretty sister couldn’t answer must be a big one!

“Go wash your hands?” Ji Shiyi asked.

Tian De Yu nodded, showing her dirty little hands, “So dirty, I need to wash them lots! Or my mom will find out and spank me!”

“You washing?” Ji Shiyi turned to Shu Yue.

Shu Yue had been quietly standing aside, listening to Ji Shiyi and Tian De Yu talk. Seeing Ji Shiyi look at her, she nodded and followed them.

As sunset approached, the slanting dusk cast a caramel glow ahead, stretching the shadows of the woman and child long, like a poem that could never be finished.

Shu Yue kept her head down, reading it all the way.

Until she bumped into Ji Shiyi’s back.

“Not watching the road?” the woman asked.

Shu Yue looked up, smiled without speaking, sidestepped Ji Shiyi, and went to the bathroom to wash her hands.

The school bell rang, and after sending off waves of kids, Principal Gu came right on time to call them for dinner.

They set up a few tables on the playground, bringing out iron basins and big bowls.

“All local dishes,” Principal Gu introduced, “Firewood chicken, cold dressed crucian carp, double pepper rabbit.”

Shu Yue glanced, her mouth watering.

The firewood chicken smelled fragrant, with soft potatoes, chunks of fatty pork, and tender chicken piled together. The cold dressed crucian carp was drenched in seasoning, chives mixed with green onions, ginger, garlic, and millet chili, exuding a tangy, spicy aroma. The double pepper rabbit was even more striking, a plate full of red and green peppers, sprinkled with white sesame seeds, and ginger slivers mixed in.

“Try it quick,” Principal Gu said.

Shu Yue held her bowl, looked around, and asked, “Principal Gu, is there rice?”

Principal Gu said, “Little Shu, not eating some dishes first?”

Lin Chu explained for her, “Principal Gu, you don’t know, my junior sister is a carb fanatic. She can’t handle a meal without rice. Believe it or not? At our last lab gathering, we went for hotpot skewers, and the first thing she did was order a bowl of rice.”

Shu Yue felt shy hearing Lin Chu ramble and kicked toward her.

Lin Chu didn’t react, but Ji Shiyi, wiping her hands with a wet wipe, looked over.

Shu Yue, confused, said, “Miss Ji?”

Ji Shiyi’s head tilted toward the table’s underside.

Shu Yue looked down.

“…”

She quickly pulled her foot back.

Principal Gu passed a wooden basin of rice brought by the head chef, letting Shu Yue scoop as much as she wanted. He looked at Ji Shiyi, inviting her to try the dishes, especially the cold dressed crucian carp.

“This fish is from our Qingqi Yuan; it tastes different from elsewhere,” Principal Gu said proudly, “Miss Ji, your eye is spot-on. Qingqi Yuan is a treasure trove; if developed well, it’ll be a hit.”

Shu Yue wanted to speak for Ji Shiyi, “Principal Gu, Miss Ji, she—”

A warm palm rested on her hand.

Shu Yue paused.

Principal Gu asked, puzzled, “Little Shu, what about Miss Ji?”

Ji Shiyi said, “Nothing, she just wanted to pour me some water.”

“No big deal,” Principal Gu grabbed a kettle and filled Ji Shiyi’s enamel cup, looking at her expectantly.

Ji Shiyi picked up chopsticks, took a bit of fish, and tasted it.

“Good flavor,” she said.

Principal Gu’s smile widened, “Right? Miss Ji, glad you like it.”

Ji Shiyi set down her chopsticks, sipped water quietly, and subtly moved her palm from Shu Yue’s hand.

After the meal, leaving the school, Shu Yue found a chance to ask.

“Miss Ji, don’t you avoid green onions?”

The cold dressed crucian carp was covered in green.

“Just a little, no harm,” Ji Shiyi said, pausing, then joking, “If I didn’t eat that bite, Principal Gu might not sleep well tonight.”

“You always think of others like that?” Shu Yue blurted out before realizing.

Ji Shiyi paused mid-step, “Do I?”

Shu Yue nodded, “You do. Not just with me, but today, donating that cabinet of professional books, saying they were from employees to ease the principal’s pressure, but I saw, most were like new. And during sandbags, knowing Little… Tian De Yu wanted to win, you gave them ideas, and also…”

Ji Shiyi couldn’t help laughing, “Why do I feel like you’ve been watching me all day?”

Shu Yue’s mouth froze.

Ji Shiyi teased, “Little Shu, you aren’t treating me like a bird, are you?”

Shu Yue shook her head instantly, “Of course not!”

Ji Shiyi and a bird were definitely different.

But how were they different?

Shu Yue thought, beyond biological differences, she couldn’t pinpoint it.

Tap.

A fingertip lightly knocked her head.

“I was just saying, don’t overthink,” Ji Shiyi’s voice carried a cool rationality, ringing in the half-fallen sunset. She looked into Shu Yue’s eyes, “As for what you just said.”

Her tone paused.

“Sometimes, Shu Yue, thinking of others is just for yourself.”

Shu Yue didn’t grasp Ji Shiyi’s meaning, blinked, and didn’t ask further.

They walked side by side, silent for a while.

Shu Yue suddenly said, “But even so, you still thought of others.”

Ji Shiyi paused, “What?”

Shu Yue said, “What you just said.”

Ji Shiyi chuckled, “So you were thinking about that the whole walk with your head down?”

“Not really. I thought about lots of things,” Shu Yue said slowly, “I thought there’s too much ragweed in this village; I should remind the village head to control it. It looks simple and cute but harms the ecosystem. I also thought… what was it? Oh, whether the nightjar will call tonight, if it found a mate.”

The girl’s scattered thoughts spilled everywhere.

Ji Shiyi walked beside her, quietly listening to her disjointed chatter, curious about what filled Shu Yue’s mind, always drifting like sleepwalking, saying whatever came to mind.

“Then I thought of what you said, Miss Ji.”

Shu Yue turned to face Ji Shiyi sideways.

“Even if you say thinking of others has ulterior motives, thinking of others is still a fact,” she analyzed seriously, pushing her glasses like discussing a math problem, “Since it’s a fact, it’s remarkable. Not everyone has that ability.”

She didn’t.

Shu Yue thought.

“Miss Ji?”

Why wasn’t she speaking?

Shu Yue pondered, feeling her earlier words were logical and correct, no issues.

“Shu Yue.”

“Huh?”

“Play fewer games, go online less, don’t chat with random people, and beware of women online.”

Shu Yue was baffled, “Miss Ji, what are you talking about?”

She didn’t play games now, rarely went online, and didn’t chat with any women online.

Ji Shiyi smiled, “Just remember it.”

“I’ll leave tomorrow,” Ji Shiyi added.

Shu Yue’s heart sank. Ji Shiyi was still here, just saying she’d leave tomorrow, yet Shu Yue felt like she’d already gone.

“The poaching case is mostly settled. With Fu Xitang here, you won’t need to worry about that anymore.”

“I understand,” Shu Yue nodded, “Captain Fu does seem very capable.”

Ji Shiyi smiled, “Yes, she’s capable. If you run into anything, she’ll handle it.”

Ji Shiyi stopped, looking at Shu Yue.

“Thanks for caring for Shiyi these days. She’s much better, and so am I. Yu Qianyue said you don’t really like cats. So, this time, I’ll take her back with me. What do you think?”

Shu Yue opened her mouth, wanted to say something, but couldn’t. After a long pause, she said one word.

“Okay,” she heard herself say.

Ji Shiyi’s eyes dimmed, and she hummed softly.

They neared Ji Shiyi’s off-road vehicle parked in the courtyard.

“Then, goodbye,” Ji Shiyi said, “Little Shu, I wish you joy in your work at Qingqi Yuan.”

For some reason, hearing this, Shu Yue felt a dull ache in her heart, unclear why.

Logically, she should be happy with Ji Shiyi’s arrangements. Without Shiyi, her life would have fewer hassles. She wasn’t good at helping Ji Shiyi, even falling asleep midway. Wait, was that it? Was Ji Shiyi dissatisfied with her, deciding not to use her anymore?

Shu Yue wanted to ask but couldn’t.

She wasn’t even sure if Ji Shiyi’s words meant what she thought.

Inexplicably, she wanted to hug Ji Shiyi, no reason, just wanted to. As if the touch would freeze certain moments for her.

But in the end, Shu Yue said nothing.

Perhaps Ji Shiyi was meant to be like that kitten that darted into her tote bag on breakup day, arriving suddenly, thus parting just as abruptly in a dusk like today.

So much that her skipped heartbeat hadn’t returned, forever paused in that instant.

Wasn’t that a good thing? It cooled her rapidly overheating mind.

So Shu Yue just nodded at Ji Shiyi, echoed her words, and said clearly in the night breeze.

“Hmm, Miss Ji, goodbye.”

Her hand reached into her pocket, hesitated, then slowly pulled out a leaf.

“Found it near the school flower bed today,” Shu Yue handed the tiny four-leaf clover to Ji Shiyi, “Miss Ji, I wish you a smooth life and success in your career.”

Ji Shiyi looked down at the leaf in the girl’s palm.

No creases, no marks.

It must have been well-protected all the way.

She wanted to say keep this luck for yourself, but through the glasses, she saw Shu Yue’s eyes, clear and bright, purer than Qingqi Yuan’s lake.

“Thank you,” Ji Shiyi picked up the small clover, “I’ll take good care of it.”

The wind stilled for a moment.

“Want a hug?” Ji Shiyi asked softly.

Shu Yue froze, “Why ask that?”

Ji Shiyi said, “Because I want to.”

And because you look like you need one too.

The woman opened her arms, her cool features softening, framed by the sunset, gentle like a painting. Shu Yue bit her lip, couldn’t resist, stepped forward, and fell into Ji Shiyi’s embrace.

She felt Ji Shiyi’s palm on her back, patting lightly, then resting on her head.

It felt long, yet happened in a second.

“I’m off,” Ji Shiyi let go, said briskly, “I need to pack at the hotel for tomorrow’s flight. I won’t let Shiyi out, or she won’t want to leave you.”

Shu Yue nodded, “Miss Ji, stay safe.”

She stood there, watching Ji Shiyi leave.

So strange.

They’d done the most intimate things, yet in that polite, proper hug, her heart raced the wildest, nearly leaping out.

Why was that? Shu Yue clutched her chest, quietly scolding her heart, pointing at it: You, why do you keep doing weird things?