Chapter 45

Ren Yue steered the conversation away and asked Su Mi several more questions about her trip to Haicheng. She seemed quite curious about Haicheng.

Su Mi didn’t deliberately mention Shen Han. She simply shared some experiences from the attractions and concluded that it was definitely worth visiting.

Ren Yue listened attentively, especially when Su Mi talked about surfing. She widened her eyes, her expression full of longing. “It sounds so cool! I’d love to try it if I get the chance!”

Su Mi: … She felt even more embarrassed to admit that she had fallen into the water many times.

Seeing how much Ren Yue yearned for it, she said, “Prime City is pretty close to Haicheng. It’s summer vacation right now, so you have plenty of free time. You could go play for a few days if you’re free?”

Ren Yue shook her head dejectedly and said, “Probably not. My health isn’t great, and Mom doesn’t let me travel far. Never mind.”

Su Mi thought Haicheng wasn’t that far.

But Ren Yue seemed heavily restricted by her mother.

While she pondered how to respond, Ren Yue smiled instead and said, “So you can invite me out to play more in Prime City. I’m so bored at home every day.”

Although Su Mi didn’t like going out much, since the girl had said so, she quickly replied, “Sure!”

She smiled at Ren Yue too. After they finished their ice cream, they headed to other attractions.

Coincidentally, they didn’t run into Shen Han and the others the whole way. Su Mi felt it was simply heaven’s blessing.

As noon approached, Ren Yue had to attend a rehearsal for the amusement park’s opening ceremony. She confirmed with Su Mi several times whether she wanted to join.

Su Mi had already told her she wasn’t going, so Ren Yue could attend without worry.

Ren Yue called over a park staff member and instructed her at length to take Su Mi to the restaurant for lunch.

Su Mi waved her hand. “Go on, go on.”

She kept smiling as she watched Ren Yue leave, then asked the staff to wait a moment.

Her light brain had vibrated several times earlier, but Su Mi felt guilty and hadn’t dared to check.

Now she opened it and saw a message from Xu Nanqiao: Waiting for you by the fountain in Fountain Square? What time works for you?

She exited the chat with Xu Nanqiao. There was also a lone message pinned at the top.

Shen Han: Where are you?

Her guilt intensified. Su Mi pondered the tone—it seemed a bit unhappy.

Could it be that she wasn’t having fun with Xu Nanqiao?

Su Mi wasn’t sure and wanted to turtle up again.

She glanced pitifully at the staff nearby, then suddenly had an idea.

Soon, a shuttle cart carrying a chubby bear plush stopped in a corner near Fountain Square.

The brown bear plush awkwardly twisted its body as it got off the cart and took a bunch of balloons from a nearby staff member.

Escorted by the staff, it arrived by the fountain in Fountain Square.

From afar, she saw two particularly eye-catching people sitting by the fountain bench.

The atmosphere seemed decent.

Xu Nanqiao wore a light blue long skirt, her long hair gathered up, surrounded by pigeons hopping around her.

She leaned forward, holding a bag of bread and breaking it into crumbs. She smiled faintly, murmuring softly as she fed the pigeons in front of her.

Meanwhile, Shen Han leaned against the chair back, eyes downcast on her light brain.

She wore a fitted white shirt. Sunlight poured from behind, making her pinned-up black hair shimmer. Stray hairs covered half her nape, sunlight lingering on the faintly visible collar, enveloping her and making her seem warm and cozy.

One exuded a calm aura while working, the other warmly and kindly fed pigeons. With their beauty, even passersby couldn’t help but linger their gaze for a moment or two.

They indeed seemed harmonious.

She looked again; the blackening value even seemed on the verge of dropping another digit.

Su Mi thought distractedly that Shen Han always seemed gentler around Xu Nanqiao.

As expected of the child of destiny.

That was pretty good.

Su Mi finally breathed a sigh of relief. She waved to the staff and arranged for them to pick her up later.

Her original plan was to check on their interaction first. Now that they seemed to get along well, there was no need for her to show up.

Though very guilty, Su Mi felt her image wasn’t important compared to a life-or-death task.

As soon as the order-maintaining staff left, many children swarmed over, clamoring to take photos with the bear.

Su Mi had worn a plush costume before to hand out flyers for work. This one prepared by the staff was much more comfortable—probably made with special cooling material, not hot in summer, and with several small fans inside.

She retracted her gaze and familiarly bent down to greet the children, holding their hands for photos.

One by one, the little radish-like kids came up for photos, calling “Bear bear!” Su Mi was utterly charmed. With the task progressing perfectly, her mood was exceptionally cheerful as she immersed herself in the “work.”

When she was almost out of balloons, a pigeon suddenly hopped in front of her.

Su Mi looked up following the pigeon and saw something astonishing.

Wh-what? Were they arguing?

Not far away, pigeons had scattered far off, alert for some reason, clearing a large area by the fountain.

Perhaps due to the Alpha’s angry mental power, passersby were detouring around the area.

Xu Nanqiao stood in front of Shen Han, her fair hands clenched tightly at her sides. Her posture suggested she was very angry.

Shen Han had her arms crossed, calmly saying something with an indifferent expression.

As Xu Nanqiao grew angrier, Shen Han seemed oblivious and added a few more words.

This completely enraged Xu Nanqiao. She threw some harsh words and stormed off.

Leaving Shen Han alone on the bench. She impatiently rubbed her brow and tapped her light brain.

Su Mi’s wrist vibrated.

Su Mi: “…”

What happened?

The round bear stood there, mind blank.

They argued again?

She remembered that when she first transmigrated into this book, Xu Nanqiao was in a cold war after an argument. Their disagreement had been about university choices.

Later, when Shen Han softened to Xu Nanqiao, she had been there.

What were they arguing about this time?

Su Mi reviewed the original plot. The protagonist decided to end this improper part-time job after entering university, disturbed by this original host’s cannon fodder interference, leading to another fight with the antagonist.

Now that she had altered the plotline so much, it shouldn’t be that happening early, right?

Ah… so what were they arguing about?

Su Mi was dazed. Inside the plush costume, she couldn’t check her light brain messages. She only saw Shen Han send another message.

Perhaps not getting a reply from Su Mi, she looked down at her light brain for a bit, then frowned impatiently and closed her eyes.

Even from a distance, one could sense her depressed aura. The surrounding pigeons suddenly startled and flew off in all directions.

The Fountain Square, once full of pigeons being fed crumbs by Xu Nanqiao, was empty of pigeons in an instant.

Su Mi’s heart tightened.

Immediately, she heard the System ding.

The blackening value automatically appeared in the upper right corner. The number on the right jumped, eagerly climbing upward.

…!

Why did it suddenly rise again?

Su Mi had thought that after half a month of building their relationship, they were at least familiar enough that Shen Han wouldn’t say something to upset Xu Nanqiao again.

After all, the blackening value hadn’t had issues in that previous half month.

The System popped up due to the sudden rise in blackening value. After listening to Su Mi’s analysis, it added, “Sometimes, the closer people are, the easier it is to hurt each other. Because they’re so familiar, they care, and they know each other’s sore spots.”

Su Mi: “Is that so?”

She had no such experience and was half-believing. She watched Shen Han sitting alone there, isolated on the vast square, with only the sound of the fountain behind her.

Foreign-style music floated over the square. Su Mi stared for a while, feeling inexplicably upset.

The task was too hard.

She didn’t even know what love was; she couldn’t matchmake others.

Seeing her suddenly down, the System encouraged her: “Host, you’re already doing great! The task progress is good now. Look, the blackening value has stabilized around 75%. Though it’s fluctuating now, the protagonists’ plotline has been derailed way off course. Even the world consciousness’s enforced plot points have been sidetracked. It shows you’re perfect for this task!”

Su Mi: “Really?”

System: “Yes. Recall our reference materials—what should you do when they argue?”

Su Mi thought about it.

She got it.

Xu Nanqiao had run off, so Shen Han should chase her, right? Otherwise, the misunderstanding would escalate, and someone else might take advantage.

But Shen Han wasn’t in a good state to chase someone.

Su Mi felt she should first soothe the antagonist’s mood.

She quickly gave away the remaining balloons, keeping only one, and waved goodbye to the nearby kids.

Then, wearing the bear plush, she quietly headed toward Shen Han.

Giving Shen Han a balloon—would that improve her mood?

Then naturally hint with the plush shell: please go after your companion ^^.

With such a big headpiece, even if Shen Han was perceptive, she wouldn’t recognize her.

Su Mi slowly approached. She wiggled her gloved hand and untied the balloon’s white string.

She held it out to Shen Han.

She didn’t speak, because the bear plush couldn’t talk.

Shen Han lifted her eyelids, her gaze calmly falling on the cute, chubby plush bear in front of her.

Her expression calm yet slightly melancholic, she didn’t seem to find the bear’s arrival strange.

As her gaze fell, even the fountain’s rushing water seemed to soften with her attention.

Su Mi was a bit nervous, peeking at Shen Han through the bear’s mouth.

Her other paw stretched out, pointing in the direction Xu Nanqiao had left.

Get it?

Unnoticed, the jumping blackening value in the upper right corner vanished along with the now tranquil water sounds.

Her curled lashes fluttered lightly. The prolonged ice-blue stare almost made Su Mi feel exposed.

Her heart drummed; she wanted to retreat.

Why wasn’t Shen Han moving? Did she dislike the balloon? But it was her last one; if Shen Han didn’t like it, she had nothing else.

Soon, without speaking first, Shen Han pulled down the balloon string in front of her.

Su Mi breathed a sigh of relief; Shen Han liked it after all.

Since it was the last balloon, the knot was tied to the plush paw. But Shen Han didn’t untie it for her; she just pulled some string, wound it twice around her pinky, and secured it neatly.

She squinted, seemingly satisfied as she admired this balloon artwork entwined between human and bear.

While Su Mi was stunned, Shen Han spoke, slowly and methodically, her voice cool like a cold spring.

“May I ask, if you catch a liar, what’s the best way to punish them?”