Chapter 47: Digging a Pit

Su Mi quickly thought of some strange things in her heart.

No way, impossible.

Even as she thought it was impossible, her heart still hung suspended in her chest cavity.

Her lips, already rubbed to a rosy red by herself, bit down a little tighter, and her eyelashes trembled rapidly along with it, as if they would open in the next second.

Fine, this moment was a bit torturous…

The shadow looming before her eyes seemed to linger for only a few instants, yet also felt like it had dragged on for dozens of minutes.

Su Mi’s heartbeat grew faster and faster, and she couldn’t help but take a small step back.

As her heel landed on the ground behind her, the stagnant atmosphere seemed to burst open abruptly, dissipating into the summer tree shadows.

A faint, almost nonexistent light laugh came from Shen Han in front of her.

Her cheek was gently patted.

The touch was cool like jade, restrained and not lingering, gone in a flash.

This… this was the punishment?

Harboring a heavy mood—unclear if it was guilt or disappointment—Su Mi dazedly opened her eyes.

The afternoon sun blazed brightly; the moment she opened her eyes, the scene before her blurred from the glare.

She raised the fluffy back of her plush bear hand on the left side and rubbed her eyes, then looked forward again. Amid the dappled light and shadows of the leaves, Shen Han was lowering her eyes, untying the knot of the balloon string between them.

A strand of long hair fell from her temple, swaying gently by her face.

Su Mi’s heart was still pounding. She opened her mouth and finally asked, “Is it over?”

Shen Han: “Mm.”

Her slender fingers pinched the tightly wound knot of the thin string, unhurriedly finding the source of the tangle and gently pulling it free.

Though an Alpha, Shen Han’s finger joints weren’t prominently knobby; instead, they showed a subtle bone structure amid the smooth luster, looking very beautiful on those long fingers.

Even just untying a string, her movements were neat and precise, a pleasing sight.

In short order, the knot came undone.

Su Mi thought that this punishment seemed to have started when the string was tied and now ended with her untying it.

She pursed her lips and said, “Why?”

Shen Han held the balloon in her hand and lifted her eyes to glance at the Little Bear Balloon swaying above.

As if she hadn’t heard clearly, Shen Han withdrew her gaze from the balloon. “What?”

Su Mi hesitated and said, “Just… pat my face?”

She had thought that, given Shen Han’s usual mischievous streak toward her, there might be some unique punishment.

Only after saying it did she realize how improper it sounded.

It was like she was asking Shen Han to punish her somewhere else—strange and weird.

Su Mi wanted to take back her words, but Shen Han had already lifted her eyes to look at her.

Shen Han let out a chuckle, a rare glint of mischief in her eyes. She asked, “What, you want me to hit you somewhere else?”

Su Mi: “…” H-Hit where?

She flushed red under Shen Han’s stare.

Stammering, “I thought you were pretty mad…”

Shen Han drawled leisurely, “You’re wrapped up so tightly in those clothes. If I hit anywhere else, wouldn’t I be the one losing out, letting you dodge a punishment?”

Su Mi automatically filled in the rest: So better to just pat her face casually.

She was convinced. After a moment’s hesitation, she subconsciously suggested, “Then how about I go change clothes first?”

The words had just left her mouth when Shen Han’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if giving her a glance.

Su Mi immediately straightened up a bit.

Only under Shen Han’s gaze did she vaguely realize: She seemed to have said something improper again.

She quickly added, “I didn’t mean anything else…”

The gaze on her seemed laced with amusement, somewhat scorching.

Su Mi felt uneasy and shifted her feet.

Gritting her teeth, she muddled through, “Uh… how about we make it up later?”

Later! God, what was she saying?

Yet Shen Han pondered for a moment and said, “That works too.”

She bent down to pick up the headpiece Su Mi had placed on the ground, looked at its front and back, then slightly lowered her head.

Their eyes met. Su Mi snapped back to attention and blinked in confusion. Before she could say anything, the world went dark the next second.

…

It was put on her.

Shen Han lowered her head, squinted to check the headpiece’s angle, peered in through the plush bear’s mouth, and asked, “Is it on straight?”

Su Mi: …

So rough.

She wriggled her neck inside, looked down, and yes, it was straight.

Smart, as expected of Shen Han.

Clinging to her self-imposed rule that she couldn’t speak from inside the plush headpiece, Su Mi extended her paw and, with some difficulty, gave Shen Han a thumbs-up gesture, even baring her teeth in a grin.

Though Shen Han couldn’t see it.

Shen Han hummed and said, “Let’s go. Where did you put on this outfit?”

Su Mi wanted to say, at the staff area.

But she had no sense of direction to begin with and suddenly felt disoriented. She vaguely remembered the direction they’d come from was behind her, so she tilted her head back and started turning around.

The plush bear’s turning motion was especially clumsy, probably unaccustomed; her feet twisted bit by bit backward.

Shen Han let out a light laugh.

The sound was very soft, like an illusion, but the next second, her paw was tugged by a force.

Su Mi was led forward. In her field of vision, there was only Shen Han’s tucked-in shirt at the waist, the white shirt’s hem embroidered with a circle of gold thread that accentuated a beautiful waistline.

Occasional breezes made the soft fabric flutter inward, vaguely revealing the slender, toned outline of her waist.

The force holding her glove wasn’t heavy but very steady.

The headpiece shifted slightly to the side. From the plush bear’s mouth, Su Mi could see Shen Han’s hand pressed against the joint of the paw, almost sinking into the fluffy fur.

She stared unconsciously at the prominent joints on Shen Han’s wrist for a while, then shook her head.

Suddenly, she felt this scene was perfect for closing her eyes and just following along, letting Shen Han lead her wherever.

But that wasn’t appropriate for her. Su Mi pursed her lips, mumbled something inside the headpiece, then moved to walk side by side with Shen Han, pointing out the staff area for her.

.

She changed clothes in the changing room.

When she opened the door and came out, Shen Han was sitting on the sofa nearby, leaning back, one hand toying with the hair draped by her face, the other operating the enlarged screen of her Light Brain.

Shen Han’s expression was calm with a hint of sternness, her brows slightly furrowed in impatience as she spoke in a low voice to whoever was on the other end.

The Little Bear Balloon still floated beside her, bumping against the ceiling.

Su Mi couldn’t help but glance at it a couple extra times, finding a weird cuteness to it, but she didn’t go closer to listen.

Takeout food sent by the staff was laid out on the rest room table. Su Mi sat in a chair by the table and fiddled with her own Light Brain.

A bunch of messages had piled up. She blocked off several groups the original host frequented, and guiltily skipped the few unread top-pinned ones from Shen Han.

Su Mi opened her chat with Xu Nanqiao.

There was one unread from Xu Nanqiao: Su Su, I headed back first. Something came up at home.

Followed by a sighing emoji.

It wasn’t like Xu Nanqiao’s usual tone—kind of stiff.

So Xu Nanqiao was still in a mood?

Su Mi sent a puzzled emoji.

Pretending not to know what happened between them, she probed: What’s up? Did you two fight?

Xu Nanqiao was probably on her way back and replied: She said we fought?

Xu Nanqiao: Are you with your sister?

Su Mi: Yep. O

Xu Nanqiao: Talk next time. It wasn’t really a fight. Have fun with her. I’m almost home.

Her tone still lacked enthusiasm.

But she said it wasn’t a fight.

Su Mi grew curious and kept glancing at Shen Han.

The call ended soon after. Shen Han pinched the balloon string, lifted her eyes to her, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Not expecting Su Mi to have noticed her already, Su Mi didn’t organize her words well and probed, “Um, sis, did you and Nanqiao fight? I saw you two weren’t happy earlier.”

Shen Han paused slightly, furrowing her brows a bit.

She said flatly, “No… She just got mad suddenly.”

Her words carried a trace of bafflement.

Su Mi’s eyes lit up at that. What was this? Relationship confusion phase!

She said eagerly, “What happened? I can help analyze it for you.”

But Shen Han didn’t answer.

She walked over and sat beside Su Mi, handing her a wet wipe and opening the takeout boxes on the table one by one.

“The food options here are limited. I picked some to your taste.”

Mostly hot dishes. Su Mi licked her lips; just one look made her hungry, but she didn’t forget her goal.

The task came before eating!

She turned her head to look at Shen Han with pleading eyes, trying to create a sisterly heart-to-heart vibe.

—Though she actually had no idea what sisterly bonding was like.

Probably… something like this?

With utmost sincerity, she said, “I’ve got a great relationship with Nanqiao, so I can totally analyze it from her perspective for you, right?”

Why hide a natural wingwoman?

Su Mi blinked earnestly, trying to project the image of a reliable, obedient little sister.

Shen Han looked at her for a moment, then let out a soft scoff.

A cool hand directly covered her eyes.

Along with Shen Han’s unique cool fragrance.

Shen Han’s voice was gentle but merciless: “Your eyes cramping?”

Su Mi: “…”

Dodging! This was dodging!

Had they talked about something they couldn’t tell her?

Su Mi’s mind couldn’t guess.

Her eyelashes fluttered against the palm, a bit ticklish.

Shen Han’s expression unchanged, she calmly withdrew her hand and said, “Eat.”

Su Mi mumbled, “You’re dodging again. I’m your sister, not some outsider. Can’t you tell me?”

She knew she couldn’t push Shen Han, so she obediently tore open the wet wipe, wiped her hands, took the chopsticks Shen Han handed her, and picked up some of the food Shen Han had moved in front of her.

The whole process of being served by Shen Han felt natural and unselfconscious. She bit into a shrimp and even said softly, “I’m doing this for both your sakes.”

Shen Han lowered her eyes to watch Su Mi beside her; her cheeks puffed in and out as she chewed the shrimp.

Her palm suddenly itched. Shen Han reached out leisurely and poked that tender white cheek lightly.

Su Mi’s eyes widened abruptly at the touch on her face. She turned to look at Shen Han.

Shen Han’s face was calm, as if teaching her: “Don’t talk while eating.”

Su Mi paused, then huffed in annoyance.

Back when they ate at Southern Garden, she and Xu Nanqiao had chattered away freely.

Now it was just her and Shen Han eating together, and she wasn’t allowed to talk.

Such double standards?

Fine, she loved it.