Chapter 75

In that case, there was no way to talk to Su Mi about it directly. Shen Han pressed her brow and solved the last few questions.

She handed them to the staff member. “Thanks for the trouble.”

“You’ve worked hard. You’re the first couple to complete this event,” the staff member said after checking the answers. She smiled as she untied the ropes for them.

Su Mi: “……”

She coughed lightly in discomfort, unsure whether to explain.

It was a bit… intensely embarrassing.

On one hand, her heart raced chaotically for some unknown reason, her heartbeat still irregular, and her mind unusually sluggish.

On the other hand, she felt pretty defeated, like she came off as stupid in front of Shen Han.

Her sister had taught her so patiently and in detail, but she still felt lost in a fog.

Toward the end, it was like her sister had given up, asking her just once, “Do you know what you’re saying?” before taking over the questions herself. It was as if she’d lost faith in her.

Thinking about it that way was pretty humiliating. She’d been so excited at the start, claiming she was great at this.

In the end, not only couldn’t she solve the last few questions, she couldn’t even follow Shen Han’s step-by-step guidance.

What was going on? Did going to university make people stupid?! QAQ!

Su Mi wailed silently in her heart. She figured she must look like a hopeless idiot in Shen Han’s eyes by now.

Su Mi’s heart filled with an inexplicable sense of loss. She couldn’t help but sigh softly. She hadn’t used to have such a strong sense of pride. What was happening to her?

There was also a bit of tangled embarrassment… Even though they’d had such close contact, it seemed like only she was the one blushing and flustered, while the other party remained completely calm and normal.

With that in mind, Su Mi glanced at Shen Han’s expression.

The latter was focused on assembling the puzzle that served as the event’s prize, her beautiful profile intent on the task.

A strand of inky black hair fell across her cheek, blocking part of her view of the puzzle.

It was strange—Shen Han’s eyes were such a pale color, yet her lashes and hair were so deeply black, like they’d been dipped in the finest ink.

Su Mi stared blankly, feeling even more defeated when she realized Shen Han acted as if she hadn’t heard the staff member’s words at all.

She didn’t take it seriously.

And she wasn’t troubled by these emotions at all.

Damn it…

Su Mi ground her teeth and subconsciously reached out to brush aside the strand of hair blocking Shen Han’s view of the frame.

She pinched the soft lock of hair and froze again, unsure what to do next.

She stayed like that, elbow propped on the table, holding Shen Han’s hair, spacing out.

Just then, Shen Han turned her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at her.

Then she smiled. “Almost done.”

Su Mi: “Oh, okay.”

She added hastily, trying to cover it up. “I didn’t mean to rush you.”

Shen Han had already slotted the puzzle into the picture frame and was reassembling the frame. She hummed in acknowledgment. “I know. You want to look at me.”

Su Mi: “……”

She quickly let go of the hair and leaned back, her face burning. “Don’t spread rumors.”

Shen Han chuckled lightly. “Really?”

She seemed to already have an answer in her heart and didn’t press Su Mi further. Soon, she finished securing the picture frame. She pinched it between her fingertips and handed it to Su Mi. “Looks pretty nice.”

Inside the exquisite frame, the three modules formed a complete, refreshing puzzle of a cherry blossom tree.

Su Mi tried to shift her attention and agreed enthusiastically. “It does!”

She had no idea who painted it.

Shen Han smiled. “Li Zhao’s gallery seems to sell a lot of merchandise. We can check out her shop later.”

Su Mi nodded obediently.

Shen Han handed it to her naturally. “Let’s go. We still need the third piece. I booked a restaurant for five-thirty, so we’ll make it just in time.”

There was a dinner plan too?

Well, that was normal enough.

Su Mi touched her burning face and followed Shen Han to the next game booth, her mind a mix of unease and defeat.

The third event went off without a hitch. They stood at the table, guessed the lantern riddles, and got the final puzzle piece.

The point card formed a complete picture—a beautiful cherry blossom tree. As Shen Han guessed, it matched Li Zhao’s style.

The staff processed it into a pendant. Su Mi admired it for a moment before happily tucking it into her bag.

This gallery was pretty fun. Su Mi had always steered clear of places like this before, thinking she couldn’t appreciate them. But after Yu Ranran dragged her around, and they played a few activities, it turned out to be a surprisingly good experience.

They reached the prize draw area. The staff, as instructed by Li Zhao, found the yellow-wrapped gift box and handed it to them.

It was a big gift box—who knew what was inside.

Su Mi hugged it to her chest. “……”

She strongly suspected Li Zhao did it on purpose.

Shen Han laughed in exasperation. “You’re cute holding it like that, but do you want me to put it in the car first?”

Su Mi: “Yeah!!!”

She mentally added another mark against Li Zhao as Shen Han deftly took the box from her arms.

Once Shen Han’s figure disappeared through the main doors, Su Mi spun in place and wandered off to finish viewing the half of Li Zhao’s exhibit she hadn’t seen.

There weren’t many familiar scenes, and with no one to explain, Su Mi just strolled through.

When she looped back to the center, Su Mi hesitated, then sneaked over to Yu Ranran’s exhibit hall. She stopped in front of the painting of the woman playing the cello and snapped a photo.

It definitely had something to do with Shen Han. She just didn’t know if she could uncover the story behind it.

Still making excuses to herself, she turned around and let out an involuntary “Eh.”

She didn’t need to ask anymore.

Standing at a polite social distance beside her was a woman in a white long dress and sunglasses. Her posture was elegant, her aura aloof and refined. She hadn’t spoken, just quietly gazed at the painting.

A beige choker encircled her neck—she was clearly an Omega.

No, the Omega part wasn’t the point.

Su Mi blinked, finding her familiar. She half-turned back and sneaked a couple of glances.

Wait.

Was that really the star of the afternoon concert, Shi Shuyue?

Su Mi hadn’t expected such a coincidence.

Her heart pounded. Even with the sunglasses, Shi Shuyue’s beauty and elegance shone through.

She was like one of those heiresses from TV dramas.

She even carried a cool, moonlit fragrance.

Su Mi couldn’t help admiring Shi Shuyue’s beauty for a couple of seconds. Her gaze drifted down—Shi Shuyue’s long dress was strapless, revealing beautiful arm lines that recalled the graceful movements when she played the cello.

Su Mi spaced out for a bit, thinking she was elegantly beautiful, like from another dimension altogether.

The question on the tip of her tongue wouldn’t come out. After hesitating, she mustered her courage and asked softly, “Excuse me… are you Miss Shi?”

Shi Shuyue apparently hadn’t expected to be recognized here. She turned to size Su Mi up. “And you are?”

It really was her!

Su Mi stared blankly and couldn’t help glancing at the painting on the wall again.

Since Shi Shuyue was looking at it…

Did it depict her? Or was it a coincidence? They both played the cello, after all.

“I saw your concert at the theater this afternoon. I didn’t expect to run into you here. Your last few pieces were really great,” Su Mi said, a bit embarrassed. “What brings you here? Quite the coincidence.”

It was a private concert—attendees in Prime City were all rich or noble. But Shi Shuyue didn’t remove her sunglasses. She smiled aristocratically. “Thank you. The gallery owner and I are old acquaintances, so I came to take a look.”

Su Mi: “……”

So she knew Li Zhao too.

Su Mi couldn’t help asking, “That painting—the vibe of the cellist looks just like you. Is it of you?”

After saying it, she pressed her lips together, inwardly cringing at her own awkwardness.

Shen Han had said she could ask whatever she wanted directly.

But… Su Mi felt she didn’t dare start.

It was like asking would change their relationship.

She just wanted to know if Shen Han, Shi Shuyue, and Li Zhao were old friends. Had something happened between them before?

And why… if Shen Han knew Shi Shuyue, had she taken her to the concert but acted like they were total strangers?

Shi Shuyue paused, then chuckled softly. Her aloof, lofty aura softened with the smile.

It was like she’d recalled something fondly nostalgic.

Her voice was like jade beads falling on a plate as she said slowly, “I’ve been wondering about that too. My first love once painted me a portrait much like this one. So when I passed by and saw it, I couldn’t help stopping to look.”

…Huh?

Su Mi wasn’t just surprised—she was shocked.

Her eyes widened involuntarily as she slowly clenched her fists.

So it really was?

Suddenly, she recalled that after the concert ended, when she and Shen Han left, Shi Shuyue had gone downstairs to the parking lot too.

At the time, she’d thought Shi Shuyue had left quickly.

Now it seemed she might have been looking for Shen Han.

A strange feeling stirred in Su Mi’s heart.

So… so…

Even in her thoughts, Su Mi stammered.

A few months ago, during the graduation trip, she’d discussed it with the System—Shen Han’s ambiguous attitude toward Xu Nanqiao, plus how she’d seemed emotionally hurt around graduation.

It was very possible she’d been dumped by some white moonlight back then and was using Xu Nanqiao as a stand-in.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so reserved and respectful toward Xu Nanqiao.

But speculation was one thing. Months later, having it turn real was another.

And the elegantly aloof Shi Shuyue standing before her perfectly fit the image of Shen Han’s “white moonlight” by a hundred percent.

Then… then…

Since Shen Han was so deeply in love with Shi Shuyue, treating her as her white moonlight, now that Shi Shuyue was back in the country, maybe…?

Su Mi was speechless, her mind a jumble, not knowing what to say.

As the awkwardness stretched, hurried footsteps approached from nearby.

Someone gently grasped her wrist—it was Yu Ranran.

She squeezed Su Mi’s hand and smiled. “Li Zhao’s looking for you.”

Su Mi let out an “Eh.”

She saw Yu Ranran already greeting Shi Shuyue with a warm smile. “Miss Shi, right? A-Zhao mentioned your name this morning. We’ve known each other for a long time, haven’t we? Did you just return to the country?”

As an exhibiting artist, Yu Ranran naturally took the lead in chatting with Shi Shuyue.

Su Mi glanced back. Li Zhao stood at the exhibit hall entrance, frowning at her.

She pouted and walked over. “What’s up?”

Li Zhao hesitated. “How’d you end up chatting with Shi Shuyue?”

Su Mi scuffed the floor with her shoe tip and said sheepishly, “She happened to be looking at that painting too.”

Li Zhao: “She…”

Li Zhao trailed off, then said, “Has Shen Han told you anything about her?”

Su Mi looked up at Li Zhao.

Right—Li Zhao and Shen Han had known each other since middle school. If Shi Shuyue was Shen Han’s first love, Li Zhao would know too.

Old friends, very familiar.

Things were already ambiguously unclear between her and Shen Han now, and in Li Zhao’s eyes, she’d had ulterior motives toward Shen Han from the start.

So Li Zhao probably supported Shi Shuyue and Shen Han? Otherwise, why panic and send Yu Ranran to pull her away the moment she saw this “little sister” who’s entangled with Shen Han standing with Shi Shuyue?

Su Mi’s thoughts were a mess. Out loud, she said, “No. I just chatted with her about that painting.”

Li Zhao apparently hadn’t realized which painting. She scratched her cheek, a bit embarrassed.

She wasn’t close with Shi Shuyue—her vague impression was just that Shi Shuyue was a total poser who’d idolized Shen Han in school and followed them around like a little tail for a while.

Shi Shuyue probably wouldn’t say much to a stranger like Su Mi. She likely didn’t even know her—no Su Mi back then, six or seven years ago.

But what if? Su Mi’s state seemed off right now.

Li Zhao hesitated before saying, “I don’t really know what happened… but Shi Shuyue’s been abroad for six years. That’s ancient history. Shen Han and I had almost forgotten about her.”

Su Mi: “Oh……”

Li Zhao: “……What are you thinking?”

She was thinking Shi Shuyue seemed ready to rekindle old flames.

Wondering if Shen Han’s white moonlight returning would reignite their passion instantly.

Wondering what exactly had happened before.

Su Mi: “Wondering what to eat later.”

Su Mi sorted out her thoughts and figured it was nothing—anyway, it had nothing to do with her.

She glanced toward the exhibition hall again.

Yu Ranran was already the bright and glamorous type, but the clear, aloof, and noble Shi Shuyue standing beside her didn’t lose out in presence at all. In fact, most people would only look at her.

Not to mention herself.

Su Mi had no intention of comparing herself; she was used to being the last one chosen. Many things couldn’t be forced, so she just felt a little messy and disappointed.

She even felt a bit relieved. It was good that she hadn’t asked Shen Han about Shi Shuyue or… responded too much.

If it was true, she actually thought Shi Shuyue and Shen Han were really well-suited, and she would have blessed them.