Chapter 76: Emotions

Su Mi didn’t speak. Li Zhao leaned in and studied her for a moment, thinking she was really pondering what to eat later.

She quickly changed the subject. “I heard Shen Han booked a hot new restaurant that’s booked solid through next spring. I think we can look forward to it!”

Li Zhao truly believed that Shi Shuyue and Shen Han had dated for a while. Even if they hadn’t, they must have at least had feelings for each other, because Shen Han had always treated Shi Shuyue pretty well.

The Shi Family situation was complicated. Back in middle school, Shi Shuyue had been tightly confined, like a goldfinch trapped in a cage. She had no freedom and could only breathe a little when she interacted with Shen Han at banquets or formal visits, thanks to the prestige of the Shen Family’s sole heir.

That was why, at school, she always followed Shen Han and Li Zhao around intentionally or otherwise, like a little tail.

Shen Han’s attitude always seemed indifferent, but for someone so cold-hearted, that was already rare special treatment. Later, Shen Han even helped Shi Shuyue escape the Shi Family’s control.

Li Zhao had once thought Shen Han and Shi Shuyue would end up together. But Shi Shuyue went abroad, and so did she. Later, she heard that something had happened to the Shen Family.

However, after seeing how Shen Han treated Su Mi, Li Zhao realized she had deeply misunderstood back then.

Looking back now, the difference in treatment was like night and day. Even if there had been some flirtation between them, it was just Shi Shuyue’s unrequited crush.

But Li Zhao knew these were just her own guesses. As an outsider, she shouldn’t say too much. Su Mi seemed silly, but she always seemed to think a lot. If she said the wrong thing and ruined her good friend’s miracle of an iron tree blooming into a romance, that would be a grave sin.

So Li Zhao was very cautious. She rarely lowered her stance like this and said with a beaming smile, “Little sister, do you have anything you like to eat? Let me ask Shen Han for you first. If it happens to be something you don’t like, there’s still time for her to change the place.”

Su Mi said, “Anything’s fine. I’m not picky.”

She slowly packed away her disappointed mood. In her heart, she thought that if Xu Nanqiao was just a stand-in for Shi Shuyue, and Shi Shuyue was the root of Shen Han’s Blackening Value, then she might as well switch to matchmaking Shen Han and her to finish the task quickly.

Whether she was the white moonlight or not, testing Shi Shuyue’s effect on Shen Han’s Blackening Value should reveal the truth.

With that in mind, Su Mi couldn’t help but ask softly, “My sister… Shen Han said you knew her well from middle school. So, did you also get to know Shi Shuyue back then? Or even earlier? After all, there’s that painting.”

Li Zhao perked up at that. What? She changed how she’s addressing her? From “sister” to Shen Han?

Oh no, her good friend was in danger.

She subconsciously asked, “What painting?”

She glanced back, and the moment she remembered, cold sweat broke out.

Oh crap, that painting.

Li Zhao immediately explained, “I don’t know when that painting was done… but your sister’s practice pieces were pretty easy to get back then. Besides, that painting ended up in my hands. How precious could it be? The really good ones are all in the collection room at Southern Garden. How many people can freely come and go there now? Think about it?”

She even emphasized “your sister” heavily.

“…” Su Mi deliberately counted on her fingers. “You, Xu Nanqiao, Secretary Zhuang, my mom…”

Li Zhao was furious and wanted to smack her on the head but didn’t dare, afraid she’d tattle to Shen Han.

She held back and held back. “Are you an idiot?!”

Shen Han liked an idiot?!

After seeing the look in Su Mi’s eyes, she realized Su Mi was deliberately teasing her.

Li Zhao said, “…Anyway, even if you have some misunderstanding, I have to explain: they’re not close. Not nearly as close as you two.”

Su Mi said, “I know.”

Li Zhao: “Really?”

Su Mi: “Yeah.”

Li Zhao reluctantly believed her.

Su Mi thought Li Zhao probably mistook her jealousy, but she wasn’t jealous at all. She didn’t particularly care about the painting either.

It was just that she suddenly felt inferior, reduced back to her original form deep down.

Relationships were situational, just like emotions. Shen Han’s ambiguous attitude toward her might just be a distorted form of sisterly affection.

Just putting her and Shi Shuyue side by side, anyone could tell who was better. She fell short in every way, and even compared to Shi Shuyue’s boldness in returning to the country to pursue love, she lacked the courage.

Just as Li Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, thinking no misunderstanding had arisen, Shen Han walked in through the main door.

A clear, crisp voice sounded behind the two of them. “Your merch store didn’t open today?”

Her arm naturally draped over Su Mi’s shoulder. Shen Han hummed, in a good mood as she ruffled Su Mi’s hair. “Why aren’t you talking?”

Su Mi blinked and raised her hand to point toward Shi Shuyue in the exhibition hall.

Whether it was a mule or a horse, it had to be put to the test. If it really was, then she could give up… oh, no, feel at ease.

But the finger she raised was instantly pressed down by Li Zhao.

Li Zhao stood tall and blocked the direction of the exhibition hall, saying to Shen Han, “All the staff are in the activity area. The store’s temporarily closed. Anything you want, I’ll have it sent over later. Little sister was just saying she’s hungry and wants to eat. Shall we go? To the restaurant you booked.”

Su Mi: “I didn’t…”

Her other shoulder was heavily pressed down by Li Zhao.

Li Zhao leaned in and whispered, “Didn’t you say you believed me? Why point over there again? There’s absolutely nothing between Shen Han and her right now. Come on, let’s leave first.”

One hand pushing Su Mi’s shoulder, the other pulling Shen Han, she turned them around without another word and headed toward the parking lot.

They hadn’t gone two steps before they exited the gallery, and Shen Han silently removed Li Zhao’s hand from Su Mi’s shoulder.

Shen Han’s furrowed brow wasn’t too obvious as she asked, “Where are you going?”

Li Zhao: “To eat?”

Shen Han: “On the way?”

Li Zhao smiled. “I won’t disturb you. Just seeing you off, as a host should.”

She sidestepped the hand Shen Han was using to block her and patted Su Mi’s shoulder sisterly from the other side. “Little sister and I weren’t done chatting. I still have a couple things to tell her.”

Shen Han’s probing gaze turned to Su Mi.

Su Mi figured the less alone time with Shen Han, the better. She paused, hesitated, and said, “…Yeah, let’s go then.”

At that, Shen Han raised an eyebrow and gave Li Zhao an unhappy look.

Li Zhao kept smiling: You have no idea. If I hadn’t stepped in just now, you wouldn’t be having this meal, friend.

Li Zhao walked beside them the whole way, pulling Su Mi along and whispering about how Shi Shuyue hadn’t been back for so long, how their past relationship wasn’t that deep, and so on.

Su Mi barely listened.

Li Zhao followed the two energetically all the way to the car. When she opened the rear door, she was suddenly surprised. “Wow, roses. It’s been ages since I’ve seen you arrange a bouquet yourself. So romantic.”

Su Mi glanced over and quickly looked away, telling herself not to care.

So Shen Han wasn’t doing this for the first time, arranging flowers for someone else.

Whatever, don’t care.

Li Zhao saw them off into the car. She watched Su Mi sit properly in the passenger seat, then walked to the driver’s side and pointed at her Light Brain for Shen Han. “Contact me later.”

Shen Han said okay.

They drove to the restaurant. Shen Han had booked a high-end seafood place that had gained fame in Prime City lately. It only seated five tables per session, using top-tier seafood ingredients airlifted daily from around the world. Shen Han had reserved the largest and most beautiful private room, an internet-famous photo spot surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling aquariums filled with all sorts of amusing marine creatures.

The restaurant manager introduced the tech mode for an immersive experience.

The manager could tell at a glance that Su Mi was the one being treated to dinner and enthusiastically explained the restaurant’s views and aquarium features. He even offered to take photos for Su Mi and Shen Han.

Su Mi quickly waved her hands. “No need, thank you.”

After the manager left, Su Mi crouched by the glass, playfully teasing the jellyfish inside for a bit to distract herself. When she turned back, Shen Han was already seated at the square table by the glass wall.

The aquarium’s pale blue crisscrossing lights danced across Shen Han’s face at the table, fragmented and beautiful, like a sea demon in the deep sea that captivated hearts.

However…

Su Mi’s mind was a mess.

She pursed her lips and quietly sat down opposite.

During the meal, Su Mi spoke very little. Thinking of Shen Han’s rule of no talking while eating or sleeping, she kept her head down and ate seriously. She politely chimed in a few times when Shen Han introduced something, trying not to seem too off.

But she didn’t enjoy it much. The main dishes at a seafood restaurant were seafood, all top-quality and rare. The head chef even came out to introduce the origin and cooking method for each dish.

But for someone not used to seafood, it was hard to appreciate the flavors.

Su Mi just ate whatever was served. For shell-on dishes, she skipped them automatically.

She rarely ate seafood. Before transmigrating, she didn’t even know how to peel shrimp. After, since steamed shrimp had appeared on the Su Family table, she barely learned how.

But the restaurant didn’t serve ordinary shrimp—it was extra-large Australian Lobster.

Su Mi glanced at it, went silent, and turned to pick at some shellfish meat nearby whose name she didn’t know.

Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Han seemed to look at her seriously.

Then she took a full set of golden lobster tools from the side, put on gloves, and meticulously disassembled it, extracting the meat whole from the shell and placing it piece by piece into a pale blue patterned plate nearby.

After Shen Han finished, she showed no intention of eating herself and gently placed the exquisite plate in front of Su Mi.

Su Mi blinked, unable to hold back as she looked up.

She quickly glanced at Shen Han.

Shen Han was leisurely removing her gloves but, having focused solely on Su Mi all evening, instantly caught the gaze.

She slightly raised her eyes, glanced at Su Mi’s plate, and said softly, “Give it a try? They do it really well here—it’s not just the influencer hype. If you don’t like it, next time you’re on break, we can go out to sea together. Fresh ingredients right off the boat should taste even better.”

Her voice was soft, deliberately slowed, like she was coaxing someone.

She didn’t know what was bothering Su Mi, but first things first—coax her.

The superior timbre flowed into her ears. Su Mi’s ear tips tingled, and even her neck felt hot.

Not knowing what to say, she hummed and said, “Thank you.”

Shen Han lowered her eyes, her mood seeming to dip a little. She said flatly, “Why thank me?”

After Su Mi tried a bite of the Australian Lobster meat, Shen Han stood and told Su Mi she was going to wash her hands, leaving the room briefly.

She returned soon after, and the manager brought dessert and a homestyle main dish.

They were basically flavors Su Mi had shown she liked when eating with Shen Han before.

Su Mi thanked her again, finished everything without waste, and had Shen Han drive her back.

It was already deep night outside the restaurant.

Shen Han drove to the entrance of the Su Family Villa. Su Mi cleared her throat lightly and said for the umpteenth time, “Thank you.”

She lowered her head to unbuckle her seatbelt. Just as her hand pressed the button, another hand suddenly covered hers. The cool touch firmly stopped her movement.

Following the slender arm upward, Shen Han was furrowing her brow, looking at her with a serious expression.

The action was forceful, but Shen Han remained polite as she asked, “I want to know… did something happen at the gallery?”

Su Mi: “…What?”

Shen Han paused. Countless words swirled in her mouth before she settled on a more tactful question and slowly asked, “You seemed off tonight. Or maybe… did I do something wrong?”

It was as if the next words would be, “Wherever I went wrong, just say it, and I’ll change.”

Su Mi’s heart went empty, like something had suddenly plummeted.

She didn’t dare look at Shen Han again. Keeping her head down, she silently picked at the edge of her seatbelt, her gaze on the hand Shen Han had pressed over hers.

A beautiful, delicate hand with thin calluses on the fingertips—perhaps from upper-class pursuits like archery or music or the like.

So different from her own pre-transmigration hands, rough from constant part-time jobs and no care. Just like they were really from two different worlds.

Su Mi parted her lips mutely. Suddenly, even more turbulent emotions surged up than before.

She even felt like crying.

How terrifying, Su Mi thought. Why would she want to cry?

Was it because she’d been “liked,” turning her into a melodramatic person all of a sudden?

Su Mi had always had a very clear sense of self. She had never been one to compare herself with others, nor was she a sentimental person. What she took pride in was her own dullness toward emotions and material things. This had allowed her, in her previous life, to live authentically—neither humble nor arrogant—as she step by step carved out the life she wanted.

It might have been when she was very, very young that she last experienced this sensation of being unable to control her emotions.

It felt strange, uncontrollable, and deeply uncomfortable.

In that instant of being cared for, Su Mi felt all her emotions surging upward, as though she had turned into one of those sentimental little girls who teared up at the slightest thing.

Crying was useless. It was purely emotional and solved nothing. Su Mi refused to allow herself to cry.

She sniffled softly, yet still tumbled into the emotional vortex.

She didn’t notice the faint discomfort at the back of her neck. Nor did she remember that, as an Omega half a year after her differentiation, she was logically due for her first susceptible period soon.

After digesting these unfamiliar emotions for a while, it took Su Mi quite some time before she whispered, “N-No.”

She paused, then added, “No, you’re great.”

It was she who wasn’t good enough, nor brave enough.

From start to finish, she hadn’t dared to confront Shen Han’s feelings. Even more so after discovering the existence of someone like Shi Shuyue—she had simply verified a certain possibility and immediately latched onto a reason to flee, wanting only to bury her head and dodge away.

Perhaps she simply felt that Shen Han was too good.

But she was different from her. They weren’t in the same world, and she couldn’t save her.