Li Yunli didn’t even think before pressing her down and stepping onto the low platform to retrieve the violin. “No, there will be plenty more chances later. No need to rush right this moment. Come by when you have time—I’ll be right here.”
Ji Zhenshi was practically bouncing with excitement. She pouted in the most pitiful way, coquettishly pleading with her. “I just want to play one piece. Just a quick try—I promise I won’t strain myself.”
Her arms stayed locked around Li Yunli’s waist, refusing to budge as she nuzzled against her chest. Her eyes sparkled with the pure clarity of a fawn’s.
“Stop fooling around. Aren’t you embarrassed if the others see?” The moment Li Yunli spotted that head burrowing into her chest, some decidedly not-child-friendly images flashed through her mind. Her ears grew hot as she pushed at Ji Zhenshi’s shoulder, a reminder that the workers were still around.
Those workers were lounging inside the counter, taking a break in the shade. It was anyone’s guess if they’d caught sight of the pair locked in their embrace.
Truth be told, it wasn’t the idea of being seen that worried her. No, it was the vivid memory of a certain someone clinging to her while devouring sweets—a scene too mortifying for words.
Far from obeying, Ji Zhenshi only hugged her slimmer waistline even tighter. “Nope! What’s there to be shy about hugging my wife? I want to hold you. I didn’t get a single chance for the past six months—now I’m making up for every lost second.”
She declared it so matter-of-factly, even cranking up the volume with unmistakable pride.
People really could wear two faces. Take Ji Zhenshi from a week ago compared to the one standing here now.
“Okay, okay, enough of that.” Li Yunli hurriedly clapped a hand over Ji Zhenshi’s megaphone of a mouth. She felt utterly flustered—after all, she’d always projected a serious, professional image in front of these workers.
Yet the instant she tangled with Ji Zhenshi, she melted into a puddle of spring water.
Li Yunli had no idea how she’d face them afterward.
Ji Zhenshi parted her legs to draw Li Yunli closer into the space between them. “Then let me play one piece? Wife? Baby? Sister A-Yun?”
With every endearment Ji Zhenshi uttered, Li Yunli felt her face heat up another degree. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her burning earlobe, pushing back weakly and coaxing her all the while. “Can’t you be good for once? Have you forgotten you can barely even sleep without lying on your stomach? If that wound doesn’t heal properly, it’ll throw off your work—and you’ll be miserable too.”
No amount of sugary pleading would sway her.
But Ji Zhenshi wasn’t the type to be easily placated. She tilted her head up and pecked Li Yunli right on the lips, whining sweetly, “Pretty please? Sister.”
Li Yunli had nowhere to retreat. Ji Zhenshi held her fast in her arms, forcing her to accept the kiss.
She could already feel the eyes on her back. Li Yunli desperately wished the ground would swallow her whole.
Ji Zhenshi had teased and now fled the scene—she was the one left to deal with the staff.
Li Yunli hunched her shoulders slightly. “No, cut it out.”
“Then I guess I’ll just shatter Manager Li’s perfect boss filter?” Ji Zhenshi shot a meaningful glance at the workers who kept stealing peeks at them. A mischievous smile curved her lips as she openly flirted with Li Yunli in broad daylight.
“Xiao Zhen…” Li Yunli clung to her principles.
Ji Zhenshi captured her lips again with another kiss.
“Naughty Xiao Zhen, keep this up and I’ll get mad.” Even her threats came out soft and gentle.
Ji Zhenshi chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose.
“Ji Zhenshi!” Li Yunli was starting to get genuinely annoyed.
Ji Zhenshi didn’t budge an inch, planting another kiss on her chin.
Li Yunli’s resolve crumbled in an instant. She was helpless against her. “Fine, fine—go ahead and play, you disobedient little troublemaker. Just don’t come crying to me when your wound starts throbbing.”
As punishment, she pinched Ji Zhenshi’s earlobe. In the end, she simply couldn’t hold out against the endless wheedling.
Every principle of hers crumbled in the face of Ji Zhenshi.
Ji Zhenshi knew she could never stay mad at her—and she exploited it shamelessly.
“Deal.” Utterly satisfied, Ji Zhenshi cradled Li Yunli’s face and planted a loud smack on her forehead before finally releasing her.
She earned a classic eye-roll from Li Yunli, but it didn’t faze her in the slightest.
Shouldering the violin, she winked at Li Yunli with unmistakable suggestiveness. “A Thousand Years.”
Ah, Ji Zhenshi truly was a hopeless romantic maniac.
Even with her movements so severely restricted, she closed her eyes and immersed herself in her own world. From her spot below the platform, Li Yunli was treated to a performance brimming with the raw romance of Ji Zhenshi woven into every note.
There was no denying it—she loved Li Yunli more than anything.
The cautious tiptoeing of her secret crush had given way to this fearless devotion. Ji Zhenshi poured every ounce of her emotion into the music, evolving from awkward innocence to bold, searing passion.
They might stumble along the way, but neither had ever considered truly letting go of the other’s hand.
Ji Zhenshi arched a brow toward Li Yunli, her gaze colliding with eyes brimming with unspoken love.
Li Yunli’s gaze shimmered, overflowing not just with endless affection but with an ache that ran soul-deep.
Everyone thought Ji Zhenshi was so lucky. Despite her family’s opposition to the violin, she’d stumbled upon Tang Xien as a teacher and ultimately won over the object of her crush.
But only Li Yunli truly hurt for everything Ji Zhenshi had endured on that road. She knew the crushing weight of that million in debt. She knew the agony of being pushed away. She knew the profound loss of a daughter forever craving her mother’s approval, only to fall short time and again. And she knew that Ji Zhenshi had clawed her way through endless days of neglect and monotonous, soul-numbing practice before finally breaking into a new dawn.
Truth be told, it hadn’t been easy for Ji Zhenshi at all. It wasn’t luck—it was sheer grit, teeth gritted against the pressure until she’d claimed every bit of it for herself.
Ji Zhenshi’s laughter rang out, vibrant with the energy of youth. “Li Yunli, I want to watch the sunrise with you. To recapture that very first thrill of anticipation, together under the glow of dawn as the sun rises in the east—that perfect moment of pure joy. In that instant, we’ll pour out every drop of our love beneath the hanging sun, saying it all until our hearts are content. Right then, I want you to decide to marry me.”
“Sure.” Li Yunli’s face bloomed into a smile, her agreement instant and unhesitating.
She still found Ji Zhenshi utterly irresistible when she played the violin.
Ji Zhenshi lifted a brow. “Promise? You’ll marry me and be my wife.”
Li Yunli’s lovely eyes narrowed playfully as she teased her. “I said I’d watch the sunrise with you.”
Who could blame her? Ji Zhenshi never listened—she just had to push herself too hard.
“…”
Ji Zhenshi’s smile froze. She huffed. “Fine, then I’ll marry you and be your wife instead. Sister A-Yun, marry me.”
“Who’d marry someone as disobedient as you?” Li Yunli reached out to clasp her hand, her tone soft with gentle reproach. “Had your fun now? Hm?”
Ji Zhenshi obediently followed her down from the platform, grinning dopily. “Yup, totally satisfied.”
“Manager Li, your friend’s playing is amazing.”
“Yeah, yeah—once you open, have her come perform regularly. Your business is bound to explode.”
“Coffee shop vibes and violin? Total match made in heaven!”
The workers chimed in from across the room.
Ji Zhenshi beamed at the praise, waving enthusiastically at them. “Thanks! When Manager Li opens up, you all have to come patronize the place. I’ll play the violin for you.”
“You got it.” They echoed their agreement, tossing out a few more compliments for Ji Zhenshi.
Li Yunli watched with a smile, amused as Ji Zhenshi treated them like adoring fans—shaking hands and saluting each one in turn. Anyone would think it was a fan meet-and-greet.
She watched her antics with pure indulgence. “All right, all right. Keep praising her like this, and her tail will wag right up to the sky.”
Ji Zhenshi shot her a smug glare. “What? These worker bros get true appreciation. Unlike Manager Li—you’ve heard me play a million times and never once complimented me. Stingy! No more free performances for your shop.”
Li Yunli sighed helplessly. “That’s enough out of you.”
Her soul really was that of a puppy—one bit of happiness and the tail started wagging like crazy.
Had she never praised Ji Zhenshi? More like Ji Zhenshi never took her words to heart.
Ji Zhenshi tried to mingle further with the “worker bros,” but Li Yunli simply grabbed the back of her collar and yanked her away.
“Ji Zhenshi, know when to quit—or I’ll spank you. Believe it?” As a warning, she gave Ji Zhenshi’s backside a quick pinch. She couldn’t stand watching Ji Zhenshi grin so happily at other people while ignoring her.
She spoiled and indulged her endlessly, yet Ji Zhenshi always turned that radiant smile toward others, leaving her aside—and then had the nerve to call her stingy. This infuriating girl always knew exactly how to tug at her heartstrings.
Chastened, Ji Zhenshi nodded obediently. “Okay.”
Satisfied, Li Yunli crooked a finger at her. “Good girl. I have something to show you. Come here.”
“What is it?” Ji Zhenshi followed Li Yunli’s gaze.
The coffee shop’s name: Do You Like the Moon?
“I only like the moon,” Ji Zhenshi murmured, unable to help herself.
“Mm, I know Xiao Zhen only likes the moon.” Li Yunli reached out and took Ji Zhenshi’s hand, lacing their fingers together to savor her warmth.
Ji Zhenshi had always liked only the moon—from her youthful secret crush on that radiant orb until she’d finally made it hers.
In her life, there was only the moon. Only the moon.
Ji Zhenshi tilted her head back to gaze at the shop’s sign while Li Yunli turned her head to watch her, eyes alight with a tender smile. “Do you like the name?”
Ji Zhenshi had etched a moon onto her chest for her—and now Li Yunli had opened this coffee shop just for her, to commemorate their love through all its rocky twists and turns.
Ji Zhenshi’s mouth fell open, too stunned to close. “How could I not love it?”
All of Li Yunli’s little gestures demanded love in return—vast quantities of it.
“So, Xiao Zhen—how do you usually show someone you like them? Your thanks earlier was just words, and I’m not satisfied. You know what to do, right?” Li Yunli tilted her head toward her, the hint as blatant as it could be.
Ji Zhenshi saw right through it instantly. Her brows shot up as she teased, “Wow, sister, you’re such a tsundere. Your mouth says you won’t marry me, but your body is super honest.”
The way her sister looked when craving a kiss was breathtakingly beautiful.
Ji Zhenshi couldn’t help but admire it for a few extra seconds, committing to memory this rare glimpse of the poised, reserved Li Yunli revealing her alluring, seductive side.
“Fine, forget it if you’re not giving.” Li Yunli picked up on the teasing and swiftly pulled back.
“I’ll give it! Anything sister wants, it’s yours—even my life.” With that, Ji Zhenshi leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Both of them adored stolen kisses, and Li Yunli had grown to love these playful little intimacies.
She shot Ji Zhenshi a sidelong glance and let out a soft hum. “Xiao Zhen’s all grown up now, huh? Starting to tease your sister?”
“Yep. What about it?” Ji Zhenshi lifted her chin proudly.
That very motion made her spot Yang Ying rounding the corner.
Whether by coincidence or not, Ji Zhenshi’s legs went weak. She clutched Li Yunli’s arm and dropped straight to her knees, using Li Yunli’s body to block Yang Ying’s line of sight while her mind raced for a plan.
Li Yunli staggered from the sudden yank. The thin, stretchy fabric of her top gave way at the chest, exposing a tantalizing glimpse of skin that only Ji Zhenshi caught.
She hastily clapped a hand over her chest. “What are you doing? In broad daylight like this—you’re not even embarrassed? Get up already. So spineless.”
Ji Zhenshi’s eyesight was eagle-sharp; she’d reacted before Li Yunli even spotted Yang Ying.
“My life’s on the line here—face is the last thing I care about.” Ji Zhenshi frowned, thinking hard. She hadn’t told Grandma about her plans for today, so Yang Ying had no way of knowing she was here, right?
Getting nabbed on her very first visit?
Pathetically using Li Yunli as a shield, Ji Zhenshi scrambled for a countermeasure.
Li Yunli was equal parts exasperated and amused. “Do you have any idea what you look like right now?”
That kneel hadn’t looked like a first-timer’s at all.
“Mom. Let me hide for a sec. It’s not that I’m scared—it’s just I don’t want a blowout fight here that can’t be cleaned up.” Squatting there like a frog, Ji Zhenshi didn’t dare put any real strain on herself, but she still hustled to conceal her body—a comically awkward spectacle.
Li Yunli, facing away from Yang Ying, hadn’t noticed her at first. When she finally glanced back and saw the woman storming toward them, her expression shifted. At last, she understood why Ji Zhenshi was hiding.
“Was that Ji Zhenshi just now?” Yang Ying demanded the second she arrived.
Half a year without a single trace of her daughter—online updates lagged, so Li Yunli was the only lead she’d dogged relentlessly.
Li Yunli took a steadying breath, her voice calm and even. “Auntie, is there something you need?”
Yang Ying cut straight to it, irritation plain. “I saw her—she dodged me. It was definitely Ji Zhenshi, wasn’t it? I knew you two never actually broke up! Finally caught you in the act, huh? Conspiring to lie to me!”
With that, Yang Ying tried to barge right past her into the shop.
Li Yunli stepped back and extended her arm, blocking the way. “Auntie, the shop’s still under renovation. There are safety hazards everywhere, so I’m sorry—I can’t let you inside.”
If Ji Zhenshi didn’t want to see her, then Yang Ying wasn’t getting through.
Yang Ying’s face darkened, her expression twisting into something sharp and bitter. “Li Yunli, feeling guilty much? Look what you’ve turned my once-obedient daughter into. You’ve corrupted her—now you’re even encouraging her to ghost her family. What are you really after? How can you be so vicious? All innocent on the surface, but a venomous heart underneath.”
The baseless accusations rained down on Li Yunli, who didn’t so much as flinch. Her thick lashes fluttered faintly. “Auntie, please watch your words.”
She didn’t want to sever the last fragile thread Ji Zhenshi still held for her mother. Once that broke, Ji Zhenshi really would become the heartless monster Yang Ying painted her as—and half a year of avoidance showed just how final that disappointment would be. Winning her back wouldn’t be easy.
Li Yunli didn’t wish to see Ji Zhenshi part ways bitterly with her family. But she also knew Yang Ying had been steadily draining her daughter’s spirit all along.
No matter how deeply she loved Ji Zhenshi, that void where family should be would always linger inside her.
“I’m not here for chit-chat. One sentence: Ji Zhenshi’s in there. Get her out here.” Yang Ying had no patience left. She’d spotted Li Yunli chatting with someone at the entrance from afar—originally unsure if it was her daughter.
But who else would bolt at the sight of her besides Ji Zhenshi?
Li Yunli lifted her chin ever so slightly. She had no intention of leaving.
