“Tch.” Li Baozhu was speechless.
Mu Shanyi glanced lightly at Miao Zhu, who smiled and said, “Sure.”
Friends’ birthday gifts for Mu Shanyi piled half a wall high inside Moon. A massive multi-tiered cake sat in the dance area, awaiting tonight’s honoree.
As soon as Mu Shanyi appeared, people swarmed her to drag her to poker. “We can barely catch a glimpse of you usually. Got you now—come play a few rounds with us first!”
Mu Shanyi took a few steps, then suddenly turned back.
Miao Zhu’s heart skipped a beat, the intuition hitting swift and fierce—Mu Shanyi would come back for her.
Mu Huiren, who had just added Miao Zhu on WeChat, shared the vibe. “Sister A-Heng wants you to go with her.”
Sure enough, Mu Shanyi doubled back. “Want to play?”
Miao Zhu looked at her. “Yes.”
Every move Mu Shanyi made drew attention. The perceptive ones quickly added a chair to the poker table.
They were curious about Miao Zhu too. Those who’d seen her at Moon before whispered old gossip.
Mu Shanyi helped Miao Zhu settle into the prime seat at the table, then took the one beside her. She asked her friend, “What are the rules?”
The friend dealt out chips. “Same old rules.”
The dealer distributed cards. Mu Shanyi leaned toward Miao Zhu. “Do you play poker?”
Mu Shanyi wasn’t deliberately closing in, but sitting side by side inevitably brought them nearer.
The bar played mellow jazz. Aside from the bright light over the poker table, the other entertainment areas were dimly lit and subdued. The atmosphere here bred intoxication more easily than in the car. Mu Shanyi’s warm, scented breath was inches away; Miao Zhu felt short of breath again. “…A bit.”
Mu Shanyi’s fingertips tapped the table leisurely. “I’m not an expert. Hope we don’t lose too badly.”
“That’s weird,” Mu Huiren said from the bar, eyeing the poker table while craving a drink. “Sister A-Heng used to slaughter me and A-Qi without mercy at poker. Now she needs Miao Zhu to teach her? Forgot how after too long a break?”
Li Baozhu didn’t mince words. “Idiot.”
“Yeah, yeah, Xiao Hui’s an idiot.” Mu Huiren had no shame. “Sister Baozhu, be nice and tell me the story between Sister A-Heng and Miao Zhu. I wanna know so bad!”
The story had not yet reached its conclusion, nor was it a topic that could be casually discussed. Recently, due to the Wellness Complex project, Li Baozhu had met frequently with Mu Shanyi. Mu Shanyi went about her work methodically, but even Zheng Simiao noticed that something was off with her—otherwise, she wouldn’t have leaked the news of Miao Zhu’s fracture check-up to Mu Shanyi.
There were wins and losses at the poker table. Winning mainly depended on the luck of the draw, while losing was just normal play. Miao Zhu didn’t feign modesty; she truly only knew “a little.”
She quietly basked in pride when she won, but when she lost, she curved her eyes toward Mu Shanyi with an embarrassed smile written all over her face.
After a few more rounds, someone was sent to fetch Mu Shanyi to cut the cake.
The game paused, and Miao Zhu, not wanting to squeeze through the crowd, simply sat in her chair and watched as everyone, egged on by Mu Huiren, teased Mu Shanyi.
“Come to a bar but can’t drink? Here~ Have this instead.” Li Baozhu sat down beside her and handed Miao Zhu a cup of coffee.
Miao Zhu thanked her and took a shallow sip. When she looked at Li Baozhu again, the other woman seemed hesitant.
“What’s wrong? Want to ask how I knew you like cheese lattes?” Li Baozhu saw right through Miao Zhu’s thoughts. “Last May Day holiday? I think I have the timing right. A-Heng flew back that day and asked me out for coffee. I was in a street-side café enjoying a charity performance, and that’s how I learned Miss Miao’s taste. Of course, that’s not all I know—I also know who gave you Tulip at the Nature Museum night last year.”
Miao Zhu’s mind flashed to the WeChat Moments, where Green Plains Snow Mountain had liked Tulip’s post.
There was no need for Li Baozhu to explain further.
That night, up to that point, Miao Zhu hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, yet she felt increasingly drunk, as if walking on clouds.
What stuck with her the most were those three likes from Mu Shanyi’s Moments.
Tulip was a gift from Mu Shanyi, and that dinner had been alone with Mu Shanyi… If Mu Shanyi had only liked content related to her, did that mean the cello was truly something Mu Shanyi had thoughtfully sought out for her?
—Miao Zhu realized that Mu Shanyi had never acted on a whim toward her. Mu Shanyi had been paying attention to her for many, many years.
Laughter erupted from the dance floor, drawing Miao Zhu’s gaze.
Mu Huiren took advantage of Mu Shanyi’s unguarded moment and boldly smeared cream on her face. Mu Shanyi smiled helplessly and wiped it off with her hand.
These secrets, buried in the river of time, were ones Miao Zhu had the fortune to glimpse a few of tonight. How many more lay hidden in the corners she knew nothing about?
The snowflake pendant at her chest felt icy cool, yet it burned Miao Zhu with pain. A thick wave of sourness flooded her heart.
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