Chapter 27: World One [27] Part 2

Beyond her regular music classes on the timetable, she was responsible for tutoring over a dozen students in various instruments. Furthermore, many parents offered high prices for Mother Shang to come to their homes as a private tutor, with hourly rates reaching several hundred yuan.

However, Mother Shang disliked exhausting herself, so she declined every single request, preferring to simply teach her students as much as possible during their designated class time.

But this did nothing to diminish Mother Shang’s immense popularity. The first batch of visiting guests arrived before nine o’clock, bearing gifts and bringing their child along. Their conversation was filled with lavish praise and flattery for Mother Shang.

Unable to join the conversation between Mother Shang and the parents, Jing Ke and Shang Siyu simply took out some snacks and watched TV with the eight or nine-year-old child.

“Are you both Teacher Shang’s children?” The little girl, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, looked up at them. Her large eyes blinked, making her appear extremely adorable.

“You could say that,” Shang Siyu replied with a smile, offering the girl a candy.

“Thank you, Big Sister.” The girl accepted it and tucked it into her pocket. She then produced a piece of chocolate. “Big Sister, this is for you.”

“You’re giving it to me? Aren’t you going to keep it for yourself?” Shang Siyu tilted her head and asked.

“Mom taught me that when you receive a gift, you should give something back in return,” the little girl said earnestly. Her serious demeanor slightly resembled Jing Ke when she was being particularly earnest.

“And I really like you, Big Sister. Talking to you makes me happy. This chocolate is also my gift to you.”

“I like you too.” The smile on Shang Siyu’s face deepened. “You must be very obedient at home, listening to your mom. You’re a very good child, aren’t you?”

“Of course. Only good children get rewards.” Two little dimples appeared on the girl’s face. “Big Sister, since you’re both Teacher Shang’s children, are you also really amazing? Do you know lots and lots of instruments?”

“Ah, well, I can play the piano, guitar, and a bit of the erhu,” Shang Siyu said, making an effort to recall the instruments she had learned.

Admiration flickered in the girl’s eyes. She praised from the bottom of her heart, “Big Sister, you’re so amazing.”

“A little bit. I learned all that when I was young.” Shang Siyu responded with a smile, unable to resist reaching out and patting the little girl’s head.

Hmm, soft and warm. Quite a nice feeling.

“What about this Big Sister? Are you really amazing too?” the girl said, looking at Jing Ke.

“Me?” Jing Ke paused her hands, which had been shelling melon seeds, and placed all the kernels into Shang Siyu’s palm. “I might know a little bit of everything, but I’m not very good at any of it.”

She had the theoretical knowledge but zero practical hands-on experience—somewhere between knowing and not knowing. That could be considered “knowing a little bit,” right?

The little girl, unfamiliar with the concept of tactful speech, let out a “Wow!” upon hearing Jing Ke’s words. Her youthful face was filled with pure admiration.

“Big Sister, you’re so amazing! How did you learn a little bit of everything? Can you teach me?” The girl looked at Jing Ke with wide, dewy eyes and unconsciously scooted a little closer.

The little girl’s eyes brimmed with anticipation. “Mom wants me to learn more instruments, but so far I only know how to play the piano.”

“Just study diligently. You’re still young now. If you learn one instrument a year, when you grow up, you’ll be just like me,” Jing Ke said, somewhat perfunctorily. Her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the little girl’s head.

Did Little Yu really like this little girl? She’d only just met her, and already she was patting her head.

It had been a long, long time after they met before Little Yu first reached out and touched her head…

“Okay, I’ll work hard. One instrument a year!” The little girl replied loudly, her tone brimming with confidence.

To a child of eight or nine, a year was a very, very long time, long enough to do many, many things.

–

“Little Yu, do you like little kids?” After the girl left with her mother, Jing Ke sidled up to Shang Siyu and asked.

“They’re okay, I guess. Well-behaved children? I guess I like them more,” Shang Siyu answered.

“So you really liked that little girl just now?” Jing Ke pressed on.

Without thinking too much, Shang Siyu nodded. “Didn’t you think she was cute? So young, but not shy at all. Speaks with all those grown-up logic, just like a little adult.”

“Really? I didn’t feel anything particularly fond. Many human children are like that—eager to grow up quickly, so they unconsciously mimic adult behavior,” Jing Ke said, feeling a small pang of displeasure inside.

Hearing Jing Ke’s words, understanding dawned on Shang Siyu.

“Are you saying… I paid too much attention to her?” Shang Siyu asked tentatively, slightly unsure if Jing Ke was actually jealous of a little girl.

After all, Jing Ke had always acted very mature. Shang Siyu found it momentarily difficult to apply the word “childish” to her.

“Yes. She spoke less than ten sentences to you, and you openly praised her. You even said you liked her and patted her head.” Jing Ke’s brows furrowed slightly.

“When we first met, you never thought about bringing me home. In fact, you were a little wary of me,” Jing Ke stated.

Shang Siyu chuckled with a mix of helplessness and amusement. “But she’s a child. I just said I liked her, purely following along with the conversation.”

“What if I had chosen the body of a child? Would you have been willing to take me home on the very first day we met?” Jing Ke countered.

Shang Siyu was taken aback for a moment. “If you were a child, and without a guardian… I probably would have taken you home, I guess?”

By that point, she and Jing Ke would have already established a degree of trust. If Jing Ke had appeared in a more harmless form, she might have lowered her guard even faster.

Seeing Jing Ke’s frown deepen, Shang Siyu cupped her face, planted a kiss on her, and then explained.

“I have to emphasize one thing. The feeling I had for that little girl was very ordinary fondness, the same way I might like a flower or a painting. Just a fleeting feeling. I’ll forget about it soon.”

“So the person you like… is it only me?” Still not completely placated by the kiss, Jing Ke’s expression remained slightly vexed.

“Yes. I only like you. And I only love you.” Shang Siyu said, planting another kiss on Jing Ke. The mirth in her eyes grew even stronger. “And part of the reason I thought she was cute was because she reminded me of you a little when she was speaking logically.”

Being jealous of a child was indeed rather childish. But when this behavior came from Jing Ke, it only made Shang Siyu happier.

Real love and care… weren’t those the very reasons for jealousy?

Hearing that Shang Siyu had felt a fondness for the girl simply because she resembled her, the last trace of unhappiness on Jing Ke’s face finally vanished.

“Same for me. I only like you, and I only love you.” Jing Ke added, “No matter how cute a child is, I won’t like them. You are you, not a substitute for anyone else.”

The second half of Jing Ke’s sentence made Shang Siyu’s heart skip a beat. “No one can replace me?”

“Yes. No one can ever replace you,” Jing Ke said without a moment’s hesitation.

Shang Siyu opened her mouth, a long-suppressed question on the tip of her tongue. If she was irreplaceable, didn’t that mean Jing Ke wouldn’t come to like someone else in the future?

But as the words reached her throat, Shang Siyu swallowed them back down once more.

Jing Ke wasn’t an ordinary person. She couldn’t even be strictly considered human. She could exist for a very, very long time, whereas she…

Her own lifespan was a hundred years at most.

Using less than a century’s worth of affection to bind Jing Ke forever… that seemed far too selfish.

–

The start of the spring semester for primary schools was typically set for the day after the Lantern Festival. For working stiffs, however, the return to work usually began the day after the statutory holiday ended.

Among them, Shang Siyu was a rare example of a good boss. She had not only started the holiday break two days before the statutory holiday, but also pushed the return-to-work date two days after the holiday ended. The ninth day of the Lunar New Year marked the start of New Life Technology’s new working year.

After helping her mother receive wave after wave of guests, the countdown to the end of Shang Siyu and Jing Ke’s holiday began.

Compared to Shang Siyu’s slight reluctance to leave, Mother Shang acted as if nothing was wrong. She stuffed the uneaten New Year snacks and the majority of the gifts she had received into Jing Ke’s car.

“Alright, just come and see me when you have time next time. It’s not like you aren’t coming back,” Mother Shang patted her daughter on the shoulder.

“But I want to stay a few more days.” Shang Siyu hugged her mother, resorting to a rare moment of acting spoiled. “Mom, don’t you wish I could stay one more day? Once we leave, you’ll be all alone.”

“Of course, I want that. But we both have jobs. The day after tomorrow, I have to go back to the university for a faculty meeting and help with a lot of preparations,” Mother Shang said, patting her daughter’s back.

“You’re living with Little Jing now. You’ve got a companion. I’m even more at ease than before.” Mother Shang continued, “As for me, don’t you worry. I have plenty of friends and students.”

Releasing her daughter, Mother Shang looked at Jing Ke, who was standing ramrod straight off to the side, and smiled at her.

Mother Shang said, “Little Jing, I’m leaving Little Yu in your care. You have to help me supervise her. Don’t let her lose sleep over work, and don’t let her ruin her health for money.”

Jing Ke nodded firmly and agreed. “Auntie, rest assured. I will supervise Little Yu properly. Her bedtime will absolutely not be later than midnight.”

“Good. Drive slowly on your way back. Don’t rush. Safety is the most important thing.” Mother Shang continued her reminders. Finally, she waved them off, watching the car gradually disappear from sight.

Leaving home, parting from the family who always cared and worried for you—this process was invariably tinged with a little sadness.

Even the usually independent Shang Siyu was no exception. On the drive back, her spirits remained somewhat low. It wasn’t until they had safely returned to their cozy little home that she finally managed to recover slightly.

“Jing Ke, will you always stay with me?” Shang Siyu embraced Jing Ke, burying her head in the crook of her neck, and asked in a muffled voice.

“Yes. I will always stay with you.” Jing Ke gently stroked Shang Siyu’s back, promising, “Even if my physical body is destroyed by some accident, I will stay with you as a consciousness form, until the very end of your life.”