Chapter 44 Part 2

Shen Shuyu had mentally prepared herself. Taking a light breath, she nervously skewered a piece of liver with the long stick and took her first bite of pork liver in over twenty years. The unique flavor of plum powder first broke through Shen Shuyu’s mental resistance. The sweet and sour taste unique to this spice took over her mouth. The pork liver was fried crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, completely lacking the horrible bitterness and stickiness from her childhood. Shen Shuyu put the remaining small piece of liver on the skewer into her mouth. This commoner’s delicacy, the likes of which she had never tasted even in the Upper City, greatly satisfied her pampered taste buds.

“Good, right?” Yu Mo felt a huge sense of satisfaction seeing Shen Shuyu eat two pieces in a row. She took another skewer from the bag, hooking the bag open to spear a piece for herself.

Shen Shuyu watched the small bag; Yu Mo’s hand, hooked around the bag’s opening, was extremely close to her own. She could even feel the warmth from the back of Yu Mo’s hand. Such a small, subtle detail made Shen Shuyu’s heart thump wildly. She completely abandoned the etiquette Shen Lin had taught her and smiled at Yu Mo without reservation: “It’s delicious.”

Yu Mo looked at the unrestrained smile on Shen Shuyu’s face—a smile she’d never seen before—radiant like sunlight after a winter snow. Yu Mo’s heart couldn’t help but stir with emotion. She really wasn’t like her.

If there was anything more pleasant than discovering good food, it was sharing it with like-minded people. Seeing the fried pork liver approved by Shen Shuyu, Yu Mo offered the other skewers to her: “Try this, fried stinky tofu. It’s not stinky at all.”

Shen Shuyu looked at the skewer of blackened tofu Yu Mo handed her and doubtfully took a bite. This stinky tofu was even more heavenly than the fried pork liver. Crispy outside, tender inside, with a burst of rich broth upon biting into it. One word: satisfying! Shen Shuyu found it truly magical that these ordinary, even cheap, spices could create such an irresistibly delicious treat.

Summer nights were popular for going out, and the Night Market crowds gradually swelled. The square bustled with people; a moment’s inattention and someone could easily get lost. Shen Shuyu followed behind Yu Mo, eating and browsing as she walked. Her cheeks were like a little squirrel stealing peanuts, constantly stuffed with food.

Etiquette? Poise? The Eldest Miss Shen’s noble demeanor? Shen Shuyu had maintained them unchangingly for over twenty years. She was tired of it. Today, she would just let loose. Tonight, she wasn’t the Eldest Miss Shen. She was just Shen Shuyu.

Shen Shuyu had just picked up a shaved ice dessert from a stall when, turning around, she couldn’t find Yu Mo. There were bobbing heads everywhere. Despite her height advantage, Shen Shuyu stood on tiptoe and looked around, but couldn’t spot Yu Mo. The shaved ice in her hand emanated cold air, freezing her panicked heart bit by bit. She couldn’t find Yu Mo. She had lost her again.

Was it because of the differentiation? Shen Shuyu felt extraordinarily lonely. The area bustled, people were in groups, and she alone was left behind. Just as she was about to take out her phone to call Yu Mo, she suddenly saw a figure walking against the flow of people in the near distance to the west.

Yu Mo’s face, brow tightly furrowed, appeared in Shen Shuyu’s sight. Joy surged in Shen Shuyu’s heart, and she also started walking towards Yu Mo’s direction. The lights flickered between bright and dim, the noise of the crowd rose and fell. The two advanced through the tide of people, struggling towards each other.

Finally, Shen Shuyu and Yu Mo reunited under a string of colorful lights. But before Shen Shuyu could express the joy of their reunion, Yu Mo frowned and scolded in a low voice: “My dear Academic Representative, could you please grab hold of me next time you buy something? Otherwise, what if we get separated like just now?! I can’t bear that responsibility!”

Shen Shuyu could sense the suppressed anger in Yu Mo’s heart. Her heart’s rhythm instantly became chaotic, like spilt popping candy jumping randomly, hitting her fragile heart beat by beat. She was truly afraid that Yu Mo would get angry over this and ignore her.

Shen Shuyu took the initiative to admit her mistake: “I’m sorry, it was my fault.”

Elegant as always, she bowed her proud head for Yu Mo. But Yu Mo’s anger wasn’t dispelled by Shen Shuyu’s apology. Who knew how panicked she had been when she’d discovered Shen Shuyu was missing? The vast crowd offered no clue of Shen Shuyu’s whereabouts. Calls went unanswered, messages unread. A vast darkness consumed Yu Mo’s heart, anxiety and regret intertwined and tormented her.

Yu Mo didn’t know why she was like this. Clearly, Shen Shuyu was already sixteen, with money and a phone, she wouldn’t get lost. And yet, she was genuinely afraid. Instinctive, uncontrollable fear.

Shen Shuyu looked at Yu Mo; the unquenchable irritation was still in her eyes. Shen Shuyu lightly pursed her lips, trying for the first time to coax someone: “…Please don’t be angry anymore, okay?”

The celestial being, touched by human emotions, willingly descended from her immortal platform. Shen Shuyu’s face clearly showed her apology, her voice low and full of caution, the eyes that had curved in smiles from good food now downcast. Under the lights, Shen Shuyu looked like a lost child found and being scolded by her mother.

A flicker of pity rose in Yu Mo’s heart. The fear and panic from losing Shen Shuyu moments ago instantly dissipated, the anger turning to smoke. Her left thumb rubbed her ring finger, and she waved her hand at Shen Shuyu: “Alright, I’m not angry anymore.” Her tone then softened a bit, “Come on, there’s more fun ahead. Stick close.”

Yu Mo turned to leave but felt something tugging at her clothes, pulling her back. Turning her head, she saw Shen Shuyu looking back at her calmly, her expression indifferent, her demeanor as aloof and cold as ever. If not for the childish image in her peripheral vision of Shen Shuyu’s arm stretched out, holding onto her hem, Yu Mo would have almost been fooled by that composed face.

Yu Mo frowned: “What are you doing?”

Shen Shuyu answered with a hint of righteousness: “This way, I won’t get lost.”

Seeing Yu Mo still hesitating about letting her hold on, Shen Shuyu immediately handed her the shaved ice: “Here.”

Yu Mo looked at the smoking-cold dessert and Shen Shuyu’s calm eyes behind it. Was she… bribing her? Yu Mo found Shen Shuyu more and more interesting. She took the shaved ice, sighed heavily: “…Fine, you can hold on then. Don’t get lost again.”

“Mm.” Shen Shuyu got her wish, nodding.

They walked side-by-side through the crowd, connected only by a few fingers and a small piece of clothing. Not intimate skin contact, yet somehow more intimate. As they walked, more and more small entertainment stalls appeared before Shen Shuyu’s eyes. Ring toss, shooting gallery, ball toss… All kinds, strange and varied, truly opening the eyes of Shen Shuyu, who had only ever seen such things in documentaries.

This time, Shen Shuyu stopped again in front of a goldfish scooping stall. Yu Mo was also forced to stop by her pull.

“Scooping again?” Yu Mo watched Shen Shuyu readily pay the vendor, looking at her in surprise.

“Mm.” Shen Shuyu gathered her skirt and gracefully crouched in front of a large basin of goldfish.

Yu Mo stood next to Shen Shuyu, casting a shadow over her: “Do you just like fish this much?”

“Yes,” Shen Shuyu nodded. “I like Yu.” Because you are Yu, that’s why I came to like fish.

As she spoke, Shen Shuyu carefully lowered the paper net into the water, aiming for a chubby black goldfish. Unfortunately, Shen Shuyu lifted the net with too much force; the paper net, touching the black goldfish’s body, silently broke.

Yu Mo watched the black goldfish swim back into the water, flicking its tail: “These fish might not necessarily want to go home with you, to be confined in a small fish tank.”

Shen Shuyu picked up another paper net, hugging her legs with both hands, quietly observing the fish swimming in the large basin, and said calmly: “But if I don’t take it away, its living environment will only be harsher. It’s better to be raised in a fish tank, with food and drink.”

The fish stall owner shook his head, disagreeing: “Little miss, raising fish isn’t just about having food and drink. You need to put in more care. With goldfish like this, if you want to raise them well, you need to keep the water temperature at what they’re adapted to. Decorate with some aquatic plants, some scenery, so when they first enter your tank, they feel safe and can adapt faster…”

Shen Shuyu listened to the fish stall owner’s words, her eyes full of unconcealable desolation. “Yes. Before, I thought giving them the best material things was enough. But the fish I liked the most still died from my care. Thinking about it now, it’s just as the owner said: I didn’t put in the care.”

Such a simple truth, why did she only understand it in this life? The shadow over Shen Shuyu suddenly disappeared. Yu Mo crouched down beside her, took the paper net from her hand, and while looking for the black goldfish Shen Shuyu had targeted earlier, said: “Raise them well this time.”

The gloom in Shen Shuyu’s eyes was instantly dispelled. She gently rubbed the fingers that had just unintentionally touched Yu Mo’s and agreed: “Mm.”

Compared to Shen Shuyu’s technique-less method of scooping goldfish, Yu Mo was much more skilled. First anticipating the black goldfish’s movements, she then swiftly lowered the paper net. The net tilted into the water, scooping and lifting in one motion, and the black goldfish was sent into the bowl in Yu Mo’s hand.

“Very impressive, young lady,” the fish stall owner exclaimed, giving Yu Mo a thumbs-up, and efficiently placed the scooped goldfish into a clear plastic bag.

Yu Mo took the bag and handed it to Shen Shuyu. “Shall we go?”

Shen Shuyu looked at the black goldfish circling in the bag and held up two fingers: “I want a pair. A pair together won’t be lonely.”

Yu Mo, hands in her pockets, replied coolly: “As long as one lives freely, it won’t be lonely, with or without company.”

Shen Shuyu held the bag, her lashes lowered as she watched the lone fish swimming in circles in the water, and sighed softly. The words “Alright then” hadn’t left her mouth when Yu Mo crouched down again, paid for another paper net.

Under the neon lights, Shen Shuyu and Yu Mo stood at the bus stop, waiting for the taxi they had booked through a ride-hailing app. The night sky was studded with bright stars. Shen Shuyu held two bags in her hands; one black, one red goldfish, gently bumping the bags, always trying to swim to each other.

“Are you tired?” Yu Mo asked, looking at Shen Shuyu leaning lightly against the railing.

“A little bit,” Shen Shuyu answered. But it was far more than just a little; Shen Shuyu felt her legs were starting to ache and go numb. She had just differentiated; she should have been resting well.

Yu Mo glanced at Shen Shuyu and teased, “You haven’t even differentiated yet. How come your stamina is as poor as an Omega’s?”

Shen Shuyu’s face feigned a stern look: “Keep talking like that and I’m leaving.”

Yu Mo thought Shen Shuyu was genuinely angry and smoothed things over: “Just kidding. I’m not saying it to jinx you, but you really should prepare some Omega suppressants at home. Even my house has some.”

“I know,” Shen Shuyu said as she touched the Suppressant Patch on the back of her neck unnaturally, hiding the fact of her Omega differentiation.

The booked taxi arrived at the stop on time. Yu Mo opened the door for Shen Shuyu and helped her into the car. Just as the door was about to close, Shen Shuyu reached out and held it, looking at Yu Mo as if she had something to say. But after looking at Yu Mo for a moment, she swallowed her words.

“I’m leaving,” Shen Shuyu waved to Yu Mo.

Yu Mo nodded: “Message me when you get home.”

The taxi quickly sped along the asphalt road. Shen Shuyu looked back at the brightly lit station. Yu Mo’s figure grew smaller and smaller. Shen Shuyu had just wanted to ask Yu Mo: If someone deceived you, would you be angry? But when she saw Yu Mo’s bright eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to ask. She knew the answer to that question would certainly be yes. Shen Shuyu’s long lashes lowered gently as she tightly clutched the goldfish bags in her hand.