Chapter 47 Part 2

In her peripheral vision, Shen Shuyu was like a little rabbit, taking tiny bites of her rice ball. Her mouth closed gently, her cheeks moving with each chew. Looking closely, Yu Mo also noticed Shen Shuyu’s eyes were slightly red at the corners, visible every time she blinked. Had she been crying just now?

Yu Mo looked at this empty, almost eerie ward. She had just left her—someone who had just been through an ordeal—alone in a place like this. That was a bit despicable.

Yu Mo squeezed the paper cup in her hand and said softly: “Um… Shen Shuyu.”

Hearing her name, Shen Shuyu looked up towards Yu Mo, only to see her lips pressed tightly, her expression tinged with guilt.

“Sorry for blowing up at you like that earlier. It was my fault,” Yu Mo admitted. “I was wrong too. I shouldn’t have said what I did back then…”

Yu Mo’s words all fell clearly into Shen Shuyu’s ears. Just the fact that Yu Mo had returned was already enough for her. How could she, how could she bear to let Yu Mo feel so guilty?

Shen Shuyu interrupted Yu Mo, asking: “Yu Mo, we are friends, right?”

Yu Mo nodded firmly. “Mm.”

Shen Shuyu’s expression was calm, but the slight movement of her fingertips betrayed the joy in her heart. Carefully, she placed her hand on the back of Yu Mo’s. “Then there’s no ‘who’s sorry’ between us.”

Shen Shuyu’s hand was as cold as ever, but her palm was warm and soft. A long-dormant familiar feeling, sealed at the bottom of Yu Mo’s heart, was reawakened. A series of sparks crackled in Yu Mo’s heart.

Yu Mo gave an awkward “mm” and abruptly stood up from the chair. “It’s late. Let’s sleep.”

With that, she slowly rotated her hand within Shen Shuyu’s palm, giving a light squeeze back before completely pulling away.

The ward light was turned off. Faint moonlight barely illuminated the clock on the wall. The three silver hands of different lengths overlapped on the number twelve. The terrible day finally drew a satisfactory close.

Yu Mo, who had been running around all day, was exhausted and sleepy. She had already fallen asleep on the small accompanying bed beside them. But Shen Shuyu lay on her side, facing the direction of Yu Mo’s bed, her silvery eyes gleaming in the pitch-black night.

Facing her was the person she constantly yearned for day and night. How could she possibly sleep?

A beam of moonlight, slipping through the gap between two curtains, cast a bright line connecting Shen Shuyu and Yu Mo. Shen Shuyu secretly traced Yu Mo’s sleeping face by this moonlight. Lingering her gaze greedily on her youthful, girlish cheeks.

Yu Mo was in a deep sleep. One creamy long leg stuck out from under the covers, most unladylike, even somewhat barbarically—she was riding the blankets. Yet the Yu Mo of the past, when sleeping in the same bed as her, had been nothing like this. She used to sleep neatly on the other side of the bed, hands crossed over her chest, as rigid as a machine precisely designed.

Shen Shuyu didn’t know what kind of pain Yu Mo had experienced to forcibly break this habit etched into her subconscious. Shen Shuyu pillowed her head on her hand, trying to recall her past life to find a single clue. But the gears of memory seemed stuck, refusing to turn. Actually, it wasn’t that they wouldn’t turn.

Shen Shuyu swallowed hard. She realized she had simply never paid attention.

Thinking of how much Yu Mo had sacrificed for her, while she had never cared, Shen Shuyu’s heart throbbed with pain. Twisted, monstrous vines of self-loathing, covered in sharp thorns, recklessly climbed over the fragile flower field of her heart.

Her eyes blinked softly, a pensive melancholy falling under the moonlight. She hoped Yu Mo would never know the secret of her rebirth. She thought, as long as she hid it well, Yu Mo might truly never find out that she had also been reborn. She would just be this life’s Shen Shuyu, the Shen Shuyu who, in Yu Mo’s understanding, knew absolutely nothing about the events of their last life. A Shen Shuyu entirely different from the last.

.

The next day, bright, scorching sunlight poured generously over the brand-new world. Sparrows chirped, cicadas buzzed. A gentle breeze swept through the small square behind the hospital’s inpatient building, green waves rippling, carrying a hint of coolness.

The soft moonlight filtering through the curtain gap had turned into harsh sunlight. As the sun rose in the sky, the beam of light shifted from the back of Yu Mo’s hand to her face. The intense white light flickered with the dancing willow branches outside the window, teasing her relentlessly.

Yu Mo groaned discontentedly, rolling over on the bed. Despite her reluctance, she woke up. Even with her back to the sunbeam, waking from the darkness, Yu Mo still found the light glaring. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up groggily from the bed. Stretching her foot to feel for the floor, the icy touch of the tile floor shot straight to her forehead. Yu Mo’s eyes widened abruptly.

Wait, this wasn’t her home!

“Miss Yu Mo is awake. Would you like breakfast?” A familiar yet strange voice came from beside Yu Mo. Yu Mo looked up to see Ah Qian standing right in front of her.

She was as skinny as Yu Mo remembered, everything she wore seemed baggy. Her signature thin eyebrows were like two faint sweeps, accidentally brushed on.

“Miss Yu Mo, what’s wrong?” Ah Qian looked at Yu Mo curiously, waving a hand in front of the person who had been staring at her.

Yu Mo snapped back to reality abruptly. She looked at the clean, tidy hospital ward and remembered the events of the previous night. She hadn’t gone back in time. Thank goodness.

“I’m fine. Just woke up, still a bit groggy,” Yu Mo waved her hand, put on her shoes, and got out of bed.

Seeing Yu Mo approach, Aunt Zhao ladled out some congee while telling her: “Thinking that Miss Yu Mo and Miss had a rough night, we couldn’t prepare anything too heavy for breakfast, so we just made some congee. I also brought a few side dishes and pickles. I hope Miss Yu Mo won’t mind.”

Yu Mo looked at the exquisite white porcelain bowl filled with crystal-clear congee. The soft glutinous rice was dotted with minced meat, egg flower, and chopped spinach leaves. The rich rice aroma mixed with the savory meat and egg fragrance drifted into Yu Mo’s nose. How could she possibly mind food that looked so delicate and delicious?

“You flatter me,” Yu Mo said, getting up to help Aunt Zhao take the other breakfast dishes from the Thermos Food Jar. But Aunt Zhao stopped her: “Miss Yu Mo, please just rest. We can handle these things.”

Yu Mo’s hand froze in mid-air for a moment but she still withdrew it. “Alright.” She was now Shen Shuyu’s friend, a guest. There was no custom of guests helping the servants with chores. Doing so would only cause trouble and reprimands for Aunt Zhao and Ah Qian.

Those rigid, ironclad master-servant rules of the Upper City—Yu Mo had almost forgotten them.

“It was all thanks to Miss Yu Mo’s help yesterday that our Miss could get through such a dangerous situation,” Aunt Zhao chatted with Yu Mo as she set the table.

“It was only right,” Yu Mo replied, still taking a small dish from Aunt Zhao’s hand that she couldn’t quite place, helping her put it down.

Aunt Zhao said, “Yesterday really frightened us. Madam found out and flew back from abroad overnight. She should be arriving soon.”

Hearing the word “Madam,” Yu Mo’s heart, which had just been calm, plummeted sharply. She had witnessed Shen Lin’s icy demeanor in her previous life upon learning Shen Shuyu had differentiated into an Omega. That was also the first time the fifteen-year-old her learned that such cold parents existed in this world. Recalling that this time Shen Shuyu had even hidden the fact that she had differentiated long ago, Yu Mo couldn’t help but worry.

She probed discreetly with Aunt Zhao: “Aunt Shen, she…”

However, before Yu Mo’s question could be fully voiced, Shen Shuyu pushed open the door and walked out from the adjoining bathroom. She was still wearing the blue-and-white striped hospital gown. Her long hair was fluffy on top, the ends still carrying a bit of water droplets that hadn’t been completely dried. Seems she had followed her morning routine and taken a shower.

“Good morning,” Shen Shuyu greeted Yu Mo calmly, bringing with her a faint, ethereal fragrance.

Yu Mo subtly inhaled. It was the scent of Shen Shuyu’s usual body wash. A tranquil orchid fragrance with a barely perceptible hint of milky scent. Yu Mo had once wrapped her arm around Shen Shuyu’s waist, mischievously grinding against her ear: “Jiejie, did you know… the scent on you right now pairs amazingly well with Camellia scent… so alluring.”

Shen Shuyu had then slightly curled her lips, looking down at Yu Mo with a soft “Oh?” Her slender, snow-white arm had languidly rested on Yu Mo’s shoulder. They maintained an ambiguous distance, breaths warm and intermingling.

“Was it the body wash and the Camellia Wine that pair well? Or was it the Sea Salt Caramel and the Camellia Wine?” Shen Shuyu had asked softly.

Pinning Shen Shuyu against the bathroom counter behind her, trapping her with both hands, Yu Mo had teased provocatively: “Jiejie, try it and you’ll find out.”

Shen Shuyu smiled, tilting her head slightly. That moist, reddening lip met Yu Mo’s equally moist lip. The bathroom, still steamy from the recent shower, the wet long hair draped over Yu Mo’s satin shirt, dampening her shoulder. With a slight effort, Yu Mo had lifted Shen Shuyu by the waist onto the white porcelain counter. She had pinned her against the fogged-up mirror, kissing her unrestrainedly. Coolness and heat intertwined. Then, Yu Mo’s slender fingers slowly explored the soft, fluffy bath towel wrapped tightly around Shen Shuyu.

Soft and delicate, the scents of Camellia Wine and Sea Salt Caramel filled the cramped space. The light overhead was dazzling, disorienting. Yu Mo still remembered at the end, Shen Shuyu nibbled her earlobe and whispered in her ear: “Camellia Wine and Orchid Milk Scent are both yours.”

During such moments, Shen Shuyu was eternally captivating. Like a deity shedding her pure white outer robe, both sacred and decadent. Brazenly tempting every pilgrim to offer her their most loyal devotion.

Yu Mo’s heart beat two quickened thumps. Forcing herself to sound calm, she replied: “Good morning.”

Shen Shuyu sat down across from Yu Mo, secretly taking in the faint, barely perceptible blush on Yu Mo’s face, saying nothing.

“Are you feeling better?” Yu Mo asked first, trying to distract herself.

Shen Shuyu nodded lightly: “Much better.” Sitting with her back to the window, she was bathed in warm sunlight. The pallor had faded, replaced by a slight, lingering flush from her earlier shower. Indeed, she looked much improved.

Yu Mo pursed her slightly dry lips and nodded absently: “That’s good.”

The small, tall-legged table was laden with a dazzling array of delicate, exquisite breakfast items. Yu Mo and Shen Shuyu sat face-to-face, sharing breakfast, while Aunt Zhao and Ah Qian attended nearby. The sunlight was gentle, the room quiet, just like every morning they had once shared.

After breakfast, seeing that Shen Shuyu’s household servants had all arrived, Yu Mo felt there was no reason for her to stay any longer. She simply gathered her things, put on her backpack, and prepared to leave.

Yu Mo: “I’m going.”

“Be careful on the way. Message me when you get home,” Shen Shuyu said, echoing the words Yu Mo had once told her.

“Okay,” Yu Mo replied, turning and pulling open the hospital room door.

As soon as the door opened, two women with imposing auras stood side-by-side before her. The surrounding air pressure instantly plummeted. Just standing there silently, they were enough to make one not dare act out. Yu Mo was intimately familiar with both of these people.

Especially the one facing her directly: Shen Lin.