“All done.” Shen Zhiyi clapped her hands, took a half-step back, and appraised her handiwork, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.
“Ohh.” Mo Liang, however, scooted a good distance away from her.
Shen Zhiyi was slightly taken aback, but the confusion only flickered across her face for a moment before she tucked it away.
“Go sleep in my room. I’ll take the couch.”
“Huh?” Mo Liang blinked.
“Why don’t we sleep together?”
She tilted her head, her tone carrying a touch of innocent confusion, as if asking something perfectly ordinary.
“Hm?”
Shen Zhiyi’s gaze dimmed slightly.
She averted her eyes, her voice calm but leaving no room for negotiation.
“No need. Go on, get some sleep.”
“Okay.”
Mo Liang was pushed by the shoulders toward the room and didn’t insist further.
As she walked, she mused that the other woman hadn’t brought up her bruises at all, so she’d just play dumb and not mention them either. Best that way.
Pushing open the door, a fresh, pleasant scent wafted over her. The room was done in blue and white, clean and tidy. The bedsheet was laid out perfectly straight, a few books stacked on the desk, and a cute-looking plush bear sat in the corner.
“Not bad.”
Mo Liang flopped into the soft bedding, her eyelids closing, and within seconds she was fast asleep.
The next morning, when she opened her eyes, sunlight streamed through the window onto her face. Mo Liang grabbed her cellphone and saw it was already ten o’clock.
Walking into the living room, a few small bread rolls sat quietly on the dining table. There was no note beside them, but an unread message rested on her phone screen.
“I went to work. Left you some bread.”
Mo Liang stared at those words for a few seconds.
She wolfed down the bread in two or three bites, dusting the crumbs off her hands.
Shen Zhiyi probably eats lunch at the restaurant, right? Perfect. She’d go buy some food and bring it over, score some good impression points!
Mo Liang headed out, scanned a shared bicycle, rode to a nearby cake shop, picked out a few fragrant small cakes, and arrived at the restaurant where Shen Zhiyi worked.
“Hello, what can I get for you?”
The server who came up was pretty good-looking.
Mo Liang blinked and said, “I’m here to see Sister Shen Zhiyi.”
“Oh! Then follow me.”
The server’s eyes lit up, and she led Mo Liang around the restaurant’s front entrance, turning into the alley behind it.
Mo Liang saw Shen Zhiyi sitting on a plastic stool, holding a boxed meal.
“Shen Zhiyi! When did you get such an adorable little sister? Why didn’t you tell me? Are we sisterhood or not!”
Shen Zhiyi looked up, saw the little yellow hair standing nearby, face flushed red and holding a cake bag, then glanced at the woman who was casually slinging an arm around her shoulder. She set down her chopsticks, a note of helplessness in her voice.
“She’s not my real sister, Liu Yun.”
Liu Yun? Mo Liang silently filed the name away. Judging by things, this woman seemed pretty close to Shen Zhiyi.
“Oh? Not your real sister? Then she’s a love inter—”
Liu Yun’s mouth moved faster than her brain. Before she could finish, Shen Zhiyi’s palm clamped over her mouth while her other hand pinched Liu Yun’s arm.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Liu Yun knew Shen Zhiyi liked girls, but she didn’t know Shen Zhiyi already had a girlfriend.
Shen Zhiyi swept a subtle glance at Mo Liang, confirming the little yellow hair looked completely baffled, before letting out a quiet breath of relief.
“Alright, alright.”
Liu Yun covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with stifled laughter.
“Zhiyi.”
“I’ve booked a restaurant. How about we go eat together?”
A male voice, sounding sunny and cheerful, came from the mouth of the alley.
Mo Liang lifted her gaze to size up the newcomer.
He was pretty tall, looking at least over 6 feet, dressed in brand-name clothes she couldn’t name but could tell at a glance were expensive, and had the standard sunny boy face.
First impression wasn’t terrible, but the arrogance he couldn’t hide even if he tried made Mo Liang instinctively uncomfortable.
“Lin Yu, didn’t Shen Zhiyi tell you to stop coming around?”
Liu Yun planted her hands on her hips, her tone aggressive.
Lin Yu didn’t even give her a glance, speaking with arrogance in his voice.
“I don’t think I was talking to you, was I? You’d better scram, acting like a shrew. Don’t know why Shen Zhiyi would hang around trash like you.”
Shen Zhiyi frowned at his words, her face showing rare, undisguised disgust. She really hated this Lin Yu.
He came by the restaurant to harass her every few days, those colorful eyes always roaming over her body, making her skin crawl.
“Lin Yu, I’ve told you clearly. I don’t like you.”
“Please don’t come looking for me again.”
Shen Zhiyi’s voice was calm, her tone icy.
“Exactly! Can you not be so pathetic?”
Liu Yun quickly followed up with another jab.
Mo Liang nodded along on the side. She wasn’t feeling that guy either.
Lin Yu’s face twisted at Shen Zhiyi’s words. His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.
He turned and left, but his stride carried an unsettling gloom. If the soft approach didn’t work, then he’d try the hard one. A disgusting plan was already forming in his mind.
Seeing him finally gone, both Shen Zhiyi and Liu Yun let out a breath of relief. The air in the alley felt several degrees fresher.
“Have some cake. I got this specially for you.”
Mo Liang tugged at Shen Zhiyi’s sleeve, pulling a delicate small cake from the paper bag that she’d spent a good few dozen bucks on, holding it up to Shen Zhiyi with her face tilted and eyes sparkling.
“Okay.”
Shen Zhiyi looked at the small cake offered to her, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. Her hand unconsciously rose, gently patting Mo Liang’s little head.
Mo Liang obediently narrowed her eyes, even nuzzling slightly into her palm. Shen Zhiyi suddenly pulled her hand back.
She seemed to realize what she’d just done.
Her peripheral vision caught Liu Yun staring at them with that “I know, I know” auntie smile. Without a second thought, she swung an elbow at her.
Liu Yun clutched her side with an oof.
Mo Liang pulled out another cake from the bag and handed it to Liu Yun.
While the three of them huddled in the alley eating cake, Mo Liang took the chance to ask about Lin Yu.
Liu Yun was quick with her mouth and spilled the whole story in no time.
Lin Yu’s family got demolition compensation, so they barely counted as new rich.
He claimed he came to eat, but he showed up at the restaurant every few days. It was obviously all for Shen Zhiyi.
One time, when Shen Zhiyi bent down to set down the menu, he reached out to grab her hand. Luckily, she dodged it.
And then there was the public confession stunt. Flowers laid out everywhere, forcing Shen Zhiyi to coldly reject him in front of the whole restaurant full of cheering customers.
Just hearing about the things Lin Yu had done made your skin crawl.
“Ohh, what a bad guy!”
Mo Liang nodded emphatically, righteous indignation blazing. She was cursing with full sincerity.
Pretending to be foolish all day was exhausting, but it worked. Didn’t Shen Zhiyi eat it up?
Just imagine walking up to Su Xiaoyou holding Shen Zhiyi’s hand. The thought alone made her weak in the knees with excitement.
After that was done, dump Shen Zhiyi, grab the five million, take her little sister and vanish, living that heavenly life.
Mo Liang lowered her head and took a big bite of cake, the corner of her mouth curling up.