Chapter Forty-Six

"Ah Xi, did you have fun?" He Ru turned around, and the two stood facing each other.

Yu Xi didn't answer. He Ru walked step by step to Yu Xi's side. Yu Xi stared at him, his brows furrowing involuntarily. "Brother, don't involve Zhou Mo, she..."

He Ru reached out and straightened Yu Xi's turned-up collar. "I'm so happy, A Xi. As your older brother, seeing you so happy now gives me a feeling of relief."

“Brother.” Yu Xi didn’t expect He Ru to say that. He had known He Ru for many years. He had grown from a clueless child into who he is today under He Ru’s unreliable guidance. He Ru knew that he was stubborn and had his own logic, so she never forced anything on him. The argument outside the factory last time was the biggest conflict they had ever had since they met.

Yu Xi understood why. He Ru had already given up something so important to exchange for Zhou Mo. He Ru really liked Zhou Mo, but he was unwilling to let Zhou Mo be tied to anyone but himself.

Thinking about it this way, he is even more selfish than He Ru.

Therefore, he willingly accepted He Ru's punch and was also willing to accept all of He Ru's subsequent judgments.

"What are you thinking about?" He Ru flicked Yu Xi on the head. "Do you think I'm going to do something terrible? Yu Xi, I really just want to see her one more time." He Ru looked away. The plants in the zoo grew wildly, with unrestrained vitality. It seemed that as long as the plants touched the ground and took root, they could live on without regard to any cost.

At first, He Ru felt like a plant, taking root and growing desperately just to survive.

Later, He Ru realized that she was just a person.

Plants can simply live on unconsciously, while humans live on with emotions and desires.

"I just wanted to say goodbye."

He Ru patted Yu Xi on the shoulder, "Go on, have fun, you senior."

The two smiled at each other. Yu Xi lowered his head shyly, hiding his apologetic and sad expression. He Ru raised his hand and rubbed the back of Yu Xi's head, "Silly boy."

How could it come as swiftly as the wind and leave as quickly as the sun?

It took away the coldness in Yu Xi's heart.

Zhou Mo had no idea what had happened. When she saw Yu Xi come back with two ice creams instead of water, her eyes lit up. "It's a panda!"

"Zoo exclusive".

"Take a picture."

Yu Xi subconsciously turned his body to the side to avoid the camera, and Zhou Mo didn't force him, "It's okay to show your hand, right?"

That's fine.

Zhou Mo chuckled to herself, while Yu Xi had no idea just how easygoing she was.

Whenever Zhou Mo wants Yu Xi to accomplish something, even if the process is bumpy, she can ultimately achieve her goal.

This applies to becoming family, to opening up to each other, and even to sending Yu-hsi to school.

Zhou Mo ate her ice cream in small bites, wondering when Yu Xi would realize that he really needed her.

After returning home from the zoo, Zhou Mo didn't take a taxi. Instead, she pulled Yu Xi onto the bus back to the city. They sat in the last row, with Zhou Mo by the window. Yu Xi started to doze off as soon as she got on the bus.

With her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes slowly closing into slits, and her head tilting left and right, Zhou Mo immediately took out her phone to record a video.

As soon as she turned on her phone, the rear camera was blocked, and the screen went completely black. Zhou Mo looked up and met Yu Xi's sleepy eyes.

Yu Xi confiscated Zhou Mo's phone. Zhou Mo didn't say anything and turned to look out the window.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. The bus was driving into the tunnel, and their images were reflected in the window. When Yu Xi closed his eyes to sleep, he was well-behaved, and you couldn't tell at all that he had a sharp tongue.

Zhou Mo watched for a while, and as the bus was about to leave the tunnel, she raised her hand to cover Yu Xi's eyes to prevent the sudden white light from stimulating him.

She herself closed her eyes before the light arrived.

Take a nap.

Next door to Zhou Mo and Yu Xi was a young couple. The girl saw the whole process of Zhou Mo raising her hand to cover her eyes, nudged her boyfriend with her elbow, and whispered, "So sweet, that girl just covered her boyfriend's eyes."

"You really like this, I'll try it next time."

The girl said with distress, "But I don't like sleeping on the bus."

"You idiot, pretend to be like that guy." The boyfriend took the girl's hand and pointed at Yu Xi.

Only then did the girl notice that Yu Xi's lips were turned up.

"A cunning male supporting character with a sunny disposition, oh my god, watching other people's love stories is the sweetest thing ever."

After the girl finished speaking, her boyfriend pinched her cheek. "When we get back, we'll have a good discussion about how to have the sweetest relationship."

The girl looked pleading, but her boyfriend turned his face away arrogantly.

The conversation then gradually veered off course.

Zhou Mo was too far away to hear, but Yu Xi heard most of it.

He thought to himself, "Couples? Do couples stay with each other longer than family? Of course not. Family members are people you can visit at their graves and kowtow to. Can couples do that? That's too strange."

Zhou Mo took a nap in the car and felt refreshed, while Yu Xi wasn't so energetic. Her mind had been wandering all the way, so it would be strange if she had any energy.

"Let's go to the market, I'll make you another bowl of walnut and pear stew to nourish your brain."

"A senior high school student."

Zhou Mo smiled and patted Yu Xi's head.

Yu Xi looked away and happened to see the couple in the car. He made eye contact with the girl, who wasn't shy at all and even gave him a thumbs up. Her boyfriend next to her put his arm around her and also gave Yu Xi a thumbs up.

Seeing Yu Xi staring blankly at something, Zhou Mo looked over as well. "What? It's so beautiful!"

Then she froze.

Seeing her stunned, Yu Xi quickly tried to cover it up, "No, there's nothing there. Let's go, let's go to the market to buy groceries..."

Yu Xi reached for Zhou Mo's hand but missed. Zhou Mo walked forward, and Yu Xi frowned, not understanding what had happened.

"Aunt..."

"Don't call me that!!"

The area where people got off the bus was bustling with people. Zhou Yun's outburst attracted a large crowd. Qian Zhiwei tugged at Zhou Yun's sleeve, "Don't do it here, there are too many people. Let's talk about it when we get home."

"Home?" Zhou Yun looked at Zhou Mo and sneered, "Does she even have a home anymore?"

Zhou Yun's words stung Zhou Mo. She hadn't expected to meet her niece here, nor had she expected to see Zhou Mo so intimate with a boy. The thought that Zhou Mo might have been deceived by some shady boy during the year she was away filled her with rage.

Zhou Yun gripped her phone tightly; the screen remained on Zhang Xing's call log before going dark.

Are you here for tourism?

Zhou Mo lost the slightest bit of excitement she had felt when she first saw Zhou Yun.

Yes, she was overjoyed, a joy she herself couldn't understand. She disliked Zhou Yun because she was always intentionally or unintentionally belittling her mother and blaming her father.

This malice gradually transferred to himself.

She should despise Zhou Yun.

But undeniably, Zhou Yun is her only remaining blood relative in this world.

So was that little bit of excitement just now just a result of blood ties?

But it doesn't matter anymore. Zhou Yun is still the same, and so is she, so they don't have much to talk about. They'll just exchange pleasantries.

"We've come to find you."

"Looking for me?" Zhou Mo found it strange. "There's no need. We made things very clear back then, and if we wanted to look for you, we would have done so long ago. Why wait until now?"

Qian Zhiwei looked at Zhou Mo. The obedient girl from his memory had grown up and become a young woman. She was independent and hadn't lost weight. It seemed she was doing quite well.

"Momo, your aunt really came to see you. Isn't it because you're about to go to university? We were thinking if there was anyone we could help with. We're all family, so it's better to let bygones be bygones."

Zhou Yun glared at Qian Zhiwei, "Is this any of your business? Can't you see this ungrateful wretch is ungrateful?"

"Ungrateful wretch?" Zhou Mo laughed. "What right do you have to say that to me? Have I ever spent a single penny of your money? Oh, you've bought me things, but haven't my dad and mom bought you things too? We should be able to keep track of all the favors we've done."

"Don't try to lecture me with your elders' way of speaking. I made it very clear a year ago that I don't need you."

Zhou Yun was so angry that her blood was boiling and she couldn't speak for a long time.

Zhou Mo had no intention of continuing the stalemate with Zhou Yun. She gave Yu Xi a look that said goodbye, and Yu Xi followed behind Zhou Mo. Before leaving, he glanced behind Zhou Yun and saw a boy peeping suspiciously.

Zhou Yun ultimately didn't chase after them; after all, she was an adult and still had her pride.

Zhou Mo's good mood for the day was ruined by this unprepared meeting. After returning home, she threw herself on the sofa, covered herself with a towel, and ignored everyone.

Yu Xi couldn't buy walnuts and pears, so she opened the refrigerator and looked around. There wasn't much food she could make, but fortunately, it was all food that Zhou Mo would like.

Suddenly, a crisp sound came from the living room. Yu Xi walked out of the kitchen and saw a hand sticking out from under the towel and tapping on the coffee table.

“Speak, Zhou Mo.”

"I want to eat an apple." The voice was muffled and indistinct, as if it were tinged with a sob.

Yu Xi frowned in displeasure, but spoke in a very gentle tone, "Big, medium, small."

"A scoundrel."

"Mixed apples are not common. I'll have to find a really good apple first, then take it to fight in the alley. I'll probably have to get it tattooed and pierced with a ring before it becomes a mixed apple."

Yu Xi's nonsense successfully pulled Zhou Mo out of the blanket. Zhou Mo threw off the blanket, her ponytail standing on end from the friction, and the stray hairs on her forehead also stood up. "Yu Xi, you did this on purpose."

"Just trying to make you happy."

Zhou Mo sat cross-legged on the sofa, "So annoying, so annoying, so annoying."

Only then did Zhou Mo seem like a teenage girl troubled by puberty; she was usually too calm.

Yu Xi suddenly realized that Zhou Mo never seemed to act this way because of him.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

"I'm going to university tomorrow, it'll be fine."

"Yu Xi, are you unhappy?"

"No."

"lie."