Shen Sixing pushed open the bathroom door and saw Shen Yi sitting shoulder to shoulder with Wen Ya on the sofa.
Seeing this, Shen Sixing had no choice but to sit in a chair and pretend he knew absolutely nothing. He strained to pull the corners of his mouth upward, doing his best to keep his voice light and cheerful.
“What are you two talking about?”
Wen Ya looked up at him. Her voice was gentle, but what she said sent a chill down Shen Sixing’s spine.
“We were talking about the future.”
The smile on Shen Sixing’s face froze for an instant. He could feel his lips trembling faintly, so he bit down on his lower lip, grinding it with the tips of his teeth.
The slight pain helped him maintain a semblance of calm.
His gaze flicked back and forth between Wen Ya and Shen Yi.
Without thinking, Shen Sixing shifted backward, like a rat backed into a corner instinctively searching for a way out.
“She told me some fantastical stories about the future…” Wen Ya clasped her hands, interlocking her fingers tightly in her lap. “Would you like to talk to me about this, sir?”
For one brief moment, Shen Sixing was almost cowardly enough to flee.
In the end, he resigned himself to his fate and lowered his head. Sitting bolt upright in the chair like an elementary school student, he tried to change the subject.
“Don’t believe anything this little brat told you. Xiao Yi loves making things up. Children say all sorts of nonsense. You wouldn’t actually believe her stories, would you, miss?”
“Wait.” Wen Ya interrupted him. “I’m very interested in the future she described. But you seem rather resistant. Why is that?”
She pressed him relentlessly. “Your future spouse is me. What? You’re not satisfied?”
Shen Sixing was stunned by her directness.
Was this Ms. Wen a little too forceful?
He slowly shook his head. “…I’m not dissatisfied.”
Regardless of how he looked at it—
He could barely afford to support Shen Yi as it was.
The rent on his apartment was eight hundred yuan a month, not including utilities. His refrigerator contained twelve packets of instant noodles and two boxes of frozen dumplings—his food for the week.
If he really ended up with five children…
He pictured the scene and decided that one night, he might quietly climb over the balcony and disappear from the world.
Besides, having the future predicted for him made Shen Sixing feel as though he were being dragged forward against his will.
He hated being told what to do.
His entire life, ever since childhood, had been arranged for him.
And now, Shen Yi’s prophecies were like new threads wrapping around his wrists and ankles.
A wife. Children. A family.
Those words were simply too heavy for him.
Shen Sixing lowered his eyes in silence and said nothing more.
The silence spread among the three of them for several seconds.
“My name is Wen Ya. I told you that before. I currently work for a state-owned enterprise,” Wen Ya said cheerfully, giving him the occupation she had just fabricated. “What about you?”
She sounded like a woman who loved her work, worked hard, and lived a bright, optimistic life.
Shen Sixing’s tone also turned flat.
“My name is Shen Sixing—‘Sixing’ as in ‘think three times before acting.’ I don’t have any savings, or a house or a car. I work at the police station…”
The young man paused briefly, then smiled.
“I kill cops.”
To kill cops was still technically “working with the police.” No one could say that was wrong.
Wen Ya looked surprised for a moment, but quickly accepted it.
“Ah. Looks like even a stable job with benefits doesn’t make it easy to save money.”
“But it doesn’t matter. If there are two of us, building a life together can still be very happy.”
Shen Sixing was completely blindsided by her barrage of blunt remarks. He shuddered and hunched his shoulders, his voice meek.
“Okay… I’ll work hard too.”
His tone was soft and entirely without edge.
When he lowered his eyes, the young man lightly pinched his fingertips, thinking coldly.
All right.
It seemed this woman really did want to build a family.
Come to think of it, this latest job should earn him around three million yuan in commission.
Once he got paid, he could move into a better apartment and send Shen Yi to a good elementary school in the area—one filled with children from highly educated families. The teachers and security would be much better there.
At least then, the child wouldn’t have to squeeze into this dark, cramped place with him.
As for Wen Ya…
To be honest, he didn’t have the capacity to fall in love with someone he had known for less than two days.
How disgusting.
What was love, anyway?
Did his family love him?
It was hard to say. Perhaps they did.
But whenever something couldn’t be done perfectly, punishment and blame always came before love.
To him, love was essentially a prison.
It had taken him so long to escape after growing up. Why would he willingly walk back inside?
Shen Sixing had already decided how to turn her down.
He had even worked out the wording.
But then Wen Ya took the initiative and said, “You two should move in with me. I have an apartment downtown, and it’s very close to the school.”
“Ahem…” Compared to Wen Ya’s frankness, Shen Sixing was painfully awkward. He instinctively bit down on his hand and frowned. “Don’t you think things are moving a little too quickly?”
“I think the timing is just right,” Wen Ya replied. “Besides, you don’t look like someone who knows how to cook. You’ll end up raising our daughter on an inadequate diet, and then she won’t grow tall.”
She had taken a look around earlier. When Shen Yi brought her a drink, she had noticed that there were very few fresh vegetables in the refrigerator.
The table, on the other hand, was covered mostly with instant noodles and other convenience foods.
Wen Ya had used the words our daughter.
Shen Sixing stared blankly for two seconds.
Then, without thinking, he looked toward Shen Yi.
The little girl was gazing up at Wen Ya, her eyes shining brightly.
Like a sunflower following the sun.
She had never looked at him like that.
