Shuyu felt Si Yiheng touching her head.
She really wanted to tell him not to pat her head, or she wouldn't grow any taller.
But on second thought, it seemed she had already stopped growing anyway. Too lazy to make a fuss about it, she decided to just let him pat her.
Just then, she heard Si Yiheng ask if she wanted to live together with him.
Shuyu's back stiffened, not daring to move. She called out to Iron Egg in her mind, Egg, did you hear that? Si Yiheng wants to live together.
Iron Egg: [I heard it, I heard it!]
If it weren't for the mission, Iron Egg would have started shipping them right then and there.
But Iron Egg's rationality kept it focused on its work. [In the original plot, you didn't even meet this early, let alone move in together. Wait for me to run a check and see if this plot change affects the mission.]
[Just stall Si Yiheng for now.]
Shuyu: I know.
Feeling a bit nervous, Shuyu whispered, I need some time to think about it.
Si Yiheng patted the fluffy top of her head again. Mm, you can take your time to think.
Looking at the epiphyllum flowers, Shuyu asked, Will you be mad if I don't move in with you?
Si Yiheng: I won't be mad.
Si Yiheng thought to himself that if Shuyu were a kitten, she would definitely be the best-tempered little calico. She would hide in the corners every day as a stray, and if she suddenly met someone who wanted to take her home, she would just nicely negotiate, saying she didn't want to go home with a human.
As if, should the human insist just a little bit more, she would follow them home.
Si Yiheng: You don't need to consider whether others will be happy when making a decision. You have the right to refuse.
The first thing you should do is make yourself happy.
In the dark night, Si Yiheng's voice fell clearly into Shuyu's heart.
In the past nineteen years, no one had ever said such things to her.
It seemed she always had to clumsily learn how to please others.
Shuyu: I understand.
Si Yiheng: Though, if I could live with you, I would probably be very happy.
Shuyu's eyelashes fluttered slowly. She looked up, her clear eyes gazing at Si Yiheng. Brother, I've noticed you don't shortchange yourself at all.
Si Yiheng: ...
Si Yiheng: Mm.
Shuyu spoke obediently, I need to learn from your high sense of self-worth.
Si Yiheng: Mm.
The two of them looked at the stars for a while longer before Si Yiheng walked Shuyu home.
At her door, Si Yiheng patted her head. Get a good rest. Goodnight.
Shuyu no longer felt the tension she had when she first met him. Goodnight.
Shuyu went inside, watched through the security monitor as Si Yiheng turned around, and then quietly opened the door, poking her head out to watch his retreating back.
Unexpectedly, Si Yiheng turned back, and their eyes met.
Shuyu: ...
Si Yiheng: ...
Si Yiheng was much calmer than Shuyu. Looking at her, his voice betrayed no emotion. Not ready to sleep yet?
I am. With that, Shuyu quickly ducked back behind the door and shut it.
Iron Egg was about to faint from the cuteness. Even though they were supposed to be doing a mission, it felt like they were a newly-in-love couple, getting caught sneaking glances at each other.
Shuyu herself couldn't explain why she had wanted to look at Si Yiheng's back.
Coming back inside and seeing Ye Ning asleep on the sofa waiting for her, Shuyu felt a strange sensation in her heart.
The concept of home seemed to be slowly materializing in front of her.
Having someone wait for you—that must be what home feels like.
Shuyu leaned in close to Ye Ning. Ningning, get up and sleep in your bed.
Hearing the voice, Ye Ning opened her eyes and saw Shuyu. She had so many questions to ask, but Shuyu didn't give her a chance to speak, rambling on, You don't need to wait for me next time. Go to bed early.
I can come home on my own. After saying that, Shuyu turned and went back to her room.
Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, Ye Ning thought, Yubao doesn't usually talk this much.
She still wanted to ask Shuyu what Si Yiheng wanted with her today.
Forget it, she would ask tomorrow.
Shuyu returned to her room, washed up, and went to sleep. While she slept, Iron Egg returned to the headquarters of the Salvage Department.
It went to the Plot Analysis Division, wrote a report, and dropped it into the automatic analyzer.
Option One was to follow the original plot, where Shuyu and Si Yiheng wouldn't meet again until the final act. Option Two was to agree to Si Yiheng's proposal to move in together.
While waiting for the analysis report, Iron Egg bumped into the system Gousheng.
System Gousheng: [Iron Egg, why are you back? Aren't you on a mission?]
Iron Egg: [I am. The current plot has deviated a bit from the original book, so I'm using the plot analyzer to check it out.]
System Gousheng gave Iron Egg an unreadable look. [You clearly lack experience. In our Salvage Department, mission plots are always full of uncertainties. As long as you and your host can accept the final outcome, it's fine.]
Iron Egg wanted to ask Gousheng what that final outcome usually was.
But Gousheng was quickly called away by other systems.
Iron Egg could only continue waiting for the analyzer's report.
After Si Yiheng returned home, he didn't go straight to his room; instead, he went to the walk-in closet.
The dresses he had bought for Shuyu were all stored here, filling the entire room.
When the clothes arrived, Si Yiheng had the housekeeping staff organize and put them away. Today was his first time actually looking at them.
Shuyu had said back then that she wanted to wear pretty dresses for him to see.
Shuyu would surely look beautiful in them.
Si Yiheng's gaze swept over the dresses one by one, finally landing on the last row. He saw that those few dresses were extremely short, ending somewhat above the knee, to the point of exposing the tops of the thighs.
He raised his eyes, his gaze falling on the accessories meant to match the skirts—they looked like shirt stays.
The elastic bands were trimmed with lace and even featured little bells.
Si Yiheng quickly averted his eyes.
Stepping out of the closet, he pondered that he should probably move to a different place just to have enough room for all of Shuyu's dresses.
The next day, Si Yiheng's assistant, Xiao Wang, accompanied him to his new residence. Xiao Wang looked hesitantly at his boss's back.
Wasn't it only certain male birds in nature that decorated their nests during courtship?
What the young Mr. Si was doing right now...
Just as Xiao Wang was hesitating, he received a message from Ye Ning.
Golden Corn: Assistant Xiao Wang, what is my brother doing?
Xiao Wang immediately took a photo of Si Yiheng in the closet and replied to Ye Ning.
AAA Assistant Xiao Wang: The young Mr. Si is... decorating a love nest.
Ye Ning's eyes widened instantly. She zoomed in on the photo Xiao Wang sent over and over again. What kind of wild gossip had she just stumbled upon?
Just then, Ye Ning saw Shuyu walking out of her room and couldn't wait to share the gossip. Yubao, look at this!
Seeing Ye Ning's expression, Shuyu knew there was some juicy gossip to be had. She immediately leaned in, lowering her head to look at the phone with Ye Ning.
What is it?
When Shuyu's eyes fell on the photo on Ye Ning's screen, she sensed something was off.
The back of the figure in the photo looked just like Si Yiheng.
Ye Ning lowered her voice. Guess what my brother has been up to lately?
Shuyu: I have no idea.
Ye Ning pointed excitedly at the person in the photo. My brother is decorating a love nest.
Yubao, who do you think my brother is dating?
