Blushing

After saying "goodnight" to Mo Shaoshang, Wen Yicong practically fled back to her bedroom.

Undressing, removing her makeup, taking off the various accessories that had matched her outfit.

Her fingers brushed her left ear—the soft, plump lobe was bare.

One earring had vanished without a trace.

Wen Yicong frowned in suspicion, turning her head this way and that to search, but found nothing.

Could it have fallen at Queen Bee Bar?

...Never mind. It wasn't anything particularly valuable—if it was lost, so be it. Wen Yicong didn't dwell on it.

After a hot shower and lying down on the soft, big bed, she finally felt her taut nerves loosen slightly.

She picked up her phone, about to scroll through some social apps to distract herself, but the screen suddenly lit up, notifying her of a new WeChat message.

Wen Yicong tapped it open—it was Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu: [Teacher Wen, did you get home safely?]

Out of basic courtesy, Wen Yicong typed back naturally: [I'm home already, thanks for your concern. Mr. Jiang, you all enjoy yourselves.]

Jiang Shu replied almost instantly: [I'm on my way home too.]

Wen Yicong was mildly surprised and typed: [Did you all wrap up too?]

Jiang Shu: [No. Xu Fei and Su Wanxin are still drinking hard. I had something to attend to, so I left first.]

Wen Yicong replied: [I see.]

The top of the chat showed "the other party is typing," and after a moment, Jiang Shu's reply refreshed: [Actually I don't go to bars much usually, only occasionally gathering with friends.] [smile]

Reading this, Wen Yicong couldn't help pressing her lips together.

She'd never eaten pork, but she'd certainly seen pigs run.

Although she'd never been in a relationship, as a perfectly normal adult woman, she wasn't lacking in the most basic intuition about matters between men and women.

Back at the bar, Wen Yicong had vaguely sensed the goodwill Jiang Shu was showing. Now, he was proactively explaining that he wasn't a regular bar-hopper—clearly, he cared about the first impression he'd left on her.

Wen Yicong's fingertip tapped the phone screen.

To be fair, Jiang Shu's conditions weren't bad at all: handsome looks, a respectable job, a clean family background, and a manner of speaking that could be called generous and proper.

But matters of the heart often didn't follow worldly "conditions."

Wen Yicong felt nothing particular toward Jiang Shu.

She thought carefully for a few seconds, then typed, her tone still polite and distant: [It's perfectly normal for adults to relax at a bar, no big deal.]

Jiang Shu: [Mm.]

Jiang Shu added: [I'm mainly afraid you might have some misunderstanding about me.]

Wen Yicong: [No, you're overthinking it.]

After sending this, Wen Yicong casually switched out of Jiang Shu's chat and started a chess game to relax.

The game began.

The opponent made their opening move.

Jiang Shu's new messages kept pouring into her phone, one after another—mostly sharing some interesting tidbits he'd seen or trivial topics.

Wen Yicong was busy thinking through her chess strategy, only squeezing in a few emoji replies.

When the game ended, she'd won a great victory.

The other side of WeChat finally seemed to notice her distraction and politely asked: [Teacher Wen, are you busy now?]

Wen Yicong got up to pour herself a glass of water, drinking while typing one-handed: [Mm-hmm. Playing a game.]

Jiang Shu: [Haha, I guessed as much. You play first, we'll chat when you're free.]

Wen Yicong sent a "goodbye" emoji, about to throw herself back into the chess match, when her phone clamored again: ding!

This time it was Su Wanxin.

Su Wanxin, in full gossip mode, got straight to the point: [How was it? How was it? What did you think?]

Wen Yicong, bewildered: [How was what?]

Su Wanxin: [Jiang Shu!]

Su Wanxin: [I have eyes like a hawk! He's clearly interested in you!]

Wen Yicong: [I guess.]

Su Wanxin: [So what do you think of Jiang Shu? Good job, good family, not bad looking either. Although in terms of looks he's still a tiny bit short of matching a great beauty like you, taking him out wouldn't embarrass you at all. I think he's fine!]

Facing her enthusiastic, fiery friend, Wen Yicong could only reply honestly: [Jiang Shu is indeed not bad.]

Su Wanxin: [?! Is there a chance?!] [excitedly rubbing hands]

Wen Yicong sent back a finger-pointing emoji: [...But you know, liking someone can't be forced.]

On the other side of the screen, Su Wanxin instantly switched to a deeply disappointed attitude: [Didn't like him again? My dear Teacher Wen, you're so ascetic, I really don't know what kind of man could catch your eye and make your heart flutter.]

Looking at the line of text her friend had sent, Wen Yicong was slightly startled.

Heart flutter? What kind of man?

The question was like a small pebble dropped into Wen Yicong's heart-lake, sending ripples spreading outward.

The next second, a pair of deep, brooding blue-black eyes inexplicably appeared before her, watching her quietly and intently through gold-rimmed glasses...

Within a few seconds, Wen Yicong snapped back to herself, suddenly flustered and confused, her cheeks flushing uncontrollably.

She shook her head hard, secretly annoyed at herself for having such an absurd association, yet her palms had broken out in a thin sweat from that momentary flutter.

After a long silence, waiting for her wildly beating heart to calm slightly, she finally moved her fingers back to the chat box, with a hint of probing she herself hadn't noticed, and asked: [What are the criteria for a flutter?]

Su Wanxin: [There's no unified standard for that. It's metaphysics.]

After a few seconds, Su Wanxin added another sentence, her words bold and direct: [But based on my personal feeling, in the early stage it's missing them when you can't see them, and getting inexplicably nervous when you do. In the passionate stage, it's wanting to be stuck together and roll around in bed anytime.]

Wen Yicong: [...]

Su Wanxin: [Rough words, true meaning.] [shrug]

Wen Yicong's face burned, her mind a mess, and she wasn't prepared to continue this X-rated topic with her friend.

She abruptly changed the subject: [Right. I lost an earring, silver, geometric shape. Do you remember it?]

Su Wanxin: [No]

The two chatted about this and that for a while, then ended the conversation.

Wen Yicong had originally wanted to play another chess game, but somehow lost the inclination. She simply tossed her tangled thoughts aside for now, put down her phone, slid into the blankets like a little fish, and went to sleep with her head covered.

*

The next day, the faint dawn light dispersed the night's silence.

Mo Family Manor slowly awoke in the pale-gold morning sun, the distant lake shrouded in gossamer mist, the garden's flowers and grass beaded with crystalline dew.

Like a paradise cut off from the world, utterly tranquil.

Today was the weekend.

According to their previous agreement, Wen Yicong had half a day off this morning. Without setting an alarm, and having slept late the night before, she didn't wake until past ten.

She stretched contentedly, got out of bed, and had just finished brushing her teeth when a soft knock came at the door.

Wen Yicong quickly wiped the corners of her mouth and went to open it.

The woman outside wore a uniform, her long hair neatly pinned at the back of her head, her features pretty and her eyes smiling—it was the housekeeper's assistant, Auntie Zhang.

She carried an exquisite tray with various breakfast items arranged on it.

Nutritionally balanced and looking delicious,

"Auntie Zhang? Why..." Wen Yicong was somewhat overwhelmed, hurrying to take the tray. "You didn't need to bring breakfast up specially, I could have come down to eat myself."

Auntie Zhang wore a respectful and gentle smile as she explained: "It was Mr. Mo's instruction. He said you came back late yesterday, Teacher Wen, and told us not to disturb your rest, to bring breakfast up after you woke. I heard movement in your room downstairs just now and guessed you'd woken up."

So it was Mo Shaoshang's idea...

Hearing this, a subtle ripple passed through Wen Yicong's heart-lake—grateful for the employer's thoughtfulness, yet a little embarrassed at being "specially attended to" for sleeping in.

After a moment, she nodded: "Thank you." Pausing, she asked with concern: "What about Airi?"

"Young master is in the garden."

"Alright, I understand."

Finishing breakfast as quickly as possible, Wen Yicong changed into a light-colored autumn dress and went downstairs.

After finding Airi, a gentle smile spread across her lips as she took the child's small, soft hand.

The two figures, big and small, walked side by side along the man-made lakeshore of the manor. After a stroll, Wen Yicong found a spot on the lawn with Airi and they played with an excavator puzzle.

The child's mood was unusually steady today.

Although this Autism Spectrum Disorder baby and the young therapist before him still had no verbal communication, very occasionally he would actively hand her a puzzle piece.

This seemingly tiny interaction made Wen Yicong genuinely happy.

At exactly eleven, the butler Master Heng appeared punctually to take Airi to his regular music therapy class.

Wen Yicong waved at Master Heng and Airi, then stayed alone by the lake, tidying up the scattered toys.

The sunlight was warm and mellow, pleasant and comfortable on the skin.

Good weather, good mood.

Wen Yicong even hummed softly to herself.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, her gaze sharpened slightly and her light singing stopped abruptly.

Wen Yicong turned her head, somewhat bewildered.

A black-clad figure leaned against a maple tree, his blue-black eyes fixed intently on her, his gaze brooding—unclear how long he'd been watching her.

The sunlight was just right then, filtering through the golden leaves and casting dappled light around the man. Bathed in sunshine, he had lost some of his usual cold severity and gained a languid, aloof elegance, like a frame from a film.

Thump thump.

For no apparent reason, Wen Yicong's heartbeat quickened a few beats. After a moment, she took a quiet deep breath, forced a natural smile onto her face, and spoke first, greeting him: "Good morning, Mr. Mo."

Mo Shaoshang said nothing, only watching her quietly for another moment, then slightly parted his thin lips and asked coolly: "Did you oversleep this morning?"

"..."

?

The words landed, and Wen Yicong froze for a beat. Half a second later, she came back to herself, alarms instantly ringing in her head—

Oh no! What did the employer mean by that? Was he going to call her to account? Because she'd brazenly slept in? But Saturday morning was her rest time anyway...

A chaotic jumble of thoughts flew through her mind, and in the blink of an eye, Wen Yicong's fair little face flushed with embarrassment.

Unable to gauge the employer's true intent, she was terribly nervous and didn't know how to answer. After several seconds, she pretended to be calm, tucked a strand of hair behind her earlobe, and stammered out: "Um... that is, there were no classes scheduled this morning, so I slept a bit longer, got up a little late. I'm really sorry."

But the expected reproach didn't come.

The next instant, Mo Shaoshang shook his head: "No need to apologize."

Wen Yicong's eyes flickered, confused.

Mo Shaoshang's blue-black eyes looked at her, and he added quietly: "Teacher Wen who oversleeps is very cute."

Author's note:

Momo: So cute, I want her.

Nongnong: ...

—

Random 100 red packet, wishing all babies a happy read