18

The sunlight today was particularly gentle, warming their bodies without becoming uncomfortable.

Shi Yue and Leng Yanmi leaned against the bench, chatting idly. Though they appeared calm on the surface, their hands entwined and teased each other within the pocket, a secret only the two of them knew.

Time seemed to move more slowly, as if it was standing still for this moment.

An elderly couple strolled by. They had almost passed when they suddenly turned around and came back.

The old lady pouted, tugging on the old man's arm and insisting, "I want this spot."

The old man looked troubled, "But it's already taken."

He patted her back gently to soothe her, "Be good. Let's find another bench. They're all the same."

"No!" The old lady was persistent, pointing to the bench where Shi Yue and Leng Yanmi were sitting. "I want this one. We always sit here."

The old man, now in a bit of a panic, wiped the sweat off his brow.

Shi Yue and Leng Yanmi had already overheard their conversation.

Seeing that the elderly lady's condition didn't seem quite right, they exchanged glances and stood up voluntarily.

"It's just a bench. You can have it," Shi Yue offered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The old man nodded in gratitude.

He held onto his partner's arm and explained, "My wife… isn't doing too well. Since she's been recovering, she's become a bit stubborn. Thank you."

"It's okay." Shi Yue gave him a sympathetic smile.

After that, she nudged Leng Yanmi and started to walk away.

But just as they turned around and took two steps, the old lady called out, "Hey, you two are doing it all wrong!"

Shi Yue stopped and turned to ask, "…Is there a problem?"

"Young couples out on a date shouldn't stand so far apart!" The old lady walked over and grabbed Shi Yue's arm, pulling her back to Leng Yanmi's side. Then, she pushed them together until they were shoulder to shoulder, without any space between them. Only then did she smile with satisfaction. "This is how it should be!"

The old man followed, trying to stop her, repeatedly calling out her name, "Ah Lian, Ah Lian, come on now, don't meddle in other people's business."

Worried about hurting her, he didn't dare to stop her with force.

"Hey, hold her arm," the old lady instructed Shi Yue.

"Really sorry…" The old man looked embarrassed, gesturing toward his wife. "Her mental state isn't great. She keeps thinking we're still young and dating, confusing reality with fantasy."

Shi Yue simply wrapped both arms around Leng Yanmi's and asked cooperatively, "Is this right?"

"Yes!" The old lady then looked at Leng Yanmi. "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you smiling, young lady? Are you unhappy?"

Leng Yanmi: "…"

She couldn't bring herself to smile.

"Oh dear, girl, where did you find this one? She looks quite fierce," the old lady said, feeling a bit apprehensive under Leng Yanmi's gaze.

"Right?" Shi Yue laughed, shaking Leng Yanmi's arm. "Granny, you don't know. She just looks unapproachable on the outside, but she's got the softest heart."

The old lady clearly didn't believe her. "You shouldn't just pick a partner based on looks, you know. What's most important is finding someone who cares for you."

She grew upset and tried to pull Shi Yue away. "She's so fierce. Don't go out with her! I can introduce you to someone better!"

Seeing this, Leng Yanmi reached out and pulled Shi Yue into her arms.

She stared at the irate old lady, saying calmly, "She's quite happy with me."

"Quite happy?" The old lady put her hands on her hips. "You need to ask if she likes you!"

Leng Yanmi was silent for a couple of seconds before lowering her head to look at Shi Yue, who was nestled in her arms.

Shi Yue was laughing so hard her whole body was shaking. She looked up to meet Leng Yanmi's gaze, blinked innocently, and then buried her head back into Leng Yanmi's shoulder, laughing again.

On the other side, the old man finally managed to pull the old lady back into his arms. "Ah Lian, stop meddling in these young girls' business, okay? Just look at me, will you?

"If you don't look at me, I… I'm going to leave."

The old lady grabbed his collar. "Where are you going?!"

Taking advantage of her distraction, Leng Yanmi and Shi Yue silently slipped away, not stopping until they were out of sight.

Shi Yue let out a sigh of relief and stuck her tongue out playfully at Leng Yanmi.

Leng Yanmi looked at her hair and suddenly asked, "Do I really seem unapproachable?"

Shi Yue blinked mischievously, stared at her beautiful features, and answered evasively, "Auntie, you look very pretty."

Leng Yanmi turned her face away awkwardly. "…You just laugh too much."

"Hmm?" Shi Yue jumped in front of her on purpose. "I laugh too much? So I make you look fierce?"

"…Yes." Leng Yanmi nodded.

"Hahaha." Shi Yue clutched her stomach.

Her lips curved as she teased, "Then should I stay away from Auntie in the future?"

Leng Yanmi grabbed her wrist.

"Ouch." Shi Yue widened her eyes.

Leng Yanmi: "Hmm?"

"Your lipstick smudged," Shi Yue said as she moved closer, pulling at the collar of Leng Yanmi's shirt.

When they hugged earlier, as she laughed against Leng Yanmi's chest, some tinted lip balm accidentally rubbed off onto Leng Yanmi's clothes. "It's a good thing the color is faint. You'd have to get really close to notice it."

She pulled out a wet wipe from her handbag and began to carefully clean the stain for Leng Yanmi.

But since lip balm is oil-based, it had already soaked into the white shirt. After a few minutes, Shi Yue couldn't completely get rid of it.

"It's fine." Leng Yanmi glanced down to check. "It's not noticeable."

"This is the best we can do." Shi Yue smoothed out the wrinkles in the shirt. "People shouldn't notice at a normal social distance, unless…" She wrapped her arm around Leng Yanmi's waist and looked up at her. "Unless someone got this close to you."

Leng Yanmi asked, "Besides you, who else would dare?"

"Is there no one else?" Shi Yue tilted her head, feigning innocence despite her smugness.

Leng Yanmi couldn't help it and pinched her cheek.

What they didn't know was that, in the building nearby, Shi Yue's mother, Jiang Fu, was standing at a fourth-floor window.

The doctor who was attending to her had left the room to fetch some test results, and she was idly looking out the window when she caught a glimpse of two people embracing among the trees.

Feeling a bit suspicious, she moved closer to the window for a better look.

"Ms. Jiang—" The doctor walked in. "Oh? What is it?"

"Uh…" Jiang Fu turned around, "It's nothing."

The doctor gave a professional smile and reassured her, "Feeling a bit tired?"

He came over to guide her, "Just a little more, we're almost done with the tests. I'll take you to the third floor for the blood draw now."

"Alright." Jiang Fu nodded politely.

Before leaving, she couldn't resist taking one last look.

Amidst the soothing scenery of the sanatorium, the two figures under the trees moved closer and closer, until they were fully pressed together.

Jiang Fu saw this and blushed, quickly averting her eyes, feeling guilty.

She convinced herself she must have seen it wrong. How could her dear, well-behaved daughter be hugging someone out in public in broad daylight? Not to mention the person was the famously aloof Leng family head.

Her little Shi Yue would never act so forward with an elder!

Feeling reassured, she let out a sigh of relief, her steps becoming lighter.

"Miss Leng is very filial and visits with her grandfather often," the doctor suddenly said. "You must be someone important to her as well."

Jiang Fu was taken aback. "Uh…" She shook her head. "I wouldn't say that."

How could she be important to Leng Yanmi?

"Oh, my apologies, I must have misunderstood." The doctor pulled back his inquiry. "Careful now, we're going down the stairs."

"Oh, alright." Jiang Fu lifted her skirt slightly.

As they descended, she glanced back through the hallway window, spotting two small birds perched on a branch. In the late spring morning light, they nestled close together, gently preening each other's feathers.