Song Yan suppressed all his emotions and said softly, "No."
It wasn't just that he disliked it; he truly loathed it to the extreme.
He subconsciously glanced at Shen Yue with his peripheral vision. Shen Yue didn't even look back, and instead, quickened her pace.
Bai Qingzhen didn't believe it. It was the first time she had ever seen Song Yan show such obvious dislike towards someone.
She couldn't quite understand why Song Yan harbored such great hostility towards Shen Yue.
"Did you misunderstand something? Shen Yue is a very obedient and quiet person. It's just that she's too quiet sometimes; I'm afraid she'll get sick from suppressing herself."
Song Yan actually wanted to say that it was all an illusion. Shen Yue wasn't a delicate little flower at all, but a malicious and greedy person.
However, he wouldn't say it. Bai Qingzhen was a very pure person, and he didn't want her to be exposed to any darkness around him; it would only taint her.
—
Shen Yue returned home, and it was already dark. She opened the door, and the living room was lit.
The dishes were already prepared on the table, still warm and exuding a rich aroma that was very appetizing.
Shen Yue stood at the doorway, lost in thought.
Shen Jiayi happened to be bringing out two bowls of steaming rice and was overjoyed to see the girl standing foolishly at the door. Her voice was filled with cheerfulness, "Why are you back so late? Hurry and wash your hands to eat."
The girl standing at the door didn't move. Her frame was slender, and she pursed her lips slightly. "Why are you still here?"
Shen Jiayi set down the bowls of rice and nervously fiddled with the hem of her clothes. Her smile from before vanished, becoming somewhat stiff.
"Yueyue, this, this is my home. Where else should I be if not here?"
The light spilled into the simple living room. The dishes on the table were fragrant, and it looked rather warm, warding off the chill.
Shen Yue remained silent and walked towards the bedroom expressionlessly. Shen Jiayi followed close behind her, treading cautiously as if she were a child who had made a mistake. "Yueyue, let's eat first. The dishes will be bad if they get cold."
Shen Yue locked the bedroom door. She looked down, took out her keys, pushed the door open, and went inside.
Shen Jiayi dared not enter, only lingering at the doorway. Her steps were anxious, and she always stretched her neck to look inside.
However, Shen Yue merely put her schoolbag away. When she saw her come out, Shen Jiayi's eyes lit up, and she smiled shyly, a very happy smile.
In truth, Shen Jiayi's cooking skills were very poor. In her youth, she had wasted a lot of time, her heart fixated on men outside, as if she couldn't live without them. She had never taken care of Shen Yue. When she was young, she often scolded and beat her, and sometimes wouldn't come home for two or three days. Little Shen Yue, only five years old, had almost starved to death.
Later, Shen Jiayi developed a gambling addiction, and she neglected Shen Yue even more. Occasionally, she would return, but only for money.
Shen Jiayi was still wearing an apron. She held chopsticks but didn't eat, instead continuously putting food into Shen Yue's bowl, looking at her earnestly. "Eat more. Look how thin you've become."
The warm and cozy scene was like that of an ordinary happy family, like a dream.
The food hadn't improved at all. Shen Yue ate a piece of salted meat with an unchanged expression. She kept her head down, silently listening to Shen Jiayi's incessant chatter.
Perhaps she was truly getting old, Shen Jiayi had also become as naggy as an ordinary mother.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Shen Yue felt that Shen Jiayi was even thinner than the last time, her skin sallow, as if she were just skin and bones.
After dinner, Shen Jiayi cleaned up the dishes. Shen Yue wanted to help but was stopped by Shen Jiayi.
"You don't need to do anything here; I can manage it alone. Go to your room and do your homework quickly."
Since she had said that, Shen Yue didn't insist further. She turned and returned to her room.
Shen Jiayi watched the girl's retreating figure and smiled. Her throat tickled, and she coughed into her hand, muffling the sound.
A moment later, Shen Yue came out with a box.
Entering the kitchen, Shen Jiayi was washing dishes, her hands covered in foam. Hearing the movement, she turned her head and looked at the girl doubtfully.
"This is all my money. Take it."
Hearing Shen Yue's faint tone, Shen Jiayi felt as if she had been doused with a basin of ice water in the depths of winter. From head to toe, the smile on her face vanished instantly, her face turned pale, and she stammered an explanation.
"I, I'm not here for the money..."
As she said this, her eyes reddened.
Shen Yue's expression remained unchanged. She couldn't believe it. It's easier to change mountains and rivers than a person's nature. Shen Jiayi had never been a good mother. Previously, Shen Jiayi had feigned pity, and even sneaked into her room to steal money while she was at school. Once she got the money, Shen Jiayi would disappear for a period. Only when it was all spent would she dare to return.
It was just that she hadn't pretended so well before.
Shen Yue lowered her gaze. Her fair and delicate face was devoid of any emotion, as if she were numb. "This is a lot of money; it will be enough for you to spend for a long time. You should go, and don't come looking for me again."
Her voice was cold, as if the person before her wasn't a close relative, but a stranger.
The icy words made Shen Jiayi's face flush and pale. Her emotions surged, and her eyes were red, as if tears would flow out at any moment.
"Shen Yue, I'm really not here for money. I, I just, just..." The tears in her eyes finally fell. Shen Jiayi choked, feeling utterly pathetic, "I just want to take care of you."
Shen Jiayi had aged considerably. Her once lustrous black hair was now dry and yellow, even showing many silver strands. The crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were deep, a trace of aging. She was too thin; her loose clothes hung on her as if empty.
But when she cried, she still resembled a child, sobbing and wiping her tears, looking very wronged.
Shen Yue found it rather amusing. She wondered what Shen Jiayi had to be wronged about. "I don't need your care. I can live very well on my own."
Shen Jiayi's face turned ashen, and her body began to tremble. She coughed violently, as if she were trying to cough out her lungs.
Listening to the earth-shattering cough, Shen Yue's expression remained unchanged, but the fingers by her side unconsciously clenched.
Unwilling to look any further, Shen Yue placed the box in her hand on a nearby table and turned away.
—
In the morning, after Shen Yue finished washing up, she walked out of the bedroom with her schoolbag. She saw that breakfast was already laid out on the table: fried eggs and preserved egg and lean meat congee, emitting a tempting aroma.
Shen Yue's steps halted. Shen Jiayi stood by the dining table, smiling at her and beckoning her.
"Yueyue, come over and eat breakfast."
It was all very normal, as if nothing had happened yesterday.
Shen Yue took a breath imperceptibly, her eyelashes fluttered, and in the end, she said nothing. She sat opposite Shen Jiayi at the dining table, listening to her nagging about how she was too thin and needed to nourish herself properly.