The Moon Upon My Heart - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Spoiling Her

She understood completely.

After finishing dinner and helping with the cleanup, Lin Xuxi headed out—but not before handing Shen Wangshu her wages.

Since mobile payments weren’t as ubiquitous back then as they would be in the future, Lin Xuxi paid in cash. The amount was far more than Shen Wangshu expected. Even with Ji Fengyue “watching like a hawk” nearby, Shen Wangshu tried to politely decline.

However, Lin Xuxi insisted that their look was excellent and that this was simply the market rate for models, not a penny more, urging her not to refuse.

Shen Wangshu knew perfectly well that an amateur wouldn’t typically make this much. But in front of Ji Fengyue, she had to maintain her act of being an “ignorant child,” so she eventually accepted the money.

It was a sum for a fifteen-year-old over a dozen red hundred-yuan bills. She couldn’t take it home, and she certainly couldn’t deposit it into a bank account.

So, as soon as Lin Xuxi left, Shen Wangshu used that as an excuse to turn around and hand the money over to Ji Fengyue.

Ji Fengyue’s face immediately fell into a pout. Shen Wangshu couldn’t help but snicker; this was a mess of Ji’s own making, and she wasn’t going to bail her out.

“Alright, stop making that face. Just think of it as managing my little private vault. My dear ‘gold provider,’ I’ll be counting on you for my food, clothes, and travel from now on.”

“Hmph, I’m never touching this money, don’t even think about it,” Ji Fengyue muttered grumpily, though she seemed somewhat mollified by the comfort.

A moment later, however, she grabbed Shen Wangshu’s hand, acting coy and complaining with an aggrieved air: “Xiaoyue, do you not like wearing matching clothes with me? Your expression was so unnatural during the shoot today. I’m unhappy.”

The nerve of this girl! Shen Wangshu hadn’t even started complaining yet, and here Ji Fengyue was, beating her to the punch.

“I didn’t see you looking unhappy at all. You were beaming like a flower.”

“That’s because I thought you looked cute being so shy! That’s a completely different thing!”

Shen Wangshu was speechless. “Go take a shower, quick. You smell like a hotpot. Don’t even think about hugging me until you’re clean.”

Horrified at being rejected, Ji Fengyue gasped, “Wait for me, Xiaoyue! I’m going to grab my change of clothes right now!”

“But… you have to wear what I picked out for you later, okay? Please? Xiaoyue? Pretty please?”

Shen Wangshu felt truly helpless against this childishness. “Fine, fine, whatever you want. Just go. If you don’t go now, I’m going first.”

Ji Fengyue immediately sprinted to the room to pick out clothes. Shen Wangshu sat on the sofa, rubbing her temples with a wry smile. Within two minutes, Ji Fengyue ran back clutching a bundle of clothes: “Xiaoyue, I’ve set your clothes right here. You have to put them on later!”

“I know. Go shower.”

Once Ji Fengyue was in the bathroom, Shen Wangshu looked at the selection. It was a ruffled short-sleeved shirt printed with a chibi cat; the cat’s collar even featured a tiny pink bow. Shen Wangshu was stunned; she never realized her friend possessed such a “girly” aesthetic.

Was it because she never got to play dress-up with dolls when she was young, and now that she is fifteen again, she wanted to dress her friend up to be “cute”?

Shen Wangshu stared skeptically at the smiling cat’s head, feeling immensely relieved that Ji Fengyue hadn’t picked out a flimsy pink skirt. Otherwise, she definitely would have said no.

Though… if Ji Fengyue started acting spoiled again, Shen Wangshu probably wouldn’t be able to refuse that, either…

“Sigh, how did she become like this?” With a soft sigh, Shen Wangshu opened her phone and sent a message to Lin Xuxi.

She was deeply concerned about how Ji Fengyue had lived over the past three years. She knew Ji Fengyue would never tell her directly, so she had to resort to this.

Hinting at her identity to Lin Xuxi might not be the most cautious move, but if it meant learning about Ji Fengyue’s past, Shen Wangshu felt it was worth it. After all, Lin Xuxi was someone Ji Fengyue trusted.

Lin Xuxi must have reached home, as a long message arrived shortly after. Shen Wangshu’s gaze froze on the screen, her breath hitching.

She had guessed correctly. During those three years, Ji Fengyue had a very difficult time.

“Every day she was cold, as if nothing could interest her…” “Her routine was as disciplined as a robot’s…” “Every day was nothing but studying, working, and exercising; she had zero personal time…”

Just reading these descriptions made Shen Wangshu’s heart ache. She didn’t dare imagine how Ji Fengyue had endured those three years, yet she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Ji Fengyue had become this way entirely because of her.

What hurt the most was that despite how much Ji Fengyue missed her despite the fact that she could have transferred to the same middle school and seen her much sooner she chose to stay in the countryside, living a monotonous, grueling life, all because she was terrified that this rebirth was nothing but a dream.

What kind of obsession was that? How heart-wrenching was that thought? And yet, Ji Fengyue had hidden it so well, never letting her know.

Shen Wangshu bit her lip hard. She only wanted to do more to make it up to her, to make her happy, to make her smile.

What were two cute shirts? She’d wear them. She’d consider indulging Ji Fengyue’s inner child… honestly, no matter what Ji Fengyue asked of her, Shen Wangshu wouldn’t be able to say no.

Wangshu: I see. I’ll keep an eye on her mental well-being.

Wangshu: Please keep this a secret from her. With her pride, she definitely wouldn’t want me to know.

Ice Coke First: Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare let her know, or I’d be dead! Hahaha.

Ice Coke First: I’m deleting our chat history now, please do the same~

Wangshu: Okay.

After clearing the history, Shen Wangshu’s heart felt heavy. This was the first time she had gone behind Ji Fengyue’s back to pry into her personal affairs. To be honest, she felt guilty.

The sound of movement came from the bathroom. Shen Wangshu snapped out of it and casually stepped into the bedroom, pretending she had just come from there.

“Xiaoyue, I’m done! See, the hotpot smell is all gone~” Ji Fengyue hadn’t even dried her hair; it was just wrapped in a towel. Seeing the water dripping, Shen Wangshu frowned and pulled her back toward the bathroom.

“Dry it first. The AC is on; you’ll catch a cold if you aren’t careful!”

Ji Fengyue’s eyes crinkled into a happy crescent. “Okay.”

“Sit down. I’ll dry it for you.” Shen Wangshu really hated her current height; if they were their old selves, it wouldn’t be this troublesome.

Though she felt frustrated internally, Shen Wangshu’s movements remained gentle. While the hairdryer whirred, her other hand carefully untangled the strands of hair.

This girl wasn’t gentle with herself at all. She didn’t care if her hair got knotted; if Shen Wangshu didn’t step in, Ji Fengyue would probably just yank the tangles out.

“Xiaoyue, are you unhappy?” Ji Fengyue looked into the mirror. Shen Wangshu was looking down, so Ji could only see a portion of her face, but her lips were pressed thin. She was clearly upset.

“No.”

“Really?”

Shen Wangshu huffed. “From now on, I’m drinking milk and taking calcium pills every day. I need to grow taller so people stop thinking I’m your little sister.”

“I have to make you sit down just to dry your hair. It wasn’t like this before!”

Ji Fengyue’s eyes softened as she smiled. “Xiaoyue, there’s no need to rush. You’ll grow when you grow. Your diet is healthy, your exercise is normal, and you get plenty of sun. You aren’t lacking calcium or Vitamin D.”

“Oh.” Shen Wangshu gave her a “deadpan” face. She didn’t want a lecture from Dr. Ji right now; she just wanted this person to care more about her own body.

No matter how careful Shen Wangshu was, untying a knot required a bit of force. Ji Fengyue couldn’t help but wince.

“Does it hurt?”

“It’s okay, actually… Hiss! Xiaoyue, gentler, it hurts~”

“Hmph. If you know it hurts, be gentler when you wash your hair, and don’t act tough.” Shen Wangshu put down the hairdryer. The hair sliding through her fingers was dark, shiny, and smooth as silk. It was finally completely detangled.

“Such beautiful hair. You should treasure it.”

“Mm, do you like it?”

“Of course,” Shen Wangshu pinched her cheek not hard, just a light squeeze. “I like every single part of you, so you better protect yourself. No more being careless with your health.”

Ji Fengyue’s face began to flush. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, her lips brushed against Shen Wangshu’s fingertip.

“But that doesn’t include this mouth that’s always acting tough. If you could be more honest, I’d like it even more.”

Ji Fengyue went silent. Shen Wangshu didn’t notice her expression; she gave Ji’s head a playful rub and teased her again: “Though you are quite cute when you’re acting spoiled. If you call me ‘Older Sister,’ I might consider holding you and coaxing you to sleep tonight.”

“…Sister.”

Shen Wangshu’s eyes widened. She suspected she was hallucinating.

Ji Fengyue stood up, turned around, and grabbed her hand. She lowered her head and repeated in a muffled voice: “Sister, I want you to hold me and coax me to sleep.”

Now, Shen Wangshu was truly stunned. She stared blankly at Ji Fengyue, whose face was already bright red and whose eyes seemed to shimmer with unshed tears. Yet, she refused to let go, stubbornly waiting for a response to the “joke.”

“I’ll… I’ll hold you. However you want.”

“Every night,” Ji Fengyue bit her lip, looking directly at her, and whispered again, “Sister, I want it.”

Shen Wangshu’s ears burned. She stammered, “If… if it’s when we’re sleeping together… I-I guess?”

“Good. You said it, no backing out.” Ji Fengyue was barely satisfied. Carrying the blush she couldn’t shake, she left the bathroom. Shen Wangshu remained standing there like a statue, her ears hidden behind her hair turning a deep crimson.

“Xiaoyue, you didn’t take your clothes.” Ji Fengyue didn’t dare re-enter the bathroom; she just called out from the door.

Snapping out of it, Shen Wangshu took the clothes, entered the bathroom, and locked the door. She leaned against the sink, staring at the warm yellow light, dazed.

She looked so cute just now, being all shy.

But… why would Ji Fengyue go as far as saying something so embarrassing just to get a promise of a hug?

Shen Wangshu couldn’t understand it at all.

The post-rebirth Ji Fengyue had changed so much—so much that she felt like a stranger.

Specifically, that “spoiled” act… she was completely defenseless against it.

It was one thing for the meticulous, serious Dr. Ji to act like a happy puppy, but to blush and call her “Sister”? Three times?

No joke Shen Wangshu felt like she was the one dreaming.

Everything happening after the rebirth… it isn’t a dream, right?

With a dazed expression, Shen Wangshu mechanically undressed and turned on the shower. The cool spray hit her skin, making her shiver.

Hiss, cold. Definitely not a dream.

Wait, if it isn’t a dream… Shen Wangshu pondered for a moment, naturally projecting her own feelings onto the situation. If the roles were reversed and the person she loved had been lost and then found, anyone would want to cling to them every day. It wasn’t impossible to understand.

No, no, no, our positions can’t be the same!

Shen Wangshu had been secretly in love with Ji Fengyue for over ten years. But to Ji Fengyue, she was just an important family friend without blood ties. Family and romance are completely different; they can’t be compared.

Oh, it’s probably because Ji Fengyue went back to being a kid. Influenced by her younger body, she just wants to be pampered by her ‘family.’

Shen Wangshu felt she understood completely.