The Moon Upon My Heart - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Love

Will she like me even more?

After showering and drying her hair, Shen Wangshu had completely regained her composure. She walked into the bedroom and saw Ji Fengyue sitting at the head of the bed, clearly having waited for her.

“Xiaoyue, come here quick! I want to sleep early tonight!” Ji Fengyue patted the spot next to her, obviously looking forward to Shen Wangshu voluntarily throwing herself into her arms.

But it was only a little after eight o’clock far too early. They certainly wouldn’t be able to fall asleep immediately.

Shen Wangshu gave a helpless smile. “It’s so early. Can you even sleep?”

“I don’t care, I just want you to hold me!”

Shen Wangshu indulged her. She turned off the light, climbed into bed, and wrapped her arms around Ji Fengyue’s waist. “Satisfied now, you childish little kid?”

Ji Fengyue rolled over, circling Shen Wangshu in her arms just like the night before, and contentedly nuzzled the crook of her neck. “You have to keep holding me like this for me to be satisfied.”

“Being your body pillow isn’t enough, huh?”

Ji Fengyue just hummed without a word. Shen Wangshu found it hilarious. “What else do you want? Your ‘Big Sister’ will grant your every wish.”

“No way! You’re younger than me! Three months younger is still younger!”

“Oh? Then who was it that called me ‘Sister’ just now? Your face was so red.”

Ji Fengyue went silent again. She was still dying of embarrassment, but if it bought her a hug from Shen Wangshu, it was a price worth paying.

“Alright, all jokes aside,” Shen Wangshu patted the childish girl’s back, comforting her softly. “It’s okay. You can rely on me. I’ll say yes to whatever you want; you don’t have to force yourself.”

“Then, once you’ve convinced your mother, come live with me near the school. I’ve already got the house ready. You can move in with just your bags whenever you want,” Ji Fengyue said, putting on a pitiful act again. “I can’t wait, Xiaoyue. I don’t want to be apart from you.”

“School starts in two weeks anyway. Let’s just tell her you need to head there early to get used to the environment. We can move in sooner.”

Shen Wangshu opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat. “When that happens… do I have to sleep with you every night?”

“Yes!”

“And keep holding you?”

“Mm-hmm!”

“Does it really help you sleep better?”

“Yes! I only feel at peace when I’m with you. I don’t want to be away from you for a single second!”

Ji Fengyue’s actions were more direct than her words. She held her extremely tight. Shen Wangshu’s lack of resistance only added to her satisfaction, and she practically radiated happiness.

Even without seeing her face, Shen Wangshu could feel it.

Shen Wangshu sighed inwardly and replied in a teasing tone, “Fine. Since my ‘Little Sister’ has requested it, as the ‘Big Sister,’ I can’t exactly refuse.”

Though she got the “yes” she wanted, Ji Fengyue’s mood became complicated. After a long silence, she spoke slowly: “You said before that our ‘family relationship’ isn’t like sisters.”

“?” Shen Wangshu was surprised, and then she heard the other girl’s aggrieved voice.

“I don’t want to be your sister. Can you stop making that joke? I don’t like it.”

“Uh, sorry…” Shen Wangshu desperately wanted to ask: If not sisters, then what are we?

But she instinctively felt that she shouldn’t ask that question.

If she did, their relationship would undergo a massive shift. Would it be for better or for worse? She didn’t know, and she wasn’t sure she wanted things to change.

“Dummy.”

“Huh?”

Ji Fengyue let out a deep breath. “Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?”

Shen Wangshu was puzzled. “I don’t think so?”

“Asking the person directly is much more convenient than asking others.”

“Lin Xuxi’s reaction was so obvious. You cared, so you went out of your way to get her contact info. Weren’t you planning to dig for info about me from her?”

“What excuse would you use? In what capacity would you ask? It’s so much trouble—why not just ask me?”

Shen Wangshu blinked and answered softly, “Because I didn’t think you’d want me to know.”

“I just didn’t want you to worry!” Ji Fengyue was a bit angry at herself.

“But I’ve changed my mind. Since I’ve already made you worry, I might as well be direct and make you worry about me even more.”

“No matter what you want to know, you should ask me directly!”

Shen Wangshu was momentarily lost for words. After a while, she managed to squeeze out: “You really have changed a lot.”

“Do you like it, then? You’re the one who said if I were more honest, you’d like me even more.” Saying this made Ji Fengyue incredibly bashful. She held the person in her arms tightly, waiting for her beloved’s answer with extreme nerves.

“But… I’ve always liked you a lot.”

Ji Fengyue nearly choked on her breath. After taking a deep, calming breath, she repeated herself: “But will you like me even more?”

“I… I don’t know.” Shen Wangshu was pressed against Ji Fengyue’s chest. She could hear a racing heartbeat, and her own face began to burn. It felt like all the blood in her body had rushed to her cheeks; she couldn’t think straight.

Shen Wangshu suddenly felt a strange tightness in her chest, as if something was spiraling out of control. Reality was telling her that she didn’t understand Ji Fengyue’s thoughts at all.

But why had Ji Fengyue become like this? She didn’t understand.

“Fengyue, my chest feels a bit tight. What do I do? I feel… strange.”

Her tone was off. Startled, Ji Fengyue dropped everything else and immediately loosened her grip, asking nervously, “Xiaoyue, what’s wrong? Did I hold you too tight just now?”

“Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Show me?” As she spoke, Ji Fengyue reached to turn on the light, but Shen Wangshu hugged her from behind.

“Don’t turn on the light.”

“I… I’m just not used to this. I feel like I’m dreaming.”

“But I know it’s not a dream. You’ve just changed. We were apart for so long; it’s only natural that you’d change… Fengyue, can you give me some time to get used to it?”

Ji Fengyue could hear it—her beloved was in a state of mental chaos, probably not even sure what she was saying.

If she pressed the advantage now, she might get the answer she wanted most.

But if she kept pushing, this “dense block of wood” would likely cry from frustration; her voice already sounded tearful.

Ji Fengyue went quiet for a moment, then sighed with a mix of amusement and helplessness. “Okay. You can take as long as you need to get used to it.”

“I won’t force you. We’ll take it slow.”

“What do you want to do now?”

“First, I need to comfort my big, dense sweetheart. Let’s lie down. Let me hold you, okay?”

Shen Wangshu obeyed. She was pulled into Ji Fengyue’s arms once more.

But this time, the embrace lacked the earlier urgency. Ji Fengyue simply stroked her back gently. Her voice was even softer than her movements.

“It’s okay. We’re only fifteen. We have plenty of time in the future. No rush, okay?”

By now, Shen Wangshu had gradually calmed down. Realizing what had just happened, her face flushed again. She buried her face into Ji Fengyue’s chest out of sheer embarrassment.

“I didn’t… you were the one who was in a rush!”

“Yes, I was too impatient. I’m sorry.”

This time, the one grumbling was Shen Wangshu. She didn’t want to talk anymore, fearing she’d just be teased again.

After an unknown amount of time, Ji Fengyue suddenly spoke.

“Xiaoyue, are you asleep?”

“Don’t ask what you already know.”

“Pfft. Xiaoyue, you’re so cute.”

This time, Shen Wangshu truly snapped from embarrassment. “Let go! Don’t hold me! I’m going to sleep on the sofa! You can sleep by yourself!”

Ji Fengyue panicked and hugged her tighter, apologizing repeatedly. “Don’t! Xiaoyue, I didn’t mean anything bad by it!”

“I’m sorry, I won’t tease you anymore. Please don’t go.”

Shen Wangshu gave a “Hmph.” She closed her eyes, counting the heartbeats in her ear—one after another. They were so fast. Why were they so fast?

“I do like it.”

The whisper made Ji Fengyue’s eyes snap open. “Huh?”

Sure enough, the heartbeat in Shen Wangshu’s ear became even more pronounced.

Thump-thump, thump-thump. It grew more intense with every beat, making it easy to imagine how that fiery heart was dancing with joy.

Shen Wangshu’s face heated up again, but she couldn’t help but smile. “I like you even more than I used to.”

Ji Fengyue’s brain stalled on the spot. Her body went as stiff as a board. Shen Wangshu couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

“Your reaction is so cute. I like it a lot.”

Now, it was Ji Fengyue who was too shy to make a sound.

Shen Wangshu stayed quiet, leaning peacefully in Ji Fengyue’s arms, listening to the two intertwined heartbeats equally chaotic, equally rapid.

The change Ji Fengyue wanted… It seemed like a good thing for her, too.

Perhaps in the darkness where they couldn’t see each other, people always tend to be a little braver.

…

However, when the bright sun of morning arrived and they looked at each other’s faces, remembering the ambiguous words from the night before, both Shen Wangshu and Ji Fengyue were too awkward to say a single word.

They maintained a morning of silence, one researching on the computer, the other tapping away at her phone. But they stayed together nonetheless; neither had any intention of leaving the other’s side.

As noon approached, Shen Wangshu’s phone rang.

It was her mother, Li Ming. No doubt, she was calling to hurry her daughter home.

“Hello, Mom? What’s up?”

Ji Fengyue immediately put down her phone and leaned in close. Shen Wangshu smiled helplessly and turned on the speakerphone so Ji could hear.

“Xiaoyue, you’ve stayed at Xiaoji’s house for two days now. Isn’t it time to come home? It’s not good to bother them for too long.”

Ji Fengyue’s face turned as black as a soot-covered pot. She wished she could just hang up right then and there—ideally after declaring her ownership of Shen Wangshu to the woman.

Home? Xiaoyue is part of MY home!

Shen Wangshu squeezed Ji’s hand reassuringly and replied calmly, “Okay, I’ll head back this afternoon.”

“I’m waiting at the entrance of Xiaoji’s neighborhood right now. I’ll take you out for a big meal at a restaurant. Ahem… Uncle Zhao is here too, the uncle you saw at the cinema the other day. Let’s have a good chat.”

She had even brought an outsider. This wasn’t a request; it was an order that couldn’t be refused.

Shen Wangshu paused for a moment. “Okay. Mom, wait a bit longer. I need to apologize to Ji Fengyue first; we were supposed to have lunch together.”

“Mm. I’ll find a chance to treat her to a meal next time to thank her for looking after you these past two days.”

“That depends on whether she’s willing. We’ll see. Mom, I’m hanging up now. I’ll message you once I’ve finished packing.”

“Okay, Xiaoyue, try to be quick.”

Shen Wangshu hung up and looked at Ji Fengyue with a wry smile. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Don’t let the groceries go to waste. Call Lin Xuxi over to help you finish them.”

She had specifically bought extra food for two days, intending to stay in and eat with Ji Fengyue. Unfortunately, she had to leave now. If Ji Fengyue were home alone, she definitely wouldn’t cook for herself.

Ji Fengyue pressed her lips together, saying nothing, and hugged her beloved again. She spoke in a low, slow voice: “Xiaoyue, over the next few days, I’ll finish up the rental contract and procedures as quickly as possible.”

“I’ll have everything ready. Once you convince your difficult parent, we can live together again.”

She was still thinking about that. Shen Wangshu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Alright. But I’m only responsible for convincing my mom. Everything else is on you.”

“No problem. Leave it to me.” As if marking her territory, Ji Fengyue lowered her head and gently rubbed against the skin of Shen Wangshu’s neck. A flash of startling possessiveness flickered in her eyes.

But Shen Wangshu, completely oblivious, just patted her back like she was soothing a child. “Alright, why are you being so clingy again? I’m not leaving forever.”

“Hmph. I just don’t want to be apart from you. I won’t be able to sleep if we’re apart. Xiaoyue, you have to call me before bed tonight and coax me to sleep.”

One moment she was full of determination, the next she sounded so aggrieved. Shen Wangshu was truly amused.

“Okay. I’ll definitely remember.”