Xiao Mo, I Think I'm Falling For You

The next day, Bai Ruxue had mostly recovered.

Xiao Mo was naturally relieved that Ruxue was well again.

However, after Ruxue recovered, Xiao Mo felt that she was acting a little strange.

Xiao Mo noticed that Ruxue often stole glances at him.

When he looked at her, she would quickly avert her gaze, pretending nothing had happened.

Once his attention shifted away, she would sneakily look at him again.

Just like now, Ruxue was hanging out laundry.

Although Xiao Mo was reading a book, he could already feel Bai Ruxue's gaze on him.

Xiao Mo looked up and met Bai Ruxue's eyes.

As if shocked by electricity, Bai Ruxue quickly withdrew her gaze, turned her head to continue hanging clothes, and even pretended to smooth out already flat clothes.

Xiao Mo put down his book and walked towards Bai Ruxue.

Sensing Xiao Mo approaching her, Bai Ruxue's heart began to race.

The closer Xiao Mo got, the more nervous Bai Ruxue became, and her movements of hanging clothes sped up.

"Ruxue, what's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Xiao Mo asked, standing beside Bai Ruxue.

"Huh? N-nothing." Bai Ruxue's eyes darted around, her delicate, fair hands waving dismissively. "What could be wrong with me? Nothing, nothing."

"Really nothing?" Xiao Mo asked.

"No, really." Bai Ruxue's eyes shifted, looking guilty, and her face was flushed red.

Xiao Mo didn't know why she was blushing from hanging clothes.

Just as Xiao Mo was about to ask again.

A piece of clothing next to Xiao Mo wasn't hung properly and slowly slid down from the bamboo pole.

Xiao Mo instinctively reached out and caught the garment.

The moist warmth and the silky fabric in his hand stunned Xiao Mo.

He looked down at his hand and realized it was a.

"Pervert!"

Bai Ruxue's cheeks turned as red as strawberries. She quickly snatched the undergarment from Xiao Mo's palm.

Hugging the undergarment to her chest, Bai Ruxue ran into her room and slammed the door shut with a bang.

"Something's off."

Xiao Mo looked at the girl's tightly shut door, lost in thought.

Ruxue.

She actually knew how to feel shy?

He remembered that once, an undergarment had blown onto Xiao Mo's face, and Ruxue had laughed heartily, even wanting to stuff it into Xiao Mo's mouth.

During lunch, Bai Ruxue would take a bite of food and then steal a glance at Xiao Mo.

When Xiao Mo reached for his bowl, he accidentally touched her hand.

Bai Ruxue snatched her hand back as if electrocuted, her expression somewhat dazed, and quickly sat down, shoveling rice into her bowl.

Xiao Mo exchanged a look with Xiao Qing, both of them filled with confusion.

"Brother Xiao, what's wrong with Sister?"

When she found an opportunity when her sister was away, Xiao Qing asked with some concern.

"I don't know." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Ruxue has been like this since she woke up this morning."

Xiao Qing: "..."

Actually, how should he put it.

If Bai Ruxue were an ordinary girl, Xiao Mo would have found her behavior today quite normal.

But the formerly simple-minded Bai Ruxue suddenly, overnight, learned to be ashamed, even displaying a bashfulness akin to first love. This truly made Xiao Mo feel very strange.

He even felt a little unaccustomed to it.

That evening, after Xiao Mo finished bathing, he found Bai Ruxue missing. Only Xiao Qing was in the courtyard feeding silkworms.

"Xiao Qing, where's your sister?" Xiao Mo asked.

"Brother Xiao, Sister said she went out for a walk and would be back soon," Xiao Qing replied, holding mulberry leaves and looking up.

"Okay." Xiao Mo pondered for a moment. "I'll go look for her. Can you be okay here alone, Xiao Qing?"

"Yes, I can." Xiao Qing nodded, a flicker of joy even flashing in her eyes.

After Xiao Mo left, Xiao Qing reverted to her original form and began to look for something to eat.

Although my sister's cooking is pretty good, I haven't eaten rat meat in a long time and I really miss it.

Leaving the village, Xiao Mo had a general idea of where Bai Ruxue might be.

Xiao Mo walked straight towards She Mountain.

As expected.

On a large rock, Xiao Mo saw her, dressed in a white skirt, hugging her knees and looking up at the stars in the night sky.

"Did something upset you again?"

Xiao Mo called out to Bai Ruxue.

Hearing Xiao Mo's voice, Bai Ruxue's delicate body trembled slightly, and her gaze shifted from the sky. "N-no..."

"Really not?" Xiao Mo walked up to Bai Ruxue.

"It's really not this time," Bai Ruxue said softly, lowering her head.

"But you're acting pretty strange today, and you seem to have been avoiding me. Why is that?"

"I wasn't! You must be mistaken," Bai Ruxue turned her head away.

Xiao Mo glanced at Bai Ruxue's profile. "Alright, then maybe I really am mistaken. It's getting late, let's go back. Otherwise, Xiao Qing will worry."

"Okay."

Bai Ruxue got off the rock and followed Xiao Mo down the mountain.

They walked along the mountain path, moonlight pouring down like silent water, filtering through layers of pine branches, casting fragmented, dappled shadows on them.

Xiao Mo intentionally or unintentionally slowed his pace, and Bai Ruxue's skirt hem gently brushed the tips of the grass by the roadside, as if afraid of disturbing the sleeping creatures of the mountain night.

Two figures were cast on the dark ground, sometimes drawing closer, sometimes separating.

Green lights floated, and fireflies appeared silently at some point, dancing lightly in the low air like tiny stars.

A firefly drifted close to the woman's temple, like a speck of flowing starlight, resting gently for a moment before flying away leisurely.

The woman looked up, gazing at his profile.

Bai Ruxue felt the softest part of her heart being gently touched.

It was as if something was about to break through from her heart.

Sweet, yet sour.

She wanted him to know, yet she was afraid of him knowing.

"Xiao Mo," Bai Ruxue seemed to gather her courage, her cherry lips parting slightly as she softly called his name.

"Mm," Xiao Mo replied.

"It-it's nothing." Looking into his eyes, the woman hesitated again. "I just noticed that the fireflies tonight are quite beautiful."

"They are quite beautiful."

"..."

Bai Ruxue lowered her head, falling into silence, her small hands rubbing her skirt hem.

But soon, Bai Ruxue mustered her courage again. "Xiao Mo."

"Mm?"

"It-it's nothing. I noticed the moon is very round tonight."

Xiao Mo looked up. "It's alright."

"Xiao Mo."

"Mm?"

"I noticed there are so many stars tonight."

"There are quite a lot."

"Xiao Mo. I noticed Auntie Wang seemed particularly happy today?"

"It's probably because her son's business in the county town is doing well."

"I noticed Xiao Qing doesn't like to eat green peppers."

"I noticed that a long time ago."

"Xiao Mo, I noticed the big black bull in the village has become lazy."

"It's because it's old."

"Xiao Mo."

"Mm?"

"I think I've fallen in love with you."