Xiao Mo, I Think I've Fallen for You

The next day, Bai Ruxue had almost completely recovered.

Naturally, Xiao Mo was relieved that Ruxue had gotten better.

But after Ruxue recovered, Xiao Mo couldn't help feeling that she was acting a little strange.

He noticed that Ruxue often stole glances at him.

Whenever he looked her way, she would quickly avert her gaze and pretend nothing had happened.

As soon as he looked away, she would sneak another peek at him.

For instance, right now, Ruxue was hanging up the laundry to dry.

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

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

As if she'd been electrocuted, Bai Ruxue hastily looked away and turned back to hanging up the clothes. She even pretended to smooth out a piece that was already perfectly neat.

Xiao Mo set down his book and walked over to Bai Ruxue.

Feeling him approach, Bai Ruxue's heart began to race.

The closer Xiao Mo got, the more nervous she became, and the faster she moved as she hung up the clothes.

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

Xiao Mo walked up beside Bai Ruxue and asked.

"Huh? N-no, nothing." Bai Ruxue's eyes darted about, and her delicate, pale hands fidgeted restlessly. "What could be the matter? Nothing, really."

"Nothing at all?" Xiao Mo asked.

"No, really." Bai Ruxue's eyes darted about. She looked guilty, and her cheeks were red.

Xiao Mo had no idea why hanging up laundry had made her blush.

Just as Xiao Mo was about to ask again, a piece of clothing beside him slipped slowly off the bamboo pole.

Xiao Mo instinctively reached out and caught it.

The damp softness and silky fabric in his hand left him momentarily stunned.

He looked down at what he was holding. It turned out to be—

"Lecher!"

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

Clutching it to her chest, Bai Ruxue ran into the room and slammed the door shut.

"Something's not right."

Xiao Mo gazed thoughtfully at the girl's tightly closed door.

Ruxue had...

Actually learned to feel embarrassed?

Once, her bellyband had blown right onto Xiao Mo's face. Ruxue had laughed so hard, she'd even tried to stuff it into his mouth.

At lunch, Bai Ruxue still took a bite of food, then sneaked a glance at Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo took the rice bowl from her and accidentally brushed her hand.

Bai Ruxue snatched her hand back as if electrocuted. She looked dazed for a moment, then quickly sat down and busied herself with the rice in her bowl.

Xiao Mo and Xiao Qing exchanged puzzled looks.

"Big Brother Xiao, what's wrong with my sister?"

Finding a moment when her sister had left, Xiao Qing asked with concern.

"I don't know either." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Ruxue's been like this ever since she got up this morning."

Xiao Qing: "..."

How was she supposed to put this?

If Bai Ruxue had been an ordinary woman, Xiao Mo would have thought her behavior today perfectly normal.

But Bai Ruxue had always been a silly girl, and now, overnight, she'd suddenly learned to feel ashamed. She even had the bashful air of someone experiencing her first stirrings of love. It really left Xiao Mo feeling strange.

He was even a little uncomfortable with it.

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

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

"Big Brother Xiao, she said she was going outside for a walk and would be back soon." Xiao Qing held a tray of mulberry leaves and looked up at him.

"Mm." Xiao Mo considered it for a moment. "I'll go look for her. Will you be all right here by yourself, Xiao Qing?"

"I'll be fine." Xiao Qing nodded, a hint of delight even flashing in her eyes.

After Xiao Mo left, Xiao Qing reverted to her true form and went off to find something to eat.

Her sister's cooking was pretty good, but she hadn't eaten a little mouse in ages. She was starting to miss it.

Once he'd left the village, Xiao Mo had a good idea where Bai Ruxue might be.

He headed straight toward She Mountain.

Sure enough.

On a certain rock, he spotted her in a white dress, hugging her knees and gazing up at the stars in the night sky.

"Something made you unhappy again?"

Xiao Mo called out to Bai Ruxue.

At the sound of Xiao Mo's voice, Bai Ruxue's delicate body trembled slightly, and she lowered her gaze from the sky. "N-no."

"Are you sure?" Xiao Mo walked over to her.

"This time, I really am." Bai Ruxue lowered her head and answered softly.

"But you've been acting strange all day, and it seems like you've been avoiding me. Why?"

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

Xiao Mo glanced at her profile. "All right. Maybe I really was mistaken. It's getting late. Let's head back, or Xiao Qing will worry."

"Oh."

Bai Ruxue climbed down from the rock and followed Xiao Mo down the mountain.

The two walked along a narrow path through the hills. Moonlight spilled silently like flowing water, filtering through layer upon layer of pine branches and casting dappled shadows over them.

Xiao Mo slowed his pace without seeming to mean to. Bai Ruxue's skirt brushed the drooping tips of the grass beside the path, as if she were afraid of disturbing the sleeping creatures in the mountains at night.

Their two shadows stretched across the dim ground, drawing close, then drifting apart.

Pale green glimmers drifted through the air. Fireflies had appeared at some point, fluttering lightly above the ground like tiny stars.

One firefly floated toward the woman's temple, like a star in motion. It settled there briefly, then drifted away again.

The woman lifted her head and looked at his profile.

Bai Ruxue felt as if the softest part of her heart had been gently touched.

It was as if something were about to push up through the soil of her heart.

Sweet and sour.

She wanted him to know, yet she was afraid he would.

"Xiao Mo." Bai Ruxue seemed to gather her courage. Her cherry lips parted as she softly called his name.

"Mm," Xiao Mo answered.

"I-it's nothing." Looking into his eyes, the woman faltered again. "I just noticed that the fireflies are really pretty tonight."

"They are."

"..."

Bai Ruxue lowered her head and fell silent, her little hand rubbing at her skirt.

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

"Mm?"

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

Xiao Mo looked up. "It's all right, I guess."

"Xiao Mo."

"Mm?"

"I-I noticed there are so many stars out tonight."

"There sure are."

"Xiao Mo, I noticed Auntie Wang seems especially happy today."

"Her son's business in the county must be taking off."

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

"I noticed that ages ago."

"Xiao Mo, I noticed Big Black Ox has gotten lazy."

"He's old."

"Xiao Mo."

"Mm?"

"I think I've fallen for you."