The Shock of Modern Life

The next morning, Ning Rongrong woke to the sunlight.

She opened her eyes and found herself sleeping on the sofa again. She had been sleeping here for the past few days. She said she "couldn't sleep alone," but really, she was just too lazy to move into the inner room. Zhang Mo hadn't said anything. Every night, he waited until she fell asleep, then quietly went back to his own room.

She sat up and saw breakfast laid out on the coffee table—steamed buns, soy milk, and a small dish of pickles. Zhang Mo wasn't in the living room.

She paused, then stood and walked toward the kitchen.

There was no one in the kitchen. The stove had been cleaned until it gleamed, and the steamer had been washed and left to dry on the side.

She was wondering where he'd gone when the bathroom door opened. Zhang Mo came out, his hair damp and water droplets still clinging to his face.

"You're awake?"

Ning Rongrong hummed in reply, but couldn't help glancing at him.

He was wearing a white T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his forearms. A few bruises still marked them, left over from his fight with Huyan Li a few days ago. But they looked much fainter than yesterday.

Zhang Mo caught her staring and glanced down at himself, puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

Ning Rongrong quickly looked away. "N-nothing."

She turned and went back to the living room, then sat down to eat.

Zhang Mo followed her and sat nearby, picking up a steamed bun.

They ate in silence.

Halfway through, Ning Rongrong suddenly asked, "Are we training today?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment. "Let's take a day off."

Ning Rongrong paused. "Why?"

"We've trained for three days straight," Zhang Mo said. "You're tired, too. Besides, Huyan Li isn't coming until the day after tomorrow. We can rest today and train tomorrow. That'll work out perfectly."

"Oh," Ning Rongrong said, and went back to eating.

When she finished, she took the dishes to the kitchen. Coming back out, she saw Zhang Mo sitting on the sofa with a book in his hands.

She went over to look. It was still the same book about restoring cultural relics.

"Are you going to read all day?"

Zhang Mo looked up at her. "Do you want to go out?"

Ning Rongrong meant to say no, but what came out was, "Your place is too small. It's stifling."

Zhang Mo closed the book and stood. "Then let's go."

Ning Rongrong hadn't expected him to agree so readily, and stared at him for a moment.

Zhang Mo was already at the door, changing his shoes.

"What are you standing there for?"

Ning Rongrong hurried after him.

Outside, the sun was shining.

It was late March in Shanghai—not too cold, not too warm. The breeze felt just right on Ning Rongrong's face. She drew in a deep breath and suddenly felt that the air in this world wasn't so unpleasant after all.

Zhang Mo led her toward the subway station.

Ning Rongrong walked beside him, looking around at everything. These past few days, she had either trained in the ruins or gone home to sleep. She hadn't really seen what the city looked like during the day.

The streets were crowded with all kinds of people. Some hurried along in suits, others strolled slowly with shopping baskets, and young women pushed strollers. All the shops along the road were open, selling every kind of thing.

Ning Rongrong suddenly pointed to a shop by the roadside. "What's that?"

Zhang Mo glanced at it. "A bubble tea shop."

"What's bubble tea?"

"A drink. It's sweet."

Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.

Zhang Mo looked at her, then turned and went into the shop.

Five minutes later, Ning Rongrong held a cup of pearl milk tea, looking stunned.

"There are... pearls in here!"

"They're called pearls," Zhang Mo said. "You can eat them."

Ning Rongrong tentatively sucked one up and chewed.

Her eyes lit up even more.

"It's delicious!"

As they walked, she drank a little at a time, peeking into her cup every few sips to look at the pearls, as if they were some rare treasure.

They reached an intersection, where the light was red.

Zhang Mo stopped, and Ning Rongrong stopped beside him. Watching the cars rush past, she suddenly asked,

"Can these things really hit someone hard enough to kill them?"

Zhang Mo nodded.

Ning Rongrong fell silent for a few seconds. "Where I come from, there are things that can kill people by crashing into them, too. Soul Beasts. Some of them run so fast that the ground shakes."

Zhang Mo said nothing.

The light turned green, and they continued on.

After walking a while, Ning Rongrong pointed to another shop. "What's that?"

Zhang Mo glanced at it. "A clothing store."

"It sells clothes?"

"Yeah."

Ning Rongrong looked down at what she was wearing—a white T-shirt and denim overalls, both bought by Zhang Mo. Then she suddenly asked, "What happened to my clothes?"

Zhang Mo paused. "What clothes?"

"The ones I had before. The pink ones."

Zhang Mo thought for a moment. "I washed them. They're still hanging up to dry."

"Oh," Ning Rongrong said, and didn't speak again.

But she kept staring at the clothing store's display window.

Zhang Mo noticed and asked, "Want to go in?"

Ning Rongrong hurriedly shook her head. "N-no, I don't."

Zhang Mo said nothing. He simply pushed open the door and went inside.

Ning Rongrong froze outside, unsure whether she should follow him.

Zhang Mo turned back to her. "Come in."

Only then did she follow, shuffling in reluctantly.

The store was a riot of color, with clothes hanging everywhere. Ning Rongrong didn't know where to look, but soon a dress caught her eye.

It was white, with little flowers embroidered along the hem and a bow at the neckline.

She stood there staring at it for a long time without moving.

Zhang Mo walked over, looked at the dress, then looked at her.

"Want it?"

Ning Rongrong hurriedly shook her head, though her eyes remained fixed on it.

Zhang Mo took the dress down and handed it to her. "Try it on."

Ning Rongrong paused, then took the dress. A sales assistant led her to the fitting room.

A little while later, she came out.

Zhang Mo looked up and froze.

The white dress fit her perfectly, making her skin look even fairer. Its hem fell just to her knees, revealing her slender calves. Her hair fell loose, its pink-blue color against the white dress making her look as if she'd stepped out of a painting.

Ning Rongrong felt awkward under his gaze, and her cheeks turned faintly red.

"H-how does it look?"

"Pretty," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong's face turned even redder.

She looked at herself in the mirror and froze, too.

Was that person in the mirror really her?

The sales assistant beside them couldn't stop praising her. "You're such a pretty girl. That dress suits you perfectly..."

Ning Rongrong's ears burned. She turned to go back inside and change out of it.

"Keep it on," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong turned to look at him.

Zhang Mo had already gone to the counter to pay.

Ning Rongrong stood there watching him pay, then looked down at the dress she was wearing. Suddenly, she felt something bubbling up inside her.

After they left the store, Ning Rongrong kept looking down at her dress.

She took a few steps, looked down at it, then took a few more steps and looked again.

Zhang Mo couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid I'll get it dirty," Ning Rongrong said.

Zhang Mo couldn't hold back a laugh.

Ning Rongrong glared at him. "What are you laughing at?"

Zhang Mo stopped laughing, but the corners of his mouth were still turned up.

They continued walking.

When they reached the entrance to a park, Zhang Mo asked, "Want to go in and sit for a while?"

Ning Rongrong nodded.

There weren't many people in the park. A few elderly couples were out walking, and some children ran across the grass. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering patches of light across the ground.

They found a bench and sat down.

Ning Rongrong held her half-finished milk tea and watched the children running around. Then she suddenly said,

"Zhang Mo."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think Huyan Li is really harder to fight than Shi Nian?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment. "In a head-on fight, yes."

Ning Rongrong fell silent.

After a while, she asked, "Then are you scared?"

"I am," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong turned to look at him.

He was gazing into the distance, his expression calm.

"Even if I'm scared, I still have to fight," he said. "If I don't, both worlds are finished."

Ning Rongrong stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away and murmured,

"You're a strange person."

Zhang Mo didn't say anything.

Ning Rongrong continued, "You're clearly scared, but you still charge ahead. Where I come from, lots of people hide when they get scared. If they can't hide, they surrender. But you—you fight whether you're scared or not."

"There's nowhere to hide," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong paused.

Zhang Mo continued, "No one's ever stood in front of me to protect me. If I run, the problem is still there. I might as well face it head-on."

Ning Rongrong fell silent.

She thought back to her childhood. In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, someone always protected her. Grandpa Sword stood up for her when she got into trouble, Grandpa Bone was there when she got scolded, and her father gave her whatever she wanted.

She had never had to face anything on her own.

Not until she came to this world.

Not until she met this man named Zhang Mo.

No one stood in front of him to protect him, but he stood in front of her, shielding her from their enemies.

Ning Rongrong suddenly reached out and tugged at his sleeve.

Zhang Mo lowered his eyes to look at her.

She didn't look up. She simply held on to his sleeve and said softly,

"From now on, I'll protect you."

Zhang Mo paused.

Ning Rongrong continued, "I can only provide support, but I can still protect you a little. If you're hurt, I'll heal you. If you can't win, I'll boost your strength. If you—"

She hesitated, her voice growing even softer.

"If you're about to die, I'll stay by your side."

Zhang Mo looked at her.

She still didn't look up, but her hand had clenched tightly around his sleeve.

After a while, he said softly,

"Okay."

Ning Rongrong let go, sat up straight, and pretended nothing had happened as she drank her milk tea.

But her ears were bright red.

The sun slowly sank in the west.

More and more people came into the park—people getting off work, students finishing school, and people walking their dogs.

Watching them come and go, Ning Rongrong suddenly asked,

"Zhang Mo, do you think these people know there's another world?"

"They don't," Zhang Mo said.

"Then do they know someone's coming to kill us?"

"I don't know."

Ning Rongrong fell silent for a few seconds, then said, "Then they're pretty happy."

Zhang Mo said nothing.

She continued, "Not knowing anything means they don't have to be afraid. They go to work and come home every day, eat and sleep, and don't have to worry about a thing."

"Everyone has their own worries," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong turned to look at him.

He gazed into the distance and said, "They worry about houses, cars, and kids. You worry about Spirit Emperors, Titled Douluo, and two different worlds. It's not the same."

Ning Rongrong thought it over. "Then our troubles are bigger."

Zhang Mo smiled.

Seeing him smile, Ning Rongrong smiled too.

The setting sun stained the horizon orange-red.

They stood up and slowly made their way back.

When they reached the park entrance, Ning Rongrong suddenly stopped and looked back.

The sunset shone over the grass. Those children were still running around, their laughter drifting over from afar.

She watched for a few seconds, then turned and caught up with Zhang Mo.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go back and eat buns."

Zhang Mo nodded.

The two walked side by side into the dusk.

Behind them, the park lights came on one by one.

On the way back, the sky slowly darkened.

Streetlights flicked on one after another, tinting the road a murky yellow. Ning Rongrong walked beside Zhang Mo, still holding the cup of milk tea she'd finished long ago, reluctant to throw it away.

She kept her head lowered, lost in thought.

They reached an intersection, and the light turned red.

They both stopped.

Ning Rongrong suddenly spoke.

"Zhang Mo."

"Hmm?"

"That Life Bond..." She paused. "Does it have to involve having a child?"

Zhang Mo froze and turned to look at her.

She still had her head lowered, her expression hidden from view.

The light turned green, and the crowd around them began to surge forward. But neither of them moved.

After a few seconds of silence, Zhang Mo said, "That's what the system says."

Ning Rongrong gave a quiet "Oh" and kept walking.

After a while, she asked again, "When you saw that, what did you think?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment. "I didn't think much about it."

"You didn't?"

"When you'd just fallen out of the vortex," Zhang Mo said, "all I could think about was how to keep you from being scared. I had no time to think about anything else."

Ning Rongrong's steps faltered.

She lifted her head and looked at him.

The streetlight fell across his face from the side, casting a gentle shadow. His expression was calm, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

She suddenly looked away and murmured, "You really are..."

Zhang Mo waited for her to finish, but she didn't.

They reached the lake beside the park—the same lake as yesterday. In the darkness, ripples of light shimmered across the water. The distant high-rises were reflected on its surface, their images broken into fragments by the breeze.

Ning Rongrong sat down on a bench by the lake.

Zhang Mo stood beside her without sitting.

Ning Rongrong looked up at him. "Why are you standing?"

Only then did Zhang Mo sit down.

They sat side by side, watching the lake.

For a long time, neither spoke.

Ning Rongrong suddenly said, "I used to have a fiancé."

Zhang Mo said nothing.

"His name was Oscar," she continued. "He was one of the Shrek Seven Devils, too. His Martial Soul was a Food-type Martial Soul, and he could make sausages. He was a good person, just a little... a little too much like that."

Zhang Mo asked, "Like what?"

Ning Rongrong thought for a moment. "He indulged me too much. Whatever I said, he listened. If I said east, he'd never go west. At first, I thought it was great. Later, I thought... it was boring."

She picked up a small stone from the ground and tossed it into the lake.

It plunked into the water, sending ripples spreading outward.

"Before I came here, I thought I must have liked him," she said. "After all, he treated me so well, and we were engaged. Dad arranged it—an alliance between our two clans."

She paused.

"But after coming here, I realized I can barely remember what he looks like."

Zhang Mo looked at her.

She was still watching the lake, her profile blurred by the streetlight.

"It's only been a few days," she said, "and I can hardly remember anymore."

"Maybe it's because everything here is so unfamiliar," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong shook her head and said nothing.

After a while, she suddenly turned to look at him.

"What about you? Was there anyone you liked in your world?"

After a few seconds of silence, Zhang Mo said, "No. I was always busy fixing things. I never thought about that."

Ning Rongrong gave a quiet "Oh" and turned back.

They fell silent again for a while.

She suddenly said, "About that Life Bond... have you been wanting to tell me, but didn't know how to bring it up?"

Zhang Mo said nothing.

"I noticed you always avoided me whenever you looked at the system," Ning Rongrong said.

"I was afraid you'd read too much into it," Zhang Mo said.

Ning Rongrong froze. "Read what into it?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment. "I was afraid you'd think I was treating you well because of that mission."

Ning Rongrong stared at him for a few seconds.