Song Yunshen didn't mind the two of them coming to his house, but he couldn't help feeling a little regretful.
With both Xia Yunuo and Xia Kening present, he couldn't lean shoulder to shoulder with Xia Yunuo, nor could he pull Xia Kening's feet into his arms to knead and play with them.
It can only be said that two monks carry water to drink, but three monks have no water to drink.
It was only a little past six in the evening, so there was plenty of time. Song Yunshen led the two into the house and into the study. Just like last time, he sat on the left, Xia Kening on the right, and Xia Yunuo moved a stool and sat between the two of them.
At first, Xia Yunuo was actually quite happy. After all, being able to spend Song Yunshen was better than staying at home every night watching her younger sister go out to Song Yunshen's house to play.
But after playing for a while, she realized that because Xia Kening was there, neither she nor Song Yunshen were quite relaxed.
Especially for her, on the one hand, she was afraid that Song Yunshen would find out about her sisterly relationship with Xia Kening, and on the other hand, she was afraid that if she got too close to Song Yunshen, she would be teased by her sister when she got home at night.
After playing with Song Yunshen Fireboy and Watergirl in the Forest Temple more than half an hour, Xia Yunuo got up to say goodbye, saying that she had played enough and needed to go home to do her homework.
Xia Kening, who was playing a game, looked at her older sister with surprise upon hearing this, not expecting her to have such self-control.
However, she didn't say anything. After all, she had only agreed to come along to apologize to her sister, Xia Kening couldn't wait for her to leave.
Seeing this, Song Yunshen immediately got up and escorted Xia Yunuo to her doorstep. After watching her change her shoes, he thought for a moment and then simply walked out of the house with her, calling out towards the study, "I'm going downstairs to see someone off. I'll be right back."
Xia Kening responded from the study. Xia Yunuo, standing at the door, paused slightly, wanting to say there was no need to see her off, but swallowed the words back.
"Let's go." Song Yunshen changed his shoes, pressed the elevator button, and smiled at Xia Yunuo.
"Mm." Xia Yunuo gently and obediently followed Song Yunshen into the elevator.
The elevator descended to the first floor. Stepping out of the building, the two strolled once again under the moonlight.
As Xia Yunuo passed by the basketball court, she turned her head and looked at the crowd playing basketball. Suddenly, she recalled the scene from Monday when she watched Song Yunshen and the others play basketball here.
Then she thought of many things, all the way back to this morning, when she was overwhelmed with emotion and Song Yunshen Xia Yunuo Song Yunshen took a slow breath and whispered to him, "Thank you so much for today."
"Why are you suddenly saying that? I'm just seeing you off, there's no need to be so polite, is there?" Song Yunshen was taken aback.
"I'm not thanking you for that," Xia Yunuo said softly, blushing slightly. "It's about what happened this morning. You gave me so much advice and encouragement, so that's why I want to thank you."
"Didn't I thank you this morning?" Song Yunshen raised his hand and patted her head. "There's no need for such formalities between us."
"Okay, I understand." Xia Yunuo nodded obediently, letting Song Yunshen rub her head. Being covered by his big hand made her feel at ease.
"Speaking of which," Song Yunshen suddenly remembered, "When we finished watching the movie today, you asked me what I wanted for the future. I was interrupted by Yingying right after I finished speaking, and I didn't even have a chance to ask you. What does Nuonuo want for the future?"
Hearing Song Yunshen's sudden question, Xia Yunuo paused for a moment, then fell into thought, "Actually, I don't have many ambitions. I just hope to get into a good university, start working as soon as possible, and earn money to support myself and my family." Hearing this, Song Yunshen shook his head slightly. "That's not enough. That only solves the problem of survival. What comes after that?"
"And then?" Xia Yunuo blinked, a little confused by Song Yunshen's meaning. "And then, of course, is to live a good life."
"Let me give you a few examples," Song Yunshen said after thinking for a moment. "My uncle writes novels, you know that, right?"
"But he actually studied law in college, so he should have become a lawyer after graduation."
"However, because he particularly enjoys reading online novels, he often secretly writes them in his spare time to relieve stress. As a result, he made a lot of money from online novels, so he immediately quit his job and went home to write online novels full-time."
"Actually, if he had continued as a lawyer, he wouldn't have earned less money either, but do you think he would be happier now or later?"
"For example, my aunt, whom you've met before."
"Her circumstances weren't particularly good before; she was just a working-class person when she was young. Fortunately, Tangning Village was later demolished, and she received two apartments as compensation. She used the compensation money to buy a shop, and invested the rest in several relatives' companies."
"Now, collecting rent and store revenue each month is enough to make a living. I earn a little money running the braised chicken shop and also collect some dividends from relatives."
"Without major expenses, I can be considered financially free."
"Now she spends her days playing mahjong, drinking tea with her girlfriends, getting beauty treatments, going out dancing, hiking, and occasionally taking a trip."
"Since she stopped working, although she's getting older, she seems to be in better spirits, and even looks younger." "Do you know what I mean?"
As Song Yunshen finished speaking, he turned to look at Xia Yunuo.
Xia Yunuo scratched her head, remained silent for a moment, and tentatively asked, "... Is it really good to be rich?"
"Okay... that's not wrong." Song Yunshen scratched his head as well. "Actually, I don't know what I really want. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being unreasonable? After all, my family is quite well-off now, so when I'm with you, I'm always worried..."
"No! You've already done very well." Xia Yunuo heard him start criticizing himself as he spoke, so she quickly grabbed his arm and said earnestly, "I should say it's because I wasn't good enough, that's why..."
"Don't say that." Song Yunshen stopped and turned to face Xia Yunuo, reaching out to pinch her cheek, teasingly saying with a smile, "I, Song Yunshen, only make friends with outstanding people. Since we're already good friends, that means you're just as outstanding as me."
As he spoke, Song Yunshen patted his chest. "It's just that everyone's excellence is different."
"Look at Xu Zhuoyue. Although his grades are terrible, he's the most loyal and righteous friend. Don't let his constant bickering fool you; if I ever get into any trouble, he'll be the first one to come to my aid."
"Look at Fat Dragon again. His grades aren't great, and he's overweight, but he's very resourceful and knows how to use information asymmetry to earn some pocket money at school. If you don't understand anything at school, just ask him."
"And then there's Deng Shitao. This kid isn't anything special, but at least he's got a pretty face and managed to snag Chen Yue. He's got a skill, so he's got something."
"In short, everyone has their own strengths if they want to."
Xia Yunuo stared blankly at him as he spoke, her emotions rising and falling. She understood these principles, but living under the same roof as her sister for so long inevitably led to comparisons. Over time, she felt as if she were living in Xia Jinshu's shadow, and in every aspect, she wanted to emulate her sister.
Whether it's academics, character, or even the spirit of dedication to the family, in every aspect, she's like a mini- Xia Jinshu, a replica, albeit one with flaws.
Indeed, she may have her strengths, but Xia Jinshu also possesses these strengths, and even excels at them far better.
The more you try to prove your uniqueness, the more you realize that you seem quite ordinary, with nothing special about you.
These emotions had been building up inside her for a very long time. She thought she had long since digested them, but they resurfaced after she met Song Yunshen.
It was only then that she realized with a start that she had never truly moved on.
" Yunshen," Xia Yunuo whispered.
"Um?"
"Thank you for telling me all this, but..." Xia Yunuo said, taking a slight step forward, her expression hesitant, her fists clenched.
"But what?" Song Yunshen asked, looking down at her.
"You don't need to give me such a long comforting speech," Xia Yunuo said, gently resting her forehead against Song Yunshen's chest once more. Her heart pounded like a drum, reflecting her current emotions. "If I'm ever in a bad mood, just let me lean on you for a little while, like this."
The girl's soft whispers, like the gentle touch of her forehead against his chest, drifted into Song Yunshen's ears, brushing past him like the soft willow catkins of spring.
But these words struck him like a boulder crashing into a lake, causing his heart to tremble violently.
He was certain that if Xia Yunuo listened carefully at that moment, she would be able to hear the sound of his heart beating rapidly.
" Nuonuo, you're being a little cunning."
"Where is he cunning?" Xia Yunuo asked in a low voice.
"You can do this when you're in a bad mood, but what am I supposed to do when I'm in a bad mood?"
"Then what do you want?" Xia Yunuo's heart raced once again.
But this time Song Yunshen didn't say anything. He simply raised his hands, one hand pressing down on the back of her head to make her lean closer, and the other hand supporting her lower back. Then he gently pulled her into his arms.
Xia Yunuo stumbled and fell into Song Yunshen's arms.
When Song Yunshen pulled her into his arms, he finally leaned close to her ear and whispered, "If I'm in a bad mood, just like this, let me absorb some of Nuonuo's energy."
A blush crept onto the young girl's cheeks, and Xia Yunuo felt her face burning hot, but she only wished that this moment could last forever.
The two hugged for an unknown amount of time until they heard footsteps from passersby. Xia Yunuo, like a startled sparrow, fluttered her wings and hopped away, quickly distancing herself from Song Yunshen. A couple passing by, seeing the two young people's awkward reaction, whispered and laughed as they walked away, as if seeing their own youth reflected in them.
"Let's go, I'll walk you to the entrance of your apartment complex."
After a moment of silence, Song Yunshen finally spoke.
"Mmm." Xia Yunuo gently, a little reluctant but also excited, and followed Song Yunshen towards the entrance of the community, her steps becoming lighter.
Finally arriving at the entrance of the residential area, Song Yunshen stopped and watched Xia Yunuo leave.
Xia Yunuo walked across the street, quickly crossed the road, and immediately turned back to wave at Song Yunshen.
The two stared at each other across the street for a while, until Xia Yunuo couldn't withstand Song Yunshen's gaze and finally turned around and walked away.
Song Yunshen stood at the entrance of the residential area, exhaled, raised his hand and touched his chest, feeling a slight numbness in that area.
Ignoring his usual playful interactions with Xia Kening, today should be the first time he has hugged a girl.
This feeling is truly wonderful.
Song Yunshen smiled helplessly, turned around and walked home. Halfway there, he looked up at the moon in the sky and sighed softly.
What kind of future do he want? Even with a diary that allows him to see the future, he still feels somewhat lost.
Despite his eloquent speech in front of Xia Yunuo, he's really just a high school Little Brat.
When Song Yunshen returned home, he had just opened the door and was about to walk towards the study when Xia Kening jumped out from inside, approached Song Yunshen, and looked him up and down, left and right, with a suspicious expression.
"What are you doing?" Song Yunshen pressed her head down, speechless. "Do you think this is a security check? You're checking so thoroughly."
"How dare you say that? You spent half an hour dropping someone off? Does she live on the moon?" Xia Kening said angrily, hands on her hips. "She must have been secretly meeting someone. I'm looking for evidence!"
"Don't make it sound like we're catching someone cheating." Song Yunshen flicked her forehead. "Aren't you bored?"
"You're just feeling guilty, don't move!" Xia Kening leaned closer to his chest, seemingly discovering something. She narrowed her eyes, reached out, and pinched a long hair from Song Yunshen's chest, chuckling coldly, "Look at this hair, and speak!"
Song Yunshen look and confirmed that it was indeed Xia Yunuo's hair. He then reached out, took it, and threw it into the trash can next to him.
"You even deliberately destroyed evidence!" Xia Kening roared, "Your crime is compounded!"
Song Yunshen chuckled, pressed down on her shoulders, and pushed her all the way back to the study to sit down. "Alright, alright, I'll let you play a little longer today, okay? You can go back at nine o'clock."
Upon hearing this, Xia Kening raised an eyebrow, her expression softened slightly, and she couldn't help but curl her lips into a slight smile, saying with a snort, "You're smart enough to know your place, but while you may escape death, you can't escape punishment."
After saying that, Xia Kening stretched out her feet and placed them on Song Yunshen's thigh, lying comfortably on her side and continuing to play her game. Song Yunshen smiled, holding the mouse with one hand to start the game, and with the other hand, he pinched her feet and gently massaged them.
Xia Kening felt the warmth of his palms, and her originally icy feet slowly warmed up, causing her cheeks to flush slightly. She felt so comfortable that she squinted her eyes.
The two played games until 8:30 p. m. before Xia Kening finally pulled her warm feet back.
If her second sister hadn't been frantically questioning her on WeChat about why she wasn't home yet, Xia Kening would definitely have stayed at Song Yunshen's house until nine o'clock before going home.
However, he arrived around 6:00 AM today. In the middle of the day, Song Yunshen accompanied his second sister out for half an hour, and spent the rest of the time playing games with her, which was much longer than usual.
So Xia Kening stopped arguing with her second sister. A little annoyed by her nagging, she simply shut down the computer, stood up, and said to Song Yunshen, "Alright, alright, I'm going home. If I stay any longer, my family will start complaining."
"Okay." Song Yunshen glanced at Xia Kening's little feet with some lingering interest, then suddenly thought of Xia Yunuo's feet, which seemed to be a little smaller than Xia Kening's. He wondered what they would feel like to touch.
Oh dear, I'm so shameless.
Song Yunshen wanted to slap himself to wake up.
After seeing Xia Kening to the door and watching her change her shoes and enter the elevator, Song Yunshen said goodbye to her, watched the elevator doors slowly close, and then closed the door himself.
Back in the study, I edited some videos, and at nine o'clock, Xia Jinshu's WeChat call came as expected.
After diligently memorizing vocabulary, Song Yunshen sigh of relief, feeling incredibly strong. He wondered how many points he would get on his English test after school started.
Song Yunshen and got up to take a shower.
After returning to his bedroom, he took out his Future Diary from the drawer, turned to the latest page, and checked for any new updates.
When he turned to the latest page, Song Yunshen raised an eyebrow and a look of anticipation appeared on his face.
Sure, sure, another update.
And it was even a date he was looking forward to.
2035, isn't that the year he'll marry his future wife at the end of the year?
I wonder what new information there will be.
Thinking this, Song Yunshen couldn't wait to look down.
[February 14, 2035, Cloudy]
[To be precise, it's actually already past midnight on the 15th.]
[Having just finished packing my things, after thinking it over and over, I decided to write one last diary entry by his side before breaking up and leaving.] Upon seeing this, Song Yunshen's eyes widened. He hadn't expected to draw such an exciting diary entry from the card draw. His heart raced, and he hurriedly continued reading.