Chapter 67: A Date in the Plaza

The day of the performance fell on a weekend, drawing an uncommonly large crowd by evening, far beyond the usual gathering of aunties for their square dances.

The organizers, displaying an impressive generosity, had completely reserved Wanhua Plaza, transforming it into a bustling marketplace filled with numerous stalls. The atmosphere was instantly vibrant and festive.

While the aunties, disgruntled at losing their usual dancing space, fumed, every other face in the throng of onlookers beamed with cheerful excitement.

Though the performance was an annual event, both Mo Qiu and Bai Chen were first-time attendees, and the sight of the plaza, swarming with an ocean of people, momentarily left them feeling a little overwhelmed.

“There are so many people,” Bai Chen remarked, scratching his nose with a wry smile, “it’s even more bustling than the school’s annual festival.”

Standing silently beside him, Mo Qiu’s gaze meticulously swept over every single stall. The sheer volume of foot traffic ensured that not one booth could be considered deserted.

This bustling panorama, however, stirred memories of the city’s hidden black markets within her, places where individuals, much like her in her past life, thrived by illicit means.

Zhou Wanchen, too, had been part of that world, though his services primarily involved intelligence brokering and illicit trade. Otherwise, he would never have caught Saluk’s attention, a fixation that had ultimately landed him in a hospital bed, a mere husk of his former self.

Noticing Bai Chen forging ahead, Mo Qiu quickened her pace to close the gap between them, only to collide with a passerby.

“Watch where you’re going,” the stranger grumbled, before swiftly moving on.

Upon hearing the commotion, Bai Chen immediately hurried back, his voice laced with concern as he inquired:

“Mo Qiu, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s good.”

Bai Chen let out a breath of relief, then, after a brief moment of contemplation, extended his hand towards her.

“Here,” he offered, “stay close to me, and you’ll be safe.”

‘Ah, what a blindingly bright smile,’ she mused. ‘Even the setting sun seemed to dim in comparison to his radiance.’

More than anything, Mo Qiu yearned to be home, curled up in the secure gloom of her own bedroom. The sheer multitude of people here, each voice adding to the cacophony, created a volume that was utterly grating on her ears.

Gazing at Bai Chen’s outstretched palm, Mo Qiu eventually extended her own, their hands meeting, skin to skin.

“Let’s go,” he suggested, “we can wander around a bit before the performance begins.”

Bai Chen’s hand felt broad and strong, yet its texture was far from smooth. His work at the Midsummer Night restaurant had left his palms roughened with numerous calluses.

Nonetheless, Mo Qiu could still sense the warmth and underlying strength in his grip. He seemed to be aware of the roughness of his hands, for he didn’t clench too tightly, instead leaving ample space for her, a gentle consideration.

‘Always doing something superfluous,’ she thought.

With that silent murmur, the girl chose to press her palm fully against his, as though their hands were meant to be one.

“Mo Qiu, look at that,” Bai Chen began, his voice alight with curiosity, “that thing over there looks incredibly delicious…” He paused mid-sentence, his gaze instinctively dropping to their joined hands.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing at all,” Bai Chen quickly replied, forcing a smile that failed to conceal the hint of shyness flickering in his eyes. “Let’s just keep going.”

Mo Qiu, however, pinpointed that fleeting blush with precision, and a soft chuckle echoed within her mind: ‘A naive boy is truly easy to tease.’

Since he was keen on exploring, Mo Qiu decided to indulge him and stroll along.

Bai Chen, energized as if by an adrenaline shot, displayed an insatiable curiosity for the wares at every stall. Mo Qiu trailed behind, offering answers to his questions intermittently.

The surrounding lights blurred into an indistinct haze, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire world had receded, leaving only the two of them, their eyes reflecting only each other’s faces.

It felt undeniably like a date, though she doubted Bai Chen had even registered it. No, with his particular nature, he would likely only grasp the implications much, much later.

Mo Qiu possessed ample patience; she would wait for him to realize, then thoroughly enjoy teasing him.

Yet, after some time, Mo Qiu found herself gradually falling behind Bai Chen’s energetic pace, and the hand he held began to feel strangely weak.

‘Damn it, am I giving out already?’ she thought, a flicker of alarm.

Mo Qiu’s free hand instinctively went to her pocket, her fingers confirming the reassuring presence of the iron shard within.

The surrounding sounds once again blurred into an indistinct hum, as that insidious voice whispered in her ear, tempting her to slip away from Bai Chen’s side and venture towards some unknown destination.

Just as her hand threatened to slip from his grasp, Bai Chen’s fingers tightened around hers once more.

“Mo Qiu, what’s wrong?”

Bai Chen clearly noticed Mo Qiu’s complexion had worsened considerably, appearing utterly drained of energy, her lips slightly parted as she gasped softly.

“I… I’m a bit tired,” she admitted.

“Then perhaps we should stop strolling?”

“Mm.”

With the performance due to start shortly, Bai Chen decided to lead Mo Qiu directly to their designated meeting spot, where the members of the drama club were already immersed in preparations for the evening’s show.

Old Zhu was the first to spot the pair, accompanied by Libelle, who stood beside him.

“Yo, Old Bai, what kept you so… late?” Noticing their clasped hands, he cleared his throat twice, then sauntered over to nudge Bai Chen with his elbow.

“Things are moving along quite swiftly, aren’t they? Are you close to sealing the deal?”

“What utter nonsense are you spouting?” Bai Chen retorted, “Can’t you see Mo Qiu looks unwell?”

“Is she?” Old Zhu turned to scrutinize Mo Qiu’s expression, thinking to himself, ‘She looks exactly as she always does. With those lifeless eyes and doll-like features, how is anyone supposed to discern if she’s feeling unwell?’ After a moment’s contemplation, another possibility surfaced, and he leaned in to whisper to Bai Chen: “Perhaps she’s subtly hinting for you to hurry up and… Ah, ouch, ouch, ouch!”

“Zhu, what kind of trouble are you stirring up now?” Libelle demanded, forcefully yanking his ear, her slender eyebrows arching in annoyance.

“I-I-I, I didn’t do anything!” he stammered.

“Who would believe you?” she scoffed. Of everyone present, aside from Bai Chen, she understood Old Zhu’s character best. If that man could ever truly rein in his flirtatious nature, the sun would surely rise in the west tomorrow. As his girlfriend, it was her duty to keep a vigilant watch over him, lest he go chasing after other women again.

‘Let’s see who he’s flirting with this time,’ she thought, her eyes narrowing.

Her eyes met Mo Qiu’s, and Libelle gasped sharply, her grip on Old Zhu’s ear tightening and pulling downwards with such force that he nearly toppled to the ground.

‘Mo Qiu?’ she thought, utterly stunned.

Upon seeing their joined hands, Libelle’s fury reignited with renewed intensity.

Old Zhu, still whimpering and clutching his aggrieved ear, was abruptly seized by his collar and forcibly dragged away by Libelle.

“What’s wrong now?”

“You’re truly becoming more outrageous by the day,” Libelle fumed, “how could you even flirt with someone who already has a partner?”

“I didn’t do anything of the sort!” Old Zhu protested. “Don’t be angry, I’ll make you your favorite noodles tonight.”

“Really? That’s wonderful… Wait, no! You’re trying to tempt me with food again!”

Watching their retreating figures, Bai Chen offered a helpless smile, then gently patted Mo Qiu’s shoulder.

“Don’t mind them,” he said reassuringly, “they’re always like this.”

“How did they ever end up together?” Mo Qiu wondered aloud, feeling it wouldn’t be surprising if they broke up the very next second.

“That… I’m not entirely sure either,” Bai Chen admitted, “Old Zhu seems to have won over his girlfriend with his cooking skills, I suppose.”

Mo Qiu’s eyes widened at this revelation.

‘So, food really *can* win someone’s heart,’ she thought, a flicker of indignation. ‘If Bai Chen’s friend can do it, why can’t I?’

Unwilling to concede, she resolved to find a way to try once more.

After exchanging greetings with the drama club members, Bai Chen found a spot and settled down with Mo Qiu.

After a while, he noticed Mo Qiu’s complexion showed no signs of improvement; in fact, it seemed to have worsened.

“Mo Qiu, are you truly alright? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“I’m fine.”

Simply sitting offered no relief from the iron shard’s influence, as the irritating voice continued its relentless assault within Mo Qiu’s mind. The slightest lapse in concentration threatened to send her body involuntarily rising.

Just as her body began to sway uncontrollably, Bai Chen’s hands suddenly gripped her shoulders, gently guiding her to lean against his arm.

“Does this make you feel a little better?”

Mo Qiu didn’t reply, merely nodding.

Leaning against Bai Chen’s shoulder didn’t alleviate her discomfort, but it provided her with the strength to resist the insidious voice.

Despite no physical restraints, the girl found herself unable to move from his shoulder. Not even the persistent whispers could compel her to stir.

Staying here, simply resting, was far better than aimlessly wandering.

Watching the ceaseless flow of people before them, Mo Qiu unexpectedly spoke:

“Bai Chen, I want some ice cream.”

“Won’t that give you a stomach ache?”

“No.”

“Alright, if it helps you regain your energy.” Bai Chen rose and jogged towards the ice cream stall he had seen earlier.

Watching his figure disappear into the crowd, Mo Qiu pulled the iron shard from her embrace, its cold touch seemingly reaching her very core.

Since the rumors had been dispelled, Zhou Yue had not returned to school.

Mo Qiu gripped the iron shard tightly, and as Bai Chen’s figure reappeared in her sight, she quickly concealed it.

“Here, ice cream. I forgot to ask what flavor you wanted, but you like chocolate, right?”

Bai Chen handed her the chocolate-flavored ice cream, keeping the matcha one for himself.

Mo Qiu enjoyed chocolate, but only the bitter kind; sweetened chocolate was an abomination in her eyes.

Halfway through her ice cream, Mo Qiu’s gaze fell upon the green ice cream in Bai Chen’s hand.

“Bai Chen, can I try some?”

“Ah?” Bai Chen paused, startled. “Yes, be careful.”

Mo Qiu leaned forward, extending her small pink tongue, deliberately licking the spot where he had eaten.

Though it was a simple action, Bai Chen swallowed hard, no longer daring to look at her nimble pink tongue.

“Feeling better?”

“Mm.”

Chocolate or matcha, to Mo Qiu, tasted as bland as eating shaved ice.

“Can you hold out until the performance ends?” Bai Chen asked again.

“I can.”

“Don’t push yourself.”

“And you’ll be by my side,” Mo Qiu added, extending her pinky finger. “We promised.”

Recalling what had happened in the infirmary, Bai Chen scratched his head. He had completely forgotten about that.

To think Mo Qiu remembered it so clearly… Of course, he wouldn’t go back on his word. As long as Mo Qiu wished it, Bai Chen would stay with her until the very end of the performance.