"So that means you're on Mom's side now? She planted you as a spy next to me?"
Little Yuanyuan patted Siyu's cheek with her left hand, eyes round and serious:
"Sis, are you dumb? No spy in the world walks up and confesses they're a spy."
"So you pretended to agree to Mom for the reward, but in truth you're siding with me? Wow, Yuanyuan — your mind is way more devious than I thought."
Leng Siyu pinched Yuanyuan's nose.
"But Sis, even if I won't snitch, I still think you're wrong.
Your focus should be on cultural development, not economic development."
Leng Siyu fell silent, though her long legs kept walking toward Lady's Fashion Shop.
The evening sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves, casting broken gold across the pavement — as if it wanted to shine into the tangled place inside Leng Siyu's heart.
After a while, Siyu stopped, looked deeply into Yuanyuan's big eyes, and said softly:
"Yuanyuan, I'll finish this week and quit. Lady's Fashion pays really well — so much more than brick-carrying, moving furniture, unloading cargo.
During National Day, I want to take you on a trip — with money I earned myself."
"Really?" Yuanyuan's smile bloomed like a flower, and she threw her arms around Siyu's neck and kissed her.
"Sis, you're the best sister in the world!"
"Cut it out — you smeared my face with drool.
So you won't lecture me about work anymore?"
Yuanyuan sighed.
"Do whatever you want. Fei-ge said the boss here has a complicated background. You need to be careful."
"He always exaggerates danger." Siyu scoffed — but suddenly turned around and headed back the way they came.
"You're quitting? You finally came around?"
"I think… you might have a point."
"As if anyone would believe that. You're the world's #1 stubborn mule— ah no!"
Yuanyuan suddenly spotted a familiar figure. She whipped around and tugged Siyu hard.
"Run — hurry!"
Across the street, beneath a sycamore tree, stood a slim, far too quiet, far too gentle-looking middle-aged woman — one who was both the sisters' deepest longing, and their greatest terror.
Leng Siyu took off in a full sprint with Yuanyuan in her arms.
At the corner, they nearly collided head-on with Xia Pengfei and Xia Chongchong.
"Why're you running?" Xia Pengfei asked, baffled.
Siyu ignored him, pressing Yuanyuan to the wall. Two heads peeked out cautiously.
Yuanyuan whispered, breath soft at Siyu's ear:
"Mom looks skinnier again."
Siyu replied quietly,
"But her strength and energy are better — she hit harder than before."
The sisters watched Lin Wanru board a bus, eyes unblinking until it disappeared from sight.
Yuanyuan murmured sourly,
"Who knows when we'll see her again now…"
"You should thank me," Siyu said, "If it weren't for me, how would you get a chance to see her today?"
Benefit? Seeing their mother counts as a benefit?
Xia Pengfei and Chongchong stared blankly, unsure how to respond.
Something sharp pricked Xia Pengfei's chest.
Yuanyuan suddenly remembered the brothers behind them and turned around.
"Chongchong, where are you guys going?"
"I dunno. Brother, where are we going?" Chongchong asked.
Xia Pengfei was still gathering thoughts when Siyu grabbed Yuanyuan and bolted.
"Brother — where are we going?" Chongchong asked again.
"What was that thing you wanted to tell me?" Pengfei asked instead, eyes fixed on Siyu's retreating back.
"Rain-sister went back to Lady's Fashion Shop!"
"…"
—
Leng Siyu ran all the way to Lady's Fashion with Yuanyuan in her arms.
He Guizhong beamed the moment he saw them.
"Siyu! Perfect timing. You don't need to do anything — just stand at the entrance for me."
"Boss He, I can't stay long. I still have homework — a lot today."
"Two hours, okay? This is peak sales time, after that I close shop."
"I want daily payment," Siyu said seriously.
"All my other jobs paid same-day. I have a bad memory — wait too long and I'll forget."
"No problem. Here — yesterday's pay. If you hadn't been here, those two punks Li-Fourth and Wang-Fifth would've caused trouble again."
He Guizhong handed her a thick stack of bills.
Yuanyuan's eyes lit up like coins.
"Money! So much!"
Siyu pocketed it with her left hand and set Yuanyuan down with her right.
"Go use Uncle He's computer and learn poetry. You haven't memorized today's yet."
He Guizhong guided her to the computer and searched poems for her.
"How about Moonlit Night on Spring River?"
Yuanyuan lowered her voice.
"Uncle… that one's too long. Give me two quatrains."
From the door, Siyu called back loudly:
"Today you memorize Moonlit Night on Spring River. Only one — but that one."
Yuanyuan protested,
"That poem has thirty-six lines — that's like nine quatrains! I normally only memorize eight lines a day. You just multiplied my workload!"
Siyu replied,
"I don't care about your hairstyle, but I do care about your studies.
Finish it or don't bother coming home with me."
"Savage!" Yuanyuan kicked in frustration — accidentally stepping on He Guizhong's foot.
Leng Siyu leaned back in a Taishi chair at the door, chewing gum lazily, eyes scanning pedestrians while Yuanyuan's recitation drifted through the shop:
Who first saw the moon by the river?
When did its light first fall on humankind?
Life generations endless flow —
Yet year by year the moon seems unchanged…
Suddenly Siyu stiffened — more than ten young men rushed out from a side alley, machetes and long sticks in hand.
She sprang up, spat her gum, and barked:
"What do you want? Looking for trouble?
Didn't you see who's guarding here?!"
The scar-browed leader stepped forward politely.
"Siyu-sis, we don't want issues with you. We're here to settle accounts with He Guizhong."
Hands shoved in pockets, Siyu snorted coldly.
"Oh? You don't want trouble with me, yet you come during my shift?
You move against the boss today — I don't get paid today."
Scar-brow spoke softly,
"Best not get involved. We've got old scores with him."
Siyu's voice went ice-cold:
"I'll say this once.
While I'm here — touching him means cutting off my income.
And if you do — don't blame me for turning on you."
One newcomer scoffed,
"Brother Zhang, it's just her alone — there's like ten of us. Why would we be scared?"
Scar-brow roared:
"Watch your filthy mouth — show her respect!"
But the newcomer, ignorant of death, raised his stick and swung down toward Siyu—
Siyu sidestepped like a flash, vanished behind him, swept his legs clean with a single powerful strike