Volume One, Chapter 101: Departure

At the dining table, Su Zhe and his daughter Su Ziwen shared an identical demeanor—both were taciturn, quietly eating their meal without much conversation. In contrast, Mrs. Su, Xu Xueyan, was exceptionally warm and enthusiastic, frequently offering dishes and refilling the plate of their guest, Mo De, her eyes brimming with admiration.

“In a couple of days, Mo De, you’ll be attending that winter camp, right? Make sure to take good care of my Ziwen then,” Mrs. Su said as she served him another piece of braised pork. Noticing his bowl was empty, she wanted to pour him another serving.

“No, thank you, Auntie. I’m really full...” Mo De declined repeatedly, finally refusing Mrs. Su’s seventh attempt to serve him more.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t eat any more; rather, Su Ziwen, who had finished early, was already casting cold glances his way. Too much time had been spent at the table, and the senior monitor, Su, was clearly growing impatient.

“Besides, it’s usually the monitor taking care of me—I still owe her thanks,” Mo De added.

Hearing this, Mrs. Su’s smile brightened even more. “Alright, as long as you’re full, Auntie won’t hold you up from studying. Go on now, Ziwen must be getting restless.”

Su Ziwen’s expression remained unchanged, her eyes growing even colder.

Recognizing the tension, Mr. Su tactfully excused himself and slipped back to the sofa to read the newspaper.

Mo De awkwardly followed the stone-faced Su Ziwen into the room.

“Honey, enough already. You know Ziwen’s sensitive,” Mr. Su called out from behind his newspaper to his wife, who was washing dishes in the kitchen after seeing their daughter retreat to the room.

His wife often enjoyed teasing their daughter, leaving him, as the head of the household, with little recourse. Naturally, Ziwen couldn’t afford to show any embarrassment in front of Mo De, so she maintained a frosty demeanor.

“Alright, I get it. Our daughter’s sensitive—whatever you say,” Mrs. Su replied, finishing the dishes and blowing a kiss toward Mr. Su across the dining room.

Having mastered self-control over decades, Mr. Su merely cleared his throat and returned to his newspaper.

Once inside the room, Su Ziwen’s icy expression had yet to thaw. Across from her, Mo De sat uneasily, fearful of making a mistake in his work.

“Meow...” Sensing the tension, the black cat appeared to rescue the mood.

The sleek feline slipped gracefully into Su Ziwen’s arms, nuzzling her gently. Its fluffy tail swished against her nose, causing her to twitch.

“Why don’t you play with the little guy for a bit? We just finished eating, so our minds might not be sharp,” Mo De seized the opportunity to suggest. Su Ziwen glanced at the small creature in her arms, its big, adorable eyes blinking repeatedly, and finally nodded in agreement. Both put down their pens and began playing with the black cat.

The coldness finally melted, and a faint smile blossomed in Su Ziwen’s dimples.

After some playful frolicking, the cat, satisfied with its post-meal exercise, reluctantly slipped from Mo De’s arms and curled up beside its young mistress, eyes half-closed in contentment.

Su Ziwen composed herself, refocusing, and pulled Mo De back into the depths of their studies.

...

Feeling dizzy after bidding farewell to the Su family, Mo De boarded the last bus departing at the scheduled time, slumping into a random seat.

Fortunately, such days were about to end; the long-awaited holiday was finally approaching.

Well, perhaps it was too soon to celebrate, since he still had to attend that winter camp.

Upon arriving home, Mo De opened the door to find Mu Qing watching a documentary titled "Entering the World of Abilities." After pouring himself a glass of water, Mo De returned to the sofa, intending to discuss with Mu Qing the plan for dealing with the black fire within her body while he was away at the winter camp.

“What’s up? Something on your mind?” Mu Qing noticed him sitting down with a look of deliberation, muted the TV, and turned to face him cross-legged.

“Wait, didn’t you eat at ‘Saturday’?” Mu Qing wrinkled her nose, catching a scent different from the usual aroma of the ‘Saturday’ family restaurant.

“Oh, ‘Saturday’ was closed temporarily today. We ate at the monitor’s house,” Mo De replied, somewhat surprised by how keen Mu Qing’s nose was—could she be part dog?

“That explains why ‘Saturday’ didn’t deliver today,” Mu Qing said, picking a toothpick from the coffee table and placing it in her mouth.

Just as she was about to tease Mo De and his lovely monitor some more, Mu Qing suddenly recalled what her older brother had said earlier and lost all desire to joke. Pouting, she leaned back on the sofa.

Her emotions were complicated; she wanted to argue against her bratty brother but felt at a loss for words, fearing that any explanation might only deepen the confusion.

Her long legs swung back and forth on the sofa, leaving Mo De puzzled about her true intentions.

“In a couple of days, I’ll finish the course, and then I have to attend that winter camp jointly organized by the universities of abilities,” Mo De mentioned, having told Mu Qing about it before. She responded with a nonchalant “Oh,” still rolling around on the sofa.

“You can’t bring family members to the winter camp. Even if I apply to the principal, it’s no use,” Mo De said, scratching his head apologetically. “Before I leave, I’ll help you extract some of the black fire, so you won’t have to...”

“Don’t worry about me,” Mu Qing suddenly sat upright with a determined flip, speaking seriously to Mo De.

“The winter camp is a fantastic opportunity. I’m proud you earned a spot,” she added, noticing his raised eyebrow and quickly stopping her teasing to continue earnestly, “Cherish this chance, young man. It’s a perfect opportunity to broaden your horizons and make more friends.”

“Why are you so serious all of a sudden? Isn’t the black fire a problem?” Mo De was baffled, feeling like Mu Qing either forgot her medication or took the wrong dose today.

“I’ve always been this serious,” she said, catching her breath from the unexpected compliment. Mu Qing stood up and circled Mo De. “You’ve worked hard for so long. This is a good chance to relax. As for the black fire...”

She moved behind Mo De, resting her hands on the back of the sofa, and whispered mysteriously into his ear, “The mountain man has his secret plan.”

The warmth of her breath tickled his ear. Mo De touched his flushed earlobe, warily watching Mu Qing as she casually walked toward the refrigerator.

He had a feeling she was scheming some grand conspiracy.

“What do you want to drink? Cola, Sprite, or Fanta?” Mu Qing asked, opening the fridge and glancing back at him.

“Green tea. Less soda,” Mo De replied. He hadn’t detected any clues in Mu Qing’s behavior, only noticing that she seemed to have changed into a new short-sleeved shirt, the fierce lion’s head emblazoned on the chest comically stretched by her ample curves.

“If you’re going to drink something, don’t fuss over it. If you want to be healthy, how about I brew you some wolfberry tea?” Tossing a bottle of green tea to him, Mu Qing chose an orange Fanta for herself and took a long gulp after popping the cap.

She elegantly burped, and along with the fizz, her tangled thoughts vanished.

Why think so much? As long as it’s fun, that’s what matters.