Bai Tingting couldn’t take it anymore. She had chosen to go out with Wen Shu purely to provoke Mu Fu, but Mu Fu hadn’t even reacted. How could that be acceptable?
Suddenly, she leaned in toward Wen Shu, her tone playful and sweet. “Wen Shu, your pork and preserved egg congee looks so tasty. You don’t mind if I try a bite, right?” Not waiting for his response, she scooped a spoonful straight into her mouth. “Mmm, just as I thought—delicious!” she said with a smile. Her own bowl only contained plain congee.
Wen Shu frowned and immediately looked toward Mu Fu. Mu Fu noticed the look and turned her head, just in time to catch the uneasy expression on Wen Shu’s face. One glance was all she gave before looking away again.
The fact that he looked at her right away told her everything: Wen Shu’s feelings hadn’t changed. But that didn’t mean she would go soft. She needed to understand why he was so inconsistent.
In her previous life, Wen Shu had rejected every woman around him, including the original her. There had to be a reason. And even though he had seemed to warm up to her this time around, he had quickly reverted back to his old ways.
Mu Fu knew one thing: even if he started getting close to her again, she wouldn’t accept it without answers. She needed to understand what was behind his hot-and-cold behavior so she could eliminate anything that might interfere with completing her mission.
She had asked the system, but it hadn’t provided any useful information. That’s why she had chosen to go out with Bian Jincheng today—to force Wen Shu to face her directly. She needed to find out exactly what was going on with him.
After breakfast, Mu Fu was about to clear the dishes, but Bian Jincheng insisted she leave them. She suddenly remembered something she had forgotten, so after letting Bian Jincheng know, she headed out of the room. Wen Shu followed almost immediately.
In just a few long strides, he caught up with her and grabbed her wrist. Mu Fu turned around, confused. When she saw it was Wen Shu, her expression instantly cooled. “What is it?”
“I—I just wanted to say… there’s nothing going on between me and Bai Tingting.” Wen Shu looked completely flustered. He had practiced what to say, but now that the moment had come, the words fumbled out.
Mu Fu looked utterly indifferent. “Oh. Got it. But there’s no need to explain. I don’t really care about your relationship with her.”
Wen Shu felt a sting in his chest at Mu Fu’s coldness. He forced a strained smile, pretending everything was fine. “So… you went out with Bian Jincheng today?” Even though he already knew the answer, he wanted to hear something else from her—something different.
Mu Fu paused.
He already knew, didn’t he? Then why was he asking?
“Yeah,” she replied calmly. “Didn’t you go out with Bai Tingting too?” There was no judgment in her tone, no expectation that he should have stayed faithful to her.
Wen Shu’s eyes lit up slightly. Maybe Mu Fu did still care. Was that jealousy he heard? Quickly, he said, “I only agreed because I saw you inviting someone else.”
Mu Fu pressed her lips together. “And you really don’t know why I did that?”
Wen Shu slowly let go of her wrist, his expression tinged with regret. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did.”
“But I had my reasons,” he added, his voice earnest.
“What reasons?” Mu Fu’s heart tightened. She needed to know—what had made him give up on her?
Just as Wen Shu opened his mouth to explain, Bian Jincheng stepped out. “Mu Fu? Haven’t you come back yet?” The moment was interrupted.
Mu Fu turned. “I just had to take care of something. I’m heading back now.” She glanced at Wen Shu. As much as she wanted answers, now wasn’t the time. “I’ll grab what I left inside. We can talk later.”
Wen Shu nodded. “Alright… do you want me to come with you?”
Mu Fu’s voice was soft but firm. “No need.”
Wen Shu could feel her demeanor shift slightly—it wasn’t as cold as before. His heart lifted.
Bian Jincheng also offered to walk her back, but she turned him down too. So when Mu Fu left, only Wen Shu and Bian Jincheng remained.
Both men’s eyes followed Mu Fu as she walked away.
“You and Mu Fu don’t belong together,” Bian Jincheng suddenly said, breaking the tense silence.
Wen Shu dismissed the comment without a second thought. “You’re not Mu Fu. You don’t get to decide for us.”
“You’ve made her unhappy these past few days,” Bian Jincheng said flatly, turning to look at him.
Wen Shu turned too, their eyes locking—two intense forces clashing in midair like sparks flying from colliding energy.
“It’s just a small argument. We’ll be fine soon,” Wen Shu said, his voice tight with defiance. “And you… I’m not giving you another chance.”
Bian Jincheng let out a short, dry laugh. “Then I hope you don’t.” He paused, then added with deliberate calm, “Too bad I’m the one she went on a date with today—not you.”
Wen Shu’s fists clenched, itching for a release.
Just then, Mu Fu returned. “Alright, I’m ready. Let’s go,” she said to Bian Jincheng. She had come back quickly on purpose, sensing the tension between them and wanting to avoid a confrontation. The way things were going, she was relieved she got back in time.
Before they left, she glanced at Wen Shu. “We’ll see you tonight.”
“See you tonight,” Wen Shu replied, lifting a hand to wave. Bian Jincheng didn’t even look at him as he walked straight past to Mu Fu’s side.
After they were gone, Wen Shu turned to find Bai Tingting. They had plans too, even if his heart wasn’t really in it. Still, they were a pair now—and he had to respect that.
……
Mu Fu and Bian Jincheng drove to their destination: a Miao village on the outskirts of Jiang City. As soon as they arrived, they were surrounded by staff from the production team and led to change into traditional Miao attire.
A kind older woman in ethnic dress styled Mu Fu’s hair into an elegant high bun, securing it with delicate silver pins and needles.
The transformation was stunning—mysterious, graceful, and imbued with rich cultural beauty. Bian Jincheng’s look was simpler—just the men’s outfit from the region.
When Mu Fu finally stepped out, Bian Jincheng was stunned. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“You look beautiful,” Bian Jincheng said, his voice sincere.
Mu Fu looked down, a blush rising on her cheeks. “Thank you. You look quite handsome too.”
Bian Jincheng was dressed in a traditional cross-collar jacket paired with wide, loose black trousers. The outfit suited him well.
Mu Fu was fascinated. It was her first time wearing Miao traditional clothing, and the experience felt exciting and new. Just as they finished changing, people from the crew ushered them out the door.
After a few twists and turns, they arrived at a wide-open square filled with men and women in vibrant Miao attire. They stood in a large circle, surrounding a table in the center adorned with fruits and traditional food—it looked like part of a ritual.
Curious, Mu Fu leaned slightly toward Bian Jincheng and whispered with a half-stiff smile, “Are we… supposed to join in the ritual too?”
He lowered his voice to match hers. “Do you want to? If not, we can step out. Even if the crew brought us here, we’ve got some freedom outside of their planned schedule.”
Mu Fu glanced around at the lively crowd, her curiosity giving way to hesitation. She was genuinely interested in the Miao culture, but she didn’t want to risk offending anyone on such an important occasion. “Maybe we should just watch from the outside?”
Around the square, tourists had gathered—some had traveled there specifically for the festival, others had stumbled upon it by chance.
“Alright,” Bian Jincheng said easily, gently clearing a path ahead of her. It was crowded, and getting out took some effort. The crew quickly arranged for them to view the event from a better vantage point—less crowded but with a clear view of the festivities.
Soon, the ceremony for the Miao “New Rice Festival” began. An elder, likely a village leader, walked toward the ritual table, accompanied by a man and a woman.
As soon as he appeared, all chatter died down. He picked up a bowl from the table and began reciting something in a dialect Mu Fu couldn’t understand. After what felt like a solemn stretch of time, the elder finished his chant and poured the contents of the bowl onto the ground. Mu Fu guessed it might have been rice wine, but from this distance, it was hard to tell.
Right after the elder finished the ritual, it was like someone had flipped a switch—everyone in the circle burst into motion. People joined hands, dancing and singing as they moved in joyful circles around the offering table. The square came alive with energy—laughter, music, and voices filled the air.
Then, the celebration shifted to something new. Several people carried in large wooden stakes and mallets. Nearby, others added steamed glutinous rice into wooden mortars, and strong local men took turns pounding the rice with powerful swings.
Mu Fu and Bian Jincheng even joined in, giving it a try along with other tourists who were eager to experience it for themselves.
Thanks to everyone’s help, the sticky rice cakes—ciba—were ready in no time. Once done, they were handed out freely to everyone at the event. Bian Jincheng took the initiative to bring some over for Mu Fu.
“Here you go. This one’s sweet. But if you prefer savory, I can get that too,” he said, offering her a piece wrapped neatly in a banana leaf.
“Thanks! This is perfect—I love sweet things,” Mu Fu replied, taking the warm, fragrant treat. The ciba was soft and sticky with a hint of sweetness—delicious, but also a little too hot and a bit chewy. She ended up stuffing it into her mouth quickly just to avoid the mess.
After they finished eating, Mu Fu and Bian Jincheng strolled through the village, visiting some of the traditional stilt houses. They even stopped by a small shop and picked out a few silver ornaments and traditional Miao clothing as souvenirs. With their hearts full and hands full of memories, they eventually began the journey back.
……
Meanwhile, Wen Shu’s day went pretty well too—though, truth be told, it was more Bai Tingting who was having all the fun. She had chosen the river rafting activity—the one Mu Fu had originally considered doing.
The rafting spot was deep in the mountains, a natural wonder that locals had transformed into a scenic adventure destination. Bai Tingting had told Wen Shu about her plans in advance, so both of them came dressed for the occasion: lightweight, dark-colored clothes that wouldn’t turn transparent when wet, and they each brought a change of clothes for after the splashy ride.
Axolotl Translations 
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