She wasn’t in a great mood—and part of it was because Rong Yongxin had changed his vote. While it made her a little sad, she figured that after she had gone out of her way to pursue Xu Kangning, Brother Yongxin had every right to send his message to someone else.
Still, if she hadn’t gone on a date with another guy, and Rong Yongxin had sent that message to another girl anyway, she definitely wouldn’t have let it slide.
If she played the game, then others could, too—but only after she made the first move.
Next to her, Wu Qingyi looked a bit dazed. She hadn’t expected that after being turned down by her ex, Yu Mo, she’d actually get a heartbeat message from another male contestant.
A mix of bitterness and warmth filled her chest.
Just seeing those words—”heartbeat”—stirred something inside her. It meant maybe she wasn’t the problem after all. Maybe Yu Mo hadn’t liked her simply because they weren’t meant to be—not because she wasn’t good enough.
She’d always known that, deep down. But after the disappointment of trying (and failing) to connect with anyone else, her thoughts naturally went back to her first love, Yu Mo.
She just couldn’t forget him.
Begging him to take her back yesterday—it wasn’t only because she missed him. It was also a stubborn refusal to give up. A last-ditch effort, really.
And the outcome? Far from what she’d hoped.
Seeing Yu Mo push her away to go comfort another woman—that shattered her.
This new message felt like a tiny spark. A flicker of warmth in the cold. And based on how gentle and thoughtful the words were, she guessed it must have come from the quiet, reserved Ding Binbing.
She had been a little curious about him before. But after seeing that he had eyes for someone else, she’d dismissed the idea.
But now…
Wu Qingyi gently bit her lower lip, staring at the message on her phone. A question flickered through her mind: Could he be someone who might warm her heart?
……
The next morning.
Yu Mo knew Mu Fu’s habits well, so when he woke up, he didn’t disturb her. Instead, he quietly made her breakfast and left it on the dining table with a little note that read: “Mu Fu’s only–don’t touch.”
This way, no one else would accidentally eat it.
Later, when Mu Fu woke up and went looking for something to eat, she naturally noticed what Yu Mo had done. Her eyes curved into a soft, crescent smile.
She remembered the promise they made the night before, so once she got ready, she went to find him.
Just as Yu Mo came out, he saw Mu Fu standing there, already dressed and ready to go.
“You’re all set?” he asked.
Mu Fu nodded. “And I already had breakfast.”
“What’d you eat?” Yu Mo leaned in slightly, his eyes lingering on her face.
Mu Fu’s gaze darted. She immediately knew why he was asking—but suddenly, she felt like teasing him a little.
“I boiled some dumplings.”
Yu Mo’s brows crinkled a bit. “Didn’t you see anything else on the table?”
“Nope.”
He frowned deeper.
Mu Fu gave him a bright, playful smile. “Of course I didn’t—because I already ate everything that was on the table!” Her voice was light and teasing, the kind that made it impossible to stay mad at her even when she was being cheeky.
Yu Mo’s lips curved up faintly. But the next second, he asked, “Was it not enough?”
Mu Fu waved her hands quickly. “No, no—it was perfect! I was just kidding. I was full after eating what you made. I didn’t cook the dumplings.”
Not only was it enough, there was even some left over.
Maybe it was just old habits, but Mu Fu’s appetite had always been smaller than most people her size. Even if she wanted to eat more, her body simply couldn’t handle it.
Outside, the sunlight was just right. Yu Mo wore a crisp white shirt today, and with the sun hitting him just so, his fair skin seemed to glow, wrapped in a soft halo of light.
Mu Fu tilted her head, smiling as she looked at him.
Yu Mo caught her gaze and looked down at her. “What’s wrong?”
The way she stared at him made him a little self-conscious. His fingers twitched in his pockets, debating whether something was off on his face. But with Mu Fu right in front of him, he stopped himself from touching his cheek.
Mu Fu said nothing—just smiled.
No way she was going to admit she’d just been momentarily stunned by how good-looking he was. That would only feed his ego, and she wasn’t about to let that happen.
Today, Mu Fu wore a light beige short-sleeved dress with a round neckline. Her hair was styled in two neat braids, and she’d woven a small floral ribbon through them, giving her a playful, youthful charm.
She didn’t really put on makeup today—just a swipe of soft pink lip gloss that made her lips look like shiny jelly. Sweet, soft, and almost bite-worthy.
Yu Mo found it impossible to resist.
Even without makeup, Mu Fu had that effortless kind of beauty. And with that girlish outfit, she looked like the perfect mix of innocence and allure.
Yu Mo was drawn to her. Her big, expressive eyes had him captivated, and before he knew it, his hand was reaching out to gently brush over them.
As his hand approached, Mu Fu instinctively shut her eyes. It was bright out, so even with her eyes closed, all she could see was red—but the moment his fingers touched her lids, the world turned to black.
His touch was incredibly light, almost respectful. It felt like he was afraid to disturb her.
Eyelelids were delicate, and even the softest touch sent a ripple through her whole body. Mu Fu could feel how different it was—how special—that little spot was.
She whispered, her voice trembling slightly, “W-what are you doing?”
Her long lashes trembled, fluttering like delicate butterflies in flight—landing squarely on Yu Mo’s heart, stirring up his emotions.
His fingers slowly drifted down from her eyelids, coming to rest on those fluttering lashes. They brushed against his skin like tiny fans, soft and feathery.
Yu Mo didn’t say a word—afraid that anything he said might give away what he was feeling.
Mu Fu, with her eyes still closed, couldn’t see his expression.
But she could feel her eyes getting itchy, and when his hand came close, she caught a faint, familiar scent. She suddenly remembered—she never asked what cologne Yu Mo wore.
“What fragrance do you use? Smells pretty nice.”
Yu Mo pulled his hand back. “It’s from UNT—a men’s line they have.”
His tone was casual; he clearly wasn’t all that interested in the topic.
Ever since he’d learned that Mu Fu’s scent wasn’t perfume, but her natural body fragrance, all the colognes he used to like had lost their appeal. Honestly, he wouldn’t have worn any today if he hadn’t wanted to set the mood.
What he really wanted… was a scent like hers.
Mu Fu opened her eyes. “Oh, I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never used anything from that brand.”
She added, “So, where are we going later?”
It wasn’t a filming day, so the production team hadn’t arranged any camera crew to follow them.
They were free to go wherever they liked.
Yu Mo thought for a moment. “There’s a park nearby. Let’s go walk around there.”
“Sure,” she agreed.
The park wasn’t far—barely a kilometer away.
By the time they arrived, it was already bustling with people.
Mu Fu looked around and couldn’t help but think: People who live in this villa district must really be well-off… It’s Monday, and they don’t even have to work.
Inside the park was a wide plaza, and many vendors had set up small stalls to take advantage of the crowd.
As they strolled along, Mu Fu noticed that many booths were selling seashells and little trinkets. Maybe because they were so close to the sea, the shells were easy to gather?
Some of the shells were surprisingly beautiful. Mu Fu couldn’t resist—she bought quite a few. Even just looking at them was satisfying.
Two particular shells caught her eye—they looked like they’d been part of the same shell split in half, though in reality, they were two separate creatures.
She couldn’t help but ask the vendor to turn them into bracelets. The shells were drilled and strung together on red cords, simple yet charming.
“A-Mo, let’s each wear one,” Mu Fu said sweetly, holding out her wrist—pale and glowing under the sun. “Help me put it on.”
“Alright.”
Yu Mo placed the shopping bag on the ground and bent forward, carefully picking up the bracelet to put it on her. His expression turned serious, his movements precise, like this small gesture meant the world to him—like it carried some deep, sacred meaning.
And in a way, it did.
The two seashell bracelets, when placed side by side, looked like halves of one complete shell. Worn by two people, they were like matching promise rings. Anyone with eyes could tell: they were a couple deeply in love.
For a fleeting moment, Yu Mo felt like he was slipping an engagement ring onto her finger.
It felt surreal.
Behind the lenses of his glasses, his dark eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with restrained longing.
He silently vowed that one day, he’d turn that fantasy into reality.
Mu Fu then helped Yu Mo put on his bracelet, her fingers gentle and precise.
She brought her hand close to his so their wrists touched, the shells nestled side by side—like they were connected by an invisible red thread.
“A-Mo, doesn’t this feel like one of those red strings tied to the marriage trees at the Temple of the Matchmaker?” she giggled softly. “Looks like we’re tied together now.”
Her voice was light and teasing, but tender enough to tug at the heart.
Yu Mo’s gaze darkened, his heart echoing her words.
“It does. So… A-Fu, you can’t lose it.”
Mu Fu wrinkled her nose and gave a soft little hum, saying nothing—but her fingers stroked the bracelet lightly, lovingly.
Yu Mo couldn’t stop the grin that curved his lips. He turned his head to the side to hide it, then suddenly reached out and gently took her hand.
Mu Fu looked up at him, raising their linked hands slightly in curiosity.
“With me around, you’ll never lose it.”
Something in her chest melted at that. She tightened her fingers around his in reply.
“Let’s go,” she said. “There’s a crowd over there. I want to see what it is.”
They walked over and realized it was a semi-DIY craft stall. The shop provided blank white figurines, and customers could paint them however they liked—a common setup in lively squares like this.
Mu Fu’s eyes lit up. She quickly sat down and smiled. “I want to try this!”
“Mm, you pick,” Yu Mo said, looking at Mu Fu with that soft, indulgent gaze.
“I want this chubby little panda! Look how cute it is—munching on bamboo.” She grinned. “Once I’m done, I’ll give it to you. What about you, A-Mo? Want to paint one too?”
Even though she asked, her eyes gave her away—full of anticipation and a silent plea. She clearly wanted him to join in, clearly hoped he’d gift her a painted figurine of his own.
Yu Mo sat down beside her. His gaze swept over the blank sculptures, then landed on one with long, floppy ears—a white bunny.
“This one,” he said, placing it in front of him. “It looks like someone I know.”
Mu Fu blinked at him, pretending to be innocent, acting like she didn’t know who he meant.
When the shop owner brought over the paints, they both started painting.
Yu Mo sat with his back straight, his calm and composed look making him seem even more refined. His glasses, paired with his crisp white shirt, added a hint of quiet allure. He looked like the kind of brilliant, quiet heartthrob every girl had a crush on in college.
A few girls nearby kept stealing glances at him—some even sneaking photos with their phones.
Mu Fu felt a tiny pang of jealousy.
She scooted her stool a little closer to him and asked casually, “What do you think—should I use a different color for the ears? I don’t want to go with black again.”
“Pink?” Yu Mo suggested.
Axolotl Translations 
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