Mu Fu’s eyes sparkled. “That’s a great idea!”
She had always loved pink—such a romantic color.
In the end, her panda turned out to be a mix of soft pink and baby blue.
Yu Mo’s bunny wasn’t far behind—equally adorable, entirely pink.
They both held up their painted figurines, exchanged a smile, and laughed softly.
Neither of them said it aloud, but they knew: these little gifts would be treasured.
By the time they finished wandering through the market stalls, it was already close to noon.
“Wanna come over to my place for a bit?” Yu Mo asked, his gaze warm and steady. “I’ll cook lunch.”
Mu Fu hesitated for a second. “Do you even have any groceries left?”
A fair question—after all, they’d been living at the villa for nearly six days. And with no one else at his place, the fridge was probably empty.
“I ran out before we left,” Yu Mo admitted. “But there’s a supermarket near my apartment. We can stop by and grab a few things.”
Mu Fu nodded. “Alright.”
Yu Mo glanced at her and smiled. His invitation hadn’t been casual—it was a clear signal. And she got it. But she still said yes.
Once they agreed, they headed back to the villa. Since they had only walked around the neighborhood earlier, they hadn’t brought the car. Now, they got into Yu Mo’s.
“Do you need to go in and grab anything first?” he asked.
Mu Fu thought about it. “Nope. Let’s go.”
Inside the car.
“Do you live alone now?” Mu Fu asked.
“Yeah. Moved out after college,” Yu Mo replied.
Mu Fu turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. “Your parents were okay with that?”
Coming from a difficult home herself, she didn’t assume others had the same kind of upbringing.
“They were more eager for me to move in with a girlfriend,” Yu Mo said with a straight face—but his eyes flicked sideways to glance meaningfully at her.
Mu Fu tried to keep a straight face, pretending she didn’t catch the implication in his words. But the flush spreading across her cheeks gave her away.
Yu Mo watched her fair face turn pink.
“And you?” he asked. “Still living with your family?”
When Yu Mo mentioned her family, a complicated expression flickered across Mu Fu’s face. The pink blush on her cheeks slowly faded.
“I moved out during college too,” she said, her voice cool and distant—completely lacking any trace of warmth or fondness when talking about her family.
Yu Mo noticed the sudden shift in her mood and guessed things weren’t great between her and her family. Considerate as always, he gently changed the subject.
“Living alone has its perks. Do you like pets? I used to think about getting one. You know, staying home alone all day gets a bit boring… especially without a girlfriend around. Having some cute pets to keep me company didn’t seem like a bad idea.”
Of course, that was a total lie.
Yu Mo actually loved the peace and freedom of living alone. But he’d read somewhere that girls liked soft, cuddly animals, and if she liked pets, he had no problem playing the part—and even raising a few to make her happy.
Mu Fu’s bright eyes lit up. “What kind? Cats or dogs? I like them too, but… they’re a lot of work. I’m not really the best at taking care of them.”
Yu Mo smiled. “That’s the opposite of me—I actually enjoy taking care of others. Same with pets. I just haven’t met the right one yet. Got any suggestions?”
And that “right one” wasn’t just about pets.
Mu Fu blinked, eyes glimmering with a hint of mischief.
“I think border collies are great. They’re smart and intuitive. And they can guard the house, too. Since you spend so much time in your study, walking a dog would be perfect—exercise for both of you.”
The more she talked, the more she felt like a border collie would suit Yu Mo perfectly.
Yu Mo’s lips curved into a soft smile as he watched her enthusiastically explain the perks. She always remembered his health condition and genuinely cared for him. That warmed his heart.
“Alright, border collie it is. Will you come with me to pick one out at the pet store?”
“Of course! I’m free. Just make sure you tell me when you go.”
Yu Mo nodded, as if locking in the promise.
Just the thought of playing with a fluffy border collie put Mu Fu in an excellent mood. She’d been wanting one for ages, but never followed through. Now that someone else would handle all the responsibility and she’d only have to cuddle it—how could she not be thrilled?
Soon, Yu Mo pulled into the underground parking lot of a large shopping mall.
“This mall’s close to my place,” he explained. “There’s a big supermarket upstairs—I shop here a lot.”
Mu Fu nodded in understanding.
As they passed through the supermarket entrance, Yu Mo reached for a shopping cart.
Yu Mo glanced down at the clean shopping cart, then turned to Mu Fu and asked, “Wanna hop in?”
Mu Fu blinked in surprise. “Huh?” She wasn’t sure what he meant at first.
Yu Mo repeated, “A lot of girls like it when their boyfriend pushes them around in the cart. Want to try?”
Her cheeks turned a bright pink. She quickly waved her hands, mumbling, “No, no, I don’t like that.”
Even though she’d said no, there was a flicker of disappointment in her heart. Truthfully, she did want Yu Mo to push her in the cart—but not with all these people watching. She just couldn’t let go like that in public.
Yu Mo, towering at six feet tall, looked down at her. His gaze locked onto her glistening eyes, as though it could see right through her.
Mu Fu instinctively looked away.
“This vegetable—do you like it?” Yu Mo casually shifted the topic, glancing toward the produce shelf.
Mu Fu followed his line of sight and realized he was pointing at lettuce—the very one she had eaten the most of the night before.
Her heart skipped a beat and warmed.
“Yeah, I like it,” she said softly.
Yu Mo tossed one into the cart. Then, thinking one wasn’t enough, he added a second.
“Let’s keep going,” he said.
“Okay.”
Her misty eyes curved into a crescent smile. As she stepped forward, her fingers slid into Yu Mo’s hand. The moment they touched, his large hand closed around hers, holding her tightly.
From that point on, Yu Mo consulted her on everything he picked out—whether it was fruit, meat, or snacks. If she liked it, he added it. If not, he put it back.
By the time they finished, they’d spent nearly an hour shopping.
They hadn’t actually bought much fresh food—just a few vegetables and meats since they’d be staying at the villa for another week and didn’t want anything to go to waste. Most of the cart was filled with Mu Fu’s favorite snacks and fruits. She figured they’d bring the leftovers back when they returned to the villa.
“Let’s go,” Yu Mo said, loading the bags into the trunk.
“Mm-hmm,” Mu Fu nodded, quickly hopping into the passenger seat.
Yu Mo’s apartment complex was high-end. When they arrived at the entrance, Mu Fu had to register her information at the security gate.
Yu Mo’s dark eyes glimmered. “Next time, you won’t need to register.”
Mu Fu’s eyes widened slightly. “Really? I won’t?”
Yu Mo smiled. “No need. I’ll give you a card next time—you just swipe it to come in. And I’ve already told you the door code, right?”
He gestured for Mu Fu to step forward, then typed in a six-digit code in front of her.
“Got it memorized?”
Mu Fu glanced at the screen. “Yeah, I think so. Does 021658 mean something special?”
“Hm? Now that you mention it… not really. Hold on.” He immediately started changing it.
The hallway was bathed in soft yellow light. The warm glow cast delicate shadows on Yu Mo’s fair side profile. Perched on the bridge of his nose were the black-rimmed glasses he’d worn on their first date. Beneath the lenses, his deep, unreadable gaze quietly followed the digital panel on the smart lock.
After a few taps, Yu Mo suddenly turned to her. “Which hand do you usually use to unlock things?”
Mu Fu blinked, a little confused. “My right index finger… why?”
Instead of answering, Yu Mo gently took her right hand and pressed her index finger to the fingerprint scanner.
And in that moment, she realized what he was doing.
Honestly? That little gesture totally got to her.
It was her first time at his place, and he was already adding her fingerprint to the lock system. On top of that, he’d shared the passcode without hesitation—completely unguarded, like he wasn’t the least bit worried she might just show up uninvited one day.
It gave her a sense of security… a deep one, rooted in the tiniest of details.
“I changed the code,” he said, voice soft. “It’s 360826 now.”
Mu Fu turned toward him, eyes puzzled. “Does that one have a special meaning?”
Yu Mo’s dark eyes met hers. “Yeah. It’s the day we first met.”
Mu Fu pressed her lips together in a soft smile, her brows arching like little crescent moons. She was genuinely happy.
Truth be told, she hadn’t recognized the date at all when he first said it. Their first meeting wasn’t something she had ever intentionally memorized. For someone as relaxed as her, only anniversaries and birthdays felt worth the effort.
But realizing that she mattered this much to someone—that she’d become a special presence in his life—was a feeling both strange and sweet. And… dangerous.
She wanted to eat him alive.
Without warning, she threw herself into his arms, wrapping both arms tightly around his back.
Her cheek rested against his chest. The thin fabric between them couldn’t block out the warmth radiating from his skin, making her face flush hotly. She could even feel the firmness of his muscles beneath.
Yu Mo felt her soft breath brushing rhythmically against his shirt. Even through the cloth, the faint moist warmth of her exhale teased his skin.
Thankfully, the bags had already been set on the floor.
He wrapped his arms around her waist in return—soft, slim, so delicate he could circle it with one hand. No wonder ancient poets wrote about willow waists. He finally got it.
Mu Fu murmured against his chest, “I didn’t even remember that day.”
Yu Mo stroked her hair gently. “You don’t have to. I’ll remember it for both of us.”
“You’re so good to me, A-Mo…”
Axolotl Translations 
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