Chapter 222

Qi Shaobai had been busy with wedding matters recently. On top of that, he was having a good time dating a certain black dog after getting married, and was a bit slow to realize Sheng Mumu had changed.

It was one weekend when Qi Shaobai suddenly suggested reducing his pocket money over dinner that Sheng Mumu first caught a whiff of something strange.

No, something's not right!

What's up with this kid?

Whose family's good child would complain about too much pocket money?

Sheng Mumu: "Young Qi, after receiving education from an institute of higher learning, your whole mindset has been sublimated, huh?"

Qi Shaobai was rendered speechless, feeling ashamed. "Uh... aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

After all, he still couldn't completely support himself yet.

However, he already had a plan to write software programs while completing his studies, following in his dad's footsteps.

Even if it would be very difficult to earn a fortune like his dad's first bucket of gold, he should at least be able to cover his personal expenses.

He remembered what Sheng Mumu had told him before - "If you make a promise, you have to keep it. If you can't do it or sense you won't be able to, you shouldn't have made the commitment in the first place."

You have to make plans when doing things and not make rash promises on the spur of the moment.

So a week ago, he had discussed ideas about starting a software business with a male classmate he was on good terms with.

They were both tech-heads who had tested into the software engineering department with high scores. They quickly reached an agreement to cooperate.

They could program and logicize, but were lacking when it came to socializing, communicating and organizing market demand.

It just so happened that when his good buddy Wei Zhaonan got wind of this, he thumped his chest and boasted shamelessly, "I'm good at that! You guys just focus on the tech stuff and leave the social stuff to me, won't that work?"

After thinking silently for a while, Qi Shaobai replied, "Mm, cooperating with you, dad's assured."

Wei Zhaonan: "..."

And so, the fledgling entrepreneurial team took initial shape.

Qi Shaobai set a goal for himself to be self-sufficient in one year. Before that, he would only ask his family for basic living expenses.

Of course, this idea didn't just pop up all of a sudden.

One morning a week ago, the first class was an elective lecture that mixed students across departments.

As an elective with very few credits, teachers were relatively lax in their management.

After lazily eating breakfast, Qi Shaobai strolled in late to the classroom and sat in the last row, preparing to nap.

Just as he closed his eyes, the chatting from the girls in the front row floated to the back.

He inadvertently heard a few disjointed sentences.

-- "Hey, did you hear? The beauty of our grade, Chi Xia, is working part-time at the cafe by the school gate. Her family situation isn't good?" She doesn't look like it though."

-- "No, no. I have a friend who's close with her dormmates. She sometimes goes over to hang out and got to know them quite well. Chi Xia not only comes from a well-off family, she's also especially good."

-- "Oh? Then why..."

-- "I heard it's almost Mid-Autumn Festival. She wants to earn some money during her spare time to buy her parents gifts as a surprise."

-- "Wow, she's so thoughtful!"

Qi Shaobai, sprawled on the table trying to sleep, suddenly stiffened.

Lifting his head, his eyes took on a somewhat dazed and astonished look.

He didn't expect the outwardly cheerful and laughing beauty with no sense of direction would secretly work part-time jobs to surprise her parents. Qi Shaobai found it hard not to see himself in her.

Not only did he not have the ability to earn money, his spending was very high.

He lowered his head, wanting to continue napping, but somehow couldn't fall asleep.

Of course Sheng Mumu didn't know all the complex reasons behind Qi Shaobai voluntarily suggesting to reduce his allowance.

She only fixed Qi Shaobai with a long, searching look.

Seeing the frankness and sincerity in his eyes with some kind of indescribable momentum, she no longer pursued asking for his reasons and consented to his decision.

"Ok, approved."

"Thanks...for bestowing favor."

If "voluntarily reducing allowance" could just be described as "the child has grown up and has his own opinions," then another matter three months later completely led Sheng Mumu to think in a different direction.

At the time, Sheng Mumu and Qi Mo had returned from their honeymoon.

After playing abroad for many months, Sheng Mumu was desperate to indulge her love of the traditional Chinese joy of mahjong. She hurriedly called Su Tingran, Mrs. Sun and Mrs. Qian over to her house to play mahjong.

Several months prior, Zhang Housekeeper had opened up a comfortable area in the side parlor designated as a game room specifically for receiving madame's lady friends.

Sir would always "just so happen" to be very busy with work company matters whenever the lady's friends came over.

Zhang Housekeeper smiled silently.

With just a bit of thinking, anyone could guess sir definitely worried hosting a gathering with ladies would make the female guests ill at ease to chat freely in the presence of a man of the house.

Recently, sir had been utterly doting on madame, sometimes to the point that even an old hand like himself couldn't help feeling a bit uncomfortable witnessing their honeymoon phase.

It was an ordinary Thursday evening.

The four women chatted and played mahjong, having a wonderful time.

Just when Sheng Mumu was gleefully collecting money from a self-drawn hand of the Clear One Suit mahjong combination, noise came from the front door.

Following the sound, Qi Shaobai, who should have been at his university that day, appeared at the edge of her sight.

Sheng Mumu: "???"

Hearing the mahjong tiles colliding, Qi Shaobai also looked over at Sheng Mumu.

Qi Shaobai nodded deferentially at Su Tingran along with Mrs. Sun and Mrs. Qian to politely greet them, exchanging a few pleasantries before returning to his room. Not long after, he took a call and rushed out again, telling Sheng Mumu he had something to take care of outside.

Sheng Mumu was just about to call for him to be careful, but Qi Shaobai had already taken quick strides out the door, his figure out of sight.

The mahjong game ended.

Sheng Mumu did not return to her room, waiting instead in the living room.

She held her phone, wavering over and over on what to do.

On one hand, she felt Qi Shaobai was already 18 and an adult.

If she called to grill him about where he had gone and what he was up to in the middle of the night, wouldn't that seem like she wasn't giving him personal space?

On the other hand, she also felt given how unusual Qi Shaobai was acting today, not asking would feel amiss.

Just as she opened her contacts with her finger hovering over the name "Kiddo", the door opened.

Qi Shaobai was back.

Sheng Mumu felt relieved.

But before she could even feel at ease for a few seconds, upon seeing Qi Shaobai had several scrapes on his face that weren't there when he left the house, she immediately became apprehensive again.

She raised her voice, "How did you get hurt? Did you get into a fight?"

Qi Shaobai turned his head away, zipping up his hoodie, wanting to cover himself.

"No fighting. I accidentally fell."

"Come off it. Tell me the truth. Your dad isn't home right now. Old rule, I'll keep your secret." "I'm not lying, I really only took a spill."

Sheng Mumu couldn't quite believe it and inspected Qi Shaobai's face over and over to confirm his injuries were only superficial scrapes without any marks of an altercation before finally being able to relax.

Being so harried made Sheng Mumu forget to ask why Qi Shaobai had suddenly returned home on a Thursday.

It was only half an hour later, as she was helping Qi Shaobai dab iodine on his wounds, she reflected on how he had kept his left hand in his pocket the whole time.

The more she thought about it, the more peculiar she found it.

Something's very suspect!

She hurried downstairs in slippers, knocking on Qi Shaobai's room door.

After a while, the door opened.

Qi Shaobai stood inside, oddly decked out in long sleeves and pants loungewear, out of character. At this sight, Sheng Mumu had "nice try, do I look that stupid" practically written on her face.

It needed to be known that even with the heavy snow last year in Shen City, the brat wandered around the villa in t-shirts, not afraid of the cold.

Sheng Mumu quirked her brow, not wasting a beat in pulling him over by his left hand and yanking his sleeve up.

Caught by surprise, Qi Shaobai gaped, flustered.

When Sheng Mumu saw Qi Shaobai's left wrist, she blanked. "......"

The air was frozen, both parties at a loss for words.

Qi Shaobai didn't know how to explain.

As for Sheng Mumu, she was completely dumbfounded.

After a long while, she slowly lifted her head, expression extremely complicated: "????"

It was as if saying: What nonsense is this? Is this what you were trying to hide?

Qi Shaobai awkwardly averted his gaze, the corners of his mouth faintly curving upwards imperceptibly.

Whether it was chagrin at getting his secret exposed or more like... bashfulness?

As it turned out, what he had kept tucked in his pocket not wanting her to spot, was a very conspicuous orange fawn pattern bandage wrapped around his left wrist.

Sheng Mumu didn't pry further but she was very clear in her heart.

Even if the King of Hell came, there was no way this cartoon bandage suited Qi Shaobai's outward image and temperament.

The fact that Qi Shaobai allowed something that clashed with his looks to be pasted on him and even deliberately tried to hide it, could only mean one thing.

The person who put it on him was very special.

Time jump to a few hours later—

Middle of the night.

Sheng Mumu suddenly opened her eyes, extremely alert.

Her hands carefully stretched out from above the quilt, clapping silently in the air.

Ah ah ah, so excited that I can't sleep. I accidentally caught a glimpse of the budding of young love ah ah ah.

I kinda want to eat candy, is this normal?

Perhaps sensing that the woman in his arms was restless in her sleep, the man circling her waist with his arm tightened his grip.

Without opening his eyes, Qi Mo moved closer, his voice low and hoarse as he familiarly called out to her.

"Wife...can't sleep?"

As if talking in his dreams.

But Sheng Mumu knew clearly that this was not just dream talk, because the big hand around her waist had already started roaming restlessly.

She pressed a palm against the man's forehead and gave him a push.

"Sleeping, don't bother me."

No one could disturb her sugar high.