Oh no, oh no—he totally saw me!

Without a second’s pause, Li Mo rushed straight home. Still in her street clothes, she locked herself in her bedroom and flopped face-down onto the bed, groaning. *I should’ve just come back for lunch. Why did I lose control at the sight of those street snacks?*

“Mo Mo? What’s wrong now?”

The door wasn’t locked. Her mom entered, worry etched on her face, and gently shook her daughter’s slumped shoulders.

“Nothing… just the most mortifying moment of my entire life so far…”

“???”

Her mom blinked in confusion, about to press for details when a knock sounded at the front door. Sighing, she went to answer it.

“Auntie!”

Tang Zhe stood at the threshold, grinning cheekily. Her mom’s face instantly brightened. After all, she’d watched him grow up—and he’d recently saved her daughter from trouble. His goodwill points were sky-high. “Ah, Zhe! It’s Saturday. No classes?”

“We had all-day rehearsal for the sports meet opening ceremony. My partner and I were sent out to buy supplies, so we got dismissed early…” Tang Zhe’s eyes darted past her into the hallway, scanning for Li Mo. “By the way, where’s Li Mo?”

“She’s in her room. I’ll call her out.”

Though she helped her daughter hide her secret… deep down, she hoped Li Mo would face herself. *More time with friends might help.* She turned to fetch her.

“No need! If he’s resting, I won’t disturb him. Just dropping off some stuff—and snacks.” Tang Zhe lifted a bulging plastic bag.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have! How much do I owe you?”

“No way! We’ve been brothers for years. Money ruins friendship.” He waved it off, then casually added, “He’s been home all day, right?”

“Well, she just—”

Caught off guard by his sudden shift, Wang Jiawen almost slipped. She caught herself mid-sentence: “She hasn’t left her room for days. Just came out for a meal earlier and went straight back in.”

“I see… Alright. I’ll visit him tomorrow then.”

Tang Zhe’s gaze flickered thoughtfully toward the shoes haphazardly kicked off near the entrance—*the exact pair he’d memorized on that snack-loving girl*. His grin widened as he bid goodbye and headed next door.

*Gotcha.*

The moment he closed Li Mo’s door behind him, Tang Zhe’s smile exploded into pure triumph.

He’d studied that foodie girl thoroughly earlier—*way* too thoroughly, if we’re honest. Those shoes? Unmistakable. Tossed carelessly by the door in a hurry. *Perfect timing. Taking a taxi back was genius.*

He hadn’t expected Auntie Wang’s weird hobby to still be alive and kicking. Or that Li Mo—*Li Mo!*—would still tolerate it as an adult.

Memories flooded back: Li Mo’s delicate features as a kid, Auntie Wang and his own mom gleefully dressing their “little princess” in frilly dresses every weekend. The first time he saw Li Mo in a dress, he hadn’t recognized him. When he did? He’d laughed nonstop for hours. Naturally, Li Mo punched him. Their fight that day remained the fiercest in their entire childhood—and he’d gotten a scolding from his own mom afterward.

But after making up, Tang Zhe grew used to it. The “tradition” even lasted into middle school before fading… probably going underground. *Poor guy. No wonder he’s got that soft, girlish aura now.*

Good thing Tang Zhe had patience. Now that he knew the truth, he wouldn’t snap like he did that morning over petty teasing. *I’ll apologize properly. Help him escape this mess. Get him acting like a guy again—maybe even find a girlfriend. That’s what a true bro does.*

*Man, I’m such a stand-up friend.*

…

…

“He’s gone. You can come out.”

After Tang Zhe left, her mom placed the snack bag on Li Mo’s desk. “His class got out early. He brought these for you. Speaking of which—you’ve got that piano performance today. I’m taking you to Grandpa’s this afternoon. You haven’t touched a piano in ages. Better practice, or you’ll embarrass yourself on stage.”

“…Don’t wanna go… Don’t wanna perform…”

Li Mo lay sprawled like a dead fish, voice muffled by her pillow. Her mom shook her head, then—without hesitation—tickled her socked feet.

“Ah! Stop! It tickles!”

Pathetic, but Li Mo was *extremely* ticklish. Two wiggling fingers sent her jolting upright like she’d been electrocuted. She scrambled to the corner, eyes wide and wary.

“Relax. Grandpa knows everything. He won’t scold you. It’s been so long since you visited him, your uncle, and your little cousin.”

“Uh—nope. Don’t believe you.”

Grandpa was stern—scary-stern, like her dad. She’d been on the receiving end of his icy disapproval too many times for forgotten manners or lazy piano practice. Trauma ran deep. Her uncle was kind, but that little cousin… raised on elite education, he always seemed to look down on his “good-for-nothing, always-goofing-around” older sister.

“Refusing, huh?”

This time, her mom didn’t indulge her. Li Mo’s attempt to dodge crumbled under that stern look. She shot up like a spring, stuffed the lollipops from her pocket into the snack bag, and shuffled obediently to the front door to change shoes.

*So pushy. Why force it?*

She muttered under her breath, careful not to be overheard. One complaint to Grandpa about her “bad manners,” and she’d never hear the end of it.

…Wait. The yogurt in the snack bag was gone.

*That Tang Zhe… Did he take it on purpose? Knowing I hate yogurt?*

*Typical. So full of himself.*

“Oh—Mom? When’s Dad coming back?”

Thinking of Grandpa reminded her: her “nomad” father hadn’t been home for months. No word. No clue what he thought about… everything.

“He’ll be back soon. Missing him?”

Her mom ruffled her hair. Li Mo dodged.

“Who’s missing him? I just wonder if he even remembers he has a family.”

“Say one more bad word about your dad, and I’ll tell Grandpa to skip your dinner tonight.”

“…Sorry.”

Badmouthing Dad to Mom? Rookie mistake.

Truth was, Li Mo just felt unsteady.

Her parents texted daily—she knew that.

But after her surgery… not one call from him.

Not a single thread of security.

Sometimes, she wondered: *Does he even want to see me anymore?*