After hearing Mu Yue Ran’s words, Yuchuge hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. She tilted her head back to look up at Mu Yue Ran. "It’ll cause trouble."
Life at Mu Yue Ran’s home was noisy, yet filled with a joy Yuchuge had never known. She hadn’t forgotten how carefully she’d lived—never stepping beyond this room’s door. If she could, she’d stay here forever.
Right beside Mu Yue Ran.
So watching the outside world through the TV was enough. Unlike in the House of Yu, no one chained her feet here.
The cage door stood open. This time, Yuchuge chose to stay inside.
As if reading her thoughts, Mu Yue Ran pinched Yuchuge’s cheeks, pouting. "I said I’m taking you, and that’s final!"
"Besides…" Her voice dropped, low and meaningful. "It’s time you saw the world beyond these walls."
Yuchuge didn’t grasp the weight behind those words. But Mu Yue Ran’s rare firmness left no room for refusal.
Mu Yue Ran packed spare clothes in minutes, stuffed them into a backpack, and dragged Yuchuge straight to the station.
At the high-speed rail terminal, she bought the next available tickets. They sat in the waiting hall, surrounded by crowds, cameras, and patrolling officers. Yuchuge’s face paled. She gripped Mu Yue Ran’s sleeve, unzipped the backpack, and tried to crawl inside.
"Huh? What are you doing?"
Mu Yue Ran caught her just in time. Buried in Mu Yue Ran’s chest, Yuchuge mumbled, "Don’t you need to put me in a bag?"
Mu Yue Ran chuckled, eyes softening with pity. She glanced at a nearby camera. "Relax. Today’s about fun."
"Your world shouldn’t be just that tiny room."
Yuchuge calmed slightly but stayed hidden, breathing in Mu Yue Ran’s faint, alluring scent.
Only when boarding did she stand, lacing her fingers tightly with Mu Yue Ran’s.
As they stepped onto the train, a camera atop the station flashed red—capturing their clasped hands, their clear faces. The image traveled swiftly upward, landing on a distant desk.
Unaware, Mu Yue Ran leaned against her seat, watching Yuchuge. The girl knelt on the cushion, pressed against the window. Ordinary landscapes flew past, but to her, they were breathtaking wonders.
Mu Yue Ran tugged Yuchuge’s plaid skirt down, covering a glimpse of bare thigh above her white knee-high socks. Then she stomped hard on a man’s foot—he’d been staring again. He hissed, yanking on headphones.
Jealous, Mu Yue Ran lifted Yuchuge onto her lap by the window. Yuchuge nestled in without protest. Mu Yue Ran rested her chin on the girl’s shoulder, playing with her small hands.
An hour passed like this. When the train stopped, Mu Yue Ran pulled Yuchuge straight to a taxi, racing toward the sea.
Salt-laced wind hit Yuchuge first. Moisture clung to her skin even before the beach. Her feet moved on their own—over the seawall, onto soft sand.
Mu Yue Ran followed, scanning the empty shore. Off-season chill kept tourists away. Only a few foragers combed the tide lines for sea treasures.
Yuchuge froze, staring at the endless ocean. Waves lapped at her ankles, staining her white socks and shoes with sand.
Bone-deep cold jolted her awake. She’d wandered into this vastness without realizing.
For the first time, she felt how small she was against the world’s immensity.
"What’s beyond the sea?" she whispered.
Mu Yue Ran, sitting on the sand behind her, almost quipped, "Enemies." But Yuchuge wouldn’t get the meme. Instead, she smiled. "Why not go see?"
"Now?" Yuchuge glanced at her short legs, measuring how far she could wade.
Mu Yue Ran lifted her high. "Like this—we’ll go farther!"
Yuchuge tilted her head midair. "We’ll drown."
"Pfft." Mu Yue Ran set her down. "You really know how to kill the mood." She pointed at distant ships. "Someday, we’ll sail on those. Cross straits. Visit places you’ve only seen on TV."
"You’ll leave your footprints everywhere."
Yuchuge’s fingers trembled on her skirt. Her voice shook. "But… but I—"
"No buts." Mu Yue Ran clasped her hand, gazing at the horizon. Light glowed in her eyes as she vowed, word by word: "You’ll be free. I promise."
"After all…" She squeezed Yuchuge’s hand. "That’s why I came."
