CH 119

After bidding farewell to Zhang Qiren, Chu Ge subconsciously thought that Moon Shadow would bring up the topic of Zhang Qiren.

However, she spoke in a different direction: “I will be staying in Nanjiang for a month, assisting the Nanjiang City Bureau with the Wang family’s case. It’s part of my internship assignment. During this time, I can find Sister Qiu and fulfill the promise I made to help her research shadow abilities.”

Chu Ge was stunned for a moment before sighing, “It’s no longer necessary. She was merely curious back then, and it’s not relevant to her anymore.”

Moon Shadow pursed her lips and said, “But I still feel indebted to you.”

“You really don’t need to keep that in mind. We’re neighbors.”

“Neighbors…” Moon Shadow hesitated for a moment and asked, “Has someone moved into my room?”

“Not yet. I saw the landlord putting up a ‘For Rent’ sign outside, and I guess it’s also listed on the local rental app, but so far, there haven’t been any prospective tenants.”

“That’s good.” Moon Shadow had a rare smile. “There are still some things I haven’t had a chance to move out, like my old computer…”

“Your salary must be higher now, right?”

“During the internship period, it’s not high.”

“Well… let’s go and move your things later. Qiu Wuji and I can lend a hand.” Chu Ge thought for a moment and suddenly asked, “Have you… met my parents? Are they doing well?”

Moon Shadow paused for a moment. “Who are your parents?”

“… Forget it.” Chu Ge scratched his head. “Let’s make a deal. When I return the items in the box to you, can I keep the box?”

Moon Shadow hesitated and said, “It seems like the box isn’t of much importance… but I still have to ask for permission.”

“Official matters can be so troublesome,” Chu Ge complained.

Moon Shadow didn’t reply, and Chu Ge didn’t continue the conversation.

Their conversation felt distant and casual. It seemed that there was little to talk about with Moon Shadow. They struggled to find smooth and natural topics, unlike the easy and casual chat with Lin Wuyang earlier. Perhaps it was because they were not familiar with each other, or maybe it was because Moon Shadow had a reserved personality that made it difficult to engage in playful banter.

Perhaps it was also because Chu Ge’s mind was filled with thoughts of Qiu Wuji. He found it awkward to have conversations with other girls. Besides, there was Zhang Qiren between them. Chu Ge couldn’t help but mention, “Zhang Qiren is leaving the country.”

Moon Shadow calmly replied, “If we want to catch him, I personally have evidence of his involvement in underground fighting and attempted murder. He won’t be able to escape.”

Chu Ge asked, “Then why don’t you arrest him?”

Moon Shadow finally looked at him and said seriously, “You and Sister Qiu saved me. If he were caught because of that, he might hold a grudge against you. For me, it would be betraying my benefactors.”

Chu Ge fell silent.

Moon Shadow turned and walked away, saying, “He won’t stop doing bad things… One day, he will have other matters that fall into my hands.”

…………

Chu Ge silently rode his electric bike back home. Although Moon Shadow also lived in the same neighborhood, he didn’t offer to accompany her, nor did she ask him to. In a moment of distraction, she had disappeared into the shadows.

Originally, Chu Ge was in a good mood after earning a hundred thousand yuan and hearing the news of Lin Wuyang’s possible promotion. However, at this moment, he inexplicably became somewhat dull.

Nothing had actually happened, and Zhang Qiren leaving the country wasn’t a bad thing either. Chu Ge didn’t feel that Moon Shadow and Zhang Qiren needed to reconcile, and in the matter between them both, Chu Ge sided with Moon Shadow. Everything was in line with common sense, but for some reason, his mood felt a bit gloomy.

Perhaps it was a case of being too sentimental, but Chu Ge couldn’t figure it out himself. Maybe it was because people only liked to see beautiful stories, and that was it.

Suddenly, a graceful figure appeared before him.

Qiu Wuji was carrying a basket of vegetables, swaying as she made her way home. As if sensing something, when Chu Ge’s electric bike appeared at the street corner, she turned her head and revealed a delighted smile as if to say, “What a coincidence!”

Chu Ge’s mood instantly became boundless, as if the autumn water had filled his heart, sweeping away all the haze.

“So Zhang Qiren is leaving the country? I see, no wonder you looked so contemplative,” Back at home, Qiu Wuji sat on the sofa, resting her chin on her hand, listening to Chu Ge tell stories. With one hand, she pulled various fruits out of the basket, magically arranging them on the table.

Chu Ge was puzzled. “Why suddenly decide to buy fruits? I’ve never seen you think about that before.”

“Didn’t I buy durian for you before?”

“Are you sure that was solely for the purpose of eating fruits?”

“Hmph,” Qiu Wuji said. “In the past, I thought that as long as I had food when hungry and drinks when thirsty, I didn’t really need fruits. I considered them just snacks and didn’t make a special effort to buy them. But today, Meng Meng explained the benefits of various fruits to me, so I went and bought some.”

Chu Ge chuckled. “Was she shocked by finding out that you hardly eat fruits but still have such good skin?”

“I told her that I’ve eaten more fruits than she has eaten meals,” Qiu Wuji stubbornly defended herself. “But it seems like she misunderstood and thought that my skin is all thanks to eating fruits…”

Chu Ge burst into laughter.

Qiu Wuji grumbled as she peeled an apple and casually asked about the previous topic, “How many countries are there in the world? I haven’t checked.”

Chu Ge replied, “There are over two hundred, I think, but I don’t remember the exact number.”

“Over two hundred?” Qiu Wuji’s eyes widened. “The world you wrote in your book is bigger than this, right? And you wrote about nine countries?”

Chu Ge covered his face. “This is what happens when you’re a struggling writer. How many countries did you consider when you were creating stories?”

Qiu Wuji dropped the fruit knife and also covered her face. “Two, and they were at war with each other.”

The two people peeked at each other through the gaps between their fingers and burst into laughter.

Qiu Wuji said, “Alright, Master, you write very well already.”

Chu Ge added, “When Master’s reputation shakes the world, a few countries are nothing.”

Both of them simultaneously put down their hands covering their faces, standing tall and proud.

Qiu Wuji continued peeling the apple.

Chu Ge cleared his throat. “Having over two hundred countries in the world doesn’t mean much. For me and most people, there are only two: China and foreign countries.”

Qiu Wuji asked, “Everyone is enemies except me?”

“It’s almost like that, although not so exaggerated. We still have allies…”

“What about the place Zhang Qiren went to?”

“He went to the former blood enemy. By the way, in the drama you watched, they were the enemies. But now they’ve established diplomatic relations, and there’s been quite a bit of exchange.”

Qiu Wuji actually understood the matters between countries quite well. She nodded slightly and smirked, “So those are them in the TV dramas. If I had been there at that time…”

Chu Ge turned his head to look at her and suddenly said, “Hey, do you consider yourself a citizen of this country?”

Qiu Wuji paused for a moment, then asked him with a strange look, “Why wouldn’t I be a citizen of this country? Do you want to see my ID card and household registration book?”

Chu Ge said, “Emmmm…”

“Even if we consider the world you created in your book, you are a citizen of this country. The world you built is based on the culture, beliefs, and mythology of this country. It naturally belongs to the civilization of this country,” Qiu Wuji said. “I’ve seen some TV series where people look different from us, but that’s fine.”

“I remember you once wanted to go to war-torn places abroad.”

“That was for survival, not because I was genuinely interested,” Qiu Wuji rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment, then said, “Although there is some interest, after all, it’s a part of understanding the world, getting to know different customs… When can we really go abroad?”

“For now, that’s not possible. At least wait until I finish my book. By then, I’ll be more relaxed, and the pandemic will likely be better… And I’ll also have some money at hand. We can travel the world together.”

Qiu Wuji extended her finger and said, “It’s a deal.”

Looking at her youthful and delicate finger, Chu Ge hesitated and didn’t hook his finger with hers.

Qiu Wuji asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

“I feel like this is just a flag, like empty promises. We don’t need to make plans, we’ll go when we feel like it. Why bother making a formal agreement?”

“Haha…” Qiu Wuji laughed and bent over, “You are superstitious about breaking superstitions.”

Chu Ge remained silent for a moment and whispered, “I’m not superstitious… I just care too much about you.”

Qiu Wuji’s laughter stopped abruptly. She looked at Chu Ge for a while, then suddenly stuffed the apple she was holding into his mouth. “Eat the fruit and don’t overthink.”