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Chapter 150

One day, Shen Youlin had a new telescope installed in Shen Youfei's courtyard. He stood with his hands on his hips, beaming with pride, and declared, "Tonight, I'll show you the stars Yu Shu and I bought!"

Jiang Han scoffed, "Your stars? You think they'll listen if you call them?"

Shen Youlin raised his chin defiantly. "I don't know if they'll listen when I call, but I can decide what to name them!"

The two bickered as usual, while Yu Shu sat on the doorstep, munching on seeds and enjoying the show. Unless prompted, she rarely spoke.

Shen Youfei approached, frowning at their quarrel. Looking at the well-behaved Yu Shu, she thought, "Without contrast, there would be no harm."

Shen Youfei affectionately ruffled Yu Shu's hair. Yu Shu looked up, smiling obediently, and invited her to sit beside her on the doorstep, generously sharing some seeds.

"Walnut flavor, they're delicious," Yu Shu said expectantly.

Shen Youfei picked up a seed, cracking it with her teeth. The rich walnut aroma and seed flavor spread through her mouth.

She wondered what changes the world below had seen since these walnut-flavored seeds became available.

That night, Shen Youlin pointed out the stars one by one: "This one is called 'Lin Shu', and that smaller one next to it is 'Shu Lin'. That particularly bright one is called 'Yu Shu and Shen Youlin Growing Old Together'..."

Jiang Han interrupted, "Ugh, a literary PhD you are not. Those names are so uncultured."

"You single mutt knows nothing! Public displays of affection need no culture—the more blunt, the more it torments single dogs like you!"

Dou'e barked, "Woof!"

Shen Youlin snapped, "I wasn't talking about you, so why butt in?"

"Why'd you yell at Dou'e?" Jiang Han crouched to pet Dou'e's large head. "See, I told you you're uncultured. All you do is chase chickens and scold dogs. Yesterday, I almost caught a wild chicken, but your shouting scared it off."

Shen Youlin laughed angrily, "So it's my fault you couldn't catch it? Are you nuts? I admitted to scolding dogs, but I was scolding you, you mangy stray no one wants!"

Yu Shu had finished her seeds and licked her lips, craving watermelon. There were watermelons in the backyard well, placed there in the afternoon. But in the dim lighting and remote mountain location, Yu Shu didn't dare go alone, so she tugged Jiang Han and Dou'e to accompany her.

With the bickering pair gone, Shen Youlin turned his attention to pestering Shen Youfei, clinging to her arm and shaking it while cooing sweetly, "Sister, oh sister..."

"Yes, I'm here."

Shen Youlin leaned against her shoulder. "Are you happy now?"

Happy? In the past, she endured day after day, alone through sunrises and sunsets, her very bones soaked in loneliness. But those long years had numbed her to the suffering.

These days, the small courtyard bustled from morning till night. Without thinking, she considered what to feed the three children each day. Yu Shu often sat at her desk for half a day, needing reminders to take breaks and move around. Jiang Han was always restless, climbing trees and injuring herself daily without noticing, requiring Shen Youfei to inspect her thoroughly each time and treat any wounds. And Shen Youlin... initially, she had abandoned him without a backward glance, leading to his miserable two years...

The mundane world had captured her heart once more.

"I'm happy to have you all here with me," she replied.

Shen Youlin grinned and hugged her, swaying playfully as Shen Youfei had once done to lull him to sleep.

"Sister, do you remember Qiao Zhi? Grandfather's student who brought his wife every New Year's to mooch food."

Shen Youfei nodded. "Uncle Qiao, I remember."

"He's my professor now. His wife passed away from a sudden illness years ago, and he nearly followed her. So I told him, 'You were my grandfather's student, whom he treated like a son. You owe him a great debt. I'm grandfather's favorite grandson, so just repay that debt to me instead!'"

Shen Youfei chuckled at his dramatic retelling, brushing his tousled hair from his forehead.

Shen Youlin continued impersonating Professor Qiao: "'Then how shall I... no, how shall I repay your grandfather's kindness in raising me?'"

"'Here's what we'll do,' I said. 'I'll get a PhD, study under you for a few years, and when I graduate, you'll have repaid me.'"

Shen Youlin clicked his tongue. "Another graduation season is coming, and the old man is probably tearing out what's left of his hair."

"You sly thing," Shen Youfei booped his nose with her finger.

"Heheh, I'm clever, aren't I? But that's not the point..." Shen Youlin shifted uncomfortably. "To ensure I graduate smoothly, Professor Qiao decided against dying. He started exercising and longevity practices, praying to live a long life."

"See, it is possible." Shen Youlin scratched his head self-consciously. "This might sound arrogant, but sister, could you try learning from Professor Qiao? Try to... keep loving life, for my sake."

Shen Youlin quickly added, "Or if not for me, do it for that brat Jiang Han. Look at how she turned out without a proper female mentor, always hanging around cops, probably more comfortable with police dogs than men. She'll never find a partner at this rate."

"And Yu Shu—didn't you always want a little sister? Treat her like one! She seems so sweet and obedient, but she's quite a mischievous tease who keeps bullying me. You need to keep us in line! Oh, and we'll have daughters someday, but we're just kids ourselves. How will we raise them properly? That useless Shen Yingshuang can't be relied on, so you're indispensable to this family!"

Shen Youfei teased, "So I'm destined to a life of toil for your sakes?"

Shen Youlin laughed sheepishly. "That's not what I meant; I was just giving examples. Your life still has so much ahead of it. Brother-in-law may be gone, but you have us now. Take a page from Yu Shu's carefree nature—if I died tomorrow, she'd mourn for three or five years at most before setting sail for the stars and becoming the Sea King."

"As for your grievances, Jiang Han has settled them for you. And brother-in-law... well, he should be around college entrance exam age now. It's time you left the mountain and wandered around university gates. Who knows, you might just run into his reincarnation and rekindle your former bond!"

"Now you're really talking nonsense!" Shen Youfei playfully swatted his arm.

"I'm telling you, the mature and aloof sister types are all the rage now. Shen Yingshuang is like that, she has a new toyboy she's keeping every month. Sometimes she even has three or four at once, living the high life."

"You should try it too. If you see a young and handsome guy you like, just throw money at him until he's seeing stars and foaming at the mouth! We've certainly got the means for it!"

"Throw money at who?" Yu Shu returned, carrying a platter of sliced watermelon.

Jiang Han followed behind her, a watermelon slice in each hand, munching happily while Dou'e had a watermelon rind hanging from her mouth.

Shen Youfei said nonchalantly, "He said you should keep three or four little mistresses, just buy them off. Plenty would line up for that."

"I didn't! I never said that! Don't make stuff up!"

Jiang Han swallowed his watermelon piece. "The suspect's facial expressions and body language are exaggerated, usually a sign of trying to conceal their true thoughts. Most likely lying."

"Oh shut up, you conniving cop! Don't go spouting bullshit here!"

"Me, conniving? Look who's talking! With the way you're hopping around like a lunatic, you're like a fly after honey—completely out of your mind."

"Me, a lunatic? You're the one who looks like they missed the boat on human evolution, just look at yourself..."

The two started bickering again. Yu Shu watched them squabble while munching on watermelon, passing a slice to Shen Youfei.

Shen Youfei took it with a smile, seemingly infected by Yu Shu's detached calm. Watching them argue no longer gave her a headache, and she savored the watermelon in blissful indifference.

Without warning, a shooting star streaked across the sky.

"A shooting star!" Yu Shu quickly set down her watermelon and clasped her hands to make a wish: May Sister be happy and safe for the rest of her days.