Chapter 62: Kuku

The heat was relentless, and on Moon Island, it turned ferocious as noon approached.

The blazing sunlight crept past the eaves, spreading underneath them. Even the usually lethargic yellow dog retreated indoors, avoiding the direct sunlight, but it still panted heavily in the shade.

So it was no wonder this little child would be uncomfortable.

The child was a girl, with a few wisps of soft hair—already past full term and with delicate skin that looked like it might bruise with the lightest touch. She had been washed clean, and even swaddled in her blanket, there was still a faint smell of milk.

However, after Luo Yue brought her inside, she continued crying incessantly.

Qin Zhaoyi and Luo Yue had never taken care of a baby before, so they were at a complete loss. Luo Yue tried rocking her a couple of times, which briefly stopped the crying. But within seconds, the child started wailing again.

Qin Zhaoyi and Luo Yue exchanged helpless glances.

Qin Zhaoyi ventured a guess, “Do you think she’s hungry?”

“Maybe,” Luo Yue replied.

Qin Zhaoyi asked, “Isn’t a child this age supposed to be breastfed?”

Luo Yue. “…?”

Qin Zhaoyi glanced between Luo Yue and herself. “Forget it, let’s just give her some formula.”

“Or goat milk,” Luo Yue suggested. “I think formula might not be an option.”

Qin Zhaoyi frowned. “Back in the day, babies could survive on rice soup during tough times. Should we just give her a little rice soup for now?”

Luo Yue looked down at the tiny, almost weightless child in her arms and shook her head. “She already looks malnourished. What if she doesn’t grow tall because of rice soup?”

“That’s a long way off,” Qin Zhaoyi disagreed. “Besides, it’s just one meal. Someone’s bound to come looking for her soon, right?”

But even she sounded doubtful by the end of her sentence.

The last word trailed off, and she couldn’t help but sigh.

If the child had been left at their door, it was unlikely anyone would come back for her.

“Could she be a friend’s child or something?” Qin Zhaoyi speculated, raising her voice over the baby’s piercing cries and covering her ears. “Maybe they thought you’re a good person, so they left her here because they didn’t want to raise her?”

Luo Yue’s eyes flickered with a hidden guess of her own but kept it to herself.

“No, that doesn’t make sense,” Qin Zhaoyi said, quickly dismissing her own theory. “If they wanted you to raise her, they’d have left some clue or something recognizable. But there’s nothing on her.”

Luo Yue shook her head. “Let’s stop guessing. She’s crying nonstop.”

Her tiny eyes were turning red from all the crying.

“Could it be… she wet herself?” Qin Zhaoyi suggested, reaching out to check, only to find her completely dry.

But the baby’s skin felt incredibly soft, almost like the finest silk.

Holding the child in her arms, Luo Yue couldn’t free her hands, so after some thought, she told Qin Zhaoyi to get her phone so she could make a call for advice.

But Qin Zhaoyi had already dialed a number. “Yes, I’ve got a patient here, a very young one, probably just over a month old.”

“How would I know exactly? I didn’t give birth to her,” she said, hanging up.

Listening to her tone, Luo Yue guessed, “Shijing-ge?”

Qin Zhaoyi nodded. “Crying this much has to be an illness; it needs treatment.”

Luo Yue:”…”

Well, at least I won’t need to call Luo Xing.

When Qin Zhaoyi had called Cheng Shijing, he was at his clinic watering plants.

The heat had nearly dried out the ones on the windowsill. He plucked the withered leaves and tossed them in the trash, with a few missing the bin and falling to the floor. But before he could clean up, he was urgently summoned to Xiao Honglou.

It turned out that the resident there was Zhong Ling.

She opened the door in a conservative nightgown, still half-asleep, and pointed in a direction. “The lovebirds are over there.”

Then, hearing faint crying, she frowned, “Who’s hitting a child this early?”

Cheng Shijing pointed next door. “Probably them.”

And with that, he headed to Luo Yue’s house.

His long strides meant that Zhong Ling, catching the scent of gossip, had to jog to keep up.

When the two arrived, they found Qin Zhaoyi slumped despairingly on the living room couch. She had one hand over her ear and was listlessly shaking an old rattle drum with the other.

The rattling was too muffled to drown out the baby’s cries.

But the baby, a few months old, paid no attention to the toy, crying her heart out as if she somehow knew she’d been abandoned and was now in the arms of strangers.

“Where did she come from?” Cheng Shijing asked, meeting Luo Yue’s pleading gaze as he stepped forward and gently took the baby into his arms.

As he held and rocked her gently, her crying gradually subsided.

Luo Yue pressed her hand to her neck, replying, “Found her at the door.”

Maybe Cheng Shijing had a better touch—she finally stopped crying, and Qin Zhaoyi exhaled in relief. “Finally.”

The crying had been unbearable, an auditory nightmare.

“No parents in sight?” Cheng Shijing frowned.

He thought to himself, Who could be so heartless as to abandon a newborn child?

There hadn’t been any reports of recent pregnancies on Moon Island. In fact, there was one woman who was due just a few days ago, but she’s still in the obstetrics and gynecology department at the city hospital, so it’s impossible for this child to be hers.

Besides, that family had been trying to conceive for over a year, asking for prescriptions and taking traditional medicine until they finally got pregnant. There’s no way they’d just abandon the baby.

Cheng Shijing’s mind raced with possibilities.

Luo Yue glanced at the child in his arms, who was peacefully on the verge of falling asleep, and hesitated to speak.

“What’s wrong?” Cheng Shijing asked.

Luo Yue shook her head. “Wait until she falls asleep, then put her down and come with me.”

They waited a bit longer, and when it seemed the time was right, Cheng Shijing attempted to lay the baby on Luo Yue’s bed. But before he could even set her down, the child began crying loudly again.

Cheng Shijing furrowed his brow and called out, “She wet herself.”

A flurry of activity followed.

Without a diaper for the child, they could only use wipes to clean her bottom and wrap her in a thin summer blanket.

Finally, the child settled a little.

But Cheng Shijing couldn’t leave her sight, or the crying would start all over again.

With this conclusion reached, Cheng Shijing naturally became the one tasked with taking care of her.

Luo Yue, saying she had something she wanted to discuss with Cheng Shijing privately, sent Qin Zhaoyi and Zhong Ling to the living room, and the two of them closed the bedroom door.

Zhong Ling stared at the door for a long while and nudged Qin Zhaoyi with her arm. “Don’t you think… that child looks a bit like Cheng Shijing?”

After spending the morning nearly driven mad by the child’s crying, Qin Zhaoyi was now slumped tiredly on the sofa, not wanting to speak at all.

Zhong Ling sat next to her. “No, really, their eyes look very similar.”

“Enough already,” Qin Zhaoyi replied lazily. “She was all wrinkled and squished. What could you possibly see? When we first found her, I thought she looked a bit like Luo Yue.”

Zhong Ling frowned. “Now that you mention it, it kind of does.”

Qin Zhaoyi glanced at her. “You know, you kind of look like her too.”

Zhong Ling: “?”

Zhong Ling quickly distanced herself from the idea. “We have no connection at all. How could I look like her?”

“Two eyes, one nose,” Qin Zhaoyi said. “They’re pretty similar.”

Zhong Ling: “…If that’s the case, then everyone looks like me.”

Qin Zhaoyi shrugged and didn’t press the matter further.

One can only make a quick judgment when first seeing someone. This morning, at first glance, Qin Zhaoyi thought the child looked a bit like Luo Yue, but after looking longer, it was no longer obvious, especially with the 360-degree surround sound of the child’s crying. It just felt like the child was the embodiment of a demon, sent by the heavens to punish her.

She didn’t find the child cute anymore, and it no longer seemed like Luo Yue either.

Indeed, Miss Qin always judged based on her own whims.

While her thoughts were swirling, Zhong Ling leaned over and whispered, “Don’t you think there’s something off about them now?”

She pointed at the closed door as she spoke.

Qin Zhaoyi frowned. She hadn’t even had a chance to push down her discomfort and explain things for Luo Yue when she heard Zhong Ling continue, “I heard from people on the island that they arranged a betrothal when they were kids, and they’ll get married before long.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

So this was something everyone knew, huh?

“And I heard Cheng Shiyu mention it too,” Zhong Ling added. “People here have to host a banquet when they get married. Maybe you can even crash the party.”

Qin Zhaoyi pursed her lips. “She won’t get married.”

Luo Yue had promised her that.

Zhong Ling lowered her eyebrows, her tone serious. “Yi Jie, I’ll say something harsh upfront. If one day she does get married and says it’s a fake marriage, you need to be decisive and break up with her.”

“There are women who dress as men and act like straight women, and some who date women when they’re younger, then, when they hit their thirties, rush to marry a man and claim they’re ‘reformed.'” Zhong Ling smiled slightly. “There are even people who fake marriages to deceive their girlfriends. You might think the other person is the mistress, but in the eyes of society, you’re the mistress. Don’t let yourself get caught in a terrible situation.”

It was all too messy, too complicated.

Since ancient times, people’s hearts had been easy to change, and Zhong Ling was just advising Qin Zhaoyi not to trust too easily, not to be foolish.

Qin Zhaoyi closed her eyes briefly. “I understand.”

This time, she didn’t argue with Zhong Ling.

Meanwhile, in the room, after Luo Yue closed the door, she called Luo Xing.

No one answered.

Cheng Shijing was confused. “Why are you calling her?”

Luo Yue glanced at the child, then at him.

Cheng Shijing was surprised. “This… Could it be Luo Xing’s…?”

“I don’t know yet,” Luo Yue said. “I’m just guessing.”

She dialed again, but no one answered.

“Has Luo Xing gotten married?” Cheng Shijing frowned. “Could it be that she got pregnant before marriage…?”

As he said this, he started dialing Luo Xing’s number, but it was turned off.

She had blocked him.

Seeing that she couldn’t get through, Luo Yue called out to him, “Go get a DNA test.”

“Who?” Cheng Shijing naturally reached for her hair, but Luo Yue dodged him. “It’s you.”

Cheng Shijing was even more surprised. “You don’t think this child is mine, do you? How could that be? Luo Yue, don’t—”

Before he could utter the word “joke,” the firmness in Luo Yue’s eyes made him suddenly feel a bit guilty.

He started calculating the time that incident happened last year.

A whole year had passed. If it was true…

Then this might really be his child.

Having an unexpected child thrown into his life was overwhelming for Cheng Shijing. He almost wanted to take the child and go find Luo Xing on the spot.

But Luo Yue stopped him. “She must feel too ashamed to face me.”

Luo Yue composed a long message and sent it to Luo Xing, asking where she was, why she had left the child with her, and how she could be so irresponsible. She said that if she truly didn’t want to raise the child, she should come back and explain things in person.

Only a few minutes passed before a message came back.

[Luo Xing: Jie, I’m sorry. I really don’t know what to do. This child is mine and someone else’s, but I’m too weak to raise her, so I had to ask you and Mom to take care of her. I’m leaving for abroad soon, and I’ll send the child’s living expenses to you on time every month. You just need to be her real mom. I swear, I’ll never ask for her back in the future. I’m really sorry.]

After reading the message, both Luo Yue and Cheng Shijing understood everything.

Cheng Shijing immediately stood up and started walking out. “I’m going to find her.”

Luo Yue glanced at him. “What about the child?”

“I’ll take her.” Cheng Shijing said as he hugged the child.

Luo Yue grabbed the child from his arms. “You go to the airport to find her first, then come back to pick up the child.”

Cheng Shijing nodded. Normally, he seemed indifferent to everything, but now, he was anxious and unsure of what to do.

The child wasn’t exactly calm in Luo Yue’s arms, but at least she wasn’t crying loudly—just making soft noises.

Cheng Shijing looked worried. “Can you manage?”

“One or two days is fine.” Luo Yue didn’t take on more than she could handle. “Anything longer, though, and it’ll be too much. So, hurry up and find her real mother.”

Cheng Shijing seriously thanked her. “Alright, thank you for the trouble.”

After he left, Luo Yue sent a message to Luo Xing:  

[Where are you? Which airport? Which country? If you really feel sorry for me, then come back to Moon Island and come back with Shijing-ge. Don’t leave the child with me. If you don’t come back, I’ll leave the child at an orphanage. You know I always keep my word.]

After sending the message, she focused on calming the child.

Luo Xing had been a very cheerful girl when she was younger.

Since she was the only child of the same generation in the Luo family, she was very close to Luo Yue.

Luo Yue, too, grew up playing with Cheng Shijing and his siblings.

When Luo Yue was little, she was shy and introverted, and whenever she couldn’t speak up, it was Luo Xing who would speak for her.

That’s why the two sisters had a close bond.

What really made Luo Yue realize how much Luo Xing had grown up was the day her uncle ran off with another woman and was swept away by the sea.

Before that, Luo Xing had always been a devoted supporter of their father.

Her father had practically spoiled her.

People on the island used to say that the Luo brothers loved their daughters dearly.

But later, after Luo Yue’s mother passed away, Luo Yue’s father left the island, abandoning his daughter.

Luo Yue’s second uncle, in search of love, eloped and died in a foreign land.

It was a tragic story.

After that, Luo Xing became quiet, introverted, obedient, and so reserved that she could almost be lost in a crowd.

Luo Xing had been living in a boarding school since high school, and after returning home, she almost never went out to play, spending all her time studying at her desk.

Even so, she only managed to get into an average university.

She studied a very ordinary major, stayed in Jiayi to take up an ordinary job, and lived just like most of the ordinary people in this world.

But Luo Xing was different from them.

She didn’t want to return to Moon Island. In past years, she only came back during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, but starting last year, she didn’t even return for the New Year.

So when Qin Zhaoyi made that joke in the morning, Luo Yue immediately thought of her.

Except for Luo Xing, no one would leave a child with her.

Because in Luo Xing’s heart, she was the most trustworthy.

And Cheng Shijing was a good person too.

Leaving the child with them and leaving the country herself, never to meet again, was probably the best outcome Luo Xing could imagine.

Because she knew she couldn’t raise the child well.

The message Luo Yue sent to Luo Xing was like a stone sinking into the sea, and the child in her arms was barely calm, soon falling asleep.

When she went outside, Zhong Ling had already left.

Qin Zhaoyi was curled up alone on the sofa. She opened her eyes when she heard the noise, and Luo Yue asked her, “Are you tired?”

Qin Zhaoyi nodded. “A little.”

At first, she found the child annoying, but after listening to the child’s babbling, she got used to it and gradually began to feel sleepy.

The movie they were supposed to watch had already started, but they didn’t get to see it.

They were both exhausted from dealing with the child, now sitting side by side on the sofa.

Qin Zhaoyi asked, “Is it really Cheng Shijing’s child?”

“Mm.” Luo Yue replied. “It’s his and my sister’s.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

For a moment, Qin Zhaoyi almost blurted out that Cheng Shijing was truly heartless.

But then she remembered that Cheng Shijing and Luo Yue were not a couple.

He was single.

After thinking for a moment, Qin Zhaoyi said, “So your sister misunderstood that you two were going to get married, and she sent the child to bother you?”

Luo Yue frowned. “No.”

Luo Yue explained, “She must have felt guilty for a long time. She really couldn’t take care of the child properly, so she sent her over.”

If it had been according to Luo Xing’s nature, if she could have independently raised the child, she would have raised her herself, making sure she never showed up on Moon Island again.

This was a family matter, and Qin Zhaoyi didn’t want to interfere. She agreed with a “Okay” and didn’t say more.

After a while, Qin Zhaoyi, drowsy, heard Luo Yue softly say, “I’m sorry, Princess Qin.”

Qin Zhaoyi mumbled an “Mm” in a groggy voice, still puzzled.

Luo Yue’s voice was gentle, tinged with a bit of guilt. “I didn’t take you to see your movie.”

Qin Zhaoyi turned over, nestled into her arms, and lightly laughed. “Next time.”

After speaking, she fell asleep in a daze.

To be honest, she should have been angry about the child interrupting their hard-earned date.

But Qin Zhaoyi’s attention was completely absorbed by the child’s crying, and she didn’t have the energy to be mad.

Instead, she felt comfortable sleeping on Luo Yue’s sofa, curled up in her arms.

This could be considered a rare moment of leisure.

However, this peace was quickly shattered.

The child’s incessant wailing once again tortured Qin Zhaoyi’s eardrums, pulling her out of her slumber.

Meanwhile, Luo Yue hurriedly ran back to the bedroom, picking up the child to comfort her.

As soon as the child woke up, she had to be held in someone’s arms. At first, she couldn’t even stay well in Luo Yue’s arms, but later, she even stayed in Qin Zhaoyi’s arms for a while.

Perhaps she had discovered the comfort of curling up in a warm embrace and refused to go back to the bed.

Every half hour, she cried once, sometimes because she was hungry, sometimes because she needed to pee.

Luo Yue and Qin Zhaoyi took turns comforting her, and by nightfall, the child finally fell asleep early.

Qin Zhaoyi and Luo Yue both sat on the sofa as though their souls had been drained.

After a long while, Qin Zhaoyi asked, “She’s really asleep?”

Luo Yue sighed lightly. “I think so.”

“But why do I feel like she’s still crying?” Qin Zhaoyi said. “I can hear crying everywhere.”

Luo Yue paused briefly and turned to look.

Luckily, the child was still asleep in bed.

“It’s just a trick of the mind,” Luo Yue said. “I’m feeling it too.”

Even though she wasn’t crying anymore, it still felt like the sound of crying was lingering in the air.

Qin Zhaoyi, exhausted, sighed, “Raising a child is so tiring.”

Luo Yue nodded. “Yeah.”

“Does she have a name?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Luo Yue shook her head. “She probably hasn’t been named yet.”

“Then let’s call her ‘Kuku,'” Qin Zhaoyi said. “She cries so much.”

Luo Yue: “…”

Is it really appropriate to name someone’s child like that?

Before Luo Yue could say anything else, Qin Zhaoyi suddenly stood up, shaking her head as she walked toward the bed. “I still feel like she’s crying. What do you think?”

Luo Yue replied, “She’s asleep.”

As she spoke, Qin Zhaoyi was already kneeling by the child, noticing her small hand sticking out from under the blanket. She reached over and gently hooked a finger, saying, “Kuku.”

When talking to the child, her voice unconsciously softened, almost like she was cooing.

Luo Yue also walked over. “Did you ask Shijing-ge if it’s okay to give her a nickname?”

Qin Zhaoyi smirked. “What’s it to you?” she teased. “Your niece?”

Luo Yue nodded. “Mm.”

“Well, by that logic, she’s also my niece,” Qin Zhaoyi said. “It’s not too much to give her a nickname. Besides, she really cries a lot.”

Luo Yue: “…”

Seeing how fond Qin Zhaoyi was of the child, Luo Yue didn’t argue, smiling. “Alright, famed writer Sicily has bestowed the name, ‘Kuku.’ May Kuku forever be grateful.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “?”

She was unexpectedly teased, but Qin Zhaoyi didn’t feel upset.

She had already accepted the teasing.

As long as… Luo Yue didn’t pester her for updates.

That evening, Zhong Ling thoughtfully brought them their meals and glanced at their weary faces. “Tsk, raising a child is really scary.”

“Yeah,” Qin Zhaoyi immediately advised, “You better not have one. It’s so exhausting.”

While they were eating, Zhong Ling went over to check on the child. “But I have to say, she’s really pretty. When she grows up, she’ll definitely be a beauty, maybe even able to act in movies.”

Qin Zhaoyi nearly choked on her food. “You can’t be serious? You won’t even spare such a young child?”

“This is called digging out good seedlings,” Zhong Ling said. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Qin Zhaoyi rolled her eyes.

She really didn’t understand.

After delivering the food, Zhong Ling asked Qin Zhaoyi if she wanted to go back home to sleep. However, Qin Zhaoyi firmly refused, saying, “I’m staying to take care of Kuku.”

“Kuku?” Zhong Ling frowned. “You gave her that name? It’s such a cute little girl, and you gave her such a name? Don’t you think her parents will come after you?”

“It’s a nice name,” Qin Zhaoyi said. “It’s very realistic.”

Zhong Ling: “…”

Zhong Ling couldn’t understand Qin Zhaoyi’s thought process, just as Qin Zhaoyi didn’t understand her artistic views.

Despite their lack of understanding, it didn’t stop them from being friends.

Qin Zhaoyi thought the hardest part of raising a child was during the day, but it turned out it was at night.

Just as she was about to fall into a deep sleep, the sound of whining cries reached her ears. If she didn’t tend to the child quickly, the cries would grow louder.

The loud wails woke up the entire Moon Island, even the lazy big yellow dog couldn’t resist poking its head out of its nest and barking a few times.

Qin Zhaoyi buried her head under the pillow to cope with it, while Luo Yue patiently stood up to comfort the child.

First, she gave her a bottle, then changed her blanket.

The child woke up four or five times throughout the night.

The next day, Qin Zhaoyi walked around with two dark circles under her eyes, looking like a national treasure that had just escaped from the zoo.

While the child was sleeping, she and Luo Yue finally had a chance to eat breakfast.

Usually, she didn’t eat breakfast, but for some reason, she was particularly hungry today.

Zhong Ling had packed some soup dumplings for them, and Qin Zhaoyi ate ten of them in one go.

Even Zhong Ling was stunned.

Luo Yue’s appetite was also much larger than usual.

Luckily, Zhong Ling had bought enough.

After Qin Zhaoyi finished eating, she asked Luo Yue, “Cheng Shijing left the day before yesterday, right?”

“Yesterday,” Luo Yue said. “He sent me a message in the morning, saying he still hasn’t found Luo Xing.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Young couples are really troublesome.

Qin Zhaoyi said, “If they don’t come back soon to take this child, I’ll probably die here tomorrow.”

Luo Yue: “You should go home and rest. I’ll take care of it today.”

“Forget it.” Zhong Ling said helplessly from the side. “Today, Cheng Shiyu is resting, so she’ll come over to help.”

“Are you going with her?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Zhong Ling nodded. “What else? You two go take a nap.”

Qin Zhaoyi and Luo Yue went to the small red house, and Zhong Ling and Cheng Shiyu took over the task of comforting Kuku.

Lying in the quiet room, with the curtains blocking out the scorching sunlight, the whole world seemed to fall silent.

Qin Zhaoyi was so drowsy that she could barely stay awake. She used to have insomnia and poor sleep quality. Once she finally managed to fall asleep, any noise would wake her. Now, it felt like those problems no longer existed. Give her a pillow, and she could sleep until the world ended.

Luo Yue held her in her arms and patted her shoulder.

Before long, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Two days later, Cheng Shijing returned to Moon Island.

Qin Zhaoyi also met Luo Xing, a well-behaved girl with bangs that covered her eyebrows, beautiful eyes, and a resemblance to Luo Yue. However, she didn’t have the same distinctive beauty as Luo Yue.

She could be considered a little beauty, but not the kind that would stand out in a crowd.

What was most surprising, however, was that she didn’t look like someone who had just given birth at all—she was quite thin.

Her eyes were red from crying, and even her nose was a bit flushed. After coming back, she kept her head lowered.

Luo Yue took her into a room for a conversation, and when they came out, she didn’t say much.

The group had lunch at the small red house, with takeout brought by Cheng Shiyu.

After the meal, Cheng Shijing announced his decision—to leave Moon Island and go to Jiayi.

“Why not stay?” Cheng Shiyu asked.

Cheng Shijing glanced at Luo Xing. “It’s not suitable.”

The atmosphere at the table was a bit heavy. Qin Zhaoyi and Zhong Ling were both confused, while Luo Yue and Luo Xing ate in silence. Luo Yue occasionally helped Luo Xing with her food.

Cheng Shiyu quietly observed Cheng Shijing, her mind heavy with thoughts.

She thought she was disguising herself well, but little did she know, everything fell into Zhong Ling’s eyes.

The group at the table was a mix of personalities.

Luo Xing returned without telling anyone on Moon Island, being cautious all the way, afraid that someone might gossip if they saw her.

She waited for nightfall to leave, driving away quietly.

Luo Yue asked where they would stay after going to Jiayi with the child. Cheng Shijing shook his head. “We’ll stay in a hotel first.”

Qin Zhaoyi and Zhong Ling spoke up at the same time. “I have an empty house…”

They both looked at each other and then quickly fell silent.

“No need,” Cheng Shijing said. “I appreciate the offer. I still have some savings, which should be enough for us to get by.”

“Then will you still work at the hospital?” Luo Yue asked.

Cheng Shijing shook his head. “Not decided yet. A classmate contacted me these past few days. He’s starting a business in medical devices. I might join him.”

Luo Yue furrowed her brow, seemingly feeling uneasy about it.

Cheng Shijing quickly explained, “He just extended an olive branch. Whether or not I accept, I’ll think it through.”

This meal turned into a farewell banquet for Cheng Shijing and Luo Xing.

Before they left, Luo Yue called Luo Xing into the room and gave her some money, but Luo Xing refused.

Luo Xing had always felt guilty about her and hadn’t returned to Moon Island for a long time because she felt ashamed to face her.

By the time she realized she was pregnant, it was already too late. There was no way to terminate it, so she had gone through the difficult process of giving birth.

It was even less likely that she would accept money from Luo Yue.

Luo Yue patiently explained her relationship with Cheng Shijing, and also mentioned her connection with Qin Zhaoyi, which left Luo Xing shocked.

“I thought…” Luo Xing said. “You two were just very good friends.”

“No,” Luo Yue replied. “I’ve never liked men.”

Luo Xing remained stunned until she left, frequently stealing glances at Qin Zhaoyi.

When Qin Zhaoyi went to say goodbye to Kuku, who was in her arms, Luo Xing quietly gave her some last advice.

Qin Zhaoyi nodded in response.

Parting always seemed like a sorrowful thing, no matter the time.

Cheng Shijing’s car left Moon Island late at night, and the waves continued to roll vigorously, while the ships at the port remained quietly docked, washed by the sea.

The island remained unchanged.

It wouldn’t be altered by the departure of one person.

When they walked back, Luo Yue finally asked Qin Zhaoyi, “What did Luo Xing say to you before she left?”

Qin Zhaoyi stared at her and said softly, “She told me to take good care of you and obey you. And also…”

Luo Yue listened quietly, then glanced at her when she paused. “Hmm?”

“If one day I want to leave, I must tell you in advance.” Qin Zhaoyi chuckled lightly. “Your sister is very pessimistic.”

Moonlight spilled onto the ground, and Luo Yue stepped on it, crushing the light into fragments.

The long silhouette covered the moon’s shadow, and Luo Yue’s voice was soft: “Because she knows, I won’t keep anyone.”

Qin Zhaoyi didn’t hear clearly. “What?”

“Nothing.” Luo Yue pulled her hand. “Let’s go home.”

Qin Zhaoyi walked beside her, passing by Cheng Shijing’s clinic, still confused. “Didn’t Cheng Shijing study well in university?”

Is that why he’s in such a bad state after graduation?

“Jiada’s Clinical Medicine Department’s Excellent Graduate,” Luo Yue said. “I even attended his graduation ceremony. He was outstanding.”

“Then where did he intern? Normally, it’s at the Jiada Affiliated Hospital,” Qin Zhaoyi’s mind was racing. “Which department did he work under? Didn’t he take the entrance exam for graduate school?”

“No.” Luo Yue replied, “He started with rotations, and after completing them, he stayed in the General Surgery Department. It didn’t take long for him to be performing surgeries independently.”

“Then such an outstanding person must have stayed at Jiada Affiliated Hospital,” Qin Zhaoyi said. “In less than five years, he could have been promoted to attending physician, no problem.”

Luo Yue shook her head. “I don’t know much about that. But one day, he said he wanted to return to Moon Island, so he came back.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Qin Zhaoyi sighed.

Luo Yue asked why.

Qin Zhaoyi simply said, “It’s a pity.”

It’s not easy to cultivate a good surgeon, and from what Qin Zhaoyi had observed of Cheng Shijing, both his medical skills and ethics were above average. Given time, he should have become exceptional.

Yet he gave up on such good prospects.

“Did you never ask why?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Luo Yue smiled lightly. “I did, but he didn’t say.”

So, she didn’t ask again.

Seeing that Qin Zhaoyi still wanted to press her for answers, Luo Yue shook her head and said, “Zhaoyi, everyone has their own secrets.”

Qin Zhaoyi was momentarily distracted by her words, pulling herself out of her thoughts about Cheng Shijing, and looked at her instead. “Then what’s your secret?”

Luo Yue paused for a moment, then tugged her clothes down slightly. The soft white moonlight illuminated her tattoo. “It’s this.”