The moon on the sixteenth is rounder than on the fifteenth

The words sounded familiar—Shen Yi felt like he had heard them somewhere before.

He instinctively straightened his posture and began to recall, but the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

Though quite some time had passed, the moment he tried to remember, Shu Yunyi’s smiling face immediately surfaced in his mind.

"Oh no..."

Shen Yi suddenly realized he had already promised Shu Yunyi.

The Mid-Autumn Festival holiday meant her school was closed, so it was only natural she’d want him to accompany her.

Back then, the festival had still been far off, and Shen Yi hadn’t even considered this possibility.

But now, with the holiday approaching, Fu Nanzhi would naturally have time off as well.

Both women had the same idea—and their plans were bound to clash.

To make matters worse, Shen Yi had just absentmindedly agreed to Fu Nanzhi’s request without thinking. Now, the biggest problem wasn’t just the dilemma itself, but the fact that he couldn’t be in two places at once.

This wasn’t just about accompanying one and then the other—it was about moon-gazing. Even if the moon allowed it, neither woman would.

Shen Yi scratched his head, racking his brain for a solution.

Walking by the river too often would inevitably wet one’s shoes—playing both sides never ended well.

Fate had a cruel sense of humor. Shen Yi wasn’t ready for the two of them to meet, yet here he was, pushed onto the stage without warning.

He couldn’t even begin to imagine how that scene would play out.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner, even if Shen Yi counted the late hours, he had at most two and a half days to figure this out.

The key was creating a time difference.

‘Should I cancel on one of them?’

The simplest solution was exactly that. If Shen Yi claimed he had something else to do, whether it was Shu Yunyi or Fu Nanzhi, they would surely understand.

But Shu Yunyi had asked him a week in advance, and he had agreed immediately. Going back on his word now wouldn’t sit right.

Shen Yi turned to look at Fu Nanzhi, her face illuminated by the glow of her phone in the darkness.

She was already engrossed in searching for locations, browsing guides and gathering information with visible excitement.

Seeing her enthusiasm, Shen Yi couldn’t bring himself to disappoint her either—he couldn’t bear the thought of Fu Nanzhi feeling let down.

As he wrestled with his thoughts, Fu Nanzhi looked up and asked,

"Honey, what do you think of this place?"

She raised her phone toward him, pointing at an image.

"It’s close by, has great reviews, and the scenery is beautiful—a huge lake perfect for moon-gazing."

Shen Yi took a closer look. It was the famous Songping Lake in Jingyuan—the residential area nearby, Songping Garden, was even named after it.

According to the description, the lake was as smooth as a mirror. When the moon rose in the east, its reflection would spread across the water. With no clouds or skyscrapers blocking the view, visitors could admire the enormous full moon and the star-studded night sky.

Boating on the lake, where water and sky merged into one, was said to be a poetic experience. The place had long been praised as "Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake, Sky Within the Water."

Located at the border between Jingyuan and Tianxia, the lake was in the suburbs, just a forty-to-fifty-minute drive away.

"Great spot. Will it be crowded?"

Shen Yi had to admit the scenery in the pictures looked stunning. Even outside the festival, it was a popular tourist destination.

Fu Nanzhi didn’t seem bothered by the potential crowds.

"The more people, the livelier it’ll be!"

She swiped to the next photo and pointed.

"Look, honey—there’s even a night market below. So many food stalls, games, and lantern displays. It’ll be amazing!"

"Yeah."

Shen Yi nodded along.

The night market scene had boomed in recent years thanks to social media trends, turning into a bustling attraction.

The place was undeniably beautiful, clearly designed with care—but the crowds were just as real. Shen Yi had seen videos of it before.

"Then it’s settled!"

Fu Nanzhi pulled her phone back and started counting off her plans.

"We can leave after dinner, stroll around the market to walk off the food, and once it’s dark, we’ll admire the lanterns."

"After exploring the whole street, we can rent a boat, enjoy the moon, and eat mooncakes..."

Shen Yi listened attentively, nodding in agreement.

This itinerary covered everything—fun, sightseeing, romance, and atmosphere.

It was definitely better than sitting at home chewing on mooncakes. No wonder tourist spots were always packed.

"What are you two talking about?"

Ji Shulan walked over with a teapot, interrupting their conversation.

"Auntie, let me take that."

Shen Yi reacted first, standing up to take the teapot from her. Ji Shulan hesitated briefly before handing it over with a faint smile.

He set it down on the table, then pulled out a chair for her.

Fu Nanzhi leaned in and said,

"We’re discussing where to go for the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"We were just talking about Songping Lake—thinking of going there to see the moon."

After their heart-to-heart in the kitchen earlier, Fu Nanzhi had shed all reservations.

Now, she spoke openly without hiding anything.

Ji Shulan frowned slightly.

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is about family reunion. Shouldn’t you go home and spend time with your father?"

"He’s practically living like a lonely old man these days."

Shen Yi poured tea for both of them, and Ji Shulan thanked him softly.

Fu Nanzhi faltered, then replied sheepishly,

"I can always have dinner at home first, then go out after. It won’t interfere."

Ji Shulan offered her own suggestion.

"If you two just want to admire the moon, I won’t stop you—but why not stay around here?"

"There’s plenty of space, and you won’t have to travel back and forth."

She lifted her teacup and added,

"Songping Lake is a tourist spot. It’s packed even on regular days—imagine how crowded it’ll be during the festival!"

"You might end up staring at the back of people’s heads instead of the moon."

"It’s not the same..."

Fu Nanzhi dragged out her words, arguing,

"The view from home isn’t good. Either clouds or buildings get in the way—you can’t even see clearly."

Ji Shulan waved it off.

"Moon-gazing is about the atmosphere. The sentiment matters more than actually staring at the moon."

"Hmph..."

With her points all countered, Fu Nanzhi crossed her arms and pouted, sulking in silence.

"Romance is lost on you."

Listening to their exchange, Shen Yi’s eyes suddenly lit up. He hadn’t planned to intervene, but Ji Shulan’s words gave him an idea—maybe he could create a time difference after all.

After a moment’s thought, he raised a hand between the two women.

"Auntie, Nanzhi—how about a compromise?"

"I have a middle-ground solution. Let’s see if it works."

First, he looked at Ji Shulan to set the tone.

"Auntie is right. The Mid-Autumn Festival is for family. Running around at night isn’t appropriate."

Then he turned to Fu Nanzhi.

"As the saying goes, ‘The moon is fuller on the sixteenth than the fifteenth.’ How about this?"

"On the actual festival day, Nanzhi, you go home and have a reunion dinner with your parents."

"Then, the next day, we’ll head to Songping Lake..."

Ji Shulan was already nodding in agreement, and Fu Nanzhi’s expression softened slightly.

"The next day would be better for the trip. First, it won’t interfere with the holiday. Second, the moon-viewing experience will be more enjoyable. And third, we’ll avoid the peak crowds at the scenic spots. Three benefits in one—isn’t that the best option?"

Shen Yi broke it down for the two of them, explaining the pros and cons in simple terms.

At the very least, it was far more effective than letting the mother and daughter argue. This solution addressed both sides’ concerns while allowing each to save face.

When Ji Shulan heard his suggestion, her eyes lit up, and she praised enthusiastically:

"That’s a great idea! Shen Yi always has such clever solutions."