Memories (Part 8)

As Mo Xuan spent more and more time with them, the number of group photos of the three of them also increased. Luo Shiya had been thinking that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to document Mo Xuan’s life from his middle school, high school, and even university days. She had even considered that since they had already bought this old Western-style house, they might as well use it as Mo Xuan’s future marital home when he grew up, making it convenient for him to accompany his grandmother.

Her favorite photo was the one she had enlarged and placed in the secret room. Back then, Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi were merely controlling and possessive, not yet having developed to the pathological extent they would later reach.

If Mo Xuan hadn’t lost his memory, he would surely remember how they repeatedly forbade him from puppy love in their QQ chats, which was nothing compared to what came later. For example, every day when Mo Xuan went to do homework with Luo Muqi after school, Luo Shiya would stop him and check his phone.

“Uh, Sis Shiya, didn’t you just check it yesterday?”

Mo Xuan didn’t really mind. After all, the phone was a gift from Luo Shiya, and he had little use for it other than chatting with the sisters every night.

After hearing Mo Xuan’s words, Luo Shiya, having finished her inspection, handed the phone back to him and said with a serious expression, “I’m doing this for your own good. Many kids these days have QQ accounts, and those boys will just lure you into playing with them. As for girls…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t get into puppy love, and I definitely won’t add any girls.”

Mo Xuan felt like this line had almost become his mantra, repeating it daily in person and in their online chats.

Luo Shiya nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly reached out and pinched his earlobe, startling Mo Xuan.

“You’re such a good boy, Xuan.” Luo Shiya smiled as she withdrew her hand. “Go on, Muqi is waiting for you.”

Mo Xuan felt the earlobe she had pinched grow warm. He lowered his head and muttered an acknowledgment. After taking two steps, he suddenly turned back and said, “Sis Shiya, I might not be able to come tomorrow since it’s a day off.”

“Oh? Is something going on?” Luo Shiya looked at him curiously. “Are you practicing with Grandpa Zhang? That’s fine, Muqi and I will wait for you.”

Grandpa Zhang had taken Mo Xuan as his closed-door disciple from a young age, mainly because Mo Xuan’s talent was truly remarkable—he learned quickly and grasped concepts with ease. However, as Grandpa Zhang’s health declined, their morning training sessions eventually became Mo Xuan’s solo routine of practicing martial arts and jogging.

Occasionally on weekends, Mo Xuan would train with Grandpa Zhang when the old man was feeling better, but it never took up much time.

“Yeah, I’ll be practicing with my master, and also, one of my grandma’s old friends is coming over,” Mo Xuan said somewhat helplessly. “She has a granddaughter who I’ve known since we were kids. Every time she visits, my grandma makes me keep her company.”

Hearing this, Luo Shiya’s eyes turned cold for a moment, but she quickly smiled and said, “I see. Well, that can’t be helped. Will you still come over for dinner?”

“Probably not. Grandma Su usually stays for a long time, and she’ll have dinner with us. I might only be able to come over after school to do homework with Muqi.”

Mo Xuan didn’t notice how Luo Shiya’s expression grew colder, though she maintained her smile. Her right hand, however, slowly clenched into a fist.

“Xuan, do you like that girl?”

“Of course not! She’s two or three months younger than me. I just see her as a little sister.”

Mo Xuan didn’t pick up on the hint of bitterness in Luo Shiya’s tone, but he answered honestly. “Besides, she’s a bit of a handful—she’s got a spoiled, rich-girl attitude. But since she’s Grandma Su’s granddaughter, and I’m a guy, I just let her have her way.”

After a moment of thought, Mo Xuan sighed and added, “Sometimes I wonder how someone from a wealthy family like her can be so different from you and Muqi. You two never act like her…”

This wasn’t Mo Xuan trying to flatter them—it was his genuine feeling. Su Yanran had always been the type who needed everything to go her way. What they ate, what they played, where they went—it all had to be her decision.

If things didn’t go her way, she’d either throw a tantrum or burst into tears. Thankfully, Mo Xuan was more mature and easygoing, and out of respect for his grandmother, he always gave in to her.

But with Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi, it was different. At the time, Mo Xuan didn’t realize that when he was with them, everything was a two-way street. It wasn’t just him suppressing his negative emotions to compromise.

Whatever Mo Xuan did, the sisters would always respond in kind, and vice versa. This was why their bond grew stronger over time.

Of course, this was all aside from the daily “no puppy love” lectures and the sisters’ occasional squabbles over him behind his back. Most of the time, it was Luo Muqi who ended up on the losing end, given that she was still young…

By dinnertime, Mo Xuan had already returned home. Luo Shiya glanced at Luo Muqi, who was humming a tune and reaching for a piece of fish with her chopsticks, and casually remarked, “Xuan won’t be coming tomorrow. Did he not tell you?”

Luo Muqi froze, and the piece of fish she had just picked up fell back onto the plate.

Seeing this, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Luo Shiya’s eyes. It seemed she was the more important one, after all—otherwise, why would he only tell her?

What she didn’t know was that Mo Xuan had only told her because she was the elder sister. In his mind, since the household consisted of just the two sisters and the servants like Uncle Zheng, it made sense to inform Luo Shiya.

The sisters’ efforts to prevent him from puppy love were entirely unnecessary. Mo Xuan was a bit of a straight-laced guy and rather clueless when it came to such matters.

“Is he practicing with Grandpa Zhang?” Luo Muqi asked, trying to sound indifferent as she picked up the piece of fish again. “It’s fine. He’ll come over after he’s done.”

“He won’t be able to. His grandma’s friend is coming over, and she’s bringing a granddaughter who’s the same age as him,” Luo Shiya said with a shrug. “After practice, he’ll have to keep her company, and they’ll have dinner together.”

Uncle Zheng, who was standing nearby, almost couldn’t hold back his laughter. Miss Shiya, your passive-aggressive tone is way too obvious!

This tactic might not work on everyone, but for Luo Muqi, it was effective. This time, the piece of fish fell onto the table, and Luo Muqi slammed her chopsticks down in frustration. “I’m not eating anymore!”

“Suit yourself,” Luo Shiya said nonchalantly. “He comes over almost every day. Missing one day isn’t a big deal.”

Uncle Zheng couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Oh, sure, Miss Shiya, you’re absolutely right. It’s not like you’re the one who stands on the balcony half an hour early every day, waiting like a statue.

Luo Muqi remained silent, her eyes gradually reddening as tears welled up.

“Actually, I have an idea…” Luo Shiya picked up a piece of stir-fried beef and placed it in her bowl. “If you want Xuan to spend the weekend with us, little sister, you might have to make a small sacrifice.”

Sometimes, the method doesn’t need to be innovative—it just needs to work. And one crucial factor is that the other person must care about you.

So the next day, after finishing his training with Grandpa Zhang and before he could head home, Mo Xuan received a call from Luo Shiya.

“Muqi is sick, Xuan. Do you want to come see her?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Mo Xuan hopped on his bike, said a quick goodbye to Grandpa Zhang, and rushed over to the old Western-style house.

However, when he entered Luo Muqi’s bedroom and saw her sitting on the bed eating fruit while reading a Doraemon comic, he nearly lost his temper!

“I thought you were sick?”

“I am, big brother. Look.”

Luo Muqi held out her right hand, her index finger wrapped in a band-aid. “I accidentally cut my finger yesterday, and it might lead to…”

She thought for a moment, then glanced at her phone and continued, “It might lead to an infection, which could cause fever, chills, difficulty breathing, and loss of appetite. Yes, that’s it.”

Mo Xuan: “…”

Luo Muqi got out of bed, picked up a box of cherries, and handed it to Mo Xuan with a pitiful expression. “Don’t be mad, big brother. I just heard from Sis Shiya that you wouldn’t be coming today… You know you’re my only friend…”

“You could’ve just told me directly, Muqi,” Mo Xuan sighed, reaching out to pat her head with a wry smile. “You don’t need to lie like this. It’s not right.”

Of course, the current Mo Xuan had no idea that in the future, not only would he be tricked by these two sisters into losing his way home, but he would also end up spending his entire life with them, completely under their spell.

That day, Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi were in an exceptionally good mood. They insisted on taking photos with Mo Xuan, with Luo Shiya hugging him from behind and Luo Muqi throwing herself into his arms. Mo Xuan could only smile wryly in resignation, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.

Every time they looked at that photo and thought about the present Mo Xuan, the two sisters realized that whether or not he regained his memories didn’t really matter to them anymore.

Even if he had forgotten their shared past, Mo Xuan was still Mo Xuan—he had never truly changed...