Chapter 11: Do You Love Me?

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Do You Love Me?

Back at their home in the shantytown, the first thing Nan Zhi did was check the keyhole.

Just in case, she had placed a strand of hair in the keyhole before leaving.

Now, the hair was still there, undisturbed.

In a rough neighborhood like the shantytown, the biggest worry wasn’t the squalid environment, but the ever-present danger.

Nan Zhi could feel the production team targeting her at every turn, and she was also worried they might secretly try to sabotage her.

Having been through life and death, Nan Zhi had no qualms about assuming the worst of human nature.

Fortunately, the production team had its limits.

Or perhaps they were just afraid of the trouble it would cause.

In any case, whatever the reason, it made things much easier.

Nan Zhi’s expression was composed, betraying none of her thoughts.

She ushered Nan Yi inside first, then pushed the food cart behind the house, put everything in order, and shut off the livestream.

—Per the show’s rules, 10 p.m. marked the start of rest time, allowing the guests to turn off their livestreams until the following day.

As she turned off the camera, she happened to glance at the screen.

’Huh? The viewer count is actually 160,000?’

She recalled that when she had first started streaming, the number hadn’t even broken ten thousand.

But Nan Zhi didn’t pay it much mind and decisively hit the switch.

Now that she was free from prying eyes, the tension that had gripped Nan Zhi all day finally began to ease.

With her eyes half-closed, she leaned back against the sofa, the warm yellow light tracing the outline of her frail figure.

The exhaustion from her busy day washed over her like a tide, leaving her so tired she didn’t even want to lift a finger.

Cooking is a laborious profession, but a workload of thirty orders of fried rice wasn’t considered large.

But her current body was in truly terrible shape.

’If there was one thing Nan Zhi missed about the Otherworld, it was definitely the healthy body the system had provided...’

THUD.

Nan Zhi’s eyes snapped open. She looked toward the sound and saw Nan Yi trying to move a suitcase.

It held the belongings for both mother and son, so of course it was large—almost as big as Nan Yi himself.

Nan Yi’s cute little face was flushed red as he strained with all his might.

"Are you trying to get something?"

Nan Zhi started to get up to help.

Nan Yi dodged her outstretched hand, his body language clearly defensive. He pursed his lips.

"I can do it myself."

Nan Zhi could once again feel his wariness and detachment.

’But he was perfectly fine during filming...’

Not wanting any more misunderstandings, Nan Zhi asked gently,

"Did something happen?"

Nan Yi kept his small head lowered, hiding his expression from Nan Zhi.

"We’re done filming."

In that instant, an unbelievable suspicion formed in Nan Zhi’s mind.

"You think I was being nice to you... for the cameras?"

Nan Yi’s voice was muffled.

"Isn’t that it?"

’The old Nan Zhi hated him. She always called him a burden, a ball and chain.’

’If it weren’t for the show, why else would she smile at him and talk to him like she did today?’

’He wouldn’t fall for it again.’

Nan Zhi was taken aback and didn’t say anything more.

In silence, she washed up and changed clothes alongside Nan Yi.

When it was time for bed, Nan Yi headed straight for the sofa without a second thought.

Nan Zhi sighed and pulled him back.

"There aren’t enough blankets."

Nan Yi froze.

"I’m small. I can just cover myself with clothes."

But Nan Zhi didn’t take no for an answer, scooping him up and tucking him into the inner side of the bed.

Nan Yi tried to climb out.

Nan Zhi pushed him back down.

This went back and forth a few times.

Nan Zhi held his shoulders down firmly and lay down on the outer edge of the bed, completely blocking his escape.

"Just get some sleep."

Both mother and son were very thin. The 1.2-meter-wide single bed was big enough for them, but they were inevitably pressed close together.

Belatedly, Nan Yi realized that the side of his arm was pressed tightly against Nan Zhi.

An unfamiliar, pleasant scent wafted endlessly from her.

Nan Yi’s body was as stiff as a little wooden plank. He lay there, completely at a loss.

He was always as silent and stubborn as a little wild animal, quills raised to defend its palm-sized territory.

It was rare to see him this clumsy and childlike.

A smile touched Nan Zhi’s eyes. She patted him through the blanket.

"Go to sleep, Yiyi."

Nan Yi was quiet for a very long time.

So long that Nan Zhi thought he was already asleep.

Suddenly,

Nan Yi couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer and asked,

"Who is Yiyi?"

He’d been called that all day, but only now did he voice his genuine confusion.

Pale moonlight spilled like water through the small window, bathing Nan Zhi in its glow.

Her long lashes were lowered, casting a soft shadow beneath her eyes.

"Yiyi is your nickname."

’The "one" in "one and only." My "one and only."’

Nan Yi was too young to understand what he meant to her.

Nan Zhi did her best to keep her voice steady as she said,

"The year you were born, your great-grandfather—my grandfather—passed away. He was my only relative. For a moment, I felt like my whole world had collapsed... but then, thankfully, you came along."

In the darkness, Nan Yi bit his lip, a million questions swirling in his mind—

’Then why did you hate me?’

’Do you regret having me?’

’Do you... love me?’

...

Nan Yi couldn’t bring himself to ask.

He could only roll over, his back to Nan Zhi, so thin that the curve of his spine was visible.

Nan Zhi watched him through the darkness.

With their minds full of unspoken thoughts, mother and son didn’t fall asleep until very late.

-

The next morning, Nan Zhi took Nan Yi for breakfast nearby, then bought some fruit and headed to her neighbor’s house.

Having learned their lesson, the production team sent a cameraman to follow the mother and son.

This was how the audience found out where they got the ingredients for their food stall—

"I told you, there’s no rush to pay me back! It’s not like I’m hurting for the money! Honestly, you..."

The stout, broad-shouldered woman was Nan Zhi’s neighbor in the shantytown. Right now, she was grinning from ear to ear.

Though only a few steps away, the woman’s house was a world away from the dilapidated shack Nan Zhi lived in.

It not only had a small courtyard in the back but also connected to the small supermarket the family owned.

Though the supermarket was small, it had a little bit of everything.

This was where Nan Zhi got the ingredients for her food stall.

Or rather, to be precise, she got them on credit.

Nan Zhi smiled demurely, her eyes as gentle as the spring waters of Jiangnan.

"If I want to keep shopping here, Aunty, then I have to make sure my tab is clear."

The woman’s smile grew even wider.

"You’re such an honest kid! What else do you need? Just tell me, and I’ll have my old man carry it over for you later!"

Nan Zhi nodded slightly.

"Thank you, Aunty."

Since the stream started this morning, the live channel had accumulated tens of thousands of viewers.

It was still no match for the other guests’ popularity, but the numbers were continuing to grow, slowly but surely.

[No wonder she could get so much with 100 yuan. So it was a no-cost business!]

[Taking advantage of an old woman? That’s just criminal!]

[Isn’t it normal to get stuff on account these days?]

[This has to be staged by the production team. Where are you gonna find an aunty this nice in a shantytown?]

[Probably not. I used to live around here. That aunty is the landlord. She lives in the shantytown, but she’s definitely not short on cash.]

[So you expect us to believe Nan Zhi won her over with her charm? If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.]

...

The bullet comments flew by in a noisy, skeptical barrage.

Nan Zhi paid them no mind, simply finalizing her order with Aunty.