She really needed to go to the bathroom...
"They're not guests. This is Xiangjiang's wife and daughter," Grandma Ji stepped forward to speak to the inquiring neighbor, Granny Zheng. "Shuhe, come say hello to Granny."
Ji Shuhe had been hiding behind her mother, most of her body shielded by Xia Chun, with only her two eyes peeking out to study Wen Shaoyu. Now that her grandmother had called her out, she had no choice but to obediently step forward and greet, "Hello, Granny."
"Hello, hello. So you're Xiangjiang's little girl. I last saw you when you were just a toddler. I didn't expect you'd grown up so much." Granny Zheng raised a hand to pat Ji Shuhe's shoulder, her tone filled with nostalgia as she recalled the past.
She was about the same age as Ji Shuhe's grandparents, dressed in a silk short-sleeved blouse and dark trousers, with pearl earrings that occasionally caught Ji Shuhe's eye. She was clearly an elegant and refined elderly woman, and her attitude was very kind. The smile that creased her face only added to her gentle and benevolent aura, making her feel even more approachable than Ji Shuhe's own grandmother.
"Did Xiangjiang not come back with you?" Granny Zheng looked behind them, not seeing the person in question, then added, "It's been so long, I probably wouldn't even recognize him if he stood right in front of me."
"Xiangjiang didn't come. He's tied up with work, so he had Xia Chun bring Shuhe over." Grandma Ji remembered she hadn't yet told Granny Zheng about Shuhe's stay, so she took the opportunity to say it directly: "Oh, my memory's failing me. I forgot to mention. Xiangjiang and his wife decided to send the child to study in Xinhai. From now on, our Shuhe will be living here."
"In the attic upstairs? Xiangjiang's old room?" Granny Zheng was observant; with a turn of thought, she guessed the family's arrangement.
"Yes, the girl herself wanted to live in her father's old place." Grandma Ji reached out and took Ji Shuhe's hand. The sudden intimacy made Ji Shuhe uncomfortable, but out of politeness, she just lowered her head and accepted it.
"Shuhe is new here. Since we're all under the same roof, I'll have to trouble you and Xiao Yu to look after her."
"What are you saying? Shuhe looks so quiet and well-behaved. Studying together will be good—she can keep an eye on this little monkey!" Granny Zheng sighed deeply as she turned to look at Wen Shaoyu. "Causing trouble every single day!"
Wen Shaoyu remained silent under the scolding. Despite still being disheveled and sporting bruises, his expression stayed calm. He had none of the impulsiveness, anger, or resentment typical of a boy his age, as if the scolding wasn't directed at him.
Ji Shuhe's gaze stopped on Wen Shaoyu's elbow. The bloodstains were still there, clearly indicating he hadn't accepted her goodwill. She sighed inwardly—another unnecessary meddling.
"Boys his age are naturally rowdy; he'll grow out of it," Grandma Ji said, offering only comforting platitudes in front of others. After all, everyone in Yong'anli knew what Wen Shaoyu was like. Even she had privately warned her grandson to stay away from him.
"I hope so." Granny Zheng sighed heavily, then turned to nudge the boy who was lost in thought. "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help take your little sister's suitcase upstairs!"
Ji Shuhe's eyes widened, and she quickly waved her hands in refusal. "No, no, I can manage by myself!"
"The stairs here aren't easy to navigate. Let Xiao Yu do it."
Before Granny Zheng even finished speaking, a slender, fair hand had already reached for the suitcase beside Ji Shuhe. She held onto the handle and stepped back, still protesting, "It's okay, I'll be careful. No need to trouble—"
"Give it up."
Seeing Ji Shuhe shrink back again, Wen Shaoyu let out a light scoff. He tilted his chin toward the narrow, dim stairway behind the living room. "As long as you can watch your step and not fall, that's already impressive."
What an irritating tone.
Ji Shuhe frowned, wishing she could right now, this very instant, carry her 26-inch suitcase up to the attic without breaking a sweat, proving that self-reliance was the best and that girls were just as capable as boys.
But... as it turned out, Wen Shaoyu was right.
The stairway was dark. The old wooden stairs were older than Ji Shuhe herself. No matter their weight or height, anyone stepping on the moldy planks would produce a loud "creak," sending up dust carrying the decadent smell of the last century.
Steep and narrow, barely enough for one person, let alone carrying a large suitcase up.
Ji Shuhe looked up at Wen Shaoyu's back as he lifted her heavy suitcase. In the changing light, she caught sight of his forearm, veins bulging from exertion.
Maybe he wasn't so annoying after all...
"What are you waiting for?"
In no time, Wen Shaoyu had agilely climbed to the second floor, set down the suitcase, and crouched at the top of the stairs. One hand rested on his knee, the other lightly on the railing, as he looked down at Ji Shuhe with focused attention.
"I heard you're going to live here permanently?" His expression turned teasing, his voice slow and deep. "Look at these stairs up and down. You won't get by if you can't learn to walk them."
Okay, he was still annoying.
Ji Shuhe pouted, feeling that her eyes had been deceived. His words were true enough, but his tone was provocative, grating on her nerves. She had only been lost in thought for a moment, and he already assumed she couldn't even handle the stairs.
Ji Shuhe grumbled inwardly, getting more and more annoyed. But since she was under someone else's roof, no matter how angry she got, she only dared to mutter under her breath.
Before coming, her father had advised her to talk less and do more; those who yielded first usually lived more peacefully.
"I can walk, you don't need to tell me." Ji Shuhe wrinkled her nose. Not wanting to take the insult lying down in front of a peer, she quietly retorted after a moment of silence.
But her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz; she wasn't sure if Wen Shaoyu heard.
He didn't respond. He just watched as Ji Shuhe first grabbed the railing before lifting her leg, then tested each step hesitantly, as if afraid the step would give way. A faint smile again tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Her courage came and went. Saying she was like a cat was spot on.
The old stairs were steep and worn, but they wouldn't collapse under her light weight. Yet she was so cautious, looking three steps ahead for each one.
But despite being so timid, knowing he was a troublesome thorn, not daring to meet his eyes, she still managed to talk back stubbornly.
So she was inconsistent too.
Wen Shaoyu's hand hung at his side, brushing against the tissue in his pocket through the thin fabric. The sensation wasn't particularly noticeable, but with the person connected to it right in front of him, everything became sensitive.
A mischievous impulse struck him. He wanted to tear off Ji Shuhe's timid facade, tease her until she couldn't help but show her claws, and see what lay beneath that obedient surface.
Just like the stray calico he usually fed.
It was well-behaved only for food. The moment he teased her, she would hiss and swipe at him. All the good food he gave her seemed to have gone to waste; she was an ungrateful "heartless cat."
Ji Shuhe was definitely the same.
Wen Shaoyu watched Ji Shuhe struggle up to the second floor, then stood up gracefully, picked up the suitcase, and led her to the even more difficult attic stairs. Together, they managed to get the suitcase up to the attic.
Having completed his task, Wen Shaoyu clapped his hands and turned to leave. Ji Shuhe maliciously speculated that he was going downstairs to be scolded.
The neighbors had all heard his earlier bold words. Once Granny Zheng arrived and heard the gossip, a mix of reproach and lament would likely ensue, possibly even dragging Wen Shaoyu's parents into it...
Fortunately, that had nothing to do with her.