Momo's Gradual Change - VOL. 1

C94. Encounter with Chen Fangfei.

Chapter 94: Encounter with Chen Fangfei

Her sixteenth birthday passed quietly, yet for Song Yimo, having family and friends nearby made it the happiest and most hopeful birthday she’d ever experienced.

After a quick farewell, Miao Jun and He Yi left, eager to get back to their rented shopfront that cost them daily. Miao Zhiruo hadn’t seen the place yet, so she joined them.

Once they left, Zhai Muyang turned to see Song Yimo blinking with a request in her eyes. “Dage, I want to apply for my ID card.”

Zhai Muyang paused, surprised. Song Yimo was truly treating him as the head of her family now, looking to him as an authority figure. Most teenagers, especially sixteen-year-olds, couldn’t wait to break free from any parental control, eager to explore the world on their own terms. But Song Yimo was different.

She instinctively placed herself in a position to be obedient, patiently awaiting an adult’s approval. To some, this might seem strange, but Zhai Muyang understood it perfectly.

After his mother had passed, his grandfather had been too grief-stricken to support him. In those days, he’d yearned for an adult to take charge of his life, to help him make sense of it all. He’d have followed anyone who appeared back then, regardless of whether they led him down a good or bad path.

But no one ever came.

Knowing what that desolation felt like made him understand Yimo’s anxiety in this stage of her life.

Faced with her hopeful gaze, he thought, 'I’d give her anything she wanted.'

“Shall we go now?”

Song Yimo’s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically.

He smiled warmly. “Go change.”

Song Yimo responded joyfully, darting off to her room with a spring in her step.

After she left, he turned to their grandmother. “I’m taking her out for a bit. We might be back late.”

“Good, take your time,” Grandma said with a gentle smile. “Wear enough layers, and no need to rush back.”

The ID application process went smoothly with only a few people waiting. Soon enough, they were done.

Messing with her hair in mild frustration, Song Yimo muttered, “No wonder people say your ID photo always looks bad. There’s no way to hide any flaws!”

“Don’t worry; you’ll look great no matter what,” Zhai Muyang assured her, grinning. Someone had even complimented her looks while they were there. As her big brother, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride.

Remembering they had time to spare, he asked, “Do you want to go anywhere?”

Song Yimo thought for a moment and shook her head. She could barely remember the last time she went out just to have fun.

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he asked, “Is there an arcade in Xinghu County?”

“Yes, I heard some classmates talking about it.”

“Want to check it out?”

Song Yimo, curious and intrigued, eagerly agreed.

However, upon arriving, she hesitated at the door, looking uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s too noisy.”

He chuckled and nudged her forward. “Lots of people, lots of machines, and some are super loud. You’ll get used to it. You need to get out and relax sometimes. You can’t always keep things so tightly wound.”

Song Yimo nodded, appreciating his care. Though she felt secure now, she couldn’t stop her mind from constantly thinking and planning for the future. When life is finally stable, people begin wanting more; she was no different. She couldn’t help but pursue opportunities once she knew where to find them.

Just inside, two dance machines were surrounded by a crowd, two players locked in a fierce dance-off.

Zhai Muyang propelled his sister into the throng, immediately discerning the familiarity of the two figures. Their movements, fluid and effortless, were a testament to their frequent indulgence in such nocturnal revelry. Their bodies swayed rhythmically, a testament to the music's captivating allure.

“They’re amazing,” Song Yimo whispered in awe.

“If you practiced, you’d be this good too.”

At that moment, the music stopped. She wasn’t sure who had won, but she recognized one of the dancers. The other girl turned and spotted her.

“Song Yimo?”

“Senior Chen.”

With a mischievous smirk, Chen Fangfei walked over. “Our new school belle hanging out in a place like this?”

The tone alerted Zhai Muyang instantly that Chen Fangfei didn’t like Yimo. He put his arm protectively around her shoulders, his stance unmistakable.

Chen Fangfei looked at him, her eyebrows raised mockingly. “Ah, so this is why you turned down Yu Xi. Well, I get it. I’d choose the same in your shoes.”

The three girls with Chen Fangfei laughed along, one pointing at Song Yimo’s outfit. “My cousin has one just like that. Guess how much it costs?”

“How much?”

“Eight hundred and twenty yuan.”

People nearby went silent for a moment, then began murmuring.

We live in a world that often sneers at poverty more than vice. Even though the implication was obvious, the crowd was fixated on the cost, leaving Chen Fangfei and her friends visibly deflated.

Song Yimo’s expression remained calm. She might be sixteen in this life, but she wasn’t really sixteen.

She gently removed her brother’s arm and slipped her own around his. “Dage, it’s too loud in here. Let’s find somewhere else.”

“Yes,” Zhai Muyang said, leveling a cool gaze at Chen Fangfei and her friends. “Whether it’s eight hundred or eight thousand, I’d buy anything Yimo likes. The filthier the mind, the uglier the face, and no amount of makeup can cover that.”

Song Yimo pulled her brother along, nodding politely to Chen Fangfei. “Goodbye, Senior.”

The crowd’s whispers died down; everyone could see Song Yimo’s brother was simply looking out for his younger sister.

Back outside, Song Yimo breathed in deeply, relishing the sudden quiet. “I think I’ll stick to quieter places from now on.”

“Is it just the noise, or did it have something to do with that girl?” he asked.

“It’s just the noise,” she replied. “Way too loud for me.”

As they waited for the elevator, he continued, “Do you two have some kind of feud? Because of Yu Xi?”

“Probably,” Song Yimo nodded thoughtfully. “For her, it’s definitely a grudge. The whole school knows she likes Yu Xi, but he turned her down and later pursued me. I suppose she took it to heart. So, it’s not surprising she acts unfriendly.”

When they stepped into the elevator with others present, they dropped the conversation. But once back in the car, Zhai Muyang resumed. “Does Yu Xi know? How does he treat you now? Still interested?”

“No, he’s not pursuing me anymore. He’s in his final year, no time for that.” Song Yimo gave him a wry smile. “Dage, I’m really not in some early romance.”

He laughed, feeling a little sheepish. Giving her nose a playful tweak, he said, “Alright, alright, no more questions.”