Momo's Gradual Change

C159. Unrecognized by the Pursuers.

Chapter 159: Unrecognized by the Pursuers

"No, I don’t live around here; just waiting for someone." Song Yimo’s voice was calm, but as she watched the child gulp down water, a pang of pity hit her—parched and starving, who knew how long he’d gone without sustenance?

The woman was clearly the chatty, friendly type. Song Yimo’s simple response opened the door for more conversation. "Is he a year old yet? My, he’s such a plump, healthy little thing!"

"Almost," Song Yimo replied with a smile. But as she lifted her gaze, her smile froze. Two men had just entered, scanning the crowd. Trying to remain inconspicuous, she turned and resumed talking to the woman. "How old is your child, sis?"

"Nearly six. Look, there he is, that little troublemaker, almost flying out of that pirate ship. Honestly, he’s harder to handle than two others put together."

Song Yimo followed her gaze, spotting the tall boy scrambling up a pirate-themed play structure, locked in a tug-of-war over a spot. The woman shouted, "Dai Qi, behave yourself!"

Her loud voice, booming over the noise of the playground, turned heads, including those of the two men who’d entered. In that moment, they also glanced Song Yimo’s way.

Song Yimo stood up as well, noticing out of the corner of her eye that the two men had entered. She instinctively shifted her position, turning slightly while holding the child closer, and took a step nearer to the woman beside her.

"Can’t take my eyes off him for a second!" the woman exclaimed, her voice hearty and loud. Though her words were full of exasperation, the sparkle in her eyes revealed how much she enjoyed it.

Song Yimo couldn’t quite understand this kind of joy, but she smiled along with her, blending in as if they’d come together. Wary that the woman might say something revealing, she took the initiative to steer the conversation.

"Everything here is so expensive," Song Yimo said, feigning casual curiosity. "Isn’t this mall the new one that just opened this year?"

"Yes, New World is Mang City’s priciest mall. Any little thing costs hundreds, sometimes thousands. Over at Xinghe Mall, things are just as nice and cheaper too. If you’re planning to buy anything, go there. Don’t let this place bleed you dry."

"Looks like business here is booming, though," Song Yimo observed, playing along.

"Of course! There are always folks who’ll pay top dollar just to show they’re a cut above. New World preys on exactly those people. But a sensible young girl like you shouldn’t follow their example."

Song Yimo laughed, her nerves easing a little in response to the woman’s blunt advice. Just then, the two men had moved closer, stopping nearby to peer around.

Song Yimo cast them a quick, casual glance before looking away. With a light, laughing tone, she remarked, "Even if I wanted to imitate them, I couldn’t afford it. One piece of clothing here would be my whole month’s meals."

“Oh, you haven’t been up to the fifth floor yet? One outfit there would cover six months of meals! Dai Le, over here!”

The woman’s voice rang out, powerful enough to drown out the music playing across the entire playground. Heads turned to look her way, including those two men who had been glancing around.

Standing beside her, Song Yimo felt their gaze sweep over her direction and land on her and the child in her arms. Her heart pounded, but she knew this was no time to flinch or reveal any anxiety. Instead, she returned their gaze, tilting her head in open curiosity.

“Dai Le, what’s this about… Hey, hey! What are you looking at this young lady for?” The woman’s voice softened as she turned to Yimo.

Keeping her expression neutral and her breath steady, Song Yimo maintained her gaze toward them, lacing her face with a hint of innocent confusion.

“Hey, sis, do you know these guys?” The woman’s voice carried a protective tone.

Song Yimo shook her head. “No, not at all. They’re acting… strange, aren’t they?”

The woman immediately pulled her closer, eyeing the men with a slight scowl. Her husband, tall and solid, stepped forward with an air of authority. “What’s the deal here, guys?”

One of the men, after a long pause, finally muttered, "Sorry, mistaken identity." He tugged his companion's sleeve, and they both left the playground area.

Song Yimo barely dared to breathe until they were gone. She could feel her heartbeat hammering, a relentless pounding that left her slightly dizzy with relief. In a shaky exhale, she snuck a look back at the woman’s husband, who’d been watching her closely. Flustered, she hid behind the woman again, instinctively clutching the child to her chest.

“Now, don’t go frightening the young lady,” the woman chuckled, nudging her husband back. Then, in a whisper to Song Yimo, she asked, "Are you really the person they’re looking for?"

A chill ran through her, and her guarded gaze met the woman’s. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being seen through completely.

But the woman simply nodded to her husband, giving her an understanding look as she settled back down. “No worries. You look like a good, sensible young lady. You’ve got someone meeting you here, right?”

Song Yimo didn’t answer directly, instead murmuring a quiet apology, conscious of having taken advantage of a stranger’s kindness.

"Well, you're a decent girl," the woman said with a smile, patting Song Yimo’s arm. “No need to explain anything you don’t want to. Here, stay with me—I know my way around this place.” She motioned to her husband to keep watch nearby, and he nodded, still throwing a cautious glance toward Song Yimo as he moved away.

It wasn’t Song Yimo’s fault that someone could glimpse her true self with a single glance. Though in her twenties, her life—both in this lifetime and the one before—had always been wrapped in a world of gentle simplicity.

Especially these past two years, her life had been free from misfortune or hardship. Her friends shielded her from trouble, and Zhai Muyang cared for her as if she were a princess. In such a protective cocoon, she had grown even more unblemished, more innocent than she’d been when she first returned.

To the woman’s credit, despite her curiosity, she asked nothing further. "Is the child hungry? Looks like he hasn’t eaten anything in a while."

A wave of helplessness swept through Song Yimo as she held back an answer. "I’m… not sure," she replied, finally. The woman’s eyes showed a hint of surprise, but Song Yimo bit her lip, her brother’s words still echoing in her mind.

Don’t trust anyone.

“Let’s wait for my brother, and then I’ll tell you the full story.”

The woman seemed to accept this without any hint of displeasure. With a warm smile, she reached out, patting Song Yimo’s shoulder. "Well, wait right here then. I’ll be right back with something to feed him."

Song Yimo watched her as she moved away, half-terrified that she might betray her. But the woman merely strolled over to a concession stand, exchanged a few words with the vendor, and returned with a small packet, shaking it gently to mix the milk powder. Then she approached Song Yimo, holding the milk bottle with a steady hand.

"Here—might not be the best quality, but it’ll keep him going."

"Thank you, sis." Song Yimo quickly pulled out some money, but the woman merely took a modest bill with a half-hearted grumble, “Not that it’s worth what they charged, mind you.”

Almost as if sensing it, the baby stirred, stretching tiny fists toward the bottle, a whimper of anticipation breaking from his little mouth.

The woman smiled, "Be good, you'll be able to drink soon."

After opening the lid and checking that the milk powder was shaken evenly, the woman put the straw to the child's mouth, and the child took one bite and started sucking.

“Aw, poor thing’s starving,” the woman cooed, settling beside Song Yimo to help feed him. As the child’s frantic gulping slowed, Song Yimo’s anxieties began to ease. Whatever storm had brought her here, she felt a rare calm in this woman’s steady company.

For now, they were safe.