Today, I Have Yet to Become a Doll

The cucumbers weren't growing well, thin and twisted, not nearly as beautiful as those from the greenhouse. Remembering that Cheng Laoshi had mentioned wanting to pickle some, Shen Mo set the cucumbers aside for the moment and washed the cherry tomatoes and loquats first.

The tiny tomatoes, about twenty in number, filled a glass perfectly.

The loquats had been picked at night. He hadn't noticed at the time, but now, under the flashlight beam, he saw that many weren't fully ripe, a pale yellow tinged with green.

Shen Mo sorted through them, discarding the most underripe ones, and carried the rest back to the room.

Bai Youwei immediately reached for them.

"Wipe your hands first." Shen Mo handed her a damp towel.

She quickly wiped her hands and then eagerly picked the largest loquat and bit into it.

"Eat a tomato first. It was dark outside, and these loquats aren't quite ripe. They might be a bit sour," Shen Mo said.

Bai Youwei had already taken a bite, chewed a few times, and spat out the skin and pit. "…Not sour at all, it's quite sweet. You said these are called loquats? They're delicious."

"Haven't you had them before?" Shen Mo peeled one with a slightly reddish skin and offered it to her.

"I have, but only in stews…like snow pear and loquat stew, or peach resin and loquat. I've never had a fresh one." Bai Youwei finished another one in a few bites, her eyes curving into crescents. "This one is even sweeter than the last!"

"Really? That sweet?" Seeing her enjoyment, Shen Mo peeled one for himself and took a bite. "…………"

"Is it sweet?" Bai Youwei asked him with a smile.

Shen Mo: "…"

…He thought she was teasing him again, but her smile seemed genuine, her eyes bright and sparkling like a clear spring reflecting the moonlight, pure and innocent.

She truly found them sweet.

The sour loquat sat in his mouth. He chewed it silently a few times, spat out the pit, and got up for a drink of water.

When he returned, he took away all the loquats she was holding.

"Hey!" Bai Youwei glared at him, puzzled. "I was still eating those!"

"Loquats are cooling. Too many aren't good for you." Shen Mo placed the cherry tomatoes in her hand. "Eat these."

Bai Youwei pouted. "Who hasn't eaten tomatoes before? What's so special about them? I want loquats."

Shen Mo said, "I'll pick you sweeter ones tomorrow."

This finally satisfied Bai Youwei, and she stopped protesting.

After finishing the tomatoes, she was still hungry. Shen Mo carried her downstairs, reheated the noodles she hadn't finished, and cooked her a poached egg.

She usually didn't care for instant noodles, but today she even finished the broth.

Watching her cradling the bowl and drinking the soup, Shen Mo couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. This little hedgehog had a temper, held grudges, and could be incredibly sharp-tongued, making it difficult to know how to handle her when she was angry. But as long as you were willing to appease her, even the smallest bit of sweetness could be transformed into overflowing affection.

…Actually, she was quite easy to please.

He reached out and ruffled her hair.

Bai Youwei put down the bowl and looked up at him. "Why do you always pat my head?"

Shen Mo asked with a smile, "Don't you always touch my hand?"

Bai Youwei: "Because they're hard. It's interesting."

Shen Mo mimicked her: "Oh, I do it because it's soft. It's interesting."

Bai Youwei blinked her bright eyes, watching Cheng Weicai and Tan Xiao go to the side to wash the dishes. She reached out and held Shen Mo's hand, looking at him and whispering, "There are softer places. Do you want to touch them?"

Shen Mo: "…"

Half a second later, he pulled his hand away and flicked her forehead.

"Ouch!" Bai Youwei cried out in pain, clutching her forehead and glaring at him. "Why did you hit me?!"

Cheng Laoshi and Tan Xiao looked over. Seeing the siblings were alright, they turned back to their tasks.

Shen Mo found it amusing and pinched her cheek. "Behave yourself."

Bai Youwei stuck out her lower lip, wanting to curse him! …But remembering the loquats she had eaten, she felt a pang of craving. She licked her lips and thought, Forget it. Considering how well he's treating me, I'll let him have his way these next couple of days.

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