Wife, please behave yourself.

Chapter 120 She didn't want that

What kind of movies or TV shows do you like?

Shen Ruzhi, who was lost in thought, was brought back to reality by this question.

Since it wasn't a major holiday, the films showing in cinemas weren't any big-name productions.

Liu Songyan rarely goes to the movies. The only time he has ever watched a movie was when he was in elementary school and went to the cinema as part of a school activity.

The younger sister, Liu Wanqiu, wasn't interested in what movie to watch; she was more interested in the aroma of popcorn wafting from the theater lobby.

From the moment she started, she kept giving her older brother meaningful glances, her desire for popcorn written all over her face.

After thinking it over, Liu Songyan felt that Shen Ruzhi behind him might know something about it, so he simply asked for her opinion.

"Pick one."

"..."

Shen Ruzhi, who hadn't said much along the way, looked at the boy in front of her, then her gaze shifted to the screening schedule, and she casually pointed to the show that was playing the earliest.

Following the direction the other person pointed, Liu Songyan glanced at the ticket and, finding nothing wrong, went directly to the ticket window to buy a ticket.

There were less than ten minutes left before the event started.

Feeling uncomfortable under Liu Wanqiu's expectant gaze, he, as her older brother, ultimately bought his sister some popcorn.

When the time was almost up, the three of them had their tickets checked and entered the screening room.

Or perhaps the film chosen wasn't very popular, resulting in only a handful of people in the large screening room.

Not long after the three of them sat down, all the lights in the hall were turned off.

In the dimly lit environment, the film began to play on the big screen.

Liu Wanqiu sat on the left and Shen Ruzhi sat on the right.

Liu Songyan was caught in the middle.

The sound of popping could be heard, and before the movie even started, most of the popcorn in Liu Wanqiu's arms had already disappeared.

The three people only bought one serving of popcorn and did not purchase any drinks.

The film opens with a female voice narrating her own story.

My father passed away early, and my mother raised me with great difficulty. When I was fourteen, I met a man.

As the camera shifts, the female protagonist comes into view.

Large and small bags of luggage were unloaded from the car. Before the mother and daughter could even pick up their luggage, a man rushed into the frame.

He married my mother, and this blended family gave me an older brother who is only a few months older than me.

On the screen, a boy is standing next to the man, following behind his father with a blank expression. He responds to his father's calls and takes the luggage that is handed to him.

That was the first time I saw him.

The boy carrying his luggage turned and left without saying goodbye, heading into the building.

As the background music started, the flashback transitioned to a black screen segment.

Shen Ruzhi looked at the big screen with great seriousness. Perhaps the film she had randomly chosen was just to her liking. As the plot unfolded, a story about a blended family began to play out.

The girl transferred to the boy's school because her mother remarried.

The two, who were the same age, entered the same class.

From initial awkwardness or even indifference, to getting to know each other as the story progresses, the events that occur along the way transform these unrelated siblings from strangers to acquaintances.

Time flies, and the two of them entered high school.

The older brother, who excels in his studies, always tutors his younger sister, who has slightly lower grades, at home.

The sunlight streaming through the window gilded the boy explaining the problem, while the girl gazed longingly to the side.

That was the first time she felt her heart flutter.

Shen Ruzhi's gaze shifted from directly in front to her side.

Looking at Liu Songyan's calm profile as he gazes at the screen.

Just like in the movie, the light and shadow projected from the screen shone on the boy's face, making his previously indistinct features clearly visible.

As time went by, the movie eventually came to an end.

The dimly lit screening room lights came on again, finally giving Liu Songyan, who had watched the entire film, a chance to get up and move around.

Turning my head, I saw Liu Wanqiu, who was already holding an empty popcorn bucket, leaning to one side and slumped in her seat.

These niche youth films fail to capture the hearts of elementary school students.

Liu Songyan woke up his sleeping sister and told her that the movie was over. He watched his sister rubbing her eyes and hugging an empty bucket. After she got up, tired, he prepared to leave from the right side.

Turning around, I saw Shen Ruzhi still sitting in her seat.

Her eyes were red, as if she had been moved by the movie that had just ended.

Staring at her, who was still in a daze, and watching Shen Ruzhi's rapid breathing with her mouth open.

Is it really that touching?

"Um……"

Responding softly, Shen Ruzhi wiped her eyes and finally stood up from her seat.

"Don't you think it's touching? They clearly like each other but can't be together because of their social status."

Shen Ruzhi was particularly able to empathize with the female protagonist in the movie. Despite growing up with her adopted brother, she was always bound by the shackles of her identity and never revealed her feelings in order to maintain family harmony.

Watching the brother in the movie marry another woman and start a new family with her.

The happier Shen Ruzhi was, the more heartbroken she felt for the female lead.

Hearing Shen Ruzhi's reply, Liu Songyan really didn't understand why such a boring film could move her so much.

"I don't find it touching at all; I actually find it quite boring."

As he spoke, Liu Songyan turned around to gesture.

“Look, Wanqiu has fallen asleep while watching.”

"Ah woo~"

With her mouth wide open, Liu Wanqiu yawned in perfect unison.

Still clutching the empty popcorn bucket, she raised her other little hand and rubbed her eyes wearily.

"We need to rule out this type of movie. When we buy movie tickets, we'll choose war movies or horror movies."

"Will you come back to see it again...? I'm so sleepy watching it."

Liu Wanqiu rubbed her eyes and muttered something under her breath.

Her questions went unanswered. Liu Songyan ignored his sister and instead turned his attention back to Shen Ruzhi in front of him.

"I prefer horror movies because it's easy to get closer to someone in a scary atmosphere."

"..." "Let's go, let's go out and find a place to play for a while."

"Okay~"

Upon hearing that she could go out and have fun, Liu Wanqiu, who had been feeling sleepy, immediately perked up.

Watching the brother and sister squeeze past her, Shen Ruzhi turned around and looked at their departing figures.

It was quite late before I finally stepped forward to catch up.

After watching the movie, the three of them went to a nearby pedestrian street and, at Liu Wanqiu's request, took a group photo together.

That's a photography style that allows you to create your own photos, and it's become very popular in recent years.

It was nearly evening when the group finished eating at a street stall and boarded a bus.

The brother and sister got off the car first.

Shen Ruzhi was left alone in the car.

As the evening sun painted the sky crimson, a girl sitting by the window on the bus looked toward two figures at the bus stop.

As the vehicle started moving again, Liu Wanqiu waved his arms at Shen Ruzhi inside the car.

The boy standing beside her also smiled and, unusually, raised his hand to greet her.

As the vehicle sped up, the figures on the two platforms receded into the distance until they disappeared from Shen Ruzhi's sight.

He turned his gaze away from the car window.

Shen Ruzhi lowered her head to look at the photo booth in her hand. It was a nine-square grid, with a different photo in each square.

The boy in the photo has a serious face, while the little girl next to him is grinning foolishly with her big teeth showing.

Shen Ruzhi stood beside him.

Three people are crammed into the small photo.

He slowly placed his hand on the photo, his index fingertip gently rubbing against it, feeling the texture of the photo, and looking at the boy in the center.

Liu Songyan has changed a lot.

At least that's how Shen Ruzhi sees it now.

From initially being unwilling to communicate with herself, to now actively taking care of her own emotions, she clearly doesn't like taking photos, but reluctantly chooses to do so because of her younger sister Liu Wanqiu's request.

The same applies to Shen Ruzhi; for example, when they were eating street food.

Liu Songyan no longer says things that would make people angry, and he even thoughtfully asks if there are any dietary restrictions.

Ever since he decided to bring their parents together, he has truly treated her as a younger sister.

It's clear that Liu Songyan's attitude has improved.

But Shen Ruzhi, sitting on the bus, felt no joy at all.

She knew very well that Liu Songyan didn't have feelings for her; he was just being polite because they would become family in the future.

When the bus arrived at the stop, Shen Ruzhi got off and left.

Looking at the photo booth picture in my hand, I slowed my pace and walked towards home.

As soon as I opened the door to my house, I heard my mother's voice.

"I'm home."

Upon hearing the words, Shen Ruzhi finally looked away from the photo and at her mother, who was standing at the door, preparing to change her shoes and go out.

"I thought you were still at their house, and I was just about to go pick you up."

She took off her shoes halfway through putting them on, changed back into slippers, and walked towards her daughter who was standing at the door.

Seeing the photo in the other person's hand, I curiously looked down at it.

After she saw the three people in the photo clearly, her smile widened even more.

Did you go out to play today?

"Ah."

Responding, Shen Ruzhi entered the house.

He closed the security door behind him and held the photo face down in front of him to protect it.

Seeing the smile on her mother's face, she asked out of concern.

"Why are you leaving get off work so early today?"

"I finished work, so I came back first. By the way, Zhizhi, did you guys go out to play and eat?"

"have eaten."

"I see... then I'll just grab a bite."

"Mom, haven't you eaten yet?"

"I just got back from get off work and haven't had time to eat yet."

"Then I'll do it."

She hurriedly changed her shoes and, without waiting for Wen Yunwei to say anything more, Shen Ruzhi rushed towards the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, she came out carrying a bowl of clear soup noodles.

He placed the food on the dining table, but instead of chatting with his mother as usual, he said he was going back to his room to study and then went to his own room first.

Wen Yunwei was left alone at the dining table.

She turned around and looked at her daughter, who seemed different from usual, watching her retreating figure as she entered the room.

Perhaps it was a mother's intuition, but Wen Yunwei felt that her daughter seemed to be deliberately avoiding her today.

His gaze slowly returned to the bowl of clear soup noodles that his daughter had brought him.

I can't stop feeling sad.

inside the room.

Shen Ruzhi, who had just closed the door, leaned against it and, after realizing what was happening, took out the hidden photos again.

Looking at Liu Songyan's unwilling expression in the photo.

She... didn't know what to do either.

Although he had promised Liu Songyan that he would mention Uncle Liu to his mother from time to time after returning home.

But she can't do that now no matter what.

Just like the movie I watched today...

She didn't want to be like the female protagonist in the movie, forced to spy on the other person in private due to her status.

(End of this chapter)