Chapter 89: Seeing Beauty, Forgetting Righteousness

"Wait a moment, I need to reply to a message."

"Who is it? You're really killing the mood."

Ruan Hongzhuang walked back and said casually, as if by accident.

"A friend. We were supposed to meet today, but since I'm on a date with you, I'll have to stand him up," Shen Siyuan said.

Hearing this, Ruan Hongzhuang didn't ask any further questions. Instead, she walked over to a shady spot nearby. They had only just met, and their relationship wasn't deep enough yet for them to ask each other anything without hesitation.

"I'm waiting for you at Blue Sea Internet Cafe. I've already reserved a computer. Come quickly."

Yang Hongwen's message seemed to carry a hint of urgency.

So early in the morning, and he's already run off to an internet cafe. After all these years, he really hasn't changed his original intentions.

"Not coming. I'm on a date."

With Yang Hongwen, Shen Siyuan didn't hide anything; he spoke directly.

"Haha. gif." Yang Hongwen sent a laughing emoji.

"You? On a date? Don't make me laugh myself to death."

"Are you looking down on me?"

"Yes, I am looking down on you. Hurry up and come; don't waste time. I'm looking for people to run a sixteen-person dungeon today, and I might as well bring you along. Haven't you got many achievements left to complete? We can do them together. Maybe you'll even get some god-tier gear..."

"I really am on a date. If you don't believe me, I'll take a photo and show you."

Shen Siyuan turned his head to look at Ruan Hongzhuang beside him.

"I told my friend I'm on a date, but he doesn't believe me. Can I take a photo and send it to him? Don't worry, I won't photograph your face."

"Why not photograph my face? Is it because I'm not presentable enough?" Ruan Hongzhuang laughed.

Then she leaned forward proactively and linked her arm with Shen Siyuan's.

"That's not what I meant."

"Go ahead and take the photo."

Ruan Hongzhuang leaned her head closer toward Shen Siyuan and flashed a brilliant smile.

She naturally understood Shen Siyuan's intention, but her personality was straightforward; she disliked the kind of coy behavior typical of young girls.

Since they were dating, there was no need to hide anything; they should display their relationship openly in public.

Today, she had already taken quite a few photos and was planning to post them on her Moments feed, with absolutely no intention of concealing her feelings.

Since Ruan Hongzhuang didn't mind, Shen Siyuan took two photos of the two of them with their faces visible and sent them over.

Then—

Then Yang Hongwen fell silent.

"What did he say?"

Ruan Hongzhuang was very curious about the reaction of Shen Siyuan's friend.

She was quite confident in her own appearance; she should make Shen Siyuan look very good in front of his friends.

Seeing no response for a long time, Shen Siyuan said, "Forget it, ignore him. Let's continue taking photos."

But as soon as he finished speaking, Yang Hongwen's WeChat message finally arrived again.

"You really deserve to die."

Ruan Hongzhuang also leaned over curiously, then burst into laughter, baring two rows of white teeth. Realizing this might be too rude, she covered her mouth with her hand, but the laughter wouldn't stop.

"Do you and your friends always chat like this?"

"We were university classmates and shared the same dormitory. We've kept in touch since graduation, so naturally, our relationship is closer than with others."

While speaking, Shen Siyuan sent another message to Yang Hongwen.

"Little Hong, withdraw. Do not disturb my imperial tranquility. (Kicks away. gif)"

After sending the WeChat message, he immediately blocked Yang Hongwen's WeChat notifications, pretended nothing had happened, and continued his date with Ruan Hongzhuang.

"Is this okay? This way, not only can we capture the sea behind us, but the trees at the foot of the mountain can also be included in the frame..."

Ruan Hongzhuang had a natural sense for the camera; she seemed like a protagonist born for the spotlight.

Sixty percent of Shen Siyuan's phone battery was used up taking photos of her.

However, this time, Shen Siyuan shifted the lens slightly to the right, because a mother and son had entered the frame.

Ruan Hongzhuang also seemed to sense Shen Siyuan's gaze, so she shifted her attention to the side as well, seeing a young boy leaning against the railing, staring blankly out at the sea.

More accurately, 'teenager' would be more appropriate. He was fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a black jersey, with black sun-protection sleeves on his arms, carrying a large backpack, and slinging a water bottle across his body. His skin was dark, suggesting he had traveled from far away.

"Do you know him?"

Ruan Hongzhuang walked back and whispered the question into Shen Siyuan's ear.

Shen Siyuan shook his head and said, "No, I don't."

But his gaze turned toward the woman standing beside the teenager.

The woman wasn't old; she looked to be around thirty years of age.

Perhaps because of Ruan Hongzhuang's movement, she noticed, or perhaps Ruan Hongzhuang herself was simply so eye-catching that people couldn't help but look at her.

So she turned her head and glanced at the two of them.

But in that glance, she noticed that the young man seemed to have smiled at her. She thought she must be seeing things.

If it were an ordinary person, they might just let it go, dismiss it, and continue with whatever they were doing.

But she wasn't an ordinary person; others couldn't see her at all, so she had far fewer inhibitions in her actions.

So she walked straight up, wanting to see what the young man had photographed on his phone. Just now, she had also noticed that he seemed to be taking a photo in their direction; perhaps her son would be captured in the picture.

During this journey, her greatest regret was that her son hadn't left behind many photos.

Shen Siyuan had indeed taken a photo of the teenager. The boy gazed out at the sea, his eyes melancholic, his brow seeming to hold a knot that couldn't be untied. A ray of sunlight fell upon his face, seeming to symbolize that his future was bright and all suffering would become a thing of the past.

Ruan Hongzhuang glanced at it, then moved forward again. She was attracted by a mountain rose apple tree outside the railing; its branches extended inside the railing, covered in beige flowers.

So when the woman poked her head over to look, Shen Siyuan asked directly, "How's the photo coming out?"

"Very nice, my son is just handsome," the woman replied offhandedly upon hearing this.

Then she realized, widened her eyes in surprise, and looked at Shen Siyuan, saying, "Are you talking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?"

"You can see me?"

The woman was both surprised and delighted.

Shen Siyuan nodded slightly, then said to Ruan Hongzhuang, who was squatting by the fence examining the peach blossoms of the Shanpu tree, "Tilt your head slightly to the right."

Then he whispered, "Naturally I can see you; just speak and I'll listen, so others won't think I'm crazy."

"O-okay..."

Clearly, meeting someone for the first time who could see her and communicate with her made the woman extremely excited.

So while Shen Siyuan took photos of Ruan Hongzhuang, he listened to the woman's account.

The woman's name was Chen Haiyan; the youth was her son, Zhou Jinbei, who had graduated from junior high and would be a Gao Zhongsheng next year, currently cycling around the island.

However, due to family reasons, he did not plan to attend high school, which worried Chen Haiyan greatly.

Chen Haiyan did not know Shen Siyuan's background, so she kept the conversation superficial and did not delve too deeply into her own affairs.

"At such a young age, it won't do to not go to school."

"Who says otherwise? But I passed away early, and his father doesn't pay much attention to him; actually, he studies quite well," Chen Haiyan said, showing only regret on her face, not much sorrow.

"Then do you have any words you want to say to him?"

Shen Siyuan stared at his phone, murmuring aloud.

"Can you help me convey some words to my son?" Chen Haiyan said, somewhat delighted.

"If I convey them, will he listen? He might even think I'm a liar or a madman."

Upon hearing this, Chen Haiyan's expression darkened.

"These matters are most effective if you go and tell him yourself," Shen Siyuan said.

"I... myself?"

Chen Haiyan was first puzzled, then her eyes gradually widened.

"You mean, let me tell him myself, even though he can't see me and can't hear me speak..."

Chen Haiyan was not stupid; though she spoke thus, she looked at Shen Siyuan full of expectation.

Since Shen Siyuan could not only see her but also communicate with her, he must be a person of ability; perhaps he could also make her son see her.

However, Shen Siyuan did not answer her, because Ruan Hongzhuang had walked over.