C6 A Subtle Premonition

When people are deeply engrossed in something, time has a way of slipping by unnoticed. This was exactly what Chen Mo experienced when he looked up from his book to discover that it was already time for dinner. After a leisurely stretch, he placed his book into his backpack and headed to the kitchen to begin preparing the evening's meal.

Earlier in the day, he had taken note that the refrigerator's contents were dwindling. It was clear that after tonight's dinner, a grocery run to the nearby market or supermarket would be in order. Yun Yiyi was usually the one tasked with shopping, so Chen Mo didn't often worry about these matters. Nonetheless, a gentle reminder seemed appropriate.

He wrote a quick note and affixed it to the refrigerator, then got back to the task at hand. By the time he had finished cooking and set the table, Yun Yiyi had just gotten back from school and entered the hall. She stopped short, clearly surprised to see Chen Mo busily arranging the dishes and utensils.

"Weren't you injured and hospitalized? How come you're home?" she asked, her voice filled with astonishment.

Chen Mo replied with a nonchalant shrug and a smile. "The doctor said it wasn't serious, so I got out early."

Yun Yiyi's expression showed concern. Although they weren't particularly talkative with one another, they had been living together for over six months. She might not have been fully attuned to Chen Mo's idiosyncrasies, but she wasn't oblivious to them either. With a skeptical look, she expressed her worry, "You didn't leave the hospital early because you were concerned about the expenses, did you? Before my parents left, they made me promise to look after you and to stop you from doing anything reckless. If you're not completely healed, don't overdo it. We can figure out the finances somehow."

Chen Mo appeared briefly surprised but then shook his head and jumped on the spot to show he was fine. "Look, I'm in great shape. If I start feeling bad, I'll definitely go back to the hospital for a checkup. But I do appreciate your concern."

"Don't misunderstand!" Yun Yiyi shot back, turning her head away in a blend of defiance and embarrassment. "I'm only reminding you because it was my parents' request. It's not because I care or am worried about your injuries. There's absolutely no other reason behind it!"

"Weren't you hospitalized after an accident? How come you're at home?" Yun Yiyi asked, clearly surprised.

Chen Mo shrugged nonchalantly and smiled. "The doctor said it wasn't serious, so I was discharged early."

Yun Yiyi frowned slightly. Even though they didn't talk much, having lived together for over half a year, she wasn't exactly unfamiliar with Chen Mo's character.

She eyed Chen Mo suspiciously before finally voicing her concern, "You didn't just leave the hospital because you thought the bills were too expensive, did you? Before they left, my parents made me promise to keep an eye on you and prevent you from doing anything foolish. If you're not fully recovered, don't force yourself. We can always find a way to deal with the money."

Chen Mo looked surprised but then shook his head and hopped on the spot a couple of times to prove his point.

"See, I'm in good shape. If I really feel unwell, I'll definitely go back to the hospital for a check-up. But still, thanks for your concern."

"Don't get the wrong idea!" Yun Yiyi turned her head away, her voice a mix of defiance and embarrassment. "I'm just reminding you because my parents asked me to. It's definitely not because I care or am worried about your injury. Not at all!"

"Right, right, I understand," Chen Mo replied. "But let's wash our hands first; it's time to eat."

"Hmph, good that you understand!" Yun Yiyi huffed, still looking somewhat awkward, and headed to the bathroom.

Chen Mo shook his head with a smile as she left. Yun Yiyi was a classic example of someone who is tough on the outside but tender on the inside, or as the internet would say, a textbook tsundere.

After shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Chen Mo waited for Yun Yiyi to wash up so they could have dinner together, followed by their usual evening routines.

Chen Mo then returned to his room, browsed the news on his computer for a bit, and resumed studying from his textbooks.

The academic demands of high school were at least two to three times greater than those of middle school, a fact plainly evident by the number of textbooks alone. The heavy workload made it difficult for Chen Mo to excel in every subject.

His only option was to master the main subjects, striving for top scores in the upcoming college entrance exams.

Therefore, Chen Mo usually focused on the subjects that would be tested, essentially studying for the sake of grades, rarely reading anything beyond the required textbooks.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy reading; there simply wasn't enough time.

Chen Mo found himself in a bit of a bind; his schedule had always been packed to the brim, with nearly every minute accounted for, leaving him no time to acquire knowledge beyond his coursework. This had inevitably narrowed his intellectual horizons, but fortunately, living in the digital age meant that, through his computer, Chen Mo could still catch glimpses of the world beyond, ensuring he didn't become a complete bookworm.

However, moving forward, it seemed he had developed some new ideas. His boundless energy was now sufficient to carve out ample time for activities he had once enjoyed but never had the chance to pursue. After all, even with studying, there's a plan to be followed; it's not about the length of time spent, but rather the effectiveness of the study sessions. Chen Mo had discovered over the past six months that occasionally relaxing could be far more productive than relentlessly hitting the books.

Now, he planned to use the time normally reserved for sleep to read, freeing up his days to engage in activities he had once only dreamed of due to his previously packed schedule.

After only two hours of sleep, Chen Mo woke up promptly at six in the morning, still brimming with energy and showing no signs of sleepiness. According to the system, he could theoretically go without sleep for an extended period, but for the sake of his physical well-being, Chen Mo chose not to push his limits and made sure to get at least two hours of rest each night.

He then got up, cooked breakfast, ate, and headed off to school. His routine was unchanging; by eight o'clock, Chen Mo arrived in the classroom, half an hour before class was due to start. On this rare peaceful morning, he didn't pull out his books to read. Instead, he tilted his head to gaze out the window at the clouds rolling by, appreciating what seemed to be another fine day.

Seizing a moment of leisure, Chen Mo squinted his eyes contentedly, savoring this brief respite.

---

Facing Chen Mo's evasive responses, Shu Menghan let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, if you don't like it, I won't press the issue. But let's get one thing straight—if anything happens, you need to tell me right away or get to a hospital for a checkup. I don't want my actions to be the cause of a lifelong ailment for you."

"There's really no need for that," Chen Mo said, spreading his hands in a carefree gesture. "Even without you, I'd still run into bad luck when it's my time."

"It's not the same," Shu Menghan insisted, her face etched with seriousness. "Your hypothetical situation doesn't exist. You got hurt trying to save me. If you had been a bit more ruthless and realized this sooner, escaping wouldn't have been difficult."

Chen Mo felt a sense of helplessness wash over him, forcing him to hold back his words. Deep down, he harbored a subtle premonition that he had somehow dragged Shu Menghan into the previous mishap. The falling object seemed to have been targeting him.

But this gut feeling wasn't something he could use to persuade Shu Menghan. Both Chen Mo and Shu Menghan were acutely aware of this fact. Thus, Chen Mo chose silence, tacitly acknowledging Shu Menghan's point of view.

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