Everyone was startled.

It was a young man of about twenty, with fine, clear features — two or three points of resemblance to Shen Mo.

He came running over excitedly and wrapped his arms around Shen Mo the moment he stepped out of the vehicle!

“Mo-ge! You’re not dead! Thank goodness! We all thought you’d been killed by that vixen’s daughter!!!”

“Shen Fei? What are you doing in Shanghai?”

Shen Mo was taken aback as well. Seeing someone familiar, a natural smile spread across his face. “What do you mean, vixen’s daughter?”

“Wang Jingnian’s disabled daughter!” The young man called Shen Fei said indignantly. “If it weren’t for going to pick her up, how would you have gone missing for so long?! Uncle has been worried sick! Though Uncle was being foolish too — you were going on a mission, so why did he have to make you be the one to go get her? I think Uncle was just trying to win Wang Jingnian’s favor! That woman has him completely wrapped around her finger!”

The passenger door banged open.

Shen Fei blinked, looked over, and saw a girl sitting in the passenger seat wearing a white dress — quite pretty-looking.

“Mo-ge, who is she?” Shen Fei nudged Shen Mo with his elbow.

Before Shen Mo could answer, Bai Youwei said with a completely blank expression: “Wang Jingnian’s disabled daughter.”

Shen Fei: “…”

“Don’t cause trouble,” Shen Mo said with a quiet laugh, then made introductions: “This is my younger cousin. His name is Shen Fei.”

He went around to the back of the vehicle to retrieve the wheelchair. The others got out of the car as well and exchanged greetings with Shen Fei.

Yan Qingwen’s group also all got out.

With the number of people being rather large, Shen Fei felt a bit overwhelmed. He greeted each person in turn, and out of the corner of his eye he caught Shen Mo lifting Bai Youwei up — his eyes went wide with shock!

“Mo-ge! You?!…”

“Mm?” Shen Mo set Bai Youwei down in the wheelchair, then straightened up. “What is it?”

Shen Fei looked at Shen Mo, then looked at Bai Youwei, expression complicated, feelings even more so.

“No… never mind. Um… Let me take you all to your accommodations first.”

Shen Mo asked: “Is there a place to stay here?”

“Yes, yes, there is.” Shen Fei nodded repeatedly. “Because the population can’t be too concentrated, people entering the city can’t just stay wherever they like — they have to go to designated dormitories. But don’t worry, the accommodation conditions won’t be too bad. Except for no electricity, everything else is the same as before.”

He stepped ahead and waved his arm: “Come on, I’ll take you to register first. Just up ahead.”

Deeper into People’s Square, there was a row of red-roofed buildings — the old activity center, now converted into a makeshift registration office. But there weren’t many people inside, only three or five.

Shen Fei led the group of ten sweeping grandly inside. Ten people — including one with a disability — immediately drew sidelong glances.

Curious and questioning stares fell upon them, sizing them up up and down.

Bai Youwei was used to looks like these. She kept her eyes lowered and said nothing.

“This is my big brother — just arrived — I’m registering him and his friends.” Shen Fei said, as one who knew the ropes. “Please arrange something nearby.”

“Nearby, you say…” The staff member glanced at their group, then bowed their head to flip through a large ledger. “Hmm, would Kanding Road work? Building 5 and Building 6 are still vacant. Ten people, five on each side — that’d be just right.”

“No need for ten — just register nine,” Shen Fei hurried to say. “My brother will naturally come back and stay with me. We’re over at the Bund. Could you check if there’s availability over there?”

The staff member nodded and turned to look in the back of the ledger. Shen Mo said: “Never mind, I’ll stay on Kanding Road with the others.”

“Mo-ge?” Shen Fei asked in surprise. “You’re not staying with Uncle?!”

“No.” Shen Mo said calmly. “I’ll go visit him. As for living together, there’s no need for that. These people came with me — walking out on them wouldn’t be right.”

Shen Fei’s brow almost crumpled as he looked at the elderly, young, and injured members of the group, then back at Shen Mo. “Mo-ge, are you possibly…”

Shen Mo asked: “Possibly what?”

Shen Fei hesitated, then forced a smile: “Er… never mind.”

—