It's autumn, my favorite season.
The blistering heat and annoying restlessness have both gone far away with the silence of cicadas. Under the warm breeze and expansive clouds, all life is full and vigorous, reflecting the characteristic of this season — harvest.
It's been several days since I returned from Xi'an, and nearby schools have started their new term for over a month, but I've noticed Unceasing has a little problem — the sales, which should have skyrocketed with the return of those little greedy cats, have not only failed to increase but have actually decreased significantly. The store, once always lively after school, has become deserted, a stark contrast to the scene of the past.
Although the fluctuation in sales doesn't have any practical significance for my financial situation, for good or bad, I've been running Unceasing for almost a year, I've treated it seriously as a business, and I've grown accustomed to the comings and goings of people in the store. I'm not used to the sudden desolation.
After some thought, I sent Fatty and Skinny out, asking them to walk around the surrounding area and see what's going on.
The two of them returned in the evening, and the news they brought back was indeed in line with my guess.
Right across the street from Unceasing, a new shop has opened, also selling desserts.
According to Fatty and Skinny's information, this new shop doesn't have the capital to compete with my store, because compared to the dazzling line-up of desserts with every kind of color and taste in Unceasing, the product sold in that shop is truly simple and low-end — cotton candy. That shop just sells cotton candy in various colors and flavors.
The cotton candy displayed in the glass case resembles clouds that have momentarily stopped over, expressing different moods with different colors.
Those little greedy cats who used to linger in Unceasing seem to have shifted all their attention to these soft, melt-in-the-mouth treats. Their attraction to it has, in a remarkably short time, defeated their previous love — that is, their love for the various desserts in Unceasing.
My intuition tells me this is abnormal.
Ever since I accompanied that fellow Jiu Jue on a trip to Xi'an, or to be precise, after I accidentally intercepted a gaze that was spying on me but vanished without a trace on the return flight, a slight sense of displeasure, or maybe unease, has lingered in my heart. It's as if there's something lurking in the shadows, something unknown, quietly infiltrating my life with an unfriendly attitude, yet I am temporarily unable to capture it.
They say a woman's intuition is sharp and accurate, and I am not just a woman but also a demoness.
The name of that shop is as peculiar as my Unceasing. It's called—
Musheng.
I heard that the boss of "Musheng" is also a woman.
I think maintaining good relations with neighbors is a good habit, and even so-called competitors should be paid a courtesy visit.
Musheng is not far from Unceasing, just across the street. But I believe what I am about to cross is more than just the distance of a street.
The wind has picked up outside, and today is devoid of sunlight. The temperature has dropped suddenly. Fatty and Skinny are busy rummaging through closets searching for warm clothing, making the room a mess.
I'm not in the mood to scold those two troublemakers today. Instead, I just stand by the window with a teacup in my hand, gazing absentmindedly at the courtyard through the steam gradually dissipating from the teacup. Countless golden leaves are rustling as they fall gently, covering the entire garden.
The gaze that has been bothering me seems to be reflected from every fallen leaf…
Translator:
Musheng (暮声) means Twilight Sound. Mu is a character in this story, so Musheng is Mu's Voice or Sound of Mu.
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