They’d suddenly turned all clingy!
Just ten minutes ago, Ye Zhiyun had been putting on a dramatic show, dead set against listening to a word of Ye Zhibai’s explanations, her fingers jammed in her ears like a petulant child shouting, “I can’t hear you, la la la!”
And yet, it had only been ten minutes. Her attitude had done a complete one-eighty. Now she was clinging to Ye Zhibai’s arm and refusing to let go!
Ye Zhiyun had even scrounged up a thin cord from somewhere and threaded the student ID Ye Zhibai had brought through it, hanging it proudly around her own neck.
Every so often, she’d cradle the card in her palm and peer at it, dissolving into a fit of giddy giggles—as if she were holding some long-lost national treasure.
Yun’er… that’s just your own student ID, you know?
Anyway!
Words could scarcely capture Ye Zhibai’s mood at that moment.
Happiness crashed over her too fast, like a massive typhoon slamming into the beach like a freight train, pummeling her with damn hailstones even fiercer than any tornado.
It was exhilarating…
…and impossible to fend off.
It had all started after Ye Zhibai’s offhand remark earlier: “Here’s to an early happy graduation.” Ye Zhiyun had spun away on her own, surreptitiously wiping her tears. When she turned back, every trace of her sulk had vanished.
And so, right then and there…
“Hee hee hee… Sis, wanna check out that pavilion over there? It’s behind the teaching building, tons of shade—super refreshing! You’re sweating buckets…”
“Sure…”
How could I not be sweating?!
We’d left the gymnasium and bid farewell—once more—to the glorious embrace of the mighty air conditioner, straight into the blistering sun.
Worst of all, Yun’er had my arm in a vise grip, plastered right up against me!
In this sweltering heat, didn’t it feel like we were two glowing furnaces pressed together, one stacked right on top of the other?!
Ye Zhiyun kept holding the parasol over Ye Zhibai the whole time, but as Ye Zhibai had pointed out before, that thing was worthless against the actual heat.
Ye Zhiyun, for her part, didn’t seem bothered by it at all.
Class was in session, so the school’s main road stood utterly deserted, as if it existed solely for her and her sister.
They strolled along it at a leisurely pace, utterly content. Yun’er’s steps were so light they almost seemed to float.
If any students caught sight of the usually stern Student Council President in this state, their jaws would hit the floor.
But Yun’er, did you know? This pavement was hot enough to fry an egg.
Not leisurely in the slightest!
The one truly reveling in it all was Guang Yu.
The heat-hating fox had somehow forgotten her aversion to the sun. She darted around the pair in wild circles, her eyes glittering with the fervent hope that they’d snuggle even closer!
Alright, alright, mischief fox… settle down already. If you faint from heatstroke, I won’t carry you—I’ll just give you a swift kick.
Now, the slightest twitch of Ye Zhibai’s arm brushed against something soft and spongy, like the plushest cushion imaginable.
It was Ye Zhiyun’s chest.
Ye Zhibai felt awkward and restrained, grateful for the heavenly gift even as she didn’t dare move a muscle.
Stiffly craning her neck, she turned to behold her adorable little sister, whose smile outshone the sun itself.
No dice… even if your grin could light up the height of summer.
Right now, I needed to find some shade first.
“Yun’er… the pavilion?”
“…The pavilion! Sorry, Sis… Walking with you is just too much fun. I think I went the wrong way.”
Hey!
“Should we turn back…?”
“No, no need! The school’s a big loop—we can just keep going forward. It’ll be a bit longer, though…”
Hey!!
“Kidding~” Yun’er flashed a little devil’s grin and considerately lowered the parasol a touch more over Ye Zhibai’s head. “I love showing Sis around campus, but I can’t bear to keep you out in this heat.”
That was exactly the problem… we were too close!
Close enough that Ye Zhibai could feel her sister’s warm breath. She was certain now: Ye Zhiyun was doing this on purpose!
Seeing she still couldn’t crack her sister’s icy demeanor, Ye Zhiyun could only shake her head in helpless amusement and point off to the side.
“Sis, look over there.”
“Hm?”
Ye Zhibai followed the direction of Ye Zhiyun’s finger.
Some ten meters or so away—past her, Yun’er, and one fox—sat an ice cream and milk tea shop.
The giant “ICE” on the sign made Ye Zhibai’s eyes light up at last… Well, truth be told, there wasn’t usually much spark in them anyway.
Ye Zhiyun slowly released Ye Zhibai’s arm.
And switched to holding her hand instead.
“You’ll have to indulge Yun’er’s whims a little, Sis… I just got too excited earlier. Blame yourself for suddenly dropping that weirdly straightforward line—consider this a heat-hug as punishment!” What did I even say?! You watch, next time I’ll improvise an even better zinger on the spot!
But when air conditioning beckoned, even she had to bow.
Ye Zhibai nodded slowly.
“A punishment, huh… Fine, I accept.”
“Ah… Sorry, Sis, that was too much from me… Not really a punishment or anything. Um… why don’t you punish me too? Then we’re even!”
“No need. Quit messing around.”
“Okay…”
Why did the word “punishment” suddenly light her up, only for her to deflate right after?!
Ye Zhibai instinctively pushed the thought away.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to dwell on it.
She just didn’t dare.
This was too weird. Way too weird.
Ye Zhibai leaned back against the ice shop’s seat, eyes half-closed, tilting her head to bask in the air conditioner’s bounty.
Her silver hair swayed gently backward in the breeze—an indescribable earthly paradise.
Sometimes… happiness was that simple.
A sheen of fine sweat still clung to her forehead, with strands of silver hair sticking to her profile, glistening with an allure beyond compare.
The AC was elevating her to new heights.
Watching her sister strike such an “irresistible” pose, Ye Zhiyun couldn’t help swallowing hard.
She handed over a tissue and composed herself to ask, “What do you want, Sis? I’ll place the order and tell the clerk to load it up with extra ice.”
Ye Zhibai had a habit: when she was utterly exhausted… she didn’t want to think.
And for moments like that, she had a trusty go-to response.
“Just get me whatever you’re having…”
“You got it!”
It was clear—even sharing the same icy drink with Ye Zhibai was enough to delight Yun’er for ages.
She dashed to the counter to order and remind them: extra ice.
With classes in session, the shop was empty save for their little group.
That gave Ye Zhibai a moment to glance at Guang Yu, seated right beside her—but invisible to everyone else.
The fox’s ears twitched eagerly as she peered down at the menu on the table, brimming with curiosity. Her little brow furrowed in deep consternation.
Ye Zhibai cut straight to it. “The menu’s upside down.”
“Oh! No wonder I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.”
“…”
Her heart was tired. Now it was exhausted.
Guang Yu flipped the menu over and gazed at the pictures of the icy drinks, her starry-blue eyes alight with curiosity and longing.
“Looks so tasty…”
Regrettable as it was, Ye Zhibai had to inform her: “You still can’t have any.”
“Why not?!”
Ye Zhibai sat up straight, dabbed the sweat from her face with a tissue, and laid it out plain and logical—irrefutable.
“Never mind that my phone’s balance is zero and I can’t afford to feed you. Even if I could trick Yun’er into buying an extra cup, how exactly would you drink it?”
You’re invisible, sure—but to everyone else, it’d look like a milk tea cup hovering in midair, slowly draining itself!
You’d give people a heart attack!
But Guang Yu just let out a cheeky huff.
She reached forward with one hand…
…and casually snatched the menu off the table, utterly unconcerned.
“Hey…”
Ye Zhibai panicked!
To the clerk, wouldn’t that look like the menu floating through the air on its own?
It didn’t.
The clerk didn’t bat an eye.
Only now did Guang Yu reveal a flicker of divine pride!
“Hmph, don’t underestimate me. I can make anything I touch go invisible with me if I focus—or not invisible. Pretty magical, right!”
“Ah, magical, magical. Lady Guang Yu, you’re amazing.”
“Not this again… Such perfunctory praise.”
No one delivered deadpan sarcasm quite like Ye Zhibai.
But at that, something clicked for her.
“Guang Yu.”
“Hm?”
“If that’s the case… then I might just know a way to get you a drink today after all.”
“Really?!”
Guang Yu lit up with joy at first.
But then she paused to think it over… and her cheerful face drained of color.
Given the ability she’d just demonstrated, piecing it together…
The conclusion hit her like a thunderbolt.
“Ye Zhibai! You aren’t seriously suggesting I steal it, are you!”
“Scram.”
