The Goji Berry Red Date Tea rested steadily in Ye Zhibai’s palm.
The pleasant warmth from the glass cup spread through her hand, soothing her heart.
It somewhat comforted the wounds in Ye Zhibai’s spirit from the night before.
Seeing her sister accept the cup, Yun’er finally revealed a faint smile.
She had been worried that her sister might be angry and demand she throw away the “Divine Artifact”!
Heh heh, since her sister had tacitly approved it, next time she’d go even bigger! Hmm… of course, she’d be gentler next time.
Guang Yu scooted closer and sniffed at the scent wafting from the cup.
A spark of delight burst in her eyes!
“It smells good! So fragrant! Is this a new drink?”
“It’s a new drink, but it’s not for you.”
“Aww~~ Stingy.”
“Yeah, I’m stingy. What about it?”
Ye Zhibai felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Because—this was something Yun’er had specially brewed for her, right?
So of course, she wasn’t sharing it with this Scummy Fox!
Besides, you have way too much energy every day. Who knows when you’d yank up all the green onions in the yard again? What do you even need tonic for!
Someday, she had to find a way to wear down some of Guang Yu’s excess vitality.
Otherwise, nothing would grow in the yard.
In front of the Greedy-Mouthed Fox, Ye Zhibai tilted her head back and drained the nourishing, fortifying tea in one go.
The warm liquid slid down her throat and settled comfortably in her stomach. Holding the empty cup, Ye Zhibai already felt much more spirited.
“Thanks. It was delicious.”
“I’m glad you liked it, Sis! Woo, sorry about last night… Next time, I’ll definitely hold back. When you tell me to stop next time, I absolutely… absolutely won’t dare do it again… ah, no! I mean, I really won’t dare next time!”
I’m not betting on Guang Yu’s drinks this time.
I’m betting on the whole Guang Yu.
Next time, you’ll totally dare!
But… next time, I might fight back harder, you know?
After all, Ye Zhibai was someone who learned and improved.
Just last night, she’d already figured out some of Yun’er’s weak spots!
Next time, she’d aim for a counter-kill! (Probably.)
Ye Zhiyun was still quite flustered.
She was doing her utmost to make up for the mental trauma her excessive actions last night had caused her sister.
Only when facing her sister did Yun’er become this humble.
“Um… is there anything else you want, Sis? Another cup? Ah, but too much isn’t good. Something else is fine too! I’ll bring lunch to your room later. Want to play on your phone? I can hold it for you!”
No need!
I’m just a little drained.
Not crippled!
Pah, I’m not drained at all!
Ye Zhibai lightly pressed her forehead and shook her head, looking every bit the un-drained Little Zhibai.
“It’s nothing. I’m fine. I’ll go eat on my own later. Don’t worry… hmm?”
“Sis?”
“Hold on.”
Wait a second.
Isn’t this the perfect opportunity?
Yun’er seemed to be sincerely apologizing right now, which meant she felt pretty guilty, right?
Well, there was nothing to feel guilty about—Ye Zhibai actually felt like she’d been elevated after last night.
But!
That also meant if Ye Zhibai made a request now—something reasonable, of course—the odds of success should be higher than usual!
A spark of inspiration hit Ye Zhibai. She blinked and glanced at Guang Yu.
Guang Yu blinked back—what’re you looking at? What’s that mean? Say something!
Of course she’d say something.
But first—wasn’t this just her showing off her cleverness to Guang Yu, so she could watch the performance later?
Shifting her gaze forward, her eyes met Yun’er’s worried look in the air. Ye Zhibai cut straight to the point.
“Yun’er, I have an idea I’d like to discuss with you. It’s actually pretty important.”
“!”
Yun’er’s guilt ran far deeper than Ye Zhibai had imagined.
At her sister’s words, her expression turned solemn. She even dropped to one knee beside the bed and clasped Ye Zhibai’s small hand on the sheets.
“Please tell me, Sis! Anything, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll make it happen.”
Aww, how touching.
But Yun’er, what I’m about to say really needs your serious consideration.
At the very least, after you hear it, no more spiky “Divine Artifacts”!
Ye Zhibai composed herself unnecessarily and stated her idea word by word.
“From now on… if I want to go out on my own, could I get permission?”
“No way! Sis, you’d get hit by a car!”
Get lost!
Do I have to get smashed by a car just to go outside?!
That’s a super low-probability event!
No choice—since the subtle approach failed, Ye Zhibai had to be more direct.
“I want to go out mainly to have a meal with a new friend I’ve made lately, chat a bit. Yun’er, look, Chi Yuliang had to be so cautious when she came to see me yesterday. She was afraid you’d get the wrong idea.”
“……”
Yun’er, who had just said she’d agree to anything within her power, predictably fell into thought.
She had said anything within her power.
But this… this was clearly beyond that!
Her sister having a private meal with another woman—Yun’er felt like she’d die just thinking about it!
Of course.
—That was her mindset before last night’s battle.
Now, Yun’er’s state of mind had undergone a qualitative transformation.
She let out a soft sigh and sat on the edge of the bed.
Guang Yu, who had been sitting there, dodged by flopping straight onto the floor!
From under the bed, she quietly shifted into cat form and kept grumbling!
“Ah… this cat’s so noisy. Ignore it. You’re right, Sis. This is important. I thought about it yesterday too. I don’t want to be the cage imprisoning you, like Lin Zihan said. So… you having dinner with a new friend… cough, a totally normal dinner, that’s only natural. You don’t even need my permission. Friends should get together for meals, right?”
Yun’er…
Today’s you is so Understanding of People’s Intentions.
But could you maybe not keep stroking my thigh while saying such understanding words?!
Ruins all the touching vibes!
Noticing her sister’s glare, Yun’er reluctantly withdrew her wandering little hand, which was hard for even her to control.
Her enlightenment just now—as she’d said in the living room last night—came from a wellspring of confidence!
Before, she’d thought her sister couldn’t make friends because her beauty and spirit were too stunning, making her easy prey for Fox Spirits or sneaky cats… anyway, just not safe.
But now, Yun’er believed that as long as she guarded the gate and used her own strength to firmly tie her sister’s heart to herself, what was there to worry about?
To forge iron, you must be hard yourself!
Even if a real Fox Spirit showed up, try stealing her away—see if she didn’t strike back with a heavy fist!
And the foundation of all that confidence?
It was summed up in the affectionate glint in Yun’er’s eyes as she suddenly asked, out of the blue.
“By the way, Sis… how was I last night? Did I fuck you into submission? At that intensity, you wouldn’t look at other women, right? As long as that’s clear, you can make friends no problem!”
“!”
Ye Family’s Second Miss, mind your language— that’s hardly elegant!
What, if the force wasn’t enough, you’d crank it up next time?!
But…
When you’re under someone else’s roof, you bow your head.
Especially since a bet was a bet.
Last night, Ye Zhibai had indeed been pinned down the whole time and had to concede defeat.
Ye Zhibai calmly lifted Yun’er’s palm, averting her eyes.
With her finger, she traced a circle on the back of Yun’er’s hand.
Meaning—it was okay.
A brilliant light exploded in Yun’er’s eyes!
She shot to her feet, clutching her hands in front of her chest, so excited she stomped her feet!
Ah… Yun’er, even your excited squeak slipped out?
With that, the sisters had basically reached a consensus.
Sis could go nurture some friendships, while Yun’er could rest easy guarding their love. Win-win!
Ye Zhiyun took back the empty teacup from Ye Zhibai’s hand. She was so thrilled she’d forgotten the stove was still on in the kitchen!
Before dashing off at a small run to check if the braised pork had burned,
Yun’er tossed out one last reminder in a rapid-fire burst.
“But there’s one rule! You have to tell me when you’re heading out. I’ll have the Maid Corps protect you from the shadows. That’s non-negotiable—absolutely essential! Please understand, Sis, or I won’t be at ease. Rest up a bit more! Lunch is almost ready—I’ll call you when it’s time! Ugh, the braised pork’s probably ash by now!”
Clang.
The door shut.
Ye Zhibai shoved away the cat-shaped Guang Yu batting at her forehead with tiny paws.
She spread her arms and flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Great… awesome!
