She frowned as she watched Ji Zhenshi flip open her pajamas and lie on her back without pulling up the blanket. Her pale belly was fully exposed, and her upper body was on the verge of tumbling off the edge of the bed.
Li Yunli reached out and yanked her back in, a flicker of thin anger in her eyes. “Ji Zhenshi, if you keep this up, I’ll turn on the air conditioning.”
Calling her by her full name made it clear she was upset.
What if she caught a chill in the dead of winter? Did she think her youth made her invincible?
“Oh, sorry.” Ji Zhenshi immediately backed down. She tucked the blanket around herself properly and then snuggled obediently against Li Yunli’s side.
She leaned cautiously on her sister’s shoulder, seeking forgiveness.
Ji Zhenshi sneaked several glances at Li Yunli’s profile to make sure she wasn’t truly angry. Only then did she wrap her arms around Li Yunli’s waist, resting her chin on her chest and gazing up at her with starry eyes. “Sister A-Yun, can you strike it rich and keep me? Then I wouldn’t have to go to work.”
Li Yunli straightened the blanket for her, her expression softening. “Didn’t you boldly declare before that you’d work hard and support me? It’s only been a few days. Xiao Zhen, you really make it hard for me to trust you.”
She had hit the nail on the head. Ji Zhenshi had no idea just how sharp Li Yunli’s memory was.
This was the same person who had sworn to work diligently and give her a good life—a little con artist, slowly but surely stealing her heart.
“No way. I still have to support Sister A-Yun. I just haven’t mentally prepared myself for work yet. Scientifically speaking, it’s called work aversion syndrome—human nature, unavoidable.” Ji Zhenshi defended herself.
“There’s no such thing in science. You’re just too much of a slacker. Scientifically, it’s withdrawal symptoms—perfectly normal. Work a couple of days and you’ll get used to it. So stop your whining and get some sleep, or tomorrow morning if you can’t get up, I’ll spank your butt.”
Li Yunli saw right through her and was determined to enforce an early bedtime and wake-up.
Ji Zhenshi had been dragging her feet since last night. Li Yunli had already anticipated how agonizing it would be for her to head to work that morning and had grown accustomed to it. She simply watched the performance unfold.
After all, the red marks on Ji Zhenshi’s butt were surely still there.
That morning, she had refused to get out of bed no matter what. Even Li Yunli’s saintly patience had worn thin as breakfast cooled. In the end, she had yanked back the covers and delivered a firm smack to Ji Zhenshi’s backside before she finally got up, eyes brimming with tears.
Her butt had to still hurt, yet Ji Zhenshi never learned her lesson.
“It’s the fourth day of the New Year. I’ll probably be the only one there—an empty practice room, and me like a pathetic little cabbage no one wants.” Ji Zhenshi had grumbled. She had dawdled at the counter, twisting and turning, taking a full fifteen minutes to eat her breakfast.
She had already drained two cups of milk, and now the one in her hand was empty again.
Li Yunli noticed the little fidgeting motions and took away her cup. A faint smile curved her lips as she gently admonished her. “Even if Teacher Tang isn’t there, Xiao Zhen, you still need to practice seriously. You’re doing it for yourself—or heaven might take away your talent.”
Those last words hit Ji Zhenshi hardest of all.
Reluctantly, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and gazed at Li Yunli with starry eyes once more. “Then… Sister A-Yun, can I have a kiss? A going-to-work kiss. I won’t see you all day, and I’ll miss you so much.”
She needed a kiss, a hug, before she’d go to work.
Li Yunli glanced around the shop. It was just past seven, and they hadn’t opened yet—no customers in sight. Xiao Ning was still on vacation and wouldn’t be back.
As long as it was within bounds she could control, Li Yunli never refused Ji Zhenshi. She leaned in for a quick peck, lips barely brushing before parting. But of course, that wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy her.
In the next second, Ji Zhenshi propped one hand on the counter and vaulted over it cleanly. She grabbed Li Yunli’s slender waist, rubbing their noses together with an ambiguous smile. “But Sister A-Yun, why does it feel like I’m not satisfied at all?”
“Because you’re a greedy little ghost.” Li Yunli let herself be pulled into her embrace without resisting—a sign she was indulging her completely.
With no one around, Li Yunli always cut her some slack, spoiling her without limits.
The tickle at her nose tip set her blood boiling. Li Yunli planted a soft kiss on the tip of Ji Zhenshi’s nose, her brow warm with indulgence and leniency.
“Will my good child go to work? If you come back, I’ll give you a reward.”
She wasn’t above using such incentives to get Ji Zhenshi to work.
Ji Zhenshi’s eyes lit up. “What kind of reward?”
Li Yunli fixed her with a steady gaze and mouthed a single word: “Me.”
The air between them thickened with intimacy. Ji Zhenshi’s heart stirred, and she captured Li Yunli’s lips, deepening the kiss into a lingering tangle of breaths and shared warmth.
A kid doted on by her big sister even got rewards and comfort for hating work.
Something flickered in her peripheral vision, but Ji Zhenshi was too lost in the moment to care. She pressed Li Yunli tighter into her arms, pinning her against the edge of the sink and claiming her with fervent hunger.
In that instant, there was only their seamless union, milk and honey blending as one.
Yet one person’s arrival was destined to shatter the delicate balance in that little coffee shop.
Yang Ying had spotted on her phone’s delivery app that it was the first day Li Yunli’s coffee shop was open. She decided to drop by and ask if she knew where Ji Zhenshi had gone.
She knew that even though Li Yunli had no ties to the family anymore, Ji Zhenshi had kept in touch with her over the past six months.
As much as she hated admitting it, Li Yunli was the only one who might know Ji Zhenshi’s whereabouts. Their connection hadn’t ended just because Li Yunli had cut ties with Ji Tingjun.
What Yang Ying never could have imagined was walking in on such a scene. Her mouth fell open, but no sound came out. She clearly needed time to process it.
Her daughter… and her daughter-in-law…
Li Yunli was the first to react. The smile vanished from her face. She nudged Ji Zhenshi, who was buried in the crook of her neck, a flash of panic in her eyes. “Xiao Zhen…”
“No, I haven’t had enough yet.” Ji Zhenshi had her back to the door, oblivious to Yang Ying’s approach.
She gripped Li Yunli’s hand to stop any more refusals, her lips even trailing downward along her neck.
Li Yunli caught sight of Yang Ying’s blazing glare. Her body shuddered violently; she went rigid, her breath catching. She shoved the oblivious Ji Zhenshi away with haste, her mind blanking out in that moment.
She had never imagined their relationship being exposed to Yang Ying in such a scene—so utterly unprepared.
“You… what the hell are you doing?” Yang Ying trembled with fury. She could never have dreamed her daughter would hook up with a mute like Li Yunli—especially a woman who’d been her daughter-in-law for six years.
How dared they? How could they be so brazen, so utterly defiant?
Did basic ethics mean nothing to them?
“Sister A-Yun…” Ji Zhenshi was still sulking over the forceful shove when her mother’s voice rang out. She froze for several seconds, her eyes widening slightly. She and Li Yunli exchanged a look, both showing clear unease.
Her brows furrowed. But in just a blink, Ji Zhenshi snapped back to reality. She was about to drape an arm over Li Yunli’s shoulder so they could face her mother together when Li Yunli took her hand first, her eyes brimming with unwavering resolve. “Auntie, we’re together now.”
“We’re in a relationship, Mom. I’m telling you seriously—we’re together. I hope you can understand.”
Ji Zhenshi didn’t even dare hope for her mother’s blessing. She just wanted understanding, just once.
From childhood to now, just once.
Yang Ying stared coldly at their clasped hands and spat through gritted teeth, “Understand you? Ji Zhenshi, are you still dreaming? Do you even know who she is? She was your sister-in-law for six years! Are you insane? Have you no shame? Do you know what people call behavior like this? Incest!”
That final word made Ji Zhenshi’s heart clench hard, even though she’d braced herself. She stared at her mother in disbelief.
To hear such a term from her own mother’s mouth—she called them shameless, called it incest.
But Li Yunli and Ji Tingjun had never had any real relationship. How could this possibly be incest?
Such a vile, piercing label—a mother hurling it without hesitation at her own daughter.
Ji Zhenshi let out a cold laugh. What was she even hoping for? Her mother had no intention of understanding her at all.
True disappointment crept in. Ji Zhenshi dropped some of her deference, her voice tinged with clear anger. “How many times do I have to repeat the facts before you’ll accept them? Li Yunli has never had any relationship with Ji Tingjun—not legally married, not my sister-in-law! Not ever! So how the hell is this incest?”
Yang Ying remained unmoved. “Ji Zhenshi, even your nonsense has limits. Look at what you’re doing—fit for daylight? You have no shame, but the Ji family does!”
Ji Zhenshi fought to suppress her rage, her breaths coming quick and heavy. She stated firmly, “This isn’t nonsense. I’m dead serious. I know exactly what I’m doing. For all these years, the one by her side has been me, not Ji Tingjun. The one loving her without reservation has been me. Why is the person I’ve dreamed of and fought so hard for so unworthy in your eyes? Does Ji Tingjun deserve her just because he’s a man? Fine, call me shameless—but this is absolutely not incest. It’s her choice. And mine.”
With that, Ji Zhenshi glanced at Li Yunli. She was fearless, just as she’d promised.
Why did everyone seem to forget one simple fact? Li Yunli had never truly belonged to the Ji family. It was only Ji Zhenshi who had made her willing to stay.
She had her own life now. Li Yunli was no one’s accessory—not even Ji Zhenshi’s. It was her own choice.
They couldn’t dismiss her rights just because she was mute. It was simply two women in love—nothing more.
“Ji Zhenshi, this is about you. Why drag your brother into it? Not one of you siblings is worry-free. I’m telling you, our family has been humiliated enough. I won’t allow any more scandals!” Yang Ying’s tone dripped with threat and oppression, every word roaring up from some abyss and sending chills through Ji Zhenshi and Li Yunli alike.
Ji Zhenshi shivered. She opened her mouth to speak, but Li Yunli handed her the notebook first.
“Auntie, it’s true—I have no relationship with Ji Tingjun. Please don’t bring him up when it comes to me and Xiao Zhen. This is our mutual choice. I love Xiao Zhen. I know exactly what this feeling is, so please don’t make things hard for her. Respect our decision.” Li Yunli wore a gentle smile, trying to reason calmly, even though she knew Yang Ying wasn’t one to be easily swayed.
She had to try, though. Even if she could keep her composure, tension reddened the corners of her eyes.
It was nerves, not fear.
With Xiao Zhen by her side, she found a bit more courage.
At the sight of their tightly intertwined fingers, Yang Ying suddenly burst into laughter.
It was mocking laughter, unrestrained and derisive at everything they’d said.
She stood squarely in the world of convention, scoffing at their love as utterly ridiculous.
How laughable—they held hands and called it love. They claimed to be in love.
“Respect? Please respect my blood pressure first. Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Have you two been together so long you’ve caught some kind of matching disease? What kind of love is it between two women? Look at history—what has sustained culture and lineage through the ages? And you have the gall to dress it up as ‘mutual choice,’ Ji Zhenshi!”
Yang Ying jabbed a finger at Li Yunli while bellowing at Ji Zhenshi. “Take a good look. Does this so-called emotion stand up to scrutiny? Is this your reason for not coming home? Planning to elope? Disgusting—truly disgusting. Know your limits and stop this. Don’t shame your families!”
Ji Zhenshi frowned at the grating laughter. “What’s wrong with this kind of love? Compared to those twisted families that breed people who harm society, isn’t ours purer? Any children we might have would grow up surrounded by love—at least they wouldn’t end up like me, warped by a dysfunctional home. They’d get all the love we can give.”
What they themselves had lacked, they’d lavish on their own kids without restraint.
The form of the family didn’t matter—as long as there was love.
“Are you that naive? Could you even have children together? Face facts, Ji Zhenshi. You can’t be gay. You absolutely can’t be with someone like her. She’s mute. She was once your sister-in-law. You two have no future. End this farce. This isn’t a request—it’s a must. Don’t think your wings are strong enough now that I can’t control you. I’m your mother, always will be. Don’t mistake my giving you freedom for weakness. Try ignoring me and see the cost of not breaking up!”
Yang Ying issued her final ultimatum to Ji Zhenshi.
It was a decree: they must separate. No choice.
Ji Zhenshi gave a bitter smile, unflinching. She sneered coldly. “Mom, have I ever actually listened to you?”
So what if it was one more time?
She had long been the unruly, lawless daughter. It was only natural for her to defy and act recklessly, right?
Yang Ying shot back, “Aren’t you afraid you’ll never see your grandma again? Afraid that once this gets out, all those relatives will curse her behind her back? Afraid she won’t enjoy her final years in peace? If you won’t live properly, don’t blame me for getting ruthless!”
Ji Zhenshi’s eyes turned bloodshot with rage. “You wouldn’t dare!”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Yang Ying swung without mercy, her palm cracking across Li Yunli’s face. It happened so fast neither of them could react—a slap so resounding it could shatter hearts.
“Ji Zhenshi, want to see if I dare?” Yang Ying said as she sized up Li Yunli.
“Li Yunli, you’re disgusting. Don’t you know what kind of person Ji Zhenshi is? She’s barely in her early twenties, and you’re dragging her down with you—trying to ruin her? How can you be so shameless? Have you forgotten you’re just a mute?” With that, Yang Ying stormed out.
