Chapter 21 Part 1

It had scared her badly.

Fortunately, Lu Qingxue was there.

Her plea for comfort had slipped out so naturally from Yun Chun’s lips. By the time she realized what she had said, Lu Qingxue’s hand was already resting on top of her head.

Such a sense of reassurance.

Yun Chun hugged Lu Qingxue tightly, her nose pressed against the crook of her neck, where she caught the faint scent of pomegranate on Lu Qingxue’s skin. She blinked, acutely aware of the slightly cool temperature of Lu Qingxue’s palm and the soft friction of her hair against that palm as it gently stroked her head.

Gentle and soft, like a dandelion floating in midair.

Lu Qingxue was that dandelion.

And right now, she was clutching it.

Once Yun Chun realized this, she withdrew her hand with a sheepish awkwardness.

Even so, the two of them remained very close. Lu Qingxue’s words reached Yun Chun’s ears almost instantly.

In her cool, clear voice, Lu Qingxue said, “Don’t be afraid.”

As Yun Chun pulled her hand back, Lu Qingxue’s hand followed suit, lowering gently as she smiled softly. “The little dog is awfully cute.”

Yun Chun looked down at the golden retriever, which was barking furiously and leaping toward Lu Qingxue. She thought to herself that it had indeed seemed cute a moment ago, but now… Could it actually see Lu Qingxue? What was all this barking about? It seemed so excited—did it think Lu Qingxue was some ghost who might hurt her and was trying to protect her?

Whatever the case, it was nighttime, and it definitely couldn’t keep barking like this.

Yun Chun pleaded, “Could you please quiet down a bit?”

She bent at the knees, hands braced against them as she peered at the dog. She didn’t notice that, just as her words left her mouth, Lu Qingxue beside her raised her right index finger to her lips. Tilting her head, Lu Qingxue smiled and made a gentle shushing gesture.

The motion was so tender that it might have lacked authority from anyone else. But from Lu Qingxue, it was utterly irresistible, carrying an unspoken compulsion that hung in the air.

The dog, which had been barking and lunging in excitement, stilled at the sight. It stopped its frantic movements and fell silent.

Lu Qingxue lowered her hand, her eyes narrowing into a smile as she silently mouthed the word “good.”

Yun Chun’s eyes brightened. Thinking the dog had obeyed her own words, she praised it without hesitation. “You’re such a good listener! What a good girl.”

She straightened up and turned to Lu Qingxue. “See? It’s so obedient—how could I possibly be afraid? And what’s there to fear about a dog anyway? It just caught me off guard by nudging my foot like that.”

Lu Qingxue’s eyes curved even more, forming delicate crescent moons as she nodded, her smile indulgent. “All right, you’re not afraid.”

But the next moment, Lu Qingxue said something Yun Chun hadn’t seen coming. With a thoughtful air, she added, “I thought you’d be scared of dogs because one chased you when you were little…”

Yun Chun froze for a second, then burst out laughing. “Really? Who got chased by a dog? Was it you, Sister Qingxue?”

Faced with Yun Chun’s stubborn denial, Lu Qingxue arched her eyebrows but didn’t call her out. Instead, she played along with a laugh. “Not me. I must have remembered the wrong person.”

She hadn’t remembered wrong.

The one chased by the dog had been Yun Chun.

She couldn’t recall exactly how old she had been—only that the neighbors had a big mongrel. For some reason, its leash had come loose that day, and it had bolted into the street. Yun Chun had run straight into it the moment she stepped outside.

The dog was usually quite docile. If she’d been alone, nothing would have come of it. But that day, Yun Chun had been carrying a basin of fresh pancakes that Yun Yueqin had made. The aroma was irresistible.

The dog locked onto them.

It chased after her, hungry for the pancakes.

Yun Yueqin had told Yun Chun to deliver them to Grandma.

There were plenty in the basin, but Yun Chun was reluctant to share with the dog. After it snapped at her a few times, she clutched the basin and bolted toward Grandma’s house, the dog hot on her heels.

It was dinnertime; the streets were empty, and no one came to her aid.

As she ran, Yun Chun encountered Lu Qingxue, who had come to the village to play with a classmate. Yun Chun had been just a few years old back then and wasn’t close to Lu Qingxue—they’d only met a handful of times—but she knew her well enough. Lu Qingxue was like a lifeline. Yun Chun dashed straight toward her, hoping to duck behind her for cover. Instead, Lu Qingxue bent down and scooped her right up into her arms.

Lu Qingxue’s classmate grabbed a stone from the roadside and chased the dog off.

Nestled in Lu Qingxue’s arms, Yun Chun finally felt safe. She clung fiercely to her basin of pancakes and wailed loudly to Lu Qingxue, “It wants to steal my pancakes… wuwu…”

Yun Chun hadn’t known Lu Qingxue well, and the feeling was mutual. Lu Qingxue only knew her as the daughter of a family friend of her mother’s. Seeing the girl crying in her arms, she felt both concern and a touch of amusement.

With a smile, she said, “It’s been chased off already. It won’t come after your pancakes anymore. Don’t cry…”

A child’s tears don’t stop on command—they flow like a faucet left running. Even after hearing that the dog was gone, Yun Chun’s big teardrops continued to spill down her cheeks.

Like priceless pearls given away for free, they tumbled one by one onto Lu Qingxue’s collar, silently soaking into the fabric of her clothes as if nourishing some hidden seed.

At the time, Lu Qingxue had only wondered how someone could cry such enormous tears.

Her classmate was from the same village and knew Yun Chun a little. They asked what she was doing, and amid hiccupping sobs, Yun Chun explained she was taking pancakes to Grandma’s.

The classmate led the way while Lu Qingxue carried Yun Chun there.

By the time they reached Grandma’s doorstep, Yun Chun’s crying had finally tapered off. Her eyes were still bright red, like those of a frightened little rabbit. Worried that the child might not explain clearly and alarm the old woman, Lu Qingxue and her classmate went inside to clarify that Yun Chun had been chased and made to cry by a dog.

Before they left, Lu Qingxue added, “Please send her home later. I’m afraid the dog might come back for her.”

Hearing this, Yun Chun blinked her tear-reddened eyes and pulled one of the pancakes from the basin—the very ones she had guarded so fiercely that she swore she wouldn’t share—and offered it to Lu Qingxue. “Here, eat this. Mom’s pancakes are delicious…”

What had Lu Qingxue said in response?

Yun Chun smacked her lips.

She suddenly craved her mother’s pancakes…

Could she make them herself?

Whenever Yun Yueqin made them, Yun Chun loved to watch from the side. She remembered most of the steps, but she had no idea if hers would taste the same.

She’d have to try someday.

It was just that she wanted to eat them.

Absolutely not because Lu Qingxue hadn’t accepted the pancake that day. Instead, Lu Qingxue had pinched her cheek and said, “You eat the ones Mom made. Your big sister just wants to eat ones you make.”

Yun Chun found it miraculous that Lu Qingxue remembered something from so long ago. Why was that?

Had this golden retriever awakened a sealed-away memory? Had Lu Qingxue’s mention of the dog chase triggered it? The scent of the pancakes? Or the impact of Lu Qingxue’s words that day? After all, it was from then on that Yun Chun had started enjoying watching her mother make them.

For some inexplicable reason, she had wanted to learn how.

Not to make them for anyone in particular, but because someone actually wanted to eat the ones she made…

Though the Yun Chun of that time hadn’t realized it was just a gentle refusal.

It had been a small affirmation and encouragement for the little girl she was.

Lost in the memory, Yun Chun watched as Lu Qingxue settled gracefully onto the sofa. She used the same hand that had just stroked Yun Chun’s head to pet the golden retriever’s head.

The big golden retriever obediently planted its paws on the sofa, tongue lolling as it panted happily. Its tail swished back and forth behind it, reveling in Lu Qingxue’s touch.

Yun Chun eased herself down beside Lu Qingxue. Still wary of another surprise attack from the dog, she drew her legs together and curled them back in an S-shape. This left her body tilted slightly toward Lu Qingxue. Her frame was too long for such a perch—even with one hand braced on the sofa, it felt precarious, like she might topple over at any moment.

She glanced upward, searching for something to steady herself. Her gaze settled on Lu Qingxue’s shoulder.

It was pale and gleaming, yet brimming with quiet strength.

It drew her in.

Propping her chin on Lu Qingxue’s shoulder, Yun Chun asked, “Can it see you?”

The motion blended so seamlessly with her question, as if they had done it countless times before.

Yet this sort of intimate behavior—the kind that comes after living together for ages—was happening for the very first time.

Lu Qingxue’s petting hand froze.

She turned her gaze sideways, subtly taking in Yun Chun without a word.

Did this little one have any idea how intimate this gesture was?

Probably not.

She likely thought such closeness was perfectly normal between ordinary friends.

And Yun Chun truly had no clue. In her mind, they had already shared far more intimate moments; resting her chin on a shoulder barely registered.

All the same, Lu Qingxue’s lingering fragrance made Yun Chun’s lips go a touch dry. She licked them discreetly.

The golden retriever grew restless at the sudden halt in petting and let out a bark of protest. The sound made Yun Chun flinch. Lu Qingxue found the reaction utterly endearing and smiled faintly. Her hand resumed its motion, scratching under the dog’s chin. Nor did she forget to answer Yun Chun’s question. “A dog’s eyes can see things that ordinary people can’t.” On top of that, she shared a spiritual bond with this dog, so in its half-aware state, it could naturally perceive her.

Yun Chun had heard that theory before but had always been skeptical. Now it was confirmed.

“Amazing,” she said.

The world held so many wonders.

She could remember words spoken to her as a child, ghosts truly existed, dogs could see ghosts…

And Lu Qingxue had shown her all of it.

Lu Qingxue herself was the true wonder.

She made Yun Chun want to explore more, to uncover even greater marvels from her.

The foundation of feelings for another person begins with interest—wanting to learn everything about them, delving deeper and deeper until escape becomes impossible, lost in the depths.

Yun Chun hadn’t even noticed that she was starting to grow curious about Lu Qingxue.

At that moment, she was crouched low, blinking her eyes as her full attention fixed on Lu Qingxue’s hand petting the dog.

Watching those practiced movements, Yun Chun couldn’t help but wonder: Does she touch her like this too?

Lu Qingxue made a soft sound of acknowledgment and asked, “How did it end up with you?”

The question sounded perfectly normal at first, but upon closer reflection, it felt a little off.

It was almost as if Lu Qingxue knew the dog didn’t belong here—as if she even knew where it was supposed to be.

Yun Chun picked up on the subtle oddity but didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she explained brightly to Lu Qingxue, “This is the Big Boss’s dog. The Big Boss had to go on a business trip, so no one was around to look after it. She asked me to watch it for three days.”

She added, “Isn’t that weird? Even the Big Boss’s household doesn’t have anyone to take care of the dog.”

Yun Chun rested her chin on Lu Qingxue’s shoulder. “But I hit the jackpot. Guess how much the Big Boss paid me?”

Lu Qingxue turned her gaze sideways to look at her.

The sparkling laughter in Yun Chun’s eyes was like unobstructed sunlight, bright and radiant.

It warmed the heart.

Unfortunately, Lu Qingxue couldn’t feel any of that warmth. She could only play along and offer Yun Chun a faint smile.

Before Lu Qingxue could guess, Yun Chun held out her hand, spreading all five fingers wide. She eagerly shared, “Five thousand! Five thousand for three days! I’ve made a fortune!”

It was something that truly made her happy.

In the past, she would only have told Qin Xing about this kind of thing, but Qin Xing was even busier than she was. Yun Chun didn’t want to bother her whenever she felt like it, so she usually just celebrated alone. Now, though, she had someone to share her joy with.

Lu Qingxue smiled gently. “That’s great.”

It really was.