On the outskirts of Qihai University.
School Forest Street.
The Head Maid drove Ye Zhibai and the others along the road and easily found an empty parking spot.
With her skilled driving, she slowly pulled the car up to the end of the street—right in front of the restaurant with its large sign reading “Qile Manor.”
Parking had been easy because this was on the university’s outskirts.
Even though it wasn’t yet early July and the students hadn’t started their summer break, the vehicles on this kind of street were still pretty sparse.
The people strolling along the road or heading back to campus after group dinners were mostly university students.
It had that pure, authentic campus vibe!
Oh, right.
By the way, the street where Ye Zhibai had been run down to death in her previous life was all the way on the other side, far removed from here.
To be honest, in this life, Ye Zhibai absolutely refused to set foot on that cursed street ever again!
Woo, sure, there might be few cars on the road,
But the odds of getting flung into the air by one weren’t zero!
Just moments ago, Ye Zhibai had resent that precise location to Chi Yuliang.
Sister Liang had replied that she was almost there too.
All thanks to the Head Maid’s steady and swift driving!
Though Ye Zhibai had been delayed a bit earlier, she had still arrived ahead of the agreed time.
During the parking process, Ye Zhibai blinked her big eyes.
Her fingers, slender as white scallions, lightly touched the car window as she gazed out at Qile Manor.
There was a reason she had chosen this place to treat Sister Liang to dinner.
Ye Zhibai had eaten here once in her previous life.
And the reason for that visit had been pretty straightforward.
Team-building events, pointless socializing—anyone who’s been to university has probably dealt with that stuff at some point.
What had that event been again?
Oh yeah, it was her medical major coming in second-to-last at the campus sports meet!
Then the class president organized a group dinner on School Forest Street for team-building and a “celebration banquet.”
Wait, no!
Second-to-last, and you’re throwing a celebration banquet?
Celebrating not coming in dead last?!
Even more ridiculous: the major that took dead last was having their own gathering right next door.
Talk about nerves of steel!
Ahem, getting off track.
The real issue was that Ye Zhibai hadn’t wanted to join the dinner back then, but the class president had messaged everyone like this:
—Everyone come! Whoever skips, I’ll sign them in and call roll for the whole class in tomorrow’s major course!
Holy crap, that was straight-up demonic!
So Ye Zhibai had no choice but to go.
The food was decent, but it cost a fortune.
If Ye Zhibai had known the class president picked the most expensive spot on School Forest Street, she never would have shown up!
The place wasn’t super high-end—after all, it was near the university, pitched to students’ budgets without any outrageous five-star pricing—but it was definitely head and shoulders above the rest around here.
And for Ye Zhibai back then, whose spending power was in the negatives, that “head and shoulders” might as well have been a giant!
In the end, after that dinner, she went five days without a proper evening meal.
Thanks a lot. She was practically done for back then. (Meaning a few months later, she really was gone.)
Anyway, for all those reasons…
Ye Zhibai had this place etched in her memory.
The heartbreaking spot that had starved her of several dinners, and the one that ignited
a roaring flame of vengeance in her heart!
She had thought back then:
Someday, if I have money… when Sister Liang comes back, I’ll treat her to a meal here.
And! I’ll eat my fill with ease! No starving afterward!
Now, Ye Zhibai had the means.
Of course she had to fulfill that promise to herself.
As she reminisced on those bittersweet memories—equal parts hot-blooded and heartbreaking—
the car came to a smooth stop.
Ye Zhiyun was by the window too, and she gave the restaurant her sister had chosen a quick once-over.
The decor seemed… passable?
It had a festive style, heavy on traditional Chinese flavors, mimicking Tang dynasty architecture, complete with a pair of massive stone lions out front!
“Sis, we’re here. This place looks… decent enough? But why’d you pick it?”
“Chi Yuliang recommended it. She said the food’s great.”
When it’s hard to explain, this dodge works every time! See, Yun’er got it right away.
“I see. Well, Sis, try the dishes when we order. Note down anything you like, tell me at home, and I’ll study it up to make recipes perfectly suited to your tastes! Hehe… Of course, if you think my cooking’s the best, be sure to let me know!”
Let you know, and then what?
Then you’ll beg for a reward, right!
I see through your combo attack!
But… Ye Zhibai had a lingering doubt.
Had the restaurant’s chefs declined in skill, or had they straight-up replaced them?
It might be pricey, but the food was good—plenty of students used to come for group meals.
Word was you had to book ahead because it was so popular.
Yet from the moment they’d parked here…
Ye Zhibai hadn’t seen a single student walk in.
Some had stopped to ask, chatted briefly with the waiter at the door, then shaken their heads and left.
It left Ye Zhibai a bit puzzled.
Come on, restaurant—if the food’s gone bad, doesn’t that ruin my vengeful spending spree today!
Just as she was mulling that over, Ye Zhiyun suddenly dropped a fact that left her stunned.
“Sis, once Chi Yuliang gets here, you two can order whatever. It’s all on the house.”
“Why?”
“Hm? Didn’t I tell you? This afternoon, I had the Head Maid come reserve the whole place, so don’t worry, Sis—the dining environment will be nice and quiet.”
“!”
You reserved the entire place?!
Well.
No wonder there was no one eating here!
They weren’t allowed in.
Little Zhibai’s vengeful “revenge” on the restaurant had been achieved.
Just… a bit too thoroughly!
While waiting for Chi Yuliang, Ye Zhiyun straightened the collar of Ye Zhibai’s dress for her.
She even smoothed out her already silky silver hair to make it even straighter.
Ahem! Yun’er wasn’t just using the chance to touch Sis’s hair, okay!
Ye Zhibai understood one truth.
Everything called for a bit of politeness.
Even with family, some things had to be said.
“Yun’er.”
“Yeah, Sis?”
Ye Zhibai subtly reclaimed the lock of her silver hair that Ye Zhiyun was fiddling with, then said her piece “politely.”
“You haven’t had dinner yet, right? Why don’t you… join me?”
“O-Okay, Sis!! I’d love to!!”
“……”
Wah, she wasn’t playing by the script!
I invite her, and she actually accepts!
“Cough cough cough!!”
The Head Maid?
The Head Maid suddenly burst into a fit of violent coughing—anyone who didn’t know better would think she was having a medical emergency.
But that frantic coughing was a reminder to the Second Miss!
Ye Zhiyun got the hint at once.
A look of regret crossed her face, but she changed her tune.
“I… I won’t. We agreed, right? Your freedom has to be guaranteed. It’s your first time treating a new friend to dinner—bringing me along would be weird, so… wah… Sis! Compensate me when we get home!!”
“Yun’er…”
Little sister.
Your words touch me deeply.
But your “compensation”… yeah, that scares me.
Later, I’ll grab a vine, and when we get home, compensate you with a brand-new vine ring. Deal…? Deal?
Probably not.
Ugh… we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Trust that things will work out! If not, smash through—no choice.
A little while later.
The Head Maid, sitting in the driver’s seat with her arms draped over the steering wheel as she scanned the street, craned her neck and peered through the windshield.
She half-turned, respectfully reporting to Ye Zhibai.
“Eldest Miss, your awaited guest has arrived.”
“Hm?”
