At the Head Maid’s reminder, Ye Zhibai held back Guang Yu—who was clamoring to jump out of the car and grab some food—while craning her neck to look out the window.
The streetlights lining the road cast enough glow for her to make out the girl who had just stepped gracefully down from a taxi onto the stone steps.
Had Sister Liang gotten out of her cab thinking she was late?
Sure enough, she slammed the door shut in a hurry and broke into a near-jog, heading straight for Qile Manor.
Ye Zhibai reached for the window button, about to call out, when the Head Maid gave the horn a couple of polite toots, signaling Chi Yuliang to glance back.
Sister Liang was sharp as a tack.
At the sound from behind her, she pinned her long hair to one side with a hand and turned lightly on her heel.
The instant Chi Yuliang looked back and spotted Little Bai in the rear window…
That glance over her shoulder was beautiful as a painting!
Ah…
No, seriously.
Ye Zhibai had laid eyes on plenty of drop-dead gorgeous girls lately—beauties so stunning they bordered on the unreal.
Oh, right—of course, that included Ye Zhibai herself. When it came to exaggeration, she was the queen of it.
But when it came to warmth…
Nothing beat Sister Liang!
Her purple hair flowed like silk, her eyes deep as the night sky.
She embraced the world like the sea swallowing rivers.
The ice-blue polka-dot maxi dress—floor-length past her knees, with a fitted bodice up top—hugged Chi Yuliang’s figure to perfection.
Even with her D-cup assets, the outfit kept everything tastefully modest, never flashy.
Talk about humble!
And from the hem downward, her mid-heel shoes and the glimpse of calf suggested Sister Liang was sporting some sheer summer black stockings today.
They said black stockings screamed sex appeal.
But on Sister Liang, how did they come off so pure?
From the other side of the car window, Ye Zhiyun caught sight of Chi Yuliang’s silhouette from afar.
She ground her teeth in frustration!
Muttering nonsense under her breath all the while.
“Drink milk… drink milk… Dinner tonight is milk!”
No!
She didn’t have to starve herself just to compete!
With the guest arrived, Ye Zhibai needed to go join her.
Before stepping out, she made sure to say a proper goodbye to Yun’er, reminding her to eat a real dinner that evening.
No milk!
Only once Yun’er promised did Ye Zhibai head off to her dinner date, worry-free.
“Second Miss, aren’t you concerned this time?”
“About what?”
The Head Maid’s question had Ye Zhiyun playing coy, though she knew full well what she meant.
Through the car window, she watched Ye Zhibai walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Chi Yuliang into the restaurant.
Only when her sister’s figure vanished completely did Ye Zhiyun finally pull her gaze away.
The Head Maid had no idea it was all an act.
She figured another nudge wouldn’t hurt.
“I mean, we can’t see what’s happening in that private room. No need to sneak in and keep watch this time?”
“No need. It’s unnecessary.”
“Hm? But earlier, in that alley, the Eldest Miss was kissing Miss Lin…”
“That was a misunderstanding!! Head Maid! Use your head! Just think about it—how could my sister ever do something like that? Ridiculous!!”
Right, right, of course!!
I’m just asking—don’t blow up!
But hang on, weren’t you the first one to jump to conclusions?!
If anyone’s not thinking straight, it’s you—I wouldn’t dare step out of line!
The Head Maid wouldn’t dare voice that.
She had worked for the Ye Family for nearly twenty years and knew the Second Miss’s temper all too well.
She wouldn’t tolerate a single bad word about the Eldest Miss.
At the same time, she was hyper-vigilant about anything involving her, never once slacking off.
But this time, why…?
Before the Head Maid could ask again, Ye Zhiyun—bored with nothing to do—decided to spell it out.
Better to clear up any notion that her sister was flirting around!
“Head Maid, I know what you’re getting at.” Ye Zhiyun propped her elbow on the windowsill, chin in hand, her eyes drifting toward the warmly lit private room in the restaurant.
“Everything needs context—you can’t paint with a broad brush. My sister was thrilled to see Chi Yuliang and happy to have dinner with her. But at the same time, there’s no romantic spark in her eyes for her. I can tell. Head Maid, you’re usually so good at picking up on details—did you really miss that? It’s right there in her expression, her eyes.”
“…”
Are you serious? The Eldest Miss’s expression? Her eyes?
There wasn’t any change from start to finish!
The Head Maid had to admit, sometimes you just had to bow to the evidence.
Maybe it was that sisterly intuition at work.
Keeping her tone even, Ye Zhiyun pressed on.
“They must’ve become friends during those earlier meetings. And honestly, that’s great for my sister. It fills a void from all those years cooped up at home. After all… I can give her so much, but some things I just can’t—like normal friendship.”
“Second Miss…”
The Head Maid listened closely, nodding in surprise and agreement.
She couldn’t help but sigh… time flies.
Unnoticed, the Second Miss had grown from that obsessive little girl with a touch of arrogance into the poised, perceptive Ye Family Second Miss she was today, ready to stand on her own.
And the Eldest Miss was changing for the better too, chasing the life she deserved.
Compared to those two dead years when the Eldest Miss lay comatose, the Ye Family was thriving now.
Getting better every day!
Her mood lifted in an instant.
The Head Maid started the car and glanced back with a pleased smile.
“Second Miss, shall I find you a spot to eat too? Where do you want to go?”
“Hm? Oh… let me see. Actually, Head Maid, you go eat somewhere. Just drop me here—the supermarket’s right next door.”
“Er… a supermarket? You’re not planning on just grabbing bread and ham, are you? That’s no good for your stomach. The Eldest Miss would be furious if she found out.”
“I didn’t say that’s what I’d eat.”
“Then what…?”
“Milk only. Seeing Chi Yuliang earlier hit me hard. Plus, skipping dinner’s perfect for trimming down! The scale says I’ve gained a whole half-pound lately—that’s a disaster! Oh wait… I kinda promised sister I’d eat something. Fine, one compressed biscuit! Gotta keep promises to her! Hehe… but she didn’t say what I had to eat~”
“…”
The Head Maid had been nodding along earlier.
Now she was shaking her head.
Girls these days… their minds were a maze!
Fine, fine—you’re the boss.
Still, part of her job was watching out for the young misses’ nutrition.
You’re right, Second Miss.
The Eldest Miss didn’t specify what you had to eat.
But you didn’t say I couldn’t tell her you’re dieting on just milk and biscuits!
Dropping Ye Zhiyun at the supermarket entrance, the Head Maid thought to herself.
Second Miss, if the Eldest Miss’s wrath comes down on you soon…
Good luck.
Hang in there!
Awoo!!
That wasn’t in Ye Zhibai’s imagination.
It was Guang Yu, howling at the two little stone lion statues on the private room’s round table.
“Guang Yu, stop barking at the stone lions—they won’t answer. And your mind transmission only echoes in my head anyway, buzzing like crazy. I don’t want to inflict that on the lions; I don’t deserve it.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, I know! But we’re the guests here—we can’t lose our momentum! Gotta get pumped up! Awoo!!”
Yeah, right.
Right now, she felt zero urge to pump up.
She drew the screen divider, took her seat in the booth, and Sister Liang smiled gently across from her.
Little Zhibai, at peace with the world.
“Pfft-ha… Little Bai, look at you—so lazy! Tired?”
“Mm… Sister Liang, don’t mind me. I just feel so relaxed right now.”
“Alright, alright—whatever you say.”
Ye Zhibai rested her chin on the table, arms dangling limply, sprawled like a puddle of liquid. Pure, utter laziness.
Even outside or back home, Ye Zhibai always strove to be the perfect Ye Family Eldest Miss, never embarrassing the family.
But tonight…
With Sister Liang here, just the two of them? Letting loose like this wasn’t over the top at all!
“Little Bai, the food might take a bit. You’re probably uncomfortable like that. If you want to rest, why not lay your head on my lap? It’d be softer, more comfy.”
“!”
Listen to that!!
Music to her ears!
Indeed—not over the top at all!
