Lin Zihan patted the sofa cushions clean for a full three minutes before finally sitting back down.
As for this golden-haired girl’s obsessive cleanliness—to the point where Ye Zhibai suspected she might have OCD—we’ll leave that aside for now.
Though it delayed things a bit longer, Lin Zihan had at least returned to her seat.
The conversation could continue.
During their brief chat, Lin Zihan learned a shocking fact!
“Huh?! This restaurant is actually owned by Little Bai’er’s family?”
“Y-Yes… I believe so.”
“No way, for real? Wow… I saw the wages here were pretty good and thought I’d pick up a few shifts part-time. Who knew I’d end up working for Little Bai’er’s family?! Should I be amazed at my knack for finding the right spots, or at how vast the Ye Family’s empire is? Truly mind-blowing.”
So you just found out too, huh?
What a coincidence.
Ye Zhibai, as the Ye Family’s Eldest Miss, seemed to have only just realized it was one of their own businesses.
That put them on equal footing information-wise!
Since her big sister wanted to chat with Lin Zihan, Ye Zhiyun knew their little sisters-only world had been put on hold for now.
But that was fine! Her sister deserved her own social circle.
Looking on the bright side, Yun’er could now listen in openly, without needing that detective getup. Way more relaxed.
Oh, right… And as for Lin Zihan’s constant use of “Little Bai’er,” Ye Zhiyun had made a mental note in her little black book.
Go ahead and call her that. Big Sis says it’s fine, so I can’t do anything about it.
But don’t give me an opening.
If the moment’s right, I’ll deliver a flying kick to settle the score!
For now, all Yun’er could do was refill her sister’s teacup and perform her duties as the good little sister.
Truth be told, it was the first time Lin Zihan had seen this haughty Ye Family Second Miss so eagerly pouring tea and water, her face beaming with a happy smile.
Ahem, all I can say is Little Bai’er lives up to her name.
Lin Zihan gave a wry smile and poured herself a full cup.
With a playful lean forward, she aligned her cup’s center with Ye Zhibai’s on the table from her limited angle, then gently slid it forward.
—There, a virtual toast with Little Bai’er’s cup across the space!
Hee hee… Ye Zhiyun didn’t notice. Zihan and Little Bai’er cheers-ing with tea. So fun.
Ye Zhibai also realized her teacup’s water level never dropped below two-thirds full!
And Lin Zihan… what was she fiddling with her cup for? So weird.
Inwardly thanking Yun’er for her diligent efforts,
Ye Zhibai had a question that had been nagging at her since earlier.
“Lin Zi… Zihan, can I ask you something?”
“Fire away, Little Bai’er! Like I always say, between friends, ask anything—no secrets, spill everything.”
“Alright. I just want to know, is your family short on cash lately? You said before that the flower shop covers your living expenses. So why take on this part-time gig? And does your mom know you’re working?”
Pfft, Guang Yu thought it was ridiculous.
Ye Zhibai was asking a perfectly caring question, but coming from that icy poker face, it sounded like an interrogation or a household registry check!
But luckily~ everyone at the table, plus one spirit, knew Ye Zhibai was the type with a frosty exterior but a heart warm as bathwater.
Lin Zihan clasped her hands in front of her, fingers tightly interlocked.
She looked quite helpless as she answered Ye Zhibai’s question.
“To be honest, Little Bai’er… my family hit a personal financial crisis. The global financial storm zeroed right in on us, so… waa, it’s been rough.”
“Don’t joke around. I’m asking seriously.”
“Ehe, sorry sorry~ Alright then. Hmm… how to put it? The flower shop’s been doing okay lately, same as always. It covers our usual expenses just fine. But I’ve been buying some stuff for myself recently—extra spending, a few thousand bucks. Can’t rely on the shop for that, so I’m working summer shifts.”
“Buying… stuff?”
Buying things? And thousands of dollars?!
That didn’t add up. Lin Zihan wasn’t the flashy, wasteful type. She was super frugal.
You could tell from how she never added extras to her own drinks when buying beverages. She really watched every penny.
Actually, this was Lin Zihan’s private matter.
But sharing it with Little Bai’er? That didn’t count as private anymore.
No secrets between good friends—that wasn’t just empty talk.
Lin Zihan didn’t hesitate or tease, spilling the details of her recent “big move” right away.
“Yeah, a few thousand. Cosmetics, mostly skincare stuff—for my mom. You know how cosmetics are: roadside fakes are worse than nothing; they wreck your skin. If you’re buying, go for the good stuff~ And once I save up enough, I’ll order…”
As she spoke, Lin Zihan seemed to realize something. She quickly glanced at the Ye Sisters, clasped her hands together in plea!
“But but! Little Bai’er, Yun’er! Now that I’ve told you, please don’t tell my mom! If she finds out I spent thousands on skincare for her, she’ll chew me out! I wanna live a few more years! I’ll trick her when I give it, say it’s a cheap roadside knockoff I got for pocket change. Then it’ll be all good!”
It’s not that serious, friend!
Look at you overreacting— you just knocked over Guang Yu’s Fishbone Pagoda again.
Ignoring Guang Yu’s fang-baring grumbles, Ye Zhibai shook her head lightly, signaling she wouldn’t tell.
Ye Zhiyun, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, crossed her arms and tilted her head aside.
“We’re not gonna tattle on something that petty. But you—if you’re so strapped for cash, why splurge on luxury goods all of a sudden? Thousands… hmm… pretty extravagant.”
Thanks, Yun’er, for stopping short of mocking it.
Ye Zhibai understood: in her sister’s world, a few thousand was like dropping cash on a first in-app purchase—not even a blip, barely worth mentioning.
Waa, but she gets the plight of us former poor—or still poor—folks, calling “a mere few thousand” luxurious. You’re too sweet!
Asked this by Ye Zhiyun,
Lin Zihan’s expression shifted subtly.
The changes included gratitude, relief, joy, anticipation—and more.
All those emotions converged in Lin Zihan’s flushed right eye, reflecting Ye Zhibai’s figure.
“It’s all thanks to you, Little Bai’er. Last time, you told me I don’t actually hate my mom—I still love her. I thought about it for ages after going home, and you were spot on! Sure, Mom can be extreme and unreasonable sometimes, but it’s not her fault. She’s just another person life screwed over. And besides, she’s my mom…”
Feeling that warm glow in her heart,
Lin Zihan looked down then up, her smile as real and radiant as the one days ago, when she’d hugged the sunflower and bid Ye Zhibai farewell in that alley.
“So, once I realized I didn’t hate her, I noticed… all those wrinkles on her face. I can’t do much else, but buying her some cosmetics for skincare? Hee hee, that’s totally within my power!”
