It was clear that Chi Yuliang was the happiest about Ye Zhibai’s dreamlike Gaokao score.
She had originally thought that once graduate school started, her chances of seeing Little Bai would inevitably dwindle, which had given her quite the headache. She had even wondered if she could delay her return to school for grad studies.
Ye Zhibai said, “Don’t! Are you trying to face your grad advisor’s wrath head-on?”
But Little Bai had come through! Once the Gaokao results came out, Chi Yuliang felt a massive weight lift off her shoulders—honestly happier than if she’d aced it herself!
“Still, Little Bai, when it comes to filling out your college preferences, that’s up to you. Of course, it’d be sister’s dream if you chose Capital University, but if you really don’t want to go, don’t force yourself just for my sake.”
“…”
What a “force.”
Ye Zhibai still remembered that famous host who once dropped the bombshell line, “Capital University is decent enough,” leaving everyone stunned.
As if getting into Capital University was some huge imposition!
Well… there was no need to rush a decision on this just yet.
Don’t forget Yun’er’s dream—to attend the same school as her big sister.
So, ultimately, Ye Zhibai planned to ask Yun’er for her thoughts and take them into account.
Savoring this rare luxury of a dilemma—one few people faced in life—Ye Zhibai clutched the scarf Chi Yuliang had knitted for her by hand. She walked back along the boardwalk from the Lake Heart Pavilion, seeing her wonderful sister off from the manor.
Huh… for a second there, at the boardwalk entrance, it felt like something zipped through the grass and away.
Like two gusts of wind!
Probably just a cute little stray cat—one of the good kind that wouldn’t tangle with the big fish in the lake.
By the time Ye Zhibai bid farewell to Chi Yuliang and hurried back to the Lake Heart Pavilion…
The thoroughly soaked Guang Yu had actually managed to wrestle the lake’s big fish onto shore.
Her tail and ears, with their impressive water absorption, hung heavy and limp once saturated—not fluffy at all.
After clambering ashore, she had lost one little leather shoe. The waterlogged white stockings clung tightly to Guang Yu’s slender legs, the translucent white faintly tinged with flesh tones. Like melting ice cream, it created a whole new kind of loli allure.
A proper lady like Ye Zhibai wouldn’t spare it a second glance!
“Ye Zhibai! Ye Zhibai! Quick, look!”
“No.”
“Look at the fish! Why not?! I went to so much trouble hauling this beast out!”
Oh, the fish. Yeah, that she could look at.
She’d thought Guang Yu was testing her upright character.
Amid the fish’s frantic tail-slaps, Ye Zhibai openly turned her head back around.
There in Guang Yu’s arms was the massive fish, clamped tight, rolling its dead-fish eyes in near-total surrender.
If the fish had any thoughts left, Ye Zhibai figured she could read what it wanted to say to Guang Yu from those eyes.
—You sneaky little punk. Dying by your hand? What a wasted fish life.
Ye Zhibai silently mourned the old fish in her heart.
Then, full of humanitarian concern, she asked, “Red-braised fish for dinner? I’ll just say I found it by the lake.”
“Red-braised fish…! Slurp… I want it… but nah~”
“Hm?”
This was genuinely surprising for Ye Zhibai.
Guang Yu had been staring at the fish, practically drooling.
But then she thought for a moment…
And turned around, squatting down by the pavilion’s base to slide the fish back into the lake.
The fish hit the water and thrashed in joyous survival, darting straight for the depths!
“No fish for dinner?” Ye Zhibai asked, crouching beside Guang Yu with keen interest.
“I’ll let it off the hook this time.” The Little Fox’s starry eyes sparkled like the night sky. “Something that can get caught by me must be a poor outcast from its school. Why not give it a chance? Down at the bottom, it can brag to its buddies about escaping the great god’s clutches! What an epic feat! It’ll definitely earn respect… right? Definitely…! Hey, what’re you doing?”
“Nothing.”
Without a word, Ye Zhibai raised her palm.
And gently placed it on Guang Yu’s sopping wet brown locks, giving her head a soft pat.
Guang Yu froze for a second before realizing Ye Zhibai was petting her. For such irreverence toward a god, Guang Yu just let out a little humph and kept watching the long-gone fish shadow, tacitly permitting it.
Fish could swim back into the water, but some gods… couldn’t exactly fly up to the heavens.
Sometimes Ye Zhibai wondered if Guang Yu’s constant childish mischief was just her way of combating profound loneliness—desperately vying for attention.
“Guang Yu, when do you think you’ll head back up to the heavens?”
“Eager to kick me out, boo-hoo… It all depends on you! The more you stick close, the better my chances!”
“Who’s kicking you out? I’m just asking. Sigh… you’re always on about sticking close. The other day, even Yun’er… eh, never mind. Point is, I’ve been putting in serious effort—feels like I’m fading away—and your path back to the heavens hasn’t budged an inch.”
Guang Yu raised both hands overhead.
Slowly, she grasped Ye Zhibai’s hand—perched atop her fox ears—with her own small ones. Tilting her head back, she peered up at Ye Zhibai’s calm violet eyes with her own limpid, soulful gaze.
Beneath her dripping brown bangs, from this angle, the Little Fox actually looked a bit ethereal, otherworldly…
But!
Guang Yu flashed a cheeky grin, and poof—that fairy air vanished in an instant!
“Hee hee, who cares! Sticking close is all upside, no downside. Just keep at it.”
True enough—all benefits, no harm. Just wearing out poor Little Zhibai a tad.
Guang Yu gave a soft sigh and continued, “I still don’t know if this’ll even send me back to the Divine Realm. Sigh… worst case, I’ll just stay in the Mortal Realm forever, mooching your family’s rice!”
“In your dreams. Freeloading food and board, huh?”
“Wah! What, you want me to work for it? Look at me—you’re hiring total bargain-bin labor!”
“Never heard of bargain-bin labor that’s lived for tens of thousands of years. Come on… let’s head back. Turn into a cat, take a bath. Gods don’t catch colds, right? I doubt it.”
“A bath…! I… I can use divine power to dry off…”
“Suit yourself. Not like I’d be the one suffering if you caught a chill.”
For all her harsh words, Little Zhibai was the picture of “mouth says no, body says yes.” While talking tough, she gently dabbed Guang Yu’s face dry with her sleeve.
After a quick wipe, Ye Zhibai turned to leave.
But just before taking that first step…
She heard the soft swish of a fluffy tail brushing the grass.
And Guang Yu’s voice, softer than usual.
“Ye… Ye Zhibai.”
“Yeah?”
What now?
She glanced back.
No idea what scheme this fox was cooking up in her gourd—or if it was just the post-dunking vibe giving her a fresh charm.
In any case, the Fox Maiden Loli stood there, one foot forward, hands clasped behind her back, head turned shyly aside. That bashful pose made Ye Zhibai itch to rub down those water-soaked white stockings on her legs!
Ahem… no, no—that was just human nature. Human nature.
“I have to admit it.” Guang Yu lifted her gaze from bottom to top, eyes shyly darting away but glimmering with genuine approval. “You… you’re way more human than those stubborn old coots up in the heavens.”
“Well, duh. I’m human—they’re not. Of course I’ve got more human touch.”
“Shh! Don’t say that about them, or you might get smited with Heavenly Punishment!!”
Ye Zhibai laughed. “Pfft, what do I have to fear? You’re the biggest Heavenly Punishment they’ve dropped on me.”
“Huh?”
For some reason, Guang Yu felt like she’d just been subtly dissed by Ye Zhibai again.
“Let’s go.”
“Hey!! Wait for me! How about red-braised fish tonight after all? Still craving it!”
“Fine, fine… whoa, back off first. You’re soaked through.”
“I’ll go bathe right now! For fish with wasabi, it’s worth it!”
