June was the month when the sun beat down directly on the Tropic of Cancer.
The days stretched long while the nights grew short—the longest stretch of daylight in the turning of the seasons.
It was probably a little after four-thirty in the morning, no later than five, when the faint glow began to appear on the horizon, visible even through the curtains.
And the people who caught the world’s first rays of dawn fell into two main categories.
The first were those who dragged themselves out of bed at five to work or study—the grindset enthusiasts.
The second were the all-night warriors still burning the midnight oil at five.
The first group greeted the morning sun with joy, for to them it symbolized the proverb: the day is planned in the morning.
The second group stared at it in anxious despair, because to them it meant doom.
I wonder which category you fall into?
Yeah, if you only put down your phone at four, yanked the covers over your head to pretend it wasn’t dawn yet, and aimed to sleep till noon—only to get roused by your parents first thing—you’re quite the champ.
And today, Chi Yuliang had witnessed the sunlight at four-thirty too.
She didn’t belong to either of those groups, though. She had simply woken up unusually early today.
Because today was a special day for her, one full of anticipation.
It was just a few minutes shy of five o’clock.
She emerged from the bathroom, a freshly rinsed cloth clutched in her hand, tiptoeing across the white tiled floor with featherlight steps.
The only sound was the faint whisper of her comfortable cotton pajamas brushing against her skin as she moved.
She crept quietly to the living room windowsill and drew back the curtains as gently as possible.
The warm morning sunlight flooded every nook and cranny of the room.
Chi Yuliang steadied the cloth and hummed a little tune she’d picked up from street singers as a child. She started wiping from one edge of the sill, gliding the cloth across several feet to the other end. Even the vase there didn’t escape; it gleamed under her touch.
“I’m a painter, got skills so grand… Gonna make that new house shine across the land~”
The rhythm matched the suds bubbling up from the soapy cloth, and only when the sill shone bright enough to reflect her fingers did she flash a satisfied smile. She set the cloth aside and naturally raised her arms high for a glorious, satisfying stretch.
“Mmm~~~ Ahh…”
Her straightened back and legs drew out her graceful figure, her proud chest thrusting forward almost out of line with her stunning face, boldly proclaiming its presence and glory.
Her long purple hair, still tousled from sleep and uncombed, fluffed out wildly like a squirrel’s tail.
After the stretch, Chi Yuliang’s whole demeanor turned relaxed and healing, a soft, contented hum escaping her throat unbidden.
It was hard to imagine this adorable big sister could be so poised and proper out in the world.
Having savored her stretch, Chi Yuliang didn’t linger. She picked up the now-dusty cloth again and headed back to the bathroom to rinse it out before resuming her work.
The windowsill was done—why keep going?
Because the dining table still needed wiping. And after that, the bookshelf. Ideally, every corner of the living room.
Morning might seem early with plenty of time, but it slipped away in a flash—nerve-wracking stuff!
Just as Chi Yuliang emerged from the bathroom with the mop, ready for a full-floor deep clean, she heard the creak of a door opening from her parents’ room.
She paused and glanced over. Out shuffled Fang Wenyuan, her adoptive mother nearing fifty, with short black hair and eyes bleary from sleep.
It was so early that Chi Yuliang hesitated to call out. Even so, when Fang Wenyuan rubbed her eyes and glanced toward the living room, she startled anyway.
“Uh!”
“Shh, Mom, it’s me.” Chi Yuliang gave a wry smile, pressing a finger to her lips. “Dad’s still sleeping, right? He worked the night shift and got home so late—don’t wake him.”
“Yuliang…?”
Fang Wenyuan turned back to quietly close the bedroom door, then patted her chest to steady her breathing.
“Whew… Yuliang, it’s you. You scared me. What time is it… Let me check… Not even five yet?! What are you… mopping the floor?”
“Yeah, big cleanup time. Mom, why are you up so early? Why not sleep more?”
“Sigh… It’s your dad. He worked nights last night and has an early shift today, so I’m getting up to make him some food before heading to the office myself. But hold on—you’re the one doing a deep clean at the crack of dawn? I already mopped last night. And even if it’s a cleanup… not this early… Ah…”
“Mom?”
Fang Wenyuan’s words cut off abruptly.
Tsk… Look at me, still half-asleep! These past few days, Yuliang’s been acting a bit off, but it’s all normal—we should be understanding.
Poor kid. She was pretty shaken when I told her about that old orphanage friend who passed away.
So what if she’s mopping at dawn? She could blast music and throw a rave, and it’d be fine!
Chi Yuliang set down her mop. She had no idea why her mom had suddenly frozen with that guilty look, but she needed to explain her sudden burst of industriousness.
“It’s fine, Mom. I just couldn’t sleep today, so I figured I’d get up and do some chores.”
“Kiddo… If something’s on your mind, you have to tell us. The more you bottle it up, the more it hurts me…”
“?”
Mom, how did you know something’s up today? You’re psychic!
At that, Chi Yuliang set the mop against a nearby cabinet. Her face softened visibly with tenderness.
“Actually… Mom, do you remember? Last time, you said I could invite a friend over soon?”
“Right, right! I did promise. So, is…”
“Yeah, I made plans with her. She’s coming today—for lunch at our place. That’s why I wanted to tidy up and make a good impression.”
“Oh, got it! Your friend’s coming today! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Haha… We only settled it last night, and you and Dad were already asleep, so…”
“Okay… I get it!”
Chi Yuliang stared blankly at the odd scene unfolding.
Her mom suddenly pivoted away from the kitchen and headed for the closet—in full get-ready-to-head-out mode!
It was barely five! What was she doing?!
Naturally, Chi Yuliang followed to the closet to investigate.
“Mom? What are you…?”
“The morning market’s about to open. I need to snag a good spot—freshest ingredients go first, you know! Yuliang, don’t worry. I’ll whip up a feast for lunch and make sure your friend leaves happy!”
“…Thanks, Mom? Wait, no! Weren’t you going to make Dad breakfast?!”
“Forget breakfast! He can eat at the company cafeteria. It’s not like it’ll kill him—your friend comes first!”
“It’s not that serious! Mom, don’t rush… You make Dad’s breakfast first. I’ll handle lunch cooking. The ingredients… I’ll grab them later!”
Chi Yuliang grabbed her mom’s arm to stop Dad from waking up to an empty kitchen and a lonely trek to the work cafeteria.
“Whoa… Look at our sensible Yuliang. Your dad hears this, he’ll be moved to tears.”
“……”
Argh…
Chi Yuliang smiled helplessly, relieved she’d talked her down, at least.
With Mom heading to make breakfast, she relaxed.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that Dad’s status in the family was slipping.
Wonder if other homes were like this.
Haha, no way. It must just be their dad. Normally, the father calls the shots and has the final say.
After that, Chi Yuliang redoubled her efforts on every corner of the house.
Just thinking of her guest’s every smile and gesture gave her endless motivation for the cleanup.
Little Bai had agreed so readily yesterday to come today… Perfect.
Hmm?
On second thought, besides that, hadn’t she asked Little Bai something else yesterday?
—Today was the deadline for submitting university applications. Where had she decided to go?
Come to think of it, Little Bai hadn’t replied to that last night.
Maybe she hadn’t decided, or hadn’t seen it, or something else.
No big deal.
Whatever the case, they could chat about it once she arrived.
The thought of possibly attending the same university as Little Bai filled Chi Yuliang with memories of their childhood days together.
The chance for it all to continue felt like a dream come true!
Little Bai… I can’t wait.
