Thanks to Old Dad’s endless chatter, by the time Ye Zhibai and the others headed back, dusk had already begun to fall.
The car sped along the winding mountain road leading to Ye Family Manor. In this secluded area untouched by people or factories, there was a refreshing coolness unique to summer nights.
Cool it might be, but Ye Zhibai leaned back against the exorbitantly priced seat, feeling utterly relaxed and floaty.
The comfort came not just from the crisp breeze on this road.
It also stemmed from the several voice messages Sister Liang had just sent to her phone.
Ye Zhibai’s gadgets had leveled up too—she even had her own Bluetooth earbuds now!
Times were changing so fast, folks.
Don’t underestimate a poor girl; what a difference earphones make.
Since Yun’er was still glued to her side, making calls to arrange the Maid Corps’ tasks, Ye Zhibai had slipped on her Bluetooth earbuds to listen quietly.
Whispers were meant to be heard in secret, after all.
“Little Bai, check out the file I sent you. I compiled some tips for the early days of college—stuff that might come in handy.”
“Haha… I know it’s not your first time starting college, Little Bai, but don’t say you don’t need it. ‘Going to college’ and actually experiencing college life are two different things. Big Sis knows—you spent your old days just studying and working part-time, never getting a real taste of campus fun. Now that things are better, you gotta take care of yourself more. This doc has bits and pieces I gathered, plus some insights from my own uni days. No guarantees it’ll all be useful, so if you’re stuck on anything, just give Big Sis a call.”
Hearing Sister Liang’s gentle voice in high-fidelity through her fancy Bluetooth earbuds moved Ye Zhibai deeply.
Woo… Sister Liang gets it—I went through college like a ghost last time!
Only Sister Liang could know something like that.
And that’s precisely why this special kind of care made Ye Zhibai’s heart soar, filling her with an indescribable warmth.
Her reply to Sister Liang was short but conveyed her feelings perfectly.
“Mm, got it, Sister Liang. I’ll take a good look.”
No sooner had she locked her phone screen than a lazy, foxy loli voice drawled in her mind—Guang Yu’s.
Lazy, because this deserter had dozed off peacefully while everyone else endured Old Dad’s nagging.
At your age… several thousand years old, how do you even sleep like that!
“Woo-hoo~~ Ye Zhibai, you seem in a great mood today… What’s up?”
“You’re awake?”
“Not quite. I just had a nightmare—super scary. Woke me right up.”
“What nightmare?”
“The wasabi bottle grew legs and ran away.”
“…”
Maybe you should just go back to sleep.
Otherwise, every time you wake up and talk, it sets my inner tsundere cells into overdrive.
Ye Zhibai didn’t bother commenting on her so-called nightmare. She took off the still-unfamiliar Bluetooth earbuds from her ears and carefully stowed them back in their case.
She tried subtly relaxing her arm, which Yun’er had clung to until it went numb, but it was no use. Only then did she answer Guang Yu’s earlier question.
“Good mood… yeah, probably. I’ve never seen what Mama looks like, but just thinking about gaining a new family member makes me pretty happy and excited.”
“Ohh… like in a gacha game, when you pull a new character from a fresh banner and it fills out your roster?”
“Get lost.”
Don’t blame me for being blunt—you opened your mouth first.
Guang Yu hadn’t meant to rile her up… She was just new to the human world and loved chasing trends.
The Little Fox shrank into a pitiful ball, hugging her big tail as she prepared for round two of napping.
Maybe if she dreamed again, she could chase down that legged-off wasabi bottle?
After shutting down Guang Yu, Yun’er finished her call too.
She hung up as quickly as possible, but Ye Family’s Second Miss still frowned, clearly quite displeased.
“Seriously… The Maid Corps isn’t lacking in judgment. They could handle such trivial matters internally. Making me do everything myself just wastes my quality time with Big Sis. If they pull this again, there’ll be accountability—harsh accountability!”
“Ahem!”
The cough came from no other than the Head Maid driving up front.
My dear lady…
You’re one of the future Ye Family managers, so exemplary otherwise—how do you turn into a tyrant the second Eldest Miss comes up?
Who does the Maid Corps’ accountability fall on in the end?
Her, the innocent chauffeur, of course!
Sympathizing with the Head Maid’s plight, Ye Zhibai patted Yun’er’s hand to soothe her.
The effect was instantaneous.
The moment their palms touched, Yun’er’s furrowed brows smoothed out completely.
Not just smoothed—they curved into happy crescent moons, along with her lovely arched eyebrows.
You’re way too easy to placate!
Ye Zhibai had hoisted herself by her own petard; half her body was now pulled into Yun’er’s embrace, pinned in place.
Mm… Yun’er was soft and fragrant all over—pure bliss.
But if she didn’t say something to rein her in, letting her run wild, they might not even make it back to their room before Yun’er pounced on her in the entryway.
It had happened before.
Love was like a bottle filling with water—the longer you held and pressed close, the higher the level rose. Fail to vent it, and it spilled uncontrollably when alone.
And unfortunately, Ye Zhiyun’s feelings for Ye Zhibai were always brimming at the rim.
Ye Zhibai had learned this lesson well. With time still before they got home—and to avoid being “devoured” the moment they walked in—she rolled her eyes and thought of a win-win topic.
But before diving in, she decided to test the waters softly.
“Yun’er… about what we discussed at the company—can the Head Maid hear? Is Mama coming back a secret?”
Her words, whispered close to Yun’er’s ear, sent Ye Zhibai’s breath tickling her earlobe, sparking tingles all over Yun’er’s body.
Even though she wanted Sis to keep talking, Yun’er couldn’t bear not to answer.
Worst case, she’d nibble Sis’s ear at home! For now, she’d endure.
“Don’t worry, Sis. Even if it’s a secret, it depends on who. The Head Maid’s worked for our family for over a decade—since Mama was still around. She’s a veteran employee, so no need to hold back. In the Ye Family, she’s no outsider.”
“I see.”
That put Ye Zhibai at ease.
She’d wanted to ask back at the company, but it would’ve only fueled Old Dad’s rambling, so she’d held back.
“What I really wanted to say is… what kind of person is our mama?”
“You’re that curious, Sis?”
“Yeah, she’s coming back soon. I’m worried I don’t know her well enough, and things’ll be awkward when we meet.”
“…”
“What’s wrong?”
Why are you looking at me like you can’t comprehend?
Uh… nothing.
Yun’er just thought her worried Sis was adorable and got a bit dazed.
That was only part of it. The real reason? Sis, you’re totally overthinking!
“Look, Sis… I get you don’t remember the past, but seriously—I can’t picture you getting along poorly with Mom. That woman… cough, our mom, she spoils you rotten. Can you imagine someone who never cooks and avoids the kitchen like the plague voluntarily poring over recipes, tweaking nutrition formulas, and holing up in there for days? Uh… even if the end result was a lump of coal. Her intentions were gold!”
Yun’er, first off, I’m not even touching your rude “that woman” jab at our mom.
Second…
From that little anecdote Yun’er let slip, Ye Zhibai felt a subtle warmth seep in.
Setting aside whether Mom was as unreliable as Yun’er had implied before, this alone proved she was a perfectly qualified mother, right?
Up front, the Head Maid naturally overheard the two young misses’ conversation.
The topic instantly brought a touch of sorrow to her brow.
“Second Miss… forgive my impertinence, but please accept my condolences, you and Eldest Miss. It’s been so many years since Madam… I still think of her often and feel heartbroken. Such a fine person, gone so suddenly…”
“Oh, right.” Ye Zhiyun cut straight to it. “Head Maid, I haven’t told you yet—my mom’s coming home soon. Next week.”
“You should accept my condolences, I also… What?!”
Screeech!!!
The tires shrieked as the car swerved sharply!
Yun’er calmly shielded her sister’s forehead from bumping the front seat.
In mere seconds, the vehicle steadied back to smooth cruising.
The Head Maid used to race cars; no worries about her driving skills.
Even so, once fully stabilized, Yun’er issued a stern warning in a low voice.
“Drive… with full focus. Especially with my sister aboard. No matter what happens, safety comes first. That little stunt just now? That’s dereliction of duty.”
“Y-Yes, Second Miss. No! The car won’t flip—I was just shocked by what you said. Madam’s… coming home?!”
“I think I made myself crystal clear.”
Ye Zhibai wasn’t startled at all. In the instant the vehicle jolted, Yun’er had hugged her head tightly against her chest. All she felt was the springy give of Yun’er’s bosom—nothing else registered.
Guang Yu, on the other hand, got tossed around. Her iron-hard head smacked right into the car door, leaving the fox sprawled in an even more brazen sleeping pose. She showed no signs of waking.
She even kept muttering in her sleep.
“Mmm… damn it… wasabi bottle… tumbling!”
