“Little Bai’er? Do you still want to mop over here?”
“Mm… If possible, could you rinse the mop again, maybe twice, with extra soapy water? Give the entryway a good scrubbing. Big cleanup time.”
“But we’ve already mopped the entryway five times! Look, it’s so clean it’s practically gleaming!”
“Don’t ask questions. Just mop.”
“Oh… alright then. Little Bai’er is the boss, so you call the shots~”
Lin Zihan worked diligently, her movements crisp and efficient. She tightened the satin ribbon at her maid outfit’s waist, grabbed the mop, and gave the already spotless entryway floor another vigorous going-over!
Just as she had said, it was only nine in the morning.
~~~
And this was already her fifth mopping of the day.
Moreover, she had spent the entire time repeatedly scrubbing just that one spot: the entryway.
Every time she finished a round, Little Bai’er would demand another.
Truth be told, Lin Zihan was pretty happy about it.
If she remembered correctly… this was the first time since coming to work at the Ye Family as a maid that Little Bai’er had given her such clear instructions.
Having specific tasks made her thrilled… but come on, Little Bai’er.
The living room is huge. I’d love to mop there.
Why are we fixated on this entryway floor?!
Ye Zhibai sat primly on the sofa, utterly motionless, steady as a rock.
Even though the television was playing a dull rerun of the news broadcast, she refused to reach for the remote to change the channel.
If there had been a cup of black tea in front of her, her poised demeanor might have rivaled Yun’er’s.
Today’s Little Zhibai carried herself with a grace far more befitting the Ye Family’s Eldest Miss than usual.
But was that really the case?
Lin Zihan couldn’t see it.
In truth, kneeling beside Ye Zhibai, tugging at the sofa and jostling her shoulder while clamoring to switch to the kids’ channel, was Guang Yu.
“Ye Zhibai! Where’s the remote? Why aren’t you saying anything? Did you hoard it? Hand it over—I wanna watch SpongeGranny!”
“It’s called SpongeBob… I have no reason to hoard the remote just to watch the news broadcast. And besides, SpongeBob hasn’t been on the kids’ channel for ten years. What the heck are you talking about?”
“No way…! But I saw a post yesterday saying Sponge—uh, SpongeBob—had sky-high ratings when it aired on the kids’ channel! Super trendy!”
“I hope you grasp what ‘once aired’ means. Sigh… anyway, quit yapping for a bit. Let me sit in peace. Don’t you have any sense? Can’t you see I’m suffering?”
“Oh… okay then. So, what’s up? Where does it hurt?”
Stinky Fox, get back to your room and watch your SpongeBob already!
Even if you ask what’s wrong now, I won’t feel a shred of your concern or warmth!
Sigh.
A long sigh to veil her tears, lamenting Zhibai’s many woes.
Ye Zhibai glanced sidelong at Zihan, who was busily mopping away. Comfort flooded her.
Sorry, Zihan. If I could move, I definitely wouldn’t have you slaving over that floor.
The thing is, I feel like my whole body is falling apart right now.
It wasn’t some elegant pose she was practicing; it was simply the kindest position for her aching waist, back, legs, and hips at the moment.
—She truly couldn’t move! Agony!
“Guang Yu… do you have any idea what state the entryway was in last night?”
“Entryway…? What’s that? Sounds fancy.”
“You know, right inside the front door. The foyer.”
“Ohhh, no clue then. I headed back early last night to watch SpongeBob. But I can guess—you got worked over by your sister again, right? Half-dead and wishing for the end?”
Ye Zhibai naturally missed the flicker of conflict in Guang Yu’s starry eyes amid her usual carefree grin.
Either way, sniping at the fox was a life essential.
“You could work on your emotional intelligence—no need to be so blunt. I’m not quite half-dead… more like a sixty-forty split. Anyway, do you know what the weather was like in the entryway last night?”
“Last night…? Sunny turning cloudy? That’s what the forecast said. But how’s an entryway got weather? This house wouldn’t crumble in an eight-point quake!”
“Wrong. You wouldn’t get it. Last night, it was a torrential downpour.”
“?”
Figure it out yourself.
I couldn’t say it even if I tried—too embarrassing.
We’d agreed to stop at a certain point and grab dinner… but we blew past midnight snacks, and the heated mood showed no signs of cooling.
Loud strings clashed like sudden rain, soft strings whispered like murmurs, their clamor and cuts mingling in discord, great pearls and little ones falling on the entryway floor.
Some rainstorms arrive whether there’s a roof overhead or not.
By two a.m., both battered and the air thick with a sweet, warm freshness, the entryway’s sorry state went without saying.
At the very least, Ye Zhibai’s stalwart shirt—clear across the room—had taken a hit and ended up in the washing machine overnight.
Actually, before Zihan arrived for her shift, Yun’er had risen at dawn and wiped it up with a towel.
Ye Zhibai couldn’t fathom why use a towel on the floor when a mop existed.
Nor could she understand the Nobel-worthy glow of pride and bliss on Yun’er’s face as she did it.
But the biggest mystery… was how Yun’er could still be so bouncy and full of energy.
Rolling around on the cold floor with bangs and crashes for hours! Intense workout! Body made of steel or what? Yun’er just had her morning runs, balanced diet, regular schedule, and a bit of self-discipline!
Was that enough to outpace my constitution?!
Wah, the world’s so unfair!
Every time Ye Zhibai recalled last night’s “little rainfall project” with Yun’er in the entryway, shame burned through her. No wonder she was having Zihan mop it over and over—to bury that embarrassment.
“Little Bai’er! Seventh round on this side complete! Need an eighth?”
“Then make it the eighth… nah, forget it. That’s enough. Check on the big scallion—might be gone.”
“Got it, boss~ Oh, right, boss.”
Lin Zihan gripped the mop handle tight and bounced toward the yard, but stopped midway.
She shook her artfully tousled golden bangs from her forehead, parting them with her fingers. Her crimson eyes sparkled with hope, matched by an unabashed smile of anticipation.
“So, Little Bai’er remembers what tomorrow is, right?”
“Tomorrow…?” Ye Zhibai was a pro at checking the almanac. “Tomorrow’s Lesser Heat.”
Such confidence.
“Nooo! Ugh… no way… Little Bai’er, did you really forget? Waaah, I’m so hurt! I’m gonna cry! And my tears would ruin the entryway all over again!”
Can we not bring up entryways and water?!
Relax, Ye Zhibai just hadn’t finished.
Solar terms were solar terms; plans were plans.
“Tomorrow’s the day we hit the amusement park. I know. Get ready ahead of time—which means I’m lying low a bit longer.”
“Lying low…? Haha, I knew Little Bai’er remembered! Yup yup, as expected from my bestie—great memory!”
“It’s just the past couple days… no way I’d forget.”
“Yup yup!”
You have no idea how one sentence supercharged Zihan’s work enthusiasm.
Not just planting scallions—she’d hit up the head maid for a few cacti to decorate the yard.
Cats yank scallions; they probably won’t touch cacti?
As Zihan plotted her tasks and headed to the yard, Ye Zhibai suddenly caught a whiff of fresh shampoo scent wafting from behind her head.
Along with it came relief in her shoulders.
She twisted her stiff neck to look back.
It was Yun’er, smiling ruefully as she gave her big sister a massage, diligently playing the doting little sis.
Yun’er had just showered, her black hair still damp, wearing freshly laundered pajamas warm from the sun. Ye Zhibai leaned back slightly, brushing the fabric, and felt quite content.
“Like this pressure? Feel okay, sis?”
“A bit harder… mm, that’s good.”
Flattery without cause meant something was up.
And both sisters knew exactly what.
As she kneaded Ye Zhibai’s shoulders with just the right force, Yun’er lowered herself to whisper sincere apologies in her ear.
“Sorry, sis… I’ve said it a bunch, but still—I’m sorry! Last night I lost control again. That mood… I couldn’t hold back, and I dragged you into my nonsense till dawn. So this time, I need to learn my lesson. Make a demand—anything! Ehehe… best if it involves some punishment… that’s the most effective!”
“Oh?” Ye Zhibai perked up at that. “Any demand at all?”
“You bet!”
Talk about perfect timing.
Ye Zhibai had been agonizing over how to broach it, and here Yun’er walked right into it.
She shrugged her shoulder, signaling to switch sides.
At the same time, Ye Zhibai made her “demand.”
“Yun’er… come play with me tomorrow.”
“H-How play?! Sis, you still have the energy?!”
Wipe that shocked, eager, perverted look off your face!
Clear your mind! Let’s both act normal and move past last night’s shadow!
“I mean tomorrow—at the amusement park. Together.”
“Amusement… park? How’d that come up so suddenly? Ah… if Sis wants to go, of course I’d love to join! No, scratch that—I’m totally dying to go! Wouldn’t it be just like a date? Us holding hands as we weave through clusters of balloons, snapping a photo under the roller coaster… Oh, right! And at dusk, we could hop on the Ferris wheel together! I hear it’s super romantic for two people. What a great idea… I’ll get ready right now!”
“Hold on a second. Let me finish.”
“Eh? What’s up, Sis? Anything else to add?”
“Going to the amusement park? The one who came up with this outing isn’t me—it’s Zihan.”
“So… what?”
“So, this trip means the three of us going together, not just two.”
Don’t blame Ye Zhibai for being so direct.
It was just that if she didn’t make this crystal clear right now, once Yun’er’s excitement built up, there might not be another chance to set things straight!
After Yun’er grasped the meaning, the thrilled expression on her face gradually fell.
Ye Zhibai had the feeling that Yun’er just might have a talent for those lightning-quick changes of expression.
But Yun’er, if you say no now, that would be reneging, you know?
After all, those were your own words just a moment ago.
—Any request is fine.
So… you can’t back out now. And you definitely can’t be a sore loser and go give an innocent Zihan a flying kick, okay?
