“Objectively speaking, the Teacups ride isn’t boring or anything, but doesn’t it turn a bit slow…? It feels more like a starter attraction for kids. What do you think, sis?”
“Looks okay to me.”
“…Okay? Ahem, let me revise my evaluation. The Teacups are worth a spin!”
Ugh.
Lin Zihan was too lazy even to respond to her.
Just look at that expression.
The Teacups did spin at a leisurely pace. Ye Zhiyun had even yawned while riding them earlier. Yet the moment Little Bai’er summed it up as “okay,” her own assessment shot through the roof!
Love really does cloud one’s judgment and erode basic principles. That saying proves true.
Ye Zhiyun was one thing.
But Lin Zihan had figured Little Bai’er would enjoy a slow-paced ride like this?
Who knew? The girl who had just stepped down from the stationary Teacups wore a sullen look on her face.
Though to be fair—she always looked a bit sullen.
“Little Bai’er? What’s wrong? You’ve seemed distracted since earlier. Is it the crowd here?”
No way.
The surging crowds didn’t faze her in the least. Back in the day, cars honked nonstop outside her apartment day and night, and she was a pro at tuning out noise.
Ye Zhibai’s distraction had another cause entirely.
And that cause… Ye Zhibai needed to get to the bottom of it right now. Otherwise, she’d stay distracted through the rest of their fun, which would ruin things for all of them.
Under the concerned gazes of both Ye Zhiyun and Lin Zihan, Ye Zhibai shook her head gently, matching the Teacups’ rotation speed.
“No… This place is fine. I’ve never been here before, so maybe I’m just adjusting… You two sit on that bench for a bit. Waiting in line that long must have left you worn out… tired, right?”
“Not at all, sis! I’m not tired one bit!”
“Even if you’re not tired, go sit down.”
“!”
Fine!
If sis was going to use that firm tone, she’d have no choice but to obey!
But… why?
“Sis, is something up?”
“Nothing. I just want to take a little walk around nearby to get used to the place. Alone.”
“Ah… In that case, I’ll come with you…”
“Go sit down.”
“Yes… yes, ma’am!”
Sorry, Yun’er. Don’t hate me for being so stern. I really need some time to act on my own right now.
Having received her “sis’s decree,” Ye Zhiyun obediently herded Lin Zihan to the bench and sat down, giving her sister some space.
The two settled at opposite ends of the bench, of their own accord.
Some people were born sworn enemies, their mutual repulsion maxing out the instant they laid eyes on each other.
And the funny part? For all their clashing values and worldviews—
The angel in each sworn enemy’s eyes was one and the same.
Together, they watched Ye Zhibai’s elegant figure recede gracefully into the distance, both their lips curving into healed, contented smiles.
That was the one point of agreement between sworn enemies.
Until her silhouette faded from view.
Lin Zihan was actually puzzled.
“Something feels off… I can’t put my finger on it, but Little Bai’er seems kinda mad? Should we go check on her?”
“Terrible idea. My sis said she wants to handle it herself—no following. That’s an order. Do you even know what an order is?”
“You sisters in your family still pull the ‘orders’ card?”
“Only sis’s orders count as orders. Sigh… You wouldn’t get it anyway. Don’t pry. Just wait here like you’re supposed to.”
“Oh, okay. If you put it that way, yeah, I don’t get it.”
All I know is—
You’ve ignored Little Bai’er’s orders and tailed her plenty of times before?
“Anyway, with the Maid Corps around, if sis gets in any trouble behind my back… cough, if sis runs into danger, they’ll report it to me.”
“I see. Heh, but I think Little Bai’er’s sulking. Maybe because you were too blunt about the Teacups earlier? You called it a kids’ game. What if she likes that stuff? She’d lose face, right?”
“Whether it’s a kids’ game depends on if sis likes it. If she does, it’s a mature, steady attraction. If not, it’s childish. Gotta judge case by case.”
“……”
You do know about judging case by case.
“Anyway, one thing’s for sure.”
Ye Zhiyun suddenly slapped her thigh and stood up.
She pulled out the amusement park map again, jabbing her finger at the most prominent core attraction!
“What I can say for sure is that the Teacups didn’t bring sis much fun. We’re already here—if she doesn’t enjoy herself, what’s the point? So next stop, I pick this one! Let’s go for it!”
“This… you mean that one? Hmm… the Roller Coaster?”
“What do you say?”
“Well…”
Lin Zihan gave a wry chuckle.
She scratched her cheek, hesitated a moment, then offered a reluctant but honest suggestion.
“Yeah… sounds good. I bet Little Bai’er would like it? Probably…”
“Okay! Gotta be decisive when it counts, or you’ll miss all the good stuff. Just wait, sis… the Roller Coaster will cheer you right up!”
“Haah… fingers crossed.”
Ye Zhibai: Thanks, you two.
“Ah? Ye Zhibai, why are we heading back to this bridge pier again? Watch out—the Big Brown Bear might attack! Rawr!!”
“Tch… quit gloating. You knew Sister Liang was in that bear suit earlier and didn’t tell me. Playing dirty, huh? Fine, then your wasabi supply for the next week is gone.”
“Are you a demon?!”
“Pot calling the kettle black.”
There was a good reason to return to the bridge pier.
Sister Liang was still waiting there.
Earlier, Sister Liang had just wriggled out of the costume when Ye Zhiyun called that their number was up for the Teacups. Ye Zhibai had no choice but to ride a couple loops first, then come back to sort things out.
Under the bridge pier, Chi Yuliang was indeed waiting patiently.
She had her back to them, one knee on the ground, her slender white fingers carefully folding the oversized Brown Bear plush costume.
Sister Liang was handy; the bulky suit looked tricky to pack, but in her hands, it soon formed a neat, tidy square.
Sensing movement behind her, Chi Yuliang whipped around and saw Ye Zhibai right on time. Joy lit up her face at first—but then it slowly stiffened.
Into something very troubled.
Because… Little Bai was pouting now!
Her icy little face with that pursed mouth added a layer of sulky displeasure to her already unapproachable aura.
“L-Little Bai? Are you mad?”
“Nope.”
“Wah… sorry, Little Bai! I was already reflecting on it earlier… I shouldn’t have scared you. Really!”
“I’m not mad.”
Wah…
But turning your head aside and keeping that pout while deliberately avoiding eye contact? Not very convincing.
Truth be told… Ye Zhibai did harbor a bit of pent-up frustration.
Sister Liang showing up at the amusement park made her happy—more people meant more fun, after all.
But she had to bring this up.
—I really was startled back there!
Startled enough to desperately shout those embarrassing words “help” (not really)!
The more she thought about it, the madder she got—and the madder, the more she thought.
But… even if she was mad,
It depended on who at.
She couldn’t stay aloof with Sister Liang forever.
The woman was already flailing her hands in panic, her words tumbling out incoherently.
Plus, those sweat beads she still hadn’t wiped away.
They’d brewed inside that plush suit.
In the height of summer, cramming into a thick costume like that turned it into a hellish furnace—Ye Zhibai didn’t need to imagine it.
And Chi Yuliang’s next words completely deflated her.
“I actually… wanted to surprise you. But your reaction was so cute, I couldn’t resist scaring you a little… It’s all this bear’s fault…! Look, Little Bai—sis is beating it up right now! To vent for you! It’s your fault for scaring my Little Bai!”
“……”
Chi Yuliang actually crouched down again and gave the neatly folded Brown Bear plush a good smackdown!
Wah… what ultimate childcare technique was this?!
Sister Liang, you’re turning my sulk into impotent rage!
Ye Zhibai smiled wryly to herself, letting out a helpless sigh aloud.
She stepped over the balloon fragments Guang Yu had just chewed to bits, hugged her knees, and plopped down by the bridge pier. She waved a small hand at Chi Yuliang.
“Whatever… it’s fine. I’m not some clueless three-year-old who throws tantrums.”
“Yeah, yeah! Sis knows! Little Bai’s mental age is, like, over ten at least. A big kid!”
I’m almost twenty!
And from my last life, I’ve crossed that threshold already!
So I’m a big big big kid, right?!
Seeing Little Bai’s lips pursing again, Chi Yuliang quickly zipped her mouth shut. She even tapped her lips lightly to signal she was taking it back.
In two quick steps, matching Ye Zhibai’s beckoning gesture, she ignored the dust on the ground and sat right beside her.
It was a perfectly natural way for them to be together.
When she was with others, Ye Zhibai disliked dusty places, since washing clothes afterward was such a chore.
Chi Yuliang felt the same way even more strongly. She loved cleanliness and did housework every day at home.
Yet when these two were together, they suddenly stopped caring about such minor details.
The reason was simple: years ago, they had huddled against each other in just such a state, sitting by the wall of the orphanage and countless times counting the drifting clouds in the sky and the endless stars above.
Ye Zhibai squinted her eyes, deliberately savoring the gentle breeze for a moment.
Then she slowly opened them.
Right in front of her, Guang Yu was hopping back and forth amid the balloon fragments that she herself had chewed to bits—like a game of hopscotch.
Ye Zhibai ignored her.
She tilted her head up slightly and voiced the question that had been nagging at her for nearly an hour.
“You know… it’s kind of strange.”
“How so?”
“Yun’er said the family’s Maid Corps has been standing guard around us the whole time. But in that situation just now… well, they didn’t know it was Sister Liang inside the Brown Bear, and yet no one made a move. Maybe they just overlooked it?… But that’s actually a good thing. Otherwise, they might have hurt you if they’d sprung into action. So Sister Liang, no more reckless stunts like that next time—they really know how to fight.”
“Huh? The Maid Corps ladies? So it wasn’t just the Head Maid nearby?”
“Of course not just… uh, Sister Liang, you know the Head Maid?”
“Ah… yeah, Little Bai probably wouldn’t know. It’s like this—listen to me explain…”
They were close enough that even whispers carried between them clearly.
But Chi Yuliang scooted a little closer to Ye Zhibai anyway.
“Last time you came over to my house, wasn’t it the Head Maid who brought you? She gave me some instructions on things to watch out for, and that’s how I remembered her face.”
“Call it a coincidence, I guess. I’d been watching you two from a distance, and I happened to spot the Head Maid hiding behind a tree for some reason. We got to chatting, and it turns out she was on a protection detail. While we talked, I mentioned wanting to give Little Bai a surprise~ See? That Brown Bear costume over there.”
“The Head Maid thought it was a great idea once she heard me out. She said your life really is too monotonous and that a bit of color and surprise would do you good. She even promised the Maid Corps would cooperate with my plan… Oh, right—and to avoid any complications, she’d keep it secret from Miss Zhiyun. Man… the Head Maid is really something. Sincere as can be. I mean, she mentioned the Maid Corps, but I had no idea there’d be so many maids around…?”
…
Oh.
If that was how it went down, then everything clicked into place.
What could she say?
Ye Zhibai could only marvel that Yun’er—our family’s Maid Corps, especially the Head Maid—didn’t just blindly follow orders. Her personal initiative was top-notch, and she carried out missions with impressive flexibility, never rigidly.
They really knew how to play it by ear!
