Ye Zhiyun’s sharp mind had already raced through countless seasons in the few short minutes it took for Ye Zhibai to recount her tale.
Sister, that dream of yours has more twists than a mountain highway!
Absurd as it was, the word “death” was the most sensitive trigger in Ye Zhiyun’s heart from the two years her sister had spent in a coma.
So when she heard that word coming from her sister’s mouth now, Ye Zhiyun couldn’t help but straighten her expression.
“Sister… you said the person you dreamed of is already dead… but how do you know that? We haven’t even gone to East City yet—no, and besides, we can’t even be sure that person exists at all.”
Whether I exist or not, no one else might know, but how could I not know?
Ye Zhibai continued her “dream story.”
“Yeah… it’s not certain. But at the end of that dream, the person stood up from the chessboard, said he was leaving. I asked where he was going, and he said to heaven. I suggested another game of chess, and he said farewell forever. So… I figured he was probably dead.”
“……”
Ye Zhiyun had no idea if that person was probably dead or not, but she was definitely dumbfounded right now!
What convoluted logic!
When Ye Zhibai mentioned “farewell forever,” her mind flashed back to her own tearful past.
She was fully immersed now.
Her nearly emotionless face somehow took on a faint layer of melancholy.
The greatest human sorrow… was nothing more than pitying oneself.
This was the first time since her rebirth that Ye Zhibai had spoken so much in one go.
“In the dream… he was both my teacher and my friend. He told me many stories from his life. Yun’er… it really hit me. Life is full of hardships, you know? Take this drink—twenty bucks. It’s nothing to us. But for that person… it might have been all the savings from a full day’s hard work.”
“He was a fool, but kind. He said he’d never done anything truly harmful in his life… even when eating at the cafeteria, he’d wipe down the table before leaving to spare the auntie some work. But he said… heaven wanted him gone, so he had no choice… Sometimes it just feels like the world is so unfair…”
“That chess game in the dream… it was like a game of life. He was trying so hard… just to stay alive…”
And yet he hadn’t made it.
As Ye Zhibai finished speaking, her lips trembled.
It felt like a hydrogen bomb had detonated in her heart, waves of bitterness surging upward.
Guang Yu… you’ve seen my tragic life. Surely you can relate to what I’m saying, right?
Ye Zhibai naturally looked up toward Guang Yu across from her.
She found Guang Yu blinking her big eyes right back at her.
Well… she was staring at the drink on my table.
Thanks a lot, Guang Yu. You’re in for it when we get home.
Suddenly, Ye Zhibai felt a warm hand covering her own palm.
She turned to see Ye Zhiyun wrapping both her hands around Ye Zhibai’s left one.
And… holding it to her chest.
Hey!!
Her fingers had already brushed that softness, leaving Ye Zhibai no chance to pull back.
Ye Zhiyun gripped her sister’s hand tightly—very tightly—and on her face was an expression of self-reproach.
“I’m sorry… Sister, that dream must have been a nightmare. I’m sorry… when you needed someone the most, Yun’er couldn’t be by your side. But don’t worry… even if that person you described really exists, it doesn’t matter. Kind souls will go to heaven in the end. And even in reincarnation, they’ll find the belonging and happiness they deserve. So Sister… please don’t be sad.”
They say angels are in heaven.
But right now, Ye Zhibai felt like… sob sob, her little angel was right in front of her!
She started to regret unloading all those complaints earlier. She shouldn’t have burdened her family with such negativity.
As compensation, these words of thanks came straight from her heart.
“No… during the two years I was in a coma, you were always by my side. Not in a dream… but in reality.”
“Sister, you can’t say things like that anymore starting today.”
“?”
“If you do, I might not be able to hold back the impulses in my heart. So please, show some restraint.”
“!”
What an elegantly phrased warning!
Scary!
Ye Zhiyun smiled wryly as she held her sister’s hand securely, pressing it firmly against her chest so she could feel her heartbeat.
What her sister had just said did sound pretty absurd.
How could one dream reveal so much information? It was more like a TV series or a movie.
But…
Ye Zhiyun was willing to believe.
Every word, every syllable her sister uttered—she believed it all.
Absolute trust.
Her sister had always been shrouded in mysteries from childhood to now. No matter what, Yun’er would never find it strange.
Her one selfish wish… was just for her sister never to frown like that again. As long as she was happy, that was enough.
With those thoughts, Ye Zhiyun slowly released Ye Zhibai’s hand and clenched her little fist with determination.
“Alright! Then Sister, once you’re rested, we’ll head out! No matter if that person from your dream exists in reality or not, I’ll take you to see. That way, you’ll feel at ease, right?”
“Thanks… Yun’er.”
Ye Zhibai’s flat-faced thanks carried little emotion, but Ye Zhiyun received it loud and clear!
“Hmph hmph, I’ve said it more than once—thank-yous are forbidden between family! Ah… but once we get to East City, what then? Finding the exact address might be tricky, right?”
“No problem. The exact address was written on the chessboard in the dream. I remember it.”
“……”
Sister, did you need a microscope for that dream?
Such details!
Finally securing the chance to return to East City, Ye Zhibai let out a heavy breath, her posture relaxing noticeably.
Great… now I can retrieve some things from the apartment.
And check on the situation there.
When she relaxed, she felt like having a drink.
Ye Zhibai grabbed the glass from the table—less than a third left—and planned to down it in one go.
But… from the corner of her eye, she saw Guang Yu with drooping ears, staring at the drink menu like a rain-soaked kitten, utterly pitiful.
Sigh… fine.
Meeting Yun’er and gaining a new family was all thanks to this scummy deity.
Gratitude was in order.
Ye Zhibai pulled her lips from the straw and stood up.
“Sister?”
“It’s nothing… the shop feels stuffy. I want to step out to the entrance for some air. Just wait here for me.”
“Okay…? But Sister, if you feel unwell, you have to tell me!”
“Got it. I’m fine.”
It wasn’t her body that felt unwell.
It was a certain greedy-mouthed fox whose spirit was unwell right now.
Ye Zhibai stood with her drink in hand and, as she passed Guang Yu, suddenly swung her arm!
Thwack! Right on Guang Yu’s forehead!
“Ow!!”
A wail echoed in Ye Zhibai’s mind. Without giving Guang Yu time to bare her teeth and complain, Ye Zhibai quickly shot her a meaningful glance.
—Want a drink? Follow me.
The utterly shameless scummy fox clutched her head and trotted after her obediently!
At the exit by the door, there was a row of trash bins.
Ye Zhibai kept her eyes forward and said in a low voice,
“Guang Yu, I’m going to fake throwing the drink in the bin. You intercept it midair, make it invisible as fast as you can, then drink up! When you’re done, toss the cup in the bin—that’s the rule here. Trash goes in the bin; it’s human virtue. Got it?”
“Got it, got it! I’m quick on the uptake!”
“Alright… watch my move.”
In perfect sync, the human and fox pulled off an aerial handoff—Guang Yu caught the drink steadily!
She finally got to savor the iced drink she’d been dreaming of for a full twenty minutes!
Seeing the blissful look on Guang Yu’s loli face somehow lifted Ye Zhibai’s spirits too.
But… only when Guang Yu was nearly finished did Ye Zhibai belatedly realize a problem.
Crap, I forgot to swap out the straw for her!
Once Guang Yu drained the drink completely, baring her little tiger teeth and pulling away her cute tongue from the straw Ye Zhibai had chewed flat…
Ye Zhibai pretended nothing happened… and gazed at the distant scenery.
I didn’t mean to take advantage of a deity… this doesn’t count.
We’re not even the same species!
“This one’s delicious! Ye Zhibai—no, Boss Ye! Refill!!”
“Gone. That’s all there was.”
“Aww… just a little more!”
“Quiet. I’ll get you Honey Rain Ice City on the way home—this place is too pricey.”
“Yay!”
