Originally, when Chi Yuliang left the mansion, the Maid Corps should have handled seeing her off. There was no need for the two young misses to step out personally.
But Ye Zhibai definitely wanted to see Sister Liang off.
Even if there were some things she no longer wished to dwell on in this lifetime, Ye Zhibai had never forgotten that sense of gratitude.
The taste of that osmanthus cake from her childhood had become Ye Zhibai’s endless homesickness.
Though the hometown still existed, she herself had left it first.
So, using the excuse of discussing tomorrow’s specific plans for the Tomb Garden, Ye Zhibai escorted Chi Yuliang all the way to the manor gate.
Where Ye Zhibai went, Ye Zhiyun was sure to follow!
After all, she was like a magnet, drawn irresistibly to her sister!
They chatted along the way about trivial arrangements that didn’t really matter. As Chi Yuliang stepped out through the mansion gates, she halted, her hands clutching the small bag she’d been carrying in front of her.
A gentle breeze stirred, and she pressed down her slightly tousled purple hair with one palm.
That soft smile of hers, every little gesture—it was all the tenderness etched in Ye Zhibai’s memories.
Woo woo, Sister Liang had been a little angel back in those days.
Now she was a full-fledged big angel!
“Chatting with Miss Zhibai was so much fun. Um… Miss Zhibai, see you tomorrow.”
No sooner had she said it than Chi Yuliang felt a surge of intense pressure radiating from beside Ye Zhibai.
A bead of cold sweat formed at her temple. She hurriedly corrected herself with an addition.
“And Miss Zhiyun too… Thank you for joining us tomorrow, ahaha…”
“No problem.”
There it was again—that cool, handsome “no problem”!
As Chi Yuliang turned to leave, her soft gaze quietly swept over Ye Zhibai’s face.
But she’d barely taken a single step forward when she stopped short, as if she’d suddenly remembered forgetting something.
Ye Zhibai tilted her head in dazed confusion. “Miss Chi? What’s wrong?”
Just that one little gesture.
Do you have any idea how devastating it was for Yun’er?
Chi Yuliang slowly turned back around. On her dignified face, a flicker of unmistakable distress surfaced deep in her dark eyes.
She pulled out her phone from her bag—the one adorned with that sea-blue shell pendant.
Ye Zhibai spotted it instantly! That wasn’t the phone charm she’d given Sister Liang as a kid?
She’d kept it all this time?!
Even after a trip to the Capital, with all its bustling commerce, she still hadn’t upgraded her accessories?
Chi Yuliang gripped her phone and hesitated for a moment before finally voicing her question.
“Miss Zhibai… would it be all right if I added your contact info? You know… for tomorrow’s plans if we’re coordinating. Things like timing, where to meet up, or if we end up splitting off in the Tomb Garden and need to get in touch. Ah… and it’s not just for tomorrow. I’d really love to add you as a friend and get to know you better!”
Woo, the sincerity shining in Sister Liang’s eyes, her words—they were airtight, impossible to turn down!
But as Ye Zhibai pulled out her own phone to add her…
Her movements froze.
Friends…
—Hadn’t she already added her as a friend somehow?
This, this… there was no way to add her now!
“Miss Zhibai?”
Chi Yuliang pressed, puzzled.
At the same time, some indescribable glint in her eyes burned even brighter.
Just as Ye Zhibai found herself caught in a real bind,
Yun’er swooped in like a heavenly savior at this critical juncture.
She couldn’t accept Chi Yuliang’s earlier proposal.
The only thing she could tolerate was keeping her two meters away from her sister.
“Sister, we need to head back and review our homework. Miss Chi, no need to go to the trouble. Tomorrow, I’ll have the Maid Corps pick you up and escort you the whole way. Even without contact info, nothing will be delayed.”
“This… if… if that’s how it has to be, then all right. Sigh… I didn’t mean anything by it… Miss Zhiyun, I just thought, from what you’ve said, after Miss Zhibai was discharged, she hasn’t had any contact with school or made any friends. So… her friends list probably only has family… I have no right to say this, but I do feel sorry for Miss Zhibai. It reminds me of my little brother who passed away. When he left this world… I don’t think he even had a handful of friends. Every time I think about it, it hurts so much I can barely breathe.”
“……”
Ye Zhibai’s blood pressure spiked.
Who said she had no friends? She’d added tons of university classmates! Sure, they’d all deleted her since… but she’d once had a full, vibrant friends list!
Ye Zhiyun’s blood pressure shot up too.
Her gaze grew icy. Clearly, she wasn’t thrilled with Chi Yuliang’s little speech.
Sister with no friends?
Pitiful? Friends list limited to family?
It was… spot on. Utterly, painfully accurate.
Only then did it hit Ye Zhiyun like a thunderbolt. She’d never actually set up a social account for her sister.
It was all because of that fierce possessiveness lurking in her heart.
If she had her own account, she’d add other people. They’d chat and grow close. And then… she wouldn’t love Ye Zhiyun anymore!
It was a chain of potential disasters!
But…
Hearing Chi Yuliang’s sharp yet fair observations laid bare like that, Ye Zhiyun suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
Was it really fair to restrict her sister’s social life like this?
But!! Yun’er really didn’t want her sister adding other friends—chatting with them behind her back!!
Ye Zhibai watched as the situation inexplicably spiraled into this bizarre standoff.
Chi Yuliang had started sighing wistfully about life.
Meanwhile, Yun’er was pouting in a huff, stamping her feet in frustration every so often!
What in the world was going on with them?!
One thing she knew for sure: if she didn’t get this friend add sorted today, there’d be no cold drinks waiting back home.
Standing out here under the blazing sun—who could stand it!
So, Ye Zhibai made a snap decision. She shot Chi Yuliang a look that conveyed nothing but “hold on a sec.”
Then she tugged Yun’er back a few steps. They turned away together, and Ye Zhibai made her pitch.
“Yun’er… how about you set up a QQ account for me? Would that be okay?”
“Okay… no! I mean, it’s not impossible… Ah! Sister, don’t put me in a tough spot like this! I’m really not happy!”
“Um… if it’s no good… then never mind.”
“Eh?”
Ye Zhiyun could clearly see the fleeting sorrow in her sister’s eyes—a profound, wordless melancholy!
Ye Zhibai thought: Damn right. No account means you two keep clashing, and I keep baking in the sun. So tragic.
Ye Zhiyun couldn’t bear to see her sister looking sad in any way.
Her heart sank. She clenched her teeth hard.
Summoning every ounce of reason she had,
She whipped out her phone.
Her words came out gritted through clenched molars!
“Fine… fine, Sister, get ready to receive the verification code! I’ll… I’ll set up an account for you. But I’m warning you right now!! When you add friends, it has to be totally ordinary stuff—everything ordinary! I… I might check it!”
“Oh… sure?”
Why was she grinding her teeth so hard just to register an account!
Go ahead and check—it was just a burner account. What was there to fear!
Deeply reluctant, Ye Zhiyun registered a brand-new QQ account for Ye Zhibai. Once it was activated, she handed the phone back.
Little Zhibai beamed with joy as she clutched her phone and approached Chi Yuliang.
“Sorry for the wait. Got an account now—let’s add each other.”
“……”
Freshly made, huh?
Chi Yuliang nodded and moved to scan the code to add her as a friend.
But before she could, Ye Zhiyun’s anxious voice piped up from right behind Ye Zhibai!
“Hey, Sister, hold on!!”
“Yun’er?”
“Add me first!! I have to be your very first friend! It’s a matter of principle!! Here, I’ll scan… done! Set to special attention. All good!”
Look at how worked up her little sister was getting!
Ye Zhibai retrieved the phone, now logged into the new account, and added Chi Yuliang too.
Chi Yuliang lifted her phone for a closer look, then let out a quiet sigh before smiling as she tucked it away.
“Miss Zhibai’s QQ account is awfully new, isn’t it?”
“I just registered it… Never had one before.”
“Mm-hmm! I figured as much. Well then, Miss Zhibai, Miss Zhiyun—I’ll leave you be for today. See you tomorrow!”
“Bye.”
Hmm…
Why did it feel like… when Sister Liang commented on the account being new, there was something more behind her words?
Even in this sweltering heat, Ye Zhibai couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
Whatever. Getting back inside for a drink was the priority.
She wondered if Guang Yu had chilled one for her.
