The next day, before the morning birdsong had faded and while the sky was still shrouded in hazy mist, Chi Yuliang arrived early at the Ye Family Residence as agreed, waiting for the Ye Sisters so they could head to the Tomb Garden in the suburbs together.
Ye Zhiyun had not only arranged the car in advance but had even planned the seating ahead of time!
“Miss Chi, the back seat will be a squeeze, so you take the front passenger seat. Don’t forget to buckle your seatbelt.”
“O-okay!”
Out of politeness—and since it wasn’t her own car—Chi Yuliang had originally intended to sit in the back. But before she could, Ye Zhiyun swiftly took her sister Ye Zhibai’s hand and claimed the spacious rear seats!
Truth be told, the back was plenty wide even for three people.
Yet Chi Yuliang still ended up in the front.
Don’t ask why—only Yun’er got to sit right next to her big sister!
Guang Yu: Actually, there’s me too!
No one else could see her, of course, but the back seat was still configured as two people plus one fox.
Ye Zhibai had only brought Guang Yu along out of necessity, mainly because she worried the fox might dig up the green onions they’d just replanted in the yard.
The onions weren’t the real issue—the flowers were in mortal peril. Leaving the fox home alone would endanger everything.
~~~ Including the cup that Ye Zhibai had finally scrubbed clean of its wasabi smell.
Once the car started moving, Ye Zhiyun noticed that Ye Zhibai looked utterly listless, her eyes drifting shut for little naps now and then.
Ever the caring little sister, Yun’er placed her small palm against her sister’s forehead, ready to cushion any forward lurch that might bump it against the front seat.
“Sister… how late were you studying last night? You promised to go to bed after the fruit and stop cramming, but your room light stayed on the whole time. I didn’t want to nag you again once you insisted on keeping at it, but why won’t you ever listen to Yun’er…?”
“Huh…? Oh. Well, analyzing by general principles and ruling out the chance I was dreaming up function problems… factoring in the all-nighter intensity from my prime study spot… yeah, I probably pulled an all-nighter.”
“……”
It was obvious.
Her sister’s mind was still stuffed full of review material for every subject. Poor thing!
Only Guang Yu saw right through it. Ye Zhiyun knew about the light staying on—didn’t that mean she had stayed up all night waiting outside too?
One all-nighter for the sister, matched by another for the little one. These two were tough as nails!
The sedan left the city behind, entering the suburbs. Outside the window, towering skyscrapers gave way to lush, verdant woods.
The Head Maid stomped on the accelerator, pushing the car over a hundred kilometers per hour along the deserted suburban highway. Out of the corner of her eye, she couldn’t help glancing at the two items cradled in Chi Yuliang’s lap.
Over her simple white dress, Chi Yuliang securely held the cremation urn—and a small bag that seemed to contain some pastries.
It was better to chat and stay alert while driving, especially with the Eldest Miss dozing off back there. It was starting to make even the Head Maid feel drowsy!
She turned down the car stereo’s music and spoke up respectfully. “Miss Chi, forgive my ignorance, but if I may ask presumptuously—from cremation to today’s burial, is the urn supposed to be kept at the crematorium? Did you pick it up this morning and rush straight over to the mansion?”
The crematorium was quite a distance from the Ye Family Residence. That meant Chi Yuliang must have set out at three or four in the morning to make it on time.
Talk about dedication. Rumor had it she wasn’t even blood-related to the deceased, Ye Zhibai. To go this far was more than righteous—it was saintly.
Chi Yuliang understood the question and shook her head with a wry smile.
She clutched the cremation urn tightly to her chest while her slender fingers gripped the plastic bag holding the osmanthus cakes, careful not to let it slip.
“No, that’s not it. Technically, the rules say to leave the urn at the crematorium… but I couldn’t bear the thought of Xiao Bai spending even one more night there all alone, scared and lonely. He’d been on his own his whole life—he shouldn’t have to end up that way. So after the cremation that day, I took the urn home with me instead of leaving it. Today, I just brought it straight here.”
“……”
Right.
The Head Maid decided this conversation was beyond her pay grade. Better to say a few words and then shut up.
Chi Yuliang’s words jolted Ye Zhibai wide awake.
All those math problem bubbles floating in her head popped instantly at this bombshell revelation!
Sister Liang! I get that you want to bring me home. But you really can’t take an urn there!
Ye Zhibai snapped fully alert, her brows knitting tightly.
“Chi Yuliang… you’re saying you took the cremation urn home…?”
“Ah, sorry… did I wake you, Miss Zhibai? Gaokao prep must be exhausting… Um, what I said wasn’t quite right. I’m not scared of Xiao Bai myself… but bringing the urn home would trouble my foster parents. They adopted me from the orphanage and raised me—they’ve done so much for me. So these past couple days, I’ve been keeping it with me and staying out on my own.”
“Staying… where?”
“Well… since I wanted to bring Xiao Bai home, I figured his old apartment would be best. When I got there, the door was broken, so I fixed it. I paid the electric bill too, and the lights still work. Ahaha… it’s pretty dark and dreary, kinda spooky. Sleeping on the floor got chilly. But it was fine—knowing Xiao Bai was right there with me made me feel so safe. I know he’d protect me.”
“!!”
Ye Zhibai suddenly felt like “dozing off” again.
Not really sleeping—she just needed to slump over.
She promptly leaned sideways, squishing Guang Yu against the window once more.
Guang Yu, don’t complain. I need to cool off.
Sister Liang wasn’t just loyal—she was downright filial. What kind of perfect girl was this?
More than anyone, Ye Zhibai—who had once lived in that apartment—knew exactly what those past couple days must have been like for her.
And she could still smile about it!
Living in my rundown apartment? Guarding a cremation urn?!
You’re still the same as ever, Sister Liang! Passing up a comfortable life to suffer instead!
Ye Zhiyun had been listening too. She had to admit, Chi Yuliang was one of a kind—full of personality and deep feelings.
With the topic out in the open, Yun’er casually followed up. “Miss Chi, your parents weren’t worried about you staying out on your own?”
“N-no, it’s fine! I told them I was heading back to Capital University to handle some graduation stuff and that I’d be back in three days. No need for them to worry!”
Guang Yu’s voice echoed in Ye Zhibai’s mind via transmission.
“You’re squishing me, but I’ll let it slide this time. Thing is, why are you plucking my tail fur again?”
“Guang Yu, what do you know… My heart hurts right now. I want to cry, but I can’t. What’s wrong with tugging a bit of your fur? Have you no sympathy…?”
“?”
You have sympathy? You‘re the noble one!
Chi Yuliang wasn’t done yet. She lifted the plastic bag a bit higher with her fingers and half-turned, her eyes brimming with gratitude as she looked at Ye Zhibai.
“I have to thank you once more… Miss Zhibai. Thanks to your suggestion, I thought to bring the osmanthus cakes to the Tomb Garden. Whether for Xiao Bai or for me, having them go with him feels like a little comfort.”
Honestly, Sister Liang… please don’t thank me again. For everything you’ve done these past days, I’d happily kowtow to you twice and call it even!
In the car’s strangely charged atmosphere, the distant outline of the Tomb Garden came clearly into view.
Cremation urn…
You finally have a place to rest.
