Ye Zhibai smiled.
But it wasn’t a complete smile.
That smile, so beautiful it made people forget to breathe, was like a luxury item from another world. It lasted less than three seconds before gradually fading away.
Come on! It wasn’t that Ye Zhibai didn’t want to smile, right?
No, she really wanted to stay upbeat—who wouldn’t want to keep smiling?
But unfortunately, it wasn’t up to her.
Laughing along with that earlier wave of emotion had come naturally, but once that momentum faded a bit, forcing the smile to linger felt stiff and awkward.
Damn it, smile experience card!
But for Chi Yuliang right now, how could she hope for anything more?
The moment she heard that familiar “Sister Liang,” Chi Yuliang nearly lost her voice. She clapped a hand over her mouth, trailing a streak of tears, and couldn’t hold back anymore. She pulled Ye Zhibai straight into her arms.
Before Ye Zhibai was enveloped in the hug, she caught sight of the tears shimmering in Sister Liang’s eyes and suddenly remembered.
—Sister Liang’s eyes had always sparkled with such vibrancy.
And the softness of her chest pressed against Ye Zhibai so firmly that it left her gasping for air for a moment!
This… this was just too outrageous.
Chi Yuliang sobbed softly.
The dark world she had suppressed for so many days finally cleared up like a bright sky at this moment.
Ye Zhibai tentatively reached out to stroke Chi Yuliang’s purple hair, trying to comfort her. In that instant, it was hard to tell who was really the older sister.
Even the strongest, most mature people had moments when their emotions crumbled and rebuilt themselves.
These were the times when one needed someone to lean on the most.
Patiently waiting until Sister Liang’s trembling subsided a little, Ye Zhibai explained why she hadn’t come clean right away.
After hearing Ye Zhibai’s explanations, Chi Yuliang dazedly released her embrace.
Allowing the two of them to look into each other’s eyes face-to-face.
Strands of Sister Liang’s purple hair draped over her teary, misty eyes. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and amid the choked sobs was a hint of reproach for Ye Zhibai’s earlier thoughts—but far more was the joy of reuniting with someone she had thought lost forever.
“Silly girl… sob, you silly girl! Wanting a new life, wanting to say goodbye to the past—that doesn’t conflict at all with letting your sister know you’re still alive! Think about it… wouldn’t your sister be even happier seeing how well you’re doing now? You’ve suffered so much since you were little… this is good… this is perfect… You don’t have to live in that rundown old apartment anymore. You have a big house now. I saw it when I went to your new place yesterday… I’m so happy for you!”
Sob sob, Sister Liang, you think my old apartment was a dump too!
Yun’er said the same thing!
Though it was rude to the apartment, to be fair, it really was.
Chi Yuliang wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.
She took a step back, clasping her hands in front of her.
She mustered the biggest smile she could manage. Now, facing Ye Zhibai, her gaze held nothing but doting affection, free of any doubts.
Even with the lingering nasally tone from crying, Sister Liang was doing her utmost to stay strong.
“Xiao Bai—no, I should call you Miss Zhibai now, right? Mm, Miss Zhibai, there’s one thing your sister can promise you: I absolutely won’t interfere with your new life from now on. I can tell your new family treats you really well. I’m truly relieved.”
“They treat me almost too well…”
“Hm?”
“Nothing, Sister Liang. I mean, Yun’er really does treat me great. Please don’t worry.”
Sorry, Ye Zhibai suddenly recalled Yun’er panting heavily, her face flushed red, looking like she wanted to devour her whole.
Sob sob, she really does treat me too well!
“That’s good then… I can see it too. You’re always together, inseparable. Your relationship must be wonderful. It reminds me of us when we were kids. I feel a bit envious and nostalgic…”
“……”
Sister Liang, I think… “good relationship” and “good relationship” aren’t quite the same thing, you know?
Chi Yuliang let out a light sigh, but this time it wasn’t from worry—it was the dissipation of all her lingering sorrows.
She glanced left and right, gauged the time, then turned back to Ye Zhibai with a wry smile.
“Li… ahem, Miss Zhibai, I have so much more I want to say to you, but we can’t today. It’s gotten pretty late by now—my fault… I got too happy and lost track of time.”
“Time…?”
Ye Zhibai didn’t need to puzzle over the deeper meaning in Sister Liang’s words anymore.
The urgent footsteps approaching from not far away, along with Yun’er’s anxious shouts, made everything crystal clear.
“Sister!! Where are you, Sister?! Damn it, no phone signal here?! Sob sob, you didn’t get kidnapped, did you?! Sister, please don’t play hide-and-seek with Yun’er… that’s not fun!”
This is a tomb garden! What hide-and-seek are we playing?!
Using the terrain to your advantage, huh?!
Further back came the staff’s scolding voices and the Head Maid’s incessant worried apologies.
You’ve all barged right in! Ye Zhibai had been too caught up in the moment earlier and hadn’t realized that the ten minutes she had agreed on with Yun’er had long since passed.
Ye Zhibai cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and shouted as loudly as she could to report her position to Yun’er.
Little radar Yun’er was incredibly perceptive!
The instant she heard the voice, joyful footsteps came pattering toward them at full speed—thud thud thud!
But before she arrived…
Chi Yuliang cherished these last moments of alone time with Ye Zhibai today.
Leaning close to her ear, she chuckled softly.
“Miss Zhibai, in the future, when it’s just the two of us… can your sister call you Little Bai like old times? Mm… I won’t use Xiao Bai anymore, but Little Bai feels so much more intimate.”
“Mm… s-sure, Sister Liang. Whatever makes you happy.”
“Alright then… Little Bai~~ Your sister really missed you.”
“!!”
Why does everyone love whispering right by the ear?!
Chi Yuliang’s warm breath and that sultry “Little Bai” tickled Ye Zhibai’s ear.
It made the poor little Zhibai shudder all over in front of her own tombstone!
Can’t we show a little respect to this solemn tomb garden?!
Chi Yuliang rarely played pranks like this, and she snapped out of it quickly.
The moment she heard the footsteps nearly upon them, she straightened up at top speed, resuming her poised and elegant demeanor as if nothing had happened.
Ye Zhiyun came barreling straight over and screeched to a halt!
The instant she saw her sister safe and sound, her face broke into a beaming smile!
“Sister!! Found you!!”
So I wasn’t playing hide-and-seek with you!!
With Chi Yuliang still there, Ye Zhiyun tried her best to maintain the elegance befitting the Eldest Miss.
Otherwise, she definitely would have lunged straight at Ye Zhibai for a hug!
But the worry lingering on her little face, along with her disrupted breathing from running, betrayed just how frantic she had been.
Chi Yuliang turned in place and gave Ye Zhiyun a slight nod.
“Sorry, Miss Zhiyun. I insisted on keeping Miss Zhibai here a bit longer to set out the osmanthus cakes. We took up some extra time. Look, Miss Zhibai is so clever with her hands— the leaf she made looks great.”
“Osmanthus cakes…? Oh… Chi Yuliang, you get it!”
Ye Zhiyun had been nursing a bit of a grudge at first.
But hearing someone else appreciate her sister’s talents—even if just the tip of the iceberg—melted it away instantly!
That’s right, that’s right! Not only is Sister clever with her hands, she’s flawless all around. Anyone who gets even that much is a good comrade!
The process had its twists and turns, but the outcome was still great.
Ye Zhiyun linked arms with Ye Zhibai, Chi Yuliang walked alongside, and the beleaguered Head Maid—who had finally finished apologizing to the tomb garden staff—trailed behind. The four of them strolled slowly out of the tomb garden together.
Though it was a rather melancholic place, everyone left in pretty good spirits. (Except the Head Maid.)
But just as Ye Zhibai had walked a few dozen meters from that spot…
Her footsteps halted abruptly.
Yun’er tilted her head in confusion. “Sister, what’s wrong? Forget something?”
“Um… I left my phone back there. I’ll go grab it.”
“Ah? No need, no need! Rest here, Sister. I’ll get it for you…”
“No, it’ll just take a second. Wait for me.”
“Ah?”
Without another word, Ye Zhibai spun around and jogged back!
I knew it felt like I forgot something.
—Guang Yu!!
Hadn’t she said something about chasing butterflies?
For some reason, Ye Zhibai had a really bad premonition!
And as it turned out…
Ye Zhibai’s sixth sense was spot on.
By the time she dashed back to that tombstone area in a flash and looked up, she spotted Guang Yu’s petite figure.
Ye Zhibai waved her little hand in fury!
“Traitor!!”
“Eek?”
The moment Ye Zhibai saw her, she blurted out “Traitor!”
Don’t blame her for the harsh words.
Because Guang Yu… she was actually munching on the osmanthus cakes that had been placed in front of the tombstone!
Guang Yu!! You damn thief, stealing my offerings?!
