Chapter 31

The greed and dark possessiveness in her heart flickered across her face before quickly melting back into an obedient, sweet smile.

Sensing the unique fragrance that belonged solely to Ye Chengxing beside her, Li Jia spoke softly. “Sister, you don’t have to be so good to me…” If this kept up, she was afraid she really wouldn’t be able to hold back from turning the surging thoughts in her mind into reality.

She knew it was impossible, yet just imagining that scene still sent an uncontrollable thrill through her.

Hearing this, Ye Chengxing assumed Li Jia was once again thinking she didn’t deserve it. She quickly interjected, “This is nothing. Your future will only get better and better.”

The lingering unease from that rose-colored dream was overshadowed by this moment’s heartache. Subconsciously, Ye Chengxing pushed the dream from her mind.

She had figured it out. The reason she had such a dream was simply because Li Jia was the only one she spent every day with. It was probably normal for something like that to happen.

People had to face their physiological needs honestly.

Besides, in reality, nothing like that could ever happen between her and Li Jia. Dreams really were the opposite of truth.

The more Ye Chengxing thought about it, the more convinced she became. The issue that had been nagging at her heart was forcibly set aside for the time being.

Just as Ye Chengxing was about to pull her hand back, Li Jia lifted hers. Her fingertip brushed against the Alpha’s in the motion, then hooked gently onto her sleeve. She rubbed it lightly a few times with her fingertip.

“Sister, I don’t want to go home just yet.”

Hearing this, Ye Chengxing thought Li Jia was simply excited about finally being able to terminate her contract. She smiled and agreed. “Alright, then we won’t go home.”

“Where do you want to go?” She let Li Jia keep holding her sleeve, turning to face her. She wasn’t annoyed by the sudden whim, even though it was already very late.

Li Jia lowered her lashes slightly. “I don’t know. I just want to stay out a little longer with you, Sister…”

Ye Chengxing hummed thoughtfully, unable to think of a spot right away. “How about we just drive around for a bit first?”

She wasn’t all that familiar with the entertainment options nearby. The original host’s memories held plenty of places to indulge in revelry and vice, but none were suitable to suggest now.

Ye Chengxing turned on the car’s music system. With the soothing, gentle melody playing, she drove Li Jia around the area.

If it hadn’t been for Bai Tang today, she probably never would have come here—or at least, she hadn’t visited this part of town much and hadn’t paid close attention to the world around her.

Now, taking it all in carefully, the unfamiliar surroundings felt intriguingly novel.

Towering buildings of an advanced world, cars zipping through the sky, dazzling lights—it was a beauty that hardly seemed like nighttime at all.

But after gazing at it for a while, Ye Chengxing couldn’t help feeling a touch of nostalgia for the world before she transmigrated.

The technology in her pre-transmigration world might not have matched this one, but its nights had steaming, aromatic Gourmet Streets bustling with the chatter of night market crowds. Not this beauty that was gorgeous yet utterly cold.

Li Jia keenly caught the nostalgia and melancholy in Ye Chengxing’s eyes.

Following her gaze, she saw only the uneven skyline of buildings in the distance and the eye-searing blaze of nightlife lights.

What was she nostalgic for? What made her so forlorn?

Ye Chengxing watched like this for a moment, and the car veered farther off course. Li Jia said nothing. By the time Ye Chengxing snapped out of it, the lights and buildings had faded into the distance, leaving only the twinkling stars dotting the not-too-distant sky.

…She had no idea where they had ended up.

But seeing those stars brought a spark of delight to Ye Chengxing. She pulled over, turned to Li Jia with a smile in her voice, and suggested, “Xiao Li, want to go stargazing with me?”

Li Jia looked into her eyes, feeling that they shone brighter than the stars themselves when she said those words.

And in those beautiful eyes, at that moment, there was only Li Jia’s reflection.

After a pause, Li Jia pulled herself out of her daze and agreed. “Okay.”

The night was deep.

What should have been another sleepless night had Ye Chengxing back by her side.

She was even holding her hand, leading her to watch the stars.

Thinking of Ye Chengxing’s inexplicable distance from her a few days ago, Li Jia subtly tightened her grip on the Alpha’s hand.

She had almost thought Ye Chengxing had noticed her feelings and was avoiding her because of it.

But…

Li Jia pressed her lips together.

Even now, she still couldn’t quite figure out why Ye Chengxing had pulled away.

She would have to be more careful from now on.

If all Ye Chengxing wanted was her obedient, harmless facade, then she could keep up the pretense—as long as those eyes stayed fixed on her.

Oblivious to the tangle of emotions in Li Jia’s heart, Ye Chengxing felt utterly relaxed under the night breeze.

This seemed to be a desolate spot on the city’s outskirts, but it was well-maintained, as if just awaiting development.

Ye Chengxing parked the car and walked with Li Jia along the roadside for a bit until they found a clean spot. She pulled Li Jia down to sit beside her.

Untouched by development, the area was wide open. One sweeping glance took in the entire starry canopy overhead.

It was the purest beauty, straight from nature itself.

Ye Chengxing gazed intently, and Li Jia once again caught the reminiscent emotion in her eyes.

Her heart tightened. Unable to hold back, Li Jia asked softly, “Sister, have you gone stargazing with others before?”

“Yes.” Ye Chengxing’s eyes warmed with memory and amusement, as if recalling something specific.

Li Jia’s fingertips tightened slightly at the answer.

Before she could ask more, Ye Chengxing continued, “I was pretty young back then. I don’t remember a lot from that age, but the image of going stargazing with my family stuck with me. I can still picture it clearly even now.”

Listening to Ye Chengxing’s words, Li Jia felt an odd sense of dissonance.

Had this life’s Ye Chengxing had a different family dynamic than in her previous life?

She remembered it hadn’t been like that before…

Seeing no response from Li Jia after she finished, Ye Chengxing suddenly realized she had let her guard down and said something she shouldn’t have.

She hadn’t met the original host’s family yet, but from the memories, their relationship wasn’t good. There certainly hadn’t been any family stargazing outings in her childhood.

Ye Chengxing’s first instinct was that she’d messed up, but then she glanced at Li Jia’s expression. It was unchanged.

…She probably hadn’t noticed?

Come to think of it, Li Jia had little contact with the original host, so she likely knew nothing about the original host’s family.

Still, the slip left Ye Chengxing a bit annoyed with herself.

She had grown careless because she knew Li Jia and the original host weren’t close, but she needed to be more cautious. What if she let something too out-of-character slip and Li Jia caught on? How would she explain it?

She resolved to watch herself more closely.

With that thought, Ye Chengxing smoothly changed the subject.

Li Jia had noticed the flicker of unnaturalness in Ye Chengxing and the inconsistency with her memories, but in the end, she didn’t voice it. She pretended not to have caught it and leaned naturally against Ye Chengxing’s side.

Ye Chengxing assumed Li Jia hadn’t picked up on anything and that the moment had passed. She had just exhaled in relief when a cool, wet raindrop landed on her face.

She looked up, and another fell.

Turning her gaze, she saw Li Jia looking up as well.

Feeling her stare, Li Jia met her eyes. “Sister, it’s raining.”

The rain came suddenly, and neither of them had an umbrella or rain gear. The area was all open flatland with nowhere to take shelter. They had walked some distance from the car just to find a clean spot.

The downpour was intensifying, threatening to unleash fully at any moment.

Ye Chengxing knew they couldn’t just wait it out. She shrugged off her jacket, holding it up like a makeshift poncho over them both.

She turned to Li Jia, her voice urgent as the rain grew heavier. “Come on, scoot closer to me.”

Seeing Li Jia still a beat behind, Ye Chengxing pressed in herself.

Li Jia felt the sudden warmth of the body pressing against her back, the Alpha’s Oolong Tea Scent enveloping her completely.

Some raindrops slipped through, soaking into her clothes and leaving wet trails—as if seeping straight into her heart.

Li Jia’s lashes trembled.

Ye Chengxing gripped the jacket tighter, scooting even closer to Li Jia to block better.

But Li Jia didn’t move her feet right away. Instead, she said in a very fragile voice, “Sister, can we get even closer? It’s still not quite enough.”

Without a second thought, Ye Chengxing obliged.

They were already as close as could be, though. Ye Chengxing hesitated for a second.

In that brief pause, Li Jia seemed to sense her dilemma and leaned into her embrace. “It’s fine, Sister. This works.”

With the movement, their bodies pressed fully together, Ye Chengxing’s raised arm brushing against Li Jia.

It was practically an embrace.

But there was no time to dwell on it now.

Holding Li Jia half in her arms like this, Ye Chengxing hurried them back to the car.

As if the rain were playing a prank, the once-steady shower began tapering off the moment they got inside, leaving Ye Chengxing equal parts amused and exasperated.

She had draped the jacket mostly over Li Jia’s side, so her own back was soaked through in a large patch. Ignoring it for now, she checked on Li Jia first. “Are you wet? How bad is it?”

Despite her best efforts with the jacket, the wind had still gotten some under Li Jia’s clothes lower down.

“I’m fine. But you, Sister…” Li Jia shook her head, her gaze filled with concern—and beneath it, a heartache that crossed into something more.

How could she have shielded her completely like that? Didn’t she care about getting drenched herself?

Ye Chengxing smiled at her words. “As long as you’re okay, I’m okay.”

As she spoke, something occurred to her. “Oh, right—I just remembered, there are spare clothes in the car. All clean ones.”

She had stashed some in there for emergencies, never imagining they’d come in handy like this.

Ye Chengxing pulled the spare clothes out of the Smart Storage Compartment she’d stashed in the car earlier. She handed a set to Li Jia too, urging her to wipe off and change.

She changed out of her own damp clothes with quick efficiency. When she saw that Li Jia still hadn’t moved, she opened her mouth to ask—just as Li Jia spoke up in a deeply dejected tone.

“It’s just a shame. We didn’t get to watch the stars for very long.” Li Jia clutched the clothes Ye Chengxing had passed her moments ago, peering through the car window at the sky nearby. “And now there aren’t any stars at all.”

After the rain, thick clouds had blanketed the sky, hiding them completely.

The downpour had darkened everything even further, leaving not a single star visible overhead.

The Omega looked utterly crestfallen, the hem of her clothes still sodden and dripping.

Ye Chengxing paused for a couple of seconds.

“You’re right; we can’t see today’s stars anymore… but it’s okay. We can look again next time. Change your clothes first—you don’t want to catch a chill.” As Ye Chengxing finished speaking, she noticed Li Jia’s expression grow even more downcast. It hit her then: stars were indeed rare in this world, and a display as bright and vivid as tonight’s was exceptionally uncommon.

She gazed at Li Jia with some distress, racking her brain for a solution.

Still, they really needed to get into dry clothes—and a hot shower awaited them back home.

Ye Chengxing let out a sigh. She leaned forward and pried open the bundled clothes in Li Jia’s arms. “Listen to your sis. Let’s change first.”

Li Jia still seemed low-spirited, but Ye Chengxing’s gesture made her flush with sudden embarrassment. “It’s fine. I can do it myself.”

Ye Chengxing gave her a lingering look. “…Let me help you anyway.”

Taking care of Li Jia had become second nature by now. Ye Chengxing couldn’t help wondering: once she left this world, would Li Jia be able to look after herself? The poor eating habits, the frequent dark thoughts of self-harm—those had improved greatly, but Ye Chengxing still worried.

Li Jia watched Ye Chengxing reach out, her instinct urging her to melt into that touch submissively. But she remembered to keep her intentions under wraps, so she refused for once. “Sis, I can handle it myself…”

“Okay.” Ye Chengxing didn’t want to make her any more self-conscious. They’d bathed together before, sure—but shyness was shyness. “Then change carefully.”

She turned away, keeping her eyes averted.

While Li Jia changed, Ye Chengxing’s mind drifted back to the regretful sadness on her face earlier. After a moment’s thought, she tore a sheet from the memo pad stashed in the car—a habit of hers; she always kept one handy. Recalling the steps, she ripped the paper into strips and folded it into several small, adorable pure-white paper stars.

Ye Chengxing eyed the finished stars, rehearsing her words in her head.

Outside, the rain continued to patter softly against the window.

After a long moment, Li Jia’s voice rose over the sound. “I’m dressed now, sis. You can turn around.”

Ye Chengxing murmured agreement and turned back.

She held the freshly made paper stars loosely in her fist, a wave of her own embarrassment washing over her. But she reached out anyway, taking Li Jia’s chilled hand and placing the little white stars into her palm. Her fingertip pressed gently against Li Jia’s fingers until the Omega curled them closed around the paper stars.

Ye Chengxing cleared her throat lightly, meeting Li Jia’s eyes with a touch of awkwardness.

She had no idea if this would work, but she had to try. It might cheer Li Jia up a little. Coming out full of excitement to see the stars, only for rain to wash it all away—that did sting.

In the hushed confines of the car, the Alpha’s voice flowed soft and soothing, like a spring breeze rustling willows. “Don’t be sad.”

Li Jia stared blankly at the paper stars in her grasp. Then she heard Ye Chengxing speak, each word earnest and sincere: “From now on, I’ll be your stars—stars you can see anytime you want. Okay?”