26 Chapter 99: Harvest Proportional to the Cost Part 2

At eight years old, Yue Chengqi really liked Auntie Su Ye, who frequently visited her home. Su Ye was decisive and efficient; her jet-black hair would flutter behind her as she walked. She wore well-tailored black suits every day, appearing solitary and cold. Her eyes held the depth—and the distance—brought by years of experience. Yet, Su Ye would occasionally bring her plenty of delicious treats and fun toys. She would tease her and laugh with her. At twenty-two, Yue Chengqi met a twenty-year-old Su Ye. This Su Ye had a tender face still holding some baby fat, and her personality was just as soft. To put it simply, she was a total crybaby— The first time they met, Su Ye wailed. She cried for half an hour over a tiny scratch on Yue Chengqi's hand that wasn't even three centimeters long. Yue Chengqi: "...Are you planning to disinfect my wound with your tears?" Su Ye: "I’m not... but I can’t help it, waaaaah!" Good grief! Who could ever associate this crybaby with the stunning, mature "icy queen" she would later become? At twenty-five, Yue Chengqi met a forty-five-year-old Su Ye. Tucking herself into the quilt, she asked tentatively: "Ah Ye, are you... still afraid of thunder?" *** At twenty, Su Ye met twenty-two-year-old Yue Huan, who seemed to drop out of thin air. Yue Huan smiled a lot; she encouraged Su Ye to read more, introduced her to friends, taught her how to do business, and told her to cry less—to cherish her beautiful eyes. At twenty-three, Su Ye lost Yue Huan. Those who come from the sky always eventually vanish. Before she left, Yue Huan told her with a smile: "Eat well—your future self has a chronic stomach condition that is truly heartbreaking. Stay up late less—it’s so pitiful to rely on hair dye to keep your hair black when you're still young. And remember, if you meet someone who loves you, consider it; don't foolishly stay single for decades." But she never told Su Ye where to find Yue Huan. At forty, Su Ye looked at her niece, watching as her face grew more and more like the person buried deep in her memories. She thought she was going crazy—completely and utterly insane. At forty-five, she seemed to see Yue Huan again. Even though the person's head was wrapped in bandages, those familiar eyes couldn't lie. Her voice trembled: "Are you Qiqi... or are you Ah Huan?" At forty-five, she seemed to see Yue Huan again. Even though the person's head was wrapped in bandages, those familiar eyes couldn't lie. Her voice trembled: "Are you Qiqi... or are you Ah Huan?" *** 1998: On a night of roaring thunder, Su Ye would hide in Yue Huan’s room clutching her bedding, tightly gripping the hem of her clothes: "Sister, don't leave, I'm scared." 2023: On a drizzly afternoon, Yue Chengqi would carefully rub ointment—sourced from several different Chinese medicine clinics—onto Su Ye's knees, nagging incessantly: "I told you to take care of your body. How did you end up with such bad joint pain after just a few years without me watching over you?" ...And then she’d get kicked out of the room. *** Everything was a coincidence, except for the fact that I love you. ***  

• Slow burn, small-town life, a steady pace, and an entrepreneurship subplot!

  Tags: Dedicated love, neighborly romance, twists of fate, time travel, rebirth, slice of life.