Chapter 17: The Butterfly Effect?

“Who was that just now? They looked kind of familiar.”

In his previous life, Lin Yu only knew Mu Qingqing because of Lin Mowei. They weren’t close and had only met a few times.

“Forget it. Probably came looking for Aunt Qin. But what exactly is she up to?”

Lin Yu opened the door to his own room, stepped inside, and locked it from the inside.

This way, even if Xia Yanran had a key, she wouldn’t be able to come in.

Of course, if she really wanted to, she could always climb in through the window, but at least this gave him a little psychological comfort and a sense of security.

While wondering why Qin Wuyue was having an episode so early this time, he headed to Lin Mowei’s bedroom.

He didn’t turn on the light, just sat at the edge of the bed, and in the faint light seeping in from outside, looked at his elder sister’s peaceful and delicate sleeping face.

He reached out and felt her forehead—her temperature was normal. Given her constitution, she should wake up soon.

Are the consequences of the butterfly effect really this frightening?

He remembered clearly that during this period, his sister wasn’t supposed to be out on a mission, nor did she ever show any “overload” symptoms.

Is it because of me?

“Sigh… I’m sorry, Sis.”

After softly apologizing to his sister, who might have become like this because of him, Lin Yu left the room, swept up the shards on the living room floor, and then headed into the kitchen. Neither of them had eaten yet.

Oh, before that, he first went back to his room to change into a pair of pants and put his dirty clothes into the washing machine.

While Lin Yu was cooking in the kitchen, he had no idea that Lin Mowei had started talking in her sleep again—and this time, she seemed to be having a nightmare.

In her dreams, her brows suddenly furrowed, and fine cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

There was no real scene in the dream, only a suffocating darkness.

Then, Lin Yu appeared.

He stood right before her, wearing the clothes he had on the last time they met. His face was pale, his eyes devoid of the gentle warmth she once knew, replaced only by a chilling disappointment and a soul-piercing interrogation.

“Why, Sis? Why did you do that to me?” He stepped forward, “Why did you have them… kill me?”

Lin Mowei wanted to scream, to deny it, but her throat felt choked, and no sound would come out.

She shook her head desperately, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

I didn’t… Xiao Yu, I didn’t!

But the Lin Yu in her dream couldn’t hear her.

His gaze grew colder still. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

He closed in again, almost touching her. “You hinted to them that I’d deceived everyone’s feelings, you made them think that only by getting rid of me could it all end.”

No! That’s not it!

Lin Mowei struggled in her dream, wanting to reach out and grab him, but her arms felt so heavy she couldn’t lift them.

She saw a red line, as if cut by a blade, appear on her brother’s neck. Overwhelming fear and regret washed over her.

“I just… I just didn’t want to lose you…” She finally managed a faint, sobbing whisper. “I didn’t want anyone to take you away…”

“So you let me die?” Lin Yu’s voice suddenly rose, “Is that what you call ‘not wanting to lose me’? Using my life?”

He reached out, pointing at her chest.

“Sis, your love… it’s suffocating.”

That sentence was like a final judgment, shattering all of Lin Mowei’s defenses.

She watched her brother’s figure slowly retreat into the darkness, becoming more and more transparent.

“No! Xiao Yu, don’t go! I was wrong, I know I was wrong!”

She jolted awake from the nightmare, sitting bolt upright, her chest heaving as she gasped for air, her entire body drenched in cold sweat.

Outside the window, the neon lights cast flickering shadows on her face through the curtains.

“That dream… was it really just a dream…”

She hugged her knees and buried her face deep between them.

While Lin Yu was cooking in the kitchen, the exhaust fan’s roar drowned out other sounds, so he didn’t notice someone quietly approaching from behind.

Softness pressed against his back out of nowhere, followed by a pair of fair arms wrapping tightly around his chest.

Caught off guard, Lin Yu froze. The spatula in his hand almost slipped.

He could clearly feel the feminine curves and the slightly cool body heat seeping through thin clothes.

Those arms held him so tightly, as if letting go would mean he’d run away.

This time, this feeling—it was his sister.

Realizing who it was behind him, he couldn’t help but shiver.

She woke up? When did she wake up? What’s wrong with her?

“Sis?” He called out tentatively, his hand hovering in the air, unsure if he should touch the arms around his waist.

The person behind didn’t reply immediately, just pressed her cheek even deeper against his neck, breathing hard, as if to confirm he was real.

After several seconds, Lin Mowei finally mumbled, her voice muffled,

“Don’t move, Xiao Yu. Let me hold you like this for a while. I just had a nightmare.”

There was a hint of lingering fear in her voice.

“Oh…” Lin Yu understood why she was acting this way now. Don’t be fooled by her fearsome reputation—truth is, she can’t handle scary movies.

The exhaust fan was still buzzing, and he could smell a faint burning odor coming from the pan.

“Sis, the food’s going to burn.”

“Let it burn, then…” she said softly, a rare hint of petulance in her tone.

Lin Yu smiled helplessly, “Alright, alright, just don’t blame me if it doesn’t taste good later.”

“…Mm.”

Lin Mowei pressed herself tightly against her little brother’s warm back, his familiar scent—mixed with smoke and slightly burnt food—lingered at the tip of her nose.

This real warmth, this touch, slowly melted away the bone-chilling cold and despair from her dream.

Her brother was alive, warm, breathing, right here within reach.

Yet a strange new confusion began to bud in her heart.

Xiao Yu seemed different somehow, like… he’d grown more composed?

Such an abrupt hug, but aside from that initial stiffness, he didn’t show the bashfulness or panic she remembered from this age. Instead, he responded with a kind of… resigned acceptance?

But it didn’t matter. No matter what changed about Xiao Yu, he was still hers—and could only be hers!

Thinking this, she nuzzled her cheek against his neck, like a big cat claiming its territory.

Just like this…

She silently declared in her heart, with renewed obsession and twisted resolve.

This time, Sis will ‘protect’ you well—in my own way…

Lin Yu, for his part, had no idea what his sister was thinking as she hugged him, and was even a bit annoyed that she was holding up his cooking.

Suddenly something came to mind, and he hesitated before saying,

“Sis, can I talk to you about something?”

“Mm, go ahead.”

“Uh…” Lin Yu was actually quite nervous. He had a feeling his sister would never agree, but he had to try. “Can I… not go to Sky Dome Academy?”

He could clearly feel his sister tense up at his words.

“Why?”

The tone of her voice made Lin Yu doubt himself. He’d expected her to be angry, but she actually sounded… almost happy?

Was that right?

“I-I want to go to Thundercliff Academy. I heard it’s better than Sky Dome.”

That was clearly nonsense. Lin Mowei herself graduated from Sky Dome Academy, and back in school she often crossed paths with Thundercliff Academy. She knew perfectly well which was superior.

Lin Yu had fully expected her to refuse him sternly, so he could try every trick in the book to persuade her.

But unexpectedly, Lin Mowei said, “Mm… That’s true, I suppose. Let’s go to Thundercliff Academy, then. I’ll apply for a transfer with the higher-ups. We’ll move.”

“Eh?”

Was that right?!

Sis, are you sure this was the butterfly effect? Not an eagle’s wing-flap? Isn’t this change a bit too drastic?