“Here, Shuanglian, ah~”
Looking at the spoon being offered to her again, with steam still rising from the food on it, Bai Shuanglian let out a soft sigh and said helplessly, “I already told you, Great-Aunt Qiuyin, I’m not a child anymore. I can feed myself. You don’t have to feed me like you did when I was little.”
“In my eyes, you’ll always be that little kid who hated eating!”
Bai Qiuyin said this, but she didn’t insist further.
She simply placed the spoon back in front of Bai Shuanglian.
Seeing this, Bai Shuanglian breathed a sigh of relief.
She picked up the spoon and was just about to bring the food to her mouth when, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a petite white figure.
The person she had missed so much was suddenly right beside her.
Bai Shuanglian recognized her instantly.
Even Bai Shuanglian—who usually kept a cool, distant expression within the clan—couldn’t hide her surprise at that moment.
She said, “Xiaoyou, you’re here too. When did you…”
Before she could finish, she sensed the somewhat suppressed atmosphere around Ling Xiaoyou, along with the way the girl was pursing her lips unhappily.
Bai Shuanglian’s words faltered.
She watched as Ling Xiaoyou slowly lifted her small head to look at her, asking in a serious yet sad voice, “Did she just feed you? And earlier… you wiped her mouth for her?”
Bai Shuanglian froze for a second, then realized Ling Xiaoyou must have seen what just happened.
She nodded and was about to explain when Ling Xiaoyou suddenly spoke again.
“Bai Shuanglian, so the reason you’ve been away all this time… was to go find a girlfriend?”
Hearing those words, Bai Shuanglian was completely stunned.
She hadn’t expected Ling Xiaoyou to ask something like that at all.
But then she saw the slight wetness at the corners of Ling Xiaoyou’s eyes, the way her small mouth involuntarily pouted in sadness—and she seemed to understand something.
She hurriedly tried to explain.
“No, Xiaoyou, she’s—”
But before she could finish, she saw Ling Xiaoyou turn away, shaking her head.
“Sorry, I suddenly realize my behavior was a bit presumptuous.”
With that, she started to leave this place that now made her feel sad and disappointed.
“It seems… the only one who was looking forward to meeting was me.”
Ling Xiaoyou’s soft final words felt like they squeezed Bai Shuanglian’s heart, making it hard for her to breathe.
Seeing Ling Xiaoyou about to walk away, Bai Shuanglian immediately tried to stand up and grab the girl’s small hand to stop her.
But before she could move, she felt as though something was binding her in place, rendering her unable to budge.
Her mouth opened and closed, yet no sound came out.
Then she heard Bai Qiuyin’s voice from the side, carrying a meaningful tone as she addressed Ling Xiaoyou.
“If Qiuyin and Shuanglian were a couple, little girl, what would that have to do with you? By what right are you questioning her?”
Hearing this, Bai Shuanglian immediately understood what Bai Qiuyin was trying to do.
During this time, she had been receiving the older woman’s earnest guidance.
She knew Bai Qiuyin wanted to use this method to make Ling Xiaoyou realize her own feelings.
But Bai Shuanglian didn’t want to test Ling Xiaoyou this way.
Even though she liked her, she only wanted a relationship if Ling Xiaoyou was willing—never forced or tricked into it.
Bai Shuanglian gathered all her spirit power, desperately trying to break free of the restraint.
Meanwhile, Ling Xiaoyou stopped in her tracks.
Her small cheeks puffed out, but she quickly schooled her expression, apparently feeling that looking angry in front of the “enemy” wouldn’t seem serious enough.
She opened her small mouth, seemingly about to shout, “Of course it has something to do with me!”
But in the end, she was only a friend—what right did she have to question Bai Shuanglian’s romantic relationships?
“…I’m not anyone special to Bai Shuanglian, but I am her friend. Can’t a friend ask about something like this?!”
In the end, Ling Xiaoyou could only resort to forceful reasoning.
Having said that, she no longer wanted to deal with this hateful woman and turned to leave.
At that moment, a slender, pale hand caught hers, then pulled the petite Ling Xiaoyou straight into an embrace.
Ling Xiaoyou immediately tried to struggle, but then she heard Bai Shuanglian’s voice right by her ear.
“Don’t go. She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Huh?” Ling Xiaoyou froze.
She lifted her small head and looked up at Bai Shuanglian’s serious, beautiful face.
For a moment, her mind couldn’t process what was happening.
But then she saw the “hateful” woman smiling as she leaned in closer.
“I’m actually her great-aunt, you know. I’m Shuanglian’s relative.”
With that, Bai Qiuyin showed a mischievous grin.
She pulled out her phone—which she had somehow prepared—and waved it at Ling Xiaoyou, showing her the screen.
It was footage of Ling Xiaoyou just now, storming over and questioning Bai Shuanglian.
“Little girl, I really liked the way you looked just now. I’ve already recorded it~”
She shook the phone, and the video played.
Naturally, Ling Xiaoyou’s own voice came through: “I’m not anyone special to Bai Shuanglian, but I am her friend!”
Hearing her own words, Ling Xiaoyou’s stalled brain finally rebooted.
In an instant, her small face turned bright red—like a juicy, ripe peach.
Even the top of her little white head seemed to have faint wisps of steam rising from it.
Right now, Ling Xiaoyou felt utterly mortified.
Really, truly mortified.
How could she have misunderstood something so obvious?
Shouldn’t it have been clear?
If she had just calmed down and thought carefully for a moment, she would have realized that since Bai Shuanglian had returned to the Bai Family this time, anyone appearing beside her now would naturally be from the Bai Family.
And if that was the case, anyone doing such intimate things with Bai Shuanglian would have to be a close relative she was very familiar with.
But Ling Xiaoyou’s mind had been completely occupied by the assumption that Bai Shuanglian had a girlfriend, leaving no room for rational thought.
And because of that, she had come over to question her—and even shown such a sad expression…
She was clearly just Bai Shuanglian’s friend.
Why had she gotten so worked up?
Ugh~ I feel like I can’t face anyone anymore!!!
Embarrassment flooded every corner of her mind and heart, leaving Ling Xiaoyou dizzy and lightheaded.
She desperately wished she could find a hole to crawl into and never come out.
But Bai Shuangda continued to hold her tightly, as if afraid she might vanish.
And Bai Shuanglian, seemingly worried that Ling Xiaoyou might misunderstand again, whispered softly into her ear, “I don’t have a girlfriend. And if I were going to find one… it would be a girl like you, Xiaoyou.”
Those words struck like a finishing blow, completely sinking the already wobbling Xiao You Ship and leaving her so embarrassed she nearly fainted.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.