The curtains were drawn, and she could hear the wind slapping against the window like waves in succession.
A trace of vitality—hugging the toy bear in her arms, soft and warm, yet lacking that familiar feeling.
Lin Ziyan opened her eyes. In the dark bedroom, she could barely make out anything.
She wanted answers, wanted answers—but couldn’t think of any.
Why? Why did she have this inexplicable feeling?
It was a very strange feeling.
She didn’t want Ye Xingmian to leave; she wanted her to stay by her side.
Just live like before, where she was still the younger sister taken care of by that short elder sister, but her temper had already improved.
But… she couldn’t go back.
Couldn’t go back, couldn’t do it.
She… would no longer acknowledge me.
The chaotic thoughts in her head were like a ball of yarn toyed with by a cat—the more she tried to untangle it, the more tangled it became.
She was puzzled. Why did she have this feeling? Why did she not want Ye Xingmian to leave so much?
It hadn’t been like this before. What did it have to do with her whether Ye Xingmian was by her side? In fact, her leaving would be a good thing for her.
As long as she didn’t see her, she wouldn’t have to feel guilty for her mistakes anymore, nor would she have to make up for them.
That was undoubtedly a better outcome—so what was she agonizing over!
She should have thought that way. If time had gone back two weeks, her past self would have chosen that without hesitation.
But… it was different now.
She didn’t want her to leave, didn’t want her to be taken away by Qin Haiyue again, and even more, she didn’t want her to go find Liu Yinuo.
She cared so much about Ye Xingmian, cared about that weak and pitiful girl.
‘If only she could stay by my side, how wonderful would that be?’
‘Just be like before… that’s all. I won’t treat you like I used to. I’ll be gentle.’
‘But if you insist on leaving, what should I do?’
Every gentle method had been exhausted. She was still a student, and her family wasn’t well-off either. What could she do?
Was there any other way to keep her?
This twisted emotion, this intense longing.
What is this?
‘I want to possess my elder sister. Just stay by my side; don’t go to them anymore.’
‘I’ll protect you, as best I can.’
‘I’ll try my best to be good to you.’
‘I… what’s wrong with me?’
This feeling is so strange.
Never before had she cared so much for someone, her mind filled with that person’s figure.
Lin Ziyan buried her head in the warm chest of the toy bear and took a deep breath. When she lifted her head again, her eyes were full of confusion.
This feeling—she seemed to have heard of it before.
Was it… “like”?
But how could that be?
That was Ye Xingmian, someone she had always looked down on, someone she had bullied since childhood…
Scenes seemed to flash before her eyes.
Getting up early to cook and then knocking on her door, too timid to even raise her head, carefully calling her out to eat dinner.
Embarrassed and afraid, with a slight anger, her face tinged with a blush, as she demanded her bra bandage.
Cornered by her, trembling all over with fear, not knowing what to do.
And every time they slept together, the slight trembling from that soft and warm delicate body, and that pounding heartbeat.
She liked her timidity, her softness, her scent, her virtuousness, the way she would reluctantly agree even when she wanted to refuse.
The details she had previously ignored or never cared about unfolded like a scroll before Lin Ziyan.
Never before had she so clearly realized that the little transparency who lived by her side, that pushover who always swallowed her grievances, had so many beautiful moments.
Especially… ever since those days when she became a girl.
The originally clear resistance now seemed blurred.
Lin Ziyan curled up, her eyes somewhat dim.
So that was it?
If so, everything seemed to make sense.
Because the emotion of liking is unreasonable; it doesn’t care who the other person is, what their status is, high or low.
Like is just like.
A simple and beautiful emotion, pushing people forward like fuel.
It doesn’t care how weak or incapable the person it faces is.
It just makes her feel the other’s beauty and be attracted by it.
Like a moth diving into flame.
So the reason had always been simple.
Because in the process of interacting with Ye Xingmian, in these few short days—
She had fallen in love with Ye Xingmian.
Having realized this, many doubts were answered.
But because of this realization, many things were unacceptable.
Her helplessness in the face of Qin Haiyue—that was the first time she had tried to protect Ye Xingmian and failed.
She had no money, no family background; in front of that person, she was nothing.
Really, she was so afraid of Qin Haiyue.
Afraid of Qin Haiyue’s revenge, afraid that offending her would bring disaster to her family and shatter it.
What was even more unacceptable was that Ye Xingmian wanted to go find Liu Yinuo.
That initiative, that yearning.
Should have been hers.
Now she had pushed it away, and Liu Yinuo had picked it up.
She realized Ye Xingmian’s goodness and wanted to take it back.
This was jealousy.
Also possession.
She was afraid of Qin Haiyue, but Qin Haiyue had the law to restrain her.
As for Liu Yinuo, she wasn’t afraid of her, but there was no restraint.
She had to stop it.
Stop Ye Xingmian from rushing to Liu Yinuo.
Keep her by her side.
In the dark and silent room, a faint sound seemed to arise, but it quickly faded into silence.
***
Dinner was really late because her parents came home very late, and Liu Yinuo couldn’t cook.
She had thought about ordering takeout, but in the end, it was vetoed. If her parents discovered the packaging left by the takeout, they might nag her about it being unhealthy.
She had been sick all day and was in a bad mood, so she didn’t want to cause trouble.
Dinner was late, so she waited until very late to finally eat.
“Sorry, my dear daughter. Mom and Dad had to work overtime tonight and came home late. You don’t blame us, do you?”
“No.”
That was the truth. Liu Yinuo just felt inexplicably annoyed.
“Is your cold better? Has the fever gone down? If all goes well, you won’t need to go to the clinic—just take some medicine.”
“Yeah, nothing serious.”
Liu Yinuo nodded.
On the table were several home-cooked dishes, and in the corner were a few bottles of beer. Only one was opened; the rest were sealed.
Liu’s mother glared at Liu’s father, who quickly smiled and nodded in agreement.
“You should drink less. It’s the dead of winter, and the smell is unpleasant.”
Liu Yinuo stared at the beer bottles in the corner, deep in thought.
“Daughter, you can’t drink. It’s hard to quit once you pick up a bad habit like your father’s.”
“Mm…”
Liu Yinuo nodded.
“You took a day off today. Did you study at home?”
“Yes.”
“I knew it. My precious daughter doesn’t give her mother any worries.”
“Mm.”
Liu’s mother frowned slightly, sensing that something was off with her mood.
“What’s wrong? Got something on your mind? Why are you spacing out? Tell Mom, okay?”
Liu Yinuo just shook her head.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.