“It’s okay, you can say whatever you want.”
Old Master Xing tried to help the nervous Ye Xingyao relax.
But such words inevitably made her even more nervous.
Ye Xingyao’s mind was very active; she often had sudden inspirations when solving problems. This was one of the assets that allowed her to become a hunter in the past.
Yet, precisely because of this, whenever someone asked her such questions, she would start overthinking. If it was someone familiar, it was fine, but in front of strangers…
“Um… humans, no matter what, will always find a way to survive… As for elves, I actually don’t know much.”
“To be honest, I never really thought about these things. I just want the people around me to live healthy lives, to help others as much as I can within my ability… Whether they’re human or elf doesn’t matter much to me.”
Ye Xingyao sighed, lowered her head in a self-defeating manner, and quietly blurted out everything she was thinking.
“So, seeing me as a Star Elf, as the savior of elves in the prophecy, is really…”
Just then, Jiang Yuan, who had been expressionless and silent for a long time, walked over and gently patted her shoulder.
“Don’t sell yourself short. Be confident. Show the same confidence you have when facing monsters. Otherwise, being pushed around by fate isn’t a pleasant feeling.”
Jiang Yuan said this and then returned to stand beside Old Master Xing.
“That’s right, little girl. Be confident. I, an old man, think your ideas are great. Just keep working hard. Didn’t Xiao Ye teach you well?”
“This time, I just wanted to see what kind of child the Star Elf is. If I get the chance, I’ll come chat with you again.”
The old man waved at Jiang Yuan, as if to end the conversation.
“Um, Old Master Xing… my parents…”
Ye Xingyao finally managed to ask the question. From the moment she confirmed the old man’s identity, she had been unable to suppress her desire to know about her parents’ whereabouts.
But the old man had also said that he hadn’t been in contact with her father for a long time.
Still, this was the first time she had heard news of her father from someone else. Maybe he was still quietly keeping an eye on her father, perhaps…
“Sorry, I know very little about Xiao Ye’s situation. After he left my side, we rarely kept in touch.”
The old man shook his head apologetically. Seeing the girl’s disappointed expression, he gave a bitter smile.
“I’ll also use my connections to help you look for him. Don’t worry. Xiao Ye is a clever kid; I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“Mm…”
Ye Xingyao nodded.
“Alright, Xiao Yao. The ones who just went in are your Moon Elf and your little sister, right? Go accompany them. Don’t let your family worry. I came in a hurry this time and startled you. I’m really sorry.”
“Ah, no, it’s fine…”
Ye Xingyao felt her emotional intelligence wasn’t that low, but in front of such a person, she always seemed clumsy.
“If there’s any news, I’ll have someone pass it on to Miss Hongye. Xiao Yao, make sure to remember what you told me earlier.”
The old man took Jiang Yuan’s hand. Before Ye Xingyao could say goodbye, a flash of deep portal enveloped the two of them.
The next second, everything fell silent again, as if nothing had happened.
‘Um, did something happen? Why so urgent…’
Ye Xingyao thought to herself, reaching up to rub her face to relax her expression. Otherwise, Xiaoyue might notice something and worry.
Going upstairs and opening the door, Ye Xingyao saw Yi Shiyue busy at work.
“Xiaoyue? Where’s Xingling?”
“I carried Xingling to her bed. I’m cooking porridge so she can have some when she wakes up.”
Yi Shiyue paused, then asked hesitantly, “They… didn’t do anything to you, did they?”
“No, don’t worry, Xiaoyue. That old man was my father’s teacher. They know all about my identities. They mean no harm.”
Without disturbing Yi Shiyue, Ye Xingyao sneaked into her sister’s room and quietly sat down beside her.
Seeing her sister’s face dirty from the fight, Ye Xingyao thought for a moment, found a wet towel, and gently cleaned her.
Ye Xingling’s chest rose and fell naturally under the thin blanket. This reassured the “big sister,” who was worried her movements might wake her. After wiping her sister’s face clean, Ye Xingyao pulled up a chair and sat down, staring at her sister’s sleeping face in a daze.
‘Mm, sleeping soundly.’
Yi Shiyue peeked her head in from the doorway, silently observing the former “big brother,” now “big sister,” clumsily taking care of her little sister. A smile tugged at her lips.
She knew it—her Xiao Yao had talent for being a big sister.
As Yi Shiyue drew closer, Ye Xingyao noticed her arrival. Seeing her put a finger to her lips and make a “shush” gesture, Ye Xingyao nodded.
“What brings you here, Xiaoyue?” Ye Xingyao asked softly.
“I came to see if Xiao Yao can live up to the responsibility of being a big sister.”
Yi Shiyue leaned down, wrapped her arms around Ye Xingyao’s neck, rested her entire upper body weight on her head, and teased her lightly in her ear.
“Mm…”
Ye Xingyao was always sensitive to such intimate gestures. Whenever Yi Shiyue did things like breathe in her ear, poke her waist, or kiss and hug her, her pretty face would quickly flush with an unhealthy, shy red.
“Stop, don’t… You’ll wake Xingling…”
If her sister woke up, she’d discover that her older siblings had transformed from a normal male-female relationship into a black-and-white-haired couple—the kind of pairing shoujo yuri manga loved to create and never grew tired of.
In front of her sister, she still didn’t dare to act too intimate with Yi Shiyue.
“Alright. Remember to explain everything to me later, okay?”
Yi Shiyue let go of the girl in her arms, then reached out to cup her soft black hair, gently combing through it with her fingers one strand at a time.
Ye Xingyao hummed in response and nodded.
She was really starting to be afraid of Xiaoyue now. That girl had completely figured out her little thoughts and sensitive spots…
Lost in thought, Ye Xingyao suddenly felt her sister’s eyelashes flicker slightly.
‘Eh? She’s waking up this soon? I haven’t even figured out how to explain things to her!’
A flash of panic appeared in Ye Xingyao’s eyes. She was about to get up and avoid the situation when she found her sister already blinking awake, still half-asleep.