Watching until the two disappeared from sight, Liu Yinuo snorted coldly.
Then she turned around and asked with concern:
“Are you okay? They didn’t do anything to you, did they?”
“No, you came just in time. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“Why are Lin Ziyan and Qin Haiyue together?”
Ye Xingmian was still bothered by this.
“Why do you care about her? Anyway, anything related to her can’t be good. If she comes to call you again, ignore her.”
“Mm…”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just… a little worried.”
“Why worry about her? She’s never worried about you, always causing trouble for you.”
“That’s true…”
“Alright, let’s go back.”
Liu Yinuo patted Ye Xingmian’s shoulder, telling her to go back to the classroom, but she herself glanced back toward the stairs.
‘Just changing classes doesn’t seem secure enough… but there doesn’t seem to be any other better solution either.’
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you leaving?”
Noticing that Ye Xingmian hadn’t moved for a long time, Liu Yinuo turned around and asked in confusion.
“Winter break is in a few days, right? Before that, could you come back with me to the Lin family home… I want to go get some things.”
“Take what? I’ll get it for you.”
“No!”
“Ah… fine.”
Time flowed gently, and soon the horizon was tinged with colorful clouds. Another day was about to pass.
“Do you understand this part?”
Ye Xingmian nodded, half understanding. Seeing this, Liu Yinuo knew she hadn’t grasped it.
“Sigh…”
Liu Yinuo held her forehead.
“Why are you so distracted today?”
“Sorry…”
“Tsk, forget it. Let’s go home.”
Hearing that they were going home, Ye Xingmian, who had stayed at school for a long time, added a hint of cautious hope to her voice.
“Um… when we get home, do I still need to make dinner for you?”
“Huh? Dinner? Sure, of course. But make it quick; we still have tutoring after eating.”
“Ah… mm! Okay!”
Preparing dinner for Liu Yinuo every evening had become the thing Ye Xingmian looked forward to most each day. But this anticipation was gradually becoming harder to fulfill.
Every day before dawn, she had to get up and follow Liu Yinuo for tutoring, her mind in a fog, studying until very late.
‘Maybe I really am stupid?’
‘Stupid to the point that even with such hard work, it’s hard to absorb anything.’
She felt that she might not be able to do it.
‘When that time comes, will I be forced to make a choice?’
‘Between Liu Yinuo and my own mother?’
‘No… how could it be a choice? After all, the only outcome is that they go their separate ways.’
‘Maybe there’s another possibility.’
‘She gives up going to university and just takes care of Liu Yinuo’s daily life as her dependent.’
‘That kind of life might not be bad either. After all, she’s useless and can’t learn. Being able to live with the person she likes would be a pretty good ending, wouldn’t it?’
‘But…’
‘Living like that…’
‘It feels like giving up on something completely, becoming someone’s possession.’
‘She doesn’t like either ending.’
‘So I’ll just keep trying.’
“What are you thinking about? You’ve been spacing out.”
The reddish-gold sunlight streamed through the classroom window, warm on her face.
Ye Xingmian snapped back to reality. In front of her was Liu Yinuo, her back to the sunlight. Her black hair shimmered with golden light, like molten gold. Her slightly narrowed tea-colored eyes held a hint of dissatisfaction as they looked at Ye Xingmian.
“Ah… I…”
Even though she had just come back to her senses, Ye Xingmian couldn’t help but space out again.
But she heard Liu Yinuo’s question, and instinct drove her to respond.
“Yinuo… you’re so beautiful…”
She wasn’t fully aware of what she had said, but Liu Yinuo’s reaction was strong.
Her eyes flew open wide, and a blush spread across her cheeks.
But this embarrassed look didn’t last long. She quickly calmed down and, pretending to be angry, tapped Ye Xingmian’s forehead with her gel pen.
“Honestly, saying such strange things.”
“Huh? I… sorry…”
“I told you, you don’t need to apologize! Especially not for saying something like that.”
“Sigh, let’s go. What do you want to cook? My mom told me to help you out, I can’t just stand around.”
“Hmm… how about egg fried rice? There are some other ingredients at home. It’s cold now, so some stew might be good too…”
“Whatever you want, it’s fine.”
The sun’s shadow slanted down, stretching everything long and long, intertwining together like a monochrome ink painting of light and dark.
The blurred boundaries, the blackness that seemed to swallow everything in its fusion, gradually crept up.
Her parents were arguing again today.
It had been going on for days. Ever since Ye Xingmian left home, it’s been like this, never making up.
Along with that, their words had become fewer, and their temperaments more sullen.
Unfortunately, her parents seemed to have been demoted due to work issues. The positions they had worked so hard to get promoted to through seniority were gone overnight, reverting to the insignificant minor positions they had before.
But they still had to work overtime. Occasionally they’d come back at noon, but not as often as before.
Aside from life seeming a bit tighter—that’s what they said—Lin Ziyan didn’t feel much difference.
She occasionally recalled her past life.
Back then didn’t seem much different from now.
Except that she didn’t have to do many chores herself, could enjoy prepared meals every morning, could occasionally say sharp words to vent her feelings, and her parents didn’t argue over trivial matters—aside from that, there wasn’t much difference.
Yes, the reasons for her parents’ arguments had shifted from her and Ye Xingmian to trivial little things.
Work assignments, household chores, even who should pay for Lin Ziyan and Ye Xingmian’s tuition—all became reasons for their arguments.
Gradually, Lin Ziyan got used to it.
Sometimes she even thought that if things continued like this, she wouldn’t be surprised if her parents suddenly got divorced one day.
Just that occasionally she’d feel irritable and hollow inside.
But even if her parents really did divorce, she didn’t care.
She was already an adult, about to finish the Gaokao and go to university; she had the ability to support herself.
In this three-person family, sitting at the dining table, listening to her parents argue not far away, eating alone, she always felt something was missing.
It seemed like a… thin figure that was always busy was missing.
Missing was someone who always humbly tried to please others and then silently handled all the housework until it was spotless.
It seemed that her leaving here was truly the right choice.
Lin Ziyan’s gaze dimmed a little.
Even though it was the right choice, she didn’t feel happy about it.
She wanted Ye Xingmian to come back, to return to her side.
When that time came, she would surely change. She would surely become gentle, not force her anymore, and patiently and carefully make her stay by her side.
She should also protect her with all her might.
Leave this place, leave the source of her unhappiness.
After all, they were once siblings.
Growing up together for over ten years, it had to have some special meaning.