Chapter 106: An Attempt at Remediation

“You!” Lin Ziyan hadn’t expected Ye Xingmian to use her own words against her, and her face flushed red instantly.

Right now, she had only one way to force Ye Xingmian to submit. In her anger, she blurted it out without thinking. “If you keep talking to me like this, I’ll tell my parents your secret right now!”

“Suit yourself.”

“What do you mean? Don’t believe me? I’m calling them right now!”

As she spoke, Lin Ziyan pulled her cellphone from her pocket, pretending to dial a number while staring intently at Ye Xingmian’s reaction.

Of course, she wouldn’t really tell her parents about Ye Xingmian’s situation—that wouldn’t benefit her either. She said all this just to threaten Ye Xingmian, to force her to submit.

However, the result disappointed her.

The other girl, though she had stopped eating on her own, merely lowered her head, her eyes shadowed and unreadable, saying nothing at all. She clearly had no reaction to the threat.

Why? Wasn’t she afraid of her current identity as a girl being exposed? Wasn’t she afraid of being kicked out of this home?

Lin Ziyan couldn’t understand it for a moment, but she quickly figured it out.

Someone must have promised Ye Xingmian something, which was why she was so confident and had changed so much. It must be because of that person—Liu Yinuo.

What could she have promised? Could it be letting Ye Xingmian stay at her place? That wasn’t impossible.

Thinking this, Lin Ziyan’s mood grew irritable. If this was the reason, she didn’t know what to do either.

But that didn’t stop her from feeling genuinely annoyed.

In the end, she went to serve herself some soup. The two ate in silence, after which Ye Xingmian went to wash the dishes and clean the table.

Once everything was done, Lin Ziyan called out to her, timing it perfectly.

“Come here for a second.” She waved at the girl.

Ye Xingmian looked up at her silently.

“What is it?”

Having just finished her chores without a moment’s rest, she was called over and could only look at Lin Ziyan sitting on the sofa.

Sensing the resistance in the other’s tone, Lin Ziyan frowned.

“Come here and let me hug you!”

Ye Xingmian was silent for a moment, then looked toward the door.

“I have things to do. I’m leaving.”

Saying this, she picked up her schoolbag and slung it over her shoulder.

“Where are you going again?”

“To find Qin Haiyue.” She told the truth.

“Hah, Qin Haiyue? You’re just going to Liu Yinuo’s place, aren’t you? I’m telling you, you’re not allowed to go!”

After a slight pause, Ye Xingmian ignored Lin Ziyan and walked straight toward the door.

“Hey! I said you’re not allowed to go, didn’t you hear me?”

Lin Ziyan shouted, running over willfully behind Ye Xingmian and grabbing her.

“…Your hand.”

“If you dare go today, I’ll tell my parents about your secret right now, I mean it!” Lin Ziyan brought out this threat again.

Ye Xingmian didn’t want to speak; she was fed up with Lin Ziyan’s unreasonable pestering. She used force with both hands, trying to break free from her grip.

However, Lin Ziyan yanked hard instead, pulling the girl into her arms. Feeling that exceptionally soft body press against her chest, she froze for a moment, even finding it hard to believe this was her own action.

Seeing her still like this, Lin Ziyan felt inexplicably anxious. “Did you hear me? You’re not allowed to leave!”

Ye Xingmian took a deep breath and abruptly broke free from her embrace. Just as she was about to leave, her hand was stuck to Lin Ziyan again like glue.

Yet, Ye Xingmian didn’t hesitate, feeling only annoyance.

“I said you’re not allowed to leave…!” The tone was still forceful, but the meaning had already changed.

“…Can’t you? You went to her place yesterday. Can’t you stay home with me today?”

Lin Ziyan felt she was going insane—was she begging her? She, Lin Ziyan, was actually begging Ye Xingmian to stay with her? How absurd.

But she had unconsciously done just that.

The reason was simple—when she realized that once Ye Xingmian walked out that door today, she wouldn’t be able to hold that soft body or enjoy that meticulous care anymore, she almost instinctively tried to stop her.

Even she herself felt how inexplicable she was being at this moment.

Was she really trying to keep Ye Xingmian here just for some unclear reason?

This was completely unlike something she should do. If Ye Xingmian wanted to leave, why not just let her?

But she didn’t want to let go.

Ye Xingmian didn’t know about the chaotic thoughts in her head.

Taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage and said, “Let go—!”

Lin Ziyan was slightly stunned but still didn’t release her grip.

However, Ye Xingmian forcefully pulled her hand back. Lin Ziyan instinctively tried to tighten her hold, but in her haste, she ultimately let her break free. A glaring red mark was left around that pale wrist.

Ye Xingmian left.

This time, Lin Ziyan didn’t try to stop her again. She just watched as she opened the door, left home with her schoolbag on her back, and stepped into the cold wind outside.

Now, she was alone in the house.

For some reason, she felt an emptiness inside.

Lin Ziyan shook her head, sat back on the sofa, curled up, and pulled out her phone.

Why? Why had things suddenly become like this without any transition?

It was as if the world had turned upside down in an instant. All her threats had lost their effect on Ye Xingmian. This feeling of losing control made her uneasy and filled her with a strange emptiness.

Even she herself couldn’t clearly say how she viewed Ye Xingmian, this person she had grown up with.

Even after nineteen years together, it felt like she was truly meeting her for the first time today.

She suddenly stood up and walked into her bedroom. Picking up the toy bear she had just torn from the corner, the exposed stuffing and the torn-off arm made the originally cute toy look very incongruous, even somewhat ugly.

She wondered, had she gone too far?

Perhaps… she should change her attitude a little?

She ran to her parents’ room and rummaged through a drawer for a needle and thread. Perhaps on a whim, she wanted to make up for her mistake, like sewing the toy bear’s arm back on.

Maybe after doing this, Ye Xingmian would accept her like she accepted Liu Yinuo and listen to her commands again?

However, as soon as she picked up the needle and thread, she frowned again and put them down in frustration.

No, absolutely not.

How could she lower her head to that lowly person?

Her pride, the sense of superiority she had cultivated since childhood, wouldn’t allow her to do that.

In the end, she still didn’t try to mend the toy bear.

She tossed the doll, along with the severed arm, back into the corner in frustration and grabbed at her hair. Her hair, which hadn’t been styled since she got up early, became even more disheveled.

She’d just wait for her to come back.

After she came back, she’d figure out what to do.

Lin Ziyan thought to herself.