Chapter 182: Floating Song of Ten Autumns (7)

Ning Wanciu said nothing. 

She simply stood there, staring blankly as the two little ones walked to the door.

For some reason, the moment she saw Ning Dongli take out her shoes, Ning Wanciu felt as if an entire lifetime had passed.

The last time Ning Dongli had gone outside was when Ning Wanciu had brought her from their old home to this one. 

It had only happened out of necessity.

And now, Ning Dongli was suddenly saying she wanted cake and was going out with An Yu to buy it…

Anyone with half a brain could tell it was nothing more than an excuse.

From fruits to fruit cake, Ning Dongli was simply looking for any reason at all to step out the door.

Ning Wanciu’s pupils trembled faintly. 

As she watched Ning Dongli put on the shoes she hadn’t worn in so long, she instinctively grew tense.

Yes—as her older sister, Ning Wanciu felt nervous.

Because Ning Dongli hadn’t left the house in such a long time…

Ning Wanciu had never imagined she would see this scene today.

“Are you ready, Ning Dongli?”

Beside her, An Yu spoke slowly.

One of her hands rested on the doorknob; she had been waiting for a while.

Ning Dongli finished putting on her shoes and looked up at An Yu.

For some reason, she didn’t answer.

They had planned this together. 

She was supposed to go outside and prove to Ning Wanciu that she no longer needed to be worried about.

All she had to do was nod or give a casual reply, and An Yu would open the door and lead her out.

Then Ning Wanciu wouldn’t have to keep worrying about her anymore.

But now that the moment had arrived, Ning Dongli found herself shrinking back.

Her small body trembled lightly. Just the thought of leaving the house filled her with an inexplicable fear.

It turned out Ning Dongli still hadn’t fully recovered.

She was still the same shut-in who couldn’t go outside and needed her sister to worry over her.

“I…”

Instinctively, Ning Dongli lowered her head again.

A faint mist began to gather in her beautiful water-blue eyes.

Home was a safe harbor, but she had been locked inside it so tightly that she felt as if she would never take a single step out for the rest of her life.

If she couldn’t even do this… wouldn’t she end up being a burden to Ning Wanciu forever?

Ning Dongli didn’t want that, but it seemed she really couldn’t manage it.

“I see.”

For some reason, An Yu calmly nodded and let go of Ning Dongli’s hand.

The next moment, she opened the apartment’s security door without hesitation, left Ning Dongli behind, and stepped outside.

The sudden loss of warmth in her hand made Ning Dongli instinctively lift her head and stare at the girl in front of her.

“An Yu…?”

Ning Dongli was afraid—afraid that An Yu would be disappointed in her too.

But disappointment was only natural, right?

She had talked such a big game, yet in the end she still couldn’t do it.

She, Ning Dongli, was nothing but a good-for-nothing who didn’t even have the courage to step out of the house.

In front of her, An Yu turned back calmly. 

Her face showed no expression whatsoever.

That only made Ning Dongli even more terrified.

There was only a doorway separating them, yet that single door had become an uncrossable chasm.

All she had to do was take one step forward and she could stand beside An Yu again and hold her hand.

It was such a simple thing, yet she couldn’t manage even that.

“Ning Dongli.”

An Yu spoke softly, her voice still carrying that familiar coolness mixed with a soft, sweet tone.

She reached out toward Ning Dongli, her face still completely expressionless.

Ning Dongli was confused. She had thought An Yu was leaving…

Why had she come back?

She stared fixedly at the girl’s adorable cheeks, her water-blue eyes filled entirely with An Yu’s figure.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

The girl’s voice was so calm, yet it pierced straight through Ning Dongli’s heart.

No matter whether Ning Dongli had acted on impulse or not, An Yu was serious.

She had said she would help Ning Dongli—because Ning Dongli was her friend.

“We’re going to buy cake.”

An Yu remained perfectly composed. She had simply opened the door for Ning Dongli.

Ning Dongli looked down at the hand extended toward her.

Until just a moment ago, she had been holding that very hand.

It was warm… soft…

And now that same hand was in front of her again. All she had to do was take one step forward and she could return to An Yu’s side.

Ning Dongli instinctively reached out, wanting to touch An Yu’s palm, but she hesitated.

“Ning Dongli. Hold my hand.”

An Yu ordered coolly.

“Wuu!”

“Let’s go.”

An Yu gripped Ning Dongli’s hand tightly and gave a gentle tug.

“Eek!”

Caught off guard, Ning Dongli was pulled straight out by An Yu.

Under An Yu’s lead, she stepped out of the house almost passively.

Ning Dongli kept her eyes tightly shut as waves of fear washed over her.

Until she felt her hand being tugged again.

“Ning Dongli.”

Ning Dongli slowly opened her eyes, confusion written all over her face.

She was outside now, but there was nothing scary about it.

Outside… there was only An Yu.

She instinctively took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

“Better now?”

Standing beside her, An Yu tilted her head.

“Mmm… mm.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Okay!”

Ning Dongli nodded vigorously, though she gripped An Yu’s hand even tighter than before.

The security door clicked shut, leaving only Ning Wanciu inside the apartment.

She stood there in a daze, staring at the doorway. She had never expected to see Ning Dongli go outside today.

Even a moment ago, Ning Wanciu had been certain it wouldn’t work.

It had all happened too suddenly, and she could clearly see that Ning Dongli still carried a deep fear of the outside world.

But…

Ning Dongli had still managed to step outside. She had finally taken that first step.

Whew… thank goodness…

Ning Wanciu’s voice trembled slightly. 

The corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously, and her eyes grew a little misty.

“It really is wonderful…”

She even covered her mouth, almost at a loss for words.

Before today, she had never imagined Ning Dongli’s problem could be resolved so quickly.

Ning Dongli was still afraid, but someone had reached out and helped her.

That someone was An Yu, who had extended her hand.

She had only come over as a guest, yet she had managed to do this much.

Letting Ning Dongli become friends with An Yu had truly been the right decision.

However…

Ning Wanciu recalled the scene from moments ago, and her smile gradually turned bittersweet.

The sight of Ning Dongli mustering courage the instant she saw An Yu’s hand was heartwarming and genuinely joyful.

But Ning Wanciu could not forget the look in her little sister’s eyes.

The moment Ning Dongli had gazed at An Yu, her eyes had shone as if they could hold no one else in the world.

That look… felt so familiar.

Ning Wanciu wiped the corners of her eyes, then turned toward the mirror. 

The girl reflected there wore an incredibly complicated expression.