《Give Me Another Smile》


 CH 1

    The appearance of the Tyrant Saber incited many people to fight over it, giving Xiao Chen a good chance to rest.


    Now that he did not need to worry about others, he could focus on treating his injuries to prevent any permanent hidden injuries from remaining behind.


    Xiao Chen still clearly recalled his experience in the Kunlun Realm. Now that he was in this Great Thousand Realms, he needed to pay attention to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.


    ¡°Martial Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Senior Brother Hua.¡±


    As the two chatted, the core disciples and true inheritors of the Purple Flame Sect all rushed over.


    The originally anxious people relaxed significantly after learning that the two were fine.


    ¡°The people of the Divine Firmament Sect are really too much. We have to take revenge. To think that they took advantage of the situation to capture Senior Brother Hua!¡±


    After finding out what Hua Yunfeng experienced, the many true inheritors burned with rage, incensed.


    Back then, at the Divine Firmament Sect¡¯s Thunder Controlling Peak, there was an agreement to ally to deal with the people of the Heavenly Shaking Mountain and the Potala Mountain.


    Now, for the sake of a Dao Tool, the disciples of the other Black Cave Mountain sects actually made such a despicable move. This was utterly contemptible and unbearable.


    Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, ¡°Of course, you have to take revenge. However, not now. Now is the best time to seek out fortuitous encounters. The disciples of the other sects are all busy trying to snatch the Dao Tool, which gives us an opportunity.¡±


    Confused, Ling Yu asked, ¡°Martial Uncle, why do you not seem anxious at all? Right now, the most important thing is to help you snatch back the Dao Tool!¡±


    A peak Dao Tool was the greatest fortuitous encounter. All the disciples of the sect would gain glory and benefits along with it.


    There was no greater fortuitous encounter than this in the Fiendish Demon Battlefield. Otherwise, those sect disciples would not end up like this, all of them crazed and fighting to the death, not open to negotiating at all.


    Even those that did not want to fight for the Dao Tool ran over to participate in the liveliness, trying to gain some kind of benefit.


    Hua Yunfeng smiled mysteriously. ¡°There is no need to worry about this. Xiao Chen has his own ways. After I recover my strength, I¡¯ll lead everyone to go and sweep through the various lands of fortuitous encounters.¡±


    Although all the others fought over the saber, they would not be able to draw it. This Tyrant Saber already acknowledged Xiao Chen as its master.


    Xiao Chen had already left his mark on it, and the saber would eventually return to his hands. There was no need to worry at all.


    The many Purple Flame Sect disciples were skeptical, but they were still satisfied with such an arrangement. With Hua Yunfeng leading the way to find fortuitous encounters, they would definitely benefit greatly during this period.


    One hour later, Hua Yunfeng had recovered from his injuries with the help of a Medicinal Pill.


    Then, he said goodbye to Xiao Chen and led the true inheritors and core disciples of the Purple Flame Sect away from the valley.


    While Hua Yunfeng¡¯s wounds looked terrifying, he still had his cultivation and was not as horrifyingly injured as Xiao Chen.


    With the aid of a Medicinal Pill, Hua Yunfeng¡¯s injuries had healed quickly.


    As for Xiao Chen, he continued to clear out the Dao injuries left by the Dao Tools with the aid of the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor. His heart remained calm, not fluctuating at all.


    ---


    On the other side, the fight for the Dao Tool devolved into sheer chaos, and its intensity was white-hot.


    Meng Qi and Zhen De originally wanted to cooperate to control the situation. Unfortunately, they were not strong enough. Even when the two worked together, they still could not suppress everyone. Eventually, the two ended up fighting each other as well.


    Both had their own selfish desires. How could the agreed-upon alliance last for long?


    ¡°Damn it! This saber is really heavy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t draw it at all!¡±


    ¡°Haha! I snatched it away! It is mine!¡±


    Amid the violent mob, the Tyrant Saber kept changing hands. However, no one could draw it. Instead, they brought unnecessary disaster upon themselves, surrounded and attacked.


    Just when it looked like there would never be a winner, thunder suddenly roared in the sky.


    A fearsome, tyrannical aura accompanied by astonishing thunder came from the distance. This made the sky fill with churning dark clouds and endless thunder.


    ¡°Where are the Divine Firmament Sect disciples?!¡±


    A loud shout resounded. The Divine Firmament Sect¡¯s Shangguan Lei finally rushed over from a forbidden land.


    A bolt of lightning lashed down from the sky. As Shangguan Lei bathed in the lightning, he looked like an aloof war god looking down coldly at the various sect disciples.


    ¡°It¡¯s Shangguan Lei! Shangguan Lei appeared!¡±


    A person¡¯s name was like the shadow of a tree. The moment Shangguan Lei spoke, startled cries immediately rose from the mob.


    The Divine Firmament Sect disciples answered the call, replying to Shangguan Lei, their faces filled with excitement.


    ¡°Senior Brother Shangguan finally came out. This Tyrant Saber will definitely belong to my Divine Firmament Sect.¡±


    The moment Shangguan Lei landed, the Divine Firmament Sect disciples crowded around him, bolstering his prestige.


    ¡°Senior Brother!¡±


    The many Divine Firmament Sect disciples greeted Shangguan Lei respectfully. His peak Major Primal Core aura gave the people around him enormous pressure.


    Shangguan Lei swept his eyes across, and the invisible pressure spread out, forcibly silencing the two-thousand-odd sect disciples here.


    No one dared to even look at anyone. Even the Profound Light Temple¡¯s Zhen De and the Confucian Institution¡¯s Meng Qi, who had been fighting each other very fiercely, avoided each other¡¯s gazes.


    No one dared to fight anymore. All of them felt shocked in their hearts.


    ¡°How scary! To think that he is already at peak Major Primal Core Realm!¡±


    ¡°Just this cultivation alone is enough to stand out from the crowd. How exactly did he cultivate?¡±


    After one¡¯s cultivation reached Major Primal Core Realm, further increases would become extremely slow. Anyone who managed to reach peak Major Primal Core Realm could be considered an expert in the entire Grave Sea Cluster. After all, some Rank 3 sects¡¯ Sect Masters outside the Grave Sea were at this cultivation realm.


    Furthermore, there was still more to Shangguan Lei¡¯s potential. He was still young and had scope for growth. In the future, he would definitely advance to the Cloud Sea Realm.


    Shangguan Lei would surely become a Star Venerate or even higher!


    Zhen De thought to himself, This Shangguan Lei¡¯s aura seems even scarier than Senior Brother¡¯s. What exactly did he experience in the past few days? To think that his improvement is so terrifying!


    Meng Qi had the same thought as well. When he compared Shangguan Lei to Wang Yueming, he got the impression that the previous equality between those two was no more.


    Shangguan Lei felt very satisfied with the crowd¡¯s reaction. His gaze never left the disciple who currently held the Tyrant Saber.


    That was the strongest true inheritor of a Rank 3 sect in the Black Cave Mountain. He felt a huge pressure from Shangguan Lei¡¯s gaze. Sweat continuously poured down his forehead.


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    Shangguan Lei looked directly at this person and recognized him. His eyes lit up. Suddenly, he shouted, ¡°Ma Tianliang, do you wish to die? Are you still not going to hand over the Dao Tool!¡±


    Shangguan Lei¡¯s voice was like thunder, shaking everyone¡¯s heart and driving straight into this Ma Tianliang¡¯s soul. Ma Tianliang felt like a bolt of thunder suddenly appeared in his sea of consciousness.


    Ma Tianliang¡¯s entire body trembled, startled into shaking. Then, the Tyrant Saber he held flew out of his hand without his volition.


    The crowd parted. No one dared to approach the Dao Tool lest Shangguan Lei target them. As they moved away, the Dao Tool fell in a large, empty area.


    Now, no one wanted the item that everyone fought over earlier. They only watched in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°It turned out that it is a tyrannical saber. With your weak appearance, do you think you are worthy of holding this saber?¡±


    After Shangguan Lei saw that ancient word on the saber scabbard, mockery appeared on his face, making Ma Tianliang feel very embarrassed.


    ¡°Only I, Shangguan Lei, am worthy of possessing this saber!¡±


    The word ¡°tyrant¡± deeply impressed Shangguan Lei. He showed a cold and stern face as he radiated strong confidence along with a tyrannical electric energy.


    No one dared to block Shangguan Lei; they automatically opened a path for him.


    ¡°Perhaps not!¡±


    Suddenly, a cool voice rang out. Wang Yueming descended, holding a folding fan. He had rushed over from the Ten Thousand Flower Garden.


    ¡°It¡¯s Senior Brother Wang! Senior Brother Wang is finally here!¡±


    The people of the Confucian sects immediately became excited. The others all showed joyful expressions as well. Finally, someone who could suppress Shangguan Lei¡¯s limelight had arrived.


    Killing Qi flared in Shangguan Lei¡¯s eyes as he looked at the descending Wang Yueming and shouted coldly, ¡°Wang Yueming, you dare to compete for the saber with me?¡±


    Wang Yueming opened his folding fan and said indifferently, ¡°Shangguan Lei, others might fear you, but would I, Wang Yueming, fear you?¡±


    Shangguan Lei¡¯s eyes flashed as he suddenly noticed that this Wang Yueming had actually also reached peak Major Primal Core Realm.


    However, Shangguan Lei¡¯s stance remained as overbearing as before. ¡°This saber perfectly matches my Dao. It is made for me. Wang Yueming, how are you going to use it?¡±


    Wang Yueming retorted indifferently, ¡°There is no need for you to worry about that. I have my reasons for making a move.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. You really think that you can compete with me after advancing to peak Major Primal Core Realm using natural treasures. Take a saber strike from me!¡±


    A saber appeared in Shangguan Lei¡¯s hand as he leaped into the air, sending out a saber light.


    Wang Yueming saw a saber light flash, brightening half the sky as resplendent as day, passing in an instant.


    ¡°Propitious Omen!¡±


    Wang Yueming pulled back his folding fan. The righteous Qi he released turned into a sun rising in the east, sending out auspicious clouds.


    He used his Veritable Essence Energy and righteous Qi to clash with this saber.


    ¡°Crack!¡±


    A crack appeared on Wang Yueming¡¯s folding fan, and he staggered three steps back, his arm going numb. He could not help changing his expression.


    ¡°How can it be?! My cultivation is the same as his. Why do our strengths differ by so much?¡±


    Shangguan Lei smiled coldly. He had raised his cultivation through a mountain of Fiendish Demon Corpses and a sea of blood, slowly building it up. Wang Yueming relied on external items to advance. How could they be comparable?


    ¡°A loyal heart for all eternity like the moon of tomorrow; a body full of righteous Qi throughout the seasons!¡±


    One exchange ended with Wang Yueming¡¯s loss, so he hurriedly read out the two lines of poetry that his master left on his folding fan.


    The crack on the folding fan mended, and a vast amount of righteous Qi surged out. Wang Yueming¡¯s cultivation soared again; he exploded forth with an aura equal to that of a Star Venerate.


    Now, when Wang Yueming clashed with Shangguan Lei, he forced the other party back.


    Shangguan Lei spun around in the air and landed on the ground, which immediately trembled. He looked at Wang Yueming and said, ¡°No wonder you have the confidence to fight with me. However, let¡¯s see how long this broken fan can help you.¡±


    Shangguan Lei did not show any fear when facing Wang Yueming, whose aura soared to the level of a Star Venerate.


    ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡±


    Just as the two confronted each other, a figure suddenly appeared, stepping on lotus flowers and looking illusory. Then, this figure picked up the Tyrant Saber right under the noses of Shangguan Lei and Wang Yueming.


    ¡°Tyrant Saber?¡±


    It was the strongest true inheritor of the three blessed lands, the Profound Light Temple¡¯s Zhen Yuan. As he held the Tyrant Saber, he showed a grave expression.


    ¡°This saber is an ominous item. Although all its masters were powerful and ruled, they all ended up dying at the blade of their own saber. Aside from Tyrant Saber, it has another name, the Saber of Misfortune. This saber needs to be handed to the Buddhist sect for safekeeping,¡± Zhen Yuan said to Wang Yueming and Shangguan Lei as he held the Tyrant Saber.


    Shangguan Lei mocked, ¡°Do you think that I will believe what you said? You repulsive monk, cut the crap and hand over the saber.¡±


    A vertical divine eye flew silently in the clouds.


    Xiao Chen, who was in the valley, retracted the Heavenly Divine Flying Eye into his forehead. Then, he revealed confusion in his eyes. ¡°Tyrant Saber? Saber of Misfortune?¡±

 CH 2

    Tang Yu walked home with several plastic bags of ingredients. The familiar streets she crossed had hardly changed since she moved into the area. The small house she rented with Yin Zhao-an for the convenience of attending university also had not changed. The only thing that did change were the tenants in the building. Some had come, and some had gone. However, it didn''t really matter as she hardly knew any of these people.


    Tang Yu paused when she walked past the door that hadn''t been opened for a very long time. A thick layer of dust had collected on top of the door handle. Ever since the premeditated explosion that took place here a few years back, no new tenant had moved into this house.


    The former tenant of this house was a female student. The girl owned a ragdoll, but the feline disappeared at some point, and taking its place was another girl. From the conversations Tang Yu had with the female student, the other party vaguely told her that her friend was sensitive to cat hair.


    When Tang Yu passed by this house back then, she could occasionally hear strange sounds that stirred one''s imaginations coming through the door. Yet, the two people inside were clearly both female¡­


    Tang Yu''s face warmed up slightly when she recalled this memory. With reddened ears and hidden emotions, she turned around and opened the door to her house.


    Yin Zhao-an''s door remained tightly shut, the faint clicking sounds coming through the door indicating that she was still busy with her game.


    After letting out a disappointed sigh, Tang Yu washed the carp she bought and put the pieces of fish into a white porcelain jar filled with water. Then, she simmered the fish over a small flame, set an alarm, and left the kitchen.


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    ¡­


    There was a stack of printouts sitting on her bedroom desk. Tang Yu grabbed the printouts and plopped herself down on the bed. Then, she turned to the bookmarked page and began whispering quietly.


    "Let me go. Your kingdom has never had a place for me," a low and desolate voice rang out in the silent bedroom, the voice carrying feelings of sadness mixed with a strong disappointment.


    After a few seconds of silence, the voice sounded once again, "No need. I, Ji Ruxue, wish your kingdom eternal stability, and you, eternal longevity and fortune. May we never meet in the next life."


    The calm voice carried hints of laughter. It was a laughter of liberation, indicating that the speaker had finally freed herself from the prison made of sweet romantic words.


    Tang Yu exited the parting scene and blinked her dry eyes. Then, she turned to the last page of the script.


    This was the script for a role in an ancient romance radio drama she had accepted. The story was about a down-and-out prince who was rescued by a songstress, and it began with the two supporting and loving each other. Then, when the prince took the throne, he suddenly began casting suspicion on the songstress. Emperors of ancient times were prone ¡­

 CH 3

    This revelation shocked everyone, who then looked at Xiao Chen with expressions of incredulity.


    Xiao Chen, the White Robed Bladesman with the unbroken winning streak in the Five Nation Youth Competition. Back then, on the day of the final battle, he had set Dragon Veins everywhere trembling. In the wake of the dissemination of the True Dragon Ranking, his name spread through the entire Tianwu Continent. The Boundless Sea in all directions spoke of his story.


    Xiao Chen, a person who came from the Heavenly Saber Pavilion, a weak sect, had managed to push all the way through, defeating all sorts of experts before finally climbing to the peak.


    In less than three years, Xiao Chen actually returned from the Kunlun Realm. Furthermore, he even advanced to Martial Sage. He reached a height that had taken these old fellows one or two hundred years to achieve.


    Sima Hong¡¯s face paled. It actually is him! That fellow whom I once smashed half-dead is really back!


    ¡°If I do not die, I will definitely wash the Sima Clan in blood in the future!¡±


    Back then, Sima Hong only treated these words as the words of a child throwing a tantrum. However, seeing Xiao Chen¡¯s cultivation now, he could not help but feel horror in his heart. His body trembled slightly. He hesitated for a moment before he prepared to turn around and leave.


    ¡°Sima Hong, if you have the guts, then take another step away,¡± Xiao Chen shouted coldly as he pointed at Sima Hong. His eyes turned bright, showing off his sharpness.


    Sima Hong stared blankly. Feeling guilty, he braced himself and said, ¡°Xiao Chen, don¡¯t think that just because you advanced to Martial Sage, you can speak such arrogant words. If you want to be so overbearing, to wash my Sima Clan in blood, given my Sima Clan¡¯s resources, the Heavenly Saber Pavilion will not have any good days, either.¡±


    The expressions of the other Martial Sages could not help but turn complicated.


    Back then, Sima Hong had used his strength and ignored his status to cause trouble at the Heavenly Saber Pavilion, killing or heavily injuring many of Xiao Chen¡¯s juniors. In the end, he got sent back in embarrassment, creating a great stir everywhere.


    However, Sima Hong simply could not imagine that the minor character that could barely last one move against him back then would become unfathomable to him in three years.


    Xiao Chen¡¯s lips curled up gently as he said, ¡°There are no debts without creditors, no hatred without cause. The creditor will collect only from the debtor, the hatred directed only at the one who caused it. Back then, you killed a lot of my Heavenly Saber Pavilion¡¯s juniors. Don¡¯t worry. I will settle this account with only you alone.


    ¡°I may be cold-hearted, but I am not someone who would slay the innocent. Back then, you left me half-dead with one sword strike. Today, I shall ask you this: Do you dare to receive one finger strike from me and settle this grudge once and for all?¡±


    Xiao Chen showed a boundless sharpness in his eyes. However, his heart was as calm as still water. He stared at Sima Hong, quietly waiting for his answer.


    A storm is brewing. Thunderclouds hang overhead. Trouble is coming. I only ask, do you dare to receive my finger strike!


    One finger strike?


    All the Sky Dome Realm Martial Sages could not help but mutter in their hearts, Just one finger strike? This Xiao Chen might be overestimating himself.


    Could it be that Xiao Chen thinks that he can kill Sima Hong with one finger?


    This is too ridiculous. How old is Sima Hong, and how old is Xiao Chen? Even if we consider that Xiao Chen advanced to Martial Sage in the Kunlun Realm, making him much stronger than if he advanced in the Sky Dome Realm, how is this any different from a fantasy?


    Sima Hong¡¯s expression changed. He said coldly, ¡°Everyone, you all heard it. This is what he said himself. One finger strike to settle all grudges.¡±


    All the Martial Sages here on good terms with Sima Hong all spoke up to support him.


    ¡°Xiao Chen, a gentleman keeps his word. Since you said it, you cannot retract it anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Otherwise, if you become a Martial Emperor someday, losing your trustworthiness will become the stain of your life.¡±


    Xiao Chen¡¯s delicate face remained as calm as the water in an ancient well. He said serenely, ¡°Since I said one finger, then it will be just one finger. Sima Hong, all I ask is, do you dare or not?!¡±


    ¡°What a joke. If I do not even dare to receive one finger strike from you, then I, Sima Hong, would have lived so long for nothing.¡± Sima Hong did not show any fear. It was just one finger strike. At most he would suffer from some light injury. He, Sima Hong, was a peak Medial Grade Martial Sage.


    Xiao Chen smiled coldly to himself. Even at his deathbed, he is still so arrogant. He is truly a frog in a well, not knowing how vast the sky is outside.


    Xiao Chen activated the sovereign overlord¡¯s bloodline, and the three-hundred-odd Heavenly Sage Laws in his body flowed around like a river.


    ¡°Rumble¡­!¡± The surging energy in his body drew roars of thunder all around rumbling endlessly.


    The purple lightning talisman in his sea of consciousness spun quickly. The will of thunder infused into the Heavenly Sage Laws and surged towards his finger.


    In the time it took for a spark to fly, Xiao Chen extended his hand and pointed with only one finger. A strand of saber Qi shot out from his finger, and the rough shape of the ethereal saber soul in his sea of consciousness came out as well.


    Glowing with a charming light, the purple saber Qi contained Xiao Chen¡¯s will of thunder, ninety-percent-comprehended saber intent, and his three hundred Heavenly Sage Laws consisting of eighty percent lighting-attributed energy.


    First, an extremely resplendent purple light lit up on Xiao Chen¡¯s fingertip. Then, the purple light flashed. ¡°Ka ca! Ka ca!¡± The space in front of it instantly shattered into several tens of thousands of pieces, like a broken mirror.


    When Sima Hong saw that resplendent light, his heart immediately sank. He knew that he had made a grievous mistake, and was frightened ashen.


    Sima Hong¡¯s Heavenly Sage Laws quickly emerged from his body, and he hastily flashed hand seals with his hands, forming rings of light barriers before him to block this finger strike.


    There were quite a lot of Heavenly Sage Laws densely packed together¡ªat least five hundred of them. However, none of them was even as thick as a pinky finger.


    These Heavenly Sage Laws were far from comparable to those of Inferior Grade Martial Sages in the Kunlun Realm.


    ¡°Pu ci!¡±


    The purple saber Qi flashed, and Sima Hong¡¯s defense tore like paper, entirely ineffectual.


    A flash of crimson spurted out. The saber Qi pierced through Sima Hong¡¯s body. Then, his body burst into thousands of pieces, together with space. He died without an intact corpse.


    Xiao Chen shattered space with one finger strike. Sima Hong did not have the chance to let out even a pained moan.


    Xiao Chen drew back his hand. The space of the area before him, where the strand of saber Qi passed, had already splintered. Pieces of riven space scattered everywhere.


    Cold sweat poured down the foreheads of the other Martial Sages. Their eyes revealed indescribable horror.


    What kind of horrifying strength is this? Even a Medial Grade Martial Sage of the Sky Dome Realm could not put up any resistance before Xiao Chen.


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    In actual fact, it was not that Xiao Chen was too strong but that these Sky Dome Realm Martial Sages were too weak. Compared to the Kunlun Realm¡¯s Martial Sages, they were much weaker; it was like comparing mud and clouds.


    Furthermore, Xiao Chen comprehended the will of thunder, and his saber intent reached peak ninety percent comprehension, even showing a rough image of a saber soul.


    This finger strike might seem casual. However, it actually used close to eighty percent of Xiao Chen¡¯s strength. He had never intended to let Sima Hong live in the first place.


    More importantly, Xiao Chen used his finger strike as a threat to the other Martial Sages, deterring them from entertaining further thoughts about the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave.


    The scattered pieces of space started to mend themselves back slowly. Xiao Chen¡¯s aura dissipated as he said calmly, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve dealt with my private matters, let¡¯s continue with the actual business. It is not time for the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave to be open yet. Everyone, please return.¡±


    Xiao Chen had said similar words earlier. His tone and attitude had not changed at all.


    However, the effect this time was immediate. Most of them left shortly. They knew they had no other choice. This was obvious just by looking at the incomplete corpse of Sima Hong.


    Haha! This old man congratulates Brother Xiao Chen on obtaining the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave. This old man will definitely come and pay a personal visit to the Heavenly Saber Pavilion soon.


    A voice projection rang out in Xiao Chen¡¯s mind. It was from the Sect Master of the Sky Dome Realm¡¯s Supreme Sky Sect branch.


    Speechless, Xiao Chen smiled bitterly. Probably most people had not believed him when he said that it was not time to open the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave.


    However, Xiao Chen did not feel like explaining. He replied via voice projection, saying, Senior makes too much of it.


    All the Martial Sages slowly left. Soon, only Xiao Chen remained. Then, he sighed wordlessly. A round pearl emanating a piercing chill appeared in his hand; it was the dragon pearl that had been giving off light earlier.


    Xiao Chen, are you really not going to take a look at what is in the first-generation Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave? This Tianwu Emperor is a very mysterious person. It is not even certain that he is dead. Once we open the grave, everything will be clear, Ao Jiao said softly from within Immortal Spirit Ring.


    Xiao Chen glanced at the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave in the thicket of plants. Then he replied, ¡°Forget it. Since I already gave that old flood dragon my word, I should just help it fulfill its promise.¡±


    Earlier, when the dragon pearl was on the verge of exploding, even the hidden Xiao Chen was startled.


    Just as he prepared to use his full power to tear open space to escape, the dragon pearl flew over to his hand, surprising him tremendously. It turned out that a remnant of the old flood dragon¡¯s soul was still in the dragon pearl.


    The old flood dragon implored him to continue guarding the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave and not let anyone open it.


    Xiao Chen could not agree to that completely. He only could promise to do his best to protect the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave while he was in the Sky Dome Realm. After he left, he would be too far to help, unable to do anything.


    Fortunately, the old flood dragon was very direct and open-minded. If Xiao Chen did not have the time to protect the grave, then he just had to chop it apart and toss it into the void, completely destroying it.


    It was a remnant soul in the first place. So after it finished speaking, it ran out of energy and disappeared, leaving only this dragon pearl in Xiao Chen¡¯s hand.


    Xiao Chen stretched out his hand, and the Universe Flags appeared in his grasp. Then, he waved his hand, and the seventy-two flags shot out. He formed hand seals and prepared to set up a restriction to seal this place.


    ¡°Interesting. I did not expect that in the end, the Azure Emperor¡¯s descendant would be the one to protect the first-generation Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave. It seems like destiny truly exists.¡±


    A carefree voice resounded. Chu Chaoyun descended from the sky and arrived before Xiao Chen.


    Chu Chaoyun wore the clothes of the ancient Tianwu Dynasty. His expression today seemed extraordinarily solemn and respectful, entirely different from his usual carefree visage.


    Xiao Chen felt somewhat surprised at Chu Chaoyun¡¯s appearance. However, that was just for a moment. It was impossible that a descendant of the Tianwu Dynasty would not know about this.


    ¡°Do you want to open the Tianwu Emperor¡¯s grave? If so, then you will not be getting what you want.¡± Xiao Chen flipped his hand, and the Lunar Shadow Saber appeared.


    Chu Chaoyun¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. He stepped forward and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you wish to see if the first-generation Tianwu Emperor truly died? This is a secret that even I do not know.¡±


    Xiao Chen stared at Chu Chaoyun. The sharpness he unleashed formed a gentle wind, causing their clothes and hair to flutter. The Sea Monarch Headscarf on his head helped him remain calm.

 CH 4

    A sudden knock on the door gave Yin Zhao-an a jolt, waking her up from her daze. When she looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already 1:30 am, she felt that Tang Yu must''ve come home.


    "Where''s your computer, Brother Zhao?" Zhao Yu asked, poking his head through the entrance as soon as Yin Zhao-an opened the door. However, he quickly stood at attention and behaved obediently when he saw Yin Zhao-an rolling her eyes at him in annoyance.


    Yin Zhao-an poured a cup of water for Zhao Yu before sitting on the living room sofa by herself.


    Zhao Yu was a techno-geek, and he had a great interest in games, just like she did. The two of them had been friends since elementary school, so they knew everything there was to know about each other, sexual orientation excluded.


    "Where is Sister-in-... Cough. Is Big Sis Tang not home?"


    Zhao Yu almost choked on what he said. He had talked about this topic so frequently with Gao Rang in private that he nearly exposed his actions in front of the topic''s protagonist. Fortunately, he managed to change his wording before he made a blunder.


    "Her? She''s throwing a tantrum," Yin Zhao-an said, clicking her tongue. Then, she leaned her head against the sofa and continued, "She''s even hanging up my calls. Whatever. Who cares about her? She''ll come back once her anger subsides."


    Zhao Yu frowned when he heard Yin Zhao-an''s answer. Unable to help himself, he asked, "Wait, so you''re just going to let her stay outside by herself this late at night? Aren''t you worried something will happen to her?"


    How could Yin Zhao-an not worry? She had dialed Tang Yu''s phone so many times that her own phone was running out of power already. However, after moving her bangs aside, she feigned calmness and said, "She answered my call once. She should be fine."


    Zhao Yu frowned but did not say anything more.


    Yin Zhao-an could be considered a child ruler during elementary school. Since girls entered puberty earlier than boys, Yin Zhao-an, already very tall at the time, was incredibly protective of Tang Yu. Particularly, after the great changes that had taken place in Tang Yu''s family, Yin Zhao-an had rarely left Tang Yu''s side. As one of those greeted by Yin Zhao-an''s fists, Zhao Yu naturally became Yin Zhao-an''s underling, and he would often address her as Brother Zhao.


    Unfortunately, his Brother Zhao was incredibly dense in the head. Even though Yin Zhao-an was great at studying, she seemingly never noticed the love in Tang Yu''s eyes. As a bystander and a close friend of Yin Zhao-an, Zhao Yu would be lying if he said he wasn''t worried for the two girls'' future. However, Tang Yu didn''t seem keen to express her feelings, so Zhao Yu had no choice but to secretly ship the two girls together.


    ¡­


    "...Yes, I''m done, I''m done. I''m heading home now. Are you going to come to fetch me? Then¡­" Zhao Yu quietly responded to the person on the other end of the phone. Unfortunately, even t¡­

 CH 5

    Autumn Dubbing Club.


    Tap Water [Lead Actor] Has Tang-Tang not contacted you yet?


    Silent Rain [Planner] Not yet. I can''t get in touch with her for some reason.


    Ding Ding Dang Dang [Post Production] What should we do? The live broadcast room has already exploded. Good Medicine is about to crumble to the pressure.


    Ah Cha [Qin He] Someone''s already started to spread rumors about Sweet Sugar! Look, quickly!


    Subsequently, Ah Cha sent a screenshot into the group chat, the image showing a barrage of heated comments.


    Lord Changling''s Baseball Cap: I''m betting Sweet Sugar is getting arrogant after playing a role in a few big IPs. So many of us have taken time out of our day to come here, yet she decides not to show up just because she feels like it.


    Little Dolphin: That''s right, that''s right. What does she think of us hundreds of thousands of fans? Does she think she''s the main heroine of a novel? Does she think we''ll spoil her?


    Warm Cup of Sugar: You guys shut up. Something must have come up for Lord Sugar. Also, stop including other fans in your words. Not everybody''s like you.


    Silent Rain sat silently in front of her computer and rubbed her face irritably, her originally pinkish cheeks ravaged to the point of becoming red.


    At this time, a message notification appeared at the bottom right corner of the screen. It was a message from Good Medicine.


    Good Medicine: Still nothing, Little Rain? I''ve sung four songs already. At this rate, wouldn''t this broadcast end up as my one-man performance?


    Silent Rain: Sorry, sorry. I still can''t get in touch with Sweet Sugar. She''s already half an hour late. I''m guessing tonight''s birthday party is a no-go¡­


    Good Medicine: Let''s wait a little longer, then. We''ll have the guests come on first.


    Silent Rain: I guess we have no other choice.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an sat on the sofa in a daze. It was raining heavily outside, the dampness of the weather chilling her body.


    Yin Zhao-an hadn''t eaten lunch yet, so she ordered a food delivery. However, even though the food looked delicious, she didn''t have an appetite, packing the food and throwing it aside after taking only two bites. She originally thought Tang Yu would come home to make dinner, but Tang Yu never came home even until eight in the evening.


    Yin Zhao-an was greatly confused. Even if Tang Yu was throwing a tantrum, shouldn''t this be enough already? She was neither coming home nor picking up her phone. Since when did Tang Yu become so rebellious?


    The doorbell rang. Yin Zhao-an sprang out of the sofa without even putting on her house slippers and dashed for the door.


    Search Hosted Novel for the original.


    When Yin Zhao-an opened the door, a delivery guy covered in rainwater and wearing a customary smile entered her view. While holding up the exquisite box, the delivery guy said, "Hello. Are you Miss Tang? Here is the cake you ordered. Please sign for it!"


    Ca-Cake¡­


    After signing the receipt and accepting the cake with trembling hands, Yin Zhao-an stood fr¡­

 CH 6

    Cold¡­


    Tang Yu squeezed her eyelids and curled up her body. Her lips were purple and freezing to the touch, and her brain held heavy and incapable of thought.


    "Little Yu¡­"


    Who is it?


    "Little Yu."


    The indistinct voice hovered between near and fair. The voice''s owner sounded as if they were smiling, their gentleness causing her to subconsciously relax and spread her limbs. The familiar voice touched the thoughts hidden in the innermost part of her heart, thoughts that had long since become covered in dust.


    Mommy¡­


    Tang Yu opened her mouth slightly and muttered the form of address she hadn''t said in over a decade, drops of tears seeping out from her eyelids.


    A warm and soft hand gently wiped her face. Although the hand''s owner seemed to have said something, all she heard were muffled words.


    Am I dreaming¡­ But this touch feels so real¡­


    "Oh, my. Why did you cry all of a sudden, Little Yu? There, there, don''t cry."


    The voice entering Tang Yu''s ears suddenly cleared up. The white glow that blinded her vision also vanished, allowing her to see the person in front of her.


    Long black hair that softly rested on the shoulders. A pair of gentle eyes filled with a tinge of panic. A young face that normally wouldn''t be found on a married woman with a child.


    "Mommy¡­" Tang Yu''s eyes widened, tears pouring out of her eyes. Then, she reached out to grab Mother Tang''s sleeve in a panic, afraid that the woman would disappear in the next second.


    Mother Tang, also known as Yu Wanrou, grew confused when her daughter jumped into her arms while sobbing. Then, she looked toward Father Tang, Tang Zhengyang, for help.


    Tang Zhengyang was similarly confused by this situation. After faking a light cough, he looked toward his friend, Yin Changcheng, apologetically and explained, "Maybe she''s afraid of strangers¡­"


    Yin Changcheng waved his hand and laughed boldly in response. Then, he said, "Don''t worry about it. All kids are like that. She''ll stop being scared once she gets familiar with me."


    Yu Wanrou gently patted Tang Yu''s back and consoled her, "There, there, Little Yu. We are in Uncle Yin''s house. Everything''s fine."


    Tang Yu gradually calmed down. However, before she could stop sobbing, she suddenly felt her body rapidly rising into the air and stopping mid-air.


    While her heart pounded furiously, Tang Yu felt her back enveloped by a warm embrace. Then, she heard a voice coming from behind her:


    "Why did our Little Yu become a crybaby all of a sudden? Hm?"


    Tang Zhengyang rubbed his bristly chin against his daughter''s tender cheek, the area he rubbed instantly taking on a faint tinge of red. However, he quickly stopped what he was doing when he received a glare from his wife. Then, he stopped misbehaving and carried Tang Yu to the sofa.


    Tang Yu was stunned when she saw her stubby arms and legs. Then, disbelief colored her face when she waved her weak little legs.


    This¡­ Is this a dream?


    "Mom, I''m home!"


    A child wearing a thick down jacket suddenly opened the front door. The child had flushed cheeks, a pair of large glittering eyes, and a small red mouth that exhaled white air.


    Wang Zhen walked out of the kitchen with a plate of fruits. When she saw her daughter, still covered in snowflakes, she immediately berated, "You went and played with snow again, didn''t you? Don''t come crying to me if you fall sick."


    After setting the fruit plate on the coffee table, Wang Zhen looked at the Tang couple, feeling a little embarrassed as she said, "An-An is too playful. Your Little Yu is much more obedient. What a good girl she is."


    The parents of both families conversed happily. In the meantime, the girl called An-An quietly walked up to Tang Yu and scrutinized her. A moment later, An-An took a deep breath, her expression changing instantly as she extended a hand to the pondering Tang Yu. Then, with a look of expectation on her face, An-An said, "Hello, my name is Yin Zhao-an. Yin(Òü) is my father''s Yin, Zhao(Õ×) is the ''zhao'' in good omen(ºÃÕ×Í·), and An(°²) is the ''an'' in peace(ƽ°²). What is your name?"


    Tang Yu was in the middle of pondering over her situation when she saw a small and reddish hand appearing in front of her. Then, when she heard the self-introduction that followed, her heart instantly twisted in pain.


    Tang Yu''s tears fell uncontrollably again, her body instinctively cowering and retreating into her father''s embrace.


    Sensing the physical contact, Tang Zhengyang moved his attention away from the conversation and looked down in confusion. When he saw Tang Yu shivering and crying helplessly, he hurriedly picked up his daughter in his arms and asked, "What''s the matter? Why did you start crying again?"


    When Yin Changcheng saw the crying Tang Yu, he looked toward Yin Zhao-an and asked in confusion, "An-An, did you bully your Big Sister Tang Yu?"


    Yin Zhao-an shook her head, an aggrieved expression on her face as she said, "I didn''t bully Tang¡­ Tang¡­" Tang What''s-Her-Name. As Yin Zhao-an spoke, she started to feel even more aggrieved and began to show signs of sobbing. However, she quickly retracted her tears and kept her mouth shut when she received a glare from her mother.


    Seeing her daughter huddled in her husband''s arms, Yu Wanrou couldn''t bear it anymore as she said, "Big Sis Wang, Big Bro Yin, I think Little Yu is feeling out of sorts today. She might have fallen sick, so we''ll take her home for now and visit another time."


    Tang Zhengyang also apologized to the Yin couple as he stood up from the sofa with Tang Yu in his arms.


    It was the Yin husband and wife''s turn to feel awkward as they hurriedly said, "Nonsense. We should be the ones apologizing for not entertaining your family properly."


    Tang Yu, lying on Tang Zhengyang''s shoulder, quietly raised her eyes to look at Yin Zhao-an, standing still. Coincidentally, her eyes met with Yin Zhao-an''s reddened eyes, the sight frightening her and causing her to shrink back.


    Until she left the Yin family''s home, Tang Yu never looked at Yin Zhao-an again. This situation caused Yin Zhao-an, who had carefully adjusted her expression to say goodbye to Tang Yu, to feel an inexplicable sense of loss.


    After sending the Tang family away, Wang Zhen returned and pinched her brows as she sat on the sofa. Then, she pulled her daughter to her side and earnestly asked, "An-An, did you really not bully Little Yu?"


    With a sour nose, Yin Zhao-an said, "I really didn''t bully Tang¡­ Tang¡­" Tang What''s-Her-Name. After forcibly retracting her tears, she continued, "Tang-Tang. I didn''t bully Tang-Tang¡­"


    Wang Zhen''s eyes twitched a little. The only flaw her daughter had was her bad memory.


    "You''d normally refuse to play with other children even when we ask you, so what made you take the initiative this time?" Wang Zhen was very familiar with the nature of her daughter. The girl was livelier than even boys her age.


    While girls her age liked to play with other girls, Yin Zhao-an would refuse to do so, saying things like girls were too much trouble and would drag her feet, automatically ignoring the fact that she, too, was a girl.


    Yin Zhao-an scratched her head in embarrassment when she heard her mother''s question. Then, with reddened cheeks, she answered, "Because¡­ Because Tang-Tang is pretty."


    Tang Yu had glittering eyes, long eyelashes, and incredibly tender skin. Combined with her reddened eyes, she looked just like a small bunny. She was completely different from other girls who would dress up and look like colorful butterflies.


    Wang Zhen sighed when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s answer. She couldn''t believe her daughter would gain an appearance complex at such a young age. Who, exactly, did the girl learn this attribute from?

 CH 7

    If you want to go, go. Do you think I''ll beg you to come back?


    You''ve bothered me once already, yet you''re trying to do it again?


    We are Hosted Novel, find us on google.


    Stop annoying me!


    ¡­


    "I didn''t!"


    Tang Yu abruptly sprung up from the bed, her pinkish face covered with cold sweat and her small chest heaving violently.


    When she saw the room filled with dolls and princess-style d¨¦cor, it was only then that she remembered she had gone back in time to when she was seven.


    Tang Yu took a few deep breaths. However, those stinging words lingered in her mind incessantly, inflicting pain on her heart time and again.


    I won''t make the same mistake again¡­


    Tang Yu left her warm blanket and crawled toward her closet. She had long grown accustomed to moving in an adult body, so she had trouble adapting to a child''s body within a short time.


    "Oh? Did you wake up by yourself, Little Yu?" When Yu Wanrou opened the door and saw Tang Yu about to climb into the closet, she let out a small cry of surprise and quickly walked over to her daughter. Then, she carried her daughter back to the bed and wrapped the girl in her blanket. "You gave Mommy a scare when you came down with a fever two days ago. You still haven''t made a full recovery, so don''t burden your body."


    Tang Yu buried her face in the blanket, her eyes watering slightly. Then, she softly called out to her mother, causing Yu Wanrou, searching the closet for clothes, to turn around.


    After grabbing a set of cotton clothes, Yu Wanrou skillfully helped Tang Yu take off her coral-patterned fleece pajamas. When she noticed the embarrassed blush on her daughter''s cheeks, she teased, "So you know how to feel shy now that you''ve grown up, Little Yu?"


    After saying so, Yu Wanrou dotingly poked Tang Yu''s little nose and continued in a gentle voice, "But no matter how old Little Yu becomes, you will always be Mommy''s little baby."


    Tang Yu''s eyes reddened slightly when she heard these warm words. At the same time, her heart also ached when she recalled the large fire buried deep in her memories.


    Before Tang Yu''s tears could roll out of her eyes, Tang Zhengyang''s voice came from downstairs: "Wan''er, bring Little Yu down. Brother Yin is here."


    "Okay. We''ll be down in a minute," Yu Wanrou answered as she tied Tang Yu''s hair into pigtails. Then, she smoothed out the creases on her daughter''s dress, scrutinized her daughter''s appearance, and nodded in satisfaction. "My Little Yu is so pretty!"


    ¡­


    Snacks and refreshments were placed on the living room''s coffee table. Yin Zhao-an sat obediently on the sofa, her cotton shirt so thick that she had difficulty raising her arms. After struggling and failing to reach for the snacks, she quietly glared at her mother, chatting happily next to her. However, Wang Zhen quickly sensed the glare and responded with a glare of her own.


    Yin Zhao-an''s expression deflated. Her teacher told her all doctors were gentle like angels. However, that was a flat-out lie. Despite being a doctor, her mother behaved no differently than a tiger.


    While looking around gloomily, Yin Zhao-an came across a brightly colored sight that caused her heart to skip a beat.


    A pink cotton dress with a fur collar, the fabric thick but not bloated. Two pigtails tied with a red silk ribbon that represented joy and festivities. Upon seeing this sight, the first thought that came to Yin Zhao-an''s mind was that of a¡­ Mhm, a butterfly¡­


    Tang Yu''s somewhat reddened face was covered by the snow-white collar, for the most part, making her delicate face look even more endearing.


    Yin Zhao-an rubbed her sweaty hands against her shirt, her heart beating excitedly. Although Tang-Tang was dressed like a butterfly today, the other party was the best-looking butterfly she had ever seen.


    Yu Wanrou took a seat in the living room and smiled affectionately at Yin Zhao-an. Then, she patted Tang Yu''s back and said, "How about playing with your Little Sister An-An?"


    Yin Changcheng put his conversation with Tang Zhengyang on hold and looked at Tang Yu when he heard Yu Wanrou''s suggestion.


    Tang Yu hesitated. Although she had told herself not to have any more interactions with Yin Zhao-an in this life, their two families shared an incredibly close friendship. They also lived in the same military compound. So, it would be impossible for them to share zero interactions.


    When Wang Zhen noticed the two children''s hesitation, she pushed her cowardly little girl and said, "Go on. Go and play with your Big Sister Tang Yu. Make friends with each other."


    Her ferocious mother had spoken, so Yin Zhao-an sidled up to Tang Yu''s side with a blush on her face. Then, worried that she would make the older girl cry again like last time, she carefully extended a hand to Tang Yu and said. "Tang-Tang, let''s go and play."


    Tang Yu originally wanted to ignore the extended hand. However, her upbringing forbade her from behaving so rudely. So, she eventually succumbed to morality and placed her hand in the palm before her.


    Tang Yu felt incredibly uncomfortable, her hand feeling as if it were being baked in an oven the moment she touched Yin Zhao-an''s hand. All she wanted to do right now was to shake off Yin Zhao-an''s hand.


    Things were completely different on Yin Zhao-an''s side. Yin Zhao-an''s heart beat rapidly and excitedly, the excitement she currently felt similar to when she received a prize from her teacher at school. At the same time, she got to verify her assumptions of Tang-Tang''s hand being incredibly soft. On top of that, she found that Tang-Tang''s body radiated a sweet fragrance.


    The two held hands until they went upstairs into Tang Yu''s room and closed the door. Then, Tang Yu quickly separated from Yin Zhao-an, Yin Zhao-an''s hand maintaining a curved arc even after Tang Yu retracted her hand. As the warmth in her hand rapidly disappeared, Yin Zhao-an felt as if someone had just poured a bucket of cold water over her head, her excitement extinguished without warning.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]An example of Tang Yu''s dress:


    https://imgur.com/a/tYRNZYU

 CH 8

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    Tang Yu pursed her lips and sat down in front of her desk. She had to admit that treating the young and ignorant Yin Zhao-an with the mind of an adult was incredibly cruel. However, she would only be letting history repeat itself should she let the same relationship between them form.


    Her father had yet to go on that mission this time, and her mother had yet to break the law in search of revenge. Everything was still in its most beautiful state. The only thing she had to do now was to have her parents avert the impending disaster. No, she must do it¡­


    In the meantime, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but feel aggrieved. She might have a lively personality, but she was still nothing more than a seven-year-old child. This was the first time she had faced two consecutive rejections from someone her age. So, in an aggrieved and sobbing tone, she asked, "Do you not like me¡­ Is that why you don''t want to be friends with me."


    Tang Yu''s heart thumped. However, after hesitating for a moment, she answered:


    "Mhm."


    Yin Zhao-an was put into an awkward situation, not knowing what expression she should make after hearing Tang Yu''s blunt response. Despite feeling aggrieved inside, crying wasn''t her strong point. So, she feigned nonchalance and said, "F-Fine, then. But I cannot leave right now. Otherwise, my mom will think that I bullied you again."


    After saying so, Yin Zhao-an sat on the floor and stopped speaking. Then, the room fell silent.


    The silence continued for more than ten minutes. During this period, both girls remained seated in their positions. One sat before the study desk while the other sat on the floor, leaning against the bed.


    After another several minutes passed by, Tang Yu fiddled with a drawing book on the desk while sneaking a glance at the figure sitting on the floor behind her in a daze.


    "...Stop sitting on the floor. It''s cold."


    A voice broke the frozen atmosphere. Yin Zhao-an lifted her head in a daze and looked at the person who spoke, a happy smile immediately forming on her face. Then, she patted the nonexistent dust on her pants, sat on the nearby sofa, and said, "You''re so nice, Tang-Tang."


    Tang Yu maintained an expressionless face. Her mind, though, was filled with criticisms. This was how Yin Zhao-an was in her childhood. A few words and a piece of candy were enough to coax her out of a bad mood. It was also because of this personality that Tang Yu had found herself subconsciously wanting to rely on Yin Zhao-an¡­ However, if she never held such feelings for Yin Zhao-an, maybe the two of them would have different futures.


    The sunlight was projected on the desk through the light pink curtains, illuminating the poetry book that was spread out and reflecting every sentence and word in Tang Yu''s clear black eyes. Tang Yu''s long and slender eyelashes drooped slightly, covering the eyes that hid various thoughts.


    Sometime later, a gentle knock came from the door. Yin Zhao-an reached the door ahead of Tang Yu and opened it. Then, she greeted Yu Wanrou, who stood outside the room, the smile and shallow dimples on her face giving her a well-behaved look.


    Yin Zhao-an''s smile was very effective against Yu Wanrou. After crouching down and gently stroking Yin Zhao-an''s head, Yu Wanrou said, "An-An, your mother''s waiting for you downstairs." After saying so, Yu Wanrou turned to Tang Yu and continued, "Little Yu, you come down as well to see An-An off."


    "...Okay."


    ¡­


    The Yin family''s car drove away from the small courtyard, the lingering fumes in the air stimulating Tang Yu''s nose and giving her an urge to sneeze.


    Inside the car¡­


    "Just look at your Big Sister Tang Yu. Not only is she beautiful and delicate, but she''s also well behaved. Her only flaw is her quiet personality¡­ You, on the other hand, behave no differently than a monkey!" Wang Zhen berated Yin Zhao-an.


    Yin Zhao-an childishly covered her ears with both hands. However, she dared not refute her mother directly. Instead, she weakly responded by saying, "No matter how wonderful Tang-Tang is, she isn''t your daughter¡­"


    Wang Zhen immediately grew incensed when she heard her daughter''s rebuttal. "You don''t say? Had you been a boy, I would have set up an arranged marriage for you two immediately."


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    Arranged marriage?


    "What''s an arranged marriage?" Yin Zhao-an asked, showing a rare desire to learn for the first time in a long while.


    "An arranged marriage is an agreement made now for two children to get married once they grow up." As soon as Wang Zhen finished speaking, a disappointed expression appeared on her face. Then, when she saw the dazed look on her daughter''s face, she helplessly shook her head and said, "Nevermind. You''ll understand in the future."

 CH 9

    Ever since the awkward room-sharing situation, Tang Yu never saw Yin Zhao-an again. Although their families lived relatively close to each other, Tang Yu wasn''t an outdoor person. The sudden cold she caught recently also deterred her mother from encouraging her to leave the house.


    However, not meeting with Yin Zhao-an or going outside was the least of Tang Yu''s concerns right now.


    There were still two more years until her father would get killed while on duty. Tang Yu''s eyes would grow sore whenever she recalled this matter. She didn''t wish to experience the despair she felt back then for another time, so no matter what, she had to find a way to stop her father from going on the mission that was supposed to be a trap.


    But before that, there was something very important she needed to face¡ªschool.


    ¡­


    The classroom was extraordinarily noisy as children always had an inexhaustible supply of energy. A little boy tugged on a girl''s braid. Then, the girl, pretending to be ferocious, chased the little boy all over the classroom, bringing chaos and dust wherever they passed.


    At this time, a boy dressed in a small suit entered the classroom, instantly attracting the attention of many.


    Zhao Yu tugged at his somewhat tight collar as he slowly approached Tang Yu''s desk, his round face indicating that he must have had a satisfying holiday.


    Tang Yu propped up her chin in a daze. When a handful of brightly colored candies suddenly entered her vision, she couldn''t help but look up at the hand''s owner.


    Zhao Yu grinned a wide grin that revealed his pearly teeth, his smile at total odds with his dapper attire. "For you. Moved?"


    "..." Tang Yu quietly accepted the candies and put them away in her desk drawer. "Thank you."


    Zhao Yu rubbed his nose awkwardly when he received the indifferent response he had expected. Then, he laughed, turned around, and walked away.


    The head teacher was a woman in her forties wearing rimless glasses. She had a pair of eyes as sharp as a hawk behind the lenses. As soon as she walked in, the classroom instantly fell silent.


    "Class is in session. Get back to your seats and pay attention," the head teacher said as she nudged her glasses and scanned the classroom. After ensuring that there would be no more interruptions, she continued, "We have a new classmate joining our class today. Let''s welcome her with a round of applause."


    The children dutifully applauded. Along with the warm applause, a little girl with a bob cut stepped into the classroom with a bright red school bag on her back. The girl''s hair had covered most of the baby fat on her face, so she looked quite delicate at first glance.


    After seeing the girl enter, the teacher spread both hands and gestured for the class to quiet down. Then, once the applause stopped, the teacher said to the girl, "Come and introduce yourself."


    "Hello, everyone. I am Yin Zhao-yan. Yin(Òü) is the ''yin'' in Jing Zhaoyin[1](¾©Õ×Òü), Zhao(Õ×) is the ''zhao'' in Jing Zhaoyin(¾©Õ×Òü), and An(°²) is the ''an'' in Chang''an(³¤°²)."


    Yin Zhao-an''s introduction was loud, clear, and fluent. Unlike the average child her age, she did not stumble over her words, behave shyly, or squirm anxiously.


    Tang Yu instantly lost her cool and began to fidget in her seat when she first saw Yin Zhao-an. According to her memory, Yin Zhao-an should have joined the class next door. So, why was she here?


    However, Tang Yu grew speechless when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s subsequent introduction. Yin Zhao-an? How would a bunch of first graders know about Jing Zhaoyin? If Tang Yu were to describe Yin Zhao-an''s introduction with modern language, she would probably say that Yin Zhao-an was¡­a showoff?


    Suddenly, the teacher scanned the classroom and looked in Tang Yu''s direction, frightening Tang Yu. Then, to Tang Yu''s absolute dismay, the teacher said to Yin Zhao-an, "You can have the fourth row''s window seat. Don''t hesitate to come to me if you have any questions."


    "Thank you, Teacher."


    Tang Yu''s expression gradually sank, a cold feeling spreading in her heart. Was it¡­impossible to avoid Yin Zhao-an?


    Yin Zhao-an stuffed her backpack into her desk drawer and admired her perfect seat in satisfaction. If she were to look at the blackboard from her position, her line of sight would have to pass through the student seated in front of her. Meanwhile, the student seated in front of her was¡­naturally Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu spent the first period drowned in her own thoughts. The more she thought, the more annoyed she became. The unvarnished gaze staring at her back only made her feel even more uncomfortable.


    When Zhao Yu finished taking notes, he subconsciously turned around and just so happened to catch Tang Yu''s distracted look. So, he mischievously snatched the pencil out of Tang Yu''s hand, startling her.


    "What are you doing?!"


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Before Tang Yu could even react, a loud smack came from the desk behind her. Accompanying this smack was the ear-splitting sound of a wooden chair scraping against the concrete floor as Yin Zhao-an ran past Tang Yu and glared at the bewildered Zhao Yu.


    Before Zhao Yu could react to what was happening, a few of the spectating children nearby decided to add oil to the fire, shouting, "Someone''s fighting! Someone''s fighting!"


    Stunned and dumbfounded, Tang Yu watched as several children ran out of the classroom screaming at the top of their lungs.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]Jing Zhaoyin: an official in ancient China.


    [2]Chang''an: This is the traditional name of Xi''an, the capital of the Shaanxi Province in China. It can also be translated to mean "long-term peace."

 CH 10

    Zhao Yu and Tang Yu glared at each other amidst the noise. Even though Yin Zhao-an was a girl, her gaze was more lethal than Zhao Yu''s.


    Zhao Yu couldn''t help but be upset by this turn of events. He had seen people who couldn''t take a hint but never had he seen someone as dense as Yin Zhao-an. However, his pride as a boy prevented him from showing weakness. So, he angrily responded, "Why do you care about what I do?!"


    Seeing that a fight was about to break out, Tang Yu hurriedly snatched her pencil back from Zhao Yu''s hand. Then, she tugged on Yin Zhao-an''s arm and said in a low voice, "No."


    Although a fight between children would amount to nothing more than some hair-pulling and clothes-tugging, getting caught in the act by a teacher wouldn''t result in just a simple scolding. At that time, the parents of both sides would also be involved. And should they ask the two children the cause of their fight and learn that it started all because of her pencil¡­


    No, that''s too embarrassing! I can''t let that happen! Tang Yu thought with her head lowered.


    However, Tang Yu''s action of lowering her head with a pondering look created a completely different image in Yin Zhao-an''s mind. When Yin Zhao-an saw this scene, the first thought that came to her mind was: Oh no! Did I give Tang-Tang a scare?


    The two girls reached a consensus despite harboring completely different thoughts in their minds. After Yin Zhao-an obediently returned to her seat, she sent one last glare in Zhao Yu''s way outside Tang Yu''s view.


    Zhao Yu''s mouth twitched at this sight. However, after rolling his eyes at Yin Zhao-an and straightening his slightly wrinkled suit, he coldly snorted and returned to his seat, his mind thinking: Forget it. I shouldn''t bother with her. I am a person who should behave elegantly.


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    A short moment later, the head teacher walked into the classroom with a stern expression. Meanwhile, the boy guiding the way for her excitedly pointed at the trio and said, "Teacher! It''s them! They were fight¡­ing¡­"


    However, before the boy could finish his words, his voice quickly faded when two cold glares landed on him, and he couldn''t help but gulp anxiously.


    Following the boy''s fingers, the head teacher walked down the aisle and swept her gaze back and forth between Zhao Yu and Yin Zhao-an before asking, "Did you two fight?"


    "No," the two children answered simultaneously.


    "Really?"


    "Really." The two children remained unfazed.


    "Alright, then. But do try to get along with each other," the head teacher said as she nudged her glasses, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. Although she noticed the enmity between the two children, she pretended not to notice it. Immediately afterward, she put on a serious look again and raised her voice as she said to everyone in the classroom, "If any of you have any conflicts you cannot solve, you can ask your teachers for help. Do not fight in private, understood?"


    "Understood," the children in class responded lazily.


    The head teacher sighed when she heard her students'' disorganized response, but she didn''t try to pursue this matter further. After giving the table-staring trio a long look, she turned around and left the classroom.


    When the other students saw nothing exciting happening, they scattered like birds and returned to their seats. As for the boy who had excitedly brought the head teacher to the class, he had disappeared to who knows where.


    Tang Yu pursed her lips, making it obvious that she didn''t wish to talk. Yin Zhao-an did not dare to disturb Tang Yu, either, so she silently lied on her desk and secretly observed Tang Yu.


    I can still feel her gentle touch on my arm¡­ Well, not really. Yin Zhao-an giggled quietly. Does this mean Tang-Tang is willing to be friends with me?


    ¡­


    The sun was about to set when classes ended. The world was shrouded in the light of dusk, stretching the shadows of three small figures who were making their way home.


    "Why do you keep following us?!"


    "Who do you think you are? Why would I follow you?"


    "Then, stop taking the same road as us!"


    "Your family doesn''t own this road, so what if I walk on it?"


    Tang Yu quietly walked in front with her backpack, cold sweat covering her forehead. The two people behind her had not stopped taunting each other since classes ended. She never knew children could bicker for so long.


    The military compound was just ahead, yet the trio continued walking on the same path. Noticing this, Yin Zhao-an''s complexion changed time and again. Eventually, she stopped Zhao Yu and reminded him, "Hey, the military compound is just ahead. Are you sure you want to keep following us?"


    However, Zhao Yu simply smirked and elegantly rolled his eyes at Yin Zhao-an. Then, he strode forward before greeting the soldier on duty at the guard post. After the soldier greeted him back, he turned around and grinned at Yin Zhao-an, only to wear an expression of indifference a second later.


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyelids twitched at this sight.

 CH 11

    "That person is sick in the head, Tang-Tang. Let''s ignore him," Yin Zhao-an said, huffing. She huffed so strongly that even the soft bangs on her forehead were blown up slightly, her behavior not at all elegant.


    Tang Yu was familiar with Zhao Yu''s personality, so she didn''t find the boy''s behavior. Instead, she walked straight toward the military compound.


    "I didn''t know that person was also living in the compound, Tang-Tang. Why haven''t I seen him before? I should visit him someday," Yin Zhao-an said while walking next to Tang Yu, her mind coming up with ideas on how she should deal with the arrogant bastard. "Let''s make it this weekend, then. I saw him going south, so he should be living in your area, Tang-Tang. I''ll also come to play with you."


    Noisy¡­ Tang Yu hastened her footsteps. However, Yin Zhao-an simply took this as Tang Yu wanting to return home sooner, so she similarly hastened her footsteps while prattling on about how she would prank the detestable boy named Zhao Yu.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu felt her hand getting pulled. The unexpected physical contact stunned her for a few seconds. Then, she stopped walking, and the emotional fluctuations on her face instantly disappeared.


    Yin Zhao-an scratched her hair in embarrassment when she saw Tang Yu turning to her, her cheeks becoming a little red. Then, like a chirping bird, she hesitantly said, "That¡­ My house is this way, Tang-Tang¡­"


    Yin Zhao-an pointed north after saying so. Tang Yu lightly nodded in response, indicating that she knew Yin Zhao-an''s house was located on the opposite route from her house.


    "Can¡­ Can we go to school together tomorrow?" After asking this question, Yin Zhao-an immediately faked a casual laugh, "Ahahaha¡­ Well, aren''t we classmates? It''ll be more convenient if we go to school together¡­right¡­" The more Yin Zhao-an spoke, the softer her voice became, and the weaker her confidence grew. "...Can we?"


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Tang Yu''s hands, hidden in her pockets, gradually balled up as she realized that things were developing in a direction outside of her control. During her previous life, although Yin Zhao-an was protective of her, it wasn''t to a point where they would go to and leave school together. Things had only changed after that disastrous fire and when she moved in with the Yin family.


    "Okay."


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes gradually brightened when she heard Tang Yu''s reply, very surprised that she didn''t get rejected. She also couldn''t help but feel delighted with herself, her mind thinking, See how great I am? No matter how cold this little friend is, she still became my friend in the end.


    If Wang Zhen knew about Yin Zhao-an''s thoughts, she would definitely take out their family heirloom¡ªthe feather duster, and greet her daughter with it from all directions while saying: Little friend? Tang Yu is six months older than you! You should be calling her ''Big Sister!''


    "You should hurry home, then, Tang-Tang. It''s going to get dark soon," Yin Zhao-an said to Tang Yu with the look of a caring mother on her face.


    "..." Tang Yu looked away uncomfortably. Those eyes of Yin Zhao-an''s were too pristine, never polluted by the world''s taint. She, on the other hand...was riddled with scars and bruises, and she had long since lost the qualifications for innocence.


    Yin Zhao-an stood in place as she watched Tang Yu tread home, step after step, all the while the setting sun in the west cast its afterglow on Tang Yu''s lonely back and stretched her shadow across the street. Eventually, the street became empty as the solitary world devoured that little figure.


    A gust of evening wind blew by, causing Yin Zhao-an to shudder and subconsciously bury her chin into the white fur collar of her jacket. When her freezing cheeks regained a little warmth, she looked left and right, failing to see any other pedestrians around. Tang Yu''s figure had also long disappeared.


    After making a few mental remarks about how she was able to fall into a daze while standing in the middle of a street, Yin Zhao-an wobbled home in an unladylike manner.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Yin Zhao-an wiped her runny nose with a tissue, the top of her nose becoming bright red after being ravaged multiple times. Mist that was just as white as the tissue would also come out of her mouth whenever she exhaled.


    "S-So cold... Why isn''t Tang-Tang here yet?" Yin Zhao-an muttered to herself as she trotted in place.


    Many children started to make their way to school at this time. Some of these children snickered when they saw Yin Zhao-an standing in place like a fool, while some, who were Yin Zhao-an''s playmates, greeted her enthusiastically and asked, "Why aren''t you going to school, Yin Zhao-an?"


    "I''m waiting for someone."¡ªwas the reply Yin Zhao-an gave whenever someone asked her this question. Unfortunately, the person she was waiting for refused to show up, and this situation led to a myriad of thoughts appearing in her mind.


    Could she have fallen sick? Tang-Tang''s body looks very weak. Yes. she must have fallen sick¡­


    Could¡­Tang-Tang have been kidnapped? No, no. There''s no way such a crazy incident would happen in the compound¡­


    In that case¡­


    "An-An?!"


    This voice!


    A chill crawled down Yin Zhao-an''s back. Before her brain could even think of a response, her body had already started to move in an attempt to flee from the voice. Even then, Yin Zhao-an was too slow to make her escape as the voice''s owner had already grabbed the back of her collar.

 CH 12

    Wang Zhen grabbed the back of her daughter''s collar as if she was picking up a little chick. Then, with a look of suspicion, she asked, "What are you doing? Shouldn''t you be going to school? What are you idling here for?"


    After pushing her mother''s claw away with her trembling hands, Yin Zhao-an put on an aggrieved face as she answered, "I''m waiting for someone."


    In response to Yin Zhao-an''s answer, the screen of a mobile phone appeared before her, and the several numbers displayed on the screen mercilessly mocked her. Yin Zhao-an sniffled her reddened nose when she saw the numbers, and she turned to Wang Zhen with a pitiful look.


    "Fine, fine. I''ll drop you off at school, but if this happens again, I won''t care about you even if you''re late." Wang Zhen helplessly shook her head and led her daughter, who currently looked pitiful like an abandoned puppy, to the scooter she parked nearby.


    ¡­


    After barely making it to school before the first bell rang, Yin Zhao-an grew depressed when she saw Tang Yu reading a book in the classroom.


    Sure enough, Mom is right¡­ Tang-Tang did go to school by herself¡­


    Yin Zhao-an''s thoughts started to run wild after she sat down and rested her head on the table.


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    Why did Tang-Tang leave without me? Didn''t we promise to go to school together yesterday? Why¡­


    "Yin Zhao-an! Yin Zhao-an? Wake up¡­ Her forehead is burning¡­ Did she catch a fever? I should take her to the infirmary first."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an woke up with her ears buzzing and her eyelids feeling heavy. A chaotic noise also incessantly rang deep in her mind, the noise getting louder and louder as its source got closer and closer¡­ Who''s talking?


    "...Save me."


    "I was wrong¡­ Save me¡­"


    "An-An!!"


    Yin Zhao-an abruptly sat up from her bed, her morbidly flushed face covered in sweat. Wang Zhen, who was in the midst of wiping her daughter''s sweat, was given a fright. Hurriedly, she sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Yin Zhao-an to comfort the little girl:


    "It''s alright; it''s alright. Don''t be scared. Mommy is here. Did you have a nightmare?"


    The shrill cry in her dream lingered in her ears. Despite how fearless Yin Zhao-an normally behaved, this time, she broke into tears as she returned her mother''s embrace. "Mommy, I''m scared... I''m scared..."


    The pain in her heart and the suffocating space in her dream left Yin Zhao-an at a loss. The shrill cry in her dream felt like a prank made by a grievous soul sticking to her ear.


    Wang Zhen''s heart ached when she saw her daughter''s state. At this time, she realized that even though Yin Zhao-an normally behaved as if she were a boy, she was still a child at the end of the day.


    After Yin Zhao-an was done venting her emotions, Wang Zhen gently caressed her head and grabbed a fresh set of clothes she had set aside at the end of the bed. "There, there. Everything''s alright now. Let''s get you changed out of these soaked clothes first, okay? Look at all the sweat you''re covered in."


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an changed into a dry and warm set of clothes, her fear subsided a little. Even so, she still felt a little insecure, so she quickly shrunk back into her quilt and revealed a pair of eyes that had reddened from sobbing.


    "Mommy¡­ Did a ghost come to find me because I did something bad..."


    Wang Zhen, who was in the midst of portioning the cold medicine, paused. Then, looking at her fragile daughter with a tender gaze, she said, "An-An wants to become someone who protects others, right?"


    Yin Zhao-an nodded.


    "That settles it, then. How can someone who wants to protect others do bad things?" After saying so, Wang Zhen finished filling the measuring cup with the cold medicine. Then, after testing the warmth of a cup of warm water, she handed the medicine and water to her daughter and said, "Here, drink this, and you''ll get well in no time, An-An. Then, you''ll be able to protect others."


    Yin Zhao-an moved her body and got out from under her quilt. Then, she obediently took the cold medicine and gulped it down, the medicine''s bitterness causing her to nearly break out into tears again.


    The cold medicine quickly started working, and Yin Zhao-an felt her mind growing drowsy. However, just when she was about to snuggle back under her quilt, she heard her father''s voice coming from downstairs:


    "Ah Zhen, An-An''s classmate is here to see her."


    Holding her daughter''s soaked clothes in her arms, Wang Zhen responded to her husband, "Have that classmate wait downstairs for a bit. I''ll be down in a moment.''


    "Don''t!" Yin Zhao-an suddenly grabbed Wang Zhen''s sleeve, her eyes carrying a hint of hope. Then, in a slightly hoarse voice, she said, "Let her come up."


    Wang Zhen frowned at her daughter''s request. Revealing a worried look, she said, "You should be resting right now. Not to mention, aren''t you worried you''ll pass your fever to your friend?"


    Wang Zhen felt the hand grabbing onto her sleeve gradually loosening. Then, she sighed helplessly as she watched Yin Zhao-an shrink back under the quilt. Her daughter didn''t even know which of her classmates was downstairs, so what was the girl getting all excited for?


    As soon as the bedroom door closed, Yin Zhao-an''s thoughts immediately started to wander. In reality, she had no idea who was visiting her. However, she deceived herself into believing that the person downstairs must be Tang-Tang. Her mind could even picture Tang-Tang obediently standing downstairs and waiting for her.


    Unfortunately¡­


    ¡­


    "Auntie, here is the homework for today and tomorrow. Our teacher asked me to deliver it here," a girl wearing a ponytail said as she handed some papers and workbooks to Wang Zhen.


    Wang Zhen thanked the little girl and briefly scrutinized the other party. The girl had a pair of red and pretty cheeks, and she was quite a lovely sight. However, Wang Zhen had never seen the little girl before, so she asked, "What is your name, little girl?"


    "My name is Li Yiru. I am the monitor of Yin Zhao-an''s class," the little girl politely answered Wang Zhen. Then, after glancing at the children''s watch on her wrist, she said to Wang Zhen, "I''ll be going back first, then, Auntie. Goodbye."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu, doing her homework, suddenly sneezed, causing the pencil in her hand to draw a rough curve on her notebook. With physiological tears in her eyes, she wondered, Is someone cursing me?

 CH 13

    Tang Yu went to school today as usual. However, when she saw a small figure standing at the crossroad, an unknown sense of guilt briefly appeared in her heart. Subconsciously, she clenched her little hands hidden in her pockets. However, just as she was about to lower her head and pretend as if she didn''t see anything, Yin Zhao-an noticed her.


    "Tang-Tang!" Yin Zhao-an called out to Tang Yu as she ran up to the latter. Then, after briefly turning away to let out a few coughs, Yin Zhao-an looked at Tang Yu with indescribable joy coloring her face as she said, "I thought you went ahead without me on purpose last time, but it turns out you went to school this early!"


    Tang Yu noticed Yin Zhao-an had grown skinnier after resting at home for a few days, so it would seem that Yin Zhao-an''s fever was quite serious. However, after hesitating for a moment, Tang Yu lowered her head and walked forward without saying a word.


    Yin Zhao-an''s expression turned gloomy at this sight. She felt as if something was stuck in her throat, and her heart was overwhelmed by a feeling of sadness.


    "Come on. Let''s go to school."


    A voice without any intonation came from ahead. When Yin Zhao-an heard this voice, her heart rate accelerated, and her eyes were practically glowing.


    "O-Okay!" Yin Zhao-an replied. If she had a canine''s tail, it would most certainly be wagging left and right excitedly right now.


    Tang Yu held up a hand to her forehead, feeling a little distressed.


    Tang Yu felt as if a large dog was following her. The other party''s strong presence made it impossible for her to ignore. For a moment, Tang Yu couldn''t help but wonder if she had made the right decision to concede.


    ¡­


    It was early in the morning when Yin Zhao-an woke up. The sky was gray, and the air was chilly.


    After putting on a long coat, Yin Zha-an got out of bed and poured herself a glass of warm water from the jug placed on the desk. Her bedroom window faced the courtyard outside, and through it, she saw a figure moving outside in the darkness.


    ...


    Yin Changcheng wore only a simple shirt as he practiced his military martial arts. He had been training for some time now, so his body was already covered in sweat. While he was enjoying the feeling of his muscles and bones waking up, he was given a fright by his daughter, who had suddenly appeared before him.


    Yin Changcheng first looked at the sky suspiciously. Judging by the color, it should indeed be five in the morning. Then...was Yin Zhao-an sleepwalking?


    While Yin Changcheng pondered if he should call his wife over to take a look, Yin Zhao-an suddenly said, "Dad, I want to learn how to fight."


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes in the darkness glowed with a burning resolution, and her face carrying baby fat was taut. It looked like she wouldn''t back down from her request no matter what.


    This situation stumped Yin Changcheng. He was aware that his daughter was different from the daughters of other families. Other girls her age liked playing with Barbie Dolls and pretending to be princesses, while his daughter liked playing with toy cars and invading the homes of birds.


    "Why do you want to learn how to fight?" Yin Changcheng asked as he wiped his sweaty face with a towel. Then, he picked up his military coat from the ground and tossed it onto Yin Zhao-an, covering the girl with it.


    After putting on the military coat, Yin Zhao-an earnestly said, "I have someone I want to protect."


    "Pfft!" Yin Changcheng couldn''t help but laugh out loud. However, after receiving his daughter''s death glare, he quickly restrained his wild laughter. "What? You say you have someone you want to protect? Are you sure it''s not because you want to win fights more easily?"


    "No," Yin Zhao-an hurriedly denied her father''s allegation. "I don''t need any martial arts to fight with others. I really, really want to learn how to fight so that I can protect the people I want to protect."


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    "...No. Your mother will kill me if she finds out," Yin Changcheng said, scratching the back of his head. Between teaching and getting killed by his wife, it only took him two seconds to make up his mind. Naturally, his life was more important.


    "Dad!!"


    Yin Changcheng was given another fright when he felt his thigh being hugged. Then, looking at his daughter, who was looking at him with a pitiful face, he said, "What are you doing? Get off me! Hurry up, or I''ll call your mother!"


    "Dad, just teach me! I can wake up early to practice martial arts. I can also go on five-kilometer runs with you. I''ll do whatever you say. We can do practice in secret without letting Mom know, okay?" Yin Zhao-an asked as sincerely as possible while using all of her strength to hug her father''s leg. She also looked at her father with her big, watery eyes that conveyed her strong desire.


    "..." Yin Changcheng looked at the sky helplessly. After hesitating for a moment, he eventually caved and said, "Fine. But if your mother finds out, be sure to say that you forced me to teach you! Don''t even think of pushing the blame onto me!"


    "Okay, Dad! Thank you, Dad!"

 CH 14

    "...Morning," Yin Zhao-an greeted Tang Yu with weary eyes. She even let out a big yawn after her greeting, physiological tears pooling up in her eyes.


    Tang Yu subconsciously stiffened when she felt the additional weight on her shoulder. Immediately afterward, she felt Yin Zhao-an''s short hair rubbing against her bare neck and Yin Zhao-an''s arms wrapping around her waist.


    Tang Yu noticed that Yin Zhao-an''s mental state was in terrible shape recently. Yin Zhao-an would always wear an exhausted look on her face these past few days, and the girl would hardly pay attention in class, always dozing off in the middle. Before, Yin Zhao-an still knew how to maintain a certain distance from her. Now, though, Yin Zhao-an had essentially transformed into a koala that always clung to her¡­


    Several times Tang Yu deliberately changed the time she went to school. However, no matter the time she chose to go to school, she always saw Yin Zhao-an waiting for her by the military compound''s entrance. Even when they were running late, she had never seen Yin Zhao-an leave without her. Instead, Yin Zhao-an waited until she showed up, ran up to her, and ran to school with her. The last time she deliberately left home at a late hour, Yin Zhao-an even said to her the following: "Tang-Tang, if you can''t wake up next time, how about I go to your house to wake you up?"


    ¡­


    Even when they were close to reaching their school, Yin Zhao-an still showed no intentions of letting go of Tang Yu. Eventually, Tang Yu couldn''t bear it any longer and stabbed Yin Zhao-an with her elbow, causing the koala girl to gasp in pain and let go of her.


    However, when Tang Yu saw the pale look on Yin Zhao-an''s face, she couldn''t help but panic. I didn''t use much strength just now, so why¡­


    "I''m fine¡­" Yin Zhao-an waved at Tang Yu and forced a soothing smile as she bent down her body a little. "You go to class first. I''ll rest here for a bit..."


    Tang Yu stared at Yin Zhao-an, her expression turning serious when she saw that there was clearly something wrong with Yin Zhao-an.


    Yin Zhao-an wanted to persuade Tang Yu to go ahead without her again, but she saw Tang Yu walking into the school before she could do so.


    Yin Zhao-an''s forced smile gradually crumbled, a hint of loneliness appearing on her face. Then, holding her aching ribs, she moved to a nearby stone bench and sat down.


    Yin Zhao-an had to admit that Tang Yu''s panicked reaction just now moved her heart. If Tang Yu had chosen to stay with her, the pain her body experienced might not have felt as bad. Unfortunately, Tang Yu didn''t stay with her. Although she had known this would be the result, she still couldn''t help but feel disappointed...


    Lowering her head dejectedly, Yin Zhao-an waited for her ribs to stop aching.


    "Come with me for a bit."


    Suddenly, a pair of bright leather shoes appeared in Yin Zhao-an''s vision, and a mellow voice came from above her. Yin Zhao-an lifted her head, a look of disbelief appearing on her face when she saw Tang Yu, who had already dropped off her schoolbag somewhere, standing in front of her while holding something in her hand.


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    Meanwhile, after saying her piece, Tang Yu turned around and walked into the school again. However, when she noticed the slow walking speed of the girl behind her, she deliberately slowed down her gait.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw the big sign with the "WC" logo a short distance ahead, she quickly guessed what Tang Yu would do next, and she couldn''t help but hesitate. She had many injuries covering her body, and she couldn''t help but worry that Tang-Tang would get frightened by them.


    "Hurry up," Tang Yu urged.


    "Ah, I''m coming."


    After stepping into the restroom, Yin Zhao-an felt a hand grabbing her and holding her steady. Immediately afterward, she felt her abdomen getting exposed to the cold air, and the intense gaze she sensed on her abdomen made her blush. She was so embarrassed by this situation that she even stammered when she spoke: "T-Tang Tang, don''t you have to go to class?"


    "I asked for leave from the monitor," Tang Yu said, the frown on her face deepening when she saw the patches of blue and purple covering Yin Zhao-an''s fair skin. Then, she couldn''t help but look up and narrow her eyes on a certain someone who was feeling guilty.


    Yin Zhao-an shuddered and moaned a little when the icy cold ointment was gently applied to her bruises. When Tang Yu saw and heard this reaction, a blush formed on her face, the blush reaching all the way to the tips of his ears.


    Tang Yu took a deep breath. She knew she was overthinking things, so she quickly reigned in her thoughts from running wild. Then, she started applying the ointment with much greater speed.


    If it wasn''t for the little jab she did just now stirring her guilt, she wouldn''t have cared about this fellow''s wellbeing!


    After Tang Yu was done applying the ointment, she handed the remaining ointment to Yin Zhao-an and went to wash her hands at the sink. Then, she left the restroom without a word, leaving Yin Zhao-an dazedly standing in the restroom with a warm tube of ointment in her hand.


    ...


    Outside the restroom, Tang Yu gradually pursed her lips as she looked at the hand she used to apply ointment for Yin Zhao-an...


    Can''t we just be strangers?!

 CH 15

    Two years quickly passed amidst Tang Yu''s daily regrets and Yin Zhao-an''s gradual rise to becoming the military compound''s king of children. Throughout these two years, Tang Yu also grew more and more uncommunicative.


    However, in the eyes of children, being uncommunicative was equivalent to being an introvert, and being an introvert meant being an easy target for bullying. Meanwhile, being an easy target for bullying meant...


    ...


    Tang Yu''s eyelashes trembled slightly as she stood in her noisy classroom, the shadow cast by her eyelashes covering the storm that was brewing in her dark eyes.


    The desk in front of her was colored into a mess with oil pastels, words such as "ugly" and "mute" mixed among the colorful lines and patterns. Her schoolbag in her drawer had also gone missing. If it weren''t for the malicious graffiti, she would have assumed she had misplaced her schoolbag, but¡­


    They''re only children¡­ They''re only children who don''t know any better¡­ Tang Yu mentally reminded herself as she walked to the dustbin at the back of the classroom. This wasn''t the first time she had experienced such a situation, so she didn''t hesitate in selecting her destination. Then, after arriving at the dustbin, she picked up her pink schoolbag. Only, the schoolbag wasn''t exactly pink now since shoeprints densely decorated it.


    The books and pencils that should have been in the schoolbag were also scattered in the dustbin as if they were abandoned orphans.


    When Tang Yu quietly bent down to recover her books and stationery, the sound of jeering came from her surroundings.


    "Quick, look! The little mute is picking up trash!"


    "Yuck! How dirty! I can''t believe she''s digging through the dustbin!"


    "Hey, are you a beggar?"


    Nevermind, nevermind. Stay calm, Tang Yu mentally consoled herself.


    "Hey, we''re talking about you here! Don''t tell me you''re deaf as well?"


    Don''t get angry¡­ Don''t get angry¡­


    "Could your mother be¡ª"


    That''s it!


    Tang Yu slammed the book in her hand into the face of the boy trying to insult her mother. In response, the boy groaned in pain before angrily shoving Tang Yu to the ground.


    Tang Yu could see an obvious red mark on the boy''s face. However, she didn''t feel guilty in the slightest. Do you think you''re the only one who''s a child? Do you think only you brats are allowed to bully me?!


    The several people gathered around Tang Yu had obviously come prepared to teach her a lesson. Despite their young age, every one of them had the look of a bully.


    However, Tang Yu wasn''t afraid of them. After all, her mental age was over 20 years old, so it was a piece of cake for her to take care of a few pesky brats.


    Just when Tang Yu was about to start a fight with them, someone pulled her up from the ground and shielded her with their body. When Tang Yu saw the tall and large body in front of her, she couldn''t help but experience a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    "What? You guys want to fight?" Yin Zhao-an asked menacingly, the fierce look in her eyes causing the several children, who were shorter than her, to take a few steps back out of fear.


    "L-Let''s just forget about this," one of the more timid children said to the other children.


    After the first person caved, the others naturally caved as well, none daring to take the initiative to suffer Yin Zhao-an''s wrath.


    "We never wanted a fight. We were just fooling around."


    After the children said so, they quickly ran out of the classroom, going who knows where.


    "Are you alright, Tang-Tang?" Yin Zhao-an immediately turned around to check Tang Yu''s condition.


    When Tang Yu looked at Yin Zhao-an''s tall frame, she couldn''t help but wonder what the other party ate to get so big. Even though she was a few months older than Yin Zhao-an, the latter had outgrown her significantly these past two years...


    As for Yin Zhao-an''s question, Tang Yu simply stayed quiet and shook her head.


    Yin Zhao-an''s mouth twitched at Tang Yu''s response. However, she already knew she wouldn''t get a verbal answer from Tang Yu, so she didn''t delve too deeply into the matter. Instead, she crouched down and helped Tang Yu pick up her scattered books. Then, she asked, "Where''s your seat, Tang-Tang?"


    Tang Yu blinked a few times before snapping out of her daze. Then, she pointed to her seat, completely forgetting what kind of torture her desk had been subjected to.


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    When Yin Zhao-an arrived in front of Tang Yu''s desk, her body trembled slightly with anger, and her hands holding Tang Yu''s books clenched up tightly. Her eyes also turned bloodshot, looking as if they were trying to stare a hole through the desk.


    Tang Yu quickly realized she had messed up when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s abnormal behavior. Sure enough, Yin Zhao-an strode to her in the next second with a distressed look on her face. Then, Yin Zhao-an grabbed her shoulders and demanded, "How long?"


    "..." Tang Yu had trouble answering Yin Zhao-an''s question, but if she had to hazard a guess, the bullying had probably started as soon as the two of them were assigned to different classes? After all, the bullying had started at a mild level and ramped up gradually, so she didn''t really notice she was getting bullied until it started to affect her directly.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Yin Zhao-an grew furious when she saw Tang Yu''s dazed and ignorant appearance. Although she liked the silly temperament Tang Yu would occasionally show, that didn''t mean she wanted her Tang-Tang to be silly to the point of staying silent about getting bullied!


    What other reason could there be? Isn''t it because I don''t want to get involved with you? Tang Yu looked away and pulled Yin Zhao-an''s hands off her shoulders. Then, she walked around Yin Zhao-an, pulled out a tissue and a thermos from her schoolbag, and started cleaning up the mess on her table.


    Yin Zhao-an reluctantly took a few deep breaths. Then, she snatched the wet tissue out of Tang Yu''s hand, pulled Tang Yu aside, and resignedly wiped the graffiti on Tang Yu''s desk.


    Tang Yu fell into a daze when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s actions. If she didn''t reincarnate with regrets, she wouldn''t have hesitated to fall for such a Yin Zhao-an again...

 CH 16

    By the time Yin Zhao-an finished tidying Tang Yu''s desk, the sky outside had already darkened.


    After putting Tang Yu''s book into her schoolbag, Yin Zhao-an picked up the schoolbag and walked out of the classroom.


    The lights out on the street had already come on. Tang Yu stepped on her own shadow as she walked forward. Occasionally, she would lift her head to look at the person silently walking in front of her before quickly lowering her head again. Throughout this time, her right hand was squeezing a stress ball in her pocket, the stress ball being something she had bought a long time ago.


    Why does it feel like I''m the one in the wrong here? Tang Yu inwardly complained. Normally, she would be the one walking in front while Yin Zhao-an would follow closely behind her¡­


    After walking for a little longer, Tang Yu no longer wished to continue walking. For reasons known by only herself, she stood motionless as she watched the person in front of her walk away.


    Three seconds later, though, Yin Zhao-an stopped walking. However, Yin Zhao-an did not turn around, so Tang Yu could only guess what expression was on Yin Zhao-an''s face.


    Silence. Deathly silence.


    Tang Yu inexplicably shrank back, suddenly feeling a little scared. Then, she subconsciously walked up to Yin Zhao-an''s side with hasty steps, grabbed her schoolbag from Yin Zhao-an, and softly said with a guilty conscience, "I''m hungry, so I''m going home first."


    Okay, Tang Yu had to admit she was scared. Perhaps it was because of her habit from her previous life, but whenever she saw Yin Zhao-an going silent with a cold expression on her face, she would subconsciously wonder if she had done something wrong. Then, she would try every means she could think of to make Yin Zhao-an happy, even if it turned out that she had done nothing wrong in reality.


    Now, though, Tang Yu felt that the best move to make would be to stay as far away from the current Yin Zhao-an. There was no way she would try to coax Yin Zhao-an in this life...


    "Ah!"


    However, Tang Yu let out a surprised cry before she could make her escape. Then, she subconsciously took a few steps back as she looked at Yin Zhao-an, who had snatched her schoolbag away once again, with a terrified look on her face and her heart beating rapidly.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t expect Tang Yu to show such a huge reaction, so she couldn''t help but be momentarily stunned. But after she adjusted her expression, she walked up to Tang Yu and sincerely apologized, "I''m sorry for keeping you hungry."


    Tang Yu: ???


    "I''ll carry your bag, so let''s go home together," Yin Zhao-an said as she slung the dirty schoolbag over her shoulder, placing it right next to her own black schoolbag.


    However, Yin Zhao-an did not move even after she finished speaking. It was obvious that she wanted to let Tang Yu go first, and Tang Yu naturally noticed the girl''s intentions. Although Tang Yu didn''t show any reactions on the surface, inwardly, she was freaking out.


    Bastard! I don''t want to walk in front of you and be watched by you!


    After reaching the familiar crossroad, Yin Zhao-an returned Tang Yu her back and fell into thought as she looked at the street leading to Tang Yu''s house.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu hurriedly put her schoolback on her back and said a "goodbye" before turning around and leaving, her hasty actions making it seem like a ferocious beast was chasing after her.


    "Be careful on your way home."


    These words coming from behind her were spoken lightly, but Tang Yu suddenly felt her nose becoming sour. She also bit down on her lower lip to the point where it turned white.


    Shortly after they started living together, she would always leave home alone while Yin Zhao-an stayed in her room. Yin Zhao-an didn''t even know when she left or when she returned. How exactly had things turned out like this¡­[1]


    The evening wind in late summer was a little cool. Tang Yu stuck her hands in her pockets and walked into the small courtyard of her home. Then, she looked up and saw that, sure enough, the house was pitch-black.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    After carefully inspecting the courtyard door''s lock and locking it, she walked up to the front door of her house, took out a key, and opened it. Then, after changing into her house shoes and turning on the lights, she was greeted by a clean and tidy living room.


    Nobody was in the living room, but there was a note placed under a cup on the coffee table. The note was written in a cursive script, but it was obvious that whoever wrote this note had restrained their handwriting to a certain extent, making the note much easier to read.


    Tang Yu could already tell who had written this note. Meanwhile, according to the note, it would seem that her parents would be busy with a mission these next few days and wouldn''t be free to come home to cook for her. The note also mentioned that some money had been placed in her bedroom drawer and she should ask for more if it wasn''t enough.


    Tang Yu folded the note and brought it upstairs with her. Then, following the instructions on the note, she found a small stack of bank notes in her desk drawer. The notes were also thoughtfully exchanged into small bills. If children her age were to enter a shop with a 100-yuan bill, there was a high likelihood that they would be cheated. For example, the shopkeeper could give fake bills for change.


    Of course, there was also a small minority of shopkeepers who would refuse to accept large bills from children. After all, doing so came with a certain degree of risk.


    There were some handmade noodles kept in packets in the refrigerator. Each packet of noodles came with its own flavorings, and there was quite a variety of flavorings. After picking a packet with long and thin noodles, she made her way to the stove.


    After completing all the necessary procedures with the help of a stool, Tang Yu covered the pot with a lid and hopped off the stool. Now, all she needed to do was wait for the water to boil.


    Honestly, cooking instant noodles would have been much quicker than cooking handmade noodles. However, Tang Yu couldn''t stand the flavor of instant noodles. She remembered that Yin Zhao-an used to them very much, the latter often stockpiling all sorts of instant noodles in their refrigerator. However, because of how frequently Yin Zhao-an ate instant noodles, there was a time when she kept getting nosebleeds one after another. After suffering through that series of nosebleeds, the sight of instant noodles thoroughly disappeared from their home.


    After the noodles were done, Tang Yu slurped on them while tapping away at the computer, causing a series of codes to appear on the screen. After jumping through multiple blue screens, she eventually entered an information interface.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]Just to clarify a paragraph in this chapter:


    Shortly after they started living together, she(Tang Yu) would always leave home alone while Yin Zhao-an stayed in her(Yin Zhao-an''s) room. Yin Zhao-an didn''t even know when she(Tang Yu) left or when she returned. How exactly had things turned out like this¡­


    [TL: I honestly don''t know what ''this'' is referring to. Tang Yu could be:


    Wondering how her relationship with Yin Zhao-an had gone from their previous life''s state to their current life''s state;


    Wondering how her relationship with Yin Zhao-an had gone from their childhood state to their adulthood state in her previous life.]

 CH 17

    Halfway through her noodles, Tang Yu pushed the bowl away and stared intently at the interface displayed before her. Then, she rapidly typed in strings of seemingly illogical Arabic numerals and symbols with both hands, filling the entire screen in no time.


    Reflected in Tang Yu''s dark pupils were the movements of the mouse cursor. The symbol representing an information transfer flickered on the screen for a few seconds. Then, a moment later, the screen returned to the initial blue screen interface.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from shorturl.at/mCEOX.


    After doing all this, Tang Yu heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she reached out to her half-eaten bowl of noodles, only to find that the noodles had already gone cold.


    Tang Yu touched her somewhat empty stomach. Then, when she looked at the creative clock on the wall, her face sank a little when she saw what time it was already.


    Although Tang Yu had spent much more time than she thought, the fact that she managed to get her message out put her in a good mood. After all, she had started to become busy recently because that time was arriving soon.


    The authorities had finally received some clues relating to a very secretive firearms smuggling gang. According to the information the authorities acquired, a big transaction was going to take place soon. So long as the authorities set up an ambush beforehand, they would catch the smugglers red-handed.


    However, Tang Yu knew that while the news of the transaction was real, the location where the transaction would take place was fake.


    In reality, the smugglers had deliberately leaked news of their transaction to the police watching their every movement. This was so they could divert the police''s attention to the wrong venue while the transaction occurred at a different location.


    Originally, this would have been the end of the story, and the police could do nothing but call it a day. However, the deranged smugglers had planted a time bomb at the decoy location, which was also the ambush site Tang Chengyang was stationed at.


    Even now, Tang Yu still couldn''t bring herself to properly remember how she got by that day after learning what happened to her father. All she could remember was her mother dazedly lifting the white cloth covering her father''s broken corpse.


    A tear slipped from the corner of Tang Yu''s eye and splashed on her pale pink pillow. After wiping away the subsequent tears that formed, Tang Yu curled up and hid under her blanket.


    ¡­


    Morning the next day, Tang Yu woke up early as usual. Then, she left for school after checking that everything at home was safe.


    When Tang Yu was about to reach the crossroad, she saw a familiar figure. Throughout the past three years, she would always see that familiar figure waiting for her at this crossroad whenever she went to school. It didn''t matter whether it was spring, summer, fall, or winter.


    "Morning, Yin Zhao-an. Waiting for your wife again?" several boys walking past Yin Zhao-an said jokingly.


    Yin Zhao-an gave the boy closest to her a punch in the gut without hesitation. Then, wearing an angry smile, she threatened, "Are you guys itching for a beating?"


    "No, no. Who would dare provoke our dear tyrant? Hahaha," the several boys joked as they walked away.


    Yin Zhao-an sneered at the boys. Then, when she turned her head back to the crossroad, she saw Tang Yu slowly making her way over.


    "Good morning, Tang-Tang," Yin Zhao-an greeted Tang Yu familiarly, her short hair, which had not changed in length for several years, fluttering in the wind.


    "...Morning," Tang Yu responded in a tone as soft as a mosquito''s buzzing. The average person would probably have difficulty hearing Tang Yu''s voice, but Yin Zhao-an had long grown used to it. Hence, immediately after she gave her greeting to Tang Yu, she would lean forward with her ear to listen to this one-word response.


    After getting her desired response, Yin Zhao-an smiled in satisfaction, behaving like a cat that had just successfully stolen a fish. Then, the two of them walked to school together.


    While walking behind Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an frowned when she thought about how her Tang-Tang was growing more and more untalkative as they grew older. Some time ago, she heard from her mother that the hospital she worked at had received a high schooler who had committed suicide. According to the police''s investigation, the high schooler had been suffering from depression for a long time, and he had eventually chosen to commit suicide by overdosing on drugs.


    When Yin Zhao-an learned about the high schooler''s situation, she immediately thought of her Tang-Tang. With how much her Tang-Tang disliked talking and making friends, wouldn''t her Tang-Tang be at risk of suffering from depression due to long-term self-isolation? In that case, she''d have to follow her Tang-Tang even more closely. She absolutely would not let anything happen to her Tang-Tang.


    On their way to school, Tang Yu stopped by a stall selling breakfast and bought herself a custard bun and a cup of soy milk.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw this, her expression changed a little as she asked, "Have you not had breakfast yet, Tang-Tang?"


    After taking a bite out of the custard bun, Tang Yu shook her head and softly said, "Mom and Dad aren''t home."


    Not home? If Tang Yu''s parents were absent from home, would Tang Yu have any food at home?


    "It''s not good for you to eat such things, Tang-Tang," Yin Zhao-an said. Then, after briefly scanning her surroundings with her eyes, she whispered to Tang Yu, "These roadside stalls aren''t clean. It''s easy to fall ill."


    Tang Yu nearly rolled her eyes at Yin Zhao-an on the spot. However, to avoid behaving out of character, she chose to endure it!


    Speaking of roadside food stalls, Yin Zhao-an was a much more avid fan of them than Tang Yu could ever be in their previous lives, her favorite being roadside barbeque. So long as she decided to have some roadside barbeque, nothing could stop her. Back then, the only thing Tang Yu could do was quietly stand watch next to Yin Zhao-an to prevent her from consuming too much alcohol and falling asleep on the roadside.


    Now, though, Yin Zhao-an behaved like a little goody-two-shoes, and she cited a bunch of cancer-causing examples.


    However, Tang Yu wasn''t surprised that Yin Zhao-an knew about all these things. Wang Zhen, Yin Zhao-an''s mother, kept an anatomical model and a bookshelf full of books on human anatomy in her study. Whenever she was cooking, she would also spit out professional terms from time to time, her behavior terrifying the people around her.


    While Tang Yu was lost in her thoughts, Yin Zhao-an''s eyes suddenly brightened as she asked, "Does that mean you''re home alone, Tang-Tang?"


    Tang Yu nodded without giving the question much thought.


    "Why don''t you stay at my home until your mom and dad come home, then?" Yin Zhao-an hurriedly suggested. "My bed is big enough for the both of us!"

 CH 18

    Tang Yu ate her breakfast while walking. As for Yin Zhao-an''s suggestion, it was a non-negotiable topic, and Tang Yu''s answer to it was a resolute ''no.''


    Setting aside how sleeping in the same bed would lead to Yin Zhao-an clinging to her, even though Yin Zhao-an was already doing a lot of clinging, it was currently a crucial period for Tang Yu. There were things she needed to do that she couldn''t afford to let others discover. Hence, it''d be more convenient if she could live by herself.


    Speaking of the things she needed to do, they weren''t anything amazing, actually. She was merely using the information she already knew to send the plans of those outlaws to her father''s computer.


    Fortunately, there was a time during her previous life when she had learned Morse code and firewall cracking techniques from Zhao Yu. So, she still knew how to conduct basic hacking.


    For the sake of sending that information, Tang Yu had saved up her allowances for a long time and eventually used the money to buy an old laptop from the second-hand market. Then, she hacked into her father''s computer and placed an encrypted message directly into her father''s mailbox. While this wouldn''t completely eliminate the risk of her actions getting discovered...if her actions did get discovered, she would simply refuse to admit that she had anything to do with the message. After all, nobody would believe that a child could do so many things.


    Meanwhile, after getting met with rejection once again, Yin Zhao-an awkwardly stuffed her hands into her pockets and silently lamented the fact that she couldn''t sleep with her Tang-Tang.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu entered her classroom, she immediately noticed that the classroom''s atmosphere was a little strange. Some girls were also quietly whispering to each other while sneaking glances.


    Realizing something, Tang Yu walked up to her desk. However, her desk was as clean as she had left it yesterday. It didn''t look any different from when Yin Zhao-an had cleaned it. In that case¡­


    Tang Yu bent down to look at the desk drawer. Then, her legs immediately went limp, and she crumpled to the ground. Her face had also instantly gone white, and cold sweat appeared on her face.


    At this time, earthworms of different shades were scattered and squirming inside the drawer. Because of the lack of space, some had even tangled into a bundle, and a few had crept out of the drawer and fallen to the ground.


    Tang Yu''s eyes reddened as she resisted the discomfort she experienced from her violently churning stomach. Then, tears fell from her eyes uncontrollably when she looked at the people laughing at her misery. However, she wasn''t crying out of grievance but physical disgust instead.


    After miserably crawling out of the classroom, Tang Yu wiped the cold tears on her face with her hands. The dust and dirt on her hands stained her face, giving her a laughable appearance.


    ...


    A girl seated by the window of a different classroom noticed Tang Yu running by. Seeing this, the girl hurriedly tugged at the sleeve of the person sleeping on the table next to her and said, "Hey, Yin Zhao-an, isn''t that your friend?"


    Yin Zhao-an pushed her head up from the table when she heard her deskmate''s words. Then, frowning unhappily, she asked, "When did I get a friend?"


    Yin Zhao-an''s deskmate pouted when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s words. Then, in an aggrieved tone, she said, "If she''s not your friend, why would you go home with her every day..."


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    "What?! Where is she?!" Yin Zhao-an instantly snapped awake, her abrupt reaction giving her deskmate a scare. Then, the deskmate stiffly pointed at the sports field.


    When the deskmate saw that Yin Zhao-an had already arrived downstairs, a song''s melody suddenly came to her mind. "If this isn''t..." Cough, cough...considered a friend.[1]


    ¡­


    "Tang-Tang!"


    Tang Yu instinctively shuddered and gripped the edges of her shirt with her dirty hands when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s voice.


    After running up to Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an took a moment to catch her breath before she asked, "It''s almost time for class. Why did you come out here by yourself?"


    "..."


    Yin Zhao-an grew a little confused when she saw the person before her keeping her head down and staying silent. After wiping her sweaty hands on her shirt, she tentatively reached for Tang Yu''s delicate face and lifted it. "What''s wrong? Why aren''t you talk¡ª"


    Before Yin Zhao-an could lift Tang Yu''s face entirely, she felt something warm and moist sliding past her fingers. Although Yin Zhao-an didn''t know what kind of expression the person before her was currently making, she knew that her own expression had turned incredibly ugly.


    Tang Yu fell into a little daze when she felt Yin Zhao-an gently wiping her tears away. Then, she heard a helpless and childish sigh coming from above her, which was then followed by the following words:


    "Why won''t you ever tell me anything?"


    ¡­


    Tang Yu was still in a daze when she stood in the school''s faculty office. In the meantime, Yin Zhao-an had already found the head teacher for Tang Yu''s classroom and explained the whole situation to the other party. She also reported the names of those who threw Tang Yu''s schoolbag into the dustbin. The teachers in the faculty office were taken aback when they heard about Tang Yu''s experiences. Some of them got angry, while some found the situation unbelievable.


    Tang Yu''s head teacher was a balding middle-aged man. After he finished listening to Yin Zhao-an''s tale, he looked toward the silent Tang Yu and asked, "Is this true?"


    Just as Tang Yu was about to nod, Yin Zhao-an stepped in front of her to shield her. Then, Yin Zhao-an said, "There is a surveillance camera in the classroom, so you can check it yourself, Teacher. I promise I did not lie about any of this. Also¡­"


    Pausing, Yin Zhao-an turned to look at Tang Yu, a flash of tenderness that she didn''t notice appearing in her eyes. Then, she continued:


    "My Big Sister is a little introverted and doesn''t like to speak. So, I hope you can be more considerate of her, Teacher."


    When the balding head teacher heard Yin Zhao-an''s words, he couldn''t help but nudge his glasses and take a closer look at the two girls before him. Then, in a confused tone, he asked, "She is¡­"


    Without hesitation, Yin Zhao-an repeated, "She is my big sister."


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]If this isn''t: The song referenced here is "If This Isn''t Love(Èç¹ûÕⶼ²»Ëã°®)" by Jacky Cheung(ÕÅѧÓÑ).

 CH 19

    The head teacher was momentarily taken aback. After looking back and forth between the two girls before him, he awkwardly smiled and said, "Okay, then. You two head back to class first. I''ll take care of this matter."


    "Okay. Thank you for the trouble."


    Tang Yu remained dazed even after she had walked out of the faculty office. Even though Yin Zhao-an was only a child, the way she spoke and acted was so concise.


    Could it be that...she too has¡­


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Tang Yu suddenly got goosebumps. Hurriedly, she cut her thoughts short and took a few steps forward to calm her panicking heart.


    Impossible. How can there be such a coincidence? There''s no way two people can get reincarnated together. Not to mention, the Yin Zhao-an of that world¡­should be alive and healthy.


    With a tentative heart, Tang Yu suddenly turned around and stared directly at Yin Zhao-an, who was silently following her from behind.


    Sure enough... An adult''s eyes wouldn''t be so pristine¡­


    When Tang Yu looked into Yin Zhao-an''s eyes, she saw her reflection in those dark yet pristine eyes. It was akin to staring into a lake that had never been polluted. This discovery made her feel relieved. Though, at the same time, she also felt a little¡­disappointed.


    A second after Tang Yu lowered her head dejectedly, she felt herself pulled into a warm embrace. It was an "amateurish" embrace, and Tang Yu could feel the stiffness of the arms wrapped around her.


    Frowning, Tang Yu gently pushed against Yin Zhao-an''s shoulders and asked in a muffled voice, "What are you doing?"


    "Weren''t you hinting at me to console you, Tang-Tang? There, there. With me around, they won''t dare to bully you anymore!" Yin Zhao-an replied in her childish voice while gently patting Tang Yu''s back like a mother consoling her child.


    Who''s hinting at anything?!


    This little misunderstanding further reassured Tang Yu that her previous thoughts were nothing but nonsense.


    When Tang Yu returned to her class, a teacher had already started teaching in the classroom, and her desk had returned to its original state. Those revolting earthworms had also disappeared without a trace. However, when Tang Yu recalled that scene, she still couldn''t help but shudder a little.


    After reporting her return to the teacher, Tang Yu was about to make her way back to her seat. However, Yin Zhao-an held her back before she could do so. When she turned to Yin Zhao-an with a puzzled look, she saw Yin Zhao-an gesturing for her to wait by the door before running off somewhere.


    The teacher in the classroom was most likely aware of Tang Yu''s situation. When he saw Tang Yu standing by the door, he didn''t say anything about her actions and simply continued his lecture.


    After around five minutes had passed, Tang Yu started to think that maybe she should just return to her seat. As luck would have it, Yin Zhao-an''s silhouette appeared at the end of the corridor.


    At this time, Yin Zhao-an appeared to be carrying a large object. Confused, Tang Yu took a closer look and found that the object was¡­


    A desk?


    When Yin Zhao-an arrived back at Tang Yu''s classroom, she beamed a soothing smile at Tang Yu before carrying the desk into the classroom. Then, she swapped the desk in her hands with Tang Yu''s desk, which had previously served as a temporary home for a bunch of earthworms.


    After the replacement, Yin Zhao-an dragged Tang Yu''s desk out of the classroom under the teacher''s sullen gaze and the many students'' astonished eyes. Before she returned to her classroom, she smiled and whispered into Tang Yu''s ear, saying, "That''s my desk, so make sure to take good care of it. If anyone touches it, tell me, and I''ll beat them up."


    After saying so, Yin Zhao-an briefly glared at the students watching the excitement in the classroom. Immediately, these students shrank their necks and lowered their heads to look at their respective books, none daring to meet her ferocious gaze.


    Subsequently, Yin Zhao-an disappeared from the corridor while dragging her "new" desk, the sound of the desk rubbing against the floor moving farther and farther away.


    Sure enough, people are much cuter when they are still children, Tang Yu thought, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. However, when she sensed the malicious gazes coming from a certain corner of the classroom, she silently clicked her tongue and changed her mind. Nevermind. Not all children can be considered children.


    All desks the school provided for its students were the same. Although most students'' desks would have traces of engravings or graffiti, the "new" desk she received was free of scratches and stains. She could see just how much the desk''s previous owner had taken care of it.


    After returning to her seat, Tang Yu took out a textbook and earnestly listened to the teacher''s lecture. Although she already understood everything the teacher taught...she still had to put up an act.


    Originally, Tang Yu thought Yin Zhao-an''s actions would deter the little devils from taking further actions against her. However, contrary to her assumptions, the little devils had come for her once again as soon as school was over.


    The leader of the little devils was a little girl with a ponytail. The ponytail wasn''t a standard ponytail. Instead, it was shifted closer to her ear. Though, whether it was done intentionally was anyone''s guess.


    Tang Yu wasn''t good at memorizing faces, so she wasn''t sure if the ponytail girl was among the bunch who made a mess of her schoolbag. However, since the girl looked like the little devils'' leader, the girl most likely played a role.


    After walking up to Tang Yu, the girl with the ponytail crossed her arms in front of her chest and condescendingly looked at Tang Yu''s clean desk. Then, she kicked the desk with her pink leather shoe and said in a childish but contemptuous tone, "Why are you such a coward? Can''t even handle a few earthworms? Delicate much?"


    Tang Yu frowned a little. However, she remained silent as she continued packing her bag.


    "Why aren''t you talking? Are you mute?" The little girl kicked Tang Yu''s desk again, causing it to wobble a little.


    "What do you want her to say? I''ll speak for her," said a nonchalant voice coming from the side.


    When Tang Yu and the group of little devils turned to the voice, they saw Yin Zhao-an leaning against the window and looking into the classroom with a smile on her face.

 CH 20

    The girl with the ponytail instinctively took a few steps back. However, in her haste to distance herself from Yin Zhao-an, she bumped into the desk behind her and cried out in pain, a flash of grievance briefly appearing in her eyes. Then, after glaring at Tang Yu with disgust, the girl left the classroom angrily.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw the ponytail girl leaving in a huff, a grin formed on her face. Compared to her usual appearance, there were actually hints of an unruly adult in her current appearance.


    When Tang Yu met with those pitch-black eyes again, she was startled to realize that she had fallen into a trance just now. Immediately, she lowered her head in a panic, finished packing her bag, and got up to leave.


    Once again, Yin Zhao-an took Tang Yu''s schoolbag and slung it over her shoulder. While she was at it, she tried to place an arm around Tang Yu''s shoulders, only for Tang Yu to avoid it the next second.


    Yin Zhao-an helplessly shrugged when she saw Tang Yu''s reaction and stuffed her hands into her pockets.


    "Tang-Tang, do you know that girl''s name?" Yin Zhao-an nonchalantly asked while following Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu shook her head. She never bothered to remember any of her classmates'' names. Even during her previous life, the only people whose names she bothered to remember were Zhao Yu, the Fang siblings(Fang Ling and her elder brother), and a neighbor.


    Yin Zhao-an frowned when she heard this answer. Then, in a slightly sagacious tone, she said, "This won''t do, Tang-Tang. You can''t keep behaving like this. If you don''t even remember your bullies, how are you supposed to get back at them? Remember to memorize their names next time and tell them to me, okay?"


    Yin Zhao-an quickened her pace a little and overtook Tang Yu. Then, she matched Tang Yu''s pace and started walking backward in front of Tang Yu like a big dog. The only thing she was missing now was a wagging tail on her back. "Come on, do it for my desk. Remember them, okay? Okay...?"


    "Look out!"


    Tang Yu suddenly pulled Yin Zhao-an to her, their shoulders slamming into each other. The force of the impact was so great that Tang Yu felt her head hurting.


    Yin Zhao-an was initially surprised by Tang Yu''s actions. However, when she heard sparking electricity, she turned to look behind her with lingering fear in her eyes. There was an open manhole cover behind her, and a cable worker was currently repairing a high-voltage wire inside. Had she advanced by a few more steps just now, she would have fallen into the manhole and...become barbecue.


    Tang Yu''s forehead was covered in cold sweat, and a chill crawled down her back. Her eyebrows were also furrowed, and visible anger was in her eyes.


    Yin Zhao-an wasn''t a dense person. Hurriedly, she straightened her back and apologized, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, Tang-Tang. I hurt you, didn''t I? I promise I didn''t do it on purpose."


    Fuck¡­


    Tang Yu inwardly rolled her eyes at Yin Zhao-an and pulled the girl away from the maintenance area. Then, she let go of Yin Zhao-an''s hand and continued walking forward without looking back, leaving Yin Zhao-an to chase after her with a tearful look.


    Even after Tang Yu arrived at the usual crossroads, Yin Zhao-an still didn''t know what she had done wrong. She could only watch as Tang Yu disappeared into the distance while she wept... Okay, she wasn''t actually crying.


    ...


    Standing in front of the entrance to her house''s courtyard Tang Yu pulled out the courtyard entrance''s key and held it up to the lock. However, before she could insert the key, the wind gently blew against the door and pushed it open, revealing a small gap.


    Tang Yu''s heart thumped, and a chill crawled down her spine. When she looked up, she didn''t see any light or hear any sound coming from her house.


    Immediately, Tang Yu started to search through her memories. However, even after searching every nook and cranny of her brain, she failed to recall any clues pertaining to this situation. In other words, everything inside the house was now unknown territory to her.


    At a loss on what to do, Tang Yu leaned against the courtyard wall and crouched down. Then, while looking at the empty street with a depressed look on her face, she sighed heavily and thought to herself, So, am I going to sleep on the street tonight?


    While Tang Yu wondered where she should go tonight, the lower half of a person''s body suddenly appeared in her vision. After her previous life''s experiences, Tang Yu had already formed a subconscious response to such sudden appearances¡ªcovering her head.


    "What''s wrong, Tang-Tang?" said a voice in a very soft and gentle tone. It was as if the speaker was worried she would get startled by their voice. Subsequently, Tang Yu felt a gentle pat on her shoulder.


    An-An¡­


    Tang Yu slowly raised her head and met with the pair of dark and pristine eyes yet again. This time, reflected in those dark eyes was her current helpless state.


    "Are you alright?"


    Tang Yu stood up from the ground and shook her head while looking down, a bitter feeling enveloping her heart. When she lay in the cold and damp basement, she had imagined countless times how Yin Zhao-an would come to her rescue. She believed Yin Zhao-an would arrive before her like a hero, carry her away like a princess, and say to her: "Don''t be scared, Tang-Tang. Let''s go home."


    Unfortunately, she never got to see such a scene.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    Yin Zhao-an hesitated to speak when she saw Tang Yu''s current state. After mentally struggling for words for a moment, she said, "But...you''re shaking."


    "..."


    It''s none of your business whether I''m trembling or not!! After suppressing the anger within her, Tang Yu asked, "Why are you here?"


    "Uh¡­ That¡­" Yin Zhao-an''s eyes shifted around guiltily. I can''t possibly say that I''ve been secretly sending you home for two years already, right? Wouldn''t that make me look like a pervert?


    Relying on her quick-witted mind, Yin Zhao-an hurriedly thought of an excuse and said, "Ah, yes... You haven''t promised me you''ll remember those people''s names, so I came here to remind you. Yes, that''s right..."


    Tang Yu didn''t respond to Yin Zhao-an''s excuse. Instead, she glanced upstairs at her room. The curtains were currently drawn, so it wasn''t possible to see the situation inside even if it were currently daytime, let alone in the evening.


    Yin Zhao-an followed Tang Yu''s gaze and looked upstairs, failing to see anything. Then, she heard Tang Yu calm voice saying, "There is someone upstairs."

 CH 21

    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes widened in shock, and she couldn''t help but look at Tang Yu in disbelief.


    Tang Yu grew a little embarrassed from being stared at and awkwardly rubbed her nose. In reality, she hadn''t seen if anyone was upstairs with her own eyes. However, she was certain someone had been into her room because she had left her curtains open before she left for school.


    Although Tang Yu didn''t know who this person was, she knew that neither she nor Yin Zhao-an should recklessly go into the house. After all, if this person turned out to be dangerous, there was no way two children like them could successfully escape.


    After reaching this conclusion, Tang Yu decided she would spend the night at Yin Zhao-an''s place and inform Uncle Yin, Yin Zhao-an''s father, about the intruder. Then, she said, "Let me stay over at your¡ª"


    Fuck! This bastard!


    Tang Yu involuntarily gasped and mentally cursed before she could finish her sentence. Apparently, while she was immersed in her thoughts, Yin Zhao-an had already run up to the house''s front door, opened it, and poked half of her body inside to look around. After doing so, the girl even turned back to wave at her, gesturing for her to head over.


    After anxiously looking at the second floor, Tang Yu quickly ran over to Yin Zhao-an, intending to drag the little daredevil out and away from the house. However, before she could reach the front door, Yin Zhao-an was suddenly pulled into the house by a large force and vanished from her eyes.


    Tang Yu''s heart sank and her eyes reddened at this sight. Then, after walking up to the door with heavy steps, a tall figure gradually appeared in her sight...


    When Tang Yu saw this sight, a wave of emotions instantly overwhelmed her, causing her legs to go limp and slump to the ground. Then, in a sobbing voice mixed with feelings of grievance and fear, she said, "Daddy..."


    ¡­


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    One adult and two children sat in the living room in silence, each holding a warm cup of water in their hands.


    Yin Zhao-an scratched her chin as she looked at the two other people in the room. She had already drank most of her glass of water, yet neither of the two other people in the room had spoken a single word this entire time. For a moment, she even started to doubt the validity of her existence.


    "That¡­ Uncle Tang, since you''re home already, I''ll be taking my leave first¡­"


    "Wait here for a bit," Tang Zhengyang said as he put down his glass of water. Then, he waved his black cellphone in front of Yin Zhao-an and continued, "I''ve already called your father, so he should be coming to pick you up in a moment. It''s not safe to walk around by yourself at night."


    After replying with a soft "oh," Yin Zhao-an remained seated in her place and snuck glances at Tang Yu from time to time. Unfortunately, Tang Yu had her head lowered this entire time, so she failed to notice Yin Zhao-an''s awkward predicament.


    In the meantime, Tang Zhengyang carefully scrutinized his daughter with narrowed eyes, the emotions in his eyes constantly changing.


    Sometime later, the sound of a car engine came from outside the house. Yin Zhao-an jumped out of her seat in excitement when she heard this sound. Finally, she could escape from this tense atmosphere. The only unfortunate part was that her Tang-Tang wouldn''t get to receive the same salvation.


    "Cough. I''ll be taking my leave first, Tang-Tang. See you tomorrow," Yin Zhaoan said as she waved goodbye at Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu lifted her head and looked at Yin Zhao-an resentfully. Then, gradually, she revealed a strange smile and said, "Goodbye."


    Yin Zhao-an: !! 4887


    Yin Zhao-an, who was getting lifted away by Yin Changcheng, revealed a tearful look when she saw Tang Yu''s smile. She never knew her Tang-Tang''s smile could be so scary.


    Meanwhile, after the unimportant person (Yin Zhao-an: What??) had left, Tang Zhengyang no longer hid his thoughts. Immediately, he left for the study and returned with a laptop.


    Tang Yu panicked when she saw the laptop. However, she still chose to feign ignorance. So long as she refused to speak, everything should be fine¡­


    "When did you buy this laptop?" Tang Zhengyang asked after placing the laptop on the coffee table. Currently, the laptop was turned on, and the screen was showing an ordinary wallpaper of a blue sky and green grassland. At first glance, this was no different than your average computer.


    "...A month ago," Tang Yu answered.


    Tang Zhengyang raised an eyebrow and softly chuckled when he heard Tang Yu''s answer. However, this soft chuckle caused Tang Yu''s heartbeat to accelerate and her back to be covered in cold sweat.


    "Little Yu, can you tell daddy why¡­" While saying so, Tang Zhengyang opened a file on the computer. The file in question was a text file, and the file''s content was none other than the encrypted message Tang Yu had previously written. "Why does this computer have this file in it?"


    Tang Yu shook her head in response, revealing an innocent expression. She even shed a few tears while doing so. "I don''t know. I only wanted to buy it to play games with."


    Tang Zhengyang''s hand stiffened a little when he saw his daughter''s tears, his heart softening into a pile of mush. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to hug and console his precious daughter.


    However, the matter at hand was of extraordinary severity.


    He had recently found an encrypted message in his mailbox. The message did not have a sender. Instead, someone had bypassed his computer''s firewall and placed the message directly into his mailbox. Meanwhile, after decrypting the message, the content shocked him to the core. If what was stated in the message was true, it didn''t take a genius to figure out what kind of consequences would await him and his team.


    When he brought up the possibility of the "tip-off" with his team being a trap, a huge uproar had ensued. Meanwhile, everyone unanimously agreed that they should think of a new and more thorough plan for the upcoming operation. However, whether the message he received was trustworthy was still up for debate. So, he went out of his way to check the source file''s IP address and found that it actually came from...his house.


    After making this shocking discovery, he quickly returned home with a frightened heart. Even though he kept telling himself that there was no way such a situation could be possible, when he found the laptop hidden in his daughter''s closet, he still ended up breaking down.


    To further verify that this wasn''t a mistake, he looked through the hidden surveillance camera he had set up at home. The hidden camera was installed in the living room, and not even his wife was aware of its existence. Because of the nature of his occupation, he had to take a few extra measures to ensure the safety of his wife and daughter.


    Meanwhile, the Tang Yu captured in the surveillance footage behaved like a completely different person. Not only did she hacked into his work computer with ease, but she had also typed out an entire message in Morse code without any external help. These feats might not be surprising if an adult had carried them out, but Tang Yu was only a 10-year-old child!

 CH 22

    No matter how much Tang Zhengyang asked, Tang Yu simply lowered her head and refused to say anything.


    Tang Zhengyang helplessly leaned back on the sofa, a depressed look on his face as he looked at the child sitting across from him. He honestly was out of ideas. He couldn''t possibly treat this as an actual interrogation and use psychological warfare against a child, right?


    As for that encrypted letter, maybe it was someone operating in the shadows using Tang Yu''s hand to send them a message?


    The phone in Tang Zhengyang''s pocket suddenly vibrated. Tang Yu quietly raised her eyes for a moment when she heard the vibrations before quickly looking down again. Then, she heard her father walking away into the study.


    When the study''s door clicked shut, Tang Yu promptly jumped off the sofa and ran over to the corner of the living room housing a few potted plants. Then, the corners of her eyes twitched a little when she spotted the hidden camera buried between the layers of leaves and branches. At this point, she realized that all of her actions were most likely exposed...


    Suddenly, the sound of a door opening came from behind Tang Yu, startling her. When she sheepishly turned around, she met with her father''s complicated gaze.


    Scratching his head, Tang Zhengyang hesitated for a few seconds before speaking, "I don''t know how you know so many things, but I hope that only the two of us know about this matter. You get what I mean?"


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Tang Yu weighed her options for a moment before eventually nodding.


    When Tang Zhengyang saw her daughter''s response, not only did he not feel relieved, but his worry even grew. However, at this point, he could only hope that his daughter would stop doing all these strange things.


    "I''m returning to the station, so be careful these next few days. Make sure to come home right after school ends," Tang Zhengyang said to Tang Yu as he put on his coat.


    Seeing that her father was about to leave, Tang Yu suddenly shouted in a panic, "Daddy!"


    Tang Zhengyang stopped and turned around in confusion.


    "...You must be careful."


    Tang Zhengyang froze for a second. Then, he warmly smiled and said, "Don''t worry. I will come back alive to see both you and your mother."


    Eventually, the tall figure disappeared into the darkness. However, even after hearing her father''s assurance, Tang Yu''s worry did not dissipate.


    Ding¡ª


    A prompt suddenly rang out in the silent house, instantly catching Tang Yu''s attention. Then, when she went to the source of the sound, she saw the microwave in the kitchen emitting a warm light.


    She could see the silhouette of something through the microwave''s door, and this something was obviously food.


    When Tang Yu took out the plate of food with a pair of oven mitts, a strong aroma instantly filled her nostrils. Then, upon seeing the delicious plate of curry rice in her hands, she felt tender warmth filling her heart.


    ¡­


    Carrying change in her pocket, Tang Yu was thinking about what she should get for breakfast when she was suddenly dragged away from the breakfast stall by Yin Zhao-an. When Tang Yu saw the steaming stall getting farther and farther away, she felt a pang in her heart.


    Yin Zhao-an pulled Tang Yu along. Seemingly having guessed what Tang Yu wanted to ask, she smiled and said, "I''ve brought something good for you."


    Oh, so I won''t be starving, Tang Yu thought to herself.


    The first thing Yin Zhao-an did after arriving at school was to drag Tang Yu to her classroom, where there were only a few students at this hour. Then, she took an insulated container out of her canvas bag and placed it in front of Tang Yu.


    A drop of cold sweat rolled down Tang Yu''s forehead when she saw the corners of Yin Zhao-an''s mouth lifting upward. Then, under Yin Zhao-an''s insistent stare, Tang Yu opened the insulated container.


    Seemingly bewitched, Tang Yu''s empty stomach suddenly started to sing, the unexpected reaction causing Tang Yu''s ears to instantly turn red.


    Yin Zhao-an silently chuckled. Her Tang-Tang was far too cute. Fortunately, the sight of such a cute Tang-Tang was reserved only for her.


    Inside the insulated container were steamed dumplings. When Tang Yu saw the misshapen dumplings, she could more or less guess whose hands they came from. Fortunately, the peanut sauce drizzled onto these miserable dumplings helped to salvage their image to a certain extent.


    The dumplings were still hot. As soon as Tang Yu took a bite, she noticed a difference between these dumplings and store-bought dumplings. In addition to their freshness, these dumplings were also filled with something that gave them a crunchy bite.


    "These dumplings have j¨ªcama added to them. Don''t they taste very sweet?" Yin Zhao-an explained with arched eyebrows.


    So she added j¨ªcama... Tang Yu''s eyebrows relaxed when she tasted the sweetness in her mouth. "Mhm, it''s very sweet."


    The dumplings were delicious. However, Yin Zhao-an had overestimated Tang Yu''s appetite as there were still a few dumplings left in the container when Tang Yu started to feel a little stuffed. Bracing her stomach, Tang Yu looked at the remaining dumplings with a troubled expression.


    Yin Zhao-an naturally saw Tang Yu''s hesitation. When Tang Yu was about to bring another one of those plump dumplings into her mouth, Yin Zhao-an suddenly leaned forward and bit down on the dumpling.


    Tang Yu was visibly shocked by the action, her widened eyes reflecting Yin Zhao-an''s grinning face.


    Yin Zhao-an returned to her seat with the tip of the dumpling sticking out of her mouth. Then, while chewing, she said, "Don''t force yourself if you can''t finish. It''s not like I''m forcing you to finish everything."


    Coincidentally, a few boys entered the classroom at this time and saw this entire scene. Meanwhile, their immediate response was naturally to whistle at Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu jokingly.


    When Tang Yu heard the whistling and saw her empty chopsticks, her cheeks inadvertently reddened.


    Yin Zhao-an sat next to Tang Yu, blocking everyone''s view of her Tang-Tang. Then, she took the chopsticks from Tang Yu''s hand and swiftly took care of the remaining dumplings in the insulated container.


    After closing the container and returning it to the canvas bag, Yin Zhao-an said, "Let''s go. I''ll send you back to class."


    However, just as Yin Zhao-an was about to stand up, Tang Yu stopped her.


    "It''s fine. My class is close, so you don''t need to send me back," Tang Yu swiftly said. Then, while more and more people were entering the classroom, she quickly picked up her schoolbag and hastily left.


    At this time, a girl familiar with Yin Zhao-an quietly walked over and followed Yin Zhao-an''s line of sight. Then, after taking a moment to look at the tiny figure disappearing into the distance, she giggled a few times before saying, "How cute."


    As expected, the girl was met with violence for her transgression.

 CH 23

    Night fell, and a layer of frost covered the weeds growing by the roadside. A bitter-cold wind soughed, causing the trees to sway in the darkness.


    Several people clad in black looked around cautiously as they slowly approached a small house.


    A source of light briefly flickered in and out of existence along with the opening and closing of the house''s door. As soon as the door closed, the wind disappeared, and the night fell silent.


    "Alpha, this is Charlie. The ambushers have been captured. I repeat, the ambushers have been captured."


    Tang Zhengyang listened to the report coming through his headset with bated breath, his eyes firmly locked on the small house, not daring to look away for even a moment for fear of missing anything crucial. His clothes were also soaked wet with dew and clung to his body, bringing him a chilly discomfort.


    The monitoring team was listening in on the secret conversations inside a distant house to judge the progress of the talks and got ready to give out subsequent instructions at any moment.


    The letter was spot on. The outlaws had indeed prepared an ambush for them to create chaos and confusion.


    However, to avoid alerting the outlaws, their department still decided to send teams to both the fake and real venues.


    Thus far, Team C had already successfully apprehended the criminals lying in ambush at the fake deal''s venue. This had essentially severed one of the outlaws'' countermeasures. Moreover, the criminals conducting the real deal still weren''t aware that the hammer of law was gradually closing in on them.


    "Attention Bravo. Attention Bravo. Block off all routes. Alpha, get ready for action."


    The house''s surroundings appeared calm and peaceful at first glance. In reality, however, there was a dangerous undercurrent hidden within this peace as numerous pairs of eyes focused on the house''s front door, watching for even the slightest of movements.


    The door...opened!


    "Move in!"


    Gunshots rang out in the dark, causing the scene to instantly turn chaotic. The exchange of gunfire extended well into the night, disturbing the peace of the dark and deserted suburbs.


    ¡­


    The tip of the pencil suddenly broke, causing her originally smooth handwriting to become crooked. Tang Yu grabbed her eraser to erase the crooked writing before switching to a different pencil.


    At this time, the sound of high heels clattering urgently down the hallway flowed into the classroom. A moment later, a female teacher appeared at the classroom''s entrance while gasping for air. Then, after greeting the teacher in the classroom, the female teacher shouted at the classroom, "Tang Yu! Come out for a moment!"


    ...


    Yu Wanrou''s hair was in a mess, and dark circles were under her eyes that had become bloodshot from staying up late. The instant she saw Tang Yu walking out of the school building, her legs went a little limp, and she very nearly fell.


    A wincing pain assaulted Tang Yu''s heart when she saw this, her constricting heart giving her a hard time breathing. The scene from her previous life has...appeared yet again...


    Weren''t things supposed to change already?


    Wasn''t there supposed to be a new plan?


    Didn''t he say he would come back alive?


    Yu Wanrou took Tang Yu''s hand and walked up to a black SUV without saying a word.


    The people in the car were dressed in black and wore helmets covered in dirt and dried blood. Despite the apparent exhaustion on their faces, their eyes remained sharp as they kept a constant watch of their surroundings.


    Tang Yu''s urge to cry grew when she saw this scene.


    ...


    Unexpectedly, after the car stopped in front of the hospital, the people in the car got off and took an elevator to the seventh floor.


    Tang Yu recalled that they had gone straight to the morgue in her previous life, but the morgue was on the first floor...


    Tang Yu released the breath she had been holding onto all this time as a sense of relief filled her heart. Her legs grew a little limp, and she held onto the railings in the elevator as tears rolled down her eyes. However, they weren''t tears of sadness, but joy and relief instead. Right now, she even had the urge to smile.


    Everything was fine so long as her father was alive...


    ...


    Many people were gathered outside a certain operation room on the hospital''s seventh floor. These people were all soldiers who had just experienced a fierce battle. Currently, some of these soldiers were anxiously pacing outside the operation room, while some were standing still and quietly staring at the red light above the room''s doors.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    When Yu Wanrou walked up to the operation room with the help of a soldier, her eyes no longer shed tears as they had already run dry of tears.


    "I''m sorry, Ma''am. It was our mistake," a young male soldier apologized guiltily to Yu Wanrou, light tear marks covering his face that was covered in face paint.


    Yu Wanrou gently shook her head in response. Then, in a hoarse voice, she uttered her first words in a long while, "Thank you for your hard work..."


    As the only child here, Tang Yu was settled into a seat near the operating room. Then, the hallway outside the operating room fell silent as everyone waited for the operation to end.


    Meanwhile, although Tang Yu was still feeling a little nervous, she also felt a little glad over being brought to an operating room. At the very least, this was much better than getting led straight to the morgue...


    Nobody knew how much time had passed. The moment the operation room''s light went off, everyone swarmed up to the doctor, who came out of the operating room, with eyes full of hope and anxiety.


    The doctor wasn''t surprised by this scene. After removing his mask, he let out a long breath, his behavior leaving everyone''s hearts hanging. Then, a second later, the doctor said in a relaxed voice, "The patient''s life is no longer under threat. He can be moved to the general ward after a night of observation."


    Yu Wanrou took a few steps back, leaned against the wall, and crouched down. Then, with tears in her eyes, she softly muttered, "Everything''s alright... Everything''s alright..."


    The soldiers gathered outside the operation room also sighed in relief. At this time, the captain of the soldiers, who had remained silent all this time, hesitated for a bit before crouching to meet Yu Wanrou and said in a lowered voice, "Ma''am, I have something I need to tell you. Can you follow me for a moment?"


    Hearing this, Yu Wanrou''s first reaction was to look around first. When the captain noticed this, he said, "Your daughter went to the restroom."


    Feeling a little more at ease, Yu Wanrou followed the captain to the seventh floor''s balcony. It was a little windy on the balcony, the wind causing her messy hair to become even messier.


    After stepping onto the balcony, the captain immediately went into the topic and said, "During the mission, we originally could have apprehended all of the criminals in one fell swoop. However, we didn''t think that someone would be hiding in one of the criminals'' cars. It was Old Tang who found that person."


    Yu Wanrou quietly listened without interrupting.


    "That person fled with a gun, but Old Tang shot him in the knee. Afterward, that person said he would stop running and put his gun down." Speaking up to this point, the captain suddenly clenched his fist, visible anger appearing on his face. Then, he continued, "A newcomer followed Old Tang at the time. He thought the danger was over and dropped his guard. But the moment he lowered his gun, that person suddenly fired a bullet straight at his chest...which Old Tang took for him.


    "That person ended up jumping off a cliff. We haven''t found his corpse yet, so we still do not know if he is dead or alive."

 CH 24

    Seeing Yu Wanrou''s expression grow solemn, the captain knew he had successfully communicated his point. However, he still decided to give another reminder, saying, "Your daughter is still very young, so you must pay attention to her safety. You, too, should be careful, Ma''am."


    "I understand." Yu Wanrou nodded. "Thank you for the reminder. I will be careful."


    After the exchange ended, the two walked back the way they came from. Tang Yu, hiding in a dark corner, hurriedly pretended to shake water off her hands, acting as if she had just come out of the restroom. Then, she returned to the corridor outside the operating room alongside Yu Wanrou.


    When they returned to the operating room, two nurses just so happened to be pushing Tang Zhengyang out of the operating room and to the intensive care ward nearby. The soldiers outside the operating room tried to follow the nurses when they saw this, but the captain stopped them before they could do so. Then, the captain shook his head and sternly said, "Our bodies are filthy. We''ll come back tomorrow once we get cleaned."


    The soldiers looked at each other for a moment. Then, they obediently returned to their positions and awaited further orders from the captain.


    "We''ll be taking our leave first, Ma''am. We''ll come back tomorrow to see Old Tang," the captain said before leaving the hospital with his team members.


    ...


    Yu Wanrou looked at her unconscious husband through the intensive care ward''s window, the tips of her fingers leaving faint marks on the window as they weakly slid down. After letting out an anguished chuckle, Yu Wanrou turned around and pulled out her phone to make a call.


    ¡­


    "Tang-Tang!"


    Yin Zhao-an darted to Tang Yu''s side and hugged Tang Yu''s waist, a sobbing expression on her face as she said, "Tang-Tang... I waited for you for a long time after class but never saw you... I thought you didn''t want to care about me anymore..."


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Several patients and nurses passing by turned their heads around when they heard Yin Zhao-an''s cry.


    Tang Yu felt embarrassed by Yin Zhao-an''s antics, and she hurriedly gestured for Yin Zhao-an to keep quiet.


    Probably realizing that she had just made a fool out of herself, Yin Zhao-an decided to simply bury her head into Tang Yu''s chest and rubbed her head against it, her actions ruffling up her short hair.


    "How is Old Tang?" Yin Changcheng, standing next to Yu Wanrou, asked as he looked at Tang Zhengyang lying unconscious on a hospital bed in the intensive care ward.


    "The doctor says he can move to the normal ward tomorrow," Yu Wanrou answered. Then, she turned to look at the two hugging children, a hint of affection appearing in her eyes as she said, "I''m afraid I''m going to have to trouble you with Little Yu, Brother Yin. Old Tang needs my care."


    After a soft sigh, Yin Changcheng patted Yu Wanrou on the shoulder and said, "Everything will be fine, so don''t worry too much. You can count on us to take care of Little Yu."


    "Thank you."


    Tang Yu didn''t dare to push Yin Zhao-an away. It''d be terrible if Yin Zhao-an tripped and got injured. So, she could only put up with this situation and put her hands on her sides to have as little physical contact with Yin Zhao-an as possible.


    Tang Yu had listened to every word exchanged between the two adults. From their words, she could roughly guess where she would stay for the foreseeable future.


    After Yu Wanrou and Yin Changcheng exchanged a few more words, Yin Changcheng approached Tang Yu and crouched down to meet her eyes. Then, he smiled gently and said, "Little Yu, let''s go to Uncle''s house later, okay? I''ll have An-An keep you company."


    Although Tang Yu knew she couldn''t avoid staying over at the Yin family''s house, she still turned to Yu Wanrou first to seek her mother''s opinion. After all, she was a good child. It wasn''t in her personality to take the initiative to play with others.


    After seeing Yu Wanrou giving her a gentle nod, Tang Yu obediently responded to Yin Changcheng, "Okay."


    Yin Zhao-an, still unaware of the adults'' plans for her bedroom, remained clinging to Tang Yu. Despite being much taller than Tang Yu, she didn''t behave like she was the taller of the two at all. When Yin Changcheng saw Yin Zhao-an''s behavior, he couldn''t help but give his daughter a soft kick in the foot out of disgust.


    While Yu Wanrou returned home to pack the things she needed to stay at the hospital, Yin Changcheng brought the two girls to the hospital''s canteen for a quick meal. Then, they sat by the entrance of the intensive care unit and waited.


    Yin Changcheng recalled the past as he leaned back against the chair, these distant memories filling his heart with various emotions. There was a time when he, too, laid in an intensive care ward.


    Perhaps, at the time, Wang Zhen had also been waiting outside the ward. Without knowing what had happened, she had probably dashed to the hospital after receiving a call about his encounter and anxiously waited for the doctor to bring her sad or happy news about his surgery. Despite being used to seeing death, Wang Zhen broke into tears that day. 4887


    Fortunately, he survived the ordeal. Though due to how severe the injuries he suffered to his leg ligaments, it was highly likely he would suffer from sequelae, which turned out to be true as he was now prone to joint pain whenever it started to rain.


    Yin Changcheng let out a helpless sigh. It would have been great if his child was a boy. His child could have stepped onto the battlefield to defend the country and punish evil. Unfortunately...


    Yin Zhao-an, who rested her head on Tang Yu''s shoulder, suffered another kick to her food. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, she feigned surprise and looked at Tang Yu with aggrieved eyes while crying to Tang Yu for a hug.


    It was already nearing the afternoon when Yu Wanrou returned. Looking at Yin Zhao-an apologetically, Yu Wanrou said, "Have I kept An-An from her class?"


    "She''s fine," Yin Changcheng said, waving his hand. "Little Yu also has to go to class, right? I''ll send them to school first and bring Little Yu straight to my place in the evening."


    Yu Wanrou gave Yin Changcheng a look of gratitude. Then, she gently stroked Tang Yu''s head and said, "Little Yu, be a good girl and don''t give Uncle Yin any trouble, okay?"


    "I''ll be good, Mommy. I won''t make trouble for Uncle Yin," Tang Yu said, curving her lips and revealing a bright smile, the smile soothing Yu Wanrou''s anxious heart.


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes widened in disbelief when she saw this smile. It was as if she had just discovered a new continent.


    ...


    On the way back to school...


    "Tang-Tang~ Tang-Tang~ Give me another smile~"


    Tang Yu desperately pushed Yin Zhao-an away from her while rubbing the goosebumps covering her arms, very close to shouting, "Get the hell away from me."


    Yin Changcheng, on the other hand, didn''t find anything wrong with this scene. On the contrary, he felt that the two children were quite close.

 CH 25

    As soon as class was over, Yin Zhao-an was already excitedly jumped up and down outside one of the windows of Tang Yu''s classroom like a little monkey, her antics earning her the attention of everyone in the classroom.


    Tang Yu started to pack her schoolbag even more quickly when she saw this embarrassing sight. Then, as soon as she finished, she ran out of the classroom, dragging her schoolbag with one hand and the overly-enthusiastic child with her other hand.


    "Tang-Tang, Tang-Tang, are you sleeping over at my house today? Hm? Hmm? Hmmm? Are you? Are you?" Yin Zhao-an eagerly asked while interlocking her fingers with the hand that took the initiative to hold onto hers.


    Yin Zhao-an did not stop talking throughout the entire time they walked out of the school. Tang Yu found Yin Zhao-an''s behavior too embarrassing, so she simply kept her head looking straight while only offering several perfunctory "yes" as a reply.


    Yin Changcheng parked his car at the curb outside the school. A stream of students flowed out of the school gate as soon as school was over. Yin Changcheng was someone with trouble remembering faces, so every one of these children looked the same to him. He was at such a loss that he didn''t even realize his daughter was already standing next to his car.


    "Dad, let''s go," Yin Zhao-an said after opening the door and pulling Tang Yu into the back of the car with her, her eyes shining brightly.


    ...


    Eventually, Tang Yu found herself standing in a familiar room. The decorations, the desk, and even the single bed...everything was familiar to her.


    The bookshelf in the room held Yin Zhao-an''s favorite comic books. It also held books on human anatomy and physiology. Out of these two starkly different categories of books, the latter naturally wasn''t chosen by Yin Zhao-an. Instead, Wang Zhen had forcibly stuffed those books there.


    When Yin Changcheng walked over to Yin Zhao-an''s room with a brand new set of bedding, he couldn''t help but laugh when he saw Tang Yu standing still by the entrance. Then, he said, "Don''t be so formal. Think of it as your own room and go on in."


    While Yin Changcheng was setting up the bedding, Yin Zhao-an was busily moving back and forth in her room, transferring all the dolls and bolsters from her bed into the cupboard. Then, she put a small pillow on the extra space she opened up on her bed.


    After taking care of everything, Yin Changcheng patted his daughter on the shoulder and said in a half-joking and half-threatening tone, "No bullying Little Yu. Otherwise, your mother and I will beat you."


    After saying so, Yin Changcheng left, saying he would go out to buy some daily necessities and dinner.


    Then, the two children remaining in the room looked at each other.


    "..."


    "Cough, cough. Do you like comics, Tang-Tang?" Yin Zhao-an was the first to break the awkward silence. She pulled Tang Yu to the desk and grabbed several colorful books from the bookshelf. Then, she opened them in front of Tang Yu, one after another.


    When Tang Yu glanced at the books, the first thought that came to her mind was:


    Sure enough, this person''s hobby hasn''t changed.


    Driven by some inexplicable reason, Tang Yu picked up one of the comic books Yin Zhao-an had yet to open. Then, she turned the title page and revealed the drawing of two girls snuggling together.


    Tang Yu remembered this story. The two girls in the drawing were twins with similar appearances and hobbies. Yet, the two girls had very different personalities.


    The elder sister was like a purer and flawless angel, while the younger sister was like a devil with a pension for murder.


    People always said that evil would never triumph over good, but when evil became good, everyone would keep silent.


    The story was a tragic one. The evildoer sacrificed herself to save everyone at the end of the story. Yet, nobody bothered to remember her deeds or her existence after her death.


    The last scene in the comic was set at a grave. The grave was desolate, with white flowers growing in front of it. A handful of daisies stained with fresh dew were placed before the grave. As for who had placed those daisies...


    Tang Yu didn''t know who had put those daisies there in the past, but now she hoped her thoughts were correct.


    The setting sun cast a warm yellow glow on Tang Yu, dyeing her eyes amber and making her gentle appearance look even gentler.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu''s current appearance, she subconsciously slowed down her breathing to admire the work of art before her. When she looked at Tang Yu''s eyes, she felt as if she was looking at a vast river of stars that contained many secrets. Although she got the urge to explore these secrets, she didn''t know where to begin.


    Click¡ª


    The lights in the room went on, and the two children, immersed in their own worlds, instantly snapped out of their dazes.


    "Haha! Other children will flip over the heavens when they get together, but you two are reading books?" When Yin Changcheng turned on the lights and saw the two children sitting before the desk, he couldn''t help but laugh out loud. Then, after having his fill of laughter, he walked to the bathroom with a bag in his hand and began setting up the new toothbrush, cup, and towel he had bought.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu found that, without her realizing it, she was leaning against Yin Zhao-an''s body. Now that she was paying attention, she could even feel Yin Zhao-an''s hot breath hitting the back of her neck.


    Yin Zhao-an also just noticed their current position. However, she didn''t think too much about it. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Tang Yu and rested her chin on Tang Yu''s shoulder before coquettishly saying, "You''re so warm, Tang-Tang~"


    Tang Yu''s plan to break out of this position faced ruin before she could even try to carry it out. Then, she looked out the window in depression and silently sighed.


    Fortunately, Yin Changcheng came to Tang Yu''s rescue shortly after as he walked out of the bathroom and said, "I bought dinner, so come downstairs and eat."


    ...


    Unfortunately for Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an did not put her antics to rest even at the dining table, the latter continuously grabbing food with her chopsticks and putting it into Tang Yu''s bowl. Before Tang Yu could even take a few bites, a mountain of food had already formed on top of her bowl of rice.


    When Yin Changcheng saw that his daughter was about to extend her chopsticks to the plate of prawns, he could no longer stand this sight. After stopping Yin Zhao-an''s chopsticks with his own, he said, "Why do you keep serving food for Little Yu?"


    "Don''t you normally grab food for Mom as well?" Yin Zhao-an said righteously before pushing aside her father''s chopsticks, reaching for one of the fat and juicy prawns, and adding it to the miniature mountain in Tang Yu''s bowl.


    "I..." Yin Changcheng was momentarily rendered speechless. Then, putting his chopsticks down in a huff, he said, "How can this and that be the same thing?"


    Yin Zhao-an also put down her chopsticks. Then, unwilling to back off, she said, "How are they different?"


    "Your mother is my wife. Who would I serve food to if I don''t serve it to her?"


    "Then, if I don''t serve food to my wife, should I serve it to yours?"


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    Yin Changcheng widened his eyes in shock and looked at Yin Zhao-an as if he was looking at a rebellious child.


    Tang Yu: ?!

 CH 26

    "Cough, cough¡­" Tang Yu choked on her food, her delicate face turning beet red.


    Yin Zhao-an hurriedly poured Tang Yu a cup of warm water when she saw this. Then, while gently patting Tang Yu on the back, she naggingly said, "Don''t be in such a hurry when eating. No one is fighting over the food with you."


    Meanwhile, Yin Changcheng held his head and sighed. He felt as if his daughter was an exact copy of his wife. Even the way Yin Zhao-an spoke resembled Wang Zhen perfectly.


    After waiting for Tang Yu to recover, Yin Zhao-an returned to her seat.


    Although the conversation was interrupted, Yin Changcheng still chose to correct his daughter''s misconception, saying, "An-An, you can''t just casually call someone your wife."


    "Why?"


    Yin Changcheng took a moment to organize his words. Then, he cleared his throat and said, "You can only call someone your wife after you have married them. Your mother and I are married, so I can call her my wife. You, however, must refer to Little Yu as your big sister."


    Tang Yu fervently nodded on one side, expressing her approval.


    After pondering over her father''s words for a moment, Yin Zhao-an suddenly smiled and said, "Then, I''ll just have to marry Tang-Tang. That way, I can say she''s my wife, right?"


    "You little s¡ª" No! I must endure it! Yin Changcheng''s face turned bright red from anger. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Nevermind. I won''t continue talking about this with you, but you best get this notion out of your mind. Otherwise, your mother will take care of you once she comes home."


    Not wanting to let his blood pressure rise even more than it already did, Yin Changcheng wolfed down his food and fled to the study. Before closing the door, he said, "Bring the dishes into the kitchen once you''re done eating. Also, stop serving food to Little Yu. I don''t think she can finish that much food."


    Yin Zhao-an, putting another fat prawn into Tang Yu''s bowl, froze. However, after hesitating for only a second, she resumed adding more food into Tang Yu''s full bowl. Then, she smiled and said to Tang Yu, "No problem. You can just give it to me if you can''t finish."


    Although Yin Zhao-an was smiling, the expression she wore was evidently strange.


    Tang Yu silently observed Yin Zhao-an, noting the distress that was written all over the face of the child who didn''t know how to hide her true emotions. However, she couldn''t figure out what Yin Zhao-an was stressing over.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu was never a big eater, so she couldn''t help but feel a little frustrated when faced with the big bowl of food before her. Just when she was about to sneak into the kitchen to throw away the excess, she saw Yin Zhao-an looking at her with a smile.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Tang Yu felt a little embarrassed as she held her bowl. Then, she softly asked, "C-Can I stop eating?"


    "You shouldn''t waste food~" Yin Zhao-an said in a gentle tone.


    "...Oh."


    Tang Yu dejectedly picked up her chopsticks again. However, before she could resume eating, her bowl was snatched out of her hand. Even her chopsticks were stolen.


    Subsequently, a scene that gave her mind a violent shock appeared in front of her eyes. The scene was so shocking that even her face twitched a little.


    When Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu''s consternation, she simply gave Tang Yu a smile before she continued scarfing down Tang Yu''s leftovers.


    "Stop eating it," Tang Yu said, frowning as she walked over to snatch back her bowl. The Yin Zhao-an in her memories would never behave like this.


    Yin Zhao-an was a little confused by Tang Yu''s reaction. However, she could clearly sense that Tang Yu was in a bad mood. At a loss on what to do, she rubbed the tip of her nose and said, "Then...okay. I won''t eat it anymore." Then, she tentatively took the bowl in Tang Yu''s hand and pointed at the dining table, saying, "I''ll clean up the table, then."


    Tang Yu stood in place as she watched Yin Zhao-an busily move the dirty dishes into the kitchen, falling into deep thought.


    She''s different¡­


    Tang Yu found that many things about Yin Zhao-an had changed after she reincarnated.


    The first time Tang Yu saw Yin Zhao-an appearing before her covered in scars was in middle school. Yin Zhao-an had fought against some delinquents off-campus at the time. That was also when Yin Zhao-an started growing out her hair. She did so to use her bangs to cover a scar on her forehead.


    Yin Zhao-an protected Tang Yu because she was weak. However, she did so with the mindset of a child leader. More specifically, whenever others asked Yin Zhao-an why she was protecting Tang Yu, she would answer with something like, "I''m the only one who can bully her."


    Yin Zhao-an was a picky eater and never ate food that wasn''t freshly prepared. She never changed this bad habit, even after getting beaten up by Wang Zhen numerous times.


    Yin Zhao-an disliked following others from behind. She liked to walk at the front like a leader...


    Yin Zhao-an would never care about other people''s eating habits¡­


    "Tang-Tang! Tang-Tang! Why are you crying?"


    When Yin Zhao-an left the kitchen and saw Tang Yu idly standing next to the dining table shedding tears, she couldn''t help but be startled. Hurriedly, she walked over to Tang Yu while wiping her wet hands against her shirt. Then, she clumsily embraced Tang Yu with one arm and reached for the box of tissue on the table.


    The sudden feeling of grievance Tang Yu felt made her lose control of herself. Even though she felt that she looked like a fool for crying suddenly, she still couldn''t help but let her tears run.


    "I''m fine," Tang Yu said as she snatched the tissue from Yin Zhao-an''s hand and fled.


    Yin Zhao-an also wished to cry after experiencing this confusing situation. Fortunately, her father didn''t see this situation. Otherwise, she''d have to receive a scolding for no reason.


    ...


    Tang Yu had packed all the clothes she needed and brought them to Yin Zhao-an''s room. However, even though she was familiar with every part of the room, she dared not go ahead and use the bathroom first. After all, this was supposed to be the first time she had visited Yin Zhao-an''s room, and it would be very impolite of her to use the bathroom without the host''s consent.


    Thus, when Yin Zhao-an returned to her room, the first thing she saw was Tang Yu staring at a fresh set of clothes.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw this scene, a few drops of cold sweat formed on her forehead. Her Tang-Tang''s emotion''s truly were erratic, coming and going as they pleased.


    "Go ahead and take a bath first, Tang-Tang. I''ll go..." Before Yin Zhao-an could finish her words, Tang Yu had already swooshed into the bathroom, her speed shocking Yin Zhao-an. "...after you."


    Have I been...keeping Tang-Tang awake?


    Oh, no! How sinful of me!

 CH 27

    The sound of running water coming from the bathroom did not last very long. When Tang Yu left the bathroom, she brought with her a cloud of steam. After showering, her cheeks looked pinkish, and hints of laziness could be seen in her eyes.


    "You can go to sleep first if you''re tired, Tang-Tang. I''m going to take my bath now," Yin Zhao-an said as a reminder, afraid that her Tang-Tang would stand still without knowing what to do again. Then, she grabbed a fresh set of clothes and walked into the bathroom.


    The sound of running water flowed out of the bathroom again a moment later. Tang Yu hesitated for a moment before sitting at the edge of Yin Zhao-an''s bed. Only after her body had cooled down sufficiently did she slowly crawl into the familiar bed.


    The pillow was new, and the bedding was also new. They gave off a faint smell of lavender, which reassured Tang Yu.


    The bedroom was very quiet when Yin Zhao-an left the bathroom, so Yin Zhao-an guessed that Tang Yu must have fallen asleep already.


    Yin Zhao-an''s short hair was wet and stuck to her scalp, and water could still be seen dripping from the ends of her hair. After wrapping a towel around her neck, she picked up her hairdryer and left the room.


    ...


    Yin Changcheng took off his reading glasses and caressed his chin, a frown forming on his face as he pondered over the data displayed on the computer.


    Whirr¡ª


    A noise came from outside the door, causing his chaotic thoughts to grow even more chaotic. Eventually, his irritation caused him to leave the study to see what was going on outside.


    Yin Zhao-an was standing next to the staircase on the first floor while drying her hair, the hairdryer she used plugged into a socket by the staircase. Her short, smooth hair slowly fluffed up under the constant stream of hot air. When she saw her father walking out of the study, she only glanced at him briefly before returning her attention to her hair.


    "Hey, aren''t you behaving less and less respectfully to me? Can''t even bother to give your old man a greeting?" Yin Changchneg said, glaring at his daughter in dissatisfaction as he poured himself a glass of water and sat on a sofa in the living room.


    Curling her lips, Yin Zhao-an refuted, "You''ve never greeted me when you beat me up, either."


    "Isn''t that because you asked for it?"


    "Yes, yes, yes, I asked for it. So, care for a fight?"


    Yin Changcheng got energized when he heard his daughter''s suggestion. Putting his cup down, he started to work his muscles as he said, "You best not complain that I''m not treating you like my daughter when you get beaten up later."


    Feeling that her hair was mostly dried, Yin Zhao-an grinned and said, "Don''t say that I''m not treating you like my old man, then."


    ...


    Unfortunately, Yin Zhao-an had to admit that with age comes wisdom. Even though she thought she had altered her moves sufficiently, her father still effortlessly dismantled her so-called "moves." Not only that, but he even gave her a thorough beating.


    Sensing the aching pain coming from her waist, Yin Zhao-an cursed under her breath and reluctantly yelled to stop the fight. Then, she shouted at her father, "You''re not treating me like your daughter!"


    "I..."


    Yin Changcheng was rendered speechless as he looked at her daughter running away in a huff. The girl was as unreasonable as her mother.


    ...


    Having showered in vain, Yin Zhao-an threw her sweat-soaked clothes aside and took another shower.


    After her evening exercise, a strong sense of exhaustion overwhelmed Yin Zhao-an. This time, she took care not to get her hair wet, so she jumped straight onto the bed after coming out of the bathroom.


    After nestling her head into her pillow, Yin Zhao-an flipped the light switch next to her bed. Then, she closed her eyes and adjusted her body into a comfortable posture, her body subconsciously moving forward when it sensed a nearby heat source.


    Sighing in satisfaction, Yin Zhao-an hugged the arm of the person sleeping next to her and gradually stabilized her breathing.


    In the peaceful darkness, only the rhythmic sound of breathing could be heard.


    When Yin Zhao-an fell asleep, Tang Yu opened her eyes and quietly pondered the possibility of holding up Yin Zhao-an and giving the girl a beating. Unfortunately, the gap in combat power was too significant. After racking her mind, she felt that she could only think of another way to free her arm from the devil''s embrace.


    Tang Yu tried to wiggle her arm out of the suffocating embrace. However, as soon as she moved her arm, the lock around her arm tightened even more.


    Sensing that she had worsened her situation, Tang Yu decided to stop moving completely and idly stared into the darkness. Then, after finding a comfortable position in Yin Zhao-an''s embrace, she gradually let herself fall asleep.


    There was still school tomorrow, so she needed to rest well.


    In a daze, Tang Yu tilted her head sideways, muttered something, and fell asleep.


    If Yin Zhao-an was still awake right now, she would have definitely heard those words:


    "How did they get so big..."


    ¡­


    Morning, Yin Zhao-an woke up to a small movement. Opening her eyes in a daze, she met eyes with the person in her arms, the other party similarly having just woken up.


    It was early in the morning. Tang Yu had yet to camouflage her expressions, so a dazed expression could be seen in her big, round eyes.


    Tang Yu had always been calm and collected, so Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but find Tang Yu very cute to see a hint of childishness in her.


    "Morning, Tang-Tang," Yin Zhao-an said in a good mood. Then, she switched to hugging Tang Yu''s arm to Tang Yu''s entire body.


    However, the quilt was warm, and Tang Yu''s body was also warm. The warmth was so comfortable Yin Zhao-an did not wish to let go of Tang Yu at all.


    "We''re going to be late. Let go..."


    "An-An, what''s wrong with you?! You''re going to be late!" Wang Zhen suddenly thundered into the room. When she saw a quilt on the floor, she was briefly stunned. Then, when she saw her daughter confining Tang Yu in a tight embrace, she couldn''t help but yell again, "You let go of Little Yu!"


    Although a certain someone had made a mess of her hair, Tang Yu still politely greeted Wang Zhen, "Hello, Auntie."


    When Wang Zhen heard Tang Yu''s voice, her anger instantly vanished, her expression mellowed, and her heart became a soft pile of push. Even her voice had softened as she said, "Did you sleep well last night, Little Yu? Come, get up quickly. Auntie will send you to school!"


    Immediately after saying so, Wang Zhen snapped back to her daughter, gnashing her teeth as she said, "You''re going to be late if you still don''t get up!"


    Tang Yu: "..."

 CH 28

    Yin Zhao-an was very quiet on the way to school. She kept her eyes closed as she leaned against Tang Yu the entire time.


    Wang Zhen kept looking back through the rearview mirror, apparent worry in her eyes.


    If Tang Yu wasn''t aware of Yin Zhao-an''s mental tolerance, even she would have assumed that Yin Zhao-an had her feelings hurt by the situation just now.


    As soon as the car stopped outside the school, Yin Zhao-an dragged Tang Yu out of the car without saying a word, behaving as if she had been wronged.


    However, after passing a corner, the tense expression on Yin Zhao-an''s face loosened. Then, leaning her entire body onto Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an sullenly said, "I''m so pitiful, Tang-Tang."


    "Why?"


    "I feel like you''re the child they gave birth to while I was adopted," Tang Yu aggrievedly said, putting on a pathetic look to seek comfort from her Tang-Tang.


    After staying silent for a few seconds, Tang Yu pat Yin Zhao-an on the shoulder and said, "I have a mother."


    Yin Zhao-an: "..."


    Yin Zhao-an helplessly sighed and held her forehead. She was a fool to expect her Tang-Tang to say something sensational.


    ...


    When noon came around, Tang Yu got dragged to the hospital by Yin Changcheng before she could even eat her lunch.


    When Tang Yu saw how much of a hurry Yin Changcheng was in, she thought something had happened to her father. Fortunately, that wasn''t the case at all.


    After arriving at the hospital, Tang Yu discovered that her father had already regained consciousness and was sitting on his bed. Although her father''s unshaven face looked a little haggard, he radiated a lively and righteous aura. Even though he was just sitting there, he gave off a reassuring feeling.


    "Daddy," Tang Yu softly called out to her father after taking a seat by the bed.


    Tang Zhengyang smiled at Tang Yu reassuringly. Although he wanted to pat his daughter''s head, his wife stopped him from doing so because of his shoulder injury.


    "Old Tang." Yin Changcheng didn''t say much, choosing to only call out to his friend. However, the gazes they exchanged were more than enough for them to understand the words they wanted to convey.


    A moment later, Tang Zhengyang raised his uninjured left hand and gave Yin Changcheng a thumbs-up gesture. Then, he smiled and said, "It''s good to be alive."


    "It is indeed good to be alive."


    Yu Wanrou fiddled with the bowl of congee in her hands, simply smiling in response to the interaction between the two grown men. Both men had experienced knocking on death''s door, and it was an experience onlookers couldn''t comprehend.


    Tang Yu was glad. She was truly glad that she could change the original direction of her present life. However, her actions would most likely result in a butterfly effect as well, so what would happen in the future would no longer be within her control. If that were the case, could she really continue surviving in such an unknown world?


    Yu Wanrou noticed the sudden dimming of Tang Yu''s eyes. Seeing this, Yu Wanrou gently poked her husband and signaled with her eyes to look at the little person next to him.


    Tang Zhengyang got her wife''s hint and pondered for a bit. Then, he said to his daughter, "Little Yu, Daddy didn''t lie to you, right?"


    Tang Yu looked up. When she saw her parents'' expression, she knew they must have misunderstood her behavior. They must have thought she had shown such an expression because she felt left out.


    Warmth filling her heart, Tang Yu smiled and said, "You nearly broke your promise, Daddy."


    "Cough..." Tang Zhengyang choked a little when he heard Tang Yu''s words, his face turning red. Then, he helplessly looked at Yu Wanrou for help.


    Yu Wanrou quickly patted her husband''s back to help him ease his coughing. Then, she looked at her daughter with a helpless and doting gaze.


    Tang Yu could only put on an innocent face in response.


    Tang Zhengyang''s comrades had already visited early in the morning, so there were a bunch of fruits and nutritional products placed by the bedside table and under the bed. From what Tang Yu learned through listening in on the adults'' conversation, a young man repeatedly apologized and thanked Tang Zhengyang while crying, the young man''s sobbing behavior causing everyone in the room to laugh. Even Yu Wanrou, who had always been gentle and virtuous, couldn''t help but turn away to muffle her laughter...


    Since Tang Zhengyang was recovering from his injuries, Yu Wanrou only prepared light dishes for lunch. Tang Yu wasn''t a picky eater, so she had no problems with the food, but it was a different story for Tang Zhengyang.


    Tang Zhengyang was a man who couldn''t go without spicy food, so having nothing but bland congee and vegetables for lunch was no different than torture for him. The food was so unbearable that he had secretly stuffed some money into Tang Yu''s hands, asking her to help him buy some chili oil. However, Tang Yu didn''t hesitate to pass the "bribe money" to Yu Wanrou.


    Tang Zhengyang: "..."


    Yu Wanrou was indeed worthy of being a gentle and dignified Jiangnan beauty. She did not get angry at Tang Zhengyang even after learning about his ploy. On the contrary, she had even left to buy a jar of chili oil.


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    When Tang Yu saw her mother returning with the jar of chili oil, she quietly stepped aside and sipped on her milk carton as she awaited the upcoming show.


    Meanwhile, Tang Zhengyang shrank in fear when he saw what his wife brought back, aware of what his wife would be doing. He wasn''t afraid of charging into battle, but he was terrified of his wife''s gentle attacks.


    After returning to her husband''s side, Yu Wanrou opened the jar of chili oil, scooped out a spoonful of chili oil, and mixed it into a new bowl of congee she had poured for herself. At the same time, the smell of chili oil spread across the room, causing the mouths of those who smelled it to water.


    Just when Tang Yu thought that bowl of "spicy congee" was going into Tang Zhengyang''s mouth, Yu Wanrou calmly scooped up a spoonful and slowly brought it over to her own mouth.


    "Honey! Honey! I was wrong! I won''t eat chili anymore! I''ll eat the congee! I''ll eat the congee!" Tang Zhengyang hurriedly stopped his wife''s actions, his eyes filled with worry.


    Yu Wanrou''s hand paused. Then, she looked at her husband and asked, "You won''t try to have chili anymore?"


    Tang Zhengyang would have knelt on the ground if he could right now. "I won''t! I''ll just have plain congee, okay? Your stomach can''t handle spicy food, so you mustn''t eat that!"


    "Okay, then," Yu Wanrou said as she set aside the bowl of "spicy congee." Then, she picked up Tang Zhengyang''s half-eaten bowl of plain congee and started feeding it to him. "Ah¡ª"


    "Ah¡ª"


    "Pfft..."


    Two gazes turned to Tang Yu simultaneously. Noticing this, Tang Yu waved her hand and tried her best to restrain the corners of her mouth from rising as she said, "Don''t mind me. Continue, continue..."

 CH 29

    Tang Zhengyang''s injury did not extend to his bones, so he was ready to leave the hospital after only a few weeks of recuperation. Although the doctor had suggested he stay a little longer, there was no way staying in the hospital could beat staying at home.


    Since Tang Zhengyang was returning, Tang Yu naturally couldn''t continue staying at the Yin family''s home. While packing her belongings, Tang Yu paused and hesitated when she saw her toiletries in the bathroom.


    "You don''t have to take those with you, right?"


    While Tang Yu was hesitating about whether she should take the toiletries with her, Yin Zhao-an''s voice suddenly came from behind her. When she turned around, she saw Yin Zhao-an standing by the door with a gloomy expression.


    "...Oh, okay."


    Tang Yu wasn''t thinking of taking the toiletries because she was trying to take advantage of the Yin family''s kindness. She simply felt that since these were personal items she had used before, now that she wasn''t going to use them anymore, she should throw them away¡­


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an inwardly celebrated her success at keeping her Tang-Tang''s toiletries. With this, she''d have an excuse to have her Tang-Tang stay over the next time an opportunity arose.


    When Tang Yu walked over to the bedroom door, she turned around to take another look at the room she had left her mark on, mixed feelings filling her heart.


    Goodbye¡­


    However, before Tang Yu could reach the staircase, someone pulled her hand.


    With slightly reddened eyes, Yin Zhao-an pleaded, "Tang-Tang, can''t you stay for another night?"


    Tang Yu broke out in a cold sweat at Yin Zhao-an''s question. Stay for another night? I''m going to die from suffocation if I stay for another night!


    Throughout the past several weeks Tang Yu had slept in Yin Zhao-an''s room, Yin Zhao-an always would go to sleep while tightly embracing Tang Yu. Not a single night did Tang Yu get to spend free from Yin Zhao-an''s clutches. Even though there were two quilts prepared, one would always be on the floor when morning arrived¡­


    Initially, Wang Zhen would pick up the dropped quilt and return it to the bed every morning. However, at some point, she simply took it away, leaving only one quilt for the two of them. She even jokingly said to Tang Yu, "I think you should just treat An-An as your quilt."


    "I have to go back," Tang Yu said as she shook off Yin Zhao-an''s hand and walked downstairs with her belongings.


    Yu Wanrou was already waiting downstairs. After helping Tang Yu with her luggage, Yu Wanrou sincerely thanked the Yin husband and wife, "I cannot thank you enough for taking care of Little Yu throughout these past few weeks."


    "Don''t mention it. Little Yu is like an angel, so taking care of her was no trouble at all," Wang Zhen said, a loving smile on her face as she rubbed Tang Yu on the head.


    "We''ll be taking our leave, then," Yu Wanrou said. Then, she turned to Yin Zhao-an and added, "Make sure to come over to our house and play when you are free, An-An."


    Yin Zhao-an fervently nodded in response. Then, while sobbing, she grabbed Tang Yu''s sleeve and said, "I''ll miss you, Tang-Tang."


    The corners of Tang Yu''s mouth twitched when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s overdramatic behavior. Then, she said, "We still need to go to school tomorrow."


    In other words, they''d be seeing each other tomorrow morning.


    Oh! That''s right!


    Yin Zhao-an awkwardly scratched her head and revealed a silly smile.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu arrived home, she saw her father tinkering with food in the kitchen. The bandages on his shoulder could not keep Tang Zhengyang away from good food.


    After putting the car keys into her handbag, Yu Wanrou briefly glanced at the person in the kitchen before carrying her daughter''s belongings upstairs. While going up the stairs, she said to her daughter, "Your room might have become a little dusty after being left empty for so many days. Little Yu, can you clean it by yourself?"


    "I can do it by myself," Tang Yu said. Then, she hesitantly looked downstairs and asked, "Will Daddy be fine in the kitchen by himself?"


    Yu Wanrou simply smiled and shook her head, indicating to Tang Yu that she should just ignore Tang Zhengyang.


    ¡­


    It had already been close to a month since Tang Yu had set foot into her bedroom. There was even a visible layer of dust accumulated on her desk.


    While Tang Yu started busying herself around the room, her mother went back downstairs after placing her clothes into her clothes cabinet, probably going to the kitchen to check on her father.


    As soon as the fine dust on the desk came into contact with water, they instantly merged to form dark gray water droplets on the waxed tabletop, which was then absorbed by the rag in Tang Yu''s hands.


    Tang Yu''s mind spun rapidly while her body mechanically cleaned her bedroom. There were three things she had set to do after getting a second chance at life. Fortunately, she had successfully concluded her first task, which relieved her anxious heart significantly. However, she did not let her guard drop since she still needed to pay attention to two other events.


    Tang Yu and her mother had moved out of the military compound after her father was killed in action. They bought a small apartment in a densely populated urban area. From that point onward, Yu Wanrou also started to leave on business trips more and more frequently.


    Meanwhile, whenever Yu Wanrou left on a business trip, Tang Yu would naturally be entrusted to the Yin family.


    On a certain day during the third year after moving into the apartment, sirens blared across the urban area, and billowing smoke rose all the way into the clouds. The peaceful city instantly became noisy, and ignorant passersby started walking in a general direction with looks of excitement and curiosity on their faces.


    Tang Yu felt uneasy when she saw the commotion, her body subconsciously following the crowd. However, before she could get anywhere, Yin Zhao-an stopped her and said, "Don''t be a busybody. There should be a fire there."


    Tang Yu understood Yin Zhao-an''s logic, but the direction the crowd was moving was...


    Her home!


    The panic in Tang Yu''s heart was infinitely magnified when she came to this realization. Immediately, she pushed Yin Zhao-an away and stumbled toward the thick smoke. Then, she squeezed through the crowd with great difficulty and saw several firemen giving emergency first aid to a dying woman on the ground.


    The dying woman was scorched black. When the woman briefly opened her eyes and saw Tang Yu collapsing to the ground, she opened her deformed lips, but no sound came out of them.


    However, Tang Yu heard it.


    "Live on," the woman said.


    Yu Wanrou was cremated without a funeral. After retrieving Yu Wanrou''s ashes, Yin Changcheng and Wang Zhen bought a piece of land in the cemetery and buried her ashes there.


    On that day, Tang Yu knelt in front of her mother''s grave while Yin Zhao-an hugged her from behind, gently patting her on the back while soothing her.


    While crying, Tang Yu said, "My world is gone."


    In response, Yin Zhao-an said, "I will be your world from now on."


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    Tang Yu took those words seriously.


    Ultimately, she was left to die in a damp basement, her body covered in wounds and her pride in ruins.

 CH 30

    Becoming my world? What a load of nonsense.


    Tang Yu angrily increased the strength she put into her hands, causing the wet cloth to make screeching sounds as if grinded against the table.


    Many soldiers were killed in action during her previous life because of the arms smugglers. Although she had successfully prevented this tragedy from repeating in this life, one of the criminals still got away. Or, in more official terms, the criminal''s whereabouts were unknown.


    Usually, this could mean that the criminal was either alive and escaped or dead but his corpse was missing. However, when she factored in what would happen in the future, that criminal was most likely still alive.


    Three years from now¡­


    Tang Yu straightened her back and took a deep breath. No matter the case, she needed to take more precautions. Even though she had successfully prevented the first disaster, if she failed the next one¡­


    Having her world crumble upon her twice was already more than enough. If it crumbled on her again, she would probably go crazy¡­


    By the time Tang Yu was done letting her thoughts run wild, she realized that she had already finished cleaning up her room. Tilting her head, she couldn''t help but be surprised at how good she was at multitasking.


    After taking a look at the bedside clock, Tang Yu frowned when she saw that it was already eight in the evening. Her family should have started to have dinner by this time already, yet why hadn''t either of her parents come to call her for dinner?


    Her head filled with confusion, Tang Yu went downstairs to see what was going on.


    Nobody was in the kitchen, so her parents should have finished cooking already. As for the living room¡­


    Tang Yu''s eyes widened in shock when she looked into the living room. Then, she turned away in a panic, her mind repeatedly chanting, Not for children. Not for children.


    The noise Tang Yu caused gave the two adults in the living room a scare, the two hurriedly separating. Yu Wanrou hurriedly covered her lips with her hand, her cheeks turning red from embarrassment. Meanwhile, Tang Zhengyang faked an awkward cough before reaching for the glass of water on the coffee table.


    "L-Let''s have dinner¡­" Yu Wanrou got up from the sofa and trotted to the kitchen, pretending as if nothing had just happened.


    Tang Yu awkwardly coughed twice as she watched her mother bring out several dishes from the kitchen. For a moment there, she thought she was going to have dog food[1] for dinner¡­


    After the unexpected kissing interruption, the atmosphere at the dining table grew strange.


    Tang Yu was someone who could read the room. She swiftly finished her dinner and fled back upstairs, letting the two embarrassed adults heave a sigh of relief.


    "There better not be a next time," Yu Wanrou coldly said as she lowered her head and focused on eating.


    "Okay, okay, okay. I won''t do it again in the living room."


    ¡­


    Autumn leaves scattered across the military compound, covering the ground in a thick layer of yellow leaves. The leaves made crisp sounds when pedestrians stepped on them. Then, they broke into tiny pieces that were swept away by the wind.


    Crack¡ª Crack¡ª


    Thick layers of leaves continuously cried out in anguish, the culprit behind their suffering walking backwards as she smiled and looked at a silent girl.


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    The tip of Tang Yu''s nose had reddened because of the chilly winds. While crushing the leaves under her feet, she looked up with her watery eyes and stared at the blue sky.


    Another year has gone by¡­


    "Tang-Tang, will you be going home at noon tomorrow?" Yin Zhao-an asked as she picked up a half-green half-yellow ginkgo leaf from the ground and handed it to Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu accepted the ginkgo leaf. The leaf was cool and very soft to the touch, and its color depicted the transition between spring and autumn.


    "No. Mommy won''t be home," Tang Yu answered.


    Having expected this answer, Yin Zhao-an smiled and said, "I''ll bring two lunchboxes tomorrow, then."


    "I can eat bread..."


    "No!" Yin Zhao-an instantly shot down Tang Yu''s suggested solution, the smile on her face disappearing. "How can you have bread as a staple food? Anyway, I''ll be bringing two lunchboxes tomorrow. If you don''t want to eat it, just throw it away."


    The corner of Tang Yu''s eyes twitched a little, her mind thinking, Do you think I won''t dare to throw it?


    Despite what Tang Yu said in her mind, her expression remained unchanged. Instead, she silently looked at her...meaty little paws.


    Tang Yu had hardly ever gained weight during her previous life. Even when she adhered to a normal diet of three meals a day, her weight would not be affected in the slightest. In this life, however...


    Yin Zhao-an had never stopped feeding her!


    Yin Zhao-an would bring Tang Yu a bottle of hot goat milk every morning. Moreover, she would only leave after watching Tang Yu finish the bottle. After this continued for over a span of a year...Tang Yu gained weight.


    Tang Yu, who never experienced being fat before, squeezed her fleshy hands and found that they felt...not bad?


    "Yin Zhao-an!"


    A harsh male voice broke the brief silence. Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an looked up at the same time and saw a boy wearing a denim jacket approaching them.


    The boy''s hair was parted, and he had a pair of pearly eyes on his fair face. At first glance, he looked like a boy who was going to become a womanizer in the future.


    Yin Zhao-an subconsciously stretched out her arm to shield Tang Yu when she saw the boy. Then, she squinted her eyes and scrutinized the unfamiliar boy for a moment, only to then come to a realization.


    "Oh, so it''s you!" Yin Zhao-an smiled meaningfully. "Zhao Yu."


    Zhao Yu calmly glanced at Tang Yu. Then, his ears reddened a little as he said, "Yin Zhao-an, can you come over here for a moment? I have something to tell you."


    Yin Zhao-an originally grew a little unhappy when she saw Zhao Yu looking at Tang Yu. However, she didn''t expect him to call her name instead.


    "Wait for me, Tang-Tang. I''ll be back in a moment," Yin Zhao-an said as she patted Tang Yu on the shoulder before walking over to Zhao Yu.


    The two children didn''t go far. However, Tang Yu couldn''t hear what they were saying. She could only see Yin Zhao-an''s expression becoming more and more complicated. Then...


    Zhao Yu handed something to Yin Zhao-an.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]dog food(¹·Á¸): It''s an internet slang in China that references a couple showing off their love to a single person(single dog -µ¥Éú¹· [also an internet slang]). Nowadays, any couple showing off their love to someone(doesn''t have to be someone who''s single) is considered "feeding someone dog food".

 CH 31

    Zhao Yu ran away as soon as he passed the item in his hand to Yin Zhao-an, leaving Yin Zhao-an standing in the wind feeling bewildered.


    Tang Yu walked over to Yin Zhao-an when she saw the latter was now by herself. However, as she got close, she saw Yin Zhao-an hurriedly stuffing whatever she received from Zhao Yu into her schoolbag before turning to smile at her awkwardly.


    "It''s been some time since that rascal has left the province. I never knew he had returned already, haha. Honestly, that Zhao Yu¡­" Yin Zhao-an said as she placed an arm around Tang Yu''s shoulders, unskillfully trying to change the subject.


    Tang Yu looked up at the person who had placed an arm around her. The other party was very good-looking. She had thin lips, charming eyes, and long eyelashes. She also had a bright personality. Simply put, she was the type of girl many people would like¡­


    Tang Yu saw it. It was a pink envelope.


    Alas, what will come, has come.


    Tang Yu used to regard Yin Zhao-an as her entire world, so she tried to stop others from getting into Yin Zhao-an''s life during her previous life. Now, though, she wouldn''t do that anymore. She shouldn''t be so selfish. Or, more specifically¡­she wanted to be a little more selfish and thoroughly withdraw herself from Yin Zhao-an''s life.


    Even though it was a warm embrace, Tang Yu felt her entire body growing cold, the chill penetrating all the way into her bones.


    Tang Yu quickened her footsteps and broke out of Yin Zhao-an''s embrace, her long, slender eyelashes kept low to hide the complicated emotions in her eyes. The door that always had a gap in it had started to close, little by little.


    Yin Zhao-an felt a little frustrated when she saw the abrupt change in Tang yu''s behavior. Recalling the love letter in her schoolbag only served to frustrate her even more. In only a matter of minutes, her good mood was suddenly not so good anymore.


    ¡­


    At night, after coming out of the shower, Yin Zhao-an sat in front of her desk as she dried her hair with a towel. A pink envelope was sitting on the desk, the envelope yet to be opened. The pink envelope was wrinkled quite badly, a result of her haphazardly stuffing it into her schoolbag this morning. Sitting under her desk lamp, the envelope was quite a pitiful sight...


    When Yin Zhao-an finished drying her shoulder-length hair, she frowned and wondered for a moment if she should go and get a haircut. However, that was a problem for the future. Now¡­


    Yin Zhao-an crudely opened the pink envelope, causing a wrinkled piece of scented paper to fall out.


    The letter was written on ivory white lined paper. The handwriting on the paper was neat and precise, looking more like it was written by a delicate girl rather than a rowdy boy.


    There were no strange forms of address in the letter. Instead, the letter''s author politely asked, "Please allow me to call you An-An."


    Yin Zhao-an raised an eyebrow when she saw this request, her face not showing any significant reactions. After all, almost everyone close to her called her "An-An." For example, her parents, her Tang-Tang, some elders, and so on. Of course, it was a different story for her underlings. Her underlings preferred to call her "Big Bro" or "Brother Zhao." It sounded like she was the head of a group of gangsters.


    However, when Yin Zhao-an reached the end of the letter, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and a blush formed on her face.


    "Although you usually act boorish, I can feel the tenderness inside you. I wish to take care of you. Can you give me a chance?"


    Yin Zhao-an faked a few coughs to hide her embarrassment. Even though she was the only one in the room, the blush on her face refused to disappear.


    This kid really knows his way with words. As expected of someone from a family of high achievers.


    Yin Zhao-an hesitated for a long while as she held the letter in her hands. Eventually, though, she chose to put it into the small drawer in the lower-right corner of her desk.


    I''ll keep it in consideration of the effort you''ve put in, Yin Zhao-an thought to herself.


    ¡­


    The cicadas were no longer chirping outside the window, and only the clattering of leaves could be heard. This was a sign that the end of the year was nearing.


    Tang Yu tossed and turned in her bed, unable to fall asleep. Eventually, she opened her eyes and stared at the night light above her bed, dimly illuminating a small part of the room.


    Tang Yu was at a loss.


    Her only wish in this life was for her parents to be safe and sound. In that case, once she dealt with the turning point two years later, where should she go?


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    At the very least, she couldn''t stay in this city anymore. This city was full of her memories; sweet, bitter, and sour. Once she left, none of them would continue to exist.


    Maybe falling in love with someone else would give her a new beginning?


    Tang Yu snorted. Then, she lifted her hand out of helplessness, the soft touch of her age constantly reminding her of her current age.


    What is a child thinking about all this nonsense?


    After mentally berating herself, Tang Yu wrapped herself in the quilt even more tightly before closing her eyes.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu crawled out of her bed before the sky got bright, the late autumn''s chill assaulting her skin and causing her to shiver. Hurriedly, she dug through her cupboard, pulled out a gray windbreaker, and draped it over her body.


    Tang Zhengyang resumed going on missions again shortly after he recovered, his every departure giving Tang Yu a wave of anxiety. Even Yu Wanrou had resumed going on business trips. Whenever they left, though, the husband and wife would emphasize to each other the need to pay attention to safety. Of course, they also did the same for Tang Yu.


    Today, Tang Yu was all by herself in the big house. After washing up, she checked every corner of the house as usual. This was a habit she developed a long time ago, the gas tank in the kitchen and the electronics in the house being her main priorities. She would carefully check and turn off everything that should be off. She had to ensure nothing went wrong.


    By the time Tang Yu was done with her inspection, half an hour had passed by already. After locking the front door to the house, she walked out of the courtyard with some change in her pocket.


    Tang Yu got up extra early today. Aside from a few morning walkers, she hardly saw any pedestrians on the road.


    However, shortly after leaving home, Tang Yu saw two figures¡ªone tall and one short¡ªjogging in her direction, the sight of these two figures causing her heart to thud. Immediately, she dodged to the side of the road and hid behind a small car.

 CH 32

    The two figures jogged past the car Tang Yu hid behind, their faces flushed from exercise.


    Tang Yu was a little surprised when she saw the two people as she recognized them. However, while it might not be strange to see Yin Changcheng exercising in the morning, Yin Zhao-an¡­


    Since when can she wake up so early?


    The gray sky, paired with the foggy weather, created the perfect cover for Tang Yu to go unnoticed. After seeing the two figures disappearing into the fog, Tang Yu slipped out of her hiding spot and fell into thought as she stared at the dense fog.


    A few minutes later, the sound of a stomach rumbling brought Tang Yu back from her thoughts.


    Blushing, Tang Yu covered her stomach and headed to the nearest breakfast shop.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu arrived at her school, the campus was serene, as if it had yet to wake up from its slumber.


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    Originally, Tang Yu thought she would be the first to arrive at the classroom, but to her surprise, she saw the silhouette of a person in the classroom.


    The unlit classroom was dim, so the other party''s silhouette blended in with the darkness.


    Tang Yu''s heart suddenly seized in pain when she saw this figure, her eyebrows frowning uncomfortably. Immediately, she reached out to the nearby switch, summoning light to drive away the oppressive darkness and reveal everything inside the classroom to her.


    ¡ªThe other party was a girl.


    The girl jumped when the lights suddenly came on. However, as soon as the girl saw it was Tang Yu, her surprise turned into contempt. She even snorted disdainfully at Tang Yu.


    Oh, so we''re in the same class again¡­


    Tang Yu sat down in her seat, feeling a little helpless.


    The school would randomly assign classes to students each year. With there being over a dozen classes in each grade, students were almost certain to meet unfamiliar faces every year. Yet, by some miracle, she was assigned to the same class as her bully.


    Though, it should be considered more of a miracle that Tang Yu had only noticed she belonged to the same class as her bully. After all, the school year was already coming to an end soon¡­


    "Why isn''t that tomboy with you?" the girl''s contemptuous voice rang out in the classroom.


    Although Tang Yu wasn''t keen to defend Yin Zhao-an, she still felt uncomfortable hearing others badmouth Yin Zhao-an. Thus, she said, "She''s not."


    Screech¡ª


    The screeching sound of a wooden desk rubbing against the concrete floor entered Tang Yu''s ears, causing her to subconsciously cover them. Then, she saw the girl walking toward her with an evil grin.


    The girl sat in front of Tang Yu. Then, propping up her chin with her hand, she scrutinized Tang Yu before saying, "You don''t look half bad. It''s a pity you don''t know how to speak."


    Tang Yu blushed with shame, her mind inwardly responding, The words "don''t know how to speak" can mean several things. Which one are you referring to?


    Suddenly, the girl''s expression turned ugly, as if having thought of something. Even her gaze had become ruthless.


    Before Tang Yu could react, her collar got grabbed, and a grim and threatening voice entered her left ear, saying, "You best not let me catch you outside by yourself. Otherwise, I''ll make sure you get it."


    After saying so, the girl got up and left.


    "What''s your name?" Tang Yu suddenly asked.


    The girl froze. Then, she turned around and glared at Tang Yu in bewilderment. She had given Tang Yu a hard time so many times now, yet Tang Yu didn''t even know her name?!


    "Du Yuqing," the girl left behind these words before returning to her seat, not bothering to look at Tang Yu anymore.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu felt as if someone had suddenly poured cold water onto her, a horrible suffocating feeling enveloping her as memories she had desperately tried to forget resurfaced before her eyes.


    "Do you think she cares whether you live or die?"


    "Look. You''re so pathetic. You''re like a pet no one wants."


    "I''ll let you go so long as you leave her."


    "She will only be with me."


    Tang Yu tightly gripped the edges of her shirt and bit down on her lip, an overwhelming feeling of helplessness assaulting her. She subconsciously looked up in search of something, but apart from herself and Du Yuqing, nobody else was in the classroom.


    Tang yu looked down in disappointment. She felt as if someone had just cut off a corner of her heart with a sharp blade, the pain so unbearable she broke out into a cold sweat.


    What was she looking for? What else was she expecting?


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an leisurely walked in silence, pretending to "inadvertently" glance at the person walking next to her, only to end up meeting gazes with the other party. Then, an awkward silence ensued between the two people who were caught sneaking glances at each other.


    Yin Zhao-an stopped in her tracks when she arrived at the familiar intersection.


    Zhao Yu also stopped with her. However, after quietly waiting in place for a while, he hesitantly asked, "Waiting for Tang Yu?"


    "Mhm."


    "...Oh."


    Silence ensued again.


    As time slowly rose into the sky, the other children of the military compound also began making their way to school. When these children walked past the two familiar faces at the intersection, they couldn''t help but cast a strange look at the strange combination. Unable to handle the stares, Zhao Yu began counting the pebbles on the ground with a blush on his face.


    Sometime later, Zhao Yu looked at his watch and said, "We''re going to be late. She should have gone to school already."


    Yin Zhao-an frowned in annoyance. She noticed something was strange with Tang Yu yesterday, so she immediately linked Tang Yu''s absence to it. Did she do something to upset her Tang-Tang?


    "Fine. Let''s go, then."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu was feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Knowing that she was staying in the same room as Du Yuqing suffocated her. Yet, she couldn''t just kick Du Yuqing out, either. With no better choice, Tang Yu fled to the rooftop for fresh air.


    The wind on the rooftop was just right. It was warm and gentle, and having it blow at her face felt like having a large and gentle hand soothing her heart.


    With nothing better to do, Tang Yu started looking at the young boys and girls walking into the campus, her mind admiring the wonders of youth as she observed their lively behavior. The next second, however, the large hand that was supposed to be soothing her suddenly squeezed down on her fragile heart.


    Tang Yu nearly spat out blood when she saw the two people who had just walked through the front gate side by side, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    Meanwhile, the first thought that came to her mind after seeing this was: That bastard actually started dating!

 CH 33

    A second after being surprised, Tang Yu calmed down, remembering that Yin Zhao-an''s decisions no longer mattered to her.


    Tang Yu rubbed her chest, soothing her pitiful little heart. At the same time, she also muttered a short prayer for Zhao Yu''s future husband.


    Sorry, pal, but whether your wife can return to your side will be up to fate.


    When Tang Yu returned from the rooftop, many of her classmates had already populated the classroom, eliminating the classroom''s previously suffocating environment. However, that was mainly because Du Yuqing had yet to develop the shady feeling she used to give off during Tang Yu''s previous life. Though, judging by the girl''s current personality¡­she shouldn''t be too far off, either.


    After pondering for a moment, Tang Yu classified several people as dangerous individuals.


    First and foremost would naturally have to be Yin Zhao-an. Coming next would be Du Yuqing and Zhao Yu. Ignoring how these people would turn out in the future, Tang Yu felt that the best-case scenario for her would be to stay away from all of them.


    The bell just so happened to ring at this time. A moment later, a female teacher entered the classroom with a textbook in hand, the sight of the teacher pulling Tang Yu back from her delirious wanderings. 4887


    It was going to be another simple and boring class. Tang Yu left her book on the table and propped up her head with a hand, patiently memorizing the familiar mathematical formulas in the book.


    Five minutes before class ended, the female teacher assigned homework and announced the end of the class ahead of time. Then, she said, "Tang Yu, come with me to the office."


    "Okay." Tang Yu put away her textbook into the drawer and followed the teacher out of the classroom.


    The female teacher was a fresh university graduate who joined the school near the end of the school year. She had a responsible heart and a strong passion for the education profession. So, shortly after starting her career as a teacher, she noticed that one of her students didn''t seem to get along with her classmates.


    On their way to the office, the female teacher asked, "What do you think of your classmates, Tang Yu?"


    This was the first time Tang Yu was asked such a question, so she couldn''t help but be taken aback for a moment. Then, she stammered, "Pretty good."


    "You should interact more with your classmates, then," the female teacher said, lightening her tone. Then, in a guiding manner, she continued, "You have good grades, Tang Yu, so can you help the students who are lagging behind?"


    "Oh." Tang Yu responded indifferently.


    The teacher knew that gradual steps needed to be taken for this problem, so she didn''t expect Tang Yu to give her an immediate response.


    After arriving at the office, the female teacher took out a test paper from her desk drawer and handed it to Tang Yu, saying, "Bring the stool from the next desk over here and do the question on this paper."


    Tang Yu did as told and accepted the paper and pencil the teacher offered her. Then, after grabbing herself a tool and taking her seat, she began reading the question on the paper.


    The question was an Olympic mathematics problem. It was a little complex, particularly for children her age since they were only learning the most basic mathematics. Tang Yu wasn''t an expert in mathematics, either, since she was a broadcasting major at university during her previous life. She had never encountered any mathematics problems that required her to stress her brain.


    Even so, the question she was handed wasn''t too big of a challenge. She just needed time to solve it.


    After preparing herself a cup of wolfberry-soaked hot water, the female teacher glanced at Tang Yu''s paper while sipping her drink. However, when she saw what Tang Yu had written, she nearly spat the water in her mouth.


    ¡­


    While Tang Yu had gone to the faculty office, Yin Zhao-an visited Tang Yu''s classroom. After scanning the classroom through the window and failing to find Tang Yu''s figure, Yin Zhao-an politely stopped a male student leaving the classroom and asked, "Hello, is Tang Yu here?"


    The male student in question recognized Yin Zhao-an. After all, the latter was the first of their grade, so who wouldn''t recognize her?


    After pondering Yin Zhao-an''s question for a moment, the male student answered, "Oh, she got called away by the teacher."


    When Yin Zhao-an heard the words "called away by the teacher," her first reaction was to assume that Tang Yu was being bullied again and, as a result, got called by the teacher for questioning. Then, immediately after she got this thought, self-blame filled her mind.


    "Do you know why the teacher called for her?"


    "That¡­ How would I know?"


    When Yin Zhao-an saw that the male student was getting ready to slip away, she hurriedly held him back and handed him a warm bottle of goat milk, startling him.


    "Please give this to Tang Yu for me. My classroom is quite far away, so I may not be able to make it back in time for class if I keep on waiting. Thanks in advance."


    Whew¡ª


    The male student sighed in relief. It was fortunate the milk wasn''t for him. He wasn''t brave enough to accept such a huge gift.


    "Okay, I''ll pass it to her for you."


    Yin Zhao-an nodded. Then, just when she was about to leave, she suddenly turned around and said, "Oh, by the way, tell her that I''ll come to her for lunch."


    "...Okay."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu felt her ears warming up a little as she watched the teacher sitting opposite of her incessantly uttering words of praise while analyzing her written answer.


    "You''re amazing, Tang Yu! How did you even get so good?" When the teacher finally set down the test paper, she looked at Tang Yu as if she had just found a treasure. "It''s decided! You must take part in the Olympic Math Competition next month! Do more practice during this time and come to me if you have any problems."


    After saying so, the teacher grabbed an exercise book from her desk and said, "The questions here are classics. Although the questions in the actual competition will differ, their difficulty will be around the same level. Give them a look through when you have free time."


    Tang Yu clenched her hands nervously, sweat dripping down her forehead. Could she refuse this arrangement?


    "Hm?" The teacher waved the exercise book in front of Tang Yu, a puzzled look on her face.


    "O-Okay¡­ Thank you, teacher¡­" Tang Yu accepted the book with complicated emotions. Rather than an exercise book, the book looked more like a thick textbook instead. She suddenly had the urge to cry when she felt the book''s weight in her hands.


    Ignorant of Tang Yu''s thoughts, the teacher looked at the wall clock nearby and noticed that some time had already passed since classes had resumed. So, she said, "You can go back to class now. Just tell your teacher that I called you for something."


    "Okay. Goodbye, teacher."


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    After leaving the faculty office, Tang Yu helplessly looked up at the sky as she resisted the urge to throw the exercise book into the nearest garbage bin.


    Fortunately, her class teacher was a friendly person. After Tang Yu informed the teacher of the reason for her tardiness, the teacher warmly smiled and had her return to her seat.


    Tang Yu returned to her seat after thanking the teacher.


    The goat''s milk on her desk was very conspicuous. After looking around, Tang Yu put the goat''s milk into the drawer. However, the goat''s milk had already cooled down to room temperature, so it could no longer warm her palms like usual.

 CH 34

    As soon as class was over, a boy approached Tang Yu with a nosy look and asked, "Did you see that bottle of goat''s milk?"


    Tang Yu subconsciously looked down at her desk drawer and nodded in confusion.


    "Wow, how did you get to know such an ace student? She''s even so good to you. Oh, by the way, she says she''s going to have lunch with you."


    Tang Yu awkwardly smiled when she heard the boy''s questions. Then, she said, "We''re just normal friends."


    "Y-Y-You!" The boy suddenly pointed at Tang Yu in shock, his tongue getting tangled from his excitement.


    "W-What''s wrong?" Tang Yu touched her face in confusion.


    "You just smiled! You actually smiled!"


    The boy''s loud voice instantly attracted the attention of many people. Among them was Du Yuqing, and she looked at Tang Yu''s rosy cheeks with a cold expression.


    This was the first time Tang Yu was getting stared at by so many people, so she couldn''t help but blush in embarrassment. Then, she held up her textbook to cover her face while saying to the boy, "Don''t speak so loudly."


    Upon seeing Tang Yu''s reaction, the surrounding people burst into laughter, though not in a bad way. Someone even commented on Tang Yu''s appearance, saying, "How cute."


    Tang Yu grew even more embarrassed because of this situation. Blushing, she lay down on the table and covered her head with the textbook.


    ¡­


    When the recess bell rang, students frantically dashed out of their classrooms, some charging for the school cafeteria while others ran out of campus.


    Tang Yu originally planned to settle for a bowl of noodles outside school for lunch. However, she hesitated when she recalled Yin Zhao-an''s persistent personality, Yin Zhao-an had most likely brought two lunchboxes to school today.


    Speak of the devil, and here she comes. Before Tang Yu could decide whether to let Yin Zhao-an''s second lunchbox go to waste, Yin Zhao-an appeared by the classroom''s window holding two lunchboxes in hand. Yin Zhao-an currently had quite a miserable appearance, and there was even a drop of sweat rolling down her forehead.


    It was obvious Yin Zhao-an had run here, most likely afraid Tang Yu would slip away. So, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but sigh in relief when she saw Tang Yu sitting obediently in the classroom.


    After taking a few deep breaths to soothe her breathing, Yin Zhao-an walked up to the empty seat in front of Tang Yu, turned the chair around, and sat down. Then, she placed the two lunchboxes on Tang Yu''s desk.


    "Tang-Tang, why did you leave by yourself this morning?" Yin Zhao-an asked. She felt a little guilty when she asked this question, though why exactly she felt guilty was unbeknownst even to herself.


    "I didn''t sleep well last night and got up early, so I left first," Tang Yu answered truthfully.


    "...Oh." Yin Zhao-an was relieved to hear Tang Yu''s answer. Nothing mattered so long as it wasn''t because her Tang-Tang didn''t want to walk with her anymore.


    For some inexplicable reason, Yin Zhao-an kept getting the feeling that the atmosphere between her and her tang-Tang was exceptionally delicate today. Although she had tried her best to recall if she had done something wrong, her memories sincerely answered her with a "no."


    While Yin Zhao-an was tormented by her thoughts, Tang Yu ate her meal with an open mind. Forgive and forget, as the saying went.


    Tang Yu no longer wished to become a moth that flew to a flame. Since she knew loving Yin Zhao-an would lead to a dead end, both figuratively and literally, why bother flirting with death?


    ¡­


    After the meal, Yin Zhao-an subconsciously reached for Tang Yu''s empty lunchbox to help her wash it, only to meet with rejection from Tang Yu.


    "I''ll do it."


    This was the first time Yin Zhao-an had faced such a cold rejection from Tang Yu. Holding her empty lunchbox in a daze, Yin Zhao-an started another round of self-reflection.


    So, I must have done something wrong, right?!


    ¡­


    The two classes after recess belonged to the same female teacher from this morning.


    Tang Yu instinctively shuddered when she saw the female teacher. Then, she gnashed her teeth when she remembered the thick Olympic mathematics exercise book that was densely packed with questions.


    It was commonly accepted that one''s learning efficiency would be better in the morning than in the afternoon, so the teacher did not try to teach new knowledge. Instead, she wrote a few sample problems on the topics they had already covered.


    While Tang Yu was looking at the teacher, the other party''s gaze coincidentally swept in her direction. Then, the teacher gave her a warm smile when their gazes met.


    However, despite the female teacher''s warm smile, Tang Yu felt a chill crawling down her back, causing her to shudder.


    After explaining the sample problems, the teacher began distributing the graded papers from the most recent test. The teacher followed the standard way of distributing test papers, starting with those who scored just above the passing grade, followed by those who scored just below excellent, then continuing to those who scored below the passing grade.


    "Alright, I will now distribute the papers of those who scored excellent and above," the teacher said before reciting one name after another.


    As expected, the reactions of those who had their names called from this point forward were joyful. Some got so excited that they jumped up from their seats with flushed faces.


    When Tang Yu failed to hear her name, even when only two sets of test papers were left in the teacher''s hands, she knew her test paper was being saved for the grand finale.


    "Two students got perfect scores this time. Those who have questions regarding the test can find these two students for help, but be sure not to just blindly copy their answers; you must also know how to reach the correct answers," the teacher reminded. Then, she looked down and recited, "Du Yuqing, 100 marks."


    Du Yuqing got up from her seat and put on a fake but sweet smile.


    "Thank you, teacher~," Du Yuqing said, maintaining her smile as she accepted her paper.


    The teacher faintly smiled in response before proceeding to recite the next name:


    "Tang Yu."


    "Wow¡ª"


    The class went into an uproar when they heard Tang Yu''s name. None of them thought the person with the least presence in the class would be a top student.


    While listening to the conversations around her, Tang Yu tried her best to keep herself from revealing a wry smile. After she politely accepted her test paper with both hands and thanked the teacher, she heard the teacher softly whispering to her, "Good luck~"


    When Tang Yu returned to her seat, she couldn''t help but look at all the red ticks on her test paper with mixed feelings, regret slowly filling her heart.


    Because of her carelessness, she had forgotten to manipulate her score¡­

 CH 35

    6-8 minutes 10.11.2022


    Tang Yu was swarmed by a group of little girls as soon as class ended. The girls all wore looks of disbelief, and they incessantly uttered praises and exclamations for Tang Yu.


    "Tang Yu, so you were actually this good at mathematics?"


    "I nearly forgot you were in our class because you rarely speak."


    "Tang Yu, Tang Yu, can you teach me? I¡ª"


    "Hey, hey! Move aside! Move aside!"


    Suddenly, a sharp voice interrupted the little girls'' inquiries. Then, a pair of fair and tender hands started pulling the girls surrounding Tang Yu away one after another.


    Once the girls surrounding Tang Yu were pulled aside, a girl with a short stature appeared before Tang Yu. The girl''s hairstyle strictly adhered to the school rules, her hair staying above the shoulders and her bangs staying above her eyebrows. The girl had big and spirited eyes, and under her pretty nose was a pair of cherry-red lips. The girl wore a shawl dress and exuded a feeling of extravagance just by standing still without speaking.


    This familiar face¡­


    "Tang Yu is normally so quiet, so there''s no way she will know any of you! Why are you all acting chummy with her all of a sudden?" the short girl said to the crowd of peeved girls. Then, she turned to Tang Yu and extended her hand, introducing herself, "Hello, Tang Yu! My name is Fang Ling!"


    Fang Ling¡­


    Tang Yu recalled that Fang Ling should have appeared in her life during second grade. Yet, now, they were already nearing the end of fifth grade. She didn''t think her reincarnation would warp the timeline to such an extent. 4887


    Regardless, it was fortunate she didn''t lose this precious friend.


    "Hello, my name is Tang Yu," Tang Yu introduced herself as she shook Fang Ling''s hand, her own hand trembling slightly from the various emotions that had surfaced in her heart.


    Fang Ling did not pick up on the feelings of appreciation and nostalgia flowing out of Tang Yu''s eyes. Instead, she proudly raised her eyebrows and looked at the surrounding girls as if to flaunt her friend-making capabilities.


    The girls walked away while muttering words of annoyance. Of course, none of them meant any ill will. Fang Ling had a very likable personality. Even though she was from a wealthy family, she could get along well with almost anyone and everyone. In fact, she was friends with almost everyone in the classroom, including the girls who had just left.


    The only flaw Fang Ling had was her love for bragging. Moreover, it wasn''t the inadvertent kind of bragging. Instead, it was the deliberate kind. For example...


    "Let me tell you! My family is super rich! My father is even a major shareholder in our school!" Fang Ling said as she squeezed into the same chair as Tang Yu. "Although my family is rich, my big brother doesn''t want me to talk about it. But who cares about him? So what if we''re rich? Does being rich make us amazing? Or is being rich a crime? What''s wrong with talking about it?


    "Hey, come to me if you need anything in the future. I''ll definitely be able to help you!


    "But..." Fang Yu paused, a slight frown forming on her face. Then, she muttered, "What did I come to you for again..."


    Before Tang Yu could even wrap her head around Fang Ling''s rapid babbling, she heard the little girl saying, "Oh! I remember now!"


    Then, revealing a pitiful look, Fang Ling grabbed Tang Yu''s arm and said, "Teach me how to do math problems!"


    This isn''t how the plot is supposed to go... Tang Yu''s eyes twitched when she heard Fang Ling''s request. Then, she hesitantly said, "You can get a tutor..."


    "Aw, don''t say that~ We''re the same age, so we''ll have more topics to talk about! Tutors always treat us as little kids. They don''t know how to cater to our thought processes when teaching. Just look at what my tutor has done for me; I didn''t even get a passing mark on this test! So, come on, just help me~"


    Although Tang Yu had long experienced Fang Ling''s trademark socializer capabilities, she still couldn''t help but feel a little overwhelmed. She also had a very strong urge to deliver a punch into Fang Ling''s face.


    "...F-Fine." Tang Yu reluctantly agreed to take on the demanding task as she turned slightly to the side and slowly pulled out her arm from Fang Ling''s embrace.


    Fang Ling was overjoyed when she heard Tang Yu''s answer. Though, amidst her joy, she didn''t forget to diss a certain someone, saying, "Even though a certain someone has also scored full marks, she''s as proud as a peacock and constantly wears a stinky face. So what if she''s a little rich? Does she think she''s very great? Hmph!"


    Tang Yu''s heart shuddered when she heard Fang Ling''s provocation. My little ancestor! That''s enough from you!


    Fang Ling did not bother to lower her voice. So, many people in the classroom heard her bold provocation, and they couldn''t help but perk up their ears as they waited for the upcoming drama.


    Originally, Tang Yu also thought that Du Yuqing would explode and start a fight with Fang Ling. However, surprisingly, Fang Ling merely cast an indifferent glance at Fang Ling without saying anything.


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but be shocked when she saw Du Yuqing''s behavior and the darkness buried in those eyes. Just how much did an 11-year-old have to experience to have such a calm personality and extraordinary mental fortitude?


    Dangerous! Incredibly dangerous!


    Immediately, Tang Yu made an even bigger mental note of Du Yuqing in her mind, marking the other party as a person to stay as far away as possible.


    Class was about to start again, so Fang Ling returned to her seat after leaving behind a "Let''s walk home together" to Tang Yu. At the same time as Fang Ling left, Tang Yu sensed a bone-chilling gaze locking onto her.


    Suddenly tired of living, Tang Yu covered her face with her palms. When she noticed how familiar Du Yuqing''s gaze felt, she realized that, unbeknownst to her, Du Yuqing had been monitoring her for several years already...


    However, Tang Yu couldn''t help but be confused. Just what kind of grudge did Du Yuqing have against her to target her in both her past and present lives?


    Sure enough, the culprit must be Yin Zhao-an, right?


    ...


    After school, Tang Yu picked up her bag and ran out of the classroom without hesitation. Fang Ling hurriedly stuffed her books into her schoolbag when she saw this, not even bothering to tidy things up before she ran after Tang Yu.


    "Why are you running so quickly? Wait for me!"

 CH 36

    The sound of leather shoes tapping against the ground could be heard all over the campus as students made their way out of the school.


    Yin Zhao-an''s heart felt empty as she looked at the nearly-deserted classroom before her. She felt as if someone was wantonly kneading and squeezing her heart, and she couldn''t help but get the urge to cry.


    With a dazed expression, Yin Zhao-an walked into the classroom. The students on duty had already tidied up the classroom, so every desk and chair were neatly arranged.


    Yin Zhao-an broke the harmony of tables and chairs, pulling out a particular chair and taking a seat.


    This was Tang Yu''s seat.


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Of those remaining in the class, a few surrounded the lectern, chatting and laughing among themselves. There was also a girl scribbling an innocent love confession on the blackboard, the girl writing her own name followed by another person''s name before drawing numerous hearts using pink chalk.


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes were dark and dull. With a tired face, she leaned back against the chair. Then, through the edges of her vision, she suddenly spotted a familiar object.


    Milk¡­


    Yin Zhao-an took out the bottle of goat''s milk forgotten in the drawer. The milk had sat in the drawer the whole day, so it had long since cooled to room temperature. Though in Yin Zhao-an''s hands, the bottle felt like a block of ice, its coldness penetrating her bones.


    Does Tang-Tang¡­hate me now?


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an walked home by herself, her feet stepping on the sidewalk''s neatly arranged bricks one after another. As usual, the sun stretched her shadow as she walked home. Unlike usual, though, there were no other shadows next to hers.


    But then, all of a sudden, the long and thin shadow gained a companion.


    Yin Zhao-an lifted her head in joy, calling out, "Tang¡ª"


    Mixed feelings filled Zhao Yu''s heart when he saw Yin Zhao-an''s depressed expression.


    "Oh, it''s you." Yin Zhao-an''s joy instantly turned into disappointment. Then, she walked past Zhao Yu and continued her way home.


    "Tang Yu has a new friend."


    Yin Zhao-an slowed her footsteps to a stop, her expression turning chilly. Then, in an unwavering voice, she said, "I am the only friend she has!"


    "You''re just deceiving yourself!"


    "It''s none of your concern." Yin Zhao-an turned around and narrowed her eyes at Zhao Yu. Then, her lips curling upward, she arrogantly said, "Don''t forget how I used to beat you up! I don''t mind refreshing your memory!"


    Zhao Yu wanted to say something more, but his words got stuck in his throat. Eventually, he couldn''t help but smile bitterly.


    Looking at the distancing figure, Zhao Yu gradually tightened his grip on the bookmark in his pocket. It was a bookmark carved from solid bamboo. There was a light-gray tassel tied to one end, giving the bookmark a refined look. 4887


    He didn''t know if Yin Zhao-an would like it, but he liked it very much. He was eager to share everything he liked with Yin Zhao-an, but...


    Maybe next time...


    ¡­


    The thought of keeping her distance from Yin Zhao-an was deeply ingrained in Tang Yu''s heart, so she could wake up early, even without an alarm clock. Then, she would hide in the bushes and wait for Yin Zhao-an and Yin Changcheng to jog past her hiding spot before happily going on her way to have milk oatmeal at the nearby breakfast shop.


    Milk oatmeal was one of the surprising discoveries she made recently. It happened a few days ago. The breakfast shop''s proprietress happened to open shop late that day, so the steamed buns were yet to be ready. So, while she was waiting, the proprietress served her a bowl of milk oatmeal. It was sweet and fragrant, and she instantly took a liking to it.


    The proprietress was from the countryside, her Mandarin mixed with a heavy accent. "Little girl, up so early again today? Your school won''t even be open yet!"


    "I can''t sleep," Tang Yu said while feeling the warmth coming from the bowl of oatmeal in her hands.


    While deftly draining some vermicelli, the proprietress responded, "You''re still a child, yet you already have insomnia? You best have your mother take you to the hospital to get a look."


    "I know~!"


    The proprietress giggled at Tang Yu''s spirited response, saying, "So you know how to act cute as well?"


    Tang Yu smiled in embarrassment. The proprietress was so overly friendly that she had forgotten to control her tone properly, making it look like she was acting cute.


    At this time, beeping noises appeared as the electric steamer''s timer went off. After wiping her hands on her apron, the proprietress opened the steamer''s lid with a damp rag. Immediately, steaming heat surged upward, and a sweet fragrance filled the small shop.


    After taking two steam baskets out of the steamer, the proprietress grabbed a steaming bun with a pair of tongs and offered it to Tang Yu, saying, "Here you go. Will you be having it here or taking it with you?"


    Tang Yu glanced at the sky outside and saw that it had already transformed from a dull gray into a piercing white, she said, "I''ll take it with me."


    "Got it."


    The bun was a little hot to the touch but not unbearable. However, when Tang Yu bit into it, the meat juices in it scalded her to the brink of tears.


    "T-That¡­ I think I''ll finish it here before leaving," Tang Yu weakly said, her eyes reddening a little and giving her a pitiful appearance.


    "Have a seat, then! Don''t worry, and take your time!"


    Office workers and students started their day at almost the same time. So, at a certain point in time, Tang Yu got to experience what it felt like to be a sardine.


    After finishing her bun, Tang Yu picked up her schoolbag and headed out of the shop. Before she left, though, she didn''t forget to bid goodbye to the proprietress, saying, "Thank you, Auntie. I''m off now."


    Despite being busy with work, the proprietress did not ignore Tang Yu''s farewell. Instead, she beamed a friendly smile at Tang Yu and said, "Okay, take care."


    Tang Yu finally got a breath of fresh air when she squeezed her way out of the crowded shop. However, before she could make her way to school, she heard a "deadly" call coming from behind.


    "Tang-Tang!"

 CH 37

    Tang Yu''s good mood instantly plummeted when the voice that had called out to her. The corners of her mouth twitched in exasperation, and she wondered if she still had time to run away.


    "Tang-Tang!"


    It was, in fact, too late to run away.


    Tang Yu could already hear the sound of hurried footsteps and labored breathing coming from behind her. Then, before she could even turn around, someone embraced her from behind, the other party''s hot breath hitting her bare neck.


    Tang Yu shuddered from the stimulation. Then, she hurriedly tried to push Yin Zhao-an away, saying, "Let go of me."


    "I''m not letting go!" Yin Zhao-an said with her head buried into Tang Yu''s shoulder, her voice sounding muffled. Then, in an aggrieved voice, she asked, "Tang-Tang, do you not want me anymore?"


    There were many passersby on the street, and some giggled and smiled when they saw this scene. Some of them even started whispering to each other.


    You bastard! We''re still children!


    Tang Yu had a very strong urge to curse at Yin Zhao-an when she saw the passersby looking at them. However, she eventually decided against doing so. Instead, she chose to take a softer approach, saying, "Please get off me first. I need to go to school."


    Yin Zhao-an turned her head slightly to look at Tang Yu. Then, with a sad face, she asked, "Are you really not going to throw me away?"


    "No, no, so get up," Tang Yu said coaxingly.


    Yin Zhao-an dubiously separated from Tang Yu and tentatively grabbed Tang Yu''s pinky. Then, when she saw that Tang Yu did not shake her hand away, she proceeded to wrap her whole hand around Tang Yu''s palm.


    It''s fine, it''s fine. I''ll just treat her like a sister, Tang Yu consoled herself.


    ¡­


    The moment they set foot into the school, Tang Yu retracted her hand and put both hands into her pockets, behaving as if nothing had ever happened.


    Yin Zhao-an could feel the residual heat on her hand scattering, her hand gradually cooling down, just like her heart.


    When Tang Yu was about to walk up the stairs to her classroom, someone suddenly pulled on her hand. Then, she felt something warm enter her hand.


    "Your morning goat''s milk. It''ll nourish the stomach."


    "Thanks."


    Tang Yu accepted the goat''s milk and thanked Yin Zhao-an. Then, she politely nodded at Yin Zhao-an before turning around to leave.


    Yin Zhao-an let out an unpleasant sigh. Since when did her Tang-Tang feel so distant?


    ¡­


    As soon as Tang Yu entered her classroom, someone "hungrily" jumped her, causing her to stumble a little. Then, as soon as she caught her footing, she heard the person in her arms coquettishly saying, "Tang Yu~ I have a math problem I don''t know how to solve~ Save me~"


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Tang Yu spread out her arms, not knowing where she should put them.


    At this time, the boy who helped pass on Yin Zhao-an''s message walked over to Tang Yu''s help. After pulling Fang Ling away, the boy said, "My dear young lady, you should at least let Tang Yu put her things away first."


    "...Oh."


    Fang Ling followed Tang Yu to her seat like a tail, watching Tang Yu put her schoolbag down and the bottle of goat''s milk into her drawer.


    Confused, Fang Ling asked, "Aren''t you going to drink it? My mom says that goat''s milk is the ''King of Milk'' and drinking it is good for your body. She won''t let me leave home without drinking at least a bottle every morning."


    In response, Tang Yu shook her head and lightly said, "I don''t like it."


    "Oh."


    "Which problem is troubling you? Let me take a look."


    "Okay!" Remembering what she was here for, Fang Ling quickly dashed back to her seat to retrieve her test paper.


    ¡­


    "Yin Zhao-an, someone outside is looking for you," a girl who had just entered the class said to Yin Zhao-an.


    Yin Zhao-an snapped out of her daze when she heard the girl''s words. However, when she turned to the door, she found that, sure enough, the person outside wasn''t her Tang-Tang.


    Zhao Yu carried a book in his hands, his eyes sparkling when he saw Yin Zhao-an walking over. "Didn''t you say you were looking for this book last time? I found it for you."


    Yin Zhao-an glanced at the book''s title¡ªNo Longer Human.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know what the book was about. She only knew that Tang Yu loved it very much. When they were living together before, she would always see this book in Tang Yu''s schoolbag.


    Yin Zhao-an accepted the book. It was a thick book with a gray cover. At first glance, it gave off a feeling of oppression.


    Gently caressing the book''s cover, she looked at it with an inquiring gaze.


    "That¡­ This bookmark is for you," Zhao Yu said, feigning calmness as he handed Yin Zhao-an a bookmark. In reality, though, his eyes were filled with anxiety and expectations.


    Yin Zhao-an did not refuse the carved bookmark. After accepting it, she smiled at Zhao Yu and said, "Thanks a lot!"


    Zhao Yu hurriedly left after leaving behind a "No problem." Yin Zhao-an did not mind the boy and returned to the classroom with the book and bookmark in hand.


    Yin Zhao-an quietly looked at the well-preserved book, her mind wondering what the book contained that it managed to intrigue Tang Yu so much.


    ...


    Yin Zhao-an was the first to rush out of the classroom when recess started. It was a stark contrast to her usual leisurely pace. Even the teacher couldn''t help but be stunned by her behavior.


    ...


    Tang Yu had just finished tidying her desk and was about to head to the cafeteria''s noodle shop. However, before she could leave the classroom, she got stopped by a panting Yin Zhao-an.


    Yin Zhao-an was so out of breath her face had turned red. Even so, she held onto Tang Yu''s arm tightly without letting go. Then, she met Tang Yu''s gaze and said, "Let''s... Let''s have lunch together."


    Tang Yu lowered her gaze slightly, not knowing what she should say when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s other hand firmly protecting two lunch boxes. Ultimately, she nodded in response. Then, she saw Yin Zhao-an breaking into a relieved smile.


    Tang Yu suddenly felt as if she was bullying a child. Rubbing the tip of her nose in embarrassment, she took one of the lunch boxes out of Yin Zhao-an''s hand and said, "Come on in, then."


    Yin Zhao-an ate exceptionally quietly today, even quieter than Tang Yu.


    Amidst the silence, Tang Yu looked around the classroom. Only a few people remained in the room, and they were doing their own things. Seeing this, she leaned forward and said in a hushed voice, "You really don''t need to bring me lunch. I can eat in the cafeteria."


    Yin Zhao-an slowly raised her eyes, the usual luster in those eyes all but gone. Then, she said, "No."

 CH 38

    Tsk, why are you so stubborn?!


    Tang Yu resisted the urge to hold her forehead while secretly thinking of a way to divert Yin Zhao-an''s attention away from her.


    "Tang Yu~"


    A sweet voice broke the awkward atmosphere. In response, Tang Yu reacted as if she had just heard her savior''s voice, while Tang Yu frowned in dissatisfaction.


    Fang Ling froze for a few seconds when she saw the person sitting opposite Tang Yu. Then, she squeezed into Tang Yu''s seat, embraced Tang Yu''s arm, and softly asked, "Tang Yu, who is this? Is she your friend?"


    "Mhm."


    "She''s my big sister."


    Two voices rang out simultaneously. Fang Ling blinked her eyes in confusion and moved her gaze between the two people. However, as both Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an had their heads lowered, Fang Ling could see neither of their expressions.


    "Uh¡­ So¡­ Are you friends or her big sister?" Fang Ling tentatively asked.


    After taking a napkin out of her pocket and wiping her mouth with it, Tang Yu said, "We''re friends."


    Bang!


    A loud sound suddenly came from the chair opposite Tang Yu. After giving the confused Fang Ling a cold look, Yin Zhao-an left the classroom with her lunch box without saying a single word.


    Once Yin Zhao-an was gone, Fang Ling patted her chest in relief and turned to Tang Yu, saying, "That friend of yours is so scary. Does she hate me or something?"


    How would I know what''s going through her mind? Tang Yu mentally retorted. Then, she shook her head and said, "I don''t know. She doesn''t have a very good temper."


    "I can see that." Fang Ling nodded in agreement.


    ¡­


    As soon as school was over, Tang Yu dashed out of the classroom with her schoolbag as usual. Fang Ling had learned from her past mistakes, having packed her bag even before class was over. So, when she saw Tang Yu running out of the classroom, she quickly ran after the other party.


    After finally catching up to Tang Yu and grabbing onto the edge of Tang Yu''s shirt, Fang Ling asked while gasping for air, "Why¡­ Why do you keep running so quickly?"


    Suddenly, Tang Yu stopped running. Confused, Fang Ling lifted her head and saw a tall figure standing by the school gate.


    "Oh, it''s your friend," Fang Ling ignorantly pointed out to Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu weakly sighed when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s figure.


    "Fang Ling."


    "Huh?" Fang Ling blankly turned to Tang Yu.


    "Can you walk with me part of the way?"


    After hearing Tang Yu''s request, Fang Ling turned to look at the BMW parked outside the school. Then, she pondered for a second before nodding, "Give me a moment. I have to inform my driver first."


    When Fang Ling approached the car, a young man in a suit got out of the driver''s seat. Just as he was about to open the door to the back seat, Fang Ling stopped him and exchanged a few words with him. Then, the young man turned to look at Tang Yu before nodding to Fang Ling.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Afterward, Fang Ling skipped and hopped back to Tang Yu. Then, she linked arms with Tang Yu and smiled brilliantly as she said, "I got the OK, so let''s go."


    "Tang-Tang!"


    While the two were making their way out of campus, Yin Zhao-an caught sight of Tang Yu. Immediately, she ran over and held onto Tang Yu''s hand.


    Tang Yu no longer felt the same throbbing when she held hands with Yin Zhao-an this time. A burst of joy appeared in her heart when she noticed this change.


    While embracing Tang Yu''s other arm, Fang Ling smiled and greeted Yin Zhao-an, saying, "Hello, I''m Fang Ling, Tang Yu''s friend."


    Yin Zhao-an found Fang Ling a huge eyesore when she saw the girl linking arms with Tang Yu. So, she coldly responded, "Yin Zhao-an."


    "Oh! I know you! You''re the first in our grade, aren''t you?!" Fang Ling''s eyes sparkled when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s name. "I''ve heard of your name before, but I never got to meet you!"


    Yin Zhao-an quietly held Tang Yu''s hand, having no intention of making conversation with Fang Ling.


    After receiving a cold shoulder, Fang Ling put on a pitiful look and looked at Tang Yu. Then, when she received a comforting smile from the other party, her expression instantly brightened.


    Fine! Seeing as you are Tang Yu''s close friend and a top student, I won''t fuss over this matter with you! Hmph!


    ¡­


    There was a car slowly following the group. Yin Zhao-an quickly noticed the car''s suspicious behavior and warily looked back several times, subconsciously getting Tang Yu to walk faster.


    Fang Yu finally noticed Yin Zhao-an''s strange behavior when she started having trouble keeping up with Yin Zhao-an''s pace. Then, after realizing what was getting Yin Zhao-an so worked up, she hurriedly explained, "The car behind us is my ride. It''s not a bad guy''s car."


    "If it''s your car, why aren''t you riding it, then?"


    "Because¡­ Ah¡ª" Fang Ling let out a small cry when she felt additional pressure being put on her hand. Then, after glancing at the culprit, she quickly changed what she was going to say, saying, "It''s because Tang Yu is my good friend! I want to send her home!"


    "It hurts¡­" Tang Yu suddenly hissed in pain.


    Yin Zhao-an snapped out of her daze and hurriedly let go of Tang Yu''s hand, only to see a red handprint on Tang Yu''s delicate hand.


    Tang Yu frowned in pain. Then, while massaging her reddened hand, she thought to herself, This will probably take some time for it to subside¡­ How unexpected. Since when did she get so strong?


    While Tang Yu was thinking about some irrelevant matters, Yin Zhao-an panicked and looked at Tang Yu with slightly reddened eyes. Although she opened her mouth to try to say something, she ultimately fled after leaving behind an "I''m sorry."


    This time, it was Tang Yu''s turn to be stunned. Why¡­does it feel like I just bullied her? Shouldn''t I, the "victim," be the one to cry?


    At this point, no matter how dense Fang Ling was, even she had noticed something was amiss with the relationship between Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu. With a nosy mindset, she leaned into Tang Yu and whispered, "Tang Yu, this friend of yours¡­seems to care about you a lot?"


    Tang Yu''s heart suddenly thumped. Then, in a slightly guilty tone, she said, "It''s¡­because our families are close¡­"


    Upon hearing Tang Yu''s response, Fang Ling put on a look of realization as she said, "Oh, so that''s why she''s looking at me like I''m her love rival."

 CH 39

    TL Notes:


    Corrected "Olympic mathematics" to "Olympiad mathematics."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu: ??


    Since Yin Zhao-an had already left, Tang Yu no longer had any burden to shoulder. So, after walking a little longer with Fang Ling, she thanked the other party and said, "Thank you for walking with me. I can walk the rest of the way myself, so you can get in your car now."


    Fang Ling looked at the car following them when she heard Tang Yu''s words. Then, she nodded and said, "Can I walk home with you again tomorrow? It feels quite good to walk a little more."


    Smiling, Tang Yu said, "Of course."


    "Okay! It''s a promise!" Fang Ling happily smiled before skipping and hopping to the car that was following them slowly from behind.


    When the young man driving the car saw this, he stopped the car close to Fang Ling, got out of the car, and helped open the door for Fang Ling again.


    "I''m going now! See you tomorrow!" Fang Ling shouted.


    "Okay. See you tomorrow."


    After watching the white sedan driving into the distance, Tang Yu exhaled deeply before quickly making her way home.


    It would seem as if Yin Zhao-an was truly upset as Tang Yu didn''t see the girl''s figure throughout her way home. However, Tang Yu felt that this situation was good as the two of them needed to cool down their relationship a little.


    Tang Yu saw her home from a great distance, the house dark as usual.


    After entering the courtyard, Tang Yu carefully locked the courtyard''s entrance before she relaxed and entered the house.


    Subsequently, the lights on the first floor came on, followed by the second floor''s lights. In no time, the empty house suddenly looked as if it had become fully occupied by people.


    Seeing this, the person hiding in a dark corner outside the house slowly walked away and left.


    Afterward, for a long period of time, Tang Yu no longer saw Yin Zhao-an appearing in front of her. Occasionally, though, she would see Yin Zhao-an messing around with her friends and smiling happily.


    ¡­


    The Olympiad Mathematics Competition arrived as scheduled, and Tang Yu was chased onto the bus headed for the competition venue like a duckling herded into its pen.


    To make matters worse, she was put in a very precarious position on the bus¡­


    Currently, seated next to Tang Yu on the bus was the stoic Du Yuqing. Tang Yu naturally didn''t choose this seat. Instead, she was given no other choice since this was the only seat left on the bus. She could only blame herself for dragging her feet and becoming the last to get on the bus.


    As luck would have it, Yin Zhao-an sat in the seat across the aisle. When Yin Zhao-an initially saw Tang Yu, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face. A second later, though, the light in her eyes disappeared. Then, she silently lowered her head, her long eyelashes covering her eyes.


    Awkward. The atmosphere surrounding Tang Yu was suffocatingly awkward.


    Cold sweat started to roll down Tang Yu''s forehead continuously, which was a very eye-catching situation in this cold weather. Tang Yu''s condition looked so strange that even the accompanying teacher grew concerned and came over to ask about her condition.


    The bus ride was going to last over an hour. Although the awkward atmosphere kept Tang Yu alert and awake, the two people seated to her left and right had quickly fallen asleep.


    Tang Yu had to admit that Yin Zhao-an had a universally likable face, even if her facial features had yet to develop fully.


    Her peach-shaped eyes were a little upturned, looking like they were made up of eyeliner. Her lower lip was very thin, and the corners of her lips were slightly upturned, giving her the look of a kitten when she smiled.


    Her face was also delicate; the bridge of her nose was high and straight, her skin was smooth, and her eyes had a profound¡ª


    Wait! Eyes?!


    Tang Yu came back to her senses and realized that, at some point, Yin Zhao-an had woken up and was currently looking at her with complicated eyes.


    Tang Yu hurriedly turned her face away, the tips of her ears reddening. She felt so embarrassed that she wanted nothing more than to dig a hole to hide in.


    Perhaps Tang Yu''s reaction was a little too big, but Du Yuqing gradually regained consciousness and opened her eyes after sensing the movement from the seat next to her. Initially, a flash of confusion appeared in Du Yuqing''s eyes when she saw Tang Yu leaning close to her and looking at her. However, after remembering their current environment, her mind instantly woke up. Then, she said, "Don''t go thinking I will like you if you try to get close to me."


    Who wants to be liked by you?! Does it look like I want to be locked up again?!


    Tang Yu widened her eyes and subconsciously backed away from Du Yuqing, trying her best to keep herself from making a horrified expression.


    The atmosphere around Tang Yu instantly dropped to freezing point.


    Fortunately, the accompanying teacher suddenly spoke up, saying, "Students who are resting, wake up. We will soon arrive at the competition venue."


    Immediately, the silent atmosphere in the bus disappeared as the sound of students chatting and moving their luggage appeared.


    Tang Yu got off the bus as soon as the vehicle arrived at its destination, feeling as if she had come back to life when the fresh air outside filled her lungs. She never knew a simple bus ride could feel so torturous.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Yin Zhao-an quietly watched as Tang Yu mixed into the crowd, a doting look briefly appearing on her emotionless face. However, the sense of loss that followed quickly drowned out these doting feelings.


    "I am the only person Tang-Tang will like."


    Du Yuqing was given a scare by the warning that suddenly came from behind her. When she turned around and saw that it was Yin Zhao-an talking to her, she narrowed her eyes at the other party. Because of the height difference, she had no choice but to look up to look at Yin Zhao-an in the eye.


    "Oh, then you better take good care of her. Otherwise, don''t cry if you lose her one day," Du Yuqing said, her lips curling up slightly as she looked at Yin Zhao-an with a provocative gaze. "I don''t know what you see in that white lotus, but even if you like her, the feeling might not be mutual."


    Yin Zhao-an still wished to argue, but Du Yuqing had already turned around and left, leaving only her back for Yin Zhao-an to look at.


    With nowhere to vent the frustration in her heart, Yin Zhao-an ground her molars and kicked the flower bed next to her.


    Tang Yu inadvertently glanced at Tang Yu, who was walking by herself outside the crowd, only to see the other party''s expression strangely alternating between white and blue.


    Seemingly noticing Tang Yu''s gaze, Yin Zhao-an limped into the crowd in an extremely abnormal posture.

 CH 40

    While showing the students around the competition venue, the accompanying teacher emphasized, "Make sure to remember where the restrooms are. Otherwise, you''ll waste precious time if you have to use the restroom during the competition. Of course, I suggest that you don''t drink too much water before entering the exam hall."


    "Okay."


    Afterward, the teacher led the twenty or so students to check into the hotel the school had made reservations at.


    "Three people in each room. We will only be staying for one night, so don''t unpack too many of your belongings."


    After saying so, the teacher started distributing the room keycards. The students participating in the Olympiad were from different grades and classes, so the teacher assigned rooms based on everyone''s competition serial number. Of course, it went without saying that boys and girls were assigned to separate rooms.


    8, 12.


    Those were the numbers written on the sticky note that came with the keycard Tang Yu received, and they represented the serial numbers of her roommates. Then, Tang Yu looked at her competition admission ticket, seeing that her serial number was ''6.''


    In the meantime, the other students in the lobby started shouting the serial numbers of their respective roommates. Seeing this, Tang Yu decided to stand aside and wait. Once the other students were done finding their roommates, the ones remaining should be her roommates.


    It didn''t take long for the others to find their roommates. Once everyone had split into groups, Tang Yu noticed a group of two standing amidst the crowd.


    After looking at Tang Yu in confusion for a moment, a bespectacled girl approached Tang Yu and said, "You''re the only one left without a roommate, so we should belong to the same room."


    Tang Yu shuddered when she heard the other party''s words, a drop of cold sweat rolling down her forehead. At the same time, she couldn''t help but lament that fate was a truly cruel mistress¡­


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an slowly walked up to the bespectacled girl. Then, she waved her competition admission ticket in front of Tang Yu, the number ''8'' printed on it telling Tang Yu that they had indeed been assigned to the same room.


    ¡­


    The bespectacled girl wasn''t a talkative person. After entering the room, she took out an exercise book from her backpack, occupied the only desk in the room, and disappeared into her own little world.


    There was one single bed and one twin bed in the room. Tang Yu subconsciously turned to the sofa in the corner, silently designating it as her sleeping spot for tonight.


    Meanwhile, after scanning the room, Yin Zhao-an sat down on the twin bed. Then, in a negotiating tone, she asked the bespectacled girl, "Can you sleep on the smaller bed tonight? I''ll sleep with her tonight." After saying so, Yin Zhao-an also gently tapped the bespectacled girl on the shoulder.


    The bespectacled girl looked up and nudged her glasses. Then, after seeing that there were only two beds in the room, she nodded and said, "No problem," before burying her head into the exercise book again.


    Tang Yu stopped in front of the brightly lit window, from which she could see the continuous flow of traffic. Coincidentally, the room was facing the river that ran through the city, so she should be able to see a gorgeous neon spectacle at night.


    Suddenly recalling something, Tang Yu''s eyelashes trembled, and her eyes became misted.


    While Tang Yu was lost in her thoughts, a hand appeared in her blurred vision to close the open window and draw the curtains, causing the room to grow dark.


    The bespectacled girl looked up from her books in confusion. Then, she fumbled around for the light switch by the door and turned it on, causing a pale light to suddenly fill the room.


    Yin Zhao-an beamed an apologetic smile at the bespectacled girl and explained, "It was a little chilly, so I closed the windows. Sorry for the interruption."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine." The bespectacled girl could clearly sense the strange atmosphere surrounding Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an, so she curiously asked, "Do you two know each other?"


    Yin Zhao-an did not say anything. However, to avoid making the already awkward situation even more awkward, Tang Yu silently nodded in response to the bespectacled girl. Fortunately, the bespectacled girl was someone who could read the room, so she did not try to pry any further. Otherwise, Tang Yu had no idea how she should explain her relationship with Yin Zhao-an to the girl.


    After all, no matter how one looked at it, this awkward atmosphere didn''t look like something that would appear among close friends!


    Meanwhile, after a moment of hesitation, Yin Zhao-an gently rubbed Tang Yu''s head. Then, she leaned into Tang Yu''s right ear and whispered, "You''ll give me your cold if you catch one now."


    The ears were a sensitive place for most people, and Tang Yu was no exception. Yin Zhao-an''s hot breath hitting Tang Yu''s ear instantly caused a blush to spread across her face and ears. Goosebumps also rose all over her body as she subconsciously shuddered.


    Yin Zhao-an caught all of Tang Yu''s responses with her eyes. However, not only did she not back away, she even took things a step further, placing her hands on Tang Yu''s waist and giving them a gentle squeeze. Then, she nonchalantly returned to the bed, took out a mock exam paper, and started revising the questions.


    Tang Yu''s mind went into shock. It wasn''t until a whole minute had passed did she react to what had just happened to her. Did I just¡­get taken advantage of?!


    "Tang-Tang, come here for a sec."


    The corners of Tang Yu''s eyes twitched. Do you think I''ll come just because you told me to?


    However, seemingly having anticipated Tang Yu''s indifference, Yin Zhao-an swept back her ear-length hair and began making her way over to Tang Yu.


    "I-I''ll go to you..." Tang Yu hurriedly extended her hands to stop a certain someone''s menacing footsteps. Then, she moved to the edge of the twin bed and sat down, leaving nearly half a meter between her and Yin Zhao-an.


    Yin Zhao-an faintly smiled when she saw this, but she didn''t force Tang Yu to do anything more. Then, she silently handed the mock paper she held to Tang Yu.


    Mock papers?


    Tang Yu was stunned when she looked at the mock paper she had just received. Every question on the papers had handwritten notes under them, the notes including a thorough explanation of how to solve them. Some questions had explanations so long that sticky notes were used for additional space.


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    "These questions might come up, so it''s best if you take a look at them," Yin Zhao-an said when she saw Tang Yu looking stunned.


    "...Okay." Tang Yu did as told.


    In reality, Tang Yu disliked mathematics. However, the mock paper she had just received was the most detailed and well-thought-out she had ever seen, so she couldn''t help but be fascinated by it.


    While Tang Yu was falling into fascination, she failed to realize that a certain someone had secretly climbed onto the bed and was secretly closing in on her from behind.

 CH 41

    Tang Yu''s collar was overly wide, so wide that it exposed a large patch of her delicate neck.


    The weather in autumn was ever-changing, so it was easy to catch a cold if one wasn''t careful. When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu''s exposed neck, her first thought was to take out the camel-colored jacket in her backpack and drape it over Tang Yu''s shoulders.


    However, just when Yin Zhao-an was extending her hands to Tang Yu, Tang Yu suddenly spoke up, saying, "I think the explanation for this question is wrong."


    After Tang Yu finished speaking, she finally noticed the soft mattress had sunken much more than she remembered. Then, when she turned around to look at what was causing the indentation, she saw Yin Zhao-an awkwardly holding a camel-colored jacket behind her.


    Tang Yu''s expression instantly turned complicated when she saw this scene. Was Yin Zhao-an trying to¡­put a gunny sack over her head??[1]


    Yin Zhao-an lightly coughed to cover up her embarrassment. Then, after draping the jacket over Tang Yu, she behaved as if nothing had just happened as she sat down next to Tang Yu and asked, "Which question?"


    Tang Yu lightly tugged on the jacket draped across her back, fixing its position. Then, she pointed to a question, saying, "This one."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu felt a little dizzy when she left the exam hall. She could still see the complicated arithmetic problems floating before her eyes whenever she blinked.


    Sometime after everyone returned to the hotel to rest, the teacher knocked on everyone''s doors, reminding them that they would leave soon.


    When they were about to leave the room, Tang Yu held back Yin Zhao-an and asked with a troubled expression, "Can I sit with you later?"


    Yin Zhao-an was initially confused by Tang Yu''s request. Then, when she remembered who had been sitting next to Tang Yu during their trip here, her gaze sharpened, and she promptly nodded in agreement. She even took Tang Yu''s backpack and said, "It''s best if you stay away from presumptuous people like that."


    Tang Yu nodded to express her strong agreement.


    Tang Yu felt that Du Yuqing was incredibly strange, and she couldn''t help but wonder if they were mortal enemies during one of their past lives. Otherwise, why would Du Yuqing hate her from grade school to university? Moreover, this wasn''t just some simple hatred. It was to a point where Du Yuqing found her mere existence to be an eyesore.


    Before getting on the bus, Yin Zhao-an briefly explained the situation to her previous seatmate, and the other party quickly agreed to change seats with Tang Yu. Then, after getting on the bus, Yin Zhao-an stuffed her backpack in the luggage compartment above her seat before letting Tang Yu take the window seat.


    When Du Yuqing got on the bus, she quickly noticed that Tang Yu had changed seats. However, before she could look at Tang Yu any longer, Yin Zhao-an moved in front of Tang Yu, obstructing her vision. Then, Du Yuqing and Yin Zhao-an looked at each other, a trace of disdain in both their eyes.


    I can smell gunpowder¡­


    Tang Yu turned away from the aisle and looked out the window, trying to reduce her presence as much as possible.


    While staring at the passing scenery outside the window, Tang Yu drifted off to sleep due to the mental fatigue she had accumulated from the Olympiad.


    The bus swayed around slightly as it moved. When Yin Zhao-an felt the dozing head next to her gently touching her shoulder, she tentatively lowered the height of her shoulder, trying to create as comfortable of a sleeping posture as possible for Tang Yu.


    She recalled seeing such a scene in one of the eight-o''clock dramas her mother watched, so she should be doing the right thing, right?


    ¡­


    After the Olympiad, Yin Zhao-an thought her relationship with Tang Yu could return to normal. However, she forgot that she still had one other problem she had yet to resolve.


    Although Yin Zhao-an knew her patience wouldn''t necessarily let her see that familiar figure, she still habitually arrived at the familiar intersection twenty minutes ahead of time. Unfortunately, someone did arrive, but it wasn''t the person she was waiting for.


    "Morning, lil bro," Yin Zhao-an greeted Zhao Yu.


    Zhao Yu faintly smiled and responded in a gentle voice, "Let''s go to school together."


    Yin Zhao-an awkwardly scratched her head. However, after longingly looking at the empty intersection, she said, "Mhm, let''s go."


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    After walking some distance in silence, Zhao Yu hesitantly asked, "That letter¡­ Have you read it?"


    "..." Yin Zhao-an''s heart jumped for a second. After briefly looking around in a panic, she giggled a few times and said, "I didn''t have the time. What did you write? ¡­Uh, on second thought, I''ll read it later in the eveni¡ª"


    "I like you."


    Yin Zhao-an choked out of awkwardness.


    Zhao Yu stopped to look at Yin Zhao-an, his gaze serious and his pure eyes reflecting her figure.


    Yin Zhao-an wasn''t sure what kind of mood she was in right now, but she definitely didn''t want to face the current situation. Countless words flashed through her mind, but she ultimately responded with the safest answer, saying, "We''re still young."


    "I can wait," Zhao Yu immediately answered. "If you still haven''t reached a clear answer, I can wait until you do. It doesn''t matter."


    "I am indeed¡­still unsure about this¡­" Yin Zhao-an still felt guilty toward Zhao Yu, but what she said was the truth. They were still young, and the last thing they should be doing at their age was talking about love.


    Zhao Yu smiled in relief when he heard Yin Zhao-an''s answer. Then, he asked, "That means I still have a chance, right?"


    Yin Zhao-an paused for a few seconds before hesitantly nodding.


    She dared not say anything about the future, but for the time being, she didn''t hate Zhao Yu. So, a romantic development wasn''t completely out of the question.


    After resolving the concern plaguing his heart, Zhao Yu no longer behaved depressingly. He also vowed to work harder in the future lest he failed to keep up with Yin Zhao-an''s pace.


    When Yin Zhao-an and Zhao Yu stepped through the school gate together, a few of Yin Zhao-an''s classmates noticed them. Then, after whistling at them, these classmates quickly ran away to spread the news to their other classmates, shouting at the top of their lungs as soon as they entered the classroom.


    "Big Brother Zhao and the young master are dating!" (TL/N: Big Brother Zhao = Yin Zhao-an)


    The class immediately became boisterous. Some people jeered, while some started asking questions out of curiosity. In the case of the girls in the class, most of them revealed unhappy expressions.


    The ferocious Yin Zhao-an actually wooed the rich, elegant, and gentle Young Master Zhao Yu!


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]put a gunny sack over her head(Ì×Âé´ü): This is an internet slang that doesn''t translate well.


    I could translate it as "put a bag over her head," but from what I could find, this line gives the meaning of "someone is too ashamed to show their face," which isn''t the case for this internet slang.


    By saying, "I''m going to put a gunny sack over your head," it roughly means, "I am going to beat you up." This internet slang is usually used as a joke or a warning to others.

 CH 42

    The atmosphere in the classroom had changed.


    When Yin Zhao-an stepped into the classroom, she could feel several girls she was close with winking at her. Confused by this situation, Yin Zhao-an touched her face and wondered if something was stuck on her face.


    Seeing Yin Zhao-an''s ignorant look, everyone in the classroom looked at each other and tacitly agreed to keep their classmate in the dark.


    After sitting down, Yin Zhao-an poked her deskmate, trying to get the other party to spill the beans. However, the other party simply smirked and waved at her, so Yin Zhao-an could do nothing but hold her forehead in frustration.


    ...


    After school, Yin Zhao-an dashed to the school gate and waited for Tang Yu to come down as usual. Unfortunately, although she managed to stop the person she was waiting for, Tang Yu wasn''t alone.


    Yin Zhao-an sighed in exasperation before pulling Tang Yu to her side and walking out of the campus without saying a single word.


    "Hey! How can you do that?!" Fang Ling cried out while glaring at Yin Zhao-an. Then, she hurriedly caught up to the two and clung to Tang Yu''s free arm.


    Yin Zhao-an looked at Fang Ling in annoyance. Then, she separated Fang Ling from Tang Yu and sternly said, "I live in the same place as Tang Yu. You should be off to wherever you belong." After saying so, she subconsciously turned to a sedan parked nearby.


    One of the people in the car saw the dispute happening outside. After putting down the magazine in his hands, he said," Uncle Li, I''m heading out for a moment."


    "Very well, Young Master," the person in the driver seat responded before unlocking the car door and letting the boy in uniform out of the car.


    In the meantime, Fang Ling was gnashing her teeth as she looked at Yin Zhao-an. She was prone to incoherent speech once she felt aggrieved, so she couldn''t find the proper words to respond to Yin Zhao-an''s words. Ultimately, her anger got the best of her, and her eyes started to tear up as she sobbingly said:


    "It''s Tang Yu¡­ Tang Yu wants me to walk with her, so what right do you have to stop me from following her?!"


    "Ling-Ling."


    When Fang Ling heard the familiar voice, the tears pooled in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Then, she aggrievedly turned around and lunged at the young man who had appeared behind her.


    "Big Brother¡­ I got bullied, uuu¡­"


    The young man patted the head of the girl in his embrace. Then, he looked at Yin Zhao-an, who was also looking at him, and smiled, saying, "Hello, my name is Fang Lang. My younger sister is a little silly, so don''t mind her."


    "Big Brother!" Fang Ling immediately grew unhappy and glared at her elder brother when she heard the other party''s comment about her.


    Yin Zhao-an was used to "solving violence with violence." This was the first¡­no, the second time she had met such a polite and gentle person, with the first being Zhao Yu, so she didn''t really know how to handle such people.


    "Hello," Yin Zhao-an responded with a curt greeting. Then, she pointed at Tang Yu with one hand and a certain direction with her other hand, saying, "This is my big sister, and we live close to each other. I can send her home, so¡­"


    Fang Lang responded with a dragged-out "Oh" to Yin Zhao-an''s introduction. Then, he said, "I''ll take my sister with me, then. Goodbye."


    Yin Zhao-an nodded, deliberately ignoring Fang Ling''s begrudging stare.


    After the Fang siblings left, Yin Zhao-an was startled to realize that Tang Yu had remained silent all this time. Immediately, she couldn''t help but wonder if she had angered her Tang-Tang.


    In reality, though, Tang Yu wasn''t angry at Yin Zhao-an. She was just mildly troubled by the current situation. According to her original plan, she would continue spending more time with Fang Ling to naturally avoid a certain someone.


    Yet, now, that certain someone had chased Fang Ling away!


    It was a truly troublesome situation¡­


    "...Should we go home?" Yin Zhao-an tentatively asked.


    Tang Yu quietly rolled her eyes. If not home, where would they go?


    Tang Yu felt extremely uncomfortable throughout the journey home. She felt like superglue was applied to the hand holding her. The more she struggled to break free, the more tightly the grip over her hand became.


    "Tang-Tang."


    "Uh¡­ Hm?" Tang Yu responded in a slightly startled manner.


    Frowning slightly, Yin Zhao-an asked, "Are you¡­unhappy?"


    Tang Yu churned her brain, trying to understand Yin Zhao-an''s question. What exactly was Yin Zhao-an trying to ask? Was she asking about the present?


    "E-Everything''s fine¡­" Tang Yu answered, ultimately choosing to go with a response that was equally vague as Yin Zhao-an''s question.


    Yin Zhao-an''s expression darkened, inwardly writing off Tang Yu''s answer as a lie. After all, she had read that book already.


    [I know there is someone who likes me, but I seem to lack the ability to love others.]


    Tang Yu naturally wouldn''t know that Yin Zhao-an had secretly switched their respective copies of No Longer Human when they were having their meal together.


    Tang Yu''s copy of the book had many sections marked and underlined with black ink. However, one particular sentence in the book was marked with red ink.


    What was her Tang-Tang trying to express? Was she asking for help?


    Yin Zhao-an wasn''t knowledgeable in psychology. She also didn''t know how psychology would analyze Tang Yu''s personality. However, the things she managed to gather from Tang Yu''s copy of the book were already enough to scare her.


    What exactly was her Tang-Tang afraid of?


    "So long as you wish for it, I won''t refuse any request from you," Yin Zhao-an said out of nowhere.

 CH 43

    Tang Yu didn''t know what Fang Ling was told by her elder brother, but the next time they met, the girl wore a dejected look on her face.


    "Tang Yu¡­"


    "Hm?" Tang Yu lifted her head and looked at Fang Ling.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Weakly leaning onto Tang Yu''s desk, Fang Ling asked, "Do you know about my elder brother?"


    Fang Lang. A rich and handsome young man who attended the school''s middle school department. He had a gentle and elegant personality and was among the top of his year in academic performance. According to rumors, many female students often went out of their way to walk outside his classroom in the hopes of creating a "chance encounter."


    However, those were the middle school section''s problems. Tang Yu was still in the grade school section, so¡­


    Tang Yu indifferently shook her head as she mentally chanted, "I don''t know him, I don''t know him, I don''t know him."


    Fang Ling was unsurprised to see Tang Yu shaking her head. Although the grade school and middle school sections were located on the same campus, their school buildings were several streets apart. Not to mention, Tang Yu rarely wandered around during recess and usually headed home as soon as school was over. So, there should be very few opportunities for Tang Yu to come across students of the middle school section, let alone her elder brother.


    "My brother¡­ He is also very rich like me¡­"


    "Cough, cough, cough¡­" Tang Yu choked on her saliva and resisted the urge to laugh. Then, she waved her hand in embarrassment and said, "I''m fine. Please continue¡­"


    Tang Yu''s coughing briefly stunned Fang Ling, but she didn''t think much about it and continued, "He is very handsome. You saw him last week, right? He also does very well in school, and he is very gentle¡­"


    Wait¡­ Aren''t things heading in a strange direction?


    "What''s your point?" Tang Yu hurriedly interrupted Fang Ling, hoping her friend wasn''t trying to do what she thought she was trying to do.


    "Oh, well¡­ He told me not to alienate you from your friend¡­" Fang Ling said with a pitiful look on her face. "Have I been alienating you two from each other?"


    Tang Yu promptly shook her head, saying, "No. You have been a very good friend to me."


    "See? I knew it!" Fang Ling indignantly shot up from her seat and smacked the desk when she heard Tang Yu''s answer. Then, her voice suddenly became louder as she said, "I''m going to go back and tell my brother! I told him I would never do something like that!"


    The classroom suddenly fell silent as everyone turned to look at Tang Yu and Fang Ling.


    Tang Yu quietly raised the book on her desk to cover her face. Then, while desperately trying to calm the silly girl before her, she softly said, "Alright, alright, sit down for now."


    "Hmph!"


    The sound of a sneer suddenly entered Tang Yu''s ears.


    Even without turning around, Tang Yu could tell who this sneer came from, so she sensibly ignored the other party. After all, even if she turned to look at the other party, all she would get in return would be a look of contempt.


    Fortunately, the current Du Yuqing still didn''t dare to break the law¡­


    After Fang Ling sat back down, the classroom''s frozen atmosphere regained its liveliness, looking like nothing had just happened.


    When Du Yuqing saw the two people talking happily to each other, the pencil in her hand formed a deep groove in the drawing paper on her desk, the pencil nearly cutting through the thin paper.


    Nobody paid attention to what Du Yuqing was doing. When break time was close to ending, several students returned to the classroom, and among them was Du Yuqing''s deskmate. When the girl returned to her seat, she saw Du Yuqing putting away a piece of paper with something drawn on it. However, as Du Yuqing''s actions were swift, the girl failed to see what was drawn on the paper.


    "You know how to draw?"


    A flash of coldness appeared in Du Yuqing''s eyes. The next second, she smiled warmly and said, "That''s right. I learned a little."


    "Wow~ Amazing. Can I see what you drew?"


    Du Yuqing lowered her head and went silent for a few seconds, a dark shadow cast over her lightless eyes. Then, she said, "No can do. It is very important to me."


    Even though Du Yuqing spoke in a calm tone, the deskmate inexplicably felt a chill crawling down her back. Then, the girl turned to look at the nearby window and hurriedly walked over to close it. While doing so, she cursed, "Who is it?! Who would keep the windows open in the middle of winter?! It''s freezing here!"


    ¡­


    Du family''s mansion:


    A luxurious crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the empty living room, the warm yellow light it radiated hitting the furniture in the room and creating a warm atmosphere.


    Du Yuqing quietly opened the front door, a look of disgust appearing on her face when she saw the house''s furnishings. Walking from the front door to the stairwell, she did not spare any of the expensive furniture and decorations a single glance. Then, as soon as she arrived before the stairwell, she could hear the sound of muffled moaning coming from upstairs.


    Du Yuqing gradually clenched her fists, the darkness in her eyes growing. Holding back her disgust, she went upstairs and walked past the room housing the source of her disgust.


    After returning to her room, Du Yuqing casually grabbed a tear gas grenade from her bookshelf and walked back to the source of the moaning. Then, she removed the grenade''s safety pin, opened the door before her, threw the grenade into the room, and closed the door.


    "Ah! Cough, cough¡­ What the hell is this?!"


    "Damned girl! You''re making trouble again?! Just wait till I go out and take care of you!"


    How repulsive.


    Du Yuqing sneered. Then, she calmly returned to her room and locked the door behind her.


    The furnishings in the room were on the dark side, with dark red being the main color of this room. At a glance, the room looked exceptionally depressing.


    The curtains were also made of thick coral fleece. When they were drawn, not a ray of light could come in through the windows.


    Du Yuqing leaned against the headboard, the dim bedside lamp casting an uneven light on her face and giving her a frightening appearance. Then, she reached for the schoolbag thrown on the bed and pulled out a thin sheet of paper, the neatly stacked books in the bag preserving the paper in pristine condition.


    Du Yuqing became lost in her thoughts as she stared at the paper or, more specifically, the person drawn on the paper. Even though the dim lighting only allowed her to see the outline of the drawn person, she could recognize this person at a glance.


    The person in the drawing had soft hair cascading over her shoulders and a pair of lips slightly curled into a faint smile. The person also had a pair of radiant eyes resembling stars, those eyes forming a smiling expression as they earnestly looked ahead.


    Du Yuqing brushed her fingers across the drawing, looking mesmerized. Then, she softly chuckled as she muttered, "Ahh¡­ I want to break you¡­"


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    Fyi, Yin Zhao-an''s hair only reaches her ears.

 CH 44

    Knocking sounds came from the door, accompanied by angry curses.


    Du Yuqing indifferently reached for the glass cup on the bedside table and threw it at the door. Immediately, the clear glass shattered and scattered across the floor after letting out a mournful wail.


    The person outside appeared to have been frightened. After pausing for a few seconds, the person cursed one more time, which was then followed by the sound of distancing footsteps.


    "Trash." Du Yuqing snorted disdainfully.


    After the nuisance was gone, Du Yuqing pasted the sketch next to the other drawings on the wall.


    If one were to carefully look at the wall, one would find various papers densely covering it, and every one of them contained drawings outlining the same person.


    ¡­


    Even as the days passed, Yin Zhao-an continued competing with Fang Ling over the rights to Tang Yu''s arm. Only, Yin Zhao-an''s real goal was never just Tang Yu''s arm but her hand instead. Yin Zhao-an had always emerged victorious when it came to this regard.


    The time that Tang Yu had been worrying over eventually arrived. However, contrary to her expectations, nothing happened. The day had gone by so uneventfully that she couldn''t help but suspect whether the "missing" criminal was still alive.


    To ensure no accidents happened, Tang Yu even started throwing tantrums every now and then before the potentially disastrous day arrived, begging her mother to keep her company.


    Due to the nature of her work, Yu Wanrou had to spend most of her time boarding and getting off planes. She had originally already felt guilty for being constantly absent from her daughter''s life. So, she quickly succumbed to Tang Yu''s crocodile tears and took a year off work to play her role as a mother.


    Meanwhile, although Tang Yu felt a little guilty for keeping her mother at home, she didn''t regret her actions.


    Yu Wanrou going out to work meant that she would be alone, which also meant that she could potentially come across an accident at any given moment. She definitely wouldn''t be as safe as she would be if she simply stayed in the military compound. At the very least, it should be impossible for any outlaws to extend their hands to this place.


    "Take this lunch box, Little Yu. Stop buying junk food, and don''t stay out too late after school," Yu Wanrou said as she put the lunch box she had prepared into Tang Yu''s school bag. Then, she handed the bag to Tang Yu, who was still sipping on a glass of soy milk.


    "Okay." Tang Yu quickly finished the rest of the soy milk and accepted the school bag. Then, she sweetly smiled and said, "Thank you, Mommy."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an no longer stood at the intersection in wait for Tang Yu, opting to crouch behind a bush instead.


    After failing to catch Tang Yu on her way to school for some time, Yin Zhao-an took a smarter approach. Before the sky had even brightened, she would crouch and hide along the path to school. Although she didn''t catch Tang Yu on her first few attempts, she eventually succeeded after several failed attempts.


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Yin Zhao-an felt both elated and disappointed by this success. After all, even though they could have met on their way to school every morning, not once had they met each other thus far. It just showed how much her Tang-Tang was trying to avoid her.


    Since intentional meetings troubled her Tang-Tang, Yin Zhao-an decided she would create "chance encounters."


    Yin Zhao-an enjoyed the experience of "stalking" Tang Yu. This was because she discovered a side Tang Yu had never shown her.


    When greeting the breakfast shop''s shopkeeper, Tang Yu would smile happily at the middle-aged woman.


    When coming across a puppy on the side of the road, Tang Yu would stop and look at it with a gentle expression.


    When coming across problems that troubled her, Tang Yu would subconsciously mutter to herself.


    Yin Zhao-an had never seen Tang Yu showing such a carefree and genuine smile or speaking in such a soft and gentle manner before, or not to her, at least.


    Some might ask why Yin Zhao-an was so adamant about befriending Tang Yu. The answer was simple¡ªit was because her heart couldn''t resist wanting to get close to Tang Yu. She had a strong urge to protect Tang Yu and see Tang Yu happy. Anything was fine so long as Tang Yu didn''t feel sad.


    ¡­


    Fang Lang was the center of attention when attending middle school, and Tang Yu''s group also received the same treatment when they joined the middle school section.


    It was mainly because Yin Zhao-an''s budding facial features and continuously growing height made many people think of her as a handsome young man. From time to time, there would be girls running over to surround Yin Zhao-an, who was following behind Tang Yu.


    In Fang Ling''s case, she received so many love letters from boys that she eventually lost count. Unfortunately, her strict family made it impossible for her to give any of her admirers a positive response.


    Out of the group of three, Tang Yu had the easiest time. After being awarded the title of "Iceberg," she only needed to focus on her studies and the actions of the people around her, including Du Yuqing, who hadn''t appeared in front of her for a while long time already.


    Du Yuqing should be abroad right about now. Although Tang Yu didn''t know what Du Yuqing had left to do, she couldn''t care less so long as the other party didn''t appear in front of her. Not to mention, Tang Yu felt that with how much she had distanced herself from Yin Zhao-an already, Du Yuqing should no longer have any more reason to come after her.


    ¡­


    Once school was over, Fang Ling packed her bag and went to look for Tang Yu. The classroom was noisy as everyone let loose the exhaustion and frustration they had accumulated throughout the day. After scanning the classroom and failing to find Tang Yu''s figure, Fang Ling stopped a boy exiting the classroom and asked, "Do you know where Tang Yu went?"


    The boy appeared to be in a hurry. After curtly answering Fang Ling with an "office," he hastily ran away, leaving Fang Ling feeling frustrated.


    There are so many offices! Which one are you talking about?!


    Fang Ling tried to ask a few more people, but everyone responded with the same vague answer. Even the most detailed answer she got was only: "A teacher called her away, but I don''t know which teacher it is."


    A few kind souls also reminded her, "She might have gone home already."


    When Fang Ling came across Yin Zhao-an by the school gate, she relayed the answers she got to Yin Zhao-an. Then, after looking at her Doraemon watch, she said, "I''m going to have to take my leave first. Are you going to continue waiting here?"


    "You can go first, then. I''ll continue waiting," Yin Zhao-an said, frowning when she saw fewer and fewer people on the campus.


    "Okay," Fang Ling said. Then, just as she was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and added, "The off-duty time for teachers is 5:40. If you still don''t see her past this time, she should have gone home already."


    "Okay, I got it."

 CH 45

    7-8 minutes 23.11.2022


    The sky had already gone dark when Tang Yu left the faculty office. Apart from a few boarding students, nobody else could be seen walking on the campus.


    This was the first time Tang Yu was going home at such a late hour, so she couldn''t help but hasten her footsteps out of insecurity.


    The street lights had already come on at this time, and most street stalls had already packed up for the day. With the current cold weather, there were also very few people out and wandering about.


    Tang Yu pursed her lips and kept her head low as she advanced, the insecurity in her heart becoming increasingly apparent.


    Suddenly, an unnatural gust of wind came from behind. Tang Yu subconsciously tried to scream, but something covered her mouth before she could do so.


    Tang Yu struggled to break away from the hand holding her mouth and nose shut. Unfortunately, not only did she fail to accomplish her goal, but she even had her arms pulled back and crossed behind her. Then, the powerful force restraining her arms dragged her into the nearby alley where the street lights did not reach. 4887


    Tang Yu was forced against the cold wall. She couldn''t see the person behind her, but from the rustling movements she could hear, she could tell that her assailant wasn''t alone.


    "Keep quiet. I''ll let you go once I collect some pocket money," a young male voice came from behind Tang Yu. In addition to the verbal warning, the other party slammed her head against the wall to get his point across.


    They''re only a bunch of little delinquents. Everything will be fine so long as I give them the money, Tang Yu thought, trying to divert her attention away from the searing pain coming from her forehead. There was no doubt that her skin had gotten scraped.


    After the school bag she carried got pulled away, she could hear the sound of a zipper being pulled, followed by textbooks hitting the dirty ground.


    After one of the delinquents searched Tang Yu''s bag for a while, he said in disappointment, "Boss, there''s no money."


    The person pinning Tang Yu against the wall clicked his tongue. Then, he said, "Dammit. Search her pockets."


    Immediately, someone stepped forward to lay their hands on Tang Yu. Before Tang Yu could try to put up a struggle, she suddenly heard wailing coming from behind her.


    Tang Yu was pushed to the alley''s entrance amidst the ensuing chaos, the debris under her feet causing her to trip and fall. She got a little dizzy after the fall, so she failed to get a clear look at what was going on in the alley. However, she could hear the muffled sound of flesh getting struck and pained cries coming from the alley.


    Tang Yu took deep breaths as she shook her head, trying to shake the dizziness away. Then, when her vision gradually cleared up, she saw a pair of black high-top shoes making their way to her.


    Realizing it was too late to escape, Tang Yu subconsciously curled up her body and covered her head with her hands. However, the beating she expected to receive did not arrive. Instead, a large and warm hand covered her chilled hands.


    "Don''t be scared. I''m here now."


    History always had a striking way of repeating itself. Tang Yu looked at the girl kneeling before her in disbelief. Then, she glanced at the several delinquents lying in the alley while bitterly moaning.


    "They¡­" Tang Yu struggled for words when she saw the scene before her.


    Yin Zhao-an did not answer Tang Yu immediately. Instead, she helped Tang Yu up before returning to the alley herself to collect Tang Yu''s scattered books. While doing so, she also made sure to glare at the little delinquents from time to time, frightening them to the point where they backed off to a corner to continue their moaning there.


    "They''re fine. They''ll just be feeling pain for a few days," Yin Zhao-an said as she patted the dust off Tang Yu''s school bag. Then, after slinging the bag over her shoulder, she continued, "Tang-Tang, wait for me here for a moment. I forgot to tell them something."


    "...Oh, okay," Tang Yu dazedly nodded. Then, just as Yin Zhao-an was about to return to the alley, Tang Yu worriedly said, "Be careful."


    With her back facing Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an gestured an "OK" before returning into the lightless alley.


    While letting the nearby street light stretch out her lonely shadow, Tang Yu nudged the tip of her shoes against the ground and stuck her hands into her pockets. At the same time, she couldn''t help but wonder when Yin Zhao-an had become so good at fighting. As far as she could remember, Yin Zhao-an would rarely ever come out unscathed after getting into a fight during their previous life.


    Yet, in this life, Yin Zhao-an had changed to a point where she could come out unscathed even when going up against several people simultaneously.


    Speaking of which, she''s still keeping her hair short¡­


    Tang Yu remembered that during their previous life, Yin Zhao-an had received a scar on her forehead because of a fight during middle school. Because of that scar, Yin Zhao-an chose to grow out her hair and would always cover her forehead with her bangs. Now, though, Yin Zhao-an neither had a scar on her forehead nor did she grow out her hair.


    While Tang Yu was lost in her thoughts¡­


    "You guys best not let me catch you setting your sights on her again. Otherwise, I''ll give you all a beating every time I see you," Yin Zhao-an threatened while flexing her wrists.


    These little delinquents were different from organized gangsters. They were merely middle and high school dropouts or truants. The most they dared to do was solitary target students.


    Originally, they thought they had found themselves a fat sheep when they saw Tang Yu''s attire. However, not only did they fail to get a single penny out of her, but they even ended up coming across a protective wolf because of her.


    For the leader of the delinquents, this was the first time he had come across someone so skilled at fighting. The way Yin Zhao-an fought was completely different from the crude manner he and his cohorts fought. So, after running some thoughts through his mind, he suddenly looked Yin Zhao-an in the eye and shouted:


    "Boss!"


    Yin Zhao-an: ?!


    The other delinquents: ?!


    Ignoring the shocked looks his underlings were giving him, the leader of the delinquents looked at Yin Zhao-an reverentially as he said, "Boss! Can you accept me as your underling? I''m not trying to pull anything! I just think the way you fight is very cool!"


    After hearing their leader''s words, the other delinquents couldn''t help but reveal complicated expressions. At the same time, they couldn''t help but wonder if their leader had been beaten silly to make such a decision.


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an''s mouth twitched in exasperation. Was she going to have to accept another group of underlings?

 CH 46

    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    Made a change to Chapter 45:


    Boss -> Big Brother


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    ¡­


    It had been quite some time since Yin Zhao-an last accepted others as her underlings. The last time she did so was when the military compound was still filled with children. However, as the years passed, more families started moving out of the military compound, and Yin Zhao-an also stopped being as childish as she used to be. No longer would she say, "Be my underling if I beat you in a fight" to every person she met.


    Now, the only people Yin Zhao-an still maintained close contact with were Tang Yu and Zhao Yu. As for everyone else, they would only greet each other when they met on occasion.


    So, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but be put into a dilemma on whether she should accept new underlings.


    "An-An¡­"


    "Oh! Coming!" When Yin Zhao-an heard Tang Yu calling her name so worriedly, her heart instantly melted, and she immediately cast her concerns to the back of her mind as she jogged back to Tang Yu''s side.


    Meanwhile, the delinquents awkwardly looked at each other. The leader of the delinquents felt especially awkward. Even so, his desire to make Yin Zhao-an his "Big Brother" did not change.


    Indeed, the delinquent leader was under the misconception that Yin Zhao-an was a boy.


    If the delinquent leader knew that the "Big Brother" who had just 1v4-ed his group was a girl, his pride would probably be shattered.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an wore a fawning smile on her face as she returned to Tang Yu''s side.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu breathed a sigh of relief when she scanned Yin Zhao-an''s body and found no injuries. Honestly, she still felt lingering fear when she thought back to the situation just now. Although she couldn''t see the fight directly, the sounds she heard allowed her to discern that Yin Zhao-an did not hold back in the slightest.


    Apart from worrying that Yin Zhao-an might get injured, Tang Yu was even more concerned that Yin Zhao-an might accidentally go too far and cripple or, worse yet, kill the delinquents.


    "Are you hurt anywhere?" Tang Yu asked, just in case.


    Yin Zhao-an shook her head, her lips curling upward even more. Although her faint smiles would give her an unapproachable vibe, she looked like a cat when she brightly smiled.


    "That''s good to hear," Tang Yu said, breathing another sigh of relief. Then, after looking around, she said, "Let''s hurry home."


    However, Yin Zhao-an did not seem to get Tang Yu''s point as she walked at a leisurely pace. She completely ignored Tang Yu''s desire to return home as quickly as possible.


    Tang Yu gnashed her teeth when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s behavior. After taking a deep breath, she pulled Yin Zhao-an''s hand and started running across the late-night streets.


    Tang Yu dared not drop her guard after the previous incident. After all, what if the delinquents from before called for reinforcements?!


    Yin Zhao-an secretly smiled when her plan succeeded. Of course, although she pretended to reluctantly let Tang Yu pull her along, she made sure to keep up with Tang Yu''s pace to avoid exhausting her Tang-Tang.


    ¡­


    When the two girls arrived at the Tang family''s home, Yu Wanrou was just about to lock the front door and leave the house, the woman''s face full of worry. Then, the moment Yu Wanrou saw Tang Yu, her eyes instantly teared up as she ran over to embrace her daughter. "You scared Mommy to death¡­ I thought¡­ I thought you had¡­"


    Although Tang Yu didn''t know why her mother was so emotionally excited, she still reciprocated her mother''s embrace as she said, "I''m fine. I met a few delinquents, but An-An scared them away."


    Yin Zhao-an proudly lifted her head when she heard her name being mentioned. Without the slightest hint of humility, she said, "Don''t worry, Auntie. Nothing will happen to Tang-Tang with me around. I will always protect her." After saying so, Yin Zhao-an even winked at Tang Yu.


    Yu Wanrou gradually put her emotions under control. Then, with teary eyes, she unlocked the front door and said, "Come on in first."


    When Yin Zhao-an failed to meet Tang Yu at the school gate, she stopped by Tang Yu''s house to inform Yu Wanrou about Tang Yu''s potentially late return.


    At the time, Yin Zhao-an didn''t think that Tang Yu would have yet to return home even after the sky had gone dark. So, when she received Yu Wanrou''s anxious call, she promptly suggested Yu Wanrou wait at home while she dashed out of her house to look for Tang Yu.


    Yu Wanrou also worried that Tang Yu might come home while she was out of the house. So, when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s suggestion, she chose to remain at home despite her worries.


    However, the longer Yu Wanrou waited at home, the more anxious she became. She still remembered the words her husband''s captain had told her several years ago. When she thought of the possibility that the escaped outlaw might have come back to take revenge, she hurriedly got ready to leave the house to search for her daughter. Fortunately, the heavens did not play a trick on her, and her child had safely returned to her side.


    Afterward, Yu Wanrou made a pot of hot tea for the two children to warm up. She then profusely expressed her gratitude to Yin Zhao-an.


    "If you weren''t around, An-An, I have no idea what would have happened to Little Yu. I really cannot thank you enough for what you''ve done today."


    Yin Zhao-an was on cloud nine after having received numerous words of compliment and gratitude from Yu Wanrou and Tang Yu''s concern. Even the smile on her face started to look a little silly.


    Meanwhile, after hesitating for a moment, Yu Wanrou looked at Yin Zhao-an and said, "An-An, Auntie would like to make an unreasonable request of you."


    Upon hearing Yu Wanrou suddenly speaking in such a formal manner, Yin Zhao-an promptly got serious and said, "You can be straightforward with me, Auntie. You don''t have to be polite around me."


    Hearing Yin Zhao-an''s words, Yu Wanrou looked to her silent daughter and said, "I wish to have Little Yu follow you."


    Tang Yu''s head snapped up when she heard her mother''s words, a look of confusion on her face.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an also had trouble fully comprehending Yu Wanrou''s meaning of "follow you."


    Realizing the vagueness of her request, Yu Wanrou reorganized her words and said, "Little Yu is too introverted and easily subjected to bullying. If you don''t find her cumbersome, can I ask you to keep a closer eye on her, An-An? For example, waiting for her after school."

 CH 47

    6-8 minutes 25.11.2022


    "Actually, I''ve already¡ª"


    "Ahem." Worried that Yin Zhao-an would say something unnecessary, Tang Yu faked a cough and kicked Yin Zhao-an''s shin under the dining table.


    Yin Zhao-an turned to look at Tang Yu when she felt a mild pain coming from her shin. Then, when she noticed the hint in Tang Yu''s gaze, she gestured an "OK" under the table and promptly altered what she would say.


    "Actually, I''ve already told Tang-Tang I had plans to do so. What happened today has also given me a scare. Right, Tang-Tang?"


    Tang Yu dryly laughed as she agreed with Yin Zhao-an, "Yes, yes."


    Inwardly, though, Tang Yu rolled her eyes at Yin Zhao-an''s blatant lie about being scared. Not only was Yin Zhao-an not scared by today''s incident, but she even ran back to talk to the delinquents after giving them a beating.


    When Yu Wanrou noticed the good atmosphere between the two girls, although she felt a little saddened that her daughter seemed to share a better relationship with Yin Zhao-an than with her, she was also happy that her daughter could make friends with Yin Zhao-an. Yin Zhao-an''s lively and cheerful nature was a good complement to Tang Yu. Perhaps, if the two spent more time together, Tang Yu could gradually change her introverted nature.


    "Okay. I''ll have to trouble you with this task, then, An-An," Yu Wanrou said.


    "Not at all. It''s no trouble at all," Yin Zhao-an happily said.


    After taking a look at the time, Yu Wanrou decided to leave for the kitchen to prepare dinner. Before she left, though, she said to Yin Zhao-an, "It''s so late already, so just spend the night at Auntie''s place, An-An. I''ll give your mother a call afterward."


    Yin Zhao-an nodded without hesitation. There was no way she would miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    ¡­


    Initially, Tang Yu wanted to use the excuse of lacking spare toiletries to deny Yin Zhao-an''s stay. Unfortunately, due to the nature of her mother''s job, there were plenty of disposable toiletries stocked up in their home. Hence, Tang Yu could only reluctantly let a certain someone into her room.


    To avoid the awkward situation she faced when she stayed at the Yin family''s house, Tang Yu reminded Yin Zhao-an that she could use her bathroom while she was warming her milk.


    Recently, Tang Yu had taken on drinking warm milk before bed every night. Not only did it help with sleep, but it also helped with loosening her nerves.


    Originally, Tang Yu never had such a habit. Instead, it was forced onto her by her mother. Of course, she was partly at fault for this situation. To get her mother to take time off from work during this precarious year, she had deliberately shown various abnormal behaviors, such as randomly throwing tantrums and going into a trance. Worried about her behavior, her mother started requiring her to drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed every night. Her mother would even watch her finish the glass before letting her off.


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    Hence, Tang Yu now spent her days drinking a glass of warm goat''s milk in the morning and a glass of warm cow''s milk in the evening. And because of all the milk she drank, her skin became much smoother and softer than it had ever been during her previous life.


    Staring at the microwave, Tang Yu patiently waited for the electronic appliance to warm up her milk.


    Ding¡ª


    The microwave emitted a beep and automatically cut off its power.


    When Tang Yu brought the glass of milk back to her room, Yin Zhao-an had already finished taking her shower and hid under the covers. Though, whether Yin Zhao-an had already gone to sleep was unbeknownst to Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu placed the milk by the bedside table before taking out a set of pajamas from the closet. Then, she disappeared into the bathroom.


    As soon as the bathroom door was locked, Yin Zhao-an poked her head out from under the quilt, her hair in a mess. There was only one bedside lamp in the bedroom, the warm yellow light giving the small bedroom a cozy atmosphere.


    Do all parents always prefer to prepare two quilts?


    Yin Zhao-an carefully stacked the two quilts on top of each other as she listened to the sound of splashing water coming from the bathroom. After making sure that the two quilts looked like one, she swapped positions on the bed and lay back down.


    The sound of water coming from the bathroom gradually stopped. Then, the bathroom door opened a few moments later.


    Tang Yu went to her side of the bed while drying the tips of her hair that she had accidentally wet. Then, she lifted the quilt to cover her still-warm feet, only to suddenly feel her toes coming into contact with something warm.


    Startled by the unexpected physical contact, Tang Yu curled her feet and looked to the source of the physical contact. To her confusion, she found Yin Zhao-an sleeping soundly under the covers of her side of the bed¡­


    Did I get the wrong side? But my milk is here¡­


    Tang Yu didn''t think too deeply into the matter and simply assumed she had misremembered which side of the bed Yin Zhao-an had slept on. After grabbing her milk, she walked to the other side of the bed, hopped onto the bed, and wrapped herself under the warm quilt.


    This¡­


    Tang Yu turned to look at Yin Zhao-an in pleasant surprise. Then, she revealed a helpless smile as she tugged on the quilt and leaned against the headboard.


    It turned out that a certain someone had taken the initiative to warm the bed for her¡­


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an secretly smiled when she achieved her goal. This was the first time she had felt physically and mentally happy. At this time, even the air felt sweet to her.


    The milk was unsweetened, so it had a unique aroma when warmed. However, unsweetened milk would taste fishy once cooled, making it very unpalatable, at least for Tang Yu.


    So, in no time at all, Tang Yu finished the milk and went to the bathroom to rinse her mouth. When she returned to the bed, her side of the bed was still as warm as when she had left it, so it didn''t take her more than a second to realize what had happened while she was away.


    Not bothering to expose a certain someone''s deeds, Tang Yu snuggled under the quilt and pressed down the quilt''s edge with her foot, ensuring no wind could get under the quilt. It would have been even better if she could get rid of the gap in the middle of the bed, but there was nothing she could do about it since a certain someone had stacked the two quilts on top of each other.


    After looking at the gap between herself and Yin Zhao-an in disappointment, Tang Yu sighed and went to sleep. 4887

 CH 48

    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    I added three paragraphs to the end of Chapter 47 that I previously missed. They''re important, so please go read them.


    ¡­


    With the person in her embrace sound asleep, Yin Zhao-an dared not make any large movements. Even so, she could not stop her heart from pounding rapidly and her face burning up.


    Yin Zhao-an did not know what mood she was currently in, but she knew she was experiencing tension like never before. This was also her first time feeling flustered in front of others.


    The reason Yin Zhao-an leaned over to Tang Yu was just to close the gap between them and sleep while embracing each other, just like they used to. That was all she wanted to do, and she never meant to do anything more.


    By now, Yin Zhao-an could no longer feel the warmth and soft sensation she had previously felt on her lips. However, the faint dairy aroma lingered in her nostrils, refusing to dissipate.


    Tang-Tang''s lips¡­are sweet.


    Yin Zhao-an looked down at the sweetly slumbering visage, her heart trembling when she watched Tang Yu''s tender lips rhythmically opening and closing ever so slightly.


    It was only an accidental touch! Don''t panic!


    Yin Zhao-an closed her eyes and took deep breaths to calm herself. Unfortunately, no matter what she did, the heat on her face refused to subside.


    ¡­


    Morning:


    When Tang Yu woke up from her slumber, the spot next to her was already empty. Sitting up in confusion, she reached out to touch that spot, finding that it had long gone cold.


    The clock by the bed showed that it was already 6.30 AM. Tang Yu normally woke up at six o''clock sharp, so, to her surprise, she had apparently overslept. Maybe it was because of Yin Zhao-an''s presence that her subconsciousness had told herself that she wouldn''t need to wake up so early to go to school?


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu went downstairs, Yu Wanrou was in the middle of cooking porridge with century egg and lean meat, the smell spreading from the kitchen to the living room. There were also youtiao and soy milk on the dining table.


    "Awake already, Little Yu?"


    "Morning, Mommy," Tang Yu greeted.


    "Mhm, morning," Yu Wanrou returned the greeting before wiping her hands on her apron and bringing a bowl of porridge to the dining table. "It seems An-An is a very early waker. I hadn''t even started to make breakfast when she woke up and left. I feel wrong sending her home on an empty stomach."


    After sitting at the dining table and drinking a mouthful of warm soy milk, Tang Yu said, "Maybe she''s used to waking up early?"


    However, Yu Wanrou shook her head in disagreement. Then, she furrowed her brows and said, "Not at all. She looked like she barely got any sleep when I saw her... Maybe it''s because you have poor sleep habits?"


    "Impossible!" Tang Yu hurriedly put down the youtiao in her hand and refuted her mother. "My sleep habits have always been good! I wake up in the same position I go to sleep!"


    Yu Wanrou didn''t refute her daughter''s claims since she wasn''t clear on the matter. Although her daughter indeed had good sleep habits when little, she wasn''t sure if that had changed over the years. Subsequently, Yu Wanrou propped up her chin and concluded, "It''s probably because of the foreign environment, then."


    This was an acceptable reason, so Tang Yu readily agreed, saying, "That''s probably the case."


    "In that case, we''ll just need to have An-An sleep over more often!"


    "Pfft¡ª" Tang Yu choked on some soy milk and coughed. Then, she hurriedly pulled out a tissue to cover her mouth, her delicate face flushing red.


    While gently patting her daughter''s back, Yu Wanrou said, "Why are you so clumsy? Take your time eating. It''s still early, so you won''t be late."


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an returned home with her panda eyes, Wang Zhen just so happened to be home as well. After having worked overnight shifts at the hospital for many days, she finally remembered she still had two people waiting for her at home, so she decided to give herself a vacation.


    Yesterday, when Wang Zhen was in the middle of preparing a seafood dinner, she suddenly received a call from Yu Wanrou. Then, when she heard that her daughter wouldn''t be returning home, she couldn''t help but reveal a mischievous smile.


    "Oh? What''s up with those heavy bags under your eyes? Were you dreaming of food so much you couldn''t fall asleep?"


    Faced with her mother''s merciless teasing, Yin Zhao-an simply pretended not to hear anything as she drifted upstairs like a wandering ghost.


    Dumbfounded, Wang Zhen grabbed her husband, who had just returned from his morning exercise, and pointed at their "drifting" daughter, asking, "What''s up with her?"


    Yin Changcheng was currently drenched in sweat. He wanted to shower as soon as possible, so while helplessly removing his wife''s hand from his sweaty arm, he shrugged and said, "What else could it be? If it''s not because of crooked thoughts, then it''s probably because she did poorly in a test." After saying so, he promptly dashed for the bathroom.


    What does he mean by crooked thoughts? Could it be that her puberty has hit? Wang Zhen put her hands on her hips as she looked at the staircase in serious contemplation. It''s too bad I''m not a psychologist¡­ Maybe I should let her father give her a beating?


    If Yin Zhao-an knew that the woman who gave birth to her was plotting to have her receive a beating because of puberty, she''d probably have the urge to lock herself in her room.


    As for why Wang Zhen didn''t think her daughter had done poorly on her exams? It was naturally because her daughter constantly occupied first place in her grade. Moreover, with her daughter''s fearless attitude, it was highly unlikely the girl would feel anxious over doing poorly on a test. After having raised the girl for so many years, Wang Zhen had long since discerned her daughter''s mental tolerance.


    Of course, the matter of giving her daughter a beating was also nothing but a joke. There was no way she would do something so silly.


    Instead, after setting up breakfast on the dining table, Wang Zhen returned to her bedroom, got on the internet using her computer, and typed the following into the search box:


    [My child is constantly absent from home. Is my child entering puberty?]


    Immediately, a bunch of search results appeared on the screen.


    "Children become very particular about how they dress in puberty... Sometimes, they will behave abnormally and shyly in front of the opposite sex..."


    Wang Zhen curled her lips when she saw the signs pointed out by the first search result. Her daughter behaved no differently from a boy. Rather than behave shyly in front of the opposite sex, Yin Zhao-an was more prone to start fights with them instead. Wang Zhen had also never seen her daughter caring about clothes, and she was responsible for choosing every article of clothing that was in her daughter''s closet.


    "Absent-mindedness, academic performance shows a downward trend..."


    Out of the two points mentioned in the second search result, Wang Zhen only agreed with the first point. Yin Zhao-an''s academic performance had not declined in the slightest, so Wang Zhen indifferently skipped this answer.


    "Not coming home on time. Number of abnormal outings increases significantly... Huh?!"

 CH 49

    While Wang Zhen was mistakenly pairing herself with her online search results, Yin Zhao-an returned downstairs with her school bag.


    After grabbing a slice of bread from the table, Yin Zhao-an tried to leave, Wang Zhen stopped her in time to give her a lunch box and a milk carton. Then, Wang Zhen said, "No matter how distracted you are, you shouldn''t forget to take your lunch."


    In response, Yin Zhao-an accepted the lunch box and stuffed it into her bag. Then, she hastily left the house after saying, "I''m off to school."


    At this time, Yin Changcheng had come out of the bathroom in a fresh set of clothes. Then, he sat down at the dining table and began eating his breakfast. Meanwhile, Wang Zhen stood by the front door as she stared at her daughter''s departing back.


    Noticing his wife''s behavior, Yin Changcheng paused the hand that was reaching for the bread. Then, he asked, "Ah Zhen, aren''t you going to eat?"


    Wang Zhen frowned at her husband''s question. Then, folding her arms around her chest, she said, "Our daughter is behaving abnormally. You spend more time at home than I do. Have you noticed anything strange about her recently?"


    Yin Changcheng put his hand down cautiously. Then, after faking a light cough, he said, "I''ve been busy at the company recently. Truth be told, I didn''t notice anything strange..."


    "Hm?" Wang Zhen''s gaze sharpened as she looked at her husband. Then, in a cold voice, she asked, "What company?"


    "Oh, that... I started a company with a few of my old comrades who''ve retired from the army. I didn''t tell you before because everything was still being set up previously, but we''ve gotten some results now, so..." Yin Changcheng hurriedly explained, a bead of cold sweat rolling down his forehead.


    Wang Zhen wasn''t the kind of person who would stubbornly cling to her husband''s wrongdoings. After nonchalantly taking a seat at the table, she picked up the fork and knife in front of her and fiddled with the knife a few times. Then, with a contemplative look, she said, "This knife is quite sharp. Carving meat with it should be easy."


    Cold sweat began emerging uncontrollably on Yin Changcheng''s forehead. At the same time, he couldn''t help but shudder when he recalled the early days of his marriage with Wang Zhen.


    On a particular day many years ago, Wang Zhen had called him to the kitchen. Then, before his very eyes, she meticulously skinned, gutted, and deboned a whole chicken before neatly decorating everything on a plate, leaving behind only a clean skeleton on the chopping board.


    After doing all that, she turned to him, smiling as she said in a gentle tone, "You''d best never betray me. I might not beat you in a fight, but I am the one taking care of your basic necessities."


    At the time, Yin Changcheng had his mind filled with nothing but love, so he only felt joy when he heard Wang Zhen''s words. He thought he had found a loyal woman with a strong character. However, he never thought this woman of strong character would eventually have him eating out of her hands, thoroughly turning him into a hen-pecked husband...


    ¡­


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    The streets in the early morning were bustling. While Yin Zhao-an was aimlessly walking forward, a motorcycle suddenly stopped in her way.


    The rider was a young man with hair dyed blond. By his immature face, he looked about fifteen or sixteen years old.


    After stopping his bike, the young man whistled at Yin Zhao-an and brightly smiled at her before saying, "Greetings, Big Bro!"


    Originally, Yin Zhao-an was wondering which daredevil would dare to try to rob her in broad daylight. However, it turned out that the other party was the leader of the delinquents she had beaten up last night.


    Yin Zhao-an wore a black hooded sweater today. Paired with the black Marten boots she wore, her legs looked more slender than usual. Meanwhile, due to her lack of sleep, her hair looked a little messy, looking like she had natural frizzy hair.


    "Does your school let you keep such long hair? I thought all schools only allowed hair down to the eyebrows," the young man curiously asked. Evidently, he had yet to realize Yin Zhao-an''s gender.


    Yin Zhao-an coldly glanced at the young man before continuing on her way without saying a word.


    The young man rode on his loud bike while following Yin Zhao-an, calling out to her one time after another.


    "Do you know how to ride bikes, Big Bro?"


    Yin Zhao-an suddenly stopped walking when she heard this question. Then, she looked at the young man''s cool-looking motorcycle with a look of interest. Truth be told, she didn''t know how to ride motorcycles.


    When the young man saw that he had caught Yin Zhao-an''s interest, he excitedly said, "How about I lend you my bike to practice, and you take me in as your underling?"


    "Okay."


    Yin Zhao-an had to go to school during the day and send Tang Yu home in the evening, so she arranged to meet the young man at the sports field of her school''s old campus during the weekend.


    ...


    When the weekend arrived, Yin Zhao-an put on a set of loose sportswear and a black cap before getting ready to leave home. However, just before she could leave, Yin Changcheng stopped her.


    "Cough. Where are you going?" Yin Changcheng asked, knowing to pay closer attention to his daughter after the little incident with his wife.


    Yin Zhao-an hesitated to speak the truth. However, when she recalled her father''s "hen-pecked husband" personality, he was bound to tell her mother everything she told him. So, she decided to lie to avoid unnecessary troubles:


    "I''m going to play with Tang-Tang."


    Yin Changcheng sighed in relief when he heard Yin Zhao-an was only visiting Tang Yu. After patting his daughter on the shoulder, he smiled and said, "Go on. Make sure not to stay out too late."


    Yin Zhao-an smiled in response before sticking her hands into her hoodie''s pockets and leaving the house.


    "This silly girl finally knows how to go out to play. Seeing her cooped up in her room studying all day is just scary," Yin Changcheng said, sighing ruefully before returning to the study.


    Although Yin Zhao-an normally behaved like a fool, her title of top student did not come from luck. No matter how gifted a person was, talent without hard work would still leave a person with nothing.


    ...


    When Yin Zhao-an arrived at her school''s old campus, the blond young man wasn''t the only one on the sports field. Four other young men were also present, and these four looked at her with ill intentions.


    Yin Zhao-an would be a fool if she still couldn''t tell what they were thinking after seeing their gazes.

 CH 50

    When the blond young man saw Yin Zhao-an, he threw his half-smoked cigarette and stomped out the embers. Then, he cheerfully smiled and said, "Hey, Big Bro is here!"


    Yin Zhao-an fearlessly smirked, a cold glint appearing in her narrowed eyes as she snorted and asked, "What? Did you invite me here for a fight?"


    "No, no, no. How would I dare to invite you for a fight?" the blond young man hurriedly denied. "It''s just that these brothers here aren''t convinced of your strength. If you let them get a glimpse of your moves, all of them will be obedient to you. None of them will dare to go against you."


    Oh? Does that mean I''ll meet with an unknown fate if I lose to them? And Tang Yu will also become their primary target of revenge?


    Trying to corner me, huh?


    Yin Zhao-an stuck her hands into her pockets and sneered. Then, she raised her chin at the four other delinquents and asked, "How do you guys want to do it?"


    "One-on-one, right?" one of the delinquents replied.


    "No need. All of you just come at me together," Yin Zhao-an said in a cold and arrogant tone. Even if she won against these delinquents one-on-one, some of them were bound to remain unconvinced. So, she might as well crush any rebellious thoughts they had once and for all.


    Yin Zhao-an''s contemptuous words naturally angered the young delinquents, and they promptly went into action. Unfortunately, anger was not enough to compensate for the delinquents'' lack of skill.


    Initially, the delinquents had tried to overwhelm Yin Zhao-an by charging at her together. However, Yin Zhao-an easily defused their assault by sweeping her leg across their shins, causing all four of them to collapse on one another.


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    Not giving up, the delinquents tried to attack Yin Zhao-an from multiple directions, with one even trying to attack her from behind. However, Yin Zhao-an simply stepped aside at the last second, letting the delinquents crash into one another.


    At one point, a young man taller than Yin Zhao-an managed to grab her left arm. Yin Zhao-an failed to struggle out of the young man''s hold right away, so the other delinquents saw this as an opportunity to lunge at her. However, before they could reach her, Yin Zhao-an suddenly grabbed the young man holding onto her arm and threw him over her shoulder, sending him crashing into the delinquents lunging at her.


    After several more bouts, Yin Zhao-an patted the dust and dirt off her body and looked at the four delinquents sprawled on the ground before her. Then, she coldly snorted and asked, "Convinced now?"


    She had been training in military martial arts for so many years. If she couldn''t even beat a few wannabe gangsters, wouldn''t she have taken all those beatings for nothing?


    "We''re convinced! We''re convinced!"


    "You''re the Big Bro! You''re the Big Bro!"


    "Big Bro is awesome!"


    The corner of Yin Zhao-an''s eyes twitched a little as she looked at the group of fickle boys.


    Meanwhile, when the blond young man got to see Yin Zhao-an''s fighting skills once more, he couldn''t help but be awed. Back in the alley that day, he could only vaguely tell that Yin Zhao-an was skilled at fighting since the alley was dark, and he was on the receiving end of Yin Zhao-an''s techniques. However, now that he got to see her in action from a spectator''s perspective in broad daylight, he had to admit that Yin Zhao-an was an incredible fighter.


    Patting the seat of his motorcycle, the blond young man fawningly smiled at Yin Zhao-an and said, "Big Bro, please take a seat!"


    Yin Zhao-an took the keys from the blond young man''s hand and swung one leg over the motorcycle, easily getting onto the vehicle. Although the delinquents here looked low quality, she had to admit that the blond delinquent owned a good bike. This could be seen just by how smoothly the bike''s body flowed.


    Yin Zhao-an had never ridden a motorized vehicle before, not even the small electric bike her mother typically used to go to the market. But she did know how to ride a bicycle. After all, she used to be the military compound''s child king. It was a piece of cake for her to "borrow" someone''s bicycle.


    Upon seeing Yin Zhao-an get on the bike, the four delinquents who had just received a beating promptly fled out of the field. They were well aware of how scary and dangerous an amateur motorcyclist could be. It was especially so if the person was a complete amateur.


    "Insert the key and turn on the ignition first, Big Bro," the blond delinquent said.


    Yin Zhao-an did as told and subconsciously proceeded to twist the throttle, only to receive no response from the motorcycle.


    Seeing Yin Zhao-an''s confusion, the blond delinquent explained, "You have to hold the clutch tight before starting the bike. Then, slowly release the clutch once the bike starts to move forward. After that, turn the throttle a little, but not too much."


    After holding down the clutch with her left hand, Yin Zhao-an began to rotate the throttle with her right hand. Immediately, the bike''s engine began to operate, emitting a "boom" sound. Upon hearing this sound, joy appeared in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes.


    Meanwhile, the blond delinquent gradually stepped away from the bike. Then, in a louder voice, he said, "Big Bro, slowly release the clutch and don''t add too much throttle. Otherwise, you''re going to fly."


    Yin Zhao-an did as told, and the motorcycle started to move forward at a snail''s pace.


    The blond delinquent sighed in relief when he saw this. He had originally been worried for his bike since most people would lose control over their bikes and zoom forward on their first try. Fortunately, he didn''t have to see his precious bike getting subjected to a crash.


    Yin Zhao-an was deserving of her status as a top student. Although she started slow, not once did she lose control of the motorcycle during her practice. She also quickly got the hang of manipulating the throttle. Of course, it also helped that she already knew how to ride a bicycle. Once she got used to the motorcycle''s weight, balancing it was not a problem.


    Yin Zhao-an enjoyed the cool wind brushing against her face, a bright glow appearing in her eyes as her hair fluttered in the wind.


    When Yin Zhao-an was about to turn a corner, she reduced her speed and turned the vehicle around while using her foot as a pivot. Then, she drove back and stopped in front of the blond delinquent.


    The blond delinquent saw what Yin Zhao-an did during the U-turn, so he gave her a thumbs-up and complimented, "As expected of you, Big Bro! Even the way you ride a bike looks cool!"


    Yin Zhao-an ignored the blond delinquent''s flattery. Instead, while caressing the bike''s metallic body, she asked, "This bike looks great. How much did it cost?"


    The blond delinquent grew even more spirited at the mention of price. Tilting his head up proudly, he said, "This thing cost me nearly 30,000 yuan!" (~4.2k USD)


    Ho? That is quite expensive.


    "You''re not the only one who paid for it, right?" Yin Zhao-an added.

 CH 51

    "A few brothers and I paid for it together," the blond delinquent said, awkwardly scratching his head after having his little lie exposed. But then, he hurriedly added, "But I paid more money than they did, so I''m using the bike most of the time."


    Yin Zhao-an nodded to express her understanding. Then, she hopped off the bike, returned the keys to the blond delinquent, and said, "I''m going home. You can continue having your fun here."


    "Then, Big Bro¡­"


    "You can come to me if you need help, but remember¡­" Yin Zhao-an let her words trail off for a moment and suddenly put on a serious expression. Then, she slowly and sternly said, "I won''t do anything illegal, so you guys best not do it either, got it?"


    The blond delinquent nodded in a daze and fell into thought as he watched Yin Zhao-an leave. Then, a moment later, a look of realization appeared on his face as he concluded:


    Does Big Bro want us to clean up our acts and become better people?!


    ¡­


    Wang Zhen had a distracted look on her face as she blankly stared at the potted lucky bamboo before her, the bamboo leaves covered in water droplets. At the same time, she rhythmically pressed down on the end cap of her ball pen one time after another, causing clicking sounds to echo throughout the office.


    After the clicking sounds continued for some time, a female doctor from the same department couldn''t help but softly call out to Wang Zhen, "Doctor Wang! Doctor Wang!"


    Wang Zhen snapped out of her daze and looked at the doctor who had called out to her, asking, "Is something up?"


    The female doctor shook her head and smiled, saying, "Nothing. I just saw that you look a little out of sorts. Is something bugging you?"


    Upon hearing her colleague''s words, Wang Zhen sighed and said, "I don''t know¡­ I think my daughter started dating..."


    The female doctors'' eyes brightened at the sign of potential gossip. Immediately, she slid over to Wang Zhen''s side in her chair and curiously asked, "Oh? Are you talking about that cool, short-haired kid of yours?"


    Rolling her eyes, Wang Zhen said, "Who else could I be talking about? I only have one daughter."


    "Tell me the details, then! Maybe I can help you!"


    "You? Forget it. You don''t even have a baby. How would you know how to deal with such a problem?" Wang Zhen said as she waved her hand, gesturing for her colleague not to meddle in her household affairs.


    However, the female doctor refused to back down. Grabbing onto Wang Zhen''s sleeve, the female doctor smiled and said, "I might not have a child yet, but¡­I''m younger than you."


    Upon seeing that Wang Zhen was about to take action, the female doctor hurriedly fled back to her desk. Then, she earnestly said, "Don''t mind it. I used to be a child as well. Don''t girls your daughter''s age usually take a liking to boys who treat them well?"


    "Treat them well?"


    "Yes. For example, buying food for them or sharing good things with them. Little girls in puberty are fools for such acts," the female doctor said.


    Wang Zhen did not refute her colleague''s words, but she also knew that her daughter was different from other girls. Her daughter was very much a tomboy, and the girl wasn''t the kind to get shy around people. "But my daughter doesn''t seem to care about such boys..."


    "No!" The female doctor crossed her two index fingers. "Girls of this age are the easiest to be tempted. Even if you don''t see any changes to her on the surface, she is bound to subconsciously wonder if she is a good match for the boys around her. This is how children work."


    After saying so, the female doctor crossed her arms. Then, putting on a sagacious look, she ruefully sighed and said, "It''s good to be young¡­"


    Wang Zhen did not respond to her colleague. Instead, she fell into thought as she stared at her computer.


    ¡­


    When evening arrived, Wang Zhen took off her white coat and hung it on a nearby wall. Then, she picked up her small leather bag and got ready to go home.


    But just as Wang Zhen was about to take her leave, the female doctor from before poked her head out from behind her computer and asked, "Are you going home now, Doctor Wang?"


    Wang Zhen nodded. Then, she asked, "Are you leaving, too?"


    In response, the female doctor pitifully lay on her desk and mourned, "No, I''m on duty today¡­"


    Wang Zhen chuckled at her colleague''s behavior. Then, she grinned and asked, "Will that person be coming over to keep you company again?"


    The female doctor smiled in embarrassment when she heard Wang Zhen''s question.


    Wang Zhen shook her head helplessly. Then, while making her way out of the office, she exclaimed, "Oh, how good it is to be young!"


    ¡­


    Wang Zhen did not see Yin Changcheng when she arrived home. However, the man had already texted her saying he would be busy with his new company and wouldn''t be coming home tonight, so she didn''t think too much about his absence. Though, she wondered what kind of company her husband had started, seeing as it kept him busy.


    After setting her bag aside, Wang Zhen went to the kitchen and started making dinner. Since she would only be making dinner for two, she didn''t prepare many dishes.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    Once dinner was ready, Wang Zhen went to the staircase and yelled, "Time for dinner," like usual, before returning to the kitchen to bring out the dishes.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an looked dazed when she sat at the dining table. Combined with her messy hair, it was obvious she had been sleeping upstairs until just a moment ago.


    "Are your studies becoming more stressful recently, An-An?" Wang Zhen worriedly asked, her daughter''s spiritless look aching her heart.


    After sending a piece of fried egg into her mouth, Yin Zhao-an widened her eyes and tried her best to wake herself up. Then, she answered, "It''s not bad. The high school entrance exam is coming soon, so I have a lot of mock papers to do."


    While placing a few slices of fried meat into her daughter''s bowl, Wang Zhen said, "Be sure to balance out school and rest. Wander around outside during the weekends; don''t just stay at home all the time."


    Yin Zhao-an listlessly nodded. Of course, she wasn''t trying to be perfunctory. She was simply too tired after doing mock papers all afternoon.


    ¡­ 4887


    After the meal, Wang Zhen tidied up the kitchen and brought a warm glass of milk to her daughter''s room.


    However, to Wang Zhen''s surprise, Yin Zhao-an had already gone to bed. Seeing this, Wang Zhen quietly walked over to the desk and set down the milk, just in case her daughter woke up in the middle of the night.


    Setting down the glass, Wang Zhen noticed many mock papers full of written words haphazardly scattered across the table, so she decided to tidy up the papers into one neat stack. When she finished doing so, she found a book hidden under the papers, and the book''s title was¡­No Longer Human.


    Are they testing children on such topics nowadays?

 CH 52

    Wang Zhen didn''t know what subjects middle schoolers nowadays needed to learn, so she simply stacked the book together with the mock papers before putting them away into her daughter''s schoolbag.


    Just as Wang Zhen was about to turn around and leave, something stopped her foot. Looking down, she found that it was an open drawer.


    What a forgetful girl, Wang Zhen dotingly smiled before crouching down to close the drawer. However, as soon as she crouched down, the pink envelope sitting in the drawer instantly caught her attention.


    Wang Zhen didn''t wish to pry into her child''s privacy without consent, but...her hand still reached for the letter against her will.


    After inwardly muttering several apologies, Wang Zhen flipped open the envelope with trembling hands, took out the letter inside, and began reading it with a curious heart.


    The letter started out rather normally, and Wang Zhen couldn''t help but wonder if she had been overthinking things for a moment. However, the more she read, the more startled she became as she realized that the letter was indeed a love letter.


    When Wang Zhen saw the signature at the end of the letter, she couldn''t help but doubt her eyes for a moment. After all, this letter was written a few years ago. But Yin Zhao-an''s emotional instability had only appeared recently, so this letter shouldn''t be the cause.


    Wang Zhen sighed in relief when she finished reading the letter. She recognized the name of the letter''s sender. Although she wasn''t particularly familiar with the boy, she had heard many people around her talking about him and saying he was a disciplined and sensible boy.


    Wang Zhen felt guilty after peeping at her daughter''s love letter. So, she quickly returned the letter to its original position and quietly left the room, turning off the lights on her way out.


    ¡­


    Ever since Wang Zhen learned that her daughter had an admirer, she would walk around the military compound and chat with people whenever she had free time at home, gathering any information she could on the boy named Zhao Yu.


    Zhao Yu''s father was a military instructor, while his mother was a doctor working at the military hospital. Zhao Yu''s father had placed high hopes on him since he was young, his father hoping he would join the military as a soldier. But... It would seem that Zhao Yu wasn''t exactly fit for the role as he had an overly soft personality. Wang Zhen didn''t know how the boy ended that way, but she guessed that he probably took after his mother.


    Of course, Wang Zhen wasn''t looking into Zhao Yu as a prospective son-in-law. She was simply trying to understand what kind of boy could get her daughter to keep his love letter for several years.


    ¡­ 4887


    Ignorant of her mother''s antics, Yin Zhao-an was busy tackling her high school entrance examination with Tang Yu. Though, unlike Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu had a much easier time with the government examination.


    Tang Yu had already experienced the test once before, so she knew what kind of difficulty to expect going in. Even mathematics, which was usually the most challenging subject in the high school entrance exam, shouldn''t be a problem for her. Although she majored in broadcasting at university, she studied Further Mathematics for around one and a half semesters, and she highly doubted the high school entrance exam''s difficulty could be greater than that.


    Yin Zhao-an preferred to study in a quiet environment. Regardless of whether she knew how to solve a problem, she would always hole herself up in her room to research the problem. Oftentimes, she would eventually come to the right answer. But for questions that could stump her, they were most likely questions that others couldn''t solve, either.


    Meanwhile, the group of young delinquents continued spending their days guarding the alleyway. Whenever they saw Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an walking by, they would consciously hide, the reason being that Yin Zhao-an said they looked too scary, and she was worried they might scare her Tang-Tang.


    Because of Yin Zhao-an''s behavior toward Tang Yu, the blond delinquent, also known as Wen Tao, would always subconsciously refer to Tang Yu as "sister-in-law." After all, Yin Zhao-an was his "Big Bro."


    Initially, Wen Tao assumed Yin Zhao-an was protective of Tang Yu because the latter was his "Big Bro''s" girlfriend. Hence, he and his cohorts automatically assigned the position of sister-in-law to Tang Yu. He didn''t change this manner of address even after learning that Yin Zhao-an was a girl.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an nearly gave Wen Tao a hammer strike to the head when she heard him referring to Tang Yu as "sister-in-law." However, she eventually decided to let Wen Tao and his underlings be, considering she didn''t refuse to let them address her as "Big Bro." Anyway, it wasn''t a big problem since Tang Yu would never hear this manner of address.


    Speaking of Wen Tao, he was the textbook example of a rebellious adolescent boy. He disliked being told how to live his life and loved doing the opposite of what his family asked of him. He was also determined to hew out a career for himself.


    Indeed. Wen Tao''s so-called career was leading a group of rebellious youths to rob people in dark alleys, euphemistically referring to the act as "collecting protection fees."


    However, when Wen Tao learned that Yin Zhao-an was not only a good fighter but also a top student, he unexpectedly felt ashamed of himself. The competitive spirit within him refusing to let him be outdone, Wen Tao eventually decided to hand his motorcycle over to his buddies and return to his dust-covered books.


    ¡­


    The high school entrance examination wasn''t as major of an event as the college entrance examination, so it went by without much excitement.


    When the bell for the final paper rang, all examinees put down their pens and waited for the invigilators to collect their papers. Along with the end of the exam, the quiet hallways also started to get noisy.


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    Tang Yu left the classroom with a transparent bag containing her exam admission ticket and writing utensils, the smell of rain and mud flowing into her nostrils. Whenever it was time for the high school entrance examination, it would always rain in her city, almost as if the city or the exam was under a curse.


    When Tang Yu walked over to the nearby window and looked downstairs, she saw a dense stream of people holding umbrellas walking out of the school. Seeing this, she decided to stand by the corridor and wait for the turbulent crowd to pass.


    At this time, a group of boys walked by, the boys seemingly having done well in their exam as they were laughing and messing around with each other. While walking by Tang Yu, one of these students jokingly pushed one of their companions. The person pushed was caught off-guard, so he ended up stumbling backward in Tang Yu''s direction.


    They were in a narrow corridor, so there was no way for Tang Yu to avoid a collision with the boy, so she subconsciously took a defensive posture. However, the crash she expected never happened.


    Relying on her tall body, Yin Zhao-an effortlessly helped the boy come under control while she shielded Tang Yu behind her. Meanwhile, the boy hurriedly apologized to her in embarrassment before quickly running away with his companions.

 CH 53

    Upon seeing that she was safe, Tang Yu let go of the breath she had been holding and sincerely said to Yin Zhao-an, "Thank you."


    Yin Zhao-an shook her head. Then, her lips suddenly curled up as she leaned forward a little, meeting Tang Yu at eye level as she asked, "You¡­were waiting for me, right?"


    Tang Yu: "..."


    Tang Yu admitted that it did look like she was waiting for someone. However, she swore to God that really wasn''t her intention.


    "Okay, okay, it''s time to go home! Summer vacation is finally here!" Yin Zhao-an interrupted Tang Yu to avoid an awkward situation. Then, she wrapped an arm around Tang Yu''s shoulders and walked downstairs.


    While walking, Yin Zhao-an noticed the angle of her arm was a little lower than she remembered. When she realized the cause, she grinned at Tang Yu and asked, "Tang-Tang, have you not grown any taller these past few¡ª"


    Before Yin Zhao-an could finish speaking, she felt a sudden kick to her shin. The strike caused her to crouch down and howl in pain.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu ignored Yin Zhao-an''s suffering and walked away in a huff, her mind screaming, Do you think I want to stay this short?! Also, aren''t you the abnormal one here?! How did you get so tall?! If you grow any taller, be careful that you can''t find a boyfriend!


    Speaking of boyfriends, Tang Yu suddenly realized that it had been quite some time since Zhao Yu had last appeared before Yin Zhao-an, and she couldn''t help but wonder what the boy had been up to recently.


    Yin Zhao-an quickly caught up to Tang Yu with her long legs. Then, she once again began to put on her shameless coquettish act, saying, "Tang-Tang, Tang-Tang, I was wrong. I promise I won''t bring it up again.


    "Tang-Tang is the tallest. Tang-Tang will definitely grow taller and become taller than me!"


    "No, thank you. I still want to find a boyfriend. It''ll be hard to do so if I''m that tall," Tang Yu interjected. But as soon as she said so, she saw Yin Zhao-an''s face stiffening, and she couldn''t help but panic. Even so, she forced herself to look calm on the surface and looked away from Yin Zhao-an.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an took a deep breath to get rid of the empty and aching feeling in her heart. However, those feelings persistently lingered, and following them was...a sense of loss.


    Indeed. Her Tang-Tang was going to find a boyfriend eventually. Then, her Tang-Tang was going to get married and have children¡­


    Yin Zhao-an slapped herself on her head to interrupt her line of thought. These were matters that would only happen in the distant future, so what point was there in thinking about them now? And even if her Tang-Tang eventually got herself a boyfriend, she could simply inspect the other party and disqualify him if she found him unworthy of her Tang-Tang.


    But¡­


    ¡­


    After returning home, Yin Zhao-an pulled over her mother, who was about to leave home for her night shift at the hospital, and asked, "Mom, do you think I''m tall?"


    Wang Zhen was initially surprised by her daughter''s unexpected question. Then, looking as if she had just swallowed a fly, she gestured to the difference in height between them and emotionlessly said, "You''re asking me this question while looking down at me? Shoo, shoo, shoo! Don''t think I don''t dare to beat you! Your exams are already over, so I won''t cater to you anymore!"


    After saying so, Wang Zhen glared at her daughter before grabbing her leather bag and opening the front door.


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    "T-Then¡­ Will I still be able to get a boyfriend?" Yin Zha-an asked in a fluster.


    Wang Zhen paused when she heard this question. Then, she looked her daughter up and down before jokingly saying, "With your height? Forget getting a boyfriend. You''ll be better off finding a girlfriend."


    Wang Zhen had naturally meant for her casual remark to be nothing more than a joke. Unfortunately, in the mind of her daughter with negative EQ, her casual remark had turned into a "friendly suggestion."


    If Wang Zhen knew who would become her daughter''s future partner, she would definitely get the urge to return to the past and strangle herself.


    "G-Girlfriend?" Yin Zhao-an muttered, her heart growing flustered when she said this word. However, when she thought to ask her mother for more details, she found that the woman had long since left.


    ¡­


    There was no homework during summer vacation, so Yin Zhao-an no longer had to do workbook exercises and mock papers all day and night. This also meant she could sleep in. Unfortunately, after making it a habit to exercise early in the morning for several years, her body would automatically wake up once dawn arrived.


    As usual, Yin Zhao-an sparred with her father in the courtyard. Recently, she found that she was having an easier time seeing through her father''s moves and countering them. She could even push him to the point where he was out of breath. Though, she didn''t know whether that was because she had improved or her father had regressed.


    While watching her father sitting on a chair and wiping his sweat with a towel, Yin Zhao-an noticed a few strands of gray hair on her father''s temples, the discovery letting her feel the passage of time.


    "An-An, it''s the holidays, so why aren''t you getting more sleep?" Yin Changcheng asked after catching his breath.


    Placing a leg on a nearby railing to stretch her muscles, Yin Zhao-an said, "I''m used to it. I can''t sleep in even if I want to."


    Yin Changcheng nodded approvingly. Then, he ruefully said, "It was the same for me when I initially got discharged. I would wake up in the middle of the night every day, only to realize that I was no longer in the army after seeing everything at home. Now that the company is growing, I have a lot more things to do, and I''m also beginning to slack on my exercises. I can''t even keep up with youngsters like you now."


    "No way." Chuckling, Yin Zhao-an said, "You''re still young, Dad. How can brats like me compare to you?"


    "You and that sweet mouth of yours!"


    After stretching her back and shaking her limbs to loosen her muscles, Yin Zhao-an asked, "I''m going for a run? You joining?"


    Waving his hand, Yin Changcheng revealed a bitter smile and said, "I''ll pass. I''m too tired."


    "Okay."


    ...


    Even under normal circumstances, there wouldn''t be many people out doing morning exercises in the military compound. Now that it was summer vacation, the number of people in the military compound had decreased significantly, many people choosing to go out for travel during this long vacation. As a result, Yin Zhao-an didn''t see a single soul throughout her jog around the compound.


    Amidst her jog, Yin Zhao-an suddenly switched her jogging route. Then, having thought of something, her mood inexplicably brightened.


    Hihi,


    For those worried this story lead to a bad end, it won''t. The first few chapters might look like it, but that''s just a short realization arc for Yin Zhao-an. If you do not wish to be cliffhanged, I recommend stockpiling the first 10 chapters before you start to read GMAS.


    Release rate for GMAS is 1 chapter/day.

 CH 54

    When the sun was starting to make its presence known to the land, Yu Wanrou quietly snuck into her daughter''s room to close the curtains and turn off the alarm clock. Her daughter had just concluded an important phase of her life, so she felt the girl deserved a little more rest.


    After making sure nothing would disturb Tang Yu''s rest, Yu Wanrou went downstairs to cook some lotus seed congee. With the help of a pressure cooker, it took no time before a fragrant aroma filled the kitchen.


    Once satisfied with her work, Yu Wanrou removed her apron and sat in the living room. Then, she habitually turned on an international news channel and watched the current morning news. Although the language was Russian, she had no trouble understanding the words.


    However, not long after Yu Wanrou turned on the TV, knocking sounds came from the front door.


    Yu Wanrou paused for a second when she heard the knocks. Then, her gaze sharpened as she walked over to check the doorbell monitor by the door.


    Once Yu Wanrou saw who it was outside the door, though, she promptly retracted her stern expression and opened the door to let the other party in.


    "An-An? What brings you here so early in the morning?" Yu Wanrou asked, feeling a little surprised by Yin Zhao-an''s visit.


    After greeting Yu Wanrou, Yin Zhao-an revealed a cute expression and said, "I just happened to pass by on my morning jog, so I thought to visit Tang-Tang."


    "You haven''t had breakfast yet, right? I''ll prepare some for you. Little Yu is still asleep," Yu Wanrou said with a warm smile as she left for the kitchen to prepare a bowl of congee.


    "Okay. Thank you, Auntie," Yin Zhao-an responded, gladly accepting the offer. There was no way she could turn down the offer after smelling the fragrant aroma of lotus seed congee wafting through the air.


    After finishing the congee in a few big gulps, Yin Zhao-an tactfully brought the bowl into the kitchen and washed it.


    Yu Wanrou panicked a little at this sight. After all, how could she let a guest do the dishes? Unfortunately, she was already too late to do anything when she made this discovery.


    "Auntie, I want to go up and check in on Tang-Tang. I won''t disturb her rest."


    With how endearing Yin Zhao-an was, there was no way Yu Wanrou could bear to turn down the girl''s request, so she said, "Go ahead."


    After receiving permission, Yin Zhao-an quietly walked upstairs and opened the door to Tang Yu''s room.


    The curtains were drawn, so the room was a little dark. After getting a whiff of the faint fragrance lingering in the air, Yin Zhao-an looked at the bed and saw a swell on it. Even without guessing, she could tell that it was Tang Yu.


    Carefully, Yin Zhao-an slid over to Tang Yu''s bed. The floor was covered with a soft woolen carpet, so it didn''t feel cold even when she sat on it.


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    Looking at Tang Yu from up close, Yin Zhao-an found that her Tang-Tang slept very well, the quilt remaining snuggly wrapped around her body. She also noted that her Tang-Tang had long eyelashes that cast a faint shadow over her eyes.


    When Yin Zhao-an moved her gaze lower and saw Tang Yu''s delicate lips rhythmically opening and closing slightly, she suddenly remembered the faint milky scent she got from Tang Yu''s lips that night. More importantly, she remembered the soft, jelly-like sensation of those lips.


    Her heart growing restless, Yin Zhao-an gradually switched to a kneeling position and closed the distance between her and Tang Yu bit by bit.


    They were very close, so close that she could feel her Tang-Tang''s shallow breaths and smell that familiar milky scent...


    Unable to help herself, Yin Zhao-an reached out with a finger and gently touched those lips, finding that they were, sure enough, soft like jelly...


    At this moment, Yin Zhao-an had completely forgotten what she had promised Yu Wanrou before coming upstairs. The only thing on her mind right now was the defenseless Tang-Tang before her.


    However, Yin Zhao-an had seemingly applied a little too much force with her fingers as her touch caused Tang Yu to feel an itch on her lips. Then, Tang Yu subconsciously licked her lower lip and opened her eyes in a daze.


    Yin Zhao-an promptly backed away the instant Tang Yu stuck out her tongue, but the soft tip of Tang Yu''s tongue still touched the tip of her finger. As a result, Yin Zhao-an was momentarily at a loss on what to do with her "fortunate" finger, her hand stiffening to the point where it felt like it didn''t belong to her anymore.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu struggled with her drowsiness for quite some time before finally getting a clear look at the person in front of her. At this time, though, the other party was anxiously looking at her from the ground with both hands behind her back.


    "What are you doing¡­"


    A soft and hoarse voice came out of Tang Yu''s mouth, the sound of it stunning both Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu herself. Immediately, Tang Yu covered her head with the quilt in embarrassment.


    Yin Zhao-an also subconsciously covered her face with her hands, the tips of her ears reddening slightly and her heart beating wildly. At the same time, her mind screamed:


    This sound...is foul play!!


    "Cough." After faking a cough to alleviate the awkward situation, Yin Zhao-an took a proper sitting posture on the floor and softly asked, "Did I wake you up?"


    The person on the bed shifted a little before slowly poking her head out from under the quilt, the static from the quilt causing her hair to become frizzy.


    "Why are you in my home?" Tang Yu asked.


    "I happened to pass by here while jogging," Yin Zhao-an answered, giving Tang Yu the same excuse as she had given to Yu Wanrou.


    Tang Yu inwardly rolled her eyes when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s answer, but she did not expose the fact that Yin Zhao-an had taken a huge detour from her usual jogging route. Instead, she sat on her bed and scanned her room. Then, she got out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom.


    Tang Yu wore soft nylon pajamas to sleep, the loose fabric vaguely outlining her budding figure. The pajamas only reached down to her knees, so her legs became exposed when she got out from under the quilt. When she walked on the white woolen carpet barefoot, the carpet served to make her pale red feet look even more delicate than usual.


    After entering the bathroom, the first thing Tang Yu did was to keep her hair up with a hairband. Then, she picked up her toothbrush and began brushing her teeth.


    The mirror above the sink was very large, allowing Tang Yu to see everything happening in the bedroom, including the person who was intently staring at her.


    Tang Yu was at a loss when she noticed Yin Zhao-an''s behavior. She couldn''t help but feel as if Yin Zhao-an was becoming more and more blatant recently. Was it really normal for a girl to stare at another girl''s legs all the time?


    Growing a little uncomfortable from being stared at, Tang Yu spat out the bubbles in her mouth and cleared her throat. As expected, Yin Zhao-an''s attention was drawn away from her legs, and the two of them met gazes in the mirror.


    Seeing this, Tang Yu gave Yin Zhao-an a warning look, and the latter turned her head away guiltily while scratching her head in embarrassment.

 CH 55

    Tang Yu sighed in relief when she felt the gaze on her disappearing. Then, she quickly freshened up herself and returned to the bedroom.


    Tang Yu poured two cups of warm water, handing one to the girl sitting on the floor while taking small sips from the other.


    "Tang-Tang."


    "Hm?"


    With an anxious yet excited look on her face, Yin Zhao-an said, "My mom told me to find a girlfriend."


    "Pft¡ª"


    Tang Yu instantly spat out the water in her mouth. She even choked on some, her face becoming bright red.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know why Tang Yu would have such a huge reaction, but she hurriedly grabbed a piece of tissue for Tang Yu before gently patting Tang Yu''s back while asking, "What happened to you?"


    "You came out of the closet?!" Tang Yu asked with a look of shock on her face.


    "Closet? W-What closet?" Yin Zhao-an responded with a confused look.


    When Tang Yu saw that Yin Zhao-an didn''t seem to be faking ignorance, she gently patted her frightened heart and felt a little at ease. After all, Yin Zhao-an had been as straight as a steel pipe in her previous life, so how could the girl possibly get bent all of a sudden?


    "It''s nothing. It''s just¡­ My clothes are still in the closet, so I need to go get them," Tang Yu hurriedly said, dodging the topic as she made her way to the closet.


    Yin Zhao-an came to a realization. So, her Tang-Tang was talking about the clothes cupboard¡­


    ¡­


    After changing into her casual clothes in the bathroom, Tang Yu sat cross-legged on the bed and said, "You, come here."


    There was nobody else in the room, so Yin Zhao-an froze for only a second before obediently sitting in front of Tang Yu and asking, "What''s wrong?"


    "Just now¡­you said your mother told you to find a girlfriend?"


    Yin Zhao-an nodded. It was indeed her mother who told her that.


    Tang Yu chuckled. Then, like a knowledgeable older sister, she explained, "Couldn''t you tell that she was joking with you? You''re a girl, so you should be finding a boyfriend. Also, I wasn''t serious when I said you couldn''t find a boyfriend because of your height."


    Dubiously, Yin Zhao-an asked, "...Really?"


    "Of course!" Tang Yu said as she sincerely looked at Yin Zhao-an, her eyes seemingly saying, "Can you see the sincerity?"


    Yin Zhao-an suddenly smiled when she saw Tang Yu''s behavior, and she couldn''t help but reach out and squeeze Tang Yu''s delicate face. "You''re so cute, Tang-Tang."


    Hey! You''re focusing on the wrong thing!! Tang Yu inwardly yelled.


    Seeing that her Tang-Tang''s face had deformed, Yin Zhao-an awkwardly retracted her hands. Then, she promptly expressed her understanding, saying, "Okay, I understand."


    Now that''s a good girl!


    Tang Yu nodded in satisfaction. So long as Yin Zhao-an walked on the right track, Tang Yu could avoid returning to that dark basement!


    Because of her good mood, Tang Yu was not stingy with her smile, the two dimples on her cheeks lingering for a long time. Meanwhile, the sight of those dimples on Tang Yu''s delicate face mesmerized Yin Zhao-an. 4887


    While both girls were lost in their respective thoughts, Tang Yu suddenly held her stomach and frowned. However, the pain was only minor and brief, vanishing before Tang Yu even had time to think about it.


    Tang Yu didn''t think too deeply about the pain and simply shrugged it off as her feeling hungry. Yin Zhao-an, though, grew agitated. However, she didn''t know why she would suddenly get such a panicky feeling. She only knew that there was an insuppressible panic in her heart.


    "I''m going down for breakfast. Have you eaten?" Tang Yu asked out of politeness. Then, after receiving a positive affirmation from Yin Zhao-an, she responded with an "Oh" before heading out.


    ¡­


    While Tang Yu was in the middle of enjoying her congee, she heard Yin Zhao-an hastily bidding her and her mother goodbye before leaving through the front door. Yu Wanrou didn''t even get to say anything before Yin Zhao-an''s figure disappeared from their vision.


    The mother and daughter at the dining table looked at each other before simultaneously revealing a helpless smile.


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.


    "An-An has quite a lively nature," Yu Wanrou commented.


    "She is quite lively indeed." Tang Yu nodded in agreement.


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an arrived back home, Wang Zhen was already back from her night shift at the hospital and was having her breakfast while struggling to keep her eyes open.


    "Morning, Mom."


    Wang Zhen lifted her face from her food, revealing the heavy bags under her eyes. Then, she sluggishly responded, "...Morning."


    Yin Zhao-an instantly got goosebumps from hearing her mother''s response. Hurriedly, she fled from the living room and dashed into the study.


    ¡­


    Inside the study, Yin Changcheng was in the middle of a meeting with his colleagues on the computer¡­


    "I think this proposal is doable. The only problem is whether executing it is going to be too challen¡ª"


    Bang¡ª


    Yin Changcheng was startled by the door suddenly being slammed open, the unexpected intrusion causing him to forget what he was going to say. The people on the other end of the video conference were similarly startled.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw that her father was actually inside the study, she perfunctorily apologized, saying, "My bad. I''m just looking for something, so just ignore me."


    Yin Changcheng was already used to his daughter''s boisterous behavior, so he simply let out a helpless sigh and said to the people on the other end of the video conference, "It''s fine. It''s just my daughter. Let''s continue our meeting."


    Similar to Yin Changcheng, the other people attending the conference were military personnel who had retired from the army for various reasons. After losing their ability to protect their homeland, their families became their only faith. Hence, they simply smiled at the minor interruption. After all, who here wasn''t working for the sake of their families?


    In the meantime, Yin Zhao-an quickly scanned the entire wall of bookshelves. A portion of these bookshelves housed Wang Zhen''s book collection, while the other housed Yin Changcheng''s book collection. Yin Changcheng''s collection was originally filled with military-related books. Now, though, books on economics were gradually being added to the collection. As for Wang Zhen''s collection, it housed solely medical books like always.


    The books were categorized and labeled accordingly, but because Yin Zhao-an didn''t know what type of book she needed, she could only rely on her gut feeling, and she eventually settled on a book on internal medicine. However, the book was filled with a variety of complex terminology that made her dizzy, so she decisively gave up on reading it after only a few minutes.


    Sure enough, it was better if she asked her mother for help.

 CH 56

    7-8 minutes 05.12.2022


    After returning the book on internal medicine to the shelf, Yin Zhao-an quietly slipped out of the study to avoid disturbing her father''s online meeting.


    ¡­


    Wang Zhen had performed several major surgeries on her night shift, working consecutively for more than ten hours. At this point, she even began to worry whether her body could keep up with such a hectic work schedule. Fortunately, her department head was kind enough to give her a vacation to rest, worried she might make a crucial mistake during work due to her exhaustion.


    With a soulless look on her face, Wang Zhen slowly sipped on some hot soybean milk. Even when her daughter took a seat in front of her, she did not spare the girl a single glance.


    "Mom." Yin Zhao-an reached out and waved her hand in front of her mother''s eyes. Then, after successfully catching her mother''s attention, she said, "Mom, I have something to ask you."


    As soon as Yin Zhao-an finished speaking, she saw her mother getting up from her seat, seemingly intending to head upstairs. Fortunately, she grabbed the woman''s arm before the other party could leave.


    "It''ll only be a moment. I won''t take up much of your time!" Yin Zhao-an pleaded. However, when she saw that her mother was still putting up a struggle, she had no choice but to use her ultimate move:


    "I''ll do the dishes for this month!"


    "Okay."


    Wang Zhen sat back down just as quickly as she got up. Then, she put on an expression that seemingly said, "I''m all ears."


    Yin Zhao-an was exasperated by her mother''s response. Her mother was the type of person who knew how to cook but hated doing the dishes. Though, out of love for her only child, her mother would never force her to do the dishes, even though she didn''t really mind taking on such a chore.


    As for her father¡­ Some people were simply not cut out to do the dishes. Their household would lose either a bowl or a plate every time her father tried to do the dishes. If he was left in charge of the dishes, they''d run out of bowls and plates in less than a month. It was also why her mother would never let her father do the dishes, opting to take care of everything herself.


    Honestly, Yin Zhao-an had once suspected her father might be breaking the dishes on purpose. However, after she spectated her father doing the dishes once, she was fully convinced of his clumsiness. Either that, or he had hands that were incredibly slippery.


    "Do people usually get stomach pains at my age?" Yin Zhao-an asked.


    Wang Zhen immediately sensed something different and leaned forward, asking, "Don''t tell me you have a stomachache?"


    Shaking her head, Yin Zhao-an replied, "No, it''s a friend of mine. She doesn''t seem to have a particularly healthy stomach."


    "Oh." Yin Zhao-an leaned back in her chair and pondered for a moment. Then, she said, "Children at your age are unlikely to suffer from stomach pains induced by excessive anxiety, so an irregular diet, maybe?"


    "Impossible," Yin Zhao-an firmly said. "I''ve been keeping a close eye on her diet. There''s no way she has been eating irregularly.''


    Realization dawning upon her, Wang Zhen said, "You''re talking about Little Yu, right?"


    "I¡­ How do you know?" Yin Zhao-an asked, stunned.


    "It''s not hard to guess. Apart from Little Yu, I can''t think of a second person who you''d keep a close eye on."


    Wang Zhen froze for a moment when she finished speaking, getting a strange feeling from the words that just came out of her mouth.


    "If it''s Little Yu, then it''s understandable. Your Aunt Yu doesn''t have a particularly healthy stomach, either. Maybe it''s a genetic factor, but I can''t say for certain. She''ll have to undergo a specific checkup at the hospital to get a clear answer¡­ What, does Little Yu herself not know about this?"


    Nodding, Yin Zhao-an said, "It doesn''t look like she is aware."


    "Oh¡­" There was nothing else Wang Zhen could say at this point. She might be a doctor, but she couldn''t diagnose a patient who hadn''t done a systematic examination. Standing up from her seat, she tiredly asked, "Anything else? If not, I''m going to go catch up on my sleep."


    "That''s all."


    Hearing this, Wang Zhen sluggishly left the dining table. Before she got on the staircase, she suddenly stopped and turned around, saying, "Remember. One month."


    "Yes, yes, Dearest Mother," Yin Zhao-an helplessly replied. 4887


    After Wang Zhen went upstairs, Yin Zhao-an sat in the living room by herself. Then, while staring at the illustration on the table, she muttered, "A hereditary stomach disease, is it¡­?"


    ¡­


    It had already been a long time since Tang Zhengyang had returned home. As soon as he stepped through the front door, he promptly felt a different vibe. After changing into his house slippers, he made his way to the not-so-quiet kitchen.


    The first thing Tang Zhengyang saw when he entered the kitchen was a boiling pot of water sitting on the stove. He also spotted a red lobster tumbling in the boiling water.


    Currently, there were three people working in the kitchen, and they worked in two separate groups. On one side were two young girls preparing ingredients together, while on the other side was Yu Wanrou turning these ingredients into delicious food.


    The scene in the kitchen was warm and harmonious. Quietly, Tang Zhengyang took out his phone from his pocket to capture this scene.


    Yin Zhao-an was the first to notice Tang Zhengyang standing in the doorway. After she politely called out "Uncle Tang," the two other people in the kitchen also noticed his presence.


    "Daddy." Tang Yu promptly dropped what she was doing and turned to look at the scruffy man at the doorway, her nose getting a little stuffy.


    It had been a long time since Tang Yu last saw her father. In fact, she had only seen her father a few times this year. So, while keeping her mother by her side, she couldn''t help but worry about her father.


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    However, Tang Yu also knew that Tang Zhengyang would occasionally come home. He would usually come home in the middle of the night and sneak a glance at her and her mother''s slumbering faces before leaving in a hurry.


    Honestly, if she hadn''t happened to have insomnia on one of the days her father decided to sneak back home, she would have really thought that her father had put the greatness of the country over their family.


    "This is?"


    After being away from home for so long, Tang Zhengyang failed to immediately recognize the tall and lean figure standing next to Tang Yu. He only felt that the other party''s face looked familiar.


    Putting down the seasoning in her hand, Yu Wanrou smiled and teased, "Have you grown senile? She''s An-An."


    Tang Zhengyang immediately revealed a look of realization and let out a hearty laugh. Then, he jokingly said, "You''ve grown so tall, An-An! I nearly mistook you for some boy here to abduct our Little Yu!"

 CH 57

    7-9 minutes 06.12.2022


    Yu Wanrou chuckled at her husband''s words but remained quiet.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an went along with Tang Zhengyang''s words and said, "I know, right? If I were a boy, I''d definitely become Tang-Tang''s boyfriend. It''s a pity I failed to master the art of reincarnation."


    Amused by Yin Zhao-an''s words, Tang Zhengyang laughed and said, "You''re getting better and better at pleasing people."


    While Tang Zhengyang and Yin Zhao-an were busy bantering each other, Yu Wanrou fished out the lobster and set it aside on a plate. Then, she shooed Tang Zhengyang out of the kitchen, saying, "Shoo, shoo, shoo. Go upstairs and take a bath. I''m going to start cooking soon." After saying so, she turned to the two girls and continued, "You two head outside as well. Otherwise, the smell of oil and smoke is going to stick to your clothes."


    After placing the washed vegetables on the kitchen counter, Tang Yu pulled the girl who was still trying to make a good impression out of the kitchen.


    The noon news was being broadcast on the living room''s TV, the host in a dark blue suit announcing a bankruptcy news piece.


    "August 14, 20xx. Muto Insurance Company, one of the city''s top 50 insurance companies, has declared bankruptcy. All shares held by its founder, Du Dabao, have been sold¡­"


    Muto? Tang Yu repeated the name in her mind as she grabbed one of the mandarins on the coffee table. However, before she could start peeling it, Yin Zhao-an suddenly snatched it out of her hand, peeled it, and held a slice up to her mouth.


    Tang Yu did not accept Yin Zhao-an''s offer to feed her. After rolling her eyes at the other party, she grabbed the mandarin slice and put it into her mouth herself. Recently, she found that Yin Zhao-an was becoming more and more shameless.


    Yin Zhao-an had evidently also seen the news as she nonchalantly said, "I heard my dad talking about this company. Du Yuqing''s family owns it."


    "Hm?" Tang Yu looked at Yin Zhao-an with interest, her eyes signaling for the other party to continue.


    In response, Yin Zhao-an posed pretentiously and said, "Listen well. As everyone knows, Du Yuqing has left the country, right? From what I heard, it seems she has a powerful relative outside the country, and she used this relative''s special relations to remove herself from the Du family''s household registration."


    "Why would she want to remove herself from her household registration?" Tang Yu was confused.


    Leaning into Tang Yu''s ear, Yin Zhao-an whispered, "Because, she is still underage and cannot independently own assets."


    When Yin Zhao-an saw that Tang Yu still wore a confused look, she decided to stop moving in circles and said, "She wants to start her own company, and she wants the company to be under her name. Simply put, she wants to sever her ties with the Du family."


    "Is the family conflict in Du Yuqing''s household that serious?" Tang Yu asked.


    Yin Zhao-an scratched her head at Tang Yu''s question, not expecting her Tang-Tang to be so interested in this topic. Seeing this, she decided to share all the information she knew. "I heard from a few friends that Du Yuqing''s father has quite the chaotic private life¡­ Or, I should say that both of her parents have incredibly messy private lives. Du Yuqing even caught them in the act many times. Maybe that''s why she wants to sever her ties with them."


    "So, she''s a child who lacks parental love," Tang Yu concluded.


    "I think so, too!" Yin Zhao-an agreed.


    "So, the reason the Du family went bankrupt is because¡­"


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Yin Zhao-an hurriedly covered Tang Yu''s mouth with her hands before Tang Yu could finish her sentence. Then, she said, "I never said such a thing. Don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions."


    Tang Yu nodded to express her understanding.


    Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an removed her hands and continued, "Honestly, I''m finding all this quite unbelievable. How can she even know how to run a company at such a young age? She even managed to run it so successfully."


    "It''s probably because of her relative''s power."


    "What power are you two talking about?" Tang Zhengyang asked as he walked into the living room. At this time, Tang Zhengyang had already changed into a set of casual clothes. He had also shaved his scruffy chin clean. At first glance, he looked more like a man in his twenties than a man nearing his forties.


    Because Tang Zhengyang had to go on missions often, he naturally didn''t pay too much attention to his hairstyle, opting for a standard military cut. Paired with his muscular body, he looked very much like a pit bull. Even though he had quite a handsome face, the image he gave off was intimidating enough to make children cry.


    In response to her father''s question, Tang Yu pursed her lips and revealed a fake smile as she shook her head.


    Noticing Tang Yu''s response, Yin Zhao-an sat cross-legged on the sofa and said, "It''s nothing, Uncle Tang. We were just talking about something random.


    Tang Zhengyang didn''t bother to pry deeper into the matter. Only, when he considered the mystery surrounding his daughter, he couldn''t help but say, "If you two notice any strange organizations, be sure to inform me right away. We can''t let these criminals run wild in our country."


    Tang Yu subconsciously shuddered when she noticed her father''s gaze locking onto her. Before she could offer a response, though, she felt a certain dog-type person pulling her into an embrace.


    "Why are you shivering? We''re in the middle of summer. Is the air conditioner turned on too high?" Yin Zhao-an asked as she wrapped her arms around Tang Yu and rubbed her chin against Tang Yu''s crown. However, despite her words, she showed zero intentions of wanting to lower the air conditioner''s setting.


    Tang Yu initially tried to struggle out of Yin Zhao-an''s embrace. Unfortunately, Yin Zhao-an''s long arms and legs were too strong for her to overcome. So, she eventually gave up and looked up, asking in a huff, "What are you doing?"


    Tang Yu''s eyes were rounded when she looked up, her dark pupils reflecting Yin Zhao-an''s face. Her face still had some baby fat. Paired with her dense eyelashes, she gave off a cute and innocent appearance. 4887


    When Yin Zhao-an looked down to meet Tang Yu''s gaze and saw this lovable sight, a familiar throbbing appeared again in her heart. It felt as if a voice was calling her, telling her not to lose the person in front of her.


    When Yin Zhao-an thought of the person before her disappearing, she felt as if someone was twisting a blade in her heart. Immediately, a grief-stricken expression appeared on her face, and she subconsciously furrowed her brows as confusion filled her eyes.


    Tang Yu could see all of the changes in Yin Zhao-an''s expression. However, before she could figure out what was going on in Yin Zhao-an''s mind, the face that was originally already quite close to hers started getting closer and closer, so close that the tips of their noses were about to touch...

 CH 58

    6-8 minutes 07.12.2022


    "Food is ready," said Yu Wanrou''s voice coming out of the kitchen.


    After gently touching noses, Yin Zhao-an turned her head away and buried her face into the side of Tang Yu''s neck. Then, she went quiet.


    Tang Yu had long been confused by the abrupt ambiguous atmosphere. While keeping her head raised, she looked around in bewilderment. With the person resting on her shoulder keeping silent, the atmosphere quickly grew delicate.


    "Old Tang, come and help me with the plates," Yu Wanrou called out to Tang Zhengyang from the kitchen.


    Tang Zhengyang promptly put down the newspapers in his hands and jogged toward the kitchen, failing to notice the thought-provoking position the two girls were in.


    As soon as Tang Zhengyang left, Tang Yu felt a warm and wet sensation coming from her shoulder. She was startled at first but quickly realized what was happening and helplessly sighed before carefully turning around. Noticing this, Yin Zhao-an hurriedly covered her face with her hands, her body trembling slightly.


    Tang Yu did not ask Yin Zhao-an to lower her hands. Silently, she embraced the taller girl, who was seemingly as fragile as a thin sheet of ice at this moment.


    She would not ask her for a reason. She also didn''t wish to know the reason. All she needed to do in this delicate moment was to offer consolation as a friend and give her a place where she could cover her wounds.


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    After an unknown amount of time passed, Yin Zhao-an suddenly looked up from Tang Yu''s embrace and smiled, her lips curled to resemble that of a kitten. Then, she said, "Hahaha, you got fooled, right, Tang-Tang?"


    Tang Yu gently smiled and said, "Yes."


    Yin Zhao-an climbed out of Tang Yu''s embrace and put on her slippers. Then, while walking, she said, "Let''s go wash our hands first before we eat."


    "Okay."


    Why are you forcing a smile when your eyes look like you''ve put on rouge¡­


    ¡­


    At the dining table, Yu Wanrou noticed something amiss with Yin Zhao-an''s mood and worriedly asked, "What''s wrong, An-An?"


    Shaking her head, Yin Zhao-an said, "Nothing''s wrong. I''m just feeling a little down because Tang-Tang is ignoring me."


    "I¡­" Tang Yu took a deep breath and kept herself from getting angry. Then, she narrowed her eyes on Yin Zhao-an and thought, You''re really good at pushing blame, huh? Not bad.


    Yu Wanrou didn''t think too much over the matter, thinking that a small argument must have occurred between the two girls. As an adult, she felt that it was best if she didn''t meddle too much in children''s matters.


    ¡­ 4887


    Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an had long received the admission notice from Chong High. Unlike other children, the two of them had never worried about whether they could get into high school. If even they couldn''t get into a high school, some backroom dealings must have occurred.


    Chong High was different from the private school they previously attended. The private school''s students were mostly children of the privileged caste or people with special jobs. Chong High, on the other hand, was a public school that accepted students from all social castes. Hence, most privileged children, such as Fang Ling, would choose to further their studies in prestigious private schools instead.


    Chong High was rather distant from the military compound, a one-way trip taking easily over an hour. Because of this, both the Tang and Yin families unanimously decided to have their daughters board at school.


    Yin Zhao-an spent nearly her entire summer break at Tang Yu''s house. Oftentimes, Wang Zhen would find herself staring at her house''s empty living room and wondering if she was the one who had given birth to Yin Zhao-an. After all, why was her daughter spending most of her time in someone else''s house?


    When it was nearly time to go to school, Wang Zhen bought a phone for Yin Zhao-an. It was a smartphone that could make and receive calls but not play games. After all was said and done, Wang Zhen still couldn''t help but worry that her daughter might get distracted.


    Yu Wanrou made an appointment with Wang Zhen to go to school together to help their daughters enroll. They also hoped they could get their daughters assigned to the same dormitory.


    Yin Zhao-an was naturally overjoyed when she heard about this arrangement. Even before Yu Wanrou and Wang Zhen had made such an arrangement, Yin Zhao-an had already been thinking of how she could get herself assigned to the same dormitory as her Tang-Tang. However, she didn''t think the two parents'' opinions would coincide with hers. This would save her a lot of energy.


    ...


    On Chong High''s enrollment day, Yu Wanrou drove her car to the Yin family''s house with Tang Yu in the back seat. Shortly after Yu Wanrou honked the car''s horn, Wang Zhen came out of the house with Yin Zhao-an, the latter carrying bags of varying sizes in her hands and dragging a huge suitcase behind her.


    "Is she bringing that many things?" Yu Wanrou asked Wang Zhen, who had gotten into the passenger seat, in surprise.


    After fastening her seat belt, Wang Zhen glanced at her daughter, who was loading her luggage into the trunk, and said, "It''s not much. I just prepared some snacks and daily necessities for An-An. Since this is going to be her first time staying in a dormitory, I''m worried she might not be used to it."


    When Yu Wanrou heard Wang Zhen''s words, she suddenly felt a little guilty. She had only prepared several sets of clothes and a first-aid kit for Tang Yu. She had completely forgotten to prepare other daily necessities for her daughter.


    "How careless of me. If you hadn''t reminded me, I would''ve completely forgotten to prepare these things. I''ll have to find a supermarket near Little Yu''s school later to buy these things."


    "Sure. I''ll go with you."


    It took a lot of effort for Yin Zhao-an to stuff all of her belongings into the drunk. After finally arranging everything into proper order, Yin Zhao-an got into the back seat and complained, "Couldn''t you have helped me out a little, Mom?"


    Rolling her eyes, Wang Zhen said, "They''re not my belongings. And how old are you already to still need your mother''s help? Don''t you feel ashamed?"


    Yin Zhao-an gritted her teeth and punched the back of the passenger seat, albeit very gently.


    After restarting the engine, Yu Wanrou saw Yin Zhao-an holding a phone in her hand through the rearview mirror. Then, she curiously asked, "You have a phone now, An-An?"


    "That''s right! But I can only use it to make calls. It can''t play any games."


    "Save my number into your contacts, then. Since Little Yu will be with you, it''ll be more convenient for me to contact her."


    "Sure."

 CH 59

    Yu Wanrou unlocked her phone and passed it over to Yin Zhao-an, saying, "Call your number and save it."


    Yin Zhao-an accepted Yu Wanrou''s phone and typed a string of numbers. A moment later, the phone in her pants pocket started to vibrate.


    Yu Wanrou was driving, so Yin Zhao-an passed Yu Wanrou''s phone over to Wang Zhen in the passenger seat. Then, she saved the number she had just received a missed call from into her contacts and pinned it to the top, putting it with her parents'' phone numbers.


    The streets near Chong High were clogged with pedestrians and traffic. Even though it wasn''t a working hour right now, the cars on the road were barely moving. It was even possible to hear people cursing about the terrible traffic from time to time.


    Yu Wanrou was similarly fed-up with the traffic. Seeing that they were only about ten minutes away from reaching Chong High on foot, she suggested to the three passengers in the car, "How about you three walk ahead first? This traffic is probably going to stay stuck for some time. I''ll bring the luggage over afterward."


    Wang Zhen felt that the suggestion was feasible. After putting the folder containing her daughter''s enrollment papers into her bag, she took the initiative to get out of the car.


    Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu also got out of the car and quickly walked over to the sidewalk. The midday sun was exceptionally scorching, and they could feel their skin burning after leaving the car for only a moment.


    "Isn''t the sun a little too big¡­" Yin Zhao-an complained as she put on a baseball cap. Then, she took off her UV protection jacket and draped it over Tang Yu''s shoulders.


    Meanwhile, feeling the sun''s rays scorching her skin, Tang Yu quickly realized her blunder. She had spent most of her summer break cooped up at home, so she failed to realize how ferocious the summer sun could be and prepare for it. But¡­


    Tang Yu looked at her arms, then at Yin Zhao-an''s. Both of them were wearing short sleeves, so their skin was exposed to the sun. Without any hesitation, Tang Yu tried to return the jacket to Yin Zhao-an. Only, Yin Zhao-an had stopped her before she could do so.


    "My Tang-Tang should be milk-flavored. I can''t have you becoming chocolate-flavored."


    But what if I want to be chocolate-flavored? Tang Yu rolled her eyes.


    "What are you two whispering about? Hurry up and follow. There are many people here, so try not to get separated," Wang Zhen shouted at the two girls from across the crowd.


    In response, Yin Zhao-an reflexively held Tang Yu''s hand and said, "Don''t get lost."


    Then, two people with their fingers interlocked joined the noisy and crowded sidewalk¡­


    ¡­


    Despite Yin Zhao-an''s best efforts to shield her, Tang Yu still bumped shoulders with a pedestrian, the collision causing her to drop the folder in her hand and a few documents to slip out of the folder.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu trying to crouch down to collect the documents, she hurriedly stood between Tang Yu and the oncoming pedestrians, visible panic on her face. The last thing she wanted was for her Tang-Tang to become the victim of a trampling accident.


    However, Yin Zhao-an naturally couldn''t berate her Tang-Tang. So, she turned to the man who had bumped into Tang Yu to vent her emotions, saying, "Hey, don''t you know how to apologize after bumping into others?"


    The other party was a man wearing a black fedora and a knee-length black coat. The brim of the man''s hat was pressed quite low, so Yin Zhao-an could only see the lower half of the man''s face.


    "I''m sorry, it wasn''t on purpose," the man said while kneeling down on one knee to help Tang Yu collect a document that had fallen next to him. As he was about to return the document to Tang Yu, his eyes paused on the paper for a second. "Chong High?"


    Tang Yu took the document out of the man''s hand and curtly responded with an "Mhm." Then, she hastily stuffed the paper back into the folder. She disliked talking to strangers, and even more so strangers who took the initiative to talk to her. Right now, all she wanted to do was leave as quickly as possible.


    "Not bad. You''ll have a good future ahead of you," the man said, chuckling before turning around and leaving.


    Yin Zhao-an half-embraced Tang Yu from the side as she looked at the man''s departing figure. The other party walked with uneven steps, looking like he had a lame leg.


    "Is this person a psychopath? Why is he dressed like that in this hot weather?" Yin Zhao-an said with a look of disdain. While she wasn''t trying to be prejudiced against people with mental illnesses, she couldn''t help but be averse to them.


    Wang Zhen was a surgeon who had conducted countless surgeries. Out of the many patients that were put under her care, some were victims of psychiatric patients who lacked professional supervision. Unfortunately, nine out of ten of these victims would already be beyond saving by the time they reached the operating theater. This was because psychiatric patients did not know how to hold back. Hence, it was normal for them to attack their targets to death.


    Whenever Wang Zhen failed to save these victims, she would fall into depression for many days. More than once, Yin Zhao-an had come across her mother suffering from insomnia and crying in the middle of the night. While crying, Wang Zhen would also curse the perpetrators as well as berate herself for failing to save a life.


    Seeing her mother like that left a deep impression on Yin Zhao-an. Yin Zhao-an could never forget her mother''s tired eyes and hoarse voice. Hence, she did not have much sympathy toward people with mental illnesses.


    Unlike Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu didn''t have much of a reaction. Whether that man was mentally ill was irrelevant to her. In her eyes, he was nothing more than a stranger, and strangers were in the category of people she disliked.


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.


    Meanwhile, Wang Zhen had started to lose her patience with waiting. When she saw Yin Zhao-an finally arriving before her, she nearly gave in to the urge to scold her daughter. However, many pedestrians were on the sidewalk, and some of these pedestrians might be her daughter''s future classmates. So, she eventually held back her urges to avoid embarrassing her daughter.


    "Go and do the enrollment yourself if you''re going to keep taking your time," Wang Zhen said in mild annoyance.


    "We bumped into a psycho just now," Yin Zhao-an explained.

 CH 60

    6-8 minutes 09.12.2022


    Tang Yu tugged on Yin Zhao-an''s sleeve, indicating to her not to go too far with her words.


    Yin Zhao-an soothingly patted Tang Yu''s hand in response. Then, she returned her attention to her mother and said, "That man wore a black hat and a black trench coat in this weather. The coat even looked like it was made out of wool. Don''t you think something is wrong with him?"


    Although Wang Zhen agreed with her daughter''s sentiment, whether the man her daughter mentioned was a psychopath wasn''t the focus of her attention. "Why are you caring about others? Hurry up. Don''t you feel hot? Or don''t tell me you''re also sick in the head?"


    "Fine, fine, fine. I was wrong, okay?" Yin Zhao-an raised her hands and conceded defeat.


    ¡­ 4887


    The enrollment venue was very crowded, so Wang Zhen took on the burden of enrolling both girls. After taking over Tang Yu''s enrollment files, Wang Zhen squeezed into the crowded office by herself.


    There were truly far too many people coming and going from the enrollment venue. While Tang Yu stood outside the office, pedestrians in a hurry would often bump into her, her physiological disgust causing her face to turn pale and cold sweat to trickle down the sides of her face.


    After looking around, Yin Zhao-an finally found a place with few people and promptly pulled Tang Yu over to that place.


    The place Yin Zhao-an eyed was a wooden gazebo. Although the gazebo had a hollow roof, the hollowed section was covered by a type of creeper, granting a cooling shade for the inside of the gazebo. In addition, as the gazebo was quite far from the enrollment venue and away from any streets, there weren''t many people sitting under the gazebo.


    After taking a seat, Yin Zhao-an reached for Tang Yu''s pocket.


    "What are you doing?" Tang Yu warily asked when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s actions.


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.


    Seeing that her actions were misunderstood, Yin Zhao-an retracted her hand and pointed at Tang Yu''s right pocket, saying, "You have a pack of tissues in your pocket, right? Can you take it out for me?"


    Tang Yu grew embarrassed when she realized the misunderstanding. After awkwardly taking out the pack of tissues from her pocket and handing it to Yin Zhao-an, she leaned against the bench and closed her eyes to rest.


    Subsequently, Tang Yu felt a piece of soft and lightly fragrant tissue paper gently brushing against her face, wiping away her sweat. Then, she heard Yin Zhao-an softly chuckling and whispering:


    "What is going on in that brain of yours? Do I look like the kind of person who''d take advantage of you?"


    Tang Yu opened her eyes a little and glanced at Yin Zhao-an when she heard the latter''s words. After meeting Yin Zhao-an''s sincere gaze and letting out a cold humph, she quickly closed her eyes again and snatched the tissue paper out of Yin Zhao-an''s hand.


    Suddenly, a resonant whistle came from behind. The roguish behavior instantly allowed Yin Zhao-an to guess the other party''s identity, and she couldn''t help but turn around in surprise. Then, sure enough, she saw the long-lost Wen Tao.


    Through his last-minute struggle and effort, Wen Tao met the requirements to attend high school, albeit just barely.


    Meanwhile, being able to return to school, Wen Tao chose to dye his hair black and get a haircut at a random barber shop. Unfortunately, he had met the legendary "Tony the Barber," so instead of the middle parting style he asked for, he had his bangs thinly trimmed, giving him a very well-behaved look.


    Wen Tao''s innocent look was completely at odds with his dodgy demeanor. After crudely taking a seat across from Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu, he revealed a big smile and said, "Greetings, Big Bro and Sister-in-law!"


    Tang Yu''s pupils instantly narrowed at the form of address. Then, with a horrified expression, she turned to look at the equally shocked Yin Zhao-an.


    Meanwhile, Wen Tao immediately covered his mouth like a child who had just said something wrong when he saw Yin Zhao-an''s and Tang Yu''s reactions. Then, in a muffled voice, he said to Yin Zhao-an, "I think I wasn''t supposed to call her that way?"


    "You son of a¡­" Yin Zhao-an gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath. Immediately, she got up from her seat and glared at Wen Tao, her menacing appearance making it seem as if she was about to teach Wen Tao a lesson.


    Seeing this, Wen Tao hurriedly fled from his seat and hid behind a pillar. "Haha, calm down, Big Bro, calm down."


    Just as Yin Zhao-an was about to say something, she suddenly decided against it and returned to her seat. Then, she looked at Wen Tao with an amused expression.


    When Wen Tao saw the two girls looking behind him with complicated expressions, he hesitantly turned around. Upon doing so, the first thing that entered his eyes was a chest covered by a black shirt, the chest''s pectoral muscles so well-developed that they had the shirt crying for mercy.


    Looking further up, Wen Tao saw a head of dazzling gray-white hair that nearly blinded him and ears decorated with a bunch of strange black earrings.


    "Tony?!" Wen Tao instantly recognized the person behind him, and he couldn''t help but curse out loud, "Damn! Don''t tell me you''re also a student of this school? How did you even get past security looking like this?!"


    In response, the man in the black shirt looked down at Wen Tao''s somewhat sweaty bangs and tried to reach for them with his hand, only for Wen Tao to dodge away in disgust.


    "You look good."


    Wen Tao grew even more annoyed when he heard the man''s words. "Fuck! I should have asked for a refund! I told you I wanted a middle part, yet what the hell did you give me?! I''m never going back to your shop!"


    While Wen Tao was going off on the man in the black shirt, Tang Yu leaned into Yin Zhao-an''s ear and quietly asked, "Is that black-haired boy the underling you mentioned last time?"


    With an amused smile on her face, Yin Zhao-an said, "Honestly, I really don''t know how he managed to convince so many people to become his underlings. He even asked to be my underling the first time we met."


    At this time, a girl wearing a white shirt appeared near the wooden gazebo while looking around, seemingly searching for something or someone. Then, when the girl''s eyes fell on the gazebo, she dashed up to the man in the black shirt, embraced his robust arm, and sweetly smiled, saying, "Found you!"


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]Tony the Barber: This isn''t referring to a specific term. It''s an internet slang in China used to refer to hairdressers with "spectacular" skills.

 CH 61

    7-8 minutes 11.12.2022


    When the girl in the white shirt noticed that there was also a good-looking boy standing in front of her, she amicably extended a hand to the boy and said, "Hello. Are you also a student here? I''m Li Beiyu."


    Anyone thinking Wen Tao would return the girl''s greeting and offer to shake hands would be a fool. After all, he might have changed his appearance, but his nature remained the same.


    "I don''t know you," Wen Tao said as he stuck his hands into his pockets. Then, he leaned forward slightly and smiled at the girl in the white shirt, his face looking very much like that of a punk trying to harass a girl.


    "Big Brother Beining! Look at him!" Li Beiyu said, pouting at the man in the black shirt.


    The man in the black shirt, also known as Li Beining, wrapped an arm around Li Beiyu''s shoulders and awkwardly smiled at Wen Tao, saying, "Forgive my little sister for her insensibility."


    Li Beiyu immediately grew upset over Li Beining''s words. After letting out a humph, she added, "What little sister? We aren''t even related by blood. I am your girlfriend."


    Upon hearing Li Beiyu''s words, Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an gasped at the same time, their minds wondering in unison: Incest?


    "That''s none of my business. Also, you''re not even as pretty as my sister-in-law," Wen Tao disdainfully said, flipping the seemingly affectionate couple the bird before hastily fleeing and taking a seat next to Yin Zhao-an. Then, he asked Yin Zhao-an, "Right, Big Bro?"


    Yin Zhao-an was initially stunned by Wen Tao''s question. Then, after comparing Li Beiyu''s innocent appearance with her Tang-Tang''s looks, she pat Wen Tao on the shoulders and approvingly said, "You have good eyes!"


    After listening to the interaction between Wen Tao and Yin Zhao-an, Li Beining''s expression darkened a little, and he promptly decided to leave the gazebo with Li Beiyu. As he was leaving, he said to Wen Tao, "Remember to visit my shop again. I''ll give you a 50% discount."


    Wen Tao didn''t hear Li Beining''s words clearly. In a panic, he grabbed Yin Zhao-an''s arm but quickly let go of it when he noticed Tang Yu''s gaze turning to him. Then, with a bitter face, he said, "Big Bro, did you hear him? That ''Tony'' said he''s going to give me a bone fracture!"[1]


    Wen Tao was an amateur when it came to fighting. In contrast, that "Tony" was very obviously a trained martial artist. What if Li Beining decided to take revenge on him for his woman''s sake? If that happened, he might really end up with broken bones!!


    Tang Yu & Yin Zhao-an: ¡­


    "Don''t go to his shop, then," Yin Zhao-an said in exasperation.


    "Big Bro¡­ If I do get beaten up, you must avenge me!" Wen Tao aggrievedly said as he looked at Yin Zhao-an.


    "Fine, fine, fine. I''ll beat him up for you," Yin Zhao-an said, getting goosebumps from Wen Tao''s behavior. At the same time, she couldn''t help but wonder how Wen Tao had managed to get himself a bunch of underlings in the first place if he couldn''t even fight.


    At this time, the phone in her pocket vibrated. Pulling it out, Yin Zhao-an saw that it was Yu Wanrou calling her.


    "My mother has probably arrived," Tang Yu said after glancing at Yin Zhao-an''s phone.


    After picking up the call, Yin Zhao-an pulled Tang Yu along while speaking into the phone, "You''re at the dormitory? Okay, I''ll bring Tang-Tang over."


    Seeing the two girls about to leave, Wen Tao hurriedly got up from the bench and said, "Let''s exchange numbers, Big Bro. That way, I can call you for help if I get ganged up on."


    Yin Zhao-an did not refuse the request. However, while exchanging numbers with Wen Tao, she couldn''t help but ask, "What about those buddies of yours?"


    "Don''t mention them. Rather than try to get their acts together, they''re still wasting their time flirting with chicks all day," Wen Tao said with a look of disgust.


    "Going by your words, does that mean you don''t have any chicks to flirt with?" Yin Zhao-an asked, grinning.


    "Fuck, I''m not that kind of person! I''m a dedicated guy. If I like a girl, I''m going to spend the rest of my life with her. Once I meet my fated woman, I''m going to pamper her to the heavens," Wen Tao said, a look of yearning in his eyes.


    Yin Zhao-an was a little moved when she saw Wen Tao''s behavior. She similarly had someone she wanted to protect for a lifetime. Unfortunately, she was unlikely to get her wish fulfilled as someone else would come out and take over this task for her sooner or later¡­


    "An-An, let''s go," Tang Yu urged when she turned around and saw Yin Zhao-an standing still with a blank look.


    "Okay, I''m coming."


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu arrived at the dormitory block, they found Wang Zhen sitting on the steps outside the lobby, fanning herself with her hand. At this time, Wang Zhen''s face and clothes were already drenched with sweat, so it could be seen how intense of a battle she had fought at the enrollment site.


    Meanwhile, Yu Wanrou, who had brought over the luggage from the car, asked, "Which floor?"


    "Fourth floor, Room 406," Wang Zhen answered as she took over some of the luggage. Then, she looked up at the tall dormitory building and said, "The fourth floor is pretty good. It''s high enough, so it won''t be too hot."


    With four people working together, moving all the luggage upstairs didn''t take much time. The process could have gone even quicker if Yin Zhao-an hadn''t brought so many things with her.


    The dormitory was for six people. The desks and the beds were separated. The room came with a private bathroom and balcony. The room also had lockers for occupants to store their personal belongings, though they were quite small and couldn''t hold too many items.


    After taking a look at the room, Yin Zhao-an saw that one of the beds already had someone else''s belongings. So, she chose one of the empty bunk beds and occupied the lower bunk, her idea being that she could share a bunk bed with her Tang-Tang.


    With Tang Yu as her bunkmate, Yin Zhao-an wouldn''t have to worry about situations such as "Can you not move around and make so much noise up there?" and "Can you be quieter down there?". These situations would never occur between them. After all, she needed to pamper her Tang-Tang.


    Tang Yu naturally wouldn''t try to find trouble for herself by sharing a bunk bed with someone else. So, she went with the bunk above Yin Zhao-an''s without hesitation.


    While the two girls were unpacking their luggage, the two parents couldn''t help but feel a little distressed after looking at the room''s facilities. The room had no air conditioning. While it was possible to survive with fans in the summer, what would their daughters do in the winter?


    ¡­

 CH 62

    After tidying up the dorm, Yu Wanrou added even more items to the list of things she needed to buy for Tang Yu.


    While the two parents were discussing where they should buy their daughters'' necessities, Yin Zhao-an carefully inspected the class schedule she had snatched from a certain girl. Then, she joyfully said, "We''re in the same class, Tang-Tang."


    "Oh, that''s good," Tang Yu flatly replied.


    It was, in fact, not good at all. Not for Tang Yu, at the very least. However, now that their relationship had become so entangled, it would seem petty of her to make a fuss about such a small matter.


    Not to mention, the next time Du Yuqing and Yin Zhao-an would meet should be when they attended university. If history repeated itself, Du Yuqing and Yin Zhao-an would enroll in the same major as well as become members of the same student council. It should also be during this period that Du Yuqing started to interact more with Yin Zhao-an, which would eventually lead to Du Yuqing becoming obsessed with Yin Zhao-an.


    In that case, all Tang Yu needed to do was avoid attending the same university as Yin Zhao-an. Having thought of this, Tang Yu smiled joyfully, two small dimples forming on her cheeks.


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    Yin Zhao-an, who was paying constant attention to Tang Yu, naturally caught Tang Yu''s smile. Although she didn''t know what her Tang-Tang was thinking about, seeing her Tang-Tang in a good mood also put her in a good mood. At this time, even the sun no longer felt as hot.


    ¡­


    The supermarket was similarly crowded with people. It was especially so for the section that sold daily necessities.


    After looking at the dense crowd, Yin Zhao-an decisively chose to leave the heavy burden of buying daily necessities to the two adults. So, after informing the two adults, she dragged Tang Yu to the food section.


    "Let''s stock up on more food in case the school cafeteria''s food tastes bad," Yin Zhao-an said while carefully selecting fruits to buy. She made sure to skip all the cooling fruits and choose snacks that were meant to nourish the stomach.


    At this time, a person passed by them with a shopping cart. When Yin Zhao-an noticed the sunscreen in the other party''s cart, she turned to the girl next to her and asked, "Tang-Tang, did you prepare sunscreen?"


    "Huh?" Yin Zhao-an was confused for a second. Then, she shook her head as an afterthought.


    While dotingly rubbing Tang Yu''s head, Yin Zhao-an said, "How can you be so clumsy?" After saying so, Yin Zhao-an pulled Tang Yu over to the beauty area.


    "Are we not buying food anymore?" Tang Yu asked when she saw the empty basket Yin Zhao-an held.


    "It''s fine. I have some snacks in my suitcase."


    Yin Zhao-an paused as soon as she said so, recalling that she had plenty of sunscreen and beauty products in her suitcase as well. In that case, why should they buy an additional set? She could just share them with her Tang-Tang.


    Upon coming to this realization, Yin Zhao-an had to admit that she was also quite silly. At the same time, she couldn''t help but fall into a daze, wondering what she should get now.


    Unlike Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu knew what they could buy. After silently retracting her hand from Yin Zhao-an''s grip, she returned to the section that sold daily necessities and weaved her way through the crowd before stopping in front of a shelf.


    "What are you buying?" Yin Zhao-an asked while dutifully carrying the shopping basket behind Tang Yu. However, she quickly got her answer when she saw the numerous "Space7" logos displayed on the shelf. At the same time, she couldn''t help but blush at the sight of the items displayed on the shelf.


    After behaving like a tomboy for so long, she had nearly forgotten that she was a girl.


    In the meantime, Tang Yu selected a few combinations and placed them into the basket. When she saw the blush on Yin Zhao-an''s face, the corners of her mouth twitched a little as she softly commented, "We''re both girls, so what are you getting all embarrassed about?"


    ¡­


    There weren''t many things Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu needed to get. Or, more specifically, the two adults were responsible for securing most of what they needed. Yin Zhao-an didn''t wish to stay in crowded places, so after seeing that they had gotten everything they needed, she suggested:


    "Let''s pay for these things and wait outside."


    "Okay."


    "Give me your hand," Yin Zhao-an said as she held out her hand toward Tang Yu.


    "Can''t we not hold hands?" Tang Yu asked as she reluctantly held out her hand, refusing to take the initiative to hold Yin Zhao-an''s hand.


    "No," Yin Zhao-an firmly replied before taking Tang Yu''s hand.


    Then, as they weaved their way through the crowd, Tang Yu heard a calm and indistinct voice coming from ahead of her, "I''m worried I''ll lose you. If I lose you, I won''t be able to find you again."


    Tang Yu suddenly felt as if something was stuck in her throat when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s words. Then, she lowered her head slightly, using her long and slender eyelashes to hide the ripples in her eyes.


    But¡­ You''ve already lost me once¡­


    ¡­


    After their turn at the cashier arrived, Yin Zhao-an let go of Tang Yu''s hand to reach for her wallet.


    The cashier was a young woman working part-time. When she saw Yin Zhao-an''s face, she couldn''t help but stare at Yin Zhao-an with lovestruck eyes.


    When Yin Zhao-an looked up from her wallet and saw the cashier''s expression, she knew another misunderstanding had occurred. After chuckling helplessly and handing the money to the cashier, she explained, "I''m a girl."


    The young woman manning the cashier blushed when her actions were discovered. Hurriedly, she turned away to get Yin Zhao-an''s change.


    After putting their purchases into a plastic bag, Yin Zhao-an turned around and said, "Let''s go, Tang¡ª"


    The person beside her had disappeared. In a panic, Yin Zhao-an haphazardly stuffed her change into her pocket and ran out of the supermarket. However, even after running about for some time, she failed to find the familiar figure.


    She''s not joking with me, right?


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes reddened with anxiety. Left with no other options, she ran back to the cashier just now and anxiously asked, "Hello, have you seen the girl next to me just now? She''s a white T-shirt, and she looks very pretty." Yin Zhao-an gestured with her hands as she spoke, and even her voice was trembling.


    Meanwhile, the cashier pondered for a moment before frowning slightly and saying, "I think I saw her walking away with a man. I didn''t hear her calling for help, so I thought she went with him willingly."


    "What kind of man?!" Yin Zhao-an lost control and propped herself on the counter.


    "He was a strange-looking man. He was wearing a black trenchcoat and a black hat. He also looked like he had a limp leg¡­ Eh? Where are you going?"

 CH 63

    7-8 minutes 14.12.2022


    Yin Zhao-an dropped her purchases and dashed out of the supermarket, just in time to see a black SUV starting up across the street and driving away. The driver''s seat''s window slowly rose as the car drove away, but Yin Zhao-an still spotted the familiar black gentleman''s hat through the gap.


    "Dammit!" Yin Zhao-an furiously cursed. Immediately, she snatched a motorcycle left idle by the roadside and desperately honked for the pedestrians crossing the street to get out of the way.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw the black SUV moving farther away, she pulled out her phone with one hand and called Yu Wanrou''s number. Then, as soon as the call connected, Yin Zhao-an shouted, "Call the police! Tang-Tang got kidnapped!" 4887


    The pedestrians on the street all heard Yin Zhao-an''s shout, and they promptly moved out of the way for fear of getting run over.


    As the road was no longer crowded, Yin Zhao-an hung up the phone and frantically accelerated, allowing her to spot the black SUV turning at a junction. However, before she could catch up to the car, the traffic light at the junction turned red.


    Yin Zhao-an initially wanted to ignore the traffic light, but the stream of cars coming from the other side of the junction stopped her from doing so. After hitting the brakes out of frustration, she used this opportunity to call the police. She had made sure to burn the black SUV''s license plate in her mind before it could disappear into the corner, so she provided the police with a clear description of the car and its heading.


    "Miss, please do not act rashly and pay attention to your safety."


    The operator on the other end of the phone could hear the anxiety in Yin Zhao-an''s voice, so he urged her to calm down.


    However, Yin Zhao-an ignored the advice and calmly said, "Remember to track my phone. Wherever I am will be where the kidnapper is at."


    ¡­


    In the control room of a certain police station, the sound of a roaring engine mixed with the whistling wind coming from a telephone handset. These sounds continued for several seconds before disappearing. Then, silence enveloped the room.


    After the call ended, the operator responsible for answering Yin Zhao-an''s call turned to look at a man with a stern expression for orders.


    "Immediately notify all toll booths. Do not let this car get away, no matter what. All technicians are to track and locate this car. Everyone else, mobilize immediately."


    "Understood!"


    "Chief!" At this time, a young officer ran into the control room and stopped the people about to leave. Then, while gasping for air, the young officer said, "SWAT is already on the move. The person kidnapped is the vice captain''s daughter."


    ¡­


    Yu Wanrou''s eyes were already swollen from crying. Currently, she was in Wang Zhen''s home at the behest of her husband.


    When Yu Wanrou received Yin Zhao-an''s call, she felt as if she had just been dropped into an icy cavern, her hands trembling to the point where she had difficulty holding onto her phone.


    When Yu Wanrou heard the word "kidnapped," she instantly remembered the words her husband''s captain had said to her. Although she had taken those words to heart and stayed on alert initially, she had grown complacent after several years of peace. As a result, she never imagined such a situation would happen today. At the same time, she subconsciously dialed the number the captain had given to her.


    "You mustn''t act rashly. Old Tang will bring Little Yu back safely. For both of their sakes, you must stay put, okay? If you collapse, who will take care of Little Yu?" Wang Zhen said in an attempt to appease Yu Wanrou.


    Wang Zhen was similarly devastated by this situation. She never thought such a situation would happen right before her eyes. She also never imagined her daughter would recklessly chase after the outlaw!


    "It''s all my fault¡­ If I had prepared those things beforehand, we would''ve never needed to go to the supermarket¡­.and we would''ve never come across that person¡­ It''s all my fault¡­" Yu Wanrou said while sobbing uncontrollably.


    Wang Zhen strongly disagreed with Yu Wanrou''s words. Immediately, she grabbed Yu Wanrou by the shoulders and said, "If that''s how you want to think about things, then you should also blame me for this matter. If I had dragged our children along, they would have never run away by themselves, and they would have never given any opportunities to that person."


    Yu Wanrou did not know what to say in response, and all she could do was shake her head to refute her friend''s words. However, Wang Zhen was also right in that her duty now was to keep herself safe while waiting for good news to come.


    ¡­


    "Are you nervous, Old Tang?" Captain Lu worriedly asked as he looked at Tang Zhengyang.


    "I''ve been expecting this day for a long time. I''ve been prepared since the day that person escaped. I won''t let him get away again this time!" Tang Zhengyang said as he tightly gripped his firearm, his taut jawline clearly indicating his anger.


    "The signal stopped moving!" a team member at the back of the tactical vehicle suddenly shouted. "They''re in an abandoned industrial park on the outskirts!"


    Captain Lu slammed at the back of his seat when he heard his subordinate''s words, cursing, "Cunning bastard!"


    "What do we do about the other girl? She has likely gone after the criminal, but we don''t know her exact location. What if she also gets caught¡­"


    These words immediately caused the atmosphere in the vehicle to grow heavier.


    After working his wrists a little, Captain Lu said, "Find and secure the other girl first. Make sure she is safe."


    ¡­


    Inside an abandoned factory, a man wearing a black gentleman''s hat crouched down in front of a girl who had just started to recover from anesthesia, the girl bound by ropes as she lay on the cold, hard ground.


    Tang Yu was in dismay when she came to her senses. She only knew that the second turning point would center around her mother. She didn''t think that the butterfly effect would change things so drastically. The timeline was messed up, and even the event''s protagonist was changed.


    The man took off his gentleman''s hat, revealing an inconspicuous face marked by a dark-red birthmark. The birthmark covered the man''s entire left eye, giving him an extraordinarily appalling look.


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    "Tang Yu¡­"


    The man''s voice was hoarse, and his eyes were slightly narrowed. He looked like a venomous snake staring at its prey as he scrutinized Tang Yu with his icy gaze.


    After sliding his coarse fingers across Tang Yu''s face and leaving behind a red mark on Tang Yu''s delicate skin, the man asked, "Do you know who I am?"


    The man leaned forward a little. Tang Yu tried to back away, but the man grabbed her by her hair and pulled her head up. Then, with the smell of tobacco coming out of his mouth, the man said, "You can call me Lone Wolf."

 CH 64

    "I''m the Lone Wolf whose leg your father crippled."


    Lone Wolf''s grim words lingered in Tang Yu''s words, the words causing her to hold her breath and tears to form in her eyes.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu felt the disgusting sensation of her ear being licked, which was promptly followed by a sharp pain. Then, warm blood streamed from her ear, down her neck, and all the way to her chest, staining her white T-shirt red.


    When Lone Wolf failed to hear the crying and begging he had anticipated, he clamped Tang Yu''s chin with one hand and sneered, asking, "What are you acting tough for?"


    They were in an abandoned steel mill, and the ground was covered in a thick layer of dust. Dropping Tang Yu back on the ground, Lone Wolf left behind a short trail of footprints as he walked over to a nearby cart stacked with steel.


    After taking a seat on the cart, Lone Wolf reached down and pulled up the left leg of his pants, revealing a prosthetic leg. Then, taking his time, he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a few puffs before saying, "Look at how brutal your father was. He made me lose a leg. Don''t you think he should return one to me?"


    Tang Yu could sense Lone Wolf''s gaze scrutinizing her legs, the uncomfortable sensation causing the tears in her eyes to roll down her face and land on the dusty ground.


    "What? Scared?" Lone Wolf leaned forward and looked at Tang Yu in amusement. Then, he threw his half-smoked cigarette at her, instantly adding a burn mark to her right arm. "What to do, oh, what to do? Maybe I won''t break your legs, then."


    After saying so, Lone Wolf walked over to Tang Yu and crouched in front of her. Then, he reached out and slowly lifted Tang Yu''s shirt, stopping after exposing her waist.


    "Say¡­" Leaning into Tang Yu''s left ear, Lone Wolf asked, "Tang Zhengyang would probably get very excited if he saw his precious daughter beneath me, right? Hm?"


    Tang Yu clenched her teeth. Then, all of a sudden, the fear in her eyes disappeared as she said, "Do you think nobody saw you sedate me?"


    Lone Wolf froze for a moment when he heard Tang Yu''s words. Then, once he finished processing her words, he fiercely threw a slap at her face. "Are you trying to trick me?"


    Tasting blood in her mouth, Tang Yu smirked and said, "Only a fool would abduct someone in the middle of a supermarket. Don''t you know how incredible surveillance cameras are nowadays?"


    "So what if they''re incredible? Do you see anyone coming to your rescue?" Lone Wolf spread his hands disdainfully. After stepping away from Tang Yu, he suddenly revealed a grin as he said, "Oh, you had a boyfriend with you, right?"


    Tang Yu took a moment to process Lone Wolf''s words. Then, panic filled her eyes as she glared at Lone Wolf and demanded, "What did you do to her?!"


    "Oh? Did you forget what I said in the car?" Lone Wolf revealed a deep smile, satisfied at seeing Tang Yu''s composure gradually breaking. "It seems you''ve forgotten, so let me remind you."


    After pausing for a moment, Lone Wolf continued in a pinched accent, "Oh my, I accidentally ran over a little kitten. What a pity¡­"


    Tang Yu''s eyes instantly turned bloodshot, her voice turning harsh as she bellowed, "You bastard! The person you want revenge on is me! What does it have to do with her?! What does it have to do¡­"


    What does it have to do with her¡­ Tears of sadness began covering Tang Yu''s face, her heart screaming in agony. Yin Zhao-an¡­had nothing to do with any of this¡­


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You still have time to worry about others? It seems you''re not looking forward to what''s going to happen next," Lone Wolf said as he took off his coat and walked back over to Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu tried to back away, but her attempts were futile. Knowing of her impending fate and Yin Zhao-an''s uncertain fate, Tang Yu''s mental state gradually collapsed.


    When Lone Wolf grabbed onto Tang Yu''s struggling legs, he finally heard the frightened sobbing he desired from Tang Yu.


    As someone who often walked on a knife''s edge, the thing Lone Wolf liked most was watching his prey struggle before their deaths. It was akin to a mouse playing with a mouse before dealing the killing blow. The feeling of watching his prey struggling to escape yet failing to do so excited him.


    "Tsk, tsk. Look how smooth this skin is," Lone Wolf said as he ran his fingers across Tang Yu''s delicate skin, explicit desire gradually appearing in his eyes. "Tang Zhengyang, let me taste the daughter you''ve oh-so-carefully protected..."


    ¡­


    A tactical vehicle stopped in front of a pool of blood. Captain Lu got out of the car as soon as the vehicle stopped, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot with rage when he saw the blood.


    "Monkey! Collect a sample!"


    "Roger!"


    The bloodstains on the ground were still fresh, they extended into a long trail, looking like they were left by someone dragging their feet. Apart from the blood trail, Captain Lu did not spot any other footprints in the immediate vicinity.


    A short moment later, one of Captain Lu''s subordinates, who had gone to scour the vicinity, came running back and said, "I found Lone Wolf''s car. He drove it into the river."


    "Lone Wolf isn''t on the car!" Captain Lu said without hesitation, instantly rejecting his subordinate''s unspoken speculation.


    "Captain, this way!" Tang Zhengyang, who had gone ahead of the team and followed after the blood trail, called out to Captain Lu through his headset.


    After Captain Lu and the others caught up with Tang Zhengyang, Tang Zhengyang pointed at the abandoned steel mill ahead of him and coldly said, "This blood trail most likely leads to Lone Wolf."


    Captain Lu and the others exchanged glances. Then, without exchanging a single word, the whole team tacitly split into smaller groups and moved in different directions, swiftly and silently encircling the steel mill.


    ¡­


    "Don''t touch me! Get away!"


    Tang Yu struggled with tears in her eyes. Unfortunately, her hands and feet were bound by ropes, so she was no different from a fish on a chopping board.


    When Tang Yu felt those disgusting hands making contact with her legs, tears of despair streamed down, and her teeth were already clenched on her tongue.

 CH 65

    Tang Yu could already taste the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth. However, before she made the final decision to go through with her actions, she stopped her self-harming behavior. This was because she saw¡­


    ¡­a bloodied Yin Zhao-an quietly wobbling up to Lone Wolf''s back with a steel pipe that was as thick as an infant''s arm. Then, once behind Lone Wolf, Yin Zhao-an raised the steel pipe and smashed it down onto the back of Lone Wolf''s head.


    Blood instantly started to flow out from the back of Lone Wolf''s head and soak into his black shirt, causing the fabric to stick to his body. However, Lone Wolf did not lose consciousness. On the contrary, he revealed a sinister smile as he said, "It seems cats really do have nine lives."


    As soon as Lone Wolf finished speaking, he turned around and snatched the metal pipe out of Yin Zhao-an''s hands. In her current zombie-like state, there was nothing she could do about it.


    Just as Lone Wolf was about to return the strike Yin Zhao-an had given him, though, he suddenly felt a piercing pain coming from his knees, causing him to kneel on the ground.


    Subsequently, Tang Zhengyang jumped down from the second floor and pinned Lone Wolf''s hands behind his back. Then, he took out a pair of handcuffs and restrained Lone Wolf.


    Yin Zhao-an was bleeding profusely from her forehead, the blood muddling her vision. Through the one eye she was struggling to keep open, she lethargically looked at Tang Yu and stumbled towards her, only to collapse the next moment.


    Meanwhile, with Lone Wolf neutralized, Tang Yu hurriedly got up from the ground and moved to Yin Zhao-an''s side, tears trickling down her eyes as she wept uncontrollably.


    "Yang Tao, we need an ambulance, asap!"


    "Don''t move the injured first!"


    "Keep a close eye on Lone Wolf. Don''t let him escape another time."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu was looking out the window at the heavy rain as she lay in her hospital bed, the gauze wrapped around her right ear dampening the sound of the raindrops hitting the window.


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    She had received four stitches for her torn right ear. According to the doctor, even after it healed, she should expect to experience permanent hearing degradation in her right ear.


    The injury to her tongue wasn''t as severe as she thought, and she could expect it to recover fully. Only, before her tongue recovered, she''d have to settle for a liquid diet.


    However, Tang Yu didn''t care about any of those things. Right now, all she wanted to know was how Yin Zhao-an was doing.


    From what Tang Yu heard from the nurse responsible for changing her right ear''s gauze, the girl who was sent to the hospital with her had spent six hours in the resuscitation room, and the doctors attending to the girl had issued a total of two medical crisis notices. Fortunately, the girl eventually survived. However, with how serious her injuries were, the girl was likely to be left with many sequelae in the future.


    Yu Wanrou did not mention Yin Zhao-an''s name the entire time she sat next to Tang Yu. Instead, she quietly waited for the porridge to cool before handing the bowl to her daughter.


    Tang Yu''s injuries were limited to her right ear and tongue, so she wasn''t crippled to the point where she needed someone to take care of her every need. The only problem she had was that everyone forbade her from leaving her ward.


    ¡­


    Late evening, the sound of rain outside the window gradually diminished, but the smell of sterile water common to hospitals did not diminish in the slightest.


    When Tang Yu saw that her mother had gone to sleep on the companion bed in the ward, she slowly walked out of the room and began to wander aimlessly in the dim corridor.


    "Miss Patient? Where are you going? Where is your guardian?"


    A nurse on duty came across Tang Yu. When the young nurse saw Tang Yu''s hospital gown and messy hair, she quickly pressed the emergency button nearby to inform the doctor on duty.


    Tang Yu blankly looked at the young nurse, her nose suddenly becoming stuffy. Then, tears began uncontrollably surging out of her eyes. Unfortunately, her inflamed tongue prevented her from speaking, so she could only helplessly crouch down and whimper.


    The nurse on duty had never encountered such a situation before, so she dared not act recklessly. Carefully, the nurse crouched down and tried her best to comfort Tang Yu.


    "What''s going on?"


    A magnetic voice came from a distance. Then, a doctor wearing gold-rimmed glasses could be seen hurrying over to the nurse and Tang Yu''s position.


    "Doctor Gao!" When the young nurse saw the doctor, it was as if she had just seen her savior. Hurriedly, she stood up and explained, "I came across this patient in the corridor, but it seems she can''t speak. I don''t know which ward she''s from, either."


    Gao Rang, Doctor Gao, nudged his glasses and patted the young nurse on the shoulder, saying, "It''s okay; you''ve done a good job. Leave the rest to me."


    When the young nurse saw the young doctor crouching down and gently talking to the patient, she felt her heart flutter.


    After all, who wouldn''t be moved by a young, talented, gentle, and handsome doctor? Not to mention, Doctor Gao was still single, which caused many young female doctors and nurses to fall for him. Unfortunately, he would always gently and detachedly refuse all approaches.


    Gao Rang recognized the supposedly mute patient. The arrival of this patient had alarmed the entire hospital. At the time, a military tactical vehicle had led the way for the ambulance. Then, once the ambulance stopped in front of the hospital, a group of armed officers clad in black uniforms escorted the patients and EMTs carrying the patients into the hospital.


    The EMTs carried two bloodied people on their stretchers. From what Gao Rang heard, one had her entire face covered in blood, while the other had her ear torn open, and both were escorted to the resuscitation rooms as quickly as possible.


    Judging by the gauze covering the right ear of the patient before him, Gao Rang deduced that she must be the latter of the two patients brought to the hospital.


    "Are you looking for someone?" Gao Rang tried his best to speak as gently as possible to avoid stimulating the girl.


    Although Tang Yu was in a trance, she wasn''t at a point where she had lost control of her emotions. So, she nodded and responded with an "Mhm."


    "Is it the person who was sent in here with you?"


    Tang Yu jerked her head up when she heard Gao Rang''s question. Then, she desperately tugged on his sleeve, her tears beginning to fall again.


    Gao Rang instantly deduced that Tang Yu was close friends with the other patient. So, he softly comforted her, "She''s fine, but it''s very late now, so she is resting. How about I take you to see her tomorrow?"

 CH 66

    She would be satisfied so long as she could get a look.


    Holding back her tears, Tang Yu nodded and let Gao Rang help her up. It was a cold and rainy night, and her legs had already started to go numb even though she had crouched for only a short moment. As a result, she had to rely on the support beside her to slowly limp back to the ward.


    When Yu Wanrou woke up to check on her daughter and found the bed next to her empty, she nearly broke into tears out of panic. Before she could even get out of her bed, though, she saw a doctor escorting Tang Yu back to the ward.


    "She''s fine. She only wanted to look for someone," Gao Rang explained when he saw the look of self-reprimand on Yu Wanrou''s face. During times like this, the family members of patients often felt more saddened and distressed than the patients themselves. If patients began to show emotional instability, their family members'' emotions would also be swayed.


    When Tang Yu saw the look on her mother''s face, she took the initiative to hold her mother''s hand and comforted the older woman. However, this only served to sadden Yu Wanrou even further. Even at this time, her child was still thinking about her.


    "Thank you, Doctor Gao," Yu Wanrou thanked Gao Rang with tears in her eyes.


    Waving his hand, Gao Rang said, "I''m only doing what I should do."


    ¡­


    After taking care of Tang Yu''s matter, Gao Rang returned to his on-call room. However, he did not lie back down to rest. Instead, he picked up the medical records folder and looked through the files of the currently hospitalized patients.


    "Both are just high-schoolers¡­ How did they get into such a state¡­" Gao Rang couldn''t help but sigh as he set aside the folder. Then, he took off his gold-rimmed glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose.


    According to the medical records, the other girl was still in the intensive care unit, so she should be in an even worse state than the girl he had just met... It was no wonder Tang Yu''s parents did not tell her about the other girl''s condition.


    ¡­


    With anticipation for tomorrow, Tang Yu covered herself in a pure white quilt and fell asleep. Perhaps, the Yin Zhao-an in her dreams would be just like before, laughing and jumping in front of her while softly calling out to her, "Tang-Tang."


    ¡­ 4887


    It was already bright outside, but the rainy weather covered the scenery outside the window with a layer of dull gray. Even the buildings in the distance were shrouded in dark clouds.


    Laying on the hospital bed, Tang Yu''s face was abnormally flushed, and her slender eyebrows tightened as tears leaked from the corners of his eyes.


    From midnight until now, Tang Yu had continuously suffered from a high fever. Yu Wanrou had fetched hot water to wipe Tang Yu''s body and moisten her daughter''s chapped lips the whole night.


    Fang Ling sat beside the hospital bed, sobbing softly as she looked at her friend. Fang Lang, who came with his little sister, also had difficulty believing that two people who were supposed to enter high school happily would have such a terrible encounter on the first day. One of them had even nearly lost her life.


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    Eventually, Fang Ling''s sobbing got to Yu Wanrou. Unable to bear the depressing atmosphere any longer, Yu Wanrou offered to give some privacy to her daughter and her daughter''s friends.


    After crying for some time, Fang Ling''s emotions did not improve. On the contrary, she grew even more grief-stricken as she said, "Tang Yu, please don''t leave me... Please wake up and talk to me..." After a slight pause, Fang Ling began monologuing, "A hateful person came to our house. She keeps trying to snatch my big brother away... I still have many things to say to you..."


    Seeing his little sister''s sobbing growing fiercer, Fang Lang hurriedly pulled her into his arms and said, "Shh, don''t disturb Tang Yu''s rest. Also, Big Brother won''t get snatched away. Nobody can take me away from you."


    Embracing her elder brother, Fang Ling sniffled and said, "Then... Then... Will you stop paying attention to Meng Lu?"


    "Okay, okay. I''ll ignore her," Fang Lang said helplessly.


    ...


    Yu Wanrou met Wang Zhen on the sheltered rooftop. Wang Zhen had lost a lot of weight during this period, and her eyes always carried heavy bags under them.


    "How is An-An?" Yu Wanrou asked, her body trembling slightly as she sat next to Wang Zhen on the bench.


    Wang Zhen looked a little dazed as she stared off into the rain. After a moment of silence, she said, "There''s going to be another surgery tomorrow."


    Yin Zhao-an had never stopped undergoing surgeries since she was admitted to the hospital. She had suffered multiple bone fractures throughout her body, and several ribs had nearly pierced her internal organs. Every visit to the operating theater was no different than paying a visit to the netherworld''s gate. Nobody knew when that gate was going to open and welcome her in.


    "I''m sorry..."


    Wang Zhen''s hands hanging by her sides moved a little. Then, her slightly purple lips parted as she said, "It''s her own choice, so there''s nothing to be sorry about. Also, she wants to live." Turning to face Yu Wanrou, Wang Zhen emphasized, "She wants to live more than any of us. Do you believe it?"


    "...I believe it."


    ...


    While walking down a corridor with a medical record folder in hand, Gao Rang came across a young boy standing blankly outside an intensive care unit. The boy was grieving as he quietly looked at the person lying inside.


    "You are her..." Gao Rang walked over to ask the boy for his identity. Over the past several days, he had seen many people standing outside Yin Zhao-an''s intensive care unit. However, most of them were the special police who had escorted Yin Zhao-an to the hospital. This was the first time he had seen someone who wasn''t an adult.


    Zhao Yu wiped the tears staining the corners of his eyes in a panic. Then, after glancing at the tall doctor before him, he lowered his head and said, "I''m her classmate."


    Oh, a classmate? Gao Rang nodded thoughtfully. Then, he pointed at the nearby bench and said, "Many people will visit this place. You can rest there if necessary."


    Zhao Yu nodded but kept his head lowered at all times.


    Gao Rang smiled kindly before turning around to leave. Although he understood Zhao Yu''s behavior, he honestly didn''t think a boy of Zhao Yu''s age should have to be ashamed of crying.

 CH 67

    Yin Zhao-an breathed with the aid of an oxygen mask as she lay unconscious in the intensive care unit, her slow and shallow breaths rhythmically fogging up the translucent mask. Her head and shoulders were wrapped in gauze, the sterile cotton soaked with yellow medication and dark red blood. Although her body wasn''t wrapped entirely in gauze, the parts that remained exposed to the air, such as her neck and parts of her shoulders, were covered in bruises.


    Zhao Yu shuddered when he saw Yin Zhao-an''s current state. He had known that Yin Zhao-an treated Tang Yu very well, but he didn''t think it was to the extent that she was willing to give up her life for Tang Yu.


    The incident that day was reported on the news. Initially, he had only watched the news report without much thought, but he never expected to see someone familiar appearing in the news. At the time, the revelation had sapped all of his body''s strength, and the glass of water in his hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces and sending water splattering everywhere.


    Even though the person shown on the TV was covered in blood and facial features were obscured to protect the person''s privacy, there was no way Zhao Yu could fail to recognize the other party. The dying person who had appeared in the news was Yin Zhao-an.


    A pedestrian interviewed by the news channel mentioned that he had seen a motorcyclist driving down the street next to him at flying speeds, adding that this was his first time seeing someone daring to drive so recklessly in the middle of a city. This interview was followed by footage of the aforementioned motorcyclist captured by a nearby surveillance camera.


    Zhao Yu had similarly never seen anyone driving a motorcycle so quickly before, so his heart shuddered when he saw Yin Zhao-an doing so. Moreover, if Yin Zhao-an was willing to go to such great lengths to rescue Tang Yu, was Tang Yu merely just a close friend to Yin Zhao-an?


    Honestly speaking, if Zhao Yu was put into a similar situation, the only thing he would know to do was call the police. He simply couldn''t see himself doing something as crazy as engaging in a high-speed chase with a kidnapper.


    ¡­


    After Gao Rang was finished checking all the wards under his charge, he relaxed his slightly sore shoulders. When he walked past Yin Zhao-an''s intensive care unit and saw that the boy from before was still seated outside the ward, he couldn''t help but look at his watch, noting that half an hour had already gone by since he last saw the boy. 4887


    At this time, Wang Zhen just so happened to have returned from the rooftop terrace to check on her daughter, a dazed look on her face.


    "Doctor Gao," Wang Zhen politely greeted Gao Rang. She recognized Gao Rang as one of the doctors responsible for her daughter''s treatment, though they had only met a few times thus far.


    Gao Rang nodded and faintly smiled in response. Then, he pointed at Zhao Yu, who was sitting on the bench with his head hanging down, and said, "This boy has been sitting here for a while now. He''s quite patient." After saying so, Gao Rang turned to Zhao Yu. When he failed to get a response, he helplessly shrugged and said, "I still have things to do, so I''ll be taking my leave first."


    Once Gao Rang was gone, Zhao Yu promptly stood up from the bench and politely bowed to Wang Zhen, "Auntie, my name is Zhao Yu, and I am Zhao-an''s classmate."


    Wang Zhen lovingly stroked Zhao Yu''s head. The past few days had exhausted her heart, and the only desire remaining in her heart was to see her daughter survive this ordeal. Because of her change of heart, she became much gentler in the way she treated everyone around her.


    "I know. Thank you for coming to see her." After saying so, Wang Zhen gazed through the window at the unconscious person in the intensive care unit. "It''s a pity she can''t see you now."


    Zhao Yu accompanied Wang Zhen without speaking. Nothing he could say would be helpful in this situation, so he''d be better off keeping silent and letting Wang Zhen figure things out herself.


    "Ah Cheng has gone to apply for temporary leave for An-An from school."


    Zhao Yu did not speak, waiting for Wang Zhen to finish speaking.


    "An-An''s grades have always been good, but it''ll probably be a long time before she can start attending classes again. By then, she will have a lot of classes to catch up on, and it will be very exhausting.


    "An-An has always been a proud person. She might not seem to care about her grades on the surface, but she works harder than anyone. I know that. I have always known that.


    "She wouldn''t want to fall behind others. Don''t you think so?"


    "Zhao-an is an excellent person," Zhao Yu earnestly replied as he looked into Wang Zhen''s tired eyes. "She isn''t inferior to anyone. She never has."


    Wang Zhen smiled gratefully, tears pooling in her eyes. "That''s right. My An-An has never been worse than anyone."


    ¡­


    The dream world was like an endless abyss. No matter how Tang Yu struggled, she simply couldn''t break free.


    Ahead of her was darkness. Cautiously, Tang Yu fumbled her way forward, the loss of her five senses instilling a feeling of helplessness in her. Although she wanted to call for help, she couldn''t make a sound.


    A cool breeze blew past her face amidst her disarray. A change had occurred to the flow of air around her. She tried to reach out with her hand but failed to touch anything.


    Then, a whimpering voice came from the darkness¡­


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    "I seem to have lost you again."


    "Why can''t I find you¡­"


    "Look at me¡­ Look at me, okay?"


    ¡­


    Tang Yu woke up from her dream and opened her eyes, only to be greeted by a blurry sight, a contribution of the warm tears shrouding her eyes. After blinking a few times, Tang Yu looked out the window and saw that the sky outside was still covered in dark clouds blocking the sun.


    When will the rain clear up¡­ Tang Yu wondered.


    "You''re awake, Little Yu? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?" Yu Wanrou grabbed Tang Yu''s hand and cried with joy.


    The wound on Tang Yu''s tongue had yet to fully heal and even moving her tongue gently hurt a lot. However, there was something Tang Yu desperately wanted to say.


    "An¡­ An-An¡­"


    Yu Wanrou''s hand stiffened for a moment. Then, squeezing out a smile, she said, "An-An needs to rest. We shouldn''t disturb her."


    "I want to see her."


    An-An was waiting for her.


    "Please."

 CH 68

    Yu Wanrou put on a jacket for Tang Yu and offered to help her daughter walk. However, Tang Yu refused the offer. She did not receive any injuries to her legs, and she wasn''t so delicate that she couldn''t walk without help.


    Wang Zhen didn''t expect Tang Yu to come over. When she saw the girl''s sickly complexion, her nose grew stuffy against her will. Then, she looked at Yu Wanrou reproachfully and said, "Little Yu still hasn''t recovered, so why are you letting her walk around?"


    In response, Yu Wanrou helplessly shook her head and wryly smiled, saying, "I couldn''t stop her."


    Hearing these words, Wang Zhen immediately understood what had happened. Originally, she had wanted to keep Tang Yu in the dark, at least until her daughter was done undergoing surgeries, before telling Tang Yu that "An-An is fine." Otherwise, if Tang Yu were to learn about her daughter''s current situation, the girl would be ridden with guilt.


    Both girls were victims of this incident. Neither was at fault, so they shouldn''t have to shoulder any blame.


    "I¡­" Tang Yu hesitated to speak as she looked at Wang Zhen.


    "She wants to see An-An," Yu Wanrou said on her daughter''s behalf while soothingly rubbing her daughter on the head.


    Wang Zhen couldn''t bear to turn down Tang Yu''s request, so she quietly stepped aside and made room for Tang Yu by the intensive care unit''s window.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu left faint marks on the glass window with her fingertips as she looked into the intensive care unit, her gaze seemingly trying to tell the person inside the ward: "I''m here. I''m here to see you."


    Yin Zhao-an looked much worse than Tang Yu expected, her complexion deathly pale, her body emaciated, and her originally long and narrow eyes now deeply sunken. No longer did she look beautiful. Even her favorite short hair had been shaved. Once Yin Zhao-an regained consciousness, she would most likely be very saddened by her appearance.


    A tissue appeared in Tang Yu''s vision. Turning around, Tang Yu found the doctor from last night standing beside her, gesturing for her to take the tissue in his hand.


    It turned out that, before she realized it, tears were already running down her face.


    Gao Rang put one hand into his pocket and pursed his lips. He sincerely wished he could stop coming across crying visitors whenever he walked down this corridor, especially when these visitors were children. At the same time, he reminded himself to carry tissues on him more often.


    "Don''t stay out for too long. The weather recently has been cold and moist." Gao Rang did not reprimand Tang Yu for leaving her ward while still recuperating from her own injuries. Instead, he gently offered the girl a reminder before taking his leave.


    As if on cue, a chilly breeze blew past Yu Wanrou at this time, causing her to shudder. Quietly approaching her daughter from behind, she said, "Let''s go back first and return some other time."


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    Wang Zhen agreed with Yu Wanrou, saying, "You need to rest and recuperate from your injuries first, Little Yu. Come back to visit An-An only after you''ve recovered a little more, okay?"


    Tang Yu hesitated for a moment before quietly nodding.


    ¡­


    Fang Ling came to the hospital as soon as she finished school. Although Mother Fang had said it wasn''t a good idea to visit a recovering patient at night, Fang Ling insisted on visiting Tang Yu, angrily saying to her mother: "I''m going to see a friend, not a patient!" Then, she ran out of the house all by herself.


    Seeing this, Mother Fang could only sigh and signal her son with her gaze. Meanwhile, Fang Lang got her mother''s message and followed his younger sister to the hospital.


    When Fang Ling arrived in Tang Yu''s ward, her spirited personality dispelled the depressing atmosphere in the ward in no time. Even Yu Wanrou, who had been feeling harrowed all this time, couldn''t help but reveal a rare sincere smile as she watched Fang Ling interact with Tang Yu.


    Although Tang Yu''s tongue no longer impaired her speech, it still hurt to speak, so she kept quiet and warmly smiled as she listened to Fang Ling rambling on about random things. Fang Ling would go from talking about the school system in one moment to talking about people she recently met in the next moment, doing an excellent job at keeping a lively atmosphere in the ward.


    Meanwhile, Fang Lang sat on a nearby sofa and quietly read a book on economics, occasionally chiming in when the conversation allowed him.


    However, no matter how insensitive Fang Ling was, she still knew what to say and what not to say. For example, not once did she bring up Yin Zhao-an''s name throughout the entire night.


    Yin Zhao-an''s name had seemingly become a switch of sadness. Once this switch was turned on, it would be impossible to turn it off. So, Fang Ling deliberately avoided mentioning this name throughout her mostly one-sided conversation with Tang Yu. When Fang Lang noticed Fang Ling''s considerate behavior, he couldn''t help but secretly praise his little sister for her growth.


    "My big brother lied to me. He said he would ignore Meng Lu, yet he still went and danced with her," Fang Ling suddenly said. After saying so, she even turned around to glare at her elder brother.


    Fang Lang nearly had a stroke when he heard Fang Ling''s words. And to think he had praised her for becoming more mature just a second ago!


    "I didn''t have a choice. Otherwise, what was I supposed to do? Refuse to attend the ball?" Fang Lang argued as he put down his book. "If I refused to go, you would have had to attend in my place. Don''t forget that the Meng family''s young master is still thinking of you."


    Fang Ling inexplicably blushed when she heard the mention of "the Meng family''s young master." Even her speech had started to stutter as she said, "W-Why are you bringing him up? Didn''t he leave to study abroad already¡­"


    Tang Yu looked at Fang Ling somewhat enviously. Judging by her friend''s reaction, she should have met with that person already.


    Fang Ling would live a very happy life. At the very least, before Tang Yu left that world, the aforementioned Young Master Meng remained wholeheartedly devoted to Fang Ling. Meanwhile, it was impossible for one not to notice when a person was wholeheartedly treating one with love and kindness. Tang Yu believed that Fang Ling must have also noticed Young Master Meng''s devotion, hence she had eventually chosen to reciprocate his feelings.


    After taking a look at the time, Yu Wanrou kindly reminded, "You two should return home now. It''s not safe to go home too late at night. You can come again tomorrow if you have time."


    The clock hands were currently at a right angle. When Fang Ling realized this, she hit herself on the head and said, "I didn''t realize it was so late already. I''m sorry for disturbing Tang Yu''s rest, Auntie."


    In response, Yu Wanrou shook her head and gratefully said, "No, thank you for accompanying Little Yu. It is thanks to your company that Little Yu can be so happy."


    Yu Wanrou wasn''t lying. Since Tang Yu was hospitalized until now, this was the first time Yu Wanrou had seen her daughter showing an expression that wasn''t of sadness or guilt.


    "I''ll come again tomorrow, then!" Fang Ling happily said before bidding goodbye to Tang Yu. Then, just as she was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something as she leaned into Tang Yu''s ear and said, "I''ll bring my Switch for you tomorrow."


    Tang Yu helplessly smiled in response. Unfortunately, she didn''t hear anything Fang Ling had just said to her as the silly girl had whispered into her deaf right ear¡­

 CH 69

    6-8 minutes 27.12.2022


    The day Yin Zhao-an entered the operating room, Tang Yu changed out of her hospital gown, put on her coat, and sat outside the operating room. She refused to leave, even when Yu Wanrou and Wang Zhen repeatedly tried to discourage her.


    Nobody knew how she found out Yin Zhao-an''s surgery was today, as no one had told her.


    When Tang Yu saw the red indicator outside the operating room light up, she expelled everything from her mind and focused solely on the light. She would not speak or move from her spot until the light went out.


    Why are these girls so stubborn¡­ Wang Zhen sighed when she saw Tang Yu''s attention was no longer on her and Yu Wanrou. Left with no better choice, she grabbed an extra coat from her daughter''s ward and draped it over Tang Yu''s shoulders. The interior of hospitals was always kept chilly, and the thunderstorm taking place outside didn''t help matters. Neither she nor Yu Wanrou could handle seeing another one of their daughters collapse.


    The surgery this time took much longer than any of the other previous surgeries. When the operating room''s red indicator extinguished and a doctor left the room, several anxious people waiting outside swarmed the doctor.


    The main surgeon was an acquaintance of theirs, and he was given a fright from getting swarmed. For a moment, he couldn''t help but think that these people were out to get him.


    Removing his mask, Gao Rang beamed a smile at the anxious people around him and said, "The operation was a huge success."


    When Wang Zhen heard the news, her legs went limp, and she nearly fainted from excitement. Fortunately, Yin Changcheng was there to catch her fall.


    The surgery this time was a crucial one. Even before the surgery began, Gao Rang had forewarned them that should the surgery succeed, Yin Zhao-an would be completely out of danger. However, the risk this time was also significantly higher than before. It was also why Gao Rang grew incredibly anxious when he was informed he would be the surgeon for the surgery this time. Fortunately, he lived up to everyone''s expectations and successfully snatched a life back from the hands of death.


    Tang Yu couldn''t hear what Gao Rang said. However, looking at everyone''s reactions, she knew Yin Zhao-an was safe.


    She didn''t know how to describe her current emotions, too excited for words. However, one thing was for certain: the boulder that had weighed on her heart all this time had finally disappeared, and so did her tears.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an remained in a coma when she was transferred out of the intensive care unit. The doctor told them to relax since the most critical moment had passed, and the next step was to wait for Yin Zhao-an to wake up and convalesce.


    Wang Zhen continued watching over Yin Zhao-an night and day every day, exhausting herself to the point of becoming out of shape. Gao Rang had suggested they hire a caregiver to share the load, but Wang Zhen turned down his suggestion, saying, "I want to take care of my daughter myself. That way, I can at least be reminded every day that my baby is still alive."


    Yin Changcheng pushed off his work at the company, leaving the company to the others so that he could prepare nutritious meals at home and bring them to the hospital for his wife and daughter.


    Although his daughter remained in a coma, who was to say when she would wake up? Of course, his priority was still to take care of his wife. Wang Zhen would not care about eating when caring for their daughter, so it wouldn''t be strange if she died of starvation one day. As the only sensible person remaining in their family, he needed to take up the burden of taking good care of mother and daughter.


    Tang Yu would visit Yin Zhao-an''s ward every day, and she would always stay the entire afternoon. Whenever Fang Ling came to visit Tang Yu, she would come straight to Yin Zhao-an''s ward. 4887


    "I heard that Zhong High is rescheduling its military training," Fang Ling said while chewing on potato chips. "My school doesn''t require us to make up for the canceled military training, so I get to attend classes and go on vacation as normal."


    The ward''s curtains were pulled wide open, letting the lazy sun outside spill its rays into the ward and gradually warm up the room.


    Tang Yu held Yin Zhao-an''s chilly hand, gently rubbing it in an attempt to pass on her warmth. However, no matter what she tried, it was to no avail.


    When it was time to go home, Fang Ling looked at Tang Yu and said with some difficulty, "Tang Yu, my school is going to conduct closed education for some time, so I may not be able to visit you anymore." After saying so, Fang Ling worried that Tang Yu might misunderstand her, so she quickly added, "I can''t even go home during this time."


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    "It''s okay." Looking at her friend, Tang Yu tenderly said, "I am very happy that you have been keeping me company all this time."


    These words gave Fang Ling the urge to cry. How could her Tang Yu be so gentle?!


    Shortly after Fang Ling left, Yin Changcheng also dragged Wang Zhen out to go eat. Before leaving, he instructed Tang Yu to ring the bell if she needed to leave to do something. He also reminded her that she didn''t need to force herself to take care of Yin Zhao-an.


    But what was there to force?


    Tang Yu''s eyes overflowed with tender love as she gently rubbed Yin Zhao-an''s withered hand.


    She could be indifferent to Yin Zhao-an. She could ignore her sincerity and leave her to pursue the life she wanted. However, that was only limited to the former Yin Zhao-an. The current Yin Zhao-an had done nothing wrong, so why did she have to take the blame for her former self? Wouldn''t that be too pitiful?


    Tang Yu had wavered countless times. She had also told herself countless times to stick to her principles, to stay away from Yin Zhao-an, and to never be moved by Yin Zhao-an.


    If Yin Zhao-an behaved like her former self, Tang Yu would never have wavered.


    However, the person before her was someone willing to give her life for her. She might never meet another person like this if she walked away.


    Tears gushed out of Tang Yu''s eyes again. Then, smiling in self-mockery, Tang Yu said, "I seem to have¡­become unprincipled."


    Interlocking her fingers with the withered hand she held, Tang Yu continued in a hoarse and nasally voice, "I''m giving myself to you¡­


    "So¡­don''t lose me again, okay?"

 CH 70

    One day, Tang Yu noticed the shriveled fingers in her hand moving slightly. Looking up in surprise, she saw Yin Zhao-an slowly opening her eyes in a daze.


    "An-An!" Tang Yu cried out in joy.


    Gao Rang stood at the head of the bed with a medical record in one hand. After inspecting the medical instruments surrounding the bed, he scribbled a bunch of confusing symbols on the medical record.


    Meanwhile, Wang Zhen held back her tears as she leaned on Yin Changcheng, her heart full of joy.


    "All indicators look normal. If you decide to bring meals for her, prepare only light foods for the time being; nothing oily, spicy, or salty," Gao Rang said as he put his pen into his breast pocket and nudged his glasses. "If anything comes up, inform me as soon as possible."


    "Thank you, Doctor Gao," Wang Zhen said as she got up and tried to see Gao Rang out of the ward.


    However, Gao Rang politely stopped her and said, "I''m only doing my job. You should talk to the patient."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an had her eyes fixed on Tang Yu the moment she woke up. She also firmly held onto Tang Yu''s hand, never letting go, even when doctors came to check on her.


    Yin Zhao-an still looked to be in a trance. It didn''t seem like she could hear the people around her speaking, her eyes vacantly looking at Tang Yu. If not for Yin Zhao-an''s pupils following Tang Yu''s movements, Wang Zhen would have thought that something was wrong with her daughter''s vision.


    "Can you let go of Little Yu for now, An-An? Little Yu still hasn''t eaten," Wang Zhen tried to warmly persuade her daughter to let go of Tang Yu''s hand.


    It was already long past noon. Yu Wanrou came to visit numerous times during this period. Meanwhile, as if she couldn''t get tired, Yin Zhao-an had never slept since she woke up. This led to Tang Yu being unable to leave Yin Zhao-an''s side even once. Although Tang Yu hadn''t said anything, Wang Zhen couldn''t help but grow concerned for the girl''s stomach.


    Unfortunately, despite how frail Yin Zhao-an''s hand looked, it tightly held onto Tang Yu''s hand and refused to budge when Wang Zhen tried to pry it open. Or, more specifically, Wang Zhen dared not use too much strength to pry it open.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an remained in a trance. It didn''t seem like she had heard her mother''s words as all she did was stare at Tang Yu.


    "It''s okay, Auntie. I''m fine eating with one hand," Tang Yu warmly said, keen on accommodating Yin Zhao-an''s every action.


    Wang Zhen couldn''t help but sigh in resignation over this situation. As a doctor herself, she knew that a patient who had just awoken from a long coma would not have control over their body. The rotation of the pupils was also a subconscious action.


    Although Wang Zhen felt sorry for Tang Yu, she had no choice but to trouble Tang Yu to keep her daughter company a little longer.


    "I''m going to go and take care of some paperwork, so I''ll have to trouble you here, Little Yu. If anything comes up, just ring the bell for a nurse," Wang Zhen said as she grabbed a sealed envelope and got ready to leave the ward. But just as she was about to step out of the room, she suddenly thought of something as she backtracked her steps and handed an item to Tang Yu, saying, "This is An-An''s phone. It''s still usable, so I''ll leave it with you."


    The smartphone with a shattered corner looked quite pitiful, but its cold outer shell quickly warmed up once it entered Tang Yu''s hand.


    When the door closed, the ward became eerily quiet. Apart from the rhythmic "beep" coming from the electrocardiogram, no other sound could be heard in the ward.


    Seeing as there were no other conscious people in the room, Tang Yu decided to unlock Yin Zhao-an''s phone to see if there were any entertainment applications. However, she found nothing of the sort. Even on the home page, she only saw the standard Contacts and Sticky Note applications decorating the bottom of the screen.


    Out of curiosity, Tang Yu clicked on the Sticky Note app. There were only two entries in the app, one of which was an ordinary memo meant for keeping track of daily activities and responsibilities, while the other was¡­


    Tang Yu narrowed her eyes, feeling somewhat confused by the second entry''s content.


    [A child will envy what others have that they don''t. However, once they have it as well, they won''t feel saddened even if they lose it.]


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    Tang Yu thought these were the only lines in the note. However, when she noticed the scroll bar on the side, she scrolled down and past a bunch of empty spaces before arriving at the bottom and finding another two lines.


    [What I envy, I will do my best to obtain. Once I obtain it, I will crush it and hide it in my heart.]


    The sentences were childish, so Tang Yu didn''t take them too seriously. Putting the phone aside, she resumed her major undertaking of providing warmth to Yin Zhao-an''s hand. While gently rubbing the withered hand, she started to mumble to herself quietly.


    "There''s no meat on your hand¡­ It feels awful to the touch¡­


    "It''s kind of uncomfortable talking to someone who won''t respond¡­


    "I can get discharged from the hospital soon."


    After saying so, Tang Yu stopped her hands. Then, she earnestly looked at the blank eyes before her and continued, "I have to go back to class first, so I don''t think I can start school with you."


    When Tang Yu received the expected silence, she wryly smiled and lowered her head. "At first, I planned to go through university alone, and after graduating, I would find a job far away from here. I would be by myself, and I wouldn''t have to care about any future developments here.


    "You all can make as much trouble as you like and be with whomever you like. I wouldn''t need to have anything to do with any of you."


    Wiping her tears away, Tang Yu said with a reddened nose, "But I don''t want to owe you anything.


    "So, I won''t leave..." Tang Yu''s eyes became blurred by tears, and the tone of her voice sank. "I won''t leave, but I want to live. So, if you meet your fated person, I will walk away without hesitation... I won''t foolishly stick around anymore."


    Suddenly, Tang Yu felt something rough touching her face and gently wiping her tears away. Raising her head in disbelief, she saw Yin Zhao-an looking at her with eyes full of clarity.


    Tang Yu didn''t know if Yin Zhao-an was truly sober. She also didn''t know if Yin Zhao-an had heard the nonsense she said just now. For a time, feelings of joy and worry filled her heart.


    Subsequently, in a hoarse and feeble voice, Yin Zhao-an said, "...Don''t cry."

 CH 71

    The hand trying to wipe the tears off her face felt cold and rough. It also did a poor job at what it was trying to do, smearing her tears all over her face instead of actually wiping them away.


    Tang Yu didn''t know whether to laugh or cry as she reached for a tissue from the bedside table to wipe her face. While she was at it, she also wiped the hand that had made a mess of her face.


    After doing so, Tang Yu leaned forward and stared into Yin Zhao-an''s eyes. She wanted to know if Yin Zhao-an was truly conscious or if what she did was only another subconscious action.


    Upon closer inspection, Tang Yu saw the corners of Yin Zhao-an''s face twitching, looking like she was trying to smile. Tang Yu could also see Yin Zhao-an reacting in pain when she tried to do so, a result of trying to move her damaged facial muscles.


    Although Tang Yu sympathized with Yin Zhao-an''s condition, she also felt relieved to see Yin Zhao-an''s reactions, as they showed that Yin Zhao-an was truly conscious.


    Leaning back into her chair, Tang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she pointed at the layers of gauze wrapped around Yin Zhao-an''s head and said, "Don''t force yourself to smile. Be careful not to reopen your wounds."


    "...didn''t."


    "Okay, I know you didn''t. Do you want some water?"


    Yin Zhao-an responded with a small nod. Her throat currently felt like it was on fire.


    Tang Yu got up and went to get a cup of warm water from the bedside table. When Yin Zhao-an saw this, her mind wondered if she would have to drink out of a straw. After all, it was unrealistic for her to sit up and drink out of a cup in her current state.


    However, what Yin Zhao-an didn''t expect was that her idea was similarly unrealistic. Instead of letting her drink out of a straw, Tang Yu took a sterile cotton swab, dipped it in water, and smudged it on her lips. Although the moisture alleviated the tight feeling on her lips, the burning sensation in her throat did not lessen.


    Tang Yu naturally noticed the pitiful gaze Yin Zhao-an was giving her. However, she remained unmoving as she continued with her actions while saying, "You just woke up, so you can''t drink water directly. A doctor will come over soon. I''ll ask them if it''ll be okay for you to drink water, so be good until then, okay?"


    Yin Zhao-an had never heard Tang Yu speaking to her in such a coaxing manner, so she couldn''t help but look at Tang Yu with widened and spirited eyes.


    After Tang Yu dabbed her lips with the swab several more times, Yin Zhao-an could finally feel water passing through her throat, and a euphoric feeling immediately filled her. She never thought a day would come when drinking water would become the most pleasurable thing to do.


    "Tang-Tang¡­" Yin Zhao-an called out, her voice still sounding hoarse.


    Lifting her head, Tang Yu sternly said, "Shut up. Doesn''t your throat hurt?"


    "...Okay."


    Yin Zhao-an stopped speaking and quietly scrutinized the person she had not seen for a long time.


    Tang Yu''s right ear was currently covered with gauze, so Yin Zhao-an couldn''t see how much of it had healed. The face that originally had some baby fat left had thinned and sharpened, and the originally rosy complexion had also turned sallow.


    "You''ve lost weight."


    Yin Zhao-an''s abrupt comment stunned Tang Yu. Once Tang Yu reacted to those words, she looked deeply at a certain ignorant person. Then, after a mental struggle, she eventually chose to be kind, mentally telling herself, Let it be. She just woke up, so be nice to her.


    For a moment there, Tang Yu had a strong urge to put a mirror in front of Yin Zhao-an and let the latter take a good look at who exactly among them had lost weight.


    ...


    The news of Yin Zhao-an regaining consciousness relieved everyone''s hearts. Gao Rang came to check on Yin Zhao-an''s vitals several more times throughout the day, the results always leaving him with a satisfied and relaxed expression.


    When night arrived, Tang Yu slept in Yin Zhao-an''s ward at Wang Zhen''s request. It was a small request that she didn''t mind fulfilling. After all, it made no difference whether she slept in her ward or Yin Zhao-an''s ward. Both were hospital wards.


    Wang Zhen could tell that in her daughter''s eyes, Tang Yu was more important than anything else, and she couldn''t help but wonder when this had started. It wasn''t very often her daughter would mention Tang Yu at home. So, how did the relationship between the two girls develop to such an extent?


    Or was it because she didn''t understand the way young people got along nowadays?


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Wang Zhen sighed helplessly. As a mother, she wished her child would be more selfish. After all, she only had one child. She honestly didn''t know how she would face reality if she lost her child.


    Although Yin Zhao-an didn''t ask Tang Yu to stay, her thoughts were obvious to Wang Zhen. So, Wang Zhen decided to help her daughter out and asked Tang Yu to stay over.


    In the meantime, Yu Wanrou had already started to prepare to have Tang Yu discharged from the hospital. Before actually bringing her daughter home, though, she decided to renovate their whole house. She also decided to throw away all of Tang Yu''s old clothing.


    She wasn''t doing so because of outdated superstitions. Instead, she did it as a form of psychological comfort. Otherwise, the furnishings at home would become a constant reminder of how she had left home that day and how she had returned afterward.


    So, after helping Tang Yu bathe and change into a fresh set of clothes, Yu Wanrou left the hospital, saying that she needed to make a trip home and that Tang Yu might need to sleep by herself at night.


    Yu Wanrou also informed Wang Zhen of her plans in advance and requested she take her daughter in should her daughter be afraid to sleep alone.


    Wang Zhen naturally agreed to the request since she had already invited Tang Yu to sleep at Yin Zhao-an''s ward.


    Of everyone involved in this situation, Yin Zhao-an was naturally the most delighted by this arrangement. After all, the first person she would get to see after waking up would be her Tang-Tang.


    Unfortunately, Yin Zhao-an had no idea that her Tang-Tang would soon be leaving the hospital.

 CH 72

    6-8 minutes 01.01.2023


    Tang Yu was a light sleeper. Partway through the night, her eyes snapped open when she heard a gasp coming from nearby.


    Yin Zhao-an, in contrast, had always been a restless sleeper. Only when she was in a comatose state did she remain in bed like a log.


    Meanwhile, amidst her daze, Yin Zhao-an had forgotten her status as a patient and accidentally tried to sleep on her side. As soon as she tried to turn her body, though, she immediately felt as if several cars had run over her upper body, the excruciating pain causing her to lose her breath for a moment.


    After Yin Zhao-an caught her breath and saw that she had awoken Tang Yu, she beamed a guilty smile at the other party.


    Tang Yu instantly realized what had happened when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s partially turned upper body, and the fact that a certain someone could still smile left her exasperated. Feeling a little peeved, Tang Yu got out of bed and walked over to Wang Zhen, who was sound asleep on the sofa. 4887


    Wang Zhen quickly woke up when she felt someone nudging her. Then, when she opened her eyes and saw Tang Yu, she dazedly asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Auntie, An-An accidentally moved just now," Tang Yu said as she pointed at Yin Zhao-an, who still wore a look of agony.


    "What?" Wang Zhen instantly shot up from the sofa and strode to her daughter''s side. "How did you move?"


    "Huh?" Yin Zhao-an wore a confused look, her mind failing to understand her mother''s question.


    Feeling a little exasperated, Wang Zhen clarified herself, "In what way did you move your body?"


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    "I tried to sleep on my side¡­ But I stopped before I could use much force¡­" Yin Zhao-an weakly said.


    "That''s fine, then," Wang Zhen said, waving her hand. Then, pulling the quilt to cover her daughter, she continued, "Just take note not to forcibly try to move your body."


    "Okay."


    After letting out a yawn, Wang Zhen returned to the sofa. Before she went back to sleep, though, she added, "Remember not to move around too much in bed. Also, don''t be embarrassed to ask if you need help taking care of business."


    Yin Zhao-an understood what her mother was hinting at, her face heating up a little in embarrassment.


    Silence returned to the ward, but Yin Zhao-an did not go back to sleep right away. Instead, she stared at the ceiling with her back straight.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu sat on her bed instead of lying down, her eyes filled with worry as she stared at Yin Zhao-an. However, she did not say anything, keeping silent for a long time.


    The silence lasted so long that Yin Zhao-an''s eyelids had already started a brawl before she heard Tang Yu softly asking:


    "Does it hurt?"


    The brawling eyelids instantly separated, and the fatigue in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes vanished without a trace. Then, in a joyful tone, she asked, "What if I say it hurts?"


    The corners of Tang Yu''s mouth twitched. She felt like she was a fool for asking such a silly question.


    "Why don''t you give me a kiss, Tang-Tang? The pain will go away once you kiss me."


    "Can''t you behave seriously for once?" Tang Yu cursed under her breath before turning away and laying back on her bed.


    Having expected such a reaction from Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an faintly smiled. In doing so, though, she accidentally moved her injured facial muscles, which caused her to experience another bout of pain.


    As the sound of breathing gradually stabilized in the ward, Yin Zhao-an suddenly felt a gentle kiss falling on her gauze-wrapped forehead. Then, the shadow covering her face vanished, and rustling sounds came from the bed next to hers.


    Yin Zhao-an, who was only resting with her eyes closed, was shocked by this pleasant surprise. At the same time, countless fireworks went off in her mind, and her heartbeat grew so chaotic that she could even hear it through her ears.


    ¡­


    When Yu Wanrou came by with three sets of breakfast, the two girls had yet to wake up. So, after quietly placing the breakfast on the bedside table, she hunched over to help rearrange her sleeping daughter''s quilt.


    Before Yu Wanrou could let go of the quilt, Tang Yu woke up from her slumber. Meanwhile, the first thing she did after waking up was to subconsciously look at the neighboring bed.


    "Good morning, Mommy," Tang Yu greeted her mother as she sat up on the bed and blinked her slightly dry eyes. When she spoke, she made sure to keep her voice as low as possible.


    Wang Zhen just so happened to have come out of the bathroom. Seeing this, Yu Wanrou handed a breakfast set to Wang Zhen and said, "I brought breakfast for you all. Eat it while it''s hot." After saying so, she looked at the still-slumbering Yin Zhao-an and asked, "Should we wake her?"


    After drying her face with a tissue, Wang Zhen shook her head and said, "Nevermind. She probably didn''t sleep well last night, so let her sleep a little longer. I''ll warm up her breakfast when she wakes up later."


    "That works too."


    After Tang Yu washed up in Yin Zhao-an''s ward, she followed her mother back to her original ward. Then, she sat in the corridor outside, eating her breakfast while her mother helped her pack her belongings.


    Quite a number of patients had already woken up at this point and were walking along the corridor accompanied by their family members. Some looked like they were making their way to the courtyard outside to bask in the sun, while some were just stretching their muscles in the corridor.


    "Yo, good morning," a young doctor with messy hair and a face full of vitality greeted Tang Yu.


    "Good morning, Doctor Gao," Tang Yu responded, nodding her head.


    "I remember that you can be discharged today, right?" Gao Rang asked as he reached out to brush the hair on the side of Tang Yu''s right ear, only for Tang Yu to avoid his hand before he could do so.


    "Ah, sorry, sorry. I was just trying to take a look at your wound," Gao Rang hurriedly apologized and explained himself when he realized the inappropriateness of his actions. He subconsciously regarded Tang Yu as a child, forgetting that she was already a big girl with her own thoughts.


    "The wound on your ear might scar. If you are concerned about appearances, you can use your hair to block it, but..." Gao Rang stroked his chin as he looked at the short hair around Tang Yu''s right ear. What he meant to say was that it was a pity that Tang Yu''s hair was trimmed when she was undergoing surgery for her ear and that it would take some time before Tang Yu could carry out his suggestion.


    "Doctor Gao."


    "Hm?"


    "It''s going to be eight o''clock soon."

 CH 73

    7-8 minutes 03.01.2023


    Tang Yu watched indifferently as Gao Rang dashed off to clock in for work.


    Initially, Tang Yu was solely focused on Yin Zhao-an''s survival, and she had completely zoned out everything else from her mind. After things calmed down, though, she quickly realized who "Doctor Gao" was.


    However, with how much things had changed in this timeline due to the butterfly effect, Tang Yu didn''t know if those two people would meet again in this life, much less get back together. 4887


    ¡­


    Yu Wanrou called her idle husband to help her with manual labor at the hospital. She also had Tang Yu visit Yin Zhao-an to inform the latter about her discharge from the hospital.


    When Tang Yu arrived at Yin Zhao-an''s ward, Yin Zhao-an was in the middle of rolling her eyes in circles, the sight giving Tang Yu the chills.


    "Did you hurt your brain?" Tang Yu walked over to Yin Zhao-an''s side and bent over slightly, behaving as if to check Yin Zhao-an''s head.


    Yin Zhao-an wanted to smile but dared not do so. Instead, she silently pursed her lips for a moment before saying, "I''m doing eye exercises."


    "That''s good." Tang Yu pulled up a chair and sat down. Noticing that the sweet congee on the bedside table was still steaming, she asked, "Have you not had breakfast yet?"


    Yin Zhao-an pursed her lips again. Then, sighing helplessly, she said, "My mom accidentally warmed up the porridge a little too much. She says it''s too troublesome to blow it cool for me, so she just left it there to cool."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    For a moment, Tang Yu couldn''t help but wonder if Yin Zhao-an and Wang Zhen were related by blood.


    When Tang Yu touched the thermos with her hand, she found it very well insulated. So, she picked it up and sat it on her lap. Then, after stirring the porridge with a spoon, she brought up a spoonful to her mouth, blew on it, and served it to Yin Zhao-an''s mouth, saying, "Try if it''s still too hot."


    Yin Zhao-an was stunned by Tang Yu''s gesture, her mind in a daze as she opened her mouth to welcome the spoonful of porridge. In addition to blowing on the porridge, Tang Yu was also considerate enough to scoop only a little porridge with the spoon. That way, she wouldn''t have to move her mouth too much and agitate her damaged facial muscles.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    "Is it hot?"


    "It''s okay."


    Tang Yu scooped another small spoonful of porridge and fed it to Yin Zhao-an. It was only after she had repeated this cycle several times did she remember her goal of visiting Yin Zhao-an''s ward. However, when Tang Yu saw the happy expression on Yin Zhao-an''s face, she suddenly didn''t feel like saying what she had to say.


    Tang Yu would always write her troubles on her face. After noticing Tang Yu looking distracted and hesitating to speak several times, Yin Zhao-an finally decided to interrupt Tang Yu when the latter nearly fed porridge to her nose for a second time, asking, "Do you have something to say, Tang-Tang?"


    Tang Yu looked down and caressed the thermos'' cool exterior. Instead of answering Yin Zhao-an''s question, she asked, "Are you still hungry?"


    Sensing the warmth that gradually filled her stomach, Yin Zhao-an gently shook her head and said, "I''m not hungry anymore." What she didn''t say, though, was that she still wasn''t full.


    Looking up at Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu said, "I''m getting ready to go back to school."


    Yin Zhao-an momentarily stopped breathing and subconsciously clutched the quilt with her hands. Then, while evading Tang Yu''s gaze, she said, "Oh, is that so?"


    The next moment, Yin Zhao-an felt a pair of warm hands wrapping around her cold fingertips. Before Yin Zhao-an knew it, Tang Yu had set the thermos aside and leaned forward slightly. Realizing this, Yin Zhao-an held her breath and stared at the enchanting person before her.


    "The next time I visit¡­" Tang Yu let her words trail off. Then, after keeping Yin Zhao-an in suspense for a moment, she continued, "You''d better have gained some weight. Otherwise, I won''t like you anymore."


    Yin Zhao-an retracted the emotional tears oozing out of her eyes. She had expected to hear some touching words or perhaps even a confession, but she was left disappointed.


    Tang Yu smiled, in a good mood. Then, when gently caressing Yin Zhao-an''s mottled shaved head with her fingers, she said, "You don''t look pretty being so thin."


    Although Yin Zhao-an never focused too much on her appearance, having the person she cared about say that she was ugly still damaged her self-esteem. Putting on a sad expression, she looked at the girl who had already stood up from her seat.


    "I''ll visit you often, so make sure not to skip any meals," Tang Yu said.


    "You as well. I''ll get Wen Tao to keep an eye on you," Yin Zhao-an said in response.


    Tang Yu chuckled helplessly. Then, she left the room while under Yin Zhao-an''s clingy gaze.


    ¡­


    As soon as Tang Yu left, Yin Zhao-an reached for her smartphone on the bedside table, dialed a number, and set the call to speaker mode.


    After several beeps, the person on the other end of the call finally picked up. Then, as soon as the call connected, the other party angrily cursed, "You fucking harass me one more time, and I''m going to have people smash up your damned shop!"


    Wen Tao''s voice sounded hoarse as if he had just woken up. After indifferently lowering the call''s volume, Yin Zhao-an coldly asked, "Are you done cursing?"


    The sound of rustling sheets came through the phone. Then, all sound vanished for a moment. If not for the screen showing that the call was still connected, Yin Zhao-an would have thought that Wen Tao had hung up on her.


    "Crap! Big Bro!" Wen Tao was audibly shocked. In a tone of disbelief, he asked, "You''re awake, Big Bro?"


    "Mhm."


    "You have no idea how big of a news that incident of yours has become in Zhong High, Big Bro. I couldn''t believe my ears when I first heard the news. Do you have any idea how scared I was at the time?" Wen Tao said as he recalled when he first learned about the incident involving Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu.


    "What are you scared of?" Yin Zhao-an rolled her eyes at Wen Tao''s dramatic reaction.


    "I¡­ Don''t bring it up¡­" Wen Tao''s voice suddenly turned meek and aggrieved. "I got cut up by that Tony."


    Cut up? Did they get into a fight?


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t think she would get to hear something interesting while she was in the hospital. However, before she could ask for details, Wen Tao dashed her thoughts, saying:


    "Hah¡­ Let''s not talk about it. I can''t explain it clearly on the phone. Anyway, I will be stuck in military training for the next few days, so I''ll visit you once I''m free."


    "Sure. Also, I have something to ask of you."


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    Just a reminder, Tony = Li Beining. Tony (Tony the Barber) is an internet slang in China used to refer to hairdressers with "spectacular" skills.

 CH 74

    "What is it?"


    "Help me take care of Tang-Tang."


    "Tang-who?" Wen Tao asked in confusion.


    Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Yin Zhao-an held back her anger as she said, "Your sister-in-law."


    "Oh, you mean Sister-in-law? Why didn''t you say so? No problem. Leave it to me. I''ll make sure nobody bullies her."


    "Also¡­" Yin Zhao-an hesitated to continue for a moment. Then, as if she was entrusting Wen Tao with a heavy responsibility, she said, "Make sure she has her meals on time. Do not let her skip any meals."


    "Why?" This was the first time Wen Tao was asked to keep an eye on someone''s eating habits, so he couldn''t help but be puzzled.


    "Because she has a weak stomach."


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu arrived home, she couldn''t help but be stunned by the house''s unfamiliar furnishings. She even wondered if she had stepped into the wrong home for a moment.


    Originally, the house was decorated with a minimalistic style in mind. Now, on top of the addition of many green plants, all of the house''s furniture had been replaced with European-style furniture. These changes combined gave the house a livelier appearance.


    "Doesn''t our house look brand new, Little Yu?" Yu Wanrou asked as she looked at her creation in excitement and satisfaction.


    "...It must have cost a lot of money, right?"


    The corners of Yu Wanrou''s mouth froze, and she couldn''t help but rub the tip of her nose in embarrassment. She was quite distressed when she had to throw away all of the house''s previous furniture. After all, although the previous furniture had already been used for a few years, everything still looked as good as new.


    But!!


    As the old saying goes, different environments offered different moods. When she thought about this, she no longer hesitated to replace the house''s furniture.


    "Wealth is but a worldly possession," Yu Wanrou concluded.


    "We are buying peace of mind with money," Tang Zhengyang added.


    Tang Yu sighed at her parents'' reckless spending.


    ¡­


    Yu Wanrou had thrown away basically everything Tang Yu had used at the hospital, so Tang Yu only had to carry a mostly empty backpack upstairs to her bedroom.


    The bedroom curtains were drawn, the thick fabric they were made out of preventing any sunlight from entering the room. With some doubts, Tang Yu turned on the lights, causing a warm yellow light to flood the room.


    Her bedroom had previously used simple incandescent light bulbs for lighting. Now, it had become a room full of stars.


    Indeed. Her mother had replaced the incandescent bulbs with LEDs shaped like stars, and these star-shaped LEDs covered the entire ceiling. There was even a moon-shaped LED in the middle of the ceiling.


    Tang Yu subconsciously pushed the light switch next to the one she had just pushed. Immediately, the star-shaped LEDs went off, and the moon-shaped LED illuminated every corner of the room with white light.


    Every detail of the room revealed the designer''s well intentions. When Tang Yu saw the changes done to her room, warmth rose from the bottom of her heart, warming her limbs and bones.


    However, when Tang Yu opened the cabinet to check what was inside, she got a headache when she saw that it was empty. She honestly felt that her mother had gone a little too far with "out with the old, in with the new."


    While hospitalized, Tang Yu received a brand new Switch from Fang Ling. Unfortunately, the day Fang Ling brought the console over just happened to be when Yin Zhao-an was undergoing her last surgery. Fang Ling naturally knew that the last thing she should do was try to invite Tang Yu to play games with her, so she left the Switch in Tang Yu''s ward and obediently returned home with Fang Lang.


    Tang Yu had no idea when or if she would ever have a use for the Switch. But after hesitating for a moment, she decided to put it in the second drawer of her bedside table.


    ¡­


    Yu Wanrou continued adding new things to the house for the next few days. She even bought a white and blue antique ceramic vase and placed it in the living room. However, she chose not to put anything in it, using it solely as decoration.


    Aside from household decorations, Yu Wanrou also bought several sets of pajamas for Tang Yu that were loose and comfortable. Currently, Tang Yu was wearing one of those pajamas, and the one she chose for today was a pink set with a lop-eared cartoon rabbit printed on the shirt.


    "That looks comfortable to wear," Yu Wanrou commented as she happily looked at Tang Yu, sitting cross-legged on the sofa while reading a book.


    "Mhm, it''s comfortable," Tang Yu said before letting out a helpless sigh. Aside from a few nice-looking down jackets, all of her clothes had perished at the hands of her mother. At this time, she didn''t even have any clothes she could wear outside the house.


    "I want to go out, Mommy."


    Yu Wanrou raised an eyebrow when she heard her daughter''s words. Then, she asked, "While wearing this?"


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    "No..." Tang Yu palmed her face for a moment. Then, her gaze dropped as she said, "I promised An-An I would visit her."


    "...Ah."


    Yu Wanrou quickly realized her mistake. Although she had visited the hospital multiple times even after Tang Yu was discharged, not once did she bring Tang Yu with her.


    Of course, Yu Wanrou wasn''t trying to keep the two girls from meeting each other. It was just that Tang Yu had lost too much blood from her ear injury, and her complexion had yet to recover even until now. So, preferably, she would like Tang Yu to stay home as much as possible to recuperate.


    "I''ll find time to go with you. The new clothes I ordered for you should also be arriving tomorrow," Yu Wanrou said with a warm smile.


    "Okay. Thank you, Mommy."


    "No problem."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an was bored out of her mind as she lay in her hospital bed, her eyes nearly staring holes into the ceiling. She had nothing to do except sit up and lie down every day. At this point, she was so bored that she started doing random mathematical calculations in her mind.


    At this time, Wang Zhen came into the ward with a freshly filled water bottle and said, "An-An, your friend is here to see you."


    A look of joy instantly appeared on Yin Zhao-an''s face when she heard her mother''s words. However, when she saw who it was, she was beyond disappointed.


    Wen Tao caught the rapid change in Yin Zhao-an''s expression. Feeling a little peeved, he placed a bunch of things on the bedside table and said, "Are you so unhappy to see me? I know, I know. I know that you only have Sister-in-law in your heart."


    "Sister-in-law?" Wang Zhen''s head vigilantly snapped toward Wen Tao.

 CH 75

    6-7 minutes 05.01.2023


    Yin Zhao-an coldly glared at Wen Tao, causing the latter to break out into a cold sweat.


    Hurriedly, Wen Tao made up an excuse and said, "Oh, my sister-in-law said she wanted to bring a gift to Big Bro Zhao, so Big Bro Zhao has been looking forward to it. Haha¡­"


    Fortunately, Wang Zhen didn''t think too deeply into the matter. Instead, she asked, "What is your name, young man?"


    "My name is Wen Tao, Auntie."


    Smiling, Wang Zhen handed Wen Tao some warm water in a disposable cup and said, "That''s a good name. You also look like quite a handsome young man."


    After looking at the bag of IV fluid hanging by the bed and tidying up the bedside table, Wang Zhen tactfully left the ward, saying, "You two have a good chat. I''ll go take care of something outside."


    After seeing Wang Zhen disappearing from the ward, Wen Tao tentatively took a seat at the end of the bed and asked, "Big Bro, did I just¡­say something I shouldn''t have?"


    Yin Zhao-an had been eating well these past few days, so her complexion had recovered a bit. Her eye sockets no longer looked as sunken as before, and her appearance was barely passable.


    When Yin Zhao-an heard Wen Tao''s question, she rolled her eyes and asked, "What do you think?"


    Awkwardly scratching his head, Wen Tao muttered, "Haha, it was a force of habit¡­"


    Suddenly, an image flashed in Wen Tao''s mind, causing a mild blush to appear on his face. Then, lowering his voice, he mysteriously said, "My roommate recently showed me something."


    "Showed you what?"


    "I-It''s¡­" Wen Tao hesitated to speak, his eyes anxiously shifting around.


    Yin Zhao-an got goosebumps when she saw Wen Tao''s behavior. With a look of disgust, she said, "Don''t tell me you''re talking about that kind of thing."


    Wen Tao immediately grew upset when he heard Yin Zhao-an''s words. While he wasn''t some pure and innocent child, he swore he wasn''t talking about pornographic material this time. So, he hurriedly defended himself, saying, "Do I look like that kind of person? I''m a pure and harmless man from a good family."


    "Oh." Yin Zhao-an reacted indifferently. "So, what did you see?"


    "I-It''s¡­a yuri drama."


    "Yuri? What''s that?"


    Seeing the confusion on Yin Zhao-an''s face, Wen Tao pulled out his phone and unlocked it. When he saw the dozen or so missed call and text message prompts appearing on the screen, he swiftly dismissed them and opened up his phone''s local storage.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    "I''m going to show it to you now, but don''t hit me once you see it," Wen Tao said as he tried to hand his phone to Yin Zhao-an. However, when he saw Yin Zhao-an wrapped in bandages, he tactfully changed seats and sat next to Yin Zhao-an, volunteering himself as a phone holder.


    Just as Wen Tao was about to hit the play button, he felt something wasn''t right, so he searched his pockets and pulled out a pair of earphones. Then, after helping Yin Zhao-an put on the earphones, he hit the play button with peace of mind.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Wen Tao''s actions, she couldn''t help but doubt his previous statement. After all, if they were going to watch an ordinary drama, would there be a need to behave so secretively?


    However, Yin Zhao-an didn''t dwell on the matter. If Wen Tao dared to act presumptuously because of her current frail state, she would simply hospitalize him once she recovered.


    Fortunately, Wen Tao was true to his word and did not show her anything strange. The show''s opening was a bright and refreshing Japanese-style animation, and the BGM was also in Japanese.


    In other words, this was a Japanese anime. 4887


    Yin Zhao-an used to be a half-baked fan of comic books. During her early childhood, she would buy all kinds of comic books and magazines to read. However, once she began focusing on studying and "getting her ass kicked," she gradually grew out of this hobby. At this point, her comic book and magazine collection was just collecting dust at the top of her bookshelf.


    "It''s just an anime. What''s so strange about it?" Yin Zhao-an asked as she watched the show''s heroine put on a new outfit and reveal a lively smile, finding it tasteless. Her Tang-Tang''s smile was much cuter.


    Wen Tao knew Yin Zhao-an would react as such, so he said, "I''m naturally showing it to you because something is interesting about it. Don''t be impatient, and watch a little longer."


    Subsequently, the heroine in the anime picked up the bread and milk on the table and left her house in a hurry. A moment later, the heroine bumped into another girl at an intersection.


    The other girl in question was quietly standing at the intersection with a schoolbag in hand when the heroine bumped into her. After the collision, the girl stumbled forward and looked back in astonishment. However, as soon as she saw the heroine, the look in her eyes softened.


    "The heroine has appeared, Big Bro Zhao," Wen Tao said as he excitedly pointed at the girl who had just appeared on the screen.


    "The first girl isn''t the heroine?" Yin Zhao-an asked with a confused frown.


    "She is also a heroine. There are two heroines," Wen Tao said as if it were a matter of course.


    "Oh." Yin Zhao-an''s interest died when she heard Wen Tao''s answer, her mind automatically assuming that this was going to be another cheesy drama involving a love triangle.


    Sure enough, shortly after the second heroine appeared, the male protagonist also appeared. The protagonist was a sunny boy riding a bicycle, his hair fluttering in the wind as he greeted the two heroines.


    Then...the protagonist left without another word.


    Yin Zhao-an was stunned, but not by the male protagonist''s very brief appearance on screen. Instead, it was because after the supposed male protagonist disappeared, the two heroines had actually¡­kissed!


    What kind of confusing plot was this?!


    Unlike Yin Zhao-an, Wen Tao reacted to the scene in excitement. Then, through the reflection of his phone''s screen, he saw Yin Zhao-an looking at him as if he was a fool.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]Wen Tao''s(ÎÄÌÎ) name can mean scholarly and courageous.

 CH 76

    Wen Tao promptly retracted the wide grin on his face and put on a solemn expression when he saw the look Yin Zhao-an was giving him.


    "What is the meaning of this anime? Did the second heroine steal the first heroine from the male protagonist?" Yin Zhao-an asked, her mind failing to understand why the two heroines would suddenly kiss.


    "No, that''s not it," Wen Tao firmly denied, putting a stop to Yin Zhao-an''s line of thought. Then, he explained, "This is a drama about two girls falling in love."


    Yin Zhao-an: !!


    "T-Two girls?! C-Can girls fall in love with each other?!"


    "It should be possible..." Wen Tao answered in an uncertain tone while scratching his head. Honestly, if it wasn''t for his roommate constantly looking at his phone and giggling all day, he would have never known such love existed in this world. However, after learning about it, he instantly thought of his Big Bro and Sister-in-law.


    "So..." Tentatively, Wen Tao asked, "Are you a couple with Big Sis Tang, Big Bro?"


    "..." Yin Zhao-an turned away hesitantly. She did not think her relationship with Tang Yu was the kind that Wen Tao was talking about. After all, her Tang-Tang only regarded her as a good friend, while she regarded her Tang-Tang as family. As for becoming lovers... She never really thought about developing their relationship in that direction.


    Wen Tao had already gotten his answer when he saw the hesitation on Yin Zhao-an''s face. Although he didn''t wish to admit it, he seemed to have been overthinking matters. Unfortunately, it would seem that his Big Bro''s relationship with Big Sis Tang was the rare and legendary "close friends who were willing to give up their lives for each other."


    "Ahaha, don''t misunderstand, Big Bro. I was just joking around, haha." Wen Tao weakly laughed a few times and got ready to put away his phone.


    "I''m coming in, Zhao-an."


    At this time, Zhao Yu suddenly pushed open the door to the ward and walked in with a bag of fruits in hand. When he saw the scene in the ward, his eyes reddened, and his hands gradually clenched to the point where his knuckles turned white.


    "What are you two doing?"


    Because Yin Zhao-an and Wen Tao were looking at the phone together, they sat awkwardly close to each other. The short earphone cable only made things worse.


    Upon hearing Zhao Yu''s question, Yin Zhao-an also realized that the distance between her and Wen Tao was a little too close. As for Wen Tao, he consciously took back his earphones from Yin Zhao-an and began scrutinizing the person who had just greeted his Big Bro in such an intimate manner.


    "Is he your friend, Big Bro?" Wen Tao instantly went into alert. He wasn''t a fool. He could tell that Zhao Yu was romantically interested in his Big Bro Zhao. After all, the murderous gaze Zhao Yu was currently giving him couldn''t be any more obvious.


    "Mhm, a good friend," Yin Zhao-an said. For some inexplicable reason, she couldn''t help but feel a little awkward when she saw Zhao Yu, so she subconsciously lowered her head to avoid his gaze.


    "I''m Big Bro Zhao''s brother. Brothers are much closer than friends," Wen Tao said, instantly resuming his ruffian demeanor as he provocatively hooked his lips at Zhao Yu.


    Wen Tao wasn''t behaving like this because he had a bad temper. Instead, it was because a certain someone was trying to tear his "ship" apart. This was a new term he learned, and along with this term, he also learned the saying, "You can oppose a ship, but you can never break it apart!" Hence, he found how Zhao Yu behaved toward Yin Zhao-an very upsetting.


    "I see." Zhao Yu ignored Wen Tao''s provocation and placed the bag of fruits on the bedside table. Then, he moved a chair up to the bed, sat next to Yin Zhao-an, and gently said, "I''m sorry for coming late. I was stuck in military training, and the teachers won''t let us leave sch¡ª."


    "Blah, blah, blah¡­"


    A voice interrupted Zhao Yu. When Zhao Yu turned around to glare at the source, he saw Wen Tao nonchalantly picking his ears while dawdling over to the sofa. Then, Wen Tao sat down, crossed his legs, and looked at Zhao Yu provocatively.


    Zhao Yu was a little peeved at getting interrupted. However, his upbringing forbade him from bickering with a hoodlum.


    "I have the next few days off from school, so how about I come over and keep you company?" Zhao Yu asked, putting his smile back on. "Do you know that you''ve become a celebrity in our school? Almost everyone at school knows about you now."


    "Hey, hey. Aside from Big Bro Zhao, Big Sis Tang is also famous, okay?" Wen Tao said, finding Zhao Yu''s gentlemanly act repulsive. Even Tony behaved more genuinely than Zhao Yu, though he hated both regardless.


    Zhao Yu''s expression turned very ugly after getting interrupted yet again, his hands resting on his kneecaps stiffening a little.


    Yin Zhao-an could see that Wen Tao was trying to pick a fight with Wen Tao. Although she didn''t know why her underling was doing such a thing, she hurriedly tried to defuse the situation, saying, "What good is there in having such fame? I''d rather people not know about me. There''s no point in arguing over this topic."


    "That''s right. There''s no point arguing about this," Wen Tao said in agreement.


    Who''s the one that started this argument in the first place? Zhao Yu silently rolled his eyes at Wen Tao.


    After getting interrupted twice in a row, Zhao Yu was no longer in the mood to talk. It was especially so when a despicable person like Wen Tao was still in the room.


    "I''ll come to visit you next time," Zhao Yu said as he got up from his seat. Then, he glanced at a certain somebody who was peeling a tangerine and added, "I''ll come when he''s not here."


    Wen Tao snorted disdainfully when he heard Zhao Yu''s words. Then, as soon as Zhao Yu stepped out of the ward, Wen Tao smirked and loudly said, "Too bad for you, then, since I''ll be staying here every day."


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu naturally heard what Wen Tao said. Holding back his anger, he left the hospital in a resentful mood. However, as his mind was distracted, he accidentally bumped into someone on his way out of the lobby and fell to the ground.


    Although Zhao Yu was filled with anger, the etiquette engraved onto his bones immediately made him apologize to the person he bumped into.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    "I''m sorry."


    Zhao Yu sullenly got up from the ground. Because of the fall, his white shirt became stained with dust from the floor, which gave him quite a miserable appearance.


    Just as Zhao Yu was about to step out of the lobby, someone grabbed his arm and handed him a piece of tissue paper. Then, he heard the other party asking, "Are you okay?"


    It was a voice he had heard only once before. Even so, hearing it allowed him to instantly think of the owner.

 CH 77

    6-8 minutes 08.01.2023


    When Zhao Yu looked up, he saw that the voice''s owner was indeed the doctor he had previously met outside Yin Zhao-an''s intensive care unit.


    At this time, Gao Rang had already changed into a set of casual clothing, the loose T-shirt he wore tucked neatly into his skinny black jeans that made his long legs look particularly eye-catching. Meanwhile, resting on the bridge of his nose was his usual pair of gold-rimmed glasses.


    "Are you crying?" Gao Rang asked as he scrutinized Zhao Yu''s face.


    Zhao Yu blushed up to his ears. This was the first time someone had scrutinized him so impolitely. Angrily, he turned away and said, "I''m not crying!"


    Gao Rang raised an eyebrow at Zhao Yu''s response. Then, relying on his height advantage, he placed a hand on Zhao Yu''s shoulder and said, "I just got off work. Since you''ve just finished visiting your friend, how about having a meal with me?"


    A meal¡­ Hearing these words reminded Zhao Yu that even if he returned home, he would only be having lunch by himself, and this realization put him into an even more dejected mood.


    Gao Rang caught the change in Zhao Yu''s expression. Grinning a little, he bent down and leaned into Zhao Yu''s ear, saying, "You don''t have to pay. Big Brother will treat you."


    W-What "Big Brother"?! Zhao Yu stumbled away with a look of disbelief and his heart beating rapidly. For some reason, he couldn''t help but get the feeling that he was being teased.


    After walking up to Zhao Yu again and giving the boy a pat on the shoulder, Gao Rang said, "Wait here. I''ll go get my car."


    "Aren''t we strangers?" Zhao Yu asked, finally finding the courage to speak his mind. Truth be told, he disliked this kind of inexplicable intimacy. Although he wasn''t worried that Gao Rang might be a human trafficker, he dared not trust a stranger so easily, even if the other party was a doctor who saved lives and healed the wounded.


    "I''m sorry; I must have creeped you out, right?" Gao Rang said, faintly smiling as he retracted his hand. Even so, his voice remained gentle, like his personality, as he said, "I just saw that you were in a bad mood. I also accidentally bumped into you. Thinking that this must be fate, I thought that I might as well treat you to a meal."


    Gao Rang paused for a moment. Then, after casually stroking his hair, he smiled in relief and said, "I''ll be taking my leave first, then. Be careful on your way home."


    Zhao Yu stood in place as he watched Gao Rang''s tall figure walk toward the parking lot, unsure if he was feeling disappointed or something else. In this complicated mood, he walked to the nearby bus stop alone.


    After taking a seat at the bus stop, Zhao Yu fell into a daze as he stared at the vehicles driving past him one after another.


    Zhao Yu felt that his life was gradually getting controlled. The time he spent in elementary school was the most relaxing time for him. However, before he realized it, his parents began to demand the strictest standards of him. They required him to wake up early every day and attend various supplementary classes. They would even have him sit in front of the piano for several hours straight to get him to play a piece of music properly. They no longer asked what he liked or wanted. Instead, they unilaterally imposed their requirements on him.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    Everyone praised him as a smart and sensible child. Under such hints, he silently hid his playful side. After doing so for many years, he had nearly forgotten where he had hidden that part of him already...


    Beep¡ª Beep¡ª


    A car horn sounded in front of him. Snapping out of his daze, Zhao Yu saw that a sleek black Volkswagen had stopped in front of him. Then, he saw the passenger window slowly lowering and revealing Gao Rang''s gentle and handsome face.


    "Get in," Gao Rang said. 4887


    It was a great inconvenience to others for one to stop a car at the bus stop. If a bus were to arrive at this time, it would most likely stall the normal traffic as a result. Knowing that now wasn''t the time to be headstrong, Zhao Yu quickly tried to open the door to the back seat, only to find that the door was locked.


    "Take the front set."


    ...


    The inside of the car was quiet, and only the sound of light and melodious music could be heard. Even though it was currently rush hour, Gao Rang remained very calm as he drove the car.


    Temperament was an amazing thing. A person''s temperament could determine all of their tastes. Gao Rang''s innate temperament should be gentle, as both his facial expressions and the decorations in his car gave off a comfortable aura. Even the silver watch he wore on his wrist had a gentle appearance.


    Zhao Yu kept his head lowered throughout the ride, suddenly feeling ashamed of himself. He had tried his best to live like someone else. In the end, he lost even his truest self.


    Gao Rang had been glancing at the strange boy sitting next to him from time to time. He remembered not thinking much when he first met the boy outside the intensive care unit. At most, he felt that the boy was someone who valued relationships. However, when he saw Zhao Yu''s series of reactions today...he felt that things were most likely not as simple as they appeared on the surface.


    "We''ll be in the city center after one more traffic light. What do you want to eat?" Gao Rang asked, striking up a conversation.


    Zhao Yu looked out the window when he heard Gao Rang''s question. Then, after pondering for a moment, he turned to Gao Rang and answered, "Let''s...have zhajiangmian."


    "Pfft¡­ You only want to eat that after coming all the way to the city center?" Gao Rang couldn''t help but laugh. At the same time, he quickly determined their destination and changed the route he took.


    "Nothing too expensive. I didn''t bring a lot of money with me¡­" Zhao Yu said, the confidence in his voice wavering as he spoke. The pocket money he received from his parents was a lot less than others his age. Although his parents would also give him money for living expenses at school, that money was in his campus card, and the card could only be used at school.


    "Okay. I''ll bring you to someplace cheap," Gao Rang said with a smirk. Then, while focusing his eyes on the road ahead, he asked, "By the way, I still don''t know your name, little friend."

 CH 78

    "Okay, Little Friend Zhao Yu," Gao Rang said, smiling.


    "What about you?" Zhao Yu asked, a dissatisfied frown appearing on his face. However, no matter how displeased he felt, he wasn''t about to argue with a stranger over a simple form of address.


    "Call me Big Brother," Gao Rang responded.


    "I''m serious," Zhao Yu said solemnly, indicating that his anger was about to reach a tipping point.


    Gao Rang chuckled when he saw Zhao Yu''s reaction, finding it a great achievement to irritate a seemingly well-mannered child. Then, as requested, he answered in a serious manner, "I thought you already knew who I was. My name is Gao Rang. The ''Gao(¸ß)'' for tall and stalwart(¸ß´ó), and the ''Rang'' for refined and polite(ÀñÈÃ). But you can call me ''Big Brother.''"


    "..." Zhao Yu did not respond to Gao Rang''s suggestion. Instead, he looked down and collapsed his slender hands together.


    "..." Gao Rang pursed his lips a little when he failed to get a response. Then, seemingly trying to emphasize something, he said, "I normally don''t dine with others, even when invited."


    Zhao Yu lifted his head and glanced at the person earnestly driving the car next to him. However, he still did not say a word.


    Seeing that his attempt at striking up a conversation had failed, Gao Rang helplessly sighed and muttered, "So the generational gap does exist¡­"


    ¡­


    "Li Beining cornered you at school?" Yin Zhao-an asked as she skewered a slice of apple and put it into her mouth. Then, while chewing, she said in a muffled voice, "C''mon, give me the details."


    Holding his face in frustration, Wen Tao said, "I don''t want to talk about it. In the first place, how did he even get into the school? Are the school''s security guards sleeping on the job? Anyone can tell he''s a delinquent with his hair dyed white."


    Nodding thoughtfully, Yin Zhao-an casually asked, "Doesn''t he have a little sister at school?"


    "Right! He still has a little sister!" Wen Tao said as if in realization. "His little sister isn''t some goodie-two-shoes like she appears to be. I spotted her smoking in a corner one day, and any skin she isn''t showing is almost covered entirely in tattoos! She''s your classical female delinquent!"


    Yin Zhao-an tried to recall the girl she met on their school''s enrollment day. However, the impression she had of Li Beiyu was that of a relatively innocent girl, so she couldn''t help but doubt Wen Tao''s description of the girl.


    "Are you sure you''re not just looking at her in a prejudiced light?"


    "Absolutely not! Does it look like I have nothing better to do?" Wen Tao said, snorting in disgust. Then, he leaned back against his chair and continued, "Although that Tony hasn''t done anything over the board, he keeps coming to harass me. I''ve already turned over a new leaf. Not to mention, I already have you as my big bro, so how could I let others win me over again?"


    "I did not try to win you over."


    A voice suddenly came from behind, nearly scaring Wen Tao out of his seat.


    "Hello, I am Li Beining," Li Beining greeted. He was clad in black and wore a black baseball cap today, and he held a large fruit basket in his hand. Then, holding up the fruit basket, he asked, "Where should I put this?"


    In response, Yin Zhao-an pointed at the coffee table next to the sofa and said, "Put it over there, thank you."


    "Fuck! Why are you here?!" Wen Tao finally got over his initial shock, and he immediately exploded into fury. At the same time, he warily shifted his chair closer to Yin Zhao-an.


    After giving Yin Zhao-an a polite smile, Li Beining turned to Wen Tao. Then, he narrowed his eyes and asked, "Why didn''t you answer my calls?"


    "My phone''s on silent," Wen Tao said with an annoyed look.


    "Why didn''t you reply to my messages?"


    "I already said my phone''s on silent! Also, why should I answer your calls? Don''t think I''m scared of you just because you stopped me a few times! My Big Bro is very good at fighting, so you best show me some respect!" After saying a bunch of tough words, Wen Tao turned to Yin Zhao-an like a wolf pup turning to its pack leader, "Right, Big Bro?"


    "..." The corners of Yin Zhao-an''s mouth twitched in exasperation. She had nothing to say in response to Wen Tao''s words.


    Li Beining''s expression softened a little. Then, after taking a seat on the sofa, he said, "Yin Zhao-an, I know you. You''ve become very famous."


    "Haha, thanks." Yin Zhao-an never thought she would become famous to a point where even strangers would know her, so she couldn''t help but find this situation hard to believe.


    In the meantime, Wen Tao felt as if a venomous snake''s gaze was scanning him, the feeling causing him to shudder and get goosebumps. When he secretly looked at the black-clad man on the sofa, sure enough, he found the other party''s deep eyes staring at him.


    Scared out of his wits, Wen Tao leaned against the bed and looked at Yin Zhao-an as if pleading for help.


    "Li Beining, do you have a grudge against Wen Tao?" Yin Zhao-an asked. Although she didn''t think Li Beining hated Wen Tao judging by how Li Beining behaved, it did look like there was some sort of problem surrounding the two. Meanwhile, it had already been several years since Wen Tao had become her underling, so she couldn''t just stand by and watch as he got bullied.


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    Li Beining was evidently caught off guard by Yin Zhao-an''s question as he started laughing, his deep laughter resonating across the room. Then, following his laughter, he said, "No, not at all. On the contrary, I like him very much, and I wish to be friends with him."


    "Screw you! Who behaves like that when making friends?! Why would you snatch my things if you''re trying to make friends?! You even threatened me!" Wen Tao promptly jumped out to refute Li Beining''s words, venting the frustrations accumulated within him.


    "I didn''t snatch anything. I only borrowed your phone to save my number," Li Beining said as his eyes narrowed into smiles. As for the threatening part, he did not refute it.


    Wen Tao was forced to the brink of tears by Li Beining''s behavior. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about Li Beining since he could neither win against him in a fight nor hide from him¡­


    "I hope it is as you said. Otherwise, I will seek justice for him," Yin Zhao-an said, the corners of her mouth slightly raised. However, even though she was smiling, there was a strong look of warning in her eyes. Despite her currently sickly state, the aura she exuded was not any less intimidating.


    "I won''t hurt him, so you can rest assured on this point," Li Beining said, nonchalantly accepting Yin Zhao-an''s innocuous threat. Then, he got up from the sofa and looked at Wen Tao, asking, "Do you want to go back together, Little Prince? I''ll drop you off."


    "''Little Prince,'' my ass!!"

 CH 79

    Despite how Wen Tao responded to Li Beining, he still left with the other party, seeing as he had already spent quite some time in the ward.


    Speaking of a long time, Wen Tao couldn''t help but wonder why Yin Zhao-an''s mother would be so relieved to leave her daughter without adult supervision for so long. However, when he stepped out of the ward and saw the person sitting on the bench outside, he quickly got his answer.


    When Wang Zhen saw Wen Tao and Li Beining coming out of her daughter''s ward, she got up and smiled, asking, "Done talking? I was worried you might feel awkward speaking if I was around, so I sat outside for a little longer."


    "No, no! We won''t feel awkward at all!" Wen Tao hurriedly said, feeling a little guilty for keeping a mother away from her recuperating daughter for so long. Then, while pulling Li Beining away, he continued, "Then, I''ll be leaving with my friend first! I''ll come to visit again soon!"


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    "Okay. Be careful on your way home."


    Before Wen Tao could answer, Li Beining responded, "I will. Thank you, Auntie."


    Wen Tao didn''t find it appropriate to erupt into fury in front of his Big Bro''s mother, so he quietly pinched the person next to him while squeezing a smile onto his face.


    ...


    After the noisy person left, Yin Zhao-an returned to her boring routine of convalescing, picked up the book No Longer Human from the bedside table, and resumed reading it.


    Meanwhile, Wang Zhen placed the lunch she had bought on the table and took out a small bowl of ginger and garlic. Then, the corners of her mouth raised a little as she said, "Oh, by the way, Little Yu said she''ll come to visit you tomorrow."


    Yin Zhao-an: ?!


    "Really?! It''s been so long since Tang-Tang came to see me!" Yin Zhao-an exclaimed. Immediately, she put down the book in her hand and grabbed the handheld mirror she had previously asked her mother for.


    After looking at herself in the mirror for a moment, Yin Zhao-an turned to her mother with an expectant look and asked, "Mom! How do I look?"


    Wang Zhen took a moment to look at her daughter''s shaved head and malnourished complexion. Then, she helplessly shook her head and said, "Don''t ask."


    Crack!


    Yin Zhao-an could seemingly hear her heart splitting in half. Then, returning her gaze to the mirror, she gloomily said, "It''s over... Tang-Tang won''t like me anymore..."


    Wang Zhen shook her head, not daring to comment blindly on the subject.


    ¡­


    It was a sunny day when Tang Yu visited, the warm breeze lifting her hair and exposing her bandaged right ear.


    Yin Zhao-an''s worry was naturally for naught. The reason Tang Yu had said those words that day was simply to give Yin Zhao-an a goal to strive for and avoid boredom.


    Tang Yu wore a fisherman''s hat when she entered Yin Zhao-an''s ward with her mother. After Yu Wanrou exchanged pleasantries with Wang Zhen, the two adults tactfully gave up the space to the two youngsters and went outside for a stroll.


    "Tang-Tang!" Yin Zhao-an called out in excitement. However, despite her excitement, she dared not recklessly move her body for fear of rupturing her wounds.


    Tang Yu did not respond right away. Instead, she shut the door behind her and took off her hat as she turned around.


    Yin Zhao-an looked significantly better than when she first regained consciousness. Her eyes were no longer sunken, and her limbs were no longer shriveled.


    After seeing Tang Yu staring at her in silence for a while, Yin Zhao-an subconsciously touched her face and asked, "Is...Is there something on my face?"


    Tang Yu quickly returned to her senses and stopped exploring Yin Zhao-an''s visage with her eyes. Then, she faintly smiled and said, "No. You look a lot better today."


    Since that incident, Tang Yu stopped being stingy with her smile around Yin Zhao-an. Even though her smiles didn''t look as sincere on the surface, they were still better than her previous cold indifference.


    "I''m going to school in a few days," Tang Yu softly said. She looked a little absent-minded as she gently kneaded her newly bought white T-shirt with her hands, leaving shallow creases on it.


    "Mhm, I know. It''s a pity I can''t go with you. Even though we were already assigned to the same dormitory..." Yin Zhao-an said, her voice filled with regret and loss.


    Subsequently, another long silence ensued, the silence confusing Yin Zhao-an. In Yin Zhao-an''s opinion, Tang Yu looked slightly out of sorts today.


    "Tang-Tang."


    "Hm?" Tang Yu looked up.


    Yin Zhao-an placed a hand over the back of Tang Yu''s back. Then, with a worried gaze, she asked, "Are you still feeling unwell? If you still haven''t made a full recovery, why not postpone returning to school for now and focus on¡ª"


    "No, that''s not the case."


    Tang Yu interrupted Yin Zhao-an, causing the latter to be at a loss for a while.


    Tang Yu frowned uncomfortably. She detested her current self. She hated how she was worrying about gains and losses like a fool.


    Unbeknownst to Yin Zhao-an, Wen Tao, as the captain of the SS Y&T, had already informed Tang Yu about Zhao Yu coveting Yin Zhao-an. Although Tang Yu had long known about this development, she didn''t expect to hear about it shortly after she had made up her mind to give herself to Yin Zhao-an again. Hence, she was at a loss.


    "I¡­ I want to go home. Help me make a call," Tang Yu said. She honestly didn''t know what she should say in this situation. There were just some things that couldn''t be figured out overnight. What would become of her relationship with Yin Zhao-an in the future¡­


    Only time could tell.


    Tang Yu would no longer let Yin Zhao-an be her everything. At the very least, not before she had finally obtained her.

 CH 80

    Even until Yu Wanrour brought Tang Yu away, Yin Zhao-an failed to understand what had happened in the short ten minutes they had spent together.


    At night, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t fall asleep, and she lay on her bed like a corpse as she blankly stared at the ceiling.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu returned to school, her and Yin Zhao-an''s beds remained unoccupied. However, Yin Changcheng had already taken Yin Zhao-an''s luggage home at some point. Though, he left behind a drawer full of snacks for Tang Yu.


    The moment Tang Yu stepped into the dormitory, the room''s occupants stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her. Some looked at her in scrutiny, while some looked out of curiosity.


    After experiencing compulsory military training, Tang Yu''s roommates had become tanned to varying degrees. However, as Tang Yu had never met her roommates before today, she had no idea what they looked like before military training and whether their tanned skin was actually a result of military training.


    After a moment of silence, a tall and lean bespectacled girl with a high ponytail approached Tang Yu and introduced herself, "Hello, I''m Year 1, Class 3''s Li Xiuli. I am the dormitory head of this room."


    Tang Yu nodded and softly said, "Hello, my name is Tang Yu."


    "I know." Nudging her black-rimmed glasses, Li Xiuli smiled and said, "You''re very famous at our school, and so is the other girl."


    ¡­


    "By the way¡­"


    After several minutes of conversation, Li Xiuli had a rough idea of Tang Yu''s personality. So, to avoid an awkward atmosphere, she took the initiative to bring up a new topic, saying, "The dormitory is randomly sorted, so not everyone here will be of the same class.


    "Mhm, I heard it from a teacher," Tang Yu said, nodding.


    As the other people in the dormitory didn''t seem eager to initiate a conversation, Li Xiuli briefly introduced their names and classes to Tang Yu. Then, after completing her responsibilities as the dormitory head, she returned to her bed with peace of mind and resumed sorting through the new textbooks she had just received from the school.


    While staring at Yin Zhao-an''s empty bed, Tang Yu fell into thought and recalled Yin Zhao-an previously saying that sleeping on a top bunk could let her avoid many unnecessary troubles¡­


    If she can think of such a thing, why is she so dense when it comes to relationships?


    After letting out a frustrated sigh, Tang Yu brought her luggage over to her bed and started to unpack.


    ¡­


    On her first day of class, Tang Yu followed her form teacher to the faculty office to pick up her textbooks, the brand new book covers looking a little dazzling when brought under the sun''s rays.


    "Little Miss Tang!"


    A clear male voice came from behind Tang Yu, stopping her in her tracks. Then, she turned around to look at the other party.


    Zhao Yu currently wore his summer uniform. Unlike Tang Yu''s new roommates, Zhao Yu''s naturally fair skin had withstood the test of military training, looking white and glowing as always. At this time, his sweaty hair was slightly parted, revealing his smooth forehead.


    The way Zhao Yu addressed her was a form of address Tang Yu hadn''t heard for a long time, and the memories it brought back caused her expression to change a little. However, Tang Yu quickly sorted out her emotions and reverted to her usual harmless appearance. Then, she asked in a low voice, "Do you need something?"


    Zhao Yu nervously swallowed his saliva. After hesitating to speak a few times, he eventually found the courage to ask, "I...I want to ask, what is your relationship with Zhao-an?"


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    Zhao-an?


    Tang Yu quietly lowered her gaze, a layer of haze covering her clear pupils.


    "Friends."


    Zhao Yu wasn''t satisfied with this answer. If Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu were only friends, yet Yin Zhao-an was already willing to put her life at risk for Tang Yu, what would his relationship with Yin Zhao-an be considered?


    "Haven''t you noticed that the way you two get along is too strange?" Zhao Yu asked.


    Tang Yu didn''t want to debate this pointless question with Zhao Yu. After all, she couldn''t possibly tell him, "Yin Zhao-an is mine, and she likes only me, so give up on her," right?


    "I don''t think there''s anything strange," Tang Yu said before embracing her textbooks and walking away.


    Failing to get a proper answer, Zhao Yu subconsciously reached out and grabbed Tang Yu''s arm, saying, "Hold on a second..."


    Thud¡ª


    The books in Tang Yu''s arms fell and scattered all over the floor, the brand-new covers getting a few scratches from the rough floor. The corners of the books also became wrinkled.


    "Bastard! What are you doing?!"


    An angry voice suddenly came from nearby. Then, before Tang Yu could crouch down to pick up her books, she saw Zhao Yu getting sent to the floor by a punch to the face.


    When Tang Yu heard the sound made by the punch, she knew that Wen Tao did not hold back any of his strength. In only an instant, the corner of Zhao Yu''s face became swollen, with a streak of blood oozing out.


    Zhao Yu gasped. He could feel a sharp pain coming from his arm, and he could also see his forearm swelling up at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    "Stop this instant!"


    As soon as Tang Yu recovered from her initial surprise, she promptly rushed over to pull Wen Tao away, the latter still looking to continue his assault on Zhao Yu.


    Wen Tao was still incensed. Although he didn''t continue physically attacking Zhao Yu for fear of injuring Tang Yu, he pointed at Zhao Yu and yelled, "After harassing my Big Bro, you come to harass my sister-in-law?! Are you a professional at tearing couples apart?!"


    "Shut your mouth!" Tang Yu commanded, a deep frown on her face. Then, after pushing Wen Tao aside, she went over to help Zhao Yu up from the ground while saying to Wen Tao, "I''ll take him to the hospital. You pick up my books and help me apply for leave from my teacher."


    Wen Tao couldn''t help but feel aggrieved in this situation. Even though he was clearly doing a good deed, Tang Yu had chosen to berate him. Not to mention, he didn''t even punch Zhao Yu with the intent to kill, so he couldn''t help but feel that Zhao Yu''s pained reaction was an overreaction.


    "His arm has swelled up. He probably has a bone fracture."


    Before anyone realized it, Li Beining had appeared next to them and calmly analyzed Zhao Yu''s condition, his words scaring the wits out of Wen Tao.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    The "bone fracture" here is a reference to Chapter 61, where Li Beining previously said "50% discount(ÎåÕÛ - w¨³ zh¨¦)", but Wen Tao misheard it as "bone fracture (¹ÇÕÛ - g¨³ zh¨¦)."

 CH 81

    "Fuck! When did you get here?!" Wen Tao instinctively cursed. Then, when he looked around, he saw that Tang Yu had already disappeared with Zhao Yu, leaving him behind with Li Beining.


    Li Beining fondly smiled as he reached out to rub Wen Tao''s soft hair. Then, he said, "I arrived long ago. You just weren''t paying attention."


    Wen Tao slapped away the hand that was messing up his neatly combed hair. Then, giving Li Beining a look of disgust, Wen Tao said, "If you want to say something, just say it! Don''t touch my hair!"


    The smile in Li Beining''s eyes gradually vanished, his expression growing solemn. It was as if he had suddenly changed into an entirely different person.


    This was the first time Wen Tao had seen such an expression on Li Beining, and he couldn''t help but back away out of fear and anxiety.


    "Listen here, Wen Tao. When the school asks you who caused that boy''s injury, tell them I did it," Li Beining said as he grabbed Wen Tao by the arm, his silver hair glistening under the winter sun.


    "W...Why?" Wen Tao frowned in confusion. "I will take responsibility for my own actions. Why should I have you take the blame?"


    "I''m not a student, so I won''t have to worry about getting a bad record in school. Although they can report me to the police...I already have a criminal record, so a minor offense like this is trivial," Li Beining said, finding Wen Tao''s stunned expression a little funny. Then, he gently tapped his knuckle Wen Tao on the forehead and continued, "You''re still a student with a clean record, so you should keep it that way."


    "Not a chance!" Wen Tao shouted as he pushed away the person gradually moving closer to him. Then, scratching his hair in irritation, he said, "I don''t need you to meddle in my affairs. At worst, they''ll give me a demerit. Whatever the case, I''ll take responsibility for my own actions."


    Li Beining put his hands into his pockets as he watched the upset young man walk away, a different emotion appearing in his eyes.


    Should he say that as expected of the kid he had taken a liking to?


    Wen Tao was clean. Very clean. The boy remained mostly uncontaminated even after rolling about in the cesspool known as society for a couple of years. In this day and age, specimens like Wen Tao had already become very rare.


    Suddenly thinking of something, Li Beining shook his head and chuckled before making his way out of the school campus.


    ¡­


    The hospital was as crowded as always. Almost every day, countless people would come to line up in the lobby, each waiting anxiously in front of a counter with a phone or a bill in hand.


    "Why are there so many people..." Tang Yu knitted her brows as she carefully helped Zhao Yu over to an empty seat. "Wait here for me while I get you registered. Be careful not to let anyone touch your arm."


    "...Okay," Zhao Yu weakly responded, his lips turning white from the pain.


    Unfortunately, no matter how much of a hurry Tang Yu was in, she could only anxiously wait in line to register Zhao Yu.


    "Huh? Weren''t you discharged already?"


    This voice... Gao Rang!


    Tang Yu abruptly turned around when she heard Gao Rang''s voice, giving the other party a scare. Then, before Gao Rang could recover from his surprise, she urgently said, "Zhao Yu''s arm is broken!"


    Gao Rang instantly turned serious when he heard the name "Zhao Yu," his usually gentle face tensing up as he asked, "Where is he?"


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    "Over here," Tang Yu said as she led Gao Rang to Zhao Yu.


    ...


    Even after the surgery ended, Zhao Yu''s parents did not show up. Gao Rang even had to register as Zhao Yu''s guardian when helping the boy fill in his paperwork, which gave him a mild headache.


    "Is the patient''s family still not here, Doctor Gao?" a young nurse quietly asked Gao Rang as she carefully administered an injection to the unconscious Zhao Yu.


    "No. After asking about their son''s condition, they didn''t say anything else and simply hung up," Gao Rang said with a blank expression whilst filling in his personal information on Zhao Yu''s medical record.


    "Then..."


    "I''ll foot his medical expenses for now, so don''t worry about that." Gao Rang knew what the nurse wanted to say. After all, the hospital wasn''t a charity organization. Whether it was the hospitalization fee or the treatment fee, both cost a significant sum of money.


    "But why? Do you know the patient, Doctor Gao?" the nurse asked in confusion.


    "Mhm, I know him. You can carry on with your duties and call me if something comes up. I''ll be here in the meantime," Gao Rang said, beaming a smile at the nurse. Then, he pulled over a stool and sat down beside Zhao Yu.


    Gao Rang''s charming smile enchanted the young nurse, causing the latter to blush all the way to her ears as she trotted out of the ward.


    ¡­


    The teenager lying unconscious on the bed had a pale complexion. His forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and his brows had remained furrowed since he entered the hospital.


    Gao Rang stood up and took out a pack of tissues from his coat pocket. For a moment, he didn''t know what expression he should make. He never thought that the tissues he had previously prepared would find use on such an occasion.


    Gently and carefully, Gao Rang wiped the fine sweat off Zhao Yu''s forehead. Then, he subconsciously reached out to smoothen the boy''s furrowed brows, but to no avail.


    Gao Rang helplessly sighed as he tucked in the quilt for Zhao Yu before sitting back down on the chair.


    ¡­


    "What? Wen Tao beat up Zhao Yu?" For a moment, Yin Zhao-an wondered if she had misheard Tang Yu. However, seeing her Tang-Tang''s worried look, she had probably heard correctly.


    "Zhao Yu came to talk to me at the time. Maybe Wen Tao thought he was trying to bully me, so..." Tang Yu was feeling very upset at herself right now. If it wasn''t for her behavior, none of these problems would have happened.


    "Where is Wen Tao now? How is Zhao Yu doing?" Yin Zhao-an asked. Both people involved in this fight were her close friends. She didn''t hope for the two to become enemies, even if the two didn''t get along with one another.


    Shaking her head, Tang Yu said, "Zhao Yu suffered a fracture to his forearm, but he''s fine now after surgery. The problem is that Zhao Yu''s parents still haven''t shown up for some reason."

 CH 82

    "Ah¡­ Is that so?" Yin Zhao-an held her chin and put on a pondering look. Then, recalling her memories, she said, "He mentioned to me in the past that his father doesn''t seem to like him very much and is very strict with him."


    "Mhm¡­"


    Although Tang Yu wasn''t aware of the whole situation surrounding Zhao Yu, she could more or less see that he had come from a strict household. When she first got acquainted with Zhao Yu during her previous life, the boy would put on a facade and behave courteously in all situations. It was only after Zhao Yu had met Gao Rang did he gradually find out that he possessed a mischievous side, similar to most boys his age.


    Originally, Tang Yu thought that with all the changes she had caused, Zhao Yu and Gao Rang might never meet each other in this life. However, because of Wen Tao''s "assistance," the two still ended up meeting each other. Although Tang Yu had no idea what the future would hold, she was eager to see how the relationship between Zhao Yu and Gao Rang would develop.


    While Tang Yu was lost in her thoughts, Yin Zhao-an continued in distress, "I wonder how Wen Tao is going to resolve this huge mess..."


    Tang Yu found Yin Zhao-an''s troubled look a little amusing. However, the expression on her face remained unchanged as she said, "You should worry more about yourself. You still have a long ways to go before you make a full recovery."


    It was a rare occasion for Tang Yu to show concern for her, so Yin Zhaoa-n tactfully nodded and smiled, saying, "Roger! I''ll make sure to take good care of myself!"


    As soon as Yin Zhao-an finished speaking, the phone on the bedside table suddenly started to vibrate. The two girls simultaneously turned to look at the phone. Then, they exchanged looks, and Yin Zhao-an saw a curious look in Tang Yu''s eyes. A brief moment later, Yin Zhao-an reached for the phone, and a look of disbelief appeared on her face when she saw the caller ID displayed on the screen.


    When Tang Yu saw Yin Zhao-an showing her the caller ID, she, too, was a little surprised.


    "Hello..." Yin Zhao-an answered the call and quietly listened to the other party speak, her expression changing several times throughout the mostly one-sided conversation. Finally, the person on the other end hung up the phone after receiving a dazed "Okay" from her.


    "What did he say?" Tang Yu asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.


    In response, Yin Zhao-an gestured for Tang Yu to move closer, looking as if she was about to share a secret that shouldn''t be shared. Tang Yu hesitated when she saw this, but she eventually gave in to her curiosity and slowly leaned closer to Yin Zhao-an with her left ear.


    Once Tang Yu''s ear was close enough, Yin Zhao-an softly said, "Li Beining went to the school''s guidance director and confessed that he was the one who hit Zhao Yu and would foot Zhao Yu''s medical expenses. He asks that we corroborate with his confession."


    Putting on a complicated expression, Tang Yu asked, "Will Zhao Yu agree to it?"


    "...Probably?" Yin Zhao-an weakly said, her voice lacking any sort of confidence.


    "How can you be sure?"


    "Because he likes..." Yin Zhao-an''s words came to an abrupt end. Realizing she had misspoken, she timidly looked at Tang Yu''s expressionless face like a child who had done something wrong.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu parted her lips slightly and finished Yin Zhao-an''s words for her, "Because he likes you."


    "I..." Yin Zhao-an grew flustered.


    "What about you?" Tang Yu''s voice was very gentle, like a persuasive parent guiding a lost child. "Do you like him? Do you want to be with him?"


    "I..." Do I like him? Do I want to be with him? No. Yin Zhao-an shook her head. Then, an image suddenly flashed in her mind, and she subconsciously said, "I like you."


    As soon as these words fell, the two people in the room were momentarily stunned. Immediately afterward, a light flickered in Tang Yu''s eyes, and her hands resting on her kneecaps trembled a little. Then, she tentatively asked in a trembling tone, "You like me?"


    Yin Zhao-an covered her lips with one hand and looked away guiltily, her ears becoming red like cooked crayfish.


    Tang Yu had waited for this sentence from Yin Zhao-an all her life. However, even until she died during her previous life, she never got to hear it. On the brink of tears, Tang Yu got off her chair, moved closer to Yin Zhao-an, and persistently asked, "Did you just say that...you like--"


    "I didn''t!" Yin Zhao-an flatly denied. However, as soon as she said these words, she grew even more afraid to look Tang Yu straight in the eyes.


    "..."


    Tang Yu felt a stabbing pain coming from her lower lip, followed by a rusty smell permeating her mouth. Her wet eyelashes drooping, Tang Yu nonchalantly smiled and faintly said, "I''ll go and check on Zhao Yu."


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    Sure enough...she was imagining things yet again.


    ...


    Wang Zhen entered the ward a moment after Tang Yu left. Then, while looking in the direction Tang Yu was walking in, she asked her daughter, "What happened here? Why was Little Yu crying?"


    C-Crying?


    Yin Zhao-an felt a sudden pain in her chest, her hands subconsciously clamping down on her quilt. However, she couldn''t think of anything to say.


    ¡­


    When Gao Rang stepped out of Zhao Yu''s ward, she met Tang Yu face to face. Seeing the girl''s red and swollen eyes, he was momentarily taken aback. Then, he asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Tang Yu shook her head and looked into the ward through the gap in the door.


    "Zhao Yu''s family members didn''t show up, but they did send a care worker. They''ve paid the hospitalization fee already, and they said they will take over the matter from now on," Gao Rang explained.


    "Is he awake now?" Tang Yu asked, her voice sounding a little hoarse.


    "No. The anesthesia is still in effect, so he won''t be waking up anytime soon," Gao Rang answered. Then, after taking a look at his watch, he looked at Tang Yu apologetically and said, "I still have things to do, so I''ll be taking my leave first."


    ...


    The care worker was a middle-aged woman, and she was a little puzzled when she saw Tang Yu entering the ward. "You are?"


    "I am the classmate who sent him to the hospital," Tang Yu frankly replied.

 CH 83

    "Oh, so you''re the young master''s classmate. The young master is still asleep," the care worker said as she smiled at Tang Yu apologetically. Then, holding up the towel soaked with hot water in her hand, she continued, "I''m about to wipe the young master off, seeing as he is covered in sweat."


    Evidently, Tang Yu couldn''t stay in the ward any longer. So, she tactfully said, "I''ll head back to school first, then."


    After saying so, Tang Yu''s eyes lingered on Zhao Yu''s pale complexion for a moment before she turned around and left.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu returned to school, she heard a bunch of gossip coming from the people around her. When she returned to her dormitory, her roommates looked at her with curious eyes.


    While Tang Yu was drying clothes on the balcony, Li Xiuli came over with a basin of washed clothes. Then, she grabbed a handful of clothes hangers and shut the balcony door behind her, isolating them from the curious gazes of the other people in the room.


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    "Do you know what rumors they are spreading around in school right now?" Li Xiuli asked as she put a piece of clothing on a hanger and hung it on the clothesline with the help of a clothes pole.


    Tang Yu shook her head in response. After adding one of her own washed clothes onto the clothesline, she said, "I don''t know. Nobody told me about them."


    The corners of Li Xiuli''s mouth raised a little when she heard Tang Yu''s answer. Then, speaking as if she were a bard telling a story, she said, "It is said that Miss Tang is gentle, elegant, dignified, and beautiful, and with these traits, she caused a fight to erupt between the Olympiad class''s handsome young master and the honors class''s delicate junior brother."


    Tang Yu blushed. At the same time, she couldn''t help but be exasperated by this rumor...


    Meanwhile, after Li Xiuli finished speaking, she moved closer to Tang Yu. Then, with a gossipy look on her face, she continued, "Hey, hey, which one of those two do you like?"


    Holding back the urge to roll her eyes, Tang Yu pinched the bridge of her nose and said, "I have nothing to do with either of them. I just happen to be acquainted with them, that''s all. The rumors you heard are just misunderstandings."


    "Oh." Li Xiuli had an epiphany. Then, her eyes curving into smiles, she carefully asked, "Does that mean...neither of those two handsome boys has a partner? Is that it?"


    "...Yes." After hesitating for a moment, Tang Yu added, "For the time being."


    Indeed, nobody could tell what the future would hold.


    "Okay!" Blushing in excitement, Li Xiuli exclaimed, "I''m going to go after the little man from the honors class! He looks so cute and obedient!!"


    Tang Yu awkwardly smiled before resuming drying her clothes. Of all the people Li Xiuli could have chosen to pursue, she just had to pick "Big Brother''s" man...


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu arrived at her classroom, she instantly became the center of attention. Although she didn''t want to admit it, she knew that everyone in the school most likely knew her by now. After all, she had gotten involved in a major incident on the school''s enrollment day and even caused a minor incident as soon as she returned.


    Upon arriving at her designated desk, Tang Yu saw that her textbooks were neatly stacked in her drawer and on the table. Although the books had minor scratches and wrinkles in some areas, it seemed that Wen Tao had done his best to return the books to their original appearances.


    Leaving the books aside, Tang Yu noted that she had a petite girl for a deskmate. When the girl saw Tang Yu, a look of curiosity immediately appeared on her face.


    After seeing Tang Yu take her seat, the girl leaned closer to her and quietly asked, "Um... Are you Tang Yu?"


    Tang Yu responded with a soft hum whilst writing down her name on her textbooks, her expression remaining indifferent.


    "Then...about the rumors..."


    "All of them are fake," Tang Yu answered before the girl could finish her sentence. "I am acquainted with them, but we aren''t close."


    "Oh..." Miss Deskmate''s gossipy heart extinguished, and she returned to her seat and began studying a complicated mathematics book.


    Despite her indifferent behavior, Tang Yu couldn''t help but wonder why there had yet to be news of the school seeking Wen Tao for accountability. After all, it was obvious that everyone at school already knew that Zhao Yu and Wen Tao fought. Yet, the school didn''t even issue a notice on the matter.


    In the end, Tang Yu harbored these curious thoughts throughout the morning session. Then, before she could return to the dormitory to ask the gossip expert Li Xiuli for an answer, Wen Tao stopped her outside the teaching block.


    "Let''s have lunch in the cafeteria, Big Sis Tang."


    "?" Tang Yu was confused by the sudden invitation. After suspiciously looking around, she held back the urge to ask if someone was blackmailing the boy into doing so. Either that, or he had lost in a game of dare with his friends and was told to invite her for lunch.


    "You don''t look very well," Tang Yu said after taking a closer look at Wen Tao''s face. There were dark circles under Wen Tao''s eyes, suggesting that he must have had very little sleep last night.


    "Let''s go eat first. We can talk as we eat. Otherwise, Big Bro is going to give me an earful," Wen Tao said, sighing heavily while scratching his hair in irritation.


    "An-An asked you to eat with me?" Tang Yu couldn''t help but doubt her ears for a moment. At the same time, though, a hint of expectation appeared in her heart.


    "Yeah. Big Bro had long told me to keep an eye on your meals. She says you have a bad stomach and worries that you might skip meals," Wen Tao answered without much thought.


    "...Oh."


    Tang Yu lowered her head, the corners of her mouth slowly rising and her delicate dimples looming. She had her doubts before, but she''d be incredibly dense if she still failed to realize what was going on after receiving such a big hint.


    Too timid to face your own heart, huh? No matter. I''ll let you know what you truly want sooner or later¡­

 CH 84

    The moment Tang Yu entered the cafeteria with Wen Tao, she could hear gasps coming from all around her, followed by a bunch of hushed discussions.


    Wen Tao was in an irritable mood right now. Ignoring the abnormalities around him, he made his way to the disinfection cabinet to get two sets of tableware. Then, after passing a set to Tang Yu, he walked over to the food counter to select what he wanted.


    Tang Yu could already tell that there would be a new version of the "love-hate entanglement" rumors surrounding her tomorrow. But...she had no intention of clarifying the situation. If these rumors could reach Yin Zhao-an''s ears...then things should get interesting.


    When Wen Tao saw that Tang Yu ordered only two dishes, he bought a bowl of crock pot soup for her using his own meal card. He had promised his Big Bro to take care of his Sister-in-law, so he naturally had to make good on his promise, right?


    After finding a seat at the corner of the cafeteria, Wen Tao quickly wolfed down his meal and wiped his mouth. Then, after sorting through the words in his mind, he said, "Li Beining is in jail."


    "Cough, cough¡­" Tang Yu choked on her food, completely caught off guard by this revelation.


    Wen Tao swiftly handed a tissue paper to Tang Yu, his unfazed expression and swiftness of his response showing that he had more or less expected Tang Yu to have such a reaction.


    "From what I heard, that bastard went to the guidance director and outright stated that he had hospitalized one of our school''s students. The guidance director was given a scare at the time," Wen Tao said, laughing helplessly after speaking up to this point. "That bastard''s simply crazy. Afterward, the guidance director contacted Zhao Yu''s parents, but both his parents said that they didn''t have the time to come over. It really makes you wonder whether they actually gave birth to him."


    "Then? What happened next?" Tang Yu had already finished her meal, and she sipped her soup while curiously listening to Wen Tao''s story.


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    "Afterward, the guidance director decided to let the police handle this matter. So, the police came and took Li Beining away. I heard they''re going to keep him locked up for a few days."


    "Oh¡­" Tang Yu lowered her gaze with a pondering look. "What about you? What plans do you have?"


    Scratching his head, Wen Tao said with a troubled expression, "I...was originally going to turn myself in, but Li Beining sent a text message to threaten me..."


    "What did he write?"


    "He¡­" Wen Tao opened and closed his mouth several times, but he simply couldn''t find it within himself to reveal what Li Beining said. Ultimately, he chose not to reveal Li Beining''s threat and simply said, "It''s best if you don''t know about it, Big Sis Tang. The way boys speak is too vulgar, so I don''t want to pollute your ears."


    "...I see." Tang Yu blinked her eyes, more or less able to guess the contents of the threat. Then, she nodded in realization and sank her head into her bowl of soup to hide her expression.


    "I''ll just think of this as me owing him one. I''ll also pay for Zhao Yu''s medical expenses, so tell Zhao Yu not to go to Li Beining. Owing him a favor is already more than enough. I don''t want to owe him money on top of that."


    "Okay. I''ll tell him that when I visit him next time."


    ¡­


    Father Zhao didn''t think much of the incident involving his son this time. In his opinion, boys should be masculine. So, when he first learned that his son had gotten involved in a fight with someone, he honestly felt a little relieved. After all, his son had always behaved submissively, and the boy was nothing like him.


    Of course, it was still necessary to teach the person who bullied his son a lesson.


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu stayed in the hospital for a few days, during which the police came to him for questioning.


    Wen Tao, the culprit behind Zhao Yu''s hospitalization, also visited Zhao Yu several times. However, not once did he show up without a look of hostility on his face.


    "I might be in the wrong this time, but you should think carefully about whether your behavior is appropriate. Can you not see the relationship between my Big Bro Zhao and Big Sis Tang?" Wen Tao said with a frown on his face and his hands stuck in his trouser pockets.


    Staring at the steam coming out of the cup of warm beverage in his hands, Zhao Yu asked, "I''m pursuing the person I like. What is wrong with that?"


    Zhao Yu''s question put Wen Tao into a bind. He knew that reason was not on his side. He also knew that he couldn''t outspeak the sanctimonious bastard before him. So, he bluntly said, "You have done nothing wrong, but I believe you won''t be the one to stand next to my Big Bro at the end of the day. I advise you not to take yourself too seriously. Otherwise, you''ll be the only one who''s feeling sad in the end."


    After saying so, Wen Tao inexplicably shuddered and got goosebumps. Thinking that he might have overstayed his welcome, he quickly said, "Anyway, I''m leaving. Also, I''ve already credited the hospital expenses to your card."


    Wen Tao turned around to leave as soon as he finished speaking, only to be given a scare by the gloomy-looking doctor standing by the door.


    The eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses shone coldly, looking like the eyes of a lone wolf that had locked its sights on its mortal enemy.


    Wen Tao nervously swallowed his saliva. Then, after awkwardly smiling at the doctor, he hurriedly fled out of the ward. However, even after entering the corridor, he could still feel Gao Rang''s cold gaze on him, causing him to break into a cold sweat.


    What rotten luck! Why do I keep bumping into that strange doctor whenever I come here?! Those eyes definitely belong to a killer! Wen Tao mentally cursed. At the same time, he uttered a silent prayer for Zhao Yu. It must be a terrible experience to have to deal with such a scary doctor all day, every day.

 CH 85

    7-8 minutes 18.01.2023


    Gao Rang just happened to have arrived outside Zhao Yu''s ward when Wen Tao said, "I advise you not to think so highly of yourself." For some inexplicable reason, hearing these words incensed him, and his anger nearly took over his sense of reasoning. However, when he saw the young man quietly leaning against the hospital bed drinking water, his heart quickly calmed down, seemingly afraid to disturb the other party.


    After walking over to the bed, Gao Rang suddenly asked, "Have we¡­met somewhere before?"


    Zhao Yu was a little stunned by Gao Rang''s random question, but he still pondered over it earnestly. Then, he answered, "The first time we met was outside the ICU, and the next time we met was when I came to visit Zhao¡­Brother Zhao."


    While the young man was earnestly analyzing his question, Gao Rang fixed his gaze on the young man''s lips. When he saw the bright red lips that had just received moisture, he inexplicably got an urge to leave his mark on them...


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    "Why are you asking this all of a sud...den..." Before Zhao Yu could finish speaking, Gao Rang had already hurried out of the room. All he managed to see was the corners of Gao Rang''s white coat disappearing from the ward''s entrance. Then, silence returned to the room.


    "..."


    Zhao Yu was stunned for a few seconds. Then, he wondered if an emergency patient had arrived at the hospital. Out of curiosity, he looked out the door, then out the window, but failed to hear anything worthy of note.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Gao Rang, who had sought shelter in a dark stairwell, irritably took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Then, he took a cigarette out and simply held it in his mouth. Although the smell of tobacco sickened him a little, it also worked to calm his heart.


    He wasn''t a smoker. He had seen his buddies smoking with relish during his teens, so he had tried smoking out of curiosity. As a result, he nearly threw up after taking his first puff.


    The corners of Gao Rang''s eyes were a little red. When that thought took shape in his mind just now, he even had the urge to kill himself, the logical part of his mind screaming at him:


    You lunatic! You''re worse than a beast! He''s only sixteen! He''s still a minor! Not to mention...he''s a boy...


    After staying in the stairwell for an unknown amount of time and scaring off several patients, Gao Rang finally returned to his office and made a call.


    "Hello...Doctor Wang, I want to make an appointment for a psychological consultation... OK, thank you."


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu''s injury was limited to only his arm, so he wasn''t restricted to his bed or ward. Because of this, he would often wander around the inpatient department and occasionally visit the bored Yin Zhao-an for a chat.


    It was a sunny day today. But, perhaps because it was already nearing the end of summer, the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. The sound of leaves rustling against the gentle breeze also started to give off autumn vibes.


    Amidst this gentle breeze, two teenagers sat next to each other in the hospital''s courtyard garden. One sat in a wheelchair while the other sat on a bench.


    "Do you...still remember that you owe me an answer?" Zhao Yu started the conversation in a lukewarm tone, his brows and eyes looking soft under the sunlight.


    "You are a wonderful person, so you deserve better," Yin Zhao-an curtly replied. If Zhao Yu had asked her this question some time ago, she might have given him a different answer. But now...she had already figured out her heart''s desire.


    Zhao Yu had long expected such an outcome. He had also mentally prepared himself for rejection. Even so, he still couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed, and his eyes warmed up outside his control.


    "Can I still call you Brother Zhao?" Zhao Yu asked with a reassuring smile, his voice regaining some of its childish tone when they used to play together during childhood.


    Yin Zhao-an''s heart warmed up, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly as she said, "Of course."


    "But..." Pursing his lips, Zhao Yu hesitated a moment before he asked, "Can I know who that person in your heart is?"


    A face with a gentle smile flashed in Yin Zhao-an''s mind when she heard Zhao Yu''s question. Even the look in her eyes grew gentle when she recalled this gentle smile.


    Zhao Yu caught the change in Yin Zhao-an''s expression. While fiddling with a leaf that had just fallen onto his lap, he asked, "Is it Big Sis Tang?"


    "No," Yin Zhao-an instinctively responded yet again before her mind could even process the question. At this point, it was as if her mouth was hard-coded to automatically give such an answer whenever she was asked such a question.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Yu froze when he heard the unexpected answer. He originally thought Yin Zhao-an liked Tang Yu romantically, but he didn''t expect Yin Zhao-an to give a negative response so firmly and without hesitation. 4887


    "Uh..." Zhao Yu awkwardly looked up at the sky. "I was just making a random guess, so don''t mind it too much, Brother Zhao."


    Yin Zhao-an felt a throbbing pain in her heart, her hands tightly clenching onto the blanket covering her legs. She even started to have difficulty breathing, and she felt like something had grabbed her heart and crushed it thoroughly.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Yu caught a glimpse of a figure passing one of the hospital''s balconies, the person''s back looking quite familiar to him.


    Doctor Gao?


    Throughout the past few days, Zhao Yu only met Gao Rang during morning check-ups. Never did Gao Rang show up before him at any other time. It was as if the young doctor had suddenly become busy.


    The reason Zhao Yu noted this change wasn''t because he was being sensitive. Instead, it was because Gao Rang was the only person willing to chat with him to relieve his boredom during his hospitalization. Not to mention, during the first few days of his hospitalization, Gao Rang would often visit his ward with medical records in hand. Gao Rang''s visits were so often that he couldn''t help but wonder if the other party was actually a doctor.


    When Zhao Yu could finally get out of bed and walk around, he saw the information of the attending doctor above the inpatient department''s entrance. Meanwhile, Gao Rang''s name and photo were in the second position, and his date of birth was also listed.


    When Zhao Yu initially saw Gao Rang''s date of birth, he immediately got the urge to call out Gao Rang for being shameless. After all, Gao Rang was already 27 this year, yet he wanted him to refer to him as "Big Brother?" It''d be more appropriate to call him "Uncle" instead!


    Though, this "Uncle" was indeed a little too young and handsome...

 CH 86

    Yin Zhao-an lazily yawned as she grew drowsy amidst the comfortable breeze.


    Wang Zhen, who had stood some distance away to offer the two teenagers some privacy, walked over with a thin coat in hand when she noticed her daughter yawning. After draping the coat over her daughter''s shoulders, she asked, "Tired? Let''s go back, then. It''s been quite some time since you''ve come outside."


    "Okay." Yin Zhao-an nodded with a weary look.


    Zhao Yu smiled as he watched the two leave. Then, he leaned back against the bench, spread his slender legs naturally, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, a man leaned against the edge of a window sill, his eyes lingering on the young man in the courtyard for a long time as the sun cast its warm afterglow on the cold metal frame of his spectacles.


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu''s stay in the hospital didn''t last for long. He could already start attending school again in less than half a month. Before he was discharged from the hospital, though, Gao Rang helped him switch out his splint for a new one.


    Gao Rang wore a calm expression that day. Zhao Yu noticed that the Doctor Gao who''d always take the initiative to talk to him had seemingly disappeared, as Gao Rang did not say a word throughout the entire process of replacing his splint. Even after Gao Rang finished his job, he simply said, "Take care of your arm and come back for a reexamination after half a month," before handing his tools to the young nurse waiting nearby and leaving.


    Zhao Yu thought Gao Rang would at least say some words of concern. If nothing else, tease him a little. Yet, Gao Rang behaved no differently than a stranger. Didn''t Gao Rang say he wanted to be friends? Sure enough, adults couldn''t be trusted...


    The care worker was the one who helped Zhao Yu pack his belongings. Father Zhao had arranged for a driver to wait for him outside the hospital, and the driver''s task was to send him back to the school directly.


    When the care worker entered the elevator and noticed that Zhao Yu remained standing outside in a daze, she worriedly asked, "Did you leave something behind, Young Master?"


    Shaking his head, Zhao Yu faintly smiled and said, "Wait for me downstairs, Auntie. I''ll catch up in a bit."


    The care worker assumed Zhao Yu wanted say goodbye to Yin Zhao-an. After all, he would frequently visit the girl''s ward throughout his hospitalization, and it seemed like they shared a good relationship. Hence, she readily agreed and said, "Okay, I''ll head downstairs first."


    When the elevator doors closed, Zhao Yu reached into his pocket to grab ahold of the small piece of paper inside, his somewhat sweaty palm creasing the paper''s smooth edges.


    After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Yu pursed his lips and made his way to a particular office.


    The office in question was meant for two people only. When Zhao Yu arrived, there was only one doctor in the office. However, as the doctor was busy with paperwork, he did not notice Zhao Yu''s arrival and subsequent departure.


    ...


    It was already three in the afternoon when Gao Rang came out of the operating room. After removing his glasses and massaging the bridge of his nose, he walked back to his office with heavy steps.


    Gao Rang did not try to be careful when opening the door to his office. So, the noise he made attracted the attention of his busy colleague. Meanwhile, after giving Gao Rang a sympathetic look, Gao Rang''s colleague asked, "Was it a tough surgery?"


    Gao Rang didn''t wish to speak. So, he simply kept quiet and shuffled his way back to his desk, all the while massaging his temples and trying to keep his weary eyes open.


    After a while, Gao Rang put on his glasses and reached out to turn on his computer. However, before he could power on the monitor, his hand froze when he noticed a blue post-it note. Meanwhile, on the note was a line of neatly written characters:


    "Thank you for your care throughout this period, Big Brother."


    The neatly written characters looked exceptionally refreshing on the paper. Even though there was no signature on the note, Gao Rang could tell who the owner of these characters was.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu sat in front of a warm desk lamp with her soft hair draped over her shoulders, her hand scribbling words into a notebook while her eyes scanned a different notebook before her.


    Tang Yu had missed out on a lot of notes because of the classes she had skipped. Fortunately, her deskmate was a cute and enthusiastic girl, and the other party took the initiative to lend her notes to her. This saved Tang Yu from having to awkwardly borrow notes from people she didn''t know.


    Li Xiuli sat in her bed with one leg propping up her chin and the other hanging over the edge. After looking around the room a few times, she moved to Tang Yu''s side and quietly asked, "Are you really not with Wen Tao?"


    This wasn''t the first, second, or third time Tang Yu had heard this question. After setting her pen down, Tang Yu looked at her roommate seriously and said, "I really am not dating him. We are only friends, the kind that will never cross any boundaries."


    "Oh." Li Xiuli breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest. "That''s good, that''s good. I won''t have to feel guilty if that''s the case."


    "Are you...really going to go after him?" Tang Yu asked, feeling a little worried. Although Li Beining seemed polite and didn''t look like the kind of person who''d be rough on girls, she didn''t know him well enough to say for certain. Of course, she also didn''t know what Li Beiling actually thought about Wen Tao. Even so, she decided it was still necessary to give her roommate a kind reminder, so she said, "Make sure to take safety precautions, then."


    Li Xiuli blushed when she heard Tang Yu''s words. Then, she patted Tang Yu on the shoulder in embarrassment and said, "What are you thinking?! I''m not a loose person!"


    "...?" Li Xiuli''s reaction stupefied Tang Yu, her expression gradually freezing and her heart rate skyrocketing when she realized how severely her roommate had misinterpreted her words. What am I thinking? You''re the one whose thoughts are running wild!

 CH 87

    It had already been over a month since Tang Yu returned to school. After such a long time, everyone''s curiosity about her had long faded, and they were now focused on schoolwork instead.


    Even though Tang Yu had already experienced the tension of high school during her previous life, she still couldn''t help but sigh when facing it again. High school was essentially a battlefield for adolescents seeking a better future, and she was now standing on this battlefield for a second time.


    Lights out started very early in the dormitory. Because of this, Tang Yu would always have to rely on her desk lamp for over an hour to revise her studies. After this situation continued for over a month, she could feel her eyesight deteriorating a little.


    After failing to see what the teacher wrote on the blackboard again, Tang Yu finally decided to get her eyesight checked.


    Yu Wanrou had already found a new job. Her job this time offered her more flexibility, but it didn''t change that she still needed to board and disembark planes almost on a daily basis. Hence, when Tang Yu went home for the weekend, she returned to an empty house.


    Tang Yu had given her mother a call before returning home. However, her mother appeared to be busy as she said to her amidst a noisy background:


    "Mommy''s still busy with work, Little Yu. I''ve already transferred some money to your card. If anything urgent comes up, look for your Aunt Wang; I''ve already informed her beforehand. I''m hanging up now."


    After turning on the lights in her room, Tang Yu opened a locked drawer and took out the debit card inside. Then, while feeling the card''s texture with her fingers, she thought, It''s already been a month since I went to the hospital¡­ She got hurt because of me, so it''d be heartless of me not to visit her at all¡­


    Tang Yu immediately decided on her itinerary for the next day and stuffed the debit card into her card holder. Then, she dropped her bag on the bed, took out a few light-gray T-shirts and black pleated skirts from the closet, set them aside, and entered the bathroom with a fresh set of pajamas.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu felt soothed when the hot water poured from the shower and ran down her body. Gradually, her milky white skin turned light pink under the comforting heat.


    Before Tang Yu could unwind completely, the sound of an untimely doorbell reached her ears.


    It''s fine. They''ll probably go away after a while. I''ll deal with it after the shower, Tang Yu thought, refusing to part with her warm shower.


    Unfortunately, not only did the doorbell not stop ringing, but the interval between each ring also grew shorter and shorter to the point where the melodious bell began to sound harsh. Gritting her teeth, Tang Yu turned off the shower, wrapped herself with the bath towel hanging on the side, and put on a bathrobe on top of it. Only after wrapping herself tightly did she leave the bathroom.


    While making her way downstairs, Tang Yu tied up her slightly messy hair with a hair tie she had grabbed on her way out of her bedroom, the few strands of hair she missed hanging off her shoulders and dripping water onto her bathrobe. There was also a thin layer of water vapor covering her face.


    After arriving at the door, Tang Yu looked at the electronic display by the door and saw a handsome boy in a sky-blue school uniform standing outside the door. The boy held a plastic bag while jabbing the doorbell with his elbow as if playing.


    Wen Tao? Why is he here? Tang Yu wondered. Then, she turned on the intercom and asked, "Why are you at my house?"


    Wen Tao looked around for the source of Tang Yu''s voice. After spotting something like a small radio by the door, he raised the plastic bag in his hand to the camera above the door and said, "Big Bro asked me to deliver food to you. She says you might not eat anything if you are alone."


    "How does she know I''m back?" Tang Yu asked. She knew the answer more or less but pretended not to know anything.


    "Uh...because... Because I saw you on my way home, so..." Wen Tao stammered, feeling a little guilty for his stalker-like behavior.


    So you reported my itinerary to her, Tang Yu mentally finished Wen Tao''s sentence for him.


    Opening the door, Tang Yu poked half her body through the gap and said, "Thank you for making this trip. You can hand me the things here."


    Wen Tao momentarily froze when he saw Tang Yu''s current attire. Then, he promptly looked away while stiffly holding up the plastic bag in his hand.


    Once Wen Tao felt the weight in his hand disappearing, followed by the sound of the door closing, he breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the non-existent cold sweat on his forehead. Then, he left the house while lamenting his horrible timing under the gaze of the setting sun.


    ...


    Shortly after Wen Tao left Tang Yu''s house, the phone in his pocket rang.


    "How did it go? Did you deliver the food?" A muffled voice came through the phone. It sounded like the person on the other end of the call was eating something.


    "I handed her the food already, but it seems I disturbed Sister-in-law''s bath..." Wen Tao answered.


    "What?!" The tone of Yin Zhao-an''s voice was raised by several decibels.


    Wen Tao moved the phone away from his ear and set it to speaker mode. Then, while massaging his aching ear, he hurriedly explained, "I didn''t see anything. Sister-in-law was wearing a bathrobe, and she had her hair tied up, and...that was all I saw."


    "You call that nothing?! Erase that image from your mind right away! Right away!!!" Yin Zhao-an screamed, her emotions running amok. However, it appeared as if someone had reminded her about her current whereabouts as she quickly reigned in her temper and started to talk in a whisper. Even so, her tone made it very obvious she was gnashing her teeth as she said, "I don''t care what it takes, but forget everything you saw."


    Before the call disconnected, Wen Tao faintly heard a low-pitched complaint, the exact words being, "Even I haven''t seen her in a bathrobe before..."


    Wen Tao nearly broke out into laughter when he heard these words. With such a strong possessive desire, Yin Zhao-an would be telling a blatant lie if she said she didn''t have any feelings for Tang Yu.

 CH 88

    Yin Zhao-an hung up the phone in a huff. However, when she looked up and saw her mother looking her way, she quickly swallowed her anger, leaned back against the bed, and closed her eyes.


    Moist and messy hair, flushed cheeks, a loose bathrobe that revealed the collarbones, moist and gleaming eyes that looked around at a loss...


    "Dammit..." Yin Zhao-an cursed under her breath and raised her eyes to cover her ears which were starting to heat up. Then, she opened her eyes and stared at the white ceiling, the images in her mind lingering and continuously appearing in front of her eyes.


    There was an answer within her heart, ready to come out. However, it was smothered by an unknown resistance before it could do so.


    Turning to stare at the bright lights outside the window, Yin Zhao-an started to have a vague idea of what she truly desired¡­


    ¡­


    Tang Yu wore a black baseball cap and a light gray shirt to the hospital, the hem of the shirt neatly tucked into her black pleated skirt. She carried two plastic bags in her hands, one holding two freshly baked custard buns and the other holding a bowl of lotus seed congee.


    Tang Yu appeared in Yin Zhao-an''s ward without warning, startling Yin Zhao-an, who had yet to brush her teeth and tidy up her appearance.


    When Wang Zhen saw her daughter hiding under her quilt, she shook her head in exasperation.


    "Good morning, Auntie," Tang Yu said, smiling sweetly as she handed the bag holding the custard buns to Wang Zhen.


    "What brings you here so early, Little Yu? Have you had breakfast yet?" Wang Zhen asked as she accepted the breakfast and pulled Tang Yu over to sit on the sofa, her face full of affection.


    "I''ve had my breakfast already," Tang Yu answered. Then, when she noticed through the corner of her eyes that Yin Zhao-an was still hiding under the quilt, she placed the congee on the coffee table and deliberately turned up her volume as she said, "I bought this for An-An, but I don''t know if she''ll like it or not."


    Upon hearing herself being mentioned, Yin Zhao-an poked her head out from under the quilt. When she looked at the harmonious interaction happening over at the coffee table, her stomach growled, to her dismay. To make matters worse, the sweet scent of lotus seed congee permeated the ward, constantly tempting her.


    While Yin Zhao-an was debating whether she should disregard her image and come out from hiding, Tang Yu brought the congee over and sat next to the bed, her mouth curling into a mischievous smile.


    "The congee is going to get cold if you don''t get up soon," Tang Yu softly said, her voice as crisp and clear as a flowing mountain stream.


    Subsequently, before Yin Zhao-an could offer any response, a voice filled with sadness entered her ears, the voice saying:


    "I understand. You don''t like me. I''ll put the congee here, so drink it later..."


    After saying so, Tang Yu put the congee on the bedside table. She also made sure she dropped it with a thud so that a certain someone could hear it.


    Then, as Tang Yu anticipated, the person under the quilt immediately stretched out a hand and grabbed her by the wrist. Even so, the other party refused to show her head, and Tang Yu could only hear a muffled voice coming through the quilt:


    "Don''t go."


    "You don''t like me, so I don''t want to upset you by staying," Tang Yu said, looking disheartened. Inwardly, though, she was already grinning widely.


    The person under the quilt was momentarily stunned. Then, she gradually pulled the quilt away, revealing a head covered in short stubbles.


    "...I never said I didn''t like you," Yin Zhao-an said while avoiding Tang Yu''s gaze.


    After a month, Yin Zhao-an had already regrown some of her hair. However, as the doctors who shaved her head weren''t barbers, they didn''t do a very good job shaving her.


    By the looks of things, the doctors probably only did a single pass through Yin Zhao-an''s hair with the shaver before focusing only on the parts they needed to operate on. As a result, Yin Zhao-an''s regrown hair was very uneven. If someone with a severe case of myopia were to look at her from afar, they''d probably think they were looking at a strange football.


    Tang Yu personally found Yin Zhao-an''s current look quite funny. It was ugly but funny. This remained true even after factoring in Yin Zhao-an''s beautiful facial features.


    However, Tang Yu couldn''t bring herself to laugh, especially not when a certain someone was doing her best to avoid her gaze. She''d be evil if she were to laugh and joke about Yin Zhao-an''s current appearance.


    Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an felt a gentle touch on her head. When she looked up, she saw Tang Yu looking at her with a gentle expression.


    "It''s cute, but it''s a little prickly."


    Yin Zhao-an knew Tang yu was trying to comfort her, so she silently accepted this favor and said with a grin, "I''ll grow my hair long so that it won''t prick you anymore, then."


    ".........Okay."


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.


    Wang Zhen had only left the ward to fetch some hot water for a short moment. When she returned and saw the two young girls practically flirting with each other, she couldn''t help but sigh at how difficult it was to understand young people nowadays.


    Originally, Yin Zhao-an had planned to wear a hat to cover her ugly hair should Tang Yu come to visit, something she never considered doing in front of Wen Tao and Zhao Yu. However, after this small interaction, she no longer felt the need to do so.


    Meanwhile, with her mother''s help, Yin Zhao-an finally washed up and prepared herself for breakfast. When the warm lotus seed congee entered her stomach, she promptly felt her limbs warming up.


    "Has Auntie gone on a business trip again, Tang-Tang?" Tentatively, Yin Zhao-an asked, "Have you been cooking meals yourself?"


    Tang Yu was in the middle of peeling an orange for Yin Zhao-an when she heard the latter''s question. After a slight pause, the corners of her mouth inadvertently curled up as she said, "Yes."


    "Oh, that''s good, then." Yin Zhao-an nodded while stirring the congee with the spoon. "You must eat well, and you mustn''t skip meals."


    This again... Tang Yu had already heard this same reminder from Yin Zhao-an many times, and she couldn''t help but feel puzzled. Why would Yin Zhao-an be so concerned about her diet?

 CH 89

    "So, did you ask Wen Tao to buy food for me?" Tang Yu asked as she put the peeled orange on the table and pulled a tissue to wipe her hands.


    "Mhm." Yin Zhao-an nodded, an innocent look on her face as she said, "I can''t be by your side to take care of you right now, so I can only ask him to help."


    "But, I thought you didn''t¡­" Tang Yu left her sentence hanging, secretly grinning when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s gaze lowering. Then, she promptly corrected herself, pretending as if nothing had just happened as she said, "But I can take care of myself. You don''t have to go to such trouble."


    "That best be the case," Yin Zhao-an said with an affectionate smile, not bothering to bring up the mischievous trick Tang Yu had just played on her.


    Suddenly, a bit of noise came from outside the ward. A moment later, several doctors in white coats entered, holding medical records in their hands and wearing stethoscopes around their necks.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    The doctor walking in the lead was a slightly chubby man with an amicable face. He first greeted Yin Zhao-an before politely nodding to Tang Yu, who was sitting next to Yin Zhao-an.


    When Tang Yu saw the doctors, she tactfully stepped aside to let them examine Yin Zhao-an. While observing the doctors working, she noticed a familiar face among them.


    Gao Rang currently had his eyes slightly lowered, his gold-rimmed glasses sitting low on the bridge of his nose. Unlike usual, Gao Rang did not keep his hair neatly parted today. Instead, he let it droop messily in front of his forehead. There were also some light stubbles covering his chiseled chin.


    Honestly, if it weren''t for Gao Rang''s recognizable gold-rimmed glasses, Tang Yu might not have identified him as the same person as the calm and elegant Doctor Gao.


    Seeing that Gao Rang wasn''t in a particularly good state, Tang Yu decided not to greet him. Instead, she silently waited for the attending physician to finish recording Yin Zhao-an''s indicators before returning to Yin Zhao-an''s side. Though, her eyes subconsciously looked toward the door and watched as the dispirited figure left the ward.


    When Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu''s gaze directed at the door, she followed her gaze and was just in time to see the back of a slim and tall man leaving the ward. Through the man''s profile and slightly curly bangs, she could more or less tell that he had an attractive face.


    Suddenly, an inexplicable feeling of jealousy emerged in Yin Zhao-an''s heart. Immediately, she waved a hand in front of Tang Yu''s eyes and grumpily said, "What are you still staring at? He''s left already!"


    "He''s¡­" Tang Yu wanted to explain herself and said that the person she was looking at was Gao Rang. However, when she recalled how Yin Zhao-an''s mind worked, she couldn''t help but twist her words a little as she said, "He''s¡­quite good-looking."


    Yin Zhao-an inhaled deeply when she heard Tang Yu''s response, her right hand hidden under the quilt gradually clenching up. Then, lowering her gaze to look at the ground, she said, "...I see."


    Tang Yu had expected a bigger reaction from Yin Zhao-an, so she couldn''t help but grow a little upset when she got such an indifferent response. However, before she could think of more ways to stir Yin Zhao-an''s emotions, she noticed the time displayed on the small alarm clock on the bedside table and suddenly recalled she still had something to do. So, she hurriedly got out of her chair and prepared to leave.


    "W-What''s wrong?" Yin Zhao-an asked in a panic when she saw Tang Yu looking like she was in a hurry to leave. Could it be, her Tang-Tang was going to chase after that "good-looking" doctor?! 4887


    "I need to get a pair of glasses prescribed. I''ve already made an appointment with the shop, so I have to go," Tang Yu quickly explained while she packed her things. Then, just as she was about to leave, she noticed that there was no one else in the ward at the moment.


    An idea suddenly came to her mind, Tang Yu swiftly turned around and pecked Yin Zhao-an on the cheek. Then, she fled the ward without saying a word.


    The entire process happened in just three short seconds. However, these three seconds felt like a lifetime for Yin Zhao-an.


    When the realization of what just happened struck Yin Zhao-an, her heartbeat accelerated, and her face turned bright red. At the same time, an unknown emotion began to take root in her heart.


    Tang-Tang... Why did she kiss me just now?


    Yin Zhao-an covered her mouth in disbelief and started to fall into self-doubt.


    I wasn''t hallucinating just now...right? That couldn''t have been a fake Tang-Tang...right? Then...Tang-Tang really did kiss me...

 CH 90

    The optical shop was situated at the entrance of a plaza. As a result, many pedestrians and vehicles traveled through the area, with students accounting for most of them since it was the weekend.


    When Tang Yu arrived at the shop, the establishment had plenty of youngsters walking around wearing corrective lenses and a few who were looking through the display cabinets in search of their favorite frames.


    A girl in a casual shirt noticed Tang Yu entering the store. After dropping the price list in her hands, the girl approached Tang Yu and asked, "Hello, how may I help you?"


    "I made an appointment in advance. May I know where I should go?" Tang Yu asked.


    "Oh, you can head over to that counter," the girl said as she pointed at a relatively isolated counter.


    "Thank you," Tang Yu politely thanked the staff and approached the counter in question.


    There was a young man busy registering information behind the counter. When he saw the silhouette of a person appearing in front of the counter, without even looking up, he subconsciously said, "If you want to have your eyesight measured, you have to wait by the cubicle to the left of the entrance to get registered."


    "Hello, I made an appointment in advance," Tang Yu patiently said.


    "Oh! My bad, my bad!" The young fellow quickly reacted and looked up. Then, with an embarrassed smile, he said, "There have been a lot of customers coming in without an appointment today, so I just assumed you were the same. I''m truly sorry, haha!"


    Tang Yu shook her head to express that she didn''t mind the misunderstanding. Then, after she gave her name to the young man, the other party quickly found her appointment, gave her a number, and had her wait for her turn.


    "Someone else is having their eyesight tested right now, but your turn will come up right afterward, so it won''t be a long wait," the young man explained while pouring Tang Yu a cup of warm water.


    After saying so, the young man returned to his station and resumed his work, leaving Tang Yu sitting in front of a coffee table near the shopfront.


    Like the young man said, Tang Yu didn''t have to wait long before she heard her number getting called. After tidying up her slightly wrinkled shirt, she went inside the cubicle.


    "Huh? Big Sis Tang?"


    A surprised voice came from the person walking by Tang Yu. When Tang Yu turned to look at the other party, she saw it was Zhao Yu.


    "What a coincidence. Did you also come to get your eyes checked?" Tang Yu responded, following common courtesy.


    Holding up the black bag in his hand, Tang Yu smiled and said, "Yes. I''m also here to buy Doctor Gao a new pair of glasses while I''m at it."


    "Hm?" Zhao Yu''s answer confused Tang Yu. If she remembered correctly, Gao Rang still wore his usual pair of gold-rimmed glasses to work this morning, and the glasses didn''t seem like they needed replacement.


    "I accidentally broke Doctor Gao''s glasses the last time I visited his house. I never found the right time to buy a new pair for him. Seeing that I''d be taking an eye examination today, I figured I''d buy him a new pair now," Zhao Yu explained. However, despite the reasoning he came up with, he didn''t actually have any vision problems. His eye examination also proved that his vision was far from imperfect. In reality, the eye examination was nothing but an excuse to buy Doctor Gao a new pair of glasses.


    Speaking of Doctor Gao, Zhao Yu realized that Gao Rang hadn''t contacted him in a while, and he couldn''t help but wonder if the other party still remembered him.


    "I''ll be going over to the hospital now. I''ll also visit Brother Zhao while I''m there," Zhao Yu said with a meaningful smile before paying his bill and leaving the optical shop.


    ¡­


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    In an office filled with the faint scent of disinfectant, a young man in a white robe listlessly stared at the potted plant on his desk, his pupils lax.


    Suddenly, a knocking sound came from the door, bringing Gao Rang out of his stupor. After seeing that his colleague was absent from the office, he rubbed his face to get his act together and said, "Please come in."


    Gao Rang originally thought it would be a patient coming through the door. He never thought it would be the young man he had longed for to appear before him.


    "Why¡­are you here?" Gao Rang got up from his chair in a panic, behaving like a subordinate who had just encountered a surprise inspection from his superior. Then, he suddenly thought of something and hurriedly checked Zhao Yu''s body for any injuries while worriedly asking, "Are you feeling ill? Did you get injured again?"


    Zhao Yu didn''t expect Gao Rang to have such a reaction, and he couldn''t help but pull back his hand from Gao Rang''s hands in a panic. The other party was someone with a "record," and he was more or less averse to this "record." After all, he was a straight male.


    Indeed. Some time ago, Zhao Yu had met Gao Rang on the street, and the other party had invited him to his home for a tour and to play some console games. Boys tended to lose their sense of decency when they played games. Meanwhile, partway through their fun, Gao Rang brought out a bottle of wine from his cupboard.


    Initially, Zhao Yu didn''t really care that Gao Rang had started to drink. Instead, he was focused on helping Gao Rang clear a stage the other party had never conquered.


    By the time Zhao Yu remembered he was in another person''s home and the house''s owner hadn''t rejoined their game, Gao Rang had already drunk. Then¡­Gao Rang had seemingly mistook him for his girlfriend and took his first kiss unceremoniously. To make matters worse¡­it was a wet kiss¡­

 CH 91

    At the time, all Zhao Yu knew was his mind had gone blank, and he had subconsciously given Gao Rang a fist to the face. The punch also seemed effective, as Gao Rang instantly sobered up and apologized. Even so, Zhao Yu was more or less revolted by the event.


    "Are you not mad at me anymore?" Gao Rang cautiously asked, behaving like a child who had done something wrong. He was so nervous that he didn''t even know where to put his hands.


    "It''d be great if you have someone to pursue romantically, Big Bro. It''s not good to drink away your worries," Zhao Yu said and pursed his lips. Then, he mentally said, You are even prone to hallucinations and targeting the people around you.


    Gao Rang paused. Then, he silently nodded, his heart full of bitterness.


    "By the way." Handing the black paper bag in his hand to Gao Rang, Zhao Yu said, "I asked about the prescription of your glasses before, so I bought a pair for you today while I was getting my eyesight checked."


    Gao Rang, who had long bought a new pair of glasses for himself, was a little flattered by this gift. He had thought Zhao Yu would stop talking to him completely after that incident.


    After accepting the paper bag and feeling how heavy it felt, Gao Rang looked inside and saw that the glasses Zhao Yu bought were stored in a wooden casing.


    "Thank you..."


    "No problem," Zhao Yu said while awkwardly rubbing his nose. Then, his gaze shifting away, he said, "I''ll be going first, then. You can carry on with your work, Big Bro."


    Gao Rang initially had something he wished to say to Zhao Yu, but seeing the latter leave in a hurry, he eventually decided to swallow the words he wanted to say.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    ¡­


    A certain someone still had her mind in the clouds because the person she cared about the most had kissed her, and she was completely oblivious to the fact that she had a visitor.


    After getting thoroughly ignored for a good moment, Zhao Yu helplessly shook his head and said, "I''m here, Brother Zhao."


    "Huh? Oh..." Yin Zhao-an promptly snapped out of her daze. Then, she looked at her visitor and asked in confusion, "Why are you here?"


    "?" Zhao Yu''s expression froze. Then, he wryly smiled and asked, "I might have come uninvited, but at least I came with good intentions, right?"


    "Ah, sorry, sorry," Yin Zhao-an apologized, a silly smile on her face.


    Wang Zhen was quite familiar with Zhao Yu. When she saw him entering, she nodded at the boy before taking the initiative to vacate the ward.


    After Zhao Yu took a seat by the bed and saw that the smile on Yin Zhao-an''s face had yet to fade, he couldn''t help but say, "You look to be in a good mood today, Brother Zhao."


    Yin Zhao-an promptly retracted her smile when she heard Zhao Yu''s comment and became serious for a second. Then, she faked a cough as she looked at Zhao Yu curiously and asked, "Uh... Let me ask you something."


    "What is it?" Zhao Yu asked in confusion.


    "Well..." Yin Zhao-an hesitated, finding the question she wanted to ask a little embarrassing. She even felt a bit shy to ask such a question.


    "?!" Zhao Yu shuddered and got goosebumps when he saw Yin Zhao-an''s bashful behavior. He never knew Yin Zhao-an knew how to be shy, and he couldn''t help but find this situation very awkward.


    Eventually, Yin Zhao-an overcame her hesitation and candidly asked, "Well, I just want to ask, what''s it like to be kissed by someone you care about a lot?"


    Although Yin Zhao-an never named anyone specifically, Zhao Yu quickly put a face to Yin Zhao-an''s "someone" in his mind.


    "Kissed where specifically?" Zhao Yu asked as he leaned forward slightly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    Yin Zhao-an paused for a moment when she heard Zhao Yu''s question. Then, she looked at the other party in mild disgust and said, "Where else? Of course, it is just a kiss on the face."


    "Oh..." Zhao Yu was deeply disappointed by the answer he got. Then, he quickly began to ponder Yin Zhao-an''s question in earnest and said, "What does it feel like to be kissed by someone you care about... How would I know? I''ve never had such an experience before."


    After saying so, Zhao Yu quietly rolled his eyes and mentally complained, Don''t you know who I care about the most?


    "Then... Have you heard about someone else having such an experience before? I''ve never heard about it, and I can''t really ask around right now," Yin Zhao-an said, sighing as she leaned back against the headboard.


    Heard about... Zhao Yu rested his chin on his hand and began to think carefully over Yin Zhao-an''s question. If it''s kissing...


    Suddenly, Zhao Yu recalled the accident that day, the wet tongue that smelled of alcohol, and the strong hands that had clamped his own hands behind his back...


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Zhao Yu''s face suddenly turn bright red, she couldn''t help but applaud him for his imagination. How deeply had he immersed himself in his imagination for him to be fascinated to such an extent?

 CH 92

    "Probably...your heartbeat will speed up, your face will turn bright red, and your mind will go blank," Zhao Yu said hesitantly. He honestly had no idea what he was talking about. He was merely quoting a few descriptions he had read from youth literature.


    However, Yin Zhao-an was none the wiser and simply tried to recall her reaction to Tang Yu''s kiss. Then, she found that she had experienced all three responses Zhao Yu mentioned.


    While Yin Zhao-an was lost in her thoughts, Zhao Yu suddenly thought of something. Then, he solemnly looked at Yin Zhao-an and said, "There is something I must tell you, Brother Zhao."


    Zhao Yu''s transformation was so sudden that Yin Zhao-an failed to keep up, and all she could do was nod in a daze.


    After seeing Yin Zhao-an snapping out of her daze, Zhao Yu got straight to the point and stated, "I suspect Wen Tao likes Big Sis Tang."


    "Impossible." Yin Zhao-an denied Zhao Yu''s suspicion without even thinking about it. "I know him. He doesn''t like Tang-Tang that way. At most, he treats her as a friend."


    Zhao Yu sneered. Then, he took out his phone, brought up the school''s online forum, typed in a few keywords in the search bar, and clicked on a post titled "The Sweet Daily Life of the Honors Class¡¯s Weakest Link and the Olympiad Class¡¯s Top Student.¡±


    The post''s title rendered Yin Zhao-an speechless, but the post''s content caused her pupils to shrink.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Although the post was started quite some time ago, it received daily updates, and the content of these updates would always show images of a cafeteria, a sports field, and a stairwell.


    Even though these were very ordinary sceneries, the images shared in the post gave off a sense of tranquility.


    In the image of the sports field, two students--a boy and a girl--in sky-blue school uniforms could be seen sitting side by side on the bleachers, and the handsome boy could be seen handing over an opened water bottle to the seemingly bashful girl.


    In the image of the crowded cafeteria, a tall and lean boy could be seen holding a tray of food in one hand while protecting the girl next to him. Even though the boy wore an indifferent look, his careful actions exposed his indifference as nothing more than a facade.


    In the image of the stairwell with high foot traffic, a boy could be seen leaning against the wall with his school bag on one shoulder while waiting for someone. Meanwhile, subsequent images of the same stairwell showed that the boy was waiting for a girl...


    Isn''t this the standard plot of a school romance novel?!


    When Yin Zhao-an saw that Wen Tao and Tang Yu were the protagonists of every one of these images, although her expression remained unchanged, her heart was already in a terrible mess. She also felt an invisible pressure bearing down on her, causing her to suffocate.


    However, despite her terrible state, Yin Zhao-an still laughed indifferently and casually said, "It''s just a few photos. They can''t prove anything."


    Zhao Yu silently looked at Yin Zhao-an, causing the latter to retract her smirk and guiltily turn her head to one side.


    Eventually, Zhao Yu let out a tired sigh. He didn''t know why he was telling Yin Zhao-an all of this. Maybe it was his self-esteem at work. Maybe he felt it was better to lose to a girl than to a boy. After all, if that were the case, it would only mean that he had lost in gender rather than attractiveness. Hence, when he saw the boy who had warned him not to tear apart the budding couple go against his own warning, he felt incredibly upset.


    Yes. He was very upset.


    "I might be saying something unnecessary, but some opportunities are lost forever once missed. Take care, Brother Zhao."


    After saying so, Zhao Yu got up from his seat and left. He had only intended to drop by for a visit and give Yin Zhao-an a wake-up call. Now that he had achieved his goals, he had no reason to stay.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an froze in place. She had opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out of her mouth.


    Some opportunities are lost forever once missed¡­


    Yin Zhao-an covered her crumbling expression with her hands. At the same time, a thought that had never appeared in her mind gradually took shape...


    ¡­


    The days spent in high school flew by like a rocket. It was especially so for the top students of the Olympiad Class. They spent their days studying like emotionless robots. Except for studying purposes, they would rarely communicate with each other in the classroom.


    As Tang Yu gradually adapted to the Olympiad Class''s pacing, she also reduced the number of times she went home. The main reason was that the two adults in her family would usually be busy with work. Her father would leave home early and return late at night, while her mother would fly around different cities and countries for work. So, rather than return to an empty house, she''d rather continue studying in the school''s dormitory. In addition, after experiencing Wen Tao''s food delivery service a few times, she ultimately chose to start preparing her own meals.


    Fortunately, Tang Yu wasn''t a stranger to cooking. When she lived with Yin Zhao-an during her previous life, cooking was her daily routine. She even had to be creative with her cooking, ensuring she didn''t make the same dishes too often. However, after reincarnating, Tang Yu would avoid cooking whenever possible, opting for the more leisurely option of ordering food deliveries instead.


    Thinking back, Tang Yu felt that her past self was truly a fool. She had received nothing for her enthusiasm to please, and she even put herself in a humble position in the process. She was truly a fool.


    ...


    When Tang Yu visited the hospital on the weekend, Yin Zhao-an could already get out of bed and walk by herself. Even so, she needed to rely on crutches to walk more than a few steps. Her hair had also grown to match the length of the average boy''s hair. At this rate, it wouldn''t take more than a few months for her hair to return to its original length.


    The weather was gradually turning cold. When Tang Yu woke up in the morning, she shuddered from the cold. So, after getting out of bed, she pulled out a suitcase from under the lower bunk bed and found a wool jacket to put on.


    There was a small garden in the inpatient department''s courtyard. Tang Yu originally wanted to push Yin Zhao-an around under the sun in a wheelchair, but the other party turned down her offer, saying with a warm smile:


    "It''s been a while since I got to walk on my feet. I don''t want to waste this precious opportunity."


    The stairs found in the inpatient department were different from ordinary stairs. There were no steps, only a gentle slope. This made it convenient for patients who were in wheelchairs but did not want to take the elevator.


    Yin Zhao-an walked forward step by step while relying on her crutches, a thick layer of sweat forming on her forehead as she tried her best to move her bandaged feet.


    After struggling like so for some steps, Yin Zhao-an stopped while gasping for air. Then, after catching her breath, she turned around to look at the person silently protecting her from behind and smiled brilliantly, "Can I use you for support? I''m exhausted."

 CH 93

    Tang Yu was briefly stunned. Then, she silently walked up to Yin Zhao-an''s side, placed Yin Zhao-an''s arm over her shoulders, took over Yin Zhao-an''s crutches, and asked, "Is this fine?"


    Upon seeing that her plan had succeeded, Yin Zhao-an smiled brilliantly, and her eyes reddened slightly. Then, she leaned her body against Tang Yu and rested her head on Tang Yu''s shoulder before saying, "Yes."


    As Tang Yu was focused on supporting Yin Zhao-an and ensuring that Yin Zhao-an did not fall, she did not notice Yin Zhao-an''s strange expression.


    Because of Yin Zhao-an''s desires, the journey to the courtyard, which should have normally taken only a couple of minutes, ended up taking nearly twenty minutes instead. After setting Yin Zhao-an down on a bench, Tang Yu sighed in relief. Then, when she looked at the sky and saw that it was somewhat cloudy, she said, "I''ll go get a blanket for you from upstairs."


    After saying so, Tang Yu placed the crutches next to the bench and ran back upstairs. As soon as she turned around, though, her face reddened a little, the lingering fragrance and warmth on her shoulder gently tugging at her heartstrings.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu returned to the courtyard with the blanket, she couldn''t help but helplessly sigh when she saw the person on the bench fast asleep. After all, falling asleep outdoors in this cold weather would easily result in a cold.


    However, Tang Yu did not try to wake Yin Zhao-an. Instead, she gently covered Yin Zhao-an from shoulders to feet with the thick and large blanket.


    While Tang Yu was tucking the blanket under Yin Zhao-an''s thighs, she suddenly felt a soft and warm touch on her cheek. The physical contact lasted only for a brief moment. When Tang Yu looked up, she was met with a bright pair of eyes that reflected her appearance.


    Smiling, Tang Yu asked, "What are you doing?"


    "Returning the favor," Yin Zhao-an responded.


    Tang Yu grinned a little at the answer. Then, she sat next to Yin Zhao-an and enjoyed the warm autumn sun together.


    "I want to get well quickly," Yin Zhao-an said while leaning back against the bench, her eyes observing the people coming and going from the hospital''s entrance. "That way, I can take care of you myself." That way, I won''t have to get others to help and let someone else occupy the place next to you.


    Tang Yu was a little taken aback. She didn''t understand why Yin Zhao-an would become enlightened all of a sudden today. However, she dared not rejoice too early, lest she rejoiced in vain.


    "Okay," Tang Yu responded. "But you''re going to be my junior once you return to school."


    "If that''s the case, you''re going to have to take care of me, Senior Sister," Yin Zhao-an said, grinning.


    "That''s right." Tang Yu chuckled and smiled.


    Yin Zhao-an fell into a trance for a moment. She found that her Tang-Tang was gradually changing. Her Tang-Tang had become more talkative and fond of laughing. But what could be the cause of these changes¡­


    "Tang-Tang."


    "Hm?" Tang Yu turned to look at Yin Zhao-an.


    "You look pretty when you smile," Yin Zhao-an stated. When her Tang-Tang smiled, her shallow dimples and small canines would show, and her eyes would look like they held a galaxy of stars.


    Tang Yu''s expression softened when she heard Yin Zhao-an''s comment. Then, she looked in front and blankly stared into space.


    She used to love to smile¡­


    ¡­


    After the two sat silently for some time, Tang Yu felt a weight falling on her shoulder. When she turned to look at her shoulder, she found Yin Zhao-an resting on it with her eyes closed, the girl''s shallow breaths rhythmically hitting her shoulder.


    "Tired?" Tang Yu softly asked as she gently pushed Yin Zhao-an on the shoulder. "Let''s head back to your ward first. You''ll catch a cold if you sleep here."


    Yin Zhao-an opened her eyes, revealing a blank look. After uttering a soft response, she wrapped her hands around Tang Yu''s neck and coquettishly rubbed her head against Tang Yu''s head.


    Tang Yu''s heart nearly melted at the action. Gently patting Yin Zhao-an''s back, Tang Yu said, "I''ll help you back."


    "Mhm¡­"


    ¡­


    Near the end of the year, Yin Zhao-an was discharged from the hospital. However, she had yet to make a full recovery. Her broken ribs had yet to heal fully, so she couldn''t do strenuous exercises. Her left leg was also incapable of exerting much strength yet.


    Before Yin Zhao-an was discharged from the hospital, Wang Zhen wiped her body with diluted alcohol as a form of disinfection. When Yin Zhao-an looked at herself in the mirror and saw her bangs close to reaching her eyes, a beautiful and cat-like smile formed on her face.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    ...


    The mother and daughter left the hospital in a black sedan. While Yin Zhao-an watched the passing scenery outside the window, a frown gradually formed on her face.


    Why hadn''t she seen any of these sceneries before? Could it be that earth-shaking changes had occurred outside when she was hospitalized?


    The more Yin Zhao-an watched, the more flustered she grew. Eventually, she leaned forward and asked her mother, "Mom, did you take the wrong way?"


    Wang Zhen glanced at her daughter through the rearview mirror when she heard the girl''s question. Then, realization dawned on her as she quickly explained, "I forgot to tell you, but we moved out of the military compound some time ago. Your father bought a house downtown, so we''re heading there now."


    "Downtown? Isn''t that far away from Chong High?" Yin Zhao-an asked worriedly. Wouldn''t that make it troublesome for her Tang-Tang to visit her? Would Tang-Tang even want to visit her in that case?


    "It''s a bit far, but it doesn''t really matter since you''ll live on campus once you return to school. When you want to come home, there''s a rather convenient bus line that goes from your school straight to our home," Wang Zhen nonchalantly said, unaware of her daughter''s real concern. "Also, I need to return to work at the hospital while your father is busy with his company, so we hired a nanny at home to take care of you."


    When Yin Zhao-an heard her mother''s words, she subconsciously tightened her grip over her somewhat damaged phone, the rising temperature of her sweaty palms causing the screen to fog up.

 CH 94

    Not long after Tang Yu returned home with her suitcase, she heard the telephone in the living room ringing. Hurriedly, she set aside her suitcase and ran over to answer the phone. Then, as soon as she did so, a soft and apologetic voice came through the receiver:


    "Little Yu, Mommy is still abroad right now, and I don''t think I can make it back by the end of the year. I also don''t know when your father can come home, so pay more attention to your safety during this period. If you are afraid to be alone, you can stay at your Uncle Yin''s home. I''ll transfer some money into your card afterward."


    When Tang Yu listened to her mother''s advice on the phone, she couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed. Even so, she still obediently complied. At worst, she would have to spend the New Year alone.


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Yu brought her suitcase upstairs. The suitcase held mostly clothes, so it wasn''t particularly heavy.


    Once Tang Yu set aside her belongings, she went to the kitchen fridge to check what was inside. Unfortunately, the refrigerator was empty and devoid of edible ingredients.


    I should buy something from the supermarket, Tang Yu thought as she closed the fridge door. Then, she went to grab her wallet from her bedroom and left the house.


    Shortly after Tang Yu left, the living room telephone started ringing again. However, as Tang Yu had already walked some distance from her house, she didn''t manage to hear it.


    ...


    It was currently the winter holidays. The supermarket no longer broadcast advertisements ceaselessly, opting to broadcast pleasant music in between advertisements instead, the change in rhythm giving the establishment a hint of liveliness.


    The area selling discounted products was the most crowded in the supermarket. By the time Tang Yu managed to push her shopping cart through the area, the cart was already filled with plenty of instant foods, such as sugar-free oatmeal, a loaf of milk bread, instant vermicelli, etc. Now, she needed to head to the fresh produce area to buy some vegetables. That was where she would need to put her years of experience handling food ingredients to use.


    By the time Tang Yu was done filling her shopping cart, half an hour had already passed. When she went to pay at the cashier, the young lady behind the cashier worked through her purchases with stiff and nervous movements. Seeing that a thin layer of sweat had even formed on the young lady''s forehead, Tang Yu guessed that the other party must be a student working part-time during the winter holidays.


    Seeing the young cashier frantically searching for the barcode on a bag of vegetables, Tang Yu couldn''t help but stretch out her hand to spread out the sticker that had been accidentally folded into a thin sheet. Then, when she saw the young cashier giving her a grateful look, she said, "Don''t panic. Take it easy."


    After paying, Tang Yu walked out of the supermarket with a big bag of groceries. There was air conditioning and lots of people in the supermarket, so the temperature in the supermarket was a lot warmer than the chilly weather outside. Because of this, Tang Yu couldn''t help but shudder when she stepped out of the establishment.


    Silently, Tang Yu tightened her collar and pushed it close to her neck to prevent the cold wind from entering. Then, she made her way to the nearby bus stop.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Fortunately, Tang Yu didn''t have to wait long before she saw a bus traveling on her desired route arrive.


    There were still vacant seats on the bus. Tang Yu didn''t wish to sit with a stranger, so she went to the back of the bus and sat there alone. Then, she opened the window next to her slightly, letting some of the cold wind enter through the small gap.


    ...


    Carrying the big bag of groceries made Tang Yu''s hands sore. When she finally arrived outside her house, she noticed a black car parked near the gate. She was briefly puzzled, and her vigilance prevented her from opening the gate immediately. Instead, she stopped to look at the car.


    Perhaps the car''s owner finally noticed her as the driver''s door opened, and a young man in a formal suit stepped out of the car and walked toward her with a smile.


    "Hello, are you Tang Yu?"


    Tang Yu reflexively took a few steps back and looked around, her mind quickly formulating an escape route.


    When the man saw her panic, he took out a business card from his pocket and explained with a smile, "Don''t be afraid. I am the personal driver of the Lasting Safety Group''s chairman."


    I don''t know any company chairman, Tang Yu inwardly retorted while rolling her eyes at the young man. Resolutely, she turned around and tried to run away, but the young man stopped her before she could do so and said:


    "The chairman''s name is Yin Changcheng. He is the one who asked me to come and pick you up."


    Uncle Yin? Tang Yu blinked her eyes.


    At this time, Yin Changcheng''s slightly low voice came through the phone in the young man''s hand, saying, "Your aunt asked you to come and keep An-An company. Your mother has also agreed. I was the one who sent Little Zhang to pick you up. I tried to call you before, but nobody was home to answer the phone."


    "Okay, Uncle Yin. I''ll pack my things and head over," Tang Yu said to the phone. Then, once she heard the call getting disconnected, she looked to the young man referred to as "Little Zhang" and said, "I''ll go and pack while you wait here."


    "I''ll help you carry the bag," Little Zhang said as he offered to help with the grocery bag in Tang Yu''s hands.


    However, Tang Yu swiftly stepped away and coldly said, "Thank you, but that won''t be necessary."


    Little Zhang awkwardly froze. He never expected a little girl to be so wary of him, and he couldn''t help but start to reflect and wonder if his behavior had offended Tang Yu in any way.


    ...


    After entering the house, Tang Yu placed the instant foods she bought into the fridge while leaving the fruits and vegetables in the bag. Then, she went upstairs to pick up her suitcase. While she was at it, she wrote her whereabouts on a post-it note and pasted it on the refrigerator door.


    With this, her father wouldn''t have to worry if he returned and failed to see her at home.


    Once Tang Yu was done taking care of her affairs at home, she walked out of the house with her suitcase and the bag of fresh produce.


    Little Zhang had already opened the trunk. When he saw Tang Yu placing the suitcase into the trunk with ease, he couldn''t help but admire her a little. He had previously worked as a private driver for several different families, and never had he seen a girl like Tang Yu. The daughters of the families he used to work for were usually delicate flowers who could hardly do anything by themselves. Tang Yu, on the other hand, not only knew how to be wary of her surroundings, but she was also self-sufficient. Seeing how she had bought so many ingredients, she probably knew how to cook for herself.


    Moreover, the daughters of those wealthy families weren''t the only girls lacking the ability to care for themselves. Even his working girlfriend didn''t know how to care for herself. The only thing his girlfriend knew how to cook was instant noodles. She could probably eat instant noodles for an entire month if he didn''t return home.

 CH 95

    After seeing Tang Yu putting her luggage into the trunk and closing it, Little Zhang tried to fulfill his duties by opening the door for her. However, before he could even do so, Tang Yu had already opened the back seat door and got into the car.


    Little Zhang smiled wryly at this scene. It would seem he couldn''t treat this girl with his normal service attitude.


    ...


    Tang Yu looked out the window throughout the ride. The closer she got to the city''s urban area, the more cars and high-rises she saw.


    "How much longer?" Tang Yu asked, a complicated expression forming on her face as she looked at the concrete forest outside the window.


    Hearing Tang Yu''s question, Little Zhang glanced at her through the rearview mirror and noticed something amiss with her expression. After lowering the car''s speed, he asked, "It will take another ten minutes or so. Are you feeling carsick?"


    Tang Yu shook her head. Then, she helplessly looked at the carp wrapped in newspaper struggling on her lap. The carp''s mouth opened and closed repeatedly, looking like it was crying for help.


    I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I''ll put you out of your misery in another ten minutes, Tang Yu mentally drew a cross over her heart with a sincere expression.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know that Tang Yu was coming to stay over. Although Wang Zhen knew about Tang Yu''s visit, she didn''t get to inform her daughter about it since she received a call from the hospital and needed to leave in a hurry. And because Yin Zhao-an''s nanny had taken half the day off to do something, Yin Zhao-an was now home alone.


    Feeling bored, Yin Zhao-an went to her room''s balcony, where a rattan chair with a blanket was placed. After getting into the chair and covering herself with the blanket, she closed her eyes and napped under the warm sun.


    ...


    The black sedan Little Zhang drove silently entered the villa''s yard. After passing a key, which he had received from Yin Changcheng, to Tang Yu, Little Zhang eagerly helped Tang Yu remove her suitcase from the trunk. Then, when Tang Yu told him she didn''t need any further help, he tactfully drove away in his car.


    When Tang Yu turned around and looked at the large villa before her, she inwardly sighed and thought, It seems Uncle Yin''s business has already grown as successful as it was in my previous life¡­


    The lock on the front door was an electronic one. When Tang Yu held up the key close to the lock, a light on the door flickered a few times before a click came from the lock. Then, the heavy doors slowly parted to welcome Tang Yu into the house.


    The decorations in the house were as Tang Yu remembered. There was a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, off-white fabric sofas surrounding a marble coffee table in the middle, white blooming lilies placed on both sides of a huge LCD TV, and a spiral staircase with glass handrails.


    Tang Yu didn''t reminisce for long. After placing her suitcase by the stairs, she entered the kitchen, filled a basin with water, and settled the struggling carp. Then, she put all the vegetables and fruits she bought into the refrigerator.


    Although the kitchen looked mostly brand new, there were still signs of it being used before. After returning the plates left on the kitchen counter to the cupboard, she made her way out of the kitchen.


    Tang Yu did not bother with her suitcase in the living room. Instead, she made her way to the second floor and arrived in front of a familiar bedroom. Then, after hesitating for a moment, she opened a small gap in the door and peeked inside.


    Nobody''s here¡­


    Tang Yu opened the door the rest of the way and stepped inside. When she saw the familiar furnishings in the room, she knew she had gotten the right room.


    This was Yin Zhao-an''s room.


    Tang Yu initially thought nobody was in the room. However, when she arrived next to the small bookshelf, she found someone napping on the balcony. Immediately, she walked over to the balcony with light steps.


    The person on the balcony slept with a soft blanket covering her waist down. The person''s long bangs had grown past her eyebrows, casting a faint shadow over the person''s closed eyes. When the sun''s warm rays reflected on the person''s pale complexion, it looked as if the person''s face was partially translucent.


    When Tang Yu arrived at the balcony, even her breathing had become faint. After tentatively approaching the girl slumbering on the rattan chair, she crouched down next to the chair to observe the other party''s sleeping visage.


    Although her formerly pristine face had thinned significantly after a long period of weakness, the girl still looked beautiful nonetheless. Although the girl''s pink lips were currently pursed into a straight light, the corners of her lips were slightly raised as if she was in a happy mood.


    "...An-An," Tang Yu softly called out as she stared at Yin Zhao-an''s sleeping face. However, no response came from the other party, and even the rhythm of her breaths remained unchanged.


    Seeing this, Tang Yu''s heart suddenly started to beat faster. It was as if it knew what its owner would do next, so it was exciting itself in advance.


    When Tang Yu attached her own lips to those soft pink lips, her body shuddered as if an electric shock had coursed through her body. The corners of her eyes also reddened as tears began to coat her eyes.


    Just as Tang Yu was about to pull away, a force pressed down on the back of her neck, causing her lips to press against Yin Zhao-an''s lips. At the same time, she could feel the lips that had previously remained motionless enveloping hers. Then, she vaguely heard the following words coming out of the mouth stuck to hers:


    "You like me too¡­don''t you?"


    Tang Yu''s eyelashes trembled slightly. At the same time, the tears pooled in her right eye reached a critical weight and separated into a teardrop that fell onto Yin Zhao-an''s cheek. Ultimately, the consternation in her heart caused her to angrily break free from Yin Zhao-an''s hold. However, as her legs had gone limp at some point, she fell onto the ground as soon as she broke away from Yin Zhao-an.


    Subsequently, tears began to pour out of Tang Yu''s eyes uncontrollably. Covering her face, Tang Yu said in a choked voice, "I''m sorry... I''m sorry..."


    Yin Zhao-an frowned slightly. The sight of her Tang-Tang crying and apologizing caused her heart to ache. It felt like countless needles were prickling her heart, the pain causing her to feel suffocated.


    Yin Zhao-an dearly wanted to say something. However, a sudden thought in her mind told her to swallow back her love confession, and now wasn''t the time for it.


    If Tang Yu knew that Yin Zhao-an was still thinking of teasing her at this moment, she would definitely give her a good beating.


    Regardless, the happiness Yin Zhao-an currently experienced was far greater than the anguish she experienced. This was because she had finally gotten an answer to the problem that had plagued her these past few months. It was also the answer she desired the most.


    Overwhelmed with a bad sense of humor, Yin Zhao-an started to look at Tang Yu''s curled-up and sobbing figure with an indifferent expression. Honestly, though, if it weren''t for her leg injury forbidding her from making any sudden or strenuous movements, she would have probably already flown out of her seat and profusely apologized by now.

 CH 96

    Tang Yu didn''t know how long she had cried. Eventually, she cried to the point where she grew confused.


    Why am I crying in the first place?


    Tang Yu instantly retracted her expression and lifted her tear-streaked face. Then, when she saw a certain someone looking at her indifferently, her eyes gradually narrowed.


    A certain someone felt a chill crawl down her back and subconsciously shuddered. Although this someone tried to act strong, her eyes shifting left and right gave away her anxiety and guilt.


    After a moment of silence, Tang Yu got up from the ground, wiped her tears with one hand, and patted the non-existent dust on her clothes with her other hand. Then, she walked up to Yin Zhao-an, pinched the other party''s chin, leaned forward, and coldly said, "Since you''ve already found out, I won''t continue hiding it. I am at fault in this matter, but you are also at fault."


    Invisible question marks appeared above Yin Zhao-an''s head, and she couldn''t help but look at her Tang-Tang''s domineering face in puzzlement. Try as her Tang-Tang might, the reddened corners of her Tang-Tang''s eyes only made her Tang-Tang look like an easy target for bullying.


    "Aren''t I the victim?" Yin Zhao-an tried to rectify her place in this situation. Although she received a glare as soon as she finished speaking, the glare did not have any deterrent effect.


    "You are an accomplice." Tang Yu removed her hand and straightened her posture. Then, while looking down at Yin Zhao-an, she said, "Not only did you not resist, but you even reversed our positions. So, you cannot be considered a victim. As for my actions just now..."


    After pausing for a moment, an idea came to Tang Yu''s mind as she faintly smiled and said, "How about we pretend nothing ever happened?"


    "No!" Yin Zhao-an instantly rejected the idea. Nothing ever happened? If they pretended nothing ever happened, wouldn''t her progress bar be reset to zero?


    Yin Zhao-an struggled to get out of her rattan chair. Without the support of her crutches, she quickly fell forward after getting out, and unsurprisingly, she fell into Tang Yu''s embrace. Then, before Tang Yu could react, Yin Zhao-an wrapped her arms around Tang Yu''s neck and softly pecked Tang Yu''s lips.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Tang Yu was truly stunned this time. Staring blankly at Yin Zhao-an''s pursed lips and serious expression, she slowly opened her mouth and asked, "Do you know what you are doing?"


    "I know. Yin Zhao-an relied on Tang Yu to stand straight, her height immediately exceeding Tang Yu by a large margin. Then, she bent down slightly to meet Tang Yu''s eyes and said, "I like you. Not as a friend but as someone who I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want to fall asleep looking at you and wake up seeing you. It can only be you and nobody else."


    Lifting her hands to caress Tang Yu''s tear-streaked face, Yin Zhao-an switched to a gentler tone and continued, "I like you, Tang-Tang. Are you scared?"


    Tang Yu clutched the edges of Yin Zhao-an''s shirt tightly and rubbed her face against the hands caressing her. "I''m not scared." But...


    Tang Yu turned away from the person trying to kiss her, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    Yin Zhao-an''s heart thumped when she saw Tang Yu performing her face-changing act for a second time. Suddenly growing nervous, she asked, "Didn''t you say you weren''t scared?"


    Tang Yu calmly pushed Yin Zhao-an back onto the rattan chair. When she saw the anxious look on Yin Zhao-an''s face, she found it both amusing and refreshing.


    She had paid so much for this person in her previous life. She had even spread her dignity on the ground for this person to trample on. All her love was wasted, so she must collect some interest on this debt.


    "Indeed, I am not scared, but there must be a process for two people to get together. Your current behavior will only make me think that you are acting on impulse," Tang Yu strictly said. "Turn your words into action, and let me see them. Do you agree?"


    Yin Zhao-an paused for a moment to arrange her thoughts. Then, she asked, "Do you mean I should start with pursuing you?"


    Tang Yu frankly nodded and said, "It''s fine if you think it''s too troublesome. We can still be friends."


    "I don''t want us to be friends," Yin Zhao-an quickly answered. Grinning, she said, "My goal is for us to be lovers."


    Yin Zhao-an''s smile was very sincere, so sincere that it moved Tang Yu''s heart a little and caused her to nearly surrender.


    "Okay. I will wait for you at the finish line."


    ¡­


    When the nanny arrived at the villa at night, she found a carp soup simmering in the kitchen. The soup''s thick, sweet aroma permeated every corner of the kitchen, and the nanny couldn''t help but salivate just from smelling it.


    Has the Madam come home? the young nanny wondered.


    The young nanny quickly prepared the cutlery on the dining table and wiped her hands on her apron. Then, she tentatively went upstairs, stopped in front of Yin Zhao-an''s room, softly knocked on the door, and called out, "Young Miss, it''s time for dinner."


    "Alright."


    A reply quickly came from the room, which was followed by rustling sounds. The young nanny quickly stood by the door, ready to help her charge.


    A click came from the door. Just as the young nanny was extending her hands, she saw a beautiful girl standing next to her charge. The girl had long hair that reached her shoulders and a pair of eyes that were currently staring at the person using crutches next to her. When the girl saw the young nanny, she pursed her lips and smiled.


    Awkwardly retracting her hands, the young nanny greeted the unfamiliar girl, "Hello."


    "Hello," Tang Yu naturally responded to the greeting. She knew Yin Zhao-an''s father had hired a nanny, but she didn''t think the nanny would be so young. By the looks of it, the other party should be working only as a part-time nanny.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu''s gaze staying on the young nanny for quite some time, she angrily lifted her hand and covered Tang Yu''s eyes. Then, she coldly said to the person in front of her, "You probably only prepared one set of cutlery, right? Hurry on with your work. She will help me get downstairs."


    The young nanny was caught off guard by Yin Zhao-an''s sudden change in attitude. After dazedly nodding, she hurriedly ran downstairs to prepare a second set of cutlery.


    Once the nanny was gone, Tang Yu turned to look at Yin Zhao-an, only for Yin Zhao-an to rough up her hair and say, "You only need to look at me and nobody else."

 CH 97

    Tang Yu helplessly stretched her hand to stop the hand that was making a mess of her hair and said, "Don''t be so mean."


    Yin Zhao-an pursed her lips and revealed a pitiful look upon getting lectured. For a moment, Tang Yu even thought she saw an illusory feline tail drooping behind Yin Zhao-an.


    "I would never be mean to you," Yin Zhao-an mumbled, deliberately misinterpreting Tang Yu''s words.


    Tang Yu helplessly sighed and shook her head. However, she did not choose to continue on this topic. Instead, she helped the half-disabled person next to her downstairs.


    ...


    The young nanny had never seen Yin Zhao-an showing such a cold expression before today. Originally, the young nanny thought that her charge was a person without a temper, as Yin Zhao-an rarely spoke and usually spent most of her time alone in her room. However, by the look of things, Yin Zhao-an wasn''t as expressionless as the young nanny thought. On the contrary, Yin Zhao-an was more than capable of making an expression that could send shivers down the young nanny''s spine.


    After the little incident just now, the young nanny wisened up and quietly stood at a corner of the dining room, making herself one with the background. However, as she watched Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu dine, she gradually noticed that she...had seemingly turned into the third wheel.


    Using the excuse that her injuries made it inconvenient for her to eat, Yin Zhao-an righteously sat next to Tang Yu. However, it was obvious that she didn''t intend to act the part of a partially disabled person because as soon as she sat down and took a few bites, she quickly started filling Tang Yu''s bowl with food. Moreover, she would only serve non-spicy dishes to Tang Yu.


    In reality, Tang Yu liked spicy food quite a lot. So, the corner of her eyes twitched a little when she saw anything but spicy food topping her rice bowl. When she could no longer see the rice in her rice bowl, she softly said, "Stop serving food for me and focus on your own meal."


    "Okay." Yin Zhao-an swiftly moved the bok choy, which she was about to place on top of Tang Yu''s bowl, into her own bowl. Then, she beamed a bright smile at Tang Yu.


    Why does it feel like she got dumber... Tang Yu softly sighed, resisting the urge to hold her forehead.


    ¡­


    In a certain district in the city...


    For the first time, Zhao Yu found a computer game very entertaining. Currently, the image of a swordsman hovered in the middle of the screen before Zhao Yu. The swordsman had a handsome face and a body with perfect proportions. There were even colorful streamers floating behind the game character.


    Gao Rang sat next to Zhao Yu with a laptop in hand. The laptop''s screen showed a similar game interface, but the character displayed on the screen was slightly different from Zhao Yu''s character. Gao Rang''s character was a mage holding a crystal ball. The mage''s baggy and hooded robe hid most of his body, revealing only a chin and a pair of lips.


    When Zhao Yu moved his mouse, the character on the screen also moved, his movements accompanied by special effects.


    "Stay behind me, Big Bro. I''ll carry you through this dungeon," Zhao Yu said, his eyes fixated on the transition scene displayed on the screen.


    When the transition scene ended, both Zhao Yu''s character and Gao Rang''s character appeared together on a cliff surrounded by clouds and mists. A stone tablet was situated at the end of the cliff, and an elderly NPC stood next to this tablet.


    Zhao Yu clicked on the NPC to trigger the NPC''s dialogue and start the dungeon mission.


    Suddenly, a prompt for a duel request appeared at the bottom right of Zhao Yu''s screen. However, when Zhao Yu saw an unfamiliar ID in the prompt, he rejected the request without hesitation and proceeded to enter the dungeon.


    This dungeon was designed with the intent that it could be cleared solo. However, Gao Rang was so terrible at the game that he would get KO-ed after a few minutes in the dungeon. After seeing Gao Rang getting stuck on this quest for a long time, Zhao Yu couldn''t bear to watch Gao Rang repeat his cycle of death any longer. So, as soon as the winter holidays began, he came to Gao Rang''s house to help him out.


    "This dungeon is quite simple. We''ll clear it in no time," Zhao Yu said as his hands swiftly manipulated the mouse and keyboard. And as he stated, he cleared three checkpoints in no time, and Gao Rang didn''t even have to use a single skill. "See?"


    Gao Rang leaned back against the sofa, feeling frustrated and defeated. Then, trying to find an excuse for his past failures, he said, "This mob can stun."


    Zhao Yu snorted, finding Gao Rang''s excuse amusing: "Big Bro, your character can stun it as well."


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    "It''s too fast," Gao Rang argued.


    "Wait a moment." After saying so, Zhao Yu transferred the party leader position to Gao Rang and set his character to follow Gao Rang''s character. Then, he got up, went over to Gao Rang''s side, took over Gao Rang''s laptop, and said, "Watch."


    The mage character was now taking on the leading role of the party while the swordsman followed the mage''s every move. When the dungeon''s monsters approached the mage, Zhao Yu swiftly ran his fingers across the laptop''s keyboard, skillfully having the mage evade the two monsters'' attacks before retaliating with a skill. As soon as the mage''s skill activated, the attacking monsters became stunned. Then, the swordsman started to attack the monsters with his skills, ending the lives of the two monsters in only two moves.


    At this time, Gao Rang boldly embraced the thin figure before him and rested his chin on the other party''s soft hair, the faint scent of shampoo flowing into his nose.


    Gao Rang honestly couldn''t care less about the game. The game was nothing but an excuse to get Zhao Yu to spend more time at his house.


    Originally, Gao Rang thought Zhao Yu was a serious kid who only liked reading and studying. He never thought that Zhao Yu would be good at playing games. From what he heard, Zhao Yu had never touched computer games during his childhood, as he spent most of his time attending cram school and interest classes.


    However, Gao Rang didn''t mind Zhao Yu liking computer games. If Zhao Yu liked playing computer games, Gao Rang would watch him play. It was fine so long as Zhao Yu was happy.


    "Do you know how late it is now?" Gao Rang whispered into the ear of the person in his embrace.


    Zhao Yu''s ear immediately turned bright red when Gao Rang''s hot breath hit it. Of course, it was simply because his ears were sensitive.


    Shifting his head a little, Zhao Yu kept his gaze fixated on the screen as he said, "It doesn''t matter. Even if I go home now, I''ll be the only one home. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen my parents."


    Gao Rang was momentarily stunned. Then, with a slightly choked look, he asked, "How long?"


    "Almost two years, I guess," Zhao Yu nonchalantly said.


    "Does that mean you spent the last New Year by yourself?"


    Zhao Yu nodded. The next second, he was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace, which caused the mage he controlled to take a direct hit from the dragon serving as the dungeon''s boss.


    "What are you doing? You just failed the raid again," Zhao Yu said, feeling somewhat annoyed when he saw the mage dying on the screen. However, when he turned around to glare at the cause of the mage''s death and met Gao Rang''s eyes, he suddenly forgot what he wanted to say.


    "I''ll spend the New Year with you this year," Gao Rang said.

 CH 98

    "Oh, okay." Zhao Yu didn''t mind Gao Rang''s suggestion. Then, he passed the laptop back to Gao Rang and said seriously, "We must clear the dungeon this time, okay?"


    Gao Rang chuckled and raised a hand to ruffle Zhao Yu''s hair, saying, "Okay."


    ¡­


    "Why don''t you sleep closer?"


    A female voice softly sounded in the dead of night, the speaker seemingly worried she would disturb the person she was speaking to.


    When Tang Yu heard this voice, she turned her head around and met Yin Zhao-an''s eyes, those eyes sparkling and looking full of hope in the darkness of the room.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu staying quiet and looking hesitant, she added, "I won''t do anything to you. I promise."


    More like you don''t dare to do anything, Tang Yu thought, rolling her eyes. Even so, she still shifted her body closer to Yin Zhao-an.


    Meanwhile, seeing Tang Yu coming closer, Yin Zhao-an promptly tucked the quilt they shared. Now, there were no gaps between them, and not the slightest bit of cold air could get under the quilt.


    Tang Yu couldn''t sleep. Lying on her side and looking out the window with half-drawn curtains, she called out to Yin Zhao-an in the dark, "An-An."


    "Hm?"


    "Since when did you start to learn about these things?" Tang Yu asked, the "things" here referring to homosexual relationships and Yin Zhao-an''s feelings for her. This question had also been troubling her the entire day.


    Until Tang Yu died in her previous life, Yin Zhao-an had never shown any interest in love, much less homosexual love. Yin Zhao-an also never noticed Tang Yu''s feelings for her. Yet, Yin Zhao-an had even taken the initiative to confess in this life. Someone or something must have given Yin Zhao-an a push in this direction.


    "Mhm, well¡­ I first learned that girls could fall in love with other girls from Wen Tao," Yin Zhao-an said, recalling when Wen Tao had nosily asked her about her relationship with Tang Yu. She had yet to realize her true feelings at the time, but since Wen Tao had asked her such a question, she had probably been subconsciously showing her feelings through her behavior.


    "...Wen Tao?" Tang Yu immediately came to a realization. It would seem that the butterfly effect was at play again. After all, Wen Tao was never part of their past lives.


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    Speaking of Wen Tao, Yin Zhao-an suddenly remembered the forum post Zhao Yu had previously shared with her. Immediately, feelings of jealousy filled her as she asked, "Do you like Wen Tao?"


    "Huh?" Tang Yu couldn''t help but doubt her ears for a moment. Then, turning her whole body around and looking at Yin Zhao-an, she frowned and asked, "Are you insane? Why would I like him?"


    Yin Zhao-an awkwardly looked down when she saw such a strong reaction from Tang Yu. Then, somewhat aggrievedly, she said, "Because I see you two together often."


    An angry smile appeared on Tang Yu''s face. After pinching a certain jealous bug''s chin, Tang Yu looked the other party in the eye and said, "If my memories serve me right, you were the one who told Wen Tao to keep an eye on me."


    "I was wrong¡­" Yin Zhao-an promptly acknowledged her mistake. Then, with a sincere look, she said, "But I was truly worried you wouldn''t take care of your body. It''s unhealthy to skip meals."


    This again¡­ Tang Yu frowned in confusion when she heard Yin Zhao-an bringing up her diet again. Not wanting to stay in the dark any longer, she frankly asked, "Why do you keep worrying about my diet?"


    Yin Zhao-an wasn''t sure if Tang Yu knew about her own body''s condition, so she vaguely said, "Your stomach isn''t healthy, so you should take better care of it."


    My stomach¡­


    Tang Yu placed a hand on her stomach and recalled the stomach aches she had experienced in her previous life. She would often experience intense stomach aches after meals. As a result, she would always lose her appetite whenever she saw food. Originally, she thought it was because of her eating disorder, but maybe the stomach aches were actually caused by a weak stomach?


    "Okay, okay, I won''t have Wen Tao follow you around anymore, but you must eat your meals on time," Yin Zhao-an said as she wrapped her arms around Tang Yu''s waist. Then, she gently pinched Tang Yu''s waist through the thin pajamas, her actions causing Tang Yu to shudder.


    Tang Yu''s face flushed red from anger and embarrassment, and she immediately tried to push Yin Zhao-an away. However, the more she tried to push Yin Zhao-an away, the stronger the other party''s embrace became, and she could not break free from the other party.


    "Let''s go to sleep. I''m tired," Yin Zhao-an said as she closed her eyes. Her lips, however, were curled into a satisfied smile.


    After failing to free herself, Tang Yu closed her eyes in a huff and eventually fell asleep.


    Upon sensing the breathing of the person next to her stabilizing, Yin Zhao-an slowly opened her eyes, a few glistening teardrops appearing in her hazy eyes. However, the teardrops disappeared as quickly as they appeared, and Yin Zhao-an closed her eyes again and slept a dreamless slumber.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in a living room somewhere...


    Zhao Yu scratched his hair in frustration. Originally, he did not intend to spend the night in Gao Rang''s house. After all, he was still more or less traumatized by the incident last time. Unfortunately, he had been so immersed in his game that he had completely forgotten the time. Meanwhile, although he could still take a midnight cab home, Gao Rang refused to let him go, stating it was unsafe.


    "I''ll sleep in the guest room," Zhao Yu insisted.


    "No. The guest room is in a mess, and it will take a lot of time to tidy it up. It''s fine if you sleep in my room for a night," Gao Rang said earnestly.


    However, Zhao Yu refused to go along with Gao Rang''s suggestion, wanting to stay as far away from the other party as possible. "It''s fine. I''ll just clean up a little and make do with it."


    Gao Rang''s expression darkened. Eventually, he took a deep breath and began walking toward Zhao Yu. Seeing this, Zhao Yu stepped back one time after another until he was backed against the sofa and forced to sit down.


    "You¡­ What are you trying to do?" Zhao Yu panicked, his palms becoming sweaty.


    Looking down at Zhao Yu, Gao Rang said, "Fine, then. I''ll sleep on the sofa while you sleep in my bedroom."


    Upon hearing Gao Rang''s second suggestion, Zhao Yu immediately disagreed and moved his legs onto the sofa. Then, he curled his entire body on the sofa and said, "I have a small body, so I''ll sleep on the sofa. End of discussion. Go to sleep."


    When Zhao Yu finished speaking, a long silence ensued. After a while, Zhao Yu heard footsteps leaving the sofa, followed by a door opening. However, he did not hear the sound of a door closing.


    A moment later, the footsteps returned. Immediately afterward, a thick blanket was thrown onto the sofa. Then, before Zhao Yu could react to the situation, he was pulled into an embrace at the waist.

 CH 99

    6-8 minutes 04.02.2023


    ¡­


    TL/N:


    Skip to the second half to avoid the Zhao Yu/Gao Rang part.


    ¡­


    "Big Bro!!" Zhao Yu held onto Gao Rang''s neck in a panic, worried that Gao Rang might throw him off the sofa.


    However, Zhao Yu''s concerns did not occur. Instead, Gao Rang proceeded to pick him up from the sofa, carry him to the bedroom, drop him onto the bed, and whisper into his ear, "Goodnight."


    By the time Zhao Yu recovered from his shock, Gao Rang had already left the bedroom and closed the door on his way out.


    After staring at the bedlight at a loss for a moment, Zhao Yu quietly got out of bed and walked over to the door. When he opened a small gap in the door and snuck a peek outside, he saw a person wrapped in a blanket lying on the sofa, the person''s long legs hanging off the sofa''s edge.


    Zhao Yu felt remorseful when he saw this scene. After sitting on the bed and hesitating for some time, he ultimately couldn''t bear the condemnation in his heart and went back into the living room.


    "Big Bro."


    Gao Rang was a little surprised. However, because of the sofa''s limited space, he could only turn his head slightly to look at Zhao Yu. "What''s wrong? Not used to sleeping here?"


    Shaking his head, Zhao Yu said, "Let''s sleep together. It''s not comfortable to sleep on the sofa."


    Smiling helplessly, Gao Rang said, "It''s fine. It''s not uncomfortable." At the same time, he couldn''t help but start to feel pity for the boy. Even though fear and rejection were clearly written in the boy''s eyes, the boy was still willing to compromise because of his kindness.


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    "I''m serious, Big Bro. Let''s sleep together," Zhao Yu said, his voice starting to sound a little coquettish.


    Although one normally wouldn''t notice this minor detail, Gao Rang, with his sensitive mind, noticed it. His mind heating up, he abruptly pulled Zhao Yu into an embrace. 4887


    The two stuck closely to each other on the narrow sofa. Leaning against Gao Rang''s chest, Zhao Yu could hear an unusual heartbeat coming from the other party, and his face involuntarily blushed.


    Gao Rang faked a light cough when he felt the person in his arms stiffening. Taking the initiative to get off the sofa, he said, "You asked for it yourself. I didn''t force you."


    "Mhm."


    After entering the bedroom, the two silently looked at each other before each taking a corner of the bed. At first glance, they looked like a pair of husband and wife who were in a cold war with each other.


    Zhao Yu quickly fell asleep. Before he thoroughly lost consciousness, though, he heard the person next to him quietly answering a call before he felt the quilt getting tucked. Then, silence returned to the room.


    When morning arrived, Zhao Yu found that the person next to him had disappeared. When he got out of bed and went to the living room, he found some money and a key on the coffee table. There was also a post-it note placed on the side.


    "Something came up at the hospital. Buy some breakfast downstairs with the money. The key is yours..."


    After reading the note, Zhao Yu picked up the silver key and carefully analyzed it.


    ¡­


    After a night of unintentional movements from a certain someone, Tang Yu woke up with her belly exposed and a large but skinny hand firmly clasped on top of it.


    The sky outside was already bright, so Tang Yu didn''t even need to look at the clock to know what time it was already.


    Tilting her head slightly, Tang Yu saw Yin Zhao-an was still asleep, so she carefully tried to remove the invasive hand on her belly. Yet, she found that the more she tried to remove it, the tighter it held onto her belly.


    Tang Yu quickly realized what was happening and glared at the person next to her, only to see the other party''s lips slightly curled up. A certain someone was still pretending to be asleep while holding back a smile.


    In a fit of anger, Tang Yu grabbed the quilt and pushed it against Yin Zhao-an''s face. Then, amidst the confusion, she quickly got out of bed and straightened her wrinkled pajamas.


    Yin Zhao-an hugged the quilt and looked at Tang Yu through her sleepy eyes. Grinning, she said, "Good morning, Tang-Tang."


    Tang Yu smoothed her hair and silently glared at Yin Zhao-an. Then, she grabbed a change of clothes and went straight to the bathroom, her ears reddening and her feet hastening when she heard joyful laughter coming behind her. Since the confession yesterday, Yin Zhao-an had been becoming increasingly shameless.


    Yin Zhao-an sat up and leaned against the headboard. When she looked out the window and saw the peach tree planted in the yard downstairs, she couldn''t help but wonder if she would see flowers blooming on the tree''s thin branches this year.


    When Tang Yu left the bathroom after changing into a form-fitting sweater, she immediately felt a scorching gaze locking onto her. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed out a "kind" smile and gave the gaze''s owner a warning look.


    Yin Zhao-an guiltily looked away and subconsciously rubbed the tip of her nose when she was caught staring. She even faked a cough to try to cover up her actions.


    Tang Yu did not pursue the matter. After helplessly shaking her head, she went to grab her down jacket from the coat rack by the door and put it on. Then, she returned to the bed and extended a hand to Yin Zhao-an, saying, "I''ll help you to the bathroom."


    "Okay."


    With her hair in a mess, Yin Zhao-an climbed out of bed and clung to Tang Yu. Initially, she tried to drag her feet to prolong the journey, but she quickly straightened her act after getting a warning smack from Tang Yu.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw that there was already a cup of water and a toothbrush with toothpaste on it prepared on the sink, a warm feeling spread in her heart.


    Fortunately, she had corrected her path in time and didn''t let the opportunity slip by.


    When Yin Zhao-an thought about how Tang Yu would wake up every day in another person''s arms, gently wake the other party up, thoughtfully prepare toothpaste for the party, and even make soup for the other party, her heart throbbed in pain.


    Fortunately... Fortunately, she didn''t let her Tang-Tang slip by.


    Tang Yu didn''t know why Yin Zhao-an suddenly went silent. After ensuring that Yin Zhao-an could stand on her own, she retreated to the doorway and dazedly stared at Yin Zhao-an as she leaned against the doorframe.

 CH 100

    7-8 minutes 05.02.2023


    By the time Yin Zhao-an snapped out of her daze, Tang Yu had already left the bathroom and sat in front of the study desk. Through the bathroom mirror, she could see Tang Yu quietly reading a book.


    After quickly washing up, Yin Zhao-an weakly called out to her human crutch, "Tang-Tang, I can''t come out."


    When Tang Yu heard Yin Zhao-an''s call for help, she lowered the book in her hands and went over to the bathroom to give Yin Zhao-an a helping hand. In the midst of doing so, though, she couldn''t help but look at Yin Zhao-an strangely.


    Once Tang Yu settled Yin Zhao-an back onto the bed, she walked over to the desk and grabbed the book she was reading just now. Then, leaning against the desk, she waved the book and smiled deeply as she asked, "Isn''t this my book? Why is it in your place?"


    When Yin Zhao-an heard Tang Yu''s questions, her hand reaching for a glass of water froze, and her forehead began to sweat. Anxiously, she stuttered, "Ah¡­ T-That¡­ I-I¡­saw it on the ground when I visited your classroom in the past, so¡­"


    "Tell the truth," Tang Yu interrupted. Although it had been some time since she last read any books other than her high school textbooks, that didn''t mean she would randomly place her books. Not to mention, the book in her hand should still be on her bookshelf in her bedroom. Why would it suddenly appear in Yin Zhao-an''s room?


    Yin Zhao-an had to admit that her Tang-Tang currently had her eating out of her hand. Not daring to disobey Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an obediently revealed the entire process of how she came to possess one of Tang Yu''s books. Of course, she didn''t forget to make up an excuse for her actions, saying, "I was just curious at the time. I wanted to know what exactly was going on in your mind. So, when I saw you taking notes in that book..."


    The more Yin Zhao-an spoke, the softer her voice became. However, when Tang Yu heard Yin Zhao-an''s confession, not only did she not get angry, but she even felt an indescribable warmth spread across her body. Her eyes also became overflowing with tenderness.


    "You dummy¡­" Tang Yu chuckled before gently caressing the scribbles she had left on the book. She had merely scribbled these words on a whim. She never thought a certain someone would be so concerned over them.


    ¡­


    The young nanny arrived at the villa early in the morning. When she saw that the two occupants of the house had yet to come down, she put the breakfast she had prepared into a cooler box and began tidying the large house.


    After an unknown amount of time, some noise came from upstairs. When the young nanny looked up, she saw Tang Yu straightening her clothes while walking down the staircase. When the two met eyes, they silently greeted each other with a polite smile.


    When the young nanny saw Tang Yu walking toward the kitchen, she hurriedly reminded her, saying, "Breakfast is in the cooler box."


    Tang Yu had already taken a set of breakfast from the cooler box when she heard the young nanny''s reminder. While setting the breakfast on the dining table, she kindly smiled and said, "Thank you, but I''m quite familiar with this place."


    The young nanny awkwardly smiled at Tang Yu''s words and asked, "Do you come here often, Ma''am?"


    "You don''t have to be so polite. Just call me Little Tang," Tang Yu said, shaking her head. She couldn''t help but chuckle a little when she heard how respectfully the nanny was addressing her. Then, she returned to the nanny''s question, saying, "We grew up together."


    Although this was a new house for the Yin family, it was a house Tang Yu had lived in for nearly ten years. So, this place was no different from home to her.


    The young nanny revealed a look of realization. Then, she smiled brightly and said, "I see. No wonder the Young Miss is especially close to you and treats you like family."


    "Thank you," Tang Yu said with a faint smile. 4887


    Subsequently, the young nanny became lost in her thoughts for a moment. Then, when she noticed no further movement coming from upstairs, she couldn''t help asking, "Will the Young Miss not be coming down yet?"


    "I''ll bring her portion upstairs in a moment."


    "Oh, okay."


    Seeing that there was nothing else for her to do here, the young nanny went into the courtyard to tend to the garden.


    ¡­


    While waiting for her Tang-Tang to return with breakfast, Yin Zhao-an lay on her bed and stared at the white ceiling in a daze. Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table vibrated and played a pleasant ringtone.


    When Yin Zhao-an answered the call, an excited voice came from the other end. Then, after listening to what the other party said, she said, "Come over to my house, then. Tang-Tang is also here."


    Subsequently, the other party said something that made Yin Zhao-an frown a little. After hesitating for a moment, Yin Zhao-an replied, "It should be fine... Anyway, just come over first."


    Tang Yu just so happened to have entered the room with a tray of breakfast when Yin Zhao-an hung up the call. When she saw Yin Zhao-an smiling at her in a cute sitting posture, she walked over to the bed and nonchalantly asked, "Who was on the phone?"


    While helping Tang Yu move the food tray onto the bedside table, Yin Zhao-an answered, "It was Zhao Yu."


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    When Tang Yu heard the answer, her hand that was about to reach for a porcelain spoon froze. However, she quickly recovered her composure and responded with a simple, "Oh." Then, she proceeded to grab the spoon and stir the bowl of longan porridge in her hand in silence.


    Yin Zhao-an panicked a little when she saw Tang Yu''s indifferent expression. Tentatively tugging at Tang Yu''s sleeve, she meekly asked, "Are you angry?"


    Hearing this, Tang Yu squeezed out a smile and said in a gentle tone, "Not at all. Whatever you do has nothing to do with me, so why would I be angry?"


    Yin Zhao-an instantly got goosebumps when she saw Tang Yu''s smile. That was a smile with a concealed blade! Hurriedly, Yin Zhao-an held up her phone, saying, "I''ll tell him not to come."


    However, before Yin Zhao-an could unlock her phone, a tender hand stopped her. Then, Tang Yu helplessly sighed and said, "I was just joking with you."


    Yin Zhao-an looked at Tang Yu in confusion. Not only were there no signs of aggression on her Tang-Tang''s gentle face, but there was even an inexplicable trace of sentimentality.


    "I am not trying to limit your right to make friends, but I hope you understand one thing," Tang Yu said, her expression gradually turning serious. "Your confession was a pleasant surprise to me, but I cannot be certain you will keep liking me in the future. Before I can be certain of your feelings, every ambiguous action you make will be no different than you taking a slice off my heart with a dull blade."


    Bending forward slightly, Tang Yu stared into Yin Zhao-an''s confused eyes and continued, "So, please... I beg of you¡­


    "You must persist in liking me."

 CH 101

    Yin Zhao-an felt a sharp pain in her heart. In a panic, she grabbed the hand of the person in front of her and lowered her head to plant a kiss on it. Then, with tearful eyes, she said, "You have to believe me. I really do like you."


    Tang Yu was momentarily stunned by Yin Zhao-an''s actions. Then, the corners of her mouth raised uncontrollably as she retracted her slightly numb hand and said, "Okay, I believe you."


    Kissing my hand is just...cheating!


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    ¡­


    When Zhao Yu arrived, Tang Yu was reading a book in the living room. Upon hearing the doorbell ring, she got out of her seat to open the door.


    Zhao Yu had long known that Tang Yu was in Yin Zhao-an''s house, so he wasn''t surprised to see Tang Yu opening the door. With a laptop clutched in his arms, he looked around inside the house, asking, "Big Sis Tang, where is Brother Zhao?"


    "She''s upstairs. I''ll take you there."


    ¡­


    There was a laptop in the study. Tang Yu followed Yin Zhao-an''s instructions and brought the device to the bedroom. When she returned to the bedroom, she saw Zhao Yu selecting a light-blue icon on his laptop.


    It''s this game again...


    Tang Yu''s eyes narrowed when she saw the familiar icon, the shadows in her eyes gradually accumulating until they eventually caused her pupils to turn hazy.


    "This game''s quite fun, Brother Zhao. Since you don''t have anything better to do right now, you should give it a try," Zhao Yu said, his eyes focused on the interface on the screen while his hands entered his account credentials. Then, the screen transitioned to a beautiful opening, followed by the game''s main interface.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu grabbed a book and disappeared into the balcony with an incredibly ugly look.


    Tang Yu wasn''t mad at Zhao Yu, and neither did she hate him. On the contrary, she quite liked Zhao Yu as a person. He was sincere and courageous, and he dared to pursue his love, even if doing so meant going against his family.


    What Tang Yu hated was the game Zhao Yu was introducing to Yin Zhao-an. She might not have lived a long life in her previous life, but she had still spent around two decades by Yin Zhao-an''s side. Yet, in the end, their relationship turned out less important than a game. Just the thought of this infuriated Tang Yu.


    But what could Tang Yu do? Tell Yin Zhao-an not to touch this game? Or should she deprive Yin Zhao-an of all independent choices?


    Impossible. Tang Yu would never do that. Even if Yin Zhao-an was willing to be controlled by her, Tang Yu didn''t wish to become that kind of person. She believed that if two people truly loved each other, they should learn to respect each other.


    ...


    Yin Zhao-an was at a loss as she held onto her computer, her eyes constantly darting to the balcony.


    As engrossed as he was in his game, Zhao Yu still noticed the strange atmosphere between Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu, and he couldn''t help but be confused by this situation. After switching his gaze between the person surrounded by a heavy atmosphere on the balcony and the absent-minded person in the room a few times, Zhao Yu put his character on auto-pilot and called out:


    "Brother Zhao."


    Brought back to reality, Yin Zhao-an looked at Zhao Yu, wearing a confused look as she waited for Zhao Yu to continue speaking.


    Pointing his chin at her laptop, Zhao Yu asked, "Has the download finished?"


    Yin Zhao-an quickly remembered what they were doing and looked at her laptop''s screen. Then, she found that not only had the game''s download finished, but even the installation was completed already. Currently, the game''s client was flickering on the screen, waiting for a click from her cursor.


    The game was called "Art of Freedom." It was an adventurous-sounding name. However, when Yin Zhao-an saw the game''s light-blue icon, she felt a stinging pain in her eyes, as if needles were prickling them. A feeling of disgust also welled up within her, causing her expression to turn ugly.


    Zhao Yu quickly noticed the change in Yin Zhao-an''s expression. He originally thought something had gone wrong with the installation, but just as he was about to get up to take a look, Yin Zhao-an suddenly stopped him.


    "It''s nothing. I just feel like I''ve seen this game before," Yin Zhao-an said while pinching the bridge of her nose. She felt as if something in her mind was clamoring to break loose. However, the more she tried to think about it, the worse her headache got.


    Having no interest in finding trouble for herself, Yin Zhao-an quickly decided to cast aside her confusion and concentrated on researching the game.


    She had to admit that the game''s opening scene was well-made. The opening started by showing a peach blossom forest in full bloom. Then, two shooting stars shot across the sky and arrived at a vast sea, the shockwaves they generated causing the sea to surge. Even though every scene was made using CGI, it looked as if everything was shot in the real world.


    Eventually, the two "shooting stars" stopped at the top of a misty mountain and revealed their true appearances¡ªtwo individuals who looked at the world beneath them with disdain.


    The first person to catch Yin Zhao-an''s eye was a woman with a delicate face. The woman''s black hair was combed into a bun and held together by pink tassels, and she wore a pink dress that fluttered in the breeze.


    Standing next to the woman was a man with a slender build. The man had a sharp and handsome face and long hair that was tied into a ponytail. Unlike the empty-handed woman, the man carried a longsword on his back.


    Subsequently, an input box popped up on Yin Zhao-an''s screen, prompting her to register an account. Without much thought, Yin Zhao-an entered her email account, set a password, and clicked "Register."


    The next step was the most crucial one¡ªchoosing a role.


    Characters in this game could choose between six classes, and these classes were split between offensive and supporting roles.


    Yin Zhao-an''s mind hovered between the Wanderer and Mystic classes, hesitant about which to choose.


    When Zhao Yu saw Yin Zhao-an staring at the screen and doing nothing for a long time, he curiously snuck a look and decisively clicked on the next selection page for her, revealing a Bard holding a zither.


    "?" Yin Zhao-an frowned when she saw the Bard class on the screen. "But I want to be an attacker."


    In response, Zhao Yu shook his head and began to talk at length, "Based on my experience, the Bardis is the most well-rounded class. The Mystic might be a stronger DPS, but the class''s support skills focus only on raising Const and Speed. So, Mystics are paper when it comes to taking hits."


    Although Yin Zhao-an didn''t understand what Zhao Yu was saying, she refused to show weakness, so she pretended to understand and nodded.

 CH 102

    7-9 minutes 07.02.2023


    "The Wanderer is in an even more problematic situation. The class might have the strongest offense, but it lacks any support skills whatsoever. You can only act like a reckless fool using that class, and you''re going to have a lot of trouble in situations that require more than just raw power," Zhao Yu said before pausing for a moment.


    "But!!" Suddenly changing gears, Zhao Yu pointed at the Bard on the screen and solemnly said, "The Bard might rank third when it comes to offense, but the class''s healing capabilities rank second out of all classes. It might not be as good as a specialized healer, but it is adept at solo and team play."


    Eventually, Yin Zhao-an settled on the Bard class after much marketing from Zhao Yu.


    After the class selection came the character modeling. During this phase, the left side of the screen displayed a sample of the character, while the right side showed a list of options and sliders. Before Yin Zhao-an could start adjusting her character''s appearance, though, she needed to select her character''s gender.


    Unsure of which to choose, Yin Zhao-an turned to Zhao Yu, who was currently completing a storyline quest by himself, and asked, "Will gender have an impact on gameplay?"


    Zhao Yu looked up from his screen and pondered for a moment. Then, he answered, "Not really, but you are more likely to get harassed if you choose a female character. It''s especially so if you don''t have a Fated Partner."


    After a slight pause, Zhao Yu quickly added, "Anyway, it''s up to you. As far as I can tell, more players are playing male characters than female characters in this game. At least, my character is still single until now."


    Yin Zhao-an hesitated for a moment when she heard Zhao Yu''s explanation. Then, she softly asked, "What''s a Fated Partner?"


    "It''s basically your lover in this game. If you have a lover in this game, you can even activate bonus quests for couples."


    "Oh." Yin Zhao-an briefly glanced toward the balcony when she heard Zhao Yu''s explanation. Then, she chose to make a male character without hesitation. She had no desire to get harassed by other players. She was going to be a rebellious lone wolf!


    After deciding on her character''s gender, Yin Zhao-an chose a tall and slim model as her character''s template and began tweaking his facial features. After she moved the sliders around for around five minutes, a complete character hovered in the middle of the screen.


    When Zhao Yu came over to take a look, he couldn''t help but be amazed by Yin Zhao-an''s creation and subconsciously said, "If you were going to base your character off your own looks, you might as well have chosen to make a female character. That way, you can help fill my Fated Partner slot."


    As soon as Zhao Yu finished speaking, he instantly felt a change in the surrounding atmosphere. Then, he couldn''t help but shudder when he saw the icy look worn by the person in front of him...


    "I''m sorry, Brother Zhao! I''m sorry!"


    Zhao Yu hurriedly apologized and retreated to his place while laughing apologetically.


    Yin Zhao-an gave Zhao Yu a look of exasperation before returning her attention to her laptop. Setting aside what Zhao Yu said at the end, it was true that she had modeled her character after herself. Apart from the gender, her character resembled herself a lot, his eyes slightly raised at the ends, his mouth naturally upturned at the corners, and his lips looking pink and thin.


    The last step Yin Zhao-an needed to complete before entering the game was to name her character. After hesitating for a moment, she settled on "Yuyi Chang''an(ÓôÒг¤°²)."[1]


    When Zhao Yu heard the familiar in-game BGM coming from Yin Zhao-an''s laptop, he opened up his friends'' list and said, "Brother Zhao, give me your ID. I''ll add you."


    In response, Yin Zhao-an indifferently the four characters making up her character''s ID.


    As Zhao Yu was about to key in the ID, his hands suddenly froze, and his eyes glowed as he smelled the scent of gossip, asking, "Brother Zhao, is it the ''Yu'' and ''An'' I am thinking of?" 4887


    However, Zhao Yu quickly shut his mouth when he received a cold stare from Yin Zhao-an. Then, he quickly typed Yin Zhao-an''s ID in the search bar and found a familiar face. The face of the character shown on the screen resembled Yin Zhao-an''s face a lot. Only, the male character on screen had a sharper look and long brown hair that was spread across his back. The character wore a baggy white robe that fluttered with the wind and carried an icy-blue zither on his back.


    When Zhao Yu sent his friend request and saw it getting approved, he promptly invited Yin Zhao-an to a party and passed the party leader''s position to her.


    "Okay, my character''s on follow," Zhao Yu said after setting his character to follow Yin Zhao-an''s character automatically. "Do you see the quest window on the right of your screen?"


    ¡­


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    It was near evening when Tang Yu woke up, the afterglow of the setting sun pouring on her body. When a cool breeze blew by, she couldn''t help but shudder.


    After tugging at the blanket that had slid down to her knees, Tang Yu picked up the book that had fallen to the floor and glanced inside the bedroom. Even now, the two people in the room were still mashing away at their mice and keyboards.


    After letting out a sigh filled with complicated emotions, Tang Yu got up and entered the room. Then, she went to the bedside and turned on the lights, causing the two people immersed in their game to snap back to their senses.


    Of the two, Zhao Yu''s reaction was milder. He simply looked at the time and exclaimed, "It''s so late already?!"


    Yin Zhao-an, on the other hand, had a more intense reaction. As soon as the lights came on, she reflexively closed her laptop as if she were a child caught playing on the computer without permission. Even though she was never one to be afraid of her parents, she somehow felt that she needed to act in such a manner.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu couldn''t help but be taken aback by Yin Zhao-an''s reaction. After all, she hadn''t even said anything yet.


    However, Tang Yu didn''t comment on the reaction, as it was a good thing that Yin Zhao-an had closed her laptop. Instead, she moved closer to Yin Zhao-an and carefully observed the latter''s face, bad memories surfacing in her mind when she saw the latter''s bloodshot eyes.


    Yin Zhao-an felt an inexplicable sense of guilt when Tang Yu looked at her, and she couldn''t help but look away, not daring to look Tang Yu in the eye.


    Zhao Yu was originally going to say goodbye before taking his leave, but he wisely chose to keep quiet when he saw the atmosphere surrounding the two girls. He felt very much like a third wheel at this moment, so he quickly packed his laptop and fled the room.


    When Zhao Yu arrived downstairs, he happened across the young nanny, who had just finished setting the dining table for dinner. Recalling the situation upstairs, he reminded the other party, "Don''t go upstairs for now. They''re busy."


    After saying so, Zhao Yu quickly slipped out of the house.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]Yuyi Chang''an(ÓôÒг¤°²): I don''t really know what this means. It''s probably some kind of play on words using an idiom, but I can''t find the original. But if taken literally, the name probably means "Yu relies on An forever."

 CH 103

    Zhao Yu had already left through the door before the young nanny could ask for more details. As a result, she could only scratch her head as she looked upstairs in confusion.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu helplessly sighed. Using her slender fingers to give Yin Zhao-an a gentle flick on the forehead, she said, "You are still a patient. Can''t you be more mindful of your body?"


    "My bad," Yin Zhao-an answered, an embarrassed smile on her face as she rubbed her forehead.


    Suddenly, Tang Yu felt a throbbing pain from her empty stomach, the pain causing her to frown and hold her stomach.


    Yin Zhao-an''s pupils constricted when she saw this. She had completely forgotten about lunch because of how engrossed in her game she was. Although the nanny had come to call them for lunch at noon, Yin Zhao-an had thoughtlessly refused to have lunch when she saw that Tang Yu was fast asleep on the balcony.


    How can I forget about something so important?!


    Yin Zhao-an slapped herself on the head, regret filling her. Then, she anxiously held Tang Yu''s hands and said, "Tang-Tang, let''s make a trip to the hospital tomorrow!"


    "Why? Did I hurt your head?" Tang Yu asked, Yin Zhao-an''s sudden behavior worrying her. Although she was sure she had put very little strength into her forehead flick just now, it might have been just enough strength to cause a second trauma.


    "No." Yin Zhao-an shook her head. "I want you to get a gastroscopy."


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    "Huh? Is that even necessary?" Tang Yu asked, feeling confused. Her stomach might have convulsed, but it wasn''t so serious that she needed to go to the hospital.


    "You must go!" Yin Zhao-an emphasized. However, she quickly realized that her attitude wasn''t very good, so she softened her voice and said, "Please go and get a check-up. I''m worried."


    Seeing the pleading gaze Yin Zhao-an was giving her, Tang Yu ultimately conceded and said, "Let''s go tomorrow, then."


    The tears and look of worry in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes couldn''t be any more genuine. Although Tang Yu felt Yin Zhao-an was making a mountain out of a molehill, she decided that there was no harm in going along with Yin Zhao-an''s wishes. Even if it turned out to be a wasted trip, the results would at least give Yin Zhao-an peace of mind.


    Yin Zhao-an sighed in relief when she received an affirmative answer. Honestly, even she had no idea where the anxiety and fear in her heart came from. Maybe it was because she was afraid to lose her Tang-Tang after obtaining her. Either that, or she was trying to find a way to remedy the blunder she made today.


    After seeing that Yin Zhao-an was no longer kicking up a fuss, Tang Yu looked at the closed laptop before turning around to leave the room. Before stepping out of the door, she said, "Play your game in moderation. Don''t get addicted to it. Your health is more important."


    "Roger!"


    As soon as the door closed, Yin Zhao-an leaned back against the bed in relief. Then, she sneakily opened her laptop, unlocked the screen, and revisited her game.


    Zhao Yu, the only friend on her friends'' list, had already gone offline. When she saw the name he used for his character''s ID, she couldn''t help but snicker.


    Creator.


    It was a very "second-year syndrome"-esque name.


    Since she had nobody to party up with to raid dungeons right now, the only thing she could do was challenge the storyline quest by herself. Although she also had the option of participating in an event called "World Battle," she wisely chose to avoid it.


    World Battle was a battlefield involving players from the entire server. Currently, the top players of the server were already in their 90s in level, while she was only a novice who had yet to reach Level 20. If she tried to join such a battlefield, she''d be sent to the respawn point as soon as someone decided to look her way.


    Fortunately, it shouldn''t be long before she would become strong enough to participate in the World Battle event. For the sake of letting new players catch up to veteran players and avoiding a situation where there would be a permanent gap between the two groups, the game developers introduced certain benefits for new players.


    Of these benefits, the most useful one was an item called Straight to the Clouds.


    Novices could use this item to exponentially speed up their level growth. At most, they would need an hour to reach the server''s average level. This basically solved the problem of new players being too low-leveled for the latest content. The only problem novices needed to face was procuring and upgrading equipment. The developers offered no shortcuts to this problem.


    Fortunately, Yin Zhao-an got to learn from Zhao Yu''s experience and began crafting her own equipment as soon as she started the game. Had she simply followed the official route of leveling up and procuring equipment set by the developers, she would have been beaten black and blue by her peers once she reached the server''s average level.


    However, Zhao Yu did not do any handholding with Yin Zhao-an. After he finished showing Yin Zhao-an the ropes and giving her some useful tips, he left her to her own devices.


    Meanwhile, the first thing Yin Zhao-an did after parting ways with her guide wasn''t to grind for levels. Instead, she focused on strengthening her equipment and collecting items. She would even disassemble items to obtain scrolls that could normally only be bought from stores.


    Zhao Yu was both relieved and filled with admiration when he saw this. He was relieved that she understood the game''s gameplay and rules so quickly, and he admired her for having the luck to craft orange equipment, which was considered high-ranking equipment. She had done so many times, even.


    Honestly, Zhao Yu found the situation quite infuriating. He had crafted many pieces of equipment since he started the game. Yet, not once had he ever crafted a piece of orange equipment. The best he had ever gotten was purple equipment, which was one rank lower than orange equipment. The god of luck truly loved Yin Zhao-an.


    Naturally, depending on the rank of a piece of equipment, the buffs it could give to a character would also differ. The higher a piece of equipment''s rank was, the stronger the buffs it could provide.


    Of course, despite his envy and admiration, Zhao Yu didn''t forget to remind Yin Zhao-an to put any extra orange equipment she made up for sale at the equipment shop. Though, before Yin Zhao-an put any of her extras up for sale, Zhao Yu managed to snag a scale armor for his Wanderer class and a feathered cloak for Diviners at dirt-cheap prices.


    Meanwhile, after completing a few quests, Yin Zhao-an decided to call it quits for now, making sure to adhere to Tang Yu''s reminder. After turning in her last quest for the day, she read through the game''s global chat and joined a "train."


    A "train" was a party led by one active player and several AFKers. In a "train," the party leader would go around doing daily quests while the AFKers of the party would be on follow. The purpose of a "train" was to let the AFKers leech EXP while the party leader was questing. In exchange, the party leader would receive bonus EXP, up to 100%, from completing quests and killing monsters.


    Yin Zhao-an wasn''t in a rush to level up. She didn''t care whether she could beat the game''s "big shots." She merely regarded this game as a pastime, so there was no need to invest so much effort into it.


    If Tang Yu could hear Yin Zhao-an''s thoughts, she would definitely get the urge to open up her brain to see if it had been replaced.


    Did a certain someone finally return to the right path after losing her way?

 CH 104

    When Tang Yu arrived downstairs, the first thing she did was search the fridge for some bread to eat. She remembered the nanny stocking quite a lot of bread in there.


    The young nanny was in the midst of washing rice when Tang Yu entered the kitchen. When she saw Tang Yu opening the fridge and taking out a loaf of bread, she hurriedly stopped the other party.


    "It''s a cold day today, so you shouldn''t be eating refrigerated bread for dinner," the young nanny said as she wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to the nearby pressure cooker. When she removed the pressure cooker''s lid, an intense aroma instantly spread across the kitchen.


    Pork rib soup? Tang Yu had done a lot of cooking in her previous life, so she instantly recognized the smell coming from the pressure cooker.


    After tasting the soup to see if it was sufficiently salted, the young nanny filled a small bowl of pork rib soup for Tang Yu. Apart from soup and large pieces of pork rib, the bowl also contained plump peanuts, wolfberries, and ginseng.


    "It smells great," Tang Yu complimented. She was also a little surprised by the medicinal ingredients added to the soup.


    The young nanny didn''t hand the bowl of soup to Tang Yu right away. Instead, she brought it to the dining table in the living room and smiled, saying, "It''s a little hot, so be careful."


    "Thank you," Tang Yu said as she accepted the chopsticks and porcelain spoon the young nanny offered her. Then, she went straight to taking a sip of the cloudy soup, the warm and nutritious liquid soothing rapidly soothing her restless stomach.


    When the young nanny saw Tang Yu revealing a satisfied expression, she secretly sighed in relief. Then, she said, "Take your time drinking and come to the kitchen for a refill if you want more. I''ll be preparing dinner in the meantime."


    "Mhm!" Tang Yu beamed a sweet smile at the young nanny, shallow dimples appearing on her face.


    Throughout the past few days of interacting with Tang Yu, the young nanny had never seen the younger girl smile so happily before, and she couldn''t help but be affected by the younger girl''s smile. After revealing a faint smile of her own, the young nanny returned to the kitchen and resumed work with greater enthusiasm.


    Halfway through her bowl of soup, Tang Yu suddenly remembered there was still a starving patient upstairs. After uttering a quiet apology, she brought the remaining half of her soup upstairs.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an was leaning back against the headboard and resting her eyes when she heard the door opening. When she opened her eyes, she saw Tang Yu walking over with a bowl of soup.


    Sitting on the edge of the bed, Tang Yu held up the bowl of soup and asked, "Do you want to drink some?"


    In response, Yin Zhao-an blinked her eyes a few times before she smiled and said, "I''ll drink it if you feed me."


    "Don''t push your luck," Tang Yu indifferently said before standing up, looking like she was about to leave. Then, sure enough, she immediately heard a certain someone showing weakness.


    "I was wrong, I was wrong. I want to drink it, I want to drink it," said a certain someone who had tried to push her luck as she hurriedly grabbed the edge of Tang Yu''s shirt. However, she dared not use too much force as she was afraid of causing Tang Yu to spill the hot soup.


    At this point, it had already become a form of entertainment for Tang Yu to tease Yin Zhao-an. She felt especially exhilarated whenever she saw Yin Zhao-an''s pleading expression.


    Ultimately, Tang Yu still went along with Yin Zhao-an''s wishes and personally fed her. Of course, she didn''t do so because she had given in to Yin Zhao-an''s adorable pleading look. She simply didn''t want to risk Yin Zhao-an spilling any of this delicious pork rib soup. It''d be a huge waste of such a good soup.


    Yin Zhao-an smacked her lips after drinking a few mouthfuls, looking like she was savoring the taste.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    "How is it?" Tang Yu asked when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s behavior.


    In response, Yin Zhao-an frowned and fell into thought. Then, as if she was a professional food critic, she said, "It''s good, but¡­it''s lacking a bit of flavor."


    Tang Yu was momentarily stunned by Yin Zhao-an''s comment. Then, thinking that soup might have lost some of its flavors after it had cooled, she skeptically tried a spoonful herself.


    "Really? I think the flavor''s just right, though," Tang Yu said after savoring the soup. The soup was as rich as when she drank it downstairs.


    Yin Zhao-an fell silent. She could feel a familiar feeling at the bottom of her heart, but she couldn''t quite grasp it clearly, and neither could she tell what caused this familiarity.


    She just felt that¡­pork rib soup shouldn''t taste this way. It should have a different kind of flavor profile. But what could it be?


    Seeing Yin Zhao-an about to fall into a daze, Tang Yu got up from the bed and asked, "Do you want to go downstairs for a walk? It''ll be good to go for a stroll in the living room once in a while."


    A stroll¡­in the living room? Yin Zhao-an was caught off guard by Tang Yu''s suggestion. This was the first time she had heard such a saying. However, it was true that she had started to feel a little bored after sitting in her room all day, so she grabbed her crutches and followed Tang Yu out of the room.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an had spent all of her time in her room during the past few days. Even her meals were brought upstairs for her. So, when the young nanny saw Yin Zhao-an coming downstairs, she couldn''t help but be stunned.


    However, the young nanny quickly regained her composure and went into the kitchen to bring out the dishes she had cooked. The dishes were still steaming, and they looked and smelled appetizing.


    As soon as Yin Zhao-an sat down, something immediately caught her notice. Every dish served on the table was prepared in two variations¡ªspicy and non-spicy. Moreover, the two variations were clearly distinguished from each other.


    Yin Zhao-an normally liked to eat spicy food. She knew Tang Yu liked it as well, so there was no reason to prepare two variations of the same dish. Yet¡­


    When Tang Yu saw Yin Zhao-an showing no signs of touching her chopsticks, she put down her own chopsticks and softly asked, "Do you not like these dishes?"


    Yin Zhao-an stayed silent. How could she not like these dishes? These were all her favorites.


    Tang Yu also knew about Yin Zhao-an''s preferences; she even went out of her way to give the nanny a list of dishes and asked the nanny to prepare more of Yin Zhao-an''s favorites. But now, Yin Zhao-an''s behavior made it look like she disliked these dishes.


    "Why are these dishes so bland?" Yin Zhao-an suddenly turned to look at the nanny standing in the corner, her gaze sharp and harsh.


    Yin Zhao-an''s sudden question put the young nanny at a loss, and she couldn''t help but look to Tang Yu for help.


    Tang Yu also didn''t understand why Yin Zhao-an was making things difficult for the nanny. Reaching out and tugging at Yin Zhao-an''s sleeve, Tang Yu frowned a little as she asked, "What''s the matter?"

 CH 105

    Yin Zhao-an was startled by the sudden rage that appeared within her. At the same time, she experienced a deep sense of frustration and self-blame that came from the bottom of her heart. When all these emotions mixed, they made her feel like her brain was about to explode.


    Seeing Yin Zhao-an stay silent, Tang Yu signaled the nanny to give them some privacy with her eyes. Then, once she and Yin Zhao-an were the only ones remaining in the living room, she gently massaged the back of Yin Zhao-an''s hand and soothingly asked, "What''s wrong, An-An?"


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t answer Tang Yu right away. Instead, she tightly embraced Tang Yu as feelings of fragility and helplessness overwhelmed her. Then, as her eyes reddened slightly, she softly said, "What should I do? I don''t think I''m worthy of you..."


    Tang Yu was stunned. Why would Yin Zhao-an think this way all of a sudden?


    "Everyone understands you better than I do. Even a person who''s only known you for a few days knows how to take better care of you than me," Yin Zhao-an said, her voice choking up. "I will only drag you down. I also keep making you angry..."


    "So?"


    A cold voice suddenly entered Yin Zhao-an''s ears. Then, Yin Zhao-an felt the person in her embrace pushing her away.


    "Are you intending to let go of me, then? Just because of that? If you are so cowardly, I must have misjudged you before," Tang Yu coldly said. She was truly angry this time. If Yin Zhao-an thought she was lacking, all she needed to do was think of ways to compensate for her shortcomings. What use was there in drowning herself in self-pity? Not to mention, it wasn''t even a problem that couldn''t be solved with a little effort.


    "I won''t let go!" Yin Zhao-an shouted, a hint of crying in her urgent voice. "I won''t let go even if I die... I will never let go..."


    Tang Yu snorted in contempt when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s behavior. In her previous life, she was the one worrying about losing their existing relationship. Now, it would seem that the positions were reversed. It felt like the two of them were being wantonly manipulated by fate. Perhaps, even her reincarnation was merely a round of fate''s game.


    "Think it out for yourself," Tang Yu left these words for Yin Zhao-an before walking away from the dining table. It was pointless to say any more words. If Yin Zhao-an truly couldn''t come to terms with reality, perhaps...she(TY) should reflect on whether she had misdirected her affection.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu didn''t go upstairs but went into the courtyard to relax. The moon tonight was beautiful, and it covered the plants in the courtyard with a light veil.


    A person was sitting on the bench next to the flower bed. When Tang Yu saw the other party''s silhouette, she quickly recognized the other party.


    When Tang Yu walked over to the young nanny, the other party moved over slightly to make room for her.


    The two didn''t speak for a while. Apart from the sound of the wind, nothing else could be heard.


    "Are you two...in the kind of relationship I''m thinking of?"


    The young nanny was the first to break the ice. Perhaps she felt that Tang Yu was easier to talk to, but she didn''t restrain herself as much around Tang Yu.


    However, no matter how gentle Tang Yu was, that didn''t mean she would like others to know about her private affairs. It was especially so when the nanny''s question concerned such a sensitive topic. Hence, Tang Yu chose to remain silent.


    Meanwhile, the young nanny twiddled her fingers awkwardly when she saw Tang Yu staying silent. Then, she clasped her hands and said, "Actually...this kind of thing is quite common in university. It''s not just limited to girls but also boys. Everyone would usually just dismiss such relationships with a smile. Some would even generously offer their blessings. There is no discrimination toward such relationships, and even those who don''t agree with these relationships wouldn''t say anything radical."


    Even though the person beside her still didn''t respond to her words, the young nanny did not mind. She had already said what she wanted to say. She also didn''t think there was a need to be secretive about this topic.


    Then, the young nanny seemingly thought of something as she started to feel sad, saying, "Even if you two cannot remain together until the end, please do not resort to extreme methods. So long as you are alive, it will still be possible to turn things around. At worst, it''ll just take a lifetime to accomplish..."


    Tang Yu shuddered a little when she heard the nanny''s words. Turning to look at the other party, she hesitantly asked, "Could it be that...you too?"


    "No, no." The young nanny didn''t think Tang Yu would misunderstand her words in such a way. Breaking into a smile, she said somewhat helplessly, "It happened to a friend of mine. When his parents discovered his relationship, they dragged him to a hospital and were adamant about curing him. Nobody expected him to¡­jump out a window and end his own life."


    "...I''m sorry for your loss." Tang Yu didn''t think she would get to hear such a story, and she couldn''t help but be shocked.


    The young nanny quickly regained her composure when she heard Tang Yu''s condolences. She had started out trying to advise Tang Yu to be more open-minded, yet she herself had ended up feeling sad. In an attempt to change the topic, she asked, "By the way, has the Young Miss finished eating yet? The food''s going to go cold soon if she still hasn''t finished. It''ll be bad for her stomach to eat cold food. Not to mention, she didn''t have anything for lunch."


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but get a headache when she thought about how Yin Zhao-an was creating trouble for her one after another. But what could she do except spoil the girl rotten?


    "I''m going back first. Do you want to come in?" Tang Yu asked as she got up from the bench and patted her clothes.


    Shaking her head, the young nanny said, "I''ll stroll around outside."


    "Okay."


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Originally, Tang Yu had wanted to feign indifference when she returned to the living room. However, as soon as she stepped into the living room, she couldn''t help but be amused by the impactful scene before her.


    How could this person...be so silly?!

 CH 106

    Yin Zhao-an, who believed she had been ruthlessly abandoned, was crying in her seat with grievance. She was not one to cry easily, but she felt truly aggrieved this time.


    A large part of this was due to her own feelings of inferiority. Romantic relationships between men and women were the norm in this world, and same-sex relationships were seen as abnormal. The pressure from family, friends, and society only added to this.


    Yin Zhao-an had thought about these issues during her time in the hospital. However, the goal of wanting to be with Tang Yu had seemingly been engraved in her mind, and she could confidently say that she''d be willing to overcome any hurdles to stand by Tang Yu''s side and become a part of her future.


    Even so, Yin Zhao-an still felt uneasy. She worried the race might end before she reached the finish line and that, upon her arrival, someone else had already claimed the prize.


    But¡­how would she know the outcome if she never tried it? Why was she being so self-deprecating? Even if someone else did take her desired prize, she could simply knock out the person who took it and take it back. After all, what she loved was not an object but a living person.


    After thinking it through, Yin Zhao-an stopped worrying. Instead, she turned her sadness into hunger to recuperate quickly. Only if she had a healthy body could she fight for what she wanted.


    Hence, when Tang Yu returned to the living room, the first thing she saw was a certain someone gorging herself with food while wearing a tearful but zealous expression.


    What a silly fool¡­ Tang Yu sighed.


    Yin Zhao-an stiffened for a moment when she saw Tang Yu entering the house. Then, she neatly set aside her bowl, her cheeks still bulging and making her look like a squirrel that had just stolen some food.


    After swallowing the food in her mouth with difficulty, Yin Zhao-an aggrievedly looked at Tang Yu with tearful eyes.


    How cute¡­


    Tang Yu lowered her head and lightly coughed to hide her awkwardness. Then, she pulled out a chair, sat opposite Yin Zhao-an, and quietly savored the warm soup she had left behind just now.


    Completely ignored, Yin Zhao-an dejectedly poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, her nose starting to sour.


    Tang Yu quickly took care of her dinner and got up. Before leaving, she said, "Hurry up and eat. Someone else is waiting to do the dishes." Then, she went upstairs without another word.


    Although still feeling very dejected, Yin Zhao-an silently encouraged herself, It''s fine. Just coax her if she''s angry, make her laugh if she''s unhappy, and admit my fault if I did something wrong.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an ultimately returned upstairs with the help of the nanny. When she tentatively opened the door, she saw that the room was dimly lit, and the only source of light in the room was a warm yellow night light standing on the bedside table. She also noticed the quilt on the bed bulging.


    Is she sleeping already?


    Yin Zhao-an carefully moved to the edge of the bed and bent over to look at the sleeping person.


    Even before Tang Yu moved in, Yin Zhao-an could already handle daily life on her own. Contrary to how she behaved in front of Tang Yu, she didn''t always need other people''s help. Even using the bathroom wasn''t a problem since there was a non-slip mat installed. The only task she still had trouble doing without help was going up and down the stairs.


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.


    After taking a shower, Yin Zhao-an slid into the bed and carefully pulled the corner of the quilt. She also made sure to keep her distance from the sleeping girl next to her for fear of waking her up.


    Unfortunately, Yin Zhao-an had trouble sleeping today, her eyes becoming a little dry as she stared at the dimly lit ceiling.


    Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an felt the person beside her move. As if looking for warmth, the person pressed her body against her, the person''s arm subconsciously entangling her neck. This development frightened Yin Zhao-an so much that she stiffened and didn''t dare to move.


    After some more movement, the person next to Yin Zhao-an seemed to have found a satisfying posture and fell asleep again while clinging to Yin Zhao-an.


    At this time, Yin Zhao-an didn''t even need to use a mirror to know that she was blushing all the way to her neck.


    Yin Zhao-an already had trouble sleeping originally. After this happy little incident, it became even more impossible for her to fall asleep. So, instead of trying a futile action, Yin Zhao-an held her breath and cautiously turned to look at the person sleeping against her.


    Tang Yu''s eyelashes were long and dense, and her lips were thin and pink. Her face had no obvious edges, giving it a soft look.


    Yin Zhao-an closed her eyes and started to recall the interactions she shared with Tang Yu over the years. She started from the first day they met to their daily companionship later on.


    For Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu was a taboo she dared not touch. She longed for intimacy with Tang Yu, but she worried her enthusiasm might burn Tang Yu. She neither wanted to hurt Tang Yu nor did she want to see Tang Yu hurt.


    Yin Zhao-an reached out and gently touched Tang Yu''s cheek.


    Soft. It was very soft.


    Tang Yu dazedly opened her eyes and looked at Yin Zhao-an for a moment. Then, after letting out a dissatisfied hum, she tilted her face a little more.


    Yin Zhao-an was instantly put on the brink of tears, a voice in her heart shouting for her to claim the person in front of her right away. At the same time, a cracking pain enveloped her heart.


    An emotion called loss swept across Yin Zhao-an''s mind. When Tang Yu felt a scalding teardrop strike her face, she couldn''t help but open her eyes and look at Yin Zhao-an in perplexity.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an leaned her head on Tang Yu''s neck and embraced Tang Yu tightly. She wanted to say something, but her struggle to breathe and her trembling throat prevented her from doing so.


    Tang Yu saw a flash of sadness appearing in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes, the sight causing her to frown in confusion. Although she had no idea what had gotten into Yin Zhao-an, she quietly reached out to hug her back.

 CH 107

    After staying silent for an unknown amount of time, Yin Zhao-an started to get drowsy. However, just as she was about to fall asleep, her body suddenly stiffened as she thought, What¡­did I just do?


    Tang Yu noticed Yin Zhao-an''s body stiffening almost immediately. This made Yin Zhao-an''s already tight embrace even tighter, and this caused Tang Yu to frown even more in discomfort.


    "I¡­" Yin Zhao-an let go of Tang Yu in a panic when she realized she was hurting her. Then, she cautiously looked at Tang Yu, afraid she might see a look of disgust.


    Yin Zhao-an had no idea why she would suddenly feel such intense heartache, but she knew that something within her was telling her to hold onto Tang Yu and not let go. It felt as if Tang Yu would disappear from her life forever should she let go.


    In the meantime, Tang Yu''s mind fell into turmoil. How did the situation suddenly get so out of control? Shouldn''t they still be in a cold war? Moreover, for some reason¡­Yin Zhao-an''s abnormal behavior caused even her to feel an inexplicable heartache.


    Yin Zhao-an knew she had made a mistake. She didn''t want to pretend as if nothing had happened, either. Right now, all she wanted to do was touch the person in front of her and verify that this person truly existed by her side.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know why she was behaving so abnormally tonight, but she could see the concern and silent indulgence in Tang Yu''s eyes, so¡­


    ¡­she lowered her head and tentatively touched Tang Yu''s lips.


    There was no rejection.


    ¡­


    After the end of a long kiss, Yin Zhao-an gently pecked Tang Yu a few times as their lips parted, the soft kisses forming in Tang Yu''s calm lake of emotions.


    "Let''s not argue, okay?" Yin Zhao-an whispered into Tang Yu''s ear, the hot breath coming out of her mouth earning her a shudder from the person before her.


    Tang Yu closed her eyes and silently agreed with Yin Zhao-an in her heart. On the surface, though, she expressed her thoughts via action instead of words.


    "Ah! Are you a dog, Tang-Tang?" Yin Zhao-an held her bitten arm and looked at Tang Yu, who was calmly wiping her mouth, in disbelief.


    Tang Yu knew how to be tactful with her mouth. She used just enough force to teach Yin Zhao-an a lesson but not cause her any physical harm.


    After venting her anger, Tang Yu adjusted her sleeping posture and put her back facing Yin Zhao-an. Before going to sleep, she didn''t forget to warn Yin Zhao-an, saying, "I''m going to sleep on the sofa if you make any more unnecessary movements."


    "Oh, okay." Yin Zhao-an had already gained enough emotional security after their long yet fleeting physical conversation, so she didn''t feel the need to make any more advances for the time being. Closing her eyes, she tucked herself in and got ready to sleep.


    However, a moment later, Yin Zhao-an suddenly thought of something and opened her eyes.


    "Tang-Tang."


    "What?"


    "The sounds you made just now sounded very nice, hehe."


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    Tang Yu''s face instantly turned bright red. Growling in anger, "Sleep!"


    "Okay, okay. I''ll sleep."


    After a while, Tang Yu felt the person behind her quiet down, looking like she had truly fallen asleep.


    Sleeping on her side, Tang Yu started to recall the moans she had made not long ago, and she couldn''t help but feel incredibly embarrassed. She couldn''t believe such moans could come from her mouth.


    After this little episode passed, the cold war between them also concluded.


    ¡­


    The two girls woke up the next day in vastly different states. One was energetic and clear-headed, while the other looked dead inside.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu walking into the bathroom surrounded by an air of resentment, she couldn''t help but be frightened.


    ¡­


    After breakfast, Yin Zhao-an went to the balcony with her laptop. Not only was the air there good, but the sun was warm. Most importantly, the sunlight made it easier for her eyes to look at the computer.


    Tang Yu, on the other hand, didn''t get to relax like Yin Zhao-an, since she still had a lot of homework to do.


    When Yin Zhao-an logged into her game, she saw that the only person in her friend list was online. So, she immediately sent a party request to the other party. And then¡­


    "Who''s this?" Yin Zhao-an asked in the team channel when she saw that the party she joined consisted of Zhao Yu and another person.


    "I''m Gao Rang," the other person in the party, a Diviner wearing a gold-ribbed robe, answered. He also sent a greeting gesture in the team channel.


    Following Gao Rang''s words, Zhao Yu said, "My Big Bro is working the night shift today, so he has some time to play during the day."


    "Are you two living together?" Yin Zhao-an asked but failed to receive a reply even after a long time.


    Instead of an answer, Yin Zhao-an saw a change in her game interface. Apparently, Zhao Yu had started a dungeon raid and automatically ignored her question.


    "My Big Bro hasn''t cleared this dungeon yet. Let''s go through it first."

 CH 108

    TL/N:


    Please skip the second half of this chapter if you do not wish to read yaoi.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    The chapter''s title is referring to Zhao Yu wondering about Gao Rang''s non-existent girlfriend (hence sister-in-law). It has nothing to do with Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an.


    Also, I''ll be skipping Chapter 109 because the whole thing is yaoi, and I doubt anybody here wants to read that, so I''m not gonna bother translating it.


    Basically, Zhao Yu and Gao Rang hooked up.


    ¡­


    The party was led by Zhao Yu. After joining, Yin Zhao-an put her character on follow and began to browse strategies on the game''s official forum.


    This was her way of doing things. No matter what she did, she would do it to the best of her abilities. It was just like how she would always tackle her studies in a planned and purposeful manner. She would never take on a challenge blind.


    After getting a basic understanding of the game''s operations, Yin Zhao-an was just about to close her web browser when she caught a glimpse of a small line of text.


    The conditions for becoming Fated Partners¡­ Yin Zhao-an moved her cursor over the hyperlinked text and clicked on it. Then, she was brought to a different information page.


    In addition to becoming Fated Partners, the game allowed players to form two other kinds of relationships: mentor-apprentice and sworn friends.


    The conditions for forming a mentor-apprentice relationship were simple. Firstly, both players must be at least 30 levels apart. Secondly, both players must share Intimacy exceeding 40 points. Both conditions were easy to meet.


    The condition of becoming sworn friends was even easier. Both players only need to reach 40 Intimacy with each other.


    Out of the three types of relationships, the hardest to achieve was Fated Partners.


    The prerequisite for two players to become Fated Partners was to have an Intimacy of 80 or more. Then, with the increase of their Intimacy, their relationship status would change to Infatuation, Mutual Affection, and Life and Death. Only after developing their relationship to the Life and Death status could players visit the Moon Lord under the Tree of Joy and Prosperity to trigger a Fated Partners dialogue.


    When two players triggered the dialogue, they would each receive a prompt. Should both players agree, they would become Fated Partners, and their joining would be announced on the global chat.


    However¡­


    Yin Zhao-an sank into contemplation when she read the last condition to become Fated Partners.


    Players could only become Fated Partners with players of the opposite sex.


    ¡­


    "Big Bro! Big Bro! Can you just put your character on follow and stop running around blindly?" Zhao Yu asked, gnashing his teeth when he saw Gao Rang''s character breaking away from the party once again. They were raiding the same dungeon from ages ago, and this was already their nth time raiding it. Now that he had included a piece of orange equipment into his items, if they still couldn''t beat this dungeon, he would¡­he would¡­just snatch Gao Rang''s laptop and complete the dungeon himself!


    Gao Rang leaned back on the sofa with his legs crossed, his eyes paying zero attention to the computer in front of him. He didn''t even seem to care that his screen had turned gray. The only thing in his eyes was the boy with a snowy-white neck in the air-conditioned room.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Yu subconsciously shuddered. Unaware of Gao Rang''s gaze, he lifted his head to feel the room''s temperature. However, to his confusion, the room''s heating was sufficient, and it didn''t feel cold at all.


    Failing to figure out what had caused him to shudder, Zhao Yu returned his focus to his game, only to see that the Diviner on the screen had died to the dungeon boss once again. Immediately, he cursed in frustration and got up from his seat. However, when he turned around and saw the gaze of the man on the sofa, he quickly shrunk back and held back his urge to get angry with the other party.


    Gao Rang didn''t expect Zhao Yu to stand up and turn around so suddenly, so he failed to retract the intense desire in his eyes in time and ended up giving the innocent boy a scare.


    He''s¡­looking at me like that again¡­


    In the end, Zhao Yu decided to keep his frustrations to himself and returned to his seat. However, when he recalled Gao Rang''s lazy yet handsome appearance and the tempting gaze he wore, he couldn''t help but wonder how many beautiful girls Gao Rang had seduced already.


    Thinking up to this point, Zhao Yu asked while controlling his character, "Do you have a significant other, Big Bro?"


    Gao Rang''s gaze sharpened, his expression becoming a little colder. "Why are you asking this at such a young age?"


    Zhao Yu''s heart thumped when he heard Gao Rang''s strange tone. Tentatively, he answered, "I¡­I''m just asking. What if you have a significant other? Wouldn''t I be interrupting you two if I keep staying over¡­"


    Gao Rang didn''t respond right away. Instead, he switched to a lying position on the sofa before lazily asking, "What if I say yes?"


    Zhao Yu didn''t know what was going on, but he suddenly felt a sharp pang in his heart, and even his fingertips started to ache. Despite this strange feeling, he simply laughed and said, "I''ll just go home, then."


    Gao Rang didn''t respond to Zhao Yu''s words. Instead, he put on a reminiscent look as he said, "Your sister-in-law, her lips are bright red, and her teeth are pearly white. Her skin is especially tender and soft, and her voice is pleasant to the ears. Her eyes look like they have stars in them, and she is very cultured and speaks softly¡­"


    Before Gao Rang could finish speaking, he heard the sound of a chair moving. Looking up, he saw Zhao Yu grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.


    Gao Rang was startled by this sudden development, and he hurriedly threw his laptop onto the sofa and went to stop the boy. "What''s wrong? Why are you leaving all of a sudden?"


    "It''s none of your business," Zhao Yu said with his head lowered, his hand already on the doorknob.


    "No, it is my business. Where are you going like this?" The person in front of him was obviously in a bad mood, so there was no way Gao Rang could let him leave like this.


    "It doesn''t concern you." Zhao Yu pushed Gao Rang away and opened the door.


    Seeing that persuasion was futile, Gao Rang slammed the door shut and used his height advantage to hold Zhao Yu in his arms. Both their breaths became a little ragged for a moment, but whether it was because of anger or anxiety, nobody knew.


    "What are you getting upset about? If you want to go home, just tell me. I''ll send you home. Why are you trying to leave without a word?" Gao Rang was aware that he had spoken with ulterior motives just now, but he didn''t think his misleading words would result in such a big reaction from Zhao Yu.


    Sniffling, Zhao Yu looked up at Gao Rang with teary eyes. Then, in a trembling voice, he said, "I shouldn''t have stayed and bothered you and Sister-in-law."

 CH 110

    7-9 minutes 15.02.2023


    Due to a long period of inactivity from the party leader, Yin Zhao-an was automatically assigned as the new party leader.


    Yin Zhao-an had just finished conquering the dungeon they were raiding all by herself. As for her two party members, they remained idle the entire time, and she had no idea where those two had disappeared to in real life. After sending several more messages through the party chat and failing to get a response, Yin Zhao-an decided to disband the party and grind for levels herself.


    After reading the conditions for becoming Fated Partners just now, Yin Zhao-an decided to play a second account. She wanted the bonuses that came with having a Fated Partner, but she had no intentions of entering a relationship with anyone but Tang Yu. She refused to budge on this point, even if this was only a game.


    The new character she created was female, and she deliberately modeled the character after Tang Yu. The character had gentle and spirited eyes, pink cherry lips, and a soft and small face.


    As for the character''s ID¡­


    She wasn''t very good at naming things, so she quickly settled on a slightly modified version of her ID and entered the game. 4887


    The class she chose for her second character was the Heavenly Dancer class. It ranked second alongside the Mystic class in terms of healing, and it ranked fourth in terms of physical DPS. However, the Heavenly Dancer class''s low physical DPS didn''t really matter since it attacked mainly with ranged magical attacks.


    While Yin Zhao-an was busy with the "Tang Yu" in the game, the Tang Yu in the real world decided to take a break from studying. Pushing her textbook aside, she walked to the balcony to catch some fresh air.


    Noticing the movement, Yin Zhao-an turned to look at Tang Yu. However, as soon as she laid eyes on Tang Yu, she completely forgot about her game and simply kept staring.


    Sensing the gaze fixated on her, Tang Yu turned around to look at Yin Zhao-an. Then, she tilted her head and asked, "Why are you staring at me?"


    "You''re pretty," Yin Zhao-an blurted without thinking.


    Chuckling, Tang Yu responded, "You''re pretty too."


    A low, buzzing sound suddenly resonated in the room, and the two girls turned their heads toward the source.


    It was Yin Zhao-an''s phone.


    Tang Yu walked over and picked up the phone. When she saw it was Wen Tao calling, she handed the phone to Yin Zhao-an and said, "It''s Wen Tao."


    Yin Zhao-an took the phone and answered the call. Before she could say anything, an urgent voice came through the phone:


    "Big Bro! Li Beining got into trouble!"


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu arrived at the small apartment Wen Tao mentioned, Zhao Yu and Gao Rang had already arrived, and Gao Rang was in the middle of stopping Li Beining''s bleeding. Currently, Li Beining''s silver hair was in a mess and stained with blood, and it looked like red plum blossoms were blooming in the snow.


    "What happened?" Tang Yu felt a sudden pain in her eyes when she saw the basin of red liquid next to Gao Rang. Hurriedly, she averted her eyes to look at Wen Tao, who had a swollen nose and face.


    "Li Beining helped drive away a few thugs for me, but who knew those bastards had a knife!" Wen Tao said, gnashing his teeth.


    "You two probably picked a fight with someone, right?" Gao Rang asked. He had worked in the hospital for several years now, so he had seen all sorts of patients, and many among them were brought in due to fights and brawls.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    When receiving such patients, the hospital was obligated to report them to the police, and they would almost certainly end up with a criminal record. If they turned out to be the aggressor, depending on the severity of their actions, they might even have to go to court for trial. Seeing as Wen Tao and Li Beining had chosen not to seek help from a hospital, they were most likely the aggressors in their so-called fight and trying to avoid prosecution.


    In response, Wen Tao defended himself and Li Beining, saying, "Just now, Li Beining and I went to a bar and saw a student-looking girl getting forcibly pulled inside. I couldn''t stand by and watch, so I stepped in to help. But who knew those bastards would retaliate¡­ Those lowly scumbags!"


    Wen Tao was still wiping his bleeding forehead as he spoke. Zhao Yu couldn''t stand seeing this anymore, so he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the other party.


    If Yin Zhao-an was here right now, she would definitely mock Wen Tao for being a loser. After all, he tried to play the hero despite being weak.


    After providing some basic treatment for Li Beining, Gao Rang looked up at the person whose face had turned pale due to excessive blood loss and asked, "Why didn''t you guys call the police?"


    If the situation was as Wen Tao described, there was no reason not to call the police. After all, they were only helping a damsel in distress.


    In reality, Wen Tao wanted to call the police. However, Li Beining forbade him from doing so.


    Meanwhile, hearing Gao Rang''s question, Li Beining frowned and hoarsely said, "No. Tao''er will get a criminal record if we call the police."


    Tang Yu raised an eyebrow when she heard Li Beining''s words. She felt as if she had just stumbled on an interesting development.


    "Stop visiting these shady places and getting into trouble if you don''t want a criminal record. Otherwise, you two will end up in jail sooner or later," Zhao Yu said from his small tool. Although his tone wasn''t very good, what he said made sense.


    Once Gao Rang was done wrapping Li Beining in bandages, he started to pack his tools while speaking to Wen Tao, "This is as much as I can do with the tools I have. His hand is broken, so he must go to a hospital for surgery if he wants it treated."


    Li Beining tried to sit up on the sofa to thank Gao Rang, but Wen Tao quickly stopped him, saying, "Can you not move?"


    So, Li Beining remained lying on the sofa as he said to Gao Rang, "Thanks."


    Nudging his glasses, Gao Rang said, "It''s no big deal, but you''re going to need a family member''s signature if you plan to go for surgery. Will that be convenient for you guys?"


    "I can take care of that," Li Beining wearily said. At this point, even breathing was somewhat of a challenge for him.


    Hearing Li Beining''s response, Gao Rang picked up his medical kit and stood next to Zhao Yu. "We''ll be taking our leave first, then. Remember to go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible."


    "Will you be leaving as well, Big Sis Tang? Do you want a ride back?" Zhao Yu asked as he was leaving.


    "I''ll stay behind to see if I can help with anything. Please tell An-An for me," Tang Yu said. She lacked a phone, so she could only rely on others to inform Yin Zhao-an.


    "Okay. We''ll be leaving, then."


    Meanwhile, Wen Tao was both anxious and angry. He felt that Li Beining was incredibly stubborn. Not only did Li Beining refuse to let him call the police, but Li Beining also refused to go to the hospital. He had no idea what was going through Li Beining''s mind. It was fortunate that he remembered Yin Zhao-an being acquainted with a doctor. Otherwise, who knew what would have happened to Li Beining?


    Not to mention, all the extra suffering Li Beining had to go through turned out to be in vain, as he ultimately needed to go to the hospital still!


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    Rest assured, there won''t be any detailed development between Wen Tao and Li Beining like there is with Gao Rang and Zhao Yu.

 CH 111

    7-8 minutes 16.02.2023


    Li Beining started to grow drowsy shortly after Gao Rang and Zhao Yu left. Before he lost consciousness, he tugged at Wen Tao''s arm, indicating for the other party to lower his head so that he could say something to him.


    Wen Tao went along and put his ear near Li Beining''s mouth. Then, he heard Li Beining weakly saying, "Take my phone¡­ Call Beiyu¡­"


    After saying so, Li Beining furrowed his brow and fell unconscious, leaving Wen Tao to fret by himself.


    Subsequently, Wen Tao searched Li Beining''s pockets and pulled out a black phone, the device still carrying Li Beining''s body temperature. To Wen Tao''s dismay, the phone required a password to unlock. Out of anxiety, he urgently patted Li Beining''s face and asked, "Hey! Don''t sleep yet! What''s the password?"


    Unfortunately, no matter how many times Wen Tao patted Li Beining''s face, the other party did not regain consciousness. Just when Wen Tao was about to explode in frustration, Tang Yu reminded him, saying, "Try unlocking it with his fingerprint."


    "Oh, right!" Wen Tao exclaimed in realization. Immediately, he grabbed Li Beining''s hand and started to go through his fingers one after another.


    However, even after trying all ten of Li Beining''s fingers, Wen Tao failed to unlock the phone.


    "Fuck! What is wrong with you, man!" Wen Tao cursed at the unconscious Li Beining out of frustration. For a moment, he even had the urge to toss the phone aside.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Click.


    Suddenly, the sound of the phone unlocking rang out, stunning both Wen Tao and Tang Yu.


    When Tang Yu turned toward the sound''s origin, her mouth opened into an "O" when she saw that Wen Tao just so happened to have placed his thumb on the fingerprint sensor.


    Although Wen Tao was similarly surprised by this situation, he wasn''t in the mood to ponder over it right now. Hurriedly, he opened Li Beining''s contact list, searched for the name "Li Beiyu," and called the number.


    After two beeps, a deafening burst of music came from the other end of the phone.


    "Hello? Big Brother? What''s up?" the person on the other end said, her voice borderline yelling.


    "Your brother''s about to die, dammit!"


    ¡­


    Roughly ten minutes after Wen Tao hung up the phone on Li Beiyu, a commotion occurred outside the apartment building where Li Beining was staying. Apparently, several black Volkswagen sedans had driven up to the building in a hurry and parked at the entrance. Then, a group of men in black stormed out of the vehicles and ran upstairs.


    When the men in black arrived outside Li Beining''s house, Wen Tao subconsciously hid Tang Yu behind him. However, he quickly sighed in relief when he saw the first person to enter the house.


    Currently, Li Beiyu was wearing thick smoky makeup, and her flaming red lips were particularly prominent. Her short mink coat hung loosely on her body, revealing her slender waist and large rose tattoo.


    "Big Brother!!" Li Beiyu rushed straight to the person on the sofa as soon as she entered the house, a look of worry on her face. However, she quickly sighed in relief after inspecting Li Beining''s injuries. Then, she began directing the black-clad men standing outside, saying, "Carry my brother out and send him to Yujing Villa. The people there will arrange for his treatment. Be careful not to worsen his injuries."


    After seeing the black-clad men carrying Li Beining away, Li Beiyu nonchalantly sat down on the sofa and began curiously looking around the apartment like a guest. Then, she sneered and revealed a disgusted look on her face, muttering to herself, "I really don''t understand why you''d rather suffer in this tiny apartment than stay in any of your villas."


    When Li Beiyu noticed the confusion between the two other people in the house, she smiled and meaningfully said, "You two probably don''t know what Big Brother Beining''s family does for a living, do you? Well, you''ll probably be scared to death if you find out, haha."


    However, Li Beiyu didn''t bother to enlighten Wen Tao and Tang Yu. Instead, she said, "Big Brother Beining will be fine. Those minor injuries are nothing to him. He''s someone who often treads the line between life and death. But thank you for taking care of him this time."


    After saying so, Li Beiyu walked out of the house in her high heels, the sound of her heels tapping against the concrete floor echoing in the hallway. Despite how ridiculous she looked in her out-of-place makeup and her thin high heels that were thinner than her pinky, the innate sense of superiority she radiated could not be hidden.


    This was the first time Tang Yu had seen Li Beiyu wearing such thick makeup. For a time, she had difficulty forming a connection between the innocent-looking Li Beiyu at school and the delinquent-looking Li Beiyu. 4887


    Different from Tang Yu, Wen Tao''s attention wasn''t on Li Beiyu''s appearance. Now that he had time to think calmly, he couldn''t help but be a little terrified when he recalled what had happened some minutes ago.


    Wen Tao had no recollection of recording his fingerprint on Li Beining''s phone, yet it was a fact that his fingerprint had unlocked the device. In that case, when had his fingerprint been recorded? Why had it been recorded without his knowledge?


    As far as Wen Tao could remember, most of the time he spent hanging out with Li Beining was when the latter was working in his barber shop. During those times, he would sit on the corner sofa, using the shop''s WiFi to play games. Li Beining was afraid he would get bored, so he even bought a small refrigerator to store cold drinks and ice cream for him.


    These were the memories Wen Tao had when he was clear-headed. And although there were times when he wasn''t clear-headed, that usually only happened when he was dozing off in the shop. He had never stayed overnight at Li Beining''s house¡­


    The more Wen Tao tried to recall the past, the more frustrated he became. Eventually, his eyebrows became so knitted that they could probably crush a mosquito.


    "I''ll send you back, Big Sis Tang," Wen Tao said. Annoyed or not, he had to make sure Tang Yu got back safely since he had troubled the other party to make a trip here. And although he didn''t have a car, he could still afford the taxi fare.


    However, Tang Yu was more than capable of returning home by herself, so she turned down Wen Tao''s offer, saying, "It''s fine. More importantly, what about you? You''re injured, too. Are you sure you don''t need treatment?"


    At Tang Yu''s words, Wen Tao touched his forehead and grunted in pain. "Doctor Gao said it''s just a surface wound. I''ll put a bandage on it when I get home."


    Hearing this, Tang Yu didn''t insist that Wen Tao visit the hospital. Instead, she turned her attention to Wen Tao''s right hand and pointed at it, saying, "By the way¡­ Li Beining''s phone is still with you."

 CH 112

    Nightfall.


    Wen Tao tossed and turned on his bed, unable to fall asleep. After yet another failed attempt at falling asleep, he grabbed the black phone sitting on the bedside table.


    With a "click," the phone unlocked and illuminated Wen Tao''s face with a bright light.


    The phone''s wallpaper showed a boy sweating profusely after running around on a basketball court. The boy in the picture was currently looking up, a bright smile on his face as the warm sunlight illuminated his face.


    Wen Tao hadn''t been in the right state of mind during the day, so he hadn''t noticed. But after returning home and unlocking Li Beining''s phone again, he realized that he was none other than the boy in the picture that Li Beining was using for his phone''s wallpaper.


    With one hand covering his face and the other holding the phone, Wen Tao began to ponder. Then, a terrifying thought popped into his mind.


    Thinking back now, Wen Tao recalled that during the times they hung out, Li Beining would sometimes threaten him with an "I''ll sleep with you if you don''t listen to me" whenever he refused to go along with his arrangements.


    Could it be¡­this bastard''s gay?


    Wen Tao got goosebumps when he thought of this possibility. Hurriedly, he placed the phone back on the bedside table and wrapped himself tightly with his quilt.


    Fuck! If that''s the case, doesn''t that mean I''m at risk of losing my innocence if I keep hanging out with him?!


    Wen Tao felt disgusted simply at the thought of Li Beining possibly making a move on him. Quickly, he made up his mind to clarify the matter with Li Beining. If Li Beining truly was gay, then they were in need of setting boundaries.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an had already washed up and climbed into bed early into the evening. When she saw Tang Yu emerging from the bathroom, her eyes widened like an owl''s.


    Even without looking into Yin Zhao-an''s brain, Tang Yu could guess what the other party was thinking. After having a taste of the forbidden fruit, it was only natural for her to want more. However, Tang Yu had no intention of humoring Yin Zhao-an''s desires, at least not before they were officially together. Not to mention, she wasn''t mentally ready to take the last step yet.


    When Tang Yu got into bed, she deliberately kept quiet and put some distance between herself and Yin Zhao-an. However, less than ten minutes after she tucked herself into bed, she felt the person behind her grow restless. Although Yin Zhao-an''s lack of self-restraint exasperated her, she chose not to say anything about it.


    After a while, Tang Yu felt a hand quietly creeping onto her waist, the hand clearly implying its intent. Even so, she chose to remain indifferent.


    When Yin Zhao-an felt no rejection from Tang Yu, she felt emboldened and started to move her hand upward until she felt something familiar.


    Then, she promptly retracted her hand, feeling as if she was a pervert. At the same time, she couldn''t help but feel awkward and disappointed. After all, who''d wear underwear when going to sleep¡­


    ¡­


    Tang Yu''s silent resistance made Yin Zhao-an behave herself, and she no longer touched Tang Yu even after the latter moved out of the Yin household.


    By now, Yin Zhao-an had long made a full recovery. However, Wang Zhen did not let her return to school as she had already missed an entire semester.


    With nothing better to do, Yin Zhao-an began to shuttle between her bedroom and the study, occasionally helping her father with some of his company''s work.


    Yin Zhao-an had suffered a deep wound to her forehead that had ended up scarring. The dark red scar was unattractive, so she no longer cut her hair short, instead opting to grow it out.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    When Yin Changcheng noticed this, he asked if Yin Zhao-an wanted scar removal surgery. Yin Zhao-an was originally tempted by the idea but eventually decided to keep it as a reminder to herself. She wanted to remind herself that she must keep a tight hold of her beloved Tang-Tang''s hand whenever they went outside, and she mustn''t let go of her for even a moment.


    ¡­


    Even though Yin Zhao-an didn''t have to attend any classes, she still regularly visited Chong High. She also had no problems entering the school since she had Wen Tao getting her in.


    Wearing a blue and white school uniform that was a size larger for her body, Yin Zhao-an felt like she truly was attending school as she walked around the campus. However, different from her, the actual students of Chong High didn''t walk around leisurely enjoying the campus scenery. Instead, they were either busily making their way from one place to another or gathered in groups to study and gossip.


    ¡­


    Once the four morning lessons were over, Tang Yu slowly walked down from the fourth floor with her hands in her pockets. Unlike the other students, it wasn''t her style to rush up and down the stairs.


    When she reached the first floor, she noticed many students looking at a corner while having hushed discussions among themselves.


    Tang Yu initially thought that Wen Tao had come to find her again. It had already been a while since he had last come to monitor her meals, so she couldn''t help but follow the other students'' gaze out of curiosity.


    However, Tang Yu froze as soon as she saw the person the other students were looking at.


    Just as the student walking behind Tang Yu was about to bump into her, Yin Zhao-an pulled her to her side, smiling mischievously.


    Tang Yu felt a little dazed, feeling as if she had just seen the Yin Zhao-an from her previous life. The past Yin Zhao-an had also behaved unrestrained like this and had a handsome face brimming with youthful vitality. There was also that unique sense of pride she radiated.


    This was a kind of Yin Zhao-an that existed only during high school. Upon entering university, everything about her had changed. She became less willing to interact with others, disliked going out, and had never shown her carefree smile again. In addition, the only words that would come out of her mouth were words of impatience and complaints.


    Seeing Tang Yu staring at herself in a daze, Yin Zhao-an thought Tang Yu had frozen up because she was too excited to see her. Hence, she casually wrapped an arm around Tang Yu''s shoulders and grinned.


    "Surprised? Happy? Alright, don''t just stand there. I brought you lunch, so let''s eat by the sports field," Yin Zhao-an said as she escorted Tang Yu to the sports field.


    As they walked, Tang Yu noticed that the number of people turning to look at her was a lot more than usual. Most of these people would whisper to each other as soon as they saw her, discussing something unbeknownst to her.


    ¡­


    Li Beiyu, who had just come out of a convenience store with a popsicle, grew ecstatic when she spotted Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an sitting under a tree. Immediately, she reached for her phone and used it to secretly take pictures of the two.

 CH 113

    Li Beiyu didn''t stay around after taking a couple of photos of Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an. Instead, she left the area before uploading photos onto the school''s forum with a cheesy title.


    Breaking News! Aloof Goddess Finds New Love After Capturing The Hearts of the School''s Handsome Gods!


    When Wen Tao saw the post and its title, he nearly threw his phone away out of disgust. Then, he quickly took two sips of his kelp soup to calm down.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an had nothing better to do while Tang Yu was eating, so she leaned back on the bench with her legs crossed and played with her phone. Her current posture was very similar to the clown uncle often seen at the entrance of McDonald''s.


    Suddenly, an unfamiliar ringtone sounded, and Tang Yu turned to look at the brand-new smartphone in Yin Zhao-an''s hand out of curiosity.


    When Yin Zhao-an answered the call, before she could even say anything, the person on the other end urgently said, "Big Bro! Can''t you be more low-key? Everyone at school knows you two are dating now!"


    Yin Zhao-an was startled by the news, and she quickly sat upright. However, her face did not show any signs of anxiety but rather a strange excitement instead. "For real? Do others really think we are a couple?"


    "Yes¡­ Wait, why aren''t you nervous?" Wen Tao asked, feeling as if he had worried for nothing.


    "What''s there to be nervous about? On the contrary, I want them to think that way," Yin Zhao-an said as she leaned back and glanced at Tang Yu. When she saw her beloved Tang-Tang earnestly nibbling on broccoli out of the corner of her eye, she couldn''t help but smile in a good mood.


    "Well, I''ll stop bothering you, then. Just keep it low-key, and don''t get caught by any parents or teachers. Otherwise, you two are going to get into trouble," Wen Tao said, shrugging. Going by Yin Zhao-an''s tone, it really did seem like she didn''t mind others finding out about her relationship with Tang Yu. In that case, there was no reason for him to worry about this matter.


    "I know. I have self-restraint," Yin Zhao-an replied.


    Tang Yu rolled her eyes at Yin Zhao-an''s words. The only thing Yin Zhao-an didn''t have was self-restraint.


    ¡­


    The sunshine today was comfortable, and there was even the occasional breeze to complement it.


    At some point, Yin Zhao-an pulled the zipper of her uniform to the top, causing her collar to touch her chin and cover the entirety of her slender neck.


    Tang Yu looked over when she heard the sound of the zipper. After taking a small sip of soup, she feigned nonchalance as she asked, "Cold?" 4887


    It took a moment for Yin Zhao-an to process Tang Yu''s singular word. Then, she looked down at her uniform and chuckled as she realized what Tang Yu was asking about. "No, I just wanted to cover up a little."


    Tang Yu didn''t ask what Yin Zhao-an tried to cover up. After silently finishing the lunch box Yin Zhao-an brought her, she stood up from the bench, deciding to wash the box at the cafeteria''s sink. However, before she could do so, Yin Zhao-an snatched the empty lunch box out of her hands.


    "How can I trouble you to wash it? It''s too much trouble. I''ll just take it back and wash it myself," Yin Zhao-an said, pulling out a folded cloth bag from her uniform pocket and putting the lunch box inside.


    Going by standard practice, Tang Yu should be returning to her classroom now to take a short nap. It was nearing one o''clock in the afternoon now, and classes would resume at two o''clock.


    Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu''s hesitation, so she patted her on the shoulder and said, "I''ll be going back first, then. See you to¡ª"


    Yin Zhao-an originally wanted to say that she would come to pick Tang Yu up after school, but she suddenly remembered that Tang Yu was staying in the school''s dormitory. So, she quickly changed her words, saying, "Sleep early tonight. Don''t pull an all-nighter."


    Tang Yu looked at Yin Zhao-an for a moment. Then, she lowered her head and replied with a soft "okay."


    Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an scratched the back of her head, chuckled twice, and said, "Okay, I''m leaving. Bye-bye."


    Tang Yu stood under the shadow of the tree as she watched Yin Zhao-an run toward the school gate, the bag she carried on her wrist swinging about and giving her a comical look.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu was revising her studies in the evening, Li Xiuli plopped down in the seat next to her like a fish that had sniffed out something fishy. Then, Li Xiuli nudged her glasses and tentatively asked, "Tang Yu, what''s your relationship with that pretty girl on the forum? Oh, don''t misunderstand! I''m just asking out of curiosity after seeing the forum post!"


    Li Xiuli was aware that Tang Yu didn''t have a phone. So, she showed her own phone to Tang Yu, and displayed on the screen was one of the photos Li Beiyu had uploaded at noon.


    There were two girls in school uniforms in the photo. The taller of the two girls had her hair tucked to the back of her ears and sat with her legs crossed, and she wore a doting expression as she leaned toward the shorter girl next to her.


    Of course, it was impossible to see any doting expression in the photo. It was merely the imagination of the forum post''s uploader.


    Regardless, the taller girl''s looks received everyone''s acknowledgment, and this could be seen by the responses to the post.


    Many replies consisted of photos secretly taken by other people from various angles. Some photos showed the taller girl by herself, while some showed her with the shorter girl. Some images were blurry, and some were clear. However, without exception, every person who had replied to the post was trying to find out which class this beautiful new face belonged to.


    There were plenty of beauties in Chong High, some belonging to the cute category and some to the mature category. There were also various other categories, such as the internet celebrity category, Instagram category, and pure category.


    Tang Yu was admittedly a very beautiful girl. She had fair skin, long eyelashes, and a small and tall nose. Her lips were always moist and pink, and she had the kind of face that made people want to protect her at first glance.


    However, girls like Yin Zhao-an were rare in Chong High. While girls of her height weren''t rare, none of these girls had her delicate features or her carefree and youthful vibe. These were Yin Zhao-an''s most attractive features, and it was also these features that fascinated Tang Yu.

 CH 114

    Tang Yu glanced at the screen, her right forefinger tapping on her textbook a few times before she said, "We''re just acquaintances. We''re not very close."


    Li Xiuli let out a dragged-out and dejected "Oh" when she heard Tang Yu''s response. But her intuition told her that Tang Yu didn''t want to talk about this tall and beautiful girl very much, so even though her heart was itching with curiosity, she tactfully chose to end the conversation here.


    Once Li Xiuli returned to her bunk bed, Tang Yu quietly looked around before pulling out a softcover notebook from under a stack of books. Then, the tip of her pen rustled on the ivory-white paper, leaving a string of keywords.


    Those were the keywords from that forum post.


    Many beautiful photos were shared in that post, and she wanted to¡­preserve them.


    ¡­


    The forum post quickly lost popularity as nobody uncovered any information on Yin Zhao-an. Everyone only saw that Yin Zhao-an was wearing Chong High''s uniform, but nobody had ever seen her attending any class.


    Not to mention, there was plenty of fresh news appearing every day. For example, a student couple got caught making out in the campus''s back mountains, a certain someone cheated in the mock exams, a certain teacher getting too close to a certain student, etc. As such commonplace gossip took over everyone''s attention, the post regarding Yin Zhao-an gradually became forgotten.


    However, while the forum post might have fallen into obscurity, the protagonist of the post still appeared on campus every day. This also led to people speculating that Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu were truly dating.


    ¡­


    Today was yet another day when Tang Yu had become the center of attention. Sensing the curious gazes on her, her face heated up a little in embarrassment, and she couldn''t help but move her shoulders uneasily in an attempt to shake off the arm that was wrapped around it.


    Feeling Tang Yu''s movement, Yin Zhao-an lowered her head to look at her. However, when she saw Tang Yu''s hairline, she couldn''t help but get the urge to laugh.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Yin Zhao-an had not stopped growing over the years. Like bamboo, she grew taller every year and was soon to break through the 180 cm mark. In comparison, Tang Yu¡­had been hovering around the 160cm mark for several consecutive years now.


    Reasoning told her not to laugh, but her mouth still couldn''t help but curve upwards.


    ¡­


    As the seasons changed to summer, the weather also started to grow warmer and warmer. Even though Yin Zhao-an was currently wearing a short-sleeved shirt, she could feel the heat rising. After taking a seat under the shade of a tree, she rolled up her sleeves and parted her bangs to the side, revealing a shallow pink scar on her forehead.


    Tang Yu didn''t sweat easily, so she remained sweat-free even when the person beside her was melting. However, when she saw Yin Zhao-an desperately fanning herself with her hand, she took out a pack of tissues from her pocket and handed it to Yin Zhao-an, saying, "Wipe your sweat with this."


    "!!" Yin Zhao-an broke into a wide smile at being cared for, and she happily accepted the offered tissues. However, a second later, she suddenly frowned, her expression turning complicated.


    "W-What''s wrong?" Tang Yu noticed the change in Yin Zhao-an''s expression, so she couldn''t help but grow puzzled and worried.


    Yin Zhao-an''s expression twisted a little. Then, she looked Tang Yu in the eye and earnestly said, "Some sweat got in my mouth¡­ It''s salty."


    "..."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an stood in front of a cashier, her hands holding two plain milk-flavored popsicles wrapped in oil paper. She could hear whispers coming from the surrounding students, paired with the occasional sound of electronically generated camera shutter sounds. However, she behaved as if she remained unaware of the commotion around her, returning to Tang Yu''s side under the tree shade after paying for the popsicles.


    Both of them finished their popsicles quickly. Although they didn''t finish the chilly treat in two bites like children, they didn''t take their time licking it, either. On this hot summer day, the popsicles would have long melted if they had taken their time with them.


    Tang Yu wrapped her popsicle stick in the oil paper. Then, extending a hand to Yin Zhao-an, she said, "I''m going back to class now. I''ll throw the rubbish for you."


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t refuse Tang Yu''s offer. After similarly wrapping her popsicle stick in the oil paper it came with, she grinned and said, "Sorry for the trouble, Tang-Tang!"


    Tang Yu helplessly shook her head at Yin Zhao-an''s glib words, though her curved lips indicated that she was in a good mood.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an quickly became bored after Tang Yu left. Casually spreading her long legs, she leaned back against the bench with her neck tilted back.


    She might have nothing to do right now, but she had no desire to return home, either. It was even more boring at home. Now that she finally had the chance to come out for a walk, she would naturally be reluctant to go home so soon.


    As such, Yin Zhao-an closed her eyes and dozed off for a while. When the bell signaling the end of lunch break rang, the campus became even more serene. Coupled with the shade and the cool breeze, she started to feel a little sleepy.


    Unfortunately, someone without a sense of tact ended up interrupting her rare leisure time.


    Yin Zhao-an could feel someone sitting down beside her, the person radiating a faint perfume. After taking a glance at the other party, Yin Zhao-an closed her eyes again, pretending to sleep.


    Li Beiyu opened a bottle of orange soda and took a sip. Then, she casually leaned back on the bench with her eyes slightly narrowed, feeling a little sentimental.


    Li Beiyu saw neither feelings of surprise nor anger appearing on Yin Zhao-an''s face when the other party saw her. It was as if she did not exist in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes. However, Li Beiyu didn''t get angry at Yin Zhao-an for ignoring her. Personally, she quite liked Yin Zhao-an''s carefree nature. The way Yin Zhao-an ignored everything unrelated to her gave her the freedom to live life without constraints.


    After a long time, just as Yin Zhao-an was about to fall asleep for real, Li Beiyu suddenly spoke up, catching her off guard and instantly pulling her out of her daze.


    "Yin Zhao-an, we''ve met before."


    Yin Zhao-an initially thought Li Beiyu had something important to say to her, but it was nothing more than small talk¡­


    Getting disturbed while half asleep was actually more uncomfortable than being disturbed after falling asleep. Yin Zhao-an didn''t know if Li Beiyu had done so intentionally or unintentionally, but she couldn''t help but get a little grumpy.


    "Hey, do you remember me? We met before," Li Beiyu continued, seemingly oblivious to Yin Zhao-an''s bad mood.


    They had indeed met many months ago. However, Yin Zhao-an was sitting down back then, and nothing about her looked special. She also had her cut short. So, Li Beiyu hadn''t paid much attention to her at the time.

 CH 115

    Yin Zhao-an certainly remembered the last time she met Li Beiyu. Back then, Wen Tao had been complaining to her about how his hair was ruined by "Tony the Barber," and he even swore a few times at Li Beiyu.


    But what of their brief meeting? Yin Zhao-an pinched the bridge of her nose irritably. She was greatly upset by Li Beiyu''s pointless pestering. So, even her tone had started to worsen as she said, "So what?"


    Li Beiyu had long expected such a reaction, so she was unfazed by Yin Zhao-an''s annoyed response. Instead, she started to scrutinize Yin Zhao-an, her gaze ultimately settling on the other party''s chest.


    Noticing where Li Beiyu''s gaze had stopped, Yin Zhao-an lifted her calm eyes slightly, her deep and unfathomable eye revealing a bone-chilling coldness as she asked, "Are you a pervert?"


    The instant transformation of Yin Zhao-an''s sunny aura into that of a cold and aloof queen sent shivers down Li Beiyu''s back. However, they weren''t shivers of fear but excitement instead!


    Faking a cough to hide her excitement, Li Beiyu hurriedly spoke up to clarify her position, "No, no, you misunderstand. The truth is that¡­you''re a lez, right?"


    Before Li Beiyu could get an answer to her query, the person sitting next to her stood up and coldly warned her, "Don''t challenge my tolerance."


    Yin Zhao-an had a significant height advantage over Li Beiyu, so when she stood up and spoke in such a threatening way, Li Beiyu couldn''t help but feel pressured.


    After wiping off a cold sweat and forcing herself to stay calm, Li Beiyu said with a wry smile, "No, no, you''re really misunderstanding my point. Actually, I''m also a les¡ª Uh¡ª"


    Yin Zhao-an had already stormed away before Li Beiyu could finish speaking her mind, and all she got to see was a valiant back.


    Damn, she''s so cool¡­


    Even after getting ignored, Li Beiyu had a mesmerized look on her face. However, she quickly understood that her words had seemingly created a misunderstanding between her and Yin Zhao-an.


    In reality, what Li Beiyu wanted to say was that she was an "eager comrade of homos." Be it gay or lesbian relationships, she would do her best to support the homosexual couples within her line of sight. Naturally, she also supported budding homosexuals. Whether a person was having difficulty facing their sexuality or worried that they might face rejection from the target of their affection, so long as she stepped in to help, everything¡­should be fine¡­probably.


    Based on her observation these past several days, Li Beiyu was certain that Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an were budding lesbians lacking initiative.


    Tang Yu was a taciturn person. If she didn''t receive any external stimulation, she would never understand that some opportunities needed to be seized. With how popular Yin Zhao-an was with both genders, Tang Yu would only end up sad and miserable if she passively waited for things to happen.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an lacked passion in life, the kind that made people unable to resist and pursue desperately. Basically, she lacked lust. And because of her lack of lust, she was quick to feel satisfaction and lacked the drive to take things a step further. At this rate, if Yin Zhao-an didn''t receive a rude awakening, she might end up letting the duckling that had already settled in her hand fly away.


    Li Beiyu sat on the bench for a long time, letting her mind wander, and her imagination run wild. Ultimately, the bell signaling the end of class brought her back to reality.


    Upon snapping back to reality, Li Beiyu shook her head, her innocent face flushing slightly. Then, she hurried to her classroom, her pace gradually increasing from a fast walk to a jog.


    ¡­


    At a certain nightclub in the center of Z City:


    Deafening people reverberated in the enclosed space as women dressed in alluring attire immersed themselves in revelry. In the corners where the nightclub''s dim lighting did not reach, faint moans could be heard occasionally. On the dance floor, many women could be seen dancing wildly to the rock music, their bodies swaying to its rhythm.


    The woman working the DJ booth also swayed slightly to the music she was playing for the nightclub''s customers. However, not all of her attention was on her job, as her eyes were locked on a girl in the center of the dance floor.


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    The girl was a familiar sight in the nightclub. She would always appear wearing exaggerated makeup and revealing clothing, and she would always dance on the dance floor in her small heels. Once the girl immersed herself in her dance, she would dance as if she was the only person in the world. When she smiled, her pearly whites would become exposed, revealing the childishness she had tried to conceal with her thick makeup.


    After the girl danced to her heart''s satisfaction, she squeezed her way out of the dance floor and sat at the bar, which was tended to by a female bartender with short ear-length hair and obsidian earrings.


    "What would you like to drink?" Hua Qian asked while shaking the cocktail shaker in her hands, the ice and liquid inside colliding with the metal container to produce a clear yet muffled sound.


    While wiping her sweaty nose with a tissue she had pulled from the bar counter, Li Beiyu said, "Just the usual cocktail."


    However, while Li Beiyu might have ordered a cocktail, Hua Qian didn''t dare give the girl an alcoholic drink. If her boss were to learn of it, her job would more than likely be in jeopardy.


    Fortunately, Li Beiyu had never tried actual alcohol. At most, she had tried pineapple beer[1]. After all, Li Beining had sheltered her well, and he had never let her touch any alcohol, even when attending cocktail parties.


    The nightclub Li Beiyu visited was under Li Beining''s ownership. Although he wasn''t the establishment''s only shareholder, everyone working here knew that Li Beiyu was the daughter of the Li family.


    Hence, the nightclub''s employees, particularly the manager, always had a headache whenever Li Beiyu visited. After all, aside from having to keep an eye on the young miss, they also needed to make sure none of the guests tried anything funny with the young miss. Otherwise, if anything untoward ever happened to the young miss, all of them would be at risk of losing their jobs and their lives.


    After receiving a colorful cocktail from Hua Qian and taking a sip, Li Beiyu exclaimed, "You make the best cocktails, Big Sis Qian! The ones I buy outside are so bitter that I''d rather have non-alcoholic drinks."


    "The ones outside probably have additives mixed in. How can they compare to a professional''s?" Hua Qian said with a kind smile.


    "Good point." Li Beiyu held the cocktail in one hand and propped up her chin with the other, savoring her "alcoholic" drink as she listlessly stared at the people on the dance floor.


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]pineapple beer: This isn''t actual beer. It''s just a pineapple-flavored drink with no alcohol content.


    Taken and translated from Baidu:


    The most famous pineapple beer is Guangshi pineapple beer, which was first created in the late 1970s. At that time, when people were drinking beer, they often mixed half of the beer with half of the soda to form a beer-flavored drink that was also sweet and delicious. Therefore, relevant technical personnel were inspired by it and developed a pineapple-flavored drink based on beer. It uses malt, rice, sugar, hops, etc. The perfect combination of the aroma of the pineapple when it is ripe is cooked, saccharified, fermented, and refined by scientific methods. As a result, it has formed a unique style with strong fruit aroma, moderate sweet and sour taste, rich nutrition, and fresh and refreshing taste. Since then, the first fruity beer brand in China was born.

 CH 116

    Li Beiyu often visited this nightclub, but almost everyone she saw here was a woman. Whether it was the manager, bartenders, DJs, or even customers, all of them were women.


    Initially, she didn''t quite understand why this was the case, but when she later went to ask Li Beining about it, she was told this was a lesbian nightclub.


    She knew what "lesbian" meant but didn''t understand why Li Beining didn''t allow her to go to any other nightclubs other than this one. When asked, the reason Li Beining gave her was¡­very far-fetched.


    He said, "There are all kinds of people in nightclubs, but lesbian nightclubs are slightly better. At least there are no men, so it''s safer."


    What kind of reasoning was that even?


    Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that the security personnel of every nighttime entertainment facility in the city knew her face. So long as she was spotted trying to enter anywhere other than this lesbian nightclub, she would be apprehended on the spot, and her family would learn of her actions¡­


    People came and went to the nightclub. When the midnight session began, like a drop of water splashing into a boiling pot of oil, the atmosphere in the nightclub surged with the DJ''s rhythm.


    Normally, Li Beiyu would go home before the midnight session. But today, she sat at the bar, refusing to leave.


    Hua Qian handed a freshly mixed glass of rum to a waiter. When she looked at the time and saw that it was almost 11 o''clock, she tentatively asked, "Beiyu, aren''t you going home? Won''t your brother give you another earful?"


    Li Beiyu shook her head. Then, she leaned forward, looking very cautious, like she was about to reveal a big secret, "My brother''s bringing a woman home tonight..." After saying so, she raised her eyebrows lightly, making a "you know what I mean" expression.


    This made Hua Qian feel a little embarrassed. After faking a cough, she asked, "So, where are you sleeping tonight? A hotel?"


    "Aren''t there private rooms here? I''ll just make do with one of them for a night. I''m not that picky," Li Beiyu said matter-of-factly, leisurely swinging her delicate legs as she sat on the high stool.


    "Okay, let me know once you''re tired. I''ll take you to the employee dormitory to stay for the night," Hua Qian readily agreed.


    ¡­


    The nightclub became increasingly crowded throughout the midnight session. The people on the dance floor also shook their heads and bodies with increasing passion. At this point, nobody could tell who was clean and who was high on drugs. Even though Li Beiyu knew drugs would inevitably find their way into such establishments, she still couldn''t help but feel disgusted and annoyed when she saw such things polluting her beloved dance floor.


    Hua Qian was busy mixing drinks. The other bartender had gone to the bathroom, so she was the only one manning the bar, and she was slowly getting overwhelmed with all the orders coming her way.


    "I''m tired, Big Sis Qian," Li Beiyu said, her eyes feeling a bit dry. However, tiredness was only one part of why she was retiring from the nightclub. Another reason was that she was fed up with the noise.


    "Huh?" Hua Qian panicked for a moment. She couldn''t leave now since she was the only bartender available, and the manager had gone to deal with a dispute. Moreover, as this was the busiest time for the nightclub, none of the waiters were standing by at the counter.


    "Then...I''ll give you the directions. You can go and find it yourself. If you can''t find it, call me," Hua Qian said as a last resort. Not to mention, the employee dormitory was directly upstairs, and non-employees couldn''t enter, so there was no need to worry about Li Beiyu coming into any danger.


    After grabbing a bunch of keys from the counter, Hua Qian said, "My dorm is on the fourth floor. Once you go upstairs, turn left and enter the third room. It''s the room without a number. These are the spare keys for the dorms. I forgot my key in my room, so try these."


    "Okay." Li Beiyu took the keys left for the employee dormitory.


    After trying several keys, Li Beiyu finally opened the door to Hua Qian''s room. The furnishings inside were a little different from what she had imagined. She had expected to see a messy room, but the place was incredibly clean and neat.


    Although surprised, Li Beiyu ran back downstairs to return the keys to Hua Qian before running back upstairs again.


    ...


    Summer vacation came unexpectedly, and an unexpected visitor also arrived at the Tang family''s abode.


    Even though they were several dozen centimeters apart, Tang Yu could still hear an irritable "greeting" coming from the other end of Yin Zhao-an''s smartphone.


    "Would it kill you to stay at home?! What? Now that your legs are healed, you just decided to up and disappear?! And you dare act first and report later?! Do you think I would tie you up if you told me beforehand?!"


    Yin Zhao-an calmly moved the phone far away from her ear as the person on the other end of the line continued yelling through the phone, the other party thoroughly conveying her intention of wanting to strangle her through the phone.


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    "Do you hear me, little brat?!"


    When this one-sided and overwhelming greeting was finally coming to an end, Wang Zhen angrily gave her daughter a way out.


    Yin Zhao-an quickly accepted her mother''s olive branch and said, "Yes, yes. I hear you, I hear you. Next time for sure, I will say goodbye before leaving and not make decisions without consulting you."


    "That''s more like it..." Wang Zhen said with a huff. She was a woman who loved her husband and daughter dearly, so she was greatly shocked and infuriated when, after finally getting to take a break from the hospital, she came home to find that neither her husband nor her daughter was home.


    Yin Changcheng sat nervously on the sofa, his body subconsciously shuddering when he heard the phone smacking the glass coffee table. At this time, he looked like a big yellow dog that had been wronged and had its tail between its legs. None of the resoluteness and decisiveness he exhibited when doing business or holding meetings could be seen.


    Wang Zhen sat down on the sofa, arms crossed and looking extremely unhappy.


    After catching her breath, she slid a finger across the coffee table, catching a thick layer of dust. Even if her husband and daughter only came back to eat occasionally, there wouldn''t have been so much dust accumulated. The fact that there was this much dust showed that not even one of them had been using the living room when she was stuck at the hospital.


    If it weren''t for the hospital''s director seeing how hard she was working and giving her time off, she might not even be aware that her household was already on the verge of breaking apart.

 CH 117

    After hanging up the phone, Yin Zhaoan turned to look at Tang Yu. Under the illumination of the dim bedside lamp, the two of them laughed in unison.


    It had already been a few days since Yin Zhao-an started staying here. After all, Tang Yu had stayed at her place for so long, so it was only appropriate to reciprocate, right?


    Moreover, as Tang Yu did not reject her embrace, Yin Zhao-an would stick to Tang Yu no matter how warm the weather became. Only by doing so could she fill the void in her heart.


    "Tang-Tang."


    "Hm?" Tang Yu responded in a daze as she watched Yin Zhao-an holding and fiddling with her hand.


    "When can we be together?"


    Tang Yu''s body froze, and her eyebrows creased slightly. She didn''t know what to say in this situation. Not to mention, with how closely they stuck to each other every day, they could have long been considered a couple. The only reason she refused to acknowledge their relationship thus far was that¡­


    "Let''s talk about it only after you come back to school. For now¡­I''m still unsure," Tang Yu said.


    Tang Yu did not doubt that she was already bent. This had been the case since her previous life. Her only concern was Yin Zhao-an. She wasn''t sure if Yin Zhao-an was only behaving this way on a whim or if she was serious. After all, the Yin Zhao-an she knew in her previous life was essentially indifferent to love. On the off chance that¡­


    Regardless, Tang Yu was still too afraid. Blind confidence would only lead her to another dead end. In her previous life, she believed Yin Zhao-an would open the heavy iron door and take her away from that endless abyss. She believed it would happen, even when she was dying.


    But it never happened¡­


    Yin Zhao-an did not continue on the topic. She didn''t intend to force an answer out of Tang Yu. While Tang Yu''s response wasn''t the answer she had hoped for, at least it wasn''t a rejection. She simply thought of it as Tang Yu still needing time to think things through and having difficulty accepting how two girls could be together. In that case, she would give Tang Yu time to adapt. It wouldn''t matter even if Tang Yu took a lifetime to adapt since she had already decided that Tang Yu was the only person for her in this life.


    "Let''s go to sleep," Yin Zhaoan reached out and pulled Tang Yu into her arms. She hugged Tang Yu like a doll, her hand quietly wrapping around Tang Yu''s waist.


    ¡­


    Late at night.


    Amidst her slumber, Li Beiyu suddenly woke up to a sharp pain in her neck. When she opened her eyes, she saw a figure pressing on her body. Although she instinctively tried to scream, the person on top of her covered her mouth before she could do so.


    Out of reflex, Li Beiyu bit the other person''s hand, which resulted in a metallic taste spreading across her mouth. She struggled to reach for the bedside lamp, but the person on top restrained her hand and tied her hands together with a rope.


    Suddenly, everything in front of her turned pitch black. Although the room was originally dark, she could feel that the person on top had used something to blindfold her eyes.


    "Fuck off! Do you know who I am?! Don''t you dare touch me! My brother won''t let you get away with this! You better not let me catch you!"


    Li Beiyu never expected to get sexually assaulted here, of all places. This was the employees'' dormitory, wasn''t it? Where was Hua Qian? The person on her obviously wasn''t Hua Qian, but she didn''t get a clear look at the person, so she could only use verbal threats.


    The person on top leaned down slightly and whispered into her ear, their voice somewhat hoarse, making it hard to tell if they were male or female. "Do you know that you walked into the wrong room?"


    W-What?!


    "Are you an employee here? I¡­I''ll give you money! Let me go, and I won''t report you! Just let me leave!"


    Li Beiyu didn''t know she had walked into the wrong room. But even if she did, so what? As long as this sexual assaulter was an employee here, she would have plenty of ways to get back at them!


    The person on top chuckled quietly and gently touched her soft face with their rough hand. Then, the person whispered, "I won''t touch you."


    Before Li Beiyu could react to those words, her mouth was covered, and a sweet alcoholic scent entered her mouth. Then, she felt a soft tongue invade her mouth, sweeping through it quickly before retreating.


    That person licked their lips, their eyes flashing with a hint of warmth. At the same time, the person couldn''t help but chuckle upon remembering the sharp teeth that had come down on and nearly bit off their tongue.


    Out of breath, Li Beiyu cursed, "You fucking freak! Don''t you dare run away afterward! I''ll have my brother beat you to death!!"


    She felt another sharp pain in her neck, and she couldn''t help but gasp. Before she could continue cursing, she heard the person on top get off the bed, which was followed by the sound of the door closing.


    Silence returned to the room, the silence making the previous commotion feel like a dream.


    Li Beiyu remained dazed for a long time. Then, she slowly curled up, tears wetting the black cloth covering her eyes as she softly sobbed in the room.


    ¡­


    In the morning, Li Beiyu stood in front of the mirror, looking at her red, teary eyes and the bite marks on her milky neck. She felt aggrieved, so aggrieved that her nose turned stuffy, and tears nearly came pouring out of her eyes again.


    She was still wearing the white shirt she had taken from the wardrobe the night before. She assumed this was Hua Qian''s room, so she acted without restraint, but she never expected¡­


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Rage burned in her red eyes. Without a word, Li Beiyu changed back into her own clothes and headed straight to the bar after coming down the stairs.


    The nightclub was closed in the morning, but someone had to get up to clean the mess from the night before.


    "Get me the staff list, and where can I access the surveillance footage from last night?" Li Beiyu demanded as she looked at the cleaning employee with her slightly puffy eyes.


    The employee knew that the person in front of her was the boss''s daughter and didn''t dare to neglect her. However, it was also a fact that she didn''t have the staff list, so she said, "The list should be with the manager, and the surveillance footage is..."


    "Where is she?"


    "She''s in the lounge on the second floor..."


    The employee stared at Li Beiyu''s back in confusion as the girl ran away.

 CH 118

    7-8 minutes 22.02.2023


    The manager had to deal with a table of unruly customers last night, so she was kept busy all the way until early morning before finally getting to sleep. However, shortly after falling asleep, she was rudely awakened by banging sounds from the door.


    "Who is it?!" The manager scratched her messy hair and opened the door in a bad mood. However, when she saw who it was at the door, she had no choice but to suck up her frustration.


    ¡­


    Li Beiyu kept replaying the surveillance footage of last night, but no matter how many times she replayed it, she couldn''t see anyone entering or leaving the room she was assaulted in.


    Feeling aggrieved and frustrated, Li Beiyu started to shed tears as she muttered to herself in a low voice, "Impossible¡­ How can someone disappear into thin air... Impossible..."


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    The manager didn''t know why Li Beiyu was so chaotic this morning. Even though she already explained multiple times that nobody lived in that room, Li Beiyu still refused to believe her.


    "Second Young Miss, I''ll tell you the truth, but try not to be too frightened," the manager said. Although she still didn''t believe that anyone other than Li Beiyu had entered that room, she still needed to come up with an explanation. So, she decided to share a rumor surrounding that particular room.


    Li Beiyu turned around slowly, tears in her eyes as she looked at the manager helplessly.


    "That room¡­is haunted."


    ¡­


    The manager led Li Beiyu to the room Li Beiyu had stayed in last night, took out a marked key, and opened the door.


    Upon seeing the scene inside, Li Beiyu immediately took two steps back in shock, the fear in her heart instantly overwhelming her anger.


    The neat and tidy bedroom she had slept in last night had transformed into a storage room!


    ¡­


    The sound of birds chirping filled the military courtyard in the morning, and accompanying it was the sound of children merrymaking.


    After having a good night''s rest, Yin Zhao-an stretched lazily and groggily. Then, she reached out to the side, only to find nothing there.


    Immediately, she sat up from the bed. Her hair had become tousled from the night''s sleep, but she didn''t mind. Quickly, she got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom to freshen up.


    When Yin Zhao-an arrived downstairs, Tang Yu had already finished preparing their breakfast congee and was reaching behind to take off her apron. When she saw Yin Zhao-an coming down, she smiled faintly and said, "Morning."


    "Morning."


    Yin Zhao-an had hoped to show Tang Yu her best during her stay here, but...


    Scratching her head, Yin Zhao-an pulled out a chair and sat at the dining table. Two bowls of red bean and pearl barley congee were already served on the table, wisps of delicate white steam rising from the white porcelain bowls.


    Tang Yu came out of the kitchen after washing her hands, grabbed a tissue from the table to wipe off the residual water on her hands, and calmly sat down at the table.


    "My father will be back tomorrow," Tang Yu said as she scooped a spoonful of congee. Then, she blew on it lightly before putting it in her mouth.


    Yin Zhao-an vaguely understood the point Tang Yu was trying to convey. Basically, they should keep their intimacy in check while Uncle Tang was home, even if they weren''t particularly intimate normally.


    "Then, I''ll get up earlier tomorrow and try to leave a good impression on your father," Yin Zhao-an said as she sat upright, her eyes sparkling with delight and overflowing with joy.


    Yin Zhao-an''s gesture inexplicably moved Tang Yu. Lowering her head, Tang Yu took a sip of the sweet congee to cover up the smile she failed to suppress, the warm congee warming her whole body as it flowed down her gullet and into her stomach.


    After breakfast, Yin Zhao-an rushed to wash the dishes and urged Tang Yu to rest in the living room. It was to show her gratitude for Tang Yu preparing breakfast for her.


    Seeing as the weather outside was nice today, Yin Zhao-an suggested going out for a walk. Now that her family had moved to the city center, she walk around the military courtyard as often. It was also inconvenient for her to visit this place since the distance from her house to the military courtyard was much greater than to Chong High. So, she wanted to cherish every opportunity she had to walk around her childhood home. Not to mention, it also allowed her to create more memorable memories with Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu wore a sporty sun-protective shirt and¡ªat Yin Zhao-an behest¡ªa white baseball cap that pressed her hair down neatly against the back of her head. Yin Zhao-an, on the other hand, put on a black duckbill cap after casually tying it up. 4887


    The military courtyard came with a rather well-equipped park. Near the park''s edge was a large sand dune that, over time, had mixed with the soil, becoming both sandy and earthy. Ultimately, it became recognized by children as a secret base, even though it was not secret at all. None of the adults stopped the children from playing at the dune, either, as it wasn''t a hazardous place and was basically right next to the park.


    At this time, children could be seen all over the park. The younger children were playing with small shovels and toy cars and digging sand pits, the older children were playing either hide-and-seek or hopscotch, and the girls with demure personalities were jumping rope together.


    As for the mischievous children, they had occupied the dune, scrambling to climb to the top as if vying for a fortress. Some were pushed down by the stronger children, rolling in sand and soil, but none fussed about it. Instead, they quickly got up, patted the sand and soil off their butts, and resumed climbing up the dune with cheerful smiles.


    Tang Yu narrowed her eyes as she looked at the boy standing at the top, the boy''s head held high and chest puffed out. For a moment, it felt as if she was looking at Yin Zhao-an when the latter was a child.


    "Hey, isn''t that my territory?" When Yin Zhao-an saw the boy at the top, she couldn''t help but break into a laugh. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and ran over.


    The boy had never seen such a big and tall adult trying to compete with him for his territory. He was so frightened by Yin Zhao-an that he subconsciously shouted a line from a cartoon, "Shield!"


    Yin Zhao-an''s height of nearly 1.8 meters granted her an imposing presence. It also allowed her to reach the top of the sand dune in only a few steps.


    It was unclear whether the dune was unable to bear her weight or she slipped, but Yin Zhao-an ended up stumbling on the sand and falling on her back, her black work pants becoming covered in sand and soil.


    Children were easily emboldened, so when they saw Yin Zhao-an embarrassing herself, they laughed mercilessly at her.


    Yin Zhao-an normally wouldn''t mind making a fool of herself, but with Tang Yu watching behind her, she couldn''t help but get the urge to dig a hole to hide in right now.

 CH 119

    Tang Yu sat down on a nearby stone bench and¡ªlike an adult watching their own children play around¡ªwatched with great interest as Yin Zhao-an played with the children.


    Suddenly, an unknown object hit Tang Yu, causing sand and rocks to scatter everywhere. Although she had reflexively closed her eyes, her reaction still wasn''t quick enough, and some of the finer particles still got into her eyes.


    Her eyes began to tear up involuntarily. Just when Tang Yu was about to rub her eyes, a strong hand caught her wrist. Then, she heard a calm voice carrying a mild hint of anger coming from above, saying, "Don''t touch it; let me blow it for you. You might cause an infection if you use your hands."


    When Tang Yu heard this voice, her initially helpless heart suddenly calmed down. Then, she obediently looked up and opened her teary eyes, her pupils reflecting the serious and cold face above her.


    Yin Zhao-an did not expect such an incident to happen in the short time she was away. She hadn''t even moved out of Tang Yu''s line of sight. Yet, she couldn''t really help Tang Yu take revenge since the perpetrator of this incident was only a child.


    If this had happened when she was a child, she would have definitely beaten up the child who caused the incident.


    A gentle breeze blew into Tang Yu''s eyes, soothing the discomfort caused by the foreign object entering her eyes. At the same time, tears began to flow out of her eyes, bringing out the dust that had gotten in bit by bit.


    Tang Yu carefully blinked, her thick and long eyelashes dampened by her tears and her eyes reddening slightly from staying open for a long time.


    Yin Zhao-an felt a pang in her heart when she saw Tang Yu''s pitiful look, her eyebrows creasing tightly. It wasn''t until Tang Yu gently tugged at her clothes to tell her she was okay that she stopped blowing air into her eyes.


    Although the culprit was a child, Yin Zhao-an did not plan to let him off so easily. If mischievous children were not taught a lesson now, they were bound to grow up into delinquents. At that time, someone was bound to teach them a lesson, and the consequences would definitely be more severe.


    "I''m going to teach that little brat a lesson," Yin Zhao-an said as she walked toward the little boy who was gloating over his "achievement."


    The little boy clearly did not realize he had done something wrong. When he saw Yin Zhao-an, who was much taller than him, walking toward him, he felt a little scared. But when he thought about his mother being nearby, his fear vanished. If this person were to bully him, he would simply tell his mother.


    "Hey, kid, come here for a sec." Yin Zhao-an forced a fake smile and crouched down as she beckoned the little boy, creating a harmless look for herself.


    The little boy was no fool. There was no way he was going over there. So, when he heard Yin Zhao-an beckoning him, he went straight to where the other children were playing without looking back at her even once.


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    The other children were playing "car transport." Basically, the children were playing with toy excavators and toy trucks. The children operating the toy excavators would scoop sand into the toy trucks, while the children operating the toy trucks would manually push their trucks around the sand dune before offloading them at a predetermined location.


    Tang Yu watched on in confusion as Yin Zhao-an mingled with the children. She didn''t know what Yin Zhao-an had said, but the children at the dune were all drawn to her, even forgetting to play with their toys.


    Sometime later, Yin Zhao-an''s expression changed, and she let out a strange scream, scaring a little boy so much that he fell on his back. Then, he pouted in grievance and started crying the next moment.


    Some of the more timid children started crying softly too, but the brave ones looked fascinated and wanted to hear more of what Yin Zhao-an just told them.


    The little boy''s parents rushed over when they heard the commotion. They thought Yin Zhao-an had bullied their child and were about to yell at her but were stopped by the other children. Then, the children spoke up in defense of Yin Zhao-an.


    "Big Sister was just telling us an interesting story!"


    "Yeah, yeah! It''s his fault for being a scaredy-cat!"


    "Big Sister wasn''t bullying him. She was just playing with us."


    Children''s words are the most persuasive. Since the children who played together with their son had already spoken as such, the boy''s parents could only keep quiet as they pulled their cowardly son away.


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but smile. The children hadn''t had enough and urged her to tell them another story. However, she had already achieved her goal, so she dusted herself off and stood up.


    "Big Sister doesn''t have time to tell another story today. Someone''s waiting for Big Sister to go back. I''ll tell you more stories when I have time in the future, okay?" Yin Zhao-an said with a relaxed smile, her heart became exceptionally soft when facing the lively faces of these children.


    The children were a bit disappointed that they couldn''t hear more stories, but they still obediently agreed with Yin Zhao-an''s arrangement.


    At this time, a girl with butterfly braids held onto Yin Zhao-an''s shirt and asked in a soft voice, "Who is waiting for you, Big Sister?"


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes lit up with a gentle glow, the corners of her mouth raising as she patted the little girl''s head and said, "It''s Big Sister''s lover."


    Tang Yu wasn''t close enough to hear what Yin Zhao-an said to the little girl, but she felt something resonate with her heart, and she looked up toward the source of that feeling. When she met Yin Zhao-an''s gentle gaze, her heartbeat inexplicably sped up. Then, the two of them tacitly smiled at each other.


    ¡­


    On the way back, Tang Yu asked Yin Zhao-an how she disciplined the little boy, and she received an answer that was outside her expectations.


    "I told them a horror story with a mischievous little boy for its main character," Yin Zhao-an whispered, her mouth curving into a victorious grin.

 CH 120

    After returning home, Yin Zhao-an began to prepare lunch. The fridge was well-stocked, so it was entirely up to her discretion what she could make for lunch.


    Considering Tang Yu''s condition, Yin Zhao-an made mostly light dishes, but not too bland.


    Some time ago, Yin Zhao-an had brought Tang Yu to the hospital for an examination as promised. After looking at the results, the doctor said to Yin Zhao-an, "Her gastritis is genetic and cannot be cured, but she just needs to pay more attention to her daily life, maintain a regular diet, and avoid eating foods that are overly greasy and meaty. It''s also best if she avoids spicy food altogether.


    "Maintain healthy eating habits, and there''s nothing to worry about."


    "This isn''t a very serious case. The hospital has seen quite a few patients with hereditary gastritis living all the way to the age of 70 or 80 without their disease ever worsening. So long as she maintains healthy eating habits, there won''t be anything to worry about."


    Thus, Yin Zhao-an volunteered to ensure Tang Yu ate healthily.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu couldn''t be more delighted that she could enjoy home-cooked meals without having to lift a finger. When she saw Yin Zhao-an putting on an apron and busily moving around in the kitchen, she couldn''t help but find this situation a little amusing. After all, the Yin Zhao-an in her previous life had never set foot into the kitchen¡­


    The kitchen hood kept working, emitting a droning sound. Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an heard her phone''s ringtone coming from the living room. After looking at the vegetables she was in the middle of stir-frying, she turned and shouted to the living room, "Tang Tang, can you answer the phone for me?"


    Tang Yu grabbed the phone lying on the sofa. When she saw the caller ID flashing on the screen, she hesitated momentarily, wondering whether to answer it. After a brief thought, she walked into the kitchen with the phone, connected the call, and placed the phone by Yin Zhao-an''s ear.


    Yin Zhao-an frowned as she listened to the complaints of the person on the other end of the phone. Throughout this time, her hands never stopped moving, adding salt and stirring when needed. She would also occasionally respond with a few words. At the end of the conversation, Yin Zhao-an said, "That won''t do. I have to get Tang-Tang''s opinion."


    Tang Yu was puzzled by these words. Then, she heard Yin Zhao-an whispering, "Zhao Yu wants to mooch a meal off us."


    Yin Zhao-an gestured for Tang Yu to speak to Zhao Yu herself. Tang Yu hesitated for a moment, then took the phone out of the living room and patiently listened to repeat his lengthy rant.


    ¡­


    When Zhao Yu arrived, Yin Zhao-an had just brought the dishes out of the kitchen. She raised her eyebrows and smiled smugly, "What''s up? Are you home alone today?"


    After saying hello to Tang Yu, Zhao Yu slumped on the sofa, scratching his messy short hair as he said, "I feel like my dad is just crazy. I''m not one of his soldiers, yet he keeps putting on that dead-serious look in front of me for no reason."


    Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an exchanged a glance, both keenly aware that something was wrong with Zhao Yu''s mood. As Yin Zhao-an was more familiar with Zhao Yu, she was the first one to speak, saying, "Did your dad give you a scolding?"


    Zhao Yu shook his head, covering his face with both hands, feeling a little uncomfortable.


    Yin Zhao-an pulled out a chair at the dining table for Tang Yu to sit on and then took her own seat. Despite his downcast mood, Zhao Yu still heard the sound of chairs moving, so he took the initiative to walk over to the dining table and serve himself some rice.


    After finding himself a seat at the table, Zhao Yu began picking at his foot with small bits while saying in a muffled voice, "My dad... He found out that I was playing games."


    In the meantime, Yin Zhao-an scooped a bowl of rice for Tang Yu and served it to her. Then, as she was scooping a bowl of soup for Tang Yu, she asked, "Oh? And then what happened?"


    "He beat me up," Zhao Yu replied, his voice trembling.


    Yin Zhao-an''s hand trembled, almost spilling the bowl of soup she was holding.


    "You''re already a grown-up, yet he''s still using physical violence?"


    Even Tang Yu frowned when she heard about Zhao Yu''s experience, but when she remembered how Zhao Yu had been brutally beaten by his father when he came out of the closet in her previous life, she suddenly felt that it wasn''t so strange that Zhao Yu''s father would act in such a manner.


    "Yeah." Zhao Yu kept his head down, his voice sounding strange.


    Noticing Zhao Yu''s abnormal behavior, Yin Zhao-an asked, "What happened to your face?"


    Zhao Yu kept his head down and remained silent, shaking his head and refusing to say anything.


    Tang Yu didn''t know if Zhao Yu was fortunate or unfortunate to be born into a military family, especially the family of a general. If Zhao Yu chose to join the military or politics in the future, he was bound to have a smooth sailing life ahead of him.


    However, Zhao Yu''s family was too cold, so cold that he could not feel any warmth or love from it.


    No one broke the silence, and the only sound at the dining table was the clattering of chopsticks and porcelain bowls.


    After lunch, Yin Zhao-an dutifully cleared the dishes, and Tang Yu sat on the sofa with Zhao Yu, watching an old movie that had been released a long time ago.


    "Does Doctor Gao know about this?" Tang Yu pretended to speak casually but still paid attention to Zhao Yu''s reaction through her peripheral vision.


    Tang Yu''s words stunned Zhao Yu, and he lowered his head even more.


    Tang Yu originally thought Zhao Yu wouldn''t give her an answer, but after a while, she heard Zhao Yu saying in a lowered voice, "He would worry..." Thus, it was better for him to bear all the sadness and hardship by himself.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Perceiving Zhao Yu''s emotional changes, Tang Yu widened his eyes slightly, a look of disbelief appearing on her face.


    "You two¡­are together now?"


    Zhao Yu didn''t think he needed to hide this from Tang Yu, especially since it was well-known that Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an were together, so he nodded without hiding anything.


    When Tang Yu saw Zhao Yu''s nod of affirmation, she lost her breath and covered her heart in disbelief.


    This¡­ Isn''t the butterfly effect a little too incredible?!


    In Tang Yu''s previous life, the turning point of Zhao Yu''s relationship with Gao Rang happened in his third year of high school. Because he didn''t choose the major his family hoped for, he was beaten and hospitalized by his angry father. The doctor in charge of him happened to be Gao Rang.

 CH 121

    It was at that moment that Zhao Yu truly realized that the love Gao Rang had for him was unique in the world, that he was the only one who truly held him in his heart, which enabled him to stand up resolutely against his strict father.


    Zhao Yu currently had nowhere to go. He did not wish to go back to his home, which was devoid of familial love. Hence, even though he knew he might be disturbing Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an, he still came here.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    After Tang Yu poured Zhao Yu a glass of water, she went into the kitchen, where Yin Zhao-an was washing dishes.


    Hearing the sound of footsteps, Yin Zhao-an turned around. When she saw that it was Tang Yu, her heart softened as she asked, "How is Zhao Yu?" She spoke in a lowered voice, using the sound of running water to cover her words.


    In response, Tang Yu leaned in closer to Yin Zhao-an and whispered, "I saw the injuries on his face. His lips and cheekbones were bruised." Tang Yu paused for a moment after saying so. Then, she continued, "He''s gotten Doctor Gao now."


    Yin Zhao-an''s already wrinkled brows furrowed even further. Zhao Yu already had to face such a violent reaction from his father just because he was caught playing games. She couldn''t even imagine what kind of storm he would face when he came out of the closet.


    Possibly because the two of them had the same thought, both of them sighed at the same time. Tang Yu was startled by this coincidence, and so was Yin Zhao-an. Then, a strange atmosphere spread in the kitchen.


    Yin Zhao-an still had foam on her hands from washing dishes, and the faint scent of orange dish soap filled the air. Leaning to the side, she met Tang Yu at eye level. Then¡­


    "Can I kiss you?"


    It was a very gentlemanly question.


    It had been a long time since the two of them had kissed. Even though they had been sharing the same bed for these past few days, they hadn''t done anything out of the ordinary, including kissing.


    Tang Yu''s ears reddened slightly. Then, she anxiously pursed her lips and glanced outside.


    Yin Zhaoan knew what Tang Yu was worried about. Without hesitation, she dispelled those doubts with action.


    Tang Yu instinctively closed her eyes when their lips met, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Then, her body softened when she felt a wet tongue tentatively licking her lips.


    However, Tang Yu knew this was not the right place to share a kiss. After resisting the urge to throw caution to the wind, she gently bit Yin Zhao-an''s lower lip before retreating.


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes were a little misted when their lips separated, and a shallow bite mark could be seen on her lower lip. When her mind returned to reality, she softly chuckled. Then, while Tang Yu wasn''t paying attention, she quickly snuck in a short kiss before turning away to resume doing the dishes.


    Tang Yu''s cheeks were burning red. Subconsciously, she rubbed her cheeks with her hands, feeling the heat they radiated.


    ¡­


    After being in a state of mental tension for a long time, Zhao Yu quickly grew drowsy now that he finally got to relax.


    When Tang Yu came out of the kitchen, he saw Zhao Yu fast asleep on the sofa with a cushion in his arms, his long legs uncomfortably curled up on the sofa. His face was buried in the cushion, revealing only a pair of tightly closed eyes and soft black hair draped over his forehead. Even in his sleep, he didn''t forget to hide his injuries.


    As soon as Yin Zhao-an came out of the kitchen, she saw Tang Yu draping a thin blanket over the sleeping Zhao Yu. When Tang Yu looked up, and their eyes met, she gestured to Tang Yu, and the two of them went upstairs silently without saying a word.


    After closing the bedroom door behind her, Yin Zhao-an asked, "Do you think we should contact Doctor Gao?"


    Tang Yu walked to the desk and shook her head in disagreement, "No, the fact that Zhao Yu is here shows that he doesn''t want Doctor Gao to know. We shouldn''t make decisions for him without his consent."


    Tang Yu''s reasoning made sense, so Yin Zhao-an nodded in approval. Since they couldn''t use the living room right now, Yin Zhao-an took her laptop from the bedside table, sat at the foot of the bed, turned on the computer, and logged into her game.


    Yin Zhao-an was currently playing two accounts at the same time. Fortunately, the game allowed her to run multiple clients, so whether she was clearing dungeons or completing storyline quests, she would always be sure to bring both characters. As a result, the Intimacy value between the two characters was already at 90. However, because she had started playing the two accounts at different times, the level of the new account was still somewhat lower than her old account.


    Most people played games just for fun. They would play when they were in a good mood and quit when they were not. After all, it was just a virtual game, and there was nothing worth clinging to.


    But Yin Zhaoan and Zhao Yu didn''t think that way. The two of them may have had similar personalities in some sense. In their opinion, since they had chosen a role, they would maximize their characters'' potential to the fullest.


    Of course, as true gamers, they did not rely on spending money to win. Instead, they took the path of skilled players, relying on technical skills rather than money to win.


    Yin Zhao-an has only been playing this game for less than a year and was already ranked among the top ten of the entire server. She had become a new god in the eyes of novices and a dark horse in the eyes of veteran players.


    Previously, there was a saying in this game, "As long as you spend enough time, you will eventually reach the same level as the gods." The gods here being the top players.


    Many people played with this mentality, participating in battles without spending money and finding like-minded friends in the game. They could also chat and, if they were lucky, find their future partners through offline meetups.


    Meanwhile, players on the server''s leaderboard had become hot properties for players looking for partners.


    The leaderboard was divided into different categories, including power ranking, charm ranking, spending ranking, and love value ranking. Naturally, the most popular were the players on the spending leaderboard.

 CH 122

    Humans were realistic creatures.


    Yin Zhao-an and Zhao Yu both occupied a place in the combat power ranking, while Gao Rang was like a fresh stream among the three, occupying a spot among the top ten of the "pay-to-win" ranking...


    Yin Zhao-an still remembered Zhao Yu explaining to her the reason that caused Gao Rang to go down the pay-to-win route. Gao Rang has been playing this game for nearly two years now. Although his level was high, he didn''t know how to play and had taken many wrong paths. Moreover, because of work, he didn''t have much time to browse online strategies. So, paying to win became his only obsession with the game over time.


    It wasn''t that he wanted to keep paying to win, but the money he "invested" at the beginning made him reluctant to stop. Ultimately, he chose to grit his teeth and play even though he didn''t know how to play.


    Currently, Yin Zhao-an was controlling her character to go to the Heavenly Star Pavilion, where many players have already gathered. Every player had an ID floating above their heads. Because of how crowded the place was, many player IDs overlapped with each other, creating a dizzying sight.


    Most players came in full teams, and only a few solo players were present. Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an was one of these few solo players.


    A minute ago, the system issued a notification on the game interface, stating that a rare spirit monster would appear in the Heavenly Star Pavilion. Immediately, all players who received the notification began to gather at the pavilion.


    Rare spirit monsters could be captured, but by defeating them, players could obtain a large amount of EXP tokens and soulstones. Some lucky players might even get rare spirit pets.


    Perhaps because the ID "Yuyi Chang''an" was too attention-drawing, but Yin Zhao-an actually received an invitation from the guild "Drunken Flower."


    "Drunken Flower" was the number one guild on the server, and it was a gathering of many veteran players and new players. Three of the top ten players on the combat power ranking were members of this guild. In addition, the leader of Drunken Flower was a capable person who treated new and old players equally and patiently, listing the enhancement and attack combinations of each profession in the guild announcement. It was with this that they attracted countless female players to join the guild.


    On the one hand, it was because the guild''s name had a sense of ancient charm. On the other hand, it was because of the guild leader''s handsome appearance and his identity as the most eligible bachelor in the game.


    Yin Zhao-an was not a person who liked to be in a group. She preferred to be free rather than restricted, so she politely declined the invitation and provided her reason.


    After Yin Zhao-an replied, the guild invitation disappeared, and a friend request appeared in its place.


    However, before Yin Zhao-an could see who the friend request came from, she was struck by the rare spirit monster that had suddenly appeared, causing her green health bar in the upper right corner to immediately decrease by more than half.


    Fortunately, half of the server''s players were gathered here, and many started attacking the monster as soon as it appeared, successfully diverting its attention away from her direction.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    After a short while, Yin Zhao-an''s character regained its health. This was not only thanks to the healing from Heavenly Dancer behind her but also because of the players randomly using skills around her.


    Not all players played games while relying on technical skills. Some relied entirely on intuition and feeling. In shooter games, this method of playing was called "shooting and praying." This game was no different. So long as their skills were off cooldown, these "intuition" players would simply use them without caring whether their skills were effective.


    The rare monster is named "Crimson Flame Spirit," a female humanoid monster with a dark red body and flaming hair. The Crimson Flame Spirit had a stunning figure and dark red armguards that complemented her curvaceous body. She also emanated a heroic presence.


    The Crimson Flame Spirit was incredibly durable, having a total of eight health bars. Every time a health bar was cleared, the Crimson Flame Spirit would drop a bunch of EXP tokens that would be directly stored in the player''s inventory.


    The final health bar was the most important. Whoever could accurately time the final blow on a rare spirit monster would receive the rarest drops.


    All the players were preparing for the final blow, and Yin Zhao-an was no different. She had saved her strongest attack to secure the last hit.


    However, just as the Crimson Flame Spirit was about to die, darkness suddenly enveloped Yin Zhao-an''s eyes, and accompanying this darkness was the faint smell of tangerines.


    Yin Zhao-an''s hand on the keyboard paused for a moment, but she quickly followed her instincts and pressed the button to activate her character''s strongest attack. At the same time, she heard a slightly annoyed voice coming from above:


    "You''ve been playing for three hours straight now. It''s time for a break."


    A pair of soft hands covered Yin Zhao-an''s eyes, preventing her from seeing anything but darkness. After she activated her character''s strongest attack, she removed her hands from her mouse and keyboard, reached for her eyes, and removed Tang Yu''s hand from her face.


    Tang Yu was honestly a little scared right now. After all, this was the first time she had disturbed Yin Zhao-an while the latter was gaming. She was even prepared to receive an angry scolding for her actions.


    However, the scolding she had expected didn''t come. Instead, she felt something soft touching her right palm.


    It was a kiss from a pair of soft and warm lips. The warmth from those lips spread from her palm and reached all the way to her heart, melting it.


    At this moment, Yin Zhao-an''s eyes were only on the anxiously blinking person in front of her. She was so focused on this person that she had forgotten about her game and didn''t even notice the world announcement broadcasting an envy-inducing notice.


    Congratulations to player Yuyi Chang''an for delivering the final blow to the Crimson Flame Spirit and obtaining the rare drop "Dark-Eyed Abyssal Cat."


    Dark-Eyed Abyssal Cat!


    It was a rare spirit pet that one couldn''t buy even if one was wealthy!

 CH 123

    Yin Zhao-an got up from the ground and stretched lazily. Then, she leaned against Tang Yu and imitated a cat by rubbing her face against Tang Yu''s neck.


    Tang Yu felt as if feathers were brushing against her neck as Yin Zhao-an''s soft hair rubbed against her, causing her to feel a tingling sensation.


    The atmosphere in the bedroom gradually changed. They were in a private space, and there was no need to worry about being seen, so Yin Zhao-an, who hadn''t been fed for a long time, began to grow restless. After her hunger started to get the better of her, Yin Zhao-an turned her head slightly and gently bit Tang Yu''s neck, hinting at her desires.


    In an instant, warmth spread from Tang Yu''s face to her ears, turning her cheeks pink. Shrinking back a little, Tang Yu responded to the advance by weakly burying her face into Yin Zhao-an''s neck.


    Tang Yu''s show of vulnerability greatly encouraged Yin Zhao-an. Unfortunately, before she could even place her hand on Tang Yu''s waist, a knock came from the door.


    The two of them were momentarily stunned, but Tang Yu quickly reacted to the knocking sounds and moved away from Yin Zhao-an. Then, while covering her flushed cheeks with one hand, she hurriedly went to open the door.


    Outside the door stood Zhao Yu. The bruise on his face had faded slightly, and he wore a mask that he had acquired from who-knows-where, revealing only his appealing nose and slightly reddened eyes.


    "I''ll be leaving now, Big Sis Tang. Thank you for taking me in today, and sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you two," Zhao Yu said. Perhaps due to just waking up, his voice was a little hoarse when he spoke.


    Tang Yu furrowed her brow, feeling concerned. "It''s no trouble at all. Are you sure it''s okay for you to go back now? If you need to, you can stay at my place for a while. I have an empty guest room."


    Zhao Yu shook his head. Smiling through his mask, he said, "No, thank you, Big Sis Tang. Although I had an argument with my family¡­" Zhao Yu paused for a second, his expression subtly darkening. "I...I still need to go back home."


    Tang Yu walked Zhao Yu out to the front yard. The sun outside was no longer scorching like it was at noon, but it still made it difficult to open one''s eyes.


    Zhao Yu walked out of the gate and politely thanked Tang Yu again before heading eastward. His figure, against the sun, cast a long shadow on the cobblestone path.


    Tang Yu squinted as she watched him go, losing herself in her thoughts momentarily. After a while, she shook her head self-deprecatingly and turned around to face the person leaning against the second-floor windowsill.


    The girl on the second floor had her hair down, her upper body leaned on the windowsill, and her elbows keeping her steady. She cupped her exquisitely beautiful face with one hand, and the corners of her eyes curled up joyfully as she smiled at Tang Yu.


    Tang Yu looked at the girl for a few seconds before shaking her head with a helpless smile. Then, standing in the courtyard, she asked, "What are you looking at me for?"


    Tang Yu''s voice was like a clear spring in a secluded valley, pure and pleasant to the ear. Her skin also looked dazzling under the sun. Or, at least, that was how it looked in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes.


    Yin Zhao-an maintained her posture. Suddenly, a line of poetry flashed through her mind, and she blurted out, "You stand downstairs viewing the scenery; you''re beheld by the viewer from upstairs."


    "You''re wrong; it should be ''You stand on the bridge viewing the sight; You¡¯re beheld by the viewer from height,''" Tang Yu corrected. "But you''re right; I am indeed looking at you."[1]


    Tang Yu didn''t continue the conversation. Instead, she quickly stepped into the house, almost running back upstairs. Yin Zhao-an turned around from the window, and before she could see who was in front of her, she was pulled into an embrace. Then, a pair of slightly cool and soft lips landed on hers.


    Yin Zhao-an reflexively responded to the embrace and placed a hand on the back of Tang Yu''s neck. Then, she reversed their roles, taking the initiative to deepen their kiss.


    Summer clothes were usually skimpy and made of thin fabric, so when Tang Yu put her hands around Yin Zhao-an''s neck, the hem of her clothes was pulled up, revealing a glimpse of her fair, slender waist.


    The slanting sun shone through the wide-open window and onto the embracing couple. As tongues intertwined, the light scent of the same brand of shampoo lingered in the noses of both girls. At some point, Yin Zhao-an placed her hands on Tang Yu''s exposed waist and playfully caressed her sides.


    Tang Yu was ticklish and instinctively wanted to hide, but she had no strength left at this point, and it took her all just to stay standing.


    When Yin Zhao-an felt Tang Yu gradually sliding down through her hands, she propped Tang Yu up with one of her long legs and brought the two of them even closer together.


    Yin Zhao-an was like a small fish stranded on the shore for a long time, eagerly taking in any water source she could find. Even though Yin Zhao-an had very little experience in kissing, her skills developed rapidly throughout their physical interaction, and she became skilled to the point that even Tang Yu was surprised.


    Tang Yu''s mind was in a mess, but she still had a little clarity left. After much effort, she separated herself slightly from Yin Zhao-an. Then, they rested their foreheads against each other, their eyes holding only each other.


    After taking a moment to catch her breath, Tang Yu raised a question, "How did you become so skilled? Did you practice with someone?"


    Yin Zhao-an''s breathing was also a bit uneven, and she couldn''t help but laugh softly when she heard Tang Yu''s question.


    Tang Yu was a little annoyed by this response, so she lightly hammered Yin Zhao-an''s shoulder with her hand as she asked, "What''s so funny? You didn''t actually practice, did you?!"


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    Yin Zhao-an pinched Tang Yu''s waist and was satisfied to see her body tremble slightly. Then, she smiled and whispered in Tang Yu''s ear, "I did practice, every day in my mind."


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    [1]You stand on the bridge viewing the sight; You¡¯re beheld by the viewer from height:


    This is a segment from a poem titled ¡¶¶ÏÕ¡·.


    Below is the full poem:


    You stand on the bridge viewing the sight;


    You¡¯re beheld by the viewer from height.


    The moon bedecks your window agleam;


    While you adorn to another¡¯s dream.


    -By Bian Zhilin.


    -Translated by Xu Jingcheng.

 CH 124

    Tang Yu gritted her teeth and bit Yin Zhao-an''s neck angrily upon realizing she had been toyed with yet again. However, her mind and body froze before she could get her mouth to exert any force.


    When Yin Zhao-an felt Tang Yu''s teeth simply resting on her neck, she initially thought her beloved couldn''t bear to bite her. However, just as she was about to tease Tang Yu again, she heard Tang Yu softly saying:


    "...Dad."


    Yin Zhao-an''s pupils spontaneously shrank. At this time, Tang Yu had already gotten off her, looking bewildered and panicked. Subsequently, Yin Zhao-an turned around and saw a tall man standing by the courtyard gate, the sight of the man causing her heart to convulse.


    ¡­


    In the living room, three people sat in silence. Of them, the two girls sat with their heads hanging. Meanwhile, the tall man sitting opposite them held his forehead, looking at the two children with a complicated expression.


    Tang Zhengyang found this situation very familiar. The last time he was in such a situation was when he confronted Tang Yu to ask about the second-hand laptop.


    Tang Zhengyang felt like he was holding back a ball of fire in his chest. He was at a loss whether to scold the children or not. If he scolded them, it would be bad for their mental growth. If he didn''t reprimand them, he would most likely suffocate from his anger and frustration.


    Unable to make up his mind, Tang Zhengyang got up in the living room and walked back and forth restlessly. On his fourth lap, he poured himself a glass of water and returned to his seat, ready to vent his frustrations.


    "Out with it. What''s going on between the two of you?" Tang Zhengyang leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs. He was so shocked by what he saw just now that, even now, he still wore his dirty military boots.


    Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an exchanged a glance. After a long hesitation, Tang Yu timidly said, "We¡­ Nothing''s going on between us."


    Tang Zhengyang instantly exploded upon hearing this answer. Knocking his knuckles against the glass coffee table, he angrily said, "Nothing''s going on?! Nothing''s going on?! If nothing''s going on between you two, why were you two hugging and kissing each other?!"


    When Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an heard the word "kissing," both of them lowered their heads even more and dared to speak anymore.


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    "Tell me the truth!! How long has this been going on?!" Tang Zhengyang tried to calm his tone down. This was the first time he had to deal with such a thing. At the same time, he couldn''t help but curse his luck for being the first to discover the two girls'' relationship.


    This time it was Yin Zhao-an who spoke first. Hesitantly, she said, "Um...since...grade school?"


    Not only Tang Zhengyang but even Tang Yu looked at Yin Zhao-an in shock. Quickly, though, Yin Zhao-an realized she had misspoken and explained, "No, no, I... We got together...last year, I think?"


    After speaking, Yin Zhao-an cautiously looked at Tang Yu, only to see the latter covering her face in despair.


    Tang Zhengyang looked at the two girls seated across from him. Both were at the age where they would be considered blossoming flowers. Both were beautiful and outstanding in their academic achievements. Logically, there should be countless boys their age trying to pursue them. So, how in heaven did these two girls end up together?


    Tang Zhengyang couldn''t make sense of it. After rubbing his temples for a long time and exhaling a deep breath, he spoke to the two girls in a tone of negotiation, "Here''s what we''ll do. Don''t let your mother know about this. You two must separate. I don''t care if you''re in an early relationship or not, but you should find a boy you like as soon as possible to take your attention away. As long as you don''t do anything inappropriate, we''ll let this matter go, okay?"


    Tears gradually filled Tang Yu''s eyes when she heard her father''s words. Ultimately, she lowered her head and did not answer, nor did she intend to go against her father.


    Yin Zhao-an, on the other hand, had already calmed down at this point. After weighing her options, she answered Tang Zhengyang, "So, Uncle is saying that we should find a boy we like to distract ourselves with. But what if we can''t find one? Can we still be together?"


    "Not a chance!" Tang Zhengyang''s voice rose a tone higher. "Attraction between opposite sexes is innate. You just haven''t had the chance to meet others. You''ll understand it once you stay away from each other for some time. This is the end of our discussion. An-An, I won''t tell your parents about this, but I hope you both can be more understanding."


    Yin Zhao-an choked for a moment. She knew this was not the time to argue with Tang Zhengyang, so she simply said a meaningful sentence, "If I can''t be with the one I love, then I will choose to live alone for the rest of my life."


    While Tang Zhengyang was looking elsewhere, Yin Zhao-an quickly pinched Tang Yu''s fingers resting on the sofa. Unlike usual, Yin Zhao-an''s hand was not warm. Instead, it was cold, and it even had a thin layer of cold sweat covering it.


    Tang Yu''s restless heart calmed down a little at Yin Zhao-an''s pinch. After a moment of silence, her pale pink lips moved slightly as she weakly said, "I''ll try."


    This was the result that Tang Zhengyang wanted. It was not his intention to become a villain in this situation. If Yin Zhao-an were a boy, he might have only advised Tang Yu not to entrust her whole heart to someone else and to be careful.


    Unfortunately, Yin Zhao-an was a girl. Love between two girls could not last. Moreover, rather than call it love, it''d be more appropriate to call it a twisted form of friendship.


    He might not be a good father, but he must consider his children''s lifelong happiness. Both girls were outstanding and should not face society''s malice. Timely intervention was the best choice.


    Later, when Tang Zhengyang found out Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu were living in the same room, he immediately started cleaning the guest room.


    Friendship could exist, but twisted friendship must be severed as soon as possible!

 CH 125

    After the two girls returned to the bedroom, Tang Yu subconsciously locked the door and, in the next second, got embraced by Yin Zhao-an.


    It was a warm embrace that allowed both participants to feel each other''s heartbeat.


    "...I''m sorry," Tang Yu apologized, her nose growing stuffy as tears seeped out of her eyes and soaked Yin Zhao-an''s cotton T-shirt.


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes also reddened slightly, but she didn''t cry. Instead, she gently rested her chin on Tang Yu''s head and patted Tang Yu''s back, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Silly, you didn''t do anything wrong."


    Guilt and regret intertwined in Tang Yu''s heart. If she hadn''t kissed Yin Zhao-an by the window at the time, her father wouldn''t have seen them, and perhaps they wouldn''t have to be separated. Thinking of this, Tang Yu whispered another "I''m sorry," her voice muffled by Yin Zhao-an''s shirt.


    Yin Zhao-an''s mentality went from panic, confusion, and fear to later acceptance. She had already gone through everything that happened today in her mind, so she knew that this was only the first hurdle they encountered.


    Every day they chose to remain together would mean more challenges waiting for them to tackle.


    Meanwhile, whether they would tackle these hurdles together or give up and separate was all up to them to decide.


    After a while, Yin Zhao-an gently nibbled on Tang Yu''s ear before she said, "I''ve said it before; if I can''t be with the person I love, I''d rather stay single the rest of my life. The only person I will love is you, Tang-Tang. This won''t change, even in death."


    When Yin Zhao-an''s low, hoarse voice entered Tang Yu''s cochlea, Tang Yu felt her entire body tingling. At the same time, the words Yin Zhao-an said calmed her gradually restless heart. "Mhm¡­"


    Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an thought of something as she grabbed Tang Yu''s shoulders. Then, looking into Tang Yu''s teary eyes with a burning gaze, she grinned and asked, "So...are we officially together now?"


    Tang Yu was taken aback for a moment. However, before she could understand the meaning of Yin Zhao-an''s words, she heard Yin Zhao-an firing off a series of statements like a machine gun.


    "You took the initiative to hug and kiss me today. You also didn''t resist my touch.


    "We''ve also technically met each other''s parents already.


    "So, aren''t we already together?


    "Well? Are we? Are we?"


    Yin Zhao-an''s mood made a sudden 180-degree turn. It was as if a tragic drama had suddenly turned into a happy-go-lucky comedy.


    The originally heavy atmosphere disappeared, and Tang Yu laughed through her tears as she raised a hand to cover her face. Then, in a slightly choked voice, she answered, "Yes."


    At this moment, Yin Zhao-an felt like all the flowers in the world had just bloomed simultaneously. Under her excitement, she pulled away the hand that covered Tang Yu''s face and gave her a smack on Tang Yu''s pale pink lips. Then, she laughed and proclaimed, "I have a girlfriend now!"


    After confirming their relationship, the two of them began to carefully consider their next steps.


    Tang Yu thought for a moment and spoke softly, "My dad will most likely be closely watching our every move throughout this period, so we need to keep a little distance."


    Yin Zhao-an absolutely agreed with this. Nodding, she said, "I''ll move back home and give my parents a heads up sometime later." After pausing for a second, she added, "We can keep our distance, but you must eat your meals on time, and you cannot try to like any boy! Or anyone else, for that matter!"


    Yin Zhao-an placed great emphasis on the last sentence.


    Tang Yu nodded like a little chick pecking at grains, agreeing to everything her new lover said.


    However, Yin Zhao-an could practically already anticipate the situation they would face once they left the bedroom. So, while packing her things in a dejected mood, she fixed her gaze on the person sitting on the nearby chair, trying to savor every moment they still had together.


    After stuffing all her clothes into the suitcase, Yin Zhao-an saw that a large portion was still empty. Suddenly, an idea came to her mind as she straightened up and stared sharply at the person leisurely swinging her legs.


    Tang Yu''s heart skipped a beat under Yin Zhao-an''s piercing gaze. Thinking Yin Zhao-an was looking at something behind her, Tang Yu stopped swinging her legs and cautiously turned her head around. However, she could find nothing of note behind her.


    The next second, Tang Yu felt her body becoming airborne, and she reflexively hooked her arms around Yin Zhao-an''s neck. Then, she saw Yin Zhao-an steadily carrying her toward the suitcase.


    Tang Yu suddenly realized what was going on and struggled to get down. However, Yin Zhao-an mercilessly stuffed her into the suitcase before using both hands to push the suitcase''s door down onto her.


    Unable to bear Yin Zhao-an''s shameful behavior, Tang Yu covered her face and asked in a muffled voice, "What are you doing?"


    In response, Yin Zhao-an raised an eyebrow and hooked one corner of her lips as she leisurely said, "Packing you up and taking you with me."


    ¡­


    Unfortunately, Yin Zhao-an was unsuccessful in bringing her new girlfriend along, and she was sadly led away by Tang Zhengyang to a clean guest room. Even the bedding inside was brand new.


    After bringing her to the guest room, Tang Zhengyang started to ramble on and on, saying things like, "Uncle is doing this for your own good" and "You''ll understand Uncle''s good intentions when you grow older."


    Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an didn''t have a chance to communicate again until after dinner. However, Tang Zhengyang urged Tang Yu to go to bed early before going to prepare a bath for Yin Zhao-an in the first floor''s shared bathroom. He then went to the kitchen to heat up fresh milk for Tang Yu and personally brought it upstairs to her.

 CH 126

    Tang Zhengyang would usually leave early and come home late because of his work. Oftentimes, he couldn''t even come home. Hence, it wouldn''t be wrong to say he was rarely home throughout the year. Yet, he had deliberately taken time off from work and had been staying home for the past several days.


    Though, one could also say that this was an expected response after what he witnessed.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an quickly gave up on putting up a struggle after being put under constant surveillance throughout the past several days, deciding to pack her belongings once more before leaving.


    When Yin Zhao-an returned home, Yin Changcheng was leisurely sitting in the living room drinking his Longjing tea. He only glanced at Yin Zhao-an dragging her luggage in before shaking the newspaper in his hand and continuing to read.


    Yin Zhao-an hauled his luggage up the stairs, opened the door to her room, pushed the luggage inside, and then slammed the door shut before running downstairs.


    Only Yin Changcheng was in the living room right now. After Yin Zhao-an looked around and failed to see her mother''s figure, the knot in her throat finally loosened, and she collapsed on the single sofa, relieved. Then, she picked up a blue and white porcelain teacup from the coffee table and poured herself a cup of fragrant tea.


    She didn''t know how to appreciate tea, but the tea tasted good, so she drank a few sips before pouring herself another cup.


    Yin Changcheng looked at his daughter with a complicated expression, unable to hide his disgust as he said, "You ran away without me."


    "...." Yin Zhao-an silently put down her teacup and looked at her father seriously for a moment. Then, she slowly said, "Comrade Yin Changcheng, how do you think Leader Wang would react if she learned that you treated our home like a disaster area?"


    Yin Changcheng gritted his teeth and grabbed a silk pillow from the sofa, throwing it at his daughter. "How dare you threaten me, you little brat!"


    Yin Zhao-an caught the pillow that flew toward her and held it in front of her. Then, the smile on her face gradually faded.


    Yin Zhao-an tried to figure out how she should word her thoughts into coherent language, but she couldn''t figure out how she could do so, which left her hesitating between speaking and keeping silent. In the end, it was only when Yin Changcheng became irritated by her interruption of his reading that he urged her to speak.


    "Um...Comrade Yin Changcheng, before I say what''s on my mind, you have to promise that you can''t lay a hand on me! Let''s make that clear first!"


    Yin Zhao-an was still a bit nervous. However, she ultimately made up her mind, choosing to hide in the small hut that was her father before facing the storm that was her mother. Even though this small hut was bound to be uprooted and destroyed by the storm, it was better than facing the brunt of the storm right from the very beginning.


    Yin Changcheng impatiently nudged his glasses and muttered a vague "Mhm," looking nonchalant.


    "I have someone I like."


    "Mhm."


    "The other party''s a girl."


    "Mhm¡­ Mhm?!"


    The sudden change in tone conveyed the shock of the person involved perfectly.


    After a moment...


    Yin Changcheng was so angry that, if he had a beard, he would have probably let out a huff that caused it to rustle. However, while he might not have a beard to huff on, his face did turn red, and his breathing roughened as he gasped for air.


    When the old comrade in front of her clutched her wrist, Yin Zhao-an gritted her teeth in pain. Faced with this situation, she really wanted to say, "Didn''t we agree not to use violence?"


    But she didn''t dare to say it out loud. Setting aside whether she dared to fight back, it was already very kind of Comrade Yin Changcheng not to kick her out of the house for this mind-blowing revelation.


    "Dad..." Yin Zhao-an cautiously spoke, only to be harshly told by Yin Changcheng, who was still angry:


    "Don''t call me dad!"


    Yin Zhao-an was taken aback for a moment. Then, she hesitantly asked, "Then...mom?"


    "You!"


    "Hey, hey, hey, don''t be angry; I was just joking!" Yin Zhao-an quickly apologized, bowing her head. She even stood up to refill her father''s tea cup. At this point, she was just short of giving her father a foot massage.


    It took a while for Yin Changcheng to let out all of his anger. Once he was done, he gave Yin Zhao-an a stern look and said in a deep voice full of frustration, "You best not be joking with me here, little girl. Let me tell you, if your mother finds out about this, she''ll definitely dissect you on her autopsy table!"


    "Sir, yes, sir!" Yin Zhao-an quickly agreed with Yin Changcheng, trying to win him over to her side.


    "Don''t try to please me either. I don''t care what you do. My only requirement for you is that you get married in the future. But whether you are going to marry into someone else''s house or bring someone back, I won''t interfere," Yin Changcheng said. He had been on the battlefield for many years, and he had also been in the business world for a long time, so he could naturally see through his daughter''s little tricks.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an was about to burst into tears at her father''s words. What kind of godly father was this? How could a father be so understanding?!


    Unfortunately, before Yin Zhao-an could start to celebrate, Yin Changcheng quickly hit her with a bucket of cold water, saying, "Don''t celebrate just yet. I will pretend I didn''t hear anything today, but if your mother finds out in the future, I''ll definitely be on her side. You''re on your own."


    Yin Zhao-an''s mouth twitched a few times, and she weakly pressed down on her throbbing forehead. "Dad, I have a question for you. Please answer me honestly."


    "What is it?"


    "Am I a byproduct of your love with mom?"

 CH 127

    In the eyes of Tang Zhengyang and Yu Wanrou, Tang Yu had always been a well-behaved and sensible child. Plus, both of them were either constantly traveling the world or conducting military operations in a remote mountain valley, so they felt they owed their child as parents and therefore showed excessive love mixed with strict discipline toward Tang Yu.


    In contrast, Yin Zhao-an had been a little tyrant since childhood, causing trouble everywhere she went. Yin Changcheng had also retired from the military early, while Wang Zhen would always be home looking after their child when she wasn''t on duty at the hospital. Hence, it wouldn''t be wrong to say that Yin Zhao-an had never lacked parental love in her life.


    Because of this, Yin Changcheng couldn''t understand how his daughter had ended up going down the wrong path.


    Although Yin Changcheng often appeared indifferent toward Yin Zhao-an, she was still his child. As parents, who wouldn''t want their children to have a happy and bright future? If he truly didn''t care about his daughter''s future, he wouldn''t have bothered working late at the company and dealing with various administrative departments all day. He might be making a lot of money from his company, but he did not enjoy the process one little bit.


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    However, Yin Changcheng was willing to trust his daughter''s decision, whether it was made on a whim or after a long struggle. As long as she was happy, it was all that mattered.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t expect to convince her father so easily. She was so touched that she almost gave him a hug, but before she could do so, Yin Changcheng pushed her away mercilessly and repeated, "I''ll say it again, but if your mother finds out, I''ll be siding with her. Don''t even think about dragging me down with you."


    Yin Zhao-an had her own considerations. She knew that her mother was someone who was open to persuasion but not coercion. If she threw a tantrum and stubbornly tried to get her mother to accept her twisted love, things definitely wouldn''t end well for her. Therefore, a careful plan hatched in her mind.


    ¡­


    On this day, Wang Zhen finished her early shift at the hospital and exchanged greetings with her colleagues before leaving with her shoulder bag.


    It was already dark by the time she arrived home. After parking her car in the garage, she tapped her access card on the scanner next to the door in the garage and entered the house.


    The study''s door was ajar, and Wang Zhen could hear faint whispers coming from inside, so she quickly concluded that her husband was probably having another online meeting.


    Wang Zhen had already heard the news of her daughter returning home. After washing some rice and putting it into the electric rice cooker, she dried her hands and went upstairs. She needed to "knock some sense" into her daughter, who didn''t regard their home as a home.


    Upon arriving in front of Yin Zhao-an''s room on the second floor, Wang Zhen knocked on the door a few times. After a long wait, she heard some movement from inside the room, followed by the sound of the door opening.


    Before Wang Zhen could activate her mouth''s rapid-fire mode, she froze in shock when she saw her daughter''s current state. She had never seen her daughter in such a state before, so she couldn''t help but lose her composure.


    "What happened to you, An-An?" Wang Zhen asked, concerned.


    Yin Zhao-an stood expressionless at the door. There were obvious signs of crying on her face, her eyes looking red and swollen while her nose also looked red. At first glance, it looked as if she had suffered a great injustice.


    Mother and daughter entered the room together. Yin Zhao-an sat down at the desk while Wang Zhen grabbed a rotating chair and sat in front of her. At this time, Wang Zhen was so worried that tears were about to overflow from her eyes.


    The two of them remained silent for several minutes before Yin Zhao-an, in a nasal voice, broke the silence, saying, "Mom, I might be a monster..."


    "What are you saying?!" Wang Zhen exclaimed in a dialect she didn''t even realize she knew. After choking on her own words for a moment, she lowered her voice slightly and continued, "What nonsense are you thinking? You are the child I carried for ten months before giving birth. How could you be a monster?"


    Yin Zhao-an sniffled and choked on her words, "I... I am a monster." As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face again, falling onto her tightly clenched hands.


    There was a saying that mother and daughter were connected at heart. Meanwhile, it broke Wang Zhen''s heart to see Yin Zhao-an in such a state, her delicately shaped eyebrows furrowed into an "°Ë" as she said, "Then, explain everything to me properly. Did you come across some problem?"


    Yin Zhao-an sobbed for a moment before grabbing a piece of tissue paper from the desk to wipe away the tears staining her face. Then, after taking a deep breath, she looked at Wang Zhen with her bloodshot eyes and said, "I think¡­I''ve fallen for someone."


    Wang Zhen was briefly surprised by her daughter''s revelation. Then, she inwardly sighed in relief. Wasn''t it only teenage love? It was normal for teenagers to have crushes. There was no reason to be concerned over such a trivial matter.


    Of course, it would be a different story if the target of her daughter''s love was a significantly older man or, worse yet, a teacher. However, if they were only talking about the feelings of adoration young girls had for the opposite sex, that was normal. How could her daughter possibly be a monster for having such feelings?


    "Then, who do you like?" Wang Zhen asked cautiously, "Is he much older than you? Or...?"


    Yin Zhao-an looked up at her mother but didn''t answer her question. Instead, sadness and helplessness filled her eyes as she said, "You won''t agree to it. Nobody... Nobody will agree..."


    Don''t tell me the other party is a delinquent?! Wang Zhen was startled by Yin Zhao-an''s words, and she held her chest in a panic, her heart suddenly felt tight and constricted. "Why don''t you tell me who this person is first? How old is he? What''s his personality like? What does he do for a living?"


    Yin Zhao-an hesitated for a moment and bit her lip gently, making it look as if she was finding it difficult to speak. Wang Zhen''s heart ached even more when she saw this, and she wondered if the target of her daughter''s affection was much worse than she had imagined.

 CH 128

    TL Notes:


    In Chinese, "He(Ëû-T¨¡)" and "She(Ëý-T¨¡)" are pronounced similarly.


    Yin Zhao-an uses "she" when she speaks about "the person she loves," but Wang Zhen doesn''t know that and simply assumes Yin Zhao-an is talking about a boy.


    To avoid this confusion, I will translate the "she" Yin Zhao-an uses into "he" but italicized.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an cautiously looked up at her mother''s expression. Then, in a pained tone, she said, "He''s¡­ He''s not very good-looking."


    Wang Zhen''s heart sank suddenly. She was obsessed with good looks. In fact, if it weren''t for the fact that Yin Changcheng was handsome and charming, she might have ended up with the cute guy from the inspection department instead.


    Ignorant of her mother''s concerns, Yin Zhao-an continued her explanation in an unhurried tone, "He''s not good at studying, likes to fight, goes to nightclubs, and likes to wear makeup..."


    "Stop, stop, stop!" Wang Zhen held her chest and blinked her eyes in disbelief as she interrupted her daughter''s explanation. "This person has nothing but flaws. What do you see in him?"


    However, Wang Zhen quickly stopped looking for an answer when she saw the lifeless expression on her daughter''s face. The fact that the person her daughter had fallen in love with was such a flawed person was most likely why her daughter was having such a difficult time breaking this news to her.


    "He has flaws all over, but he likes me very much. I¡­ I can''t reject him." Yin Zhao-an''s voice choked up as she spoke, and her eyes began to turn red.


    If Tang Yu could see Yin Zhao-an''s performance right now, she would surely be amazed. Yin Zhao-an''s acting skills could win her an Oscar!


    Wang Zhen''s brows furrowed tighter and tighter. Only heavens knew how much she was against her daughter pursuing this relationship with such an¡­indescribable person. It was no wonder her daughter would regard herself as a monster.


    Ultimately, Wang Zhen sighed softly and placed her hand on her daughter''s tightly clenched hand. Then, she said, "Actually¡­it''s not like I can''t accept such a person¡­"


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Yin Zhao-an: What?! You can accept even something like this?!


    "It''s just that...you''re still young. You''ll meet many people who will like you in the future, and you might also find yourself liking someone else. So long as... So long as you don''t force yourself too much, I won''t stop you."


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t expect her mother to talk to her so seriously. For a moment, she couldn''t help but feel guilty, and her heart winced a little.


    "Then...if I fall in love with someone of the same gender...would you also agree?" Yin Zhao-an tentatively asked after observing Wang Zhen''s expression.


    Wang Zhen remained silent for a long time, her eyes slowly turning red and her voice slightly hoarse. "An-An, I have seen same-sex couples in the hospital before, but none have had a good ending. Do you understand what I mean?"


    Yin Zhao-an''s throat constricted, and she was suddenly speechless.


    "I''m not a closed-minded person, but I won''t condone everything either. If you happen to fall in love with someone of the same gender someday, don''t tell me anything until you''re sure you want to spend the rest of your life with them, okay?" Wang Zhen said, smiling as she gently patted the back of Yin Zhao-an''s hand. However, her face clearly looked more aged than when she first arrived in the room. "I only have one child, so my only hope is you''ll have a happy and peaceful life."


    Tears welled up in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes again, but this time they were full of guilt and helplessness. She leaned over and hugged her mother tightly, her voice choking, "Thank you, Mom¡­ Thank you..."


    After opening up to each other, the mother and daughter pair seemed to have grown even closer.


    Of course, a few years later, when Yin Zhao-an stood in front of Wang Zhen with a gentle and beautiful girl by her side, Wang Zhen would actually breathe a sigh of relief. Indeed, being obsessed with good looks could sometimes be a curse.


    ¡­


    Tang Zhengyang wanted to keep an eye on his daughter at home, afraid that she might be taken away by the girl from the Yin family again, but his work simply didn''t allow it.


    A few days before Tang Yu returned to school, Tang Zhengyang received a phone call from his captain saying that a batch of new soldiers had arrived and they needed to go and pick out a few good recruits for their team.


    Tang Zhengyang still didn''t feel at ease leaving Tang Yu behind like this, so before leaving, he made a special phone call to his wife, who was working as an interpreter in Paris, emphasizing "early romance." He felt relieved only when he heard the person on the other end of the line growing serious. Then, he got into the military jeep that had come to pick him up and rushed to his special forces unit stationed in the countryside.


    ¡­


    Yu Wanrou let out a helpless sigh as she concluded the call with her husband. In the meantime, a group of foreigners with blonde hair and blue eyes were chatting and clinking glasses, having a great time outside.


    At this moment, a well-proportioned foreign woman came over with two glasses of champagne. After handing one of the glasses to Yu Wanrou, the woman spoke pure French, "You''re the interpreter for today? Not bad, I couldn''t tell you''re Chinese at all."


    Yu Wanrou smiled gently and professionally, lightly clinking her glass with the other party''s. The thin glass made a crisp sound as they touched, and the liquid inside the glasses rippled in response.


    "Thank you, but I''m pure Chinese."


    The words had a clear corrective meaning. The foreign woman didn''t deny it and tilted her head with a smile, shrugging slightly. "Ok, I guess so."


    As the foreign woman walked away, Yu Wanrou''s smile faded gradually. She looked down at the diamond-studded wristwatch on her hand. There were two more hours before she could leave this place.


    Let''s¡­find a stable job to settle down once I return to the country¡­


    After concluding as such in her mind, Yu Wanrou quickly adjusted her mood. When she lifted her head again, she wore the same gentle and professional smile as she did before.


    ¡­


    Li Beiyu had started clinging to Yin Zhao-an.


    Although Yin Zhao-an had tried her best to avoid the girl licking a popsicle behind her, the other party stuck to her tightly, showing no intention of being shaken off.


    After buying drinks at the convenience store, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t take it anymore as she turned around with furrowed brows. Then, looking like she was about to hit Li Beiyu, she warned, "If you keep doing this, I can''t guarantee that I won''t hit you!"

 CH 129

    It had been several days since Tang Yu last saw Yin Zhao-an at school. From the rumors she heard floating around, it seemed that Yin Zhao-an had gotten close to Li Beiyu recently.


    Yin Zhao-an had already amassed a small amount of fame even before resuming high school, so her official return had caused quite a stir. This was an inevitable situation as she was previously involved in a situation that had shaken the entire city. To top it off, she even had top-notch grades at school!


    So, when the students at school discovered that this "celebrity" seemed to be trying to distance herself from the school''s "highland flower," many began to keep track of Yin Zhao-an''s itinerary and discovered her interactions with the cute and innocent Li Beiyu.


    Tang Yu naturally didn''t learn about this gossip herself. Instead, Li Xiuli had told her about it, the girl adding that this so-called "celebrity" had quite a "fickle" heart.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    Tang Yu grew restless after hearing about this gossip and decided not to actively engage with Yin Zhao-an out of frustration. However, try as she might, she couldn''t ignore the faint bitterness in her heart.


    Perhaps Tang Yu did not confront Yin Zhao-an due to her trust in Yin Zhao-an. Inwardly, Tang Yu believed that Yin Zhao-an would come and explain herself.


    Unfortunately...reality shattered her trust.


    ¡­


    One day, Wen Tao rushed into Tang Yu''s classroom in a panic and tried to pull her out. However, Tang Yu, confused by the situation, reflexively refused to leave with him.


    "What are you doing?" Tang Yu asked.


    Wen Tao had run up several flights of stairs to reach Tang Yu''s classroom in a hurry, so his handsome face was now flushed, and his breathing had become labored. After catching his breath, he looked around, and seeing that there weren''t many people nearby, he lowered his head and whispered in Tang Yu''s ear, "Brother Zhao went to a nightclub!"


    Tang Yu''s expression changed, and she immediately narrowed her eyes as she thought of something. Then, she asked, "With Li Beiyu?"


    Wen Tao''s eyes widened in shock. "How did you know?"


    Suppressing her surging anger, Tang Yu leaned back in her chair indifferently and said, "She can go wherever she wants. What does it have to do with me?"


    Wen Tao grew even more shocked at these words. "She''s stealing your lover, Big Sis Tang!"


    Tang Yu naturally knew her lover was getting stolen!!


    But what could she do? She could only say...she had been too confident.


    Disappointment and sadness briefly flashed in Tang Yu''s eyes. She picked up her pen to continue doing homework but found that she couldn''t focus at all.


    Seeing that his Big Bro and Sister-in-law were on the brink of divorce, Wen Tao suddenly recalled he had forgotten to mention something important. Hurriedly, he leaned forward and said, "Brother Zhao didn''t go to just any normal nightclub. The place she went to is¡­ It''s a lesbian nightclub!"


    Three seconds later, Wen Tao watched in shock as the person he was talking to practically flew out of the classroom. After realizing what had happened, he hurriedly chased after Tang Yu.


    ¡­


    On the school campus a few hours ago¡­


    After taking the last bite of her cream popsicle, Li Beiyu wiped the residue off her lips with the back of her hand and said in a pitiful tone, "I told you, as long as you promise me one thing, I won''t bother you anymore."


    Li Beiyu had already been pestering Yin Zhao-an for several days. She was aware that her actions these past few days had sparked a lot of gossip in school. While it wasn''t her intention for such a situation to happen, she had more pressing matters to care about. More specifically, she was in a panic after seeing the ship she supported gradually break apart! Just as she feared, Yin Zhao-an''s and Tang Yu''s flaws had caused their feelings for each other to lose warmth, and the two had started to drift apart!


    Yin Zhao-an chose a spot with no one around to sit down. Then, she leaned against a tree trunk and crossed her arms as she looked at the girl who wouldn''t stop bothering her, waiting for her to say something useful.


    Li Beiyu grew a little embarrassed from being stared at. Shifting her gaze away a little, she lowered her voice and said, "I have a way to make you and Tang Yu become even more intimate!"


    Yin Zhao-an sneered at these words. It was only a matter of time before she and Tang Yu grew closer. She wasn''t in a rush.


    "I can prove your position in her heart!" Li Beiyu added, as if she was anxious to prove something. "I guarantee that if you follow my plan, she will come to you immediately. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of everything; you just need to cooperate!"


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes narrowed slightly. Li Beiyu''s offer sounded intriguing, and she was tempted to play along. After all, there was nothing Li Beiyu could do to foil her relationship with Tang Yu. If the annoying girl''s plan worked, great. If not, it was no skin off her nose.


    "We''ll need Wen Tao to cooperate as well! I promise everything will be seamless!" Li Beiyu said delightedly, looking as if victory was within reach.


    ¡­


    During the day, the nightclub lacked the colorful lights and drunkenness of the night. Most people sat quietly at the bar counter or in booths, slowly searching for their respective targets in this small world.


    After rejecting the Nth girl who came to flirt with her, Yin Zhao-an propped her chin up with one hand and seductively raised the winged eyeliner at the corner of her eye as she casually swirled the "cocktail" in front of her.


    Yin Zhao-an wanted to laugh when she saw the drink in her hand. As soon as she took a sip, she could instantly tell this was a mocktail rather than an actual cocktail like Li Beiyu assumed. It was just a fruit beverage meant to pacify children; only Li Beiyu would ignorantly assume it to be an alcoholic drink.


    Regardless, Yin Zhao-an could feel burning gazes constantly targeting her from all directions. Although she pretended to be calm on the surface, she was seething with anger and frustration inside.


    In the end, what was the point of her coming here?


    ¡­


    As soon as Tang Yu stepped into the nightclub with lazy music playing in the background, she had a strange feeling. But before she could think about what was strange, her attention was drawn to a black-clad girl in the establishment.


    The girl wore a pair of high-waisted, black distressed jeans that accentuated her long, slim legs, and she paired it with a black chiffon shirt that hung loosely around her waist, the shirt''s buttons undone to reveal her delicate collarbone. The girl''s long hair was pulled back behind her ears, revealing a pair of exquisite silver earrings that exuded a luxurious quality.


    Yin Zhao-an leaned lazily against the nightclub with a relaxed posture, while Li Beiyu, dressed in a sexy mini-skirt, sat across from her. At this time, Li Beiyu said something to Yin Zhao-an. Then, she suddenly looked over in Tang Yu''s direction.


    Yin Zhao-an followed Li Beiyu''s gaze. Then, her body froze as she felt a mixture of panic and joy all over her body.

 CH 130

    7-9 minutes 09.03.2023


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu, a woman holding a glass of rum coincidentally walked toward her. Then, the woman tried to drape her seemingly weak and boneless arms over her, but before the woman could touch her, a third party pulled the woman away by force.


    The woman''s eyes, which were exquisitely decorated with makeup, widened. Then, she turned to look at the person who had pulled her away from her target in displeasure. When she saw the other party''s appearance, she sneered and said, "Oh? Do your parents know you skipped school to come to a nightclub, little girl?"


    The little girl in question was wearing a school uniform, so she was clearly still a student. Although it was currently the middle of the day, and the nightclub operated mainly as a bar during these hours, it still wasn''t a place where students should be visiting, especially not during school hours.


    Tang Yu didn''t say anything in response. Instead, the corners of her mouth curled up disdainfully as she turned around, grabbed a certain someone by the collar, and kissed this person on the lips.


    A collective gasp came from all around Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an. At the same time, Li Beiyu''s eyes brightened when she saw Tang Yu suddenly taking an aggressive stance, her mind shouting: "Well done!"


    When their lips separated, Tang Yu bit Yin Zhao-an''s lower lip hard, only stopping when a sweet and bloody taste appeared in her mouth.


    Wen Tao had already turned around and silently repeated to himself, "never judge a book by its cover."


    The woman didn''t expect such a development, and her gaze lingered on Yin Zhao-an, reluctant to let go of the prey she had set her sights on. However, when Tang Yu stepped between her and Yin Zhao-an, the woman ultimately withdrew her gaze and walked away angrily in high heels.


    Yin Zhao-an blinked blankly as she looked at Tang Yu. Just now, her Tang-Tang was¡­jealous, right?


    ¡­


    Even after leaving the bar, Tang Yu remained silent. Yin Zhao-an followed her like a guilty puppy, lacking the courage to say anything.


    When they were approaching the school gate, Tang Yu turned around and looked at Yin Zhao-an intently. Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an reflexively stood still, waiting for the scolding.


    "Why did you skip class?" Tang Yu asked.


    "Huh? I¡­" On their way back to school, Yin Zhao-an had already mentally prepared herself to be asked questions such as, "Why did you come to a place like this?" or "Why did you lie to me?" However, never did she expect Tang Yu to ask such a question, so she was momentarily at a loss for words.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    Tang Yu took a step forward, her clear eyes reflecting Yin Zhao-an''s face as she said, "Never do this again." After a slight pause, she added, "I''ll get jealous if you get too close to other girls."


    As if a bomb had gone off within her, Yin Zhao-an felt her heart shaking when she heard these two plain sentences. She hesitantly lifted her hands to try to hug Tang Yu. However, she ultimately shrunk back out of guilt and simply nodded, apologizing, "I''m sorry. There won''t be a next time."


    "Mhm." Tang Yu lightly responded. Then, she snuggled into Yin Zhao-an''s arms and rubbed her head against the other party''s shoulder like a spoiled kitten. "I like you very much, so you don''t have to be worried or scared."


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes instantly became moist, and her lips parted multiple times as she attempted to say something. Eventually, though, she simply placed a hand on Tang Yu''s head, rubbing the other party''s soft hair as she hoarsely responded, "Mhm."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu decided to return home for the upcoming weekend. Upon arriving back home, she found herself reuniting with her "long-lost" mother.


    Although it had been several months since Tang Yu last saw her mother, the latter still had the same quiet and elegant appearance. Even as she busied herself in the kitchen, she looked as graceful as a Western court lady.


    "Little Yu, I''ve found a steady translation job. I''ll be helping a local publishing firm translate manuscripts. I''ll have more time to spend with you at home in the future," Yu Wanrou said as she handed a bowl of carrot soup to Tang Yu.


    The unexpected news stunned Tang Yu, and she couldn''t help but ask, "Is it because of me?"


    Yu Wanrou was aware of what Tang Yu was referring to, but that wasn''t actually why she chose to settle down. So, she shook her head and explained, "I''ve been doing freelance translation for a while now, and I sometimes can''t help but miss home. So, I felt that it was time to find a stable job and settle down."


    "That''s great." Tang Yu felt slightly relieved, knowing she hadn''t become a burden to her mother.


    Yu Wanrou''s return didn''t impact Tang Yu''s life much. The only thing that changed was that Tang Yu started to return home more frequently, even if she had to travel quite some distance.


    ¡­


    After that minor incident, Yin Zhao-an no longer acted recklessly, and neither did she doubt Tang Yu''s feelings anymore. In addition, the two of them would often visit the school''s self-study rooms to study together.


    The self-study rooms were located on the library''s second floor, and the library was a place that emphasized quietness. So, it was very unlikely anyone would come to disturb them here. 4887


    At noon, the sunlight shone through the window and illuminated the black font on Tang Yu''s and Yin Zhao-an''s books. The two of them sat opposite each other, writing and drawing in their respective books without saying a word.


    At one point, Yin Zhao-an got up to go to the restroom. When she returned, she saw Tang Yu had already fallen asleep on the table.


    When Yin Zhao-an was pondering whether she should wake Tang Yu up, she saw a green sticky note placed in her notebook.


    ¡ª¡ªSleepy. Taking a nap. Wake me up in twenty minutes.


    A hint of tenderness appeared in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes as she tucked the sticky note into her thick notebook and looked out the window.


    Outside the window was a tree over a decade old, its green branches swaying in the wind.


    The sunlight was a bit dazzling, so Yin Zhao-an picked up a stack of documents from the table and held it up against the window, shading Tang Yu''s face from the sun.


    Along with the disappearance of the glaring sunlight, Tang Yu''s slightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and her eyelashes trembled lightly. Yin Zhao-an smiled at this sight before lowering her head to resume her studies.


    When Tang Yu woke up, the first sight she saw after opening her eyes was a girl in a sky blue uniform holding up a small stack of papers to block the sun''s rays that were coming through the window. The girl in uniform had her hair tucked behind her ears, and a few soft strands covered her forehead. The girl had her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and she was using the pen in her bony hand to write down some notes in her notebook.


    Tang Yu propped up her face with one hand, her eyes were filled with physiological tears due to fatigue. At first glance, she looked teary-eyed, as if she had just cried.

 CH 131

    "Why didn''t you wake me?" Tang Yu asked, her voice sounding a little hoarse as she had just woken up.


    Upon hearing this, Yin Zhao-an withdrew her hand holding the documents and glanced at the watch on her left wrist. Then, she smiled and said, "You woke up two minutes ahead of time."


    Tang Yu blushed a little and awkwardly touched the back of her neck, responding with an "Oh" before resuming her studies.


    This year was destined to be an extraordinary year. At least, that was what Tang Yu believed to be so.


    Once this year''s Spring Festival passed, Tang Yu would officially enter her third year of high school. Although she would be facing the National College Entrance Examination this year and logically should be under a lot of pressure, she remained calm and relaxed. Of course, this calmness was only limited to the upcoming exam. It was a different story for everything else.


    ¡­


    The Yin family visited the Tang family during the Spring Festival, their sudden visit giving Tang Zhengyang a scare.


    After a short conversation, Yin Zhao-an smiled as she pulled Tang Yu upstairs, leaving the four adults behind in the living room. Seeing this, three adults ignorantly continued with their conversation, and only Tang Zhengyang was left sitting nervously, afraid the two girls would do something inappropriate.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    "It felt like it was just yesterday that An-An was still a little girl, but now she''s all grown up," Wang Zhen said, feeling a little emotional as she recalled the winter days when her daughter would run about in the military compound playing in the snow with other children. When she realized how her little girl had already become a young woman, she couldn''t help but feel proud yet bitter.


    "Indeed." Yu Wanrou was similarly sucked into the vortex of memories. "Back then, Little Yu would cry whenever she saw An-An. If we didn''t know any better, we would have thought An-An was bullying her.


    "It''ll only be a few more years before the two children will have to find a partner. Once they get married and move out, we will have completed our mission," Yu Wanrou said, suddenly feeling a little sad. "I''m suddenly feeling a little reluctant to see them grow up."


    At this time, Tang Zhengyang quickly interjected, "Getting married and moving out is a good thing. They will have someone to love and cherish them. There''s nothing to be sad about."


    At her husband''s words, Yu Wanrou instantly narrowed her eyes and stared at Tang Zhengyang with a sharp gaze. "Did you take the wrong medicine today, Old Tang?"


    In response, Tang Zhengyang immediately shut up and resumed his state of invisibility with his fellow henpecked man Yin Changcheng.


    ¡­


    In the bedroom.


    Tang Yu straddled Yin Zhao-an, gently lowering her head to kiss her passionately. It was a lingering and sentimental kiss devoid of lust.


    After the kiss, their eyes were both glistening as they smiled at each other. Tang Yu rested her head on Yin Zhao-an''s shoulder and closed her eyes contentedly.


    Yin Zhao-an caressed Tang Yu''s hair and turned her head to kiss Tang Yu on the forehead. Then, she softly whispered, "Happy New Year, Tang-Tang."


    Tang Yu giggled and returned the kiss, "You, too. Happy New Year."


    Their time together was brief, but even just holding each other and feeling the warmth of each other''s body was enough satisfaction.


    After a while, Tang Yu heard Yin Changcheng calling for Yin Zhao-an from downstairs. So, she got off Yin Zhao-an, sat on the bed, and patted her lover''s shoulder, saying, "Go ahead."


    Yin Zhao-an smoothed out the wrinkles on her coat and stood up from the bed. Then, she faced Tang Yu and reluctantly said, "I''ll be going, then¡­"


    Tang Yu sat with her legs crossed, resting her head on her knees, and silently nodded. One downside of being in love was the person in love would become indecisive.


    The person who had already said she would leave did not do so. Instead, she stood still, looking like she was going through a mental struggle.


    Ultimately, Yin Zhao-an made up her mind and walked up to Tang Yu. Then, she gently held Tang Yu''s face and kissed her lips. As their lips parted, she gently bit down on Tang Yu''s lower lip. Then, she hoarsely said, "I''m leaving for real now, honey."


    Tang Yu''s face instantly turned red, and she awkwardly turned her head away, "Hurry up and go. They''ll come up to check on us if you drag your feet any longer."


    "Okay." Yin Zhao-an kissed Tang Yu''s lips again and said, "I love you."


    Yin Zhao-an''s footsteps gradually distanced. Only after hearing the sound of the bedroom door slamming shut did Tang Yu dare to lift her face, her beating heart running amok.


    What was up with that...calling me ''honey'' and all... Tang Yu unconsciously bit her fingernail, not realizing her face had turned beet red.


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an returned downstairs, Tang Zhengyang anxiously searched for Tang Yu''s figure, his heart sinking when he failed to spot his daughter.


    It''s over! Could it be... This beast!


    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    I''ll be skipping Chapters 132-134 since they are all yaoi. These three chapters are basically the conclusion of Zhao Yu and Gao Rang''s arc.

 CH 135

    7-9 minutes 11.03.2023


    "Hey, Big Bro, where are you? Uncle is calling you to go home for dinner. Did you block his number? Come on, Big Bro, he''s your dad, after all. Shouldn''t you at least pay him a visit during the New Year... Hello? Big Bro?" Li Beiyu stared at the disconnected call with widened eyes, her control over her expression gradually loosening. "Tsk, fine! If you don''t want to go home, I''ll just tell them you took me out to play!"


    After cursing for a while, Li Beiyu returned her phone to her pocket and pulled up her collar to shield herself from the chilling wind.


    The evening river wind was not at all gentle. Mixed with the chill of the river surface, the wind invaded the body of every pedestrian nearby, causing them to shiver from the cold.


    Li Beiyu frowned, wishing she had worn more layers. Two layers were far from enough to keep her warm on this cold evening.


    A fireworks show would be taking place on the Hengjiang Bridge tonight. The last time Li Beiyu saw a fireworks show was a few years ago. Immature as she was at the time, she didn''t understand the point of hosting such fireworks shows. After all, so long as she wanted to, she could easily organize dozens of such large-scale fireworks shows. However, when she looked at such events with her present mindset, everything was different.


    She didn''t want to go back to the family''s mountain villa. While the family villa had everything, it was missing the lively atmosphere of a fireworks show. It was too cold and mechanized for her liking.


    After pondering for a moment, Li Beiyu decided she would only return after the fireworks show. Her uncle, Li Beining''s father, was unlikely to make things difficult for her, even if she kept him waiting for a few hours.


    Another gust of cold wind blew past, and Li Beiyu couldn''t help but sneeze. Then, just as she was catching her breath, she felt a warm coat getting draped over her shoulders.


    What the heck? Has my Princess Charming finally arrived?


    Li Beiyu looked up excitedly, spotting a tall person standing next to her. The person in question was a head taller than her, and they wore a dark blue hooded sweatshirt. Unfortunately, she couldn''t get a clear look at the person''s face as the other party had long, fine bangs covering their eyes and a black mask covering their face.


    Wouldn''t walking be difficult with such long bangs? Li Beiyu awkwardly wondered.


    Although Li Beiyu hoped spring had finally come for her, she still wasn''t so foolish as to completely cast aside her basic safety awareness. However, just as she was about to adjust the coat she had just received, the person before her suddenly took the initiative to adjust it on her behalf.


    Li Beiyu stepped back in panic, almost cursing out loud. After all, who''d let a stranger get so close to them on the first meeting? 4887


    "We''ve met," the person said in a slightly androgynous female voice.


    Li Beiyu''s expression relaxed slightly. Fortunately, the other party was a woman. Otherwise, she would have to accuse the other person of sexual harassment.


    "Oh...really? We''ve met?" Li Beiyu was skeptical about the woman''s claim. Even after she scrutinized the other party, she couldn''t recall ever encountering such a person before.


    "Yes, at a nightclub," the woman said.


    "Oh." Realization dawned on Li Beiyu, and she stopped talking.


    There was only one nightclub Li Beiyu visited, so even without the woman specifying it, she already knew which nightclub the other party was referring to. Meanwhile, she had come across countless people at the nightclub. Some she remembered, but most she did not. After all, she would typically have fun on her own at the nightclub. Rarely would she ever pay attention to other people. So, it wasn''t exactly surprising that someone she didn''t know recognized her.


    The two stood side by side in peace, neither taking the initiative to restart the conversation.


    The neon lights of the nearby high-rises were reflected on the river, creating an illusion of the vast universe on the water''s surface.


    The clock tower by the river silently rotated, and when the hour hand reached the midpoint of "10" and "11," streaks of smoke and sparks began soaring from the boats anchored in the middle of the river. Immediately after, a wide array of colorful fireworks exploded in the night sky, scattering colorful sparkles across the sky. For a moment, it looked as if the stars had descended onto the mortal world.


    Li Beiyu looked up at the sky in a trance. While she was admiring the fireworks show, an unexpected kiss landed on her lips. At the same time, the river wind blew apart the fine hair of the person kissing her, revealing a pair of delicate eyebrows and eyes, as well as deep blue eyes that looked like precious gems.


    "Happy New Year."


    These words, mixed with the sound of the exploding fireworks, entered Li Beiyu''s ears. When Li Beiyu snapped out of her daze, the person in front of her had long disappeared. Even when she looked around, she failed to find the other party''s figure. Ultimately, she could do nothing but continue watching the fireworks show together with the crowd by the riverbank.


    Li Beiyu couldn''t help but feel as if she had just experienced a dream. However, the coat on her shoulders and the pair of deep blue eyes in her mind cruelly reminded her that this was reality.


    ¡­


    Under the glittering night sky, some people were able to spend a satisfying evening with their loved ones, while some could only spend it alone.


    Unfortunately, Wen Tao and Li Beiyu remained members of the singles'' club this year.


    In reality, Li Beiyu had already hinted at Wen Tao regarding Li Beining''s feelings for him. However, Wen Tao rejected the suggestion, saying, "I can''t accept it."


    In Wen Tao''s eyes, he could only ever accept Li Beining as a brother, and if needed, he could even take a knife and jump into a blazing fire for his brother. However, anything else was out of the question.


    Meanwhile, spring had arrived for Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu. The two never bothered to keep their relationship a secret at school. They always ate together, studied together, and listened to songs together. Naturally, they would share the same pair of earphones while sitting under the shade of a tree. Outside of classes, they were essentially inseparable.


    ¡­


    Days passed by as usual, plain and ordinary yet full of surprises.


    On one gentle and sunny afternoon, Tang Yu returned home from school to see her parents sitting solemnly in the living room.


    When the two adults heard the sound of the door opening, they promptly turned their gazes toward Tang Yu, the serious look in their eyes causing Tang Yu to freeze in place.


    Tang Yu stiffly closed the door and began to wonder if she had been too bold in her intimacy with Yin Zhao-an at school, and, as a result, the school had reported her relationship to her parents. Either that or her father had chosen to come clean and stop hiding things from her mother.


    Meanwhile, a hint of anxiety flashed in Yu Wanrou''s eyes when she saw her daughter standing in the hallway looking uneasy. However, her anxiety quickly disappeared, replaced by overflowing tenderness. Then, after taking a deep breath, Yu Wanrou said:


    "Little Yu, Mommy is pregnant."


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.

 CH 136

    6-8 minutes 12.03.2023


    It was as if a bomb had gone off in her head. Tang Yu''s mind blanked out momentarily as she stared at her mother''s belly in confusion.


    Inside that place existed a budding life.


    After a brief shock, an untimely sense of relief rose in Tang Yu''s heart. At least it wasn''t her and Yin Zhao-an''s affair that had gotten exposed.


    Tang Yu placed her dark green canvas bag on the sofa and sat across from her parents. Then, after taking a moment to process the shocking revelation she had just received, she pursed her lips and asked, "Since when?"


    Yu Wanrou lowered her gaze and softly said, "The doctor said it''s been a month already."


    Following Yu Wanrou''s words, the stiffness on Tang Zhengyang''s face faded slightly as he said, "Your mother hasn''t had much appetite recently. She even fell ill because of it. Only after going to the hospital for a check-up did we find out she was pregnant."


    Tang Yu nodded without saying anything more.


    ¡­


    Now that Tang Yu had entered her third year of high school, she couldn''t stay home as long as before. After spending a night at home, she had to hurry back to school. In contrast, Tang Zhengyang had applied for temporary leave from the special forces unit so that he could stay at home to accompany his pregnant wife.


    After returning to school, Tang Yu shared the news of her mother''s pregnancy with Yin Zhao-an. In response, Yin Zhao-an jokingly said, "If Aunty gets a son, wouldn''t it be easier for us to be together in the future?"


    Although it was just a joke, Tang Yu actually gave it some serious thought and found it somewhat reasonable.


    If she had a younger brother, her younger brother could take on the responsibility of continuing the family line and inheriting the family''s assets in the future. As for herself, she would eventually get married, and it didn''t matter where or who she married. Perhaps she would face fewer obstacles in pursuing her love.


    However, it was still just a joke after all was said and done. She still had no idea whether she would be getting a younger brother or a younger sister. Not to mention, she still had her own responsibilities to shoulder. If she wanted the future she desired, she would have to achieve it through her own efforts.


    However, there was one thing that caught Tang Zhengyang and Yu Wanrou off guard. When Yu Wanrou went to the hospital for a prenatal check-up during her sixth month of pregnancy, the doctor estimated that her due date would be during the period when Tang Yu would be taking her college entrance exams.


    Tang Yu didn''t think much of it when she heard the news. It was just the college entrance exams. She had taken the exams alone and returned home alone in her past life, so she was already used to it. Not to mention, she wouldn''t necessarily be returning home alone in this life. Although Yin Zhao-an wouldn''t be taking the exams this year, Tang Yu was confident Yin Zhao-an would come to pick her up. 4887


    Sure enough, after learning that Tang Yu''s parents would be tied down at the hospital, Yin Zhao-an eagerly asked, "In that case, how about I wait for you at the school gate? I don''t have classes throughout the exam period, anyway."


    "Sure," Tang Yu said, her lips curving upward a little in response to Yin Zhao-an''s excitement.


    ¡­


    As fate would have it, Yu Wanrou suddenly felt abdominal pain three days before Tang Yu''s exams began, and Tang Zhengyang rushed her to the hospital in the middle of the night. Although Yu Wanrou didn''t give birth right away, the doctor arranged for her to stay in the hospital as it was estimated that she would be due for delivery within the next two days.


    On the day before the college entrance exams, the sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds, and the air was heavy with a sense of foreboding.


    Wang Zhen suggested taking care of Tang Yu throughout the exam period, and only after Tang Yu was done with her exams would they visit Yu Wanrou at the hospital.


    Tang Yu stood on the balcony where the wind was howling, letting the wind blow her hair into a mess. The newly planted trees in the courtyard swayed in the wind, their tender branches twisting as if they would snap at any moment.


    Suddenly, a powerful hand grabbed her delicate wrist and pulled her into the house before shutting the glass sliding door behind them. The next second, large raindrops began to pound against the balcony door, creating a "pitter-patter" sound.


    The sky outside had turned gloomy because of the dark clouds, and the rain seemed like it wouldn''t stop anytime soon, so Yin Zhao-an turned on the lights in the room after pulling Tang Yu inside. Then, she draped a loose coat over Tang Yu, the frown on her face expressing her displeasure over her lover''s lack of concern for herself:


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    "It''s so windy outside. Aren''t you afraid of catching a cold? What if you get sick and miss the exam? Huh?"


    Tang Yu blinked and chuckled softly at Yin Zhao-an''s motherly nagging.


    Frustration filled Yin Zhao-an when she saw Tang Yu''s reaction. She got an urge to pinch Tang Yu''s cheeks and ask if Tang Yu had listened to anything she just said, but she couldn''t bring herself to hurt her beloved, even by a tiny bit.


    Yin Zhao-an dressed very casually at home, wearing a solid color t-shirt and loose knee-length sports pants. Her hair, which had grown past her waist, was tied in a high ponytail.


    Tang Yu didn''t want to study anymore. Staying in a state of mental tension for a long time could easily lead to physical and mental exhaustion. Besides, she was confident she would do well.


    When she enrolled at the Communication University of China in her past life, her score was far above the cutoff line. Even if some variables appeared in the exam in this life, it wouldn''t impact her results much.


    For some reason, she was deeply obsessed with the Communication University of China. Maybe it was because the university was her mother''s alma mater. Her mother used to be a top student at that university and developed great language skills there. Though, unlike her mother, she was more interested in pursuing a career in dubbing.

 CH 137

    6-8 minutes 13.03.2023


    It was raining heavily when Wang Zhen accompanied Tang Yu to the exam venue, the irritable raindrops hitting the car''s windows and creating a depressing atmosphere.


    Wang Zhen stopped the car at an intersection. The rest of the way leading to the exam venue had already been cordoned off, so she could not drive her car any closer.


    Seeing this, Tang Yu packed her student ID and admission ticket, along with the necessary items, into a waterproof transparent bag and got out of the car with an umbrella.


    Yin Zhao-an sat in the passenger seat. When Tang Yu exited the car, Yin Zhao-an rolled down the window despite the pouring rain and shouted, "Tang Tang, you can do it! Don''t be nervous in the exam; you''ll definitely make it!"


    While Wang Zhen urged her daughter to quickly close the car window, Tang Yu smiled at Yin Zhao-an and said, "I''ll be fine. You two be careful on the way back."


    Tang Yu didn''t wait around. She needed to get to the exam venue early to prepare. Even though she wasn''t under much pressure, she still wished to avoid making any unnecessary mistakes.


    After taking a glance at the rearview mirror, Wang Zhen turned to her daughter, who was still staring at the figure walking in the rain outside and said, "Stop staring. It''ll be your turn next year."


    "I want to get into the same school as Tang Yu," Yin Zhao-an calmly stated, her gaze still fixated on Tang Yu''s figure.


    "Oh? What are your plans for the future?" Wang Zhen was not concerned about her daughter''s future career, as their family had the financial means to support Yin Zhao-an regardless of what she wanted to do. It wouldn''t matter much, even if the girl failed. Her husband''s company had great prospects, so even if their daughter couldn''t succeed in her desired career, the girl could just find a job there. Though, whether the girl wanted a leisurely position or a challenging one was up to her.


    However, Yin Zhao-an had long thought about what she wanted to do with her future, so she quickly answered, "I want to study computer science and establish a video game company."


    "You want to make games?" Wang Zhen did not expect such an answer.


    Yin Zhao-an nodded. She felt that Art of Freedom, the game she was playing now, still had many aspects that could use improvement. She also had some understanding of the current situation regarding the company behind Art of Freedom. The game company was still in its infancy stages, and its potential was getting stifled due to its lack of funding. If the company had more funding, it could quickly rely on Art of Freedom to occupy a place in the world of online gaming.


    Particularly, they need to fix the despicable clause that allows only opposite sexes to enter into a relationship, Yin Zhao-an thought angrily.


    ¡­


    After entering the exam venue, the examinees consciously kept silent. For a while, only the sound of metal detectors beeping and candidates handling their belongings could be heard in the spacious classroom.


    Tang Yu wore a calm expression as she sat in the familiar exam venue. When she sat in this classroom in her past life, it was also raining outside, interspersed with the occasional thunder.


    When the exam was about to begin, the invigilator picked up the sealed bag holding the exam papers for all candidates to check. Then, he used a small knife to open the bag in front of everyone before distributing the exam papers one after another.


    When Tang Yu received the exam paper and looked at the questions, she couldn''t help but raise her eyebrows. It wasn''t because she was feeling delighted, but because she had actually done all of these questions before.


    Having already completed these questions once before, Tang Yu could complete them with little effort.


    The sound of pen tips scratching white paper and the hurried flipping of papers surrounded her. Paired with the echoes of the roaring wind and rain outside, it sounded as if a youth concerto was being played.


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    Tang Yu wrote her answers neatly on the paper. Her handwriting was elegant and refined. It was neither too stiff nor too loose.


    After writing all her answers, Tang Yu sighed and looked at the gloomy sky outside the window.


    To be honest, she didn''t like rainy days very much. Yet, she couldn''t help but be obsessed with them.


    She vaguely remembered that it was also raining on the day she died. As for the day she was abducted, she couldn''t really remember whether it rained that day. However, she did remember the pair of reflective high-heeled shoes Du Yuqing wore when visiting her in that dark basement. The shoes were covered in mud at the time, so it was probably raining that day as well.


    Tang Yu was brought back to reality by the commotion happening around her. Upon looking, she saw that some people had chosen to turn in their papers early. 4887


    It was common for some people to hand in their papers early during school-wide exams or school exams. However, it was a different story for an exam as important as the National College Entrance Examination. Only two types of people would be so bold as to do so.


    The first type was individuals who were very confident in their abilities and didn''t need more time inspecting their answers. The second type was individuals who didn''t care about their grades and felt they wouldn''t do any better even if they checked their answers. So, rather than waste time creating more anxiety for themselves, they might as well turn in their papers early and relieve themselves.


    Tang Yu looked down at her neatly filled answer sheet and hesitated momentarily. She disliked the feeling of being watched by others, and she was bound to attract attention if she turned in her papers early. Of course, every student here was racing against time, so not many would care about what others were doing.


    Ultimately, Tang Yu chose to wait until the time was up before leaving the classroom. Then, once all examinees had vacated the classroom, the invigilator promptly began collecting the exam papers and draft papers on the tables.


    When the invigilator left the classroom with the exam papers, Tang Yu returned to the classroom and quickly packed her belongings.


    The hallway outside the classroom was already crowded with people by the time Tang Yu was done packing. Seeing this, Tang Yu wisely chose to wait in the classroom until the crowd dispersed.


    Raindrops drifted in through the open window, and it was then that Tang Yu realized that the rain was subsiding.

 CH 138

    For Tang Yu, the three consecutive days of exams were just a formality. Sometimes, having the "cheat codes" handed so blatantly to oneself was more of a headache than a blessing.


    Maybe it''s a bit insensitive to say that, Tang Yu thought to herself with a wry smile.


    By the third day of the exams, the rain had subsided from its initial downpour and was slowly clearing up. While it was still drizzling, the clouds seemed to have taken pity on the land, allowing the sun to shine its rays on the world for the first time in several days.


    When the final bell rang, the whole school erupted into a loud cheer that lasted for a long time. These were cheers of disappointment, relief, and the bittersweet feeling of ending a chapter of youth.


    Tang Yu trailed behind the crowd, watching as people rushed towards their goals or were embraced by their loved ones with either comfort or joy. Though, none of it had anything to do with her.


    "Tang-Tang!"


    Tang Yu''s breath caught in her throat as she looked up and spotted a person standing amidst the crowd holding a transparent umbrella. The person was bathed in sunlight, their face exuding youthful energy, and their gaze fixed upon her.


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    Tang Yu''s eyes brimmed with tears. Ignoring the raindrops still falling on her, she ran toward that person with all her might, stumbling several times before reaching that familiar person.


    Yin Zhao-an had already closed her umbrella and spread her arms when she spotted Tang Yu. Hence, when Tang Yu threw herself into her arms, Yin Zhao-an readily caught and embraced her beloved. Then, she lifted Tang Yu up and spun around joyfully amidst the crowd before setting her down.


    Fortunately, as everyone around them was busy with their own celebrations, the two did not attract much attention to themselves.


    Tang Yu still leaned in Yin Zhao-an''s embrace, her breathing still rapid from her earlier sprint.


    Yin Zhao-an laughed heartily, patting Tang Yu on the back to help her catch her breath. She then picked up the umbrella from the ground, opened it, and held it over their heads.


    "Congratulations on graduating successfully, Comrade Tang-Tang!" Yin Zhao-an exclaimed before kissing Tang Yu on the forehead.


    Tang Yu looked up, her eyes still slightly red as she said, "It''ll be your turn next year."


    The happy atmosphere was instantly shattered as Yin Zhao-an, feeling helpless and disappointed, said, "Can we not talk about that right now?"


    "Haha, okay." Tang Yu understood Yin Zhao-an''s situation and laughed a few times, choosing not to remind her of this cruel reality.


    The bright sunlight shone through the umbrella onto the two embracing figures, illuminating their youthful faces.


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but lift her hand to stroke the corners of Tang Yu''s smiling eyes, her expression filled with infatuation. Then, she asked, "Tang-Tang, you look really pretty when you smile. Can you smile more often in the future?"


    Tang Yu''s expression flickered for a moment, and she tilted her head away from Yin Zhao-an''s hand, feeling a bit uncomfortable.


    Seeing the change in Tang Yu''s expression, Yin Zhao-an immediately apologized, "It''s okay, it''s okay. You look beautiful even if you don''t smile."


    There was an unmistakable sense of caution and ingratiating flattery in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes. Tang Yu suddenly felt a pang in her chest. She had never seen Yin Zhao-an showing such weakness to her in her past life, and neither had she ever seen Yin Zhao-an showing such infatuation for her.


    In her past life, whenever Tang Yu was bullied by the children in the military compound, Yin Zhao-an would stand up for her and not allow her to play with other children. Back then, if it weren''t for Fang Ling''s outgoing personality, Tang Yu''s world might have only had Yin Zhao-an in it.


    But was that love?


    The answer was clear. That was not love but rather a possessive desire for one''s belonging. It was akin to how a person would treat a stray dog that always stuck to them. When one day, the dog decided to follow someone else, the person would feel anger and unwillingness, but after that feeling passed, everything would return to normal. And then the person would think, "Oh, it wasn''t that important after all."


    In her past life, Yin Zhao-an was that kind of person, and Tang Yu was the stray dog who foolishly followed her after receiving a little bit of kindness.


    Whenever Yin Zhao-an felt happy, she would throw Tang Yu a bone. If she wasn''t happy, she would find Tang Yu to be a bother, even if Tang Yu was hiding in the corner.


    But now¡­


    Tang Yu tiptoed and patted Yin Zhao-an''s head, smiling brightly, "Good girl, give me a bark."


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes gradually brightened when she felt the gentle touch on her forehead. Then, subconsciously, she responded, "Woof!"


    It was an unexpected response by both Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an, and both of them couldn''t help but be momentarily stunned.


    After a moment, both of them laughed softly. Then, Yin Zhao-an leaned down, hugged Tang Yu''s neck, and rubbed her hair against her neck like a big dog begging for affection.


    "Okay, it''s time to go back. There aren''t many people left." Tang Yu patted Yin Zhao-an''s head, urging her to stop. By now, most examinees had already gone back with their families and friends, so there weren''t many people left at the entrance.


    Yin Zhao-an led Tang Yu to the parking shed beside the school fence with a silver motorcycle parked under it. Then, she took out a key and inserted it into the cool-looking motorcycle.


    Tang Yu was still a little dazed when she accepted the helmet Yin Zhao-an offered her. Even after Yin Zhao-an had climbed onto the motorcycle, revved the engine, and fastened her helmet, Tang Yu did not move.


    Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an asked, "Don''t know how to wear it?"


    Tang Yu shook her head and silently put on the helmet, stepping onto the side footrest, and then asked, "Why did you come to pick me up on a motorcycle? Are you already an adult? Are you driving without a license?"


    Faced with Tang Yu''s series of questions, Yin Zhao-an smiled helplessly. Then, she grabbed Tang Yu''s hands, crossed them over her waist, and answered, "My mom was busy, and I''m an adult with a license."


    After answering Tang Yu''s questions, Yin Zhao-an stepped on the gas pedal and slowly drove the motorcycle toward the school gate.


    "When did you become an adult? Why didn''t I know about it?" Tang Yu asked, puzzled.


    Yin Zhao-an wryly smiled when she heard Tang Yu''s question. After accelerating onto the almost empty road, she subconsciously raised her voice as she said, "It was a while ago, you were too busy to remember."


    Tang Yu''s birthday was in February, and Yin Zhao-an was a few months younger than her. When Tang Yu thought about it, she quickly realized she had forgotten about Yin Zhao-an''s birthday.


    Immense guilt welled up within Tang Yu''s heart. Afraid that the wind might obscure her voice, Tang Yu leaned forward and shouted in Yin Zhao-an''s ear, "I''m sorry! I''ll make it up to you next time!"


    The person buried under the helmet smiled contentedly and accepted the belated promise.


    Yin Zhao-an drove them back home at full speed. By the time they arrived, both of them were drenched, their clothes clinging to their bodies, and the hot, humid feeling made them uncomfortable.


    Yin Zhao-an pushed Tang Yu into the bathroom before checking the water temperature under the water heater. Then, while leaving the bathroom and closing the door behind her, she said, "Take a shower first; don''t catch a cold. I''ll find you some dry clothes."


    Tang Yu obediently listened to Yin Zhao-an''s orders, taking off her wet clothes and turning on the water. Immediately, warm water poured out of the showerhead and enveloped her cold body, gradually warming her up.


    Not long after, Tang Yu heard Yin Zhao-an''s voice outside the door, "Tang-Tang, come and get your clothes."


    Tang Yu turned off the water and opened a crack in the door, finding Yin Zhao-an standing outside with a set of neatly folded clothes.


    Tang Yu accepted the clothes and whispered a thank you. Then, she heard Yin Zhao-an''s footsteps heading downstairs, "I''ll be showering downstairs."


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu left the bathroom, she didn''t see Yin Zhao-an in the room. So she went downstairs to look for her. As soon as she stepped out of the room, she smelled the strong aroma of ginger soup.


    Yin Zhao-an had finished showering at lightning speed and left the bathroom in a hurry to prepare ginger soup in the kitchen. Her hair was still dripping wet, the water droplets falling onto her shoulders and staining the back of her shirt.


    "I''ll take over here. You go and dry your hair."


    Yin Zhao-an paused her stirring motion when she heard the gentle voice coming from behind her. Then, she turned around and smiled, saying, "It''ll be done soon; it won''t take long."


    Tang Yu leaned at the ginger soup boiling in the aluminum pot. The liquid in the pot was dark red, and there were thin slices of ginger bobbing up and down in it. After taking a sniff of the soup, Tang Yu''s eyes suddenly lit up as she asked, "Did you put in brown sugar?"


    Yin Zhao-an raised an eyebrow. Then, feeling a little proud of herself, she answered, "Yes! Is your nose that sensitive?"


    It wasn''t that Tang Yu''s nose was sensitive. It was just that she had also made ginger soup before, and it turned out with an unappetizing light yellow color. Moreover, the taste of the ginger was overwhelming and bitter. So, it was always a torture whenever she had to make and drink it.


    "Adding brown sugar makes it taste better, and it can help with blood circulation and dispelling cold. Anyway, I think it''s ready," Yin Zhao-an said as she took a white porcelain bowl from the counter and filled it with ginger soup.


    "When did you learn how to do all this?" Tang Yu asked. The Yin Zhao-an in her past life was a complete novice in the kitchen, and all she could make was instant noodles.


    After carefully setting the ginger soup on the dining table, Yin Zhao-an shook her slightly overheated fingers and chuckled, "I wanted nothing more than to become an encyclopedia ever since our first meeting."


    Again with the flirting¡­ Tang Yu thought as the tips of her ears gradually reddened. Then, as if to hide her embarrassment, she quickly said, "I''ll go get the hairdryer," and ran upstairs.


    ¡­


    The ginger soup was too hot to drink, so Tang Yu pulled Yin Zhao-an to the sofa to dry her hair for the time being.


    Yin Zhao-an closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feeling of Tang Yu''s fingers running through her hair, her heart fluttering a little whenever those fingers unintentionally brushed against her ears or neck.


    When Tang Yu saw Yin Zhao-an closing her eyes and tilting her head with a comfortable look, she couldn''t help but feel as if Yin Zhao-an was a cat feeling content at being petted.


    After drying Yin Zhao-an''s hair, Tang Yu directed the hairdryer to Yin Zhao-an''s neck, causing the other party to turn around in confusion. 4887


    While parting Yin Zhao-an''s long hair to reveal her slender neck, Tang Yu explained, "Warming the back of the neck is good for the body."


    "Okay." Yin Zhao-an silently took note of it and decided to do the same for Tang Yu''s nape the next time she helped dry her Tang-Tang''s hair.


    When Tang Yu was done warming Yin Zhao-an''s nape, she proceeded to dry Yin Zhao-an''s clothes with the hairdryer. Fortunately, Yin Zhao-an was wearing home clothes for summer, so it didn''t take long to remove all the moisture from the thin fabric.


    Getting up from the carpet, Yin Zhao-an stretched lazily and said with a contented smile, "My whole body feels warm now, thanks to you, Tang-Tang."


    Tang Yu smiled and put away the hairdryer, saying, "The ginger soup should be cool enough now. Let''s drink it before it cools completely."


    Although the addition of brown sugar helped with mitigating the bitterness, the spiciness of the ginger remained. When Tang Yu took her first sip of the ginger soup, her throat felt like it was getting roasted. It was no wonder everyone used ginger soup to fight the cold.


    Unlike Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an did not take her time with her soup. Instead, she held her breath and downed the entire bowl in one fell swoop. Before she could recover from the spiciness, she heard the living room''s telephone ringing. So, with her tongue sticking out, she walked toward the sofa to answer the phone.


    "Hello? Hmm...hmm?! You''ve given birth?!"


    Tang Yu was drawn to the sudden high-pitched voice and couldn''t help but turn around to look at Yin Zhao-an.


    After responding to the person on the other end of the phone with perfunctory "hmms" and "ahs," Yin Zhao-an ran toward Tang Yu, picking her up and spinning her around in the living room.


    "Tang-Tang, you have a little brother now! Someone can carry on the family line!"


    Tang Yu instinctively hugged Yin Zhao-an''s neck to stabilize her dizzy brain. At this point, all she could hear were Yin Zhao-an''s joyful cheers.

 CH 139

    12-15 minutes 17.03.2023


    Yin Zhao-an crouched cautiously beside the sofa, looking at the person sitting on the sofa with worried eyes. At this moment, she looked just like a large dog who knew she had done something wrong.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu leaned against the sofa, weakly pressing her forehead with her hand and keeping her eyes tightly closed, afraid to open her mouth for fear of vomiting. She felt as if her brain had been thrown into a blender, and stars were flashing before her eyes, making it hard for her to see anything clearly for a while.


    After about ten minutes, Tang Yu started to show signs of recovery. Even so, she could still see the objects in front of her spinning, so she kept her eyes closed until she fully recovered from her dizziness.


    Yin Changcheng said he would send a car to take them to the hospital. It had already been ten minutes since Yin Changcheng called, so their ride should be arriving soon. Realizing this, Yin Zhao-an quickly helped Tang Yu change clothes. Then, while waiting for their ride to arrive, Yin Zhao-an served Tang Yu a cup of tea and gave Tang Yu a shoulder massage.


    When the doorbell rang, Yin Zhao-an rushed to open the door. The person who came to pick them up didn''t come in. Instead, he informed them of the purpose of his visit and waited by the door.


    By now, Tang Yu had mostly recovered from her dizziness. However, as she was still a little wobbly, she didn''t refuse when Yin Zhao-an placed an arm around her waist to help her walk.


    When Tang Yu arrived at the car, she finally realized that their driver for today was Little Zhang, the driver who had previously brought her to the Yin family''s house.


    Little Zhang also recognized Tang Yu, so he politely smiled at her and greeted, "It''s nice to see you again, Miss Tang."


    Before Tang Yu could respond, Yin Zhao-an stepped in between them, her previously mild and harmless eyes were now seemingly covered with a layer of frost.


    Little Zhang immediately stopped smiling and lowered his head. He knew he had crossed a line.


    Yin Zhao-an helped Tang Yu get into the car and reminded Little Zhang coldly, "Drive slower. Someone might get car sick."


    Tang Yu''s heart shuddered. It felt like a thin thread was entwining around her fragile heart, causing it to suddenly tighten.


    Is she going back to her previous irritable and angry personality? But she was caring for me so tenderly just now, so why¡­


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    In an unhappy mood, Yin Zhao-an rested her chin on her hand and looked out of the car window, unaware that the eyes of the person next to her were gradually reddening. Even now, the lingering sense of irritability still surrounded her.


    Little Zhang was a little taken aback by the hostility emanating from Yin Zhao-an. Her aura was almost as fierce as Yin Changcheng''s, but compared to his, Yin Zhao-an''s aura was like a freezer filled with frost. It felt like she could freeze the air with just her gaze.


    As the car left the villa area and drove onto the main road, Yin Zhao-an rolled down the automatic window and pulled the person beside her closer to her side, whispering softly, "How are you feeling? Do you want to rest for a bit? You can close your eyes and lean on me."


    Tang Yu had yet to recover from the huge contrast in Yin Zhao-an''s behavior. Her nose and eyes were red from grievance, and she couldn''t help but grow confused as she looked at the person who had gone back to speaking softly.


    Yin Zhao-an''s pupils suddenly quivered when she saw Tang Yu''s face, and her eyebrows subconsciously furrowed. Ignoring the fact that someone was in front of them, she kissed Tang Yu on the lips and asked in concern, "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"


    Tang Yu couldn''t understand how Yin Zhao-an''s emotions could change so drastically in such a short time. A moment ago, Yin Zhao-an wasn''t even willing to say her name. Yet, a moment later, she was being all lovey-dovey as if nothing had happened.


    "Aren''t you angry?"


    Tang Yu''s voice was very soft. If Yin Zhao-an wasn''t so close to her, she wouldn''t have been able to hear her. And was she angry? She was indeed angry, but not with Tang Yu. There was no way she could bear to be angry with her.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but wryly smile when she realized the reason for Tang Yu''s current state. It would seem that her previous attitude had caused her Tang-Tang to misunderstand. She didn''t realize Tang Yu was such a sensitive person.


    Pressing Tang Yu''s head into her chest, Yin Zhao-an softly and gently said, "I''m not angry; I''m just a little jealous. And I don''t want to call your nickname or your full name in front of others."


    Tang Yu frowned slightly, "Then, what do you want to call me?"


    Yin Zhao-an leaned even closer, her breath brushing against Tang Yu''s ear as she whispered, "I want to call you¡­honey."


    Almost instantly, all the grievances in Tang Yu''s heart disappeared, and only Yin Zhao-an''s husky and sexy "honey" remained echoing in her mind. Yin Zhao-an had called her this many times before but never in front of others.


    Tang Yu''s heart was beating fast, thumping against her chest. Such secret flirting provided her with a different kind of excitement that strongly stimulated her senses.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but be proud of herself upon seeing how quickly she had managed to appease Tang Yu and even tease her a little. However, she didn''t forget her original purpose, so she firmly held Tang Yu in her arms and said, "Take a nap. I''ll wake you up when we get there."


    ¡­


    The smell of disinfectant in the hospital was as pungent as Tang Yu remembered, and she nearly gagged the moment she stepped into the building.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an chuckled when she saw Tang Yu''s eyes fill with tears from discomfort. Then, she put an arm around Tang Yu''s waist and leaned down to jokingly say, "Tang-Tang, I''ll suspect that you''re pregnant with my child if you act like this."


    Tang Yu tried to glare at Yin Zhao-an, but the moisture in her eyes killed any intimidation her eyes had.


    Yin Zhao-an kept her arm around Tang Yu''s waist as she led Tang Yu to the obstetrics and gynecology department. Then, another joke came to her mind as she said, "Let''s go, Honey. I''ll take you for a checkup."


    ¡­


    When they arrived in front of the elevator, Yin Zhao-an paused and hesitantly looked at the buttons.


    "What''s wrong?" Tang Yu asked as she looked up at Yin Zhao-an in confusion.


    A hint of helplessness flashed in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes. After pondering for a bit, she turned to Tang Yu and said, "The room''s on the sixth floor. Do you want to take the elevator or the stairs?"


    Any normal person would probably choose to take the elevator. However, Yin Zhao-an was concerned that Tang Yu might vomit if she took the elevator in her current condition.


    Tang Yu understood Yin Zhao-an''s hesitation. So, she generously separated from Yin Zhao-an and made her way to the nearby stairwell, saying, "It''s okay. I''ll climb the stairs alone. Let''s meet on the sixth floor."


    But before Tang Yu could reach the stairwell, Yin Zhao-an quickly caught up and said with a silly smile, "I''ll take the stairs with you."


    ¡­


    The climb to the sixth floor concluded in the blink of an eye. The two lovers chatted as they climbed, and the sign for "6F" appeared in front of them before they even realized it.


    Of course, the climb was by no means effortless, as both girls were a little out of breath when they stepped out of the stairwell. Fortunately, the bit of exercise had helped Tang Yu relax a lot, and her churning stomach had settled down significantly.


    Yin Zhao-an led Tang Yu to Ward 612. The ward had good lighting and was spotlessly clean, with a fresh bouquet of lilies in a transparent glass vase on the windowsill.


    When the two girls arrived, Wang Zhen was chatting with Yu Wanrou, while Tang Zhengyang repeatedly sat down and got up from his seat, trying to distract himself from his current excitement.


    Yu Wanrou''s face was still a little pale. When she saw Tang Yu come in, she revealed a guilty smile and apologized, "I''m sorry that I couldn''t pick you up, Little Yu."


    Tang Yu naturally wouldn''t get angry over such an inconsequential matter. Quickly, she sat down by the bed, showing a sweet smile as she said, "You don''t have to apologize for anything, Mommy. It must have been very painful to give birth. You''re the one who''s been suffering."


    Seeing the two girls arrive, Wang Zhen suggested taking them to see the little baby and asked Tang Zhengyang to take care of Yu Wanrou.


    There were several incubators in the incubator room, and Wang Zhen pointed to the baby boy closest to the isolation window.


    The baby boy was all red and hadn''t even opened his eyes. The fine hair on his head was extremely sparse, and his features were wrinkled, the sight causing Tang Yu''s expression to also scrunch up.


    The baby wasn''t good-looking. This was the first thought that came to Tang Yu''s mind.


    "He''s so ugly!" A heartfelt complaint came from beside Tang Yu, but before the speaker could continue, Wang Zhen kicked them.


    "Do you not know how to respect life? Do you not understand that all newborns look like this? Do you think you were beautiful when you were born?" Wang Zhen said with widened eyes, clearly enraged by Yin Zhao-an''s casual complaint.


    Wang Zhen''s scolding gave Tang Yu a little scare, and she was secretly relieved that she hadn''t said anything just now.


    "We can''t go in, so just look from here," Wang Zhen said with her hands folded in front of her chest, her eyes shining in a different light.


    Even with a glance, Yin Zhao-an could tell that her mother was having a sentimental moment. However, she disliked such a sentimental atmosphere, so she spoke up again to destroy the mood, "Mom, are you thinking of me when I was a kid?"


    Wang Zhen glared at her daughter with suppressed anger, almost grinding her teeth. "I''d rather not. When I was on the operating table, I thought that if I had a difficult childbirth, I would save myself rather than the baby. You should be grateful everything went smoothly. Otherwise, I was on the operating table at the time and was thinking that if I had a difficult childbirth, I would make sure to save the bigger one. You should be grateful that you were born smoothly. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be here to anger me all the time."


    Yin Zhao-an sneered. As expected, she was indeed an accident of their parents'' love.


    ¡­


    The baby was soon brought to the ward by the physician, wrapped tightly, and placed by the bedside so that Yu Wanrou could see her new son just by turning slightly.


    The baby looked much cuter up close. His tiny pink fists were clenched together, occasionally twitching, and his little feet kicked restlessly.


    Tang Yu crouched by the baby''s bed, hands gripping the edge of the bed, staring blankly at this strange little creature.


    The baby was really small and looked very fragile.


    Seeing Tang Yu''s expression, Yu Wanrou couldn''t help but smile. Then, she exchanged a gentle look with her husband standing nearby.


    "Little Yu, this is your little brother."


    Little brother... 4887


    Tang Yu held her breath. She felt a strange feeling toward this new little brother of hers, and his arrival felt like a gift.


    In her past life, her parents had left her when she was still an innocent child, so she never thought she would have a little brother in this life...


    "Does he have a name?" Tang Yu looked toward her mother with bright and eager eyes.


    Yu Wanrou nodded gently. "Your father and I have discussed it, and we''ll call him Le-Chen."


    "Le-Chen, Le-Chen, Le-Chen, Chen Chen..." Tang Yu murmured the name, slightly lowering her head to hide the tears in her eyes and upturned mouth.


    Yin Zhao-an, who was standing beside Tang Yu, felt a strong sense of crisis suddenly arise from nowhere when she saw Tang Yu behaving like this. Could it be that her Tang-Tang would only care about her little brother in the future and not her?


    At the thought of this, Yin Zhao-an''s eyes narrowed slightly, and she began to contemplate a plan to compete for attention. No matter what, she must consolidate her position.


    Perhaps, she should devour Tang-Tang first?

 CH 140

    According to Tang Zhengyang, he planned to hire a nanny to take care of Yu Wanrou at home. After all, her body was still weak after giving birth, and she needed a good postpartum recovery to avoid future health problems.


    As for Tang Yu, she obediently followed Wang Zhen home.


    Wang Zhen was rarely at home due to her busy work schedule at the hospital. Now that she had some time off, she took the opportunity to take the two children to the market to shop for some ingredients.


    "Little Yu, you''ve been working hard preparing for your exams, so Auntie will buy you a black chicken to make soup with," Wang Zhen said when they arrived at the market. Then, she made several rounds around the market before finding a plump, nutritious silkie. She had the vendor slaughter it and bag it for her before she continued to shop for more ingredients.


    Yin Zhao-an was someone who''d usually only visit supermarkets, so she found the market environment suffocating. She found the smell especially intolerable.


    Yet, they were still only in the live poultry area right now. The smell would only get worse once they entered the seafood area.


    Sure enough, as soon as they stepped into the seafood section, Yin Zhao-an nearly puked from the strong fishy smell that hit her in the face. Quickly, she bent down and leaned on Tang Yu''s shoulders, sniffing the faint scent of her beloved''s hair to ease herself.


    Tang Yu glanced at Yin Zhao-an and smiled. Then, in a voice only the two of them could hear, she said, "I''ll suspect that you''re pregnant with my child if you act like this."


    Yin Zhao-an''s face stiffened for a moment. Then, she grinned and said, "Yeah, I''m carrying your child, so you have to take responsibility."


    Tang Yu didn''t think she would get countered like this, so her delighted smile quickly faded. Then, she snorted lightly and stopped paying attention to Yin Zhao-an.


    In the short time the two girls were chatting, Wang Zhen had already bought a grass carp and stopped at a small stall to buy some clams.


    Although Yin Zhao-an could tolerate the strange smell, she still wrinkled her nose and looked unhappy, "Why did we come to this place? The smell is terrible."


    Wang Zhen turned her head and gave her daughter a disdainful look, but she didn''t bother to explain and continued picking out ingredients for dinner.


    "Because the goods here are fresher than those in the supermarket," Tang Yu patiently explained. "Most ingredients, such as meat, in the supermarket have been refrigerated for a long time, so they are no longer fresh. If you want to eat fresh food, you have to get the ingredients from a market."


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t understand this complicated thought process. Although she didn''t say it aloud, she still inwardly preferred shopping at a supermarket.


    After all, the supermarket was much cleaner.


    Of course, if Yin Zhao-an were to work at a supermarket, even if it was only for a short while, she would quickly change her mind.


    ¡­


    When they got home, Wang Zhen called Yin Changcheng, who was still working, to inform him that she would be cooking dinner tonight. Despite the gentle tone Wang Zhen used, Yin Zhao-an could hear the sinister threat in her mother''s voice.


    The family sat around the mahogany table served with steaming black chicken soup, clams that burst open when fried, steamed delicious cinnamon fish, and several cold dishes decorated like flowers.


    Yin Changcheng looked weary, and even Tang Yu, who didn''t know him well, could tell that something was bothering him.


    Wang Zhen also noticed her father''s condition. After scooping him a bowl of hot soup, she asked with concern, "Is there a problem with the business?"


    Yin Changcheng took the bowl and rubbed his aching forehead. Then, he said, "We were planning to expand into the technology industry and had prepared to collaborate with a tech company. But then a new company popped up and signed a contract with them ahead of us. Now our plans have to change, and we''ll have to redo the strategy."


    The dinner table fell into an eerie silence.


    Yin Zhao-an was the first to break the awkward atmosphere. "Let''s eat and not talk about business. That company is probably targeting us. We''ll investigate their details another day."


    Yin Changcheng also thought the same. This matter was too coincidental, almost like a deliberate attack. He couldn''t ignore it.


    After dinner, Tang Yu volunteered to help Wang Zhen in the kitchen. They discussed how to make the steamed cinnamon fish while wiping the clean dishes with a dry cloth. She loved the dish for its tender meat and flavorful sauce.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an quietly went upstairs and busied herself in the room, only turning on a bedside lamp.


    By the time Tang Yu went upstairs, Yin Zhao-an was comfortably sitting by the bed, engrossed in a book.


    Tang Yu didn''t disturb her. She took her own pajamas from the wardrobe and went into the bathroom. Before long, the sound of running water could be heard from the bathroom.


    Yin Zhao-an immediately put down her book, got out of bed, and ran to the door to lock both locks. She then closed the glass door to the balcony and secured it carefully.


    After finishing all this, she returned to the bed with peace of mind, quietly waiting for her prey to arrive.


    Tang Yu quickly finished her shower and came out wearing a set of buttoned-up pajamas. Her fair little face was now slightly red from the hot water, and there were unintentional red marks on her neck, indicating her skin''s sensitivity.


    It had been a long time since Yin Zhao-an had last made a move, and Tang Yu wasn''t accustomed to wearing underwear to sleep, so she didn''t see a need to wear any underwear under her pajamas this time.


    However, Tang Yu made a severe mistake. She thought Yin Zhao-an had turned into an obedient dog who would do anything she said, but she didn''t expect that Yin Zhao-an was actually a lurking gray wolf instead.


    Tang Yu lifted a corner of the thin blanket and lay down. She didn''t have the habit of reading before going to bed, especially not after just finishing high school.


    Seeing Tang Yu lying down and looking drowsy, Yin Zhao-an turned off the bedside lamp and got into bed as well.


    In her drowsy state, Tang Yu felt a source of warmth behind her, and she subconsciously moved away from it. However, the person behind her persistently closed the distance.


    Annoyed that her sleep was getting disturbed, Tang Yu warned in a low voice, "Move to the edge. Don''t stick to me; it''s too hot."


    The person behind her seemed to think for a moment but didn''t move. Before Tang Yu could get angry again, she heard Yin Zhao-an asking, "Does being hot prevent you from sleeping?"


    Still not realizing she was getting lured into a trap, Tang Yu frowned and said, "What do you think? How am I supposed to sleep if it''s this hot?"


    "I have a way," the person behind her chuckled deeply. Then, a long and slender hand touched her legs and slowly crept up from the hem of her pajamas. "Exercising can help you sleep better..."


    ¡­


    The incessant rain that lasted for several days finally stopped, revealing a night sky illuminated by faint moonlight and decorated with a few sparkling stars and slowly drifting clouds.


    The moonlight shone through the loosely drawn light-colored curtains and fell on a couple of clothing articles loosely scattered on the ground. Occasionally, one or two soft moans could be heard coming from the room, and even the birds perched on the branches outside couldn''t help but hide their heads in their feathers, too embarrassed to look at the beautiful spectacle in the room.


    ¡­


    Morning.


    Yin Zhao-an woke up with a radiant complexion. After washing up, she collected the mess on the ground and went into the bathroom. Then, she put the clothes in the washing machine and soaked the sheets in a basin of water with detergent.


    Wang Zhen had already gone to work, and Yin Changcheng naturally didn''t stay home either. After having breakfast, they left together.


    There was milk oatmeal prepared in the kitchen, the milky fragrance of the oatmeal stimulating Yin Zhao-an''s appetite.


    ¡­


    Roughly ten minutes after a certain someone left the bedroom, Tang Yu finally woke up from a heavy sleep. Her mind was a mess, and it felt as if someone had stirred it into mush.


    She tried to sit up from the bed in a daze, but suddenly, a sharp pain hit her, causing her to snap wide awake immediately.


    Subsequently, anger filled Tang Yu''s usually calm and steady eyes, and she couldn''t help but grit her teeth and curse Yin Zhao-an fiercely in her heart. Then¡­she fell flat on the bed and blankly stared at the ceiling.


    A certain cunning wolf had tortured her for the entirety of last night. Now, her legs and waist were sore, and her whole body felt like it was falling apart.


    When Tang Yu recalled how she had fallen for Yin Zhao-an''s sweet whispers and let Yin Zhao-an take advantage of her infatuation, she got the urge to beat herself up.


    It''s over¡­ I''ve lost my innocence now¡­ Tang Yu thought.


    Suddenly, a sound came from the door. Tang Yu instinctively covered her unclothed body with the blanket and coldly narrowed her eyes when she saw who it was.


    Yin Zhao-an nervously put the oatmeal on the bedside table. Then, she awkwardly rubbed her nose and tentatively asked, "Do you want to get up and eat something?"


    Tang Yu glanced at her and spoke in a neither cold nor warm tone, "Oh, so you still want me to get up?"


    Remembering how much Tang Yu had cried last night, Yin Zhao-an felt even more guilty, so she quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, I was wrong. I promise to listen to you in the future."


    Tang Yu snorted coldly. However, she wasn''t in the mood for an argument, so she said. "Help me up."


    The summoned person hurriedly went forward and helped her sit down.


    As she sat up, Tang Yu gasped in pain. The pain was so excruciating that even her fingertips were trembling, and tears had formed in her eyes.


    The culprit behind Tang Yu''s suffering looked at her with both heartache and guilt. "Does it hurt?"


    "What do you think?" Tang Yu didn''t want to talk to Yin Zhao-an right now. After the pain eased up, she tried to get out of bed to freshen up. She also didn''t refuse when Yin Zhao-an reached out to support her.


    ¡­


    Standing in front of the mirror, Tang Yu looked at her swollen eyes and felt extremely embarrassed. How could she have let herself be taken advantage of like that? Fortunately, there were no strange marks on her neck.


    Hmph, she even knows how to cover up her tracks. What an animal, Tang Yu thought as she narrowed her eyes and looked at Yin Zhao-an through the mirror.


    Under Yin Zhao-an''s anxious care, Tang Yu finally finished breakfast and collapsed on the bed, her face looking like she had given up hope of living.


    "Hey..."


    Yin Zhao-an, who was tinkering with her computer, was startled by the faint voice and quickly turned to look.


    Tang Yu''s eyes were clouded, and her pupils were dilated. She didn''t even look at Yin Zhao-an as she spoke calmly, "I want to break up."


    "?! Why?" Yin Zhao-an was instantly terrified.


    Support us at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    "Unharmonious bedroom activities."


    The room fell into a long silence. Tang Yu had already closed her eyes, waiting quietly for Yin Zhao-an''s response.


    After what seemed like a long time of thinking, Yin Zhao-an finally managed to come up with a response, asking, "Do you want to have a platonic relationship?"

 CH 141

    Tang Yu did not respond to Yin Zhao-an''s question but instead sighed heavily and murmured, "Disharmony, disharmony¡­ So much disharmony...."


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know what she could do in this situation, so she decided to give Tang Yu some time to herself. Hopefully, once her Tang-Tang recovered, she would no longer have such strange thoughts.


    Personally, though, Yin Zhao-an felt that she was already quite gentle last night¡­


    ¡­


    Leaving Tang Yu to her own thoughts, Yin Zhao-an turned on her laptop and logged into her game. Upon logging in, she found that Zhao Yu, who had been inactive for quite some time now, was online. Doctor Gao was also online, and the two boys seemed to be in the same party.


    Yin Zhao-an privately messaged Zhao Yu, asking if he had time to raid a dungeon. However, even after some time had passed, she did not receive a reply from the other party. She also had no idea if he was busy or AFK.


    With nothing to do, she opened a second game client and logged in to the game with her female character, forming a team with herself. Then, she completed some daily quests for experience points and money.


    While Yin Zhao-an was questing, the chat box in the lower left corner shook. She initially thought that Zhao Yu had finally replied to her message, but it turned out to be a message from an unfamiliar player.


    Looking at the player''s ID, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but wonder how this person ended up in her friend list. After all, she had set it so that only her friends could send her private messages. Out of curiosity, she clicked on the other party''s detailed information.


    Oh, right¡­ It''s Drunken Flower''s Guild Leader¡­


    Yin Zhao-an''s head ached when she saw the ID "Drunk Flower."


    Drunk Flower: Hello.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    It was a very standard greeting.


    Yuyi Chang''an: Hello.


    Yin Zhao-an responded in a similar manner. According to the other party''s profile information, Drunk Flower was a female player.


    Both were Bards, but Yin Zhao-an played a male character, while Drunk Flower played a female character.


    To confirm her suspicion, Yin Zhao-an opened the power ranking and found that Drunk Flower was ranked first. She was also ranked first in the charm ranking and the spender''s ranking¡­


    But in the intimacy ranking... There was no record of Drunk Flower''s name.


    Drunk Flower: May I ask if you have a partner?


    Yuyi Chang''an: Yes, I do.


    Drunk Flower: ¡­


    Drunk Flower: I don''t believe you.


    Dammit! Why would I care if you believe me or not?!


    Yin Zhao-an closed the chat box out of anger and decided to continue raising her intimacy with her little wife.


    Speaking of intimacy, Yin Zhao-an decided to check her relationship status with her sub-account.


    250?!


    When did it reach such a high value? Is it because of all the daily quests I did? Seeing this intimacy value, Yin Zhao-an didn''t think twice as she brought both her characters to the Marriage Pavilion.


    Outside the Marriage Pavilion was the Moon Lord wearing a red and white robe. Yin Zhao-an triggered the dialogue quest, and after a few rounds of system dialogue, she finally saw the prompt.


    "Player Yuyi Chang''an, do you wish to become Fated Partners with Player An''du Yusheng, promising to be together for life and never abandon each other?"


    Yin Zhao-an quickly clicked on "Agree" and soon saw a task dialogue box on the Heavenly Dancer''s side.


    "Player An''du Yusheng, do you want to accept the love proposal of Player Yuyi Chang''an and become Fated Partners with him, promising to be together for life and never abandon each other?"


    I do, I do, Yin Zhao-an inwardly answered on Tang Yu''s behalf and clicked "Agree."


    Then, the interface underwent a tremendous change. The two characters, one pink and one white, gradually floated up, surrounded by colorful birds, and entered the Marriage Pavilion. The NPC matchmaker held two red strings in her hand, winding them around the characters'' fingers a few times before tying them together.


    The interface animation was not over yet. The characters'' clothes gradually turned into festive bright red when the red strings were tied around their fingers. The pink tassels in the Heavenly Dancer''s hair became red agate hairpins, and even her makeup changed. Then, a thin layer of red veil appeared over her face, and it gradually unfurled to her feet.


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t stop taking screenshots, her mind stunned by this scene. The game experience was amazing, especially the 3D scene construction. It really looked like she had entered a wedding room. Then, the two characters gazed at each other with tender eyes, embraced, and kissed¡­


    Yin Zhao-an watched the entire scene with mesmerized eyes, unaware of the blush on her face. When the animation ended, a server-wide announcement appeared on the game interface, saying, "Congratulations to Players Yuyi Chang''an and An''du Yusheng for becoming the 520th couple on this server. May your love be as endless as time itself and your affection unyielding."


    Suddenly, the world channel exploded into an uproar.


    Player 1: Fuck! Who are these two? How is their timing so good?!


    Player 2: Sob, sob. We were so close to being the 520th couple, but someone beat us to it.


    Player 3: Another top-10 player has been kidnapped! Why can''t I have a similar encounter? Are any top 10 players thinking about getting a divorce? I can be your backup option!


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t pay attention to the world channel as she was staring at her "wedding photo" while giggling like a fool.


    On the screen was a vintage scroll, with two characters standing together on the left and right sides of the scroll, and a red line still tied to their fingertips.


    Tang Yu was extremely depressed, and hearing the culprit responsible for her inability to get out of bed laughing so happily made her even more depressed.


    "An-An." A cold and clear voice echoed in the quiet room.


    Although Yin Zhao-an was wearing headphones, she quickly caught Tang Yu''s voice. Immediately, she took off her headphones and threw her computer aside. Then, she turned to Tang Yu and earnestly asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Tang Yu grew a little embarrassed when she saw how seriously Yin Zhao-an had responded. In reality, she didn''t have anything to say. She was just bored and felt like calling Yin Zhao-an.


    "I... I feel a little uncomfortable."


    "Huh? Where are you feeling uncomfortable?" Yin Zhao-an anxiously got up from the ground and sat next to Tang Yu, and her face naturally showed worry and panic.


    Tang Yu: "My heart."


    Yin Zhao-an: "..."


    The room fell into an awkward silence. After biting her lower lip and hesitating for a moment, Tang Yu asked a question that had been troubling her this entire time: "I''ve heard that once a girl loses her most precious thing, she also loses her attraction to others. Do you understand what I mean?"


    Yin Zhao-an furrowed her brows and pondered Tang Yu''s words, sensing two possible meanings in them.


    The first way she interpreted those words was: "Now that I''ve given you my most precious thing, will you still like me as much as before?"


    The second way was: "I''ve already lost my most precious thing. If you reject me, maybe no one will ever want me again."


    Both interpretations sound so tragic¡­


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness as she looked at the nervous and expectant expression in Tang Yu''s eyes. She felt like a heinous thief who had stolen someone''s treasure and inadvertently taken their heart as well.


    "Where did you hear that?" Yin Zhao-an leaned down and kissed Tang Yu''s forehead, her eyes shimmering like a gentle and clear pool of water as they reflected Tang Yu''s face. "That statement is incorrect. At the very least, it doesn''t hold for our relationship. I like you; I like everything about you, so I naturally want to be more intimate with you, not just for the sake of physical contact."


    As she spoke, Yin Zhao-an remembered how Tang Yu shed tears like rain when she accepted her. Smiling, she continued, "As I said before, if you don''t want me to touch you, we can have a platonic relationship. I''m willing to do that as long as it''s you."


    This gentle talk eased Tang Yu''s palpitating heart. Then, she opened her arms to Yin Zhao-an, welcoming her with an innocent expression.


    Yin Zhao-an stopped breathing momentarily before she softly chuckled and pulled her beloved Tang-Tang into a tight embrace.


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu sat cross-legged on the sofa, staring wide-eyed at the scrolling well-wishes on the game''s world page. Then, he quickly swallowed the scallion pancake he had just bought and exclaimed:


    "What the hell, Brother Zhao actually found a partner in game? And they even couple IDs? That''s not like her at all!"


    However, despite his disbelief, Zhao Yu still decided to send his congratulations to Yin Zhao-an before asking her how she met her partner. However, as soon as he opened his chat box with Yin Zhao-an, he found that Yin Zhao-an had messaged him while he was out buying breakfast.


    Creator: I went out just now, so I just saw your message.


    Creator: I didn''t expect you to find love in the game so quickly, Brother Zhao. Did you find the other party in a guild?


    After sending the message, Zhao Yu didn''t get a reply. However, he wasn''t in a hurry and continued to munch on the warm scallion pancake.

 CH 142

    12-15 minutes 23.03.2023


    ¡­


    The discomfort Tang Yu experienced started to lessen in the afternoon, so she got up to sunbathe on the balcony.


    After several consecutive days of rain, the smell of damp soil filled the air outside, and smelling it unexpectedly calmed Tang Yu''s mood.


    Yin Zhao-an sat on the carpet at the foot of the bed, clattering away on her laptop. Occasionally, her gaze would drift toward the balcony, the sight of tranquility there giving her peace of mind.


    ¡­


    On the day the results for the National College Entrance Examination came out, Tang Yu was accompanying her younger brother in the cradle. Upon hearing that she could check her results, she promptly ran back to her room and got on her computer.


    Upon visiting the exam website and entering the score-checking page, she typed in her student number and exam registration number with slightly trembling hands. Then, she clicked "View" and waited for the web page to load.


    The loading process only took two seconds, which was far from enough time for Tang Yu to prepare herself mentally. Although she had already guessed her approximate score, her heart still couldn''t help but grow restless.


    After finally seeing her results, though, Tang Yu deeply exhaled and leaned back on her chair, her lips curving into a soft smile.


    Her goal was to enter the Communication University of China, which was the university she attended in her past life. Meanwhile, just like in her past life, she had scored several dozen points higher than the university''s enrollment requirement.


    Originally, she thought she could have scored a lot better with her past life''s experience. But in the end, fate led her back here, with roughly the same score as before.


    ¡­


    In the blink of an eye, a month had already gone by since Tang Yu''s results came out. Dragging a large suitcase and carrying a green canvas bag on her shoulder, Tang Yu made her way out of the military compound by herself. Her plan was to take the bus to the train station.


    However, before Tang Yu could make her way to the bus stop, a black BMW stopped her.


    The car''s rear window rolled down, revealing Yin Zhao-an''s smiling face. Leaning against the window, Yin Zhao-an smiled at Tang Yu, who was standing still, and said, "Get in; I''ll take you to school."


    While the driver was helping her put her luggage in the trunk, Tang Yu got into the back of the car and looked at Yin Zhao-an in confusion. "Aren''t you supposed to be at school? How come you have time to send me?"


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Yin Zhao-an leaned back and said with indifference, "I took a day off from school."


    "Pay more attention to your studies, fellow student Yin Zhao-an," Tang Yu calmly said as she looked at Yin Zhao-an with a serious gaze.


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t stand the way Tang Yu talked so seriously, and even her posture became obedient as she responded, "Okay, I''ll go back as soon as I drop you off. I promise my studies won''t be affected."


    Tang Yu raised an eyebrow at Yin Zhao-an''s words but chose not to say anything more.


    After this summer, everyone would be heading their separate ways. Wen Tao was admitted to a second-tier university in S City, while Zhao Yu was admitted to a school in B City. Though, there was yet to be news about when Zhao Yu would be starting school. Yin Zhao-an also stopped seeing Zhao Yu play Art of Freedom.


    After a five-hour drive, the car finally arrived at the gate of the Communication University. It was the hottest time of the day. Yin Zhao-an took out an umbrella to shield Tang Yu from the sun and a small electric fan to cool her off.


    "Aren''t you hot?" Tang Yu asked, feeling a little exasperated when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s actions. Moreover, the electric fan was targeted only at her. Just how fragile did Yin Zhao-an think she was?


    While looking around, searching for the enrollment booth, Yin Zhao-an answered, "Yes, but I''m at a higher altitude, so I''m not feeling as hot as you."


    Without waiting for Tang Yu to erupt, Yin Zhao-an pulled her towards an area with numerous tents set up, saying, "That place should be it."


    After arriving at the tent area, Yin Zhao-an stopped in front of a tent with a sign stating "Broadcasting and Hosting Art Major." Before she could even speak to the people staffing the booth, she heard a loud exclamation coming from the tent.


    "My goodness, she''s so tall!"


    "Are all the junior sisters in this year so pretty?"


    "Is she joining our department? Who''s going to register her?"


    "I''ll do it! I''ll do it!"


    A long-haired senior sister wearing a duckbill hat came out of the tent and looked at Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an with a smile. Then, she asked, "Are you two Broadcasting and Hosting Majors?"


    Yin Zhao-an''s lips curved slightly as she smiled politely and patted Tang Yu''s shoulder, saying, "No, it''s just her."


    ¡°Okay, wait a moment.¡± The senior sister turned around to grab a document and a pen from the table behind her. Then, she started leading the way as she said, "Follow me. Come on, which department are you in, junior sister?"


    "I''m in the Broadcasting Department," Tang Yu replied.


    The guiding senior sister nodded and wrote something on the document she held. Then, she handed the document to Tang Yu and said, "I''ll take you to the registration point for the Broadcasting Department. Later, you need to hand this document to the senior sister who will be guiding you."


    Tang Yu accepted the document with a smile and said, "Thank you, senior sister."


    "Oh, you''re welcome, you''re welcome. Here, this is the registration point for the Broadcasting Department." The senior sister happily walked into the classroom, greeted the people inside, gave a few instructions, and then turned around and left, "Junior sister, I''m off now, bye!"


    Tang Yu nodded at her, a faint smile on her face.


    Subsequently, Tang Yu filled out various forms and paid various fees. Then, once she was finally done going through the enrollment procedures, she was guided to the dormitory, where she had to sign more registration documents before she was given a room key.


    The dormitory was a four-person bedroom with four loft beds. It also came with its own bathroom and balcony.


    "It''s pretty good. I''ll come here next year too," Yin Zhao-an expressed her satisfaction after taking a look around the room. Then, she called the driver to send Tang Yu''s luggage over.


    Currently, none of the dormitory''s other occupants were here yet. Today was only the first day of enrollment, so the other occupants may only arrive later in the day or tomorrow. Realizing this, Yin Zhao-an casually closed the door behind her, causing the spacious bedroom to darken suddenly.


    Tang Yu''s heart skipped a beat at this development, and she couldn''t help but look at Yin Zhao-an anxiously, her heart suddenly having a bad premonition.


    However, before Tang Yu could run away, she was pulled into Yin Zhao-an''s arms, and a matcha-flavored kiss fell on her lips.


    Outside the room, in the hallway separated by just a door, the sounds of luggage wheels rolling and conversations between students and their family members could be heard.


    Yin Zhao-an pressed Tang Yu''s body close to hers, her hand caressing the back of Tang Yu''s neck. As they indulged in a warm, fragrant, and soft embrace, a strange sense of excitement stimulated them as the sounds of footsteps and unfamiliar people conversing came through the door and entered their ears.


    However, the excitement didn''t last long, as the ringing of a phone brought the two back to reality.


    With a flushed face, Tang Yu pushed Yin Zhao-an away while gasping for air.


    Yin Zhao-an licked her lips, still feeling unsatisfied. However, her misted eyes quickly regained their clarity as she answered the incessantly ringing phone. Then, after exchanging a few words with the person on the other end, she hung up the phone and said, "I''ll go get your luggage. Otherwise, the driver will need to get registered to come in."


    "Okay."


    ¡­


    As night approached, one of Tang Yu''s future roommates showed up in the dormitory.


    Tang Yu was in the midst of spreading the bed sheets when her new roommate arrived. When she saw an unfamiliar girl entering the room, she couldn''t help but be stunned for a moment.


    The other party also looked surprised. Then, the girl quickly snapped out of her daze and greeted Tang Yu with a friendly smile, "Hello, my name is Wu Na."


    Tang Yu nodded and replied, "My name is Tang Yu."


    Wu Na casually swept her hair behind her ears, revealing a slightly mature face with bright red lipstick on her lips. She was wearing a casual denim jacket and a cropped white T-shirt.


    Wu Na put her things on the loft bed across from Tang Yu. However, she didn''t even bother to unpack as she sat in front of her desk and began playing with her phone.


    Tang Yu blinked a few times but chose not to say anything since she didn''t know much about Wu Na. In her previous life, she only lived in the dormitory for a few months before moving out to live with Yin Zhao-an.


    They rented an apartment near the university and lived there for several years.


    From what little Tang Yu could recall of her two other roommates, one was very lively and made a lot of noise every day, while the other liked to study alone in the self-study room, seemingly for the sake of winning scholarships.


    As neither Tang Yu nor Wu Na chose to speak to one another, the dormitory became terribly quiet.


    Tang Yu didn''t really have much to unpack, so once she was done spreading the sheets, she locked her cabinet and got ready to wander around the campus.


    As Tang Yu was leaving, Wu Na glanced up at her, looking like she wanted to say something. But in the end, she didn''t say anything at all.


    ¡­


    The night wind was not cooling at all. On the contrary, it was suffocatingly hot and dry. Tang Yu sat down by an artificial lake, enjoying the silence of the night.


    However, before she could enjoy this silence for long, it was broken by the ringing of a phone. It took Tang Yu a moment to realize it was her phone that was ringing. This was the first mobile phone she owned in this life, and her parents had only bought it for her because she would be attending university in a different city.


    Pulling out her new smartphone, Tang Yu smiled when she saw it was Yin Zhao-an calling her. In a good mood, she answered the call.


    "Tang Tang!"


    However, the voice that came through the phone immediately after the call connected sounded somewhat anxious, and hearing it startled Tang Yu.


    "What''s wrong?" The smile on Tang Yu''s face froze, and her brow furrowed slightly.


    "Zhao Yu''s father, I swear! That guy put Zhao Yu into the hospital!"


    "What?!" Tang Yu couldn''t believe her ears. As far as she could remember, the only time she had heard of Zhao Yu''s father beating him up was when Zhao Yu refused to attend the military academy. However, at the time, Zhao Yu only had to stay home to recover for a few days before he was ready to go to school. So, how did he end up in the hospital this time?


    "I just got home, and my mother told me about this. She said that Z City''s Central Hospital received an injured patient who was beaten so badly that he was on the brink of death and was rushed into the emergency room," Yin Zhao-an said in a huff.


    Even though it was a hot night, Tang Yu felt a chill crawl down her back. Immediately, she steadied herself and asked with a trembling voice, "Central Hospital, isn''t that the hospital where Gao Rang works?"


    There was a faint sigh on the other end of the phone, accompanied by a slight breathing sound. Tang Yu didn''t say anything more, but looked up at the moon reflecting on the lake, finding it looking somewhat desolate.


    After a long time, Yin Zhao-an spoke again, her mood evidently having struck rock bottom as she said, "I''ll go see him at the hospital this weekend."


    Then, after a slight pause, Yin Zhao-an called out, "Tang-Tang."


    "What?"


    After taking a deep breath, Yin Zhao-an said with determination and persistence, "I won''t let you come into any harm. If one day we are forced to reveal our relationship, you must wait for me to come to your side first. We will face it together."


    Tang Yu''s eyes glowed with a gentle light. She felt as if she could see Yin Zhao-an standing before her with a determined look. With eyes full of hope for the future, she said, "Okay."


    ¡­ 4887


    TL Notes:


    Er, it seems I misremembered, and the yaoi arc between Zhao Yu and Gao Rang isn''t entirely over¡­ I''ll continue to omit parts where possible.

 CH 144

    ¡­


    TL Notes:


    I skipped Chapter 143, and the latter half of Chapter 144.


    Summary of Chapter 143 + latter half of Chapter 144:


    Zhao Yu gets hospitalized. Gao Rang''s family come to take care of him and openly acknowledges Gao Rang''s relationship with Zhao Yu. Gao Rang''s grandfather, who used to be a general in the army, turns out to be Zhao Yu''s father''s ex-superior. After berating Zhao Yu''s father, Gao Rang''s grandfather vaguely threatens Zhao Yu''s father with his past misdeeds to abandon his custody over Zhao Yu, seeing as Zhao Yu''s father would rather disown Zhao Yu than acknowledge his bisexual relationship.


    Yin Zhao-an also learned about Gao Rang''s family circumstances from her father(Yin Changcheng), who was also a former subordinate of Gao Rang''s grandfather.


    ¡­


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    ¡­


    After ending the call with her father, Yin Zhao-an dialed Tang Yu''s number.


    The call quickly connected, but there was a lot of noise coming from the phone.


    "Are you eating in the cafeteria, Tang-Tang?" Yin Zhao-an harbored a guess.


    While protecting her food tray from the surrounding crowd, Tang Yu answered, "Yes, it''s very crowded here."


    "I visited Zhao Yu," Yin Zhao-an stated, getting straight to the point.


    After finding a seat in the corner of the cafeteria and sitting down, Tang Yu breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Is that so? How is he?"


    Yin Zhao-an had already returned home from the hospital, and the first thing she did upon returning to her room was turn on the air conditioning. "His life is no longer in danger, but he''s still in a coma."


    Tang Yu had witnessed the cruelty of Zhao Yu''s father in her past life. However, as far as she knew, the worst Zhao Yu had suffered at the hands of his father in her previous life was only a couple of broken bones. She didn''t think Zhao Yu''s father would take things so far this time.


    "How can he be so ruthless?" Tang Yu''s expression darkened, and her heart was filled with anger.


    Yin Zhao-an naturally knew who Tang Yu was talking about. However, she could only helplessly sigh and say, "There''s nothing we can do. Everyone''s family education is different."


    After a slight pause, Yin Zhao-an continued, "But I did find out something big."


    "What is it?" Tang Yu asked, her emotions hardly fluctuating.


    Excitedly, Yin Zhao-an said, "Doctor Gao''s parents came to the hospital to take care of Zhao Yu. Also, apparently, Doctor Gao''s maternal grandfather used to be a general."


    This news came as a surprise to Tang Yu. Although she knew Gao Rang came from a well-off family, she didn''t know his family had a military background, much less one of such high standing.


    "What about Zhao Yu''s parents? Did they show up?" Tang Yu asked out of curiosity.


    "No, but I don''t know if it''s because they didn''t want to come or because they couldn''t," Yin Zhao-an answered while shaking her head. Honestly, if she didn''t know any better, she would have assumed Gao Rang''s parents were Zhao Yu''s parents.


    Tang Yu had a guess, but she wasn''t so sure about it, so she didn''t bother to voice it.


    Since Zhao Yu''s father was willing to take such heavy-handed action this time, Zhao Yu had probably done more than go against the path his family had set for him. Most likely, while rebelling against his father, Zhao Yu had also revealed his relationship with Gao Rang. The double stimulation must have caused Zhao Yu''s father to take even more ruthless action.


    After finishing her meal, Tang Yu left the cafeteria for some fresh air.


    Yin Zhao-an heard the noise of the wind blowing through the phone. After switching to a more comfortable sitting position on the bed, she decided to change the topic and asked, "Is military training tiring?"


    Looking down at her somewhat reddened skin, Tang Yu said, "It''s not too bad. I just got a little sunburned."


    "Remember to put on sunscreen. Otherwise, you won''t look pretty anymore," Yin Zhao-an lazily said, her voice causing Tang Yu''s ear to feel a little itchy.


    "You''ll have to put up with me even if I don''t look good," Tang Yu retorted mercilessly. 4887


    "Yes, yes, I''ll put up with you. So, let''s not settle for a platonic relationship anymore, okay?" Yin Zhao-an asked with a mischievous smile.


    Tang Yu immediately blushed when she understood Yin Zhao-an''s hint. Gritting her teeth, she threatened, "Just wait until I get back."


    Afterward, the two continued chatting casually for a few more minutes. Eventually, Yin Zhao-an reluctantly ended the call, and Tang Yu could feel Yin Zhao-an''s clingy affection practically seeping out of the phone.


    There was air conditioning in the dormitory. When Tang Yu stepped into the room, she felt as if she had stepped into a completely different world.


    At this time, the dormitory''s other occupants had already washed up, changed out of their military uniform, and were currently busy doing their own things. Seeing this, Tang Yu grabbed a change of clothes from her cabinet. However, just as she was about to head for the bathroom, a soft moan sounded in the room.


    The moan came from the bed to her upper left. Currently, the bed''s thick curtains were drawn, preventing anyone from seeing what was happening behind them.


    Tang Yu was momentarily dazed, but she didn''t think too deeply about the matter as she continued her way toward the bathroom. As for the two other occupants in the room, both had their earphones on, so they probably hadn''t heard the suggestive moan.


    In reality, it was entirely possible the moan resulted from something other than that. Perhaps, the person behind the moan was just turning in bed or doing some stretches.


    Anyway, this was the explanation Tang Yu had come up with for the moan just now.


    The sound came from Wu Na''s bed. Tang Yu didn''t know much about Wu Na. Even when she searched her memories of the past, she only recalled incomplete fragments. After all, she only had eyes for one person at the time, so she naturally didn''t pay much attention to others.


    However, from what little memories Tang Yu did have of Wu Na, most weren''t particularly good as they were of Wu Na getting called away by the dean and school counselor.


    After coming out of the bathroom, Tang Yu climbed into her bed and drew the privacy curtains as well. She did so not to block out light but to create a private space for herself. Then, she began exchanging messages with Yin Zhao-an on WeChat.


    The two of them talked about various things. After some hesitation, Tang Yu ultimately chose to tell Yin Zhao-an about the moan she heard not long ago, perhaps because she subconsciously trusted Yin Zhao-an and wanted to hear the other party''s opinion.


    This time, Yin Zhao-an no longer replied instantly, so Tang Yu stared blankly at the chat interface as she let her mind wander.


    Suddenly, the phone vibrated, pulling Tang Yu back to her senses. When she saw that Yin Zhao-an had sent her a long voice message, she quickly pulled out a pair of earphones from under her pillow, plugged them in, and put them on.


    When Tang Yu played the voice message, Yin Zhao-an''s lazy voice entered her ears once again. Hearing this voice, Tang Yu couldn''t help but be reminded of Garfield sunbathing. Meanwhile, what Yin Zhao-an said in her voice message was as followed:


    "That kind of sound might have been made unintentionally, but the other party might also be doing exactly what you''re imagining. We''re basically adults now, so it''s not strange for us to have certain needs. But since you don''t have a clear grasp of your roommate''s character, it''s best if you keep this discovery to yourself. Also, you should use this as a reminder to pay more attention to your personal privacy, understand?"


    Yin Zhao-an started her message with a leisurely explanation, but her voice turned serious toward the end. Meanwhile, Tang Yu could hear the concern in Yin Zhao-an''s words, and she couldn''t help but feel warmth in her heart.


    However, Tang Yu didn''t dare to respond to Yin Zhao-an with a voice message, so she typed: "I understand. I''ll pay attention."


    A short moment later, another voice message came from the other side. This time, it was only a three-second-long voice message, but when Tang Yu listened to it, her face instantly turned red.


    "Are you missing me yet, honey?"


    Following this, several more voice messages arrived, both very short. But Tang Yu''s heart pounded, and her breathing accelerated when she was done listening to these messages.


    "I miss you so much."


    "What should I do? It''s so hard to live without my honey."


    "Do you miss me too, honey?"


    Tang Yu covered her burning earlobes and subconsciously bit her lower lip.


    While Yin Zhao-an was delightedly waiting for Tang Yu to reciprocate her flirting, the text message she received next caused her expression to sink.


    Tang-Tang: Did you forget to take your medicine?


    An-An: ¡­


    Tang Yu contentedly smiled at her own response. She could already picture Yin Zhao-an''s speechless expression in her mind, and just thinking about it delighted her. Yin Zhao-an would always tease her in their daily conversations, so she couldn''t help but feel as if she had got one back at the other party.


    However, while Yin Zhao-an had indeed been rendered speechless, in accordance with her principle of spoiling her beloved Tang-Tang, Yin Zhao-an still helplessly sent another voice message, saying:


    "I''ll stop disturbing you. Rest early; good night."


    A moment of tenderness flashed in Tang Yu''s eyes. Then, she leaned closer to her earphones'' microphone and whispered, "Good night."


    After saying so, Tang Yu put her phone away and got ready to rest. The military training lasted for half a month, and only half of it had passed. So, she still needed to get up early tomorrow.

 CH 145

    On the military training field, rows of freshmen dressed in camouflage uniforms anxiously stood in formation under the scorching sun as they listened to the principal on the podium giving a lengthy speech. Today was the last day of military training, so a closing ceremony was necessary.


    As soon as the speech concluded, enthusiastic applause broke out across the field as the last word fell.


    Immediately afterward, the instructors standing at the bottom of the podium led their respective classes on a performance to showcase the fruits of their training. By the time this process was completed, two hours had already passed.


    Once the closing ceremony ended and military training officially concluded, the instructors fled the field before the freshmen were even dismissed. It was especially so for the younger and more handsome instructors. They fled the field the quickest out of everyone.


    Most freshmen would experience an "imprinting" phase when they first enter university. After spending half a month interacting with their respective instructors, it was only natural they would develop a strong bond. This, in turn, would lead to many freshmen insisting on taking group photos and exchanging contact information with their instructors. Most instructors wished to avoid the trouble of getting pestered by dozens of freshmen, so they chose to flee and avoid the problem altogether.


    Tang Yu didn''t really do any bonding with her instructor as she wasn''t the proactive kind of student. So, after the dismissal, she walked alone toward the direction of Willow Lake.


    Willow Lake was quite some distance from the student dormitories, and it wasn''t on any routes students needed to take to attend classes. And as most freshmen wanted nothing more than to return to their dormitories to wash up and rest after hours of activities under the sun, only a few people walked in Willow Lake''s direction.


    Tang Yu was informed that Yin Zhao-an would be visiting Zhao Yu at the hospital today, as it would seem that Zhao Yu had already regained consciousness. This also meant that Yin Zhao-an would be skipping school today. Although Tang Yu had repeatedly told Yin Zhao-an to avoid skipping school so as to not lag behind in her studies, Yin Zhao-an never listened, always looking confident and fearless.


    Had everything gone according to the original plot, Tang Yu should have entered university at the same time as Yin Zhao-an. Moreover, they would attend the same university. However, because of the butterfly effect, Yin Zhao-an was still stuck in her third year of high school while Tang Yu had already entered university in this life, and Tang Yu couldn''t help but wonder how this would impact their lives in the future.


    Before Tang Yu even stepped within viewing range of Willow Lake, she heard a noise that sounded like an argument between a man and a woman.


    Tang Yu didn''t have a hobby of eavesdropping on other people''s arguments, so she decided to take another route to Willow Lake. However, hearing a particular person''s name being mentioned made her stop in her tracks.


    "Wu Na, I''ve told you many times what happened that day was an accident. I''ll give you money, so can we just forget about it?"


    "No way! Since you slept with me, you have to take responsibility. How can you just forget about the physical relationship we shared?"


    Tang Yu''s current expression was as if she had been struck by lightning, looking confused and bewildered. Her heart was also in turmoil, and she couldn''t help but wonder if she was being pranked.


    Since heaven had decided to bestow a huge gossip onto her, it''d be unreasonable for her not to accept it with open arms. Hence, she promptly dismissed her thoughts of taking a detour and stood in place to continue eavesdropping on the argument.


    Fortunately, Tang Yu stood some distance away from the two arguing people. There were also shrubs and lush willow trees keeping her hidden from the two people. Meanwhile, through the shrubs, she could vaguely see a young and handsome instructor wearing a worried look as he faced the person standing before him.


    "I''ve already said I was drunk that day. I didn''t even know who took me into the room, let alone that you were inside..."


    The more the instructor spoke, the more he felt a headache coming on, and he couldn''t help but pinch his forehead, muttering to himself that alcohol was a magnet for problems.


    Meanwhile, Wu Na was like a little cat retracting its claws, cautiously pulling the instructor''s hand and softening her voice as she said, "I''m a girl, after all. Since we''ve had a physical relationship, why don''t you try going out with me and see how it goes? If it doesn''t work out later, we can break up, and I promise I won''t continue clinging to you."


    The young instructor seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking like he was on the cusp of changing his mind. But just as he was about to speak, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. It was a sound unique to the military instructors'' leather boots.


    Another one?


    By now, Tang Yu had already sat down on a stone bench outside Willow Lake. When she heard the arrival of a third person, she promptly perked up her ears. She also made sure to set her phone to silent to avoid the TV drama trope of being caught eavesdropping.


    "Gong Jun? Why are you..." The young instructor "arguing" with Wu Na was somewhat surprised at the arrival of the other instructor named Gong Jun. Then, his expression quickly turned ugly.


    In response, the instructor named Gong Jun spoke in a deep voice, "We''re preparing to return. Why are you still here? Don''t you plan on going back?"


    "I..."


    "He can''t leave until he promises to take responsibility for me," Wu Na interjected.


    "Oh?" Gong Jun looked at Wu Na with a faux smile. Then, he shot a sharp gaze at the embarrassed instructor in front of him. "Are you saying you two had sex?"


    "Yes. It happened last night at the bar," Wu Na answered confidently.


    Gong Jun sneered and pulled the young instructor''s hand to leave but was stopped by Wu Na. His expression grew colder, and his grip on the young man''s hand tightened.


    The young instructor gritted his teeth in pain but didn''t dare to make a sound, only furrowing his brows tightly.


    Running out of patience, Gong Jun leaned in close to Wu Na with a frigid gaze and said in a low voice, "Only I can make Jiang Shuyang hard, so how could he have had sex with you?"


    Without another word, Gong Jun left with Jiang Shuyang.


    It took a moment for Wu Na to process Gong Jun''s words. Then, with eyes full of sadness and devoid of sadness, she screamed at the two men walking away hand in hand, "You guys are perverts! Disgusting homosexuals!"


    Tang Yu''s fingers trembled uncontrollably, and her lips twitched a little. She didn''t hear what Gong Jun had whispered to Wu Na, but she heard Wu Na''s screaming loud and clear. She didn''t think one of her roommates would be a homophobe.


    Meanwhile, Wu Na angrily paced around, trampling the nameless flowers planted around Willow Lake into a mess. Her anger made her face look fierce, completely unlike the leisurely and natural appearance she had when Tang Yu first met her in the dormitory.


    Tang Yu pulled her military cap down and quickly left while Wu Na wasn''t paying attention to her side. Only after hiding behind a small hill near the library and sitting down could she let go of the breath she was holding. What started as an innocent goal to listen in on some gossip had nearly ended up giving her a panic attack.


    Though, looking back now, Tang Yu couldn''t help but doubt Wu Na''s claims of having slept with the young instructor named Jiang Shuyang. After all, if what she claimed really did happen, she wouldn''t have let the two leave so easily. At the very least, she would have tried to make a big deal out of it.


    Tang Yu didn''t want to speculate on other people''s motives, but this incident still made her slightly wary of Wu Na. While not fully certain, Wu Na probably disliked homosexuality, so Tang Yu decided she should no longer openly make phone calls in the dormitory.


    Thinking of this, Tang Yu reluctantly opened her phone and dialed the number of the person listed at the top of her contact list. Of course, she didn''t go out of her way to put her on the top of the list. It was just that "An-An" started with an "A." This saved her the trouble of making up an excuse to pin her to the top of the list.


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an arrived at the hospital, Luo Hui, Gao Rang''s mother, was feeding Zhao Yu honey water. As Zhao Yu had only recently awakened from his coma, his complexion was sickly pale.


    "Zhao Yu, you''re awake!" Yin Zhao-an greeted. She had bought a bunch of light pink carnations for her visit. After politely smiling at Luo Hui, she placed the bouquet on the bedside table.


    "Yes," Zhao Yu spoke softly with slightly upturned lips.


    Yin Zhao-an sat down by the bed and calmly observed Zhao Yu''s current state. His short hair was scattered over the bandage on his forehead, and there was faint bruising on his cheekbones. Bandages were wrapped around his shoulders and exposed chest, and his originally pale skin looked even more translucent due to excessive blood loss.


    After a low sigh, Yin Zhao-an softly asked, "Why do this to yourself?"


    "Would you do the same for Big Sis Tang?" Zhao Yu replied with a question, his expression no longer that of a naive youth.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.


    Zhao Yu''s response momentarily stunned Yin Zhao-an. Then, with a wry smile, she shook her head and said without hesitation, "If it is for Tang-Tang, I will do it even if it means death."


    Zhao Yu lowered his head and took a sip of the honey water that Luo Hui handed him, the warm and sweet honey water slid down his dry throat and penetrated into his lungs. Then, he returned Yin Zhao-an''s question, asking, "So, why do this to yourself?"


    Yin Zhao-an felt she was constantly getting outsmarted by the people around her, and she couldn''t help but feel frustrated. After sighing, she said, "Each and every one of you¡­ Do you all get a kick out of messing with me?"


    "Something like that," Zhao Yu frankly said.


    Yin Zhao-an suddenly got the urge to put Zhao Yu back into a coma. Though, jokes aside, seeing that Zhao Yu had the energy to mess with her, the boy was probably on his way to making a speedy recovery already.


    Luo Hui suddenly stood up from her seat. When Yin Zhao-an turned around to see what was going on, she saw that a certain Doctor Gao had returned.

 CH 146

    12-15 minutes 31.03.2023


    Luo Hui was extremely satisfied with her new "daughter-in-law," and, of course, she was very considerate not to disturb his son''s alone time with his lover. So, when her son arrived, she handed him the warm cup of honey water in her hand, smiled meaningfully at him, and silently left the room.


    After seeing her mother leave, Gao Rang took over his mother''s seat and locked eyes with Zhao Yu, completely ignoring Yin Zhao-an, sitting across from him, as he asked, "Does your throat hurt?"


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Zhao Yu shook his head, his voice becoming unusually obedient as he answered, "It doesn''t hurt."


    Hearing this, Gao Rang dotingly pat Zhao Yu on the head.


    Yin Zhao-an: "..."


    Sob, sob. I also want to go home to look for my wife QAQ.


    Subsequently, Zhao Yu and Gao Rang fell silent, communicating only with their eyes.


    Sitting nearby, Yin Zhao-an felt like she was about to go blind as she looked at the two''s interaction. If not for Zhao Yu still recovering, Yin Zhao-an suspected the two might do more than stare at each other right now.


    Fortunately, Zhao Yu was not that cruel of a person. When Yin Zhao-an was about to roll her eyes in exasperation, Zhao Yu spoke up, "Why don''t you go back first, Brother Zhao?"


    Yin Zhao-an couldn''t be happier to comply.


    "Then, I''ll stop disturbing you two."


    ¡­


    As soon as Yin Zhao-an stepped out of the hospital, she took out her phone and dialed the first entry on her contact list, ready to hear her wife''s voice to console her wounded heart. Yet¡­


    "Hello, the number you dialed is currently busy. Please try again later. Sorry...."


    Standing next to a busy street, a young girl felt her heart dropping and shattering on the ground.


    Fortunately, not all was bad news, as Tang Yu returned Yin Zhao-an''s call in no time. Seeing the caller ID, Yin Zhao-an answered the call with great urgency and¡­ 4887


    "Tang-Tang!!!"


    Tang Yu instinctively moved her phone away and looked at the contact name on the screen with a complicated expression. It was An-An, no mistake about it. But...


    After a roundabout and melodious "Tang-Tang," Tang Yu finally heard a slightly dejected voice on the other end saying, "I miss you..."


    ¡­Sure enough, she forgot to take her medicine again, Tang Yu thought to herself. However, she quickly pushed the inappropriate thought aside and asked with concern, "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know what had gotten into her, but she suddenly felt a surge of grievances welling up from her heart. It was a sour and uncomfortable feeling that made her want to cry.


    "I miss you so much... I want to see you... really..." Yin Zhao-an''s calm voice gradually became shaky and ended up turning into a soft cry.


    Tang Yu''s heart ached, and her breathing became shallow. She was at a loss as she clutched her phone. She opened her mouth to try to say something, but no words came to her mind or mouth. She wanted to hug Yin Zhao-an and tell her how much she missed her as well, but they were too far apart for her to do so right now.


    Yin Zhao-an wiped away the tears on her face, finding herself a little silly for crying like a fool on the roadside where people came and went.


    Fortunately, Yin Zhao-an had a strong mind. After taking a deep breath, she smiled brightly under the dazzling sunshine as she regained her composure and said, "Forget about what just happened. You just need to remember one thing."


    "What¡­ What is it?" Tang Yu asked, a little stunned by Yin Zhao-an''s rapid transition.


    Holding the phone close to her mouth, Yin Zhao-an said in a low voice, "I, love, you!


    "That''s all. Did you hear me clearly, Tang-Tang?"


    Tang Yu felt warm in her heart, a warm current replacing the sour feeling. It was as if a ray of sunshine suddenly shone into a small and cramped storage room, and even the tiny dust danced in the sunlight.


    "I heard you clearly," Tang Yu said. Then, she took a deep breath and stated, "I love you too."


    After this brief but meaningful exchange, Yin Zhao-an put their conversation on hold for a moment to hail a taxi. Only after getting into the taxi and telling the driver her desired destination did she continue talking to Tang Yu.


    "Zhao Yu is awake now and on his way to make a full recovery. Doctor Gao is also taking good care of him," Yin Zhao-an said, placing emphasis on the words "good care.


    Tang Yu could feel Yin Zhao-an''s envy even through the phone. Smiling, she bent her knees and rested her chin on her knees, pulling out the weeds on the ground as she said, "The two of them had to go through a lot of trouble to be together, so let them have their time together."


    "We also had to go through some hurdles to get together, but we''re now separated and living in two different cities¡­" Yin Zhao-an said, looking sad and dejected as she stared at the passing scenery outside. Her acting was so realistic that even the driver felt sorry for her when he saw her behavior through the rearview mirror.


    After trying to think of a response for a moment, Tang Yu suddenly remembered something more important. Immediately, she told Yin Zhao-an about the argument she overheard by Willow Lake in the morning to get her opinion on the matter.


    After listening to Tang Yu''s encounter, Yin Zhao-an stroked her chin and frowned slightly. "If you''re unsure about her personality, then be careful. If she''s really such a scheming person, it probably won''t be a pleasant experience to interact with her."


    After a short pause, Yin Zhao-an continued, "Just endure it a little longer. Once I pass my entrance exams, we''ll apply to live off-campus and ignore those people."


    "Mhm." Tang Yu also had a similar idea. Though, even without Yin Zhao-an reminding her, she never had any intentions of interacting much with Wu Na or her other roommates as she wasn''t fond of interacting with others.


    When the taxi arrived outside the villa district, Yin Zhao-an didn''t have the driver enter the gated community. Instead, she paid the driver and walked the rest of the way.


    After concluding her conversation with Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an suddenly realized that it had been a while since she last spoke to Wen Tao. More specifically, they had stopped contacting each other ever since Wen Tao moved to S City to further his studies. At this realization, she couldn''t help but wonder how his life was over there.


    However, after staring at her rose-gold phone for a moment, Yin Zhao-an ultimately returned her phone to her pocket, deciding against calling Wen Tao.


    People were bound to start new chapters in their lives, was what Yin Zhao-an thought.


    ¡­


    Li Beiyu visited the lesbian nightclub again. It was almost dusk outside, so the nightclub was starting to get lively. Even the music had started to grow more restless.


    It had been a while since Hua Qian had last seen Li Beiyu in the nightclub. So, when she saw the young lady, she warmly smiled and asked, "It''s been a long time since you last visited. Have you been busy studying?"


    Li Beiyu didn''t say anything and leaned on the bar counter, resting her chin on her arms as she observed the people coming and going in the nightclub. However, even after scanning every face in the establishment, she didn''t see the person she was looking for.


    Hua Qian sensed that Li Beiyu was in a bad mood, so she tactfully kept quiet and handed the girl a colorful drink. Naturally, it was an "alcoholic" drink.


    Li Beiyu idly stared at the drink for a while. Then, she asked Hua Qian for a straw and began sipping on the drink while gnawing on the straw.


    "I''m all alone in Z City now, Big Sis Qian. I feel so miserable," Li Beiyu said as she languidly lay on the counter, looking desolate.


    Hua Qian didn''t understand what the girl meant exactly, but she still kindly replied, "If you feel lonely, you can come here more often. Everyone here can keep you company so long as you ask for it."


    In response, Li Beiyu pouted, "My brother left."


    Hua Qian paused, looking at the young girl seriously. "Do you mean that the young master has left Z City?"


    "That''s right. He applied to manage the subsidiary company in S City with my uncle. He never cared about the family business all these years, yet he''s suddenly showing interest now." Li Beiyu was unhappy with her brother''s behavior, but she could do nothing. After all, it wasn''t easy to manage the largest real estate company in the country.


    "By the way." Li Beiyu propped her head up with one hand, staring at Hua Qian. "Did you keep an eye out for the guest with blue eyes?"


    "I''ve seen a few with blue eyes, but most of them are foreign women with non-black hair. There were some with black hair and blue eyes, but those customers are regulars, so I know for a fact that they''re wearing blue contact lenses. Just in case, though, I''ve written down their names for you to check. Do you want to take a look?" Hua Qian asked while reaching for a notebook under the bar. However, before she could offer the notebook to Li Beiyu¡­


    "Hey! Wait a minute!" All of a sudden, Li Beiyu put down her glass, jumped off the bar stool, and ran into the crowd.


    More and more customers poured into the nightclub, and Hua Qian was too busy to spare any attention. So, she quickly sent a message to the manager to keep an eye out for Li Beiyu. After all, if anything happened to the young lady, everyone working in this establishment would have to pay the price.


    Meanwhile, a person wearing a black hoodie calmly stepped out of the nightclub, the cool night breeze blowing her hood off and revealing a pair of captivating blue pupils.


    Li Beiyu struggled to push through the crowd but was hindered by the surging people and could only watch the person''s figure disappear from the entrance, her jet-black hair blending into the night.


    Li Beiyu''s eyes gradually turned red, a thin mist clouding her vision as a surge of helplessness and grievance expanded within her.


    "Fuck...why should this happen." Li Beiyu wiped her tears with her hand as she muttered to herself, her words drowned out by the booming music in the background.


    Finally squeezing her way out, Li Beiyu stood dazedly on the busy street, facing the endless stream of traffic and the dazzling neon lights coming from the surrounding buildings. However, even though a world of revelry and debauchery surrounded her, she felt like the world had lost its color, leaving only an endless blackness.


    She had nearly been violated in that storage room, had her first kiss taken away by force on New Year''s Eve on the riverbank, and now the culprit had shown up in front of her, only to leave as if nothing had happened. Did the other party think she was a fool to be played with? Was it amusing to see her being toyed around like that?


    Li Beiyu had never experienced this kind of grievance before. She surveyed her surroundings with red, moist eyes filled with anger.


    The person must still be here, secretly watching her and laughing at her.


    Suddenly, Li Beiyu sneered and began walking westward. The east road led to the bus stop, while the west road led to the overpass. However, to reach the overpass from here, one had to go through a tree-lined area without streetlights, where small gangs often waited for lone pedestrians to attack.


    Li Beining had purged this area of filth in the past, so no one dared to cause trouble here now. However, there were bound to be exceptions.


    Li Beiyu wasn''t afraid to enter this wooded area. She had fought alongside Li Beining for so many years, so she was confident she could handle herself as long as she wasn''t going up against a group. With that in mind, she instinctively felt her thigh, where a small dagger was concealed under her skirt. From an outsider''s perspective, one would think it was merely a decoration if one did not look closely.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew behind her. Li Beiyu thought it was a gangster and quickly turned around, ready to make them pay with blood. However, the person moved akin to a ghost, instantly circling around to her back, leaving behind a faint minty scent that flowed into her nostrils.


    "You''re too slow."


    This was the last thing Li Beiyu heard before losing consciousness, the voice sounding exactly like the one on the riverbank that night.

 CH 147

    12-15 minutes 03.04.2023


    At 10 PM, at a certain engineering university¡­


    Wen Tao stormed out of the university''s back entrance, muttering curses to himself while clutching his phone. He wore a blue and white striped headband on his forehead, with his wet and messy bangs clinging to his face.


    A black sedan was parked in the shadows of the back entrance, the car having the character "ÈË" encased in a circle as its logo.


    "What the heck is wrong with you?! Where do you want me to go so late at night?" Wen Tao angrily opened the door to the passenger seat and got in. He had just finished a basketball game in the gym. Yet, before he could receive the towels and drinks offered to him by a bunch of pretty girls, a certain someone had called him on the phone, telling him to come to meet up at the back entrance.


    Li Beining remained silent, not uttering a word as Wen Tao kept complaining.


    By the time Wen Tao grew tired of complaining, Li Beining had already driven the car onto an elevated bridge, heading for an unknown location. Wen Tao was very upset by Li Beining''s silence. However, he also couldn''t help but feel a little unnerved.


    "What are you up to? Why aren''t you talking?" Wen Tao nervously asked. Could this guy be planning something dangerous, such as killing him and dumping his body somewhere in the wilderness?!


    "I broke up with my girlfriend. Accompany me for a drink," Li Beining said.


    Wen Tao: ?!


    Although Wen Tao desperately wanted to ask, "When the hell did you get a girlfriend?" he held back from doing so upon realizing that it was none of his business.


    "Whatever. Just make sure to send me back early tomorrow morning. I have classes to attend." Wen Tao didn''t throw a tantrum anymore, quietly propping up his chin and staring at the brightly lit city streets passing by outside the window.


    ¡­


    Wen Tao was already dozing off by the time the car stopped next to a beach, his head repeatedly tapping against the window.


    After parking the car, Li Beining grabbed his suit jacket from the back seat and covered Wen Tao with it. Then, he carefully pushed away the stray hair poking at Wen Tao''s eyelids, a touch of warmth appearing in his indifferent eyes.


    Li Beining got out of the car but kept the door open. After grabbing several cans of beer from the cooler in the trunk, he sat down on the soft fine sand and quietly observed the scattered crowds dotting the beach. There were several barbecue grills set up, and he could smell the smell of grilled meat even from far away.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    An untimely ringtone broke the silence of the night. Li Beining held up his phone and glanced at it before answering. 4887


    "Li Beiyu is with me." A cold and clear voice came through the phone.


    "Oh."


    "... " The person on the other end seemed surprised by Li Beining''s reaction. After chuckling softly, the person said, "Aren''t you afraid I''ll do something to her?"


    "You''ve had your eye on her for more than just a few days. The old man likes you a lot, so he''ll probably close an eye for you," Li Beining said as he calmly lit a cigarette and squinted at the night sky.


    "She''ll probably cry her eyes out if she learns that you people are using her for a deal," the voice on the other end teased.


    Li Beining paused for a moment. Then, he flicked his cigarette ash and said, "Be good to her. Don''t hurt her."


    "...I don''t need you to remind me."


    After the person on the other end hung up the phone, Li Beining put down his phone and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke.


    ¡­


    Luo Sanyi walked into the bedroom with a straight face and casually tossed her phone aside.


    The lights in the room were off, but the faint moonlight that shone through the window still revealed the contents of the room, including the unconscious girl on the bed.


    Approaching the unconscious girl, Luo Sanyi gently slid her long and slender fingers across the girl''s face, her sharp fingernails looking like they would leave a bloody mark on the fair skin so long as she applied even a little more force.


    Luo Sanyi gently tapped the unconscious girl''s forehead, causing the other party to awaken gradually.


    With a light touch on the brow, the sleeping person gradually awakened and rubbed their eyes in a daze, looking blankly into space.


    When Li Beiyu gradually awakened and looked around blankly while rubbing her eyes, Luo Sanyi had already hidden in the shadows, silently watching Li Beiyu fumble around on the bed.


    "Is it you? The one from three years ago, in the bar, in that storage room." Li Beiyu called out. Her vision was pitch black, and she was unable to see anything. She thought she was in a windowless basement or a dark room, but unbeknownst to her, a cloud of black mist currently covered her eyes.


    Li Beiyu groped around with her hand as she climbed out of bed and walked around the room. When her fingertips came into contact with an icy glass window, she subconsciously retracted her hand. Then, without warning, she used her elbow to smash the glass. The next second, though, she experienced sudden weightlessness as her body fell through the window and descended rapidly.


    Luo Sanyi sighed at this sight and flew out to catch the falling girl, bringing her back to the room. Then, with a snap of her fingers, the room brightened, and even the shattered floor-to-ceiling window returned to its original state as if it had never been broken.


    Li Beiyu''s heart pounded like thunder, the whistling wind still echoing in her ears, reminding her that she had nearly died just now. Fortunately, the darkness in front of her gradually dissipated, and the furnishings in the room became clearer.


    As soon as Li Beiyu could see her surroundings, her breath got caught in her throat. The fear that had been buried deep in her heart for many years once again engulfed her like a storm.


    It was this room again. But¡­something was different¡­


    Li Beiyu grabbed the person next to her quickly and threw her onto the bed with great force, choking her neck with all her might.


    If it were a normal person, they would probably have lost half their life by now, but the person in front of her not only felt no discomfort but instead elegantly curled up her red lips at her.


    A provocation! It was a blatant provocation!


    "Speak! Who are you? Otherwise, I''ll kill you right now!" Li Beiyu straddled the woman in front of her, using both hands to squeeze the woman''s neck as if doing so could ease her anxiety.


    "Wearing a short skirt while doing this¡­" Luo Sanyi let her words trail off as she looked at Li Beiyu''s exposed thighs with a meaningful look. Then, she lazily continued, "...is very dangerous."


    Her anger stoked, Li Beiyu instinctively reached for the small dagger she carried around her thigh, only to find it missing.


    "Are you looking for this?" Luo Sanyi, who had slipped out from Li Beiyu''s thighs without Li Beiyu''s realization, asked as she stood by the bed playing with the small dagger that gave off a cold glint.


    "Fuck! Are you a monster?!" Li Beiyu cursed, shocked by how Luo Sanyi had escaped her hold without her noticing.


    Luo Sanyi suddenly leaned forward, the pupils in her blue eyes gradually shrinking as she whispered, "Bingo."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an suddenly sneezed, and she couldn''t help but scratch her itching nose as she looked at the half-finished exam paper before her with slightly moist eyes.


    Little did she know, all her friends had someone to accompany them tonight, and she was the only one alone. If she knew, she would have called her wife, who was thousands of miles away and cried to her on the phone.


    ¡­


    The sky brightened, and sunlight seeped in through the thin curtains to expose a bedroom that had experienced a night of passion.


    A pair of dark-gray ears trembled in a tangled mess of black hair as the person with a pair of blue eyes woke up leisurely. Upon seeing the person in her arms, Luo Sanyi rubbed her face against the other party''s face before tightening her embrace.


    After a night of crying, Li Beiyu''s eyes became a little swollen. There were even tears still left in the corners of her eyes. Awakened by Luo Sanyi''s actions, Li Beiyu opened her eyes to see a pair of furry ears joyfully shaking in front of her, the sight enraging her and causing her to give Luo Sanyi a merciless punch.


    The punch was truly one without mercy, the pain causing Luo Sanyi''s sleepiness to vanish completely. Then, she grabbed the paws of the person in her embrace, preventing the other party from attacking her any further.


    "Get lost, you old monster!" Li Beiyu angrily kicked at Luo Sanyi, only for Luo Sanyi''s legs to clamp down on hers. Then, before she could struggle any further, she heard a low voice threatening her:


    "You better not move, or you won''t be able to leave this bed today."


    Li Beiyu: "..."


    "I want to find my brother. I want to tell my uncle. I''m going to have them kill you... Uu..." Li Beiyu cried again. She cried very loudly.


    Luo Sanyi held her forehead. She had already listened to Li Beiyu cry the entire night, so she wasn''t interested in hearing any more crying.


    "Stop crying. If you cry again, I will go eat your brother," Luo Sanyi threatened as she bared her sharp fangs.


    Li Beiyu suppressed her sobbing. Then, looking at Luo Sanyi skeptically, she asked, "Can you really eat him?"


    Luo Sanyi: "..." Was that the point?!


    By now, Li Beiyu was already certain the old monster in front of her didn''t dare to harm her. She had tried to commit suicide several times last night, but Luo Sanyi stopped her every time. Even when frustrated, Luo Sanyi didn''t do anything harmful to her, except eat her up completely...


    Suddenly, Li Beiyu''s stomach rumbled. Carefully holding her pitiful stomach, Li Beiyu softly said, "I''m hungry."


    "I''ll make breakfast." Luo Sanyi quickly got up but suddenly fell down again.


    Seeing Luo Sanyi grimace, Li Beiyu asked in confusion, "What''s wrong?"


    "You are lying on my tail."


    ¡­


    After seeing Luo Sanyi leave the room while scratching her hair and wagging her tail, Li Beiyu breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed on the bed.


    Not only did she come across a supernatural existence, but the other party was even a pervert!


    Shifting in bed, Li Beiyu reached for her phone and dialed Li Beining''s number.


    Li Beining seemed to be in a meeting and hung up her call, only replying with a text message.


    ¡ªLuo Sanyi is my father''s business partner and won''t harm you, don''t worry.


    "What the hell?!" Li Beiyu nearly cried out of anger. She believed she had been kidnapped for ransom. She had even resolved to kill herself to avoid becoming a burden to her family. But, everything was actually planned??


    She should have let Luo Sanyi eat Li Beining instead!


    ¡­


    Tang Yu had just finished class and was packing up her books when a mature-looking girl approached her.


    "Tang Yu, do you have time? I have something to tell you."


    Tang Yu looked at the almost empty classroom and nodded, setting her books on the desk.


    "Um, I''m the president of the school''s dubbing club. I went to the Mandarin testing station before to help the teacher adjust the headphones and happened to hear you taking your speaking test. I think your voice matches the female lead in the script we''re currently working on, so I wanted to ask if you have any interest in joining us," the mature-looking girl asked as she looked at Tang Yu tentatively, her eyes filled with hope and nervousness.


    "If you don''t mind that I have no dubbing experience, maybe I can give it a try." Tang Yu said politely.


    The girl''s eyes suddenly lit up, her face full of joy. "Really? That''s great! Let''s add each other on WeChat. My name is Hu Siyue, a sophomore in Broadcasting Department."


    Tang Yu took out her phone and scanned Hu Siyue''s WeChat QR code. Hu Siyue''s profile picture was a cute little cat. After adding the other party to her list of contacts, Tang Yu added a "Senior" remark.


    Hu Siyue was visibly excited after successfully exchanging contact information with Tang Yu. Joyfully, she said, "I''ll add you to our group chat and send you the script afterward. Thank you so much. We''ve been looking for the female lead for almost half a month, and luckily we found you."


    "No problem, senior sister. I am honored to help, and I look forward to your guidance," Tang Yu spoke humbly, behaving neither arrogantly nor overly eager.


    Hu Siyue picked up her crystal-studded purse and walked out with a light step. Just as she was stepping out the door, she said, "I''ll go find the members and inform them of the good news! Bye-bye!"


    Tang Yu smiled and watched Hu Siyue leave the classroom. Then, she picked up her books and left the classroom in a happy mood.


    She genuinely loved the dubbing club''s activities, so she felt fortunate that certain developments in her previous life remained the same in this life.

 CH 148

    The highly efficient Hu Siyue quickly added Tang Yu to a WeChat group. She also suggested Tang Yu join their QQ group so that they could use audio chat.


    In response, Tang Yu messaged her ID coupled with a smiley face to Hu Siyue.


    When Hu Siyue returned to her dormitory, she opened her computer and added Tang Yu''s QQ ID. However, when she saw that the account was a one-star new account and nicknamed "Tang," she couldn''t help but wonder if she had added a fake account¡­


    However, Hu Siyue ultimately sent a friend request to Tang Yu, which the other party quickly approved.


    As if it were routine, Tang Yu sent Hu Siyue a smiling emoji. Seeing this, Hu Siyue replied with a cute heart-shaped emoji before adding Tang Yu to a QQ group.


    The group was named "Dreamy Night Dubbing Troupe." As soon as Tang Yu joined, she saw a flood of welcome and greeting messages. She also noted that every person in the group Each person''s group nickname indicated their role in the upcoming production. For example, the nickname Hu Siyue used in the group was [Planner] Xinyue.


    Shortly after Tang Yu joined the group, Hu Siyue privately messaged her, saying, "You can come up with any nickname you like, Tang Yu."


    "Okay."


    While sitting in front of her computer in the dormitory, Tang Yu put on her earphones and pondered for a moment. Then, she began typing out the nickname she desired.


    She had used the nickname "Sweet Sugar" in her past life, but ironically, she was not a sweet person at all. Whether it was her personality or life, both her terribly bitter.


    Fortunately, she was no longer living the same miserable life she did in her past life. In her present life, she had someone who loved her dearly, her parents were still alive and healthy, and she even had a cute little brother.


    After modifying her nickname in the group, Tang Yu typed a greeting message.


    [Lead Actor, Ye Rumeng] Yu-An: Hi everyone ^_^


    [Lead Actor, He Changsheng] Qizhi: Hello!!


    [Planner] Xinyue: Welcome, Yu-An (^©`^)


    [Post-production] Nannan is not Nannan: Oh my god, our female lead finally has a partner!


    [Universal Passerby] Water Droplet: Is Yu-An also from our department?


    Despite having just decided on her new nickname, Tang Yu still took a moment to realize the group members were referring to her when they mentioned "Yu-An." Also, she noted that while Hu Siyue had already informed the group members about her playing the female lead, it would seem that Hu Siyue did not mention her grade and department to them.


    [Planner] Xinyue: Yu-An is also from the Broadcasting Department. She is our junior (*©`*)


    [Graphic Designer] Xixi: Have you shown the script to Yu-An?


    [Planner] Xinyue: I''ll send her the script in a moment. Afterward, I''ll have her try out the role first to get a feel for it.


    Nobody had any objections. As broadcasting students, they naturally knew each other''s strengths and professional levels.


    Soon, Hu Siyue sent the script document over along with a message saying, "Your role is Ye Rumeng, a gentle and soft lady with a clear and soft voice. So, you need to make your voice sound as subtle and gentle as possible when playing her."


    Tang Yu knew all that Hu Siyue mentioned. After all, this was her first voice acting work in her past life, and she had spent a lot of time understanding the character''s personality and traits. She even studied the original work thoroughly before starting to record the voice.


    "Okay," Tang Yu replied in a standard manner.


    There were other people in the dormitory, and Tang Yu didn''t want to disturb them. Fortunately, Hu Siyue had the same thought, and she arranged for them to meet at a milk tea shop on the weekend for a face-to-face rehearsal.


    Bang!


    A sudden loud noise in the dormitory startled Tang Yu, even with her earphones on.


    Removing her earphones, Tang Yu turned her head to see a girl standing at the door, wearing extremely glamorous makeup and styled with big wavy hair. The girl also wore a transparent chiffon coat over a black camisole that highlighted her stunning figure.


    Tang Yu wasn''t the only one startled by the well-endowed girl''s loud entry. The two other occupants of the room were also disturbed. However, neither Tang Yu nor her two roommates recognized the well-endowed girl at first glance. It was only after Guo Yifan had paused the online lecture she was watching and walked up to the door did everyone become enlightened about the girl''s identity.


    "Wu Na?! What happened to you... Why are you like this?" Guo Yifan exclaimed.


    Upon hearing the name mentioned by Guo Yifan, even Wang Feifei, who was rudely awakened by the noise and about to protest, couldn''t help but be shocked as she stared at the girl standing in front of the door.


    However, Wu Na didn''t seem to hear Guo Yifan''s words as she stumbled forward while carrying a strong smell of alcohol on her, her eyes, adorned with exquisite eye makeup, staying only half-opened and looking hazy. Then, before she could get anywhere, she suddenly covered her mouth and rushed past Guo Yifan to the bathroom, where she started to retch violently.


    Guo Yifan was caught at a loss by this situation. She exchanged looks with Tang Yu, both seeing the complicated emotions on each other''s faces. As for Wang Feifei, she sat on her bed, stunned.


    For a time, all three of them chose not to say anything and only the sound of Wu Na''s miserable puking could be heard in the dormitory.


    After a moment, Guo Yifan went to turn off the air conditioner and opened the windows and doors to ventilate the room. After all, Wu Na''s return had caused the stench of alcohol to fill the entire room, creating a suffocating environment.


    Meanwhile, Wang Feifei got off her bed and applied some lipstick in front of her makeup mirror. Then, while running her fingers through her hair, she said to the quiet Tang Yu, "Let''s go buy some hangover medicine for Wu Na so she doesn''t get alcohol poisoning."


    Tang Yu agreed with Wang Feifei''s suggestion, but she first turned to Guo Yifan, seeking her opinion.


    "You two go to the clinic to buy medicine. I''ll go outside and get some hot water. I''ll take care of things here," Guo Yifan said, frowning slightly. After this interruption, she was no longer in the mood to resume watching her online lecture, even if it was taught by a famous lecturer.


    "Okay." Wang Feifei nodded to the arrangement.


    Wang Feifei was about to step out the door when she was suddenly stopped by Guo Yifan, who asked, "Did you bring your medical insurance card? It''s cheaper to get medicine with it."


    In response, Wang Feifei pulled out a card from the back pocket of her shorts and shook it, saying, "I brought it, don''t worry."


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    ¡­


    There were still many people moving around on the campus, some running with books toward the library and some walking in groups toward the recording studio.


    Tang Yu and Wang Feifei walked in silence toward the medical room, crossing a tree-lined path. The path was long and deserted, and only the sound of leaves rustling with the wind could be heard.


    Wang Feifei silently adjusted her long sunscreen coat and her disheveled hair. She was someone with a lively personality, but this personality became muted when she was around Tang Yu.


    "Um..." Ultimately, Wang Feifei failed to bear the awkward silence, so she opened her mouth and asked, "Did Wu Na skip class again today?"


    Tang Yu recalled the roll call in class today and didn''t hear Wu Na''s name being called. "I didn''t really pay attention, but I don''t think she came today."


    "Sheesh, she''s missed several days of class in a row. Isn''t she afraid of being expelled?" Wang Feifei was a student who had worked hard and earned high grades in high school. She wasn''t as focused on scholarships as Guo Yifan, but she was a serious student nonetheless. No matter how rebellious of an attitude she had, she wouldn''t just skip class without a word. And even if she were going to skip class without a proper reason, she would at least get someone to take attendance for her.


    Tang Yu fell silent for a moment and added, "She has also stayed out all night many times, but Guo Yifan covered for her."


    "Say...what do you think Wu Na is doing when she''s out? I rarely see her in the dorm, and on the rare occasion she comes back¡­she returns drunk like this. Could it be..." Wang Feifei suddenly felt chills down her spine, finding the thought that popped into her mind unbelievable.


    Tang Yu could guess what Wang Feifei was thinking. Most likely, her roommate had assumed Wu Na had gone out to do things such as compensated dating. And even if it were something else, it wouldn''t be anything good.


    "Let''s not jump to random conclusions before we learn of the truth," Tang Yu kindly reminded Wang Feifei.


    Wang Feifei was a person who could read people''s expressions, so she promptly understood Tang Yu''s intentions. Awkwardly scratching her hair, she apologized, "Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself there."


    Tang Yu smiled lightly and didn''t say anything else.


    ¡­


    Upon arriving at the medical building, Wang Feifei went to the school clinic to find the school doctor. Tang Yu, who was not good at socializing, sat quietly in the lobby waiting.


    The school doctor was writing and drawing in his notebook when he heard a knock on the door. Without even raising his head, he said, "Come in."


    Wang Feifei sat down in front of the doctor and cautiously said, "Doctor, I want to get some hangover medicine."


    The doctor paused his writing and scrutinized the girl in front of him. The girl looked quite pretty and well-behaved, so he asked, "Who is it for?"


    "It''s...for my roommate." Wang Feifei was caught off guard by the question and ended up stuttering. Then, in a dilemma, she frowned and asked, "Does she have to come in person to buy it?"


    The doctor reached for a form and started writing on it. Then, in a lukewarm voice, he said, "No need. Just give me her name."


    "Wang Feifei."


    "Department?"


    "Broadcasting Department."


    The doctor finished filling out Wang Feifei''s information and inquired about her roommate''s symptoms before scribbling a bunch of unreadable characters on the form. Then, he handed the form to Wang Feifei and added, "Young girls your age shouldn''t be drinking; it''s harmful to the body."


    Wang Feifei inexplicably blushed as she looked at the doctor''s emotionless face. She quickly took the list and thanked the doctor repeatedly before leaving the clinic.


    Seeing Wang Feifei come out, Tang Yu stood up from her chair and looked at her roommate with a puzzled expression, wondering why there was a strange blush on her roommate''s face.


    "What''s wrong?" Tang Yu asked.


    Wang Feifei''s cheeks were puffed up slightly, making her look somewhat cute. "The school doctor isn''t as scary as the rumors say."


    Watching Wang Feifei walk to the dispensary to get the medicine, Tang Yu quickly came to a realization. It seemed that her roommate had fallen for the school doctor.


    On the way back, Wang Feifei suddenly became talkative, but eight out of ten of her sentences were about the school doctor. To name a few examples:


    "Oh my god, my classmates said they were afraid to go to the infirmary before because the school doctor was so scary. I was so nervous when I went in, but it turns out he''s really gentle."


    "And he''s so handsome. Do you think a lot of people are pursuing him?"


    "I wonder if he''s single."


    "Oh, I forgot to check what his name was."


    Tang Yu helplessly shook her head, though she didn''t really mind her roommate''s chattering. Wang Feifei''s personality reminded her of Fang Ling. Both of them were carefree and easy-going people.


    ¡­


    While Tang Yu and Wang Feifei were on their way back from the clinic, Guo Yifan stood despondently at the dormitory door, sighing.


    Although Wu Na was drunk, thankfully, she didn''t vomit all over the place. After vomiting, she flushed the toilet, but the strong smell of alcohol didn''t diminish at all. Guo Yifan was almost suffocated by it and had to step out of the dormitory to take a few breaths of fresh air.


    After what felt like a long time, the sounds inside the room suddenly disappeared. Guo Yifan turned around to look into the room but failed to see Wu Na coming out of the bathroom.


    A bad feeling suddenly rose up in Guo Yifan''s heart, and she stiffly walked toward the bathroom. The next second, her breathing suddenly stopped, and her pupils shrank.


    A moment later, a panicked and tragic scream echoed through the entire dormitory building, causing many people to come out of their dormitories and head toward the noise in curiosity.

 CH 149

    When Tang Yu and Wang Feifei arrived outside the dormitory building, they saw the dorm manager hurrying upstairs, muttering something under her breath.


    The opposite dormitory building''s corridor was also crowded with people watching the excitement and whispering to each other.


    Seeing this, Tang Yu and Wang Feifei looked at each other in shock before quickly running upstairs.


    ¡­


    Guo Yifan sat weakly on the ground, fear engulfing her entire being as she stared into the bathroom.


    At this time, the dormitory manager pushed aside the people crowding the door, scolding them as she did so: "What are you all looking at? Go back to your rooms! And don''t spread pictures and videos without permission!"


    After dispersing the crowd and helping Guo Yifan to her feet, the dormitory manager finally turned to look at the bathroom, and she couldn''t help but be shocked by what she saw.


    Currently, a girl with wavy hair was lying in the bathroom, her mouth and chin covered in crimson blood. There was also a large pool of blood on the porcelain-white floor, flowing towards the drain.


    However, the dormitory manager had seen plenty of shocking situations in her time working here, so she quickly recovered from her stupor and stepped forward to check the girl''s breathing and pulse. Fortunately, the worst did not happen, and the girl was still alive and only unconscious.


    When the dormitory manager could still hear noise coming from outside the room, she angrily shouted, "Those outside, stop being busybodies and go away! If anyone delays the arrival of the medical staff, I will write down your names and report you to your head teachers!"


    Shortly after the dormitory manager finished speaking, Tang Yu and Wang Feifei rushed in with the hangover medicine they had just gotten from the clinic. Confused by the situation, they looked to Guo Yifan and asked, "What happened? What''s going on?"


    Guo Yifan was still feeling a little disoriented. Subconsciously, she furrowed her brows and said in a trembling voice, "Wu Na...seems to be in shock."


    ¡­


    Sometime later, an ambulance arrived, and a doctor and a group of nurses hopped out of the vehicle with a stretcher in hand. Then, they quickly made their way upstairs.


    The doctor taking the lead was very imposing. When they arrived on the right floor and saw a crowd of students standing in their way, the doctor shouted, "Time is life! Anyone who hinders the rescue is a murderer!"


    The onlookers were quick on the uptake. As soon as they saw the doctor and nurses, they quickly cleared the hallway to make way.


    Meanwhile, as soon as the doctor entered the room, he stepped into the bathroom to check on Wu Na''s vital signs. Then, he and the nurses carefully moved Wu Na onto the stretcher.


    Before moving Wu Na out of the room, the doctor took off his white coat and used it to cover Wu Na''s face and body. It was to prevent anyone from taking pictures of Wu Na. Although the doctor did not know what Wu Na had done or encountered to end up in such a state, it would not benefit her in any way for images of her current state to end up on the internet.


    Before the doctor left, he turned to Tang Yu, Wang Feifei, and Guo Yifan and said, "Go contact your counselor, and make sure you don''t spread this news for now. Someone will come to ask you about the details, so don''t be too nervous."


    After the medical staff left, the dormitory manager hesitated on whether she should clean up the mess in the bathroom, afraid that she might interfere with what might possibly be a crime scene. Ultimately, she decided that she would first chase away the students trying to come in and watch the fun.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu was still in a state of confusion. In her past life, she didn''t stay in the dormitory for long and moved to an apartment outside the school shortly after enrolment. Hence, she didn''t know anything about what might have happened in the dormitory after she moved out, and she couldn''t help but grow a little nervous.


    The Broadcasting Department''s director arrived with the school counselor shortly afterward. Upon arriving, they first asked about the situation from the dormitory manager. Then, they took Tang Yu''s group to the department building while having the dormitory manager clean up the room.


    In reality, such situations happened quite often in the university. After all, the university was a gathering place of people from all walks of life. Many people would either sell themselves for fame and fortune, a chance to be recommended for further studies, or a good internship.


    However, this was the first time such an incident had been blown up to such a degree. By now, everyone living in the dormitory building already knew about it, and it wouldn''t take long before everyone else on campus learned about it.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu, Wang Feifei, and Guo Yifan returned to the dormitory, the dormitory manager had already called the cleaning staff to clean the dormitory. The nauseating smell of alcohol and the depressing smell of blood had disappeared from the air, leaving only a faint lavender scent.


    "Did the cleaning lady spray air freshener?" Wang Feifei wondered as she walked into the room. However, all she got was silence from her two roommates.


    This incident would definitely cause a stir in the university. If left unchecked, news of this incident might even spread out of the university, giving the university a bad image.


    It was one thing for a student to suffer a loss of reputation, but it was an entirely different thing for the school''s reputation to suffer damage. So, there was no doubt the university would do its best to suppress news of Wu Na''s incident from spreading.


    Wang Feifei was no longer in the mood to sleep. After pacing around the room a couple of times, she left behind an "I''m going out for a walk" before leaving the room.


    Seeing this, Guo Yifan packed her laptop and a couple of books before turning to Tang Yu, saying, "I''m going to the library. What about you?"


    "I..." Tang Yu couldn''t think of any place she wanted to go. So, with a wry smile, she said, "I''ll just stay in the dormitory. Do you want me to wait for you to have dinner later?"


    Guo Yifan shook her head and answered, "No need. I''ll have my dinner off campus. You can ask Feifei to join you."


    "Okay." Tang Yu nodded.


    In the blink of an eye, Tang Yu became the only person in the room.


    While reading a book, Tang Yu felt her phone vibrating on her desk. Then, the pitch-black screen lit up, showing a new WeChat message notification.


    It must be Hu Siyue, Tang Yu thought. After all, Wu Na''s incident had caused quite a stir, so Hu Siyue had probably heard about it already.


    However, when Tang Yu unlocked her phone and saw a red dot next to the name of her pinned contact, various emotions filled her heart. Immediately, she opened the chat window and saw that Yin Zhao-an had sent her a long voice message.


    "Tang-Tang, have you eaten yet? I know you''re studious, but you still need to eat on time. Don''t mess around if your stomach is not well. Be a good girl. If you have time now, go and eat, okay? Don''t make me worry. My precious Tang-Tang is the best."


    Tang Yu glanced at the time on her phone. It was already half past six, so Yin Zhao-an should be having her dinner right about now.


    After grabbing her meal card and putting on her earphones, Tang Yu casually dialed Yin Zhao-an''s number.


    Before the second beep even sounded, the call connected, and a cheerful voice came through the phone: "Tang-Tang!"


    Just hearing these two syllables caused Tang Yu to break into a smile. She could even imagine how happily Yin Zhao-an''s imaginary tail was wagging right now.


    "Are you at the cafeteria?" Tang Yu asked as she looped her earphone cable around her ears, positioning the microphone just right under her lower lip.


    "Yeah," Yin Zhao-an answered. She was currently seated in a corner of her high school''s cafeteria, swinging her legs and occasionally taking a bite of crispy chicken.


    "I''m on my way to my cafeteria," Tang Yu said.


    "I know," Yin Zhao-an said before casually grabbing her glass of ice-cold cola and taking a big sip. After exhaling in satisfaction, she continued, "My wife is super obedient; she listens to whatever I say."


    "Hehe."


    "Okay, okay, no more jokes." Yin Zhao-an put away her lackadaisical look, her expression becoming a bit serious. "Something happened at your school, right?"


    "Did it spread that quickly?" Tang Yu was a bit surprised at how fast the news spread.


    Yin Zhao-an said, "Not really, not many people know about it yet, but I''ve been keeping an eye on your university''s forum. Everyone is talking about it. I also remember that Wu Na is in your dorm, right?"


    "Yes," Tang Yu answered, her eyes squinting as a gust of wind hit her face. "She should have suffered from alcohol poisoning and gone into shock. She reeked of alcohol when she came back, and she also kept vomiting."


    Yin Zhao-an nodded and finished her last piece of crispy chicken cutlet. Then, while bringing her plate over to the cleaning bin, she said, "How unfortunate of her. I wonder if she was drinking to drown her sorrows or if she was forced to. Regardless, after getting drunk to such an extent, it''s likely she got taken advantage of."


    Tang Yu recalled what Wu Na looked like standing at the door. Although her makeup was still on her face, the bright red lipstick had smudged and spread.


    "That''s why girls need to learn to protect themselves and not do things that would harm themselves. Look at Li Beiyu; she''s sheltered to the point where she can''t even differentiate between a real cocktail and non-alcoholic juice." While lecturing Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an also didn''t forget to step on Li Beiyu, eliciting a laugh from Tang Yu.


    Upon leaving the cafeteria, Yin Zhao-an looked at the brightly lit classrooms in the distance. That was where countless students were working hard for their dreams. She used to wait around near there, waiting for Tang Yu to finish class every evening and demanding a goodnight kiss before letting her go. Had any outsiders seen what she was doing, they would have most likely assumed she was a delinquent bullying Tang Yu.


    "Half a year to go," Yin Zhao-an inexplicably said.


    "Half a year until the college entrance exam?" Tang Yu asked, chuckling.


    Yin Zhao-an raised her thin lips, the faint laughter coming through the phone causing various emotions to surge in her heart. Then, she said, "No, in half a year, I can be with you forever."


    Tang Yu didn''t think much of Yin Zhao-an''s statement. After walking past the curtains and stepping into the cafeteria, she asked, "Haven''t we been together this entire time?"


    "No, it''s not the same. It''s not the same..." Yin Zhao-an walked towards the teaching building with her hands in her pockets, the wind blowing her long hair and the bright lights of the incandescent lamps illuminating her confident eyes.


    "Tang-Tang. Give me another half a year, and I''ll give you a surprise," Yin Zhao-an promised.


    "Okay," Tang Yu replied seriously.


    ¡­


    As expected, the forum posts mentioning Wu Na''s incident didn''t make it through the night. Although some stubborn students tried to post about it again, they quickly received an official warning from the school.


    A week later, Wu Na returned to school from the hospital. Her complexion looked even worse than before, and she no longer wore makeup or dressed exquisitely.


    With dark circles under her eyes, Wu Na threw her backpack on her desk before crawling onto her bed without saying a word.


    The three other occupants of the room cautiously looked at each other, unsure of what they should do in this situation. Ultimately, it was still the "nice person" Guo Yifan, who worked up the courage to walk over to Wu Na''s bed and softly asked, "Wu Na, have you eaten yet? We haven''t had lunch yet. Do you want to eat together?"


    Wu Na seemed intent on burying herself under her blanket as she answered in a weak and muffled voice, "No, I''m not hungry."


    "Okay..." Guo Yifan awkwardly rubbed her nose and prepared to leave.


    Suddenly, a pleasant ringtone rang out, and there was a slight movement on the bed. Then, Wu Na asked in a slightly trembling voice, "Could you please help me get my phone? Thank you."

 CH 150

    Guo Yifan hurriedly grabbed Wu Na''s phone and handed it to the other party, afraid that even a moment''s delay might result in the call ending before it even started.


    A pale and thin hand stretched out from behind the curtain to take the phone. Then, the ringing stopped, and a muted conversation began.


    Guo Yifan didn''t wish to eavesdrop, so she returned to her seat and put on her earphones.


    However, after the room fell silent for a few minutes, Wu Na''s angry shouting suddenly sounded in the room: "Wu Changjian! Even if I die, I''ll drag you down to hell with me! Just wait, you rotten bastard!"


    "Wang Feifei was so frightened by this sudden turn of events that she started biting her fingernails and stared blankly at the bed next to hers.


    Tang Yu, who was in the middle of jotting down notes, also trembled and left a scribble on her beige notebook, ruining the perfect page.


    Subsequently, Tang Yu, Wang Feifei, and Guo Yifan exchanged a silent look before simultaneously taking out their meal cards and vacating the room.


    It was already autumn, and the evening breeze was a bit chilly. The trio shuddered as soon as they stepped out of the dormitory. Though, whether they shuddered because of the cold or out of fear was unknown.


    "How did Wu Na become so scary? At this rate, I think I might start following you to the library," Wang Feifei complained as she held onto Guo Yifan''s arm.


    In reality, the three of them weren''t so close that they could talk about anything with each other. Though, they did not interfere with each other in their respective fields, and they got along quite harmoniously as roommates. As for Wu Na, she was always running about off campus, and it was normal for her to stay out all night. So, the three of them knew very little about her, and they did not have deep feelings for her. After having to repeatedly deal with Wu Na''s mess, even Guo Yifan started to feel annoyed.


    "Should I reserve a seat for you next time, then?" Guo Yifan asked.


    Wang Feifei was naturally only joking and didn''t have any desire to stay cooped up in the library. So, she awkwardly smiled and shook her head, saying, "On second thought, never mind. I''m not suited for the library''s atmosphere, so I''ll leave that seat for someone who needs it.''


    After saying so, Wang Feifei turned to Tang Yu and continued, "By the way, did you join our school''s dubbing club, Tang Yu?"


    Tang Yu didn''t know why Wang Feifei was suddenly asking this, but she nodded and said, "Yes, I joined the dubbing club a few days ago."


    Hearing this, Wang Feifei''s eyes lit up as if she had just seen her idol. "Oh my god! I heard that the club has already produced several radio dramas, and they are also quite famous online! If you join it, won''t you become famous as well?"


    Tang Yu smiled but did not make any comments.


    As for Guo Yifan, she nudged Wang Feifei on the forehead and commented, "All of us will be more or less working as hosts in the future, so can''t you have some self-respect?"


    In response, Wang Feifei hummed and retracted her hands. Then, she switched to holding Tang Yu''s arm and proudly claimed, "I don''t care. I have no self-respect. I just want to cling to a successful person!"


    "How am I even successful?" Tang Yu said, shaking her head and smiling helplessly.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Like so, the trio chatted and joked with each other as they made their way to the cafeteria. However, unbeknownst to them, a certain someone back in their dormitory parted her bed''s curtains and coldly stared at the bed across from her, a hint of mockery flashing in her lifeless eyes.


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu ended up enrolling in his university two months late. Fortunately, he had excellent self-learning capabilities, and he was studying his favorite computer science, so he quickly caught up with his class''s progress and passed his semester exam without any problems.


    Tang Yu also conquered her semester exam handily and went home for the semester break.


    Surprisingly, it was Tang Zhengyang who came to pick Tang Yu up. He arrived wearing a green military jacket and high-top military boots, and he leaned comfortably against an off-road vehicle as he waited for Tang Yu.


    Tang Zhengyang was tall, nearly 1.9 meters in height. He also trained his body all year round, so he had a muscular and symmetrical frame that made him look like a model. If one wasn''t aware of his profession and age, one might really mistake him for a model.


    Many male and female students turned to look at Tang Zhengyang as they passed by, admiring this man who was full of masculinity.


    Several girls even took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him, their eyes sparkling and their cheeks blushing to a point where it became apparent even through their makeup.


    Tang Yu didn''t bring much with her. Her suitcase wasn''t even full, so she easily carried it down the stairs and found herself witnessing girls her age trying to flirt with her father.


    Tang Yu wore a faux smile as she walked up to her father with her suitcase.


    The surrounding girls initially thought the "main wife" had arrived when they saw Tang Yu. However, just as they were about to direct their envy toward her, they were dumbfounded by the following words that came out of Tang Yu''s mouth:


    "Dad, where''s Mom?"


    Tang Zhengyang was a dense person, so he had no idea how much offensive power her daughter''s words carried. In his usual tone, he responded, "Your mother needs to take care of your younger brother, so it''s inconvenient for her to travel. Have you taken everything you need?"


    "Mhm." Tang Yu tried to keep herself from smiling as she handed her suitcase to her father. She dared not look at the warped faces of the surrounding girls for fear of bursting into laughter.


    Meanwhile, the surrounding girls promptly fled when they saw Tang Zhengyang going to drop off Tang Yu''s suitcase in the trunk. They had initially assumed Tang Zhengyang to be someone their age. Never did they think he would have a daughter who was as old as they were.


    Tang Zhengyang rarely interacted with younger girls. He didn''t understand what was going through their minds, so when he closed the trunk and found that the younger girls, who had tried to strike up a conversation with him, were nowhere to be seen, he subconsciously asked, "Where did those kids disappear to? I thought they had questions to ask me."


    Tang Yu chuckled at her father''s words. Then, with a hand covering her face, she said, "They had something urgent to do."


    Although confused by Tang Yu''s reaction, Tang Zhengyang chose not to continue on the topic and simply wrinkled his brows in confusion.


    ¡­


    While on the highway, Tang Yu, sitting in the passenger seat, asked, "How did you pursue Mom back then, Dad?"


    Raising an eyebrow, Tang Zhengyang asked, "What? Did you find someone you like?"


    "Who told you that? I''m just asking out of curiosity."


    Tang Zhengyang took a moment to look back into the past before answering, "I didn''t pursue her. We just got together one day."


    Tang Yu scrutinized her father''s face but failed to see any signs of joking, his eyes fully focused on the road ahead.


    Unsatisfied with her father''s answer, Tang Yu continued, "Even if you say that, there must have been a process, right? For example, how did you two meet? How long did it take before you two got together?"


    Tang Yu was curious as to how a "hardcore straight man" like her father managed to win the hand of a gentle and beautiful woman like her mother.


    "Oh, you mean that?" Tang Zhengyang finally understood what Tang Yu was trying to ask. Then, a grin appeared on his face as he recalled his memories and said, "My team was on a mission to apprehend an arms smuggler at the time. We were at a high-end venue where socialites and high-level people gathered, and there were foreign investors there too."


    "And Mom happened to be there as a translator?" Tang Yu asked.


    "Yes." Tang Zhengyang turned the steering wheel to navigate a bend before continuing, "The smuggler quickly realized that something was wrong and tried to escape, so we took action. The venue became chaotic, with people screaming and fleeing blindly. Your mother was very calm. She immediately noticed me and ran over to me."


    Tang Yu suddenly had the urge to applaud. What was this? This was fate! This was love!


    Tang Zhengyang was obviously in a good mood as he continued with a smile, "Do you know what she said to me when she approached me? She said, ''Are you a police officer? Will you protect me? If not, I''ll run away.''"


    Tang Yu chuckled. She couldn''t imagine how her gentle mother could say something so childish.


    "So? What did you say?" Tang Yu urged her father to continue.


    "I just said, ''I will protect you, but you still have to hide first.'' Then, she ran away without looking back."


    "And then?" Tang Yu asked, feeling somewhat speechless.


    "Later on, I found your mother waiting for me outside the venue. At the time, I was dirty all over, while she was spotless. Even her hair remained smooth¡­" Tang Zhengyang said. Then, putting on a straight face, he continued, "When she saw me, she came up to me and said, ''I hid, so you can start protecting me now.'' Afterward, your mother and I got together."


    Clap, clap, clap¡ª


    Tang Yu couldn''t help but applaud, but not for her father. Instead, she applauded for her mother and her incredible pick-up capability.


    At the same time, Tang Yu understood how her father had managed to remain unfazed even when approached by multiple young girls trying to flirt with him. Most likely, it was because he was so much of a hardcore straight man that he wasn''t even aware of their intentions!


    "By the way." Tang Zhengyang frowned all of a sudden, looking like he had just thought of something unpleasant. "Have you and An-An broken up?"


    Tang Yu suddenly choked, and she looked out the window nervously.


    However, Tang Zhengyang seemed to have anticipated such a result and simply sighed heavily.


    Tang Yu felt as if her heart was seared by a burning hot iron when she heard her father''s sigh, but the next words that came out of her father''s mouth made her eyes go wide in disbelief.


    "An-An revealed everything to your mother."


    "W-What?"


    Revealing a look of regret, Tang Zhengyang said, "I should have taken leave to stay home if I had known this would happen¡­"


    After a slight pause and another sigh, Tang Zheng Yang continued, "While you were away from home, An-An would come to our house whenever she had time. She would bring toys for your little brother and cook for your mother. By now, Chenchen will smile whenever he sees her. As for your mother, she bonded with An-An over time, and An-An eventually came clean with your mother."


    Tang Yu''s eyes started to warm up, and she couldn''t help but look away and silently curse Yin Zhao-an in her heart. They had promised to face this matter together, yet the fool had taken it all on herself.


    "Then¡­how did you and Mom react?" Tang Yu tried her best to hide her voice from trembling. Her nose had also grown stuffy, and it stimulated her tear ducts to produce more tears."


    In response, Tang Zhengyang sighed for a third time before helplessly saying, "What can I do? Your mother already gave her approval, so am I supposed to oppose her?"


    Upon hearing these words, Tang Yu turned around in surprise and excitement, her eyes reddened with tears as she asked, "Mommy gave her approval?"


    Tang Zhengyang did not give a straight answer. Instead, he kept quiet and returned his focus to the road after responding with a "Go ask your mother yourself."


    ¡­


    When the car drove into the military courtyard, Tang Yu''s heart started to beat faster and faster.


    "I''ll go park the car. You can go in by yourself," Tang Zhengyang said as he dropped Tang Yu off in front of their house. Then, he stepped on the gas pedal and drove away.


    When Tang Yu stood in front of her house, she saw that the courtyard looked mostly the same as how she had left it. Yet, something about it felt different.


    After walking up to the front door and taking a few deep breaths, Tang Yu opened the door and stepped into the house as if walking into her own death.

 CH 151

    12-15 minutes 20.04.2023


    The living room was empty when Tang Yu stepped into the house. Holding her breath, she walked upstairs with careful steps, lifting each foot carefully. If someone who didn''t know any better saw her behavior, they would think she was a burglar.


    Yu Wanrou''s bedroom door was slightly ajar, and soft humming could be heard from inside.


    Tang Yu knocked on the door twice before entering.


    Yu Wanrou was gently rocking a cradle when Tang Yu entered, the little baby in the cradle fast asleep. When Yu Wanrou saw her daughter entering the room, she carefully picked up the baby boy from the cradle, set him into the crib, and covered him with a blanket before gesturing for Tang Yu to go outside with her to talk.


    "Welcome back, Little Yu. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" Yu Wanrou asked as soon as they arrived downstairs. She also started to ponder what she could make with the ingredients available in the kitchen.


    "I''m not particularly hungry," Tang Yu said as she followed behind her mother. "Is it okay for my little brother to be upstairs by himself?"


    "What could possibly go wrong? He won''t fall down," Yu Wanrou casually answered. Then, realizing how irresponsible she sounded, she quickly added, "No, what I mean to say is that he won''t wake up for a while, so there''s no need to worry."


    Hearing her mother''s words, Tang Yu suddenly understood where the old saying "one pregnancy, three years of foolishness" came from.


    Yu Wanrou''s body had become slightly plump after giving birth, her face constantly tinged with a faint blush. During this period, she always wore the same outfit: thick coral velvet pajamas and a thick down jacket. She had also casually tied her hair to the back, giving her a particularly casual look.


    "I''ll go make something in the kitchen. It''s about time for dinner, anyway," Yu Wanrou said.


    "I''ll help," Tang Yu said while rolling up her sleeves.


    When Tang Zhengyang stepped into the house, he could hear mother and daughter working busily and chatting happily in the kitchen.


    Honestly, Tang Zhengyang still had difficulty accepting the fact that Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an were dating. But since his wife had approved of the two girls'' relationship, what could he possibly do?


    In the end, no matter how frustrated he was about the matter, he could only keep his frustrations to himself.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu was helping her mother cut the potatoes into thin shreds of equal length and width. When plated, they looked very pleasant and appealing to the eyes.


    When Yu Wanrou saw her daughter''s work, she said out of delight, "You cut them so nicely. An-An''s look more like sticks than shreds."


    As soon as Yu Wanrou finished speaking, both mother and daughter felt a sudden jolt in their hearts, and the kitchen instantly fell into an awkward silence.


    Yu Wanrou propped her face up with her hand, feeling a little regretful for ruining the pleasant atmosphere.


    "Mom¡­ I¡­"


    "Stop!" Yu Wanrou waved her hand and interrupted. "We''ll save this talk for after dinner. For now, let''s just focus on making the food."


    Tang Yu''s words got stuck in her throat, and her face turned a little red. In the end, she gave up on continuing the conversation and resumed cutting the vegetables and arranging them on plates.


    ¡­


    Tang Zhengyang sat cross-legged on a sofa in the living room, feeling a little annoyed by the idol drama that was playing on the TV. The female lead in the drama was crying and refusing to break up, while the male lead simply removed the ring off her ring finger and threw it from the top of the building into the snowy ground below.


    "Tsk, tsk."


    "Tsk, tsk."


    Two voices sounded simultaneously. Startled, Tang Zhengyang turned around to find Tang Yu also watching the drama.


    Tang Yu didn''t expect such a coincidence, and she awkwardly rubbed her nose as she sat on one of the single-seat sofas in the living room.


    Father and daughter quietly watched the idol drama. Following the previous scene, the female lead could be seen crying while searching for her ring in the snowy ground, her mouth repeatedly muttering, "This is the symbol of our love. How can you just throw it away?"


    Seeing this scene, Tang Zhengyang couldn''t help but sigh and comment, "This person''s love is too pathetic."


    After saying so, Tang Zhengyang didn''t forget to warn Tang Yu, "If you ever meet a man like this, don''t foolishly rush forward. If he doesn''t love you, so be it. There will still be other people in the world who will love you."


    Tang Yu felt even more guilty upon hearing this. In her past life, she had indeed foolishly rushed forward without thinking¡­


    Several minutes later, Tang Zhengyang suddenly remembered something as he coldly said, "Oh, I forgot. You don''t like men."


    Tang Yu: "..."


    ¡­


    At the dinner table, Tang Zhengyang still couldn''t get over his anger and frustrations and decided to bring up Yin Zhao-an''s matter again. However, Yu Wanrou was not having any of it, her gentle expression instantly changed as she coldly smacked her chopsticks onto the table and said, "Then, you should find another person who will risk their life for Little Yu!"


    Upon hearing Yu Wanrou''s words, Tang Yu and Tang Zhengyang promptly remembered the kidnapping incident three years ago. Even though Yin Zhao-an could have simply called for help and done nothing else like a normal girl, she chose to risk her life to save Tang Yu, becoming the most injured person out of everyone involved in that incident.


    Not to mention, apart from that kidnapping incident, Yin Zhao-an had stayed by Tang Yu''s side all these years. She had even been the one to pick Tang Yu up after the college entrance examination.


    When Tang Zhengyang thought of these things, he stopped speaking and quietly ate his food.


    Drip¡ª


    A hot tear dropped into Tang Yu''s bowl. Following it, a stream of tears overflowed from Tang Yu''s eyes and ran down her face.


    Tang Yu lowered her head, not daring to look up to expose her miserable, crying face.


    A tissue was handed to her without a word.


    Theft is never good, try looking at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Tang Yu took the tissue and covered her eyes with it. However, she was no longer in the mood to finish her meal, so she got up from her seat and quickly returned to her room.


    "This¡­" Tang Zhengyang was confused by this situation, and he thought to go and check up on his daughter. However, Yu Wanrou kicked him under the table before he could do so and said:


    "Stop poking your nose into the affairs of children and quickly finish your dinner. Also, do the dishes once you''re done."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu had her phone charging in her bedroom. When she returned to the room, she found that Yin Zhao-an had called her several times and sent her over a dozen voice messages on WeChat.


    Seeing this, Tang Yu decided to give Yin Zhao-an a call. When the call connected, Yin Zhao-an sounded very anxious as she asked:


    "Tang-Tang, why haven''t you answered your phone for so long? Did Auntie and Uncle make things difficult for you? If they did, don''t try to argue with them. Don''t get hurt, do you hear me?"


    The tears that had barely stopped began to well up again. In a choked voice, Tang Yu said, "Why do you keep thinking only about me? Have you ever thought about yourself?"


    "Why are you crying?! Did Uncle hit you?! Dammit! I''m coming over from school right now. Wait for me!"


    "No, don''t¡­" Don''t be impulsive.


    Tang Yu stared blankly at her phone, her head starting to ache at seeing how quickly Yin Zhao-an had hung up.


    Tang Yu tried to call back, but Yin Zhao-an never answered, possibly because she had put her phone on mute.


    "What should I do¡­" Tang Yu anxiously got up from the bed and wiped her tears with her arm. Then, she grabbed her cotton jacket and walked out.


    Yu Wanrou was just about to knock on Tang Yu''s door when she saw her daughter running out of the room and speeding downstairs, going who knows where. She had wanted to talk to Tang Yu about Yin Zhao-an''s matter, but seeing her daughter in such a hurry, she decided to leave it for another day.


    ¡­


    Unlike the rush hour during the day, there was no traffic jam on the road in the evening. So, the journey from Chong High only took half an hour by car.


    After paying the taxi driver, Yin Zhao-an thought of running for Tang Yu''s home, but she quickly remembered that she was no longer a resident here and couldn''t come and go as she pleased.


    "An-An!"


    Yin Zhao-an saw a figure quickly closing in on her. Then, once within arms'' reach, this figure lunged at her.


    Tang Yu had run all the way here from her home, so her breathing had become ragged, and she tried her best to calm down in Yin Zhao-an''s embrace.


    There was air conditioning in the taxi, so Yin Zhao-an''s body was still very warm. Tang Yu, on the other hand, was enveloped in coldness, and it was unknown how long she had been standing in the cold night.


    "Why did you come outside?" Yin Zhao-an asked as she stroked Tang Yu''s long hair, her heart aching when she saw that Tang Yu was freezing from top to bottom.


    "I was afraid they wouldn''t let you in, so I came out to meet you," Tang Yu said as she put her hands into the pockets of Yin Zhao-an''s down jacket, absorbing her lover''s body warmth. 4887


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an felt a little relieved when she failed to find any bruises on Tang Yu''s face. But regret quickly filled her as she said, "I should have told you that we had an exam at school today. I kept my phone off in the dormitory the whole day, and I only remembered I had it off when I went back just now. I''m sorry."


    In response, Tang Yu shook her head to indicate that she didn''t mind. Then, while holding hands and walking into the military compound with Yin Zhao-an, she said, "Nothing happened to me. Next time, let me finish what I have to say before hanging up. What would you have done if I didn''t come out to meet you?"


    Yin Zhao-an had already calmed down after seeing Tang Yu unhurt. However, she couldn''t be blamed for her rash actions, as Zhao Yu''s experience had more or less traumatized her. She truly didn''t dare to bet on the chance that Tang Yu wouldn''t encounter a similar experience as Zhao Yu.


    "If you hadn''t come to meet me, I would have called my dad over to bring me in," Yin Zhao-an said as she wrapped an arm around Tang Yu''s shoulders, using her body to shield Tang Yu from the cold wind.


    When they got closer and closer to the house, Tang Yu suddenly stopped walking and anxiously tugged on the edge of Yin Zhao-an''s clothes. Then, she said, "I¡­ I''m still a little anxious."


    Yin Zhao-an initially thought Tang Yu was scared of something when she saw her suddenly stopping. She didn''t think her lover would be feeling anxious.


    After dotingly pecking Tang Yu on the lips, Yin Zhao-an said, "Don''t worry. I''ve already informed Auntie beforehand. Auntie has a good impression of me, so she shouldn''t give us too much trouble. When we go in, just hide behind me."


    "No." Shaking her head, Tang Yu said, "I won''t hide. We will face it together. Whether it is a scolding or a beating, I won''t let you bear it alone."


    After saying so, Tang Yu took a deep breath before stating, "Let''s go!" Then, she strode toward her house with her legs still trembling under her jacket.


    Yin Zhao-an watched Tang Yu''s back, her eyes filled with infinite tenderness. After letting out a soft chuckle, she quickly caught up with Tang Yu and held her chilly hand, transmitting her warmth from her body to Tang Yu.


    Yu Wanrou watched the entire interaction between the two girls from her room''s balcony, her eyebrows lifting slightly as she considered what kind of act she should put on in front of the two children later on.


    Tang Zhengyang was the one to open the door for Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an. He had already guessed what was going on when he saw Tang Yu rushing out of the house without even changing out of her house slippers, but when he saw her coming back with Yin Zhao-an, he still couldn''t help but put on an ugly expression.


    "Uncle Tang," Yin Zhao-an greeted Tang Zhengyang with a polite smile.


    Tang Zhengyang very much wanted to coldly snort and turn away like the malicious mothers-in-law depicted in TV dramas, but he couldn''t. So, he squeezed out a friendly smile and said, "An-An, you''re here. Come on in. It''s windy outside."


    While saying so, Tang Zhengyang unintentionally glanced at the two girls'' intertwined hands, the corners of his mouth twitching a little. Then, he silently turned around and nestled back on the sofa to watch a melodramatic TV show.

 CH 152

    Yu Wanrou walked down from upstairs in a gentle gait. When she met Yin Zhao-an''s gaze in the living room, the two smiled at each other as a form of greeting.


    "Since you''re here, just stay here tonight, An-An," Yu Wanrou suggested as she stood before Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an. Of the two girls, Tang Yu was at the same eye level as her, while Yin Zhao-an was a head taller than she was.


    "Okay," Yin Zhao-an agreed.


    Overhearing this, Tang Zhengyang jumped off the sofa and said, "Then, I''ll go tidy up the guest room."


    "No need," Yu Wanrou interrupted her husband. Then, she looked at the two children and said, "They''re both girls, so it''s fine if they sleep together. Right, An-An?"


    Tang Zhengyang stood stiffly for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching. Then, he silently sat back on the sofa.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an smiled and said, "I''m fine with anything."


    Yu Wanrou nodded. Then, she turned around to head back upstairs, but on her way up, she turned to look at Tang Yu and said, "Come to my room for a moment, Little Yu. I have something to tell you."


    Tang Yu knew that her mother wanted to talk to her about her relationship with Yin Zhao-an. Out of anxiety, she turned to look at Yin Zhao-an, but when she saw the look of assurance in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes and felt the grip over her hand tightening a little, she suddenly felt that there was nothing to fear.


    No matter what difficulties she might encounter, the person next to her would not easily let go of her hand. They could stand side by side and face the unknown challenges ahead of them together.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu stepped into her parents'' bedroom, she saw that her mother was currently teasing the little baby in the crib, her mother''s maternal aura becoming even more apparent than before.


    "Come and take a look at Chen-Chen," Yu Wanrou beckoned at Tang Yu and patted the chair next to her.


    The baby in the crib was chubby and had a pair of bright eyes that followed Tang Yu''s movements, his soft little hands waving around as if trying to grab something.


    Tang Yu tentatively extended a finger, which was quickly grabbed by the small hand. The hand felt soft and warm, and it did not feel weak at all. Even so, Tang Yu didn''t dare to make any movements for fear of harming her little brother. Though, when she looked at the new life before her, she suddenly experienced a strange and indescribable feeling.


    "Chen-Chen is an obedient baby, just like when you were little," Yu Wanrou said with a nostalgic expression. Then, while gently stroking the baby''s tender cheek, she continued, "You were very shy when you were small, and you didn''t dare to go anywhere. You would hide whenever you saw strangers. An-An was the first friend you made, and I am grateful for the protection she has given to you throughout your journey of growth.


    "Although I was a bit surprised about An-An liking you, I''m not an obstinate parent. My job is to do translation work for foreign clients, so I have had many opportunities to see same-sex couples living happily.


    "I am also aware of the situation within the country. Although it hasn''t reached the point of discrimination, many people still find it difficult to accept this kind of love, and many couples have separated due to social pressure.


    "You and An-An are very lucky. At the very least, your Aunt Wang and I aren''t that kind of people. We respect your love and are willing to make concessions for you, but I also hope that you can show me the results of our concessions. Do you understand?"


    "I understand. An-An and I will be happy forever," Tang Yu replied firmly.


    "I hope so. An-An is a good child, and I hope you two will be happy together," Yu Wanrou said, smiling lovingly as she touched Tang Yu''s cheek. "You are my child. No matter what, I will stand by your side."


    Tang Yu held her mother''s hand and felt her mother''s warmth on her face, her eyes growing moist as she said, "Thank you, Mommy."


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    "You can go back now. An-An must be waiting for you anxiously," Yu Wanrou said as she retracted her hand. "As for your father, he knows little about these things, so it''s normal for him to have difficulty accepting it. Don''t be mad at him."


    "I won''t. I know Daddy wants the best for us," Tang Yu said with a smile.


    After bidding farewell to her mother, Tang Yu returned to her room. By now, Yin Zhao-an had already finished washing up and neatly folded the clothes she had been wearing earlier, and she was currently sitting cross-legged on the bed.


    For some reason, when the two met each other''s eyes, they felt as if they had finally reunited after a long period of separation.


    Smiling, Yin Zhao-an opened her arms to Tang Yu.


    Without thinking, Tang Yu locked the door behind her and shuffled over Yin Zhao-an, hugging her tightly.


    Affected by inertia, Yin Zhao-an fell backward with Tang Yu in her arms. Even so, Tang Yu refused to let go of her waist and continued to rub against her like a clingy kitten.


    Worried that Tang Yu might catch a cold, Yin Zhao-an reversed their positions and pulled a blanket over them, making sure that Tang Yu was covered before continuing to indulge her childish actions.


    "Was this the surprise you mentioned?" Tang Yu asked with her face buried in Yin Zhao-an''s neck. Then, she took a deep breath of Yin Zhao-an''s scent, smelling a faint hint of mint that originated from her shower gel.


    "It''s one of them. Honestly, I didn''t expect to get Auntie''s approval so easily. Also, my parents are okay with us," Yin Zhao-an answered while gently stroking Tang Yu''s hair. Then, switching to holding Tang Yu''s face with both hands, Yin Zhao-an looked into Tang Yu''s eyes and continued, "From now on, we don''t need to hide anymore. We are lovers who have received the blessings of our families."


    Tang Yu stared in surprise at the person in front of her, feeling truly lucky to have been able to reincarnate. In this new life, not only was she able to get together with the person she loved, but the person in question also loved her back and was willing to shield her from all the storms of life, even if it meant risking her own life.


    Tang Yu couldn''t find any words to adequately express her feelings, so she leaned forward and kissed Yin Zhao-an''s lips, using actions to convey her current emotions.


    Afterward, Tang Yu heard a soft laugh coming from above her before feeling a tongue invade her mouth, the sudden invasion stimulating her senses and sending a shiver through her body.


    However, this kiss did not last long, as Yin Zhao-an ended it before they got too passionate. Then, she rubbed her thumb across Tang Yu''s rosy lips before suddenly switching to kissing Tang Yu''s neck.


    Tang Yu felt a slight pain from her neck, but the pain disappeared before she could even cry out.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an gently caressed the place she had just kissed and joyfully said, "That''s my stamp of ownership!"


    Tang Yu blushed and shyly snuggled into Yin Zhao-an''s arms. In a soft voice, she said, "Let''s go to bed. You still have classes tomorrow."


    Chuckling softly, Yin Zhao-an said, "Alright, let''s go to sleep. Goodnight, my wife."


    ¡­


    The atmosphere of the Lunar New Year this year was slightly different from usual as Yu Wanrou and Wang Zhen happily discussed their daughters'' affairs, occasionally bursting into laughter as they chatted. Meanwhile, on the other side¡­


    Tang Zhengyang quietly brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for Yin Changcheng, the two men silently sipping tea in a corner.


    The third year of high school was a critical time for students, so school holidays were drastically shortened. As a result, Yin Zhao-an only got to stay at home for a few days before returning to school to prepare for the final semester. Though, she didn''t complain about it as her goal was to be with Tang Yu at every crucial stage of life, from wearing school uniforms to wedding dresses together.


    ¡­


    Time passed by neither too quickly nor slowly. Thanks to her role as the voice of Ye Rumeng, Tang Yu successfully gained some popularity in the voice-acting industry.


    During that same period, Wu Na''s temperament changed drastically. No longer did she stay out late or wear heavy makeup. She also stopped skipping classes, behaving no differently than any other student. Though, exactly what caused these changes was unknown to everyone but herself.


    ¡­


    On the eve of the college entrance examination, Tang Yu started providing psychological counseling to Yin Zhao-an. Having gone through the examination twice before, Tang Yu was immune to the stresses that came with participating in such important tests, but it was a different story for Yin Zhao-an. Although she doubted Yin Zhao-an would have trouble with the actual tests, some anxiety was unavoidable, and there was no saying whether this anxiety could lead to errors in judgment.


    However, contrary to Tang Yu''s expectations, Yin Zhao-an didn''t seem nervous at all. While leaning against her bed''s headboard, Yin Zhao-an flatly said, "What should I do? I''m so nervous. What if I miss a question?" Yet, as she was saying so, she was watching and taking screenshots of the two game characters on her laptop hugging a cute little baby in their arms¡­


    ¡­


    Classes continued as usual in university, even as the college entrance examination was taking place. So, Tang Yu attended classes as usual, though none of the lecturers'' words ever stayed in her mind for more than a second. 4887


    On the last day of the college entrance examination, Tang Yu woke up and got changed very early in the morning. Wang Feifei was still half-asleep and lying on the edge of her bed as she watched Tang Yu pacing around the dormitory wearing a French cornflower dress, occasionally stopping in front of the full-length mirror to check on the makeup she had applied with great difficulty.


    After letting out a yawn, Wang Feifei lazily asked, "Are you going on a date, Tang Yu?"


    At this time, Guo Yifan also got out of bed with messy hair. Then, when she saw how Tang Yu looked, she couldn''t help but exclaim, "Sure enough, a woman in love will change how she looks for her beloved. Since when did you stop being single?"


    As for Wu Na, who remained silent throughout this entire time, she lifted the curtains of her bed a little and looked at the shy and smiling Tang Yu in silence. Then, she quietly took a photo of Tang Yu with her phone, lowered her curtains, and erased her presence completely.


    After making sure her appearance was flawless, Tang Yu turned to Guo Yifan and awkwardly said, "Um¡­ If the lecturer is taking attendance today¡­"


    Guo Yifan instantly understood what Tang Yu wanted to say, so she generously waved her hand and smiled, saying, "I get it, I get it. Leave everything to me. I can even take a video of tomorrow''s basic lecture for you if you can''t make it back today."


    "Thank you!" Tang Yu smiled gratefully, her cute dimples paired showing on her innocent face.


    Guo Yifan fell into a daze. Tang Yu would rarely smile like this, her smiles being polite and distant most of the time. This was the first time Guo Yifan had seen Tang Yu smiling so sweetly, and her heart nearly stopped because of the sight.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu picked up a small handbag and walked out of the room in a pair of short heels, her skirt swaying in the wind.

 CH 153

    In the silent and spacious exam venue, the sound of pens scratching against paper could be heard as students concentrated on their tests.


    Suddenly, the piercing sound of a bell echoed throughout the seemingly dormant campus, shattering the concentration of the students. Meanwhile, the ringing of this bell signaled the beginning of liberation, the start of a nightmare, and the arrival of a new dawn.


    After exiting the examination venue, Yin Zhao-an stretched lazily and yawned, her eyes moistening.


    When the exam proctor stepped out of the classroom after collecting all the test papers, the students rushed into the classroom to retrieve their belongings. When these students left the exam venue a second time, some had calm expressions, some smiled, and some seemed downcast.


    As for Yin Zhao-an, she exited the exam venue with a smile. But she didn''t join the crowd in leaving the building. Instead, she leisurely leaned against a wall as she happily fiddled with an item in her shirt pocket¡ªit was a gift she had prepared for Tang Yu.


    ¡­


    After the crowd disappeared, Yin Zhao-an put her hands in her pants pockets and made her way downstairs with her exam tools.


    Let''s take a taxi to Tang-Tang''s school. I think she has classes in the morning, but it doesn''t matter. I can wait.


    Yin Zhao-an thought about all sorts of things as she walked. She even considered the likelihood of Tang Yu agreeing to visit a hotel with her. While lost in her thoughts, she quickly arrived at the exam center''s gate.


    Beyond the gate was an empty street, the dark gray asphalt road extending to the outermost end and connecting to a highway.


    Currently standing on the sidewalk across the empty street was a girl in a French cornflower dress, the girl having her hands behind her back as she smiled at Yin Zhao-an.


    At this moment, Yin Zhao-an felt like she was the main character in a movie, with only her and the sweet-smiling girl being the only people in the world. Even the passing clouds seemed to have slowed down to watch their meeting.


    However, Yin Zhao-an didn''t rush over to embrace the girl like in a movie but instead chuckled and walked slowly toward the other party. Though, contrary to how calm she appeared, a layer of sweat had already coated the hands in her pockets.


    Tang Yu stood motionlessly on the sidewalk, her heartbeat accelerating as she watched Yin Zhao-an walk closer and closer to her.


    Yin Zhao-an did not step onto the sidewalk. Instead, she stood on the asphalt road, the road''s lower elevation allowing her to meet Tang Yu at eye level.


    Tang Yu tilted her head, looking somewhat dissatisfied, as she asked, "Aren''t you surprised that I''m here?"


    "I am surprised," Yin Zhao-an replied.


    "...I can''t tell."


    Yin Zhao-an carefully scrutinized Tang Yu, noticing the light foundation on her already delicate skin, the orange-toned eyeshadow on her eyelids, and the lip balm smudged on her lips. Overall, Tang Yu looked very much like a peach in summer, pink and moist.


    "You look very beautiful, Tang-Tang, so¡­"


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes looked very enchanting, and they firmly grasped Tang Yu''s heart. Then, before she realized it, she found getting lifted off her feet.


    With little effort, Yin Zhao-an picked Tang Yu off the sidewalk and placed her steadily on the asphalt road. Then, getting down on one knee, she devoutly kissed Tang Yu''s fair and slender hand.


    Tang Yu stumbled backward a little, shocked by this unexpected development. Even so, her gaze remained fixated on the girl in front of her, the scenery in her eyes gradually blurring. She could also feel warm liquid sliding down her cheeks and falling silently to the ground.


    "I designed this ring myself. Although I have never learned to draw, this ring''s appearance seemed to be naturally imprinted in my mind, and it constantly reminded me that it belongs only to you," Yin Zhao-an said as she pulled out a delicate ring from her shirt pocket. The ring was a silver loop decorated with diamonds, and the inside of the silver ring was engraved with indistinct hyacinth flowers and three letters.


    "I am willing to exchange my remaining life for your judgment, so please don''t reject me," Yin Zhao-an said, her eyes turning red and moist. "Will you¡­give me a chance?"


    The girl on one knee wore a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and black overalls. She looked resolute as she stared at the sobbing girl in the blue dress in front of her.


    "I am willing." Tang Yu felt quite embarrassed when she said these three words. She couldn''t help but laugh as soon as she finished, and tears flowed down due to her laughter.


    Yin Zhao-an was also brought to laughter, tears streaming down her face as she devoutly put the silver ring on Tang Yu''s ring finger. The ring made Tang Yu''s porcelain-like, slender fingers look even brighter than before.


    "Okay, that''s enough. Quickly stand up. It''s too embarrassing," Tang Yu said as she wiped her tears and pulled Yin Zhao-an up from the ground. She felt that both of them looked like fools for crying and laughing.


    After standing up, Yin Zhao-an rested her head on Tang Yu''s shoulder and embraced her beloved, her heart filled with joy and happiness.


    The cicadas perched on the nearby trees had yet to stop chirping, and the sun was still baking the earth with its scorching rays.


    Hyacinths symbolized "eternal devotion." People in Europe and America often carved hyacinths on the tombstones of their loved ones to show "eternal devotion."


    In addition, if hyacinths wished to bloom again after their flowering period, the withered flowers from the previous season must be removed. So, hyacinths also represented reborn love.


    ¡°Be dead, and rise from the dead."


    ¡­


    At night, Tang Yu received a message from Guo Yifan that their philosophy teacher had gone on a business trip, so they would have a self-study session for tomorrow''s class, which, in student terms, meant that there would be no class tomorrow.


    After replying with a word of gratitude, Tang Yu set her phone aside and laid back in Yin Zhao-an''s embrace.


    "Do you have classes tomorrow?" Yin Zhao-an lazily asked as she fiddled with Tang Yu''s soft hair with one hand while caressing Tang Yu''s bare shoulder with her other hand.


    "No, my teacher went on a business trip," Tang Yu answered while shifting her body, feeling a bit hot.


    "Oh?" Yin Zhao-an''s voice suddenly changed tone, her eyes lighting up in the dark. She leaned in close to Tang Yu''s ear, gently nibbling on her thin earlobe. Then, like the serpent that tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, she said in a low and hoarse voice, "Then¡­let''s do it again."


    Sensing danger, Tang Yu struggled to climb away. But Yin Zhao-an, utilizing her superior agility, quickly pressed her down and began fanning the flames on her body with her lips, leaving numerous rosy marks around her collarbone.


    It''s over. How am I going to return to school tomorrow? Tang Yu wondered in despair. However, she quickly stopped thinking about this problem as Yin Zhao-an swept her away to the vast ocean of desires.


    ¡­


    The next day, Tang Yu only got up from bed around noon. This was her second time waking up today as Yin Zhao-an had woken her up in the morning to drink a bowl of sweet congee. When Tang Yu woke up, Yin Zhao-an was in the middle of playing with her computer by the bedside.


    Tang Yu got out of bed in her nightgown, her legs still feeling a little weak. While making her way into the bathroom with trembling legs, she couldn''t help but recall the question she had discussed with Yin Zhao-an after their first time together.


    A platonic relationship?


    As someone who had already tasted the forbidden fruit, Tang Yu could no longer consider such a suggestion, and she couldn''t help but curse herself for being a fickle woman.


    Once in the bathroom, Tang Yu looked up at the mirror in front of her.


    The person in the mirror had on a pearl-white silk nightgown that hung lazily from her shoulders, her messy hair rested on her creamy skin, and rosy kiss marks could be seen decorating that skin.


    There was an empty cup and a toothbrush with toothpaste on it placed next to the sink. Tang Yu grabbed the toothbrush and started brushing her teeth, her eyes taking notice of the silver ring on her ring finger while she was doing so.


    Several small diamonds decorated the silver ring in a unique pattern. Upon closer inspection, Tang Yu noticed something peculiar about the ring''s design.


    There was a slight protrusion where the diamonds were, as if something was wrapped underneath. Tang Yu was puzzled by this design, so once she finished washing up, she asked the "designer" about its inspiration.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an set her game character on "follow" mode when she heard Tang Yu''s question. Then, while gently caressing Tang Yu''s ring finger, she said, "You might get angry if I tell you."


    Confused, Tang Yu asked, "Why would I get angry?"


    "It took me a long time to make this ring, and a big part of the reason was this," Yin Zhao-an said as she pointed to the slight protrusion on the silver ring. "This part here; there is a mini tracking device in it."


    "Something like a GPS?" Tang Yu was a little surprised by this revelation.


    Nodding, Yin Zhao-an continued, "Something like that. But this device is a little special in that should you show any strange movements, such as leaving the area or specific location I designated, it will send an alert to my phone, and I will immediately know your whereabouts."


    Tang Yu did not respond, taking her time to process Yin Zhao-an''s words.


    Seeing Tang Yu remain quiet, Yin Zhao-an started to panic a little and hurriedly explained, "I''m not doing this to monitor you. It''s just that I''m worried you''ll disappear again like three years ago. I don''t want to turn around and suddenly find you missing, so¡ª"


    The rest of Yin Zhao-an''s words were silenced by a gentle kiss. Rather than words, Tang Yu conveyed her emotions through actions.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    "I understand. If this can make you feel more secure, I''m willing to expose all my whereabouts to you. I won''t get angry, I promise." Tang Yu propped up her body with one hand, leaning forward slightly as she looked at the panicked girl in front of her with tender eyes.


    Yin Zhao-an averted her eyes guiltily in an attempt to avoid meeting the calm eyes before her. But in her attempt to do so, her eyes fell on a certain place, and her cheeks quickly turned red.


    Yin Zhao-an knew that this was an unintentional action from Tang Yu, but this invisible temptation was the most deadly.


    Tang Yu saw the sudden change in Yin Zhao-an''s complexion, and she couldn''t help but frown a little. Then, she followed Yin Zhao-an''s gaze and arrived at¡­her own chest.


    Because she was wearing a silk nightgown, the neckline would always become wide open when she leaned forward. This meant that her current position granted a certain somebody a full view of her bare chest¡­


    Blushing, Tang Yu sat upright and lightly coughed to hide her embarrassment. Then, she said, "I''m going to change. I need to go back to school in the afternoon."


    Although they had already gone all the way with each other, Yin Zhao-an still didn''t dare to flaunt their relationship in broad daylight. She might be a promiscuous libertine at night, but during the day, she would become a pure and innocent girl.


    Despite Tang Yu''s intent to return to school, she quickly arrived at a problem. The long dress she wore to meet Yin Zhao-an had a square neckline, and it exposed everything from her collarbone to her upper chest. Or, more specifically, it exposed the kiss marks decorating her collarbone and chest. Because of this, she didn''t even dare to leave Yin Zhao-an''s room, let alone go back to school.


    Yin Zhao-an understood Tang Yu''s dilemma, but she didn''t feel guilty in the slightest. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she pointed at the closet with her chin and said, "Pick a collared shirt from my closet. It should help with hiding the marks."

 CH 154

    Yin Zhao-an''s wardrobe was mostly filled with simple hooded sweatshirts and her favorite high-collar sports jackets.


    Tang Yu''s hand stopped on a white jacket, a flash of joy flickering in her eyes. Grabbing the jacket, she showed it to Yin Zhao-an and asked, "Can I wear this?"


    The jacket had a white base decorated with dark green stripes on the shoulders. It gave off a youthful vibe and suited Tang Yu quite well.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Yin Zhao-an was also satisfied with this article of clothing, and her eyes narrowed as she recalled buying this white-green jacket while shopping with Tang Yu before.


    There were two of these jackets being sold at the time, but one had dark-green stripes while the other had wine-red stripes. However, as the shopkeeper had tried to rip them off because of how young they looked, Tang Yu angrily dragged her away from the store. Later on, while Tang Yu was trying out clothes in another store, Yin Zhao-an quickly ran back to the store and bought those two jackets.


    But after purchasing the jackets, Yin Zhao-an had never taken any of them out of her wardrobe. She didn''t think that the first time one of these jackets got taken out would be because of Tang Yu.


    As soon as Tang Yu stepped into the bathroom to change, Yin Zhao-an got off the bed and searched her wardrobe, finding the sports jacket with wine-red stripes in no time.


    When Tang Yu left the bathroom, she saw a tall and lean girl standing in the bedroom, wearing a sports jacket of similar design, but in a different color, as her.


    Immediately, Tang Yu remembered where she had seen these jackets before, and she couldn''t help but frown as she asked, "...Did you buy these jackets from that mall we visited that day?"


    Yin Zhao-an grinned and walked over to embrace Tang Yu''s shoulders, saying, "Don''t worry. I bargained with the shopkeeper, so I didn''t buy these jackets at the initial price."


    "...I see." Tang Yu remained skeptical, but she didn''t say anything more.


    Tang Yu didn''t take the taxi back to school. Instead, Yin Zhao-an called her driver, and she followed Tang Yu to her school.


    Originally, Yin Zhao-an had planned to leave after dropping off Tang Yu at her university''s entrance. However, she suddenly thought of Tang Yu''s roommate, Wu Na, and she couldn''t help but feel a little uneasy. So, she insisted on escorting Tang Yu to her dormitory.


    There were no classes in the afternoon, so Guo Yifan had left for the library while Wang Feifei was sitting at her desk with her earphones on, listening to something. As for Wu Na, she spent most of her day in bed, only getting out to use the bathroom and get the food deliveries she ordered.


    When Tang Yu entered the room, she did so carefully so as to avoid disturbing the dormitory''s peace. However, Wang Feifei still took notice of the door opening and turned around to find a tall and beautiful girl standing behind Tang Yu. Immediately, she silently looked at Tang Yu with an inquiring gaze.


    "She''s my childhood friend," Tang Yu whispered.


    Wang Feifei nodded in understanding and signaled for them to be quiet as she gestured at a nearby bed. Seeing this, Tang Yu silently exchanged a knowing glance with Wang Feifei.


    Yin Zhao-an naturally saw the interaction between Tang Yu and Wang Feifei, and she couldn''t help but frown when she discerned the meaning behind their actions. She didn''t think that the relationships in this dormitory had already become so tense.


    Unaware of Yin Zhao-an''s thoughts, Tang Yu had Yin Zhao-an sit at her desk for a bit while she went to retrieve her clean laundry from the balcony.


    Tang Yu''s bed curtain was a fresh green color, and she would keep it open every morning for ventilation. Her blanket was also neatly folded and set aside on the bed.


    Whilst admiring her beloved''s bed, Yin Zhao-an suddenly noticed something, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Carefully, she climbed onto Tang Yu''s bed, knelt on it with both knees, and reached for a hidden speck of light in the corner with her hand.


    When Tang Yu returned, she saw Yin Zhao-an sitting at her desk, playing with a condenser microphone curiously.


    Noticing Tang Yu''s return, Yin Zhao-an motioned for her to lean in with her index finger. Tang Yu obediently leaned forward, thinking that Yin Zhao-an had something to say to her. But then, Yin Zhao-an held down the back of her neck and kissed her.


    Wang Feifei noticed from the corner of her eyes that Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an had moved their heads close to each other. However, she didn''t think much of it and simply thought it was just two childhood friends whispering secrets to each other. So, she quickly returned her focus to the computer before her.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu was startled and dared not make any big movements. Even her breathing had become cautious.


    Yin Zhao-an quickly released Tang Yu and got up from the chair. Then, with one hand in her pocket, she gently flicked the forehead of the blushing person before her and whispered in the other party''s ear, "I''m going back now. Don''t forget to think of me."


    It wasn''t until several minutes after Yin Zhao-an had left that Tang Yu snapped out of her daze and covered her blushing ears with her hands, inwardly cursing at Yin Zhao-an''s brazen behavior.


    Meanwhile, as soon as Yin Zhao-an stepped out of the dormitory, the mischievous grin she wore instantly vanished, transforming into a solemn expression. A fierce glint also flashed in her eyes as she tightly clenched the miniature camera in her pocket.


    ¡­


    Early morning.


    Tang Zhengyang woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing urgently. When he saw that Yu Wanrou was still fast asleep next to him, he quickly put on a coat and went downstairs.


    When Tang Zhengyang opened the door, the doorbell finally stopped ringing. Then, he found Yin Zhao-an standing at the door with a laptop in her arms, dark circles under her eyes.


    The two sat in the living room. By now, Tang Zhengyang had already straightened himself up. After pouring a glass of water for the exhausted Yin Zhao-an, he carefully looked at the information on the computer.


    Yin Zhao-an had yet to start studying computer science, and the best she could do was uncover the IP address to which the miniature camera was linked with. So, she decided to come to Tang Zhengyang for help.


    Originally, Yin Zhao-an could have gone to one of the technicians working for her father''s company to trace the miniature camera''s IP address and destroy all the images of Tang Yu that were on the stalker''s computer. But she dared not do so for fear that images of Tang Yu changing clothes might have been taken. The last thing she wanted was for unrelated people to see her beloved''s unclothed body.


    So, the only person she could rely on was Tang Zhengyang. He would definitely have a way to ensure Tang Yu''s images remained unseen.


    Meanwhile, Tang Zhengyang''s body became rigid after listening to Yin Zhao-an''s discovery, his anger apparent. He knew his daughter''s personality well. Tang Yu would never offend others, so how could someone be targeting her?


    While Tang Zhengyang pondered how he should proceed with this situation, his phone on the coffee table suddenly rang. When he saw the caller ID, his knitted brows loosened, and a glint flashed in his eyes as an idea came to his mind.


    ¡­


    "Okay, I''m home now. You can come over."


    After exchanging a few sentences, Tang Zhengyang''s solemn expression visibly loosened.


    "Someone will come over later. He used to be a technical specialist for the army and is now working for my unit. This matter will be solved easily with his help."


    "Really?" Yin Zhao-an''s eyes sparkled with expectation. At the same time, she tried to think of ways to rescue Tang Yu from this dire situation. After all, since Wu Na had already planted a hidden camera on Tang Yu''s bed, there was no saying what she might do in the future.


    After about ten minutes, a handsome man in a white T-shirt and a short crew cut appeared in the living room. The man wore an emotionless face, and he radiated a faint hint of bloodlust. When he saw Yin Zhao-an sitting in the living room, though, he couldn''t help but be stunned and turned to look at Tang Zhengyang in confusion.


    "This is my niece. No need to worry," Tang Zhengyang said to the handsome man. Then, he introduced the man to Yin Zhao-an, "An-An, this is the technical specialist I mentioned. His name is Gong Jun. You can call him Brother Gong."


    Although Gong Jun wore an unfriendly and imposing face, and he was also tall and muscular to boot¡­


    Yin Zhao-an stood up and faintly smiled. Then, without any sense of inferiority, she extended a hand to Gong Jun and called out, "Brother Gong."


    Originally, Gong Jun thought the girl before him would react abashedly as most of the other young women he had met in the past. However, when he looked into the eyes of the girl who was only slightly shorter than he was, he saw a hint of playfulness and¡­a hint of suggestion?


    Gong Jun raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he stopped paying attention to Yin Zhao-an after shaking hands with her. Instead, he turned to Tang Zhengyang and asked, "Did something happen, Brother Tang? You don''t look too good."


    After gesturing for Gong Jun to take a seat, Tang Zhengyang began telling Gong Jun of Yin Zhao-an''s discovery. Then, with a look of concern, he pointed at the asked, "Can you help me locate the terminal that the camera is connected to?"


    "No problem," Gong Jun said. Then, he turned to Yin Zhao-an and asked, "Did you bring the camera with you?"


    "I did," Yin Zhao-an said as she took out something from her pocket and handed it to Gong Jun.


    After receiving the bean-sized camera, Gong Jun swiftly tapped away at the computer and uncovered an IP address. Then, with a hint of surprise, he muttered the words "Wu Na" and laughed.


    Choosing to ignore Gong Jun''s strange behavior, Tang Zhengyang asked, "Is it her?"


    Shaking his head, Gong Jun said, "No, she''s only a mediator. I am still looking for the true owner of the camera. But¡­" Then, he turned to Tang Zhengyang and asked, "Is your daughter studying had the Communication University of China, Brother Tang?"


    "Yes, why?"


    Leaning back a little, Gong Jun narrowed his eyes and said, "We were previously assigned to oversee the military training of the freshmen there. As it so happens, we came across this Wu Na."


    "Did you come into conflict with her?"


    "She blackmailed Shuyang. I hacked into the surveillance system of the bar they visited and found that someone added something to Shuyang''s drink. Then, that Wu Na brought him into a hotel," Gong Jun coldly said, his voice carrying a hint of anger and disdain.


    Rather than focus on the point Gong Jun was emphasizing, Tang Zhengyang took notice of another point. In a low voice, he asked, "You guys went to a bar while assigned to oversee the training of students?"


    Realizing his slip-up, Gong Jun faked a cough to hide his mistake. Then, he quickly changed the topic as he focused his gaze on the computer and said, "Oh, I think I found her conversation history."


    This wasn''t a false statement. He had indeed uncovered Wu Na''s conversation history. He had even singled out a suspicious contact. Then, after some manipulation, he frowned a little and muttered, "It''s even a foreign IP?"


    Tang Zhengyang also frowned when he heard Gong Jun''s words. Hearing that Wu Na was in contact with someone outside the country, he couldn''t help but think of a terrible possibility.


    There were illegal websites that specialized in uploading various illegal videos and images. Some were of children, some were of drugged teenagers, and some were of naive teenagers. There were even some of unsuspecting victims.


    After working away at the computer for some time, Gong Jun finally hacked into the other party''s computer.

 CH 155

    "The other party''s computer doesn''t have any traces of data export, so it is likely that all the data they''ve recorded has never been moved out of the computer''s hard drive. I''ll look for all the data received from the camera and delete it," Gong Jun said while rapidly typing away at the keyboard.


    "Found it."


    After a moment, Gong Jun pulled out a USB drive from his pocket and plugged it into the laptop. Then, after making a copy of the relevant data, he deleted everything on the other party''s computer.


    Handing the USB drive to Tang Zhengyang, Gong Jun said, "Here, all the data linked to the camera is in this drive."


    "I traced the other party''s IP address to America. It looks like Wu Na is dealing with a foreigner," Gong Jun added. "That Wu Na really is something. First, she tries to extort Shuyang. Now, she''s stalking others on another person''s behalf. I''ll have to conduct a thorough investigation on her."


    Tang Zhengyang responded with a perfunctory nod. So long as Gong Jun didn''t cause too big of a commotion, he didn''t really care what the other party did. More importantly, he needed to move his daughter out of her university''s dormitory. There was no way he would let her continue staying with a known stalker.


    "Brother Tang, this is Shuyang''s and my transfer application. Thank you for your help," Gong Jun said as he took out two forms and handed them to Tang Zhengyang. He had initially visited Tang Zhengyang with the goal of handing in these transfer applications, but what should have been a brief visit turned out much longer than he anticipated.


    "I should be the one thanking you for helping me uncover all of this," Tang Zhengyang said as he patted Gong Jun on the shoulders.


    "No problem." Gong Jun smiled brightly, his expression a stark contrast to when he arrived.


    After seeing Gong Jun off, Tang Zhengyang handed the USB drive to Yin Zhao-an. He naturally wouldn''t dare to inspect the drive himself. After all, that was his daughter they were talking about.


    "Uncle Tang, I want to move into a house outside the university with Tang-Tang," Yin Zhao-an suggested after accepting the USB drive. "Tang-Tang has never been good at socializing. It''s unsafe for her to continue staying at the school dormitory."


    Tang Zhengyang similarly felt that it was unsafe for Tang Yu to continue staying at the dormitory. But then, he thought of something and asked, "Are you planning to attend the same university as Little Yu?"


    "Mhm." Yin Zhao-an nodded.


    "Mm, I guess that''s something we can consider. I''ll feel more at ease with you two living together," Tang Zhengyang said.


    At this point, Tang Zhengyang no longer held any resentment toward Yin Zhao-an. After thinking about it, nobody was more suited to be Tang Yu''s partner than Yin Zhao-an.


    "I''ll go now. I''ll let you know once I find a suitable house near the university."


    "Okay." Tang Zhengyang got up to see Yin Zhao-an off. "Be careful on your way back."


    "I will. Thank you, Uncle Tang."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu remained ignorant of the incident involving her, and she continued attending classes as usual. And when she didn''t have classes to attend, she would look for Hu Siyue for voice acting rehearsal. Tang Yu had always been good at voice acting, and whenever they rehearsed, Hu Siyue would always exclaim that she had found a gem.


    When the preview for the radio drama "Dreamy Night" was announced, it caused a huge wave of discussion. The majority of people discussed why the dubbing club had chosen a CV that no one had ever heard of to play the lead role. Some book fans even expressed their resistance, afraid that this newcomer would ruin their beloved character Ye Rumeng.


    Tang Yu didn''t pay much attention to these comments. She simply created a Weibo account at Hu Siyue''s behest and used it to repost the drama announcement made by the dubbing club''s official account.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t.


    Fortunately, on the day the radio drama went live, objections toward Tang Yu voicing Ye Rumeng quickly changed.


    Comments such as "How is this a newcomer''s performance?!" and "Even with a director''s guidance, how can she get into the role so quickly?!" started to appear in rapid succession shortly after Tang Yu started her performance.


    By the end of the performance, Tang Yu''s Weibo account saw a rapid increase in follower count. Many people also commented under her repost, saying things such as "I officially declare myself an OG fan!" and "Is Lord Yu-An really not a pro disguising as a newcomer?"


    ¡­


    Outside of her voice acting career, Tang Yu started to notice Wu Na''s behavior becoming stranger and stranger over time. Sometimes, when she was in front of the mirror, she would notice through the mirror''s reflection Wu Na staring at her with a pair of lifeless eyes. During classes, she would also occasionally feel someone''s gaze on her.


    Tang Yu was greatly frightened by this situation. But just when she was trying to come up with a solution to this problem, the counselor suddenly summoned her to discuss her becoming a non-resident student¡­


    ¡­


    As soon as the National College Entrance Examination concluded, Yin Zhao-an marched into the student dormitory with a group of people and directed these people to move Tang Yu''s belongings out of the building. Then, she brought Tang Yu to the small apartment she had rented near the university.


    Tang Yu was still in a daze when she stood in the apartment Yin Zhao-an rented. This was the house she had spent six years living in during her previous life. It was a place filled with her youthful infatuation and passion. She never thought she would find herself back here in this life.


    "Be careful with those items. Just leave them in the corner. Yes, yes, yes, over there," Yin Zhao-an said to the movers while fanning herself with a folding fan. She behaved like an old man enjoying the shade under a tree.


    After the moving company''s staff completed their tasks, Yin Zhao-an gave each of them a bottle of chilled green tea and politely thanked them for their hard work before watching them leave.


    When Yin Zhao-an saw Tang Yu still standing in place with a stunned look, she thought her beloved Tang-Tang was dissatisfied with the apartment. Sheepishly rubbing her nose, Yin Zhao-an said, "Um, the air conditioning hasn''t been installed yet, but I''ve already contacted the electronics store. They''ll deliver the fridge and air conditioners sometime later. Actually, this house isn''t as bad as it looks. It''s close to the university, and the rent is reasonable. And while it might seem small, it has two bedrooms, one living room, and an independent bathroom."


    "It''s okay. I like it," Tang Yu said as she beamed a smile at Yin Zhao-an. Then, when she started to walk around the house, her eyes grew a little misted as she saw the familiar layout. Aside from some missing furniture and alliances, the house was just as she remembered.


    In her past life, Tang Yu was the one responsible for finding this house. Yin Zhao-an had stated she disliked living in a dormitory, hence Tang Yu had gone out of her way to find this place. But what did Yin Zhao-an say at the time?


    ¡ª"Why is this place so cramped?"


    ¡ª"I can''t believe it. There''s no air conditioning here? I''m going to die of heat here!"


    Even though both people looked exactly the same, their personalities were completely different. Tang Yu felt that she must have reincarnated into a different universe and met a different Yin Zhao-an. This must be why the Yin Zhao-an before her was so gentle and considerate.


    By now, Tang Yu had already let go of her worries completely. The Yin Zhao-an of her present life had a completely different personality than the Yin Zhao-an of her past life. In that case, she wouldn''t have to worry about what might happen in the future. The present Yin Zhao-an loved her, and she wouldn''t abandon her simply because of a computer game.


    While sweating bullets in the warm living room, Yin Zhao-an suddenly had the air in her lungs pushed out as someone crashed into her chest. Then, a confused look appeared on her face as she looked down at the person who had suddenly embraced her.


    "Tang-Tang, I''m covered in sweat," Yin Zhao-an said as she gently pushed Tang Yu''s shoulders. However, as she was doing so, Tang Yu looked up at her with her large and watery eyes. Then, as if possessed, she lowered her head and kissed Tang Yu.


    In response, Tang Yu closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle movements on her lips. At the same time, she could feel the hands on her shoulders gradually moving up and cupping her face. But just when she thought their kiss was about to escalate, the warmth on her lips disappeared, and she felt a gentle peck on her right cheek.


    Tang Yu opened her eyes in confusion. Then, she felt a cooling breeze hitting her face.


    "It''s too hot in here. I worry you might get heatstroke if we continue any further," Yin Zhao-an said, smiling as she fanned Tang Yu with the folding fan.


    Tang Yu pouted, not knowing if she was annoyed or disappointed, and murmured, "Oh." Then, she crouched down and started inspecting the boxes piled up in the house.


    "Are my belongings in all of these boxes? But I don''t recall bringing so many things to the dormitory," Tang Yu said as she poked at one of the boxes.


    "I brought some stuff over as well. Don''t worry about unpacking for now. We''ll do it once the air conditioners arrive," Yin Zhao-an said as she pulled Tang Yu up. Then, while dragging Tang Yu to the bathroom, she continued, "Let''s wash up first and take care of dinner outside."


    While blankly watching Yin Zhao-an adjust the bathtub''s water temperature, Tang Yu asked, "What do you want to eat?"


    "Anything is fine," Yin Zhao-an said while testing the water temperature with her hand. "Are you in the mood for steak?"


    "Let''s go to a seafood buffet. They''ll have ice cream there," Tang Yu said, having a strong desire for something cold. After all, she was melting in this hot weather.


    After adjusting the water temperature, Yin Zhao-an stood up and said, "Sure, we can go to a seafood buffet, but you have to eat some bread to line your stomach first. Don''t forget that you don''t have a strong stomach."


    "I know." Tang Yu smiled.


    "You wash up first; I''ll go dig out your clothes. But don''t stay in the tub for too long, or you might get dizzy later," Yin Zhao-an said before stepping out of the bathroom.


    Tang Yu obediently took off her clothes and sat in the bathtub. The water was neither too cold nor too hot. At the very least, she wouldn''t have to worry about becoming a boiled lobster.


    ¡­


    While Tang Yu was soaking in the bathtub, Yin Zhao-an was leaning against a wall outside the bathroom, a hand placed over her racing heart as she recalled Tang Yu''s previous appearance. Just now, because Tang Yu''s white chiffon shirt was soaked with sweat, the thin fabric revealed her milky white skin and the black lacy bra she wore¡­


    Dammit, I can''t continue thinking about it!


    Holding her slightly feverish nose, Yin Zhao-an hurriedly searched through the boxes in the living room for Tang Yu''s clothes. Even if they were going to enjoy a bathroom play, they should save it for when the house had air conditioning. Otherwise, her beloved Tang-Tang would definitely get heatstroke if they went all the way in this hot weather.


    Yin Zhao-an ended up picking a floral dress for Tang Yu and delivered it into the bathroom along with a set of underwear. When she stepped into the bathroom, though, she promptly turned her gaze toward the ceiling.


    Unlike Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu remained relatively calm. She leisurely lay in the bathtub, revealing only her head as she watched Yin Zhao-an act like a gentleman.


    When Tang Yu saw Yin Zhao-an fleeing out of the bathroom after leaving behind a set of clothes, she couldn''t help but chuckle a little. Then, she nonchalantly lifted the bubbles floating on the water, the faint fragrance of lavender diffusing in the bathroom.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu stepped out of the bathroom, her hair was a little wet. But in this hot weather, it would dry naturally in no time.


    There was half a loaf of sliced bread on the table. Yin Zhao-an had dug it out of one of the moving boxes, and she instructed Tang Yu to eat some before she disappeared into the bathroom with a change of clothes.


    Tang Yu took a seat at the dining table, but she stood back up soon after. The chair still carried the heat they absorbed when they were moved here under the scorching sun, so Tang Yu felt like she was being cooked just by sitting on the chair.


    After deliberating for a moment, Tang Yu grabbed the bread and Yin Zhao-an''s folding fan and stepped into the corridor outside the apartment. There was a breeze blowing in the corridor, so Tang Yu leaned against a windowsill in the corridor as she ate her bread.


    It was late in the afternoon now, so more and more people in the community were leaving their houses. Tang Yu spotted many middle-aged women wearing light clothes walking about, swinging their arms back and forth. She also spotted old men wearing sleeveless shirts leisurely wandering about while shaking their paper fans and greeting the friends they came across.


    Amidst her observation, Tang Yu suddenly heard a sound coming from behind her. Alertly turning around, she saw a cat with long fur leisurely licking its paw and the cat''s owner coming up the stairs, looking slightly out of breath.

 CH 156

    Tang Yu stared blankly at the girl coming up the stairs, not even noticing the bread in her mouth gradually turning soggy.


    The cat with white fur scanned back and forth between Tang Yu and its owner with its blue eyes. Then, it jumped onto its owner''s shoulder¡ªjust as Tang Yu had seen it done multiple times in her previous life¡ªand used its fluffy tail to cover its owner''s eyes.


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an finished washing up and failed to see Tang Yu in the house, she began to panic. After searching all the rooms and still failing to find Tang Yu, she rushed out of the house and found Tang Yu staring blankly at a beautiful and aloof girl. Immediately, a sense of crisis surged in her, so she quickly stood before Tang Yu, blocking her view of the girl as she said, "Let''s go get some seafood."


    Tang Yu chuckled a little when she saw Yin Zhao-an''s flustered look. Then, she nodded and said, "Okay, let''s go."


    ¡­


    Chen Ci watched with a meaningful gaze as Yin Zhao-an possessively dragged Tang Yu into the house, her hand stroking the cat on her shoulder as she said, "They seem pretty happy."


    The white cat glanced at the closed door for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, it opened its mouth and spoke in a human voice, "I would expect nothing less. If Yin Zhao-an still fails to secure this opportunity, she deserves to be alone forever."


    "Then¡­when are we going back?" Chen Ci asked.


    In response, the white cat licked Chen Ci''s face and swayed its tail around before saying, "Don''t worry. Yu Xiao has given us several years of vacation time. We still have plenty of time to see how their relationship develops."


    "Mhm." Chen Ci smiled faintly and entered the house next door.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu spent their summer vacation living in their new home. Yu Wanrou would occasionally call Tang Yu to ask about her situation with Yin Zhao-an as well as remind them to be safe and so on.


    While Tang Yu had smoothly settled into their new home, Yin Zhao-an, on the other hand, was in a state of frantic indecision.


    Yin Zhao-an found that Tang Yu seemed to really like the girl next door, and although Tang Yu had repeatedly explained that she just wanted to go over and make friends, Yin Zhao-an couldn''t relax. So, she would always go with Tang Yu under the pretext of forming a friendly relationship with their neighbor.


    Today was one such day, and Tang Yu and Chen Ci were currently exchanging cooking tips in the kitchen while Yin Zhao-an, not wanting to disturb them, sat in the living room as she scrutinized the woman lying on the sofa across from her.


    This was the first time Yin Zhao-an had met this woman. Unlike Chen Ci''s gentle and aloof appearance, the woman had a sharp gaze and presence.


    Mo Shu noticed Yin Zhao-an scrutinizing her, so she sat up from the sofa, smiling as she introduced herself, "Hello, I''m Chen Ci''s friend, and my name is Mo Shu."


    Yin Zhao-an was still a student. This was her first time seeing a woman radiating such a mature aura, so she couldn''t help but grow a little nervous as she interacted with the other party. "My name is Yin Zhao-an."


    While playing with her nails, Mo Shu looked toward a girl in the kitchen and asked with a playful smile, "Is that girl your friend?"


    "Yes, what''s the matter?" Yin Zhao-an subconsciously frowned. She disliked the way Mo Shu looked at Tang Yu.


    "Nothing. It''s just that I''m quite fond of girls of this type. I can tell that she''ll become very tender in bed."


    Bang!


    Tang Yu poked her head out of the kitchen, looking suspiciously at the living room, "What''s going on?"


    Despite having just slammed her fist on the coffee table out of anger, Yin Zhao-an still smiled gently when facing Tang Yu, saying, "It''s nothing. I accidentally spilled the glass."


    "Oh..." Tang Yu grew suspicious at Yin Zhao-an''s answer, so she tried to look for an answer from Mo Shu. But her confusion only grew when she saw the sly smile on Mo Shu''s face. Ultimately, she gave up trying to get an answer and silently returned to the kitchen to help Chen Ci.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an gritted her teeth and warned the arrogant woman before her, "You better not have any ideas about her. Otherwise, I won''t spare you, even if it costs my life."


    Mo Shu secretly rejoiced in her heart but still wore a debauched and unrestrained expression as she said, "I''m not a scumbag. If I end up with her, I''ll treat her well and never disappoint her."


    "Don''t even think about it! She''s already with me!" Yin Zhao-an said in a lowered voice that fully conveyed her anger.


    Mo Shu pretended to be surprised and covered her mouth, exclaiming, "Oh my, but aren''t you friends?"


    "None of your business!"


    Mo Shu pouted. This child has a really bad temper. As expected, my Little Ke is much more well-behaved.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu and Chen Ci came out of the kitchen with plates of food in their hands.


    Mo Shu smiled when she saw her wife. Regardless of the world they were in, her Little Ke would always be gentle and virtuous. Although her Little Ke''s personality was a little cold in this world, she would still turn into a spring when beneath her.


    However, in Yin Zhao-an''s eyes, it looked like Mo Shu had yet to give up on Tang Yu. After giving the mature woman a glare, Yin Zhao-an got up from her seat and walked over to Tang Yu. Then, she embraced Tang Yu''s waist and kissed her without warning.


    Tang Yu nearly dropped the plates in her hands because of the unexpected assault. Fortunately, Mo Shu reacted in time, and with a flick of a finger, the plates froze in mid-air. Then, without Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu noticing, she took the plates and set them on the dining table.


    Chen Ci was puzzled by this turn of events, but when she saw Yin Zhao-an kiss Tang Yu so forcefully that the latter could barely resist, she blushed and quietly moved to Mo Shu''s side, asking in a whisper, "What''s wrong with Yin Zhao-an?"


    Wrapping an arm around Chen Ci''s shoulder, Mo Shu lightly kissed Chen Ci''s head before answering, "I provoked her a little, and now she''s jealous of me."


    When Tang Yu was close to running out of breath, she pushed Yin Zhao-an away, revealing her blushing face and moist lips. Then, she softly said, "Don''t do this; there are others here."


    In response, Yin Zhao-an clenched her teeth and said fiercely, "I''m doing this precisely for that old woman to see!"


    "You little brat!" Mo Shu rolled up her sleeves, prepared for a fight. However, Chen Ci quickly stopped her, saying:


    "There, there, don''t be angry; it''s just a misunderstanding."


    Tang Yu also took Yin Zhao-an''s hand and softly said, "Stop fighting and let''s eat."


    Meanwhile, Chen Ci stroked Mo Shu''s hair and said, "Yes, let''s eat."


    Out of consideration for Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an no longer argued with the "old woman" but still looked at the other party with a threatening expression.


    Mo Shu was so angry that she regretted ever giving Yin Zhao-an a second chance. If this was how the girl was going to repay her kindness, she should have let the girl wallow in pain for the rest of her life!


    Chen Ci could tell what Mo Shu was thinking, so to appease Mo Shu, she whispered to her in a voice that only they could hear, "Everything''s fine so long as Tang Yu is doing well now. It''s good that Yin Zhao-an has a strong possessive desire, so don''t get angry with a child."


    Mo Shu never meant to get angry for real. When she saw Chen Ci speaking softly to her, she couldn''t help but pinch her chin and give her a peck on the lips. "Okay, I''m not angry anymore."


    Mo Shu''s physical interaction with Chen Ci made it clear that they were more than just friends. Yin Zhao-an would be a fool if she still couldn''t tell what their relationship was. However, it was precisely because she could tell this that she got even angrier. After all, this old woman was still fantasizing about her beloved Tang-Tang even when she already had a partner!


    What a scumbag!


    However, Yin Zhao-an''s hostility towards Mo Shu slowly diminished over time. This was because she could see that Mo Shu was sincere toward Chen Ci. Even when neither of them spoke, Yin Zhao-an could feel the attraction they had for each other. Nobody would ever mistake them for anything other than a couple, and this realization calmed Yin Zhao-an''s restless heart.


    It couldn''t be helped. So long as Tang Yu was involved, Yin Zhao-an could rarely stay calm.


    ¡­


    The group spent their summer occasionally having fun together. Yin Zhao-an had already expected to receive her admission notice from the Communication University of China because of her test results. When she eventually received the notice, she only opened it to check her major before putting it away.


    Sophomores resumed classes as usual, but military training for freshmen was scheduled to start a few days later than usual. As a result, when Tang Yu was attending classes, Yin Zhao-an was left at home with nothing to do, so she played Art of Freedom to pass the time.


    In order to increase her character''s combat power, Yin Zhao-an created a guild. This was because members of a guild could gain additional resources and experience points through the guild''s level advancement and completion of guild quests. When Zhao Yu learned of this, he eagerly asked to join the guild and became a vice guild leader.


    When new players decided to join a guild, most of them would look to join the guilds of the server''s top 10 players, as being in the same guild as these top players meant having someone reliable to rely on in cross-server or team battles. Simply put, they would have more chances to slack off without fear of failure. They would also stand to gain better rewards from these battles. And if they happened to "secure" some kills in the process, even better.


    Even though Yin Zhao-an did not actively recruit members, new players kept joining her guild. Some of the veteran players who were neglected or pushed out of other guilds also joined. Soon, the guild had hundreds of members, and one of the guild''s active members even took the initiative to recruit more members in the world channel.


    [World Channel]


    Blu Blu: New guild [Chang''An Dwelling] is recruiting~ No matter what profession you are, whether you are a new or veteran player, whether you are single or not, as long as you join [Chang''An Dwelling], we will carry you through the dungeons, your EXP will skyrocket, and many girls will flirt with you. Plus, you''ll get a super-duper Golden Gift Pack for free~ Come and join us! (ÃצØ(Ã×


    Zhao Yu happened to be in the game when the advertisement was made, so he naturally saw it and couldn''t help but message the person behind it.


    [Guild Channel]


    Creator: @Blu Blu, when did we agree to give Golden Gift Packs? Don''t make false advertisements. [Hammer]


    Blu Blu: [Cute] Ah~ It''s not false advertising. Didn''t the Divination Elder say that he would give out celebratory gift packs to guild members on National Day?


    Creator: ?! Divination Elder?


    Bambi: Yes, yes, the Divination Elder talked about it a few days ago. [Cute]


    Find the original at bit.ly/3Tfs4P4.


    Zhao Yu slammed his mouse and yelled at Gao Rang, who was cooking noodles in the kitchen, "Big Bro! Are you wasting money again?!"


    Gao Rang came out of the kitchen with a bowl of noodles, an innocent expression on his face as he asked, "What?"


    "I''m talking about the game''s celebratory gift pack! There are hundreds of people in our guild! How much money are you going to have to spend?!" Zhao Yu pointed at the computer, his face red with anger.


    Gao Rang put down the noodles, sat down next to Zhao Yu, and squinted at the game interface. Then, seemingly remembering something, he responded, "Oh. I was trying to promote Yin Zhao-an''s guild. There were only a few members at the time."


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an, sitting in front of the computer, suddenly sneezed and instinctively raised her hand to cover her mouth and nose. She stared blankly outside the window, but the weather outside was as warm as usual. Thinking that it might be because the air conditioning was too low, she decisively reached for the air conditioner''s remote and adjusted the temperature setting.


    ¡­


    Zhao Yu still looked unhappy. He felt frustrated by Gao Rang''s extremely extravagant behavior.


    Gao Rang was someone who knew how to read people''s expressions. He knew he had done something wrong when he saw Zhao Yu''s expression. He pinched Zhao Yu''s nose and promised, "Okay, okay. I''ll discuss anything related to money with you in the future. If you don''t allow it, I won''t do it. How about that?"


    "Really?" Zhao Yu asked skeptically.


    Gao Rang smiled. "Of course, my little money-grubber~"

 CH 158

    TL Notes:


    I accidentally combined Chapter 156 and Chapter 157 because they were so short that I didn''t notice they were separate chapters, so there won''t be a Chapter 157.


    ¡­


    While Yin Zhao-an was busy taking her wife on dungeon runs, Zhao Yu was left to manage many of the guild''s affairs. Aside from occasionally helping out the guild with high-difficulty dungeon raids, Yin Zhao-an spent most of her time raiding low-level dungeons.


    Suddenly, the phone on the desk started playing music. Grabbing the phone, Yin Zhao-an stopped the alarm she had set prior to starting her gaming session and removed her earphones. Then, she went to the kitchen to start preparing lunch.


    Originally, Tang Yu had planned to take care of lunch at school and only come home in the evening. However, Yin Zhao-an refused to let her do so, insisting that Tang Yu come home to eat. Unable to resist her, Tang Yu agreed to her arrangement.


    So, to avoid the awkward situation where they didn''t have any food cooked for lunch when Tang Yu came home, Yin Zhao-an conscientiously asked for a copy of Tang Yu''s timetable and prepared lunch ahead of time accordingly.


    Shortly after Yin Zhao-an started cooking, Mo Shu came knocking on the door, boldly claiming she wanted to sponge some food on them. While resisting the urge to slam the door in Mo Shu''s face, Yin Zhao-an let Mo Shu in with a frown and impatiently said, "I only cooked enough rice for Tang-Tang and me. I don''t think it''ll be enough for you guys."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. I have some cooked at home," Mo Shu replied with a smile. Then, she trotted back to her house in her high heels and returned with Chen Ci in tow. She also carried a small rice cooker in her arms.


    Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an returned to the kitchen and shut the isolation door, busily working away in the kitchen by herself.


    Meanwhile, Chen Ci pulled Mo Shu''s sleeve and asked, "Why are we here?"


    "We''re only here to sponge some food," Mo Shu said as she smiled and patted Chen Ci''s hand reassuringly.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu returned at noon, she saw her two neighbors sitting in the living room and subconsciously smiled, asking, "What brings you two here today?"


    Responding with a smile of her own, Chen Ci said, "We''re here to freeload on lunch. Are we welcomed here?"


    "Of course, you are welcome," Tang Yu said as she set aside her parasol on the shelf. "I''ll see if An-An needs any help in the kitchen."


    After saying so, Tang Yu opened the frosted glass door separating the kitchen from the living room and stepped inside. A second later, though, the door slid shut once more. Seeing this, the two people in the living room were briefly stunned, and then they both smiled.


    "Sure enough, being young and in a relationship sure is nice," Chen Ci said.


    Raising her lips, Mo Shu leaned into Chen Ci''s ear and whispered, "You know, we can behave like a young couple as well."


    "Not so close. It''s hot today," Chen Ci said, blushing to the tips of her ears.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, Tang Yu leaned against the kitchen counter with Yin Zhao-an''s hand on her back as she passively endured the passionate kiss from above.


    The hot soup was still bubbling and boiling in the bot, spreading steam throughout the small kitchen.


    As more steam began to fill the limited space, Tang Yu started to have difficulty breathing. Soon, she became dizzy and disoriented.


    After the kiss, Yin Zhao-an turned off the induction cooker and planted another kiss between Tang Yu''s eyebrows. Only then did she let go of Tang Yu.


    "We can eat now. Let''s bring the dishes out," Yin Zhao-an said with a satisfied smile. Then, she proceeded to fill a porcelain bowl with hot soup.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu looked dizzy, and her cheeks felt piping hot. She could tell she was blushing even without looking at herself in the mirror. After glaring at the culprit, she picked up two of the dishes on the kitchen counter and stepped out of the kitchen.


    ¡­


    During the meal, Mo Shu nonchalantly mentioned to Chen Ci, "Du Yuqing seems to have returned to the country. I wonder when she arrived?"


    Tang Yu''s hand trembled, and the green broccoli she held with her chopsticks fell onto the table. Then, her body started to tremble as well.


    Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu''s abnormal behavior and quickly put down her chopsticks to hold Tang Yu''s hand. Then, expressing deep concern, she asked, "What''s wrong? Why is your hand so cold?"


    Chen Ci also noticed Tang Yu''s situation and asked concernedly, "Are you feeling unwell, Tang Yu?"


    Tang Yu bit her lower lip as she felt Yin Zhao-an''s warm touch. Forcing herself to smile, she looked up and said to Chen Ci, "It''s nothing. My hand just suddenly cramped up."


    Chen Ci and Mo Shu exchanged a glance, neither saying anything. After the meal, though, Tang Yu approached them with some questions.


    Yin Zhao-an was currently doing the dishes in the kitchen, so Tang Yu tentatively sat across Chen Ci and Moshu before asking, "Do you two know Du Yuqing?"


    Mo Shu frankly nodded, saying, "We were neighbors with her when we were younger, and we would play together occasionally."


    The corners of Chen Ci''s mouth twitched when she heard Mo Shu''s words. She didn''t expect such a boldfaced lie coming from her partner.


    "Then¡­do you know if she is in a relationship now?" Tang Yu asked. But she quickly realized the inappropriateness of her words, so she quickly added an explanation, "I was in the same class as her in the past, and we were quite¡­quite close to each other, so I''m just curious."


    Chen Ci silently covered her face, afraid she might fail to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Thus far, two of the three people in the living room had blatantly lied.


    "No, she doesn''t have one," Mo Shu said with her lips curled into a meaningful smile.


    Tang Yu''s heart suddenly thumped when she heard that Du Yuqing still wasn''t in a relationship after all these years.


    Could it be that Du Yuqing still had feelings for Yin Zhao-an¡­


    Tang Yu anxiously twisted the edges of her shirt and subconsciously glanced toward the kitchen. Her eyes also grew moist with fear.


    Could it be that¡­I still can''t avoid my fate of death?


    ¡­


    Mo Shu returned home with Chen Ci after pointing out Du Yuqing''s return to Tang Yu, leaving the rest for the young couple to figure out.


    Yin Zhao-an naturally didn''t believe Tang Yu''s excuse of having a hand cramp. Not to mention, she remembered Du Yuqing. It was a name she had long forgotten, but she immediately felt upset after hearing it for the first time in a long while, even though she didn''t really know why it bothered her so much.


    Tang Yu had class at 2 pm. It was currently only 1 pm, so Yin Zhao-an pulled Tang Yu into their bedroom, ready to ask why Tang Yu had reacted so strongly to hearing Du Yuqing''s name.


    Sitting on the edge of the bed, Tang Yu played with the diamond-encrusted silver ring on her ring finger. The feeling of the diamonds rubbing against her skin caused her to feel itchy and made her heart race.


    We are bit.ly/3Tfs4P4, find us on google.


    "Are you not going to tell me about it, Tang-Tang? Didn''t we promise to face all hardships together?" Yin Zhao-an was unhappy with Tang Yu''s silence. Stepping forward, she grabbed Tang Yu''s shoulders and looked straight into Tang Yu''s eyes.


    Face all hardships together¡­


    Tang Yu looked down. How were they supposed to face this hardship together? Should she reveal that she was someone who had reincarnated? Should she say that Du Yuqing would kidnap her on a rainy night? Or should she reveal how she had died in despair in her past life?


    The current Yin Zhao-an had done nothing wrong, so there was no reason for her to feel guilty about what that person had done. Tang Yu also didn''t wish for the current Yin Zhao-an to atone for the mistakes of the Yin Zhao-an in her past life. The current Yin Zhao-an shouldn''t have to know any of these things.


    Tang Yu slowly stroked Yin Zhao''an''s face with her hand, tears welling up in her eyes. Her gaze was full of passionate love for the person before her. She gave her love from both her lives to the person in front of her.


    "If I disappear, promise me you''ll come to find me right away."


    Tang Yu''s voice was light, like a whisper between lovers, but it made the listener''s heart ache.


    Yin Zhao-an grabbed Tang Yu''s hand tightly, her voice filled with anger as she said, "What do you mean by disappear? I won''t allow it! You can only be by my side. If you dare to leave without a word, I will find you even if I have to dig three feet underground!"


    "Promise me, An-An." Tang Yu leaned her head on Yin Zhao-an''s shoulder, her voice choking. "I need you to promise me."


    Hearing Tang Yu''s soft voice, Yin Zhao-an''s anger subsided, and she embraced the fragile person in her arms as she obediently promised, "Okay... I promise you.


    "But you also promise that you won''t leave my side without permission, or else I''ll lock you up so you can never leave!" Yin Zhao-an added, pretending to be fierce.


    Tang Yu closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.


    After this incident, Yin Zhao-an started to pay extra attention to Tang Yu''s movements, even checking the GPS on her phone from time to time when she was gaming to make sure Tang Yu was within a safe area.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an''s military training soon began. The September sun was harsh, shining brightly in the sky and not withholding any of its light as it transmitted its warmth to all life across the land¡­


    During the midday break, everyone fled to the shade of the trees. Yin Zhao-an was no exception, but she was luckier than her classmates.


    After all, aside from Yin Zhao-an, who had ever brought a family member to accompany them to military training?!


    Tang Yu sat obediently under the shade of a tree, two bottles of lemonade and a small bag of beef jerky placed next to her whilst she took pictures of the tall and cool Yin Zhao-an.


    Many people envied Yin Zhao-an and asked who the girl taking pictures of her was. In response, Yin Zhao-an grinned and said, "My senior sister, duh!"


    The crowd dispersed with disdain, leaving Yin Zhao-an smiling happily by herself.


    Thus far, they had only ever seen senior brothers and senior sisters coming to watch their suffering with snacks in hand. They had never seen a senior sister so kind as to accompany a junior sister to military training and even bring drinks and snacks for her. Fortunately, the two were of the same gender. Had they been a boy and a girl, their behavior would be a blatant public display of affection.


    In reality, Yin Zhao-an and Tang Yu were indeed secretly displaying their affection.


    ¡­


    When the whistle from the chief instructor eventually sounded, almost all the new students breathed a sigh of relief. They could finally return to their dormitories. But before that, their primary destination would be the cafeteria.


    While everyone was heading to the cafeteria, Yin Zhao-an took off her cap and fanned herself with it. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her sweat-soaked black hair stuck to her fair cheeks.


    Once most of the people in the field had left, Tang Yu stood up from the grass, walked over to Yin Zhao-an, and held up a parasol to shade them.


    "Let''s go back and cook lunch." Yin Zhao-an casually put her arm around Tang Yu''s shoulder and took the parasol from her. Then, she strode toward the school gate.


    Tang Yu smiled and lowered her head. Some people around them looked at her curiously. Almost everyone knew that a beautiful and gentle senior sister was accompanying a junior sister on the hot military training ground, so it was inevitable that people would be curious. Which younger sister was so fragile that she needed a senior sister''s company? However, everyone''s image of a frail junior sister quickly shattered when they saw Yin Zhao-an''s towering figure¡­


    Yin Zhao-an had always been one of the tallest girls her age, whether in middle school, high school, or even now in university. There were only a few girls who were as tall as her. She used to be a little insecure about her height, but now she felt much better, knowing that if she stood before those who wanted to bully Tang Yu, her imposing presence would come in handy.


    As Yin Zhao-an walked, she played with Tang Yu''s fingers. Suddenly, she noticed that Tang Yu''s ring finger was empty and became a little flustered. "Where''s the ring I gave you?" she asked.

 CH 159

    Tang Yu was briefly taken aback, but she quickly realized she had yet to inform Yin Zhao-an about what she had done with the ring, so she quickly explained, "It''s too conspicuous if I wear it on my finger, so I''m wearing it on my neck."


    Hearing this, Yin Zhao-an looked down and saw a silver chain on Tang Yu''s snow-white neck. Then, she breathed a sigh of relief and pinched the back of her neck with lingering fear as she said, "You scared me. You mustn''t lose it."


    "I know," Tang Yu obediently replied.


    When the two walked away under the same umbrella, a beautiful figure appeared under a lush tree, her pretty eyes narrowing a little as they reflected the two''s backs.


    ¡­


    At night, Tang Yu received a friend request on QQ, and the other party''s ID was¡ªShimmering Drama Club [Silent Rain].


    Tang Yu was a little surprised. She should have only befriended Silent Rain on QQ during her third year in university, yet she had only started her second year just recently. Was this the butterfly effect at work again?


    After thinking it over, Tang Yu quickly agreed to Silent Rain''s friend request. As soon as the request was approved, she was greeted by a bunch of cute emoticons, just like in her past life.


    Silent Rain: Good evening, Yu-An!! I''m the planner of the Shimmering Drama Club!


    Yu-An: Hi [smile].


    Silent Rain: So here''s the deal. We are currently looking for a voice actress for one of our plays¡­ Don''t worry; we are a legitimate voice-acting society. Our tachi-kun has specifically requested for you to play this role, and she says you are the only one who can do it [pitiful expression].


    Yu-An: ...Tachi-kun?


    Silent Rain: Um...don''t be offended, but the play''s genre is GL.


    As soon as Tang Yu saw this message, she performed a tactical retreat and began to seriously reconsider her options.


    In her past life, Silent Rain had asked her to voice a youthful campus romance drama. Even if changes had occurred to the timeline, why was there such a drastic change in genres?


    Silent Rain: Sob sob, please consider it, Yu-An. If our tachi-kun quits, our drama club will be in big trouble [crying].


    Tang Yu had voiced multiple radio plays, so she knew how much trouble it would cause the production team if the lead actress quit.


    I only need to play my own role well, so why bother about so much? With this in mind, Tang Yu sent her reply to Silent Rain.


    Yu-An: Okay, let me check with my club president first.


    Silent Rain: Ahhh, thank you so much!! I love you, mua~


    Later, Tang Yu told Hu Siyue about this matter, and Hu Siyue''s reaction was as expected. She reminded Tang Yu to be cautious and not to disclose her personal information to strangers or be too friendly with them.


    Tang Yu was grateful to Hu Siyue for treating her like a proper junior sister.


    Since the club president had given her approval, Tang Yu accepted Silent Rain''s invitation, and Silent Rain quickly added her to a chat group.


    Immediately afterward, Silent Rain sent Tang Yu the name of the character she would be voicing and asked her to use that as her pseudonym when chatting in the group. In response, Tang Yu did as told and typed a greeting in the group.


    Yu-An [Main Character ¡¤ Neko - Song Wan''er]: Hello, everyone.


    Tang Yu narrowed her eyes slightly. She didn''t like the "neko" character, and she had a very strong urge to change it¡­


    However, Tang Yu ultimately restrained her fingers. Then, while looking through the greeting messages that had appeared in the group chat during her brief lapse of attention, she spotted her "tachi."


    Four O''clock [Main Character ¡¤ Tachi - Qin He]: Hello.


    The other party seemed quite cold and aloof, and Tang Yu couldn''t help but feel as if she had gotten tricked. No matter how she looked at it, this "tachi" didn''t seem like the type of person who''d passionately recommend a person for the role of "neko."


    Soon, Tang Yu received the play''s script from Silent Rain. Then, the other party quickly disappeared after leaving behind some inexplicable words.


    After downloading the script, Tang Yu casually glanced at it and found that it wasn''t anything special. It was a standard romance plot, with only the male lead being swapped for a female lead. However, as she read on, her brows furrowed tiger and tighter.


    This¡­ What kind of script is this?!


    Tang Yu''s face turned bright red from embarrassment. There were actually numerous erotic scenes in this play! How could she possibly act in this?!


    A knock suddenly came from the door. Tang Yu hurriedly closed the document, but the heat on her face had yet to subside. When Yin Zhao-an came in, she saw Tang Yu frantically closing something on her computer with a somewhat suspicious look.


    Yin Zhao-an raised her eyebrows and leaned against the door, wondering to herself if her wife had been watching something exciting. Thinking of this, she recalled that it had been quite some time since they had partaken in any bedroom activities and couldn''t help but get a sudden urge. So, while tapping a finger against the door, she said, "It''s time for bed. If you have something to do, leave it for tomorrow."


    Tang Yu stuttered a response and shut down her computer. Then, she got up and walked out of the room.


    After moving into this apartment, they had tacitly chosen to share the master bedroom. But if either of them had something to do, they would do so in the other room. At this point, this other room had practically become Tang Yu''s personal working studio already, and Yin Zhao-an always had to come over to remind her to go to sleep.


    ¡­


    The master bedroom was lit by only a dim bedside lamp, and the dim lighting gave the room an ambiguous atmosphere. Initially, Tang Yu remained ignorant of this atmosphere, but just as she was about to lift the sheets and go to bed, she was pushed down onto the mattress from behind. Then, she felt a pair of large and warm hands slipping under her pajamas, the unexpected physical contact causing her body to tremble.


    A scorching breath hit her fragile and sensitive neck. Then, she felt something wet and sticky wandering around her neck and earlobes, as if there was a poised venomous snake tasting her and considering where to bite to achieve the best effect.


    Tang Yu''s eyes started to become misty, and her breathing gradually quickened. She struggled to turn her body over, but when she succeeded, she wrapped her arms around Yin Zhao-an''s neck and leaned forward to leave a bite mark there. The bite mark was neither too deep nor too shallow, looking like it was both an attempt at revenge and flirting.


    The corner of Yin Zhao-an''s mouth curled up, and she leaned down to exchange a lingering kiss with Tang Yu while her hands continued to explore downward.


    ¡­


    In the early morning, Tang Yu lay on the bed half-awake, feeling extremely embarrassed when she recalled how she had moaned to the point where her voice had become hoarse last night.


    Yin Zhao-an, on the other hand, felt refreshed and content. She had woken up at an earlier time than Tang Yu did, and she had already prepared breakfast for her beloved. But after giving Tang Yu a good morning kiss, she had to leave for her morning lectures.


    Shortly after Yin Zhao-an left, Tang Yu got out of bed and made her way to the dining table. The instant some food entered her stomach, it dispelled much of the discomfort she experienced from hunger. When she was nearly full, she took a slice of bread and a cup of hot milk and went to the studio to continue studying that strange script.


    ¡­


    After going through the compulsory military training, every one of Yin Zhao-an''s classmates became a shade darker, and this sight made the head teacher laugh. The head teacher was a young man, and he would often say popular phrases that made the students in class laugh out loud. Everyone was initially taken aback by his behavior, but their impression of the young head teacher was still very positive, and they quickly adapted to the classroom''s environment.


    As for Yin Zhao-an, she didn''t undergo much of a transformation. Her skin had always been on the fairer side, so even after partaking in military training for half a month, her skin tone only darkened by a little.


    Due to Yin Zhao-an''s choice of majors, there were suddenly a lot more male students around her, most of whom were still single. Meanwhile, the senior sister who would always show up to accompany Yin Zhao-an during military training had left a deep impression on these single boys. So after class, these boys quickly swarmed Yin Zhao-an, asking questions like:


    "Say, Yin Zhao-an, which department and major does that senior sister belong to?"


    ¡°Can you give me that senior sister''s WeChat? I can pay for it!¡±


    ¡°What type of guys does that senior sister like? Do you think I have a chance?¡±


    Yin Zhao-an silently took out a book to isolate herself from her classmates while arrogantly saying, "Don''t even think about it. She likes my type."


    "Tch..."


    The boys dispersed, each thinking about how to get Tang Yu''s contact information.


    Yin Zhao-an stopped paying attention to them and took out her phone from her pocket. Then, she habitually tapped on a special application, opening up a map with a flashing red dot in the center.


    Seeing that the tracking device was working properly, Yin Zhao-an relaxed. Although she didn''t know why Tang Yu would say those strange words, it was a fact that she was the first person Tang Yu had gone to for help.


    Yin Zhao-an still had another lecture to attend, but she needed to switch to another classroom before that. After packing up her belongings, she swiftly made her way over to the classroom in question.


    ¡­


    Inside a quiet bedroom, the sheets of the bed were slightly raised, and there was a white feline tail sticking out of it, swaying back and forth at the bedside.


    At this time, two feline ears emerged from under the sheets as Mo Shu sat up from the bed and lazily yawned. Chen Ci was still asleep next to her, so Mo Shu tiptoed out of bed to wash up. Then, she took out a cream-filled bread from out of nowhere and started munching on it.


    Lying on the balcony, Mo Shu watched the people coming and going in the community, a trace of nostalgia flashed through her eyes. She had married Chen Ci in a previous timeline, but the Chen Ci of that timeline had to endure suffering that she shouldn''t have borne in her childhood. So, in this timeline, Chen Ci did not exist, and neither did Chen Ci''s alcoholic father. The only ones who existed were she and the "Chen Ci," who had come to revisit their old haunts.


    Mo Shu propped up her head in frustration. She really didn''t sleep well last night. The neighbors didn''t close their balcony window properly before starting their nightly activities last night, and the soft moans that came from next door stoked the fire in her. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to restrain herself as Chen Ci had already fallen asleep at the time. So, she had no choice but to cover her ears, wrap herself in the blanket, and tightly embrace Chen Ci''s waist before finally falling asleep.


    After finishing her bread, Mo Shu shook her ears and walked out with big strides. She needed to go out and buy some food. She couldn''t let Chen Ci eat bread like her.


    ¡­


    Silent Rain set up a streaming channel on the streaming platform YY and invited Tang Yu and Four O''clock for a rehearsal. She also invited Gugu''ran, the director of the play, for a rehearsal.


    Four O''clock: "Test, test. Can you hear me?"


    It was a very cold tone. Whether it was deliberate or natural, Tang Yu couldn''t tell.


    Gugu''ran typed a "1" in the public chat to indicate that she could hear Four O''clock. She chose to mute herself so as not to disturb the two when they were acting. She would only provide feedback once they were finished with their play.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu turned on her microphone and said, "I can hear you."


    Tang Yu deliberately tried to simulate Song Wan''er''s voice, which was a soft and somewhat intellectual voice. It was completely different from her usual clear and pure voice.


    Search bit.ly/3Tfs4P4 for the original.


    Four O''clock seemed to pause for a moment. Then, she hesitantly commented, "Your voice sounds a bit hoarse."


    Tang Yu''s body stiffened. She did use her voice a little too much last night. To cover up her embarrassment, she coughed lightly and explained, "I have a slight cold, but it shouldn''t be a problem."


    "Okay," Four O''clock responded with the same cold tone.


    When Gugu''ran saw that both actors were ready, she typed a dividing line in the public chat to indicate the start of the first take.


    There was no background music, but Tang Yu was able to construct a scene in her mind.


    The scene was set in a bustling city. A large crowd had gathered at the city gate to cheer for a mighty cavalry''s return. The general leading the cavalry was clad in golden armor, and she had a stunningly beautiful face that was colored by indifference and dried blood. When the general arrived at the city gate, she finally removed her eyes from the ground ahead and looked up.


    On the city wall, a stunningly beautiful woman in a brocade gown was firmly watching her. As if there was a beckoning hand between the woman''s eyes and eyebrows, the general instantly found herself sinking into the woman''s beauty.


    The general opened her mouth. Then, using a voice that had grown hoarse from disuse, she said, "Wan''er, I''m back."

 CH 160

    Four O''clock''s deep and hoarse voice startled Tang Yu, causing her to forget her lines.


    "Cut!"


    A third voice sounded in the channel, and Tang Yu quickly realized it was Gugu''ran, the director. Gugu''ran''s voice was clear with a slight trailing tone, and it sounded quite mellow as she asked, "Yu-An, did you forget your lines?"


    Hurriedly, Tang Yu apologized, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It''s just that Four O''clock''s dubbing is so good that I got stunned for a moment."


    In response, Four O''clock chuckled softly and said, "Many people have said they get startled by my voice."


    Gugu''ran also laughed, "Yes, yes. Anyone who hears Four O''clock speak for the first time would be shocked by her voice. I was also shocked the first time I heard it."


    "Let me try again. I''m really sorry." Tang Yu was genuinely remorseful and apologized several times before resuming the scene.


    Four O''clock repeated her lines, and this time Tang Yu quickly immersed herself in the role, portraying the feelings of unwillingness and disbelief vividly.


    The scene shifted to the princess''s residence. Song Wan''er was playing with a small rabbit on her lap when a palace maid rushed in clumsily. Annoyed, she clicked her tongue and scolded, "How could you be so reckless in the palace?"


    The trembling palace maid bowed and stammered, her voice trembling, "General... General Qin has come to the residence."


    There wasn''t anyone to play the palace maid in the channel, but Tang Yu quickly conveyed Song Wan''er''s reaction upon the mention of General Qin. She appeared panicked and angry, not even noticing the rabbit falling from her lap. "I never summoned her; how dare she enter the palace without permission? Make her leave!"


    The palace maid sobbed, "General... General Qin has already arrived. This servant couldn''t stop her."


    "Your Highness¡­ It has been many years since we last met. Haven''t you ever thought of me?" Qin He, General Gin, walked gracefully, treading on scattered flower petals as she approached Song Wan''er. Then, using one hand clamping on the other party''s soft cheeks, she said, "I have missed you, Your Highness...so much so that I frequently have sleepless nights."


    Gugu''ran typed an ''OK'' in the public chat, indicating that this part was satisfactory.


    Tang Yu felt a little dizzy. Four O''clock was incredibly skilled at voice acting, and Tang Yu couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed when acting with her. However, what troubled Tang Yu even more was the subsequent plot, where the general forces herself upon the princess...


    "Um... Can we skip the intimate scene? Maybe we could just ''dim the lights?''" Tang Yu cautiously proposed.


    Four O''clock made no comment on Tang Yu''s request, leaving the decision to Gugu''ran. However, the main reason Gugu''ran chose this script was precisely because of the intimate scenes. As an enthusiast of explicit content, how could she give up this opportunity? So she cleared her throat and turned on the microphone, saying:


    "Uh... I think we shouldn''t exclude the intimate scenes. Look, the general and the princess have been separated for so many years. It wouldn''t be appropriate if they didn''t express their anger and unwillingness through some special means. The fans will protest."


    Then let them protest! Tang Yu wanted to reply as such, but that wouldn''t be appropriate. After restraining herself, she chose a more suitable response, "I haven''t done explicit scenes before..."


    "What a coincidence, me neither," Four O''clock added.


    When Tang Yu heard Four O''clock speak up, a question that had been bugging her for quite some time now popped up in her head. Why did Four O''clock insist on having her play the role of the submissive character? Did they know each other in real life?


    The atmosphere became awkward for a moment. Noticing this, Gugu''ran hurriedly broke the ice, pretending to laugh, "It''s okay, it''s okay. Both of you just try to cooperate and give it a shot. You can also learn from and refer to the explicit scenes in other GL dramas. Take it as a learning experience. Um... I''ll leave; first, you two give it a try!"


    Gugu''ran quickly left the streaming channel, leaving only Tang Yu-And Four O''clock on the microphone.


    With the director gone, Tang Yu boldly voiced her question to Four O''clock and patiently waited for the other party''s answer.


    There was a moment of silence from Four O''clock. After about two minutes, she finally said, "I have a friend who really likes your voice and hopes I can collaborate with you."


    That reason sounds so far-fetched¡­ Tang Yu''s expression became complicated for a moment but quickly returned to normal. "I see. Please thank your friend for me, then."


    Four O''clock curled her lips slightly in front of the screen, a hint of warmth in her icy eyes briefly before disappearing. Then, she thought to herself, You wouldn''t want to thank her.


    "I''ve never listened to this type of audio drama. Do you have any resources on your end?" Tang Yu admitted her lack of knowledge on the subject. It was quite challenging for her to come up with seductive voices out of thin air.


    "I have some. I''ll send them to you," Four O''clock said while opening several folders on her computer.


    Tang Yu first saw a friend request on QQ and quickly accepted it. Then, she received a couple of audio files from Four O''clock.


    At this time, Four O''clock''s breathing suddenly started to become labored, and she hastily muted herself. Although Tang Yu had tried calling out to her several times, she never got a response.


    Did something urgent happen on her end? Seeing that Four O''clock did not show any signs of returning, Tang Yu also exited the streaming channel and earnestly delved into those audio files.


    ¡­


    Upon returning from class, Yin Zhao-an panicked a little when she failed to see Tang Yu in the living room. However, she quickly calmed down when she heard faint noises coming from the studio.


    Seeing as Tang Yu was busy, Yin Zhao-an went into the kitchen, put on a floral apron, and started preparing lunch.


    ¡­


    Panting sounds and seemingly aggressive dialogue emerged from the earphones, stimulating Tang Yu to a point where she got the urge to throw the earphones away.


    What is all this? There''s no way anyone would talk so provocatively while doing¡­that! And... And it all sounds so explicit! The voices aren''t right, either! They''re deliberately straining their voices; it doesn''t sound like they''re genuinely enjoying it... Ah, what am I even thinking?!


    Tang Yu decisively took off her earphones and stopped listening to those strange sounds. Then, she felt that maybe she should try recording her voice at night and learn from it. After all, it should make for a more realistic act if she mimicked the real deal, right?


    After making the decision, Tang Yu got up and left the studio. Only then did she realize that Yin Zhao-an had returned, and it was almost noon already.


    "An-An, what are you making for lunch?" Tang Yu entered the kitchen and approached Yin Zhao-an to watch her cook.


    Yin Zhao-an showed Tang Yu the corn in her hands and said, "Stir-fried corn with ham. We also have salt-baked duck kidneys over there. I''m also thinking of making a clear soup with enoki mushrooms to wash everything down."


    Tang Yu responded with a pensive ''Oh,'' looking like she had something on her mind.


    While peeling the corn in her hands, Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu''s distracted look. Turning toward Tang Yu, she asked with concern, "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"


    "No." Tang Yu shook her head and leaned against Yin Zhao-an''s shoulder, staring at her beloved''s perfect profile and fair complexion. Suddenly, she had the impulse to kiss Yin Zhao-an, and she acted on it without hesitation as she tiptoed and planted an innocent kiss on Yin Zhao-an''s cheek.


    Yin Zhao-an was initially taken aback. But then, she chuckled, laughing in a way that confused Tang Yu.


    "What''s gotten into you all of a sudden?" Yin Zhao-an asked. "Are you hinting that I didn''t satisfy you enough last night, so you want more today?"


    Tang Yu''s face instantly turned red, but this time, she didn''t refute Yin Zhao-an''s words. Instead, she looked at Yin Zhao-an with expectant eyes and asked, "Can we?"


    A sudden burst of fiery heat surged in Yin Zhao-an''s chest, giving her difficulties in breathing. She forcefully steadied herself, suppressing the impulse to deal with Tang Yu on the spot as she leaned in and bit Tang Yu''s neck. Then, while suppressing her voice, she said, "Get out, or else I might not be able to resist eating you."


    Tang Yu was seemingly fearless today. Even after being warned, she boldly tiptoed and hooked her arms around Yin Zhao-an''s neck and asked in a soft and seductive voice, "How about skipping lunch today and eating me instead?"


    ¡­


    Ultimately, Yin Zhao-an got to have extras with her lunch. Meanwhile, Tang Yu looked like a frostbitten eggplant as her body was weakly slumped on the table, the corners of her eyes flushed with a bright red hue and glistened with moistness.


    Yin Zhao-an carefully placed a bowl of hot soup next to Tang Yu. Then, with an admonishing tone, she said, "Next time, behave yourself and stop provoking me unnecessarily. It must have been tough on you, right?"


    Tang Yu turned her head away, humming and huffing, acting like a sulking little kitten as she refused to look at Yin Zhao-an.


    Yin Zhao-an knew Tang Yu was feeling embarrassed, so she didn''t tease her further. After glancing at the time, she said, "The schedule for freshmen is a little tight. I still have classes in the afternoon. Rest well at home, and don''t wander around."


    After saying so, Yin Zhao-an brought the bowl of soup she had finished into the kitchen to wash it. When she came out, she was still shaking off the water from her hands. "I''m off to class, Tang-Tang. Quickly finish your lunch and leave the dishes in the sink. I''ll wash them when I come back."


    Just as she was about to leave, Tang Yu suddenly called out to her, causing Yin Zhao-an to pause her steps.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Tang Yu shrugged her nose, feeling like she was acting overly sensitive. Then, in a soft and hoarse voice, she said, "I want a kiss."


    Yin Zhao-an shook her head helplessly at her needy lover. Still, she quickly strode back and cupped Tang Yu''s face, giving her a kiss before pulling away. "Alright, I really have to go now. Be good now, my darling wife."


    Tang Yu, showing an increasingly obvious spoiled expression, giggled and hid her face in the crook of Yin Zhao''an''s arm, leaving only her beautifully curved eyes visible as she said, "Okay, my wife."


    Yin Zhao-an chuckled indulgently, opened the door, and stepped out of the house.


    However, Yin Zhao-an quickly stopped smiling when she saw the person outside the house, a faint hint of hostility appearing in her eyes.


    "Oh, going to school, little friend?" Mo Shu asked. She held a light pink succulent(plant) in her hands, and it looked like she had just come up from downstairs.


    Yin Zhao-an coldly replied with an "Mhm," having no intention of engaging in further conversation. Then, she turned her body sideways to leave.


    "Hey, listen, can you two close the windows when you are about to get down to business? We still need to sleep, you know. Unlike you youngsters, we''re getting on in age and don''t have boundless energy," Mo Shu said to Yin Zhao-an with a fake smile. Although she was shorter in height, her years of work experience allowed her to overwhelm Yin Zhao-an in presence.


    Yin Zhao-an took a deep breath, reminding herself to stay calm. Then, putting on a similarly fake smile, she said, "Got it, old hag."


    Before Mo Shu could react, Yin Zhao-an swiftly ran away, quickly descending a few flights of stairs and disappearing.


    Chen Ci had heard the commotion outside long ago. She opened the door for Mo Shu and couldn''t help but laugh when she saw her livid expression. "Ah Shu, did you try to tease Yin Zhao-an again?"


    Mo Shu clenched her teeth angrily. "That infuriating little brat doesn''t have any respect for the elderly!"


    "Alright, alright. Why do you keep provoking a child every day? Give me the succulent. I''ll keep it on the balcony," Chen Ci said before gently taking the succulent from Mo Shu''s hands and bringing it inside.

 CH 161

    "Should we take this back?" Mo Shu asked as she pointed at the plump succulent. The succulent was something they picked up from the road in the residential area, and a florist must have accidentally dropped it while transporting it. If they hadn''t picked it up, a passing vehicle would have most certainly crushed it, which would be a pity.


    "Let''s take it back; it won''t be much of a hassle," Chen Ci answered.


    ¡­


    The afternoon classes were dull, and Yin Zhao-an was mentally exhausted by the time she returned home.


    Yin Zhao-an walked straight to the bedroom but heard a strange sound when passing by the studio. Immediately, she grew alert and stopped in her tracks.


    "Ah... You can''t¡­ Stop... Someone, hel¡ªmm!"


    Yin Zhao-an''s eyes widened, and she hurriedly pushed the door open. Her heart felt like it was about to burst. She thought she would see a sight that would make her angry enough to want to kill someone, but what she saw inside was...


    ¡­Tang Yu, gasping for breath in front of the condenser microphone, with an expressionless face.


    Tang Yu had already stopped recording the moment Yin Zhao-an opened the door. When she saw her beloved walking over to her with a powerless look, she couldn''t help but feel a little guilty.


    Yin Zhao-an weakly embraced Tang Yu, her heart gradually calming down when she felt the bundle of warmth in her arms. Then, she asked, "What are you doing?"


    Tang Yu could tell Yin Zhao-an had most likely misunderstood her actions, so she gently patted her beloved''s back and said, "I''m recording a play."


    "You can''t record this kind of thing!" Yin Zhao-an suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with anger. But when she saw Tang Yu''s sincere eyes, her anger waned. After all, this was Tang Yu''s interest. What qualifications did she have to tell Tang Yu to abandon it?


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu smiled and asked, "What can''t I record?"


    "You can''t record something so explicit," Yin Zhao-an said, her voice sounding less firm than before. It was as if she would give in so long as Tang Yu insisted even a little more.


    But to Yin Zhao-an''s surprise, Tang Yu actually agreed, "Alright, I won''t record it, then."


    "Huh? Really?" Yin Zhao-an was a little taken aback as she looked at Tang Yu.


    "Mhm. If you don''t like it, I won''t record it."


    After saying so, Tang Yu turned around and contacted Gugu''ran, explaining the situation to her.


    Gugu''ran: But why? Is it because you can''t get the right feeling?


    Gugu''ran felt a bit disappointed as she wouldn''t get to listen to Tang Yu making erotic voices anymore.


    Yu-An: No, it''s because my partner doesn''t want me to record this.


    Gugu''ran: ¦²£¨OvO"£©You have a boyfriend?


    Yu-An: [Smile]


    Gugu''ran: Oh, alright, then I''ll make changes to the script.


    Yu-An: Thank you for your trouble.


    Yin Zhao-an cuddled with Tang Yu for a while, fascinated by the serious expression Tang Yu wore as she stared at the computer. However, her drowsiness quickly overwhelmed her, and she quietly yawned, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.


    "Take a nap if you''re sleepy. I''ll go out and buy some vegetables later. There''s none left at home," Tang Yu said as she stroked Yin Zhao-an''s head.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know why she was so tired, and she couldn''t find a good reason to refuse, either. So, she stood up and walked towards the bedroom, saying, "Okay. Call me when you''re done making dinner. I''ll be napping in the meantime."


    "Sure."


    Tang Yu deleted the recording draft and also informed Four O''clock about her refusal to record the explicit section of the play. Four O''clock quickly replied, saying that Gugu''ran had already informed her about the changes.


    After ending her brief conversation with Four O''clock, Tang Yu stretched her limbs. She had sat in front of the computer since lunch, so her whole body felt a little stiff. Then, seeing it was almost 5 o''clock, she grabbed a light jacket, took some money, and left the house.


    The late afternoon sun wasn''t as intense, so Tang Yu didn''t bring an umbrella. While walking down the familiar road leading to the market, she received a message notification on her phone. When she took out her phone and unlocked it, she saw that it was a message from Four O''clock.


    With her head lowered, she failed to notice a white car following behind her.


    ¡­


    Mo Shu and Chen Ci leaned against the window, enjoying the cool breeze as evening approached.


    Mo Shu had a fluffy white tail trailing behind her, and it swayed from side to side in a leisurely manner. Chen Ci shrank her neck, narrowly avoiding the tail''s harassment. Then, she complained in a voice of disapproval, "Keep your tail in check; don''t move it around so much."


    Instead of responding to Chen Ci''s complaint, Mo Shu ruefully sighed and said, "Even in a different timeline, these things still happen as usual."


    Chen Ci fell silent momentarily and looked at the balcony next door where the curtains were drawn. Then, she asked, "Can we¡­intervene?"


    Mo Shu pinched Chen Ci''s face and chuckled, "Stop thinking about it. Everything that happens is predestined. What''s meant to happen will happen, and we shouldn''t intervene. Besides¡­" After a slight pause, Mo Shu whispered into Chen Ci''s ear, "...giving them another chance at life is already a significant intervention. If we interfere any further, it might cause the collapse of this world. It''s better to stay calm and watch how everything develops."


    ¡­


    In a dimly lit bedroom, Yin Zhao-an frowned tightly in her sleep. Large beads of sweat formed on her forehead, trickling down from her fair cheeks and disappearing into the pillow. The phone placed on the bedside table vibrated frantically, and the small red dot on the screen moved rapidly until it ultimately disappeared. However, Yin Zhao-an seemingly had her senses sealed off, her slumber unaffected by these changes.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu was jolted back to consciousness by a sharp pain in the back of her head. She lifted her hand to massage her forehead, but in the process of doing so, she heard a crisp sound and felt a cold sensation on her wrist.


    Tang Yu''s breath froze. Then, she despairingly opened her eyes, attempting to get a clear look at her surroundings.


    Through the hazy lighting, she judged that she should be in a small room. The bed beneath her was soft, and a faint, refreshing scent permeated the room. It was so subtle that one wouldn''t notice it without taking a closer sniff.


    She moved her limbs and discovered cold shackles on all four of her limbs. However, they didn''t restrict her movements completely, and she could still walk around the room.


    Tang Yu tentatively groped along the wall, trying to find a lamp to illuminate the room. At this time, only the sound of her unsteady breathing and the crisp clanking of chains could be heard in the quiet room.


    Through her exploration, Tang Yu roughly understood the layout of the room. It was just an ordinary small room with a soft carpet under her feet. Even the corners of the desk were wrapped in special material, as if to prevent anyone from getting injured. Besides that, there was only an empty desk, and she failed to find any switches that allowed her to illuminate the room.


    Tang Yu leaned against the door. She was under no illusion that the door was unlocked. She also did not doubt that the doorknob was nothing more than a decoration.


    This time, Tang Yu did not wake up with any visible injuries on her body. She only experienced a lingering pain coming from the back of her head.


    This situation caused Tang Yu to scratch her head in confusion. This didn''t seem like Du Yuqing''s way of doing things. Wasn''t she supposed to be thrown into a damp basement and get beaten up by a group of thugs?


    While Tang Yu was lost in thought, a faint sound came from outside the door, startling her. Instinctively, she wanted to run, but then she realized there was nowhere to go. So, resignedly, she sat down where she was, praying Yin Zhao-an would discover her disappearance soon and come to her rescue.


    "Who allowed you all to hurt her?! Get out!"


    A sharp and angry shout came from outside the door, startling Tang Yu and giving her the urge to run away yet again.


    Following this, Tang Yu heard someone mumbling on the other side of the door. She couldn''t tell what was being said, but she quickly heard a flurry of footsteps that disappeared with time.


    Did they leave?


    Tang Yu leaned against the door, failing to hear any sounds.


    Click¡ª


    Suddenly, the door behind her made a sound as it was being unlocked. Then, someone pushed it open, and blinding light flooded through the gap and illuminated Tang Yu''s panicking figure stumbling away from the door.


    Tang Yu instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes. But in that split second of covering her eyes, the door slammed shut again, followed by a crisp and decisive locking sound.


    Although the light only appeared for a moment, Tang Yu wasn''t foolish enough to think that whoever had opened the door did so just to give her a glimpse of light. She was certain the other party had entered the room.


    The room was silent. But if one listened closely, it was possible to hear two distinct sounds of breathing. Amidst this silence, two individuals stood facing each other in the darkness, neither taking the initiative to speak up.


    A moment later, Tang Yu sensed the other person in the room walking toward the desk, the other party''s lack of hesitance in this dark environment indicated they were incredibly familiar with the room''s layout.


    "Du Yuqing, is that you?" Tang Yu suddenly asked.


    The other person paused their actions upon hearing Tang Yu''s words. Then, the other party spoke softly, "Do you still remember me?"


    It is her!


    Tang Yu gnashed her teeth as she cursed at Du Yuqing hundreds of times. How could she ever forget the person responsible for her death in her previous life?!


    Soon, the room brightened as a soft yellow light emanated from the moon-shaped desk lamp in front of Du Yuqing. She positioned the lamp, then turned to scrutinize Tang Yu. Then, her lips curled into a satisfied smile as she said, "I knew you would look stunning in this outfit."


    At Du Yuqing''s remark, Tang Yu suddenly snapped back to reality and lowered her head to look at her attire. Her original floral dress was gone, replaced by a light, silk chiffon dress. Through the faint yellow light, she could see a beautiful scene in front of her chest, with fresh vines and green leaves adorning the focal areas, obstructing the gaze of those who looked. The length of the dress fell just below her knees. It was the same length as the floral dress she originally wore, which was why she hadn''t noticed the change in her attire until now.


    Du Yuqing was dressed in a white chiffon shirt, with the collar slightly open to reveal a silver necklace around her neck. She also wore a pair of black tailored pants that accentuated her figure perfectly, and her slightly curled long hair cascaded down her chest. The pearl-white earrings swayed subtly among her black hair, giving her an alluring vibe.


    Du Yuqing walked toward Tang Yu with a deliberate pace, all the while maintaining her gaze on Tang Yu''s face as if she were appraising a piece of artwork. Then, she said in a voice with an inherent sense of aggression, "I need to correct you. I am no longer called Du Yuqing. My name is Zoe Jones, and you can call me Zoe."


    As Du Yuqing spoke, she had already reached Tang Yu, her eyes shimmering with a peculiar light and her hand slowly extending toward Tang Yu''s ear.


    Tang Yu tried to dodge, but she was pushed against the door with her hands held down. While immobilized, she felt Du Yuqing''s hand reaching around to the back of her head, gently rubbing the back of her head with chilly fingertips.


    "Did they hit you here? Does it hurt?" Du Yuqing asked in the same aggressive tone.


    Tang Yu''s body began to tremble, but she dared not make any sudden movements. At this moment, she desperately hoped Yin Zhao-an would appear before her and take her away.


    Seemingly sensing Tang Yu''s fear, Du Yuqing pressed her face close to Tang Yu''s ear, her breath lightly brushing against Tang Yu''s fair neck. Then, switching to a gentle voice, she said, "Don''t be afraid. This time, I won''t let you die."

 CH 162

    The long-sought answer was about to reveal itself. Tang Yu''s lips moved, but no sound came out.


    Du Yuqing embraced Tang Yu in fascination, her hands caressing Tang Yu''s slender waist. Although she could feel the person in her embrace tremble, she simply chuckled satisfactorily, muttering to herself, "You''re such a wonderful person; how could I bear to let you die?"


    Tang Yu could feel her skirt being lifted. She could also feel a cold hand caressing her legs, sizing them like a snake''s tongue.


    Just as Tang Yu was preparing to strike and wrap the chain, which connected the shackles binding her hands, around Du Yuqing''s neck, a knock suddenly came from the door behind them. While it wasn''t a loud knock, it sounded clearly in the quiet room.


    Du Yuqing withdrew her hands and straightened her clothes as if nothing had happened. Calmly, she picked up the lamp on the desk, glanced at Tang Yu, who was crouched in the corner, and gently said, "Wait for me. I''ll be back soon."


    As these words fell, the door opened and closed, and darkness returned to the room.


    Tang Yu buried her head in her arms, her heart in despair.


    My ring is gone¡­ An-An won''t be able to find me now¡­ Sure enough, are we fated never to be together? Also, wasn''t Du Yuqing supposed to like An-An? Why did she do such things to me?


    Suddenly, the room lit up with a light that was neither glaring nor bright. It was just enough to let Tang Yu see the things in the room clearly.


    Tang Yu raised her eyes in confusion and saw the hidden lights on the ceiling flickering faintly.


    It turned out that the light switch was not in the room at all; it was somewhere else. Perhaps there were hidden cameras here, monitoring her every move.


    Tang Yu got up from the floor and looked around the room, quickly noticing that the walls were densely covered by something. She approached to take a closer look, and what she saw shocked her to the point where she forgot to breathe.


    The walls were covered with sketches of people. From childhood to adolescence and adulthood, they were all there, and they all depicted the same person...the person standing in this room now.


    Tang Yu felt a chilling sensation penetrating her heart and freezing her limbs as realization dawned upon her.


    Is this how Du Yuqing feels about me?


    Each sketch on the wall was labeled with a date. The earliest one was from her elementary school days, the time when Tang Yu first felt Du Yuqing''s hostility. Back then, she thought Du Yuqing was hostile to her because she had gotten too close to Yin Zhao-an. She never expected to have misunderstood Du Yuqing''s thoughts.


    Tang Yu walked around the room and saw another extremely familiar sketch. Her attire in the sketch¡­ It was the cornflower dress she wore while waiting for Yin Zhao-an outside the examination hall!


    The sketch was drawn from an elevated angle, revealing hints of her cleavage and collarbones. If someone were to take a photo from this angle...


    Tang Yu''s eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter, and the anxiety and fear in her heart grew. It turned out that, without her realization, Du Yuqing''s informants had infiltrated her surroundings, exposing all her states to Du Yuqing while she remained clueless.


    Shockingly, Wu Na was also one of Du Yuqing''s informants.


    ¡­


    Du Yuqing came out of the room holding the moon-shaped lamp. When she saw the person standing at the door, bowing to her submissively, her gaze sharpened, sending chills down the other party''s back.


    Previously, she didn''t bother to ask who had knocked on the door because she knew that only one person could freely roam around her villa. Aside from the current person standing before her, no one else would dare disturb her when she was occupied, no matter how brave they were.


    Du Yuqing curved her lips, but there was no trace of a smile on her face. Her slender fingers lifted the other party''s face, gently placing a finger against their lips, teasingly and suggestively stroking.


    The person habitually opened their lips and extended a tender tongue to wrap around the finger, obediently licking it.


    Feeling her finger gradually warming up, Du Yuqing sneered and withdrew her finger, letting the glistening liquid slide on her fingertip drip to the ground. Then, she walked toward the other end of the spacious corridor and said in an imposing voice, "You''ve interrupted my enjoyment, so I''ll repay you with ten times the punishment."


    The person''s gaze flickered, and their moistened lips parted slightly. In a neutral tone, the person replied, "Yes, Master."


    ¡­


    The sound of the wind whistled in Yin Zhao-an''s ears as she stood on a patch of overgrown weeds in the city''s outskirts. Icy raindrops mercilessly pounded on her, drenching her clothes completely.


    Suddenly, wailing police cars roared to the scene, stopping next to the patch of weeds she stood on. Then, men in police uniforms got out of the vehicles, opening umbrellas or donning tightly wrapped raincoats before walking in a certain direction.


    Yin Zhao-an felt like her head was about to explode, the pain nearly causing her to lose consciousness. But she still forced herself to stay upright and subconsciously followed the policemen, all the while questions appearing in her head one after another.


    How did she end up here? Wasn''t she supposed to be sleeping at home? Where was Tang Yu? Why were there so many police officers here?


    Yin Zhao-an vigorously slapped her own head, trying to remember what had happened, but to no avail. Her mind had become a muddy mess, and she couldn''t think clearly.


    Unable to figure out anything, she stumbled her way forward. The rain grew heavier. Water poured down from above, obscuring her vision.


    The police had set up a cordon, and some people were crouching to look at something. The policemen blocked her view, and she couldn''t see anything.


    A voice in her head was telling her not to go near the cordon.


    But why shouldn''t she go near it? Did a murder occur there? She wanted to stop, but she couldn''t control her own feet.


    As she moved closer and closer...


    Screech¡ª


    A dark green SUV abruptly screeched to a halt on the side of the road. The wheels rubbed against the mud and debris in the desolate outskirts, splashing a large spray of dirty water mixed with yellowish soil all over the car.


    Yin Zhao-an involuntarily paused when she saw the two individuals who had stepped out of the SUV. They were her parents! But why were her parents here?


    Yin Zhao-an''s anxious heart eased a little. She tried to force a smile and look toward them, hoping they would see her.


    But for some reason, her father walked past her with furrowed brows, his aged eyes bloodshot. Her father held onto her mother, whose temples had turned white, and walked toward the police cordon in a solemn mood.


    "Dad! Mom!" Yin Zhao-an panicked when her parents ignored her. She desperately tried to get their attention, blocking them with her heavy body.


    However, her father didn''t even glance at her and simply continued walking forward with uninterrupted steps.


    When they were about to collide, Yin Zhao-an hurriedly raised her arm to cover her eyes. A tear slid down from the corner of her eye, mixing with the pouring rain and disappearing.


    However, the expected collision never happened. Yin Zhao-an lowered her hand and turned to stare at the two people behind her; they continued walking without pausing, moving further and further away from her.


    Her parents left muddy footprints on the ground as they walked, but when Yin Zhao-an looked down at her own feet, her mind instantly went blank as she failed to see any footprints trailing behind her feet.


    Am I... dead?


    Yin Zhao-an clenched her fists in disbelief as if trying to confirm something. She approached the crowd, and at the edge stood an onlooker. She hesitantly reached out her hand, watching her fingertips penetrate the onlooker''s body, but there was no reaction from the person.


    Finally, she broke down and cried.


    It turned out...she had died.


    Unfortunately, even though she was crying, nobody spared her a glance. Nobody knew that someone was crying amidst the crowd, and nobody knew why she appeared there. Even she didn''t know how she got here in the first place.


    If I''m dead, what will Tang Yu do? Will she see my corpse? Will she be scared? Will she be sad? If I''m dead, who will look for her if she goes missing?


    Yin Zhao-an walked through the crowd in a daze, her pupils dilated.


    Suddenly, something tripped her up, causing her to stumble. The unexpected development bewildered Yin Zhao-an. After all, wasn''t she able to pass through things? How could she still be tripped up?


    Her heart suddenly constricted, causing her immense pain. The voice in her mind grew louder, telling her not to look, telling her to leave. However, her body was no longer under control, and she ultimately shifted her gaze downward.


    What tripped her was a pale foot devoid of blood, with dark blue veins prominently visible. The ankle was delicate but covered in scars.


    Yin Zhao-an immediately felt a sense of familiarity when she saw the ankle. Clenching her chest over her clothes, she felt like she was about to faint from suffocation.


    Gradually, Yin Zhao-an moved her gaze upward, the feeling of familiarity growing when she saw from the slender and flawless calf and heavily scarred thigh. She suddenly felt weak, almost unable to stand, as tears surged from her bloodshot eyes.


    No... How could her Tang-Tang be in a place like this? No, it couldn''t be... But that familiar face couldn''t be faked. This was Tang Yu!


    "Ah!!" Yin Zhao-an cried out in despair, feeling a throbbing pain in her head as if a sharp object was gouging it. She trembled, clutching her head, hoping that by doing so, she wouldn''t have to face this reality.


    This must be a dream! Wake up! I need to wake up!!


    Why...


    No matter how Yin Zhao-an struggled, she still stood on this muddy wasteland, and beside her was Tang Yu, lifeless. Her face was pale, with dark purple bruises. Her eyes tightly shut, never to open again. She would never look at her with affectionate eyes or respond to her with that clear and melodious voice ever again. Neither would she snuggle up to her like a little rabbit and act spoiled in her arms.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t mind dying herself, but why would anyone treat her lover like this? Why...


    The incessant rain finally stopped. Yin Zhao-an lifted her swollen, teary eyes and stared blankly, wondering why the dream hadn''t ended even though the rain had stopped.


    A panicked figure dashed into the crowd, pushing aside the onlookers. The person''s eyes were bloodshot, like a cornered and desperate beast.


    Yin Zhao-an''s dilated pupils finally focused, and she looked incredulously at the person in front of her, who looked exactly like her.


    For some reason, she suddenly felt a little scared and backed away several steps, staring in astonishment as the other ''Yin Zhao-an'' knelt in front of Tang Yu.


    "Tang-Tang¡­ I was wrong. Please wake up, okay? You must be playing a joke on me, right?


    "Tang-Tang... I was wrong. Please wake up, okay? You must be playing a prank on me, right? I kept the cake in the fridge. Once you wake up, I''ll celebrate your birthday with you, okay?"


    What is she saying? What cake? What birthday?


    Then Yin Zhao-an saw her father, who had been exhausted from talking to the police, striding over and slapping "Yin Zhao-an" in the face before angrily berating her.


    While listening to her father berate her other self, Yin Zhao-an caught onto the phrase "Uncle Tang down below," and the first thought that came to her mind was that Tang Yu''s father had also¡­


    No, there''s no way Uncle Tang could be dead! This must be a dream!

 CH 163

    12-15 minutes 29.05.2023


    Yin Zhao-an quickly calmed her mind and observed everything from a spectator''s perspective.


    The forensic doctor had already taken the corpse away. Yin Changcheng, holding Wang Zhen in grief and anger, left while "Yin Zhao-an" remained alone, standing in the same spot, lost in thought.


    For some reason, even though Yin Zhao-an clearly saw "Yin Zhao-an" mired in sadness, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.


    Soon, the scene began to change. A white light flashed, and when Yin Zhao-an opened her eyes again, she found herself in the living room of a small apartment.


    Appearing in this familiar place filled Yin Zhao-an with excitement.


    Have I come out of the dream? Yin Zhao-an wondered.


    Yin Zhao-an happily ran toward Tang Yu''s studio and raised her hand to open the door, but¡­her body passed through the door and entered the room.


    The room''s furnishings were completely different from what Yin Zhao-an remembered. She lived in the same room as Tang Yu in their small apartment, but this "studio" looked like an ordinary bedroom.


    Currently, Tang Yu was lying on the bed muttering something, looking very cute. Even though Yin Zhao-an knew that this might not be the real Tang Yu, she couldn''t help but develop a strong affection for her, as if her loved one was right before her.


    Yin Zhao-an sat next to Tang Yu on the bed, but although she was sitting, the bedding didn''t sink at all. Meanwhile, Tang Yu was reading a script with her head lowered.


    At one point, Tang Yu quietly muttered a complaint to herself, and Yin Zhao-an couldn''t help but reach out and gently stroke her hair whenever she saw this adorable sight. Unexpectedly, this simple action caused Tang Yu to freeze and stare blankly in her direction.


    Yin Zhao-an quickly withdrew her hand and swiftly moved away when she saw a reaction from Tang Yu. Then, she promptly hid in the corner without making a sound.


    Can Tang Yu see me? Yin Zhao-an wondered.


    But Tang Yu only scratched her head in confusion, staring intently at the empty space in front of her, unable to see anything.


    "Am I hallucinating...?" Tang Yu muttered softly, sitting up on the bed.


    "Oh! My soup!" Suddenly, Tang Yu remembered that there was soup simmering in the kitchen. She dropped the script and hurried towards the kitchen, with Yin Zhao-an naturally following closely behind.


    Seeing Tang Yu about to lift the lid of the porcelain pot with her bare hands, Yin Zhao-an instinctively tried to stop Tang Yu from burning herself. However, her hand simply phased through Tang Yu''s hand and the porcelain lid, and Tang Yu ended up touching the hot surface directly.


    Fortunately, Tang Yu let go of the lid as soon as she felt the intense heat transmitted through her fingertips. Although she was still burned, it wasn''t anything serious, and she calmly put on an oven mitt before attempting to lift the porcelain lid again.


    Standing on the side, Yin Zhao-an looked at her somewhat translucent hand in a daze. Although she wasn''t burnt from touching the porcelain lid just now, her hand appeared slightly less substantial.


    Am I going to disappear? Yin Zhao-an wondered.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu had already scooped some freshly cooked carp soup into a white bowl, and she brought it to another room with a smile.


    Yin Zhao-an followed Tang Yu and witnessed the scene inside the room.


    A girl wearing dark red headphones was shouting into a microphone while rapidly mashing away at the keyboard.


    Tang Yu curiously approached, gazing blankly at the cool and constantly moving characters on the screen, as well as the menacing-looking monster in the center. Just as she was getting absorbed in the scene, she was startled by an angry shout and accidentally spilled the fish soup onto "Yin Zhao-an''s" body.


    Yin Zhao-an stood there, hugging her arms, watching the scene in front of her become chaotic. Her brows furrowed tighter, and her expression grew increasingly unpleasant.


    Suddenly, she felt a strong desire to kill this alternate version of herself.


    In the end, Tang Yu walked out of the room with red-rimmed eyes. Broken porcelain shards pricked her fingers, and tiny drops of crimson blood oozed out.


    Yin Zhao-an silently followed Tang Yu, watching her rinse her bloodstained hands under the faucet, her eyes looking vacant. Then, Tang Yu walked out of the house, step by step, with a lost look.


    Yin Zhao-an wanted to embrace the disoriented girl, but having learned from experience, she refrained from impulsive actions and quietly walked beside the girl.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu sat by the riverbank for a long time. The cool breeze blew her long hair, revealing the reddened corners of her eyes and the glistening teardrops.


    Yin Zhao-an initially thought it wouldn''t take long for "Yin Zhao-an" to come and find Tang Yu. However, even as the darkness of the night set in, nobody came to look for the disoriented girl. Tang Yu even received an angry phone call from "Yin Zhao-an."


    Yin Zhao-an was on the verge of exploding from anger, and she couldn''t help but shout for Tang Yu to forget about "Yin Zhao-an" completely. After all, what was there to like about such a person? It wasn''t worth getting distraught over someone like that!


    But soon, Yin Zhao-an witnessed a sudden turn of events. Just after Tang Yu hung up the phone, two people, who had been following her from behind, swiftly approached and struck her in the back of the head, causing her to lose consciousness.


    Yin Zhao-an could only watch helplessly as the unconscious Tang Yu was carried into a white car.


    ¡­


    The room seemed to be air-conditioned, the temperature set so that the room was neither hot nor cold. Tang Yu paced back and forth in the room while dragging the heavy chains binding her hands and feet. Even though she knew it was futile, she still hoped to find something to help her escape.


    Du Yuqing hadn''t come back since she left. This saved Tang Yu the trouble of dealing with Du Yuqing, but she didn''t know how long it had been since Du Yuqing had abducted her as she had been unconscious during the process. If Yin Zhao-an found out she hadn''t returned home for so long, she would surely find a way to look for her.


    Feeling tired, Tang Yu sat down by the bed to rest. There were very few things in the room, and she could use nothing for self-defense. If Du Yuqing had left behind the moon-shaped desk lamp, she could have tried using it as a blunt weapon, but alas.


    While contemplating, Tang Yu began to examine the chains linking the shackles on her hands. What if she used the chains to restrain Du Yuqing? It didn''t seem feasible. There must be surveillance cameras here, so any movement would be noticed. She couldn''t escape from this place even if she was lucky enough to eliminate Du Yuqing.


    Whether Tang Yu chose to stay put or fight back, both options led to death. Du Yuqing had said she wouldn''t let her die, but could she really survive this predicament?


    Tang Yu refused to believe it. She also refused to surrender herself to Du Yuqing. In that case, should she bite her tongue, like they did on TV? No, what if Yin Zhao-an came to her rescue this time?


    Tang Yu alternated between relaxing her frown and furrowing her brows, unconsciously biting her fingernails, showing a conflicted expression.


    ¡­


    Soft moans echoed in a dim room. Through the faint light coming from the display screen, it could be seen that this was a spacious master bedroom, with a predominantly gothic crimson color scheme, just like its mysterious and frightening owner.


    Du Yuqing gently reached out her hand and caressed the face of the person on the screen. In her icy eyes, there was a slow flow of early spring water, gradually breaking the ice and revealing rare tenderness.


    She traced the contours of the person''s face on the screen with one hand, while the other stirred recklessly in the mouth of the person next to her.


    "Mmm..."


    The person beside Du Yuqing whimpered but dared not stop enticing her with their tongue, wrapping it around her slender index finger.


    "Four, are you not in the mood tonight?" Du Yuqing coldly withdrew her finger, her indifferent eyes fixed on the person kneeling on the ground.


    The woman, referred to as Four, trembled slightly, leaning forward to lick the fluid from Du Yuqing''s hand. Her light brown eyes flickered, with a tear hanging at the corner.


    "I''m sorry, Mistress," Four obediently replied, her thin lips casually brushing against Du Yuqing''s well-defined slender fingers.


    Finally, Du Yuqing shifted her gaze entirely to Four, lazily leaning back in the swivel chair, tilting her head slightly as she examined the person who had served by her side for the last six years.


    She had picked her up from the red-light district initially because her facial features resembled Tang Yu to some extent. But over the years, they had become less and less alike. Tang Yu was pure and clean all over, while Four carried a faint, inscrutable chill. Four had also grown more carefree and confident when dealing with others, and only in front of her would she return to being meek and submissive.


    "Do you want to leave?" Du Yuqing lightly tapped her fingers on the table, producing a sharp sound like the scythe of death tapping against a wall.


    Suddenly, Four raised her head and took a few steps forward, her calm voice carrying a hint of panic in her as she said with tears brimming in her eyes. "No, Mistress, please let me stay by your side. Four doesn''t want to leave. Four only wants to be with you forever."


    Du Yuqing''s expression remained unchanged as she focused on the screen. Her voice was soft and faint, but it sounded like a verdict to Four''s ears. "But...I no longer need a substitute."


    ¡­


    Tang Yu, oblivious to the time of day while confined in the dark room, finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep under the weight of her mental distress. Lacking a sense of security, she curled up, wrapping the blanket tightly around herself as if it could shield her like armor.


    The door to the room opened slowly, then closed again. The person who entered moved barefoot, slowly approaching Tang Yu.


    Du Yuqing contemplated carrying Tang Yu to the bed as she looked down at the girl curled up on the floor. She quietly crouched in front of Tang Yu, silently gazing at the girl who was sound asleep.


    Tang Yu looked really sweet and beautiful. Apart from her eyebrows trembling occasionally due to uneasiness, not a single flaw could be found on her face. Her nose was petite, and her lips had a light peach color.


    Suppressing the urge to caress Tang Yu''s lips, Du Yuqing couldn''t help but sneer at herself. When had she become so patient? Going by her usual personality, shouldn''t she have just thrown Tang Yu onto the bed and enjoyed watching her cry in fear?


    However¡­ It would seem that she had learned what it meant to be reluctant.


    In her past life, she failed to see her own feelings clearly. She believed that her attention toward Tang Yu was merely jealousy. It wasn''t until her servant informed her of Tang Yu''s death that she experienced an empty feeling in her heart.


    Back then, she didn''t understand that what she felt was a sense of loss. She treated it as if she had lost a toy. Being young and ignorant, she anxiously ordered someone to dispose of the body but left many pieces of evidence behind. She initially thought she could escape this disaster through her influence, but she didn''t expect Tang Yu''s death to incite a siege from several prominent families and corporations. Ultimately, she ended up in prison and received a death sentence.


    She never expected that her already deceased self could have a second chance. Upon seeing Tang Yu once again, there was hatred in her heart. She hated her ignorance and fearlessness, hated that she loved the wrong person, and hated that Tang Yu remained entangled with Yin Zhao-an without remorse.


    Once again, she kept Tang Yu by her side, just as she did in her previous life. Her state of mind had already undergone numerous changes. She carefully constructed this room, with the carpet made of the finest cashmere, the walls padded with sponges, and the inside of the shackles padded with rubber to prevent injury. All of this was done so that Tang Yu could live well.


    However, Du Yuqing didn''t know that even without her interference, Tang Yu could still live a good life.

 CH 164

    Suppressing the urge to touch Tang Yu, Du Yuqing closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened her eyes again, the complicated emotions that previously resided in the depths of her gaze vanished.


    Du Yuqing carefully leaned down and gently kissed the top of Tang Yu''s hair, even slowing down her breath. She behaved as if Tang Yu truly belonged to her.


    Du Yuqing''s eyes dimmed momentarily, and she carefully got up and left the room, not wanting to disturb Tang Yu, who had finally fallen asleep.


    ¡­


    In the dim room, everything Du Yuqing did was displayed on the screen and seen by a pair of light brown eyes. Four clenched her fists, completely unaware that her nails had sunken into the soft flesh of her palm, causing tiny bloodshot lines to appear.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Yin Zhao-an didn''t follow the small sedan that Tang Yu''s kidnappers had driven away in. Or, more specifically, she didn''t get to follow it as the scene changed abruptly.


    In the blink of an eye, Yi Zhao-an found herself in a cold and damp basement, with Tang Yu barely clinging to life before her.


    Tang Yu had many wounds on her body, and her breathing gradually weakened. Her pale, bleeding lips opened and closed, looking like she was murmuring something.


    Yin Zhao-an leaned in to listen, and she could only hear Tang Yu repeating two syllables:


    "An-An¡­"


    An inexplicable anger rose in Yin Zhao-an''s heart. She also couldn''t understand why, despite "Yin Zhao-an" clearly not knowing how to cherish her, Tang Yu would still think of "Yin Zhao-an" at a time like this.


    Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu staring straight at her while struggling to raise an arm in her direction. Then, a faint smile of happiness appeared on Tang Yu''s face as she said, "An-An... You... You''ve come."


    Yin Zhao-an looked around in confusion. Besides herself and Tang Yu, nobody else was in the room. Could it be that Tang Yu was experiencing an illusion?


    But Tang Yu''s eyes were clearly looking in her direction!


    Yin Zhao-an suppressed her startled feelings and walked slowly toward Tang Yu, wondering if Tang Yu truly could see her.


    Crouching down, Yin Zhao-an held Tang Yu''s pale and frail hand, immediately feeling a chill coming from the hand. At the same time, a tear rolled down Tang Yu''s face.


    "You really...came to find me."


    Even though Yin Zhao-an knew everything here was but an illusion, her heart still involuntarily constricted. She felt as if Tang Yu truly was about to leave her.


    Tang Yu struggled on the ground, seemingly trying to get up. Yin Zhao-an reached out and embraced Tang Yu''s waist, pulling her into her arms. Then, she saw Tang Yu weakly smiling while tears streamed down her face.


    "How wonderful... An-An has never been this gentle with me..." Tang Yu said, her growing weaker with each passing syllable. "But... I really like you..."


    "An-An... would never look at me with such tender heartache... You are not her..." Tang Yu forced a bitter smile, her pupils gradually dilating. "You are not her..."


    Tang Yu sensed a sudden warm sensation on her lips, but she couldn''t respond to it. With the last bit of strength in her body, all she managed was to say two words.


    "Thank you..."


    Tears began to ooze out of Yin Zhao-an''s eyes when she felt the person in her embrace taking her last breath. In the dark and silent room, her figure looked lonely and desolate.


    Yin Zhao-an continued to hold Tang Yu for a long time, a bitter feeling overwhelming her heart. Her throat felt tight, so tight that she could barely breathe.


    The next moment, the environment changed once again. Before Yin Zhao-an could fully recover from witnessing Tang Yu''s life slipping away, she saw the person who shared the same face as she did¡ªthe "Yin Zhao-an" of this world.


    Clenching her fists, Yin Zhao-an strode forward and subconsciously threw a punch at "Yin Zhao-an''s" face. She had expected her fist to pass through "Yin Zhao-an''s" face, but to her surprise, the punch landed solidly on the bewildered "Yin Zhao-an''s" face.


    "What the hell! Are you crazy?" "Yin Zhao-an" had just gotten up from the computer, so she couldn''t help but curse out loud when she was abruptly greeted with a punch that sent her brain spinning.


    However, when "Yin Zhao-an" got a better look at the person in front of her, her eyes widened in astonishment. She nearly shouted out of reflex, but her mental composure prevented her from embarrassing herself like that.


    In front of her stood someone who looked exactly like herself. There was no way such a situation could be real. She must have started hallucinating after sitting at the computer for too long.


    "Who are you?!" "Yin Zhao-an" demanded.


    Initially, "Yin Zhao-an" had thought of putting up a struggle. However, the following three words that came out of the party''s mouth struck her like a lightning bolt, keeping her rooted to the spot.


    "Yin Zhao-an."


    Seeing her other self''s reaction, Yin Zhao-an suddenly felt apathetic. She didn''t understand why someone like this deserved to share her name and her face. This person didn''t deserve Tang Yu''s affection in the slightest.


    "Tang Yu is dead. You''re on your own," Yin Zhao-an coldly stated. Then, without bothering to look at the person frozen in place, she turned around and walked away.


    How boring, Yin Zhao-an thought. Why was this dream so long? When would she wake up from this strange dream? She missed her Tang-Tang.


    The reason Yin Zhao-an didn''t lose control of herself too much was because she knew everything here was fake. She had taken great care of Tang Yu, and the Tang Yu she knew was nowhere as pale and weak as the "Tang Yu" of this world. They slept together instead of sleeping in separate rooms. Her Tang Yu was adorable and would act coquettishly, not as submissive as she was here. As for the "Yin Zhao-an" of this world, although Yin Zhao-an couldn''t stand this version of herself, the other party deserved to face the news of "Tang Yu''s" death, and she deserved to live a lifetime of guilt and pain.


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t know how long she had wandered this dream world. She had wandered to the point where she nearly forgot where she was.


    One day, Yin Zhao-an found herself standing in a beautiful hall. Fang Ling, wearing a pretty dress, sat among the guests, playing with an adorable little baby in her arms. A tall man sat silently next to them, watching the mother and child play, his eyes full of affection.


    Fang Lang stood on the podium at the front, holding a few procedure cards in his hand, reciting something nervously.


    Sitting below the podium was a handsome man with a light tan, seemingly wearing a pair of toy ears on his head and dragging a gray-black tail behind him.


    Then, Yin Zhao-an saw the newlyweds coming out from inside the house. The newlyweds turned out to be...Mo Shu and Chen Ci.


    Is this their wedding venue?


    Yin Zhao-an floated over and took a seat at the front, watching their interactions, watching them exchange vows, exchange rings, and kiss amidst everyone''s blessings.


    Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an felt a cold sensation on her face. When she reached out to touch it, she found that, without her realizing it, tears had started to fall from her eyes.


    Yin Zhao-an had to admit that she was very envious.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu suddenly woke up from a dream, huddled up for a moment before realizing where she was, and immediately fell back into sadness.


    It''s been so long¡­ Has An-An still not noticed that I''m missing?


    Perhaps because she had already died once, Tang Yu wasn''t as afraid to be in her current situation anymore. Not to mention, Du Yuqing hadn''t sent anyone to beat her up yet.


    While Tang Yu was lost in thought, the door suddenly opened a little, and a plate of exquisite western food was pushed through the gap. Then, the door closed just as quickly as it opened.


    On the plate was a serving of cumin steak, a small portion of pizza, and purified water in a paper cup.


    After the door closed, Tang Yu heard no further movement. It seemed that whoever delivered her food came to do just that.


    To Tang Yu''s embarrassment, her stomach grumbled loudly. She had gone out to buy groceries for dinner at the time of her abduction. While she didn''t know exactly how much time had passed since then, she was certain it was a long time, so it was only natural for her to be hungry.


    Tang Yu carefully moved up to the plate of food and found that the steak had already been cut. No knife and fork were provided for her, only a disposable glove.


    Was this to prevent her from self-harming?


    Tang Yu suddenly realized that Du Yuqing might really be intending to keep her alive this time.


    Caught between starving and satiating herself, Tang Yu didn''t hesitate for long. She decisively picked up the plate and shuffled to the edge of the bed, seemingly treating the bed as a safe spot.


    It was only natural that Tang Yu would choose to satiate herself. Although she didn''t know if there was anything strange added to the food, if she didn''t eat, she would only be waiting for death. She might starve to death before Yin Zhao-an even came to find her.


    ¡­


    When Du Yuqing saw Tang Yu obediently eat her food through the surveillance monitor, her mood brightened. The icy expression that was usually on her face revealed a faint warmth, and her eyes were full of infatuation for that person.


    Four stood by Du Yuqing''s side, dumbfounded, as she saw an expression she had never seen before on Du Yuqing''s face. A tinge of jealousy filled her heart as she curiously turned to watch the person on the screen.


    The person on the screen had an extremely cute appearance. If she were to be described as an animal, she would be like a pure white rabbit.


    Sure enough, a counterfeit should never appear in front of the genuine article. No matter how much one tried to dress up a fake, it would only be enough to fool oneself. The fake could never become the real deal.


    Meanwhile, if there was a choice to be made, one would naturally choose the genuine article without hesitation. Who would care about the presence or absence of a counterfeit? Four laughed at herself, self-deprecatingly acknowledging that she couldn''t even properly serve a substitute. She didn''t even have one-thousandth of the other person''s likeness.


    ¡­


    When Tang Yu finished eating, the door opened again. Seeing this, she promptly placed the empty plate in the center of the carpet and cautiously retreated to the corner, resembling a frightened rabbit. Meanwhile, the servant who entered the room collected the empty plate and left the room without ever glancing at Tang Yu, behaving entirely like a robot following a program.


    When the heavy door closed, Tang Yu started to look around the room curiously, trying to find the surveillance cameras that were monitoring her. However, even though the room had some lighting now, it only served a mild illuminating purpose. The room''s corners were still enveloped in darkness, making one wonder if there were lurking monsters within.


    Failing to make any noteworthy discoveries, Tang Yu wrapped the thin blanket from the bed around herself and huddled in a corner, secretly surveying the dark corner across the room with a suspicious gaze. Little did she know that she was looking directly at the location of the surveillance camera.


    ¡­


    Du Yuqing calmly watched the innocent face displayed on the surveillance monitor, laughter coming out of her mouth when she saw Tang Yu peering in the camera''s direction suspiciously.


    "How adorable."


    After saying so, Du Yuqing stood up and walked out of the room. Four, who had been behind her the whole time, lowered her head slightly and followed her mistress out of the room.


    Noticing Four''s actions, Du Yuqing paused her steps, the gentle glow in her eyes dissipating. Then, she coldly looked at the submissive person behind her and said, "You don''t have to follow me, go about your own business."


    Four bit her lip and lifted her eyes. There was a thin layer of mist shrouding her gaze, and her originally indifferent expression was stained with an indescribable desire, making her look very enticing.


    "Mistress..."


    Seeing Four in this state, Du Yuqing immediately understood what the other party had done. Her eyes, lined with sharp eyeliner, narrowed dangerously. Taking a step forward, she gripped Four''s chin firmly and said, "You have grown bold. How dare you take medicine without permission?"


    Due to her chin being restrained, Four could only tilt her head back, exposing her vulnerable neck. Then, a teardrop slid from the corner of her eye and silently disappeared into the carpet beneath her feet as she pleaded, "Please, Mistress... Take me."

 CH 165

    Outside the window, dark clouds covered the sky. Chen Ci anxiously watched the hurried figures walking back to the residential area. Then, for the n-th time, she turned to Mo Shu, who was leisurely swinging her tail around, and asked, "It''s almost noon, yet Tang Yu still hasn''t come back!"


    In response, Mo Shu lazily yawned and stretched like a cat on the sofa, saying, "Don''t worry; she''s still alive."


    Chen Ci closed the window, halting the breeze blowing into the bedroom. Then, while pacing around the room in agitation, she contemplated, "Should I call the police? Yin Zhao-an is still unconscious. What if Du Yuqing goes crazy and tortures Tang Yu to death again?"


    Unable to bear Chen Ci''s worried expression, Mo Shu hugged her and comforted her, "Don''t worry; Tang Yu will be fine. If she''s in danger, I''ll save her. Okay?"


    Chen Ci looked at Mo Shu with a touch of grievance but ultimately chose to nestle in her arms without saying a word.


    ¡­


    Tang Yu lost track of time while trapped in the dark room, and she eventually fell into a trance once again. Amidst her trance, though, the door to the room opened once again.


    Tang Yu instantly tensed up and looked vigilantly at the door when she heard it opening. However, she found that the person who entered was neither a servant nor Du Yuqing.


    The person was a woman, and she seemed exhausted as she leaned against the wall for a moment to catch her breath before slowly walking toward Tang Yu.


    "Yu-An."


    Tang Yu''s breath got caught in her throat. This voice! It was Four O''clock''s!


    In disbelief, Tang Yu looked at the frail woman in front of her. A few strands of hair were scattered across the other party''s forehead, accentuating her pale complexion.


    Four''s lips were slightly curved upward, her lower lip bearing a dark red wound as if it had been bitten. There were also red marks and bruises on her neck, and Tang Yu found them impossible to ignore. As for Four''s attire, she wore a black wide-collared chemise, with the hem just barely reaching her thighs.


    Tang Yu subconsciously relaxed her guard in the face of the person before her. Firstly, the person seemed weak enough not to pose a threat. Secondly, due to their voice-acting collaboration, she had a favorable impression of Four and greatly admired her acting skills. However, she never expected that Four would be connected to Du Yuqing and end up getting injured like this.


    Four sat down beside Tang Yu, supporting herself on the edge of the bed. At that moment, Tang Yu heard a distinct sound of gasping, a sound of pain being suppressed.


    "Four... A-Are you alright?" Tang Yu felt a pang of pain just by looking at the scars on Four''s body. Unable to bear it, she furrowed her brows and tentatively moved closer to her.


    "I''m fine, Yu-An," Four took out a tiny key from her hair. "Come here; I''ll unlock them for you."


    Tang Yu was momentarily stunned before realizing that Four was referring to the shackles on her body.


    The small key quickly unlocked the cold shackles, producing a crisp sound in the room.


    Tang Yu felt a sense of joy as her hands and feet regained their freedom, but then she remembered that she might not be able to leave this place, and her mood dampened. "It doesn''t matter even if I''m unshackled¡­"


    Four also had a favorable impression of Tang Yu. Tang Yu''s genuine nature was something she could never hope to imitate. Thinking of this, she rubbed Tang Yu''s head like a caring older sister, "It''s okay, I''ll take you out."


    Four led Tang Yu out of the room. Initially, Tang Yu was somewhat worried about Four, but when she saw the mansion''s servants all keeping their heads lowered when they came across Four, she suddenly understood Four''s position in Du Yuqing''s home.


    "Four, aren''t you afraid of being discovered by Du Yuqing?" Tang Yu whispered as she leaned closer to this seemingly cold but actually soft-hearted person, unwittingly starting to worry about her.


    Du Yuqing? Four paused slightly, wondering if Tang Yu was referring to her mistress''s former name. She only knew of Zoe Jones, the name her mistress currently went by.


    "It''s fine. She took her medication and won''t wake up for a while," Four said as she lowered her gaze slightly to conceal her thoughts.


    ¡­


    In one of the rooms, Four had prepared clothes for Tang Yu and carried the belongings to lead her to the back of the mansion. There was a black car behind the mansion.


    Four handed Tang Yu a long black jacket and looked at her attentively, unable to help but smile gently. "You look really beautiful."


    At this point, Tang Yu couldn''t help but be confused by Four''s intentions. Out of curiosity, she asked, "Why did you save me?"


    "Because¡­Mistress can only have me," Four said. "I am enough for her."


    Tang Yu trembled all over, startled by the expectation in Four''s eyes. "This might be offensive to ask, but...are you..."


    Four lowered her head and glanced at Tang Yu, understanding what the girl wanted to ask. However, she did not refute Tang Yu and simply answered, "If Mistress wills for it, then I am. If she doesn''t, then I''m not."


    The driver urged Four to hurry, looking worried. Four stopped entertaining Tang Yu''s curiosity and had her get into the car, saying. "You can trust Carl. He will take you out of this mansion. I''ve placed your phone in the bag. You can contact whoever you want to reach."


    "What about you?" Tang Yu asked with concern as she looked at the person covered in wounds.


    Shaking her head, Four responded, "Mistress likes you very much. She doesn''t want to hurt you. If possible, please don''t blame her. I will do my best to ensure she won''t come looking for you again."


    Carl was feeling incredibly uneasy. He knew that the owner of this mansion wasn''t a nice person, and if they didn''t leave soon, they might never be able to leave. So, after seeing Tang Yu getting into the car, he said, "Four, I have to leave. Take care."


    When Carl started the car''s engine, Four suddenly remembered something and handed an item to Tang Yu through the car window. Then, as the car moved farther away, she finally smiled with relief.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu lowered her head and looked at the item Four had hurriedly placed in her hand.


    ¡ªIt was her silver ring.


    ¡­


    On one of the window sills of the mansion, a woman wearing a white bathrobe lazily leaned against it, watching the person in black chemise standing at the back of the mansion, the person''s pale skin looking particularly eye-catching under the sun.


    How bold of her to go out dressed like that, Du Yuqing thought.


    Aside from having this thought, Du Yuqing couldn''t help but wonder what had gotten into herself. More specifically, she wondered why she didn''t feel any anger despite having just discovered the betrayal of someone close to her. She even allowed this person to release Tang Yu without any obstruction.


    Regardless...disobedient kittens must be punished.


    Despite being under the sun, Four inexplicably felt a chill. Seeing as the car was no longer in sight, she silently turned around and, as if sensing something, looked up toward the upper floor, meeting a pair of teasing eyes.


    ¡­


    Bang!


    A loud noise abruptly echoed in the room, causing Mo Shu''s ears to shudder. Sitting up, Mo Shu looked in the front door''s direction and heard the sound of anxious footsteps in the corridor outside.


    Chen Ci and Mo Shu exchanged a glance, both understanding what had happened.


    It would seem that Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an had finally crossed the hurdle impeding them from getting together.


    ¡­


    Yin Zhao-an rushed downstairs. The screen of her phone displayed a red dot moving steadily toward her, but her heart was already in pain and on the verge of breaking. Tears also flowed continuously from her eyes.


    When she regained consciousness, it was already noon the next day. Even though her hazy mind told her she had a high fever, the moment she woke up and didn''t see Tang Yu, she felt like she had already stepped halfway across the boundary of death.


    Yin Zhao-an ran while suppressing the urge to bawl, her hands trembling as she looked at her phone. Tears blurred her vision, so she wiped them away and watched the small red dot getting closer and closer to her location.


    A moment later, a white sedan came to a stop in front of her with a swoosh. As soon as Yin Zhao-an saw the driver''s light green eyes, her whole body bristled with thorns, ready to go up and beat him. It wasn''t until the back door opened that her attention shifted from the driver.


    "Thank you, Mr. Carl."


    Tang Yu expressed her gratitude to Carl as she exited the car. She had already spotted Yin Zhao-an standing at the entrance of the residential area with reddened eyes.


    After Tang Yu got out of the car with her clothes in hand, before she could even steady herself, Yin Zhao-an rushed up and tightly embraced her, squeezing her to the point where she could hardly breathe.


    Carl indifferently glanced at the two before silently stepping on the accelerator and driving away. Unlike Tang Yu and Four, he still needed to find a safe place to hide for a while.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu responded to Yin Zhao-an''s embrace in kind. For some reason, she could feel palpitations and fear coming from Yin Zhao-an, and she felt that these feelings would only disappear if she returned Yin Zhao-an''s hug.


    "An-An?"


    A couple of passersby had already started to give them strange looks, and Tang Yu couldn''t help but blush when she noticed this. So, she gently pushed the person leaning on her shoulder, signaling for the other party to conclude their physical intimacy.


    However, Yin Zhao-an''s following response was not what Tang Yu expected. Suddenly, Yin Zhao-an lifted the hood of Tang Yu''s jacket and draped it over them, covering their heads and blocking out all prying eyes.


    In the darkness, Tang Yu could hear Yin Zhao-an''s slightly heavy breathing and feel her unusually hot breath. Then, before she could process the situation any further, she felt a sudden pain spread on her lips, which was soon followed by the taste of blood permeating her mouth.


    When Tang Yu recovered from her initial surprise, she let out a painful whimper. Yin Zhao-an, on the verge of losing control, stopped her aggression when she heard it and exhaustedly leaned on Tang Yu''s shoulder, murmuring, "I''m sorry."


    Tang Yu could tell something was wrong with Yin Zhao-an. Quickly, she reached out to feel Yin Zhao-an''s forehead, the burning hot sensation coming through the back of her hand verifying her suspicions, "You have a fever."


    Tang Yu promptly removed her jacket and draped it over her arm. Then, she supported Yin Zhao-an as they walked back to their home, practically forgetting that she had just escaped from danger as she said, "I should have thought of it earlier. How could you suddenly feel drowsy for no reason? You must have had a fever since yesterday."


    Even though Yin Zhao-an had a fever, she was very well-behaved and didn''t cause too much trouble for Tang Yu. She tried hard to go upstairs by herself, but her hands were simply too weak to even push herself off of Tang Yu''s shoulder.


    "Stop struggling. Lean on me, and try not to fall," Tang Yu said as she hooked one of Yin Zhao-an''s hands around her neck and made a determined effort to support Yin Zhao-an, who was taller than her.


    Chen Ci had come out of her house to wait by the staircase a while ago. When she saw Tang Yu struggling to help Yin Zhao-an up the staircase, she hurried over to help out. "What happened?"


    "She has a fever," Tang Yu replied promptly.


    "Ah Shu, go get the medical kit," Chen Ci called out to Mo Shu, who was still in the house.


    When Chen Ci mentioned "medical kit," she was referring to a special medicine that Mo Shu had scammed from the System in the past. The medicine was incredibly effective against fevers.


    ¡­


    When Mo Shu finished preparing the herbal concoction for Yin Zhao-an, the latter was already on the brink of losing consciousness from her high fever. Because of this, she strongly resisted the warm liquid Mo Shu offered her, and nobody could get her to drink it.


    Mo Shu shrugged helplessly and handed the medicine to Tang Yu. When faced with such a stubborn patient, there was one solution that could normally work wonders¡ªfeeding mouth-to-mouth.


    Not wanting to be a third wheel, Mo Shu dragged Chen Ci out of the bedroom after giving Tang Yu a meaningful wink.

 CH 166

    "Do you want some medicine, An-An?" Tang Yu tentatively asked as she held up a bowl of medicine to Yin Zhao-an.


    Seemingly quite effective, Yin Zhao-an opened her dazed eyes slightly and hoarsely mumbled an "Mhm" in response.


    Pleasantly surprised, Tang Yu carefully blew the medicine cool and fed it to Yin Zhao-an''s lips. Although some of the brownish medicinal liquid spilled out, Yin Zhao-an managed to swallow most of it.


    Afterward, Tang Yu poured a cup of warm water for Yin Zhao-an, but the latter refused to drink it no matter what. Instead, Yin Zhao-an held onto her hand tightly and refused to let her go.


    "Do you want to sleep for a while?" Tang Yu didn''t struggle to free her hand and simply let Yin Zhao-an hold onto it.


    "Don''t go¡­stay here," Yin Zhao-an muttered, her consciousness fuzzy. She worried she might not wake up again once she lost consciousness. And even if she did wake up, she worried Tang Yu might go missing again.


    Tang Yu helplessly complied with Yin Zhao-an''s request, saying, "Okay, I won''t leave."


    When Yin Zhao-an ultimately fell asleep, Mo Shu entered the room, leaned against the wall, and looked at Tang Yu as if trying to discern something from the girl.


    "Do you know what happened to me?" Tang Yu indifferently asked when she sensed Mo Shu''s gaze on her.


    Clearing her throat, Mo Shu spoke with a hint of guilt, "I wasn''t allowed to intervene."


    Tang Yu lowered her gaze, her body emanating a gentle aura as she observed her slumbering beloved. "I understand. There are many unpredictable things in this world."


    For example, her and Du Yuqing''s reincarnation, Yin Zhao-an''s earth-shattering change in personality, the fact that she had a babbling younger brother, and the fact that she managed to escape from Du Yuqing''s hands alive.


    "Do you blame me for not saving you in time?" Mo Shu asked.


    Tang Yu shook her head, her expression unchanged. Resting her gaze on Yin Zhao-an''s flushed face, she said, "Blaming others won''t help. Perhaps this is the path I have to go through with her. I can only rely on myself to get through it," she paused for a moment, "If I can''t get through it, then I can only blame myself for not having such a fate."


    Mo Shu nodded, finding the child before her rather understanding.


    "Then, I''ll leave you two alone now. If you need anything, Chen Ci and I will always be available next door."


    "Okay, thank you."


    ¡­


    It was already noon, and Tang Yu suspected Yin Zhao-an hadn''t eaten anything since she was abducted. For the sake of their stomachs, she decided to cook something.


    With that in mind, Tang Yu carefully withdrew her hand, grabbed a plushie from the bedside, placed it in Yin Zhao-an''s hand, and quietly left the room to make something in the kitchen.


    There were no vegetables in the fridge, so she could only take out instant noodles to make do for a meal. People with a cold shouldn''t eat eggs, so she only fried a sunny-side-up egg for herself, while Yin Zhao-an''s portion was just a plain soup.


    It couldn''t be helped. She could only try to compensate Yin Zhao-an once she got better.


    The water in the pot bubbled and steamed. When Tang Yu placed the noodles in, she heard a loud noise from the bedroom. It startled her, and she hurriedly ran out of the kitchen to see what had happened.


    When Tang Yu stepped out of the kitchen, she saw Yin Zhao-an standing dazedly in the living room, tears streaming down her face as she gazed at the empty studio. It also looked like Yin Zhao-an would rush out the door the next second.


    Fortunately, Tang Yu noticed Yin Zhao-an''s movements in advance and quickly pulled back the person about to rush out. "An-An, snap out of it! I''m here!"


    "Let me go! I''m going to find Tang-Tang!" Yin Zhao-an struggled as if she had lost her senses, her eyes turning red from the rush of blood.


    "An-An!" Tang Yu shouted, but Yin Zhao-an seemed to be filtering out her voice, completely disregarding her and adamantly trying to leave the house.


    Unable to find any other solution, Tang Yu took a big step forward, wrapped her arm around Yin Zhao-an''s neck, and bit down on the neck. Yin Zhao-an''s movements gradually weakened under the pain, and her missing rationality was gradually returning.


    Seeing Yin Zhao-an calm down, Tang Yu decided to release her. But before she could reprimand Yin Zhao-an, she suddenly felt herself lifted off her feet. The next moment, she was lifted onto the dining table, and her lips became sealed by the person above. At the same time, she felt a pair of hands stroking her thighs.


    Tang Yu nearly cursed. She hadn''t even changed back into her dress yet!


    As the situation started to grow more and more out of control, Tang Yu could no longer tell whether Yin Zhao-an was okay or not. All she knew was that the noodles in the kitchen would burn if she didn''t turn off the stove soon!


    "Noodles... I''m still cooking noodles in the kitchen!" Tang Yu said after pushing Yin Zhao-an off her momentarily. But before she could catch her breath, her lips were sealed again.


    Fortunately, Yin Zhao-an still had some safety awareness. Like holding a child, she carried Tang Yu into the kitchen and turned off the induction stove. Then, she swiftly left the kitchen and pushed Tang Yu down on the dining table again¡­


    Tang Yu no longer resisted and weakly lay on the dining table, letting Yin Zhao-an have her way with her while she put her throat to work time and again.


    ¡­


    When the dust settled, a sudden knock came from the front door.


    Yin Zhao-an grabbed a quick drink of water before going to the door. However, she only opened a small crack in the door, blocking the view of everything inside the house.


    Failing to catch any interesting sights, Mo Shu retracted her prying gaze from inside the house. Then, she smiled and handed a tray carrying two plates of braised chicken rice to Yin Zhao-an, saying, "You''ve worked hard, youngsters!"


    Yin Zhao-an initially accepted the tray without understanding the meaning behind Mo Shu''s words, but realization quickly dawned upon her when she saw Mo Shu''s suggestive smile. However, rather than feeling shy, she smiled generously and said, "Thanks."


    ¡­


    When Yin Zhao-an placed the two plates of chicken rice in front of Tang Yu, her lust for Tang Yu had long been sated, and replacing it was a deep sense of concern and affection. "Quickly eat up! You''ve expended a lot of energy!"


    Tang Yu glanced at Yin Zhao-an indifferently and slowly straightened her sore back. Then, in a hoarse voice, she said, "Water..."


    Yin Zhao-an immediately handed Tang Yu the bottle of mineral water she had previously drunk out of.


    After her throat was relieved by the refreshing flow of water, Tang Yu looked at the radiant person in front of her with frustration. Eventually, despite her resentment, she still failed to resist the worry in her heart and asked, "Has your fever gone away? Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"


    "I don''t feel sick anymore. My headache is gone as well," Yin Zhao-an said, shaking her head. She wasn''t lying to alleviate Tang Yu''s worry, either. The medicine Mo Shu provided was truly something extraordinary.


    "Let''s eat, then. I''ll tell you what happened yesterday after we are done eating," Tang Yu said before letting out a helpless sigh. Then, she picked up a spoon and started eating her share of chicken rice.


    Yin Zhao-an agreed. She experienced a long and vivid dream after falling asleep yesterday. When she woke up and didn''t see Tang Yu, her heart nearly stopped beating as a pale and lifeless face kept flashing in her mind. Amidst her panic and despair, she even thought about writing a suicide note.


    ¡­


    After the meal, Yin Zhao-an took the initiative to do the dishes and brought them over next door to return them. But just when she was about to knock on the door, she suddenly heard suppressed moans coming from inside. So, she quietly withdrew her hand and tactfully decided to return later.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu had already taken a bath and changed into a clean set of clothes, and she currently sat on the edge of the bed, blow-drying her hair. Seeing this, Yin Zhao-an walked over and embraced Tang Yu from behind. Then, she took the hairdryer out of Tang Yu''s hand and helped Tang Yu dry her hair.


    After Tang Yu''s hair was dry, Yin Zhao-an put away the hairdryer and put on a serious expression. It was time to discuss serious matters.


    "You go first. Tell me where you went, what happened, and why you only came back today." Yin Zhao-an urgently wanted to know what Tang Yu had experienced. Fortunately, through their intimate conversation at the dining table during lunch, she verified that Tang Yu had no visible injuries.


    "Mhm¡­" Tang Yu blinked, seemingly organizing her thoughts. Then, she said, "You should know about Du Yuqing, right? She... She took me away while I stepped out of the residential area, and when I woke up, I was in a small dark room."


    Yin Zhao-an''s heart suddenly felt a sharp pain when she heard "small dark room." She kept a calm expression but furrowed her brow, trying to dispel the image of a weak and pale face from her mind.


    "She placed shackles on me, so I couldn''t leave the room. But she didn''t touch me or do anything extreme." Tang Yu noticed that Yin Zhao-an seemed emotionally unstable and held her hand in her palm to comfort her. "Later, someone rescued me. They let me out of the room and had someone send me back here."


    "Who rescued you? Weren''t you restrained?" Yin Zhao-an listened attentively, not missing any details.


    Tang Yu recalled the marks and bruises on Four O''clock''s neck, and her brow slightly furrowed as she said, "It was probably...Du Yuqing''s admirer..."


    "I''m sorry." Yin Zhao-an suddenly felt downcast and tightly grasped Tang Yu''s hand in fear. "I wasn''t there for you when you needed me the most. I couldn''t fulfill our promise. I''m sorry..."


    Tang Yu remembered saying that should she ever disappear one day, Yin Zhao-an should come to her immediately. Yin Zhao-an had also promised to do so, but it was evident she had failed to make good on her promise. Even so, Tang Yu didn''t intend to blame Yin Zhao-an, saying:


    "Maybe this was destined to happen. It just so happened that I went out to buy groceries while you were asleep. It also just so happened that you had a high fever when I was abducted. I refuse to believe there isn''t a mastermind behind all of this."


    "A mastermind?" Yin Zhao-an couldn''t quite follow Tang Yu''s line of thought.


    "Fate," Tang Yu stated without offering any additional explanations.


    Yin Zhao-an hugged Tang Yu tightly against her chest. She knew that even though Tang Yu spoke about the whole situation calmly and without much emotional fluctuation, it must have been a terrifying experience to wake up in a completely unfamiliar environment. Tang Yu must have prayed for her to be by her side, just like how the Tang Yu in her dream had prayed for "An-An" to rescue her.


    But like "An-An," she never showed up, and Tang Yu must have been very sad and disappointed.


    "I''m sorry. I''m truly sorry." Yin Zhao-an tenderly kissed the top of Tang Yu''s head. "You must have been terrified at the time."


    Tang Yu had indeed been terrified, but only for a while when she opened her eyes and saw Du Yuqing. However, after their initial meeting, Du Yuqing never appeared in the room again. It felt like Du Yuqing treated her like a pet, only making sure that she was fed well and slept well¡­


    Thinking up to this point, Tang Yu put on a serious look and said, "I was terrified at the time."


    Yin Zhao-an paused for a moment, a voice in her head telling her something was off. But she couldn''t pinpoint what it was, so she decided not to dwell on it.


    "Let''s go to the police and have Du Yuqing arrested!" Yin Zhao-an firmly declared.


    Tang Yu pondered momentarily, the words from Four O''clock still lingering in her mind. Ultimately, she sighed softly and decided to trust the other party once, saying, "Nevermind. Du Yuqing didn''t cause any substantial harm to me. We''ll observe the situation for a few days. If she makes any other moves, we can go to the police then."


    "If that''s what you want, we''ll wait a few days, then¡­" Yin Zhao-an nodded solemnly, recalling the moment of panic when she couldn''t find Tang Yu.


    "What about you? Did you sleep all the way until today?" Tang Yu asked.


    "I... I had a very long dream. In the dream, I saw another you and another me."

 CH 167

    "In my dream, the other me was not good at all. I didn''t understand you, didn''t cherish you, and even yelled at you loudly..." Yin Zhao-an spoke nervously, tightening her grip on Tang Yu''s hand. "And then you disappeared."


    Tang Yu froze, unable to speak. Why did Yin Zhao-an''s description resemble her past life so much?


    "You were locked in an underground basement. It was dark and damp, and you were waiting for me to come and save you, but I never showed up," Yin Zhao-an continued. "You called my name in the darkness in despair and helplessness."


    Tears welled up in Tang Yu''s eyes as she recalled that scene from the past. At the time, her body hurt all over from the violence she was subjected to, and her already weak stomach grew even weaker. Eventually, she recognized that she didn''t have long left to live, and she only wished she could see Yin Zhao-an one last time in her final moments. Unfortunately, even that small wish was not granted to her.


    "So, I went to pick you up. You saw me, but you said I wasn''t the person you were looking for," Yin Zhao-an narrated the story, step by step, like telling a tale. "In the end, I kissed you, and you thanked me. That''s when the dream ended."


    When Yin Zhao-an spoke up to this point, she felt the person in her arms trembling. Although she couldn''t see Tang Yu''s face, she sighed silently and embraced Tang Yu tightly, asking, "Are you mad at me? I kissed the you in my dream, even though I knew that person wasn''t the real you."


    Tang Yu didn''t answer right away. Instead, she turned around and gave Yin Zhao-an a fleeting kiss. Then, in a choked voice, she said, "I''m not angry. Thank you... Thank you¡­"


    Yin Zhao-an didn''t understand why she was being thanked, but she silently accepted Tang Yu''s kiss and affectionately rubbed her nose against Tang Yu''s face.


    As for Tang Yu, she naturally knew everything Yin Zhao-an saw was real. So, she was grateful to Yin Zhao-an for giving "Tang Yu," who had reached the end of her life, a last bit of warmth and sunshine. At the very least, the Tang Yu in that world wouldn''t have to depart with too much despair.


    At the same time, Tang Yu also couldn''t help but feel how lucky she was to meet the warm and gentle person before her.


    ¡­


    After that little incident, whenever Yin Zhao-an had no classes, she would stay at home with Tang Yu and not go anywhere. When Tang Yu had classes, she would happily join in on those classes. After catching her doing so several times, Mo Shu couldn''t help but tease her, saying that she and Tang Yu were akin to conjoined twins.


    After seeing the scene of Mo Shu and Chen Ci getting married in her dream, Yin Zhao-an no longer harbored any hostility toward the older woman. Instead, she envied Mo Shu and Chen Ci. Their way of getting along had become seamless, and they seemed like a very happy couple.


    ¡­


    One day, Tang Yu was contemplating what kind of voice she should use for a role when suddenly a message popped up on QQ.


    It was a private message from Four O''clock.


    Four O''clock: Yu-An, I''m leaving for overseas with the Mistress tomorrow. I''ve already finished recording all the raw voices and sent them for post-production. I won''t be doing voice acting anymore in the future. This is my last work, and I feel fortunate to have acted alongside you.


    Four O''clock: After you left, Mistress punished me. Although it wasn''t easy to endure, her attention was finally focused solely on me. I think she will choose to return overseas, which probably means she has given up on you. If you still resent Mistress, I apologize on her behalf.


    Four O''clock: I''m happy to have met you. I hope you find happiness.


    Yu-An: I should be the one thanking you. Without you, I couldn''t have come back at all. Since those things are in the past, let them be. I''m also glad to have met you, and I hope you find happiness too.


    Four O''clock: I will [Smile].


    After replying, Tang Yu leaned back in her chair with a somewhat heavy heart. Four O''clock''s love for Du Yuqing was twisted, and she wondered if Du Yuqing would actually fall for her. It was also evident that Du Yuqing did not cherish Four O''clock. Just looking at the scars on Four O''clock''s neck made her feel alarmed.


    Suddenly, one of Tang Yu''s QQ group exploded with commotion, with messages popping up one after another. Even without looking, Tang Yu could already tell that it was due to Four O''clock announcing her departure from the group.


    Gugu''ran [Director]: Everyone, calm down! Stop! Four O''clock cannot continue voice acting due to health reasons. Don''t speculate or spread rumors, okay?


    Silent Rain [Planner]: I agree! Please refrain from making wild speculations. Let''s let Four O''clock peacefully live her life. Four O''clock has already posted an announcement on Weibo. If you don''t know the details, just go check it out [link attached].


    Everyone was overreacting because Four O''clock had a relatively high reputation in the GL community, and there weren''t many people in the industry with her cold and distant style. It was truly regrettable that she suddenly retired.


    Meanwhile, Gugu''ran''s explanation was due to everyone''s excessive speculation. Some of these speculations had even been brought to Weibo, causing quite a stir in the voice-acting community.


    Petting Cats Through the Cloud: I heard that Four O''clock collaborated with a newcomer for this radio drama. Could there be some issue with the newcomer that caused Four O''clock to quit?


    Cutest Three-Year-Old: What nonsense are you spouting? Yu-An is well-known in the BG community. Stop trying to slander her!


    Ghost-chan Wants to Eat Little Monsters: Four O''clock already said it''s due to health reasons. Can''t you stop being selectively blind?


    Little Fox: I agree with the person above. Aren''t you tired of speculating and conspiring all the time?


    Petting Cats Through the Cloud: Who are you calling blind?! Four O''clock has been doing this for so many years, and now she suddenly quits. There must be some hidden story behind it. Enough already! You guys are definitely trolls hired by that newcomer!


    Tang Yu glanced at the comments but quickly stopped reading them. No wonder her phone kept buzzing with notifications. Someone was probably cursing at her.


    Helplessly, she turned off the Weibo notifications on her phone. As the saying went, out of sight, out of mind.


    She felt she should finish dubbing this radio drama as quickly as possible and rid herself of this hot potato. Perhaps she should also stop taking GL roles in the future...


    ¡­Or maybe not.


    While Tang Yu was contemplating taking on more GL roles, a sudden knock came from the house''s front door. Getting up from her chair, she walked toward the door, thinking Yin Zhao-an must have returned.


    However, when Tang Yu opened the door, she couldn''t help but be surprised. Her eyes also quickly reddened, and her hands trembled a little. "Mom, Dad, why are you here?"


    Yu Wanrou was holding her nearly two-year-old baby outside the door, and behind her was Tang Zhengyang, carrying bags of vegetables and fruits. Upon seeing Tang Yu, Little Le-Chen clapped his hands happily and laughed cheerfully.


    Tang Yu took out two cartons of chrysanthemum tea from the refrigerator and asked her parents to have a seat in the living room first. Then, she went to the kitchen to make tea and also sent a message to Yin Zhao-an, informing her of the situation at home.


    Meanwhile, Yu Wanrou handed Le-Chen to Tang Zhengyang and carefully inspected the small apartment, ultimately concluding that it was quite good and they were living a refined life.


    ¡­


    It was almost noon, and Yin Zhao-an would be coming home soon, so Tang Yu decided to start preparing lunch. As it so happened, Yu Wanrou had brought some pickled dishes she made at home, so they could use them to enhance the variety of their meal.


    After exploring the apartment, Yu Wanrou squeezed into the small kitchen to help prepare lunch, asking, "What are we having for lunch?"


    Looking at the clams still spitting water in the basin, Tang Yu said, "Depends on what ingredients we have."


    "Oh, not bad. Can you cook with any ingredients now?" Yu Wanrou smiled with satisfaction. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and began gutting and cleaning the fish that was in the basin.


    "More or less. But if there''s anything I don''t know how to prepare, An-An can take care of it," Tang Yu answered. At the mention of Yin Zhao-an, Tang Yu couldn''t help but smile pridefully.


    Yu Wanrou naturally noticed her daughter''s expression and couldn''t help teasing, "I can tell. You''ve gained a lot of weight compared to before, Little Yu."


    Tang Yu''s face suddenly changed, and she looked at her in disbelief, stuttering, "I... I gained weight?"


    Yu Wanrou blinked her eyes, realizing she might have accidentally stepped on a landmine.


    "I... I need to lose weight!"


    "Oh, Mommy was just joking with you!"


    "I don''t believe you!"


    ¡­


    Because of Tang Yu''s forewarning, Yin Zhao-an only returned home after buying some fruits and drinks from a convenience store next to the residential area.


    Tang Zhengyang was the one who opened the door for Yin Zhao-an. When Yin Zhao-an saw him, she greeted him naturally, her voice lacking any of the anxiety she had whenever she greeted him in the past.


    Tang Zhengyang smiled kindly at her and helped her carry some of her bags, asking, "Just finished class?"


    "Yeah!" Yin Zhao-an smiled at him and entered the kitchen with the fruits. The kitchen, which was not spacious, to begin with, suddenly became crowded with three people. "Auntie!"


    Yu Wanrou turned around and glanced at her, her face full of smiles. "An-An, you''re back!"


    "I''ll wash the fruits." Yin Zhao-an took out the apples and grapes from the plastic bag, washed them, and put them in a fruit basket before taking them to the dining table outside. After a short while, she returned and tapped on Yu Wanrou''s shoulder, smiling as she said, "Tang-Tang and I can handle things in the kitchen, Auntie. You''re a guest, so have a seat outside for a bit. We''ll have lunch ready soon."


    Yu Wanrou knew the two children probably wanted some alone time together, so she didn''t refuse and left the kitchen after washing her hands.


    Tang Yu''s cheeks had been rosy for a while now. Even after her mother left, she didn''t dare to speak. Instead, she silently shredded some potatoes while Yin Zhao-an calmly shut the frosted glass door. A second later, Yin Zhao-an swiftly embraced Tang Yu''s waist from behind and gave Tang Yu a quick kiss before putting on a bear apron.


    "Say, Tang-Tang, doesn''t this situation feel like a ''mother-in-law coming to visit her married-off daughter'' scenario to you?" Yin Zhao-an asked before winking at Tang Yu mischievously.


    Tang Yu snorted lightly and retorted, "Why can''t it be you being married off?"


    "If that''s what you want, I''m fine being the one getting married off, too. In the end, we''ll still be together forever, so it doesn''t matter who marries whom," Yin Zhao-an nonchalantly said.


    "Whatever¡­" Tang Yu didn''t try to argue with Yin Zhao-an. Picking up a fish head, she asked, "Should we use this fish head to make soup?"


    "Yes. We have some Enoki mushrooms left as well, so let''s add some in," Yin Zhao-an responded readily, her hands moving skillfully as she neatly sliced a chicken breast into small pieces and placed them on a plate.


    The two worked together to prepare the ingredients. Then, Yin Zhao-an took charge of cooking, and lunch was soon ready.


    After lunch, Tang Zhengyang started to find his "son-in-law" more and more pleasing. Not only did Yin Zhao-an dote on Tang Yu, but she could also cook and was good-looking. He doubted anyone could be a better partner for Tang Yu than Yin Zhao-an.


    Regardless, the main reason Tang Zhengyang and Yu Wanrou had dropped by for a sudden visit was that they were about to go on a trip abroad soon. Before that, they wanted to see how the two children were doing living on their own. And if the two children weren''t doing well, they could offer some help. But now, it seemed that they didn''t need to worry.


    Before leaving, Yu Wanrou pulled Yin Zhao-an aside and whispered something. Seeing this, as Yu Wanrou''s biological daughter, Tang Yu couldn''t help but feel displeased at being left out of the conversation.


    After muttering for a while, Yu Wanrou got into the car, put Le-Chen in the child safety seat, and sat in the back seat. Then, she reluctantly waved goodbye to Tang Yu and Yin Zhao-an.


    It wasn''t until the car drove out of the residential area that Tang Yu lightly bumped into the grinning Yin Zhao-an with her elbow, pretending to be angry as she asked, "What are you smiling for?"


    Yin Zhao-an quickly suppressed her smile and whispered to Tang Yu, "Auntie noticed the ring on your neck. She told me to treat you well."


    Tang Yu lowered her head and looked at her chest. Indeed, the ring had slipped out from her clothes without her notice. She guessed that it had probably happened when she took off her apron haphazardly.


    "Is that so?" However, Tang Yu still didn''t fully believe Yin Zhao-an.


    Seeing Tang Yu''s skeptical look, Yin Zhao-an chuckled and handed her a thick red envelope. "It''s a name-change fee from Mom. Here you go, Ma''am."

 CH 168

    Tang Yu held a weighty red envelope in her hand, her ears reddening slightly. Her voice also lowered a few notches as she muttered, "What¡­nonsense are you talking about¡­"


    "Alright, let''s go home. Mom has already gone back, so we should go back too." Yin Zhao-an said as she put her arm around Tang Yu''s shoulder. Then, as they returned, she discreetly swapped their positions to shield Tang Yu from the sun.


    ¡­


    During their sophomore year, Yin Zhao-an found several senior students and Zhao Yu from the Academy of Sciences to create a multiplayer online game based on the xianxia genre.


    With Yin Changcheng as the financial backer, the game quickly entered the market. Although the game launched with some hiccups, it eventually became finely animated and smoothly executed. The feature of character creation without gender restrictions also attracted many interested players.


    The small studio in the apartment gradually transformed from Tang Yu''s recording studio into Yin Zhao-an''s game development studio. Different brands of computers were lined up on the desk, running on a network to observe the game''s launch speed on different devices.


    One day, at 2 a.m., Tang Yu was awakened by a sudden thirst. Groggily opening her eyes, she found that the spot next to her was still cold; Yin Zhao-an hadn''t come to sleep yet.


    Putting on a coat, Tang Yu slipped into her indoor slippers and went to the living room to get some water. The door to the studio was not fully closed, and warm yellow light spilled out, casting a glow on the floor.


    Helplessly pursing her lips, Tang Yu brewed a cup of warm honey water and brought it to the studio for Yin Zhao-an. However, Tang Yu did not knock for fear of disturbing Yin Zhao-an. Instead, sat down quietly on a nearby chair and watched Yin Zhao-an''s slender fingers swiftly typing on the keyboard and occasionally moving the mouse to click on the screen.


    At some point, Yin Zhao-an''s eyes started to sting, so she closed them to rest and pinched the bridge of her nose. Then, all of a sudden, a pair of warm and gentle hands enveloped her temples and massaged them, relieving the tension in her tightly wound brain.


    "Tang-Tang, you''re still awake? Did I wake you up?" Yin Zhao-an leaned back wearily and grabbed one of the hands on her temples, holding it in her palm and giving it a squeeze before pressing it against her lips for a kiss.


    Tang Yu''s eyes filled with tenderness as she circled her hands around Yin Zhao-an''s neck and rested her head on her shoulder. Then, in a gentle voice, she replied, "No, I just came out for some water. Let''s go to sleep; it''s late."


    Yin Zhao-an turned her head and gave Tang Yu a peck on the cheek, her face revealing a conflicted look as she said, "There are still some running programs that need improvement. It might take a while. You should go to sleep first."


    "No, I want us to sleep together. Can''t you work on it tomorrow?" Tang Yu acted coquettishly, a rare occasion for her.


    "Okay, let''s go to sleep, then." Yin Zhao-an hesitated for a moment, but she ultimately failed to resist Tang Yu''s request, so she shut down the computer and got up from the chair.


    ¡­


    When the two got into bed, Tang Yu habitually snuggled into Yin Zhao-an''s embrace, like a little bunny returning home, finding a comfortable position and relaxing completely.


    Yin Zhao-an chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Tang Yu and rested her chin on the crown of Tang Yu''s head. Then, with her eyes closed, she asked, "What made you so clingy all of a sudden?"


    "It''s cold."


    "...It''s summer now."


    Tang Yu didn''t say anything and simply leaned back to stare at the seemingly clueless person before her with her big, watery eyes.


    "Alright, alright, I won''t tease you anymore. Be a good girl, Tang-Tang; go to sleep. I''ll hold you." Yin Zhao-an lightly kissed Tang Yu''s lips and tightened her embrace.


    The room fell silent for a while. Then, a small voice spoke again, "Let''s go camping the day after tomorrow."


    "Camping?" Yin Zhao-an opened her previously closed eyes, looking surprised.


    "Yeah, you''ve been working too hard lately. Let''s go camping and relax." Tang Yu spoke as if giving a routine notice. Then, as soon as she finished speaking, she fell silent, and her breathing gradually steadied.


    Yin Zhao-an lowered her head, looking at the peacefully sleeping person in her arms, feeling an overwhelming tenderness in his heart.


    ¡­


    The next day, Yin Zhao-an pulled Tang Yu into the studio with a mysterious look on her face.


    Tang Yu wore a puzzled look when she was led to her computer. Then, her expression suddenly changed as she looked at Yin Zhao-an and asked, "You¡­ Don''t tell me you need more computers already¡­"


    "Huh?" Yin Zhao-an looked bewildered, taking a while to grasp Tang Yu''s meaning. Then, she guiltily tapped the tip of Tang Yu''s nose and said, "Turn on your computer and take a look."


    Full of doubts, Tang Yu turned on the computer. At the same time, she considered the possibility of lending her computer to Yin Zhao-an for her experiments as well as better alternatives.


    After the computer booted up, Tang Yu noticed an extra icon on her desktop. It was a familiar icon she had not seen in a long time.


    Upon getting a clearer look at the icon, Tang Yu couldn''t help but turn to look at Yin Zhao-an in confusion.


    "Click on it and see."


    Following Yin Zhao-an''s instructions, Tang Yu logged into the game called "Art of Freedom" and saw a female character in the game that resembled her to some extent.


    Yin Zhao-an was in command the whole time, and Tang Yu followed her instructions. In the end, she drowsily saw the game character, who looked like her, stepping into a red wedding room with another game character.


    Red candles and red veils adorned the room. Two figures dressed in bright red wedding robes exchanged a smile, slowly approaching each other until their lips met.


    "...What is this?" Tang Yu bit her finger in confusion, gazing at the person beside her.


    "I created this account five years ago specifically for you," Yin Zhao-an said with a gentle smile. "Today, Art of Freedom''s developers have officially accepted my suggestion and changed the conditions for forming romantic relationships. We are the first same-sex couple in this game."


    Looking at the still puzzled Tang Yu, Yin Zhao-an walked up to her, knelt on one knee, reverently took her hand with the silver ring, and gently kissed it, her eyes shining.


    "You see, whether in virtual or real life, we will be together forever."


    ¡­


    In preparation for their camping trip, Tang Yu woke up early in the morning to prepare meal boxes and ingredients, busily moving in and out of the kitchen.


    The weather was beautiful today, and the stars at night were expected to be magnificent.


    Yin Zhao-an borrowed a car from her father and prepared to drive to the campsite with Tang Yu.


    By the time everything was ready, it was almost noon. Tang Yu came downstairs with a large travel bag on her back, and Yin Zhao-an had already parked the car downstairs, waiting for her to get in.


    "It''s going to be a long drive, so take a nap if you feel sleepy," Yin Zhao-an said as she kept her eyes on the road ahead, carefully managing the steering wheel while driving along the national highway.


    There was nothing much to see on the road, except for traffic jams. When Yin Zhao-an turned on the car''s radio to play soft instrumental music, Tang Yu gave in to her drowsiness and fell asleep.


    At a red light, Yin Zhao-an reached for a jacket in the back seat and covered Tang Yu with it, preventing her from catching a cold from the air conditioning.


    As the car gradually left the city behind, lush green meadows came into view, along with white windmills rising from flat ground, slowly turning in the gentle breeze.


    When they arrived at the campsite, there were already many parked cars, indicating the campsite''s popularity.


    Yin Zhao-an parked the car without waking the sleeping Tang Yu. After adjusting the car''s air conditioning, she got out to unload their camping equipment, such as tents, poles, camera, clothes, and blankets.


    Yin Zhao-an first went to look for a suitable camping spot with the tent in hand. Then, once she found an "auspicious spot," she set up the tent before returning to the parking lot to retrieve the other things.


    When Tang Yu woke up, she saw Yin Zhao-an busily moving about through her groggy eyes. Noticing her beloved''s sweaty look, she couldn''t help but laugh and said, "Why didn''t you wake me?"


    After saying so, Tang Yu put aside the jacket covering her, got out of the car, pulled out a tissue, and ran over to wipe the sweat off Yin Zhao-an''s face. Although she was clearly worried about Yin Zhao-an, she still teased her, saying, "Do you think you''re Superman? A camping trip is only meaningful when we do everything together. I''m not a delicate flower; I don''t need you to take care of me like this."


    After wiping off Yin Zhao-an''s sweat, Tang Yu threw the tissue into the nearby trash bin and grabbed some things from the car to carry on her back. "Let''s go. Where''s our campsite?"


    Yin Zhao-an silently listened to Tang Yu rambling on as she led Tang Yu to the chosen campsite with the rest of their equipment.


    The campsite Yin Zhao-an chose had a large expanse of soft grass dotted with pale yellow and pink flowers. There was also a clear and shallow stream meandering through the grass nearby.


    After organizing everything, Yin Zhao-an didn''t stay at the campsite. Instead, she walked around the campsite with a camera, searching for a good angle to capture the surrounding scenery.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yu sat on the mat in front of the tent and quietly snacked on a fruit salad as she watched Yin Zhao-an run about.


    The campsite was nestled between forested mountains and positioned between creeks. The cool breeze that traveled through the woods was refreshing and invigorating, and the occasional chirping of birds accompanied it.


    Yin Zhao-an ran back after visiting various locations, her face filled with indescribable joy. Seeing her beloved''s joy, Tang Yu also felt her mood uplifting.


    "What were you doing?" Tang Yu asked in a slurred voice while chewing some cantaloupe in her mouth. At the same time, she picked up a piece of cantaloupe with a small fork and brought it to Yin Zhao-an''s lips.


    "I set up a camera over there. It can record the sunrise and sunset. This way, even if you can''t wake up tomorrow, you won''t miss anything," Yin Zhao-an answered before taking the piece of cantaloupe into her mouth, a proud expression on her face.


    Tang Yu nearly crushed the plastic box in her hand. Couldn''t wake up? What nonsense was that? She was very diligent, and she would never sleep in!


    A few white butterflies floated nearby, shuttling through the small flower bushes. Tang Yu leaned against Yin Zhao-an''s shoulder, watching the sun gradually deviate from its orbit and descend toward the west.


    The white clouds in the sky changed colors under the slanting rays, spreading a mix of yellow and purple in the sky. The sight resembled a twilight scene painted by an art student, with each stroke carefully considered.


    Tang Yu watched the ever-changing sky and felt a trace of melancholy in her heart. "Say, An-An... How long do you think we can be together?"


    In response, Yin Zhao-an nonchalantly leaned against her beloved''s neck and said, "Dunno. A lifetime, maybe?"


    "I doubt that."


    "How long do you want us to be together, then?"


    "For eternity."


    Chuckling softly, Yin Zhao-an asked, "Why?"


    "Because...I want to meet you again in my next life."


    The sun gradually sank, and the colors in the sky became ever more vibrant. The once monotonous blue and white were dyed with rich and bold colors, like a beautiful painting created by an artist''s brushstrokes.


    In a fleeting moment of youth, a seed named "love" was scattered. And while it might have bloomed this summer, it would never wither in the coming seasons.


    ¡ªEnd¡ª