The grand drama of the Shangguan family had nothing to do with Ye Yuhuan and Song Zhiqing, who were currently standing by the sea. Just as Song Zhiqing had promised, this stretch of ocean belonged to them and them alone.
The sea at night wasn’t much to look at—just an empty expanse of black. Even with the few lamps Song Zhiqing had brought over, it lacked the azure splendor of the daytime.
Their only companions were the whistling sea breeze, the occasional sound of surging waves, and a swath of bright, clear moonlight.
But it seemed that was enough.
To the gentle melody of a waltz, Song Zhiqing extended a hand to Ye Yuhuan. Ye Yuhuan slowly placed her hand in Song Zhiqing’s, reminding her again, “I really don’t know how to dance.”
Song Zhiqing placed her hand on Ye Yuhuan’s waist, but a moment later, she realized something was off. After gauging their height difference, she resignedly moved Ye Yuhuan’s hand to her own waist.
Song Zhiqing led Ye Yuhuan a step back and said softly, “I’ll teach you, and then you’ll know how.”
“Just follow my steps.”
“When I advance, you retreat. When I retreat, you advance.”
“To the left, to the right.”
“Very good. Now we can start to twirl.”
The mention of twirling sparked a memory for Ye Yuhuan. She asked, “Do you mean the kind of twirling the main characters do in TV dramas?”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing let out a soft laugh. She looked up at Ye Yuhuan, her gaze lighter than the night’s breeze. “We can try that kind of twirling first, too.”
With that, Song Zhiqing gestured for Ye Yuhuan to raise her arm. She went up on her toes and glided gracefully out of Ye Yuhuan’s embrace like a waterfowl in spring, then, with a smile on her lips, followed Ye Yuhuan’s arm back into her arms. Ye Yuhuan’s bare arm would occasionally brush against Song Zhiqing’s beautiful butterfly bones. They felt a little cool to the touch, but captivatingly so, like pieces of priceless jade.
The surroundings were dim, yet Song Zhiqing was so beautiful she seemed to glow.
Ye Yuhuan was struck by Song Zhiqing’s beauty in that moment. She felt as if she wasn’t catching a warm body, but an armful of fresh flowers, or perhaps the world’s purest pile of delicate feathers.
She suddenly stepped forward and held Song Zhiqing’s slender waist tightly. She thought she now understood what Song Zhiqing had meant by twirling.
Ye Yuhuan half-spun, leading Song Zhiqing in drawing circles large and small on the quiet, deserted beach. But she still loved the first kind of twirl the most—the way Song Zhiqing’s bright eyes drew near filled her with a joy akin to receiving a gift.
Uncle Yu stood at the villa’s entrance, watching the two young women dance tirelessly. The sea breeze lifted the hems of their red and white dresses as they moved closer, parted, and then drew closer still. Uncle Yu took a cigarette case from his pocket and lit a cigarette. In the hazy night, the faint sound of their laughter drifted over.
What enviable years of youth.
Although they had initially spoken of dancing the whole night through, their stamina clearly couldn’t support such a bold claim. After nearly two hours of dancing and trying all sorts of steps, Song Zhiqing and Ye Yuhuan collapsed onto the sand in unison.
A moment later, Song Zhiqing propped herself up over Ye Yuhuan with a smile. The warmth from her exertion transferred to Ye Yuhuan, who couldn’t help but look up at her, only to first see a pair of red lips. It was the color of lipstick; Ye Yuhuan knew that Song Zhiqing’s natural lip color was a softer pink.
At this thought, Ye Yuhuan averted her gaze, her expression somewhat unnatural.
Song Zhiqing’s charming voice sounded by Ye Yuhuan’s ear. “Aww, I haven’t had enough dancing yet.”
Ye Yuhuan gently placed a hand on her waist and said softly, “But we can’t dance anymore.”
“If only we were superheroes,” Song Zhiqing mused.
“Then we could dance in the sky,” Ye Yuhuan added.
Song Zhiqing nodded vigorously. “Yes, just like in La La Land!”
Amused by Song Zhiqing’s excitement, Ye Yuhuan laughed. After a moment’s thought, she sat up and pulled Song Zhiqing to her feet.
She extended her hand and said with a smile, “My beautiful lady, let us have the last dance of the evening.”
Song Zhiqing’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. She gathered her skirt and performed a curtsy befitting a Western noblewoman before placing her hand in Ye Yuhuan’s. “I would be honored.”
The music had never stopped. They moved with the melody, and perhaps because the words “the last” always inspire a special sense of appreciation, both Song Zhiqing and Ye Yuhuan were completely immersed. Their bodies followed the rhythm automatically, and when their eyes met, they couldn’t help but smile. As the final song ended, they took a synchronized bow toward the moon over the sea. The wind lifted their skirts, making them flutter like flowers in a rainforest, saturated with sunlight and dew.
Uncle Yu had nearly finished his pack of cigarettes by the time the two young ladies returned to the villa. He watched his young mistress’s cheerful back, wanting to say something but holding his tongue.
Miss, are you really not dating Student Ye?
Away from the intoxicating atmosphere of the seaside, Ye Yuhuan figured out why Song Zhiqing had invited her to dance.
She wanted to thank her, but it felt too distant, especially after they had just shared such a wonderful dance.
So, Ye Yuhuan called out to Song Zhiqing. After hesitating for a few seconds, she asked, “Can you let me draw a picture of you?”
Song Zhiqing looked puzzled. She remembered Ye Yuhuan saying that she had struggled immensely with learning to draw.
Ye Yuhuan didn’t explain. She just continued, “Do you have an art studio here? I remember Ms. Gao Yiren is very skilled at painting, so I thought there might be some art supplies. I just need enough for a sketch.”
Song Zhiqing nodded. In fact, this house was where her mother often came for inspiration.
Song Zhiqing led Ye Yuhuan to her mother’s studio and took out some unopened art supplies. She turned and asked, “How should I pose?”
Ye Yuhuan stood before the easel, pencil in hand, sketching the human form. “Just stand there. It’ll be quick.”
Just as Ye Yuhuan had said, it was quick.
A short while later, Song Zhiqing held the freshly finished drawing. She looked at the dancing girl in the picture. Ye Yuhuan hadn’t rendered her features with perfect precision, but Song Zhiqing recognized herself instantly, and she also recognized that the embrace she was leaping into belonged to Ye Yuhuan.
Song Zhiqing’s eyes widened. “This is what you call being bad at drawing?” she said in disbelief.
She felt like she’d just been hit by a top student’s humble-brag.
Influenced by her mother, Song Zhiqing had a decent eye for art. In her opinion, while Ye Yuhuan’s drawing might not be a work of genius, it certainly couldn’t be classified as “bad.” It even had a certain spiritual quality.
Ye Yuhuan couldn’t help but laugh, thinking to herself that Song Zhiqing was truly someone who could easily make others happy.
But she had to finish what she started. “I did that on purpose back then. At first, it was to spend more time with my mother. Later, it was to help her mental state. After all, wanting me to be like my father was one of her few obsessions.”
Song Zhiqing was confused. “Then why didn’t you say so from the beginning?”
It wasn’t something that needed to be hidden.
Ye Yuhuan lowered her gaze, her thick, dark lashes hiding her eyes and intensifying her aloof aura, even as she was baring her soul. “Because if I were to explain everything, there would be too much to say. For example, I’d have to explain why I wanted to spend more time with my mother, and that’s because my mother sometimes hated me. Then I’d have to explain why my mother hated me, which is because I couldn’t keep my father’s heart tied to home like she wanted. I’d also have to explain my mother’s mental state, which is because she later developed schizophrenia. It’s probably hereditary. After all, my maternal great-grandmother had schizophrenia, and my aunt has it too. I might get it in the future as well.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing realized something was wrong. She rushed forward and covered Ye Yuhuan’s mouth. “You won’t. Ye Yuhuan, don’t worry about my curiosity. The October 10th promise is off. You don’t have to say anything. This isn’t something you have to talk about.”
Ye Yuhuan gently removed Song Zhiqing’s hand. The keep-away aura around her had faded considerably, and her peach-blossom eyes held a fragmented tenderness. “This has nothing to do with the October 10th promise. I’m telling you this to explain my unusual behavior tonight. I’ve always been terrified of getting sick. My mother also used to scare me as a child, saying I would definitely be abandoned one day. So earlier, I think I was panicking.”
“But I think, even if just for the sake of tonight’s dance, I have to explain things clearly to you. There are some things I can’t talk about, but I’ll tell you what I can.”
Song Zhiqing was silent for a moment. She thought she could now understand the source of Ye Yuhuan’s hard shell.
Song Zhiqing had often wished for Ye Yuhuan to part the fog that shrouded her. She had imagined many times what it would be like to be with a completely open Ye Yuhuan, believing it would surely be a happy thing, because then they would become the closest of friends. But when it actually happened, Song Zhiqing couldn’t help but choke up. She had never imagined that so many wounds were hidden behind such a soft fog.
In the bright light of the studio, Song Zhiqing stood on her toes and patted Ye Yuhuan’s head. With red-rimmed eyes, she whispered, “Ye Yuhuan, you’ve really grown up so well.”
Then, as if making a vow, she said, “I won’t abandon you. No matter what happens.”
Ye Yuhuan looked away, her gaze falling on the moon outside the window. Her voice took on the moon’s hazy quality. “Thank you for saying that. To be honest, I’m very happy.”
The two of them stood in silence in the studio for a while, until the chiming of a clock on the hour startled them. Ye Yuhuan said, “It’s time to take a shower.”
As if what had just happened was an ordinary thing.
Song Zhiqing wrinkled her nose. The sea breeze had dried their sweat, but the sand from lying on the beach still clung to their skin.
“Ah, right. I’ll go find you some pajamas.”
From now on, it would be an ordinary thing.
A moment later, Ye Yuhuan stared at Song Zhiqing, who was holding a pair of light pink bunny pajamas in her left hand and an even pinker pair of bunny pajamas in her right. She was speechless. “Are these the only options?”
Song Zhiqing nodded apologetically. “Mhm, yeah. You know I like this kind of stuff.”
Ye Yuhuan gritted her teeth and chose the less pink pair.
Song Zhiqing screamed yes in her head.
Hee hee, how could there only be one style of pajamas? It’s just that this is the only style she wanted Ye Yuhuan to wear.
Song Zhiqing showered quickly and then stood waiting outside Ye Yuhuan’s bathroom door, looking for all the world like some kind of creep.
When Ye Yuhuan came out of the shower, Song Zhiqing’s eyes lit up. She frantically suppressed the urge to go up and squish her face, pretending to be composed as she asked, “Did Shen Wei prepare that gown for you?”
Ye Yuhuan nodded.
Song Zhiqing said, “Oh,” then continued her act of composure. “I’ll go buy the dress from Shen Wei.”
Ye Yuhuan waved her hand. “No need. The gown isn’t that expensive. I’ve made some extra money recently, so I can afford it. Besides, I still haven’t settled the score with Shen Wei over Xiang Wanyu.”
Aww—waving her hands is even cuter!
Song Zhiqing struggled to control her expression. She pinched her chin and circled Ye Yuhuan. “I thought you weren’t angry.”
Ye Yuhuan didn’t realize Song Zhiqing’s only intention was to observe her from all angles. She explained earnestly, “Xiang Wanyu is like that whenever she sees me. That’s just her personality—in a way, it’s her objective nature. But Shen Wei is different. She did it on purpose. It was a subjective action, which is why I’m going to settle the score with her.”
Song Zhiqing gave her a deadpan stare, then reached out and pinched her cheeks, giving them a thorough squish before saying, “From now on, please be more straightforward when you talk to me.”
Mhm, just as planned!
Ye Yuhuan still hadn’t noticed Song Zhiqing’s little trick. She had no awareness of how cute she was; wearing these kinds of clothes just made her feel awkward. Rubbing her face, Ye Yuhuan glanced around the huge villa and asked, “Where am I sleeping tonight?”
Song Zhiqing looked at her as if she’d just asked the stupidest question. “With me, of course.”
She, Song Zhiqing, would absolutely not miss out on her dear Huanhuan’s adorable just-woken-up state!
Plus, the bunny pajamas would double the cuteness.
Hearing this, Ye Yuhuan nodded, but she wondered inwardly if her sleeping posture was decent enough.
Before they went to sleep, Song Zhiqing turned off the lights. In the darkness, she suddenly asked, “Was the drawing part of the explanation, too?”
Ye Yuhuan shook her head in the dark. Realizing Song Zhiqing probably couldn’t see her, she spoke aloud. “That was purely a gift for you, to repay you for the gift you gave me tonight.”
A slow smile spread across Song Zhiqing’s lips. She whispered, “Good night, Ye Yuhuan. I really like the drawing.”
“Mm, good night, Song Zhiqing.”
Moonlight spilled onto the large bed. The two girls had started out sleeping under separate blankets, but the one in the pinker bunny pajamas kicked her blanket off and started rolling all over the bed. Then, the girl in the less pink pajamas pulled the restless little bunny into her arms.
The night finally fell completely silent, with only the quiet flow of breathing.
But, not entirely—
Ye Yuhuan’s eyes suddenly snapped open. She had remembered something.
“Hey, Song Zhiqing, wake up! We need to drink ginger soup!”
“Huh?????”
“Let’s not.”
“If we don’t, we’ll catch a cold tomorrow.”
“Don’t fall back asleep. Give me ten minutes or so.”
Song Zhiqing slowly climbed out of bed, muttering, “Ye Yuhuan, you’re such a mom.”
As she spoke, she followed Ye Yuhuan’s shadow into the kitchen. The two sleepy bunnies groggily boiled the ginger soup and groggily drank it.
Ye Yuhuan was slightly more awake than Song Zhiqing. She painstakingly dragged her back to bed.
Song Zhiqing naturally snuggled into Ye Yuhuan’s arms, and Ye Yuhuan naturally held her.
Get instant access to all the chapters now.
