She had already made mistakes in her past life. Since she was determined to repent, she had to be thorough. If she continued to control Fang Zhiyi in the name of being her “sister,” there was no guarantee that a moment of weakness wouldn’t lead her back down the old path.
When it came to Fang Zhiyi, she had never been a disciplined person. Fang Rulian realized this clearly and knew she had to actively distance herself.
She was currently quite far from being a “good sister,” so she could only start by trying to become a qualified, ordinary one.
“Dating doesn’t matter; I trust your judgment,” she said, looking at Fang Zhiyi. “When the time comes to actually vet someone, Mom, Aunt Mu, and I will do it together.”
That would be when marriage was on the horizon.
The buzzing dial tone in her ear stopped. Fang Rulian tilted her head. “Mom, are you coming back? …Ah, I want some cold appetizers.”
She hummed in response, then nodded toward Fang Zhiyi. “Anything you want to eat?”
The girl in her loungewear looked a bit pale, her lips lacking color, the shadow of her lashes sweeping over her eyelids. She looked at Fang Rulian and shook her head slightly.
After hanging up, Fang Rulian checked the calendar on her phone. “Is there anywhere you want to go for fun these next two days? I can drive you to relax. I have to head back to Luwei in a couple of days.”
“You’re going back?” Fang Zhiyi’s tone was surprised.
Fang Rulian rested her chin on her hand. “I have to go back to work… Do you want to go somewhere, or since the exams just ended, do you want to rest for a few days?”
Fang Zhiyi spoke truthfully, “I just want to sleep at home.”
She had been in a high-stress state before the Gaokao. Now that it was over, she really hadn’t found the interest to go out.
“True.” Fang Rulian remembered she was the same after her own graduation. She had vegetated at home for two days, barely leaving her bed; even her meals were brought to her room by Fang Zhiyi, who was only in middle school then.
Thanks to the Gaokao, Fang Hong had rarely scolded her during those days.
At dinner that night, Fang Hong brought this up, joking about how the younger sister had worked like a slave for her back then. Fang Rulian laughed along and turned to ask the quietly eating Zhiyi if there was anything she wanted; she’d buy it for her.
Fang Zhiyi lowered her lashes, her chopsticks lightly moving the rice in her bowl. She had always had few material desires and was far too sensible. After a long silence, she said softly, “Sister, I don’t lack anything.”
She was so well-behaved it was endearing.
Fang Rulian couldn’t help but think of her friends’ rowdy younger sisters—always demanding new phones or game consoles like little demons. She was lucky to have someone so excessively sensible.
Conversely, Fang Zhiyi was the unlucky one for having a “demon” for an older sister.
After some thought, Fang Rulian bought Zhiyi a new phone the next day.
…
The Secret Ambition
The day to return to Luwei arrived quickly. Rulian had a noon high-speed rail ticket, so she had to get up early to pack.
Mu Yunshu was at school teaching, and Fang Hong was out fetching stock. The empty living room held only the ticking of the clock. Rulian left her bedroom door open, leaning over to pack clothes into her suitcase.
The light at the doorway was blocked. Rulian looked up. “Hmm? Did I wake you? Why not sleep longer?”
“No, sleeping too much gives me a headache.” Zhiyi entered the room and squatted at the other end of the suitcase. “I’ll help you pack.”
The intention was good, but it was a bit awkward. The suitcase was full of clothes and intimate wear; how could she help? Rulian waved her off. “No need. Just sit there, I’ll do it myself.”
She figured Zhiyi just wanted to talk.
Having lived with her for over a decade, Rulian knew her personality. When she deliberately annoyed Zhiyi, she could feel the girl’s impatience; but otherwise, Zhiyi didn’t say much. Rulian understood that this sister actually cared for her deeply. After all, they were family who grew up together.
“Luwei is very close to home. I’ll come back when I have time.” She put a dress into the suitcase and looked up at Zhiyi, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. “When your results come out, you might even get into Luwei University.”
Zhiyi blinked and looked away. “It’s a bit hard. My mock exams weren’t quite high enough.”
On the topic of grades, top students are often humbler than failing ones. Rulian smiled. “Mock exams are usually harder than the real thing, and the grading for the Gaokao is more lenient. You’ll likely score dozens of points higher than usual. You don’t need to worry at all.”
After all, in her previous life, Zhiyi did get into Luwei University, and with a high score that admitted her into the eight-year clinical medicine program.
Rulian continued her rambling advice while packing. “Results are still half a month away. Don’t be anxious, rest well, and go out with friends. Oh, and use this summer to get your driver’s license…”
Having stayed up late accidentally the night before, Rulian yawned. Looking up, she saw Zhiyi leaning over to look at something.
Rulian stood up abruptly. It was the script she had left on the bed. Before Zhiyi could touch it, Rulian snatched it away and stuffed it into her suitcase with panicked movements.
She hadn’t told her family she was entering the acting industry yet—it sounded unreliable, the work was “unstable,” and they would worry.
“Is that a script?”
Rulian’s heart skipped a beat. She thought irritably: Zhiyi has sharp eyes.
“Sister is entering the entertainment industry?”
Rulian was busy stuffing the script and didn’t notice the girl’s voice was trembling slightly. She stood up and turned around, figuring there was no point hiding it from Zhiyi; young people were more open to new things than elders anyway.
“Yes. You said it yourself, “I’m prettier than the stars on TV.” She looked down at the girl on the bed. “But don’t tell Mom or Aunt Fang for now. When I become a big star, I’ll surprise them.”
Zhiyi lowered her eyes and didn’t respond, her soft cheeks showing a hint of childishness under the light.
“Keep it a secret for me.” Rulian reached out and poked Zhiyi’s cheek. “I just bought you a phone yesterday.”
The girl finally looked up, her brow furrowed with concern. “The industry is very messy. And… it must be hard to survive there.”
Rulian was amused by her “old soul” act and burst out laughing. “Where did you hear that? Every job is hard. Making money is tough. At least acting pays fast. Besides, your sister is beautiful; I can’t waste this face.”
“Is my sister very short on money?”
“I actually like acting,” Rulian said.
She didn’t really need to explain this to Zhiyi, but seeing the girl’s worried face, she spoke anyway.
Zhiyi took a deep breath. “Then, can I go into acting too?”
Rulian doubted her ears. “Fang Zhiyi, what kind of nonsense are you talking?”
“I’m beautiful too.”
She had a very clear self-perception. Rulian laughed in frustration and flicked her forehead. “You think this face is enough? That’s just an entry ticket. The scripts choose people, companies exploit you, rumors are made up, black PR attacks you, and the camera is inches from your face at every angle—can you handle that?”
She sighed and put more clothes in. “You’re built for studying, so study well. Everyone has a field that suits them. Don’t just act on a whim.”
“What about Sister?” Zhiyi asked, looking at her back.
“I’m not built for studying, but acting is something I truly love. Most of a person’s life is spent working; how rare is it to do what you love…” Rulian turned around, her gaze steady. “As for the mess? Can you avoid it in any other job? Workplace bullying, being sidelined by colleagues… You can’t stop eating just because you might choke.”
Besides, she was reborn with her memories! That was a god-given advantage; it would be a waste not to use it in this industry!
In the past month, she had “happened” to meet a new director. They got along well, and after an audition, she was cast as the lead in his debut film. The budget was tiny, the crew was less than ten people, but the script was solid. In her past life, this indie film had shone at international festivals, making the director the Best New Director and the leads famous overnight.
“I understand, Sister,” Zhiyi said after a silence.
Rulian hummed and continued packing, belatedly feeling she had said too much to Zhiyi.
With a final click of the suitcase locks, she stood it up on the floor.
“Rest well and fix your sleep schedule before the results come out.” She clapped her hands and walked over to the girl, looking her up and down. “Eat and sleep well, and—”
Rulian emphasized each word: “Exercise. Look how thin you are. A gust of wind could knock you over.”
Zhiyi looked up sharply. “I’m not that weak.”
She frowned slightly, her dark eyes looking up to meet Rulian’s gaze directly. Rulian’s heart gave a sudden thud. She felt there was an unexplainable resentment in that gaze, which, paired with the stubborn tone, made the girl look cutely different from her usual cold self.
Rulian suddenly curled her lips. Without warning, she leaned in close, tilting her head toward Zhiyi’s white neck.
“Whoosh—”
She blew a warm breath against the side of Zhiyi’s neck. The stray hairs there fluttered up and fell back against her skin.
Almost instantly, Zhiyi shivered. As if burned, she grabbed the back of her neck and looked up in panic. Losing her balance, her upper body tilted, and she tumbled onto Rulian’s bed.
Rulian stood up straight and laughed. “And you said a gust of wind wouldn’t knock you over.”
Rulian had played this game since they were little. Zhiyi’s neck was exceptionally sensitive and her balance was poor; every time Rulian did this, she’d fall over in a flustered mess.
“Hmph.” Zhiyi propped herself up.
Perhaps Rulian’s mind was “impure,” but she felt a faint pink hue creeping up that slender neck. Zhiyi’s delicate hand was still resting there, with a few strands of hair tangled in her fingers.
Belatedly, it felt wrong.
Looking down, she saw the girl’s collarbone partially covered by her wrist and the black electronic watch, creating a strange visual impact. Also, Zhiyi’s shirt was askew, revealing a patch of milky-white skin below her collarbone.
The road to repentance was long and difficult.
Rulian turned away and spoke with unearned confidence to chase her out: “Get out.”