Yan Nianyin had just stepped inside her home when her phone let out a crisp ding-dong notification sound. Thinking it was from Yueyi, she didn’t hesitate for a second, quickly tapping the screen to open it.
However, what popped up was a message from Yan Pin.
“Why are you back?” Yan Pin was dressed in a dark blue suit, adjusting his tie as he walked. He immediately spotted the young woman standing by the doorway, looking down at her phone.
“The person you asked me to investigate has already been sent to you. There’s nothing special about him. Just a high school classmate of Yueyi’s. His family background and resume have all been sent to you.”
After receiving Yan Nianyin’s message, Yan Pin had started his investigation directly from the network connecting Yueyi and that man.
As expected, that man was indeed connected to Yueyi, but they were simply high school classmates with a relatively good relationship.
Furthermore, the two of them hadn’t seen each other in a few years.
“Mm, there’s no need anymore.” Yan Nianyin opened her map application, where a red dot remained stationary in a specific location for a few minutes.
Yan Nianyin raised an eyebrow, using two fingers to zoom in on the location. It was a snack shop.
Did Big Sister go buy snacks? Yan Nianyin’s tongue traced a circle inside her cheek.
The red dot didn’t linger long before moving again.
This time, the direction was toward Yueyi’s home.
“Why did you suddenly want to investigate that guy?” Yan Pin finished adjusting his tie and took a stack of documents from the housekeeper that he needed to take to the company later.
“Nothing. Big Sister chatted with that man for a bit today.” Yan Nianyin changed into her slippers, hanging her thin jacket from the crook of her arm back onto the coat rack.
She hadn’t worn it either when coming back or heading out.
“You had me investigate him just because they chatted for a bit?” Yan Pin rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you just install a tracker on Yueyi to monitor her every move 24/7?”
“I’d love to.” Yan Nianyin chuckled softly. She shook her slightly sore arm, casually placed the milk tea she was holding by her fingertips onto the counter, and turned to head toward the second floor.
Yan Pin’s gaze silently followed the young woman’s retreating figure until the last trace of her shadow disappeared around the corner of the stairs.
“Mr. Yan, should this cup of milk tea be put away?” The housekeeper picked up the plastic cup on the counter that still carried a hint of chill.
“Handle it however you see fit. That cup wasn’t bought by Big Sister.” Yan Pin turned his head and glanced at the brown liquid.
If Yueyi had bought it, given her younger sister’s temperament, she would have guarded it like a precious treasure or finished drinking it on the way home.
A situation where more than half the cup was left untouched had never happened before.
“Understood.” The housekeeper nodded.
After tossing the leftover milk tea into the trash can, he opened the front door to drive Yan Pin back to the company.
Upstairs, inside Yan Nianyin’s bedroom.
The young woman stared listlessly at the motionless red dot on her phone, trying to deduce what Yueyi was doing right now.
She was probably handling affairs in the study, or perhaps resting in the bedroom.
Yan Nianyin furrowed her brows in frustration. Just installing a tracking device on Big Sister’s phone wasn’t enough; she wanted to be able to see Big Sister at any time.
But if she did that, the risk of getting caught would be far too high.
Yan Nianyin took a deep breath, forcing the thought down in her heart.
She sat up on the bed and pulled open the second drawer of her customized bedside table. Resting inside was a USB flash drive.
Yan Nianyin picked up the laptop beside her, placed it on the bed, and pressed the power button above the keyboard with her slender fingers.
As the computer booted up and she entered the password, the cold glow emanating from the screen illuminated the young woman’s fair, jade-like face, making her features stand out brightly.
Yan Nianyin plugged the USB drive into the side USB port, then picked up the computer and opened her bedroom door, turning into the home theater next door.
The huge screen slowly lowered. Yan Nianyin sat down in the soft, comfortable viewing chair and connected the laptop to the projector.
Her fingers slid across the touchpad, opening the self-named USB drive, which contained two different folders.
Yan Nianyin opened the second folder, which held dozens of videos.
And the protagonist of every single video, without exception, was Yueyi.
Each video was only one or two minutes long, with the longest barely exceeding three minutes.
Most of the settings were inside the office or the conference room.
The videos had all been processed to remove sound, leaving only the visual images.
But for Yan Nianyin, this was already more than enough. It took her over an hour to watch through all the video content.
In the videos, the woman’s every smile, her gentle speaking manner, and the emotions naturally revealed when dealing with troublesome documents were all deeply engraved in her heart.
Her breathing faded away as the final video ended and the screen froze. Yan Nianyin closed her eyes and rested against the back of the chair.
After a few minutes, she removed the USB drive, shut down the computer and projector, returned to her room, and safely put the USB drive back in its original place.
Habitually reaching for her phone, she saw notifications from various apps, with WeChat sitting right at the very top.
Yan Nianyin swiped past all other notifications and finally opened the WeChat message.
[Ms. Yan, President Yue will be going to the amusement park these next two days.] The message displayed.
“An amusement park?” Yan Nianyin murmured aloud. “Why would Big Sister go to a place like that?”
[Are you sure?] Yan Nianyin.
[Positive. President Yue is going alone.] The reply came.
[Got it.] Yan Nianyin.
Big Sister would be going alone, but what excuse should she use to bump into her this time?
She couldn’t use coincidence again; if it happened too often, Big Sister would become suspicious.
However.
“Ding-dong.” Another WeChat message arrived.
Yan Nianyin flicked her wrist to open WeChat, and the moment she saw the sender’s name, her racing mind froze for a split second.
“Sent by Big Sister?” Yan Nianyin looked at the contact name.
[Are you free tomorrow? Can you accompany me out for a bit?] Yueyi.
[I am! Where is Big Sister going?] Yan Nianyin replied instantly.
[I’ll tell you when I pick you up tomorrow.] Yueyi.
[Okay, Big Sister.] Yan Nianyin lightly bit her lower lip, her fingers tapping a few times on the phone keyboard.
Tomorrow, Big Sister was coming to pick her up. The corners of Yan Nianyin’s lips curled up into a tiny arc. She turned off her phone and headed into the bathroom to shower in a wonderful mood.
That way, she wouldn’t need to rack her brain to engineer a chance encounter with Big Sister. She wondered if Big Sister was asking her out to the amusement park together.
Yan Nianyin suddenly felt that places she used to consider utterly boring were starting to become interesting.
She hummed a tune as she finished showering, changed into her pajamas, and sent a message to Aunt Li.
[Just send some fruit up to my room tonight, Aunt Li. You don’t need to call me down for dinner.] Yan Nianyin.
[Understood, Miss.] Aunt Li.
Applying a sheet mask, Yan Nianyin lay down on the electronic adjustable recliner and closed her eyes to rest.
Fifteen minutes later, she peeled off the mask, rinsed away the excess residue, and began her skincare routine.
Once everything was done, she returned to bed. After a moment of thought, she opened her chat window with Yueyi and proactively initiated a conversation.
[What time is Big Sister picking me up tomorrow? I want to prepare in advance.] Yan Nianyin.
[Around ten o’clock.] Yueyi.
[Can Big Sister tell me in advance where we’re going?] Yan Nianyin.
[Um… I wanted to go to the amusement park. But I heard it’s very boring to go alone, so I wanted you to accompany me. Is that okay?] Yueyi.
Perhaps finding the request a bit embarrassing, Yueyi quickly recalled the message. She sent a face-palming sticker, followed by a new message.
[Nothing to do tomorrow, just wanted to walk around somewhere.] Yueyi.
Yan Nianyin’s long, curled eyelashes fluttered. She amusedly looked at the recalled message notice on the screen, the tenderness in her eyes practically overflowing.
Big Sister, how can you be this cute?
[I saw it.] Yan Nianyin teasingly exposed her, sending a snickering sticker as well.
[What a coincidence though, Big Sister and I are on the same wavelength. I was also planning to find time to visit the amusement park.] Yan Nianyin lied without blushing.
[Mm, I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.] Yueyi.
[Okay.] The smile on Yan Nianyin’s lips refused to fade from the moment she received Yueyi’s message.
After ending the chat, Yan Nianyin checked the time. It wasn’t even five o’clock yet, and night hadn’t fallen.
“How slow.” Yan Nianyin muttered.
She had to wait until the next day to see Big Sister.
At 5:30 PM, Aunt Li appeared punctually outside Yan Nianyin’s bedroom, knocking gently to remind the person inside.
Yan Nianyin got out of bed and opened the door.
“Miss, your fruit.” Aunt Li.
“Thank you.” Her upbringing prompted Yan Nianyin to thank her proactively.
After finishing the plate of fruit, Yan Nianyin went to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Early the next morning, Yan Nianyin woke up bright and early and instinctively reached for her phone.
The digits neatly displayed the current time.
Barely 6:30 AM.
Yan Nianyin lingered in bed for a while before opening her phone’s map app. The red dot was still parked in the exact same location.
Big Sister was still at home.
She got up, dressed, washed up, and entered her specialized dressing room to look at herself in the mirror.
Faint bluish shadows were visible under her eyes, a lingering souvenir from staying up late last night.
She began her skincare and makeup routine.
Looking at the countless categories of neatly organized cosmetics in front of her, Yan Nianyin didn’t hesitate for long.
She decided to go with a light makeup look, which would better accentuate her natural facial bone structure. More importantly, Big Sister liked her looking pure and clean.
At 7:00 AM, after eating a simple breakfast, Yan Nianyin sat obediently on the living room sofa, waiting for Yueyi to come pick her up.
“Miss, aren’t you going upstairs to rest for a bit?” Aunt Li asked as she cleared the dining table, noticing her sitting there.
“No, I’m heading out later,” Yan Nianyin replied.
Aunt Li asked no further questions and quietly went back to her chores.
Around 8:00 AM, Yan Nianyin received a message from Shao Yihan.
[Nianyin, hurry hurry hurry, look at the group chat right now!] Shao Yihan sent several excited stickers back-to-back.
Puzzled, Yan Nianyin opened the pinned group chat. The last message was still from 4:00 PM yesterday.
[? Look at which group?] Yan Nianyin.
[Not our small group, the bigger one.] Shao Yihan.
They had a small inner circle group consisting of close friends with similar family backgrounds, and a larger group that included casual acquaintances.
Perplexed, Yan Nianyin tapped open the muted larger group, which was already flooded with messages. As soon as she entered, she watched countless messages flash past her screen.
Her eyes caught a few keywords on the screen.
The Xue family, banquet.
Was the Xue family hosting a banquet? Yan Nianyin pushed up her glasses. What was so exciting about that to warrant such spamming?
[Is there something special about it? It’s just the Xue family hosting a banquet.] Yan Nianyin.
[That’s not what I’m telling you to look at. Do you know why the Xue family is suddenly hosting a banquet? Because Xue Yu, who has been abroad for nearly five years, is coming back.] Shao Yihan typed rapidly on her keyboard, unable to suppress her love for gossip.
That person from the Xue family was, after all, a formidable rival to Yan Nianyin.
The black text became increasingly striking. The temperature in Yan Nianyin’s eyes dropped to an absolute freezing point the moment she saw the name Xue Yu.
[So what?] Yan Nianyin sneered, grinding her back teeth almost to dust to restrain the urge to throw her phone away.
[Nothing, just giving you a heads-up. You’d better keep a close eye on President Yue.] Shao Yihan gloated.
Ignoring Shao Yihan’s message, Yan Nianyin exited the chat window. She massaged the web of her thumb, her entire aura shifting noticeably.
Big Sister belonged only to her. No one else could take her away.
Yan Nianyin’s possessiveness bubbled forth endlessly.
As if sensing her inner thoughts, a message from Yueyi arrived.
[Come out, I’m at your front gate.] Yueyi.
Seeing Yueyi’s message, Yan Nianyin’s expression softened considerably. She closed her eyes, hiding the turbulent currents raging beneath the surface.
[I’m coming, Big Sister.] Yan Nianyin.
She picked up the water glass from the table, took a sip of the lukewarm liquid, and turned to head out.
Just as she stepped out the front gates of the Yan family villa, she spotted that black Bentley. The car window rolled down, revealing the face Yan Nianyin dreamed of day and night.
“Big Sister,” Yan Nianyin called out innocently. She hurried over to the front passenger door, pulled it open, and slipped right inside.
“You’re so early, it’s not even nine yet,” Yan Nianyin said, buckling her seatbelt.
“I woke up early today.” Yueyi smiled, not missing the flicker of unnaturalness that crossed Yan Nianyin’s face. “What’s wrong? You don’t look very happy.”
“No, I am! I’m so happy to be out with Big Sister,” Yan Nianyin beamed. Looking at the road ahead, she casually probed as if it were a random thought. “Big Sister, it seems the Xue family is hosting a banquet in a few days.”
“Mm, I heard about it.” Yueyi kept her eyes on the road, her well-defined fingers resting on the steering wheel. “The Xue family’s youngest son is coming back.”
“Does Big Sister still remember him?” Yan Nianyin’s voice lowered slightly as she turned her head to carefully observe Yueyi’s facial expression.
“Xue Yu, I think that’s his name.” Yueyi frowned slightly. “I don’t have a deep impression of him.”
“I see.” Yan Nianyin felt a wave of relief. She let out a low chuckle and smoothly changed the subject, thoroughly satisfied. “Why did Big Sister suddenly want to go to the amusement park?”
“I’ve always wanted to go, just never had the time.” Yueyi turned the steering wheel, her phone mounted on the dashboard navigating the route.
Yan Nianyin’s gaze drifted intentionally or unintentionally toward Yueyi’s phone, her dark brown eyes reflecting the colors of the screen.
The largest amusement park in the city was located in the western district, and its scale and visitor traffic were unmatched by any other.
As soon as they entered the street where the amusement park was located, Yan Nianyin was startled by the surging crowds.
It wasn’t even nine o’clock yet, but the plaza in front of the amusement park gates was already packed with people.
“It looks like there might not be any parking spaces left up top.” Yueyi tapped her phone twice, routing them to the amusement park’s underground parking garage.
The car horns blaring from behind sounded deafening. Yan Nianyin glanced in the rearview mirror. “What are they rushing for?”
Yueyi shook her head gently, pressed the accelerator, and continued forward following the navigation.
Emerging from the underground garage, Yan Nianyin oriented herself to the surroundings and pointed to her left. “Big Sister, the main entrance is down that road.”
“Mm.” Yueyi confirmed.
Entering the amusement park didn’t require a ticket, but buying tickets for individual attractions inside required separate purchases.
Yan Nianyin and Yueyi walked side by side along the pebble path.
“What does Big Sister want to play?” Before entering, Yan Nianyin had grabbed a map of the park’s attractions. The path they were on led to three or four different rides.
“Bumper cars.” Yueyi lowered her voice, sounding a bit shy.
“Bumper cars?” Yan Nianyin shifted the park map upward and pointed to the icon labeled bumper cars. “Let me see. Walk forward, then make a right, and another right.”
She slid the map closer to Yueyi so the other woman could see as well.
“Mm,” Yueyi hummed softly in response.
Her gaze softened as she looked at the spot Yan Nianyin was pointing to. She caught the hand Yan Nianyin had pressed against the map and gently pulled her slightly closer.
Yan Nianyin froze, staring down at her restrained hand. The slightly calloused fingertips brushed across her tender skin, sending a tingling, electric itch through her.
“We’re currently at this spot,” Yueyi said, guiding Yan Nianyin’s hand to move aside. “So. Wait, I think I misread it.”
She let out her hand and tapped the spot Yan Nianyin had pointed to earlier. “Indeed, we should go the way you said.”
Yan Nianyin lifted her head slightly, looking at the smiling woman beside her, and her eyes curved involuntarily.
“Big Sister, my sense of direction is really good,” Yan Nianyin boasted. “So if you follow me, you’ll never get lost.”
“Alright.” Yueyi revealed a trace of doting fondness that she herself hadn’t even noticed.
Following the markers on the map, Yan Nianyin led Yueyi around two corners and walked a bit further until she finally spotted the fenced-in, canopy-covered bumper car arena ahead.
A circle of waiting parents stood gathered around the outer perimeter.
Each bumper car seated two people. Some parents playing with their young children, others young couples sharing a car.
Yan Nianyin observed the situation inside the arena, read the rules posted on the fence, and turned back around. “Big Sister, each ride lasts five minutes, and tickets should be bought over at that little booth.”
Yan Nianyin pointed to a short queue not far away. An electronic screen in front of the kiosk listed the types of tickets sold there, and bumper cars were among them.
“Big Sister, wait here for a moment, I’ll go buy the tickets.” Not wanting Yueyi to be jostled by the crowd, Yan Nianyin volunteered.
“Let’s go together.” Yueyi.
“That’s fine too. Big Sister can just stand right beside me.” Yan Nianyin came up with a compromise.
If Yueyi stood right next to her, she wouldn’t get crowded by the people in front and behind, and at the same time, she could keep a constant eye on her movements.
“Okay.” Yueyi nodded gently.
The two of them joined the end of the line, which had about twenty people ahead of them. Yan Nianyin leaned out slightly to calculate how long it would take to reach the front.
“Does Big Sister want to play anything else besides bumper cars? The screen above says tickets for things like the pirate ship and roller coaster are bought here too.” Yan Nianyin figured that if there were other rides she wanted, they could buy them all at once.
“No, I just want to play this.” Yueyi’s expression turned distant.
She looked toward the bumper car arena, a faint sorrow crossing her face.
“Then let’s line up for this first.” Yan Nianyin assumed this booth didn’t sell anything else that suited Yueyi’s taste. “If Big Sister wants to play something else later, we can line up again.”
“Mm.” Yueyi lowered her eyelids, taking a few steps forward as the queue moved.
The people ahead dwindled. Yan Nianyin pulled out her phone and opened her payment code.
Bumper cars cost fifteen yuan per person.
“Big Sister, should we buy four tickets? We can play twice,” Yan Nianyin suggested.
“No need, once is enough.” Yueyi shook her head.
Yan Nianyin nodded. After telling the ticket seller the ride and the number of tickets, she held up her payment code.
Receiving the two tickets, Yan Nianyin checked the ride name printed on them and led Yueyi toward the bumper car arena.
The woman behind her was unusually silent.
When they reached the area, the previous group of players hadn’t finished yet.
Yueyi tugged on Yan Nianyin’s sleeve. “Let’s share a car later.”
She was asking for Yan Nianyin’s opinion.
“Okay!” Yan Nianyin smiled. She had intended to share a car with Yueyi anyway.
After waiting a few more minutes, that round ended. The small gate in the fence swung open, and the players climbed out of their bumper cars one after another, filing out through the exit.
The fun and excitement of the game left lingering smiles on everyone’s faces.
Once everyone cleared out, Yan Nianyin casually took Yueyi’s hand and led her toward the small gate, her fingertips kneading the corners of the two tickets into creases.
Her thumb resting against the back of Yueyi’s hand forcefully suppressed the urge to stroke her skin.
Reaching the gate in a few steps, she handed the two tickets to the attendant, then gestured to herself and the woman beside her. “Can the two of us share one?”
The attendant looked at the collected tickets, glanced at their frames, nodded, and waved them through.
Before Yan Nianyin could react, Yueyi pulled her by the hand toward one of the red bumper cars.
Caught off guard, Yan Nianyin stumbled slightly. Sensing the pull from behind, Yueyi turned her head, ready to speak, only to be interrupted by the young woman.
“Big Sister, hurry, or someone else’s going to steal it!” Yan Nianyin said, half-joking and half-serious.
Yueyi bit her lip, nodded apologetically, and led her to that red bumper car.
Yueyi sat in the driver’s seat, and Yan Nianyin climbed into the other side.
She wasn’t actually interested in these things at all, but since Big Sister wanted to play, she was more than happy to accompany her.
Both of them had long legs, filling the compact space of the small car completely once they sat down.
Once everyone was seated, a special chime rang out, and the cars started moving.
Yan Nianyin turned her head, her gaze locking first onto Yueyi’s hands resting on the small steering wheel. The other woman’s finger bones were beautifully formed, every joint sharply defined.
Her slender fingers wore no jewelry whatsoever, clean to the point of being unbelievable.
Yan Nianyin’s arm pressed flush against Yueyi’s waistline. With just the slightest movement, she could touch the other’s soft, slender waist.
Yueyi’s face wore a look of solemn concentration. Instead of ramming into other bumper cars, she drove in circles around the edge of the arena.
Her back was held ramrod straight, making it look more like she was executing a serious mission.
However, even if she didn’t hit others, others would hit her.
Another car drove straight at them from the side.
Thump! The rubber buffers around the bumper cars collided.
Yan Nianyin swayed from the impact, her upper body pressing directly against Yueyi’s side, and the hand closest to Yueyi unconsciously grabbed the hem of her clothes.
Having been bumped, Yueyi stepped on the accelerator and spun the steering wheel to ram back in retaliation.
The remaining few minutes were spent entirely amidst collisions and impacts, and the expression on Yueyi’s face relaxed significantly.
Her rigid posture slouched just a fraction.
Yan Nianyin gripped the hem of Yueyi’s clothes without letting go, her body swaying continuously as she pressed close to Yueyi’s body, intentionally or otherwise.
The five-minute game time ended quickly. Yueyi stood up first, then turned around, using both hands to steady the young woman still inside the bumper car. “Be careful, the space is a bit small.”
“Mm-hm.” Yan Nianyin nodded, leaning on Yueyi’s hands as she slowly and deliberately climbed out of the vehicle.
Once she was out, Yueyi stepped back two paces, leaving ample standing room for her.
“Let’s go,” Yueyi said.
The two walked out through the small gate, breathing in the fresh outdoor air.
Although the bumper car arena was spacious, it was semi-enclosed, and various smells mixed together inside, making it far less pleasant than the fresh air outside.
“Does Big Sister want to play anything else?” Yan Nianyin asked.
“No. What do you want to play? I’ll accompany you.” Yueyi.
“I seem to…” The word nothing swallowed back down her throat. Yan Nianyin stared at a distant structure, changing her mind mid-sentence. “The Ferris wheel. Big Sister, let’s go ride the Ferris wheel, shall we?”
Yueyi raised her head, following Yan Nianyin’s gaze to the massive structure slowly rotating in the distance. She remained silent for a moment. “Alright.”
The Ferris wheel was quite a distance away. Yan Nianyin unfolded the map and roughly calculated the distance. Walking there would take a little over ten minutes.
The May weather in the city wasn’t too hot yet.
“Actually, never mind. Let’s save it for another night. I heard looking at the night view from a Ferris wheel is wonderful,” Yan Nianyin changed her mind.
Better to save this activity for later so she’d have an excuse to ask Big Sister out again.
“Are you sure?” Yueyi asked.
“I’m sure,” Yan Nianyin smiled.
“Then where should we go next? It’s a bit too early for lunch right now.” Yueyi raised her wrist to check the time. It was just past nine.
“How about we go to my place at noon, and I’ll cook for you?” Yueyi suggested, calculating the timeline. “Buying groceries, then cooking. It’ll be just about lunchtime.”
“Big Sister is going to cook herself?” Yan Nianyin looked surprised.
“Mm.” Yueyi nodded.
“Okay! I can finally taste Big Sister’s cooking.” Sparks of excitement danced in Yan Nianyin’s eyes.
She knew Yueyi could cook, but she had never tasted it. Before going abroad, although she clung to Yueyi, she didn’t see her whenever she wanted.
She had to be sensible and make Big Sister feel like she was well-behaved, so she couldn’t constantly disturb her.
After returning to China, her growing attachment to Yueyi was kept within strict boundaries, never daring to overstep too much.
Following Yueyi to the underground garage, she took the passenger seat.
“Have you ever been to a wet market?” Yueyi suddenly asked.
“Huh? What would I do at a wet market?” Yan Nianyin was caught off guard by the question, blinking with curiosity.
Accustomed to a life of luxury, whatever she wanted was delivered straight to her door with a single word.
Going grocery shopping was an experience she had never once had.
“To buy groceries,” Yueyi couldn’t help laughing at the sight of her expression.
“Oh, oh.” Yan Nianyin remembered Yueyi mentioning this just now. “Okay, let’s go together.”
“If you’re not used to it, you can wait in the car,” Yueyi teased as she inserted the car key.
“It’s fine,” Yan Nianyin said. It was just a market. What could it possibly do to her?
Yueyi shook her head without offering further explanation.
Thinking back to the first time she went to a wet market, she had been overwhelmed by the mixed odors and unable to recover for half a day. The shouting of vendors and the roaring of machinery had felt completely unbearable to her then.
But over time, those feelings faded until she could accept them calmly.
Even later, when the Yue Group got back on track, her authority within the company grew, and her lifestyle returned to or even exceeded the level it was when her parents were alive. She hadn’t bothered to hire housekeepers or maids.
Though thinking about it now, an executive director of a major conglomerate going to a wet market herself to buy groceries was quite a novelty.
Yan Nianyin turned sideways, searching online about wet markets. Pictures popped up one after another. After a brief glance, she decided it was well within her tolerance.
Putting her phone away, Yan Nianyin rested her elbow on the door frame, watching the scenery outside listlessly as her gaze once again drifted back to Yueyi.
Whether in profile or full face, Yueyi’s appearance was top-tier, the kind of person who stood out instantly in a crowd.
Despite her striking, slightly sharp features, her overall demeanor radiated softness. The collision of these two contrasting traits gave her a powerful, captivating duality.
“Is this the road to the wet market?” Distracted, Yan Nianyin realized the road ahead was leading straight toward Yueyi’s home.
“What? Did you really want to go to a wet market?” Yueyi tapped her fingertips gently. “If someone took a picture of us, you might end up trending on hot searches.”
“Well, Big Sister said we were going to the market just now.” Yan Nianyin raised an eyebrow.
“I was teasing you.” Yueyi smiled.
“Oh. So Big Sister has a mischievous side too.” Yan Nianyin intentionally dragged out her tone.
“Ahem.” Yueyi coughed twice, adopting a deadpan voice. “I have always been very proper.”
Unable to keep a straight face, she laughed right after finishing. “We can just order ingredients on our phone when we get home. The property management here helps buy and deliver them right to the door. It’s very fast.”
Yan Nianyin pouted her lips.
Arriving at Yueyi’s home, Yan Nianyin once again stood obediently at the doorway.
A pair of slippers in a different color had been added to the shoe rack.
“Wear these, they’re brand new,” Yueyi pointed to the pristine slippers placed on the top tier.
“Did Big Sister buy these especially for me?” Yan Nianyin asked.
Yueyi paused in the middle of changing her shoes, bending down. “Just keeping them in case of visitors.”
“What do you want to eat?” After changing shoes, Yueyi sat on the sofa, opened her phone, tapped into an app, and asked.
“Anything is fine, I’m not a picky eater.” Yan Nianyin sat down right beside Yueyi.
“Okay.” Yueyi looked at the names of vegetables and meats on the app, selecting a few frequently bought items. When she was about to pick dishes Yan Nianyin liked, her thumb hovered mid-air.
“You pick yourself.” After a moment of thought, Yueyi handed her the phone.
Yan Nianyin took the phone, glanced over the dishes Yueyi had chosen, and tapped to add a pound of crayfish before handing it back.
“Do you want to eat shrimp?” Yueyi looked surprised.
Last time Yan Nianyin treated her to dinner, most of the shrimp ordered had been eaten by herself. She remembered the younger girl hadn’t touched more than a couple.
“Big Sister likes them, don’t you?” Yan Nianyin said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yueyi was amused by her response and let out a soft sigh. “I told you to pick what you like. Why are you picking for me?”
“But what Big Sister likes is also what I love to eat.” Yan Nianyin raised a hand to steady the bridge of her glasses.
The smile on Yueyi’s face stiffened slightly. Staring unblinkingly at Yan Nianyin, her curled fingers twitched. “Want a drink? There’s some in the fridge. If you want one, you can go get it yourself.”
“No thanks.” Yan Nianyin shook her head, pouring herself a glass of plain water instead. “I’ll drink this.”
Yueyi said no more and placed the order, having the property staff handle the purchasing and delivery.
Yan Nianyin sat on the sofa. Noticing Yueyi staring at her, she took out her phone and started scrolling through short videos.
After a while, the woman sitting beside her stood up and walked into the bedroom.
Before long, she returned, holding a laptop in her arms.
“Does Big Sister need to work?” Yan Nianyin put down her phone to ask.
“I was afraid you’d be bored, so I thought I’d put on a TV show for you.” Yueyi said as she opened the computer.
“I rarely watch dramas,” Yan Nianyin leaned back against the cushion.
“Oh? Then do you play online games? That can pass the time too,” Yueyi suggested.
“No,” Yan Nianyin smiled.
“Then later when I’m cooking, you can just play on your phone for a bit, okay?” Yueyi closed the computer and placed it on the table in front of them.
“Not okay.” Yan Nianyin glanced sideways at Yueyi. “I’m going to help Big Sister prep.”
Unable to win against Yan Nianyin, Yueyi had no choice but to agree.
Twenty minutes later, property management delivered the groceries upstairs.
Yueyi carried two bags of ingredients into the kitchen and closed the kitchen door behind her.
Yan Nianyin blinked, her movement of standing up freezing for a fraction of a second.
Did Big Sister close the door just to keep me out of the kitchen?
One panel of the kitchen door was semi-transparent. Through it, Yan Nianyin could vaguely make out Yueyi’s busy figure moving around inside.
She pulled out her phone and tapped open their small group chat.
[Big Sister is cooking lunch for me.] Yan Nianyin.
A simple, straightforward message brimming with intense possessive bragging.
[Whatever, I get to eat Wen Mo’s cooking every day.] Zhou Qingyan chimed in first.
[I want to eat too, come pick me up right now!] Shao Yihan.
[Starve.] Yan Nianyin.
How could she possibly share things made by Big Sister with anyone else?
Finished bragging, she smoothed down her hem and walked over to the kitchen.
The woman was washing vegetables by the sink.
Yan Nianyin pushed open the kitchen door, sidorized close to Yueyi with a wronged expression, and complained, “Didn’t you say I was going to help? Why’d you go and close the kitchen door?”
Hearing the door open, Yueyi turned down the faucet slightly, her gentle voice ringing out. “There might be cooking fumes leaking out later, so I closed the door ahead of time.”
“Don’t you have a range hood?” Yan Nianyin took the washed vegetables handed over by Yueyi.
“Some of it still escapes.” Yueyi chuckled as she explained.
“Fine.” Yan Nianyin dropped the subject. “I’ll help Big Sister chop the vegetables.”
“Mm, be careful not to cut your fingers.” Yueyi instructed.
“Don’t worry, I’m not that clumsy.” Yan Nianyin raised an eyebrow.
Yueyi stood beside her, preparing the pork ribs she had bought.
Yan Nianyin rarely stepped foot in a kitchen. At most, she might whip up some breakfast, but otherwise, she practically never entered one.
Her knife skills weren’t as practiced as Yueyi’s, but fortunately, she caught on quickly, and after a brief adjustment, she was able to slice the vegetables neatly.
Seeing her finish cutting, Yueyi handed her two angled gourds from the plastic bag. “Wash these, then slice them into thin pieces or strips. Either is fine.”
“Okay.” Yan Nianyin took the gourds to the sink at the other end to wash them.
Shaking off the remaining water droplets, Yan Nianyin pressed a gourd against the cutting board and picked up the vegetable knife with her other hand.
She first sliced the gourd into rounds, then stacked them to a uniform height before cutting them into thin strips.
Out of the corner of her eye, Yueyi caught sight of her movements, a wave of warmth washing over her. “You can cut slower, there’s no need to rush.”
“Mm.” Yan Nianyin brushed the back of her hand against her cheek to clear away a stray lock of hair that was tickling her face.
She placed the shredded gourd into a vegetable-washing basket, rinsed it in water, shook the basket to let most of the moisture drain through the gaps, and then hung the basket over the sink.
“Big Sister, I washed the gourd strips. You can use them directly whenever you need,” Yan Nianyin wiped the water off her hands. “Is there anything else I can help with?”
“Let me see.” Yueyi simmered the ribs in the pot, looked around, and smiled. “Doesn’t look like it. You can go rest for a bit.”
“Nothing else?” Wanting to stay by Yueyi’s side, Yan Nianyin pointed at the red thick plastic bag containing the crayfish. “I can help Big Sister process the crayfish.”
“These are already pre-cleaned, no need to process them further.” Yueyi glanced at them and said.
“Then let me wash them again. They’ve been sitting in the bag so long, they must be dirty.” Yan Nianyin reached out to grab them as she spoke.
With no other choice, Yueyi handed her a small basin. “Be careful not to get poked.”
Before she finished speaking, the phone resting on the living room table suddenly started ringing with its default ringtone.
“I’ll get it for Big Sister.” Without waiting for Yueyi to speak, Yan Nianyin flashed out of the kitchen, picked up the phone, and glanced down at the caller ID.
Zhou Ruomu.
“Big Sister, for you.” Yan Nianyin handed the phone over.
Yueyi washed her hands, took the phone, and walked out of the kitchen.
“Hello.” Yueyi.
“A-yi, are you home?” Zhou Ruomu asked.
“Mm, just got back from the amusement park.” Yueyi walked over to the balcony, where the warm sunshine spilled over her body.
Back then, it had been just as lovely a weather as this.
The other end of the line fell silent for a long time. “Did you go play bumper cars again?”
Yueyi let out an mm.
“After all these years, I thought you had let it go.” Zhou Ruomu’s voice dropped a bit.
Yueyi smiled lightly. “I have let it go.”
“I’m on my way to your house right now,” Zhou Ruomu said softly.
“No need to come. Nianyin is here, you don’t need to worry about me.” Yueyi could hear the concern in her friend’s voice.
“Yan Nianyin? What is she doing at your house?” Zhou Ruomu sounded perplexed.
“I asked her to accompany me to the amusement park,” Yueyi said.
“What? You asked her to come with you?” Zhou Ruomu’s voice pitched up a notch before dropping back down, seeming to realize her reaction was overly intense. “You actually asked someone to go with you? Didn’t you always go alone in the past?”
“People still run into each other anyway,” Yueyi leaned against the railing, closing her eyes with a cryptic expression.
“What do you mean run into each other? What are you talking about?” Zhou Ruomu wondered.
“Nothing. You don’t need to come. I’m fine, don’t worry,” Yueyi said.
The other end of the line fell silent again. After a good while, Yueyi heard the sound of a car horn honking. “Fine then. It’s good that Yan Nianyin is there. She pays closer attention to your moods than I do.”
“Still, don’t you think that girl treats you rather uniquely?” Zhou Ruomu weighed her words, gently reminding her friend.
“Uniquely how?” Yueyi stroked the edge of her phone, her gaze flickering. “She’s just a bit overly possessive.”