So she called home and said she’d be walking back with classmates and that it was perfectly safe, telling them not to trouble themselves by coming to pick her up.
Even though her grandparents and maternal grandparents were all wealthy landlords with more money than they could spend, the older generation had always lived frugally. Their only transportation was electric scooters. In weather with heavy wind and rain like this, it really wasn’t safe.
Of course, the elders didn’t believe her that easily. Only after Shi Meiqing dragged a classmate into helping her lie did they finally agree to let her go home alone.
The “classmate” she claimed was going the same way didn’t actually exist.
After school, she put on her raincoat and started walking home by herself.
Her house actually wasn’t that far away, but she had to pass through a dim alleyway, which was why her family still insisted on picking her up every day even though she was already older.
She figured she could just run through the alley quickly. Once she got through it, she’d reach the main road, and home would be close by.
But fate worked strangely.
The moment she entered the alley, she saw a man trying to assault a girl.
The girl struggled desperately, but there was still a difference in strength between an adult and a child, a man and a girl.
Soon, the girl could barely resist anymore.
At that time, Shi Meiqing was still a hot-blooded, chuunibyou middle schooler full of righteous anger.
She looked around, picked up a discarded baseball bat from somewhere, and swung it as hard as she could at the back of the man’s head.
The wind and rain were fierce, and the man never expected another person to appear in such a deserted alley. Completely unprepared, he took the hit directly to the head.
Back then, Shi Meiqing wasn’t the Shi Meiqing she was now. She wasn’t very strong, but the blow still made the man dizzy enough to release the girl he was restraining.
Shi Meiqing herself was terrified too, but she still shut her eyes tight and kept wildly swinging the baseball bat at him.
Whether she actually hit him or not, she had no idea—she was literally fighting with her eyes closed.
When she finally opened them, she saw the man curled up on the ground, screaming miserably.
Meanwhile, the girl who had almost been assaulted was repeatedly kicking the man viciously between the legs.
Every kick made Shi Meiqing flinch in sympathy.
Even she felt the pain just watching.
At this rate, wouldn’t everything down there get smashed to pieces?!
Only when she felt the man was about to die did Shi Meiqing snap out of it and rush over to stop the girl, who looked almost crazed.
In the end, Shi Meiqing’s grandparents and maternal grandparents had to come pick the two girls up from the police station.
After that incident, all the way until university, Shi Meiqing was never again allowed to go to or from school alone. Someone from the family absolutely had to accompany her.
Because of that, all four elders stubbornly went and learned how to drive.
And she became the child everyone envied.
Back to the story—
When they arrived at the police station that day, Shi Meiqing finally got a good look at the girl’s face.
She was as cute and pretty as a doll, obviously soft and timid, crying nonstop.
At that moment, Shi Meiqing’s chuunibyou hero spirit awakened again, and she immediately felt this little sister needed her protection and care.
Later, she learned about the girl’s family situation.
Their circumstances were similar, but also different.
Zhao Qingye’s parents had entered a business marriage. After she was born, they basically started living separate lives and fooling around however they pleased.
Each of them probably wished they could maintain ten different secret families outside.
As for the child at home? They completely ignored her.
She had been raised entirely by nannies.
Unlike Shi Meiqing, she hadn’t been lucky enough to receive love from the older generation either. No one cared about the poor child.
She had truly grown up alone.
Fortunately, her family had money.
Although Zhao Qingye lacked care and affection, she had never lacked spending money. She was the classic “pitiful rich kid.”
After the two met, Zhao Qingye practically grew up in Shi Meiqing’s home.
She treated Shi Meiqing’s grandparents and maternal grandparents as if they were her own.
And when the four elders died in that accident, Zhao Qingye was no less heartbroken than Shi Meiqing herself.
At the time, Zhao Qingye still comforted and supported Shi Meiqing every single day.
The two of them had survived by huddling together for warmth, leaning on each other as they walked through life.
Shi Meiqing let out a full belch and rubbed her stomach.
“Nope, I seriously can’t eat another bite. If I keep going, I’m gonna throw up.”
Zhao Qingye’s eyes were full of concern, though her face still wore a sweet smile.
“You’re really full? Good children shouldn’t lie.”
Shi Meiqing rolled her eyes.
“You know exactly how much I can eat. Hurry up and finish yours. Aren’t we going to Yonghe Temple? If we’re late, they might close.”
Shi Meiqing couldn’t stand the look Zhao Qingye was giving her.
“Can you stop being so careful around me? Just think of it like I’m going on a trip to another world—it’s just farther away, that’s all. Seeing you like this makes me uncomfortable.”
Zhao Qingye immediately straightened up.
She knew her behavior today had made Meiqing worry.
She couldn’t keep acting like this. Meiqing’s remaining days should be relaxed and happy.
Zhao Qingye took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The smile on her face returned, free of gloom once more.
“Let’s go. I still have a little room left in my stomach. We can buy milk tea later.”
Shi Meiqing also relaxed a little. “Let’s go.”
The two drove to the area near Yonghe Temple.
After much difficulty, they finally found parking. It was a little far away, but they could just walk there and treat it as digestion after the meal.
Just before reaching the temple gates, Shi Meiqing slapped her forehead.
“How did I forget to reserve tickets in advance? There are so many people. Will we even make it in today?”
Zhao Qingye patted her overly well-developed chest confidently.
“Relax. I booked everything in advance. We can go straight in without lining up.”
“First let’s buy milk tea and drink while we walk. What flavor do you want?”
The moment Zhao Qingye spotted a milk tea shop, she became unable to move on.
Shi Meiqing glanced at the menu.
“Lemon water, no sugar. I ate too much, so something sour will help digestion.”
“Got it, Your Majesty. Your humble servant shall handle it immediately.”
Shi Meiqing smiled and found a chair to sit on while waiting.
Recently, she constantly felt weak. She got tired before even doing anything.
The afternoon sunlight made people feel lazy and sleepy.
She raised her long fingers to block the sunlight, watching tiny rays leak through the gaps between them and scatter mottled patterns of light across her palm.
She tugged her lips into a faint smile.
Who knew how much longer she’d be able to live beneath the sunlight?
Actually, she really liked sitting in warm sunshine and quietly enjoying life.
Something icy suddenly pressed against her cheek.
Turning her head, she saw Zhao Qingye holding the cold lemon water against her face.
Shi Meiqing took the drink from her.
Deep concern was hidden in Zhao Qingye’s eyes.
Ever since that stormy night when they first met, the two of them had decided they would become the strongest women possible.
At the very least, if someone ever tried to hurt them again, they wouldn’t remain helpless girls incapable of fighting back.