Chapter Fifty-One

“Hurry up, big brother! Let me show you around,” Sun Ying exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement.

“Slow down, little one!” Yu Xingyue panted, struggling to keep up. “You’re running too fast—I can’t catch you.”

Sun Ying giggled. “You have to work harder, big brother. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” With that, she darted away from Yu Xingyue, quickly disappearing into the elevator. Yu Xingyue followed, but upon reaching the foyer, Sun Ying mischievously switched off the elevator’s main power, bringing it to a halt.

Yu Xingyue was left speechless. Walking down all those flights was exhausting, but fortunately, he was confident in his own stamina—he managed the descent in about three minutes.

When Sun Ying saw Yu Xingyue arrive, her glee only grew. She realized that being with him made her feel less lonely, even happy.

Yu Xingyue, upon spotting Sun Ying, felt the urge to scold her for her mischief—how could she be so naughty? Without some form of reprimand, she might never realize her mistake. However, this was her home, not his, and unfamiliar with the villa’s layout, Yu Xingyue found himself at a disadvantage. Sun Ying, who knew every nook and cranny, instantly slipped away and hid, gaining the upper hand.

Only after stepping off the elevator did Yu Xingyue notice her absence. He called out for her, but the more anxious he sounded, the less likely she was to come out. There was only one way to draw her out—he had to pretend to leave.

“Such a disobedient little thing! I’m going home now!” Yu Xingyue shouted, feigning departure as he strode toward the main door. Just then, a noise sounded behind him—Sun Ying dashed from behind a potted plant.

“Big brother, don’t go!” she cried, flinging her arms around Yu Xingyue’s waist from behind, catching him completely off guard. Was this her way of making someone stay?

Yu Xingyue stifled a laugh. At last, she’d come out—let’s see how I’ll deal with this little troublemaker, he thought.

Releasing her grip, Yu Xingyue turned around and crouched down to look at Sun Ying. “So you’re finally willing to see me? I thought you didn’t like your big brother anymore.”

“How could I not like you?” Sun Ying protested. “I like you very much.”

“Oh?” Yu Xingyue smiled. “Then what do you like about your big brother? Be careful—kids who lie will lose their teeth.”

“I’m in sixth grade—I’m not a kid, I’m practically an adult!” she retorted.

“Then tell me, what do you like about your big brother? No fibbing!”

Yu Xingyue fixed her with a steady gaze, making Sun Ying squirm with discomfort, as if transported back to the time she’d first left home.

After a minute, Sun Ying finally spoke. “I like... big brother... you, as a person.”

“Hm?” Had he misheard? Did Sun Ying really like him, personally? Was she drawn to his physique? But that was just his imagination running wild—Sun Ying hadn’t finished.

She continued, “Big brother... I really like you.”

“Uh, do you even know what ‘liking’ someone means?” Yu Xingyue asked gently. At her age, the concept of liking someone might be too early—did she understand the meaning behind the words? Perhaps it was simply affection for someone close.

“Liking someone just means... liking them. I like you, big brother.” Sun Ying gathered all her courage to confess to Yu Xingyue. Whatever playful schemes he had in mind evaporated. For a moment, he wondered if Sun Ying was unusually precocious.

But then again, that seemed unlikely—she was past the age for early infatuations. Unless, perhaps, her father Sun Yao had instilled some strange ideas in her at home.

At that moment, Luo E’s voice rang out, “Sir, Miss, it’s time for dinner.”

“Come on, let’s eat,” Yu Xingyue said, rising to his feet.

“Carry me to the kitchen, big brother,” Sun Ying pleaded with a coquettish pout.

Yu Xingyue was embarrassed to refuse—her request was hardly unreasonable. Scooping her up in a princess carry, he brought her to the kitchen. She was so petite, so light in his arms.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Zimo was video-chatting with Chen Siyu, the two immersed in conversation. Suddenly, on the other side of the call, Chen Siyu said, “Zimo, did you know? I saw Yu Xingyue out shopping with a girl the other day.”

“How did you know? With a girl?” Lin Zimo tensed. Could another woman have beaten her to Yu Xingyue? Her heart sank.

“They said it was his future little sister—he was helping her buy clothes. Apparently, Yu Xingyue’s mother is going to marry the girl’s father,” Chen Siyu explained.

Relief washed over Lin Zimo. So she’d worried for nothing. “That’s good. Is the girl pretty?”

“To be honest, she’s still in elementary school, but dresses very maturely. Why do you ask? Are you jealous?” Chen Siyu teased, her laughter echoing through the call.

Lin Zimo flushed crimson. “Jealous... Me? Jealous?”

Chen Siyu’s lips curled into a sly smile—this was exactly what she wanted, to see Lin Zimo’s reaction. From her response, it was clear Lin Zimo harbored feelings for Yu Xingyue, though he himself seemed oblivious.

Chen Siyu decided to push further. “I heard he’s supposed to marry his future little sister. That’s the juiciest gossip I’ve heard yet.”

Of course, it was a fabrication, a ploy to gauge Lin Zimo’s true feelings.

Lin Zimo saw through Chen Siyu’s test. Her face was still glowing on the video feed. Chen Siyu laughed, “Oh my, Zimo! You’ve got a thing for Dr. Yu, don’t you?”

Lin Zimo forced a wry smile. “It’s over—now even you know my secret. If you tell anyone, how will I ever face him again?”

“You’re my best friend—I’d never betray you. Everyone’s entitled to their secrets,” Chen Siyu reassured her.

Lin Zimo pouted, “Now that you know my secret, you have to share one of yours too. That’s only fair.”

Chen Siyu sighed. “Alright, you’re the second person to know mine, so here goes.”

“Tell me, tell me!” Lin Zimo urged, anticipation shining in her eyes.

“Haven’t you noticed how Huang Feifan is as dense as a log?”

“I haven’t—what’s up?” Lin Zimo asked.

“He’s just a blockhead, always wrapped up in his own world, ignoring everyone else.”

“So tell me, what did Huang Feifan do to make you so angry?” Lin Zimo pressed.

Chen Siyu blushed. “Well... it’s the same feeling you have for Dr. Yu. You know what I mean.”

The same feeling—Lin Zimo quickly understood. Chen Siyu felt the same way about Huang Feifan, though he hadn’t realized it yet.

Lin Zimo grinned. “Who would have thought we’re the same kind of people.”

“Who’s the same as you? I’m working hard to get him to notice me—to see how beautiful I am,” Chen Siyu retorted.

“You’re lucky,” Lin Zimo complained. “That Hugo is such a blockhead. Senior Lin Ling encourages me to go after him, but it depends on how I pursue him. I even asked my sister to teach me makeup, but he doesn’t care for that at all.”

“He just doesn’t appreciate your beauty. I really don’t understand why you like him,” Chen Siyu mused.

“Let me ask you then—why don’t you take the initiative with Huang Feifan, instead of just waiting for something to happen?” Lin Zimo countered.

“That’s called the aesthetics of strategy. If the enemy doesn’t move, I don’t move.”

“That’s an interesting explanation, but he’ll never notice you that way.”

“You still haven’t told me why you like Yu Xingyue. Give me a reason,” Chen Siyu demanded.

“I first met him when he was a sloppy, indifferent person with no interest in the world,” Lin Zimo reminisced. “But over time, I saw all his bad habits disappear. He’s working hard to change, working to pay off his mother’s debts. He’s a good man. If we ever ended up together, would he treat me as well as he treats his mother?”

As she recalled their time together, Lin Zimo realized that despite Yu Xingyue’s apparent lack of redeeming qualities, he remained endlessly mysterious and impossible to decipher.

Just then, Chen Siyu blurted, “Nonsense! You’re just infatuated with his looks and his physique. I’ve noticed his face has been changing lately—he’s gotten much better-looking. I even wondered if he’d had cosmetic surgery.”

“Don’t talk about him like that, or I’ll warn you!” Lin Zimo shot back playfully.

Chen Siyu laughed. “So quick to defend him? You two haven’t even defined your relationship yet.”

Lin Zimo retorted, “Not yet—but we will. Now, tell me, what do you see in Huang Feifan?”

With Lin Zimo now pressing her, Chen Siyu struggled to answer. At the mere thought of Huang Feifan, her face reddened again—Lin Zimo saw it all.