Chapter 37: Let’s Encourage Each Other!
Ye Zhibai didn’t feel it was her place to comment on the situation.
She couldn’t use her values to define whether Lin Zihan’s decision to give up treatment for one of her eyes was right or wrong, or whether it was worth it or not.
Most things in this world have nothing to do with other people’s opinions. Only the person involved, under those specific circumstances, can give the decision its meaning and value.
Whether it was reckless or rational,
If Lin Zihan felt her decision was the right one, and it led her life in a better direction,
What could Ye Zhibai say?
Life is all about the choices we make, and it doesn’t need anyone else’s input.
But even so,
Ye Zhibai couldn’t shake the feeling that Lin Zihan’s smile didn’t seem as carefree as she claimed.
Ye Zhibai lowered her head slightly, Watching a few ants on the ground struggling to carry away sticky grains of rice that had fallen.
That was Guang Yu gnawing on osmanthus cake again.
Ye Zhibai warned, Stop eating that!
After finishing her story, Lin Zihan sat back down next to Ye Zhibai.
This time, she finally took a sip of her drink.
Sharing some of her past out loud seemed to lift a weight off her chest!
She even drank a third of the bottle in one go!
“Phew…! So this is what a good drink tastes like! Haha, thank you, Ye Zhibai, for listening to all this. This is the first time I’ve ever talked to someone about myself! It feels great to get it all out!”
“Memories are hard to revisit, but it’s better than bottling them up inside.”
“That’s so true!”
Although Guang Yu had been busy listening, drinking, and nibbling on osmanthus cake, looking like she wasn’t paying much attention,
In reality, the little fox had her thoughts.
Eating and thinking weren’t mutually exclusive.
She even paused her beloved drink for a moment, letting out a light divine sigh.
Sigh… Ye Zhibai, the human world is full of suffering, I get it now. This person’s life has been filled with hardships… just like your previous life, both of you are such pitiful souls.
“……”
You’re free to feel sorry for her.
That’s your right.
But could you not drag me into this?!
Poor little Zhibai always ends up being collateral damage!
So rude!
Still, Guang Yu wasn’t wrong.
Lin Zihan was a pitiful person.
Zhijun wasn’t wrong either.
——Lin Zihan’s smile was indeed “very fake.”
Faced with the helplessness of reality, she forced a smile. It might be fake, but it also holds a certain truth.
That truth was called “helplessness.”
Ye Zhibai watched from the corner of her eye as Lin Zihan, like a little hamster, sipped her drink.
Hidden beneath her faint silver hair, Yè Zhibai’s pale purple eyes couldn’t help but reveal a barely noticeable trace of pity.
“You… are really strong.” Ye Zhibai murmured.
“Hm?” Lin Zihan stopped drinking, turning to look at her, “Ye Zhibai? Did you say something just now?”
“Nothing… I just think you’re quite optimistic.”
“Of course I’m optimistic! Nobody understands optimism better than I do! Life is all about keeping a smile on your face! Ah… no, wait, actually, there is someone who understands optimism better than me—in this regard, Ye Zhibai, you’re my life mentor!”
“?”
What
What are you talking about?
How did I suddenly get promoted to life mentor?!
I’ve never taught you anything!
To be honest, when it comes to optimism, I’m rather ashamed of myself.
In my past life, when I didn’t have enough money for dinner, I’d eat a few green onions, cry myself to sleep under the covers, and sob loudly from hunger!
Do you call that optimism?!
As Lin Zihan said this, she awkwardly scratched the back of her head with her right hand, Looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t confessed this to you before… Well, now seems like a good time.”
Lin Zihan leaned in close to Ye Zhibai’s ear.
She did lower her voice quite a bit.
Like she was about to share a secret.
No, it wasn’t just like—she was sharing a secret.
“When I was younger, I called you a mute and stupid, didn’t I…? No matter how many times I apologize, it’s never enough. I was a brat back then… Other kids would cry and run to their parents to tattle on me, but because of the gap between our families, they would always run away embarrassed.”
“But you, Ye Zhibai, you were different. You’ve always been optimistic and strong. When I insulted you, you just stood there, like the street tree over there, completely unmoved! And Zhijun would even beat me up! At first, I thought you were dumb and couldn’t move. But later, I realized… you just couldn’t be bothered with me or the nonsense in life!”
“But that’s not all. What shocked me even more was that after being hit by a car and hospitalized, you came out of the hospital and still showed up for the college entrance exam! Tell me, if you’re not the most optimistic person, then who is?!”
“Every time I feel like crying, I think of you, Ye Zhibai, and suddenly life doesn’t seem so scary anymore. No matter how tough things get, they can’t be harder than what you went through.”
“That’s why I hid in the bushes the other day, hoping to meet you, even if it meant getting beaten by Zhijun. Because, in a way, Ye Zhibai, you’re my idol…! Hehe, does sitting here with you like this count as meeting my idol? Yay!”
Her excitement grew as she spoke.
But Ye Zhibai was left speechless.
Her whole sentence… there were so many points to critique.
But I didn’t even know where to start.
Let me sum it up in one sentence:
Congrats! You’ve successfully imagined yourself an idol!
How about having a bit more confidence in yourself?!
My body was really “intellectually challenged” as a child, not as great as you think!
But—
Ye Zhibai thought, let it be.
There was no need to explain anything.
However Lin Zihan wanted to see things, so be it.
If it gave her the strength to keep going in life, then didn’t that make Ye Zhibai a good person in the process?
How amazing!
Lin Zihan kept talking, getting happier and happier as she went on, Truly more cheerful than she had been in years!
“Haha… sorry, sorry, Ye Zhibai, I got too excited. By the way, are you in a rush? Do you have any plans after this?”
Ye Zhibai thought, Plans?
I have dinner plans with Cool Sister in the evening.
As for now… I do have some free time.
So Ye Zhibai honestly shook her head.
“No, I still have time to play around outside for a bit.”
“That’s great! Ye Zhibai, do you want to come visit my family’s flower shop? It’s really beautiful!”
“I can, but didn’t you say your mom…”
“Eh~~ At first, I didn’t plan on it, but talking with you has been so much fun, I want to show you the flower shop! Let’s call it… sharing with a friend? Don’t worry, I have a way to make sure my mom doesn’t notice. Let’s go!”
“……”
Before Ye Zhibai could react, Lin Zihan grabbed her hand, pulling her off the bench with considerable force, and heading straight towards the flower shop.
“It’s fine to visit the flower shop, sure,
But if your mom catches us, don’t blame me for wandering around without buying anything!
I can buy one or two flowers if I have to!”
However… the moment Lin Zihan grabbed her hand,
Ye Zhibai once again sensed that tangible “killing intent” in the air!
Huh?!
It sent a chill down her spine.
Cold, very cold.
Ye Zhibai thought Guang Yu was up to some mischief again.
Guang Yu you as a god, don’t have air-conditioning powers, right?
Brilliant.
You have a profound misunderstanding of the divine.
If we’re talking about cold, your bad jokes are the coldest of all!
The source of the “killing intent” and “coldness” was none other than Ye Zhijun, her eyes filled with jealousy!
The water bottle in her hand was nearly crushed!
Hiding behind a bench not far away,
Ye Zhijun was speaking through gritted teeth, her voice strained with jealousy.
Jealousy makes a woman’s face contort!
“She’s holding my sister’s hand…! She actually…! Head maid, tell me, do I keep enduring this?!”
“Second Miss, I think… this is something you should tolerate for now.”
“Give me a reason!”
“Alright. First, holding hands between friends, especially female friends, is quite common. You don’t go to school often, but at school, close friends—good girlfriends—often hold hands, or even hug. It’s a way of expressing friendship, not as dangerous as you think.”
“Fine! For my sister’s happiness, I’ll endure her one more time.”
“Very good, Second Miss.”
“Advance! Find a new cover!”
“Understood.”
In truth, Ye Zhijun’s ability to hold back and not rush out to declare war was all thanks to the head maid’s reasonable explanations.
Keeping the peace in the world wasn’t easy for the headmaid!
The head maid sighed.
Second Miss’s protectiveness over her sister had gone beyond normal family affection.
It was almost like the jealousy of a lover!
Goodness.
The head maid refrained from commenting aloud.
She could only whisper to herself,
—Goodness gracious.
“Ye Zhibai, come here, come here… Shh… Be quiet and careful, we only have one chance. If my mom catches us, I’m doomed!”
“……”
“Isn’t this your family’s flower shop?”
“Why are you sneaking around like a thief in your shop?!”
To avoid detection, Lin Zihan led Ye Zhibai through the back door of the flower shop.
They took advantage of the time her mom, Elsa, was busy helping customers choose flowers at the front of the shop.
Lin Zihan quickly guided Ye Zhibai through the back door and up the stairs to the second floor of the shop!
The flower shop had two floors.
The first floor was the sales area, where customers would browse and buy flowers.
The second floor served as a “storage area,” where extra stock was kept before being moved downstairs to restock the shelves.
Her mom usually didn’t come up here.
The two of them, plus a hidden fox, quietly climbed the stairs, making no sound.
Not until they stepped through the small door on the second floor, which Lin Zihan closed behind them, did she press her hand to her chest and let out a long breath.
“Phew… We made it. Close call, but we’re safe now.”
“Why are you being so cautious…?”
“Well, because…! Uh, it’s hard to explain. Don’t worry about it, Ye Zhibai. My mom has a bit of a quirky personality. If she sees you here without buying any flowers, she’ll pounce on you like a tiger!
Rawr!!”
“……”
Miss Lin Zihan, no matter how you bare your fangs, you’re not scary at all.
You’re actually kind of cute.
Guang Yu, now invisible, copied Lin Zihan’s actions, making claw shapes with her little hands and mockingly growling back!
Rawr!
I swear, don’t get competitive over weird things!
Anyway…
From the moment they walked in through the back door, Ye Zhibai had noticed a variety of fresh floral scents filling the air. Different flowers’ fragrances blended into a unique harmony.
Rich, but not overwhelming.
In simpler terms—pleasant.
“Look over there, Ye Zhibai, those flowers just arrived this morning. They’ll be moved downstairs for display by the evening.”
Ye Zhibai didn’t need Lin Zihan’s reminder.
She had already noticed.
After all, those flowers were quite eye-catching.
Bathed in sunlight streaming through the triangular window, amidst the gentle sound of trickling water from a small fountain,
There lay a meticulously arranged display of vibrant, colorful blooms.
Seasonal flowers like white magnolias, jasmines, red and white roses, and carnations, all compete for attention.
There were even out-of-season daffodils blooming!
Probably grown in a greenhouse.
You wouldn’t normally see these flowers at this time of year—they must be greenhouse-grown!
Ye Zhibai didn’t know much about flowers, nor could she claim to appreciate or like them, but seeing so many gathered together, she couldn’t help but be impressed.
Standing with Lin Zihan in front of the vibrant display, Ye Zhibai took a gentle breath in. It was genuinely soothing to the soul.
Ye Zhibai slowly extended her hand.
She wasn’t reaching for the flowers,
But to swat away Guang Yu’s little paws that were inching toward the blooms!!
Listen, Guang Yu, it’s one thing to pluck flowers at home, but these are for sale. If you pull these, I’ll pluck every last hair off you until you’re completely bald.
If you’re going to pluck Guang Yu’s fur, just pluck the ears and tail. There’s no fur anywhere else.
Upon hearing this, Guang Yu shuddered in fear.
She quickly pulled her hand back, looking utterly aggrieved!
I didn’t want to pluck the flowers! They’re so pretty, why would I pluck them?
I’d also like to ask on behalf of the flowers in the yard, why would you pluck them?
Guang Yu squatted down and brought her hand close to the sink, raising one finger.
I just wanted to test the water temperature needed for the flowers, I’m trying to figure out why the cactus at home died!
You’re the cause of death!
How dare you!! If you hadn’t mentioned the cactus, I would have forgotten about it!【9†source】
Hiss… It’s warm water! And slightly cool. Ye Zhibai, did you know you’re supposed to water plants with warm water?
I know!
Sigh… fine, Ye Zhibai has to take half the blame for the cactus’s death.
After all, she was too lazy to explain it to Guang Yu back then.
—
Lin Zihan was carefully removing the extra thorns from the flower stems.
With one hand, she brushed aside her golden bangs, while her other hand carefully plucked the thorns. Her delicate hands were like butterflies fluttering among the flowers.
Her graceful aura was remarkable, and her every movement resembled that of a true princess.
Even in hard times, the eldest daughter of the Lin family had never lost a shred of her noble temperament over time.
Lin Zihan turned her head toward Ye Zhibai and smiled elegantly.
“I wanted to bring Ye Zhibai over mainly to show you where I usually work. Bringing a friend home is quite an achievement, right? How is it, isn’t it beautiful here?”
“Yes, it’s beautiful.”
“Hahaha, Ye Zhibai, are you saying the flowers are pretty, or that I’m pretty? I really can’t figure it out!”
“Both are pretty.”
!
For the first time, Ye Zhibai saw Lin Zihan’s smile freeze.
Her small face blushed slightly in surprise, and her little mouth opened a bit!
It’s important to note.
Ye Zhibai was just speaking the truth earlier.
Everything was pretty! I was just being honest!
A glimmer flickered in Lin Zihan’s crimson eyes, all the brilliance swirling around and then quickly retracted, returning her expression to its usual calm.
—
“Ahem… Hmm, thanks for the compliment, Ye Zhibai. But something even prettier is over here! Come, come, let’s see the fruits of my labor this morning!”
Wherever she said to go, Ye Zhibai followed.
After all, she wasn’t familiar with the place.
Then, when they reached the middle of the room, Lin Zihan suddenly brushed the already spotless tile floor twice with her hand, then laid down flat on the floor!
Ugh, Why did you suddenly lie down? Is there a grenade or something?!
Guang Yu, protect me!
Nope, the little fox had already joined in the fun and laid down too.
She was as happy as if she were on a guided tour.
You know how to adapt to the environment and go with the flow, don’t you?
Lin Zihan lay on the floor, looked up, and waved at Ye Zhibai.
“Ye Zhibai, come lie down here. There’s an old air vent that was sealed off with tiles. If we remove a bit, we can see what’s happening on the first floor! But after I open it, we have to speak softly… or else my mom will notice.”
This was more than just sneaky.
It was practically like being a bandit!
However, Ye Zhibai found it interesting, so she did as Lin Zihan said and lay down opposite Guang Yu.
Now, the two people and one fox formed a circle, and at the center was the tile Lin Zihan said could be removed.
Lin Zihan placed a finger in front of her mouth, gesturing for silence, and then slowly lifted the tile.
She carefully set the tile aside and pointed downward, signaling Ye Zhibai to look through the gap.
Ye Zhibai slowly leaned her head forward.
Thud!
Ouch!
Guang Yu!!
They asked me to look! Can’t you wait in line behind me?
Did you have to bump heads with me in midair? Is your head made of iron or what?
In Lin Zihan’s eyes, Ye Zhibai looked like she had bumped into an invisible wall. This made her smile.
“Haha… Ye Zhibai, don’t worry. My mom doesn’t usually look up, so you can relax.”
“Thanks for the explanation. I wouldn’t have thought of that without you saying so.”
Ye Zhibai gave Guang Yu a warning look to wait before sticking her head out again.
Ye Zhibai quickly leaned her head through the gap in the tiles.
The hole wasn’t large, only enough for about a third of Ye Zhibai’s head to fit through.
But it was more than enough for her eyes to take in the entire view of the first floor.
Then, from her bird’s-eye view, she saw the layout and decor of the first floor.
She couldn’t help but be impressed by the sight.
The bouquets were more varied and complex than those on the second floor, and each bouquet had its vase, all neatly arranged.
It was as if they had been measured with a ruler, precise to the millimeter, giving off a sense of perfect symmetry.
A blonde woman was sitting by the entrance, tending to the flowers.
There were no customers in the shop at the moment.
She must be Lin Zihan’s mother, right?
Lin Zihan wanted Ye Zhibai to see the first floor, all for this small “showing off” moment, right?
Lin Zihan lay on the ground, her legs raised, playfully swinging her small white shoes, feeling very pleased.
She lowered her voice and leaned toward Ye Zhibai’s ear.
“Hmph… See that, Ye Zhibai? This is the result of my hard work this morning! I got up at around four, and bit by bit, I moved the flowers from the truck, carried the extra ones upstairs, and arranged most of them downstairs. I put them in vases, added water, and organized them. Isn’t it super neat now? I worked so hard today!”
“All of this… you moved by yourself?!”
“Yup.”
To save labor costs, usually when Lin Zihan is in school, Elsa is the one who moves them.
Now that it’s the holiday, she must be helping her mom relieve some of the workload.
Ye Zhibai looked at the vases below… those big vases, almost half as tall as a person.
Such heavy vases, and Lin Zihan, barely 1.7 meters tall, with her slender frame, could move them?!
Even if she didn’t have to unload them from the truck, she still had to keep moving them around in the shop to arrange them neatly.
She remembered how, around six in the morning, Lin Zihan had sent her two photos of the flower shop. Those were probably taken while she was arranging the vases, sneaking in a moment to send them to Ye Zhibai.
Additionally, maybe she was utterly exhausted and sent a message to Ye Zhibai to lift her spirits.
She probably put down her phone afterward, mentally cheering herself up, and continued moving the vases with renewed effort.
Seeing Ye Zhibai looking so intently, Lin Zihan felt genuine joy from the bottom of her heart.
She even playfully tapped her shoes together and continued talking about the difficulty of the task.
“It’s not that it’s so hard, it’s mainly just tiring~ Ah, I don’t know how my mom manages this regularly. After doing it once myself, I get it now — opening a flower shop is easy, but arranging it is tough~”
“You’re right.”
“Ye Zhibai, you think so too, right?”
“Yes.”
That was the truth.
Ye Zhibai… didn’t dislike people who worked hard.
This scene gave Ye Zhibai a huge shock.
The shock mainly came from a sense of shared experience.
She squinted her eyes.
In her mind, a scene seemed to emerge from long ago… so long ago, it felt like a past life.
Ahem, well, actually it was less than a month ago.
In any case!
In her past life, she had worked part-time in a restaurant.
Back then, she was often asked to neatly arrange the heavy tables and chairs.
Even though Ye Zhibai was a boy at that time, she wasn’t very strong.
She wasn’t eating well, so where would the strength come from?
But for those few hundred yuan in extra pay… and to someday be able to buy some food she liked, she worked hard, staying late into the night.
So late that everyone else had left, and only she remained in the restaurant,
Alone in the empty place, with just a single dim light left, her hardworking figure was still visible.
In the end, looking at the endless, clean, and neatly arranged tables and chairs, Ye Zhibai had been incredibly happy.
But… there was no one she could “show off” to, no one to tell.
Ye Zhibai could only push open the restaurant door herself.
Carrying and burying within her heart that pride and affirmation of herself, she walked into the night.
Walking toward her small, secluded apartment.
So, sometimes being able to “show off” your hard work to others is, in itself, a kind of happiness.
At this moment, Lin Zihan was truly immersed in happiness.
After Ye Zhibai finished looking, she pulled her head back, and Guang Yu leaned forward to enjoy the pleasant view as well.
Lin Zihan lay there, making eye contact with Ye Zhibai.
Hmm… although Ye Zhibai kept saying everything was great and nice, Her expression remained so cold!
Because of this, Lin Zihan felt a deep urge to continue acting cute and spoiled.
This feeling had lingered ever since that time in the classroom when Ye Zhibai had put a band-aid on her and had never faded away.
Lin Zihan blinked quickly and, with a playful tone, smiled at Ye Zhibai.
“I say, Ye Zhibai, you see how hard I’ve worked! Is there any reward?”
Her playful voice, as her emotions built up, unknowingly became tinged with a hint of pleading.
“I… I still have to keep at it during the holidays, coming to help my mom in the shop every morning, and arranging the vases like this every day. So… could you give me a head pat as a reward? Just one… just… oh, never mind. Pff… I’m kidding, Ye Zhibai, you don’t have to… huh?”
Whether she was joking or not.
Ye Zhibai, with her cool expression, still reached out her soft, warm hand.
—And it gently landed on Lin Zihan’s silky, golden hair, causing her to shudder.
“Nothing more needed to be said.”
Ye Zhibai had said before.
She didn’t dislike hardworking people.
For people who work hard, their small wishes are worth granting.
Ugh, this can also be a tribute to my lonely figure disappearing into the night!
Let us encourage each other!*
[*”共勉 (gòngmiǎn)”: A common phrase meaning “mutual encouragement,” used to express shared motivation or empathy.]
Lin Zihan widened her eyes, staring blankly upward at Ye Zhibai’s outstretched pale arm.
Ye Zhibai’s small hand had already landed on her head, and without hesitation, began gently stroking.
Her hand moved like a swimming fish or a flying dragon, an incredible skill, almost divine.
—This referred to Ye Zhibai’s head-patting technique!
Ye Zhibai didn’t understand why her head-patting technique was so skilled.
It felt as if her body had memorized the motion, doing it with complete ease.
The answer to this question was simple.
Since childhood, Ye Zhijun and Ye Zhibai had a pact: whenever they felt tired in the morning, they would pat each other’s heads to show care, so they could start a new day refreshed!
Even though Ye Zhibai had no soul back then, by mimicking Yun’er’s head-patting every day, she mastered it purely by reflex!
Her soulless body had long memorized the key points of head-patting.
To sum it up in one phrase.
Nothing else — only skill from practice!【9†source】
At first, Lin Zihan wanted to say, “That’s enough,” but as Ye Zhibai’s technique grew more refined, the words at the tip of her tongue were swallowed back!
If… if she patted my head a little more.
It feels like it might get addictive.
It’s terrible, but… I can’t resist this feeling at all.
Without realizing it, Lin Zihan had closed her eyes.
Like a golden cat, she enjoyed the gentle motions on her head, even unconsciously letting out a soft “purring” sound from her throat.
Her beautifully shaped legs, which had been tense, slowly relaxed and rested flat on the ground.
Although she was lying on the cold, hard floor, Lin Zihan felt as if she were resting on soft, fluffy clouds.
For a moment.
Ye Zhibai didn’t know whether to continue patting or pull her hand back!
She… she’s purring!
This doesn’t feel right, and it seems rude to keep patting a girl I’ve only just met.
Ye Zhibai tried to move her hand away from Lin Zihan’s head.
But Lin Zihan grabbed it back!
Firmly pressing it back onto her head!
You’re pushy?!
Not pushy at all.
When Lin Zihan opened her right eye, the almost pleading look stunned Ye Zhibai.
“Ye Zhibai… just a little longer… just for a bit more…”
“…”
Ye Zhibai was never a stingy person.
Besides, head-patting doesn’t cost anything.
Guang Yu sat cross-legged nearby, watching the strange scene unfold, and instinctively kept silent, not wanting to disturb them.
Ye Zhibai maintained the action for a long time.
Until her hand started to go numb!
Lin Zihan was completely lost in the sensation, oblivious to everything.
Who knows how many minutes passed?
Suddenly.
Lin Zihan, without warning, gently parted her cherry lips.
She even forgot to lower her voice.
In a soft, childish tone, half-dazed, she softly murmured,
“Mommy…”
The pleading tone was so tender it could melt one to their core.
!
“Who are you calling!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! I’m not your mom!”
“Don’t start messing with our hierarchy now!”
That single utterance made Ye Zhibai immediately lift her hand.
Realizing she had been speaking nonsense, Lin Zihan’s eyes shot open, and her face flushed red!
Oh no, it reminded her of those wonderful memories when her mom used to pat her head as a child!
It’s all ye Zhibai’s fault for being so gentle, making her relax too much!!
“Sorry, Ye Zhibai, I didn’t mean it just now…”
“Zihan?”
!
This “Zihan.”
Wasn’t said by Ye Zhibai.
Naturally, it wasn’t Guang Yu either.
The voice came from downstairs.
It traveled through the gap between the lifted tiles.
It seemed that Elsa had heard Lin Zihan calling her just now.
Lin Zihan quickly moved and half-covered the floor with the tile again!
However… Elsa, from downstairs, looked around and finally tilted her head upward, fixing her gaze on the ceiling.
Her somewhat aged face furrowed into a frown, deepening the wrinkles etched by time.
Her voice pierced through the loosely covered floor tiles, reaching Lin Zihan’s ears.
“Zihan? Are you upstairs? Zihan?”
“……”
Ye Zhibai was a bit confused.
It was the first time she had seen this kind of reaction on Lin Zihan’s face.
—Fear, worry, anxiety.
These emotions were rarely seen on the face of Lin Zihan, who could always bring out a smile.
But now, that’s exactly what she was feeling.
She panicked.
“Ye… Ye Zhibai, hide! But there’s no place to hide… no wait… Mom might not come up. If we stay quiet… things won’t get worse…”
“Zihan, are you upstairs? Why aren’t you answering? If you’re back, say something.”
!
Things are getting worse!
Elsa’s footsteps landed on the first step leading to the second floor, making the sound of someone about to come up.
There was only one staircase between the first and second floors.
If she came upstairs, it meant the people on the second floor wouldn’t have a chance to escape.
