CHAPTER 14 THANK YOU
Ye Zhibai, despite hearing these comforting words, found herself grappling with the reality of her extraordinary survival. If she had seen someone flung by a car and survive like that, she would have been perplexed for a lifetime!
Just as Ye Zhibai was about to press further, Ye Qinghe spoke up from the driver’s seat.
“Ah… Zhibai, objectively speaking, there are times when you really do seem odd. But to me, you are no different from any other family’s daughter, and you’re even more sensible than most! Ever since you were unconscious in the hospital… it felt like our home was missing many people, so empty. Yun’er would sometimes secretly cry in her room… It was really tough for me as a father…”
“Enough, Dad,” Ye Zhiyun glanced forward at the driving seat with a mild rebuke, “Aren’t you the one who kept wondering aloud when sister would wake up, sighing all the time? It’s as if I was the only one upset.”
Ye Qinghe lacked the sternness typically associated with fatherhood, a fact that Ye Zhibai now fully recognized.
And yet… despite not being able to empathize fully, Ye Zhibai felt a warm sensation in her heart from their exchange.
Ye Qinghe never saw Ye Zhibai as a burden at home. As he mused aloud now, “Ever since you were little, you couldn’t go to school like other kids. You always lay by the window, watching the birds fly by, lost in thought. Every time I think about it, I feel incredibly guilty… I consulted many doctors, and all said there was nothing wrong with your intellect, but for safety, you had to stay home. Aside from Yun’er, there was no one you could talk to, no friends…”
Listening intently, Ye Zhibai couldn’t help but note the irony—she wouldn’t have been able to talk to anyone before, as she had been mute!
Ye Qinghe’s words carried a tone of self-mockery, a clear indication of his guilt for not being able to give his daughter a normal life despite his wealth.
He sighed with a rueful smile, “So, if you’re talking about what’s strange… it’s strange that me, despite being quite wealthy, couldn’t let my daughter live like a normal person…”
These words also made Ye Zhiyun recall the childhood moments she had spent with Ye Zhibai. Holding Ye Zhibai’s hand tightly, she spoke softly.
Ye Zhiyun’s voice carried a gentle warmth as she continued, “Sister, you may seem aloof, but the care you show from time to time, I keep all of it in my heart. You might not remember, but you used to share snacks with the maids at home and listen to their interesting work stories or problems. Even though you didn’t respond, everyone was willing to share with you. Everyone liked you a lot…”
“So, you don’t know… the day you were hit by the car, it broke our whole family’s heart.”
Ye Zhibai looked down at their intertwined hands, deep in thought. The Ye Zhibai of the past, without a soul and emotions, might have been inadvertently endearing. If her past behaviors were largely imitations of Ye Zhiyun, who grew up with her, then Yun’er as a child must have been a very lovable girl—she certainly still was, especially in how she treated Ye Zhibai.
Ye Zhiyun tilted her head and rested it on Ye Zhibai’s shoulder, sharing another insight. “And you know, even though it was a tragedy that sister got hit by a car, I feel somewhat like a blessing in disguise today. Before, your eyes looked so lifeless, like bottomless lake water… unreadable. But today, there’s a sparkle in your eyes!”
“Does that mean I’ve become smarter?” Ye Zhibai asked tentatively.
“You’ve always been smart, sister! Just not expressive! And now that you can talk, I have so, so many things I’ve wanted to tell you! So when we get home, we must have a good long talk, maybe even an all-night chat session to make up for all the years you couldn’t speak to me… oh, sorry… you just got out of the hospital today, you must be tired. We’ll do it another day! Tomorrow, for sure!”
“I… I’ll try my best.”
Ye Zhibai was both amused and a bit overwhelmed by Ye Zhiyun’s enthusiasm. Just because someone who was mute can now speak, doesn’t mean you should expect them to make up for years of silence in one go! But…
About being hit by a car and turning into a vegetative state, but only sustaining scratches, she wanted to know her family’s opinion.
This question, as she looked at her smooth arm, naturally arose.
“Why… don’t I have many external injuries…”
“Zhibai.”
“Hmm?”
Ye Qinghe immediately answered her question.
As a father, Ye Qinghe didn’t turn around, but firmly spoke while watching his daughter in the rearview mirror of the car.
“About your background… I will tell you all about it once you have rested. But as for your question just now… to be honest, I really can’t answer it. Why, when you were hit by the car like that, flying over ten meters according to the road surveillance, you should have been either dead or severely disabled. But as you can see, you are unharmed, and that’s the current situation. Even the medical maid team at home cannot explain it.”
He paused, then continued: “But… there are definitely many secrets in this world that we do not know. As I said earlier, you are my daughter, Ye Qinghe’s daughter, and the Ye family will protect you. This matter will be forever sealed away, no one will know about your anomaly. And you… including me and Yun’er, do not need to know either. For our family to live safely and peacefully, isn’t that good enough?”
Isn’t that good enough…
Yes.
Ye Zhibai, who had hardly ever lived a peaceful life, deeply understood these words.
Everything was clear.
That darned orb of light hadn’t lied; it seemed she really was well protected.
Otherwise, without the Ye family’s protection, given her anomaly, she might have been taken away for experiments long ago.
Some secrets were perhaps better left uncovered, especially when revealing them could disrupt the peace and safety of their family life. The idea of living a peaceful, normal life resonated deeply with Ye Zhibai, who had never experienced such tranquility before.
The tight embrace from Ye Zhiyun grew even firmer after their exchange, her actions reflecting a newfound determination to protect and cherish her sister even more boldly.
Ye Zhibai managed to gently extricate her hands and softly patted Ye Zhiyun’s back. In that moment, with the comforting hum of the car around them and the closeness of her family, she found the strength to articulate her gratitude—something that went beyond words and resonated deeply within her heart.
“Thank you…”
