CHAPTER 15 IT’S OUR HOME
“Yun’er… what is this…?”
“Ah? Sister, you’re saying strange things again. This is our home, what else could it be?”
“……”
Home?
The home in my memory is definitely not like this!
Ye Zhibai blinked her bewildered eyes.
Everywhere she looked was a marvel.
A boundless manor garden, a fountain pavilion blending Eastern and Western styles.
A towering standalone villa, with winding paths lined with flowers and stones.
And… in front of her, a huge iron gate taller than three Ye Zhibais!
These exaggerated, manorial-style buildings, which she had only seen in movies, would be unbelievable if Ye Zhibai weren’t seeing them with her own eyes.
Ye Zhibai had thought in this life she might be very wealthy, so perhaps her new home could be in some ultra-luxurious, upscale neighborhood.
But it turns out,
she had thought too small.
“Welcome home, Young Miss!!”
At the open iron gate, two burly bodyguards, with bright smiles, shouted the welcome phrase they had just agreed upon.
The imposing presence of the bodyguards was more exaggerated than in any movie!
Ye Qinghe got out of the driver’s seat, handed the car keys to one of the bodyguards and then walked ahead with a beaming smile, visibly delighted by his daughter’s return home from the hospital.
“What are you sisters doing standing at your own doorstep wanting to catch up? Come inside.”
With his head held high, Ye Qinghe strode through the great iron gate and onto the gravel path of the estate.
“Sister, let’s go.”
“Okay…”
Ye Zhiyun, unapologetically grabbing Ye Zhibai’s hand, walked with even more determination than Ye Qinghe’s proud stride.
Ye Zhiyun deliberately walked with abandon, thinking about her sister’s memory loss and returning home, which must be somewhat bewildering to her.
Ye Zhiyun thought it best to be casual to help her sister adapt quickly and feel that this place was indeed their home.
As Ye Zhiyun tilted her head to look at Ye Zhibai walking beside her, she couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter again. Even without her past memories, Ye Zhibai’s walk retained its deliberate, slow elegance, exuding an air of unapproachable grace. To Ye Zhiyun, it was as if she wasn’t holding a human hand, but rather…
She coughed to clear her thoughts. She wasn’t insulting her; rather, she felt like she was in the presence of a celestial being descended from the heavens, not merely her sister.
But the reality was simpler, and unknown to Ye Zhiyun.
Ye Zhibai walked slowly not out of grace, but because her body was still stiff, making it hard for her to move quickly. Yes, very, very nerve-wracking! It wasn’t that she was inherently shy—though as a semi-hikikomori in her past life, she did have a bit of social anxiety.
As they advanced through the courtyard, maids who were cleaning or tidying paused in their tasks. They stopped and bowed or nodded in greeting as they passed.
“Miss, how are you feeling today?”
“Miss! We’ve heard about your discharge! We’ll prepare a feast tonight to celebrate!”
“Miss is really home?!”
That last one seemed a bit out of the loop!
Ye Zhibai was overwhelmed but managed to wave back modestly to the greetings. It was clear from the maids’ respectful yet genuinely joyful expressions that they were delighted, welcoming her as one would a long-missed friend.
The trio navigated the long pebbled path that wound around a fountain at the center of the estate, finally standing before a duplex-style mansion.
“This place… isn’t it a bit too spacious?” Ye Zhibai thought, swallowing hard as she looked up at the building before her.
For someone whose mind was still filled with images of her old, rundown apartment, the sight was overwhelmingly impressive. The duplex mansion, painted pure white and surrounded by lush gardens and even small trees, was enclosed by a fence. In front of the main gate, there was a vibrant flower garden teeming with life.
“ Do you remember this?”
Ye Qinghe pushed open the gate, looked up, and said reflectively…
Ye Zhibai was taken aback when Ye Qinghe asked if she remembered the place. “I don’t remember…” she responded, her tone reflecting a mix of confusion and helplessness.
Ye Qinghe nodded understandingly, carefully pulling a few weeds from around the fence as he spoke. “This villa used to be your and Yun’er’s home. For the past two years, it’s only been Yun’er living here.”
Ye Zhiyun’s expression darkened slightly as she recalled the past. “It’s been really hard without sister… I had to sleep hugging a pillow because you weren’t here!”
Ye Zhibai, slightly amused by her sister’s dramatics, thought to herself about how her sister at least had a pillow, unlike her past self who had nothing.
Turning to Ye Qinghe, who was still tending to the garden, Ye Zhibai asked, “Excuse me… don’t you live here?”
Ye Qinghe paused and looked back, surprised. “Zhibai, what did you just call me?”
He seemed touched by her formal way of addressing him, his eyes moistening slightly.
Ye Qinghe’s hands fumbled and dropped the weeds he had just pulled, his face betraying a sudden vulnerability that seemed to clash with his image as a societal elite. “You all are so fragile,” Ye Zhibai thought, noting the tender hearts behind their composed exteriors.
Though still unfamiliar with familial terms, Ye Zhibai sensed the need to adapt quickly. “So… Dad, I wanted to ask… do you not live here usually?”
Ye Zhibai genuinely didn’t know. In her mind, families lived together, yet it seemed Ye Qinghe had just implied that this place was meant solely for her and Ye Zhiyun. Did that mean he lived elsewhere?
At her question, Ye Qinghe shook his head and pointed not far off. About a few dozen meters away stood another building, different in wall color but similar in structure. “I live in that building over there. I usually don’t come here unless there’s a reason. The same goes for the maids and bodyguards; they don’t come close to this place without a specific need.”
Ye Zhibai was confused. Why such separation?
Ye Zhiyun, grasping her sister’s hand tighter with a mischievous smile, explained in a tone that was both natural and eerily possessive, “Yeah! This place is just for me and sister—a love nest! No one else is allowed near it, okay? It’s just common sense and one of our family rules!”
What kind of rule was that? Ye Zhibai had never heard of such an oddly specific family norm.
Now, looking at the fence that surrounded the building, what had seemed picturesque moments ago now felt more like a barrier designed to isolate them from the world.
Ye Zhibai murmured, confused and somewhat alarmed, Caged in, not allowed to leave, right? Wait… what did she just say…
Ye Zhibai confronted her sister, slightly confused by her choice of words. “You talked about a ‘love nest’ in front of your Dad… our Dad. Is that something you should say? Parents would get angry hearing that, right?”
However, Ye Qinghe just responded with a weary smile and a shrug. “Well, that’s how it is. When you girls were little, your mother and I also lived here. But a few years ago, Yun’er suddenly said she wanted to live alone with you. So, I let her have her way. If the sisters are happy, that’s what matters.”
His words sounded like those of a resigned father, but it was clear from his eyes that he was somewhat wary of Yun’er. The subtext was clear—there was no controlling her; just let it be.
“Are you really that laid-back?” Ye Zhibai wondered quietly.
Then, something he mentioned caught her attention—the word “mom.”
Ye Zhibai wasn’t ready to just go to her room and sleep. She hadn’t yet met all her family members. With a hint of anticipation, which softened her usually cold tone, she asked, “Dad… Yun’er… is my mom here? I’d like to greet her first.”
Having not had a mother in her previous life, she was curious to know what it felt like to have one in this life.
Upon hearing this, Ye Qinghe and Ye Zhiyun both stiffened momentarily, even holding their breath. Ye Zhiyun slowly turned to Ye Qinghe and shook her head subtly, signaling him to be careful with his response.
But Ye Qinghe’s expression was resolute. There was no need for caution; this was something Zhibai deserved to know and must face—something the whole family needed to move past. It couldn’t be hidden forever; she would find out sooner or later.
With a tone filled with endless regret and reminiscence, Ye Qinghe began to explain.
“Zhibai… your mother, she’s no longer here… She’s gone to a very far place.”
Ye Zhibai stood motionless for a moment before slowly bowing her head, processing the news. *Dad, I suggest you be more direct with your words. I can understand.*
In her mind, she translated his statement: —*In this life, I again have no mother.*
Just as Ye Zhibai came to terms with this interpretation, Ye Zhiyun interjected. “Dad! Can’t you be clearer and less ambiguous? The way you say it, it sounds like mom has passed away. She’s just missing, not necessarily dead yet!”
Oh.
—”In this life, I probably don’t have a mom. But it’s not certain.”
