Chapter 44: How Strange
Speaking of which… Ye Zhibai only just realized it.
This time, Lin Zihan didn’t fan the flames?!*
[*” Fan the flames (拱火)”: This idiom (gǒnghuǒ) means to stir up trouble or to provoke a situation, making it worse【9†source】]
Well, of course, she didn’t.
Lin Zihan knew how to judge the situation and weigh its importance.
Now was not the right time to joke around.
Besides, she understood gratitude.
In the future, I would try to avoid anything that might embarrass Ye Zhibai.
That’s what she thought, but Ye Zhijun certainly wouldn’t believe her so easily!
“That name again… You’re calling my sister Ye Zhibai… Hmph! Lin Zihan, do you think your words have any credibility?”
A cold light flashed in Ye Zhijun’s eyes.
Her reasoning was solid and her words were spoken with teeth clenched, each one clear and firm.
Most importantly, her argument was well-founded.
“In such a dimly lit alley… given that situation just now… I don’t believe you could have resisted my sister’s beauty. Can you honestly say you didn’t do anything?”
Ye Zhibai said, “Yun’er!”
“Don’t impose your values on others!”
“Even if you’re a piece of aluminum and copper,* that doesn’t mean everyone else is too!”
[*” Aluminum and copper (铝铜)”: This metaphor is derived from internet slang and is used here humorously to describe someone as dense or blockheaded. It’s part of a playful and sarcastic expression【9†source】]
“Ugh, even though it hurts to say this out loud, the truth is, I am a girl right now. Lin Zihan only feels friendship, how could she possibly have the same… improper thoughts as you?”
“Right, Lin Zihan?”
“My dear new friend!”
“…”
Huh?
Why did Lin Zihan suddenly go silent?
Cough…!
“You don’t say.”
Even Lin Zihan, who had been so righteous and dignified, felt a bit guilty after being questioned by Ye Zhijun like that!
Ye Zhibai’s beauty…
Well, indeed…
Just now, when she was holding Ye Zhibai, cradling the little angel in her heart, Lin Zihan’s heartbeat had picked up its pace, pounding wildly out of rhythm.
It still hadn’t calmed down.
But!
No matter how many times Ye Zhijun asked, Lin Zihan’s answer would remain unchanged.
If she hadn’t done something, then she simply hadn’t done it!
It wasn’t like she didn’t have any moral boundaries!
Words alone held no persuasive power.
Lin Zihan decided to prove it with actions.
“Ye Zhibai, come here for a moment.”
Ye Zhibai responded, “Oh, okay.”
Ye Zhijun was stunned, “Sister?!”
Little Ye Zhibai, who had casually walked to Ye Zhijun’s side earlier, now just as casually tap-tap-tapped her way back to Lin Zihan!
Ye Zhijun’s confidence—completely shattered!
Lin Zihan glanced at Ye Zhijun, then fixed her resolute gaze on Ye Zhibai.
With a smile, she suggested, “Ye Zhibai, Zhijun doesn’t believe me, so the only thing we can do is recreate the situation from earlier~ let her see for herself what we were doing.”
After thinking for a moment, Lin Zihan continued.
“However… if I take the initiative, she’ll say I just came up with this to cover for myself. So, Ye Zhibai, I’ll stand still, and you can reenact what happened. That way, Zhijun won’t have any more doubts, right? Come on~ Do exactly what I did earlier, and that should clear things up for her.”
Huh?!
Lin Zihan, you’re so smart!, Ye Zhijun thought.
This was indeed the best way to prove something that seemed difficult to explain!
Of course, Ye Zhibai also wanted to resolve the misunderstanding as quickly as possible.
She recalled the situation from earlier and approached Lin Zihan.
Lin Zihan placed both hands behind her back, standing motionless.
This scene left Ye Zhijun completely dumbfounded.
“Ah! Sister!! You… don’t! You’ve fallen for her trick! She’s just trying to take advantage of you again!!”
“Calm down, this has nothing to do with taking advantage. Even if it did, I’m pretty sure I’m the one taking advantage of her (confirmed).”*
[*” Confirmed (确信)”: The speaker playfully affirms their certainty about the situation, adding a layer of humorous self-awareness.]
Little Ye Zhibai always gets the best out of everything!
In Ye Zhijun’s sorrowful gaze,
Ye Zhibai, with a bit of guilt, leaned toward Lin Zihan.
Of course, she was just doing as Lin Zihan had said, recreating the earlier action.
Forehead pressed to forehead, nose touching nose.
There was still a small distance between their lips.
As soon as they made this pose, Ye Zhijun rushed to stand right beside them!
She needed to personally confirm that this wasn’t a kiss!
Ye Zhijun wanted to take a small ruler and measure the distance between their lips. Was it more than two centimeters? Otherwise… wouldn’t her sister’s breath be felt already?!
Wuwu, even though it wasn’t a kiss, Lin Zihan still got a major benefit from this proximity! Unable to bear her sister being taken advantage of any longer, Ye Zhijun immediately wrapped her arms around Ye Zhibai’s waist from behind, pulling her back to her side for protection!
“Okay… okay, sister! The proof is done! I believe it now!”
Lin Zihan said, “Eh? Do you believe it? But during the reenactment, I think there was still a hug that hasn’t been…”
“NO NEED!! Let’s stop right here!!”
“…”
Tch, your reenactment isn’t thorough at all. Only half done—what kind of attitude is that?
Guang Yu had long since returned to her seat on the steps.
She pulled out her drink again, though sadly, there was no watermelon.
This drama was indeed thrilling!
— Three women, one play!
It was way more exciting than the anime she’d been watching recently!
Oh right, no watermelon, but there were sunflower seeds.
Guang Yu grabbed her massive sunflower head and realized that some of these seeds were edible.
A sip of drink, a bite of seeds.
Hehe, life’s good!
Her fluffy fox tail swayed happily.
Seeing that Ye Zhijun had understood the truth and the misunderstanding was cleared up, Lin Zihan spread her hands and smiled.
“You see, Zhijun, you almost misunderstood Ye Zhibai again. That’s why~ you always need to stay calm, right?”
“I’ve been staying calm all afternoon with you, you idiot (hapi)!”*
[*” Hapi (哈皮)”: This is a transliteration of “happy” but used sarcastically in Chinese slang to mean someone foolish or an idiot.]
“?!”
Ye Zhibai’s furious, she’s gone and cursed!
She’s really angry now!
But Zhijun wasn’t angry!
She was just… just feeling a bit uncomfortable after seeing her sister and Lin Zihan with their foreheads pressed together! Just a teeny bit!
Lin Zihan shouted, “Sister!”
“Here.”
Ye Zhibai pondered, What’s wrong?! Why are you yelling so loudly?!
Ye Zhijun didn’t want to shout so loud.
But the main reason was to intimidate Lin Zihan!
Though it didn’t work much on Lin Zihan, it certainly startled Ye Zhibai!
When Ye Zhibai turned her head to look at her little sister, she froze.
Yun’er’s state right now… doesn’t look too good.
It could be said that after what just happened, Yun’er’s possessiveness had been fully awakened.
Ye Zhijun gritted her teeth hard, her eyes sharp as a blade.
While clutching Ye Zhibai’s waist, she glared sideways at Lin Zihan.
She looked like a cat protecting its food, exuding both cuteness and fierce energy.
But Lin Zihan wasn’t scared.
Lin Zihan, who didn’t even fear life itself, wasn’t about to be afraid of a “little cat.”
Suddenly.
Ye Zhijun’s soft yet firm voice echoed, somewhat abruptly.
“Sister… prove it with me. The love between us doesn’t allow any third party to intrude.”
Ye Zhibai responded, “Eh… Mmm?!”
This was the fiercest sip Guang Yu had taken all night.
The little fox couldn’t help but raise a thumbs-up toward the moon.
But that thumbs-up wasn’t for the moon.
But the thumbs-up was for Ye Zhijun.
Ye Zhijun—so genuine!
Under the night sky, the intertwining of black and silver hair shone brighter than the moonlight, pure and sacred.
Her coat fluttered, as if wrapping Ye Zhibai’s dress with scattered stardust.
Suddenly, Ye Zhijun leaned forward and kissed Ye Zhibai’s soft lips.
—This time, there wasn’t even the slightest distance between them.
The kiss didn’t last long.
It was as if Ye Zhijun didn’t want Lin Zihan to see her sister in a kissing posture for too long. It was merely a light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the surface* of the water before she gently pulled her lips away.
[*” Dragonfly skimming the surface (蜻蜓点水)”: A Chinese idiom (qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ) meaning a light or brief touch, often used to describe a fleeting kiss【9†source】]
At this moment, under the moonlight, she was the fearless battle god.
This—was the real proof.
Lin Zihan was shocked.
She, who had never been frightened by life, Ye Zhijun, was ruthless!
She was truly scared this time! Seeing Ye Zhibai stand firmly afterward, with that brief moment when her icy demeanor cracked, and she covered her lips with a look of surprise. However, Lin Zihan couldn’t help but lick her lips.
In her heart, a seed was silently planted.
Ah… how strange. After everything that happened today, why does it feel like… Ye Zhibai, who was already unreasonably blue, has become even more beautiful.
How curious indeed.
