The night gradually deepened, and in the room, only Ling Xiaoxiao’s even breathing remained.
I tiptoed back after washing up. By now, the room’s light was off, and by the faint light coming through the window, I could see her hugging her pillow, sound asleep, her bunny tail hanging over the edge of the bed, swaying gently.
To avoid disturbing a certain idiot, I chose not to turn on the light.
But thinking about the drastic changes that happened today, I still felt unsettled inside. At the very least, I knew I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep so quickly.
So, I went straight to the window and sat down, gazing at the quiet street below.
Night had fallen deep, and the once noisy city was gradually growing silent.
The streetlights cast orange halos on the damp road. Occasionally, a late-night car passed by, splashing up tiny droplets.
Just then, the door was gently knocked.
I tiptoed over, peered through the peephole, and saw Yue Ran standing outside with a small plate in her hands, the hallway light outlining her soft profile.
Seeing it was her, I didn’t think much and opened the door.
“Still awake?” she asked in a hushed voice, glancing into the room. I quickly pressed a finger to my lips and whispered, “Ling Xiaoxiao is asleep.”
Yue Ran couldn’t help but nod, suppressing a smile, and shoved the plate into my hands.
It was a piece of tiramisu sprinkled with cocoa powder, the cream still cool and fresh.
“I saw you eyeing the dessert cabinet before closing. Figured you hadn’t eaten enough.”
She blinked mischievously. “Eat it secretly, no one will notice.”
I swallowed as I looked at the food in my hand, my cat ears twitching uncontrollably.
“But… I just brushed my teeth…”
Even so, my feet honestly followed her out to the long bench in the hallway.
The night breeze drifted in through the stairwell window, carrying the sweet scent of osmanthus. Yue Ran propped her chin up, watching as I took small bites of cake, her eyes in the dim light glistening like watery glass.
As the cake’s sweetness melted on my tongue, I suddenly thought of something and looked up to ask her, “Why are you… so nice to me?”
Yue Ran’s smile blurred a little under the light. She reached out and gently wiped the cocoa powder from the corner of my mouth, but didn’t rush to answer. The voice-activated hallway light suddenly went out, and only the warm orange glow from outside spilled softly over Yue Ran and me.
Everything around us was utterly silent—only our quiet breathing, the sound of me eating cake, and the occasional honk from distant cars could be heard.
She looked at me, her gaze as gentle as the moonlight coming in from outside.
“Because~ you’re the one that person entrusted to me.”
As she spoke, Yue Ran reached out, carefully wiping away the cream from the corner of my lips.
Hearing those words, I felt as if my heart skipped a beat.
“That person?”
“Mm, the distant relative who shares your name—the idiot who recommended you to me.”
Yue Ran’s eyes curved with her smile, her face blooming with warmth under the amber glow.
I froze, my heartbeat inexplicably quickening.
After knowing Yue Ran for so long, it seemed like this was the first time I’d ever seen her wear such a gentle and happy expression when mentioning me.
For a moment, I honestly couldn’t tell if everything before me was a dream or reality.
The evening breeze outside blew softly, stirring the stray hair at my ear, and lifting Yue Ran’s fine strands as well.
That cool sensation was an undeniable reminder of this moment’s reality.
Right now, it felt like I was touching the door to a new world. I never expected Yue Ran to have this side to her.
If it had been the old me, seeing Yue Ran like this, I probably would have raised my guard, suspecting she was about to pull some new trick on me.
But now, seeing Yue Ran with that expression, speaking of me from an outsider’s perspective, it brought out a completely different feeling. All along, I’d thought Yue Ran—this scoundrel—just liked tormenting me for fun, even going as far as picking a lower-scoring university just to bully me.
Maybe, I should take this chance to finally understand what Yue Ran really thinks about me.
“So, Sister Yue Ran, does that mean… because that distant relative is important to you, that’s why you’re so nice to me, the one he recommended?” As I spoke, I nervously twirled the fork on my plate.
Yue Ran pondered for a while, then soon showed a helpless smile.
She nodded, sighing as if resigning herself. “Haha, I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret for me, okay? Especially don’t tell that idiot.”
Hmph, the ‘idiot’ you’re talking about is right in front of you.
Even though I thought that, I still nodded.
“Aiya, though I hate to admit it, it does seem to be just like you said.”
Yue Ran sighed again, her gaze drifting off into the distance.
“I don’t even know when it started. By the time I realized it, it was already like this.
When I was young, I loved to bully him, watching him try to beat me but never succeeding. But slowly, I realized the sense of accomplishment from winning against him was fading, and instead, a feeling I can’t even describe started to take root. By the time I noticed, it had already grown into what it is now.”
The air seemed to freeze. My hand gripping the fork trembled, cocoa powder falling from the cake and scattering with a faint sound onto the plate.
At first, I thought she was only talking about the fondness between friends, but hearing her now, I sensed something more.
Yue Ran’s voice was soft, like a feather brushing against my heart, yet each word weighed heavily, echoing in my ears.
She trailed off, swallowing her words. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, making my ribs ache. So, all those years of butting heads weren’t malice; all those pranks and tricks actually hid such feelings?
The tip of my tail unconsciously curled into a small ball behind me, then unfurled in a sudden sweep across the cold floor. I didn’t dare to look up into Yue Ran’s eyes, only staring fixedly at the melting cream on my plate, my vision blurring.
So, this jerk who always bullied me, had already put me at the center of her heart?
“You…” I opened my mouth, but my throat suddenly went dry. My cat ears drooped uncontrollably, the tips brushing my burning cheeks. “The feelings you’re talking about… are…”
Before I could finish, Yue Ran nodded with a smile, admitting it openly.
“That’s right. Little Guiyun’s ears have drooped—were you scared?”
“Ugh…”
Faced with Yue Ran’s frank, unreserved confession, I was the one who lowered my head first.
“A-a little, but it’s okay.”
A rush of warmth welled up in my chest, and I let out a long sigh.