Bai Yan’er had put a lot of thought into preparing dinner.
Braised Chicken Soup with Red Dates and Wolfberries, Stir-fried Yam with Black Fungus, Brown Sugar Glazed Lotus Root Stuffed with Glutinous Rice, and a small bowl of steaming Red Bean Congee.
Every dish was made with warming, nourishing ingredients.
“I didn’t know what flavors you liked,” Bai Yan’er crouched down and placed the small bowl of soup on the table in front of Yan Yu, “so I had the chef prepare a few things based on common menstrual period menus. Elder Sister, try the soup first. I added plenty of red dates, so it should be very sweet.”
“Yan Er…” Yan Yu picked up the bowl, feeling the warmth radiating from its sides through her fingertips. “When did you prepare all this?”
“I’ve always known about Elder Sister’s menstrual cycle.” Bai Yan’er propped her chin on her hand and looked at her with a bright smile. “I got everything ready this morning. I just had to wait until today for the chance to bring it to Elder Sister.”
Ready since this morning.
Since when?
Yan Yu didn’t ask. She just lowered her head, stirred the soup with her spoon, scooped up a mouthful, and brought it to her lips. The soup was very sweet—the sweetness of red dates, the slight tartness of wolfberries, the freshness of chicken—all melting together in the warm broth.
“Is it good?” Bai Yan’er leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling.
“Mm, it’s very good,” Yan Yu said.
It wasn’t empty flattery. It really was delicious.
Bai Yan’er’s smile deepened.
She ladled out a small bowl of red bean congee, scooped up a spoonful, and brought it to Yan Yu’s lips.
“Come on, Elder Sister, open wide.”
The gesture was too intimate.
Yan Yu instinctively wanted to reach out and take the spoon herself, but Bai Yan’er showed no sign of letting go. She simply held the spoon aloft, maintaining the position, waiting.
After a few seconds of eye contact, Yan Yu parted her lips slightly and carefully accepted the spoon.
The red bean congee was soft, sticky, and sweet. The rice grains had almost dissolved completely, and the sandy texture of the red beans melted on her tongue.
Bai Yan’er watched Yan Yu’s slightly puffed cheek, a satisfied glint shining in her eyes. She murmured, “Elder Sister looks so beautiful when she eats.”
Before Yan Yu could respond, her phone suddenly rang.
A series of urgent rings shattered the moment’s tranquility. Yan Yu glanced down—it was Ruo Xiaozhen calling.
Her heart sank.
Damn.
Usually around this time, Ruo Xiaozhen would have dinner ready and waiting for her to come home. Today she had completely forgotten to tell Xiaozhen anything.
That silly girl was definitely still at home waiting for her.
Just as Yan Yu reached for the phone, Bai Yan’er moved first. She set down her bowl, placed her hands gently on Yan Yu’s shoulders.
Then, warm breath drew close to Yan Yu’s ear, her lips nearly brushing against the curve of her ear.
“Is Elder Sister going back to eat?”
The voice was soft, but carried a chill that ran down the spine.
“…What?” Yan Yu turned her head, trying to create some distance.
“I mean,” Bai Yan’er didn’t pull back; instead, she pressed even closer, “compared to me, would Elder Sister rather eat the food that woman cooked?”
“Everything on this table was carefully prepared for you by a top chef. If Elder Sister doesn’t choose my side, all of this will go to waste…”
She paused, her gaze falling on the phone still ringing in Yan Yu’s hand.
“It sounds pretty noisy, doesn’t it? Want me to hang up for you, Elder Sister?”
As she spoke, she reached out, her fingertips brushing against the back of Yan Yu’s hand holding the phone, as if she intended to help her end the call.
Yan Yu flinched slightly.
The phone vibrated in her palm, the three characters “Ruo Xiaozhen” dancing on the screen.
“Yan Er, don’t be like this.” Yan Yu’s voice tightened. “Xiao Zhen is my roommate.”
Bai Yan’er looked at her, silent for two seconds, then withdrew her hand and smiled indifferently. “I was just joking. Okay, go ahead and answer the call, Elder Sister.”
She didn’t seem surprised or flustered. She even leaned lazily back into her chair, picked up the soup bowl, and took a leisurely sip, but her eyes never left Yan Yu’s face.
It was the expression of someone completely confident.
Yan Yu took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
“Yan Yu, do you know what time it is? Aren’t you coming back?”
Ruo Xiaozhen’s huffy voice came through the phone, accompanied by the clatter of a spatula hitting a wok in the background. “I specially made braised pork belly for you today! It’s going to get cold if you don’t hurry! Come back soon!”
Yan Yu checked the time—it was already 7:30 PM.
That gluttonous Xiaozhen couldn’t stand being hungry at the best of times, yet today she had been waiting for her without even picking up her chopsticks.
But…
Yan Yu’s gaze swept over the meticulously prepared meal in front of her. Something felt stuck in her chest.
“Hello? Yan Yu? Why aren’t you talking?” Ruo Xiaozhen’s voice turned worried. “Where are you right now? Want me to heat up the food right away?”
The sound of a chair scraping came through the phone, as if Ruo Xiaozhen was about to stand up and take action.
Just then, Bai Yan’er’s voice whispered close to her other ear, like honey, like poison.
“Elder Sister, make your choice quickly.”
The tone was gentle, but it carried an unyielding urgency.
Yan Yu bit her lower lip.
After weighing her options, she spoke into the phone.
“Xiao Zhen, go ahead and eat first.”
“Huh?” Ruo Xiaozhen was taken aback. “You’re not coming back to eat?”
“Mm, I went to the hospital for a follow-up today. I grabbed something to eat on the way, so I’ll be back a little later.” Yan Yu tried to keep her voice calm and natural.
“What? A follow-up? Are you okay? What did the doctor say?”
A barrage of questions warmed Yan Yu’s heart, yet also left a faint bitter ache.
“It’s nothing serious. Just routine checks,” she said. “You eat first, don’t wait for me.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Really.”
“Then… okay.” Ruo Xiaozhen hesitated. “Be careful on your way back tonight. It’s dark and the roads are slippery.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and is the food outside clean? Your stomach is weak, don’t eat just anything… Forget it, I’ll cook something nice for you tomorrow to make up for it. Come back early.”
“I know.”
The call ended.
Yan Yu put down her phone and let out a long breath.
She turned around and met Bai Yan’er’s gaze. The girl tilted her head, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and a victorious light flickered in her eyes.
“Elder Sister is so understanding.” Bai Yan’er picked up the congee bowl and scooped up another spoonful. “Come, let me feed you, Elder Sister. Eat it while it’s hot.
“After the congee, it’ll be my turn to eat you… just kidding.”
She leaned in, bending down until the spoon was almost pressed against Yan Yu’s lips.
Yan Yu was startled, her pupils contracting sharply as she leaned back a little.
Just then, a system prompt suddenly sounded in her ear.
[A script anomaly has been detected.]
[The current behavior trajectory of the character “Bai Yan’er” has severely deviated from the original setting. Host is advised to pay immediate attention.]
[If her emotions are not properly handled, there is a high probability of triggering the “blackening” plot node.]
[Warning: This change will directly affect the Host’s subsequent mission progress and ending.]
Blackening plot.
Yan Yu savored the word, her heart sinking.
Those memories of Yan Yu from the previous loop, like undercurrents hiding beneath a still surface, vaguely influenced her judgment.
She vaguely remembered that Bai Yan’er from long ago had been a completely different person.
When she was little and still living with Yan Yu in the Yan family, Bai Yan’er was timid and cowardly. She would cry at the sight of strangers, and when bullied, she would only clutch at Yan Yu’s clothes and tremble.
It was Yan Yu who held her hand and walked her through the kindergarten hallway. It was Yan Yu who wiped away her tears. It was Yan Yu who said, “Don’t be afraid. Elder Sister is here.”
Back then, Yan Yu thought she was just fulfilling her duty as an older sister.
But she never knew how deeply those acts of protection would plant seeds in the heart of a girl who lacked security.
Nor did she know that the happy childhood she had given Bai Yan’er was a dream Bai Yan’er could never return to once she went back to the Bai family, bound by rules and burdened with the shackles of being called a “young lady.”
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