Chapter 32: Escape Plan

“Elder Sister, welcome back.”

Cheng Yueqing, leaning against the headboard, cast a bright smile toward the two who entered the ward.

Cheng Yuexin slumped into a chair like a deflated ball, her shoulders drooping.

“Phew, it’s so hot outside.”

Cheng Yueqing sat on the edge of the bed, grabbed a tissue, and wiped away the fine sweat on Cheng Yuexin’s forehead.

Even such thoughtful gestures couldn’t make Cheng Yuexin feel any better.

“The weather’s pretty nice today, and the sun is strong. Drink some water and rest for a bit.”

Liu Yingqiu carried a bag of snacks and placed it on the bedside cabinet, taking out two bottles of room-temperature water.

She unscrewed one and set it by Cheng Yuexin’s hand.

“Drink up.”

“Mm…”

Cheng Yuexin took two gulps, and her heartbeat gradually returned to normal.

The lingering fear from meeting Gu Linxue still lingered in her heart.

Her fingers twisted together as she stared at her knees in silence.

“Elder Sister, you bought so many snacks!”

Liu Yingqiu answered on behalf of the dazed Cheng Yuexin, casually opening the bag of candy Cheng Yuexin had picked out.

“That’s right. Your sister said she wanted some candy, so I grabbed some snacks for you to satisfy your cravings too.”

She took out a candy and brought it to Cheng Yuexin’s lips.

Cheng Yuexin, lost in thought, didn’t think much and opened her mouth to take the candy Liu Yingqiu offered.

Cheng Yueqing saw this and smiled inwardly.

‘Kind Sister’s affinity points just went up another one.’

Liu Yingqiu touched her slightly moist fingertips, the smile on her lips growing more evident.

“Does Little Sister Yueqing want one too?”

“I want to eat potato chips.”

She picked up a bag of chips and placed it in Cheng Yueqing’s hands.

“Thank you, Sister Yingqiu.”

The little girl smiled happily as she ate her chips.

Cheng Yuexin remained dazed, the candy slowly melting in her mouth, a trace of sweetness spreading from her throat all the way to her heart.

It somewhat diluted the impact Gu Linxue had brought her.

“Ah…”

“I’m going to wash my face.”

Cheng Yuexin left the ward, leaving behind only a troubled silhouette.

Liu Yingqiu ate a candy and sat down to relax.

“Sister Yingqiu, what happened to my sister? She went out for a walk but came back unhappy instead?”

Cheng Yueqing tugged at Liu Yingqiu’s hand, making her sit in front of her.

Her eyes stared seriously at Liu Yingqiu.

She hoped it wasn’t Liu Yingqiu who had made her sister upset.

“Ah… on the way back, we ran into a classmate from high school who I didn’t get along with.”

“What? You actually ran into her?”

Cheng Yueqing stuck out her tongue, feeling disgusted on behalf of Cheng Yuexin.

“I’m puzzled too. The world is just this small.”

Liu Yingqiu had long anticipated that they would meet one day.

But it came too suddenly, and at an inopportune time.

She didn’t explain much about what happened, not wanting to spread the worry to Cheng Yueqing.

“You two aren’t going to the same school, are you?”

Cheng Yueqing’s guess wasn’t unreasonable.

“That’s right.”

“Then Sister Yingqiu, you have to protect my sister. Don’t let that bad person hurt her.”

The small hand clenched Liu Yingqiu’s hand tightly. Her clear blue eyes, like the sky after rain, were filled with concern for her sister.

Liu Yingqiu gave a faint smile and squeezed her hand back with a bit more force.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect your sister.”

“Mm, I trust you.”

Cheng Yueqing smiled with relief, and Liu Yingqiu smiled along, though there was a more somber tone to it.

This wasn’t going to be an easy thing to do.

Gu Linxue was no pushover either.

Liu Yingqiu’s sixth sense told her that things between Cheng Yuexin and Gu Linxue were not that simple.

She glanced at the time.

“There’s not much time left. Yuexin still hasn’t come back.”

Liu Yingqiu released Cheng Yueqing’s hand and pulled away.

“Huh? Are you leaving, Sister Yingqiu?”

Even though she was reluctant, time didn’t allow.

“I have to have dinner with my parents tonight. They finally came to see me.”

“Oh, I see.”

As she responded, a flicker of envy flashed in Cheng Yueqing’s eyes.

Besides her sister, she no longer had any other family.

“I’ll go find your sister and let her know. See you next time, Little Sister Yueqing.”

“Mm, see you next time.”

The door closed, and Cheng Yueqing’s smile gradually faded.

A voice tinged with joy came from her lips.

“Sister Yingqiu isn’t so bad after all.”

Liu Yingqiu found Cheng Yuexin on the hospital corridor.

From that spot, she could see the cars coming and going on the road outside.

“So this is where you came to clear your head. I was wondering why you took so long in the bathroom.”

Cheng Yuexin turned her eyes at the sound. Her expression wasn’t particularly good, nor was it particularly bad.

It was her usual calm look, just lacking some spirit in her eyes.

“Oh, after using the bathroom, I thought the view here was decent.”

Cheng Yuexin gave a faint smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Standing beside her, Liu Yingqiu looked down at the traffic below.

“Still thinking about Gu Linxue?”

“No.”

Cheng Yuexin answered decisively, not looking at her.

Liu Yingqiu was surprised but didn’t ask further.

A mix of confusion and reluctance swirled in her red pupils as she stared at the girl’s face, then changed the subject.

“I have to… go back. My parents are here, and they invited me to dinner tonight.”

Slightly surprised, the violet eyes fell on Liu Yingqiu beside her.

She smiled as if happy for her.

“That’s great. You should go.”

“Do you want to come eat with me?”

Liu Yingqiu asked with a hint of seriousness, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

“I still need to take care of Yueqing, and besides, that’s a family gathering for you.”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate for an outsider like me to go.”

A bitter smile tinged with envy hung on Cheng Yuexin’s face.

The meaning of the word “family” wasn’t clearly defined in Cheng Yuexin’s dictionary.

The images of her parents in her memory had long since blurred.

Cheng Yueqing was her only younger sister, and also her family.

Liu Yingqiu tightened her grip on the railing, the corners of her mouth gradually flattening.

“I have to go. If anything happens, remember to call me.”

“Okay, thank you for today.”

Hearing her soft thanks, Liu Yingqiu gave a helpless smile.

“Why are you being so polite to me all of a sudden?”

“Because we’re classmates now. Between classmates, there needs to be a classmate’s courtesy.”

Liu Yingqiu knew her personality well; sometimes, she just took things too seriously.

“Fine. See you at school, Classmate Cheng.”

“Mm, see you at school.”

Seeing the clear smile on Cheng Yuexin’s face without any shadow, Liu Yingqiu felt a bit more at ease.

Watching Liu Yingqiu leave, Cheng Yuexin was once again alone.

The fierce look in Gu Linxue’s eyes resurfaced in her mind, and her hair suddenly stood on end.

She was still afraid of Gu Linxue’s punishment.

The fact that she hadn’t come looking for her yet was just the calm before the storm.

She repeatedly checked her phone to see if there were any messages from Gu Linxue.

But she still couldn’t find any peace in her heart.

That lingering irritation kept swirling in her chest, refusing to dissipate.

The candy in her mouth was gone, and the taste of pain quickly regained the upper hand.

She closed her eyes tightly, took a deep breath, then slowly opened them.

A strangely resigned smile suddenly rose on her shadowed profile.

“Maybe I should just jump from here and get reborn again.”

In her previous life, she had gotten lucky. In this life, without that luck, she might fail the rebirth.

“No, no…”

Shaken by her own terrifying thought, she stepped back a few paces away from the railing.

“If I just leave like this, what will happen to Yueqing?”

Would Gu Linxue continue to torment her?

It wasn’t impossible. Cheng Yuexin wouldn’t be surprised by any despicable act that person might commit.

She had to make good use of the four years of university to achieve her goal.

“I need to find a way to make money and take Yueqing far away.”

This was an unprecedented challenge, but the experience from her previous life was still there.

Combined with her own somewhat attractive appearance, there were still ways to make money.

She clenched her small fist. With every step she took, the look in Cheng Yuexin’s eyes grew more resolute.

“The escape plan is now in motion.”