In the corridor, Yiyi leaned against Lilia’s embrace, her breathing gradually calming down, but the flush on her cheeks had yet to fade.
She gently pushed Lilia’s chest, her voice soft and sticky with a trace of having just cried, “Alright… that’s enough~ If you do it again, I really can’t take it…”
“Got it.”
Lilia let out a soft chuckle and reached up to gently wipe away the faint red marks lingering on Yiyi’s neck.
The coolness of her fingertips made Yiyi’s skin flush with a thin layer of warmth once again.
Lowering her head, Lilia gazed at the person in her arms—eyes rimmed red, nose a little swollen—her gaze so full of doting affection it almost spilled over.
“We… we should go back now.”
Lilia’s fingers still lingered on Yiyi’s neck.
Hearing this, she nodded softly, her voice as sweet and gentle as honey that could never melt, “We’ll listen to our little Yibao, let’s head back now.”
She carefully supported Yiyi by the waist, helping her stand up straight, her gaze falling on the redness of her cheeks and the slight swelling of her lips.
Unable to resist, she bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to Yiyi’s forehead, comforting and tender.
“Lilia… why are you still kissing me?”
Lilia laughed quietly, her fingers lightly pinching Yiyi’s burning earlobe, her tone full of indulgence: “I just can’t help it. Yibao, your blushing face is just too adorable.”
With that, she took Yiyi’s hand, her fingers interlacing tightly, matching her slow steps to Yiyi’s still-weak pace.
Yiyi’s pink heart-shaped tail tip swayed softly, brushing against Lilia’s pant leg with an unconscious reliance.
As they neared the dining room, Yiyi suddenly stopped, raising her sleeve to gently wipe the thin sweat from her forehead, then sneaked a tug on Lilia’s sleeve.
“You… You can’t act like that anymore when we get in, Yaoyao is still there.”
“Alright~”
Lilia leaned down to whisper in her ear, the warm breath making Yiyi’s ears burn.
Yiyi didn’t reply, just nodded with a red face, holding her hand as they quickly walked into the dining room.
As soon as they entered, they saw Yaoyao lying on the table, little hands propping up her chin, pink tail lazily flicking at the chair, mumbling softly: “When is Sister coming back…”
Hearing footsteps, she immediately looked up, her eyes lighting up in an instant.
Sliding down from the chair, she ran over on her short legs and threw her arms around Yiyi’s neck: “Sister! You’re finally back!”
Yaoyao’s pounce made Yiyi stagger a step, but she instinctively caught Yaoyao’s soft body, her nose brushing against the top of Yaoyao’s head and breathing in her milky scent.
The heat that had just faded from her cheeks crept back again.
“Slow down, careful you don’t fall.”
She gently reminded her, her voice still sweet and soft.
Yaoyao hugged Yiyi’s neck, her little head rubbing this way and that against her shoulder.
Her pink heart-shaped tail cheerfully swept the floor, the glowing tip flickering warmly.
“Mother just said when she’s done she’ll play with Yaoyao! She must be free now! Sister, take Yaoyao to see Mother, okay?”
“To… to see Xiamir? Maybe we should have Luoli take you instead?”
Yaoyao clung to Yiyi’s neck, unwilling to let go, her small body wiggling as her nose gently nuzzled Yiyi’s cheek, her voice honey-sweet and sticky: “I just want Sister to take me!”
Her pink heart-shaped tail wrapped around Yiyi’s, tail tip rubbing and twining as if acting spoiled.
Yiyi couldn’t resist her entanglement and patted Yaoyao’s back with a red face, “Alright, alright…”
“In that case, I won’t bother you two, Yibao.”
Lilia reached out and softly patted Yiyi’s head, her tone gentle.
“I’ll go for a walk.”
Her touch made Yiyi’s ears flush even hotter.
She instinctively clutched Yaoyao’s sleeve and mumbled, “O-okay.”
“Alright~ See you in a bit,” Lilia laughed softly, her fingertip lightly tracing Yiyi’s reddened cheek.
Holding Yaoyao, Yiyi watched Lilia’s figure disappear through the door, the heat on her face still refusing to subside.
Yaoyao tugged at her sleeve: “Sister, let’s go find Mother!”
“Mm.”
Yiyi responded quietly, holding Yaoyao as she headed for Xiamir’s office.
…
Inside the office, Yiyi sat on a soft couch by the window, holding Yaoyao wrapped around her.
Her back leaned against the cool window frame, but her cheeks were still tinted with an unbroken blush.
Yaoyao snuggled obediently in her arms, clutching Yiyi’s neck tightly, her pink heart-shaped tail still wrapped around Yiyi’s tail, the glowing tip swaying gently, tickling Yiyi’s waist.
“Sister, when will Mother finish her work?” she mumbled softly, rubbing her little head against Yiyi’s shoulder, the tip of her nose still carrying a faint milky scent.
“Soon, just wait a little longer,” Yiyi comforted softly, gently patting her back.
After a few minutes, the office door opened.
Xiamir walked in, her gaze immediately drawn to the two little figures nestled together on the couch.
Her tense expression softened in an instant, the air of majesty around her fading a few degrees.
She walked over lightly, her skirt brushing the floor.
“Yibao, Yaoyao, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Xiamir bent down, her fingers brushing softly over Yaoyao’s fluffy hair, her voice as warm and gentle as a spring soaked with sunlight.
“Here, you hold her, I… I’ll go now.”
Seeing Xiamir arrive, Yiyi stood up and gently lifted Yaoyao from her arms, placing her into Xiamir’s embrace.
Xiamir smoothly accepted the soft little Yaoyao, and at the touch of her warm little body, her smile grew even gentler.
“Why are you leaving all of a sudden? Won’t you keep Yaoyao company a bit longer?”
“Yibao, don’t you want to know if Yaoyao is my real daughter?”
Xiamir set Yaoyao down on a nearby couch, then leaned down and whispered quietly in Yiyi’s ear.
“Isn’t Yaoyao your real daughter? Don’t tell me she’s… with me…” Yiyi’s words trailed off abruptly, her pupils contracting sharply.
“That’s right. Our little Yibao isn’t so slow after all, you’re quite clever.”
Xiamir straightened, a hint of amusement in her tone, but her eyes were utterly serious as she spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
“Back when I brought you to the Dragon Clan, you were already on the verge of death, little Yibao.”
Yiyi stood there dazed, heart thumping wildly, clutching at her clothes by instinct.
“The Dragon Clan’s secret arts are just too powerful. I was afraid that after you became a little hatchling, your soul would be too weak and your body would collapse. So I split your soul in two.”
Xiamir’s voice was soft but carried a heavy weight.
“One half remained in your original body, and the other half grew into Yaoyao.”
“You share the same soul, which is why you both have the identical pink heart-shaped tail, and even your habits are so similar.”
Yiyi felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen, her breathing becoming labored.
“So… Yaoyao is… is me?”
Her voice trembled uncontrollably as she reached out to touch Yaoyao’s cheek, the warmth under her fingertips feeling impossibly real.
“Sister, Mother, what are you talking about? Yaoyao wants to hear too.”
Xiamir bent down and picked up the soft Yaoyao, her fingers stroking her warm little face, her eyes brimming with gentle laughter.
“We’re saying that our Yaoyao and Yibao are born to be the best of partners.”
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