15

Yu Mingjiao thought she had lost her mind. Why else would she turn to Cen Lingqiu for help?

In that moment of panic, Cen Lingqiu was the only person she could see.

Desperate, she grabbed Cen Lingqiu's hand, almost abandoning all reason and emotion, and pleaded for her to take her away from the oppressive and noisy space.

Cen Lingqiu squeezed her hands reassuringly, then pushed the wheelchair, her expression cold as she addressed the young girl, "Sorry, kid, I need to take your sister away."

Yu Sui'an panicked. "Where are you taking my sister? What are you going to do to her...?"

Cen Lingqiu just wanted to get Yu Mingjiao out of there as quickly as possible and had no time to deal with the girl's anxious questions. She continued to push the wheelchair without looking back.

Yu Sui'an tried to follow them, but a girl wearing the same school uniform as hers ran up to her, out of breath. "Yu Sui'an, you promised to come with me to see the doctor. Where did you run off to?"

"I need to find my sister." Yu Sui'an looked at Cen Lingqiu's retreating figure, worried and eager to catch up, but the girl beside her grabbed her sleeve and pulled her towards the registration area.

"Where did this sister come from? Come with me to register first. I only took two hours off, and if we're late, we won't be able to get back into the school."

Yu Sui'an was, after all, still a student, and she had only gotten permission to leave school temporarily. She didn't have time to chase after them.

She glared at Cen Lingqiu's back with a dark expression, bit her lip, and was finally pulled into the registration line by her classmate.

Cen Lingqiu placed Yu Mingjiao in the front passenger seat. Seeing her sitting there with her head lowered, stiff and dazed, she reached for the seatbelt to buckle it for her.

As soon as she got close, Yu Mingjiao immediately became alert and shot her a cold glare.

Cen Lingqiu backed off and explained, "I'm just trying to buckle your seatbelt. Don't worry."

Yu Mingjiao slowly withdrew her defenses.

The whole way, Yu Mingjiao's face remained pale, her chin sharp, and her lips colorless. Her beautiful, delicate face was marred by a heavy sickly pallor.

She leaned her head against the window, her eyes lifeless as she stared at the scenery outside.

Cen Lingqiu didn't say anything about her lifeless demeanor. While waiting at a red light, she took a piece of candy from the car and placed it in Yu Mingjiao's hand.

Yu Mingjiao turned her head to look at her.

"It's a new candy I bought. Try it."

Yu Mingjiao glanced down at the exquisitely packaged candy in her hand, curled her fingers around it, and spoke softly, "Don't you have anything you want to ask me?"

Wasn't she curious about her disheveled state at the hospital, or how she had lowered herself to beg for help? Wasn't this woman eager to mock her?

Given her previous behavior, shouldn't she be sneering at her right now, instead of acting as if nothing had happened and even giving her candy?

The light turned green, and the car started moving.

Cen Lingqiu looked ahead, her voice calm. "Do you want me to ask?"

Yu Mingjiao countered, "What do you think?"

Cen Lingqiu replied, "You don't want me to ask, so I won't."

Due to her illness, Yu Mingjiao's sharp, icy tone had softened considerably. In a sarcastic tone, she asked, "And if I don't want you to, you'll respect that?"

Cen Lingqiu responded with a faint "Mm," her tone gentle and matter-of-fact, as if discussing something perfectly normal. "Maybe not before, but I will from now on."

Yu Mingjiao fell silent.

Cen Lingqiu glanced at her, a slight smile playing on her lips. "What is it? Do you think I'm lying to you, toying with you?"

Yu Mingjiao was direct. "...Isn't that the case?"

"Mm?" Cen Lingqiu chuckled lazily, her long, fox-like eyes narrowing slightly. "My credibility is really that low?"

"But didn't I promise you? I won't deceive you again."

Yu Mingjiao didn't respond, and it was unclear if she believed her. She turned her head back to the window, the candy in her palm warming slightly from her grip.

When they passed by a restaurant, Cen Lingqiu stopped to pack some meals, then bought some green apricots at a nearby fruit shop.

As Yu Mingjiao entered her home, Cen Lingqiu handed her the packed dinner. "It's late. Don't forget to eat."

She also handed her the green apricots. "I just bought these on a whim. The shopkeeper said they were freshly picked."

These green apricots were incredibly sour and sweet. Cen Lingqiu remembered that Yu Mingjiao had a penchant for sour foods, so she bought some for her.

She added one last reminder, "Don't forget to take your medicine and get some rest."

Standing at her own door, Cen Lingqiu said, "Goodbye," then opened the door and went inside.

Yu Mingjiao found herself holding a pile of things, feeling as if Cen Lingqiu's actions and instructions were more like an elder caring for a misbehaving child.

But they weren't even friends, not by any stretch of the imagination.

After taking her medicine that night, the bitterness lingered in Yu Mingjiao's mouth. She looked for something sweet and happened to spot the candy that Cen Lingqiu had given her in the car. Slowly, she unwrapped it and placed it in her mouth.

Sure enough, it was sweet.

How could this woman love sweets so much?

—

Yu Mingjiao's health was poor, and even after being discharged from the hospital, she still felt unwell, so she stayed home for a few days.

During those days, Cen Lingqiu visited her house more frequently, not only asking if she was taking her medicine on time but also making various nourishing foods for her.

It was as if she were treating her like a fragile porcelain doll, afraid she might shatter.

Yu Mingjiao had never been cared for so meticulously by anyone before, and she was very uncomfortable with it.

She couldn't get used to this overly close concern.

Especially not from this woman.

She had thought it was just a simple matter of bringing her meals. But ever since she fell ill, Cen Lingqiu not only delivered meals but also, knowing she didn't like taking medicine, supervised her taking it.

It was as if she genuinely wanted to take care of her and wasn't going to give up.

Yu Mingjiao often wondered when this woman would give up. How could a wealthy heiress willingly and tirelessly take care of someone she despised?

Yet, even now, there was no sign of her giving up.

And because of Cen Lingqiu's presence these past few days, Yu Mingjiao's illness quickly improved, and her body didn't continue to weaken.

Seeing that she was almost recovered, Cen Lingqiu finally stopped bothering her. She only came by during mealtimes and otherwise stayed away.

This was at Yu Mingjiao's request; she didn't want to see her too often, and Cen Lingqiu had complied.

Today was Saturday, and Yu Mingjiao remained curled up in her room, not leaving the house.

There was a knock at the door. Yu Mingjiao glanced at her phone; it was five in the afternoon.

She didn't think much of it, assuming it was Cen Lingqiu again. After all, she was the only one who would visit her now.

She didn't even check the monitor before opening the door.

But the person standing outside wasn't Cen Lingqiu—it was Yu Sui'an.

"Sister." Yu Sui'an held onto the door, walking into the living room. "So, this is where you've been living. Why didn't you tell me? I've been looking for you for so long."

Yu Mingjiao's voice was cold. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because we're family." Yu Sui'an was upset. "I'm your sister. How could you not tell me where you live?"

"I don't remember having any family," Yu Mingjiao's expression was one of suppressed coldness, "let alone a sister."

Yu Sui'an was furious, pointing at her. "How am I not your sister? We share the same blood! Sister."

Even though her illness had passed, Yu Mingjiao suddenly felt a headache coming on again. She held her face in her hands, irritated by the girl's questioning, her beautifully shaped almond eyes filled with dark resentment.

"Sister?" Yu Mingjiao asked, as if she had heard something amusing. "Yu Sui'an, have you forgotten what you did to me as your sister in the past?"

Yu Sui'an's expression froze for a moment, her voice uncertain. "I... I was young back then, and I didn't know any better."

Yu Mingjiao felt the air thinning, the atmosphere in the living room becoming suffocating. She struggled to keep her voice calm as she fought off the rising tide of anger. 

"I don't want anything to do with you. I don't want to see you again. Get out, and don't ever come to my house again."

Faced with her coldness, Yu Sui'an could no longer hide her emotions. She stormed forward, placing her hands on either side of the wheelchair,

 loudly demanding, "Why are you always avoiding me? Sister, you're the only family I have left! Dad abandoned us, Mom got sick and died, and in this world, we're the only family each other has!"

The girl's emotions were intense, but Yu Mingjiao remained calm.

"I don't need a family." She met the girl's gaze. "I've never had a family."

Whether it was in her childhood or after she became disabled and left home, she had never had a family.

The temperament of a young person is like a summer storm—violent and impatient. The girl's delicate face twisted slightly with anger, and she gritted her teeth. "Do you really not want to acknowledge me as your sister?"

"Yu Sui'an."

Yu Mingjiao spoke.

She spoke slowly, "The truth is, you don't want to acknowledge me as your sister either. You're just afraid of being an orphan, afraid that no one will spoil you, dote on you."

"That's not true!" Yu Sui'an took a few steps back, running her fingers through her hair, speaking incoherently. "Sister, do you know how long I've been looking for you? After you left home, Mom got sick and died, Dad ran away, leaving me all alone... I wanted to find you, but I didn't know where you lived..."

If it hadn't been for spotting Cen Lingqiu at the hotel and following her to this apartment, she might still not have found Yu Mingjiao.

She had once seen Cen Lingqiu bullying Yu Mingjiao at an art gallery. By the time she tried to approach and talk to her sister, that woman had already taken her away in her car, and she hadn't seen her sister since.

She had hoped to get clues about Yu Mingjiao from Cen Lingqiu, so she had been lurking around this apartment for a long time, eventually confirming that Yu Mingjiao lived here too.

"But now you're going to abandon me as well. Why?!"

Yu Mingjiao didn't say a word, her pupils icy cold.

Yu Sui'an couldn't stand her indifference. She had always hated her sister's calm and detached demeanor, as if she didn't care about anyone in the family.

Just like now.

Consumed by anger, Yu Sui'an lost her sense of reason, blurting out whatever came to mind. "Yes, I did it on purpose in the past. I wanted you to get beaten, to cry, to apologize to me!"

She had always hated her sister's indifference. She was her sister, so why did she never smile at her, never care about her?

So she had spent her entire childhood being angry at Yu Mingjiao.

Yu Mingjiao felt a chill throughout her body. Yu Sui'an so casually laid bare her past cruelty, exposing all the unfair violence and pain she had endured.

Is this what family is?

Disgusting.

She wanted to vomit.

Yu Mingjiao gripped the wheelchair tightly, her voice cold and repressed. "Yu Sui'an, get out now, or I swear I'll make you regret coming in."

Yu Sui'an sneered, spreading her hands indifferently. "What, sister, are you going to kill me? Do you want to kill all your family members?"

She moved closer to Yu Mingjiao, her rationality completely burned away by hatred.

"Sister, do you think anyone besides me will come near you? Your mother got postpartum depression after giving birth to you and ended up killing herself. My mom is dead too, and Dad is probably dead somewhere out there."

Yu Sui'an's smile was full of malice. "You see, everyone connected to you dies. Did you know what Dad used to call you? He said you were a jinx, a scourge. He said, 'Why didn't you fall to your death when you fell down the stairs?'"

The girl's voice was clear, with a youthful, playful tone.

Yu Mingjiao felt as if that voice belonged to a demon. She covered her ears; her head hurt too much.

"Shut up..."

A sharp ringing filled Yu Mingjiao's ears, as if something was piercing her eardrums.

"Shut up..."

Her lips trembled violently, barely able to form words. Yu Sui'an continued to talk, but Yu Mingjiao couldn't hear her anymore, nor did she want to.

"I said shut up!" Yu Mingjiao slapped her hard.

Yu Sui'an staggered backward, blood slowly trickling from her nose.

Yu Mingjiao wanted to tear the girl's mouth apart, but her head hurt too much. The noise in her ears was unbearable.

It was as if many people were talking all at once.

"Jinx."

"Scourge."

"Why didn't you fall to your death?"

"You fell down the stairs; you deserved it."

She clutched her ears, biting her pale lips until they bled.

Yu Sui'an stood there, dazed by the slap. When she finally came to her senses and tried to confront Yu Mingjiao, someone suddenly grabbed her collar.

"Who?!" Yu Sui'an turned around.

Cen Lingqiu was breathing heavily, her face scratched, her normally calm eyes now filled with dark intensity.

"You." Cen Lingqiu's voice was cold as she caught her breath. "Get out."

"Who do you think you are?" Yu Sui'an protested. "This is my sister's house. If anyone should leave, it's you!"

Cen Lingqiu narrowed her eyes. Taller than Yu Sui'an, she looked down at her with an air of superiority. "It doesn't matter who I am. The person who needs to leave right now is you."

With that, she grabbed Yu Sui'an by the collar and dragged her to the door. Yu Sui'an struggled, but she wasn't as strong as Cen Lingqiu and had no choice but to be pulled along.

Desperate, Yu Sui'an blurted out, "Sister, are you really going to let this woman into your home? Have you forgotten that she bullies you?"

"Sister, no one will genuinely approach you. I'm your family; only I can. I'm not afraid you'll curse me to death... mmph!"

Cen Lingqiu couldn't bear to hear her nonsense any longer. Covering her mouth, she hauled her to the door.

"You don't deserve to be Yu Mingjiao's family," Cen Lingqiu said sternly, leaning down to stare her in the eye. "If you want your sister to live well, then don't come back."

With that, she slammed the door shut, ignoring Yu Sui'an's anger.

Cen Lingqiu quickly made her way to Yu Mingjiao, crouching down in front of her. Yu Mingjiao's head hung low, and she clutched her ears tightly, her shoulders shaking.

If you listened closely, you could hear the faint whimpers escaping from her throat.

Cen Lingqiu quickly summoned the system in her mind, asking about Yu Mingjiao's self-destructive tendencies.

[Eighty percent, up five percent, and now up another two.]

The progress they had made in lowering her self-destructive tendencies over the past few weeks had been undone by Yu Sui'an's visit.

Right now, the most urgent task was to stabilize Yu Mingjiao. She was on the brink of a mental breakdown.

"Yu Mingjiao?" Cen Lingqiu gently cupped Yu Mingjiao's face with her scratched hands, leaning close to her ear and speaking softly, "It's okay, it's okay, she's gone."

Yu Mingjiao's lips were stained with blood. Cen Lingqiu placed her fingers between her lips and teeth, preventing her from biting down any further.

It hurt. Yu Mingjiao's unstable state meant her teeth were clamping down hard on Cen Lingqiu's fingers.

It really hurt.

Suppressing the pain on her face, Cen Lingqiu used a soothing tone, as if comforting a child.

"It's okay now, don't be afraid. Look at me, Yu Mingjiao, look at me."

Yu Mingjiao raised her damp lashes, her gaze unfocused.

"Tell me, do you feel any discomfort?"

"...It's noisy."

"What?"

Yu Mingjiao covered her ears, her face twisted in pain. "It's so noisy, my ears hurt."

"It's just the two of us here." Cen Lingqiu pulled her fingers back, cupping Yu Mingjiao's face and turning it towards her. "Look, that girl is gone. It's just the two of us now. I'll be very quiet, and no one will disturb you."

Yu Mingjiao stared at her, her dark eyes shifting as if she were finally recognizing the person in front of her. Suddenly, she grabbed Cen Lingqiu by the throat and leaned forward, causing both of them to tumble to the ground.

Cen Lingqiu became a cushion, with Yu Mingjiao's hands tightening around her neck.

Yu Mingjiao's expression was cold, her eyes red-rimmed, her lips stained with blood, her skin deathly pale. She exuded an aura of suppressed madness and despair.

Her lips moved with a nervous twitch.

"Lingqiu, do you want me dead too?"

"Are you really trying to make up for what you did to me? No, you're just lying to me..."

"You really want me to die!"

"Why do you all treat me this way? I... I'll kill you all! You should die!"

Her grip tightened around Cen Lingqiu's neck. Cen Lingqiu's face turned red, her eyes bulging, and she could hardly breathe.

She grabbed Yu Mingjiao's arm and, using all her strength, pulled her down. Yu Mingjiao collapsed onto her.

Finally able to breathe, Cen Lingqiu took in deep gulps of fresh air. At the same time, she wrapped her arms around Yu Mingjiao, gently stroking her jet-black hair.

"I...cough, cough, I'm not like them."

Cen Lingqiu kept coughing, her breath gradually steadying as she continued to hold Yu Mingjiao. "I don't want you to die..."

"I no longer harbor any ill will toward you," Cen Lingqiu whispered as she slowly regained her composure. "Please, trust me just this once, Mingjiao. I truly want you to live well."

Yu Mingjiao weakly rested her head against Cen Lingqiu's neck, her mind slowly clearing. She could feel the comforting pats on her back.

Listening to Cen Lingqiu's words, she blinked her eyes, and tears started to roll down her cheeks, dripping onto Cen Lingqiu's neck.

She clutched Cen Lingqiu's clothes tightly, her head nestled against the warmth of Cen Lingqiu's neck. The emotions she had been suppressing since Yu Sui'an entered the room finally broke free.

All the pent-up sadness, the unspeakable grief, and the physical torment—everything she had bottled up for so long—came flooding out.

She forgot who the person in front of her was and didn't care about the strained relationship between them.

Like a child who hadn't cried for a long time, she found a hidden corner to finally let out her sobs.