"I'm exhausted! Lin Xiao, it was your evil fire that messed up the courtyard, so why is my mom making all three of us clean it!?"
Ye Lingling slammed the broom against the ground, glaring at Lin Xiao with frustration.
"How should I know? Maybe Auntie Ye saw you lounging around too much and figured it was time to give you something to do?"
Lin Xiao showed no sign of guilt. Instead, he consoled her casually:
"No worries. At least Yan-jie and I are here to suffer with you, right?"
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes.
"More like you dragged both me and Lingling into this!"
The courtyard was riddled with scars, burned and torn apart by the evil fire.
The three of them could only sweep away the ashes, scattered debris, and charred soil. The real repairs would have to wait for professionals.
Once the cleaning was done, they rested in the gazebo.
"Ugh, I'm beat," Ye Lingling sighed, kicking her legs playfully.
Her slender feet, wrapped in white socks, looked almost translucent in the sunlight, revealing a hint of soft skin beneath.
Her personality had become much more open lately. With newfound hope in fixing the Nine-Hearted Begonia's flaw, her spirit had grown brighter. She was still cold toward strangers, but now she opened up more easily to those she trusted.
Dugu Yan leaned lazily against a wall nearby, her cool eyes half-closed as she rested. Her long green hair brought to mind Xiaoqing from The Legend of the White Snake, though her aura was far more regal and aloof.
"Lingling-jie, when I was tempering my body with the evil fire earlier... was someone crying?"
"I thought I heard someone sobbing... and then I heard Auntie Ye say something. But I was in too much pain to catch what she said clearly."
Lin Xiao's voice was curious.
There were only three people in the courtyard at the time, and Ye Qingxian could probably be ruled out—she was like a soaring eagle, far too experienced in life, death, joy, and sorrow to shed tears easily.
Unless he died…
Even then, she might just calmly arrange his funeral.
So that left only Dugu Yan or Ye Lingling?
As soon as Lin Xiao finished speaking, Ye Lingling jumped up like a startled puppy, her face flushed with panic.
"Lin Xiao, what nonsense are you spouting!?"
"Yan Yan and I were standing right there the whole time. No one was crying!"
"You must've been hallucinating from the pain of the evil fire!"
"Right, Yan Yan? You didn't hear anyone crying, did you?"
Dugu Yan: "…"
For the first time in her life, she was truly speechless at her best friend's behavior.
"Isn't this just self-deception?"
"You're only fooling yourself."
But under Ye Lingling's intense stare, Dugu Yan reluctantly muttered:
"…Didn't hear anything."
Lin Xiao burst into laughter.
As his cheerful laughter rang out, Ye Lingling's pale cheeks rapidly turned crimson. Her dainty toes practically dug into the soles of her shoes out of sheer embarrassment.
"You idiot, Lingling!"
"Why react so obviously!? You could've just played it cool!"
"Lingling-jie, has anyone ever told you something?"
Ye Lingling braced herself, clearly expecting him to tease her.
"What?"
Lin Xiao winked at her.
"You're actually pretty cute."
In an instant—
A wave of heat rushed from her toes to the top of her head. Ye Lingling seemed to transform into a steaming kettle, wisps of "vapor" practically rising from her forehead. Her entire body flushed red, like a ripe tomato.
Still standing on the bench, Lin Xiao reached over and gently patted her head.
"Lingling-jie, it's because your heart is so soft. That's why you cried when you saw me in pain."
"That's not weakness. That's kindness."
Ye Lingling froze.
Faced with Lin Xiao's "aloof and mature" comfort, all she could do was nod mechanically, her mind going completely blank.
"Tut tut," Lin Xiao chuckled.
"Lingling-jie, you're really kinda cute."
The tender moment shattered instantly.
Dugu Yan crossed her arms and, with a tone dripping with mock jealousy, mimicked Lin Xiao:
"'Lingling-jie, you're reaaally cute~'"
The mood flipped on its head.
Ye Lingling jolted upright, smacked Lin Xiao's hand off her head, and scolded him angrily:
"What are you doing!? No manners at all!"
"And don't describe your older sister as cute! Use words like beautiful or strong, got it!?"
"This is ridiculous!"
"I can't believe I just got comforted by a little brat!"
Sure, Lin Xiao might be tougher, more capable, and more mature than her… but still!
Age matters!
She's older—that makes her the big sister!
Realizing Lin Xiao was still standing on the bench, towering above her, Ye Lingling stepped up onto the bench too. Then, with both hands, she began ruffling his hair aggressively.
"Little Lin Xiao~ Acting all grown-up at your age!"
"So ridiculous!"
Lin Xiao's face darkened.
All he'd done was offer some sincere comfort, and now this?
And now she was standing on a bench just to call him Little Lin Xiao!?
"Girls this age are seriously impossible!"
"Auntie Ye is way more reasonable and composed!"
Just as that thought crossed his mind, another hand landed on his head—ruffling his hair again.
"Yan-jie! You too!?"
Lin Xiao's protest sounded full of tragic despair.
Dugu Yan winked at him, her cold and regal face suddenly blooming into a mischievous grin.
Imitating Ye Lingling, she chirped:
"Liiittle Lin Xiao~ Acting all grown-up~ Sooo silly!"
Lin Xiao's vision darkened.
He had evolved from "Little Lin Xiao"
…to Little Little Lin Xiao.
"Smack! Smack!"
He slapped both girls' hands away.
"I'll say it again!"
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—never underestimate a young man!"
One day, Lin Xiao would become the great "Big Big Lin Xiao."
And he would leave them speechless!
Outside the courtyard, Ye Qingxian leaned against the gate, listening to the chaos within. She let out a snort of amusement.
"Hmph. A bunch of silly brats."
But her eyes… showed a hint of envy.
"Youth, like blooming flowers and flowing water…"
"I never had a youth like that."
But maybe, just maybe—Lingling would be different.
Maybe she'd live happier than Ye Qingxian ever could, with true friends and carefree days.
A strange sourness crept into her chest.
"Why are they all in there laughing and playing—"
"—while I'm out here feeling all melancholic!?"
Annoyed, Ye Qingxian called out sharply toward the courtyard:
"Do you think the yard is cleaned just because you're done yelling!?"
Instantly, silence fell.
The noisy garden went quiet as a mouse.
A satisfied smirk curled on Ye Qingxian's lips.
Clapping her hands, she turned away.
—Without leaving behind a single trace of cloud.