Chapter 206: Tonight, You'll Stay at Lord Ye Zhen's Residence
In the darkness.
Ye Zhen felt the blood in her entire body slowly turning cold.
She dared not look directly at Ye Fuli, even through the darkness.
It was as if she couldn't bear to look into her own heart.
Her feelings toward Ye Fuli ran the gamut—from initial admiration, to later pity, then fear, disgust… until recently, when pity and affection had become thickly intertwined, clouding her judgment and leading her to indulge in reckless acts.
And now, Ye Fuli clearly knew some of the truth.
She wasn't someone easily fooled—Ye Zhen had always known that.
"Ye Zhen, give me answers."
Ye Fuli grabbed Ye Zhen's hem and leaned in close.
The alcohol had taken its toll, and tears streamed down her face.
"I beg you, don't lie to me! I can accept deception from anyone else, but not from you. Not from you, Ye Zhen… I… I can't bear it! I have no way to get back at you, nor do I want to. Do you understand?!"
Feeling the weight of the hem, Ye Zhen staggered slightly before slowly crouching down.
Truthfully, even if Ye Fuli hadn't said those words, Ye Zhen had never been good at lying.
"Ye Fuli," Ye Zhen exhaled softly, speaking slowly, "The biggest reason I wanted you to live back then… was because I wanted to live myself."
Ye Fuli had mentally prepared herself for this answer.
But hearing it spoken aloud still sent her emotions crashing down.
She had talked extensively with Bai Ruoting. To obtain the truth, she had even resorted to using instruments resembling torture devices on him.
Bai Ruoting's deranged voice still echoed in her ears:
"Ye Fuli! Do you really think everyone likes you?"
"What are you thinking? No one would ever like an emotionally unstable lunatic, a violent maniac, a dictator!"
"After you're gone, the whole world will start anew!"
"This world can function perfectly fine without anyone—except you…"
"You must be feeling pretty smug right now, huh? To keep the things and people you love, all you have to do is die and start over!"
After receiving Bai Ruoting's answer, Ye Fuli immediately recalled all the things Ye Zhen had done for her, all the words she had spoken… back when Ye Fuli's heart had turned to ashes and she only wanted to leave this world.
Back then, she believed Ye Zhen acted out of past affection, or perhaps even pity.
Yet the true answer was: "I want to live."
Yes.
If she, Ye Fuli, died, everyone would have to accompany her in starting over.
Ye Zhen was unique. Perhaps her death would mean Ye Fuli never got another chance.
For others, death was merely a cycle of rebirth. But for Ye Zhen, death likely meant no rebirth at all.
Her fear was only natural.
It's only natural that she wants to live.
But why give Ye Fuli such immense hope?
"Ye Zhen!!!"
Ye Fuli cried out her sister's name in a voice filled with despair.
"Ye Zhen, Ye Zhen, Ye Zhen…!"
Pfft—
A mouthful of sweet, metallic blood spurted from Ye Fuli's throat.
She realized with bitter sorrow that she didn't even have the right to blame Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen had never once said that her companionship and encouragement stemmed from love.
Everything had been nothing but Ye Fuli's own wishful thinking.
"Ye Fuli, the biggest reason is that I wanted to live. Among the other reasons, there was my sympathy for you, my guilt toward your biological father, and…" Ye Zhen paused here, took a tissue, and wiped the corner of Ye Fuli's mouth.
The unspoken words left Ye Zhen with a profound sense of shame.
She was no better at expressing affection than Ye Fuli ever was.
"And part of it is… I once loved you. I fantasized about you."
…
In the silence that followed.
Ye Fuli felt she had grasped another lifeline.
She gave a pitiful laugh at her own lowly state.
With her intelligence, it wasn't hard to tell whether Ye Zhen was lying or speaking from the heart.
Yet Ye Zhen's utterly earnest expression in this moment gave her boundless hope.
She knew Ye Zhen wasn't lying.
Ye Zhen had loved her once. Even if that love was insignificant, it had at least existed. Fighting desperately for something that had once existed wouldn't seem quite so ridiculous.
"Ye Zhen, it's truly hard to believe you ever loved someone like me."
"Please, never fall for someone like me again. I'm a terrible person."
"Someone even my own mother couldn't bear to keep."
Ye Fuli braced herself against the wall, struggling to rise, but the dizzying sensation sent her crashing back down.
Another struggle, another fall.
Ye Zhen knelt halfway on the floor, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other around her neck, pulling her close into his embrace.
Ye Fuli's face burned hot as waves of heat washed over her. Her hands fell onto Ye Zhen's waist.
Tears welled up in her eyes once more.
Like an abandoned cat who'd finally found an owner who wouldn't reject her.
"You won't let me go?"
"Yes." Ye Zhen answered decisively. "Tonight, you'll stay at Lord Ye Zhen's residence."
The words carried a hint of jest.
Ye Fuli couldn't muster a smile, only staring at her stubbornly. "What's the reason? Feeling sorry for me again?"
"No." Ye Zhen answered just as bluntly. "It's because I'm fantasizing about you again."
She uttered these somewhat shameless words with a perfectly serious expression.
Ye Fuli sighed softly and lowered her head.
She hated these occasional moments of vulnerability, yet couldn't control them.
It was strange.
Ye Zhen was so delicate and fragile, yet she always managed to push her to this edge.
"Ye Fuli, I'm not really one for sweet talk—mainly because I'm not good at comforting people." Ye Zhen's fingers threaded through her hair as she gently patted her back. "So, what exactly…"
She hesitated for a moment.
Ye Zhen asked a surprisingly sensible question:
"Want to?"
The question was so straightforward that even the tipsy Ye Fuli visibly froze for a second.
She took a deep breath and yanked off her bowtie.
"I want a lot. Not just today, but tomorrow, the day after tomorrow…"
…
…
This night.
For both Ye Fuli and Ye Zhen, it was destined to be unforgettable.
A slightly tipsy older woman—how utterly…
Ah, something that can only be felt, not described.
When they awoke, it was already past two in the afternoon the next day.
Ye Fuli was merely tipsy, not completely drunk, so she remembered every detail of the previous night.
So, still lying in bed, when their eyes met, she boldly pulled Ye Zhen toward her, making him sit on her lap.
"Ye Zhen, I want to live with you."
She finally dared to voice this request to Ye Zhen.
"Not as family, not as friends, not even as lovers. I just want to be closer to you. I just want to wake up beside you every single day."
Ye Zhen raised an eyebrow. "No. I don't want that."
"…"
The bright hope that had filled Miss Ye Fuli's eyes moments ago instantly dimmed.
Ye Zhen slid off her smooth, fair legs and began adjusting her own clothes. "Being a heartbreaker might feel good, but I don't want to stay one forever."
Ye Fuli's sharp mind froze once more at Ye Zhen's words.
So that meant…
She, Ye Fuli, could finally have a proper status?
"Don't get too excited just yet." Ye Zhen knew how to pour cold water on things. She stood up, her bare feet stepping onto the white wool carpet, walked over to the coffee table, and poured herself a glass of milk. "Starting today, I'll be seriously testing you."