Ruan Xingyao took out some wet wipes from the things she’d brought and carefully, thoroughly cleaned Zhao Wanying’s tombstone.
When she was done, she neatly arranged the snacks and drinks she had brought.
“Wanwan, Baiyi told me these were all your favorites,” Ruan Xingyao said.
“Take a look and see if he’s right. If he lied to me, I’ll dock his snack allowance.”
The moment Baiyi heard that, he stomped his little paws angrily.
“Werwerwerwer! Werwerwerwer!”
【Mom! Look! Xingxing’s bullying me! She’s so mean! She’s always saying she won’t give me treats!】
“Werwerwerwer! Werwerwerwer!”
【Mom! Doggy misses you so much! Are you doing well? Do you miss your baby?】
“Werwerwerwer! Werwerwerwer!”
【Mom! If you miss me, could you come and see me? Doggy really, really misses you!】
Baiyi’s barking gradually weakened.
He was no longer hopping in frustration, all four paws off the ground — instead, he lay down softly, pressing himself against Zhao Wanying’s tombstone.
Soon, his voice turned into quiet, whimpering sobs.
“Werwerwerwer…”
【Mom… doggy misses you…】
Ruan Xingyao sat down on the steps, listening to Baiyi’s voice in her mind, her heart unbearably heavy.
She reached out and gently stroked his back, offering silent comfort.
Although Ruan Xingzhuo and the others couldn’t understand what Baiyi was saying — and Ruan Xingyao didn’t translate for them — they still found their eyes growing red.
No one knew how long had passed when a light breeze drifted by.
It wasn’t strong, yet it made Baiyi’s ears twitch gently, as if someone were pinching and wiggling them with invisible hands.
Everyone froze at the sight.
You Huan swallowed back a sob, afraid to break the fragile calm, and leaned close to Ruan Xingzhuo’s ear, whispering softly, “Ruan Xingzhuo… do you think… maybe Baiyi’s mom came back to see him?”
Ruan Xingzhuo had never believed in such things before, yet now, he couldn’t help thinking of the current Ruan Xingyao.
After a few seconds of silence, he whispered back, “Maybe.”
If the departed could really return as the wind, as fleeting spirits to visit the living… then perhaps one day, his own family might come back to see him too.
But in the next moment, his gaze unconsciously fell on Ruan Xingyao.
Ever since he’d woken from his coma, he’d known at a glance — the person in front of him was no longer his sister.
It wasn’t that he was heartless, accepting so easily that a stranger’s soul now inhabited his sister’s body.
It was just that after lying in a hospital bed as a vegetable, he’d come to understand something deeply — you never know which will come first, tomorrow or an accident.
He missed his real sister, but he also didn’t want this other soul — this stranger with extraordinary powers — to be hurt or rejected by him.
In the end, they were both unfortunate people.
But at the same time, they were lucky.
At least for now, they truly were a family who cared for one another.
Still, in this moment, surrounded by such quiet sorrow, no matter how much he tried to hide it, Ruan Xingzhuo couldn’t help but miss his real family — his parents, his sister.
Were they doing well?
Would they ever come to see him, too?
Ruan Xingzhuo quietly took a deep breath, tilting his head up to stop his tears from falling.
But why — when he tried to look up at the stars, hoping to see if his parents and sister had become one of them — was his vision so blurry?
Just as he struggled to steady his emotions, he suddenly felt a warm hand quietly slip into his, holding it tight.
Ruan Xingzhuo blinked away the tears threatening to fall, forcing his emotions down before lowering his gaze.
It was You Huan holding his hand.
Her hand was so much smaller than his, yet it wrapped tightly around his own.
The warmth from her palm seemed to seep straight into his heart.
His gaze drifted upward, landing on her face, meeting her eyes.
She smiled softly, her lips moving soundlessly as she mouthed the words: “Xingxing and I will always be with you.”
Ruan Xingzhuo felt a ringing in his ears — though there wasn’t a sound to be heard, it was as if a heavy weight had dropped onto his chest.
It was a long, long time before he finally snapped out of it.
He turned his head away, no longer looking at her.
But the hand she was holding slowly opened, his fingers sliding between hers until their fingers intertwined, locking together tightly.
You Huan, who had been feeling a bit dejected, was about to tell him that even if he didn’t want to be with her romantically, she’d still stay by his side as family —
But his sudden gesture startled her so much that her heart nearly stopped.
She lowered her lashes, wide-eyed and dazed, staring at their joined hands without blinking — afraid that if she looked away, it would all disappear.
Just then, Ruan Xingyao turned her head — and happened to catch sight of their intertwined fingers.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You two—!”
You Huan almost yanked her hand away on instinct.
Even though she’d been able to tell Ruan Xingyao openly that she liked Ruan Xingzhuo, right now she felt genuinely flustered — she just wanted to run away and hide.
Especially since Ruan Xingzhuo’s action had come out of nowhere — she hadn’t even had the chance to ask what he meant by it!
However, as if predicting her reaction, Ruan Xingzhuo tightened his grip the moment she tried to pull away.
He said calmly, “Sis, as you can see.”
Ruan Xingyao cupped her cheeks, her eyes sparkling like stars. “Really? Then you’d better be a real man and not bully Huanhuan.”
Ruan Xingzhuo replied, “I won’t.”
He had simply realized — in that single moment — that living well in the present mattered more than anything else.
Ruan Xingyao stood up, looked at Ruan Xingzhuo, then at You Huan.
Turning around, she picked up Baiyi and said to them, “From now on, the three of us — and Baiyi — will live a good life together!”
Then she lowered her head and kissed Baiyi on the head.
After that, she held Baiyi out toward Ruan Xingzhuo and You Huan.
The two played along — each leaned down and kissed Baiyi on the head as well.
Baiyi barked loudly,
“Werwerwerwer! Werwerwerwer!”
【Let’s live well! We’ll live a good life together!】
Ruan Xingyao burst into laughter, kissing Baiyi’s head a few more times before turning her gaze back to Zhao Wanying’s tombstone.
She sat down again on the steps, gently caressing the photo on the gravestone.
“Wanwan,” she said softly, “don’t worry. We’ll take good care of Baiyi.”
Ruan Xingzhuo and You Huan also sat down.
You Huan said, “Sister Wanwan, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Baiyi too.”
After saying that, she poked Ruan Xingzhuo in the side.
Ruan Xingzhuo sighed helplessly but still promised, “Me too.”
The three of them and the dog sat on the steps in front of Zhao Wanying’s tombstone, making their vows to her.
The scene was especially warm and tender.
Standing nearby, Xie Lin and Chen Yu were completely shut out from this moment.
A wave of bitterness spread through Xie Lin’s heart.
He curled the hand in his pocket slightly, a new plan already forming in his mind.
— The end of the Chapter–
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