Unlike Ji Tianyang’s chatter, Ji Yueyi stood silently, her gaze sweeping over the name on the tombstone again and again. She committed every stroke to memory.
Though they’d never met, Ji Yueyi had heard her father speak of this older brother. He seemed incredibly gentle—a man who’d pulled her father to safety even in crisis. Ji Yueyi couldn’t bear to imagine Ji Tianyang standing whole before her today without that stranger’s help.
This great kindness could never be repaid. All Ji Yueyi could do was pray wholeheartedly, begging some spirit above to grant him happiness in his next life.
The memorial lasted long into dusk. The setting sun’s glow draped the cold tombstone in a warm, thin blanket. Only then did father and daughter rise slowly. Ji Yueyi glanced back to find Mu Yue Ran leaning against a tree, smiling softly at her.
Ji Yueyi hurried over. Before she could speak, Mu Yue Ran reached out, pinching her little face and kneading it gently. Ji Yueyi meant to resist playfully.
But soon, she sensed a trace of something off in Mu Yue Ran’s touch—too firm, too searching. Normally, her Yue Ran jiejie would be lighter, teasing. Now it felt like someone waking from a dream, struggling to recognize reality.
Ji Yueyi covered Mu Yue Ran’s hand with her own small palm, letting warmth flow through their skin. Worry filled her eyes as she asked softly, “Did we keep you waiting too long?”
Mu Yue Ran shook her head with a quiet sigh. “Don’t worry. I’m just… moved by the scene.”
“Moved by the scene?”
“Yeah. The name on that tombstone—it’s so like mine, isn’t it?” Mu Yue Ran tilted her head, joking. Ji Yueyi replayed the words in her mind and gasped. It wasn’t just similar—it was identical.
“Could it be that coincidental?”
“Yeah. Really coincidental.” Mu Yue Ran patted Ji Yueyi’s head and walked straight toward the cemetery gates. Ji Yueyi watched her back. In the sunset, Mu Yue Ran’s shadow stretched long—a silhouette of life, starting with her and ending at Ji Yueyi.
As the shadow began to slip away, Ji Yueyi rushed forward, chasing the path the sunset lit. She caught up and hopped playfully on Mu Yue Ran’s shadow like a child.
Ji Yueyi didn’t know why she did it. Something flashed in her mind—a feeling they were woven together by something invisible, intangible. She refused to dismiss it as a trick of the mind. She didn’t dislike this warmth.
They waited by the taxi for ages before Ji Tianyang finally trudged over, rubbing his eyes, frost clinging to his shoulders.
Back in the car, Ji Yueyi took Mu Yue Ran’s hand without being asked, tucking it warmly against her chest.
At the simple homestyle restaurant, Ji Tianyang ordered four plain dishes. Their flavors were honest and pure, just like this rough man’s heart.
Everyone ate happily. Ji Tianyang, though sober, chattered like he was drunk, regaling Mu Yue Ran with Ji Yueyi’s childhood tales—how she’d helped harvest rice but vanished under the stalks, too short to be seen. Panicked villagers scoured the village until someone found her sobbing atop the rice field, convinced she’d been abandoned.
Ji Yueyi blushed crimson, stomping her foot and punching her dad. “Stop it! My good image in front of Yue Ran jiejie is ruined!”
After laughter and full bellies, they stepped outside. Mu Yue Ran gazed at the endless stream of cars. It was time to part. Her duty was done—Wu Fan’s threat to Ji Yueyi was gone. She wasn’t needed anymore.
Mu Yue Ran gave Ji Yueyi’s cheek one last gentle pinch, already missing its softness. A quiet loneliness settled in her chest.
“I’ll go now?” Her voice was soft. “Study hard, but don’t overwork. Balance is important.”
Ji Yueyi tilted her head, confused. “Why are you saying goodbye, Yue Ran jiejie?”
Mu Yue Ran froze. She smacked her forehead—she’d forgotten to explain about Wu Fan.
“Xiao Yue’er, I promise Wu Fan and his gang won’t bother you again. You can safely return home.” She whispered this behind Ji Tianyang’s back.
Ji Yueyi’s eyelids fluttered. Her hand slipped into her pocket. She turned her head away, hiding her face as she stammered, “Actually… my student apartment lease expired long ago. I kept delaying moving out. And since I’ve been staying with you lately, the landlord thought I’d found a place… so he rented it to someone else.”
“So now… I have nowhere to live.” Ji Yueyi stuck out her tongue, a rare playful glint in her eyes. But it couldn’t mask Mu Yue Ran’s shock. Her finger trembled, pointing at Ji Yueyi, words failing her.
Ji Tianyang overheard. Furious, he dialed the landlord to demand answers—only to be silenced after a few sentences. He hung up, sighing at his daughter. “Honey, your landlord said—”
Ji Yueyi lunged, clamping a hand over his mouth. She shoved him into the taxi. “It’s late, Dad! Drive safely—watch the road!”
Under her threatening glare, Ji Tianyang started the car obediently.
Ji Yueyi shuffled back to Mu Yue Ran, tucking stray hairs behind her ear. She clung to Mu Yue Ran’s arm like a little bird. “I can clean for you, cook your meals, give massages… I can do so much. Please… don’t send me away.”
Still reeling from that seamless move, Mu Yue Ran nodded without thinking.
“Okay. Let’s live together.”
