Chương 76: After the Ice and Snow Melted

The jarring busy tone echoed in my ears, announcing that the call had not been connected.

This is only natural, after all, Lin Che's phone is still in "Tears of the Stars", and Xing Shuang is extremely grateful for this at this moment.

Yin Xue gripped her phone tightly, her palms damp with sweat.

Undeterred, I dialed again, and the familiar ringtone sounded, but in the end, all I heard was a cold, unresponsive message.

She felt a strong sense of loss and unease. Even though the misunderstanding had been cleared up, she felt apologetic and wanted to tell A-Che in person that she was wrong and shouldn't have disbelieved him.

I can't get through on the phone... Is he home right now? What is he busy with? Is he deliberately not answering the phone because he's angry?

Her emotions, which had just calmed down, began to fluctuate again, and worry and anxiety, like tiny vines, started to entwine around her heart.

"What's wrong? Didn't you get through?" Xing Shuang's voice interrupted her thoughts, carrying her usual gentleness and concern.

"Hmm, I couldn't get through." Yin Xue shook her head, her tone tinged with disappointment, but she quickly rallied, her face regaining its resolve.

"It's okay. If I can't get through on the phone, I'll go back and explain it to him in person." She looked at the city lights in the distance, her gaze becoming unusually resolute.

"I want to go home and apologize to A-Che in person, to tell him I was wrong and that I owe him an apology."

"Okay, then take care on your journey." Xing Shuang said with a smile, preparing to say goodbye to Yin Xue.

Seeing the other person's state, she gave up the idea of going home first.

If I rush back now, I might run into her, who is also in a hurry to go home and apologize, which could cause unnecessary trouble again.

However, just as Yin Xue was about to leave, Liu Li suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Huh?" Yin Xue and Xing Shuang were both surprised and looked at Liu Li with confusion.

Liuli ignored their doubts, her face showing a hint of awkwardness and hesitation, but she quickly made up her mind.

From the very beginning, she was not good at hiding her questions.

"Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up," Liuli looked at Yinxue and said frankly, "you should answer my question now. Don't worry, it won't take up much of your time."

For some reason, a sense of foreboding suddenly flashed through Yin Xue's mind.

Looking into Liuli's seemingly all-seeing icy blue eyes, she had a feeling that what the other person was about to ask would be a very difficult question for her.

Liuli didn't keep her waiting long, and directly asked the question that had been on her mind.

"You must have feelings for your brother, right?" Her tone was a little doubtful, but more so a certainty, as if she had already attributed Yin Xue's breakdown and those abnormal behaviors that afternoon to this point.

"And I remember, the last time I went to your house, you also called him 'A-Che,' and your tone... was also very strange."

"Huh?!" Yin Xue's face instantly turned bright red, and steam almost rose from the top of her head.

She never expected Liuli to be so direct, and to point directly to the issue that left her most at a loss—the most complicated and inexplicable part of her relationship with Ache.

She jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, shaking her hands violently, trying to break free from Liuli's pull, her voice clearly stuttering.

Liuli wasn't deterred by Yinxue's strong reaction; instead, her brows furrowed even more. She held onto Yinxue's arm tightly and pressed, "Then why were you so flustered and upset after seeing that scene?"

Yin Xue was speechless when asked the question. She stammered for a long time, her face still as red as a boiled shrimp.

She looked at Liuli, her mind racing, trying to find a reason to brush it off and prevent her friend from digging deeper.

She couldn't just admit she liked him! That would be too weird!

Finally, as if she had nothing to lose, she lunged forward, wrapped her arms around Liuli's neck, and nuzzled against her affectionately.

"How could I possibly like him? Actually... I'm just afraid that idiot will steal you away from Xiaoli!"

"He's so annoying!" Yin Xue began to complain, making excuses to prove that she could never like Lin Che.

"He's such a lazybones, and he's never clean. He doesn't wash his towel after showering, and he leaves his socks everywhere. He's also a picky eater. I hate him!"

She paused, then raised her voice a little higher, "... and he always likes to flick my forehead! He even chops me with his hand! A violent maniac!"

Xing Shuang stood to the side, his muscles almost stiff from trying to maintain a perfect expression. Hearing Yin Xue's complaints, which were both sarcastic and intimate, he felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Lazybones, huh? Violent maniac, huh? Just wait till I get my hands on you! She silently made a mental note of this.

"How could I possibly like someone like that? No way!" Yin Xue emphasized again, trying to end the conversation.

"I'm just afraid you'll be fooled by him!"

"Is that so..." Liuli responded softly, her expression unchanged, clearly not believing Yinxue's far-fetched excuse at all.

But then, feeling Yin Xue's trembling body and the sincerity in her words, as well as her dependence on her, the softest part of her heart was touched.

The bond that belonged only to them, built through countless battles fought side by side and mutual support, became incredibly clear at this moment.

She understood how much Yin Xue valued this friendship, just as she did herself.

So she didn't ask any more questions or delve into the "logic" in Yin Xue's words. Instead, she reached out and hugged Yin Xue tightly.

A faint blush rose to Liuli's cheeks, a shyness born from her unfamiliarity with expressing intimacy.

She buried her face in Yin Xue's neck and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, as if responding to something, or as if making a declaration.

"Afraid he'll take me away...? No way..." She paused, her face turning even redder, and continued, "No way... I'll let him take you away."

"Mmm, Xiao Li, you have to protect me! I'm yours from now on." Yin Xue nodded vigorously, continued to nuzzle Liu Li's face, and hugged her even tighter.

The misunderstanding was cleared up, emotions were released, and the scene of the two girls embracing and comforting each other lasted for a while until the night breeze brought a touch of coolness, and they slowly separated.

Liuli turned her gaze to Xingshuang. In those icy blue eyes, the initial wariness and awkwardness were gone, replaced by trust, gratitude, and... a vague expectation.

"Senior Xingshuang," she spoke first, her tone sincere and solemn, "I'm truly... so grateful to you this time. Without you, Yinxue and I might really have..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Xing Shuang understood what she was trying to say.

"You're welcome," she replied softly.

Liuli bit her lower lip, seemingly hesitating about something. Finally, she took a deep breath, as if she had made a decision.

"You said before that you hoped I would try... to interact with more people." Her voice lowered, but her tone was unusually firm.

"I... I'm trying."

She raised her head, looking at Xing Shuang, her eyes shining with determination.

"I will definitely... fulfill your request, senior. Just give me a little more time."

Xing Shuang felt an overwhelming sense of relief; she knew how difficult it must have been for Liu Li to make that promise.

This was the hand that reached out to her, her "senior," after the ice wall in her heart had loosened; it was her warm response to being "cared for."

She smiled and nodded, without saying anything more, simply reaching out and gently patting Liuli's head.

Liuli's body stiffened slightly, but she did not resist or dodge. Instead, she quietly accepted the intimate touch, even tilting her head back slightly, as if enjoying this rare tenderness.

In those icy blue eyes, there shone a light of dependence that she had never shown to any "adult."

"Ahem." After a moment, Xing Shuang withdrew her hand, revealing the composed smile unique to "Senior Xing Shuang".

She glanced at the night sky and said, "It's getting late, you should all go back and get some rest."

"Yes," Yin Xue and Liu Li replied in unison.

"Oh, right," Xing Shuang seemed to suddenly remember something, and looked at the two girls again, her tone relaxed, "Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, you two need to relax a bit."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the two of them.

"Furthermore, as your senior, I've always wanted to give you a reward for your efforts in fighting the Void Beasts."

"How about this, I'll invite you two to go shopping sometime? We can buy some things you like and have something nice to eat, what do you think?"

Xing Shuang still wore that gentle smile, trying to make the invitation sound reasonable and in line with her role as a "senior".

But in reality, she wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to her two juniors and to help Ruri relax through simple daily interactions.

"Shopping?" Yin Xue's eyes lit up, a curious expression on her face.

"Senior is treating us to shopping?"

"Yes," Xing Shuang nodded with a smile, "It's just a small token of my appreciation."

"Great!" Yin Xue cheered excitedly.

"I've always wanted to go shopping with you, senior! When are you free? I'm available anytime!"

Looking at Yin Xue's excited expression, Liu Li then looked at Xing Shuang, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.

She wasn't as enthusiastic about shopping as Yin Xue, and she still felt a little uncomfortable doing such daily activities with her "senior".

However, this invitation came from Senior Xing Shuang, and it was with Yin Xue.

She remembered the promise she had just made—to try to step out into the world and no longer be alone.

Going shopping with her senior and Yin Xue seems to be... a step she's "trying" to take.

"... I'll go too," Liuli said softly, her tone slightly hesitant, but her eyes were unusually firm.

"Then let's set it for next weekend, that way we'll have more time." Xing Shuang smiled even brighter; this was a good start.

"I'll let you know the location and time later."

"Okay!" Yin Xue and Liu Li responded in unison, their faces showing anticipation.

"Then we'll head back now, goodbye senior!" Yin Xue waved and pulled Liu Li toward the edge of the rooftop.

"See you next time." Xing Shuang stood there, watching them transform into streaks of light and disappear into the night sky.

Only after their figures had completely disappeared into the distance did Xing Shuang finally breathe a sigh of relief, her tense body relaxing.

She looked at the night sky, recalling the conversation she had just had, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

The misunderstanding was cleared up, and her relationship with the two juniors became closer. Liuli's emotional defenses weakened, and she even invited them to go shopping together... Everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

But the hidden secrets still exist, and unknown dangers lurk in the darkness. She looked down at her body, then looked up at the city, feeling the responsibility on her shoulders grow even heavier.

Xing Shuang found a secluded corner, deactivated her transformation, and the pink-gold light dissipated, revealing Lin Che back in the same spot.

This time, he didn't transform and fly out the window directly. He also told his family before leaving that he would be back soon, so there was no need to worry that Su Yuqing would overthink things after finding out he wasn't home.

So he stopped by a store, bought what he wanted, and then returned home.

In the distance, he saw a familiar figure standing in front of his house.

Su Yuqing, dressed in her pajamas, stood with her hands behind her back, leaning against the door waiting.

Hearing his footsteps, she slowly turned her head.

The tears and pain from before were gone from that face; in their place was a complex expression, tinged with guilt and expectation.

"You're back," she said softly.