Chapter 5: The Truth Comes Out

Liu Ya’s face was full of regret, but the next moment she pulled herself together, her brows pressing down hard.

‘Damn it… I didn’t know any of this and I treated Qiqige like that… Now Old Liu was right about me, I’m just an immature kid…’

‘That’s not how I usually am… Why couldn’t I have just thought a little more and held back back then? Seriously… I must have made Yaqi sister sad…’

‘Hmph! So what if she’s sad… She left without a word back then, and now she shows up so suddenly. If anything, I should be the one who’s sad! That’s right! I wasn’t wrong! It’s all Yaqi sister’s fault! If she hadn’t left back then, none of this would have happened? Right…’

Liu Ya gradually stopped walking, looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure in the distance, and her stern face slowly softened.

‘But… Yaqi sister is back now, living in my house, and I can be with her again. And now we’re really a family! Eat together, sleep together, bathe together… That’s not so bad either…’

‘But, a family… How is that any different from before…’

“No, no, no!”

Liu Ya snapped out of it, shook her head repeatedly, and slapped her cheeks.

‘Don’t be so pathetic, Liu Ya! Have some backbone! Don’t act like a mistress who was abandoned and still clings on! Otherwise, wouldn’t everything I’ve been through these years be a joke?’

“I… I will never be that clown!”

On the other side, Yaqi smiled and trotted over to Aunt Zhao, who opened her arms and embraced her tightly.

“Aunt Zhao!”

“Haha! Yaqi, long time no see! Did you miss me?”

“Of course I did! And I especially miss your cooking! It’s top-notch!”

“Haha, you flatter me. Perfect timing! I knew you were coming today, so I made a whole table of good dishes! Come in quickly and give me your review!”

“Okay!”

Yaqi slowly pulled back from the hug. Aunt Zhao smiled gently, her eyes softly scanning Yaqi up and down.

“Yaqi, you’ve grown up… Last time you came, you weren’t this tall…”

She reached out and stroked Yaqi’s hair. Yaqi stood obediently, her eyes stinging.

“Yeah… it’s been that long… Last… last time I came with Mom and Dad…”

Yaqi’s voice became choked, her words broken. Aunt Zhao’s face also turned sad. She pressed her lips tightly, opened her arms, and carefully hugged the lonely little girl.

“I know, Yaqi, I know… You’ve been amazing! You’ve done so well!”

“If anything comes up in the future, just come to your Aunt Zhao. I’ll never say no!”

“Mm. Th… thank you, Auntie…”

Aunt Zhao straightened up, rubbed her eyes, and then wiped the tears from Yaqi’s eyes. Looking back, she saw Liu Ya walking over with her head down. Aunt Zhao sighed and smiled again.

“Alright, alright. Let’s not chat at the door. Let’s go inside first. The food is ready. I made a big feast to welcome Yaqi today! Let’s eat first!”

“Okay!”

“Mm…”

As soon as she entered the house, Yaqi smelled the aroma of the dishes. It seemed there was meat, fish, and vegetables. Her sad face gradually lit up, and her stomach growled.

Liu Ya too. Since she hadn’t eaten lunch, the delicious smell made her mouth water. She glanced at Yaqi, who also looked eager, and somehow didn’t find her so annoying anymore.

The three of them enjoyed the feast together. Aunt Zhao’s cooking was exactly as Yaqi remembered, even better than before.

Liu Ya also ate happily. At the table, Yaqi and Aunt Zhao shared what had been happening in recent years. There were some sad parts, but the joy of this long-awaited reunion wasn’t dampened.

Liu Ya didn’t interrupt. She just listened quietly, occasionally chuckling. Soon, all the delicious food was finished.

After the meal, Aunt Zhao cleared the dishes and took them to the kitchen to wash, then went out to take out the trash. Liu Ya and Yaqi were left sprawled on the soft, spacious sofa, stuffed full.

“Ah… so full…”

“Mm… burp…”

Liu Ya looked satisfied. Yaqi also let out a burp; she seemed very happy. She turned to look at Liu Ya lying on the sofa, her expression gradually becoming serious. After a moment of silence, she spoke slowly.

“Liu Ya… when you found out I went abroad back then… did you really lock yourself in your room for days?”

Hearing this, Liu Ya’s smile faded, and her face turned cold. She glanced at Yaqi and said coldly,

“Ha, really… So what? Do you even care about how I am?”

“Of course I care! Why would you say something like that… How could I not care…”

“Care? Leaving without a word back then, is that your idea of caring?”

“No, Liu Ya! I…”

Before Yaqi could finish, Liu Ya interrupted her.

“And now, what’s the point of talking about this anymore…”

Liu Ya’s expression was pained, but she bit her lip to hold it in and turned her head away.

“No! Liu Ya, listen to me…”

“I put a note in that blue game console you always used! I wrote about me leaving and what I wanted to say to you, and my contact info… Didn’t you see it?”

“What…”

Liu Ya whipped her head around to look at Yaqi, her eyes frozen. Unwilling memories surged into her mind. Shock, reluctance, regret mixed together, spreading across her pale face.

“Why didn’t you just tell me directly! Who would have known if you hid it there!”

“I… I couldn’t say it back then either… I didn’t want to leave you either… So I thought, since you love playing games, I secretly put it in the console the last time I came to your house… I really didn’t think it would turn out like this…”

Yaqi looked sad, slowly avoiding Liu Ya’s gaze, her hands tightly gripping her pants.

“What…”

Liu Ya hung her head limply, her whole body seemed to collapse, lifeless.

Yaqi furrowed her brow, bit her lip, stole a glance at Liu Ya, and seeing her silent, said softly,

“I really didn’t mean it, Liu Ya… I’ve been thinking about you all along. When I went abroad and didn’t hear from you for so long, I thought you had forgotten me… I was sad for a long time too…”

Hearing this, Liu Ya jumped up, turned around, and pressed her hands on Yaqi’s shoulders, pinning her to the sofa.

She looked at her with a mix of grief and anger; her face was twisted beyond recognition, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.

“Uh… Liu Ya…”

“How could I forget… How could I ever forget! Back then, because you left so suddenly, I felt like I couldn’t go on, you know! How could I forget!”

“In the past, only Qiqige was willing to stay with me forever… How could I forget! Why didn’t you just tell me back then!”

Liu Ya cried out heartbreakingly, gasping for breath, her tears forming a steady stream, constantly landing on Yaqi’s soft hand.

Seeing Liu Ya so upset, Yaqi’s lips trembled uncontrollably. She closed her eyes tightly in pain and sobbed quietly.

“I… I didn’t know it would be like this… I just couldn’t bear to tell you, I couldn’t bear to be apart from you, Liu Ya!”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it… I’m sorry, Liu Ya… I’m sorry…”

Yaqi couldn’t hold it in anymore. She opened her mouth and burst into loud sobs, big teardrops rolling down her cheeks.

Liu Ya’s heart ached. She was the one who wanted to vent the most, the dark fire of grief was about to burn her up!

But seeing Yaqi already a tearful mess, she couldn’t let out any anger. The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat, making her dizzy.

Liu Ya clenched her back teeth, enduring the sharp pain in her nerves. She quickly lifted her head, wiped her tears, took a long breath, and shouted,

“Stop talking!”

This startled Yaqi. She slowly opened her eyes, staring at Liu Ya’s blurry, distorted figure. Liu Ya’s whole body trembled, her breathing shaky. She panted heavily to calm the chaos inside her.

“I… I’m not feeling well. I’m going upstairs first…”

“Liu Ya…”

With that, Liu Ya walked up to the second floor with weak steps and empty body, leaving Yaqi alone on the sofa crying.

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