Chapter: 40. Perspective (4K)
When told to sit, one sits, and sitting isn’t a big deal…
But why sitting means kneeling!
Xue Fei knelt on the cold ground covered with broken wood splinters, looking like a child who did something wrong. Occasionally, she glanced quickly with her peripheral vision to see if Xiya, who was sitting in a chair with her legs crossed and an angry expression, had calmed down.
In fact, the kneeling position wasn’t something Xiya required.
Rather, Xue Fei felt this way due to the pressure of Xiya’s aura…
Judging by the frequency at which Xiya’s shoe tip shook, it was obviously more pronounced than usual…
She really hadn’t calmed down yet!
“Xue Fei.”
“Yes!”
“Have you thought about where you went wrong?”
“……”
Not at all.
If I had thought it through, wouldn’t I just admit my mistake outright? Do I really need to kneel and reflect on this!
But a dead horse must be treated like a live one, and a broken jar must be smashed.
Xue Fei placed her hands neatly on her thighs, smiling bitterly as she looked up while cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
“I think…”
“You think…”
“I want to go for a run!”
“Come back here?!”
“Woo…!”
Trying to sneak away?
The moment she stood up, Xiya pressed down on her shoulder with delicate fingers, forcing her back to the ground. Xue Fei’s pained expression seemed to reveal that she really didn’t know what she had done wrong.
Ignorance is no excuse! You can’t just slap a rat to death for stealing rice when it doesn’t know it shouldn’t!
Alright, it seems like it really is about slapping it dead, regardless of whether it stole the rice.
Snow mouse… *cough*, Xue Fei shrunk her neck and glanced at Xiya’s still angry eyes with bewilderment.
This glance momentarily left Xiya in a daze.
“Don’t look at me like that… Xue Fei, I’m telling you… sometimes you have to think for yourself…”
“Stare~~~”
“Think for yourself…”
“Stare~~~~~”
“By yourself…”
Xiya swallowed.
Some of the gaze attacks from the silver-haired girl were the kind that no defensive magic could fend off.
After staring at each other for three seconds, Xiya finally couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Ah ah fine, fine…! Xue Fei, you don’t need to think for yourself anymore, can’t I explain it to you clearly instead!”
“Yay! Thank you, Xiya~ Mmm, good sister~ If you don’t explain clearly, how would I know what you’re angry about…ah, that hurts!!”
“How dare you say that!”
No violence!
Xiya ruffled Xue Fei’s face with both hands, making it impossible for her big watery eyes to continue “endangering the country and the people.”
At the same time… it was to prevent Xue Fei from seeing the slight blush on her face at that moment.
Taking a deep breath to adjust her mood, perhaps because Xue Fei had been kneeling for too long (about a minute), Xiya felt a pang of pity, so she picked up Xue Fei by the armpits and set her down on the bedboard to sit properly.
The big and small cute ones stared at each other for a long time.
Xiya’s stubborn insistence was eventually broken by the confused look on Xue Fei’s face.
The golden-haired girl pressed her lips together, gently turning her head away with a slight angle.
Her voice was like gentle water, delicate like cotton.
“Still asking why… Xue Fei, you need to think about what good deed you did just now…?”
“I took back the bedboard! A major victory!”
“I mean, during the process of taking back the bedboard, didn’t you get too close to Timani? The sister is very jealous! You little fool!”
“!”
Her head seemed to be struck hard.
This wasn’t a pointless hit.
In an instant, it opened Xue Fei’s mind.
Xiya spoke quickly, but each word was clear, and Xue Fei heard it distinctly.
She had just been occupied trying to reclaim her resting place from Timani, feeling dizzy and eager to take a nap, her emotions heightened, causing her to forget many behavioral norms and the necessary sense of distance in communication.
Thinking carefully…
Didn’t she just rub against Timani and even bite her face?
And in front of Xiya no less.
—Rub!!
It felt like a surge of hot steam erupted from Xue Fei’s head, and with her silver hair turning red, she bowed her head in remorse.
“I seem to… have gone a bit too far… I… really shouldn’t have…”
“It’s not… Xue Fei, it’s not that serious… you don’t have to…”
“Yeah, we can’t feel ashamed about mistakes we’ve already made, we need to look forward. Thank you, Xiya, I’m feeling better now.”
“I haven’t even consoled you yet! You’ve bounced back too quickly! Really… just reflect on it for a while!”
Bang!
Another hit on the forehead, and Xue Fei hugged her head with both hands.
Her small feet swayed slightly in her black stockings, and she murmured some words of confession.
Needless to say.
She was indeed reflecting.
Xiya knew Xue Fei’s character.
Wasn’t it just like last time, when she beat up the neighbor’s dog, giggling as if nothing had happened, but Xue Fei secretly bought dog food to apologize? She’s a good kid who may seem silly, but she takes her actions seriously.
Seeing her like this, Xiya could only smile bitterly, and her frustrations had long since dissipated.
Look at your worried little face… silly girl, how could I really blame you for anything?
Just as she said earlier.
It really was simply jealousy; a jealous woman can be pretty frightening. You must always be mentally prepared for this.
With a sigh, Xiya sat beside Xue Fei. Xue Fei instinctively shrank away due to her wrongdoing, but Xiya followed her, moving her body in the opposite direction, until Xue Fei’s shoulder was pressed against the wall with nowhere to retreat.
I won’t blame you.
But conversely.
You have to listen to your sister’s heartfelt words, okay?
“Xue Fei, if I’m not mistaken, recently, do you have something on your mind?”
“Gululu…”
“What are you mumbling about…?”
“I’m mumbling about… just like when you hook a fish, catching a colorful dream fish that can never be replaced in this life, still holding it close while another incredibly dreamy super fish leaps from the lake, entangling me in pain, making it hard to decide which one to let go, steamed or braised, feeling deeply embarrassed.”
“Are these two big fish one named after me, Xialet, and the other called Belis?”
“I didn’t say that… I was just talking about the big fish…”
So it really is like that…
Feeling Xue Fei inadvertently mentioning “big fish” as a shield, the warmth in her shoulder transmitted.
Xiya felt much more relieved.
Because…
—Xue Fei truly cares about her.
How did she come to this conclusion?
“Xue Fei~ you wouldn’t be intentionally avoiding me since that night with Belis when you ‘stayed out late,’ would you?”
“No way! I’m upright and fearless; there’s nothing I’d avoid…! Cough… Xiya? How about we talk about something else first?”
“You see, just as I thought.”
“I just wasn’t prepared! I need to organize my thoughts again!”
“No need~”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Xiya pulled Xue Fei into her embrace, letting her lean against her shoulder.
There is always a solid and soft embrace, forever encompassing the winds and rains of your emotions.
At the same time, Xiya narrowed her eyes to feel her warmth, accepting the winds blowing thousands of miles from outside the city, carrying bittersweet moments, bringing the fragrance of her hair into her nose, filled with beautiful memories.
“If you don’t know how to explain things to me… you don’t need to worry, it’s redundant.”
“But…”
“No buts. If you overthink these meaningless things and unintentionally distance yourself from your sister, then wouldn’t that be a loss for me?”
“I didn’t distance myself… I’ve always…”
“Mm-mm, I know. Xue Fei looks troubled, but still manages to maintain a normal demeanor when talking to her sister. Xue Fei is truly very gentle and endearing.”
“Hey…!”
Face… Xiya! Your face is too close!
In fact, Xiya hadn’t even leaned her face in yet.
It was just that Xue Fei was easily flustered by Xiya’s occasional moments of enlightenment, causing her face to flush and her body temperature to rise, mistakenly believing their cheeks were already pressed together.
In reality…
—Their cheeks had just barely touched.
Ding~~
The collagen-filled fair face pressed against Xue Fei’s little face, exchanging a heated connection that blurred body temperatures and heartbeats.
Xiya cherished holding her, gradually tightening her embrace, unwilling to part even by a half-step.
“When I was reborn in this world as a baby, I remembered nothing, I couldn’t recall my past memories, but Xue Fei, do you know? When I suddenly remembered everything in the year I started to have memories, I was stunned, and I was scared.”
“Is it because the amount of information was too vast…?” Xue Fei blinked, unconsciously curling up in Xiya’s embrace, “True, in my case, I remembered everything since I was a baby; my mind was filled with thoughts of whether Xiya’s illness had been cured. After all, my brain capacity was small back then, thinking about these things like an idiot. Mother even thought I was a mentally deficient fool during that time.”
“It wasn’t because of the amount of information… I wasn’t a baby anymore then.”
Holding Xue Fei even tighter, tighter.
Almost with the force of wanting to meld her into her own body, the depth of feeling in Xiya’s eyes was already deeper than the lakes.
“I won’t even discuss what you just said, which moved me… right now, I’m speaking about myself.”
These words Xiya expressed were ones she had wanted to tell Xue Fei before, but she always felt conflicted about speaking them out loud.
And now, she could finally say them.
“I remembered that there was still someone I was worried about. If I was reborn, then were you here?”
“If you are here, being born into a wealthy family with no worries would be fine. But if luck isn’t good… and it’s like before, with parents often away on business, you alone, living by yourself, what would you do?”
“Before, I was by your side, and I felt lucky that we lived so close. When I came home from school or had meals, I could just open the window and call for you.”
And you would always be waiting by the window, saying you knew.
Then, you came over faster than the wind.
In childhood, watching you play in the garden alone with mud, my heart felt some waves but always thought it had nothing to do with me.
Later, watching you leaning against the doorframe, gazing at the distant stars, butterflies flying around you but unwilling to stop and instead rushing far away, yet you remained in place, made me unable to stand silently behind you anymore.
From the day I spoke to you, inviting you to share the years together.
The butterflies were destined to no longer be solitary dancers.
You called me sister, and so we became family.
I jokingly said fate, and thus the trees gained their rings.
Okay then.
In life or death, I accompany you. With you and me, there is no loneliness, wherever it is, there are sunny flower fields.
But if… I’m no longer with you?
Xiya clenched Xue Fei’s little hand, the weakness behind her strength could no longer be concealed, nor did she want to hide it.
“I came back to life in this world… I hope you are alive too, but I fear this. I’m afraid you might be in some lonely corner, afraid you might forget me, afraid you might be secretly shedding tears alone. I often wondered during those years… would Xue Fei remember me…? No… whether you remember me isn’t important; what worries me the most is that when I open the window, there are no neighbors.”
In the Light Family mansion, opening the window leads to the wilderness.
Just like an empty heart, drifting with the autumn wind, unaware of the way home, unaware of the path to take.
Without neighbors—then you are destined not to be by my side.
But where are you?
Becoming alone, does someone wipe your tears for you?
Becoming alone, is there someone to watch butterflies with you?
Is there anyone calling you for meals, anyone accompanying you?
Xiya’s heart grew clearer, even praying to the divine.
Ah…
It turns out that her inner prayer isn’t for the luxury of hoping Xue Fei could return to her side.
At the very least.
If Xue Fei also reincarnated into this world, then in this life, she hoped she must have such a “neighbor.”
Even if it’s not me, then please don’t remain silent behind her when she’s sad.
Instead, pat her on the shoulder and say that…
【Why are you alone? Ah… why are you crying? Come and talk to me, okay?】
Fortunately.
Xiya’s prayer was successful.
“Hah… it seems Xue Fei really has such a ‘new neighbor.’ Xue Fei, your identity as a Demon Princess and your exceptional powers… made me feel like it’s truly a close call… you were almost all alone. What’s fortunate is that sister Belis stepped up.”
“Right… I thank Belis for not avoiding me, although there was a time when she acted silly… but she’s a good kid.”
Exactly.
She’s not afraid of you; she’s willing to look back for you.
Even with bumps along the road, she chased after your silhouette with all her years, never abandoning you.
Xiya felt there was nothing to complain about.
Because the divine not only arranged a “neighbor” for Xue Fei in this lifetime.
But even allowed her to reunite with Xue Fei.
The beauty of two lifetimes intertwined, with a tapestry of flowers beneath a twinkling starry sky.
In this way, is there really anything to complain about?
No more.
The reason Xue Fei often fails to catch fish might not be due to bad luck.
But as she said.
—Every “big fish” caught in life is a dream, rare and precious.
“So… I believe that I and sister Belis are an indispensable part of Xue Fei’s heart. If I were to sever that other part with my own hands, that would be the real harm to you… the sister doesn’t want to do such a thing. So if I think this way, some things can be accepted instead. Of course! I’m talking about sister Belis! Like the situation with Timani just now, Xue Fei, you need to be careful! Absolutely cannot let your sister be too jealous! This is very important!”
Xiya shared all of these thoughts with Xue Fei.
And by the time she finished.
There was no need to hear Xue Fei respond with similar sentiments.
Because Xue Fei had already replaced words with actions, giving the most romantic response.
Two small arms embraced Xiya’s neck.
Sitting close together, their lips touched.
The snow-colored girl took the initiative to offer a grand kiss, grateful for the beloved person’s gaze that year, pushing open the window and gazing longingly at the wilderness.
