Sister Yang Zhi, You Haven't Left Yet (During Recommendation Period, Please Favorite, Follow, and Vote)

"Senior Sister."

Yang Zhi called Ding Yuerong as she headed downstairs.

Ding Yuerong: "Oh, Yang Zhi. What's up?"

Yang Zhi: "Ding Yebai has a fever, so let him rest today. He just took his medicine and lay down. Why don't you hurry back and check on him? I'm worried that if he sleeps and the fever doesn't go down, it might get worse. There's no one else at home..."

"He has a fever?!"

"Yeah."

"He probably hasn't been keeping warm lately... Ah, but I have something to deal with at the company right now, and I don't know when I'll finish. Even if I rush over, the drive will take at least three hours."

"Then... what about Auntie?"

"My mom went on a business trip... Ah... forget it. Fine, I understand. Yang Zhi, go back first. I'll drive over right away."

"..."

Before she could say anything else, Ding Yuerong hung up.

Yang Zhi looked at the time on her phone and thought again of what Ding Yuerong had said: "There's something going on at the company right now. It'll take at least three hours."

She frowned slightly and instinctively turned back, looking worriedly toward the second floor. After a long while, she sighed.

Tick-tock—tick-tock—tick-tock.

In the pitch-black, silent room, each turn of the clock's hands sounded unusually loud.

Three hours later, Ding Yebai woke up.

He felt his forehead and, realizing that his fever had gone down, took a deep breath.

He threw off the covers and searched for his slippers with his feet in the darkness. Then he got up and turned on the light.

With a click, the bedroom lit up.

He opened the door again and went into the living room.

Moonlight streamed through the windows. The living room seemed to be coated in a layer of silver frost, illuminated so brightly that it looked like daytime.

After walking a few steps, his hand found the living room light switch.

Out of habit, he glanced toward the sofa and nearly died of fright.

Why is Sister Yang Zhi there!!!!!

And she had her arms crossed over her chest, sitting in the corner of the sofa as if she were asleep.

Ding Yebai stared over there with his eyes wide in horror. Didn't Sister Yang Zhi go home? Why is she still here???

Frowning in confusion, he put his hands behind his back and stealthily walked over, stopping in front of her.

He bent down slightly, facing Yang Zhi's delicate features.

Is she asleep?

Huh?

Her eyelashes are so long, her nose is so straight, her face is so small, and her skin is so fair...

He had heard his older sister say that Yang Zhi had a nickname during college: Yang Xian'er. It meant that she was beautiful enough to take your breath away even without makeup.

Looking at her now... that nickname... does make some sense.

Ding Yebai was completely mesmerized for a moment.

As if he had thought of something, his pupils shrank. He quickly straightened up, turned his face away, and rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze landing on the bright moon outside the window.

He had to admit, she really was beautiful.

At that thought, Ding Yebai frowned troubledly, turned around, and swiftly switched on the light. Then he raised his voice and called toward Yang Zhi, "Sister Yang Zhi."

"Hm?"

His voice was loud enough to wake a light sleeper.

Yang Zhi slowly opened her eyes, released her tightly crossed arms, instinctively hugged her bag, and switched off the vibrating alarm.

She raised her head, swept her gaze around, and met Ding Yebai's eyes.

Ding Yebai: "..."

Yang Zhi: "..."

She froze for a moment, then stood up somewhat hurriedly and smoothed out her wrinkled clothes. With a faint smile, she asked, "Has your fever gone down?"

Ding Yebai nodded. "It has. Why are you here, Sister Yang Zhi?"

Yang Zhi: "Because I was worried that your fever wouldn't go down after you took the medicine and might get worse."

Hearing that, Ding Yebai's pupils slowly widened. He found it somewhat unbelievable.

Yang Zhi laughed awkwardly and tightened the strap of her shoulder bag. "I called your senior sister to ask her to come back, but she said she had something to deal with at the company and that it would take more than three hours to get back. Your mother is away on a business trip too... There was no one at home, so I thought I'd wait here for a while. At least until your sister came back."

Ding Yebai: "..."

Yang Zhi: "If your fever suddenly got worse, it would be good to have someone at home who could take you to the hospital right away."

Ding Yebai: "I..."

Yang Zhi: "I set an alarm and was planning to check on you just now. I didn't expect you to get up on your own. Seeing that your fever's gone down, I'm relieved."

Thump, thump.

Thump, thump, thump.

His heart began pounding even harder.

What's going on?

Was that faint sound in my heart... my heartstrings being plucked?

No.

That's not it.

The wise man... The wise man... wouldn't... do this.

Ding Yebai said nothing more. He simply gazed at her in silence, his icy, misty features veiled by an emotion unlike anything he had felt before.

He understood clearly that Yang Zhi hadn't been lying. Her clear eyes and brows were filled with sincerity.

It was a sincerity that was exceedingly rare in today's society.

Yang Zhi felt somewhat awkward under his gaze, though she still wore a smile. "Sorry. You must have been startled when you woke up and saw someone in the house."

Ding Yebai: "It's fine."

Yang Zhi pointed toward the staircase leading to the second floor. "Then... since your fever's gone down, I'll head home first."

With that, she turned around briskly.

"I'll see you off!"

Ding Yebai suddenly raised his voice.

Yang Zhi stopped at once and looked back at him. "No need. Don't catch a chill again. Go back and get some proper rest."

"It's late, and it isn't safe. I'll see you off."

"No need."

"..."

Ding Yebai's half-open mouth slowly closed. He nodded in disappointment and said quietly, "All right, then. Be careful on your way home."

Yang Zhi smiled at him out of habit, then turned and went downstairs.

Ding Yebai walked out onto the balcony and watched her back as before.

This time, he didn't leave until Yang Zhi's figure had completely disappeared from view.

"She... she..."

Ding Yebai muttered under his breath as he clenched his fists. In a heavy voice tinged with stubbornness, he said, "She's a little too much of a goody-goody, isn't she?"

Thanks to Liu Shang Yuehua for the 100 Origin Point Coins reward, and kk-Xiaowei for the 100 Origin Point Coins reward.