Memories (5)

I picked up the tea beside me and took a sip. My gaze settled on the snow still swirling outside the window, but my thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Taking them in might have been a spur-of-the-moment decision at first... No, perhaps it hadn't even been that. It was more like a decision made on a particular cold night, in a particular situation, based on the cold assessment that they'd probably die if I left them there, and the slight stir caused by those two pairs of different-colored eyes. It hadn't exactly been thought through.

They were trouble, variables, uncertainties that might disrupt the peaceful life I had now.

But...

I watched Yi Jiang glance at me cautiously, then quickly lower her head and keep eating, the tips of her ears seemingly turning red. I watched Yi Xuan finish a bun, lick her lips as if she hadn't had enough, then reach for another, her red eyes sparkling...

Something in a tiny corner of my heart, one I'd nearly forgotten or deliberately ignored, seemed to stir at the gentlest touch.

Maybe the two of them coming to live with us will bring... something different to my life.

That "something different" wouldn't necessarily be all good. It might mean noise, little hassles, problems to deal with, responsibilities to shoulder. But it might also mean... that, just like now, the house held more than the faint bitterness of tea and the scent of dust. There was the warm aroma of food, the small, genuine sounds of chewing, and the presence of two lively, vulnerable little lives.

In the end, I was just too softhearted to watch two little girls die in the snow, whether they were Yi Jiang and Yi Xuan or not.

I set down my teacup, the corners of my mouth unconsciously curling up just a little.

As I watched the two little ones eating at the table, a practical problem presented itself. I couldn't keep them cooped up at home forever like stray cats I'd taken in temporarily. They were at an age when they should be living a normal life. I had to at least try to give them that.

They're children. They have to go to school.

Once I'd made up my mind, I didn't hesitate. I pulled out my phone, its screen glowing a cold white in the dim light. My fingers quickly scrolled through the contacts, passing a string of ordinary and discreet names before stopping on a contact with no saved name, just a simple rabbit symbol. She was Faust, Mao Rabbit, one of the Twelve Black Beasts, the Yun Family's guardian squad.

There was hardly any wait. The call connected in less than two rings. The other end offered no "Hello?" or "Good afternoon," just the quiet, attentive sound of breathing, indicating that the person on the line was ready to listen.

I skipped the small talk and spoke directly into the phone, my tone calm and clear as I gave the order. "Check whether the two little girls who've just arrived at my place have household registration records. Their features are distinctive: sisters, white hair, different-colored eyes, gold and red, around ten years old. If they don't have records, or if there's a problem with them..." I paused, glancing at the two little figures on the sofa. "Just register them under our household. I'll confirm their names later. Also, arrange a suitable elementary school for them as soon as possible. Somewhere reliable, with a simple environment."

I gave her all the key information and instructions at once. The other end was silent for two seconds, as if she were recording the details and initiating the search. Then a steady, clear female voice replied, without a hint of unnecessary emotion. Her tone was respectful but not obsequious, and every word seemed carefully measured.

"Understood. I'll verify their household registration immediately and begin arranging their school enrollment. I've noted your current residence as their registration address. School selection criteria: safety, discretion, and teaching quality as the priority. I'll report the initial options to you by tomorrow morning at the latest. Is there anything else that needs to be handled first, Young Master?"

"That's all for now. Thanks for your effort, Mao Rabbit."

"As you command, Young Master." The voice on the other end didn't waste a second. After delivering that customary sign-off, she hung up briskly. Only the short tone of a disconnected call remained.

I lowered my phone and looked at the now-dark screen, clicking my tongue softly.

Mao Rabbit... Or rather, Faust is still the same as ever.

Efficient, precise, and absolutely obedient. She always switched into work mode immediately, confirming instructions and providing a timeline for follow-up in the most concise way possible. She didn't make a single unnecessary comment, not even bothering to say something like "I'll make sure it's done." Instead, she went straight to the next step. It was as if she weren't a living person, but a precision instrument that produced the optimal solution the instant it received an instruction.

But Wei Sheep had told me that Fufu was actually very personable when she was off duty. What a shame I'd never seen that side of her.

Never mind. I shook my head and slipped my phone back into my pocket. The priority now was to sort out the two little ones' legal identities and schooling. When it came to that, Faust's efficiency was beyond doubt.

Their arrival, especially their conspicuous appearance, meant they couldn't completely blend into ordinary society. Since I'd decided to keep them and give them a relatively normal life, I had to make sure they had the protection to go with it.

I needed someone reliable, strong enough, attentive enough, and... preferably a woman, so it would be easier for her to look after and protect the two girls.

With that in mind, I left the guest room and walked down the quiet corridor, heading deeper into the house to the room that always carried the faint scent of old books and cigars: my father Yun Shen's study.

I knocked twice before pushing open the heavy wooden door. My father was right where I expected him to be. He sat behind a broad rosewood desk, reading through a thick document, a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose.

At the sound of the door opening, he looked up. His gaze behind the lenses was sharp and composed, as if he could instantly see why I'd come. When he saw it was me, the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly. He casually took off his glasses.

Here comes the boy who never visits unless he wants something. I could practically read those words in his subtle expression. And it was true: ever since I'd become self-aware, I'd never gone to see my father for no reason. If I came to his study of my own accord, it was rarely for a simple father-son chat.

"Father." I walked up to the desk and got straight to the point. I met his scrutinizing gaze calmly.

"Now that we've decided to adopt those two... white-haired fluffballs," I said, using a rather casual nickname for Yi Jiang and Yi Xuan, though my tone was serious, "their safety can't rely solely on the security system here. They need more personal, flexible, and professional protection, especially when they're at school or out of the house."