Chapter 123: I Want to Go Further
Ye Zhiyun left with her father, despite her reluctance. She longed to stay by Yu Linna’s side, to give her everything she had always lacked. But it seemed impossible.
“Don’t look so glum, dear. Cheer up.”
“…You cheer up.”
Ye Zhiyun was irritated. Her father’s timing was impeccable, choosing this exact moment to drag her off to Australia. She didn’t want to go to Australia; she wanted to go back to Guangnan City.
She didn’t understand why her father needed her at the company when her brother was already there. She couldn’t offer as much assistance as her brother; in terms of ability and capital, she was no match for him. She was too young.
With her luggage packed, Ye Zhiyun prepared to board the plane. Their next stop: Australia. This international business trip was a first for her; her previous trips abroad had been purely for leisure. It was clear how much her father valued her, how eager he was to cultivate her abilities, to give her valuable experience. Ye Zhiyun recognized his intentions.
Before leaving, she called her mother, Li Xiaoyue, who was at home watching television. Hearing her daughter’s voice, Li Xiaoyue’s face lit up with a smile.
“My dear daughter, missing your mom? Come home if you miss me. Your aunt is coming to stay with us this weekend, until the New Year. You don’t have any work commitments, right?”
“Sorry, Mom, I actually do. I’m going abroad with Dad.”
“Your father, honestly! You’re still in your senior year. Isn’t it a bit much to push you so hard?”
“Is it? My brother was sent to America to study during his senior year and ended up going to university there. Compared to him, I’m still close to home. I’m quite lucky.”
Indeed, compared to her brother, she was fortunate. She had been raised in comfort and privilege, never truly leaving the nest until she was ten, a veritable princess. It wasn’t until she learned about stock investments that she truly began to mature.
Ye Zhiyun was quite successful at making money, especially this year, earning millions. For someone her age, it was an impressive feat.
But her father? His annual income was in the billions…
She was still too young.
“Zhiyun, I think your personality is very much like mine, always wanting to compete, to win. You’re so young, yet you want to earn as much as your father. When your dad was your age, he was working as a baker.”
“Mom, that’s different.”
“Do you know why I quit the business world and became a housewife? Because many things aren’t worth fighting for. It’s better to let go.”
Her mother, Li Xiaoyue, had once been a successful businesswoman, a shareholder in a large company, and a competitor of her father. After marriage, she resigned, choosing to raise her children. She preferred the comforts of home to the cutthroat business world.
Ye Zhiyun had inherited her mother’s youthful ambition, her competitive spirit, her refusal to back down.
“My dear daughter, do you think I want you to become another me? I don’t want you to work tirelessly like I did, forgetting who you are, only to realize you’ve lost so much when it’s too late.”
Ye Zhiyun understood her mother’s words, but she still wouldn’t yield.
She wanted to achieve more, go further, fly higher. She wanted to be a successful businesswoman. Investing in films, real estate, even stocks, was all driven by her desire to surpass her father, to be even more successful than him.
Only then could she prove herself, prove she was the best.
It wasn’t until Yu Linna entered her life that her sharp edges began to soften, though her inherent pride remained.
She wanted to build a large, successful company, partly to avenge Yu Linna, to make Chenghe pay for what they had done.
“Alright, I won’t say any more. Zhiyun, you’re grown up now, about to go to university. I won’t force you to study abroad like your father did. Your choices are your own. But I hope you’ll be happy.”
Chapter 124: My Happiness
The city buzzed with festive cheer, celebratory music echoing in every corner, television screens displaying vibrant New Year programs, even the backgrounds turned a joyous red. Many residents had returned to their hometowns for the holidays, leaving the bustling metropolis unusually quiet.
But some remained, those who had settled in the city, their roots elsewhere.
Gazing out the window at the empty streets, the sparse traffic and pedestrians, Yu Linna sighed. The scene was unchanged from previous years. The difference was that before, she would have been out there, hustling, earning money. This year, she didn’t have to.
But spending New Year’s alone in the city felt pointless.
The New Year was meant to be celebrated with loved ones, yet she was alone, surrounded by silence.
She wished someone were with her.
But that was too much to ask for.
On New Year’s Day, Yu Linna embraced her inner homebody, eating, sleeping, watching anime, and repeating the cycle. It wasn’t a hardship; she was used to it.
“Out of milk… need to buy some…” she murmured, rummaging through the refrigerator.
Ye Zhiyun had left her enough money to last a while, giving her the freedom to do as she pleased. But she didn’t want to squander it. It wasn’t her money; she would use it only for necessities, nothing more.
With so much free time, she had been indulging in her favorite pastime: watching anime, living the life of a carefree otaku. She had always dreamed of watching anime until she was sick of it; now, that dream had come true.
There had been no response to her manuscript submission. Having blocked Chen Xi, she had effectively cut off communication. Yu Linna had resigned herself to another failure, something she was becoming accustomed to.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. It was okay; it would pass.
Ding-dong~
The doorbell rang. Yu Linna put down her half-eaten pork floss and padded towards the door in her slippers. Who would visit on New Year’s Day? Could it be Chen Xi? Unlikely; she would be back in her hometown.
“Coming! Who is it?”
“It’s me! Dai Wenqian, the future big shot!”
“…”
Oh god, the troublemaker!
What was she doing here?
“Ahem, Wenqian, what are you doing here? Just so you know, Zhiyun’s not home. She’s abroad.”
Mentioning Ye Zhiyun, her expression dimmed. Zhiyun had said she would be away, but Yu Linna hadn’t expected her to be gone for so long, even missing the New Year.
“I’m here to see you, of course! Zhiyun told me everything. Her family is traveling abroad. She just finished a project and can’t come back yet. She asked me to check on you, worried you would be lonely.”
“…Why would I be lonely? I’m not a child!”
“Tsk, tsk, such a strong reaction. Not very convincing. Come on, let’s go out! I’ll be in Guangnan City for a few days, so we can hang out anytime.”
“Hold on, I didn’t agree to go anywhere with you!”
“Who cares? Just come with me! There’s a fireworks display tonight. Let’s go watch it!”
Ignoring Yu Linna’s protests, Dai Wenqian grabbed her hand and pulled her outside. Yu Linna had no choice but to lock the door and follow.
The streets were decorated with festive cheer, the traffic light but the crowds still sizable. Shops displayed newly hung banners and couplets, street vendors selling firecrackers and novelty fireworks.
“Even if you drag me out, there’s nothing fun to do. I didn’t want to come out in the first place.”
“Alright, alright, Linna. I know you’re just being tsundere.”
“I’m not tsundere! Where did you get that idea?”
“Okay, okay, you’re not. Linna, we’ve never hung out just the two of us before. This time, I’ll take you somewhere fun. My treat.”
“…Are you sure?”
“If you don’t want to, we can split the bill.”
“No, no! I’ll take your offer! Actually, I didn’t bring my wallet!”
Saying no, yet acting so agreeable. Dai Wenqian chuckled inwardly.
This Yu Linna was easy to win over. A little spending money, and she became instantly docile, even acting cute. Dai Wenqian could understand why Ye Zhiyun was so smitten.
That Zhiyun, usually only taking landscape photos, rarely taking more than ten pictures of people, had taken over thirty photos of Yu Linna, each one high-quality.
There had to be something more to it.
“Little Linna, I have a bold idea. There’s an anime convention after the New Year. I want to invite you to cosplay.”
“I told you, I’m not cosplaying anymore. Not even for money.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What about for a thousand yuan?”
“…Let me think about it.”
As expected, money was her weakness. Saying no, yet so easily swayed. Who could resist money?
“Great! It’s a gaming convention, and our Light Comic Group is planning a King of Glory group cosplay. I’ll ask Zhiyun to be the photographer. With your blonde hair, how about cosplaying Lady Wang Zhaojun?”
“…Frankly, I’m not suited for that character.”
The thought of cosplaying Lady Wang Zhaojun made her want to hide her face. Wang Zhaojun was a mature, elegant woman. Asking her to cosplay that character was asking for the impossible! Though she had blonde hair, her height and… chest… were hardly those of an elegant lady.
Dai Wenqian was out of her mind!
“But… I don’t think you have the right temperament for Angela either.”
“I don’t care!”
Yu Linna refused to be an elegant lady!
Well, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to be one, but she didn’t want to cosplay one. No particular reason; she just couldn’t pull it off.
Dai Wenqian sighed, saying they would discuss it later.
Being in her senior year, she would have to resign as the leader of the Light Comic Group when school started. She had to focus on her college entrance exams.
Despite her cheerful demeanor, Dai Wenqian felt the pressure of the upcoming exams, just keeping it hidden.
“Linna, where are you planning to go for university?”
“…I don’t know. Haven’t decided yet.”
Before, Yu Linna would have said she wasn’t going to university, planning to work and earn money instead. But since being rescued from despair by Ye Zhiyun, she no longer had to worry about survival and could finally think about her future.
Whether to continue her studies or enter the workforce, she hadn’t decided.
Many of her friends had returned to their hometowns for the New Year, some even traveling.
Dai Wenqian was one of the few who remained in the city, which was why Ye Zhiyun had asked her to check on Yu Linna, worried about leaving her alone.
They walked, they played, they ate, and they continued strolling through the streets. Though initially reluctant, Yu Linna found herself enjoying Dai Wenqian’s company. No one liked being alone, and Yu Linna had been solitary for so long.
Only when surrounded by friends did she feel like she wasn’t alone in the world, that she belonged. Though she had grown up without parents, alone and isolated, now she had friends, people who cared about her. She felt… happy.
Boom.
Colorful fireworks exploded in the night sky, their brilliance illuminating her heart. Looking up at the fireworks, she saw a glimpse of her future, of everything she had.
“I’ve always enjoyed watching fireworks, but it’s a shame Zhiyun and the others aren’t here. I wanted to watch them together.”
The vibrant display seemed to open her heart, leaving her speechless. She had always been too busy working, too busy earning money, to truly appreciate the beauty of fireworks.
She had always been hustling, always on the move, never taking the time to appreciate the scenery.
Since being taken in by Ye Zhiyun, she had been constantly on edge, afraid to speak up, obedient like a child, never voicing her opinions. She was terrified of being kicked out, of ending up on the streets again.
Her heart had never truly accepted anyone.
She had never let down her guard.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a WeChat video call. She answered, and the face of a dark-haired girl appeared on the screen.
“Zhiyun…”
“Happy New Year, Nana. I just wanted to say that.”
Even through the video, Ye Zhiyun’s expression was aloof, her inherent pride preventing her from showing vulnerability. But Dai Wenqian, observing from the side, noticed the flicker of nervousness in Ye Zhiyun’s eyes.
“Nana, I hope you’ll be happy in the new year. I’ll be back soon. Wait for me.”
Yu Linna’s expression was hidden behind her bangs.
“I have something too! Look!”
Dai Wenqian excitedly pulled out her phone, playing a short video for Yu Linna.
“Linna, Happy New Year! I hope you have a wonderful year! I sent you a red envelope. Remember to open it~”
The video featured a girl with a bright, angelic smile.
Though it was only a few seconds long, Yu Linna watched it intently.
Ye Zhiyun, Fang Jiangning, Dai Wenqian – each of them by her side, never abandoning her.
Fireworks exploded overhead. Yu Linna looked up, a smile gracing her face. At this moment, she felt incredibly happy, happier than she had been in years. She wasn’t alone; she had friends. She wasn’t alone anymore.
The image of the blonde girl washing dishes in a restaurant overlapped with the blonde girl watching fireworks, merging into one.
“This is the best New Year’s gift…” she murmured, her voice soft, a smile illuminating her face, a blush warming her cheeks as she hid half her face behind her scarf.
Perhaps she had found her happiness.
She thought.
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