Chapter 63.1

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Tears streamed down uncontrollably. This was just too much.

Qiao Ziman wiped her eyes as she furiously scribbled three words in her notebook: Little Mute.

Her pen had pressed so hard that it punctured the paper, leaving a deep ink mark on the second page. It was clearly Little Mute’s fault. Why was it that she was always the one getting bullied? And, of course, she just couldn’t resist the temptation. How I hate it!

She pressed her lips tightly and wept silently as tears trickled down her cheeks, blurring into blooming ink spots on the notebook. In a sudden panic, she carefully wiped them away with the back of her hand.

Just then, a bookmark shaped like a paper airplane slipped out and fluttered to her feet. Wasn’t this the bookmark Yinyin had given her?

Lowering her head, Qiao Ziman picked it up and blew off the dust clinging to it. With gentle fingertips, she traced its surface, recalling that secret moment when Yinyin had mysteriously drawn something on it and simply labeled it “a secret.”

Moved by a sudden impulse, she laid the bookmark flat and carefully unfolded it along its edge. Spreading out the paper, she discovered a drawing accompanied by a note. The sketch depicted flowers, the sun, a rainbow, and two children holding hands—two girls gazing at each other with the most genuine smiles imaginable.

Next to the drawing, in neat block letters, were two names:

—Qiao Ziman & Chi Yin.

Qiao Ziman’s shoulders trembled as fresh tears welled in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and glanced back at the small note. It contained only four simple words:

—Long time no see.

A surge of conflicting emotions hit her—joy from the long-awaited reunion clashing with anger at the hidden truths. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, like a kite whose string had snapped, impossible to stop or erase.

Just then, the sound of running water in the bathroom abruptly ceased. Panicked, Qiao Ziman hurriedly refolded the bookmark back into its original shape. Soon, footsteps approached from afar, growing steadily louder until they stopped right in front of the wardrobe.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she held her breath, dreading what was to come. Then, in a single moment—

Creaaak.

The wardrobe doors swung open, exposing not only her secret hideaway but also shattering the last vestiges of her dignity. Light poured into the room, and instinctively, she shrank deeper into the closet.

Before she could retreat further, a pair of strong arms reached in and pulled her out into a firm embrace. A soft, gentle voice whispered in her ear, “Don’t cry anymore. I know I was wrong.”

Barely able to speak through her choked emotions, Qiao Ziman asked, “How did you know I was in here?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Qiao Ziman froze. If it were just Chi Yin, there was no way she could have known where to find her. But Little Mute? That was a different story.

Anger flared, drowning out everything else. She shoved against Chi Yin’s hold, struggling to break free.

“Let me go!” she snapped.

“You’ve known all along that I like hiding in closets, haven’t you?” Her voice sharpened. “Chi Yin, do you take me for an idiot?”

Chi Yin didn’t loosen her grip. Instead, she held on tighter, pressing soft kisses against Qiao Ziman’s tear-streaked face. Then, she suddenly lifted her gaze, her eyes shimmering with something unreadable.

“You figured it out, didn’t you?” she asked.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” Qiao Ziman exploded. She shoved, kicked—nothing worked. In frustration, she bit down hard on Chi Yin’s shoulder, venting every ounce of pent-up rage.

“Little Mute, were you planning to keep this from me forever?”

Chi Yin’s shoulder trembled slightly. A long silence followed before she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No.”

Qiao Ziman’s breath hitched. “No, what? No, you weren’t treating me like a fool, or no, you weren’t planning to hide this forever? Because from where I’m standing, it sure as hell seems like you were!”

She clenched her fists, her voice trembling with emotion.

“I’ve told you a thousand times—we face things together. No more secrets. You knew how dangerous Elvis was, and you still went to confront her without telling me. What was it? Some hero complex? Do you think I’m weak? Or—” Her voice wavered, her frustration boiling over. “Or did you never plan on letting me be part of your future?”

Chi Yin held her tightly, silently waiting for Qiao Ziman to finish venting.

“Chi Yin, are you mute or what?” Qiao Ziman yelled. Then, with unbridled fury, she bit down hard on Chi Yin’s shoulder and shouted, “Let me go now!”

“If you wouldn’t speak, why did you even pull me out of the closet?” Qiao Ziman demanded.

Chi Yin softly stroked her back. “To soothe you,” she murmured.

“But I need you to wait until you’re calm before comforting me—otherwise, with your temper, you’ll only make things worse,” Qiao Ziman argued.

“Chi Yin! What do you mean by that? This time it’s clearly your fault, yet you have the nerve to claim I have a violent temper—and on top of that, you’re bullying me in bed!” Qiao Ziman’s whole body trembled with anger, her eyes reddening as she railed against her.

Chi Yin offered only a silent look, as if to say, See? You’re just getting angrier.

“Weren’t you the one who said you couldn’t bear to lose your temper with your sweet girlfriend?” Qiao Ziman continued, her voice rising even further. The memory of that promise made her even more incensed.

She flailed her arms, striking Chi Yin repeatedly—though not too hard, as if torn between anger and lingering care. “You remember that, right? But when I say we need to be honest, you conveniently forget!” she fumed.

“I warn you—if you don’t let me down right now, I’m going to fight with you!” Qiao Ziman threatened.

When Chi Yin remained silent, Qiao Ziman’s anger reached its peak. In a burst of raw emotion, she bit down hard on Chi Yin’s lip. The sudden pain made Chi Yin wince, and at last, she let go.

Qiao Ziman glared at her, then flung the notebook onto Chi Yin’s body before storming out. “Qiao Qiao, where are you off to in the middle of the night?” Chi Yin called after her, chasing close behind.

Gritting her teeth, Qiao Ziman shot back, “I’m running away from home!” Without pausing to look back, she left the bedroom, and as she passed, she shouted to He Cuizhen and Grandma downstairs, “Stop her for me!”

He Cuizhen and Grandma immediately got up, one on each side, and gently pulled Chi Yin onto the sofa. Watching her walk away, Chi Yin panicked, “Mom, what are you doing?”

He Cuizhen patted Chi Yin’s hand and said, “I’m trying to help you.”

“But if she’s angry, wouldn’t following her just make things worse? It’s like walking straight into a gun barrel!” Chi Yin fidgeted anxiously, constantly peeking toward the door.

He Cuizhen tried to calm her, “Remember when Qiao Qiao was little? When she got really angry one time after you gave her a good scolding, she hid in the big wardrobe. She may have a fiery temper, but her heart is big—she never holds a grudge. Usually, if you give her a little time to cool off, she’ll come out on her own.”

Chi Yin pressed her lips together. “Mom, what if I accidentally drag her out?”

He Cuizhen shrugged silently. “It’s hard to say—honestly, I wouldn’t dare expose her even if I wanted to. You know Qiao Qiao has always been so concerned about saving face.”

Chi Yin looked on with a tense, panicked expression.

He Cuizhen tried to soothe her, “There’s a second step too—running away from home. You saw it last time, when she took off with a whole box of underwear. That was just to give both of you a way out so you could go and make up with her. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Slowly, the flush drained from Chi Yin’s face. “Mom, this time Qiao Qiao left empty-handed—even her ID isn’t with her. Could it be that she wants to break up with me?”

Before Chi Yin could react, He Cuizhen stealthily pulled out her phone and checked in with Qiao Ziman.

[She’s been intimidated.]

Qiao Ziman replied:

[Okay. Mom, don’t you dare go easy on her—make sure she learns her lesson!]

“Mom, what should we do?” Chi Yin asked, glancing up and catching He Cuizhen’s furtive actions. “Mom, what are you doing? Are you chatting with Qiao Qiao?”

He Cuizhen paused, then quickly dimmed her phone and smoothly fibbed, “No, I’m selling health supplements. I noticed you just got discharged, so I’m planning to set you up with some wild ginseng for a boost.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Alright, now hurry upstairs. It’s getting late. If Qiao Qiao truly realizes her mistake, she’ll come back. She’s not that vindictive.”