Chapter 108 The Two Join Forces

"What do you mean?"

"Little Sister Youchu, I'm speaking Mandarin. I shouldn't need to explain what I mean again."

Shen Youchu stood in the hallway. The fluorescent light overhead emitted a faint electrical hum, buzzing like a fly that wouldn't leave.

She looked at Xiao Rongyu, and Xiao Rongyu looked back at her. The two stood three paces apart; neither moved forward, and neither stepped back.

The window at the end of the hallway was open, and the evening breeze poured in, blowing Xiao Rongyu's long hair over her shoulders and rustling the pleats of Shen Youchu's skirt.

"Sister Rongyu," Shen Youchu's voice was soft, like a petal falling onto the water's surface. "If there's something you want to say, just say it directly."

Xiao Rongyu leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, tilting her head as she looked at Shen Youchu.

Her expression wasn't as cold as it had been at the ward's entrance, but she hadn't completely relaxed either. She was like a blade tucked into its scabbard—safe to look at, but capable of drawing blood the moment it was unsheathed.

She could accept losing to Shen Youchu, but she couldn't accept Chen Yan getting a marriage certificate with another woman in such an absurd manner.

"Little Sister Youchu, are you really naive or just pretending to be?" Xiao Rongyu's voice wasn't loud, but every word was articulated clearly. "Chen Yan says you're his sister, so you really just consider yourself his sister?"

Shen Youchu's fingers twisted her skirt, her knuckles turning white. She lowered her head and stared at the tips of her shoes, remaining silent for a long time.

"If he says I'm his sister, then I'm his sister," Shen Youchu finally spoke, her voice muffled and nasal. "I don't want to make things difficult for him."

"So you're just going to stand by and watch him be snatched away by another woman?"

Shen Youchu looked up, her eyes red but without tears. She looked at Xiao Rongyu, and in those usually submissive eyes, something indescribable was surging—like an undercurrent beneath a lake's surface, invisible but very much there.

"Sister Rongyu," Shen Youchu's voice trembled slightly. "You said you and Brother Yan were each other's first loves, so why did you break up with him?"

Xiao Rongyu's expression froze for a moment.

Shen Youchu didn't wait for an answer before speaking again, her voice even softer this time. "I was young back then, but I remember. I remember Brother Yan being very sad during that time. He sat alone under the old locust tree in the backyard from the afternoon until dark. I went to call him for dinner, and he said he wasn't hungry. But I knew he was, because he'd only had a bowl of porridge for lunch."

Xiao Rongyu uncrossed her arms, letting them hang at her sides. Her fingers curled slightly.

"I don't understand adult matters," Shen Youchu continued. "I don't understand first loves or any of that. I only know that when Brother Yan was sad, I was the one by his side. When he had a fever, I was the one who put cold towels on his forehead. When he was being bullied, I was the one standing in front of him with a broom. Though he always said later that I was being meddlesome, and that my broom couldn't even kill a chicken."

As Shen Youchu said this, the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily, as if she were remembering a warm scene. But that curve only lasted for a second before falling away.

"Sister Rongyu, you were his first love, so do you know what his favorite food is?"

Xiao Rongyu did not speak.

"He loves sweet and sour pork ribs the most," Shen Youchu said. "But he never says it because he thinks they're too expensive. Every time he takes me to the cafeteria, he lets me order what I like, saying he's not a picky eater. But I know what he likes; I can tell by which dish his chopsticks reach for most often."

"He likes drinking plain water; he doesn't like soft drinks. He says the more you drink them, the thirstier you get, so plain water is best. His clothes are always only black, white, or gray—not because he likes them, but because he doesn't know how to coordinate outfits, and he says those three colors are the safest. He kicks the blankets in his sleep, grinds his teeth, and talks in his sleep. When he talks in his sleep, he's called many people's names—he's called Director Mother, he's called me, he's called..."

Shen Youchu paused and looked at Xiao Rongyu.

"He's called you."

Xiao Rongyu's eyes instantly turned red.

She had no idea about any of these things.

"He called your name," Shen Youchu's voice was as light as a breath. "Once he had a high fever of forty degrees and was completely delirious. I stayed by his side all night. In the middle of the night, he suddenly grabbed my hand and called out 'Rongyu,' then fell silent. I didn't know who Rongyu was back then. It wasn't until you came looking for him later that I found out."

The hallway remained silent for a long time.

Xiao Rongyu tilted her head back, looking at the fluorescent light on the ceiling. The light made her face look somewhat pale. She blinked, forcing back the mist in her eyes, then looked down at Shen Youchu.

Regret. She was so full of regret. She had left him when he loved her the most. Over those years, his heart must have been so bitter.

"Little Sister Youchu," Xiao Rongyu's voice was tight, but her tone remained steady. "What are you trying to tell me by saying all this? That you know him better than I do? That you're more worthy of him than I am?"

"No," Shen Youchu shook her head. "I want to tell you that Brother Yan deserves to be treated well. Whether that person is me, you, or CEO Liu. As long as someone is truly good to him, I'll be happy."

Xiao Rongyu looked at Shen Youchu's face, which was so sincere it was almost transparent, and suddenly laughed.

It wasn't a smile of mockery or helplessness, but a bitter one. For the first time, Xiao Rongyu admitted defeat.

"Shen Youchu, you really are a fool," Xiao Rongyu shook her head. "Do you think love is like buying things? That he'll just go with whoever is good to him? If you give him up to someone else, will he really be happy?"

Shen Youchu was stunned for a moment.

Honestly, Shen Youchu had never even considered that question.

"Do you know why Chen Yan treats you so specially?" Xiao Rongyu took two steps forward until she was right in front of Shen Youchu. She looked down at her, the distance between the two girls so close they could see the curve of each other's eyelashes. "Because he feels you are his responsibility. You were his only light in that broken Orphanage, the only beauty, the only person who made him feel that his life had some meaning."

"He doesn't think of you as a sister," Xiao Rongyu's voice was very low, low enough that only Shen Youchu could hear. "He thinks of you as his life."

At that moment, Shen Youchu's tears finally fell.

Silently, one after another, they hit the floor tiles of the hallway, shattering into even smaller droplets.

Xiao Rongyu was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and wiped the tears from Shen Youchu's face.

That hand was very cold, and her fingertips carried a faint scent of hand cream—an expensive brand, the kind that was never found in the Orphanage.

Shen Youchu looked up, her vision blurred by tears, at Xiao Rongyu.

"Little Sister Youchu, I understand men better than you do," Xiao Rongyu's voice carried the weariness of someone who had been through it all. "Men are creatures who don't even understand what's going on in their own hearts. And you..."

Xiao Rongyu paused, her thumb gently brushing Shen Youchu's cheekbone to wipe away the last tear.

"You've been growing in his heart for eleven years. Eleven years is enough for a tree to grow from a seed to flowering and bearing fruit. Do you think he can just pull you out by the roots?"

Shen Youchu was speechless.

It felt as if something was blocking her throat; all her words were stuck there, unable to go up or down. She could only look at Xiao Rongyu with those watery eyes, like a drowning person clutching at a final piece of driftwood.

"So I'm asking you," Xiao Rongyu withdrew her hand and took a step back, resuming her earlier posture with crossed arms. However, the coldness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by something more complex and warm.

Shen Youchu shook her head vigorously.

This time, she didn't hesitate, didn't dodge, and didn't lower her head. She looked into Xiao Rongyu's eyes and shook her head. The movement wasn't large, but it was firm.

"I don't want to," Shen Youchu's voice was still trembling, but her tone was different from before, containing something that hadn't been there until now. "Sister Rongyu, I don't want to."

The corners of Xiao Rongyu's mouth turned up slightly.

The curve wasn't large, but it was enough for Shen Youchu to see.

"Then what do you plan to do?"

Shen Youchu opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her mind was spinning rapidly, but the thoughts coming out were a mess—like a box of spilled puzzle pieces; every piece was there, but they wouldn't fit together.

"I don't know," Shen Youchu said honestly. "I've never competed with anyone for anything. At the Orphanage, I gave all the good things to others. At school, I gave up my scholarship spots to those who needed them more."

She paused and took a deep breath.

"But Brother Yan... Brother Yan isn't an object. No, I don't mean it like that... I mean, Brother Yan isn't something that can be given away. He's a person with his own thoughts and choices. I can't just snatch him away from CEO Liu, because that's not his wish. If he really likes CEO Liu, then nothing I do will matter."

Xiao Rongyu arched an eyebrow. "So you plan to do nothing?"

"I didn't say I was going to do nothing," Shen Youchu's voice suddenly rose a bit. Realizing she was too loud, she quickly covered her mouth and glanced toward the ward. The door was closed; there was no movement.

She lowered her hand and whispered, "I just don't want to use the wrong methods. Brother Yan hates it most when people lie to him, scheme against him, or treat him like a fool. If I were like... like Chen Yan, doing all those convoluted things, Brother Yan would hate me."

Looking at Shen Youchu's intensely earnest eyes, Xiao Rongyu suddenly burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Shen Youchu asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"I'm laughing at myself," Xiao Rongyu shook her head. "I, Xiao Rongyu, have never deferred to anyone in my life, but I defer to you, Shen Youchu. You really are so foolish that it feels like a sin not to give you a hand."

"Even though, strictly speaking, you and I are also love rivals."

Shen Youchu blinked, not quite understanding what Xiao Rongyu was saying.

"What I mean is—" Xiao Rongyu drew out the last word before changing the subject. "How much do you know about Liu Ruyan?"

Shen Youchu shook her head. "Not much. I just know she's the daughter of the Liu family, very rich, very beautiful, and very capable."

"And?"

"And... she seems to be very good to Brother Yan. Just now in the hallway, she held Brother Yan's arm and said he was her husband. She also said Brother Yan can't act and that he's upright. The way she looks at Brother Yan..." Shen Youchu thought for a moment, finding the word she felt was most accurate. "It's very serious."

Xiao Rongyu let out a cold laugh. "Serious? How many days has she known Chen Yan? Not even a month, right? Can one month of being 'serious' compare to eleven years of feelings?"

"But..." Shen Youchu hesitated. "Feelings aren't something where you win just because you've known someone longer, right?"

Xiao Rongyu was momentarily speechless.

She looked at Shen Youchu with a complex expression. This girl seemed soft and spoke in a tiny voice, like a butterfly that could be blown away by the wind at any moment, but every sentence she spoke struck a vital point, leaving one speechless.

"You're right," Xiao Rongyu admitted. "Feelings don't depend on how long you've known someone. But I know the type of person Liu Ruyan is."

"What type of person?"

"A merchant," Xiao Rongyu's tone turned cold. "Everything she does has a purpose, and every word she says is calculated. She's good to Chen Yan because Chen Yan is useful. Chen Yan is the twin brother of Chen Yan, an unexpected variable in the Heavenly Palace circle, a card in her hand. You think she really likes Chen Yan? She likes an obedient, useful, and decent-looking card."

Shen Youchu frowned.

She didn't quite understand the intricacies of the business world, nor did she understand things like the Heavenly Palace or 'cards.' But she understood one thing—she understood Chen Yan.

"Sister Rongyu," Shen Youchu spoke up. Her voice wasn't loud, but she was earnest. "I don't understand the things you're saying. But I trust Brother Yan's judgment. If CEO Liu were really just using him, Brother Yan would definitely see through it. Brother Yan isn't stupid; he's just soft-hearted."

Xiao Rongyu's expression changed slightly.

"Furthermore," Shen Youchu took a deep breath, as if summoning all her courage. "Even if CEO Liu is serious, and even if Brother Yan really likes her, I won't give up. I can wait by his side, waiting for when Brother Yan might look back at me. I can wait for a year, two years, ten years, twenty years. I'm not afraid of waiting."

These words were spoken very softly, as if squeezed out of her throat. But the weight with which they landed was as heavy as a nail driven into the hallway tiles, impossible to pull out.

Xiao Rongyu stared at Shen Youchu for a full five seconds before reaching out and taking Shen Youchu's hand.

That hand was still cold, but this time there was no scent of hand cream.

"Little Sister Youchu," Xiao Rongyu's voice suddenly became very soft and gentle, completely different from her usual clear, stream-like tone. "Let's join forces."

Shen Youchu was stunned. "Join forces?"

"Yes," Xiao Rongyu nodded. "Join forces to oppose Liu Ruyan."

"But... but didn't you say you and Brother Yan were each other's first loves?" Shen Youchu was a bit confused. "If you join forces with me, then... then won't you also..."

"Also have to compete with you?" Xiao Rongyu finished the sentence for her.

Shen Youchu blushed and nodded.

Xiao Rongyu smiled, a smile filled with an indescribable bitterness.

"Little Sister Youchu, I'm different from you. I missed my chance with him," Xiao Rongyu said, her gaze falling on the window at the end of the hallway. Outside was a gray sky, with neither sun nor clouds visible. "Breaking up with him was my choice. I had my reasons—reasons that don't seem like much now, but felt very important at the time."

"I want to win him back now, but I'm not sure if I have the right." Xiao Rongyu withdrew her gaze and looked at Shen Youchu. "So I'll help you. Not because I don't want to win, but because I've been losing for too long. I want to see if a person who is truly good to him can actually win against all those schemes and interests."

"If I lose to you, I'll accept it. But Liu Ruyan won't do."

Shen Youchu's eyes turned red again.

"Sister Rongyu..."

"Don't cry," Xiao Rongyu raised a hand to stop her. "I can't stand seeing people cry. If you cry again, I'll change my mind."

Shen Youchu sniffed hard, forcing her tears back. With red eyes, she looked at Xiao Rongyu and nodded vigorously.

"Okay," Shen Youchu's voice still sounded like she was on the verge of crying, but her tone was much firmer than before. "Sister Rongyu, I promise you. We'll together... together..."

"Together, we'll oppose Liu Ruyan," Xiao Rongyu finished for her, then extended her pinky finger. "Come, pinky swear."

Shen Youchu looked at the pinky finger Xiao Rongyu held out and was stunned.

In her impression, Xiao Rongyu had always been a cold, distant existence. When she was with Chen Yan, Shen Youchu was still small and only knew that Chen Yan had a very beautiful girlfriend—a girlfriend who spoke fast, walked fast, and whose laughter sounded like wind chimes.

She never imagined that one day Xiao Rongyu would stand before her, extending a finger and asking for a pinky swear.

Shen Youchu extended her pinky and hooked it with Xiao Rongyu's.

The two girls' fingers intertwined—one as white as porcelain, the other as pink as a peach blossom.

"Pinky swear, hang it on a hook, it can't change for a hundred years," Xiao Rongyu said.

"Pinky swear, hang it on a hook, it can't change for a hundred years," Shen Youchu repeated.

The hallway was silent for a moment, and then both of them laughed.

Shen Youchu's smile was the shy kind, slowly rippling out from the corners of her mouth...