You Betrayed Me

A few days later, in the afternoon.

“Ding-dong——”

“Ding-dong——”

“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-dong——”

The doorbell was being pressed repeatedly, accompanied by the sound of the door opening. Bai Yuyou blinked her beautiful eyes, her gaze landing on the figure outside the door.

Outside stood a girl with twin-tailed blonde hair, followed by a giant as wide as a door panel.

Naturally, it was Alice and Bobo.

“You took so long to open the door! When I come over, you shouldn’t lock the door!” Alice immediately pointed a finger and said.

“…” Bai Yuyou silently stared at Alice for a few seconds before making a thoughtful expression, tilting her head. “Hmm, what are you here for today?”

“Huh?” Alice bared her little fangs, hands on her hips. “I was invited over by my Seat!”

“Where is she?!”

“Seat…” Bai Yuyou knew that Alice called Ye Shuang her “Seat.” She paused, then let Alice and Bobo come inside first. Alice strode into the room, glanced around left and right, and finally her gaze fell on someone in the living room. Her expression froze slightly.

Plainly dressed Aunt Xian and a few others, including Ye Shuang, were sitting on the sofa. Perhaps they had already prepared themselves. Compared to Alice’s stiff expression, Aunt Xian’s throat bobbed as she forced a smile.

“Come over and sit, dear daughter.”

The familiar yet unfamiliar address made Alice feel as if she had been pricked by a needle. She took a few steps back, staring suspiciously at Aunt Xian.

“Who are you talking to?!” Alice was like a hedgehog, fiercely protecting her heart, as if terrified of being hurt again.

At that moment, Ye Shuang, who had been sitting beside Aunt Xian, smiled and said,

“Alice, come over. Here, sit next to me.”

Alice suddenly seemed to realize something, looking like she wanted to flee. “I’m leaving! I don’t feel well!”

But before she could finish, a hand larger than her own shoulder appeared behind her, gently pressing down on her shoulder. “Miss Alice, let’s go over there.”

“Bobo, you?!”

Alice looked toward Ye Shuang, then noticed Bobo behind her, clearly not letting her leave. She snorted decisively, walked straight over to Ye Shuang, and first glanced at the empty space beside her—

Then, in the next second, she crossed her arms and sat sideways across Ye Shuang’s thighs.

Because of this sideways position, she ended up with her back to Aunt Xian.

Seeing Alice acting like a little bundle of anger, Ye Shuang offered a tentative smile. “Aunt Xian has a concert in a few days. Do you want to come along?”

“Ha, why would I want to go? I’m a star too, very busy,” Alice scoffed, blowing on her pink nails.

“I asked Bobo. You have those days off.”

“…” Alice’s shoulder trembled. She suddenly widened her eyes and glared at Bobo in the distance, her expression as if to say, You betrayed me?.

Bobo replied, “Miss Alice, this isn’t something that needs to be hidden.”

“Hmph.” Alice’s cheeks puffed up.

Ye Shuang watched her sulky look, smiled gently, and lightly pinched her arm. “Okay? Don’t be mad.”

“Dear daughter, come join us,” Aunt Xian also spoke up.

“…” Alice covered her ears.

Aunt Xian reached out, but the moment she touched Alice, the girl seemed to bristle like a cat, jumping down from Ye Shuang. She snapped angrily,

“You told me to get lost before! What are you doing here now?!”

“I hate you!”

With that, Alice turned and ran. But since Bobo was blocking the front door, she instead dashed up to the second floor.

Perhaps sensing her daughter’s intense resistance, Aunt Xian’s mood visibly dampened.

“It failed,” Bai Yuyou and Keke exchanged glances.

But Ye Shuang shook his head. “No, letting it out is better. Alice has always had that knot in her heart. Venting it is better than a cold war.”

“Yes,” Bobo agreed with Ye Shuang. A cold war’s worst enemy is being frozen for too long—if it goes on long enough, even a warm relationship turns cold.

When indifference sets in, it signals the end of the bond.

Exploding like this is far better than silence. After all, Aunt Xian had genuinely cared for Alice for over a decade; that kind of bond is hard to sever.

“I don’t know what to do anymore. I know it’s not that child’s fault…”

Aunt Xian murmured, but Bai Yuyou took her hand and gently patted it. “It’s okay. Actually, Alice cares about you a lot.”

“I…”

Just then, Bobo spoke up. “Ye Shuang, why don’t you go upstairs and check on Miss Alice?”

Me?

Ye Shuang didn’t hesitate long, standing up immediately. “I’ll go take a look.”

Upstairs, Ye Shuang glanced around and finally noticed her own tightly shut bedroom door.

In my room, huh.

She placed her hand on the doorknob and twisted it gently, but it wouldn’t budge—clearly locked from the inside.

“Hmm…”

Ye Shuang lightly knocked. “Alice, it’s me, Ye Shuang. Can you open the door?”

There was no response from inside.

---

At that moment, inside Ye Shuang’s room, Alice was lying on her side, clutching a pillow. Her tears had already soaked the pillowcase, but she lay perfectly still.

Liar, they’re all liars.

Liar!

You told me to leave before, shouted at me, and now you smile and call me ‘dear daughter’? What does this even mean?!

Alice hugged the pillow tighter, her eyes red.

Does a smile just erase everything?!

Impossible!

Just then, the sound of the lock clicking came from the door—Alice heard it clearly. Without a doubt, someone had found the key and opened it.

Footsteps drew closer. Just as Alice was about to jump up and resist, the person seemed to sit down beside her on the bed.

Alice glanced sideways and saw Ye Shuang’s back.

“…” Alice said nothing.

Ye Shuang also said nothing.

One lay on her side, the other sat at the bedside. They stayed like that in silence for a full ten-plus minutes.

Until Alice could no longer bear Ye Shuang’s quietness. She propped herself up and turned her head to see what Ye Shuang was doing—but in the next second—

She met Ye Shuang’s smiling, dark eyes staring straight at her.

“Hmph!” Realizing Ye Shuang had been watching her the whole time, Alice quickly turned her head away again.

She even hugged the pillow tighter, so tightly it pressed against her slender waist.

Seeing Alice curled up like that, Ye Shuang scooted back a little until she could clearly see Alice’s face.

“What do you want?” Alice pouted.