Clearing Up

By the time Lu Qing left the hospital, it was already 3 PM.

He didn’t linger, choosing instead to use the remaining time to prepare for the upcoming live stream for Tang Hua.

“The broadcast starts at 9 PM tonight, and everything needs to be ready by 8. That leaves me with five hours to handle all the tasks on my to-do list.”

Lu Qing wasn’t the type to jot down plans in a notebook or keep a memo of his tasks.

He relied entirely on his memory.

If something was important, he’d remember it. If he forgot, it simply meant the matter wasn’t significant enough, and thus, forgetting it wasn’t a loss.

Now, standing in the crowded subway during rush hour, wearing a black mask to shield himself from the stifling air, Lu Qing decided to head home first for a quick shower before walking to Tang Hua’s place.

The day had been overwhelming.

He had originally planned to take advantage of the Sunday to visit Bai Xing at the hospital, squeezing in some time amidst his busy schedule to reassure her. But the moment he stepped into the hospital, Bai Xing’s grandmother had cornered him with an ultimatum.

This super-domain-level force field had effectively locked him and Bai Xing into a future together. No matter what, for as long as her grandmother could enjoy the remaining years of her life, the two of them had to appear as an ultra-sweet couple, at least giving the impression that they were considering marriage after graduation.

“This is bad…”

Staring at the spiritual Buddha jade pendant wrapped around his wrist, Lu Qing knew this was his “fate.”

It felt as if something had been predestined, yet at the same time, it seemed like it was always meant to be this way.

“Her grandmother only met me for the first time, yet she’s convinced I’ll bring Bai Xing happiness?”

In Lu Qing’s eyes, although Bai Xing was only a year younger than him, she seemed like a child in many ways, someone who needed his protection.

She was sharp and defensive on the outside, but on the inside, she craved affection and warmth, always seeking comfort in physical closeness.

If she were to lose her grandmother, she would indeed be like a fledgling bird lost in the dark night, plummeting aimlessly toward the ground, vulnerable to the predators lurking in the shadows.

“By entrusting me with such a precious token, her grandmother is placing her hopes in me, believing I’m worthy of Bai Xing and hoping to bless us with happiness and safety through this ‘Buddha’s protection.’ In that case, her words can’t be taken lightly.”

He ran his thumb over the contours of the pendant, feeling its cool, spiritual energy, and gradually slipped into a daze.

The look of confusion on his face had appeared countless times before.

Every time he rode the subway alone, holding onto the handrail amidst the bustling crowd, swaying with the rumbling of the train,

this sense of detachment from the world would overwhelm him, as if he had suddenly been cast into space, suffocating and terrifying.

“Tension breeds anxiety and fear.”

“If you can’t overcome fear, life will gradually sink, hitting rock bottom.”

He wasn’t taking any medication, nor had he seen a doctor.

He hadn’t gone for a checkup, and he refused to doubt himself.

If he wavered, it would mean he had lost—lost to “hypochondria,” lost to an invisible, nonexistent illness.

Lu Qing clenched his eyes shut, squeezing out the blurry substance at the corners—whether it was eye discharge or tears, he wasn’t sure.

The web of red veins in his eyes was a side effect of recent late nights and the “debt” his body had accumulated.

The dryness and stinging made him think he should stop by a pharmacy to buy some sodium hyaluronate eye drops to soothe his corneas and alleviate the symptoms brought on by the high pressure of life.

**[Buzz, buzz.]**

His phone vibrated.

He reached into his pocket, forcing his tired eyes to focus on the screen—

It was a message from Bai Xing on Feixin:

“Senior, you don’t have to take my grandmother’s words too seriously… and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I know you’re busy, and I also know you consider others’ feelings in situations like that, so… even if you forget about today, it’s okay. I really won’t blame you.”

The girl’s words carried sincerity, clearly not meant as a joke.

Unfortunately, Lu Qing didn’t think this was something he could dismiss so easily: “Tell your grandmother to focus on recovering. I’ll visit her again before her surgery. Don’t overthink things. Sometimes, things just fall into place naturally. Let it be.”

He condensed his complex thoughts into a brief reply.

It sounded like he was comforting the anxious girl, but it also felt like he was speaking to himself.

Sure enough, Bai Xing seemed reassured by his response.

The four words “Senior, you’re so kind” in her reply carried a wealth of emotions.

…

Time flew by, and it was already 4:30.

After his shower, Lu Qing stepped out of the bathroom, dried his hair, got dressed, and grabbed his notebook, tablet, and other work essentials before heading to the door.

Su Ling was still in her room practicing the piano, seemingly accustomed to her brother’s comings and goings.

Since visiting “Twilight Coffee” twice, she had undergone a subtle change in her approach to practice—less impatience, more composure.

Though her daily practice had increased from 8 hours to 9 hours, her face no longer bore the obsessive look of “practicing until her fingers bled” that she had in the beginning. Instead, she would rest when tired and resume when refreshed, cycling endlessly in a more scientific approach to practice.

The benefit was that she no longer pushed herself to the brink of madness. This kind of “inner growth” was a positive and necessary step for all great musicians, whether in their early or mid-career stages.

**[It seems Lin Mu’s influence has had a noticeable effect.]**

Lu Qing thought with satisfaction as he slung his bag over his shoulder and pushed open the door.

“Su Ling, I’m heading out. I’ll be back late tonight, so take care of dinner yourself.”

“Got it, brother. Go ahead and focus on your work.”

Su Ling, wearing headphones, turned her head and smiled toward the door.

“Mhm.”

**Click.**

The sound of the apartment door closing was unusually distinct.

About five breaths later.

Su Ling took off her headphones, picked up “Black Cat,” and slung it over her back.

Then she unplugged the audio interface cable and plugged it into the input jack of her Yamaha TH30 desktop speaker. She wiped her hands, stood up, and stretched.

With her other hand, she picked up her phone, turned on Bluetooth, connected it to the room’s Bluetooth speaker, opened “Cloud Music,” and selected the song—“The Sunny Day Just for You.”

Her expression turned serious:

“I’ve already practiced this song over 700 times behind my brother’s back.”

Out of the 9 hours she practiced daily, 7 were spent obsessively repeating this song.

She could practice it 18 times in an hour, over a hundred times in a day.

Fortunately, after Bai Xing had destroyed the home surveillance camera, her brother had taken it down to clean and store it.

He had uninstalled the app, so he couldn’t monitor the sounds inside the apartment.

Timing, location, and opportunity—everything was perfect.

“Well, before he notices…”

“I’ll practice it out loud once.”

As she thought this,

just as Lu Qing, who had forgotten his proposal document, turned back from the elevator door,

Su Ling pressed play.

…

**[Yandere Little Sister: Volume 2 · “A Sunny Day for You” · End]**

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