She crawled to the edge of the bed and fumbled for a medicine bottle in her bag. Her fingers trembled as she pried the cap open, and with a shaky hand, she accidentally spilled more than half the bottle of capsules, which scattered all over the floor.
In a panic, she scrambled to pick them up, as carefully as if she were collecting the love and life she had once lost and regained...
One by one, she put them back into the bottle and pinched one against the light.
Her gaze was solemn yet distant.
Suddenly, she threw her head back and tossed a capsule into her mouth.
She desperately swallowed it down, then buried her head deep in the blankets, clutching the edges of the quilt tightly with both hands.
All of a sudden, her body began to convulse, falling to the floor, her hands struggling over her body incessantly, as if millions of ants were biting her, itchy and painful. Her forehead was already blurred with sweat, her damp hair sticking to her cheeks, looking wretched and weak yet not diminishing her breathtaking beauty.
A low whimper emerged from her throat; one hand pressed against her chest, suppressing the urge to vomit, which surged but was swallowed back down fiercely.
Not allowed to throw up...
At some point, her consciousness began to blur, and she thought about a day when she would be with Brother Yan, and they would have lots and lots of children. A contented smile curled on her lips as she completely passed out.
At the dining table the next morning, Zhuang Xiyue looked at the empty seat and said to the middle-aged woman standing by the side, "Aunt Lin, could you go check on Yun Ya? How come she hasn’t gotten up yet?"
Aunt Lin acknowledged and was about to head upstairs when a gentle voice descended from upstairs.
"Aunt Zhuang, there’s no need to trouble Aunt Lin."
Aunt Lin looked up and saw a tall, striking figure slowly appear at the top of the staircase, dazzling every pair of eyes that beheld her in the gentle brightness of the morning.
The young lady was dressed in a white mandarin collar shirt that perfectly concealed her slender neck, with delicate gold buttons at the neckline adding a touch of vintage elegance. Below, an A-line skirt that reached her ankles in a vibrant wine red, bold and bright. On her feet, a pair of white round-toed leather shoes, she descended the stairs slowly.
Her chestnut hair was casually draped over her shoulders, her features clean and ethereal. Her bright eyes shimmered with the mysterious and gentle light of the deep sea, unforgettable to all who saw them.
Graceful and genteel, radiant and ethereal, she truly looked like a person stepped out of a painting.
Aunt Lin inwardly sighed, no wonder the lady of the house was so fond of Miss Yun Ya; with such looks and temperament, she really was unrivaled among her peers.
Yan Ke managed to swallow his saliva, "The phrase ’a feast for the eyes’ is not an exaggeration at all. Just looking at such a face is enough to feel full without eating." Googlᴇ search n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
Yan Ke furrowed his brows slightly, scrutinizing her carefully, feeling that something about Yun Ya was amiss but unable to pinpoint what it was.
Zhuang Xiyue walked over smilingly and took her hand, "Did you sleep well last night?"
Yun Ya nodded, "I slept very well, thank you for your concern, Aunt Zhuang."
Zhuang Xiyue led her to the table and said with a smile, "I was worried you might not be accustomed to it on the first night, but I’m relieved to hear that."
Yun Ya raised her eyes and politely smiled at Yan Nanmo, "Good morning, Uncle Yan."
Yan Nanmo nodded his head.
She then looked towards the young man sitting opposite her with a cold expression, her lips slightly curved, her eyes softly rippling like the spreading of water waves, which set Yan Song’s heart racing.
"Good morning, Brother Yan."
Yan Song raised an eyebrow, his gaze circling her face. He realized what was different; she had applied light makeup, which made her even more beautiful, but it lacked something.
"Good morning," he replied, not warmly or coldly.
Yan Ke pouted discontentedly, "Miss Yun Ya, why didn’t you greet me? Playing favorites, huh?"
Yun Ya shook her head with a smile, "Why the hurry? Haven’t I gotten around to you yet?"
Zhuang Xiyue was pleased to see the three of them getting along quite harmoniously, even though Yan Song still had his irritating demeanor, it was a significant improvement from before, and she nodded contentedly.
Thinking of something, Zhuang Xiyue spoke up, "Yun Ya, now that you’re back, you should return to school. How about this: I’ll go see the principal of Yigao this morning, and you should be able to report to the school this afternoon. You’ll be at the same school as your Brother Yan; if you have any problems, just go to him. If he dares not to help you, we’ll see how I deal with him when I get back."
The same school as him? Yan Song’s eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
Then, his gaze expectantly fell upon Yun Ya.
Back to school? Yun Ya was momentarily stunned; she indeed was only fifteen, the age of a high school student in everyone’s eyes.
But how could she explain to Aunt Zhuang that she, in fact, no longer needed a high school diploma?