The familiar tone of gentleness slowly made its way into Ling Chuxia’s ears. Though she was still somewhat groggy, now she was instantly awake. Her eyes shot wide open, her voice still a bit hoarse with sleep, yet she was incredulous, "Elder sister? You, you’re back?"
A light laugh seemed to come from the other end, sweet and pleasing to the ear, "Why so surprised? Didn’t I tell you that I would be back soon?"
Ling Chuxia’s eyes remained widely opened, completely unable to process the information.
Ling Yunshu seemed to sense her astonishment and confusion and did not rush her. After waiting for a while, she spoke gently, "I just got off the plane. Are you coming to pick me up?"
Ling Chuxia struggled to gather her thoughts, let out a hum of acknowledgment, and Ling Yunshu told her roughly where she was waiting before hanging up the phone.
Ling Chuxia lay stunned on the bed for several minutes, listening to the dial tone in her ear. Her muddled brain gradually began to clear.
Elder sister has come back... Elder sister has come back!
Unconsciously, Ling Chuxia stretched out her hand and pinched her own cheek forcefully. Pain surged in, and Ling Chuxia winced slightly, but then she leaped up from the bed with a start.
She wasn’t dreaming—her elder sister was truly back! And now, she had to go to the airport to pick up her sister!
Ling Chuxia took a deep breath, trying hard to digest the news. Yet, whether she had been looking forward to it for too long or it was just too sudden, for a moment, she didn’t quite know how to react.
Feeling weak in her arms and legs, she got up from the bed, entered the bathroom, absently finished washing up, then randomly changed into another outfit. She grabbed her purse and walked downstairs.
As Ling Chuxia descended the staircase, Sister Hua was cleaning the floor-to-ceiling windows. Seeing her come down, she respectfully greeted her and asked if she wanted breakfast, but Ling Chuxia seemed as if she heard none of it and went straight for the door.
While putting on her shoes, Ling Chuxia subconsciously chose flats, and after slipping them on, she walked out the front door without looking back.
Sister Hua’s gaze followed Ling Chuxia until she vanished from sight, full of confusion. What had gotten into the Young Madam?
Ling Chuxia left the villa, hailed a taxi, told the driver her destination, and the car set off toward the airport.
The villa wasn’t very far from the airport—just about a twenty-minute ride. The taxi quickly arrived at the airport entrance, Ling Chuxia paid the fare, got out of the car, and went towards the airport.
It was only as she set foot in the airport that Ling Chuxia’s drifting consciousness began to gradually settle, slowly returning to full lucidity.
Elder sister was back, and she would soon be able to see her...
It had been three years!
During those three years, she thought of her elder sister constantly, wondering whether she was doing well alone outside, if she was eating well, dressing well, sleeping well, if someone was bullying her, and also when she would come back, when she could see her again, when she could hold her once more.
When she left, it was with such sorrow; did she cry to herself every night? That gentle sister, could she really be okay on her own?
Whenever these thoughts crossed her mind, her heart ached terribly, wishing she could find her sister immediately and bring her back.
Now, at last, she was back!
Thinking of all this, a moistness unexpectedly welled up in the corners of Ling Chuxia’s eyes.