Chapter 69: Mango Cake
A Troubled Heart
Yu Li followed Lan Yi silently, not saying a word. Her inability to advance her powers and the red-haired girl’s urging weighed heavily on her, filling her with irritation.
Her eyelids drooped as she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her restless heart. But it was no use. For some reason, instead of the issues that should have troubled her, Fu Qingyue’s tearful face kept flashing in her mind.
Was it guilt she felt for Fu Qingyue? Or something else? She didn’t understand.
“We’re here!”
Lan Yi, leading the way, suddenly stopped and turned back with a bright smile, pointing at an ordinary building ahead.
Yu Li lifted her head in silence, her expression blank as she glanced at the cheerful Lan Yi.
She didn’t know why she had agreed to Lan Yi’s request and followed her home.
But since she was here, she wouldn’t back out.
Entering Lan Yi’s Home
Yu Li followed Lan Yi into her house, quietly slipping off her shoes and putting on slippers. Her eyes instinctively scanned the surroundings.
Compared to the places Yu Li had lived, this house was small but brimming with the warmth of daily life. A dining table and a fridge stood by the entrance, with sticky notes plastered on the fridge, likely jotting down reminders or lists.
The rest of the family didn’t seem to be home.
“Sorry, the house is a bit messy… Let’s go up to my room!” Lan Yi said apologetically to Yu Li.
“…” Yu Li remained silent, only nodding.
Seeing her agreement, Lan Yi smiled and took Yu Li’s hand, leading her upstairs to her room.
Lan Yi’s Room
Lan Yi’s room was impeccably tidy—almost excessively so. There were no unnecessary items, just a desk and a bed. The only notable object was a starry night lamp on her bedside.
Lan Yi guided Yu Li to sit on the bed.
“Yu Li, wait here for a moment. I’ll grab something to eat!” Lan Yi said before hurriedly dashing downstairs.
Watching Lan Yi’s retreating figure, Yu Li maintained her silent demeanor. She pulled out her phone, revealing a chat with Ai Xinglan.
– Yu Li: Little Ai, I’m going to Lan Yi Senior’s house today. I might not be back. – Little Ai: Huh? Lan Yi Senior? – Little Ai: Since when did you two get so close? – Little Ai: Don’t get me wrong! I’m just curious! – Little Ai: Tell me if you want, or don’t—I don’t care!
Seeing Ai Xinglan’s flustered messages, Yu Li shook her head helplessly but didn’t rush to reply. She slipped the phone back into her pocket.
Even she didn’t know how to explain this, as she herself wasn’t sure why she had come to Lan Yi’s house.
With little else in the room, Yu Li’s gaze fell on the starry night lamp. She found it hard to imagine Lan Yi’s everyday life.
The Mango Cake
In no time, Lan Yi returned, panting as she pushed open the door, holding a small cake.
“Yu… Yu Li, this is for you!” she said, presenting the cake to Yu Li.
Yu Li looked down at the cake. The cream was unevenly spread, and the mango slices on top were arranged crookedly, clearly homemade.
She instinctively picked up a small fork nearby and took a bite.
It was sweet, with a refreshing hint of mango—far better than its appearance suggested. But Yu Li’s confusion only deepened.
“Why?” Yu Li looked up, her expression puzzled as she gazed at Lan Yi.
Lan Yi blinked, equally confused, but then smiled as if realizing something. “Because I thought you’d like mango, so I made a mango cake!”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“…Oh? You don’t like mango, Yu Li?” Lan Yi asked, surprised.
“No… I mean, why are you doing this? Why invite me to your house? You know… what kind of person I am, don’t you?”
“Huh? What kind of person is Yu Li?” Lan Yi’s expression was genuinely puzzled, as if she didn’t understand.
A Tense Confrontation
Seeing this, Yu Li stabbed the fork back into the cake and approached Lan Yi with a darkened expression.
She suddenly raised her hand, pushing Lan Yi onto the bed. Yu Li straddled her, pinning Lan Yi’s hands down and looking at her from above.
“Don’t play dumb. Even if you’re naive, you must have some guesses about what I’ve done. So why are you still acting like this?”
Yu Li genuinely couldn’t understand—not Lan Yi, nor herself.
“So… that’s it?” Lan Yi suddenly let out a relieved laugh, as if she finally understood Yu Li’s awkwardness. “Because you saved me, Yu Li. So I want to repay you.”
“That wasn’t saving you. I was just using you.”
Despite Yu Li’s explanation, Lan Yi’s gentle smile didn’t waver.
“But the result is the same. You saved me, Yu Li—not just once—and helped me step out of my shadows.”
A Moment of Vulnerability
As she spoke, a trace of heartache flickered in Lan Yi’s eyes. She reached out, gently touching Yu Li’s cheek, and said softly, “You must be tired, Yu Li. I don’t know why, but… I’m always here. Whenever you need, I can be your safe haven.”
Yu Li didn’t know why Lan Yi said this, but in that moment, her heart did beat a little faster. Perhaps she felt a spark of something.
Yet, the irritation in her heart didn’t lessen. She remembered saying something similar to Fu Qingyue, only to leave her with that broken expression.
Unlike Yu Li’s lies, Lan Yi’s eyes held only sincerity. But Yu Li couldn’t easily trust her.
She couldn’t tell anyone the truth, for she herself was a being woven from lies. So, once again, Yu Li chose silence.
An Awkward Interruption
The two remained in that position, silent. Suddenly, the door swung open, and a teenage boy strolled in casually.
“Sis, the stuff in the fridge…” The boy started to speak but froze, his eyes widening.
Before him was his sister and a strange girl, practically overlapping. His sister lay beneath, smiling and stroking the girl’s face, while the stranger looked stern.
“Sorry, my bad!” Stunned at first, the boy quickly apologized, feigning calm, and slammed the door shut.
As soon as the door closed, his voice echoed from outside, “Dad! Mom! Sis brought a girlfriend home, and she’s here right now!”