When Chi Chi woke up, night had completely fallen.

She’d gone to sleep angry, skipping dinner, and now that she was awake, her stomach rumbled hungrily.

The room was empty, but the lamp by her bedside was on. She didn’t even have to guess—she knew exactly who’d left it for her.

She was still upset. In her eyes, Fu Zhiyan’s hostility toward Julian Jarvis was childish—did he really think she couldn’t have her own friends? Or was it, just like before, that Fu Zhiyan still didn’t trust her?

She was tired of it. She didn’t want to be caged up, unable to do anything. She wanted her own life and friends.

In the past, she’d always depended on Fu Zhiyan—as if her whole world collapsed in his absence. But now she understood: a person needs friends and a life of their own.

Even when you have someone you love, even with a family, you should still have your own independence—not live as someone else’s possession.

It felt like a long-overdue rebellion. Chi Chi didn’t want to be controlled. To her, Fu Zhiyan’s possessiveness was just proof that he didn’t trust her.

The feeling was a constant warning—reminding her she might repeat old mistakes.

She stared at the light by her bed for a while, lost in thought, then pushed herself up. Whatever the case, she had to eat something.

Hesitating in the doorway, she eventually forced herself to open it.

The dining room was silent. Immediately, she spotted a set of carefully arranged insulated containers on the table.

Dressed in her bunny pajamas, she poked her head out. No sign of Fu Zhiyan. She walked over.

Her fluffy white slippers were nearly silent as she opened the containers.

Mmm... Sliced lotus root in vinegary sauce, sweet-and-sour spareribs, eggplant with cod, chicken soup with Chinese yam, and a bowl of sweet white fungus dessert soup.

Everything was tangy and sweet—the flavors she’d been craving. She grabbed a small bowl and spoon from the sterilizer.

She scooped some rice, then sat at the table, eating slowly by herself.

The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom. She glanced over—so Fu Zhiyan was showering.

Taking advantage of his absence, Chi Chi nibbled away at her rice, lotus root, and cod, finishing even the dessert soup.

She was full now, a look of contentment spreading across her face. Everything tasted so good.

She rubbed her happily rounded belly, put the lids back on the food, washed her bowl, and returned to her room.

Not long after, the bathroom door opened. Fu Zhiyan stepped out in his bathrobe, water droplets threading from his hair down his slightly open collar, glinting in the lamplight.

His collarbone peeked out where the robe’s collar lay loose. Tilting his head as he towel-dried his hair, he immediately noticed that the food on the table had been disturbed.

He hung the towel on the chair, lifted each lid to check.

Hmm, someone had taken a small piece—cod and lotus root—nothing else; so picky.

The dessert soup was gone. Seems she had a craving for something sweet tonight.

Pulling out a chair, he sat down idly at the table. Everything here was food Chi Chi liked, brought especially from the old family estate by the driver. Maybe it was time to ask Aunt Whitney to come stay for a while.

Fu Zhiyan polished off the leftovers from the insulated containers, thinking ahead as he ate.

After a restless night, Chi Chi slept in, and by the time she woke, sunlight was already streaming through the window.

It painted long shadows across the floor. She opened the door and spotted Fu Zhiyan working at his laptop in the dining room, then looked away.

She washed up, and by the time she came out, a hot breakfast was waiting on the table.

Fu Zhiyan’s eyes never left his computer—he didn’t look her way. He knew she was upset; if he watched her, she probably wouldn’t eat properly.

After breakfast, Cecilia Ye headed downstairs—the doctor had recommended bed rest, so she hung a "Resting" sign outside the door before going out.

The wood mallows in the courtyard hadn’t been watered in days. She grabbed the garden hose and watered the flowers.

Fine droplets shimmered in the sunlight, casting a tiny rainbow. Amused, she started to play a bit.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Chi Chi turned around.

She froze in surprise when she saw Charles Chase standing outside the garden gate. It took a second for her to recover. “Charles Chase? What are you doing here?”

Charles Chase paused in the entryway, watching her play with the water. He thought to himself, My little sister really is adorable.

"I have something to tell you. It’s important."

Dressed in a suit, his tone was firm—as if he’d gone over this conversation countless times in his mind.

Chi Chi turned off the water, set down the hose, and went to open the door.

Fu Zhiyan was watching from the balcony on the second floor. He seemed to know what Charles Chase was here to say, and a wave of anxiety flashed through him.

But he couldn’t stop this. Chi Chi deserved to know.

Charles Chase stepped inside. His clothes carried a faint scent of antiseptic—Chi Chi, having just been discharged from the hospital, recognized it instantly.

She wrinkled her nose gently, her voice soft: “Did you just come from the hospital? Did something happen?”

Her delicate hand pinched anxiously at her side, her heart uneasy.

Charles Chase looked down at her, chin raised slightly. “Let’s talk inside.”

He’d spent a few days at the hospital. Ye Jing’s surgery had gone well; after two days in the ICU, she was out of danger. As long as she kept taking her medication and recovered properly, she’d be fine for years to come.

He couldn’t wait to share this news with Chi Chi. Ever since their last meeting, this had weighed on his mind.

He didn’t want Chi Chi thinking she was abandoned in the orphanage because her parents didn’t want her. She had the most loving mother in the world, and now, she would always have a big brother too.

Of course, he also didn’t want her tangled up with Fu Zhiyan anymore. Maybe sensing something, he looked up and met Fu Zhiyan’s gaze.

Hostility flickered between the two men. Fu Zhiyan had kept an eye on Ye Jing's surgery all along and knew it had been a success. That was part of why he’d been so out of sorts last night.

Charles Chase followed Chi Chi into the house. She motioned for him to sit on the sofa. “I’ll get you some water.”

Charles Chase caught her hand, a gentle look in his eyes. “No need. Let’s talk first.”

“Oh, okay.” With her wide, deer-like eyes, Chi Chi brimmed with unease. She had no idea what he was about to say, but it clearly mattered a lot.

A jumble of thoughts raced through her mind, but she couldn’t grasp any of them. In the end, she let him lead her to the sofa. Dressed in a white sweater, the tiny bulge of her belly was just beginning to show—especially as she sat down.

Charles Chase glanced at it, a ripple of worry on his face. He reached out and patted her head. “Chi Chi, whatever I’m about to say, don’t be afraid. Your big brother is here.”

Those big eyes blinked. Charles Chase had said it many times before—that she could treat him as a big brother—but Chi Chi still hadn’t truly accepted it in her heart.

She’d always been this way—if something seemed too good to be true, she’d rather not have it at all than risk losing it.

“Okay,” she nodded.

Fu Zhiyan came downstairs and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, worry etched into his face.

Charles Chase began, “When I say I’m your brother, I mean it for real….”