CH 16.1

The Villainess is Three and a Half Years Old Chapter 16.1

unedited

“Go?” Ye Ya rubbed her eyes, still drowsy, “Where?”

Where?

How would Ye Qinghe guess where they are going? He just knew that they had to leave home first.

He didn’t open the light, and managed to get Ye Ya dressed in the dark. He took her bag, stuffed her water bottle, colored pencils, and snacks all in, placed her yellow hat on her head, held her up, and left.

The living room was dark. The housekeeper and the nanny were both sound asleep.

Afraid of waking up his father, Ye Qinghe walked extremely slowly and quietly down the stairs and snuck outside.

“Brother,” as the cold wind blew on her, Ye Ya was completely awake. “Where are we going?”

“You’re going to come to school with me,” Ye Qinghe found his bike’s key in his bag, opened the lock, put his bag in the basket, and helped her onto the backseat.

“Yaya has to hold on to Brother, or else you will fall.”

Ye Ya nodded in the backseat.

“Then we’ll get going.”

Ye Ya tried her best to keep her tired eyes open, her two short arms tightly wrapped around Ye Qinghe’s waist.

The bike left the mansion, traveling alone on the empty, twisting street.

Ye Ya turned her head to look at the saplings on the side of the road. She felt extremely well, “Good morning, saplings.”

The saplings bent their twigs, answering her greeting.

She happily laughed, putting her cheek on Ye Qinghe’s shoulder.

After 20 minutes, Ye Qinghe reached the nearest bus stop. He locked his bike and pulled Ye Ya onto the bus. This area is quite remote, so there’s only one bus in the area, plus it was early, so the bus was pretty empty. Ye Qinghe had decided to bring his sister to school. Father couldn’t just come to school to find him right?

After they got on, Ye Ya grew sleepy again, and fell asleep on her brother’s legs. They had already reached the city as she opened her eyes.

The streets were empty, not many people were around. The usual-busy streets appeared extra cold and empty.

“Brother, I’m hungry.” Ye Ya covered her flat stomach with an unstopping rumbling sound.

It was almost dawn, the night slowly backing away. It was only five thirty, the breakfast stalls around were not even open yet.

Just as Ye Qinghe was getting concerned about what to do, Ye Ya suddenly pointed at the trash can across the street and yelled in delight, “Brother Shen Zhou.”

Ye Qinghe looked over.

In his gaze, his always-cold-and-quiet deskmate was— picking trash.

Ye Qinghe’s eyelid twitches and he surprisingly was thinking about going over to say hi.

“Brother Shen Zhou!” Ye Ya didn’t bother as much, and instantly jumped up to wave at Shen Zhou. As he heard the yelling, Shen Zhou lifted his gaze and stared right into Ye Qinghe’s eyes.

Ye Qinghe felt so awkward. He held on to Ye Ya and turned away.

After a while, Shen Zhou carried his sack and walked over.

“Ye Qinghe?” In the morning sun, the young boy’s voice contained a hint of coldness.

Ye Qinghe forcibly turned around, and then forcibly greeted him, “Morning, Shen Zhou…”

Shen Zhou looked at Ye Qinghe, and then Ye Ya; he seemed a bit surprised, “Why are you here?”

“Something… unexpected… happened.” He glanced at Shen Zhou, “What about you? What are you doing out this early?”

“Picking some bottles to sell.”

Ye Qinghe didn’t speak.

In order to not make Shen Zhou feel burdened, Ye Qinghe made sure that the amount he donated was reasonable. It was definitely enough to pay for the two brothers’ daily expenses.

Ye Qinghe couldn't keep this to himself, and asked carefully, “I thought… that you already have donors?”

“Oh.” Shen Zhou held his sack tightly, “No one’s going to fund you for life, and you can’t keep accepting money from others. I have to make as much as possible now, so if anything were to happen, at least Ranran will not starve.”

Ye Qinghe did not say more.

As long as their family did not go bankrupt, there was no way that the two brothers would ever starve.

“Brother, I’m hungry…” Ye Ya tugged onto Ye Qinghe’s sleeves, trying to ask for food again.

Shen Zhou saw the distress in the siblings’ eyes, and invited them without hesitation, “If you don’t mind, you can eat at my house. I was just going to make breakfast for Ranran.”

Ye Qinghe held Ye Ya firmly and went home with Shen Zhou.

The area that Shen Zhou lived in, the Shijin Cave, was cramped between tall apartments, which completely covered the sunlight from reaching. This place was dark, damp, and narrow. The low and broken tube-shaped apartment contrasted gravely with the elegance of the back street. Some say the Shijin Cave Area was a place abandoned by the city, they called it the “rat hole,” because they believed everyone who lived here were stinky rats.

Around five to six in the morning was the busiest time of Shijin Cave. The workers were all getting ready, some entering and some exiting, some smoking and some cursing, and also some working in dirty businesses trying to get male and female customers off of the streets.

Ye Qinghe had obviously never been to such places. As he saw these scenes, he was horrified and held Ye Ya even tighter, refusing to fall behind Shen Zhou even for a bit.

He lived in the furthest apartment in the area, on the first floor.

Shen Zhou took out the keys, opened the door, and invited the siblings in.