No use thinking about it — she gave up. Yan Yunning rose from her seat and walked out of the restaurant. She had just rounded the corner when a girl collapsed right in front of her.

The girl was dressed head to toe in expensive designer labels, her hair fanned loose around her. Yan Yunning couldn’t make out her face at first. She glanced up and swept her eyes around — the restaurant entrance had four or five security cameras mounted to it.

So she called emergency services, then crouched down, parted the girl’s hair to check for breathing, and when she saw the girl’s face, Yan Yunning’s pupils contracted slightly. “Ranran? Ranran, can you hear me?”

She didn’t dare lift Xuan Zhaoran upright. After confirming that Xuan Zhaoran was still breathing, she waited anxiously on the spot for the paramedics.

They didn’t take long to arrive. Yan Yunning went to the hospital along with Xuan Zhaoran.

——

Hospital corridor.

The doctor’s expression was somewhat grave as he held the test results and looked toward Yan Yunning. “Are you the patient’s family?”

Yan Yunning’s throat tightened. “What is it — is it serious?”

“The glucose concentration in her blood fell below the normal range, causing the fainting. If no one had found her, it could indeed have become quite serious.”

The corner of Yan Yunning’s mouth twitched. “Low blood sugar.”

“That’s right. She’s regained consciousness and can be discharged now.” The doctor gave a few more instructions, then walked away with the test report.

Yan Yunning breathed out, hand over her heart. That had given her a fright.

Xuan Zhaoran pushed open the hospital room door and gratefully took Yan Yunning’s hands in hers, her voice soft and faintly syrupy. “Thank you for saving me. If it weren’t for you, I might have just slipped away. I’m Xuan Zhaoran — what’s your name, Sister?”

“Yan Yunning.”

Xuan Zhaoran blinked. “Ningning, you saved me today. My parents are definitely going to thank you properly. Come home with me for dinner — I want to thank you properly.”

“There’s no need — I only made a phone call.” Yan Yunning smiled and declined.

“No, no — you’re my lifesaver. If you won’t come home with me for dinner, then…” Xuan Zhaoran reached into her bag, pulled out a card, and held it out to Yan Yunning with a bright smile. “If you refuse me again, I really won’t stand for it.”

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together and pushed the card back. “Let’s go for dinner.”

“Alright.” Xuan Zhaoran linked arms with her, the corners of her mouth curving up. “Ningning, my parents are very easy to be around. My mom is very gentle, my dad is very gentle, my sister is very gentle too — the whole family is very easy to get along with.”

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. It was just dinner.

“And of course,” Xuan Zhaoran added airily, “my brother is also very wonderful.”

Yan Yunning laughed despite herself. The whole family was very gentle, and then, almost as an afterthought — my brother is very wonderful.

“When we get to my house, don’t feel constrained — just treat it like your own home. You’re my lifesaver, so my parents are definitely going to adore you.” Xuan Zhaoran chattered on.

Yan Yunning felt something was off. Smiling, she said, “Ranran, I wouldn’t want to impose on your uncle and aunt — why don’t we go to a restaurant instead?”

Xuan Zhaoran’s eyes filled without warning with tears. She bit her lip. “Ningning, you don’t know, but whenever I go somewhere crowded like a restaurant, I start to feel unwell. So…”

Yan Yunning watched her steadily, unable to tell whether it was a performance or not. “They have private rooms. We could take a private room.”

“Alright.” Xuan Zhaoran took a steadying breath, bracing herself, and said with exaggerated solemnity, “Ningning, if I faint again, remember to send me to the hospital.”

Yan Yunning frowned at her. After a long pause, she relented. “Fine. Let’s go to your house.”

“I can push through it. Ningning, let’s go to a restaurant.” Xuan Zhaoran spoke in a gentle, delicate voice.

Yan Yunning replied unhurriedly, “Alright. Thank you, Ranran, for being willing to push through it for my sake.”

Xuan Zhaoran: “……!!!”

In the end, they didn’t go to a restaurant at all. They arrived at the Xuan Residence. Out of courtesy, Yan Yunning stopped on the way when they passed a shopping mall, asking the driver to pull over so she could buy some gifts — but she didn’t notice Xuan Zhaoran dart in and pay for everything first.

She said it was because Yan Yunning was her lifesaver and she couldn’t possibly let her spend money.

Yan Yunning was at a loss. Now that they had arrived at the Xuan Residence, she wasn’t even sure whether she should bring the gifts inside, given that she hadn’t been the one to pay for them.

“Let’s go, Ningning.” Xuan Zhaoran stepped out of the car, eyes sparkling as she carried the gifts.

“Mm.” Yan Yunning went ahead and lent a hand.

“Welcome, Miss Yan. Welcome home, Second Young Miss.” The moment they stepped into the estate grounds, Yan Yunning got quite a shock.

Bodyguards and servants stood in four rows, bowing respectfully in unison, voices raised to welcome both her and Ranran home.

Xuan Zhaoran cleared her throat — she had clearly been startled too. She promptly composed her expression and said coolly, “Back to whatever you were doing.”

“Yes, Second Young Miss.” Everyone answered in unison.

Yan Yunning spotted Shiyao among the group and frowned, mildly taken aback. “Ranran, why is Shiyao wearing a servant’s uniform?”

“She’s our household staff.” Xuan Zhaoran freed one hand and took Yan Yunning’s, stepping up the stairs.

“Oh my, Miss Yan, let me take those — how can you be carrying things up the stairs? What if you trip and fall? Second Young Miss called ahead and told us — you’re her lifesaver, the most precious guest we have. We can’t have you getting so much as a scrape.” Nanny Feng took the gifts from Yan Yunning’s hands and supported her arm.

Yan Yunning laughed awkwardly. The stairs were carpeted with soft rugs, and the gifts she had been carrying weren’t even as many as what Ranran had in her hands — how would she trip? The hospitality was so warm she almost didn’t know how to take it.

She who had merely “saved a life” by dialing one phone number — this precious?

In the main hall were Xuan Shi’an, Wen Shuyun, Xuan Zhaoyang, the little one Xu Mochen, the little one’s father, and others. Everyone in the family was present — everyone except Xuan Yanyu.

The little one was in his father’s arms, chewing on a finger as he studied Yan Yunning. He thought he had seen this older sister before — she was the one on Uncle’s phone, that time he had fed Uncle some fruit.

“Ningning, Xiao Ran told me everything — if it weren’t for you, something truly terrible could have happened.” Wen Shuyun pulled Yan Yunning down to sit beside her on the sofa, looking at her with warm, maternal affection. “Ningning, thank goodness you were there.”

A light smile played at the corners of Yan Yunning’s brows. “Auntie, it was really nothing — I just happened to be there, it was just a matter of making a phone call. Please don’t take it to heart.”

“But we do have to thank you. Besides, I’ve always heard your mother speak of you — she’s always saying her little Ningning is so beautiful, and now that I see you for myself, she was absolutely right.” Wen Shuyun looked at Yan Yunning with evident approval.

What a girl — those big, bright eyes, that lovely face, the puffy bun on her head, brimming with youthful energy. In the end, it was their Yuer who was punching above his weight.

Yan Yunning was slightly startled. “Auntie, you know my mother?”

Wen Shuyun smiled and patted her head gently. “I do. We even get together for meals quite often.”

“That’s right, Ningning — Uncle knows your father as well. That time our household staff — Shiyao — deliberately made things difficult for you, your father Old Yan gave me quite an earful, telling me in no uncertain terms that you must never be made to suffer here.”

Xuan Shi’an gave a warm chuckle at that. “Old Yan didn’t even need to say it — Uncle wouldn’t have let you suffer anyway.”

Yan Yunning was a little surprised.

“Ningning, once your parents are back from their travels, we’ll all have to get together properly.” Xuan Shi’an smiled, the warmth reaching the corners of his eyes.

“My parents went on a trip?” Yan Yunning was even more surprised.

She, their own daughter, hadn’t known — yet outsiders already did.

“That’s right — they just set off this morning. They probably haven’t had a chance to tell you yet.” Xuan Shi’an accepted the fruit platter a servant passed him and pushed it in Yan Yunning’s direction, then, without drawing any attention to the gesture, exchanged a meaningful glance with Wen Shuyun.

Across the room, Xuan Zhaoran let out a quiet sigh. When it came to scheming, who could outdo her father?

Who could even compare with him???