If the World Had No Daylight - Chapter 8

When Bai Tian returned to school, she happened to make it just in time for Old Baldy Li’s class.

She lowered her brows and looked obedient, waiting for a fierce scolding, but the old man had no mind to bother with her. With a casual wave of his hand, he let her enter the classroom and sit down.

From this, it could be seen that this matter truly had not been suppressed.

Ye Wan had been ruthless in her actions. She had gathered all the evidence, taken the victimized girl to obtain proof, and finally gone to the police station herself as an eyewitness to give a statement.

With both physical evidence and witness testimony complete, Teacher Liu could not deny it even if he wanted to.

He probably never would have imagined that the person who reported him would be the principal’s daughter.

On this point, even the principal himself had not expected it.

On the third day after Teacher Liu was taken away by the police, Ye Wan finally returned home.

She could not hide outside forever. This was also why Ye Chengze had not called her even once.

He had suppressed the news from the city’s daily newspapers and various news stations through all kinds of means, but there was no way to block the parents’ association. Ye Chengze made call after call, and even by ten-thirty that night, he was still everywhere begging people for help.

Even he himself could not remember how many years it had been since he had acted this humble. With even the slightest carelessness, even taking the blame and resigning might not be enough to calm this matter down. And the one who had caused all of this was that obedient daughter of his whom everyone praised.

The Ye family’s house was located in a villa neighborhood in the suburbs. It was one of the family properties left behind by Ye Wan’s grandfather. Even without a father who was a principal, Ye Wan was truly a third-generation rich girl.

By the time she took a taxi home, it was almost eleven.

The lights on the second floor were on. Ye Wan wore earphones and listened to her MP3 player. After entering the house and changing her shoes, she walked toward her room without the slightest intention of seeing her biological father, whom she had not met in several days.

Ye Chengze, who had come out of the study in a state of utter exhaustion, stood at the door and happened to run into Ye Wan as she went upstairs.

He had not yet taken off the reading glasses on his face, and he looked much more haggard than before. He was holding a white teacup in his hand, seemingly about to go downstairs to pour water.

Ye Wan did not even look at him. She turned a corner and continued upstairs.

“You don’t plan to explain yourself to me?”

Ye Chengze called out to stop her. His tone was not especially cold or hard, probably because he no longer had the energy.

The white slippers stopped on the wooden stairs. Ye Wan turned around. She was too lazy to even remove her earphones as she casually asked, “Is that necessary?”

Ye Chengze’s expression grew even uglier. He did his utmost to restrain himself and asked again, “Before doing these things, was it that hard to tell me first? If you do this, what are other people supposed to think of me?”

Ye Wan smiled. She walked two steps down the stairs, looked at Ye Chengze, and asked, “Do you think I’m a three-year-old child?”

The mockery on her face was too direct, stabbing Ye Chengze until anger rose in him. He raised his voice. “What do you mean by that?”

“Why force me to say it clearly? Just pretend not to know like before and whitewash everything. Wouldn’t that be fine?”

“Ye Wan! I’m your father! Do you have even the slightest respect for me?”

The emotions on the girl’s face disappeared bit by bit. She looked at the man with those dark eyes, then raised her brows and pulled out a faint smile, only to put it away again very quickly.

“You should focus your thoughts on how to keep your own position. My affairs don’t need your pointing and ordering.”

After saying this, she no longer had any desire to entangle herself with him. She turned and went upstairs.

The person standing in place gripped his teacup, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Only after a long time did he finally calm down.

It seemed as though a helpless sigh had once existed in that small space, but no one would ever know.

After locking the bedroom door, the girl pulled off the soundless earphones and threw them onto the bed. Then she took off all her clothes and walked into the bathroom in her room, turning on the shower.

Cold water wrapped around her entire body, slowly extinguishing the flames in her mind that were about to burn past their melting point, leaving only a clump of ashes behind.

Her slender, graceful body stood beneath the showerhead, faintly visible through the spreading mist. The girl leaned against the tiled wall, eyes closed, letting the water wash over her.

At midnight, the phone on the bed rang.

The person who had just finished blow-drying her hair picked up the phone and placed it by her ear, hearing a voice that could already be considered familiar.

“What dishes do you want to eat tomorrow?” The girl’s voice was slightly distorted through the electronic device, but Ye Wan could easily sense from her tone what expression the other person must be wearing at this very moment.

Tomorrow was Saturday. They had already agreed to continue the “debt repayment.”

The other person’s impatient eagerness merely came from wanting to repay the debt as soon as possible and feel at ease, but Ye Wan’s mood was still adjusted by this emotion. She sat on the balcony with one leg crossed over the other, looking at the faintly visible stars in the sky, and casually said, “Whatever you make, I’ll eat.”

In essence, this sentence was equivalent to “anything,” but changing the wording could produce a different effect.

As expected, the person on the other end was pleased and answered rather cheerfully, “Then I’ll show you my specialty. Just wait to eat.”

Ye Wan smiled. Thinking of something, she suddenly said, “We’re not going to the shop tomorrow. Wei Zheng got a new girlfriend.”

Bai Tian immediately understood and asked, “Then where do we eat?”

“My house.”

There had long been rumors at school that Principal Ye was actually a second-generation rich man.

But when Bai Tian truly stood downstairs from the Ye family’s house, she finally deeply understood how ignorant she had been when she so casually damaged Ye Wan’s hair clip. It was only because Ye Wan did not love luxury goods; otherwise, even if Bai Tian sold everything she owned today, she still would not be able to afford the compensation.

The girl wearing a nightdress still had a sleepy look on her face. She pulled open the iron gate, yawned, and asked, “What time is it?”

Bai Tian flipped open her phone and held it in front of Ye Wan’s face, answering righteously, “It’s already ten. Are you living in America?”

Ye Wan was too lazy to respond and brought her into the house.

After receiving a new pair of slippers, Bai Tian very carefully changed her shoes. Throughout the process, she firmly avoided touching anything, lest she have to sell every pot and pan she owned and still fail to pay for the damage.

Ye Wan looked at the two bags of things she was carrying and asked in some confusion, “What did you buy? My house has everything.”

Bai Tian shook her head. “You don’t understand. Some things can’t be bought. You have to make them yourself.”

“For example?”

Holding the bags, Bai Tian raised her head proudly. “A family secret recipe. No comment.”

“Tch.”

After bringing Bai Tian to the kitchen, Ye Wan washed her hands of the matter. She did not even know which pot to use to cook noodles, so she would not join in that excitement.

Bai Tian was very satisfied with this. The kitchen was her world, and outsiders were not allowed to visit.

The young lady who had never touched spring water with her fingers sat on the sofa reading a book. The sounds coming from the kitchen were chaotic, yet carried a certain rhythm. She occasionally stopped and looked over, revealing a smile that even she herself did not notice, then lowered her head and continued flipping through her book.

When a house was too large, it seemed empty. With Auntie Zhang given a day off, only Ye Wan remained in the house. Now that there was an additional Bai Tian, it actually did not feel so cold and deserted.

When the fragrance drifted out of the kitchen, the person who had unknowingly become unable to focus on reading got up from the sofa and walked to the kitchen door.

The sound of the range hood and the clashing of the spatula against the wok were very unfamiliar to Ye Wan. Wearing comfortable home clothes, she leaned by the door and watched the girl, who was even shorter and smaller than herself, bustle in and out. Yet every step was orderly.

“Did you learn to cook since you were little?” Ye Wan could not help asking as she watched Bai Tian’s practiced movements.

Bai Tian glanced at her. As she lowered the heat and put the lid on the pot, she answered, “Yeah. Before I even learned how to write, I already knew how to hold a spatula.”

“Do you want to be a chef?” Perhaps because the atmosphere was fairly harmonious, she could even ask such a personal question.

“My family’s restaurant has been passed down since my great-grandfather’s generation. Originally, it was passed to sons and not daughters, but by my generation, I’m the only child left.” As she spoke, she scooped something out of a small jar and tossed it into the pot.

Ye Wan tilted her head slightly and asked with some curiosity, “What about you yourself? Do you want to inherit it?”

Bai Tian covered the pot with the lid. After thinking for a moment, she turned around and said, “I dream of it.”

Sensing that this topic might be somewhat delicate, Ye Wan walked into the kitchen, glanced at the bright red plate of food, and asked, “What’s this?”

“Sweet-and-sour pork tenderloin.”

Ye Wan let out an “oh.” While Bai Tian turned back to look at the pot, she quickly reached out, took a piece, and put it into her mouth.

She actually did not like sweet dishes, so this kind of dish was never made at home. But strangely, the flavor in her mouth did not make her feel resistant.

The texture was very good, and the more she chewed, the more lingering the aftertaste became.

“Did you wash your hands?”

Ye Wan helplessly spread her hands. “My hands are very clean.”

“Bacteria can’t be seen with the naked eye! Hurry up and wash your hands!” Bai Tian brandished the spatula in a show of power.

“All right, all right, I know.”

Ye Wan muttered and walked to the sink, turning on the faucet.

Perhaps because hot water had just been used, the water flowing out was still warm. Held in her hands, it felt cozy and comfortable.

Ye Wan could not help narrowing her eyes. She carefully washed her hands clean. Then, when the person beside her leaned closer, she suddenly scooped up a handful of warm water and splashed it over.

Droplets of water fell into the pot that had just been uncovered, splattering oil everywhere. The completely unprepared Bai Tian was burned quite thoroughly.

“Get out! You’re not allowed in here anymore!” The person who had not been burned by oil in who knew how many years instantly transformed into a roaring emperor.

Ye Wan had not expected this to happen either. She resentfully withdrew her hand, turned off the faucet, and slipped out of the kitchen in disgrace.

After estimating that Bai Tian should not be quite so angry anymore, she poked her head out and asked, “How long until we eat? I’m hungry.”

“Then stay hungry,” Bai Tian said without turning her head.

After a while, Ye Wan poked her head out again, waving the adhesive bandage in her hand. “Does it still hurt? Should I put some medicine on it for you?”

“No need.” Bai Tian still did not turn around.

Ye Wan pinched the bandage, looked at her twice, then withdrew her head and left the kitchen doorway.

By the time Bai Tian finished making two dishes and one soup, her anger had also dissipated. She carried the food out, but did not see anyone. Just as she wondered where Ye Wan had gone, she saw Ye Wan walking back from the living room, with a circle of gauze wrapped around her finger.

“What happened to your hand?” Bai Tian asked strangely. It had clearly been fine just now.

“Oh, I burned it with boiling water. This way, we’re even.” Ye Wan shook her finger and said casually.

Bai Tian, who was holding a plate, nearly slipped.

The alarm bells in the bottom of her heart immediately rang, screaming wildly at Bai Tian: Not normal. Ye Wan is absolutely not normal.

What normal person would do something this extreme?

Although she had already known that Ye Wan was not an ordinary person, in this moment, Bai Tian still felt that her understanding had been refreshed.

The rationality in her mind clearly analyzed things this way, but after Bai Tian put down the dish and looked at the person walking over, pretending to be serious while secretly stealing food, the softest place in her heart still felt as if it had been stepped on by a cat’s paw.

“Are you stupid or what?”

She took Ye Wan’s hand, which had been wrapped like a rice dumpling, and walked into the kitchen. Then she turned on the faucet and began rinsing it with cold water.

“After a burn, you can’t put any random strange things on it. You have to rinse it with cold water first.”

Seeing the toothpaste inside the gauze, Bai Tian only wanted to cut open Ye Wan’s brain and see what exactly was inside.

“You’re the first-ranked student in the grade, at least. How do you have so little common sense?”

The person being scolded merely smiled and said nothing.

“I really don’t know what that clever little head of yours is usually thinking about.”

Bai Tian held her hand under the water while unable to stop nagging.

“Obviously, things different from what you think about,” Ye Wan casually answered.

Bai Tian rolled her eyes.

In a place she could not see, the smile in the girl’s eyes flashed past.

How cute.

A simple and softhearted person.