Esper X Family – Chapter 211 – Heartbroken

The next morning.

Ye Yao and Luo Jianhua emerged from their room.

The white-haired girl’s mental state was utterly drained.

Her steps were unsteady, her eyelids drooping heavily as if weighed down by lead.

And when she barely managed to lift them, her once-bright eyes were hollow and vacant.

The faint bluish shadows beneath her eyes were clearly visible.

She resembled a flower withered by frost.

Enveloped in an inescapable aura of gloom.

It was as though she hadn’t rested at all the entire night.

Lou Wei, who had been reading a newspaper on the sofa, glanced up.

His gaze lingered on the girl for a moment.

He subtly sensed the emotional fluctuations in the air.

The low spirits and mental exhaustion were undeniably real.

This kind of dejection that radiated from within didn’t seem feigned at all.

Moreover, this was the first time she had appeared so utterly dispirited.

How long had she cried last night?

Lou Wei grew even more aware of just how important Ye Tong was to Ye Yao.

Yet, to harbor such profound grief for a sister she had never met…

No matter how he thought about it, it defied logic.

Unless there was another reason he wasn’t aware of.

Lou Wei fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Xiao Jing stepped out of the kitchen with breakfast and immediately caught sight of Ye Yao’s condition.

Her heart clenched violently.

Lou Wei had already briefed her earlier.

That Ye Yao had developed an extreme misunderstanding regarding Ye Tong’s avoidance.

That she might be feeling a little down and in need of extra care.

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Xiao Jing had been prepared for this.

After all, comforting children was her specialty.

She had originally thought that Ye Yao would merely be somewhat unhappy.

From Lou Wei’s description, it didn’t sound too severe.

She had imagined the girl sulking with her head lowered, speaking less than usual, or carrying a hint of quiet grievance.

But when she saw Ye Yao in person, Xiao Jing realized that the situation was far worse than she had imagined.

The girl’s gaze was unfocused, drifting aimlessly.

She seemed to float as she walked.

It was as if she had been hollowed out, leaving only a fragile shell behind.

The sheer weight of her sorrow and exhaustion pressed down on her slender shoulders…

And crashed just as heavily onto Xiao Jing’s heart.

Xiao Jing’s smile froze instantly.

A sharp pang pierced her chest.

Her grip on the tray tightened unconsciously, her knuckles whitening from the force.

An overwhelming wave of heartache flooded her.

She even forgot the comforting words she had prepared, staring blankly at Ye Yao instead.

It was as though she was truly comprehending for the first time the devastating impact of this “misunderstanding”.

An uncontrollable thought surged into Xiao Jing’s mind, carrying with it a horrified disbelief:

You call this “just a little sad”?

Anyone would think her sister had died!

Unplanned, genuine worry and heartache churned violently in Xiao Jing’s eyes.

She nearly rushed forward to pull Ye Yao into a tight embrace, to dispel the gloom shrouding the girl with all the warmth she could offer.

Ye Yao didn’t immediately register the expressions of the two in the living room.

She just felt a headache coming on.

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To make the false emotions she projected more convincing, she had barely slept all night.

Using Luo Jianhua’s phone, she binged tear-jerking movies and anime until dawn.

All sorts of tragic plots had left her sobbing uncontrollably.

At first, Luo Jianhua had kept her company, but she had dozed off midway.

Leaving Ye Yao to soldier on alone until dawn.

The result was her current state.

She would probably have to go back to sleep after breakfast.

But it didn’t matter.

As long as she could fool Lou Wei and those observing from the shadows.

Even now, when she recalled those movie scenes, Ye Yao couldn’t help but exude an air of melancholy.

It was guaranteed to make Lou Wei believe that she was heartbroken over her sister’s abandonment.

But when she looked up, she was met with Xiao Jing’s approaching figure.

A faint mist veiled Xiao Jing’s eyes.

Her thoughts, overflowing with concern and tenderness, were transmitted directly to Ye Yao through their system.

Only then did Ye Yao react.

Oh no.

She had overlooked one crucial factor: Xiao Jing, who had invested so much emotion on her.

Her current act had clearly deceived her “Mom” as well.

Guilt instantly flooded Ye Yao’s heart.

Uuu, I’m such a scumbag!

But even so, she couldn’t come clean now. She could only keep up the act.

Suppressing her inner turmoil, Xiao Jing offered a tentative comfort:

“Why do you look so pale? You can tell me if something’s bothering you. Don’t keep it bottled up.”

Ye Yao hastily shook her head, forcing out a smile.

“N-No, it’s nothing. I just had a nightmare and didn’t sleep well. Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be fine after some rest.”

But her rushed explanation only reinforced Xiao Jing’s belief that she was hiding her pain.

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That unnatural smile was clearly a brave front.

Just to avoid worrying others.

Xiao Jing’s heart ached even more.

She took a deep breath, mustering a gentle smile on her face.

If ordinary comfort couldn’t heal this wound, then she would pour all her tenderness into soothing this “wounded” child.

The root of Ye Yao’s sorrow was too unique.

Perhaps only her sister could mend it.

Or perhaps Ye Yao needed to come to terms with it herself.

Either way, Xiao Jing was determined to offer her unconditional love.

“Just a nightmare, then?”

She pulled Ye Yao into a light embrace.

“Don’t worry. Nightmares aren’t real. If you’re tired, you can go back to sleep after breakfast. No one will disturb you today.”

“Mm…”

Listening to that soft voice, Ye Yao felt even worse.

I’ve really gone too far this time.

She would have to make it up to her later.

While Ye Yao went to freshen up, Xiao Jing pulled Luo Jianhua aside, her face etched with worry.

“Jianhua, what happened with Ye Yao last night…”

Luo Jianhua hesitated.

“Sister cried for a long time…”

That much was true.

Although the reason for the tears wasn’t what Xiao Jing assumed.

Luo Jianhua hadn’t expected Ye Yao to be so emotional.

She had cried into her arms over fictional stories.

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Misreading Luo Jianhua’s expression as guilt for failing to console Ye Yao, Xiao Jing reassured her:

“You did well. Don’t blame yourself. You’ve been with her longer, so please keep looking after her.”

“Mm. I’ll do my best.”

Soon after, Ye Yao and Luo Jianhua finished their breakfast and returned to their room.

Xiao Jing was cleaning up the dishes.

Lou Wei remained on the sofa, unmoving.

The living room was steeped in silence.

A few seconds later, Xiao Jing finally spoke.

“Can you find Ye Tong?”

“There’s no trace of her in this city.”

Lou Wei set down the newspaper, his expression calm.

He couldn’t focus on the contents anyway.

Even his gradually rising mental power had stalled.

Ye Yao didn’t seem to be in immediate danger.

But letting this continue was unwise.

Prolonged emotional instability could lead to unforeseen consequences.

For safety’s sake, they needed to locate Ye Tong and resolve the misunderstanding swiftly.

But the question remained.

Where is she?

Author Note

It’s hard to believe that today is both Christmas and Thursday. This kind of wonderful day, where someone can treat me to KFC and give me Christmas presents, is rare these days. I hope everyone cherishes it!

Text: This Thursday

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