The moon hung low above the Lu estate's inner courtyard, casting a soft glow over the still koi pond and cherry blossom trees. Most of the house had gone quiet after a long day of planning and celebration. But in the east wing kitchen, soft laughter echoed.
Liyana sat barefoot on a plush stool, her long silk robe cascading down her legs as she held a warm mug of jasmine tea. Across from her, Meilin was bent over the counter, trying—and failing—to make tangyuan from scratch. Lu Yuhan lounged beside them, legs crossed, sipping hot chocolate and clearly enjoying the chaos.
"You were supposed to roll it, not smash it flat like a pancake," Yuhan teased, pointing at Meilin's oddly shaped dough.
"It's creative! Not everything has to be perfect circles," Meilin huffed, throwing flour at him.
Liyana chuckled. "You two haven't changed a bit."
"We have," Meilin said softly, turning toward her. "You just didn't notice because you were gone."
That stilled the room. Yuhan set down his cup.
Liyana looked between them, her smile slowly fading into something gentler.
"I'm sorry for that," she said, voice quiet but steady. "When I left... it wasn't just about proving something. I needed to become someone who didn't get crushed by being seen as weak. But I forgot how much I left behind."
"You didn't forget," Yuhan replied. "You just carried too much alone."
Liyana swallowed hard. "You both deserved better from me. I should've written more. Visited more."
"You were building Celeste. Surviving in a world that never once made it easy for women like us," Meilin said firmly, walking over to sit beside her. "I never once stopped being proud of you, Jiejie."
That name—Jiejie—sent warmth rushing through Liyana's chest. For so many years she'd been surrounded by corporate wolves, media traps, and guarded alliances. But this—this was family. This was real.
"I was so scared when the news came out about Qin's smear campaign," Meilin confessed, eyes suddenly glossy. "I thought... what if it ruins everything for you?"
Liyana reached out and held her hand tightly. "It didn't. Because I had people like you beside me. Even when I didn't deserve it."
"Deserve it?" Yuhan scoffed. "Please. You raised our standards for what a strong woman looks like. Do you know how many people at school used to whisper, 'She's Damien's shadow'? But all I saw was Liyana Xu—my brilliant, terrifying, too-good-for-this-world Jiejie."
Liyana looked at him with fond disbelief. "You're ridiculous."
"But not wrong," Meilin added, nudging her brother.
They sat in silence for a moment, letting the quiet comfort them. The scent of jasmine and glutinous rice wafted through the air. The tension that had plagued them for months slowly melted into domestic peace.
"I used to imagine this," Meilin said, resting her head on Liyana's shoulder. "You here. In this house. As family—not just the girl Damien liked."
Liyana's breath hitched. "You knew?"
"We always knew," Yuhan answered. "But we also knew he had to catch up to you."
Meilin smiled. "He has now."
"Barely," Yuhan teased.
Later, as they finished eating their misshapen but delicious tangyuan, Yuhan stood and began clearing the dishes.
"We should do this more often," he said. "Night talks. Sibling bonding. I'll even bring the wine next time."
"You're underage," Liyana smirked.
"Legal in some countries," he retorted.
Liyana laughed—freely, without reserve. "Fine. But only if Meilin agrees to let me teach her how to actually roll a tangyuan."
"Deal," Meilin said, hugging her again tightly. "You're stuck with us now, Jiejie. No running."
Liyana wrapped her arms around her. "I wouldn't want to."