The trio turned toward the voice and saw a petite, golden-haired girl with short hair approaching under the streetlight. She wore an adorable cat-themed pajama jacket and a mischievous smile.
Her features were identical to "Aya's," only younger and more mischievous, clearly the "Little Ya" from the photo they'd seen earlier.
Trailing behind Little Ya was a towering, muscular woman, her oversized women's suit stretched to its limits. She exuded an intimidating aura; a single glance revealed she was not to be trifled with.
Lu Yue was the first to react to the approaching duo. Like a mouse spotting a cat, he instinctively turned to flee—a conditioned reflex from years of suppression.
"Oh, my dear Little Yue Yue, running off without even saying hello after all this time? Have you forgotten your old friend?" Little Ya, clearly anticipating Lu Yue's reaction, preemptively launched her soul-probing question.
"Uh... oh! Little Ya, it's you! Long time no see!"
"Ha ha... how could I forget an old friend like you? I just didn't see you at first!"
Lu Yue acted as if he had only just noticed Little Ya's arrival, greeting her with a forced smile.
"..."
Such a lame excuse... You literally turned to look right after she called out to you!
And you have the nerve to say you didn't see her?
Viewers watching the live stream couldn't help but complain.
"Hehe, then I suggest you book an eye exam first thing tomorrow, Little Yue Yue. Don't let your vision problems get worse."
"...Little Ya, besides your shorter hair, you haven't changed a bit. Your voice is still as lovely as ever."
"Little Yue Yue, you haven't changed either, except you've gotten a bit taller. Still as clumsy as ever, always needing someone to remind you."
The moment they met, the two friends launched into a playful verbal sparring match, their banter revealing their long-standing camaraderie.
However, this friendly banter was clearly not the main point of their meeting. After their brief verbal sparring, they quickly shifted to more serious matters.
Little Ya immediately turned to "Aya," her face blooming into an extraordinarily affectionate and radiant smile. She skipped forward and naturally looped her arm through "Aya's," saying in a coquettish tone:
"Sister! Surprised? Unexpected, right?
"You thought changing my account password would stop me from watching the livestream? But guess what? I used Sister Jingjing's account instead! Hehe!
"And get this—I never imagined you'd actually be on the show!
"I've never heard you mention taking runway classes, but your performance tonight was seriously impressive!
"Later, when I saw that Criminal Investigator from the Pursuit Team suspecting you were Cifera the catgirl, I nearly lost it laughing! But then I got worried they might actually arrest you, so I rushed over to take you home and clear things up.
"Hurry up and thank me, your caring little sister, for worrying about you so much!"
Her words sounded like typical sisterly banter, but Cifera clearly understood the subtext:
I haven't forgotten about you hacking my account!
But can Little Cifera even pull this off? She had to resort to impersonating my sister, and Nie Bing still wouldn't let her go? What rotten luck! Ha ha!
Were you scared when I showed up?
I came to help you out of this mess—you never saw that coming, did you? Are you surprised and delighted?
Hehe~ If you want to keep your true identity a secret, you'd better play along with me.
After Little Ya finished speaking, the burly woman known as Sister Jingjing stepped forward, bowed slightly to "Aya," and said in a respectful and utterly natural tone:
"Young Mistress, the car is ready. We can take you and the Second Miss home at any time."
Her matter-of-fact demeanor made it seem as though "Aya" had been the young mistress she had served for years, without a hint of acting.
You're the real young mistress here, Little Ya, aren't you? You even have this muscular housekeeper Big Sister acting alongside you! Her acting is even better than many professional actors!
After this internal quip, Cifera swiftly pondered:
Although Little Ya claims she's here to "help" me, her motives can't be that simple. Is she trying to use this to manipulate me? Or does she have other plans?
No matter what scheme you're plotting, it's far more entertaining than having Little Bingbing expose my identity right now.
Besides, now that you've stepped into the game yourself, whether you want to keep playing is no longer up to you~
With that thought, Cifera immediately slipped into character, her face softening into a gentle, doting smile as she affectionately ruffled Little Ya's short hair.
"I'm so sorry, Princess. You came all the way to help me out of a bind, but I kept you waiting so long. It was my fault, Sister Ya."
The scene mirrored perfectly the photo "Aya" had shown earlier, depicting herself and Little Ya—the posture, expression, and even the gesture were nearly identical.
"Sister Jingjing, you must be exhausted. Little Ya must have given you so much trouble today, right?"
"Aya" behaved exactly like a genuine older sister, intimately familiar with her younger sibling and the household staff.
"Sister!" Little Ya pouted playfully, then her eyes lit up as she gazed at the cloth bag containing the gown in "Aya's" hand.
"I saw you walk the runway in that dress you made yourself! It was absolutely stunning! You looked like the Starry Goddess herself!"
"Sister~ Dear Sister~ Can I have this dress? I'll wear it when I grow up!"
Little Ya tugged playfully at "Aya's" arm, seemingly forgetting how she had criticized the dress earlier on the plane.
"Aya" couldn't help but chuckle, gently tapping Little Ya's forehead with a finger:
"Dream on~ It would be a waste to give it to you now. Besides, who knows what you'll look like when you grow up? What if you turn into a chubby little girl? It would be a shame to ruin this masterpiece. Let's wait until you're all grown up and your body's taken its final shape."
"Sister, you're such a meanie! You're cursing me to get fat! Sister Jingjing, look at her—she's bullying me again!"
Little Ya immediately turned to Sister Jingjing to complain. The "sisters'" interaction was so natural and seamless, their acting deserved an award.
A faint smile flickered across Sister Jingjing's face as she inwardly rolled her eyes:
These two drama queens... Though not blood sisters, their acting talent is equally impressive.
However, Miss Ya will undoubtedly blossom into someone as outstanding and captivating as this "Aya," certainly not some chubby girl!
With me overseeing her health and fitness management, there's absolutely no chance of her deviating from her ideal form!
Lu Yue, standing nearby, couldn't help but glance at Nie Bing, his eyes conveying a clear message:
See? Her own sister and family are here, and they're so close! It's practically irrefutable proof. You have no reason to doubt Sister Aya anymore, do you? And you'll come home with her, right?
Watching the incredibly natural interaction between "Aya" and Little Ya, and the commanding yet respectfully composed Sister Jingjing, Nie Bing's last shred of conviction wavered.
Though her instincts still screamed that something was wrong, everything before her pointed to a single, undeniable truth: Aya was Aya, proven by her family.
Her earlier suspicions now seemed like madness—trusting an unscientific gut feeling while ignoring the irrefutable evidence before her eyes. This was not the conduct of a Criminal Investigator.
I can't keep pressing this.