### Chapter 27: Time to Back Off
Bai Tu was quietly perched on a little stool, looking about as lively as a sloth on a Sunday.
Ye Qingya, who had been feeling a bit down in the dumps, spotted her and instantly flashed a gentle smile. Talk about a mood lifter!
“Little Tu, how’s Xiao Yu doing these days?”
Bai Tu opened her mouth slightly, like she was about to dish out some juicy gossip, but nothing came out. Instead, she nodded with the enthusiasm of a bored child in class.
“Mmm, very good.”
Now, Bai Tu was practically the one-woman news team for Ye Qingya and Bai Yu. Daily snapshots of Bai Yu’s progress were sent over, allowing Ye Qingya to witness her daughter’s growth from afar, like the proud mom she was—minus the actual parenting bit.
But poor Bai Yu had no clue about her mother’s situation. Medical personnel were super against stirring her emotions; otherwise, her precious star inside might get a little too restless for comfort.
So, Bai Yu was denied even the opportunity for a video chat with Ye Qingya, left only with a few letters of blessing from Bai Tu.
But were those letters even doing anything?
Bai Tu got the vibe that her sister wasn’t exactly on the happy train.
And she didn’t want to spill the beans to Mom either because… well, Mom was in a bit of a pickle herself.
Bai Tu hung her head, looking as guilty as a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar, feeling all sorts of anxious.
“Good girl~”
Ye Qingya reached out to pat her head, her touch as soft as a cloud, seemingly oblivious to Bai Tu’s little fibs.
With a loving smile plastered on her face, she didn’t want to burden her daughter with worries.
Night Lan stood by quietly, watching the scene unfold with a side of envy.
She wanted some head pats from Mom too!
Then, Ye Qingya paused her affectionate gestures, speaking quietly, “Little Tu, I need to talk to your dad for a moment; why don’t you step outside?”
“Okay.” Bai Tu obediently scurried out, probably imagining a squirrel gathering nuts.
And just like that, the room was down to just Bai Yuan and Ye Qingya.
“Bai Yuan, time’s running out, isn’t it?”
“……”
Bai Yuan looked like he was trying to spit out a word, but opted for the silent treatment, staring at the floor like it had suddenly turned into a lava pit.
Ye Qingya gazed at a photo of Bai Yu in her hands, her smile turning somewhat bittersweet.
“Bai Yu has grown up so much! Watching her grow feels almost like being there with her, witnessing every smile… I just want to give her a proper hug, but alas, here we are!”
“I really want to tell her that her birth wasn’t a mistake, that Mom loves her and to not be scared… but fate played us dirty, separating us like two lost socks in a dryer. It just isn’t fair!”
Bai Yuan’s fists clenched tightly, veins popping like he was trying to lift a mountain. Inside, a fire was raging.
d*mn fate!
Ye Qingya pressed Bai Yu’s photo to her chest as if that would magically get her a hug.
“I know, I share the same star as Xiao Yu; I’m stronger and can feel what she’s going through. That terrifying curse is gnawing at her, and she’s suffering… not happy at all.”
Bai Yuan’s eyes widened, staring at Ye Qingya with the blank expression of someone who just bumped into their ex on a blind date.
“Qingya, you…”
“Time is short, right? I can feel it.”
Ye Qingya wore a sorrowful smile, saying, “Instable shared stars tend to go at it like cats and dogs; Xiao Yu and I can’t control it. One of us has to disappear for the other to survive. Why can’t that be me?”
“No! There’s still time! Are you really asking me to lose someone? That’s just too cruel!”
Bai Yuan’s grip on Ye Qingya tightened, and he started shaking like a chihuahua in a snowstorm.
“If you can’t make a choice, you’re not a qualified Night Watcher, you know…”
Bai Yuan swept Ye Qingya into a bear hug like he was about to wrestle a bear.
“Sorry… I’m just a useless man…”
“Ah… it’s not your fault. It’s time to make a choice, Bai Yuan.”
“I understand.”
“But before that, I want to see Xiao Yu one last time. That’s my final obsession.”
“I’ll take you right there!”
Bai Yuan swooped her up and dashed out of the room like he was in an action movie.
Ye Qingya pressed her face against Bai Yuan’s chest, letting go of all her worries as a relieved smile spread across her face.
Meanwhile…
Alarm bells blared throughout the Night Watcher Base.
Star Eclipses had spawned!
A group of Night Watchers honed in on the Eclipse’s location and—shockingly—found it right near the base!
“What the heck is going on!?”
“The medical department reports that Bai Yuan took Ye Qingya and preliminary guesses are that her star has gone haywire!”
“Send all nearby Night Watchers! We must intercept them to prevent the Eclipse from threatening civilians!”
“Understood!”
With those orders in mind, every Night Watcher in the base bolted out like they were at a Black Friday sale, racing toward the designated area.
Night Lan’s spirit was finally free to roam, watching everything with a perspective more divine than a celestial Netflix special.
“Wait… did Bai Yu’s mom become a Star Eclipse?”
Night Lan was incredulous, her jaw practically hitting the floor as she followed along.
Bai Yuan had already stuffed Ye Qingya into a vehicle, hitting the gas like a bat out of hell, totally ignoring any straight-line speed limits.
He was an underwhelming father, a so-so husband, and now even a below-average Night Watcher.
But still, he vowed to fulfill Ye Qingya’s last wish.
“Qingya, hang in there! If you fully turn into a Star Eclipse and lose consciousness, you’ll never see Bai Yu again!”
“We’re doing something wrong here, aren’t we?” Ye Qingya’s gentle smile remained, her eyes shining clear as a mountain spring.
Dark wisps of eerie energy crept from her, a terrifying mental curse swirling around her like she had just walked through a haunted house.
If Bai Yuan weren’t a Night Watcher, he would’ve succumbed to that curse ages ago.
“It’s fine; I’ll bear the consequences alone,” he said coolly, piloting the hovering vehicle at full speed toward the hospital where Bai Yu was.
At the same time, other Night Watchers were catching up, slowly closing in like they were getting ready for the Super Bowl.
“Bai Yuan, what are you doing? Ye Qingya’s turned into a Star Eclipse! We need to act fast before this blows up in our faces!”
Bai Yuan knew how powerful the Night Watchers were around him; some had fighting abilities that could rival his, including those with Sunlight-class tackle prowess.
Breaking free from this encirclement was a long shot, but not impossible!
Stars above,
please respond to my deep yearning!
A blue glow flickered in Bai Yuan’s eyes, and in mere seconds, the temperature in the area plummeted to ice-cold levels, perfect for a winter wonderland!
Surrounding vehicles were caked in a white frost, and their systems ground to a halt.
Most Night Watchers were forced to land.
“What the heck! Bai Yuan’s gone mad!”
Night Lan looked down from above, stunned by this expansive frost-covered realm, marveling at the power of the stars.
“Whoa, that’s impressive…”
Though that wasn’t her main concern right now; she was more worried about Bai Yu’s mom!
Then Night Lan noticed that the vehicle Bai Yuan was driving had begun to slow down as if it had lost its mojo.
The other Night Watchers weren’t just standing still either.
Bai Yuan, carrying Ye Qingya, stepped out of the hovering car, exuding an atmosphere colder than a polar bear’s winter.
The Night Watchers closed in, delivering what felt like the final ultimatum.
“Time to back off.”
