2 a.m.
The once-boisterous city had finally quieted down.
Qin Xue hadn’t gone to sleep. She sat on her bed, arms wrapped tightly around her knees, her eyes burning. Crystalline tears spilled out uncontrollably.
She thought to herself, If only I were just an ordinary person... no need for some so-called power or high-ranking status, no riches or glory...
......
Afternoon.
In a lavishly decorated hall, a middle-aged woman with no lack of elegance sat on a sofa.
“What’s the point of going to school when your grades are terrible and you’re not motivated?”
“The chairman of Su Corporation’s son just got back from abroad. He’s capable and handsome. What more do you want?”
“...”
“He waited for you for hours last time, and you didn’t show. Acting like such a big shot. They almost refused to renew our contract just because you disrespected him.”
Standing beside her was the woman’s daughter.
“I don’t like him.”
Faced with the woman’s aggressive tone, her own voice was calm and indifferent.
“You don’t like him? Who do you think you are to not like him? He’s way better than you. Just because you’re a little pretty, you think you’ve got everything?”
“I’m only doing this for your own good... urgh—”
The middle-aged woman’s eyes widened. She stared at her disappointing daughter, the fury in her heart almost exploding from her eyes.
“Then if I rank in the top few for finals, that means we don’t have to rush things, right? If it’s for my own good, shouldn’t you let me study properly?”
Qin Xue, seemingly struck with an idea, began to argue using logic.
“You? You waste your days messing around at school, and you think you can actually study?”
“I said I can, didn’t I?”
......
Qin Xue and her “mother” argued from afternoon into the evening.
In the end, the woman reluctantly agreed to back off if she did well on finals—though who knew if she was actually telling the truth.
Truthfully, Qin Xue didn’t believe she could do well.
There was only about a month left until finals—no way she could make up for a year and a half’s worth of gaps in just one month.
Besides, she didn’t want to study.
The past ten-plus years had already been torment enough.
In a month... she’d run.
“Ugh... Jie...”
Just then, the door creaked open, and a small head peeked inside.
A tiny little thing came running in and leapt into Qin Xue’s arms.
She was hugging a little white rabbit in her hands.
“Don’t run so fast, you might fall.”
Qin Xue wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, reaching out to embrace her sister’s soft, cuddly body.
“How could I fall at home? What are you talking about, Sister, hmph.”
Qin Yuanyuan puffed her cheeks and gave Qin Xue a fierce-but-cute glare.
“Alright, alright, no falling.”
Looking at her innocent little sister, Qin Xue didn’t plan to bring up what had just happened.
“Can’t sleep? Let Sis hold you to sleep.”
“It’s not that... Sis, what did you and Mom talk about? Why do you two argue every time she comes over? Tell me, maybe I can help.”
“Don’t cry, Sis...”
Qin Yuanyuan pulled a few tissues from the nightstand and gently wiped away the tear streaks on Qin Xue’s face.
“It’s nothing. Just focus on your studies.”
Qin Xue gently stroked her sister’s head.
“Ugh... Sis, you’re doing it again... I’m already 18, why do you keep treating me like a kid?”
Qin Yuanyuan looked a little dejected, her lips pouting in grievance, but she quickly lifted her head to look at her sister.
“Then should I call that ‘ghost’ over? Would you talk to her, Sis?”
“?”
Qin Xue froze for a second when she heard that.
“No need.”
She quickly turned it down.
No one knew how long the two sisters clung to each other before finally falling asleep.
Qin Xue held her sister tightly, unwilling to let go.
......
......
Thursday morning.
Su Yun didn’t have any classes, so she ran around gathering paperwork to apply for off-campus housing.
This kind of stuff was just way too tedious.
A simple matter turned into a whole process with several steps. In just the morning, Su Yun had gone to at least five different places.
It wasn’t until nearly noon that she finally got all the required stamps.
“Phew... that nearly killed me.”
Sitting on the familiar bleachers by the track field, she looked at the stamped documents in her hands with satisfaction.
All she had to do now was submit these to her advisor in the afternoon, and once she moved in that evening, she could officially live off-campus.
“11:37.”
Su Yun tucked away the documents and checked the time on her phone.
Almost noon.
She needed to drop by Qin Xue’s place.
Earlier that morning, when she’d just woken up, she saw several messages on her phone.
They were from Qin Yuanyuan.
She’d said Qin Xue had taken a sick day today and asked if Su Yun could go check on her.
Honestly, even if she hadn’t been asked, Su Yun had already planned to visit around noon.
Even though she still got nervous thinking about how Qin Xue had acted yesterday afternoon, Su Yun didn’t want to give up on this rare friend.
A sick day…
It must’ve been something serious yesterday.
She probably hadn’t eaten either, right?
With that thought, Su Yun headed back to the same noodle shop from before and got a takeout order of mixed noodles with soybean paste, this time topped with a fried egg and a chicken drumstick.
Twenty bucks.
That was considered a feast for Su Yun—back then, she could only afford this once a week.
“She finished the whole thing last time. She probably liked it, right?”
Afraid it would get cold, Su Yun put the food in an extra bag and tied it tight, carefully cupping it in both hands to keep it warm.
Then she realized her hands were cold—so she let go.
Qin Xue really seemed to like that eggplant stir-fry with pork from yesterday, but that place was too far.
This was all she could manage.
Hopefully she won’t hate it. If she does, I’ll just eat it myself.
But just as Su Yun reached the school’s north gate, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Wait... doesn’t Qin Xue have maids at home?
Even if she didn’t go out, they’d have food ready for her. And it’d definitely taste better than what she brought.
Guess I’ll be eating this myself after all...
Waiting at the bus stop, Su Yun began to wonder just what had happened with Qin Xue.
Strained relationship with her mom... Took a sick day...
Did they get into a fight or something? Was she hurt?
Su Yun’s face didn't look too good.
Once she got off the bus, she rushed straight to Qin Xue’s house.
Click.
As always, the door opened without issue—but today, the spacious villa felt dim and eerily silent.
Not that it bothered Su Yun much.
She could still see just fine.
Recalling the direction Qin Xue had come from last time, she eventually found her room.
Inside, it was dark.
Thick, black curtains blocked out all the sunlight.
It was Su Yun’s first time entering another girl’s room. Her heart rate sped up a little. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she could smell a faint fragrance lingering in the air.
The room’s setup was simple—cabinet, desk, chair.
That was pretty much it.
If anything stood out, it was the small white bunny on Qin Xue’s bed.
She’d expected a rich girl’s room to be filled with decorations and cosmetics, but this... it looked a lot like her own.
Su Yun was mildly surprised, but stayed quiet.
She crept closer, holding the food in her hands.
The blanket on the bed rose and fell steadily with the sleeping girl’s breathing.
Once again, Qin Xue was only wearing a thin nightgown today.
That’s when Su Yun suddenly remembered something she’d heard once—
Girls never wear underwear to bed.
“...”
Because of her graceful figure, the blanket visibly shifted with her breathing.
Staring at Qin Xue’s delicate face and the snow-white shoulder peeking from her slipped nightgown, Su Yun swallowed.
She’d always liked pretty girls, but that didn’t mean she was a pervert.
Eating lunch was important—for proper development.
Well, Qin Xue had already developed quite nicely...
Setting the noodles to the side, Su Yun sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Sister Xue... Sister Xue...”
She tried to call out gently, hoping the soft voice would wake her without scaring her.
It didn’t work.
Qin Xue showed no signs of waking.
Su Yun frowned.
She’s sleeping like a pig...
Out of options, she leaned in closer to call her again.
“Sister Xue, it’s noon, time to eat—”
Before she could finish, Qin Xue stirred and turned over to face her.
It was working.
“Sister Xue, ah—”
“Why’re you so annoying...”
Qin Xue muttered impatiently, reaching out to grab the “alarm clock” beside her.
“Sister Xue, what are you—”
Before she could react, two hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her under the blanket.
“Let me sleep a little longer... don’t make noise.”
Qin Xue didn’t open her eyes, just hugged the soft thing in her arms and drifted back to sleep.
Maybe because the feeling was so comforting, she quickly dozed off again.
“Mm...”
Feeling the heavy pressure on her back, Su Yun didn’t dare move.
Did I just got mistaken for a plushie?
Looking to the side, Su Yun spotted the little white bunny.
If Qin Xue wakes up and realizes she mistook me for that, I’m definitely gonna get yelled at…
(End of Chapter)