Chapter 108: An Extremely Dangerous Chance Encounter

The two had just finished shopping in the lingerie store when the clock hit 9:08 a.m.

Next stop: the amusement park. It opens early, and if they arrived even a little late, the queues would stretch into absurdly long dragons.

True, it was a Friday, so the crowd should be lighter, but they still couldn’t underestimate the population density of the city center.

Just as Su Xiao Zi and Su Xiaoxiao were about to leave the store, the door was pushed open again.

Two girls who looked like students walked in together.

Su Xiaoxiao glanced up, saw two painfully familiar faces, and instantly froze solid.

I-I-I-It’s them! It’s Pity and my desk mate!!

Hua Ruo Lian and Liu Qingqing.

Both were dressed in casual weekend clothes, a little more relaxed than their school uniforms.

Hua Ruo Lian wore a conservative, slightly fluffy purple turtleneck and dark trousers. Autumn had arrived, and most people were gradually switching to warmer outfits.

Yet the elegant, refined aura around Hua Ruo Lian was so strong that if she added delicate earrings, a touch of red lipstick, and expensive perfume, she would look exactly like a young noble lady.

Liu Qingqing, on the other hand, had a personality closer to Su Xiao Zi’s: outgoing and bold. She wore a white off-shoulder top with pretty patterns across the chest and little wooden clogs with about 3 cm heels.

For some reason, perhaps pure conditioned reflex, the very first thing Su Xiaoxiao’s brain supplied upon seeing Liu Qingqing was: Is she going commando under that skirt again?

After all, that was her exhibitionist desk mate they were talking about.

The four girls came face to face and stopped.

Su Xiaoxiao instinctively ducked behind Su Xiao Zi.

Running into two classmates in a lingerie store of all places… Thank goodness she was a girl right now; otherwise the rumors on Monday would have been catastrophic.

Hua Ruo Lian had never directly interacted with Su Xiaoxiao, only knowing of “him” through descriptions.

Liu Qingqing, however, apparently knew Su Xiao Zi. The moment she saw her, her face lit up in pleasant surprise.

“Eh! Xiao Zi, you’re out shopping today too? And… who’s this little kid?”

Liu Qingqing immediately noticed the half-hidden Su Xiaoxiao and tilted her head curiously.

“Qingqing-jie, what a coincidence~ School’s out today, so I brought my little sister out to play. She’s hitting that growth phase, so we stopped by to buy some… necessities.”

To Su Xiaoxiao’s shock, Su Xiao Zi chatted with Liu Qingqing like they were old friends. When on earth did those two even meet? She had no idea.

“Xiao Zi has a little sister? Never heard that before. Oh, right, this is Hua Ruo Lian, our class president. Super gentle and quiet type.”

“Hello! I’m Su Mu Zhe’s little sister, Su Xiao Zi. My brother is usually in your care at school, Class President.”

Su Xiaoxiao quietly hid behind them, listening to the three girls talk.

Unknowingly, Su Xiao Zi really had grown up. She could now handle first meetings with total composure.

In the past, she used to hide behind Su Mu Zhe in situations like this, just like Su Xiaoxiao was hiding behind her right now.

It gave her an unconscious sense of reliance.

“N-No… Su Mu Zhe, he… Um, he’s very serious in class… his grades are good too… cheerful personality… always ready to help others…”

Once she learned Su Xiao Zi was his sister, Hua Ruo Lian hurriedly rattled off a long string of compliments about Su Mu Zhe.

Su Xiaoxiao, listening from behind, actually felt a little touched and proud.

“Ah~ Then I’m relieved. My brother is always telling me at home how he forgot the Chinese homework again today and got stared at with those resentful eyes by the class president.”

“Ah, um… Su Mu Zhe-kun’s Chinese homework… occasionally, often, probably… doesn’t get turned in…”

Hua Ruo Lian was quiet and introverted; she wasn’t great with people. She tended to pause mid-sentence, thinking carefully about what to say next.

Su Xiaoxiao suddenly felt like she was watching a parent-teacher conference.

“Yes, yes, I often remind him too. He keeps telling me the class president is a super pretty, elegant girl, and that black stockings look incredibly sexy on her. He says he really likes the class president. Seeing you today, you really are beautiful, and even a little cute.”

“E-Eh!? Th-that…”

Hua Ruo Lian’s cheeks flushed scarlet. She stammered, unconsciously hiding behind Liu Qingqing and pressing her black-stockinged legs tightly together.

Liu Qingqing stood there dumbfounded, so many tsukkomi points, she didn’t know where to start.

Su Xiaoxiao was completely petrified. She could no longer tell whether her little sister was trying to build up her image or deliberately sabotaging her.

At this very moment, the four girls’ inner monologues were wildly different.

Liu Qingqing: “That pervert desk mate was totally eyeing Xiao Lian’s black stockings! I’m definitely giving him hell on Monday!”

Hua Ruo Lian: “W-what should I say? What do I do, what do I do… Is Su Mu Zhe-kun complimenting me, or… does ‘like’ mean that kind of like…?”

Su Xiao Zi: “Rare chance to meet big brother’s classmates, gotta say lots of good things about him! Yup, confirmed.”

Su Xiaoxiao: “Holy crap, you idiot little sister, you can’t just blurt stuff like that out loud!!”

They chatted briefly at the entrance before parting ways again.

Only after walking a good distance did Su Xiaoxiao finally pat her chest in relief and let out a long breath.

“That scared me to death. My desk mate kept staring at me, I really thought she was going to recognize me. Terrifying.”

“How could anyone recognize you? You’re a girl now. No one who knew the old you would ever connect the dots, so relax. Also, did I do a good job?”

“Good job? At what?”

“Saying nice things about you, of course.”

Su Xiao Zi looked immensely proud of herself.

Su Xiaoxiao was seriously starting to suspect this was all an elaborate prank. After struggling for words, she finally said,

“…Thanks. But that part about thinking Class President looks super sexy in black stockings, can we erase that from history?”

“Why? Those were your exact words, weren’t they?”

“You still can’t say it to her face, idiot!!”

Back inside the store.

After the conversation with Su Xiao Zi, Liu Qingqing had been walking behind Hua Ruo Lian, head lowered, secretly staring at her black stockings.

Hua Ruo Lian eventually got so embarrassed she turned around and asked softly,

“W-what is it? Is there something weird about me today?”

“Nothing. It’s just… after what was said earlier, I suddenly realized Xiao Lian’s legs really are super sexy. It makes me want to…”

“Kyaa! Qingqing, you too?! Stop it—”

Hua Ruo Lian’s whole face went red as she tried to cover her legs with both hands.

Liu Qingqing flashed a playful grin and slipped past the crisis.

“Hehe~ Because I like Xiao Lian too!”