Chapter 6: The Price of Playfulness

Before Xiao Xi could even begin, Shi Yuan suddenly withdrew her foot, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she looked at him.

“Xiao Xi, you weren’t actually going to do it, were you?”

“I…”

“Hmph, did you really think I’d reward a naughty boy like you? I wouldn’t reward you like that, you perverted Xiao Xi!”

‘This… how was this a reward?’

Watching Xiao Xi’s flushed, embarrassed expression, Shi Yuan’s playful mischief was finally satisfied. With a beaming smile, she nudged Shi Meng’s arm beside her.

“Shi Meng, did you see that? Your brother is so obedient to me now.”

Xiao Xi dared not meet Shi Meng’s gaze at that moment. ‘So… so shameful.’

‘What kind of look would she be giving him? Disgust? Annoyance?’

In truth, Shi Meng wasn’t thinking much at all. She simply stood there, dumbfounded by the strange scene unfolding before her, unable to intervene.

Vaguely, she felt that seeing her brother’s obedient, disheveled state just now was… beautiful.

“Do you know your mistake?” Shi Yuan asked earnestly, cradling Xiao Xi’s face. Xiao Xi quickly nodded.

“I know, Sister…”

“Oh~ so you admit your mistake, do you? But why hasn’t your address changed yet?” Shi Yuan leaned down triumphantly, her voice laced with amusement.

“I’m sorry… Hu… Husband.” Xiao Xi stammered out his plea from the floor, trembling.

At last, Shi Yuan was satisfied. She lifted Xiao Xi from where he lay prostrate and gently patted his head.

“Hmph hmph~ Don’t think I’ve let you off the hook. You little philanderer, Xiao Xi, I never said I wouldn’t punish you. The evening’s punishment will continue, you know. But look at you, so tired~ covered in sweat, probably dirty from lying on the floor. Go take a shower first, then hurry back to the room—to receive your punishment~”

Sister Yuan blissfully placed Xiao Xi on the sofa she had been sitting on, then stood up and returned to her own room.

‘Ah—’

Xiao Xi sadly rose to his feet. ‘Ah— I knew I shouldn’t have gone with Shi Meng to find Senior Meiyou. That one bottle of perfume has utterly ruined me…’

‘There’s still punishment tonight. What could it be…?’

The mere thought made Xiao Xi’s face burn instantly. He quickly shook his head, casting away those terrible ideas.

Afterward, only a faint sense of grievance remained in Xiao Xi’s mind.

‘He was still so sad.’

‘When you’re sad, you should find something to do to distract yourself.’

‘What would be good to do?’

‘Take a shower…’

‘Oh, isn’t this still obeying Sister Yuan’s command?’

‘But if he didn’t shower… he’d been lying on the floor for so long; his whole body felt dirty and exhausted…’

‘He should just shower.’

Xiao Xi sighed. Shi Meng remained rooted to her spot, seemingly wanting to say something to Xiao Xi. Yet, before she could speak, Xiao Xi rose and walked towards the bathroom.

The young girl stood still, sighing. ‘It seemed… there was nothing left to say.’

****

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

Facing the showerhead, Xiao Xi felt the warm water cascade over him. Finally, he relaxed, his body unwinding.

A faint warmth bloomed in his heart at that moment.

‘Sister Yuan…’

Xiao Xi began washing his hair. Long hair was quite troublesome to clean, and Xiao Xi was someone who disliked bother. He truly didn’t want to deal with such a hassle all the time, yet… at some unknown point, keeping his hair long had become a habit.

Xiao Xi suddenly realized, looking at his reflection in the mirror…

‘This… this hardly looks like a boy at all.’

‘Sigh…’

‘Sister Yuan, why does she always pick on me…?’

‘Now that he thought about it, Sister Yuan seemed to have been teasing him ever since they first met.’

****

“Wah woo woo woo—Mommy, Sister keeps bullying me again!”

A wronged Shi Meng, a little loli, clung tightly to her mother’s leg, tearfully accusing her older sister. Shi Yuan watched her tattling sister with vexation, her brow furrowed.

Her expression was so aggrieved, one might think she was the one being bullied.

“Always tattling, always crying! A crybaby sister is just the worst! I don’t want a sister like this at all!” Shi Yuan angrily tossed her small dinosaur plushie onto the floor.

Aunt Shi watched the two sisters before her, caught between laughter and tears. ‘As expected, these two just can’t get along…’

“Now, Xiao Yuan, don’t bully your sister~ Come, let me introduce you to a new friend, ta-da~”

Aunt Shi smiled, gently pushing Xiao Xi out from behind her. Having just arrived in a new environment, Xiao Xi was still a little unaccustomed.

He stood awkwardly in place, clutching the hem of his clothes, not daring to look at the ‘naughty’ older sister who bullied his sibling.

Shi Yuan stared at Xiao Xi’s face, utterly stunned. ‘That child, with those delicate, large eyes blinking innocently, was carefully waiting for her. This… this child is so cute…’

“Xiao Xi is Uncle Shi’s child, and he’ll be staying with us for a while. From now on, you two should treat Xiao Xi as~ a member of our family. You both need to take good care of him.”

Before Aunt Shi could finish, Xiao Yuan suddenly leaned close to Xiao Xi, looked at him, and softly asked:

“Hey, if I bully you, will you cry?”

“I… I certainly won’t.” Xiao Xi turned his face away, mustering a boy’s courage as he spoke.

“That’s wonderful~ I’ve always wanted a sister who doesn’t cry. It would be so much fun to tease them~” Shi Yuan joyfully embraced Xiao Xi.

“Eh, Xiao Yuan, Xiao Xi is a boy!” Aunt Shi, caught between laughter and tears, separated the two. Even after being separated, Xiao Yuan continued to stare at Xiao Xi with keen interest.

‘A boy?’

‘Hmph hmph—’

‘Perhaps, it was from that moment.’

Xiao Xi sighed. ‘What strange words he had spoken. Ever since then, Sister Yuan had always played with him, always teasing him.’

‘Of course, Sister Yuan had also always taken care of him…’

‘Sigh, speaking carelessly always came with a price.’

Xiao Xi was speechless. He silently continued his shower. After a while, he emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a bath towel.

What he hadn’t expected was to encounter Shi Meng standing at the doorway right after stepping out. It seemed as though she had been waiting for him.

“Shi Meng?”

“Uh… Brother, Sister Yuan she…” Shi Meng stood at the doorway, stammering. Xiao Xi couldn’t quite grasp what she wanted to express, but from her eyes, he could tell she seemed very concerned for him.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Brother.” Shi Meng lowered her head.

****

A silence fell between them. Xiao Xi didn’t understand why Shi Meng was apologizing. Shi Meng hadn’t done anything wrong.

While it was Shi Meng’s idea to seek out Senior Meiyou, it was Xiao Xi himself who had asked Shi Meng for help.

Xiao Xi didn’t want to blame Shi Meng for anything. In truth, he hadn’t suffered much harm.

“Uh, also, Sister Yuan has locked your room… How about you sleep in my room tonight?”

“I…” Xiao Xi froze, then after a moment, he shook his head with a wry smile. “It’s fine. Sister Yuan… she’s very good to me. Don’t worry, Shi Meng, I need to go back to my room. Good night.”

“Good… good night…”

Xiao Xi walked back to his room—no, that wasn’t right. His room was now locked by Sister Yuan. This was Sister Yuan’s room. In a way… could it also be considered their matrimonial room?

The room was equipped with a small bathroom. Xiao Xi pushed the door open and was surprised to hear the sound of running water.

‘Sister Yuan seemed to be showering. Her clothes—a top, a skirt, socks—were scattered on the bed…’

Xiao Xi walked over, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the clothes, then slipped into the covers, quietly awaiting Sister Yuan’s arrival.