Chapter 28: Unexpected Encounters and Hidden Truths

Three days later in the evening.

Today was the day Xiluo’er had agreed with Irene to take action. To ensure everything went smoothly, Xiluo’er finished her grooming early and planned to return to her room to rest. However, before going back, there was one last thing she needed to do.

Facing the mirror, Xiluo’er was struggling to tie up her long hair. If left loose, her hair would likely become a mess while she slept, and she had plans to sneak out in the middle of the night. Having lived as a girl for some time, Xiluo’er had grown somewhat accustomed to this body.

Still, there were certain things she hadn’t fully adapted to, such as wearing dresses or tying up her hair. While Xiluo’er enjoyed seeing other girls with long, flowing hair, she found it less appealing when it was her own. Long hair was simply difficult for her to manage. She had even secretly complained to herself about why Freya had made her hair so long.

She couldn’t fathom how girls could so effortlessly tie their hair in a blind spot behind their heads, especially when the hair was freshly washed and still slightly damp. Xiluo’er’s hands struggled to gather the black locks into a single bundle, and she watched her reflection as she tried to secure the hair tie with one hand. Despite her efforts, some strands of hair slipped free.

‘Sigh…’

Xiluo’er gazed at her slightly foggy reflection in the mirror, her cute face obscured by the steam. With a determined look, she gathered her hair once more.

‘I’ll help you, Xiluo’er.’

A white figure appeared behind her in the misty mirror. Seeing the girl pouting in front of the mirror, Eve smiled softly and took the hair tie from Xiluo’er’s hand.

‘Eve began gently combing Xiluo’er’s hair, speaking patiently, ‘Tying hair isn’t so difficult, Xiluo’er.

‘First, put the hair tie around your fingertips, then secure it to your hair like this…’

Eve’s deft hands quickly tied Xiluo’er’s hair, and she patted Xiluo’er’s head approvingly, admiring her work. Xiluo’er sighed internally, feeling a growing sense that her chances of growing taller were diminishing.

‘Mmm, thanks, Eve.’

‘Then I’ll go to sleep…’

Xiluo’er nodded obediently, but the hand on her shoulder showed no sign of letting go.

‘Don’t rush, Xiluo’er.’

‘This is a rare opportunity. Why don’t we try a different hairstyle?’

Xiluo’er’s body went rigid. Since the incident two days ago when Eve threatened her during their bath, Xiluo’er had been maintaining a safe distance from her. She didn’t want Eve to discover anything more about her. Yet, despite her efforts, Xiluo’er couldn’t help but wonder how Eve, who hadn’t seemed so perceptive in the game, had become so observant.

But since Eve was insisting, Xiluo’er had no choice but to comply. She watched through the mirror as Eve undid the hair she had just tied.

‘Say, Xiluo’er…’

Eve began casually, ‘What have you been up to lately?’

‘What is it, Eve?’

Despite her familiarity with Eve’s style, Xiluo’er felt a growing unease.

‘You’ve been out and about a lot, haven’t you?’

Sure enough, Eve’s question set off alarms in Xiluo’er’s mind. Was she about to be questioned again?

Eve, known for her relentless work ethic, often took on new quests, which gave Xiluo’er some breathing room. With Eve frequently away, Xiluo’er could use the excuse of ‘going out to play’ to investigate on her own.

‘Not really, just going out and about, nothing special…’

Xiluo’er carefully considered her words, trying to come up with a plausible explanation.

‘Eve nodded, then continued, ‘If you need more pocket money, just let me know.

‘So, what about three days ago? You went out that day too, right?’

Three days ago… Xiluo’er’s mind raced back, and she felt a chill. While she went out every day, three days ago was when she and Irene had met at a restaurant to plan their next move!

‘Um…’

Before Xiluo’er could say more, Eve spoke up.

‘You went to the restaurant with another girl, didn’t you?’

Darn it, she really did find out!

Through the misty mirror, Xiluo’er saw Eve’s piercing gaze fixed on her.

‘It’s nothing serious—I just wanted to check on you.

‘I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had much time to spend with you.’

Xiluo’er didn’t buy Eve’s excuse.

‘Yeah, I did go out with someone, but Eve…’

‘She’s a waitress we met before when we went to the restaurant.’

Eve explained, ‘I ran into her while handling some quests—she remembered you quite well.’

Xiluo’er recalled the waitress they had met when cornered by Red’s men. It seemed the seeds of suspicion had been sown that day. Now, Xiluo’er understood the meaning of ‘shooting the messenger.’

‘She’s just someone I met in the city recently, and we went out that day…’

Xiluo’er formulated a response in her mind, speaking slowly. Though she thought it would be fun to tell Eve the truth—that she had been with her sister—she kept her thoughts to herself.

‘She’s a lively, playful girl.

‘Don’t worry, Eve, she’s not a bad person.’

Xiluo’er forced a smile at Eve.

‘She’s a girl?’

‘Yes, she’s a girl. What’s the matter, Eve?’

Xiluo’er blinked, confused by Eve’s focus on whether the person was a girl.

Eve nodded silently for a moment, then continued braiding Xiluo’er’s hair without a word. Xiluo’er, watching Eve’s expressionless face through the mirror, breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Phew, that was close. Did I manage to pull that off?

****

The chapter title can be translated as ‘Unexpected Encounters and Hidden Truths.’