Chapter 27: Unexpected Reunions and Sisterly Confessions

The second task for the barely qualified intern psychological counselor was to offer companionship on a shopping trip.

Despite being of an age that should naturally place her among vibrant young women, Qian Surou found herself remarkably unfamiliar with the preferences of young girls.

She diligently adhered to the rules she had set for herself, dedicating the vast majority of her time to honing various skills.

Shopping held no particular sway over her, as she paid little mind to brands or prices, and she almost never frequented crowded social spaces.

Even accounting for her ‘otaku’ inclinations, the sum total of her lifestyle was that of someone contentedly cocooned within their own private world.

Fortunately, her aesthetic judgment had been well-honed.

By discarding notions of brand and price, and analyzing items purely based on their material and design concept, she could still arrive at reliable conclusions.

While cutting-edge fashion often proved challenging for her to comprehend, vintage styles were, conversely, quite straightforward.

At least, she did possess a particular fondness and understanding for one or two distinct styles.

“Xiao Xue, she’s really into role-playing.”

Oh?

A startled Qian Surou suddenly noticed a number of oddly dressed individuals around them, and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of self-reproach for her own dirty-minded assumptions.

Clearly, ‘role-playing’ referred to embodying two-dimensional characters, not the intimate games sometimes played between lovers.

It seemed there was a gathering of a particular subculture nearby, as more and more people in eccentric costumes began to appear, looking as though they were preparing to disperse and head home.

“If you invite her to such an event, and let her dress up—”

“Xiao Xue would probably jump for joy.”

“You’re learning to apply concepts. Excellent.”

“Miss Qian, you have such a sisterly vibe.”

“Oh dear, I also think my looks are a bit… mature for my age. Just kidding, I do have a younger sister, though.”

As their conversation continued, Qian Surou felt a distinct sense of incongruity.

Most of the costumed characters passing by were utterly unfamiliar to her, leading her to muse that perhaps she was simply an old fogey who couldn’t keep pace with the times—a self-deprecating thought often voiced by otaku online.

In any case, this particular ‘date’ could be deemed a complete success.

***

While grocery shopping at the supermarket, Qian Surou found herself pondering how, despite all her mental preparations, every ‘date’ she had experienced thus far had perfectly diverged from her expectations.

It was as if she had wholeheartedly committed to a grand endeavor, only to discover its difficulty was on par with a child learning to ride a bicycle—and its ‘purity’ level was similarly innocent.

After a bit of jostling, she finally managed to snatch a discounted item, and Qian Surou, a sense of satisfaction settling over her, began her journey home.

Practicing her vocalizations softly, she hummed the Moldavian Anthem as she entered the kitchen. Not long after, her sister, Qian Xidong, who had received her message, arrived.

Qian Surou, naturally, had never taken back Xidong’s keys. Seeing Xidong’s face flushed red and her body covered in sweat, much like a steamed shrimp, she immediately urged her to rest before taking a shower.

“I forgot to bring a change of clothes.”

After a brief nod, Qian Xidong’s face fell into a slightly troubled expression. Having come almost directly from her training session, she had only brought her workout clothes, which were now just as much in need of a wash.

“Why not just wear mine for now? As for the size… it’ll cover you, and you can change back once you get home.”

“…Then I’ll, I’ll borrow them for now.”

“So suddenly reserved… Could it be, Xidong, that you’re sensitive about the size there?”

That casual tease seemed to ignite a rebellious spark in her sister. Before Qian Surou could even fully register what was happening, she felt a sudden impact against her chest, a splayed hand slapping the soft area beneath her apron.

“Damn you, big-chested woman!”

That fleeting moment felt precisely like an act of revenge, though Qian Surou was merely startled, letting out a small gasp of surprise.

While the area struck was indeed private, the sensation was no different from receiving a sudden kick to the backside, and Qian Surou naturally did not allow her thoughts to drift into any peculiar territory.

Instead, she began to ponder if her joke had been overly insensitive, acknowledging that some girls were, indeed, quite sensitive about their chest size.

Girls in love, she supposed, would likely be even more sensitive.

‘Could it be that Xiao Yuqin actually prefers larger ones?’

‘The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Most European and American women have quite exaggerated proportions there, and Xiao Yuqin’s birth mother was probably the same.

It’s perfectly reasonable for Xiao Yuqin, who has never experienced maternal love, to want to feel some similarities with her lover. Maybe Xiao Yuqin even said it out loud—’

‘Ah, no wonder Xidong got so flustered and angry all of a sudden.’

‘As an older sister, how could I rub salt in my younger sister’s wound!’

‘Come to think of it, Ji Yushu’s size is also quite petite. Perhaps she benefits from the ‘good big sister’ filter. With that in mind, Xidong’s position, now that she’s been ‘disliked,’ truly seems precarious.’

Deciding to make dinner a little more elaborate, Qian Surou spurred herself into action.

Opening the small steamer, she beheld the miniature vegetable juice steamed buns, their colors vibrant and their creation a resounding success. She couldn’t help but nod approvingly. ‘It seems I actually prefer the small, perky type,’ she mused.

‘To desire what one doesn’t possess—that truly is a fundamental flaw of human nature.’

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Qian Xidong stared blankly at her hands, braced against the sink—

‘What have I done… What exactly am I doing? But, it felt incredibly good. Heh heh… It’s like a primary school boy who just discovered information about the sexes. No, I’m worse than them, I’m utterly depraved scum.’

Her hands, gnarled like chicken feet, seemed to freeze in that precise moment, while her repulsive thoughts still yearned to replicate the illicit sensation.

Then, seeking to escape reality, she closed her eyes, only to instantly see herself in the defendant’s seat, her sister gazing at her with an unprecedented look of utter disgust.

Thoughts of death flooded her mind.

If only she could remain in the washroom indefinitely, perhaps to quietly vanish from the house in the early hours of the following day.

She splashed cold water on her face, attempting to clear her head. To her sister, she surmised, this was probably just a vulgar joke, a display of a girl’s jealousy over her own perceived inadequacy.

Yet, Qian Xidong found herself utterly unable to forgive her own actions. Despite having made a firm resolution, she was proving no different from a weak-willed addict.

Even in this moment of profound self-reflection, a hidden part of her heart still secretly yearned for the prospect of sleeping beside her sister that very night.

‘Absolutely terrible.’

Timing herself against her usual showering habits, she realized she had already exceeded the normal duration by well over ten minutes.

She tried to convince herself that managing her increasingly long hair simply took more time, but in truth, she was repeatedly applying body wash and meticulously scrutinizing the amount of hair on her body.

Despite knowing the utter futility of these actions, she fretted over them immensely, as if this were some crucial, if peculiar, rite of passage into adulthood.

Xidong, your clothes are hanging on the doorknob—her sister’s voice drifted from beyond the door. She then added a gentle caution against taking a cold shower after strenuous exercise.

This made Qian Xidong feel exceptionally mortified, even though she knew her sister’s words, innocent as they were, bore no relation to the tumultuous thoughts swirling in her own mind.

Once her hair had ceased dripping, she retrieved her sister’s clothes.

Her first instinct, however, was to hold them to her nose and gently inhale; the faint, lingering scent of laundry detergent alone sent her mind into a disoriented haze.

The plain bra felt loose and unworn, so she opted to simply put on the T-shirt that covered her navel, then exited the bathroom wearing only sports shorts.

Qian Surou had already laid out a veritable spread on the table; each dish was modest in portion, yet their sheer number created an impressive feast.

“I’m sorry, Xidong. I shouldn’t have made that kind of joke. Please don’t be angry!”

However, Qian Xidong still didn’t lift her head. With a huff, as if in a pique, she mumbled, “I’m not angry,” and picked up her chopsticks to savor her sister’s long-anticipated cooking.

Her guilt-ridden demeanor was likely indistinguishable from someone sulking. Qian Xidong feigned a slightly awkward expression, nitpicking at the perfectly delicious eggs, searching for flaws that were non-existent or utterly trivial.

She was determined to fully commit to her childish act.

“Wonderful! As long as Xidong is happy!”

Qian Surou precisely hit the mark, a smile that was irresistible to any girl gracing her face.

“Hmm… the university’s military training should be over by the time of the dance competition. I’ll skip class to watch Xidong’s performance then.”

Qian Xidong’s face blossomed with a mix of shyness and anticipation.

Qian Surou was quite pleased with her handling of the situation, fantasizing about the day she would push Xiao Yuqin into the audience, seeing Xidong, clad in satin pointe shoes, become the center of attention on stage. Their eyes would meet fleetingly as she leapt.

‘I’ll have to make a cheer board for that.’

‘Although Xidong will surely scold me shyly then, she’ll undoubtedly be overjoyed deep down. The feeling of being anticipated must be truly wonderful.’

“I forgive you.”

Qian Xidong nodded with a solemn expression. Qian Surou joined the table-clearing effort; psychological counseling was quite physically draining, a rather harsh demand for someone who never shopped.

While online literature often depicted young ladies casually buying out stores, in reality, almost no one did that unless it was to choose a gift.

The concept of ‘the customer is God’ was deeply felt in expensive services, and direct sales to potential customers were common, besides auctions and membership services.

And to stomp on a wild cat, one would leave no chance for retaliation. Qian Surou understood her father was that wild cat; draining him dry was a basic operation.

If he hadn’t relinquished almost all his assets to pay off debts, he would be living in prison now, not a slum.

Before her usual painting session, she had Xidong join her for some indoor exercise.

Oh?

Qian Surou opened her computer and was surprised to find a direct invitation in her platform’s backend.

These days, Qian Surou had joined a dazzling array of social software groups, intending to promote her art once she resigned from her ‘part-time job.’

As for the platform… she was a newcomer with zero transactions, and while she had some display pieces, if she were commissioning art, she certainly wouldn’t choose a pure beginner with only a few samples.

“The username is… Yu Wangyou.”

After reviewing the requirements and character design card, Qian Surou tentatively accepted, thinking it likely had something to do with all her display images being of girls.

The client wanted an illustration of two girls in an old park, with the theme of reunion, one of the girls wearing a wedding dress. It was a pleasant surprise to receive a commission for a type of artwork she enjoyed right away.

However, given her set prices, the client might just be using her for a preliminary sketch. The online communication was very concise, giving her free rein, which suggested the client was quite wealthy.

As it was precisely within her area of interest, Qian Surou worked with great enthusiasm. She first designed the layout, then began sketching the line art.

When she finally snapped back to reality, the alarm she had set on her phone was ringing. Rubbing the corners of her eyes, Qian Surou applied eye drops, then prepared to wash up. The moment she opened the door—

A wave of warmth enveloped her.

“Sister, you’ve worked hard.”

Qian Xidong stood there, holding a mug of hot milk.

The scent of honey wafted from it. Whether due to sleepiness or the eye drops, her eyes felt a little sore. She took the mug and drank it all in one gulp, as boldly as if clinking glasses at a banquet. It was indeed a little intoxicating, Qian Surou thought.