Chapter 39: Reverse Scale

“It’s so late, and you’re still not asleep, Xiao Rou?”

Mo Yuan asked as she dried her hair, speaking to Yun Rou, who was on the bed in her pajamas, reading a book.

“Sister, what were you two… doing in the room just now?”

“So you were eavesdropping. That’s not a very good habit, you know, Xiao Rou.”

“Tell me first, you and Lu You, have you two already… done…”

Yun Rou closed her book, her face flushing as she asked eagerly.

“Not yet. Xiao You won’t let me. Xiao Rou, you shouldn’t be so concerned about my affairs, especially my affairs with Xiao You.”

“How could I not be concerned? Sister, do you even remember how many years it’s been since you left home? Do you know how many times you’ve come back all these years? Do you… do you just not care about Mom and me at all?”

“Of course I care about you two. It’s just… I’d rather be by Xiao You’s side alone, and not have to listen to those old geezers nagging from time to time. Just think of it as me having already married out of the family.”

“So you’re dead set on not going back, Sister? You just want to stay with Lu You?”

“Yes, I’m not going back. Xiao Rou, don’t ask anymore. I made up my mind a long time ago. I want to be with Xiao You forever. That home is enough with just you two.”

“Then what if I take Lu You away from you…”

Before Yun Rou could finish her sentence, Mo Yuan strode forward and covered her mouth, speaking sternly.

“I believe I’ve taught you not to touch other people’s important things, haven’t I, Miss Yun Rou? Anyone who dares to touch my reverse scale, no matter who it is, I will not let them off easily.”

“Think carefully about what you’re saying. Otherwise, you will regret it.”

Yun Rou looked at the cold expression on Mo Yuan’s face in disbelief, and the voice that flowed into her ears instantly stunned her.

This was the first time she had ever heard her use “Yun Rou” to address her.

From Yun Rou’s earliest memories, her older sister, Mo Yuan, was an exceptionally outstanding person.

Her abilities in every aspect were far superior to her own—no, they were far superior to all the peers she knew.

No matter how much effort Yun Rou put in, no matter how much playtime she sacrificed, she could never catch up to Mo Yuan’s pace.

In fact, the gap between them grew wider and wider, to the point where she could only gaze at the chasm between them and sigh in vain.

From beginning to end, she had never even had a moment where she could hope to match her.

Yet it was this outstanding older sister who, in her youngest years, had given her genuine tenderness, had yielded everything that was rightfully hers, and had filled the void of affection she felt from her parents.

In those few moments when they could embrace each other, her sister had played the most important role in her life.

It was precisely because of this that Yun Rou could never have imagined that Mo Yuan would one day show her such a side.

“Si… Sister?”

Yun Rou’s voice couldn’t help but tremble, and tears were about to spill from her eyes.

A trace of apology arose in Mo Yuan’s heart, but she did not apologize.

Instead, she reached out and patted Yun Rou’s head, speaking gently.

“Don’t meddle in my affairs, Xiao Rou. You just need to be yourself. I have my own plans. You should know that no one can change what I have decided.”

Yun Rou silently tossed the book in her hand aside, lay down on the bed, and grabbed the air-conditioner blanket, pulling it over her entire body.

Mo Yuan smiled helplessly, lay down facing Yun Rou’s side, and patted her head, which was now wrapped in the blanket.

This was Mo Yuan’s best method for comforting her sister when she was throwing a tantrum, and it was also the only tenderness Mo Yuan was willing to grant her now.

‘I will not regret these words, much less take them back.’

‘I will carry out what I have said to the very end. Xiao You is my everything, an existence I can absolutely never part with.’

‘Anyone who wants to separate me from him, even if it’s you, Xiao Rou, I cannot forgive.’

‘But, as long as you don’t have such thoughts, I am willing to continue being your older sister and offer you this comfort.’

“If you’re like this, Xiao Rou, then I won’t be able to get under the covers. I’ll catch a cold, you know.”

Yun Rou wriggled a bit, poked her head out, looked at Mo Yuan, and said aggrievedly.

“You’re mean, Sister. All you think about is Lu You.”

“I used to always sleep with Xiao You, and it will be that way in the future. So tonight is the only time I’ll be sleeping with you, Xiao Rou. If you’re not willing, then I’ll just leave right now.”

After saying this, Mo Yuan made a move to get up and leave.

Yun Rou instantly regretted it and immediately hugged her, blanket and all.

“Then just sleep peacefully. If you act like that again, I’ll really leave, okay?”

Yun Rou held Mo Yuan’s body without moving and slowly uttered a few words.

“You’re too much, Sister.”

Late at night, Yun Rou had already fallen fast asleep.

Mo Yuan opened her eyes.

After confirming the person beside her wouldn’t wake up, she silently made her way to Lu You’s room.

Seeing the peacefully sleeping youth on the bed, Mo Yuan didn’t hesitate to embrace him, holding him tightly in her arms.

‘Honestly, to think you’ve turned me into someone who can’t fall asleep without holding you. You’re really too much, Xiao You.’

My consciousness gradually returned.

I was about to rub my drowsy eyes with my hand, only to find that I was completely restrained.

I didn’t need to guess who the soft, warm body embracing me belonged to.

She was already awake but hadn’t opened her eyes.

Instead, she lazily commanded me.

“Don’t move. Let your big sister hold you for a little longer.”

“Weren’t you sleeping with Miss Yun Rou, Sister Yuan? How did you end up in my bed again?! Also, don’t hug so tight, it’s really uncomfortable!”

“Because I can’t fall asleep without holding you, Xiao You. Is it fair for you to not let me hold you after you’ve turned me into this state?”

“Haven’t you always been the one forcing yourself on me?! I haven’t done anything at all!”

“Less nonsense. Be good and don’t move. Once I’ve had a comfortable sleep, I’ll get up and make breakfast for you all,” Sister Yuan said to me unreasonably.

I didn’t dare to argue back.

I could only close my eyes and was forced to go back to sleep.

“By the way, Sister Yuan, your birthday is in a few days. What kind of birthday gift do you want?”

Sister Yuan’s eyes suddenly flew open, and she blinked excitedly, as if stars were twinkling within them.

She licked the corner of her lips and excitedly began to caress my body.

“The gift I want, that would of course be…”

Realizing I had left something out, I hurriedly added, “Excluding me… excluding my body. No lewd stuff, Sister Yuan.”

The joyful color instantly drained from Sister Yuan’s face.

She closed her eyes again and said listlessly, “Then anything you give is fine, Xiao You. I’ll like whatever it is.”

“That’s so casual, Sister Yuan. Isn’t there anything you particularly want?”

“What I want most, you won’t give me, Xiao You. As for everything else, as long as it’s from you, I’ll love it.”

“Alright, I’ll choose it myself then.”

Feeling Sister Yuan’s warm breath on my face, all sorts of random objects flashed through my mind, but none of them seemed satisfactory.

A few minutes later, Sister Yuan patted my head, got up, and left.

Feeling the restraint on my body disappear, I climbed out of bed and stretched out with a big yawn.

Because the air conditioner had been on all night, the room was now cool as water.

The warm sunlight streaming in from the window nicely neutralized the low temperature inside.

I picked up my phone to check it and saw three missed calls from Zheng Zong from the middle of the night.

Two of them had been rejected, and one had been answered for a second before being hung up.

It was probably Sister Yuan’s doing.

– “Are you trying to kill me? Calling in the middle of the night. You think I’m a night owl who doesn’t sleep, just like you?”

– “Let’s not talk about that first. Lu You, who answered the phone for you last night? Her voice was so cold, just like Teacher Mo’s. And she was super fierce. She just told me to ‘scram’ and hung up.”

‘You make a nuisance call to someone in the middle of the night, and you expect them to be all nice and ask how you’re doing?’

– “That was my sister. Don’t go making wild guesses. If you have something to say, say it. If not, I’m hanging up.”

– “No, no, no! Lu You, are you free today? Wanna go hang out?”

‘Sister Yuan should have lifted the ban on me today, right? It’s been a while since I’ve been out. It’s also a good chance to pick out a birthday gift for her.’

– “Alright. I also want to buy a birthday gift for my sister. Do you know what kind of things girls like?”

– “Then you’ve come to the right person. I know girls best. Leave it to me. I guarantee your sister will love it.”