Chapter 9: A Suit for a New Start

“Luo, you certainly have an appetite today. You finished that entire pot of rice.”

Liu Ruyan had originally planned to save some of the rice for tomorrow morning’s fried rice. Thus, when she cooked it, she had deliberately made far more than the two of them could typically consume. In the past, they would indeed set aside a portion of the rice for the next day’s breakfast. However, today, Liu Xingluo seemed to possess an insatiable appetite, devouring every last grain. This left Liu Ruyan quite surprised, especially since he had already eaten a serving of fries before coming home.

“I couldn’t help it, Sister. For some reason, I felt incredibly hungry tonight.

Perhaps I expended too much energy today, having attended several interviews across different locations.”

“I see, that explains it. You certainly had a strenuous day then.

Are you full now? If not, would you like me to cook some noodles for you?”

The rice had been completely cleared, and the beef stew with potatoes was nearly gone, with only some broth remaining. If Liu Xingluo still hadn’t sated his hunger, preparing a bowl of noodles using that broth would be a perfectly suitable option.

“No, thank you, Sister.

Eating until I’m about seventy percent full is usually enough for dinner.

Ah, once I’m full, drowsiness always sets in.”

Yawning deeply, Liu Xingluo was indeed feeling quite sleepy. Having already been exhausted from rushing between interviews all day, he had barely rested upon returning home before an alert for an 异生兽 (TL Note: A type of monster or alien creature often appearing in sci-fi/fantasy settings) forced him to evacuate. Immediately after that, his sister had dragged him for a comprehensive medical examination. Given that Liu Xingluo had scarcely had any time to rest throughout the entire day, it was entirely understandable that he would succumb to drowsiness so quickly.

“If you’re sleepy, go to bed.

It’s already quite late.”

Glancing up at the clock, it read 10:10 PM. Normally, by this hour, both siblings would have already turned off their lights and retired to bed. However, a series of unexpected events today had pushed their bedtime considerably later than usual.

“Alright, then I’ll head off to rest.

Sister, if I oversleep tomorrow morning, remember to kick my butt to wake me up!

It’s my first day at work tomorrow, and being late would be disastrous.”

“Set your own alarm for something like that.

Don’t rely on me for everything, your sister; I’m your sister, not your mother.”

“Oh, come on, I *did* set an alarm.

But I’m just worried it won’t be enough to wake me, which is why I’m entrusting you, Sister.

So, please, I’m counting on you tomorrow morning. If you find me sleeping in, you absolutely must wake me.

Well, I’m off to bed now. Good night, Sister.”

To Liu Xingluo, his sister, Liu Ruyan, was practically a mother figure. After all, she had raised him since childhood, leading him to unconsciously depend on her for many things.

“Sigh. Alright, alright. What can I do when we’re each other’s only family?”

Although Liu Ruyan often claimed she was his sister, not his mother, there were times she would proactively undertake tasks typically reserved for parents—such as the suit she was currently washing. The suit Liu Xingluo had worn for his interviews today was now torn. Allowing him to wear such a dilapidated suit to work tomorrow would undoubtedly create a very poor impression. To prevent this, Liu Ruyan had retrieved an old suit of their father’s from a storage box, intending to wash it so Liu Xingluo could wear it to work the next morning. While it might not fit perfectly, it shouldn’t pose a significant issue, certainly preferable to wearing a torn and tattered one.

****

The next day…

“It’s 6 AM! Anyone not awake by now is a lazy dog, a good-for-nothing, a useless eater (TL Note: A derogatory idiom ‘jiǔ náng fàn dài’ referring to someone who only eats and never works), rotten fish and shrimp (TL Note: A derogatory idiom ‘chòu yú làn xiā’ referring to worthless people), an escapist slumbering in the void, half-drunk on reality…”

Jarred awake by the alarm, Liu Xingluo reluctantly rose to switch it off. To ensure he woke up promptly, he had deliberately set the alarm’s sound to this particular recording, and it seemed quite effective. Indeed, sharp, piercing noises often proved highly motivating. Incidentally, he had asked his sister, Liu Ruyan, to record this very message. The reason was simple: if subjected to such a verbal assault from Liu Ruyan, Liu Xingluo would instantly snap awake and get out of bed. This was the primal fear his sister had ingrained in his soul since childhood.

‘[Huh? Is Sister still asleep? That’s quite unusual. Hmm? Is this… Father’s suit?]’

Upon seeing the neatly folded suit on the sofa, Liu Xingluo immediately understood why Liu Ruyan was still sleeping. It must have been something his sister had specially prepared for him after he went to bed last night. His original suit was torn, and while not entirely unwearable, donning it for his first day of work would certainly create a poor impression. He needed to make the best possible impression on his colleagues and boss. Therefore, Liu Ruyan had specifically taken out their father’s old suit, washed it thoroughly, and placed it on the sofa, ensuring Liu Xingluo would spot it the moment he woke up. Despite her words that she wasn’t Liu Xingluo’s mother, she still performed actions only a parent would for her younger brother.

“Thank you, Sister.

I won’t forget everything you’ve done for me.

I’ll definitely make sure we live a good life together, you and I.”

Liu Ruyan, however, was still deeply asleep, so she wouldn’t hear these words even if Liu Xingluo spoke them aloud. Yet, that was precisely the effect Liu Xingluo desired; if she were awake, he would have been too embarrassed to utter them. After all, these words weren’t meant for Liu Ruyan, but for himself.

Placing the suit back on the sofa, he knew it wasn’t yet time to put it on. His immediate priorities were to wash up, brush his teeth, and prepare breakfast. After quickly taking care of his hygiene, Liu Xingluo entered the kitchen to begin preparing breakfast. While Liu Ruyan typically handled breakfast, Liu Xingluo would occasionally take on the task. Even after Liu Xingluo had finished preparing breakfast, Liu Ruyan remained deep in slumber. It seemed that getting the suit ready for him had taken her a considerable amount of time last night, causing her to go to bed very late. Though he briefly considered waking her for breakfast, Liu Xingluo ultimately decided against it. Given how much Liu Ruyan had done for him last night, he resolved to let her sleep soundly, unwilling to disturb her sweet dreams.

“Alright. First day of work, time to give it my all!

Let them see your drive, Liu Xingluo. Osu!”

After finishing breakfast, he checked how his father’s old suit fit him and ensured his tie was properly knotted. Once everything was confirmed to be in order, Liu Xingluo gave himself one last shout of encouragement. Only then did he leave his residence, ready to head to work.

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