Yang Wanxi hated it when anyone brought up that advertisement she had filmed in the past.
She did not know if it was because of the memory of being “toyed with,” or because it would remind her that she was nothing, and might remain nothing in the future.
In any case, when Yang Wanxi heard her roommates discussing the matter again.
She stood behind everyone and cooperated with a smile for a while, looked at her phone, silently pulled up a song, and then used the excuse of “I’m going to take a call” to slip away from the dorm.
Wandering aimlessly around the school, a rare trace of loneliness appeared on Yang Wanxi’s face.
Although she had avoided it for a long time, and even when Bai Kou or Bai Yuqiao asked about it, she would say she had forgotten long ago.
But in reality, Yang Wanxi knew very well that she had not forgotten.
Although Li Mengjun had semi-retired nowadays and rarely acted anymore, Yang Wanxi’s dream had never changed—【I want to make movies with Mommy!】
She walked past a teaching building without noticing the warning lines surrounding it.
“Little Xi?”
An unfamiliar tone, yet called out with unusual intimacy.
Yang Wanxi stopped and turned her head in confusion.
As if they had never lost contact all these years, Li Wan wore a pair of sunglasses and came down the steps of the teaching building. “I saw you from far away. Got time to chat?”
On the day of the winter break for New Year, the final exam results for the first year of high school came out.
Bai Kou returned to first in her class, ninth in the grade.
“Wow—” Tao Miao sighed after looking at Bai Kou’s scores in each subject. “143 in math! Bai Kou, can you give some of your math points to me?”
“Here.” Bai Kou held up the score sheet to Tao Miao. “Self-service buffet.”
“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it properly.” Tao Miao joked as she cupped her hands.
At this moment, Bai Kou glanced at the person waiting at the back door. Initially frowning in annoyance as she scanned their classroom, Pei Yue smiled and waved once she spotted her.
Pei Yue’s family was going to Guangzhou for Spring Festival, and as soon as they left the school gate, Pei Yue had to get in the car to the airport.
Bai Kou happily hugged her when she came out the back door. “I didn’t expect you second-years to have an earlier break than us!”
Pei Yue smiled again, but quickly avoided Bai Kou’s direct gaze.
For some reason, although she had felt embarrassed facing Bai Kou before, she could barely keep herself calm. But ever since hearing what Bai Kou had said, her embarrassment could no longer be suppressed.
Seeing Pei Yue silent, Bai Kou lightly pulled her hand with cheerfulness.
“Let’s go!”
The plane streaked across the sky.
“Sister!”
Among a group of travelers pulling luggage toward the exit, someone paused at the sound.
She wore a light-colored shirt layered with a camel-colored jacket outside, pulling a pure black suitcase with her right hand. Incongruously with her image, the suitcase was covered in stickers from Cardcaptor Sakura.
Once Bai Kou spotted Bai Yuqiao, she immediately turned back, circled out of the crowd picking up arrivals, and ran to the barrier exit, throwing her arms around her sister.
Bai Yuqiao nearly lost her balance, stumbling back half a step before barely steadying herself.
“Hey, Bai Kou! A bit more force and you’ll knock your sister back to Beijing!”
Bai Xiaochu arrived a step later and said helplessly, then smilingly took Bai Yuqiao’s suitcase. “This flight was good today; it even arrived ten minutes early.”
Bai Yuqiao’s right arm wrapped around her little sister’s shoulders as she nodded smilingly at Bai Xiaochu.
Bai Kou only released her sister as they were about to exit the arrivals hall.
But one hand still tightly clung to her sister’s arm, even leaning against her sister’s body to reply to messages—like a piece of sticky taffy that stuck on and wouldn’t come off.
The three arrived behind a black Jeep.
Bai Kou was saying, “Sister, tomorrow night let’s go to the courtyard and set off firecrackers together—”
“Yuqiao.” Bai Xiaochu closed the trunk and said, “You drive today. I’ll sit in the passenger seat and watch for you; good practice.”
Bang.
Bai Kou shut the car door, then leaned forward a bit nervously, fingers gripping tight.
Not long ago, Yang Wanxi had come back once and picked her up after class, saying she had just gotten her license and insisted on cruising around the city with her, scaring Bai Kou half to death.
She had not ridden in a car driven by her sister yet. Ah, of course, it was not that she did not trust her…
Bai Yuqiao closed her glasses case, put it in her bag expressionlessly while tying up her hair.
Bai Kou anxiously rested her chin on the back of the driver’s seat. At this moment, she suddenly noticed her sister had changed glasses—from rimless to black thin frames… She looked so scholarly!
Should I get a pair of non-prescription glasses before school starts? Bai Kou wondered.
“Um… Just navigate to Date Flower Town… Yeah, this one.” Bai Xiaochu guided for a bit, then turned to remind the restless high schooler in the back seat. “Bai Doudou, sit properly quick. We’re driving.”
This feeling was both dangerous and wondrous…
Bai Kou deliberately shifted to the right window seat. From her angle, she could see her sister’s serious face while driving.
Although her sister had gone to university long ago and was a full five years older, seeing a familiar person suddenly able to drive felt really complicated.
And Bai Kou’s heart filled with an inexplicable sense of pride.
She could not help but take out her phone, “click,” and snapped a photo of her sister’s profile while driving.
She admired it delightedly for a while, but felt it was not enough. Bai Kou opened QQ space and stubbornly posted a status, showing her sister to everyone—
【Riding in sister’s car back to hometown for New Year!】
Date Flower Town was a subordinate town under Heyan City, about an hour’s drive from Heyan City.
As they got out of the car, a crowd of relatives poured out from the small courtyard.
Bai Kou’s crisis sense triggered. She immediately darted around the car tail and hid behind her sister for protection.
But a relative who looked extremely familiar yet whom she could not quite place spotted her at once. “Aiyo, Xiaochu, look! Just one year without seeing her, and Bai Kou has grown so much!”
At this time every year, Bai Kou was especially envious of her sister.
Because her sister could not speak, she did not have to speak.
And evidently, since some year when she had whined to her sister about being “envious,” her sister had gotten this benefit too.
For example now, Bai Kou’s left and right hands were both grabbed. The one on the left said, “I’m your Third Great-Aunt.” The one on the right smiled, “I’m your Second Great-Aunt.” Bai Kou felt dizzy and shakily called out, “Third Great-Aunt, Second Great-Aunt…,” while looking back at her sister.
Bai Yuqiao stood with arms crossed, eyes narrowed in a smile—as if enjoying the spectacle of Bai Kou.
This place in Date Flower Town, like a siheyuan courtyard, was supposedly left by some great-great-grandmother of Bai Kou’s. Aiya, anyway, Bai Kou could not explain it clearly.
After greeting the relatives, her mom was pulled into the inner room. Bai Kou hurriedly dragged her sister up to the rooftop.
Sure enough, she saw a group of people around their age sunning themselves.
Someone turned and spotted them, immediately standing to greet.
“Kou Kou! Yuqiao-jie!”
There were little stools on the rooftop, lazy sofas, benches, and a swing made for one person.
At this moment, the other kids were busy gossiping or playing games; the swing sat unused.
Bai Kou walked alone to this homemade swing, seemingly not quite reassured. She pinched the swing frame and shook it, observing carefully.
At this time, Bai Yuqiao finished painstakingly correcting her cousin’s newly learned sign language that she was excited about, then turned and saw Bai Kou about to sit on the swing.
She hurried over and steadied Bai Kou’s back from behind.
“Hm?” Bai Kou sat steady and turned her head, smiling. “Sister, want to try it?”
Bai Yuqiao shook her head. Her right hand still pressed against Bai Kou’s back to keep the swing still, while her left first gripped the rope in front and tugged down, then went around to the other side and gripped that one.
“Don’t worry, I’ve checked it already. It’s very sturdy.” After saying that, Bai Kou pushed off the ground with her toes, her butt shifting back on the swing seat in preparation.
Bai Yuqiao nodded after hearing Bai Kou and let go.
Though a trace of doubt lingered as she slightly tilted her head to survey around, she still decisively stepped aside.
Bai Kou’s figure then swung back and forth in her view.
During the New Year’s Eve dinner, the elders urged all the young ones to take a sip of baijiu for good luck.
Bai Kou barely sipped a tiny bit: “…!” Mommy, it was so spicy she wanted to jump up right there!
She instinctively turned to share with her sister, only to see Bai Yuqiao calmly drain her small porcelain cup, set it down, and smile faintly amid the elders’ praises.
“…” Bai Kou looked back at the remaining sip in her own little cup.
Eyes squeezed shut!
Downed it—
Yue!
Bai Kou decided to temporarily give up on becoming an adult.
An inevitable topic at the dinner table was: “Hey, Yuqiao, are you dating yet?”
Bai Kou, who had been battling a crab claw, suddenly froze. She thought she glanced at her sister quite subtly.
But the questioner instantly called her out. “Hahaha, Kou Kou, look at that curious expression! Your sister can date, but you’re still little—absolutely no puppy love!”
“Ah, haha, of course I won’t.” Bai Kou responded awkwardly.
Bai Yuqiao lowered her gaze and picked up a peanut with her chopsticks.
Not long after dinner, firecracker sounds rang in the courtyard, but it was the seven- or eight-year-olds playing.
Bai Kou leaned against the doorframe watching alone, her expression steady, as if deep in thought.
Bai Yuqiao, who had stayed till the end to help clean up, came out. She waved her hand in front of Bai Kou’s eyes. Once Bai Kou looked at her, she signed: 【What are you thinking?】
Bai Kou: “I want to play too, but we didn’t buy any firecrackers. Asking these little sisters for some would be so childish…”
Bai Yuqiao smiled after hearing that.
Then she signed to Bai Kou: 【Wait for me.】
Bai Kou watched her sister head straight to the group of kids—the tallest only reaching her sister’s waist. Her sister squatted in front of one child.
