“Huh?” Liang Sheng hadn’t heard clearly and stuttered out a few words that left everyone stunned.
“Spit? Spittle?”
…This wasn’t a frozen moment in time.
“Your freaking spittle? You’re so gross, Liang Sheng!!” Kazuko laughed outright in exasperation, her previously gloomy mood lifting in an instant.
“It’s Akino Hoshiko! Akino Hoshiko! Did you get that?”
“I-I got it.” Liang Sheng scratched her hair sheepishly.
After resting for a bit, Liang Sheng steeled herself and decided to head straight to the area near Gu Yuqi’s house. She planned to squat there and wait for her senior sister to come out, staging what she hoped would be a perfectly timed “chance encounter.”
It was the dead of winter, with two centimeters of snow blanketing the ground. Liang Sheng bundled up in a bulky down jacket, her hands stuffed deep in her pockets. She crouched behind a wall not far from Gu Yuqi’s home like some old-time party official, keeping a constant watch for any sign of her senior sister.
By midday, her feet had gone completely numb from the cold. Even though she wore snow boots lined with thick cotton, the chill still seeped right through to her bones.
After lunch, Liang Sheng got smarter this time. She slapped a bunch of heat patches all over her long underwear and thermal socks, tucked two hand warmers into her pockets, layered on two hats, wrapped a red scarf over her mask, chugged a thermos of hot water, grabbed a small stool, and carried a bowl of freshly fried meatballs. Swaying under the weight, she made her way back to Gu Yuqi’s doorstep.
“Are you planning to move in or something?” Kazuko stared at Liang Sheng’s antics in disbelief.
Liang Sheng was bundled so tightly that she was short of breath when she spoke. “You know what persistence is, right? Learn from me—today, I’m channeling the spirit of the student who stood in the snow outside Master Cheng’s door. I’m going to force a ‘fateful encounter’ with Senior Sister Gu Yuqi.”
Fine, whatever, do your thing. It’s not me who’s suffering. Kazuko was delighted to watch Liang Sheng go all out—after all, she herself never got cold or tired.
Next, Liang Sheng started eating her meatballs. With no clue where to put the empty bowl afterward, she hugged it to her chest at first, worried the oil would stain her clothes. In the end, she just set it right in front of her.
The heat patches under her clothes were cranking out warmth like crazy. Before long, Liang Sheng felt like she was cooking from the inside out. It was so toasty that her eyelids grew heavy. In a moment of utter weakness, she leaned against the wall and dozed off.
“Little sister?” “Little sister?”
Liang Sheng heard someone calling her, and the voice sounded oddly familiar. She slowly opened her eyes to find Gu Yuqi’s mature, beautiful face gazing down at her.
“It’s so cold out here. Here’s five hundred yuan from big sis—go buy yourself something nice to eat.”
Eh? Liang Sheng blinked in confusion at the money being offered, then looked up at Gu Yuqi, who was bent over watching her. What on earth was going on?
Seeing the girl hesitate to take it, Gu Yuqi figured she’d offered too much and the kid was scared to accept. “Take it, sweetie. Big sis has plenty of money at home. Go on, get yourself something hot to eat.”
Liang Sheng was utterly dumbfounded. What was happening? Was she dreaming? Had she slipped into a parallel universe?
“Huh?” Liang Sheng’s mouth worked a few times before any sound came out.
Gu Yuqi assumed she was just shy, so she reached out, patted the girl’s head, stuffed the money into her hand, and strode off with a casual flick of her hair—all under Liang Sheng’s bewildered stare.
“What??” Liang Sheng was baffled on top of baffled. She glanced down at the cash in her hand. Then, by chance, her eyes drifted to the ground, and she fell silent. Understanding dawned. Mortification followed.
There was the bowl for her meatballs, brimming with loose change and ten- and twenty-yuan bills. Some coins had even spilled out onto the snow.
Well, damn. So she’d been mistaken for a beggar. Liang Sheng couldn’t help but laugh through her embarrassment. Fine, looked like she had a new side gig for earning her keep.
“Kazuko!” Liang Sheng called out, half-laughing, half-annoyed. “Why didn’t you wake me up? You just let me sit here begging? How embarrassing!”
Kazuko replied with a grin. “Don’t you love money? If I’d woken you, I’d have cut off your income stream.”
That set Liang Sheng off. She grabbed at Kazuko’s collar, laughing and cursing playfully as the two goofed around.
Clink. A crisp coin landed in the bowl. Liang Sheng looked up to see two middle-aged women chatting as they walked by.
“Look at that poor kid. Something’s off with her head, probably—mumbling to thin air all by herself. Sigh… tough break in this freezing weather, still out begging.”
Liang Sheng: “…”
She was speechless, beyond redemption.
Kazuko, meanwhile, was rolling with laughter.
Did people have no eyes these days? Dressed like this and still pegged as a beggar? Liang Sheng glanced down at the oversized down jacket she’d bought online, the one printed with patch patterns that reached all the way to her ankles. Okay, fine—her bad. Blame her quirky fashion sense.
“Wait!” Liang Sheng suddenly realized. “Wasn’t that Senior Sister Gu Yuqi who just came out?”
Kazuko: “Emmm… you just now noticing? Did all that junk food rot your brain?”
Liang Sheng smacked her forehead, full of regret.
“Well, keep waiting then. She’ll come back eventually. And…” She paused before continuing. “Senior Sister Gu Yuqi thinks I’m some beggar girl now. Later, when I ask to warm up inside her place, someone as kind as her won’t say no.”
And so… no pain, no gain! Liang Sheng gritted her teeth, yanked open her jacket, and ripped off all the heat patches from her long underwear. She kicked off her boots, tore the ones off her socks too, and—taking advantage of her long jacket—surreptitiously peeled away the ones on her thermals. A rush of cold air hit her, making her shiver violently.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Liang Sheng spotted Gu Yuqi approaching, laden with bags big and small.
Liang Sheng immediately struck a pitiful pose: knees hugged to her chest, head down, sniffling like she was on the verge of tears.
“Huh? You’re still here? Why didn’t you go buy something hot to eat?” Gu Yuqi asked as she reached her doorstep and noticed the little beggar girl still crouched there.
“S-Sis…” Liang Sheng rasped, her voice hoarse. “Sis, my legs are numb from the cold. I can’t walk.”
Gu Yuqi couldn’t bear to see that. She set her bags on the ground, turned her back to Liang Sheng, and crouched down. “Come on, hop on. Big sis will carry you inside to warm up.”
Liang Sheng obediently climbed onto her back, her eyes misting over. It had been so long since she’d been this close to her senior sister. She missed it so much—her Yuqi…
Gu Yuqi carried Liang Sheng into the house. Liang Sheng, shivering for real this time—after all, she’d deliberately frozen herself to sell the act—curled up on the sofa.
After warming up a little on the couch, Liang Sheng began stealing glances at Gu Yuqi.
“Name: Gu Yuqi
Age: 17
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 54 kg
Looks: SSS
Hobbies: Javelin, Sanda
Traits: Androgynous
Features: Salty-sweet vibe, peach-blossom eyes
Kills both men and women, killer side profile
Family: Father—tobacco company CEO
Mother—tobacco company director
Favorability toward Su Ze: 21
Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 0″
What?! Liang Sheng’s pupils shrank. Su Ze had moved that fast? How had he approached Gu Yuqi? What angle had he used to win her over? Damn it… Had he used Canon Law again? No, his system was in hibernation; he shouldn’t be able to. Which meant Su Ze had some real game when it came to charming women.
The thought left Liang Sheng feeling terribly wronged. Had her Yuqi really forgotten her just like that? Why? She was the only one clinging to their shared memories. It wasn’t fair!
Lost in her thoughts, tears started streaming down her face. “Wah… boo-hoo.” She cried while wiping at her cheeks.
Gu Yuqi had been sitting nearby, scrolling on her phone, when the sobbing started. She looked up to see the little girl she’d brought home sniffling pitifully. Assuming the poor thing was overwhelmed by hunger and hardship, she grabbed some tissues, walked over, and gently wiped the tears from her face.
“No crying, okay? Hungry? Big sis will make you some food. My cooking’s amazing—you wait right here.” She flashed Liang Sheng a warm, big smile.
Senior Sister Yuqi… so gentle. Liang Sheng looked up at her, feeling even more aggrieved. What the hell? So her gentleness wasn’t special for me—it was for everyone? Even a random little girl she didn’t know got this treatment. Turns out, I’m not the special one after all.
Watching Gu Yuqi bustle about in the kitchen, Liang Sheng snuck out her phone and called home, telling Zhong Wen she’d be staying over at a friend’s tonight. No matter what, she had to make some progress today! If not, she’d plant herself here and refuse to leave!
Gu Yuqi’s cooking was delicious. It didn’t quite match Song An’an’s level, but it blew Liang Sheng’s attempts out of the water—no, by a hundredfold. Liang Sheng was a bottomless pit who could only eat, not cook: the cafeteria rice-devourer, kitchen arsonist, bread-digesting machine, and ingredient-waster extraordinaire—an LSP through and through.
Full and satisfied, Liang Sheng put on her most pitiful expression again, tugging at her senior sister’s clothes with a wheedling voice. “S-Sis… can I stay over tonight? It’s too cold outside… I-I won’t mess up your sofa. I can sleep on the floor—your floor’s nice and warm!”
No one could resist that, least of all a softie like Gu Yuqi.
“No sleeping on the floor. Take a hot shower and crash in the guest room.” Gu Yuqi reached out and patted Liang Sheng’s head.
Score! She could stay the night! Victory: infiltration of senior sister’s inner sanctum achieved!
Liang Sheng luxuriated in a steamy hot shower, then slipped into one of Gu Yuqi’s oversized white shirts. With her shoulders peeking out, she looked just like a girlfriend playfully raiding her boyfriend’s closet.
Toweling off her damp hair with her senior sister’s towel, Liang Sheng padded barefoot across the floor.
“You’re not seriously planning to seduce your senior sister like that, are you?” Kazuko piped up out of nowhere.
