Liang Sheng emerged from Room 205, clutching a small handkerchief in her arms.
Second Aunt happened to come by just then. She caught sight of Liang Sheng and let out a startled cry before gushing, “Oh my goodness, look at this little lady Liang Sheng—so smart and pretty, just so smart and pretty!”
Liang Sheng rolled her eyes dramatically. Second Aunt, do you have some fundamental misunderstanding about the word “handsome”?
“Come on, come on,” Second Aunt beckoned to her. “Hurry over here and let Second Aunt get a good look at you. Oh my, you’ve really grown into a fine young woman!”
Liang Sheng managed a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and walked over. Of course, basic manners had to be observed. She gave a proper bow to this distant Second Aunt of hers.
This delighted Second Aunt so much that laugh lines crinkled around her eyes. She grabbed Liang Sheng’s arm in one swift motion.
Hey, hey, hey! Talk if you want to talk—keep your hands to yourself! Liang Sheng panicked but felt too awkward to pull away.
Second Aunt spun the poor green-haired girl around in a circle, inspecting her back from left to right.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” she murmured, stroking her chin. “Something just feels like it’s missing.”
“Ah!” Second Aunt exclaimed suddenly. “I know what’s missing!”
Liang Sheng could only think that she was exhausted.
Sure enough, Second Aunt seized Liang Sheng’s hair and began braiding it into plaits.
Fine, braid away. Liang Sheng was too drained to protest anymore.
In short order, her hair was woven into two long, thick braids like twisted dough.
“Isn’t it cute?” Second Aunt said excitedly, fetching a mirror and holding it up for Liang Sheng to see.
Liang Sheng flashed a huge, beaming smile. “Second Aunt, it’s freaking adorable!”
As if possessed, Second Aunt’s eyes then fell on Liang Sheng’s shoes.
“You stay right there—don’t move! Second Aunt’s going to fetch you a pair of embroidered slippers.”
The moment Liang Sheng saw her dash off, her own excitement surged. She turned to bolt.
“Don’t you dare!” Liang Jin lunged forward and wrapped her arms around her cousin, grinning mischievously like they were playing some binding game. She hugged Liang Sheng tight.
Liang Sheng flailed in panic, wriggling like a worm. “Let me go! If Second Aunt comes back, I’m really going to end up as a village girl!”
“Hee hee hee~~” Liang Jin chuckled dopily, still refusing to release her cousin’s slender waist. “I think Village Beauty Liang Sheng Sis has a unique charm, you know~”
“Your charm my ass…” Just as Liang Sheng was about to let loose a string of curses, Second Aunt returned.
Mission accomplished, Liang Jin dutifully let go of her cousin’s arm and stepped aside, sticking her tongue out at Liang Sheng playfully.
If Second Aunt weren’t there, Liang Sheng probably would have socked her cousin one right then.
“Look at these,” Second Aunt said proudly, holding up a pair of bright red floral-embroidered shoes and swinging them back and forth. “Pretty, right? Quick, take off your shoes and try these on.”
With no graceful way to refuse, Liang Sheng pulled a long face and slipped off her little leather shoes.
The instant Liang Sheng’s feet were bare, Second Aunt clapped a hand over her mouth and pointed. “Oh my, look at these dainty little feet—so petite and cute!”
Dainty little feet? Liang Sheng blinked in confusion at first. Then she realized Second Aunt was complimenting how small and delicate her feet were.
Eager as could be, Second Aunt thrust the bright red embroidered slippers forward, eyes full of anticipation. “Come on, put them on.”
Steel yourself, Liang Sheng thought grimly as she slid her foot inside.
Please don’t fit, please don’t fit, please don’t fit! she prayed to the heavens.
Evidently, the heavens were in a foul mood today. As soon as Liang Sheng pulled the shoe on, it fit perfectly.
Liang Sheng: “…” I’m done for. Whatever happens, happens—I’ve got nothing left to wish for.
“Oh, they look wonderful!” Second Aunt clapped her hands and circled Liang Sheng a few times.
Liang Sheng’s face perfectly embodied utter despair.
“Pfft… hee hee…” Beside her, Liang Jin shook with barely suppressed laughter, tears welling up in her eyes.
Fine, you little lass—laughing at me, huh? Liang Sheng ground her teeth.
Suddenly, an idea struck her.
“Second Aunt!” Liang Sheng called out, pointing at her little cousin. “Just now, Liang Jin said how pretty my outfit is. She’s so envious! Why don’t you get one for her too?”
“Hah… what?” Liang Jin’s laughter cut off abruptly, replaced by a look of sheer terror.
“Uh, S-Second Aunt.” She began backing away slowly, desperate to flee. “D-Do you have more of those clothes?”
Second Aunt beamed kindly. “Of course I do, child—I’ve got several sets! Wait right there; Second Aunt will grab one for you.”
Help! As soon as Second Aunt left, Liang Jin spun on her heel to run.
“Aha!” Now it was Liang Sheng’s turn to pounce. She latched onto Liang Jin, leaving her no room to escape.
Hah, what goes around comes around! Liang Sheng cackled wildly.
“Liang Sheng Sis!” Tears welled in Liang Jin’s eyes as she struggled desperately. “Sis, my dear sis—don’t rub it in like this! We’re family; why be so ruthless?”
“No, no, no,” Liang Sheng shook her head. “Before you enter society, sis is going to teach you a valuable lesson.”
“What? An eye for an eye?” Liang Jin kept fighting to break free.
“No!” Liang Sheng clung to her like a stubborn band-aid, even tighter. “On the battlefield, there’s no such thing as family!”
Well played. Today’s Liang Sheng was clearly still scheming to milk every bit of seniority she could.
Second Aunt returned swiftly, and Liang Jin’s doom followed close behind.
Village girls: two for a buck.
Liang Jin struck the same pose as her cousin, wore the same expression, and donned the same clothes.
“Sis, happy now?” she asked.
“Thrilled. Absolutely thrilled. I’ve never been happier.”
Liang Sheng and Liang Jin sat shoulder to shoulder on the steps.
Liang Sheng couldn’t fathom it. A perfectly good yuri campus romance—why had the author twisted it into a yuri village romance? Was this a collapse of morals or the extinction of humanity?
“How much longer do we have to sit here?” Liang Sheng asked.
The two pitiful girls had been parked in the back courtyard for nearly an hour.
Liang Jin let out a pitiful whimper and flopped onto her cousin’s lap, savoring the makeshift pillow. “I don’t want anyone seeing me like this!”
Liang Sheng gazed sympathetically at the face on her lap—so much like her own—then pinched it. “Whether sooner or later, someone’s going to see us. Might as well rip the band-aid off early.”
“Fair enough…” Liang Jin mumbled. She swatted away Liang Sheng’s wandering hand, sat up, and said, “Let’s go, then. I’m starving anyway. Wonder if lunch has any chicken soup.”
For all her bravado, as if she feared neither heaven nor earth, Liang Sheng was even more nervous inside than Liang Jin.
The pair of freshly minted “village girls” slunk through the yard like sneaky dogs, peeking around corners and darting across only when the coast was clear.
They were almost to the main hall when—
“L-Liang… Sheng?”
