After Lin Xian finally agreed, Xiao Wanqing relaxed a little. Once breakfast was finished, she let Lin Xian handle the dishes and instead took the little chair where Lin Xian usually sat, watching with a gentle smile as the girl moved around, not quite skillfully but with sincere effort.

  Seeing that Xiao Wanqing had truly taken her words to heart, Lin Xian grew even more enthusiastic and assertive. After tidying up the kitchen, she boldly insisted that Xiao Wanqing go back to bed and rest. She hovered by her bedside, watching intently until she lay down, tucked under the blanket with her stomach properly covered. Only then did Lin Xian flash a satisfied grin, her little white teeth peeking out with pride. She almost reached out to pat Xiao Wanqing on the head and praise her—“Good girl.”

  Xiao Wanqing indulged the girl’s attentiveness, her soft dimples lingering gently on her cheeks.

  In truth, she wasn't usually in much pain from this. It seemed it was because she had caught a chill yesterday that she was having such an unusual reaction today. In the past, she felt nothing. But today, watching Lin Xian's slender and delicate figure busying itself around for her, she suddenly actually felt that being sick... didn't seem so bad after all.

  Once she made sure Xiao Wanqing was settled, Lin Xian slipped into her own room and rummaged through her cabinet, pulling out a pack of brown sugar and a heat patch—things Zhou Qin had prepared for her in advance.

  Ah, the heart of a parent. Zhou Qin knew her daughter too well. Lin Xian might seem bold and carefree, but when it came to certain things, she could be terribly shy. Zhou Qin knew the Xiao household didn’t lack anything, but she still worried that Lin Xian might suffer silently from cramps, too embarrassed to say anything. So she had prepared these just in case.

  Lin Xian made a warm cup of brown sugar tea and carried it into Xiao Wanqing’s bedroom. She found her lying against the bed, one hand over her forehead, her eyes half-closed, lightly biting her lip—a look of subtle discomfort.

  “Does it hurt a lot?” Lin Xian asked softly, afraid of disturbing her. Even her voice was gentler than usual.

  Xiao Wanqing opened her eyes. For a moment, a flicker of embarrassment passed through them—too fleeting for Lin Xian to catch. She shook her head and took the tea from Lin Xian’s hand, sipping gently. “No, I’m feeling much better. Don’t worry.”

  She was embarrassed to tell Lin Xian that she, a grown woman, actually felt a touch of affected sentimentality, a sense of being indulged, and a warmth in her heart that she hadn't experienced in many years, as she watched this child busying herself for her sake.

  Perhaps, in the end, humans are social creatures. Even those who believe themselves to be most accustomed to loneliness and strength inevitably harbor an expectation for the kindness and care of others deep down.

  And Xiao Wanqing was no exception.

  Lin Xian gently lifted the blanket covering Xiao Wanqing’s stomach and carefully unwrapped the heat patch, sticking it on through her clothes. Her touch was tender, as she lightly pressed it down. “This should help warm your stomach. I think it works really well. If it gets too painful, I’ve got medicine too—but if it’s bearable, let’s try not to take any, okay?”

  She didn’t realize it, but her tone had taken on a coaxing, nurturing softness—as if their roles had somehow reversed, and she was the adult while Xiao Wanqing had become the child in need of comfort.

  Xiao Wanqing couldn’t help but smile. Her pale face brightened visibly, her luminous eyes sparkling with warmth. Her long lashes fluttered gently as she replied obediently, “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”

  Lin Xian beamed, showing off her little tiger teeth. “Auntie Xiao, you’re suddenly being so obedient and sweet…”

  Xiao Wanqing met her gaze with a flicker of mischief in her eyes. Her voice, soft and lilting, carried a charm Lin Xian had never heard before: “That’s because our Xianxian is such a reliable person…”

  Lin Xian clutched the now-empty cup of brown sugar tea, her fingers tightening slightly around it. At that moment, she found herself staring at Xiao Wanqing’s pale face, her red lips softly parting with each word, and there it was—that strange, stunning, fragile beauty unique to someone who’s ill.

  Something exploded in her chest.

  What was it?

  Why?

  She didn’t know. She only knew she was suddenly very hot. Flustered, she quickly grabbed the cup and stammered, “I’m going to wash this,” before fleeing the room in a hurry.

  Xiao Wanqing looked after her with a hint of confusion. Then she lay back down, hands resting on the warm patch Lin Xian had placed for her. And slowly, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep…

  For lunch, Lin Xian cooked for the first time under Xiao Wanqing’s guidance—aside from boiling ginger tea. It was a simple meal: white rice with a plate of scrambled eggs and tomatoes. Though not exactly pretty, the taste turned out okay. Xiao Wanqing made a show of finishing every bite, even though Lin Xian was worried she might overeat and upset her stomach more.

  After a short afternoon nap, the two of them decided to head out to the supermarket to stock up on food for dinner and the next day. Normally, if Xiao Wanqing got off work in time, she’d stop by the store to buy fresh groceries for the next day or two. So, their fridge was never stocked for emergencies. Now that the typhoon had passed, and they’d been stuck at home for a while, even the fridge was looking bare. Xiao Wanqing had planned to go out earlier that morning, but Lin Xian had forced her to stay in bed. Now, after getting some rest and assuring Lin Xian that she truly felt better, the girl finally relented and volunteered herself as her free labor.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The supermarket was more crowded than usual. Probably everyone, like them, had rushed out to replenish supplies after the storm. Lin Xian wouldn’t let Xiao Wanqing carry a basket, so she picked up a small red one herself and stuck closely by Xiao Wanqing’s side. Xiao Wanqing understood her intentions and didn’t argue.

  When they passed the snack aisle, they noticed a crowd of promoters handing out samples of mooncakes. That’s when Xiao Wanqing suddenly remembered—the Mid-Autumn Festival was just a few days away.

  In the past, living alone, holidays never meant much to her. Especially the ones without official days off—she rarely kept track of them. Even the mooncakes sent by her company were usually passed on to her staff. But this year was different. Lin Xian was here.

  A thought stirred in her heart, and with it, a quiet sense of anticipation.

  She stopped in front of the mooncake display, and a promoter immediately approached with a smile. Before they could say anything, Xiao Wanqing politely declined, “I’m just browsing.”

  Then she turned to Lin Xian and asked, “Is there a brand you like? Any flavors you prefer?”

  Lin Xian glanced over them casually and said without much interest, “Not really. They all taste kind of the same. Every year around this time, the students my parents tutor bring them mooncakes—box after box. It piles up like a mountain. The month after Mid-Autumn is the worst for me, you know why?”

  Xiao Wanqing instinctively hummed, “Hmm?”

  Lin Xian grinned, “My parents don’t like sweets much either, but they think it’s wasteful to toss gifts. So every night for a month, my bedtime snacks were always mooncakes with milk. I got so sick of them. Do you like them, Auntie Xiao? If you want, I can ask my mom to send a couple of boxes over. Don’t bother buying any.”

  Seeing that Lin Xian really wasn’t interested, Xiao Wanqing gave up the idea of buying mooncakes and shook her head. “I don’t like them much either. Let’s go.”

  The sales assistant, who had been standing off to the side waiting patiently for a chance to pitch her products, couldn’t help but cast a subtle glare in Lin Xian’s direction. Lin Xian, quick to notice, shot her a defiant glare right back, even raising her brows in a teasing challenge.

  As they walked on, Xiao Wanqing carefully considered her tone, trying hard to hide the hint of anticipation in her voice. She asked casually, “It’s the Mid-Autumn Festival and you don’t get any time off? If you head home after class, won’t it be pretty late by the time you get back? Is your mom coming to pick you up?”

  Lin Xian let out an exaggerated “Eh?” and then, putting on a pitiful, teary face, she turned to Xiao Wanqing and dramatically complained, “I told my mom that after class I’d have to take over an hour to get home, and then after dinner, take another hour to come back. It’s too much trouble, so I’m not going. But now, hearing you ask, are you saying you don’t want to take me in? You’re not planning on spending the holiday with me?”

  Xiao Wanqing’s eyes sparkled at the mention of Lin Xian staying with her for the holiday. She hurried to clarify, “No, no, that’s not what I meant at all. I’m happy—ecstatic, actually! I just didn’t want your parents to miss you too much.”

  Lin Xian sighed and replied with an air of grievance, “They won’t miss me. When I told my mom not to go through the hassle of driving back and forth just to pick me up, she sounded so relieved I started wondering if I was even her biological daughter.”

  Xiao Wanqing was amused by her sudden melodramatic turn. She lowered her head, face soft with affection, reached out, and gently tapped Lin Xian’s delicate nose. “If she doesn’t want you, I do. I’ll cook you a big meal. You can pick whatever you want—we’ll go shop for ingredients right now.”

  Lin Xian, thrilled, wrapped her arms around Xiao Wanqing’s slender arm and snuggled her cheek against it. “I knew it. You’re the best, Auntie Xiao!”

  The smile on Xiao Wanqing’s lips deepened. She was just about to reach out and stroke Lin Xian’s cheek when, all of a sudden, she felt an odd sense—like a pair of burning eyes locked onto them.

  Startled, she looked up, glancing around in confusion. The store was busy, with people buried in their own shopping. No one seemed to be looking in their direction.

  She frowned slightly.

  Lin Xian hadn’t noticed anything. She let go of Xiao Wanqing’s arm and grabbed her hand instead, cheerfully chirping, “Come on, Auntie Xiao, let’s go pick things out!”

  Xiao Wanqing figured she was just being paranoid. After a brief pause, she followed Lin Xian with light steps.

  As they passed the household goods section, they finally remembered two essentials they’d meant to get—candles and a rechargeable desk lamp!

  While browsing through a display of various portable lamps, Lin Xian suddenly heard a clear, excited voice from nearby—a girl’s voice, bright and lively: “Lin Xian!”

  Almost instinctively, both Lin Xian and Xiao Wanqing turned to the right in perfect unison, following the direction of the call.

  Not far away stood two girls, one tall and the other slightly shorter, looking straight at them. The taller girl had a refined and elegant posture, fair skin, and a cool, aloof expression that gave her an almost ethereal presence. The shorter one, in contrast, had dazzling peach blossom eyes and a flirtatiously charming air, every feature brimming with spirited beauty that didn’t cross into gaudiness. Now, seeing Lin Xian spot her, the more flamboyant girl beamed and bounded over in a few lively steps.

  “What a coincidence! Do you live around here too?” she greeted enthusiastically. The taller girl, seeing her companion approach, followed with a composed stride, stopping quietly beside her.

  Lin Xian was equally surprised to see her classmates. She nodded with a smile. “Yeah, total coincidence. Hi, Shimǎn. I’m staying at my aunt’s place nearby,” she said, turning to Xiao Wanqing with a grin. “This is the aunt I told you about.”

  Xiao Wanqing smiled politely and introduced herself. “Hello, I’m Xiao Wanqing.”

  Shimǎn had already been eyeing her curiously. When she heard the introduction, she froze for a second before exclaiming in playful disbelief, “You’re way out of line, Lin Xian! You always talked about your ‘aunt,’ and I didn’t think anything of it. But seeing her in person—how do you even call this ‘aunt’? She’s totally a big sister, okay?” She turned cheerfully to Xiao Wanqing. “Sister Xiao, aren’t you going to scold her for that?”

  Xiao Wanqing wasn’t bothered at all. She smiled and explained, “I’m a friend of Lin Xian’s mother, so technically ‘aunt’ isn’t wrong. And I am old enough to be called that.”

  Shimǎn pouted and tilted her head toward the tall girl beside her, playfully asking, “Zhijǐn, don’t you think I’m right?”

  Xia Zhijǐn smiled faintly and responded with a soft “Mm,” before turning to Lin Xian and Xiao Wanqing to introduce herself. “I’m Shimǎn’s sister, Xia Zhijǐn.”

  Lin Xian nodded in understanding. “Nice to meet you! I’ve heard a lot about you—Shimǎn talks about you all the time. It’s great to finally meet you.” She wasn’t exaggerating at all—Shimǎn mentioned her sister at least three times a day, and she was often the one who picked her up after school. Though Lin Xian had known Shimǎn had a sister in the same department a year above them, she hadn’t known her name until now.

  The four of them chatted for a bit longer before Shimǎn and Xia Zhijǐn took a call from home urging them to head back. With a quick goodbye, they made their way toward the checkout.

  Lin Xian and Xiao Wanqing watched them leave.

  The girls seemed very close. Lin Xian and Xiao Wanqing could clearly see Shimǎn holding on tightly to Xia Zhijǐn’s hand, their fingers interlocked. As they walked and talked, Shimǎn turned to glance at her sister with such soft affection that it looked like something unsaid might spill out any second.

  Lin Xian sighed, a little envious. “They seem to have such a close sisterly bond… but wait, how come their last names and names are completely different?”

  Xiao Wanqing felt something stir faintly in her chest. She quickly pulled her thoughts back and replied, “Maybe they’re cousins.”