Chapter Seventy-Three: "Sisters at Heart"

When Qin Lin’er emerged from the bathroom and returned to Qin Xuan’s bed, Qin Xuan at first complained that she hadn’t dried her hair properly. But Lin’er, wild and mischievous, rubbed her damp hair against his clothes with reckless abandon. Qin Xuan fell silent at once—fine, you win!

Sprawled across the bed, Qin Lin’er felt completely relaxed, as if her whole body had been soothed. Was her brother’s massage really about invigorating blood and dissolving bruises? Nonsense! If she hadn’t been numb with pain, she might have actually believed him.

She glanced at Qin Xuan, who looked pitiful lying beside her. She was tempted to give him a kick, and without hesitation, she jabbed her foot into his side with a vengeful energy.

Unprepared, Qin Xuan was knocked off the bed, sitting dazed on the floor. He looked up, bewildered.

“Qin Lin’er! What are you doing?” He stood, patting his pants, glaring at Lin’er’s antics.

“Stop playing games so much! Look at you, all weak and frail! From now on…” Lin’er started lecturing immediately.

Qin Xuan rubbed his ear and retorted, “Shut up! Are you talking about yourself? You’re the weak one!”

Lin’er merely smirked, leaving Qin Xuan feeling as if her accusation might actually be true.

Qin Xuan ignored her. Perhaps out of boredom, Lin’er soon drifted off to sleep. Qin Xuan continued playing his game, and when he noticed Lin’er asleep, he sighed and gently pulled the blanket over her waist.

Then he turned back to his chess game, determined to redeem himself tonight.

...

Two hours later, Lin’er woke up and glanced at Qin Xuan sprawled across a chair, looking utterly depleted.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve been drained completely,” Lin’er teased, still groggy from sleep.

“Go away, you’re annoying me!” Qin Xuan slammed his laptop shut in frustration. Everyone knew chess was a game of luck—it had nothing to do with skill!

When the three arrived at school, they noticed most of their classmates were wobbly on their feet.

Before class, Liu Qin pinged everyone in the group chat, asking them to choose their elective courses. After some discussion, the trio decided to pick the same course.

However, Lin’er and Liu Ruoxi seemed to have some odd ideas of their own.

After school, when they returned home, Lin’er seized her chance while Qin Xuan was busy in the kitchen. She logged into the school website using Ruoxi’s account—after all, they all knew each other's passwords.

Lin’er bit her lip, worried Ruoxi might discover her actions. Quietly, she changed Ruoxi’s elective course to something else.

Lin’er was anxious about getting caught, unaware that Ruoxi was doing the exact same thing in her own room. Perhaps this was what it meant to be “sisters in mischief.”

Qin Xuan emerged from the kitchen carrying dishes, puzzled by the two girls avoiding eye contact at the table. Just then, the doorbell rang.

Nan Zhiyi stood at the doorway, holding a cake from the same shop as before. When Lin’er opened the door, Zhiyi shoved the cake into her arms and strode inside, just in time to see everyone eating. Sometimes, arriving early wasn’t as lucky as arriving at the perfect moment.

---

Nan Zhiyi instinctively went to the kitchen for a bowl and chopsticks, then plopped herself down opposite Qin Xuan.

Liu Ruoxi thought: Why is she so familiar with this place?

“Eat, eat! What are you all staring at?” Nan Zhiyi called out to everyone. “Don’t be shy, help yourselves.”

Ruoxi almost put down her chopsticks in outrage—was Zhiyi courting disaster? But she reconsidered. When it came to food and Qin Xuan, nothing should be wasted.

Zhiyi saw Ruoxi’s aggrieved expression but didn’t push her luck, though she hadn’t forgotten the beating she took that day.

“What electives did you choose?” Zhiyi asked Qin Xuan, mouth full of food.

“Ancient Literature,” Qin Xuan replied offhandedly, not noticing the two girls’ evasive glances.

“Perfect, I chose that too. Take care of me, won’t you?” Zhiyi smiled, satisfied.

Ruoxi and Lin’er exchanged glances: Take care of her? Not likely!

Their careful plans were going to be disrupted by Zhiyi again—how annoying! But the cake was genuinely delicious.

...

Friday’s physical fitness test was over, and elective courses were confirmed.

Lin’er and Ruoxi stared in confusion at their schedules, where “World Cultural Geography” had suddenly appeared. What was that?

Looking at each other, they saw the same bewilderment in each other’s eyes.

“Lin’er!”

“Ruoxi!”

Qin Xuan watched them roughhousing on the sofa, equally confused. Was he going to attend the course alone? No, Zhiyi would be there too—a perfect trap!

It was only one session a week, but the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became.

When Zhiyi heard the news, she was grinning ear to ear. Was Qin Xuan being delivered right to her?

Soon, Monday evening arrived—the first elective class and also the first time Qin Xuan and Zhiyi went to school together, alone.

Ruoxi and Lin’er watched them from downstairs, both feeling frustrated as they looked at each other.

---

“What are you up to?” Ruoxi glared at Lin’er.

“You’re one to talk! Aren’t you doing the same thing?” Lin’er brandished her phone, warning Qin Xuan not to let anything happen with Zhiyi. He promised, but Lin’er still couldn’t trust Zhiyi.

“Oh well, let’s go, I’ll buy you milk tea!” Ruoxi said helplessly, needing something to distract herself.

“Really? You’re so generous?” Lin’er eyed Ruoxi’s suggestion with suspicion.

“Of course! I’m your Ruoxi!” Ruoxi patted her chest, unimpressed by Lin’er’s doubts.

Lin’er thought: Now you acknowledge you’re my Ruoxi? Why didn’t you say so when you were hitting me?

Still, Lin’er couldn’t resist and followed Ruoxi out in search of food.

Meanwhile, Zhiyi eyed Qin Xuan’s swinging arm, itching to take action.

Finally, she decisively clung to his arm. Qin Xuan, caught off guard, struggled to free himself.

“Zhiyi! Don’t do this,” Zhiyi held on so tightly that Qin Xuan couldn’t break free.

“Hmph! Why can Ruoxi and Lin’er hug you, but I can’t? I’m not any less than either of them. I’ve been going out of my way for you, and you still make that face. Clearly, the favored always act with impunity!”

“You’re different from them…” Qin Xuan managed after a long pause.

Zhiyi was even more upset. So she was an outsider?

Qin Xuan sensed her anger, seeing her head bowed, lost in thought.

“What I mean is, Ruoxi is my girlfriend… It’s not appropriate for us to do this,” Qin Xuan said, realizing too late that his words only made things worse.

Sure enough, Zhiyi looked up, anger in her eyes. “I’m not afraid! Why should you be, you’re a man!”

Qin Xuan was speechless. What was he supposed to do?

He had no choice but to let Zhiyi cling to him all the way to the lecture hall. Because they’d argued on the way, the classroom was nearly full when they arrived.

Qin Xuan felt awkward with Zhiyi holding his arm, especially since several classmates recognized her. They were surprised to see the usually aloof Zhiyi with… a boyfriend?

As they passed, Qin Xuan felt their scrutinizing gazes, and some even quietly raised their phones to take pictures. Qin Xuan was terrified—if Ruoxi found out, he’d be doomed!