Category: My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty

Chapter 69: Discovering the Lock

Xiao Luohan was engrossed in watching the video when she was startled by Jiang Xue’s voice. She quickly took off her earphones and nodded slightly. “I’ll eat.”

Jiang Xue fed her sweet osmanthus fermented rice balls made by Sister Cheng. The flavor of the fermented rice and the fragrance of osmanthus blended well together. The small red goji berries added color and sweetness, and even the glutinous rice flour used for the rice balls was carefully chosen, not sticky at all.

Jiang Xue went out and brought a bowl of steaming rice balls for herself, then asked after Xiao Luohan had eaten for a while, “Did you have a nightmare? Or are you feeling unwell? You can tell me if you don’t want to bother Sister Cheng. I have my phone with me!”

Not only did she have her phone, but she also checked it from time to time, but Xiao Luohan hadn’t sent any messages all night.

“Neither,” Xiao Luohan put down her bowl and spoon, shaking her head. “I fell asleep, but then I woke up quickly, and it kept happening.”

Jiang Xue felt that this symptom sounded familiar. Thinking carefully, she seemed to have experienced the same thing the night Xiao Luohan transformed into a cat to repay her kindness.

But she had been unable to sleep because she cared too much about Xiao Luo and was constantly worried, preoccupied with her thoughts. Could Xiao Luo also have something on her mind?

Asking directly probably wouldn’t get her an answer. If Xiao Luo really wanted to talk, she would have already told her.

Jiang Xue could only try to guide her indirectly. “Usually, it’s because you have something on your mind. For example, I can’t sleep well the night before a major exam or a long trip, and even my dreams are filled with related content, usually negative scenarios.”

“Like not being able to find the exam room, missing the exam because I had to go to the bathroom, realizing I filled in the answer sheet incorrectly right before handing it in… I always wake up in a panic after dreaming of such unexpected events.”

Seeing Xiao Luohan still shake her head in confusion, she continued guessing, “If you don’t have anything on your mind, it might be that you’re not used to the bed? It’s normal not to sleep well in a new environment. But it’s usually better if you have someone familiar with you.”

At this point, she suddenly realized.

Xiao Luo had always slept with her since crossing over! Even during lunch breaks.

From Uncle Seuss’s house to her home, to the classroom, and then here, the sleeping environment had changed repeatedly, but only tonight had Xiao Luo had trouble sleeping. She had slept soundly the previous times, all night long.

If this was the correct answer, for Xiao Luo’s sleep quality, should she apply to be exempt from evening self-study?

Studying wouldn’t be a problem. Besides her, there were many students in her grade who felt that studying at home was more efficient. They could apply to go home early, and most of the homework was collected by the class representatives the next morning during self-study and handed to the teachers for grading.

Even for the weekly English quizzes that took up two evening self-study periods, she could just get the test paper from the English teacher beforehand, time herself, and check the answers the next day in class.

In an instant, Jiang Xue had made up her mind and was even a little excited.

She hadn’t experienced skipping evening self-study since starting high school!

“Your problem isn’t difficult to solve. Just observe for a while with someone you’re familiar with,” she said to Xiao Luohan. “If you still can’t sleep well, ask Dr. Qi to prescribe some calming medicine. Just take it one step at a time, don’t worry!”

Come to think of it, Dr. Qi had said she would take Xiao Luo for a full body check-up before returning home. It seemed to be this week? They could take this opportunity to rule out other possible causes of insomnia.

Hearing “someone you’re familiar with,” Xiao Luohan vaguely guessed what Jiang Xue was planning to do, but she immediately dismissed the thought.

Impossible! Jiang Xue had already taken four days off from school for her, which was already an exception. She couldn’t possibly skip evening self-study too, could she?

But the next day, during the long break, she saw Jiang Xue show her the application for exemption from evening self-study with a bright smile.

“After all, you slept very soundly after I came back last night!” Jiang Xue explained, facing Xiao Luohan’s surprised look. “I don’t know about others, but in our family, health always comes first. If my company can help you sleep well and not have insomnia, in a way, it’s also saving us trouble.”

Xiao Luohan understood this. Even if they asked the family doctor for help, they still had to pay for the consultation and medicine, just with a lifelong discount.

“And, I don’t like evening self-study, especially in winter,” Jiang Xue continued, taking advantage of the empty classroom. “I don’t know if you noticed when you came to find me that day, but there’s always a certain smell in the classroom. It’s not because anyone is unhygienic, but because so many people are crammed into a small space for so long.”

“Besides that, there’s also the smell of coffee and even menthol balm mixed in, since everyone is trying to stay awake and study! In the past two years, A-Xi and I would even go to the hallway to study during winter. It was quiet and well-ventilated, just a little cold. If we weren’t careful, we would catch a cold the next day!”

After this explanation, Xiao Luohan was finally convinced.

So that day, after dinner at Old Cat Noodle Shop, on their way back, they heard Xie Xitong say sourly, “It’s so nice to be able to go home for evening self-study. I’m not jealous at all.”

“A-Xi’s study efficiency actually decreases when she’s at home.” Afraid that Xiao Luohan would misunderstand the joke, Jiang Xue quickly explained, “You remember that she always comes to my house to study on weekends, right? If she were at home…”

“Oh, oh, weren’t you also happily petting Xixi when I brought it over?” Xie Xitong interrupted. “It’s all the little kitty’s fault that I can’t focus on my studies!”

“See, you admitted it yourself.” After seriously explaining to Xiao Luohan, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but cover her mouth, her body shaking with laughter.

Xiao Luohan understood. They truly didn’t like evening self-study.

Knowing this, she felt completely at ease. After packing her things in the classroom, she went downstairs with Jiang Xue.

Although her feet hadn’t been bound, due to her frail health, Xiao Luohan always walked slowly, slightly behind Jiang Xue.

Looking up, she could see the setting sun casting a faint glow on Jiang Xue’s black hair, her high ponytail swaying gently with each step.

For some reason, she enjoyed looking at Jiang Xue from this angle.

But she didn’t want to always follow behind Jiang Xue. After admiring her for a while, she quickened her pace to catch up, keeping her shoulders level with Jiang Xue’s.

Jiang Xue was still thinking about the check-up this weekend and didn’t notice her small actions. After leaving the school gate and getting into the car, she couldn’t help but take out her phone to confirm the details with Dr. Qi.

Dr. Qi quickly replied: 【Yes, the appointment with the hospital is for this Saturday at 8:30 AM. After the check-up and lunch, you can go get your hair done.】

After reading the message, Jiang Xue instinctively looked at Xiao Luohan’s hair.

She was definitely getting a haircut—this was Xiao Luo’s request. She felt her hair was too long, inconvenient, and troublesome to wash.

According to Xiao Luo’s idea, after the haircut, her hair would probably be about the same length as Jiang Xue’s. As for the style, they could discuss it with Dr. Qi’s “old friend” later.

But… it was still a little pity. She quite liked Xiao Luo’s long hair.

Silently adding “buy Xiao Luo a super long wig” to her future plans, Jiang Xue said, “The check-up is the day after tomorrow. If you’re worried, you can search for the procedure online these two days. I have last year’s check-up list saved. I can show you when we get home.”

She was carsick, so replying to messages was already her limit. She couldn’t focus on finding the file.

After arriving at the rented apartment, Xiao Luohan went to wash up and change. After getting her consent, Jiang Xue took both their phones, using one to send the check-up list and the other to receive it.

She also searched for various check-up vlogs for Xiao Luohan, thoughtfully saving them in the same folder for easy browsing and organization.

But her movements were too fast, and the themes and wallpapers of the two phones were similar. When she intended to open an app on her own phone, she accidentally opened Xiao Luohan’s notes app.

The notes app on the new phone was practically empty. Jiang Xue was about to exit when she noticed a gray lock icon next to the pinned note.

She thought for a long time, then tried her usual passwords a few times, confirming that this wasn’t a note she had accidentally left on the spare phone.

…This lock could only have been added by Xiao Luo herself.

Realizing this, Jiang Xue felt a mix of emotions.

She was happy that Xiao Luo could lock her notes—this was a function she hadn’t taught her, and she hadn’t expected Xiao Luo to figure it out so quickly. But she was also worried that Xiao Luo already had locked notes so early on.

Xiao Luo’s restless sleep, it must be because she had something on her mind, right?

Was she worried about the future of the other world and Elder Sister Red Fox?

Or was it that she was uncomfortable with certain aspects of life in the new world, but for various reasons, couldn’t talk about them, so she wrote them down to vent?

Certainly, everyone had secrets they didn’t want to share, and Jiang Xue was willing to respect Xiao Luohan’s choice, but she was worried that her worries would accumulate.

The problems would pile up, visible every time she opened the notes app, but remain unresolved…

This kind of situation could be devastating. She had learned this the hard way during her “rebellious phase” and never dared to keep things bottled up for too long again.

Jiang Xue made a series of assumptions, but when Xiao Luohan emerged from the bathroom, her steps light and cheerful, took the phone, got into bed, and curiously started browsing the information about the check-up, she suddenly felt that she might have been overthinking.

What if Xiao Luo had simply wanted to try the new function, and then forgot to unlock it, or simply couldn’t find a way to unlock it?

After all, she wouldn’t have entered anything important when trying out a new function. Besides, a gray lock icon wasn’t a big deal. It only bothered people with OCD, nothing more.

Xiao Luohan had no idea that the lock she had set out of habit had caused Jiang Xue’s mind to wander and overthink.

She first read the check-up list, then watched the videos one by one, and finally, blushing, asked Jiang Xue, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, “That… there’s a detail about one of the examinations that I don’t quite understand…”

Too embarrassed to say it aloud, she simply opened the check-up list and pointed it out to Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue also fell silent when she saw the examination item.

It was a routine gynecological check-up. Their whole family had it every year, and they also had it during the school’s annual physical examination. With women’s health issues becoming increasingly important in society, this kind of check-up wasn’t unusual.

But Xiao Luo was a girl from ancient times, from a feudal society.

Chapter 68: Restless Without Xue

The trio had dinner at Old Cat Noodle Shop again. This time, as soon as Xiao Luohan finished ordering, she went to compliment the owner’s cat.

The owner had seen plenty of “cat-obsessed people.” She knew what Xiao Luohan wanted just from the first few words, chuckled, and stepped aside, watching as Xiao Luohan walked towards the still-pretending-to-be-asleep dairy cow cat.

Xiao Luohan hadn’t expected that the first cat she petted in the new world wouldn’t be Xie Xitong’s Xixi.

She cautiously extended her hand towards the dairy cow cat, slowly lowering it until it rested on the cat’s gently rising and falling back.

A warm, fluffy sensation immediately spread through her palm. The dairy cow cat didn’t even open its eyes, just rolled over, turning its back to her, but its tail twitched.

Xiao Luohan became bolder, spreading her fingers and stroking the cat from head to tail.

The cat purred contentedly, but it still wasn’t as clingy as Xixi. It simply stood up, turned, and climbed to a higher level on the cat tree.

Clearly enjoying it, yet still avoiding the kindness…

This made Xiao Luohan want to touch it even more.

She wanted to pull it down, hold it in her arms, and pet it until it meowed in protest, yet continued to snuggle against her contentedly.

But just as she raised her hand, the dairy cow cat suddenly opened its eyes, its pale yellow eyes glaring at her warningly.

Xiao Luohan hesitated, then wiggled her finger towards it and, as expected, saw the dairy cow cat hiss, its gaze turning fierce.

“It’s not familiar with you yet. Come more often, and it’ll change its mind,” the owner said with a smile. “It’s always like this, but it doesn’t bite. If you get any closer, it’ll just run away.”

Xiao Luohan withdrew her hand, looked at the slightly bristling dairy cow cat, and fell into thought.

Should she bring some “cat treats” next time? She remembered seeing many cat treats in the videos she had watched: treat sticks, freeze-dried snacks, canned food…

She mentally added this to her shopping list and continued thinking about it while eating her noodles.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but say, “Xiao Luo, if you have any problems, you can tell us, and we’ll help you find a solution. You…”

She had wanted to say, “You’re not alone anymore,” but felt it was presumptuous, so she stopped there, putting down her chopsticks and looking at Xiao Luohan intently.

“It’s not a problem, it’s just that I don’t know much about this,” Xiao Luohan finally looked at them. “It’s strange, that dairy cow cat clearly doesn’t like being close to people, but I want to gain its trust, hoping that one day it will come and rub against me.”

Jiang Xue: …

This was beyond her knowledge, so she looked at Xie Xitong for help.

“So, I was thinking, should I bring some ‘cat treats’ next time?” Xiao Luohan continued. “But what kind of cat treats should I buy?”

“Just ask me!” Xie Xitong said generously. “I have a cat, so I always have various treats at home, brands that Xixi has been eating for years. I probably have whatever you want to try.”

“But the ‘lure’ of treats varies from cat to cat. Some cats can’t resist the smell of treat sticks, but some cats ignore even the most expensive canned food.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xue whispered, “Then I’ll ask the owner what Mian Mian likes. It would be a waste to open the treats and have no cat eat them.”

It wasn’t like they were trying to lure a stray cat. Mian Mian had been raised by the owner for many years, so it shouldn’t be difficult to cater to its tastes.

The dairy cow cat, continuing to pretend to be asleep on the high perch of the cat tree, was completely unaware of the plans being made for it.

After dinner, Xiao Luohan returned to the classroom to pack her bag and prepare to leave.

Her health wasn’t good, and Jiang Xue didn’t want her to stay for evening self-study. At least for the next few months, Xiao Luohan would go home and rest at this time.

Jiang Xue walked her to the school gate, familiarizing her with the route to and from school once again.

“I’ve memorized it,” Xiao Luohan suddenly turned around before leaving the school gate. “There’s no need to see me off like this tomorrow.”

Jiang Xue wasn’t surprised. After observing her for a day, she found that Xiao Luo was adapting to the new world much faster than she had expected.

“So fast? That’s great!” she praised with a bright smile, then explained, “But I’m seeing you off because I want to, not just to show you the way.”

She waved to Xiao Luo, watching as she walked towards Sister Cheng, who was standing tall and straight as always, and got into the silver car, slowly driving away.

Xiao Luohan also watched her through the window, not turning away until she was out of sight. She then sat up straight, replaying Jiang Xue’s words in her mind.

—”I’m seeing you off because I want to.”

How could she say such things? Where did she learn them?

“Third Miss, I’ve moved the plum blossoms to the rented apartment. You can see if you want to adjust their position later,” Sister Cheng said apologetically as they approached the apartment. “Madam Wei always says that plants should be placed where people can see them, and I agree, so I took the liberty.”

“Not at all! I also think it’s a good idea!” Xiao Luohan quickly agreed. “Being able to see the buds bloom is truly a delight.”

She and Jiang Xue hadn’t told Sister Cheng about Elder Sister’s soul being attached to the plum blossoms yet. Firstly, the buds hadn’t bloomed yet, and secondly… if these plum blossoms withered like ordinary flowers, it would only add to the sadness.

The Sister Cheng of this world was similar to the Shizhu she knew in many ways. She seemed serious on the surface, but was easily moved and sentimental about such small, everyday things.

When the car stopped near the rented apartment, it was already completely dark.

Xiao Luohan followed Sister Cheng, watching as she turned on the lights on each floor, stomping her foot on a certain floor.

“This is an old building. Some of the lights were installed later and are voice-activated. Clapping or shouting can also turn them on,” Sister Cheng explained as they walked. “This is the emergency exit. In case of a power outage or fire, use this, don’t take the elevator. Look, this black and green sign is for the emergency exit.”

Xiao Luohan obediently agreed, but her mind started to wander.

She remembered Jiang Xue saying that she usually took the elevator to and from the apartment, but as soon as she arrived, Sister Cheng had taken her through the emergency exit, and Sister Cheng had also mentioned “fire”… Could it be that the Sister Cheng of this world had also experienced a similar accident?

Since Sister Cheng wasn’t the real Shizhu, she decided to wait until Jiang Xue returned to ask.

Arriving at the rented apartment, and especially after entering Jiang Xue’s bedroom, Xiao Luohan felt a sense of familiarity.

Last time, she had slept here, not very soundly, but fortunately, Jiang Xue had been with her. Returning here again, she felt like she was “returning to a familiar place.”

Although it was dark, it wasn’t bedtime yet, so Xiao Luohan went to look at the plum blossom branches Sister Cheng had moved.

Including the one Shizhu had initially given her, there were now four branches in total, all placed in a beautiful, transparent glass vase.

She didn’t know if it was because it was the right season, or because it was warm here, but the buds seemed to be about to bloom, perhaps in the next few days.

Thinking of this, Xiao Luohan’s already good mood brightened even more.

After looking at the plum blossoms, she thought of the succulents she had liked today.

She would arrange them on the sunny windowsill, or perhaps buy a shelf and arrange them like in the gardening club’s glass room.

At the thought of “buying,” Xiao Luohan took out her phone, turned it on, opened the shopping app, and searched for shelves, then recorded the budget price in the notes app.

She kept track of every expense since arriving in the new world, planning to repay them all after she had the ability to earn money.

She also remembered Jiang Xue’s words today, knowing that she wasn’t doing this out of “obsession,” but setting main goals for each stage of her future.

Both to integrate into the new world and to improve herself day by day, to reach a higher place and see the scenery of this new world.

At 7:00 PM, feeling sleepy, Xiao Luohan said goodnight to Sister Cheng, washed up, and got into bed.

After learning that she also wanted to sleep in the rented apartment, Sister Cheng had thoughtfully prepared a set of bedding, with her favorite pillowcases and duvet cover, placing them next to Jiang Xue’s.

Xiao Luohan’s quilt was placed on the outside, but she moved it to the inside, closer to the wall, so that when Jiang Xue came back at night, she could lie down directly without having to climb over her.

After doing all this, she turned off the lights and closed her eyes.

She was surrounded by the familiar, comforting fragrance. In this peaceful atmosphere, she tried to fall asleep.

But for some reason, when she woke up groggily and checked the time, she found that only half an hour had passed.

Puzzled, she turned off her phone screen and tried to sleep again, but soon woke up again.

After this happened three or four times, Xiao Luohan simply turned on the light, sat up in bed, and grabbed her phone.

She first opened WeChat, skillfully navigating to her chat with Jiang Xue, but after typing a few words, she felt it was inappropriate, deleted them, and opened the notes app, creating a new, unnamed category.

She recorded her situation tonight and added a preliminary guess:

【Restless sleep in the new world, waking up repeatedly, feeling a sense of loss. Compared to the past, tonight, without Xue by my side… This conclusion needs further observation and confirmation.】

Because she mentioned Jiang Xue, she password-protected this category and its contents.

Since she couldn’t sleep, she needed to find something to do. Xiao Luohan hesitated between “reading textbooks” and “watching anime,” then chose anime.

Textbooks could be read anytime during the day, but anime could only be enjoyed during free time.

Since both her elder sister and Jiang Xue wanted her to learn to relax, she should do more relaxing things.

So when Jiang Xue returned home from school, she found the bedroom light on as soon as she entered.

“…Xiao Luo, you’re not asleep yet?” she asked in surprise, sitting down at the dining table and addressing Sister Cheng, who brought her a late-night snack.

“She said goodnight to me around 7:00 PM,” Sister Cheng said, looking at the bedroom worriedly. “But for some reason, the light in her room turned on again around 9:00 PM and has been on since.”

Jiang Xue was even more puzzled. After taking a couple of bites of her snack, still feeling uneasy, she carried the bowl and knocked on the bedroom door.

“Xiao Luo? I’m back. Is it okay if I come in?”

After waiting for a full ten seconds and receiving no response, Jiang Xue panicked, put the bowl on the cabinet beside her, and opened the door.

Fortunately, Xiao Luohan was sitting on the bed, wearing earphones and staring intently at the screen. She must have turned up the volume and hadn’t heard the knocking.

Jiang Xue breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, picked up the late-night snack, walked to the bedside, sat down, and handed her the bowl. “Do you want some? It’s sweet osmanthus fermented rice balls.”

Chapter 67: Does Xiao Luo Want to Try Too?

After listening attentively to Jiang Xue’s patient explanation, Xiao Luohan finally relaxed.

It seemed she had taken things too quickly, worrying those who cared about her.

She thought for a moment, looked into Jiang Xue’s eyes, and said, “I understand your kindness. Perhaps I’ve rested for too long during the past seventeen years, so when I finally started moving again, I couldn’t help but want to take more steps, walk faster.”

Jiang Xue patted her back. “I understand.”

“But I rarely change my mind about things I’ve decided on,” Xiao Luohan continued. “For example, I believe that going to bed early is good for my health. Unless I change my mind, I won’t agree to stay up late no matter who asks.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xue was also relieved. She could sense that this was something Xiao Luo deliberately said for her and Elder Sister Red Fox to hear.

“Rest assured, I lived with my mother in the cold palace for so many years, and survived until now with such a frail body, so I definitely know how to rest and relax.” Xiao Luohan also patted her shoulder. “You… no, you all don’t have to treat me like a delicate flower.”

She knew her elder sister was also listening.

Just as Jiang Xue had taught her today, if she felt that someone close to her wasn’t being entirely truthful, she should express her own feelings clearly, so that the other person would remember.

Jiang Xue repeatedly agreed, thinking that if Xiao Luo were a flower, she would definitely be a plum blossom, capable of “blooming alone in the cold.”

Just as she thought this, she saw something falling from above. She instinctively looked up and saw a red plum blossom.

Before she could react, Xiao Luohan reached out and caught it.

“Elder Sister understands,” she said, smiling and holding the petal, even though the red fox hadn’t appeared.

After this small interlude, they stayed in the mindscape for a while longer, until the wake-up bell rang, and they both woke up from the dream.

The wake-up bell for lunch break at Si Ling rotated through several instrumental music pieces. Today, it wasn’t A Wish Across Time, but a more upbeat melody.

Seeing Xiao Luohan lying there, listening curiously with her eyes open, Jiang Xue softly explained, “This is Croatian Rhapsody. The theme is anti-war.”

Xiao Luohan thought of her home country.

According to the definition in this world, she had been living in the “Warring States period” before crossing over. The world wasn’t unified, with stronger countries annexing weaker ones, only to be conquered by even stronger countries. No one knew when it would end, and there had never been a true “era of peace.”

However, after seeing Beiliao’s victory in the mindscape, she started hoping that Beiliao could become a powerful nation capable of “ending all wars.”

After the afternoon English class, Xiao Luohan planned to borrow Jiang Xue’s books and test papers and try attending a biology class.

According to Jiang Xue, biology was “the liberal arts of science,” with more memorization and comprehension than calculation.

The reason she had initially found it difficult to understand was mainly because she had rarely encountered related knowledge points before, and even if she had, many of the terms used in biology in ancient times were different from those used in modern times.

So Xiao Luohan decided to give it a try.

But as soon as class started, she noticed the teacher’s gaze. Looking over, she found that the biology teacher, nicknamed “Homozygote,” was looking at Jiang Xue.

…Why was she looking at Jiang Xue?

The only reason Xiao Luohan could think of was that Jiang Xue was distracted, but the class had just started, and biology was a subject Jiang Xue liked and excelled at. She shouldn’t be distracted, right?

But she was still worried and couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue, suddenly the focus of two gazes: ?

She was confused for a moment, then, noticing the fluffy cat keychain on Xiao Luohan’s backpack, she suddenly realized.

It could only be this. That night, after evening self-study, she had been “claimed” by Xiao Luo, who had transformed into a Ragdoll cat. She had carried the cat and searched the entire senior year office area with Xie Xitong, looking for the cat’s owner, and had asked “Homozygote.”

Since she had a good relationship with “Homozygote,” she had held up the cat for her to see.

Putting herself in the biology teacher’s shoes, Jiang Xue cringed, feeling that it must have been terrifying.

She was a biology teacher, and late at night, after everyone had left, a student suddenly entered the office, holding nothing in her arms, and asked her which teacher owned the cat.

Either it was really haunted, or the student had delusions, or the pressure of studying had caused hallucinations—none of the conclusions sounded normal.

And she couldn’t explain it!

Jiang Xue covered half her face and sighed deeply. For the rest of the class, she listened attentively, afraid that “Homozygote” would worry about her again.

But as soon as class ended, the biology teacher called her over.

“Jiang Xue, your biology grades have been good since your sophomore year. As long as you continue to listen attentively in class, do your homework, and correct your mistakes, I believe you can maintain them. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself!”

Jiang Xue: …

Now there was no way to explain.

Seeing her dejectedly return, Xiao Luohan asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Xue opened her mouth, thinking about how to explain the situation, when Xie Xitong walked over with a smile. “Xiao Luo, do you want to join us for PE too?”

Staring at the “culprit” for three seconds, Jiang Xue sighed and stood up. “Of course! I also want to introduce Xiao Luo to the school store!”

As they walked down the stairs, she said casually, “Can I play table tennis with you today?”

“Sure,” Xie Xitong, oblivious to her ulterior motives, readily agreed.

Although playing table tennis also required moving around quickly, it was much less strenuous than badminton for Jiang Xue.

Most importantly, Xie Xitong was terrible at table tennis, and she loved playing despite being terrible. In the entire class, only Jiang Xue was willing to play with her.

Jiang Xue decided to take a little revenge during this PE class.

Not telling her was too much! If Xie Xitong had just given her a heads-up, she wouldn’t have run around the office area at night, holding what others saw as “air cat”!

Xiao Luohan followed behind them, feeling that Jiang Xue’s gaze towards Xie Xitong carried a hint of… resentment?

She suspected she was mistaken, but after arriving at the gymnasium and watching Xie Xitong go get the table tennis balls and paddles, Jiang Xue explained, “Do you remember when you came to me as a cat?”

Xiao Luohan: …

She seemed to understand where the resentment came from.

“A-Xi knew something was unusual about the cat, but didn’t tell you?” she asked tentatively, then received a helpless sigh in response.

“It’s not a big deal, it’s just that I made the biology teacher worry, and I feel a little bad, but I can’t explain it, so I’m taking it out on the ‘culprit’.” Jiang Xue whispered, “Besides our homeroom teacher, ‘Homozygote’ cares about us the most.”

After all, this was high school. Students had their own independence, and unless there were obvious abnormalities, or if a student actively sought help from a trusted teacher, generally, other teachers wouldn’t notice such details—they had too many students to deal with, and teachers also had limited energy.

After Xie Xitong returned with the balls and paddles, Xiao Luohan followed them to a table tennis table and sat nearby, watching their intense “battle of the noobs.”

She quickly realized that Xie Xitong was completely unskilled and just hitting the ball randomly, while Jiang Xue, who could actually play, was now even serving with spin, making Xie Xitong chase after the ball repeatedly.

She felt a little guilty. Regardless of the original intention, the incident that night had led to today’s situation, and she was also partly responsible—she could have spoken, but she had pretended to be a cat the entire time.

But seeing the two happily playing, with Xie Xitong even trying to imitate Jiang Xue’s “spin serve,” Jiang Xue’s initial resentment had also dissipated. She thought for a moment, deciding to wait a little longer before mentioning it.

She watched for half the class, and in the end, it was Xie Xitong who invited her: “Xiao Luo, do you want to try too? A-Xue can’t exercise for too long, she needs to rest.”

“Xiao Luo doesn’t know how to play yet, don’t bully her!” Although Jiang Xue said this, she handed her paddle to Xiao Luohan.

But before resting, she explained to Xiao Luo in as much detail as possible how to serve, receive, and the rules of the game.

Xiao Luohan nodded obediently, listened attentively, took the paddle, and carefully wiped her palms and the handle with a tissue to prevent slipping.

Then she adopted the exact same stance as Jiang Xue.

Five minutes later, Xie Xitong pulled Jiang Xue, who was resting, from her seat. “Did you two practice last night?”

Jiang Xue: …

“Of course not! I was so tired last night that I went to bed early! Who has the energy and stamina to play table tennis after a long flight?!” she defended herself loudly. “Xiao Luo is just naturally talented and observant, right? She’s never seen table tennis before today!”

“Then she’s too amazing!” Xie Xitong exclaimed sincerely. “It feels like I’m still playing against the same person!”

This piqued Jiang Xue’s curiosity. She waited for another five minutes, then couldn’t help but replace Xie Xitong and play against Xiao Luohan.

…It was exactly the same, their habits and movements almost identical.

It was Jiang Xue’s first “mirror image” experience. As they played, she became engrossed, even experiencing the joy of “playing chess with both hands.”

But she remembered that Xiao Luohan’s health wasn’t good, and Xiao Luohan also remembered that she couldn’t exercise for too long, so after just five minutes, they both put down their paddles.

After putting away the paddles and washing their hands, they went to the small store inside the gymnasium together.

“That day, I just wanted you to choose a drink, but I didn’t expect you to not only choose ‘Scream,’ but also the red one, which is widely considered the worst,” Jiang Xue said as they walked along the shelves, taking a can of mulberry yogurt drink and handing it to Xiao Luohan. “I actually wanted to recommend dairy products, especially yogurt, which is said to be good for the stomach, and it’s probably not common in your world, right?”

Xiao Luohan carefully thought about it and nodded. “Indeed, I’ve only seen ‘cheese’ in travelogues.”

Jiang Xue thought for a moment. “After the college entrance exam, if your health improves, why don’t we go on a trip to the grasslands, where there are many dairy products?”

Xiao Luohan instinctively wanted to agree, but then remembered that she had just made a promise to Uncle Seuss to help him pick grapes and make wine during the summer vacation.

No wonder Jiang Xue had said “it’s not a binding agreement.” Seeing something interesting, she would always have new ideas, and making promises too early would restrict her actions. It was best to make arrangements closer to the actual time.

“If I’m free, I’d like to,” she replied to Jiang Xue, opening the mulberry yogurt drink and taking a sip.

…Delicious! Sweet and sour! She wanted to visit the grasslands even more now.

Chapter 66: I Hope You’ll Be Happy Too

Just as Jiang Xue finished organizing Xiao Luohan’s textbooks and workbooks, the lunch break bell rang.

She drew the curtains, took a small, dust-covered pillow from her canvas bag, and placed it on her desk.

“Let’s sleep first. Looking at things in dim light is bad for your eyes,” she whispered, then lay down on the pillow and closed her eyes.

Xiao Luohan hadn’t planned to study during lunch break from the start. Due to her frail health, she had always followed the principle of “resting when needed.” Even during the marriage alliance, in a foreign land, she hadn’t changed her habit of taking naps and going to bed early.

She also opened her canvas bag and took out the small pillow Jiang Xue had put inside that morning.

In this world, people didn’t use soap beans or cleansing powders for laundry, but laundry detergent with various fragrances and bars of soap. Resting her head on the pillow, the fragrance was the same as the one in Jiang Xue’s bedroom.

The familiar scent was comforting. She looked at Jiang Xue, who was resting with her eyes closed, and soon drifted off to sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in the “mindscape.”

Jiang Xue was already there, lying on her stomach by the window, her mouth slightly open as she looked at the scenery outside.

“Jiang Xue,” Xiao Luohan called out, walking over and lying down beside her, looking out the window as well.

“Y-You’re here too!” Jiang Xue replied absentmindedly, then pointed out the window. “Can you see? Is this… is this still the ancient world you used to live in?”

When she first crossed over, Xiao Luohan had come here alone in a dream.

Perhaps Elder Sister wanted her to be at ease, so the scene outside the window back then had been Shizhu, her mother, the late Empress’s maternal family, and the subsequent events in Beiliao.

“Your materials should have been delivered to the late Empress’s maternal family through a dream sent by Elder Sister,” Xiao Luohan replied. “Last time I looked out the window, Elder Sister’s aunt was already using a rifle.”

Jiang Xue: …

Good heavens!

“I thought I was seeing things just now—how could an ancient army use guns in battle?!” After hearing Xiao Luohan’s explanation, Jiang Xue breathed a sigh of relief. “It feels like the developments after you left are similar to the play we saw during the New Year’s Eve gala!”

The little princess, guided by the female general in her dreams, had eventually overcome a stronger enemy and won the war.

“Except that in reality, the person being guided in the dream is a member of the late Empress’s maternal family,” she said. “I just saw Daying in chaos. The Crown Prince was burned to death on his wedding day, and the dog emperor, who had only one son and many daughters, fainted from anger. When he woke up, everything had changed!”

As Jiang Xue spoke, the scene outside the window was still changing, but it stopped at a simply furnished room.

Xiao Luohan, who had been listening, suddenly froze when she saw the room’s layout.

Then, she saw her own portrait hanging on the wall, with burning incense below, fresh fruits and pastries offered on the table, and a dish of…

Seeing what was in the small dish, Xiao Luohan’s nose tingled.

Chili dipping sauce.

She looked again and saw Shizhu, but compared to before, Shizhu’s clothes were of better quality, and she looked more energetic.

Shizhu was kneeling on a cushion, her hands clasped together, muttering something.

Xiao Luohan thought she wouldn’t be able to hear, like last time, but this time, Shizhu’s voice clearly reached her ears:

“I hope to see Your Highness again in a dream, at least to know that you are safe and sound, but I also hope that you have completely gone to the other world, so please don’t enter my dreams, otherwise… otherwise, you might have to come back!”

“From Shizhu’s tone, even though the situation in Beiliao has improved, she doesn’t seem to want you to return to your original world?” Jiang Xue asked uncertainly.

This was… a little puzzling.

“She used the supplies you gave me and read the books you sent, so she knows what kind of ‘paradise’ this world is,” Xiao Luohan explained. “Her beloved only daughter passed away, so she has transferred her affections to me. If I’m fortunate enough to stay in this ‘paradise,’ she naturally doesn’t want me to go back.”

She tried to reach out towards the window.

As she expected, an invisible barrier separated her hand from Shizhu.

“…I’ve already left that world. Even being able to see this is probably an exception, thanks to Elder Sister’s power.” She sighed and lowered her hand.

Being unable to touch was also good. This way, Shizhu, who believed in ghosts and spirits, would think that she had gone to a good place and was living a good life.

At this moment, Jiang Xue, witnessing everything, felt like an outsider—which was indeed the case. Her emotional connection to the ancient world was limited to everything that happened around Xiao Luo.

Besides that, whether it was Shizhu, Xiao Luo’s mother, or even Elder Sister Red Fox, she couldn’t feel the same strong and genuine emotions as Xiao Luo.

She knew that the scene outside the window was a bond that only Xiao Luo could truly empathize with, so she remained silent, quietly accompanying Xiao Luo, listening to her occasional thoughts.

The world outside the window seemed to be on fast-forward. She watched as Beiliao’s army swept across the battlefield, winning a great victory, and then watched as Elder Sister Red Fox’s aunt led the troops into Daying’s capital, finally capturing the dog emperor’s “siblings” who had attempted to seize the throne during the chaos.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue thought she should cheer for Beiliao, but then she saw Xiao Luohan turn and walk towards the desk.

“Beiliao won,” Jiang Xue followed and sat down on the soft cushion beside her. “Is that… a good thing?”

“Yes,” Xiao Luohan replied with a smile in her voice. “Although I can’t communicate with Shizhu and the others, Elder Sister should still be able to see my words.”

She started grinding ink.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue took some writing paper from the bookshelf, folded it neatly, and placed it within Xiao Luohan’s reach, then prepared to give her some space.

But before she could take a step, Xiao Luohan gently tugged on her sleeve.

“I’m feeling a little lonely now,” Xiao Luohan said tactfully.

Jiang Xue immediately sat back down, waiting to see what she would write.

Soon, Xiao Luohan spread out the paper and dipped her brush in ink:

【Elder Sister, I hope this letter finds you well.

Jiang Xue and I have witnessed Beiliao’s victory and Daying’s downfall. Jiang Xue is very happy that her information was helpful.】

Since this was a letter only her elder sister could see, she naturally used more colloquial language, as if she was talking to her elder sister face to face.

【If possible, please tell Mother and Shizhu in a dream that I didn’t die in the fire at the Eastern Palace, but personally shot the Crown Prince and was then taken to another world by a ‘ghost or spirit.’

Today was my first day of school in the new world, and everything is well. I’m catching up on my studies and trying to integrate as soon as possible.

I sincerely wish Elder Sister the best in fulfilling her wish.】

Xiao Luohan didn’t plan to change the final well wishes.

After arriving here, she finally understood that being able to fulfill one’s “ideal” or “dream” in one’s lifetime was the greatest happiness.

She hoped her elder sister would also be happy.

As soon as she put down her brush, she saw a flash of bright color in the corner of her eye.

Jiang Xue, sitting beside her, also saw it—it was the red fox she was so familiar with, now slowly walking in, its large tail swaying gently behind it.

She saw Xiao Luohan stand up and rush over, hugging the red fox tightly.

The red fox didn’t resist this time, even nuzzling against her, then looking at Jiang Xue.

“Elder Sister Red Fox,” Jiang Xue also walked over, knelt down, and bowed to her. “I will definitely not let Xiao Luo suffer any grievances, you can rest assured!”

“There’s no need to swear every time you see me,” the red fox said. “I only need to see Xiao Luo’s appearance to know how she’s doing.”

She wouldn’t have entrusted her most beloved younger sister to Jiang Xue if she didn’t trust her.

Hearing this, Xiao Luohan hugged the red fox even tighter.

“Xiao Luo, don’t be too anxious over there,” the red fox nuzzled her face against Xiao Luohan’s cheek. “It’s a free and easy place. Don’t trap yourself with obsessions.”

These were harsh words. Not only Xiao Luohan, but even Jiang Xue, the “outsider” listening in, was stunned.

But after recovering, she felt that Elder Sister Red Fox’s words made sense.

In her opinion, Xiao Luo was indeed carrying various burdens, some she should bear, some she shouldn’t, all weighing down on her.

Was she truly free in this new world? No, she had even been trying to quickly understand everything here, to bind herself to the new identity of a “seventeen-year-old high school student.”

Considering herself an outsider, her perspective limited by her experiences, Jiang Xue couldn’t make an objective and mature judgment, only feeling that “Xiao Luo shouldn’t be so tired.” But she could only observe for now and find a way to help if Xiao Luo’s condition worsened.

The red fox seemed to have something else to do, or perhaps it had only come to give this piece of advice. After speaking, it disappeared from Xiao Luohan’s arms.

Jiang Xue hurriedly reached out to support her and met Xiao Luohan’s gaze.

It was a look of confusion, but Jiang Xue could understand the reason for her bewilderment.

—Something she had believed in had been denied by the person she trusted and was closest to.

And precisely because this was a sincere “it’s for your own good,” without any malice, only because she had noticed the signs and wanted to extinguish the painful bud at its root, Elder Sister Red Fox’s advice made Xiao Luohan even more confused.

Jiang Xue thought for a moment, then expressed her affirmation and support. “I think having obsessions is a good thing.”

“With obsession, there are wishes you want to fulfill in your lifetime, and it gives you the motivation to move forward. Studies, work, life, there will always be difficult times, and obsession is like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey. Even just smelling it, seeing a glimpse of it, can make you take a few more steps forward and get through those tough times.”

She ruffled Xiao Luohan’s hair and, seeing her listening attentively, continued, “But no matter what you do, ‘too much is as bad as too little.’ Even for senior year students like us, whose ‘one exam determines our fate,’ even if my older sister works overtime to push a project forward, those periods of intense pressure don’t last too long. Otherwise, if a person is constantly tense, both mentally and physically, they’ll break down!”

“So, Elder Sister Red Fox actually hopes that you can quickly learn to ‘relax’.” She emphasized the word. “This is a brand new world, and there are no responsibilities or obligations that you must bear now. As long as you happily find something you’re good at or enjoy doing, everyone will be happy.”

As she spoke, she felt something fluffy brush against her hand.

…Was Elder Sister Red Fox agreeing with her words?

Chapter 65: She Would Hold Her Tight

After a morning of classes, Jiang Xue realized she had underestimated Xiao Luohan.

When encountering a class she didn’t understand, Xiao Luohan would find something else to do and focus on it for the entire class, neither disturbing Jiang Xue nor getting distracted.

As for liberal arts subjects like Chinese, English, and history, even if Xiao Luohan couldn’t keep up with their pace, she could still grasp a clear understanding of the course content by listening to the lectures.

After looking at Xiao Luohan’s notes, Jiang Xue felt that she didn’t seem like a student at all, but more like a trainee teacher observing a class!

However, after the “Crown Prince assassination” incident, she could understand why Xiao Luohan was so different from them.

They had both learned how to use a gun from Uncle Seuss, but she had learned it to teach Xiao Luo, while Xiao Luo had learned it to kill the Crown Prince. If she couldn’t kill him quickly, she herself might be the one who died.

Xiao Luo, despite lacking a sense of security, had a much stronger sense of danger than she did.

Under these two invisible pressures, her thirst for knowledge… no, perhaps it was her “survival instinct” that drove Xiao Luo to find the best shortcut to reach the peak.

—This was a situation she couldn’t change no matter how much she tried to persuade her. It was up to Xiao Luo to figure it out and overcome it herself. Moreover, for Xiao Luo, it probably wasn’t the time to completely relax and “move on.”

But since Jiang Xue had noticed, she couldn’t just ignore it.

She couldn’t solve this alone. She still had Xie Xitong.

She always went to the cafeteria with Xie Xitong for lunch. Today, with Xiao Luo joining them, the three walked side by side. Although it was their first time, it felt as natural as if they did this every day.

However, this naturalness might also be because Xie Xitong deliberately walked on one side, with Jiang Xue in the middle, so she could talk to either of them.

“Today is Xiao Luo’s first time ‘eating in the cafeteria.’ Should we go to the window and order dishes, or have noodles?” Xie Xitong asked as they approached the cafeteria entrance.

Xiao Luohan asked in surprise, “Noodles? Old Cat Noodle Shop?”

She remembered reading in the diary that Jiang Xue and Xie Xitong were regulars at this noodle shop, and the beef noodles she had eaten were also from there.

After receiving confirmation, she nodded readily. “I like noodles for lunch.”

As soon as the three arrived at the window, they saw the dairy cow cat owned by the shop owner lying in its special nest, its belly rising and falling as it slept soundly.

“You’re here? What would you like to eat?” The owner, having just served a bowl of beef noodles, turned to them with a smile. “Oh, you’ve brought a new girl.”

“Xiao Luo is a distant relative of mine. She just came back from abroad and will be attending school with me.” Jiang Xue gave a brief introduction. “She’ll have a bowl of clear soup beef noodles, uh… as for the garlic chives and cilantro…”

“A little bit of both is fine,” Xiao Luohan said.

While the owner was preparing their noodles, Xiao Luohan’s gaze naturally fell on the sleek and shiny dairy cow cat, then, not wanting to disturb its sleep, she quickly looked away, her gaze landing on the various condiments.

“The pickled radish, fermented chili, and chili oil are all homemade by the owner,” Jiang Xue said, taking a small dish and scooping a large spoonful of light pink pickled radish. “Pickled radish helps cut through the richness. You can also try the two types of chili if you’re interested, but they’re really spicy.”

Before she could finish, Xiao Luohan saw Xie Xitong scoop a large spoonful of fermented chili and then cover the other half of the small dish with chili oil.

“…Don’t follow her example, A-Xi can practically eat chili peppers as a vegetable!” Jiang Xue quickly explained.

Xiao Luohan nodded, took a small amount of fermented chili, added a few drops of chili oil, and went to find a seat with her small dish.

“Before you came, we would sit there and send you noodles,” Jiang Xue whispered, taking advantage of the smaller crowd, and pointed in a direction.

“You went through so much trouble,” Xiao Luohan lowered her head and was about to bow when Xie Xitong stopped her.

“Don’t worry about it, we were just having fun!” Xie Xitong said with a smile. “One keeping watch, the other delivering food, it was quite interesting!”

“Yes, yes, we treated it as a daily activity!” Jiang Xue quickly agreed, hoping this reason would prevent Xiao Luo from dwelling on the favor.

She had considered whether to simply not mention the things she had done for Xiao Luo, but thinking of Xiao Luo’s sensitive nature, she was afraid that if she didn’t mention them, Xiao Luo would just keep them in her heart, letting them snowball into a “mountain of gratitude.”

She really felt that she hadn’t done much for Xiao Luo, just ordinary, everyday things, which shouldn’t become a burden for her.

Because of this, she still decided to tell Xiao Luo, one by one, that her presence had simply become a part of their lives, and they had helped her because they wanted her to be well.

Xiao Luohan vaguely understood what they meant, but understanding was one thing, and being grateful for their kindness and wanting to repay them was another.

However, repaying kindness was also an ordinary thing. She would find opportunities and do it gradually.

—For now, she just needed to enjoy her noodles.

The clear soup beef noodles at Old Cat Noodle Shop were light but flavorful. Xiao Luohan never got tired of them, and today, with the pickled radish and chili, they tasted even better.

Unfortunately, the portion was too large. Perhaps seeing how thin she was, the owner had given her more noodles than Jiang Xue and the others had sent before.

Even a normal portion was too much for Xiao Luohan to finish. In the ancient world, she would share with Shizhu. Now, looking at the half-bowl of noodles left, she felt a little troubled.

“Do you… mind if I take some of your noodles?”

She suddenly heard Jiang Xue ask, then Xie Xitong added, “A-Xue gets hungry quickly, sometimes she even takes some of my noodles!”

“Yes, yes!” Jiang Xue nodded repeatedly, putting on an embarrassed expression.

So the remaining noodles ended up in Jiang Xue’s bowl.

Jiang Xue felt that this wasn’t the most elegant solution, but it was probably the best way for Xiao Luohan to give her the leftover food without feeling burdened.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she ate the noodles, and it wasn’t until she finished and met Xie Xitong’s almost “knowing smile” that she suddenly realized what a strange choice she had made.

“We’re family, we’re family…” she repeated in her mind. “There’s nothing wrong with family members eating each other’s leftovers…”

That was fine, but on the way back to the classroom, she heard Xie Xitong whisper in her ear, “Incorrect program execution, but correct result~”

Jiang Xue: …

Correct my foot! Wouldn’t this be misunderstood by Xiao Luo?!

She was about to glare back when she heard Xiao Luohan say regretfully, “That cat is sleeping so soundly, I wonder if I’ll be able to pet it next time.”

“You want to pet it?” Jiang Xue immediately turned to her. “Just tell the owner next time, and you can go in and pet it directly. It’s an old cat and a light sleeper. It’s actually pretending to be asleep most of the time. If someone pets it, it’ll wake up immediately.”

“But it’s very aloof,” Xie Xitong added. “Even if it enjoys being petted, it’ll deliberately act resistant.”

“It seems like it doesn’t want to acknowledge you, but if you really leave, it’ll peek and look for you.”

This was the experience they had accumulated petting the dairy cow cat since high school.

Xiao Luohan suddenly understood. “Its personality is very different from Xixi’s.”

The large white cat was very clingy, even rubbing against people while complaining, and would immediately run away from people it didn’t like. It was very straightforward.

“Of course, Xixi has been with us since it was a kitten. It can be said that it was spoiled by our whole family. Even when it’s angry, it still likes being close to humans.” Mentioning her cat, Xie Xitong became serious. “But the old dairy cow cat is different. The owner found it as a stray near a trash can. It had a hard life before becoming a house cat.”

“Cats and dogs actually have a period that’s most suitable for ‘socialization.’ If they’re not treated well during that period, or if something bad happens to them, it’s difficult for them to truly trust and be close to humans later on.”

The speaker was unintentional, but both listeners, because of the difference in the cats’ personalities, thought of people.

Especially Jiang Xue, who had been wanting to discuss with Xie Xitong how to help Xiao Luo relax.

But after hearing this explanation, Jiang Xue suddenly felt that there was no need to do anything extra.

Since Xiao Luo lacked a sense of security, she just needed to be there for her as much as possible when she needed care and encouragement.

She just needed to hug her, be her support, and give her enough warmth to dispel her fear when she felt discouraged.

Xiao Luo wanted to grow into a strong and independent person, so she would be the support she needed during her growth.

This was simple. It was like when you first brought a stray cat home, you had to let it adapt to the environment. During this time, the stray cat might hiss at people or refuse to eat, but as long as it felt safe, it would naturally come out of hiding and accept the kindness of its adopter.

Having made up her mind, Jiang Xue felt her steps become firmer.

They parted ways at the bottom of the teaching building. Xie Xitong returned to the classroom for her lunch break, while Jiang Xue took Xiao Luohan to the library to get her textbooks and workbooks.

According to the rules, each registered student had two opportunities to receive free books. If they lost them again, they would have to pay.

Jiang Xue had always cherished her textbooks, so she gave both free opportunities to Xiao Luohan.

Before the lunch bell rang, she helped Xiao Luohan get all the required and elective textbooks and workbooks for Chinese and history, from freshman to senior year.

The librarian had never seen this before, but she was busy and didn’t bother asking why. After registering, she even gave them a plastic bag to carry the books.

Jiang Xue instinctively wanted to carry the books herself, but Xiao Luohan took the other end of the plastic bag first.

“I also want to try and build up my strength,” Xiao Luohan explained. “Can I carry it with you?”

Her frailty manifested in various aspects. Since she had arrived in an era with good medical care, she wanted to gradually regain the physical strength of a normal person.

“Sure, just tell me if you get tired,” Jiang Xue didn’t refuse, taking the other end of the bag.

She deliberately slowed down, walking towards the classroom with Xiao Luohan, stopping every now and then to rest for ten or twenty seconds.

“You learn things so fast!” she couldn’t help but exclaim when they reached a secluded spot. “Understanding the system makes it easier to comprehend why certain events happen at each stage, and why it’s necessary to move on to the next stage.”

“You flatter me. I owe it all to your textbooks,” Xiao Luohan said. “I treated them like storybooks. Perhaps it was ‘subconscious learning,’ so when I actually started studying them, it wasn’t that difficult.”

Jiang Xue: …

Xiao Luo, who treated textbooks like storybooks, was strangely endearing.

Chapter 64: Basking in the Sun

Xiao Luohan recognized Dan Yuanyuan. Besides Dan Yuanyuan and Xie Xitong, she could also name the other students who participated in the performance.

But it was Dan Yuanyuan’s first time seeing her. Since class hadn’t started yet, she asked curiously, “What’s your name? How did you come to Si Ling?”

“Xiao Luohan,” she replied, picking up a sticky note and writing her name for her to see.

Dan Yuanyuan gasped, her eyes lighting up. “Your handwriting is so beautiful! If you had come earlier, the blackboard newspaper—”

“No, no! Xiao Luo’s health isn’t good, she’s allergic to dust and paint!” Jiang Xue immediately interrupted.

Then she said apologetically to Xiao Luohan, “Yuanyuan is our class’s arts committee member. She’s in charge of the performance planning I mentioned before, and also the blackboard newspaper at the back of the classroom.”

Although Xiao Luohan had read and heard about Dan Yuanyuan’s responsibilities from Jiang Xue, seeing the “person” in the flesh standing before her was a different feeling.

“Oh! Of course I wouldn’t actually make Xiao Luo write it!” Dan Yuanyuan said, smiling at Jiang Xue. “I would have Xiao Luo write a template, and you would copy it onto the blackboard!”

Jiang Xue: …?

She opened her mouth, about to retort as usual, but then felt she shouldn’t leave a bad impression on Xiao Luo, so she changed her tone. “That’s not a bad idea.”

Dan Yuanyuan’s smile froze.

“So protective…” she muttered after recovering, then patted Jiang Xue’s shoulder meaningfully and returned to her seat with her water bottle.

Xiao Luohan looked at Jiang Xue, a little confused.

She could tell that Jiang Xue and Dan Yuanyuan had a good relationship and understood the meaning of Dan Yuanyuan’s words before leaving, but precisely because she understood, she wasn’t sure how to act in front of Jiang Xue in this situation.

So, she simply presented this dilemma to Jiang Xue, playing the role of the confused and helpless newcomer.

Jiang Xue coughed lightly and waited until the students getting water behind them had dispersed before explaining, “Yuanyuan is sometimes joking, don’t take it seriously. I’ll respond to her.”

Xiao Luohan nodded and asked softly, “Then, what if I also want to be friends with her?”

“You can either retort with a joke, or give a polite smile,” Jiang Xue patiently explained. “She likes you, and she’ll remember your reaction. Next time, she won’t make this kind of joke with you and will only talk about serious matters.”

“Likes?” Although she could sense that Dan Yuanyuan didn’t have that kind of interest in her, Xiao Luohan still deliberately pointed out the word.

“Just that she thinks you’re compatible,” Jiang Xue said. “But for now, it’s just her unilateral thought. Whether or not to be friends with her is up to you. Friendship is a two-way street.”

Just then, she saw the history teacher enter the classroom, followed by the AV club member, who quickly turned on the computer, moved the portable blackboard to the side, and revealed the projection screen on the wall.

Xiao Luohan’s attention was captured by the AV club member’s actions.

Jiang Xue didn’t disturb her and took out her review materials for the next class.

As class time approached, she said to Xiao Luohan, “Read my book first. If you’re interested, I’ll get you the textbook and workbook during the long break.”

Xiao Luohan knew from reading the diary that Jiang Xue had submitted a request to the school a long time ago and had always been exempt from the long break exercises.

This was a physical limitation, a congenital defect. Even though she had received treatment as a child, she hadn’t fully recovered. Even now, the seemingly healthy Jiang Xue couldn’t engage in strenuous exercise for extended periods.

Ms. Wei had even cried about it several times, and even Ms. Jiang felt troubled.

But Jiang Xue herself was optimistic.

If she couldn’t run fast, she could still jog! She could control her own pace and rest whenever she wanted. How freeing!

Besides, there were rarely any situations in her daily life that required strenuous exercise, so life went on as usual.

The two morning classes were both liberal arts, one history and one Chinese. Xiao Luohan listened attentively throughout, confident that she could grasp the essentials of these two subjects in a short time.

During the long break, after most of the students had gone to the playground for exercises, Jiang Xue took Xiao Luohan to the logistics department.

Since it wasn’t Monday, when the flag-raising ceremony was held, the teacher in charge was usually present in the logistics department during the long break.

Xiao Luohan walked up to the female teacher, who looked to be in her fifties, and obediently followed her instructions, raising her arms and straightening her back, so she could take her measurements.

The teacher in the logistics department was familiar with the Jiang family. Before Jiang Xue could even speak, she said slowly, “Your sister has already transferred the uniform fee to me. Alright, you can go back and rest. Remember to come and pick it up next week at this time.”

“Do you want to get the textbooks, or watch them do exercises in the hallway first?” Jiang Xue asked after they left the logistics department. “Our school has too many classes, and some classes run laps around the teaching building. I sometimes bask in the sun in the hallway and watch them run.”

Xiao Luohan wasn’t very interested in watching the exercises, but she liked basking in the sun, so she expressed her preference.

Jiang Xue thought for a moment, then headed towards the club building. “Then let’s try our luck.”

Xiao Luohan had been to that building a few times and was familiar with it.

The long break wasn’t over yet, and no one was coming up the stairs, so she took Xiao Luohan straight to the spiral staircase, quickly reaching the gardening club’s succulent glass room.

They were in luck; the glass room was open today.

Shelves filled with various succulents lined the walls of the glass room, and stools were scattered around for visitors to bask in the sun.

Being able to observe the succulents up close was a delight. Xiao Luohan admired them one by one, and when she saw one she particularly liked, she asked Jiang Xue to take a picture, so they could buy the same one for their home later.

She wasn’t sure if she could be responsible for a cat or a dog, but she had grown vegetables and tended to flowers with her mother, so she felt confident in taking care of plants, especially low-maintenance succulents.

“When I was still participating in club activities, I loved basking in the sun here,” Jiang Xue reminisced, sitting down on a stool. “Once, I came here at noon. There were comfortable lounge chairs in the glass room back then, and I even fell asleep, not even woken up by the bell for newspaper reading class. In the end, it was Teacher Ai, who was in charge of this place, who came looking for me after receiving a call from my homeroom teacher.”

Her homeroom teacher in her freshman year and her current one weren’t the same person. Her freshman year homeroom teacher was an elderly woman nearing retirement, very strict and by-the-book.

“My homeroom teacher criticized me for being too carefree afterwards, but I felt that since I hadn’t disturbed anyone, and only accidentally overslept, it was just a small, unintentional mistake, and there was no need to make such a big deal out of it.”

Jiang Xue continued, “Later, when I was also in a position of looking after other students, I understood where her worries came from.”

Xiao Luohan sat beside her, basking in the sun, listening to her reminisce.

Compared to actively speaking, she preferred listening.

Seeing that she was willing to listen, Jiang Xue shared more stories from her time in the club.

It wasn’t until she heard the music signaling the end of the long break that she suddenly remembered she had forgotten to take Xiao Luo to get her textbooks.

“No rush, we should be able to get them during lunch break or after dinner, right?” Xiao Luohan, also influenced by her relaxed state, became more patient. “If not, there’s still the long break tomorrow.”

“That’s not the point… sigh!” Jiang Xue sighed with a wry smile. “I’m always like this, getting carried away by whatever I’m interested in at the moment.”

She had promised to take Xiao Luo to get her textbooks, but halfway there, she had suddenly decided to bring her here to bask in the sun and look at succulents.

Xiao Luohan, however, didn’t think this was something to worry about. She smiled faintly. “It’s alright, it’s not an urgent matter. If it were truly urgent, you would have prioritized it.”

Because of these words, on their way back, she couldn’t help but think of the things Jiang Xue had done for her.

Senior year was the most crucial and stressful time, yet Jiang Xue had put her studies aside to save her, a princess in distress from a feudal society, even taking four days off.

Fortunately, her situation hadn’t affected Jiang Xue’s important matters, nor had it wasted too much of her time. Otherwise, she would truly blame herself for affecting Jiang Xue’s future.

Xiao Luohan didn’t know that Jiang Xue was also thinking about this.

But she didn’t feel that her choice to help Xiao Luo was a “whim.” She sincerely wanted to save this girl, hoping to see her life improve day by day.

Since her original environment wasn’t good, she would help her escape and place her in a more suitable environment for her physical and mental well-being.

If she had to say, she was simply taking advantage of her favorable circumstances and abilities, and having encountered such a rare “supernatural event,” she had done her best to help.

Fortunately, the outcome was good. Otherwise, this incident from her youth would probably become a lifelong regret.

Lost in their own thoughts, the two returned to the classroom accompanied by the energetic background music.

The students who had returned earlier were already opening the windows for ventilation. As soon as Jiang Xue saw that the window beside her seat was wide open, she hurried over and quickly closed it, afraid that the cold wind would harm the frail Xiao Luo. The third period was math class, reviewing the test papers from the previous day.

Jiang Xue had been abroad that day, but she had already seen the test paper from Xie Xitong on the plane and had also done it herself, but she hadn’t had time to grade it yet.

Now, as the teacher read out the answers, she graded her paper and then, as usual, listened attentively to the lecture.

Even if there were problems she didn’t understand, she could always ask A-Xi and her older sister later, but she preferred to solve problems independently.

Sometimes, during math class, if the teacher’s pace was fast, she wouldn’t even dare bend down to pick up a dropped pen, afraid that if she got distracted, she would miss the most crucial steps.

As a result, she was completely immersed in the mysteries of mathematics for the entire class. It wasn’t until near the end of class that Jiang Xue realized she had completely ignored Xiao Luohan.

Panicked, she quickly wrote a note on her scratch paper and pushed it over: 【I’m sorry! I was too focused! Don’t worry or be afraid if you don’t understand this class. Even my older sister wouldn’t dare get distracted!】

As she handed over the note, she glanced at Xiao Luohan’s desk and found that she was doing… elementary school arithmetic?

Jiang Xue was puzzled for half a minute before remembering that this was the workbook she had given her last night.

Although there was also mathematics in the ancient world, and Xiao Luohan had managed account books, Arabic numerals were another special “language” for her. Before understanding mathematical formulas, she had to first familiarize herself with the commonly used numbers and symbols of this world.

—After hearing her explanation last night, Xiao Luohan had happily accepted the arithmetic workbook.

So for the entire math class, she had been diligently working on the problems. By the time Jiang Xue wrote her the note, she had already progressed from single-digit addition and subtraction to mixed operations with fractions and parentheses.

Chapter 63: Warming Feet

During the cold winter months, Jiang Xue loved nothing more than a hot bath followed by a warm sleep.

This was something Xiao Luohan couldn’t have imagined in the past. However, while staying at Uncle Seuss’s house, after recovering from her cold, she had tried it once.

She didn’t particularly love it, but the feeling of snuggling into a warm bed was indeed very comfortable, and she was willing to make it a new habit.

While Jiang Xue was still tidying up the room, Xiao Luohan took her pajamas and change of clothes into the ensuite bathroom, removed her winter clothes, and tied up her long hair.

…It was truly too long.

She thought about this while washing her hair under the shower.

She would ask Jiang Xue about Dr. Qi’s friend who specialized in hairstyling when Jiang Xue was free.

She showered and changed into her pajamas as quickly as possible. Before leaving the bathroom, she also tried the electric toothbrush.

There were only disposable toothbrushes at Uncle Seuss’s place, but in Jiang Xue’s home, everything had already been prepared for her.

But she hadn’t expected the electric toothbrush to be so powerful. The same amount of mint toothpaste produced an overwhelming amount of foam.

She quickly spat out the cold foam and rinsed her mouth several times with warm water, but it still felt tingly.

She should ask Jiang Xue to get a less intense toothpaste.

After lying down in the soft bed, Xiao Luohan still felt the mint scent lingering in her mouth and nose.

It was refreshing, and although she had been sleepy after her bath, she was now wide awake.

She heard Jiang Xue rummaging through the cabinets, and soon, Jiang Xue came to the bedside with a few tubes of toothpaste.

“These are the only flavors we have for now. Do you want to try each one?”

Xiao Luohan sat up and glanced at them, but just by reading the descriptions, she couldn’t be sure what they actually tasted like.

“Okay, I’ll use less next time,” she thanked Jiang Xue and lay back down.

She watched as Jiang Xue returned to the bathroom with the toothpaste, heard the electric toothbrush whirring, then the sound of the shower.

Perhaps because she had recovered from her cold, her senses had become more acute, and Xiao Luohan felt that she could hear sounds she hadn’t noticed before.

These subtle sounds painted a picture of Jiang Xue’s movements for her. Finally, with a soft click, the room was plunged into darkness, and a warm presence slipped into the separate covers beside her.

“Goodnight, Xiao Luo.”

“Goodnight,” Xiao Luohan replied softly.

She could sense that this wasn’t Jiang Xue’s usual bedtime. Jiang Xue had other plans, not really going to bed early to wake up early tomorrow.

It was only because it was her first night staying here, and she had the habit of going to bed early, that Jiang Xue had put aside her other tasks to accompany her.

She hoped this was just a “first-night privilege,” but she couldn’t help but wish for this special treatment every day.

“Get well soon,” she told herself. “I want to synchronize my sleep schedule with A-Xue every night.”

Jiang Xue had been on a five-hour flight, spent a long time reading lecture notes, got carsick on the way back, introduced Xiao Luohan to the bedroom and study after arriving home, and even found textbooks for her. She had originally thought she still had some energy left, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep within minutes.

Asleep, she was quiet and still, lying on her back obediently, without moving.

Xiao Luohan, having suffered the “mint toothpaste ordeal,” couldn’t sleep for now, so she tried counting Jiang Xue’s breaths to lull herself to sleep.

As she counted, she felt Jiang Xue move closer, but the thick quilt greatly hindered her movements.

Xiao Luohan didn’t disturb her, just waited patiently, continuing to count.

Like a patient hunter, hidden in the darkness, observing the habits of its prey.

However, she also underestimated her own energy and stamina, unconsciously drifting off to sleep at some point. When she woke up the next morning, she felt something extra in her covers.

…It was a pair of feet.

Jiang Xue’s hands were probably trapped by the quilt, but her feet had stretched out in her sleep—after all, this was the large bed she had slept in alone for many years. Stretching her limbs in her familiar territory was perfectly normal.

Xiao Luohan, who usually curled up in her sleep, instinctively placed her own cold feet against the warm ones.

But her body was weak, and she wasn’t as “warm-blooded” as Jiang Xue. Even after turning on the electric blanket and taking a hot bath before going to bed, her feet were still cold when she woke up.

This contact startled Jiang Xue awake.

Realizing where her feet had strayed, she quickly retracted them, embarrassed, apologizing and asking, “Did I wake you?”

“I should be the one asking that,” Xiao Luohan said, also a little embarrassed. “My feet were cold, and half-asleep, I instinctively reached for the warmth.”

This was clearly a lie, but Jiang Xue believed it without a doubt and even started thinking of solutions. “I remember there are special socks for sleeping in winter. If you wear them, your feet won’t be so cold. Or…”

She had just woken up, her mind still a little fuzzy, and the words after “or” were a bit careless: “Actually, it’s okay like this. I know it’s you. If I’m woken up by the cold again, I’ll know it’s you trying to warm my feet. Anyway, once I know, I won’t be startled awake again. And even if I wake up, I can just go back to sleep!”

Xiao Luohan: …??

She was stunned, and it wasn’t until she saw Jiang Xue close her eyes again, still drowsy, that she composed herself, deciding to pretend she hadn’t heard those words.

When the alarm rang and Jiang Xue woke up completely, the first thing that came to mind were the words she had mumbled to Xiao Luohan in her half-asleep state.

“…” She didn’t know whether to treat it as a dream or to frankly tell Xiao Luo that she could warm her feet anytime if they felt cold.

But Xiao Luohan didn’t mention it at all until they went downstairs for breakfast, and Jiang Xue felt that Xiao Luo probably didn’t want to bring it up, or perhaps she felt it was better to just silently let it go.

She decided to let it go for now. If it happened again, she would ask about Xiao Luohan’s wishes then.

At 6:10 AM, they got into Sister Cheng’s car and went to school.

Jiang Xue had heard from Ms. Wei during breakfast that Ms. Jiang had personally called each of her teachers and informed them of the situation.

Once they arrived at school, Xiao Luo just needed to sit beside her and listen to the lectures, and follow the school rules. Even if she got tired and wanted to rest, the teachers wouldn’t say anything.

While waiting at a red light, Xiao Luohan couldn’t help but look out the window.

This was the scene from her first dream.

Even though it was early morning, the streets weren’t empty. There were “workers” going to work and parents sending their children to school.

The bus announcements rang out from time to time, and the buses were packed with people.

The rice ball stall across from the school was also crowded with students, the owner quickly adding various fillings to the rice balls, while the flat griddle beside her was filled with cooking pancakes.

Xiao Luohan rolled down the window and immediately smelled the aroma of food.

She patted her slightly rumbling stomach with a hint of regret, closed the window, and said to Jiang Xue, “Can I have a pancake from that stall tomorrow morning?”

“Of course,” Jiang Xue nodded. “But if we leave from home, we might have to leave as early as today…”

“Then I’ll live with you in the rented apartment,” Xiao Luohan said.

She had finally found a reason to live with Jiang Xue in the rented apartment.

Although it sounded childish and absurd, just to buy a pancake from a street vendor in the morning, it was something Jiang Xue could understand and accept.

“Then Sister Cheng, please pick up Xiao Luo this afternoon,” Jiang Xue said to Sister Cheng. “I’ll take her to the school cafeteria for dinner these two days. If Xiao Luo doesn’t like the food there, I’ll let you know in advance.”

“Okay, no problem,” Sister Cheng readily agreed.

Soon, the car stopped at the school gate.

As soon as Xiao Luohan got out of the car, she looked up and saw the eight-character motto of Si Ling Foreign Language School.

Students in winter uniforms arrived from all directions, like streams converging into a river.

Those who lived far away came by car, driven by their parents or family drivers, while those who lived nearby walked, and some, who weren’t afraid of the cold and wanted to be quick, rode bicycles or electric scooters.

As Jiang Xue led her through the school gate, Xiao Luohan instinctively looked at her winter uniform and the embroidered school badge.

—This was Jiang Xue’s other set of winter uniform, which she was temporarily wearing. During the long break today, Jiang Xue would take her to the logistics department to have her measurements taken for a new uniform.

Si Ling’s uniforms had three sets: spring/autumn, winter, and summer. She had to wear them on school days, so wearing Jiang Xue’s clothes wasn’t a long-term solution.

They weren’t early. The boarding students who were in charge of the keys had already been studying for a while. Jiang Xue deliberately entered through the back door of the classroom and quietly tidied up her things at her desk.

“These test papers are extras, we don’t need them anymore. You can put them in the storage bin in the storage room, and someone will collect them later. The money from selling them will be used for class funds.”

As she explained, she lowered her voice and leaned closer to Xiao Luohan’s ear, afraid of disturbing the students who were studying.

It was then that Xiao Luohan truly felt the pressure of senior year.

When morning self-study officially started, this pressure doubled.

Her “transtemporal pen pal” was right beside her now. Jiang Xue felt that she had to set a good example, and since she was already behind in her studies, she focused entirely on reviewing, without any distractions.

While she was memorizing key points, Xiao Luohan took out her freshman year Chinese textbook from her backpack, planning to quickly skim through all the texts and then familiarize herself with the reading comprehension questions based on the key points.

Her backpack was a newly bought canvas bag with a fluffy white cat keychain, a gift from Jiang Xue after she had glanced at it a few times last night.

Both had a fulfilling morning self-study.

After class, Xiao Luohan started preparing for the next class—she could still keep up with history, so she wanted to listen attentively.

But the students who came to refill their water bottles unconsciously crowded behind her.

Some were truly there for water and left immediately after filling their bottles, while others, noticing the new “classmate,” came over to take a closer look, using getting water as an excuse.

Dan Yuanyuan was one of the latter. Taking advantage of her good relationship with Jiang Xue, she huddled behind Jiang Xue’s seat with her water bottle and sighed regretfully, “If I had known you were bringing a new classmate, we could have asked her to join the group dance! Look, her looks and temperament are perfect for an ‘ancient person’!”

Jiang Xue smiled but didn’t say anything, not mentioning that in one of her dreams, Xiao Luo had actually danced with them.

Chapter 62: I’ll Go to Bed Early Too

Xiao Luohan felt that she wasn’t particularly skilled at anything and didn’t have any strong preferences.

When Jiang Xue asked her what kind of things she liked, she thought for a moment and said she preferred elegant items.

But after seeing all the cat-themed accessories, plushies, and pillows in Jiang Xue’s bedroom, she felt that she could also appreciate cute things.

“Your situation is called ‘all-encompassing love’,” Jiang Xue said with a smile after hearing Xiao Luohan’s troubles. “It’s okay to love everything. A-Xi and I also buy things on a whim, things we like at the time. We might lose interest later, but at that moment, we just like it, want it, and it makes us happy to buy it.”

Xiao Luohan understood vaguely. “Is this also considered ‘spiritual sustenance’?”

“Of course.” Jiang Xue pulled out two sets of hanfu-inspired dresses from the closet. “Look, I bought these in my freshman year. I was really into this style back then, but I suddenly lost interest in my sophomore year, and I haven’t worn them much since.”

Seeing Xiao Luohan’s gaze linger on the dresses, she generously handed them over. “If you like them, they’re yours. They’re one-size-fits-all, so anyone around my size can wear them.”

Xiao Luohan didn’t refuse, thanked her, and put them away in her own separate wardrobe.

“By the way, even for the clothes I currently like and wear often, you can wear them if you like,” Jiang Xue added. “As long as you don’t mind that I’ve worn them, then mine are yours.”

She had long since considered Xiao Luo as another version of herself, and even if she wasn’t, she was happy to share her preferences with her “confidante.”

“Of course I don’t mind. Then I won’t stand on ceremony,” Xiao Luohan readily agreed, then added, afraid that Jiang Xue might worry, “Actually, back in my home country, I often wore Mother’s old clothes. Mother was good at sewing and could quickly alter them to fit me.”

Before leaving the bedroom, Xiao Luohan looked at the plum blossom branches on the windowsill.

Perhaps because it was so warm here, the buds were starting to bloom.

“I’m looking forward to them blooming,” Jiang Xue said, standing beside her. “But your health isn’t very good. If they bloom and the fragrance becomes too strong, I’ll have to move them to the study.”

People with weak constitutions were prone to allergies to floral scents. Even though she really wanted to keep the plum blossom branches, which held Elder Sister Red Fox’s soul, in the bedroom, for Xiao Luo’s health, she could only do this.

“It’s alright, Elder Sister likes reading and playing the guqin,” Xiao Luohan said. “And your study has everything.”

That was true.

Jiang Xue could confidently say that she and her older sister had a rich collection of books.

With that, they went to the study together.

First, they took out the guqin, then removed the dust cover from the piano.

Xiao Luohan tried a few notes. It was indeed out of tune and needed to be tuned by a professional. Jiang Xue put the guqin away, opened the piano lid, and played A Wish Across Time.

“We made a promise,” Xiao Luohan reminded her after listening attentively.

“Yes, I remember,” Jiang Xue withdrew her hands and turned to look at her. “When you come here, I’ll tell you the story behind this song.”

“It’s from a foreign anime a long time ago, about the reincarnation of a priestess—a modern female student travels back to the Warring States period, a time filled with demons, through an ancient well…”

By the time Sister Cheng came upstairs to call them for dinner, Jiang Xue had almost finished explaining the character relationships and plot summary of Inuyasha.

Xiao Luohan’s reaction amused her. “I actually want to see the priestess and her reincarnation travel together.”

Jiang Xue replied with a smile, “There’s no official work for that ‘what if’ scenario, only fan works. But there’s another anime where, after the male protagonist dies of old age, the immortal female protagonist and her disciple travel the world.”

Xiao Luohan’s eyes lit up.

The “recommendation” session paused for now, and Jiang Xue led her downstairs for the “welcome dinner.”

It was actually all home-cooked dishes, prepared by the other housekeeper according to Xiao Luohan’s preferences, with some dishes catering to the Jiang family’s tastes as well.

Although it was called a “welcome dinner,” the Jiang family didn’t have much of a sense of ceremony and didn’t make toasts or anything like that. After asking if Xiao Luohan wanted any drinks, they simply started eating.

Good food was the most important thing.

Jiang Xue was the happiest person at the table.

She hadn’t forgotten that when Xiao Luo was still in the ancient world, if she and A-Xi wanted to treat her to something delicious, they had to secretly place the bowl on the diary, carefully checking the bottom and asking Xiao Luo if it was convenient for her to receive it, even worrying about the Crown Prince suddenly barging in and causing trouble.

Because the diary wasn’t big, the amount of food they could send each time was limited. Now, Xiao Luo could finally eat to her heart’s content!

Xiao Luohan, whom Jiang Xue hoped would eat her fill, still maintained her composure at the table full of food.

She was a princess, after all, and even though she was born and raised in the cold palace, her mother had still taught her proper etiquette.

But Xiao Luohan was also very happy today. Even though she ate slowly, she still ate more than usual. However, remembering Dr. Qi’s instructions, she didn’t dare overeat and immediately put down her chopsticks when she felt slightly full, refusing to eat any more no matter how much they persuaded her.

It wasn’t customary to discuss business at the dinner table, and after finishing, everyone went about their own business.

Xiao Luohan was still thinking about how to offer to help with the dishes when Jiang Xue pulled her away from the table and led her straight to her room.

“Just leave the chores to Sister Cheng and the others. They’ve been working here for many years. If you try to help, they’ll feel awkward.” Closing the door, Jiang Xue explained, “You can learn those life skills later, when I go to a university far away and it’s not convenient for Sister Cheng to take care of me.”

“You’re going to a university far away?” This was something Xiao Luohan had never heard of. For some reason, she felt a little flustered.

“Not necessarily, it depends on luck,” Jiang Xue sat down at her desk, her hands resting on the back of the chair. “If a major I really want to study is only offered at a university far away this year, if I suddenly want to live in a certain city for a few years, if I mess up the college entrance exam and my score is only enough for a university far away… even though my grades have always been good, as the saying goes, ‘anything can happen’!”

“But these are things to consider after the results come out at the end of June. For now, I just need to set a general goal and then focus on studying and taking the exams.”

She always liked to simplify complicated matters, breaking them down into stages to consider and solve, so that worries wouldn’t accumulate.

Without internal friction, she could free up more energy to focus on the task at hand.

After listening attentively, Xiao Luohan slowly swallowed the words she wanted to say.

Actually, she knew the answer to the question she wanted to ask better than anyone.

She wanted to stay with Jiang Xue, and Jiang Xue wouldn’t feel at ease leaving her alone far away.

Even though they might not always be like this, at least for now, this was what they both hoped for.

“Would it be convenient to show me the textbooks tonight?” Xiao Luohan changed the subject.

She had to catch up quickly and couldn’t always have Jiang Xue looking back and pulling her along.

“I’ll find them right away!” Jiang Xue immediately jumped up from her chair and pulled out a storage box from under the desk.

She took out all the textbooks for the first semester of each subject in her freshman year and arranged them on the table according to subject.

“I wanted you to be able to understand them and also be interested in the knowledge of the new world, so the books I gave you were mostly liberal arts, and for the biology textbook, I chose the parts that didn’t require calculations.”

As she spoke, she picked out the science textbooks and handed them to Xiao Luohan. “After all, the accumulation of knowledge in science is different from liberal arts. I’ve never been good at science, so I won’t comment.”

Xiao Luohan hesitated for a moment, then chose the math textbook that Jiang Xue had often complained about, starting to read from the introduction.

…She really couldn’t understand it.

“Especially math,” Jiang Xue said, not surprised by her reaction. “Even if you have a solid foundation from elementary and middle school, if you get distracted in high school, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the problems.”

After comparing the various subjects, Xiao Luohan finally confirmed that she was better at “liberal arts.”

“Actually, if you’re more interested in music and art, taking the art exam is easier than the regular academic route,” Jiang Xue reminded her.

“But there are fewer majors and universities to choose from,” Xiao Luohan said, remembering that Jiang Xue had mentioned this in her diary before the class division in her sophomore year.

“No rush, let’s list out all the options first, and you can slowly choose, slowly find what’s suitable for you to learn and do,” Jiang Xue said.

She actually wanted to tell Xiao Luo that her situation was different from theirs. She had been limited by her era and environment for the past seventeen years, so her starting point would be lower, and she would even have to learn many things from scratch.

It was very difficult to master something, let alone so many things she had missed, but she could take her time. She and her family would support her.

But the words reached her lips, and she felt that saying this would only put pressure on Xiao Luo.

After all, Xiao Luo was still in a state of dependence.

Even though she and her family had promised to take care of her for life, she had grown up in this state and knew very well that if something happened to those who protected her, or if their attitude changed, everything she had would vanish in an instant.

Xiao Luo didn’t want to be left with nothing again, so she was anxious, wanting to quickly learn the rules of this world and integrate into it.

Thinking of this, Jiang Xue wanted to hug Xiao Luo again.

…And she did.

“I’m afraid you’ll overthink, and overthinking is bad for your health,” she sighed. “I want to comfort you, but I’m not good with words, I can’t find the right things to say. Here’s a hug!”

Xiao Luohan didn’t resist, letting Jiang Xue hug her, her hand still flipping through the textbook, looking for the most suitable subjects.

For a moment, she suddenly felt a little despicable.

“Developing habits” was normal, but if this involved another person, it could become a shackle.

If Jiang Xue gradually became accustomed to, or even enjoyed, these interactions, then she might use these habits to bind Jiang Xue to her side.

Even if they had conflicts in the future, they would still be entangled because of these “normal things.”

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, Xiao Luohan gasped.

Perhaps she had been reading too many “dramatic” romance stories recently. How could she… how could she think of their relationship this way?

Jiang Xue didn’t know what she was thinking. After hugging her for a while, she noticed that it was almost Xiao Luohan’s usual bedtime and casually asked, “It’s cold at home, do you want to wear fleece pajamas to sleep?”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to try the electric blanket tonight?”

“Okay.”

“Then I’ll go turn it on for you.” Jiang Xue let go of her and went to the bedside to adjust the electric blanket switch.

The warmth that had enveloped her disappeared. Xiao Luohan watched her leave, opened her mouth, and asked, “I go to bed early, what about you?”

Jiang Xue instinctively wanted to say that she planned to study in the study for a while, but then she thought that this was Xiao Luo’s first night home. Whether as a guest or as a family member, being left alone in the bedroom on the first night wouldn’t feel good.

So she started putting away the books. “I’ll go to bed early too. I have to go to school early tomorrow to tidy up your desk!”

Chapter 61: Coming Home

The international airport in Jiang Xue’s city was huge. After getting off the plane, Xiao Luohan stayed close to her, afraid of getting lost if she looked away for even a moment.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue took her sleeve.

“Okay, now you can look around,” she said.

Xiao Luohan paused. “Is that alright…?”

“I only have one bag, and holding your sleeve won’t be a problem.” Jiang Xue smiled. “Take a good look. The next time we come to the airport will probably be during summer vacation after the college entrance exam.”

Xiao Luohan finally felt at ease observing her surroundings.

Crowds of people with luggage waiting in line, large screens displaying various data, the electronic female voice announcing flight information from time to time…

Everything from the videos she had seen came to life before her eyes. She was still young and hadn’t seen much of the world, so she looked around curiously wherever she went.

Seeing her actions, Jiang Mei, who was observing from behind, breathed a sigh of relief.

It was good that she was energetic. It seemed Xiao Luo had almost fully recovered and was adapting well to the new world.

They collected their luggage from the baggage carousel and led Xiao Luohan to the parking lot.

Sister Cheng was already waiting there. Seeing the slender girl beside Jiang Xue, she felt a surge of emotion and hurried over, sighing with relief. “I’ve been waiting for you, Third Miss!”

This was the little girl from ancient times who had traveled across time and space!

Hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Luohan felt a little dazed. When she saw the person approaching, even though she had been prepared, her eyes teared up, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.

It was the Shizhu of this world…

Shizhu should be able to live a good life with her daughter here, right?

“Oh dear, oh dear! Don’t cry!” Sister Cheng was startled and hurriedly took out a clean tissue from her bag. “Don’t worry! Eldest Miss, Second Miss, and the whole family are very kind. They won’t let you suffer anymore!”

Although she didn’t know the specific reason for the tears, the girl’s crying melted her heart.

As they walked towards the car, Sister Cheng couldn’t help but say a few more words. “Your clothes and belongings are all ready. The new quilt and pillows are still being aired. I’ll put them away when we get back. By the way, the plum blossom branches you sent are at home. Second Miss specifically instructed me to put them on a sunny windowsill…”

“Thank you!” Xiao Luohan hurriedly wiped her tears with the tissue, her voice choked with sobs. “Thank you…”

“You’re welcome! No need to be so polite, oh dear…” Sister Cheng was a little flustered. Fortunately, they had reached the car. She quickly opened the door and started the engine.

After getting in the car, Jiang Xue gently patted Xiao Luohan’s back to comfort her.

Dr. Qi, who was also in the car, sat in the passenger seat, explaining Xiao Luohan’s condition to Sister Cheng: what she could eat, what she should avoid, how to take care of her health… she covered everything she could think of.

Jiang Mei sat next to Jiang Xue, deliberately letting them sit together.

She had already heard from her younger sister about the correspondence between Sister Cheng and Shizhu.

Just seeing Sister Cheng had made Xiao Luo so emotional. She didn’t know how she would react when she saw Ms. Wei and Ms. Jiang later.

But compared to them, Jiang Mei still felt that her own presence might cause Xiao Luo even more pain.

She couldn’t be Xiao Luo’s elder sister.

They had different backgrounds and different aspirations. Even if they had almost identical appearances, personalities, and preferences, even if there was a chance for her to inherit Xiao Linghan’s memories in the future, she was still “Jiang Mei,” not “Princess Zhemei.”

For Xiao Luo, Xiao Linghan was irreplaceable.

She herself could face Xiao Luohan calmly, but how would Xiao Luohan face her, someone who was both “similar and different” from her elder sister?

Thinking of this, Jiang Mei couldn’t help but look at Xiao Luohan.

The young woman was looking at the scenery outside the window, but she quickly turned around and asked Jiang Xue with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

“…It’s nothing, I just get carsick, it’s an old problem.” Jiang Xue leaned against the seat listlessly. “What about you? Are you okay?”

Although it was Xiao Luohan’s first time in a car, perhaps because she had ridden in bumpier carriages during her journey for the marriage alliance, she felt that Sister Cheng’s driving was very smooth. She shook her head slightly and asked, “Do you need me to open the window for some fresh air?”

“No, no, it’s too cold outside!” Jiang Xue hurriedly refused, afraid that the wind would make Xiao Luo, who had just recovered from a severe cold, sick again. “I’ll just sleep for a while, I’m really fine!”

Seeing her about to close her eyes, Xiao Luohan hesitated for a moment, then patted her lap. “You can lie here, it might be more comfortable.”

Jiang Xue: …?

Her mind short-circuited, and the words “lap pillow” flashed through her mind like a barrage of comments.

Before she could respond, a pair of hands rested on her shoulders, guiding her to lie down.

“She’s a bit heavy. If she sleeps all the way home, your legs will go numb,” Jiang Mei explained calmly.

“Yes, yes, I’ve gained weight recently, I’m heavy!” Jiang Xue quickly agreed, resting her head on her older sister’s lap and closing her eyes.

Seeing this, Xiao Luohan didn’t insist on her “kind offer,” only nodding slightly at Jiang Mei and continuing to look at the scenery outside.

But she was analyzing the details in her mind.

She felt that Jiang Xue probably didn’t mind lying on her lap, but precisely because she didn’t mind, she was embarrassed.

Indeed, regardless of the customs of either world, before a relationship was defined, if both parties were interested, they would try to avoid such intimate actions that could easily lead to misunderstandings, at least in front of others.

And in this world where same-sex couples could marry and have children, even between two girls, they couldn’t be too close.

She made a mental note, planning to test her guess when she was alone with Jiang Xue.

Even though it was a weekday, Ms. Wei had taken leave to welcome the “Third Miss” from afar.

She still remembered the last time she met Xiao Luo, when Xiao Luo had transformed into a cute Ragdoll cat in a dream. Although she hadn’t been able to see the cat, she had felt something soft and fluffy nestled against her, then disappearing at some point.

Now, this young woman was truly standing before her, bowing respectfully and calling her “Ms. Wei.” She couldn’t help but step forward and pull her into a hug.

Even though Xiao Luohan was wearing a thick down jacket, Ms. Wei could still feel her thinness and frailty.

But she didn’t say anything, only ruffled Xiao Luohan’s hair and patted her back, saying softly, “The ‘welcome dinner’ will be ready soon, all your favorite dishes.”

As she was hugged, Xiao Luohan instinctively thought of her own mother.

Her mother had lived in the cold palace for many years. Even though she seemed optimistic about everything, Xiao Luohan always felt that there was a hidden shadow in her heart, something even she couldn’t see—it must be the scars her mother didn’t want to talk about.

…Most importantly, no one could “drag” her mother into the sunlight and completely dispel that shadow, not even the late Empress.

But the woman hugging her now was completely different.

—Ms. Wei seemed to radiate warmth and gentleness. Not only did she have no “shadow,” she herself was a source of light.

She replied with an “Okay,” but was reluctant to leave, feeling her nose tingle again.

This world was so good, everyone was living a good life.

Ms. Wei also didn’t want to let go of her so easily. The young woman in her arms, although human, reminded her of a real Ragdoll cat, so well-behaved, gentle, and quiet, completely different from her other two energetic daughters.

She couldn’t help but hold the girl a little longer, stroking her soft and smooth hair.

It wasn’t until Jiang Xue gently called out “Mommy” that Ms. Wei let go, smiling brightly. “Take Xiao Luo to your bedroom and study. Sister Cheng already tidied up a bit this morning.”

Slippers for Xiao Luohan had already been prepared at the entrance. After changing into them, she followed Jiang Xue upstairs.

“This is my bedroom, and that’s my older sister’s room,” Jiang Xue introduced the rooms one by one. “There’s a piano and a guqin in my study. But I haven’t learned much guqin, and I haven’t touched it in a long time. If you want to play, you might need to have it tuned first.”

There were too many things in the study, so it wasn’t convenient to introduce them. She first took Xiao Luohan to her bedroom, which she used more often, and showed her the ensuite bathroom. “Every bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, similar to Uncle Seuss’s place. Look, your toiletries are all ready. If you need anything else, just tell Sister Cheng… Oh right! I haven’t added her on WeChat yet.”

Seeing the WeChat contact card with the name “Shizhu’s Mom,” Xiao Luohan stared blankly for a long time.

“There’s also a ‘Shizhu’ in this world, but she’s Sister Cheng’s daughter, her name is Cheng Shizhu,” Jiang Xue explained, seeing what she was thinking. “Cheng Shizhu is still in university, but she’ll be back for winter break soon. I’ll introduce you then. Sister Cheng loves her very much.”

After hearing about the Shizhu here and her daughter, Xiao Luohan’s heart softened, and she nodded.

After adding Sister Cheng on WeChat, her gaze landed on the screen in the room.

It was the Japanese-style screen she had chosen, temporarily placed by the bed by Sister Cheng.

Jiang Xue hadn’t thought much about the screen before, but seeing it now, she was quite satisfied.

“It’s so elegant!” she praised generously, touching it. “It looks very sturdy. I can even hang clothes on top!”

Most importantly, when there was a light source, she could see the silhouette of the person behind the screen, but only a silhouette.

This hazy feeling was beautiful and polite. Even if she stared, she wouldn’t be noticed… cough, it seemed her mind was wandering again.

“It’s best if you like it too,” Xiao Luohan nodded with a smile. Just as she was about to continue familiarizing herself with the environment, a knock came at the door.

“Second Miss? I’ve brought the quilt and pillows that were being aired,” Sister Cheng said from outside.

Jiang Xue quickly opened the door, then pulled Xiao Luohan to the side and watched as Sister Cheng efficiently made the bed—Sister Cheng didn’t like others interfering when she was doing housework.

“…Although my bed isn’t small, will it be too crowded with two body pillows?” Jiang Xue whispered after Sister Cheng closed the door and left.

“We can also do without the pillows,” Xiao Luohan said, her beautiful eyes filled with innocence and purity as she looked at her. “When we were at Uncle Seuss’s house, I was thinking, if we unconsciously hug each other in our sleep, does it mean that we can give each other a sense of security?”

“…Eh?”

“If it were someone we were wary of, we wouldn’t even be able to sleep soundly, let alone hug them,” Xiao Luohan continued. “Besides, only we know about this. As long as we don’t mind, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“You always say to let things take their natural course. I think this is good, there’s no problem.”

Jiang Xue: “…Yes, there’s indeed no problem.”

But she still felt something wasn’t quite right.

Chapter 60: I’ll Teach You Anything You Want to Learn

At 9:55 the next morning, Xiao Luohan sat in the first-class cabin, curiously looking around.

When Uncle Seuss drove them to the airport, she had seen the massive aircraft taking off.

Understanding something from Jiang Xue’s descriptions, books, and videos was different from experiencing it firsthand. She had thought she would remain calm, but now, having gone through the boarding process and sitting inside the plane, she couldn’t wait to examine everything.

Seeing her thoughts, Jiang Xue smiled. “No rush, we’ll be taking off soon. You sit down first and look around after we’ve stabilized.”

The flight attendants were already checking seatbelts. During takeoff and landing, which would take about twenty minutes, the entire aircraft would be unstable. Walking around was prohibited during this time, and even the overhead compartments had to be closed.

Xiao Luohan replied with an “Mm” and sat down next to her, imitating her actions and fastening her seatbelt.

Their first-class seats were next to each other. By turning their seats, they could face each other. There were four windows in their “small compartment,” offering a wide view.

“I have to look at the notes A-Xi sent later. There are also TV series and movies on the PTV, and I think there are even some games. If you’re interested, I can show you,” Jiang Xue said before takeoff.

There wasn’t much vacation time left, and she had to catch up on the four days of missed studies while she couldn’t use the internet on the plane.

Xiao Luohan hurriedly said, “No need to trouble yourself. Just tell me how to open the PTV, and I’ll explore on my own. That’s also quite enjoyable.”

While Jiang Xue’s introductions were convenient, she wanted to develop the habit of exploring on her own.

After all, some principles were universal, and she needed plenty of practice to turn the various principles of the new world into common sense.

Jiang Xue thought this was fine too. It was a five-hour flight, and she had to catch up on her studies. It was best if Xiao Luo could find something to do herself.

Soon after they made their decision, the plane was ready for takeoff.

It was Xiao Luohan’s first time on a plane. As the aircraft started to bump during taxiing, and then the feeling of weightlessness and tinnitus during takeoff, she panicked slightly.

She remembered that when she was still in the ancient world, her mother had shown her travelogues and asked her a question: “Xiao Luo, if you could travel, would you prefer to travel by land or by water?”

She also remembered answering “by land” without hesitation.

Traveling by water meant sailing on large rivers, and if a wave capsized the boat, or if the boat hit a reef and sank, everyone on board would fall into the water, their lives uncertain.

Even though the imperial physician had predicted that she wouldn’t live long, she still wanted to live, so she naturally feared this life-threatening mode of transportation.

But compared to water travel, air travel was even more terrifying.

Xiao Luohan couldn’t explain why she was so afraid of flying, even though the Jiang sisters and Dr. Qi were nearby, and no matter what happened, she could see familiar and reliable people.

“Xiao Luo.”

Through the invisible barrier created by the tinnitus, she heard Jiang Xue call her name. “Don’t be afraid, we’re all here.”

Then the hand resting by her side was held, and Jiang Xue gently patted the back of her hand, giving her a reassuring look.

Xiao Luohan paused, and at that moment, she understood where her unease came from.

There was a saying in both worlds, “extreme joy begets sorrow.”

She had just escaped the mire and was finally going to stay with the person she liked, start a new life. At this moment of great joy, she was naturally afraid of losing it all.

She was terrified of accidents, even more afraid that an accident would take away these kind people, leaving her with nothing, making her elder sister’s efforts in vain.

Her elder sister had sent her to this world, not for her to lose everything again.

Just as her unease and fear were about to reach their peak, Xiao Luohan saw something flash before her eyes.

Jiang Xue, as if performing a magic trick, took out a notebook and a pen and waved them frantically in front of her. There seemed to be writing in the notebook.

That’s right, they were both experiencing tinnitus. Compared to speaking loudly, it was indeed more convenient to communicate in writing.

Composing herself, Xiao Luohan took the notebook and pen and looked down at the content.

【Do you want to hear the story of my first plane ride?】

Out of respect for her current intention, the sentence was written entirely in simplified characters.

After reading it, she smiled, wrote an “Okay,” and returned the notebook and pen to Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue started writing immediately and quickly finished the story.

【When I was little, I cried on my first plane ride.】

【I cried during taxiing, I cried during takeoff, and I cried when I saw the houses, mountains, fields, and rivers below getting smaller and smaller.】

【It wasn’t until we flew above the clouds and I saw the sea of clouds that I gradually stopped crying.】

【It was truly a scene like the ocean! The descriptions in books weren’t exaggerated at all. The blue sky was the sea, and each cloud was an island, some connected, some solitary, and some scattered.】

【Look, look out the window!】

She had timed it perfectly, and when Xiao Luohan looked up, she saw the islands in the sky through the window.

Even though it was winter, the clear sky was still azure blue.

Her fingers twitched, but she didn’t have time to write to Jiang Xue. Instead, she took out her phone from her pocket, unlocked it, opened the camera, and took a few pictures of the clouds outside the window. Feeling that this wasn’t enough, she switched to video recording.

Her fear vanished, and now she only wanted to record the sea of clouds outside the window, etching it into the memory of her first plane ride.

Jiang Xue smiled as she watched Xiao Luohan immersed in the scenery, secretly relieved.

On the other side of the first-class cabin, Dr. Qi, who was sitting with Jiang Mei, peeked over at them and started typing in the notes app on her phone.

【Is it really okay to let their feelings deepen like this? Shouldn’t we tell that child?】

Jiang Mei replied in her own notes app: 【Xiao Luo knows what kind of society we live in.】

But Xiao Luo still did this—didn’t resist Jiang Xue’s approach or touch, even seemed to enjoy it, only choosing not to address it for various reasons.

It wasn’t difficult to see or guess a young person’s feelings, but she didn’t know to what extent Jiang Xue had realized it.

【There’s a natural attraction between them. Perhaps that’s why Xiao Linghan chose A-Xue,】 Jiang Mei continued typing.

【…I think you should just believe Mr. Seuss’s theory. They’re the same soul in parallel worlds, and it’s this mutual attraction between the two souls. The entire process of establishing this bond is actually A-Xue saving herself.】

After reading Dr. Qi’s message, Jiang Mei tapped her fingernails on the small table, not replying immediately.

She believed in “love at first sight,” but for her sister and Xiao Luo, it might not be that simple.

However, probably only Princess Zhemei, who had established the “connection” between the two worlds, knew the truth.

【Both girls are almost adults. Let them decide for themselves. If it’s just dating, I don’t think we need to interfere.】

【But if they really want to get married and have children, you might have to ask an institution to do a DNA test to determine the degree of genetic similarity.】

Dr. Qi: …

Why was she thinking so far ahead?!

For the sake of her salary and their long-standing friendship, she twitched the corner of her eye and still replied seriously:

【Don’t worry, they’re from two different worlds and eras. There’s no way they’re actually related by blood.】

【If they really reach that stage, of course, I’ll take care of it. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with this.】

The two silently finalized their follow-up plan.

As the tinnitus gradually subsided, and the plane stabilized, Xiao Luohan unbuckled her seatbelt and began exploring the area around her seat.

She opened all the compartments, large and small, carefully closing them after looking inside, and soon found a menu.

“We’ll have lunch on the plane. You can think about what you want to order.” Jiang Xue had already started reading the notes A-Xi had taken, not looking up. “By the way, this airline’s braised rice and desserts are quite good. I had them once many years ago and never forgot them. I wonder if the taste has changed.”

Xiao Luohan opened the menu, looked at it for a moment, and chose braised pork rice and a strawberry mille-feuille.

It was 10:30 AM now, and there was still more than an hour until lunch. After asking Jiang Xue where the PTV was, she started exploring its contents.

But there were too many movies and TV series stored in the PTV, making her dizzy. She exited and checked the games, and soon, she was engrossed in a game of chess.

Jiang Xue would occasionally glance at Xiao Luohan while studying and found that she truly loved playing chess, even creating custom games and playing against herself. It must be a skill she developed during the ten-plus years of confinement in the cold palace.

Feeling a little envious, she couldn’t help but say, “Want to play a game with me?”

Then she was almost defeated so badly that she wanted to push Xiao Luohan towards her older sister—her older sister was very good at chess, and Go as well.

“My mother and elder sister taught me how to play chess,” Xiao Luohan explained, closing the PTV, seeing her dejected expression. “But Elder Sister couldn’t come every day, so it was usually Mother who played with me.”

“Later, after Mother taught me how to play against myself, I got used to it.” She reminisced. “But I’m very competitive. When playing with my left hand against my right, I would try my best to let my left hand win, and vice versa.”

“So when you play against others, you don’t show any mercy.” Jiang Xue rested her chin on her hand, her eyes filled with envy. “Although I lost badly, I still have to say you’re amazing! Can I learn this?”

“Of course,” Xiao Luohan nodded with a smile. “I’ll teach you anything you want to learn, as long as I know how.”

“Then I’ll also ‘vice versa’,” Jiang Xue blinked, taking the opportunity to say, “Although I’ve given you so many books, I rarely ask how much you’ve actually understood, or how many questions you have.”

Xiao Luohan thought for a moment. “The ones I understand best are popular novels. Then history textbooks, then English.”

“Although the politics textbook is also interesting, it’s closely related to the rules of this world, so I haven’t understood much.”

“…It’s cute that you find the politics textbook interesting,” Jiang Xue chuckled. “I’ll find my first-year textbooks for you later, and you can see which subjects you’re most interested in, and then work towards that in the future.”

“Is this considered initial ‘career planning’?” Xiao Luohan asked.

“I guess? I feel that ‘you can’t force a melon to be sweet.’ For subjects I really can’t understand, even if I know the related majors have good job prospects, I won’t get far if I choose them.” Jiang Xue shrugged. “It’s better to choose something I like and am good at, and strive for excellence.”

“You can think about what you’re good at and what you’re passionate about.”

Xiao Luohan fell into thought.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue didn’t disturb her, letting her think quietly.

Unexpectedly, she continued thinking until the plane was about to land.

Jiang Xue had almost finished catching up on her studies. Looking up and seeing Xiao Luohan still writing and drawing in her notebook, she knew she had made another mistake.

She hurriedly said, “Don’t worry too much! This kind of thing does take a lot of time and effort to consider and experiment…”

“What if I’m not good at anything and not passionate about anything?”

Xiao Luohan interrupted, her eyes filled with confusion.

If she had to say what her obsession was, it was simply to live.

To live longer, to live better. Now, this obsession had mostly been fulfilled.

But in Jiang Xue’s world, just wanting to live didn’t seem to be enough.

Jiang Xue paused, then reached out and took away the paper and pen. “Then don’t overthink it. Let things take their natural course, follow your heart.”