Chapter 47: The Future
Ever since learning that a little princess from ancient times would be coming to live with them, Sister Cheng had taken on the responsibility of preparing her three meals a day and snacks.
A poor child who grew up in the cold palace and was sent away for a marriage alliance while still ill! —Every time she thought of the child’s background and experiences, Sister Cheng’s heart ached.
Third Miss was in poor health, thin and frail. The food had to be soft and easy to digest. She needed to be nourished before coming over, so she could gain some weight during the winter.
Whatever the two young misses ate, Sister Cheng prepared the same for Xiao Luohan. But during special holidays like the winter solstice and Christmas, she would prepare something extra special for Xiao Luohan.
On the winter solstice, she made assorted dumplings for lunch, adding a few shepherd’s purse and cabbage dumplings, and sprinkled a generous amount of cilantro, which Third Miss liked. In the evening, she timed it perfectly and made sweet fermented rice balls, just as Second Miss came home, and the two girls shared a bowl each.
On Christmas Eve, before picking up Second Miss from evening self-study, she baked a soft apple pie, adding finely chopped pieces of the Christmas apples Ms. Wei brought home from work. She also baked a large batch of gingerbread cookies in the shapes of five-pointed stars, six-pointed snowflakes, Christmas trees, Christmas stockings, and candy canes.
Seeing this, Ms. Wei would laugh and accuse her of “favoritism,” but even she couldn’t help but prepare things for Xiao Luohan.
They all wanted to care for this well-behaved and resilient child, to make her remaining days in the ancient world more comfortable and happy.
Jiang Xue was busy with her studies during the day and spent her nights decorating the mindscape with the Third Princess in her dreams. Days flew by, and soon it was the end of the month.
According to Si Ling’s “tradition,” performances that were highly rated during the preliminary auditions would usually be performed twice, once for the performers’ own grade, and another for a grade chosen randomly by the performer’s representative.
The program list for all three grades had to be finalized before the dress rehearsal. Dan Yuanyuan, who always had bad luck, “unfortunately” drew the freshman year, which started at 10:00 AM, but their turn wouldn’t be until around 11:30 AM.
Jiang Xue had experienced this in her freshman year and wasn’t surprised. Amidst the groans of complaint, she wrote to Xiao Luohan: 【I’ll send you breakfast and lunch together! What do you want to eat?】
【Anything is fine for breakfast, but I’d like self-heating rice for lunch, the carrot and beef stew flavor.】
Xiao Luohan’s health had improved a bit, and she was starting to be interested in richer-flavored instant foods. Jiang Xue had sent her instant noodles and self-heating rice before.
【Do you want fresh vegetable soup? Sister Cheng made it.】
【Yes!】
【And chicken feet? Do you want braised or pickled pepper flavor?】
【Braised, the pickled pepper is too spicy, I can’t handle it yet.】
Having decided on the food, Jiang Xue sent Xiao Luohan breakfast and lunch early in the morning, since there were no classes on the day of the New Year’s Eve gala. She went back to bed for a while before going to school with Jiang Mei.
But when she got in the car, she found someone already sitting in the passenger seat.
“Hi.” Dr. Qi took off her sunglasses, turned around, and held up her bag. “I’m your makeup artist.”
Jiang Xue: …
She had only said that her older sister should find a makeup artist. Her older sister had a wide network, so the makeup artist she found would definitely be reliable.
She hadn’t expected their family doctor to be so multi-talented. If she had known, she wouldn’t have hired a separate makeup artist in her freshman year. It was better to keep the money within the family!
Jiang Mei, on the other hand, had changed into her costume, done her own makeup, and left the house with her sword case. She was a bit of a germaphobe, especially with cosmetics, and preferred not to use other people’s.
Sister Cheng started the car and drove the three of them to school.
Changing clothes and applying makeup wasn’t a big deal. Dr. Qi was skilled and quickly finished everyone’s makeup.
Around 10:30 AM, she also brought takeout, emphasizing, “Your older sister bought it.”
Jiang Mei: …
She gave Dr. Qi an amused look. She had wanted to be an anonymous benefactor, but she had been exposed.
The takeout was boxed lunches from a well-established restaurant. Jiang Mei had ordered from them before for performances at her workplace, so they were regular customers, and the restaurant always gave them generous portions.
…It’s just that she had forgotten to ask them to leave out the celery today. Opening the lid, she saw a mountain of celery stir-fried with meat, and her head started to ache.
She was about to ask Jiang Xue to pick out the celery when a spoon reached over and scooped out half of it, then another scoop, and the “celery mountain” was gone.
Jiang Mei was stunned. Turning her head, she saw Xie Xitong sitting next to Jiang Xue with her takeout, picking out the celery from Jiang Xue’s food as well.
She had forgotten that this girl next door loved celery.
When Xiao Luohan entered the dream, Jiang Xue and the others were waiting backstage.
The performers for the next two acts were also waiting. The freshmen weren’t as composed as the seniors and were even taking deep breaths nervously.
There were too many people around. Even if Jiang Xue saw her, she only waved discreetly under her sleeve. Xiao Luohan smiled and floated over, sitting down in the empty space behind Jiang Xue.
“Are you cold?”
Jiang Xue didn’t dare shake her head. She hooked her pinky finger and wiggled it slightly, indicating that she wasn’t cold.
But her hand was actually a little icy.
Xiao Luohan couldn’t help but cover Jiang Xue’s hand with her own—she didn’t know if she could warm her up in the dream.
She felt Jiang Xue tremble, thinking she was cold but too stubborn to admit it, and held her hand even tighter.
Jiang Xue felt that tingling sensation again!
She hadn’t thought about it that way at first, but every time Xiao Luohan touched her, she felt this tingling. Even a fool would have realized by now!
But this wasn’t something she could talk about, especially not with Xiao Luohan. She was afraid that if this girl knew about her feelings, she would actually add “repaying kindness with her body” to her list of repayment methods!
She wanted to pull her hand back, but was afraid of being misunderstood by Xiao Luohan. It wasn’t convenient to explain now, with everyone backstage watching.
But continuing to be held like this made her feel that tingling sensation, making her both embarrassed and nervous. Hearing the commotion outside, the play had just reached the part where the female general’s spirit appeared in a dream to teach her younger sister. She knew there was still some time left, so she simply stood up and said to Jiang Mei, “I’m nervous, I’m going out for some air.”
Then she was met with her older sister’s puzzled look, and when she turned around, her friend Xie Xitong’s face was red from suppressing laughter!
Afraid that Xie Xitong would say something to her sister, Jiang Xue pulled her out with her. As soon as they reached a secluded spot, Xie Xitong burst out laughing.
Xiao Luohan looked at them, puzzled.
But although Xie Xitong laughed, she wouldn’t betray her friend for now—she wanted to see when these two would finally realize their feelings. Her friend seemed to be on the right track, but the other girl from ancient times… it was hard to say, but it was probably just a matter of time.
“I’m done,” she said after she finished laughing, and returned backstage, winking at Jiang Xue before leaving, indicating that she knew what was going on.
Jiang Xue took this opportunity to pull her hand away from the Third Princess’s, rubbing her hands and moving her limbs, confirming that she had only come out for “some air.”
“Why was A-Xi laughing?” Xiao Luohan was genuinely curious.
Jiang Xue couldn’t tell her the truth, so she made up another story: “She thought of something happy.”
Xiao Luohan, unfamiliar with the “mermaid” meme, just looked at her, waiting for the rest of the story.
“She gets to perform on the same stage with the older girl next door she likes in their senior year, and twice, too.”
Jiang Xue had long since figured out that Xie Xitong had a crush on her older sister.
Her friend was an “older sister complex,” and since the Jiang and Xie families had always been close, and her older sister had always been excellent, dazzling, and beautiful, Xie Xitong had unilaterally included her in her future plans.
“You know now that in our society, women can not only marry each other, but also have children,” Jiang Xue said. “And young people in this era are more direct in their relationships. A-Xi is very outgoing and always seizes every opportunity.”
Xiao Luohan suddenly understood, then asked tentatively, “But, Mei-jiejie doesn’t seem to know?”
“Even if my sister knows, she won’t reciprocate for three to five years,” Jiang Xue shrugged. “Young people, you know, they might impulsively pursue someone, then suddenly give up when the passion fades.”
“Anyway, A-Xi is still young… uh, in my sister’s eyes, we’re all still children. After we graduate and go to university, she might start pursuing a senior there.”
She paused, a hint of embarrassment in her pride. “My sister is hard to chase! It’s said that since elementary school, both boys and girls have had crushes on her and pursued her. If she paid attention to every one of them, she would have so many worries!”
Xiao Luohan thought about it and agreed.
Her elder sister had never mentioned such troubles to her, but her elder sister was the Emperor’s first child, and her maternal family was a powerful military clan, guarding Beiliao’s borders. No man dared to pursue her without her consent.
Jiang Xue had successfully explained Xie Xitong’s laughter. Since it would soon be their turn to perform, Jiang Xue breathed a sigh of relief and told Xiao Luohan about the seating arrangements in the auditorium. “The auditorium is full today, and even the homeroom teachers have to share seats, so you won’t find any empty ones. But there’s a small platform on the second floor… you saw it last time, right?”
Xiao Luohan nodded knowingly. She had seen it in Jiang Xue’s first-year diary entries and knew that only important school leaders sat there. It had the best view, and Jiang Xue could see her from the stage.
After sending Jiang Xue backstage, she floated to the back of the auditorium, up the stairs to the second floor, found an empty seat, and looked at the stage expectantly.
Jiang Xue and the others were performing twice today, and she wanted to accompany her for both performances.
Such a meaningful performance, having another witness, when they talked about it in the future, there would be one more person to share it with.
At this thought, Xiao Luohan paused.
“The future”…
A-Xi had included Mei-jiejie in her future plans, and she herself had also quietly placed Jiang Xue in “the future.”
She followed this train of thought for a while, then felt that Jiang Xue seemed to have always done this.
They were from two different worlds, initially just pen pals, never imagining that one day they would truly be by each other’s side.
Was this… also a form of kindness?
She couldn’t help but wonder how she could possibly repay it.
Would she repay the Jiang family for the rest of her life? To what extent? Jiang Xue, Mei-jiejie, the two aunts, Sister Cheng… with her abilities, what could she do for them?
Xiao Luohan continued to ponder, but when Jiang Xue’s performance started, she immediately focused all her attention, applauding several times, although only Jiang Xue and Xie Xitong could hear it.
After waking up, she cleaned up the self-heating rice packaging, still thinking about it. When she ate the noodles Jiang Xue sent later that evening, she was still thinking about it.
In the end, she only thought of one way to repay Jiang Xue, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt presumptuous and ashamed, hugging the Shiba Inu plush toy and falling asleep filled with guilt.
When she “woke up” in the dream, she heard the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers from outside the auditorium… no, from outside the school.
The New Year’s Eve celebration had begun. Although it was the Gregorian New Year, it was also very important to the people in this world.
She went to her usual spot, sitting next to the school leaders, watching the performances and occasionally glancing at the school leaders who were busy replying to messages on their phones.
It was so nice that even the head of the school in this world was a woman.
When it was Jiang Xue’s turn to perform again, Xiao Luohan stood up and was the first to applaud.
The night was long, and she slept deeply. Later, she should be able to sit with Jiang Xue, watch the rest of the senior year performances, and then go home with her—day students could go home directly after school today, while boarding students would go home tomorrow morning.
Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a biting coldness on her face!
Not just her face, she felt the coldness seep into her neck, her collar, and finally, into her bed.
Startled, she instantly woke up, then her eyes were stung by a bright light.
The bed curtains were drawn back, and the room was brightly lit.
Countless servants were holding lamps, standing ominously around the room.
Xiao Luohan’s eyes widened. She instinctively sat up and looked towards the end of the sea of lamps—
Behind her desk, sat the Crown Prince of Daying, reading a book!
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