Wanqing, female, 18 years old, second year in high school, head of the Costume Club.
The Costume Club, as the name suggests, is an organization that supplies all kinds of clothing for various events within the academy—like xianxia robes, noble aristocrat outfits, strange mummy bandage costumes, and so on. In short, it has everything you could possibly need.
For example, at the last arts gala, the traditional costume that Ji Yuennian liked was rented from the Costume Club by Yao Shiming.
Originally, Wanqing wasn’t the head of the Costume Club—it was another girl, but she had already stepped down due to a scandal related to the club.
Logically, as head of the Costume Club, Wanqing shouldn’t have much to do with Ji Yuennian, the head of the Sports Club, unless the school was hosting another event that required coordination between club heads.
But at this moment, as head of the Costume Club, Wanqing had a need to restock.
That’s right—restocking.
Those sturdy, durable long-sleeved shirts weren’t much of a problem, but some of the more delicate and dainty costumes would show wear and tear after just a few uses, and in severe cases, might even be outright ruined.
This required the head of the Costume Club to source new supplies—good quality at a reasonable price. As luck would have it, Ji Yuennian happened to have just such a purchasing channel.
“So I’m counting on you this time, Senior Ji~~” Wanqing pressed her palms together and tilted her head adorably, sincerely expressing her gratitude.
“It’s nothing, we’re longtime partners now.” Ji Yuennian put away the restocking list, but seeing the girl make such a cute gesture, he couldn’t help but feel a slight itch in his palm.
He wanted to give her a head pat, but remembering his little brother beside him, he forcibly suppressed the urge.
After handing over the list and deposit to Ji Yuennian, Wanqing turned and walked away.
“Wanqing, do you have a brother?” Ji Yuennian suddenly called out to her.
“Hm?” Wanqing paused, turning back with a puzzled look, blinking her clear eyes at Ji Yuennian.
“Senior Ji, I only have a sister, not a brother.”
“Is there something you need, Senior?”
“No, just asking.” Ji Yuennian rubbed his nose.
After the girl’s figure disappeared from view, a head suddenly leaned in. Su Tian wore a gossipy, nosy expression, and asked speculatively, “Ji-ge, do you have a thing for her?”
“What nonsense are you spouting? I already have a girlfriend.” Ji Yuennian shot him a sidelong glance and said seriously, “You have to be faithful in love. If you act like a playboy, you’ll end up with nothing.”
“Pfft~~” Su Tian pouted, wearing an expression that said, “Here I am baring my heart, and you’re just playing games,” a little dissatisfied. “It’s been so long, but I haven’t even seen our sister-in-law, don’t even know her name.”
“Who says you don’t?”
Ji Yuennian stood up. Sunlight filtered through the dappled shade, falling on him as his figure stretched into a slanting shadow on the ground. He waved the purchase list in his hand.
“Her name is Chi Baobao.”
The older girl’s lips curled up into a faint smile.
“She’s a not-so-great, but barely trustworthy mild mental case.”
*****
At dusk, the sun was sinking in the west.
Gentle rays shone through the window, filling the rather shabby rental apartment with warm light. The streetlights outside seemed all the brighter, and the crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Wanqing, carrying an adorable bunny shoulder bag, humming a pop tune, gently pushed open the door.
“Back already? Dinner’s almost ready, just need to finish the soup.”
From the kitchen emerged a girl dressed in a cat-ear maid outfit and apron, who looked almost identical to Wanqing. She held a spatula, her hair tied high to reveal a slender, fair neck, and her warm smile filled the room with comfort.
“Big Sis~ Hug!” Wanqing put down her bag and immediately pounced, rubbing her cheek affectionately against her sister’s neck.
“I’ve told you, call me Big Bro.” Wan Yi’s mouth twitched as she reached out to pat her—no, not her little brother, but her “little sister” with “gender identity disorder” and “pseudohermaphroditism,” destined to become a younger sister in the future.
“I’ll just call you Big Sis, I’ll just call you Big Sis.”
“All right, Sis it is. Now let go, dinner’s ready. You’ve always been this clingy since you were little—aren’t you embarrassed? Your future boyfriend will get jealous, you know.”
“That’s easy.”
“Just have my boyfriend take you too, then there’s no problem.”
Wanqing blinked, looking completely serious. “Big Sis treats me so well. I want to stay with Big Sis forever, never be apart—even in my boyfriend’s bed, I won’t let you go.”
Wan Yi’s face went completely black.
Good grief!
All thanks to those romance novels!
If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I wouldn’t have bought those paperbacks for her in middle school.
Now, even looking for a boyfriend means dragging myself along.
*****
“Ah-Chi, look—this is Yueyue’s girlfriend from the Little Phoenix’s family.”
“Tut tut tut, and she’s a supermodel ice queen type. Those blue eyes—tut, beautiful. Who knows, maybe a few hundred years ago we were even relatives.”
“Yueyue from the Little Phoenix family sure is lucky.”
In the Jiang family’s living room, staring at the picture of the blue-eyed, long-haired supermodel on his mother’s phone, Jiang Chi couldn’t help but twitch.
“Well? Ah-Chi, isn’t the Little Phoenix’s family’s daughter-in-law a stunner? That face, that nose, that figure—ah, I’m so jealous.” Chen Mengrou held up the phone, comparing herself to the photo repeatedly. The Little Phoenix really had good taste; this daughter-in-law, with her temperament, her figure, her face, her elegance—truly flawless.
Jiang Chi was silent.
That face, figure, and nose—he’d made them all himself. He’d originally planned to let Ji Yuennian handle it, but Ji Yuennian’s handiwork skills couldn’t be called subpar—they were just plain disastrous.
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing Jiang Chi not responding, Chen Mengrou thought he might be jealous—after all, a mother-in-law praising another family’s daughter-in-law but not her own—so she put down her phone for now, walked over, pinched her precious son’s cheek, and said with a smile,
“That ice queen might be gorgeous, but our Chanchan is no less lovely—pure and adorable, like a little cutie.”
“And our Chanchan can handle both the drawing room and the kitchen. Little Phoenix even wants to take her as a goddaughter.”
“Oh, by the way,” Chen Mengrou asked as if casually, “Ah-Chi, is there some kind of relationship between Chanchan and Yueyue’s family? I get the feeling Little Phoenix really likes her.”
Jiang Chi said nothing.
His gaze landed on the phone at Chen Mengrou’s waist, its screen still lit with the photo of the blue-eyed, long-haired ice queen.
His thoughts drifted back to a few days ago, to the end of a video call when Ji Hong suddenly told Ji Yuennian to kiss him. At that time, he’d thought that if Ji Yuennian couldn’t bring himself to do it, he’d just take the initiative. But in the end…
He unconsciously touched his lips.
Honestly, Ji Yuennian’s taste… was pretty nice.
A hint of mint, mixed with the scent of gardenias.
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