“How are you feeling now?”
The ethereal voice belonged solely to Zhu Niao.
Zhu Niao sat on the bench by the school corridor, looking at the withered, blackened lotus flowers and leaves in the school pond.
They were remnants left over from the previous summer, half-dead and lifeless.
She was accompanying her good roommate and others.
Coincidentally, today was the first day of school and also supposed to be the first day of work, but judging from the fact that the store manager must have heard from Gou Yu about her period, she was told not to go to work today.
To be honest, this was the first time she had met a boss who cared so much for her employees, letting her skip work on a scheduled workday.
But she couldn’t let Gou Yu get off work too, so she made Gou Yu deliver takeout instead.
Still too considerate toward her brother.
Liu Xie’s voice carried a teasing tone, “How what?”
“Period.” Zhu Niao answered succinctly.
Now, they were practically a completely new species—having female periods but without much common knowledge about them, and thus without much embarrassment either.
“Feels really awful, like you can never reach your peak no matter what.” Liu Xie was honestly responding. “Also, when I go to the bathroom, I always have to hold myself back a bit, or I feel like I’m going to bleed out.”
Zhu Niao frowned. “Is something wrong with you? Do you use strength from both sides when you go to the bathroom?”
“Hey, hey.” Liu Xie waved her hand. “Can’t be unfair—if you make the back work hard when pooping, won’t the front get jealous?”
“What on earth are you mumbling about? I don’t understand a single word.” Zhu Niao tilted her head.
Giving up arguing with Liu Xie, Zhu Niao turned her head to look at the stray cat in the school and Yang Shuli squatting beside it.
She always felt she might have a constitution that attracted small animals—not just the little orange cat she kept at home, but also this stray cat in the school that had probably been here longer than her.
Too bad she had no intention of adopting a second cat, nor could she bring this school cat senior back home.
The cat rubbed against her ankle, and Yang Shuli was squatting down, stroking the cat.
Zhu Niao was too lazy to care.
“Oh right, I have some fresh info about this thing.” Zhu Niao leaned back against the bench, turning to look at Liu Xie who sat beside her.
Liu Xie flopped down abruptly, causing her two soft mounds to bounce twice, making Zhu Niao’s eyelids twitch.
“Spit it out if you’ve got info.” Liu Xie stretched her waist against the bench, stretching wildly.
Those two burdens caused her quite a bit of pressure when she walked around.
“I found out there seems to be daytime and nighttime types.” Zhu Niao suppressed a look of disgust. “Also, watch your clothes, your stomach’s showing.”
“Can’t help it, the fabric at the front is too bulky, the hem barely covers it, so whenever I stretch, it looks like I’m wearing a crop top.” She adjusted her posture slightly so the hem covered her little belly.
Liu Xie wore a troubled expression.
She really might be a little distressed because of those two soft mounds, but from Zhu Niao’s understanding, Liu Xie was probably showing off a little.
Too bad Ye Qingchang wasn’t here—no way she would be the one getting teased.
Of course, Yang Shuli didn’t count, because adults talking meant kids had to keep quiet.
“Back to your info, you said there are daytime and nighttime types. What’s the difference?” Liu Xie was officially stepping into her unknown knowledge territory, looking even more serious than in class.
“The difference is one’s for daytime, the other’s for nighttime.” Zhu Niao shrugged. “That’s it.”
“Your words sound like nonsense.” Liu Xie raised a middle finger.
“Just say whether you want it or not.” Zhu Niao rummaged through her small backpack and took out a pad. “Here, take a pad.”
Liu Xie accepted it openly and examined it closely. “Honestly, I don’t feel much difference.”
“How can you tell just by looking? Use it tonight and see.” Zhu Niao turned back to watch Yang Shuli playing with the cat.
“To be honest, I’m not too willing to use it. Every time I use one, it feels like it’s tearing off a layer of my skin.” Liu Xie frowned, as if recalling some unpleasant memory.
“Is it where you stuck it that’s the problem?”
Just as Zhu Niao said this, someone suddenly appeared before her.
She shut up immediately.
Liu Xie, listening to Zhu Niao suddenly go silent, lowered her head and shrunk her neck, then elbowed Zhu Niao. “Where’s the teacher?”
“The teacher didn’t come; your little brother came instead.”
Liu Xie looked up to see Liu Anran’s familiar face, always wearing a somewhat cold expression.
But now, Liu Anran was dressed in a suit and shiny leather shoes.
Though younger by a few months, he was forcing the appearance of an adult.
“Why are you dressed like this at school?” Liu Xie frowned and nudged Liu Anran’s suit pants with her foot.
“Just came out of the company. Didn’t you say to hurry over?” Liu Anran retorted, and Liu Xie began whistling while looking up at the sky.
Honestly, Liu Xie thought Liu Anran looked pretty handsome in this outfit.
When they were kids, she used to tell him she would wear CORTHAY shoes and Savile Row suits to become a powerful figure someday.
She didn’t make it, but Liu Anran was close.
“Here.” Liu Anran took out two bottles of cold cola and a can of iced coffee, bought on the way. “Seems like I didn’t buy enough, so I won’t drink for now.”
“Uh, I can’t drink now.” Just as Liu Xie reached out to take one, Zhu Niao jabbed her with an elbow, reminding her of her current situation, so she didn’t take it.
“Got a cavity?” Liu Anran raised an eyebrow. “Then you can skip drinking now, but you’ll have to go to the hospital with me later.”
“Ah, no, I got my period.” Liu Xie felt a bit embarrassed to say this to her little brother, who had grown up with her.
She was supposed to be the strong one, the pillar of the family.
If only she could pass her menstrual cramps to him.
No, never mind—too painful.
“Period?” Liu Anran was stunned for a moment, took two or three seconds to process it, and finally understood why his good sister had a pad clipped onto her hand.
He ignored Zhu Niao beside him and directly reached out to press on Liu Xie’s lower belly.
Before he could voice his concern, Liu Xie said first,
“Did it kick you?”
Zhu Niao couldn’t hold back any longer: “Are you kidding me? Do you even want to listen to what you’re saying?”
Do you not know what a period is.