At this moment, Starseeing Academy was unusually empty.
Now, at this hour, most students had already gone to the Performance Hall.
On the entire path, the only people visible were Li Xingya and Lin Jin’an.
This was fine, too.
After all, if someone like Lin Jin’an walked openly down the street, it would definitely cause quite a commotion.
Not to mention that Li Xingya was holding hands with her.
Li Xingya really didn’t want to end up as a hot topic on StarJoy because someone posted about them like this.
Explaining it would be a hassle.
But… not a single person around.
This situation was also hard to handle—being alone together like this, Li Xingya couldn’t think of anything to say.
‘So quiet.’
‘So awkward.’
Lin Jin’an was a little ahead, quietly pulling Li Xingya along without a word.
No one knew what she was thinking.
Probably unable to bear the silence, Li Xingya steeled herself and spoke.
“Lin Jin’an.”
“Wrong.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Your address is wrong.”
Lin Jin’an turned back, her eyes filled with indescribable tenderness.
“I call you Xiaoya, but you call me Lin Jin’an. However you hear it, that doesn’t sound right… It makes us seem like we don’t have a good relationship.”
Li Xingya was stunned for a moment.
‘Do we really have a good relationship?’
‘We only just met today…’
‘…She’s too familiar.’
“How do you want me to call you?”
“I’m older than you, so just call me big sister?”
Lin Jin’an said with a beaming smile.
“I’m an only child, and I’ve always wanted a little sister. If you’re willing to call me big sister, I’d be really happy.”
‘Your age is perfect.’
‘You’re also very pretty.’
‘You’re just right to be my little sister, aren’t you?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll spoil you well.’
Lin Jin’an didn’t dare say these words—she was afraid of scaring Li Xingya.
Li Xingya: “…”
Faced with Lin Jin’an’s request, Li Xingya remained silent.
What was she thinking about?
Lin Jin’an turned around and hugged Li Xingya again.
“Mmph!”
Li Xingya’s face instantly turned red.
‘How dare she again!’
‘Hugging…hugging all the time…’
‘As an idol, she’s too frivolous!’
“Xiaoya, do you hate me that much? Can’t you even call me big sister once?”
Lin Jin’an blinked, looking pitiful.
“If others wanted to call me that, I wouldn’t even acknowledge them.”
‘This woman isn’t only good at smiling.’
‘She’s also a pro at playing pitiful.’
Li Xingya lowered her head and murmured, “I don’t hate you.”
‘I hate it.’
‘Our stomachs are touching again.’
‘Lin Jin’an’s stomach… is so soft.’
“I don’t hate you.”
Li Xingya repeated.
Lin Jin’an puffed out her cheeks in a pout.
“Liar. You clearly hate me… If you like me, then call me big sister and let me hear it?”
Li Xingya: “…”
The reason Li Xingya was unwilling to call her big sister really had nothing to do with hate or like.
She simply felt she already had too many big sisters.
First Jiang Chiyue, then Meng Yiqiao.
If she added Lin Jin’an now—just thinking about it was tiring, wasn’t it?
Li Xingya was not good at socializing.
If it weren’t for spending three safe years at the academy, she wouldn’t have even gotten involved with Meng Yiqiao.
Li Xingya didn’t want that many big sisters.
As a nuclear-powered donkey, she just wanted to graduate quietly, become an idol, and pay off her debt.
“Hey.”
Seeing that Li Xingya was silent again, Lin Jin’an reached out and pinched the soft flesh on Li Xingya’s waist.
“Eep!”
‘I made a weird sound.’
“Let me go.”
Li Xingya pushed against Lin Jin’an’s shoulder.
But Lin Jin’an hugged her tighter.
“Call me big sister and I’ll let go. Having a top-tier idol as your big sister, don’t worry—you won’t lose out. When you debut later, no matter what show it is, I can come help you out.”
These words made Li Xingya zone out for a moment.
Last night while scrolling her phone, she remembered clearly: Lin Jin’an had participated in many shows and variety programs, but… she had never appeared in a romance-themed variety show.
Li Xingya lifted her head slightly, carefully looked at Lin Jin’an, and ventured, “Not even if it’s a romance variety show?”
‘You don’t like this type, right?’
‘If you don’t want trouble, just let me go obediently.’
Li Xingya thought she had Lin Jin’an figured out.
“Oh, so you’re hiding this little scheme.”
Lin Jin’an looked down at the shorter Li Xingya.
“Making big sister join a romance show, what do you want to do with me, hmm?”
With that one sentence, Li Xingya’s face turned even redder.
Did Lin Jin’an not know how to be shy!
How could she even say something like that?
In front of you is merely a sixteen-year-old first-year high school student.
‘Crime!’
‘You’re committing a crime!’
“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.”
Lin Jin’an suddenly released Li Xingya.
“It’s almost time for the performance to start. Principal Lu is probably looking for me all over backstage. As for calling me big sister… after spending more time together, you’ll eventually be willing, right?”
“Right, right, right, right, right? Xiaoya?”
“Mmph…!”
Faced with Lin Jin’an’s overly enthusiastic offensive, the corner of Li Xingya’s mouth twitched.
She instinctively smiled.
After all, in the past, she could solve many problems just by smiling.
“Maybe.”
Li Xingya gave an ambiguous answer.
“There you go again.”
Lin Jin’an poked the corner of Li Xingya’s mouth.
“You’re only sixteen, yet you like to hide your true self behind a fake smile. If you keep this up, you’ll get tired. I’m starting to worry whether Jiang Chiyue is abusing you at home.”
A barely noticeable shadow passed over Li Xingya’s eyes.
“…It’s sincere.”
She defended herself.
‘I got seen through again.’
‘It’s okay. I got through my past life like this anyway.’
‘I won’t feel tired.’
Seeing Li Xingya’s stubborn expression, Lin Jin’an said no more.
She simply continued leading her toward the Performance Hall.
The two parted at the main entrance.
Lin Jin’an went to the backstage, while Li Xingya entered the Performance Hall from the front.
Looking at the Performance Hall’s extravagant interior decor and a floor area the size of half a football field, Li Xingya couldn’t help feeling that Starseeing Academy must have too much money to spend.
‘This is practically no different from a real concert.’
While thinking, Li Xingya opened her phone.
Only then did she realize she still had Do Not Disturb mode on.
‘Oh no.’
‘I forgot about Meng Yiqiao.’
‘I haven’t replied to her messages for so long… She shouldn’t be angry, right?’
The moment Li Xingya turned off Do Not Disturb mode, a string of messages made her phone vibrate nonstop.
‘Whoa…’
‘So… so many messages.’
[Xiaoya, where did you go?]
[The performance is about to start soon]
[I’ve already saved a seat. It’s in Area A, second row. Great view.]
[Xiaoya?]
[Did you get lost?]
[At least reply to me]
***
[Don’t wander off]
[I’ll come find you]
The messages stopped there.
‘Meng Yiqiao came looking for me?’
Just as Li Xingya realized this, someone suddenly patted her shoulder.
The moment Li Xingya turned around, a finger poked her cheek.
“Xiaoya, found you.”
Meng Yiqiao smiled.
“Big sister.”
Li Xingya looked at Meng Yiqiao.
Now Meng Yiqiao had taken off her colored contacts; there seemed to be some emotion suppressed in those black pupils.
“This place is big, isn’t it? It’s easy to get lost the first time.”
Without waiting for a reply, Meng Yiqiao tightly grasped Li Xingya’s right hand.
“This time you must, absolutely must stick close to me. Don’t get lost again.”
‘But even if you get lost, it’s fine.’
‘I’ll find you.’
“Yeah.”
Li Xingya nodded.
‘Meng Yiqiao doesn’t seem angry.’
‘An iceberg beauty is indeed very reassuring when it comes to emotional stability.’