Chapter 31: Conjugation

Jiang Chiyue woke up in a dimly lit room.

Apart from the occasional city lights filtering through the window, everything else was pitch black.

‘My head hurts a bit.’

‘How long was I asleep?’

Jiang Chiyue habitually reached her hand toward the wall, but didn’t find what she expected.

‘Where’s the light switch?’

At this point, Jiang Chiyue began to realize something was off.

A moment later, she finally found the switch in an unfamiliar spot. When she pressed it, a “click” sounded, and the room lit up in an instant.

But this place…

“Why is this Li Xingya’s room?”

Jiang Chiyue muttered to herself.

She tried hard to recall what happened before she got drunk. Eventually, a strange snippet started replaying in her mind.

“Do you want something to eat?”

“You’re not being good.”

“Yueyue didn’t have dinner, did you?”

It was a memory of spending time with Li Xingya.

‘Damn.’

‘I feel like I just remembered something really bad.’

After drinking too much, she had acted like a complete child, whining to a sixteen-year-old girl.

Jiang Chiyue instinctively pushed at the bridge of her nose, but didn’t find her gold-rimmed glasses—they must have been left in her own room.

Jiang Chiyue didn’t speak, just kept replaying the memory of Li Xingya.

‘This is definitely Sister Li Xingya.’

Originally, after Li Xingya’s “suicide invitation,” Jiang Chiyue had actually started to believe the other girl’s claim of being a “reincarnator.” But now, Jiang Chiyue was certain Li Xingya was just pretending.

That girl was deliberately avoiding her original identity.

‘Did she have to wait until I was drunk to act like her old self?’

It never occurred to Jiang Chiyue that Li Xingya was afraid she’d go on a drunken rampage.

Now, Jiang Chiyue stretched, got out of bed, and went straight back to her own bedroom.

The moment she pushed open the door, she saw that the pillow, bedsheets, and everything else that should have been on the bed had vanished without a trace.

‘Where are my things?’

She found her glasses and phone on the nightstand.

She pressed the power button on the side of her phone.

The time was 9:21 PM. Thirty-six minutes ago, Lin Jin’an had sent her a message.

[I have an open slot in my schedule tomorrow. Can I come over to your place?]

A simple message, but why would Lin Jin’an want to visit?

Jiang Chiyue didn’t hesitate. She quickly typed back two words—

[No]

On the other end, Lin Jin’an saw the message and immediately raised an eyebrow.

‘How should I put this?’

‘You two sisters are exactly the same when it comes to rejecting people.’

‘And you’re not even blood-related.’

Lin Jin’an thought as her fingers rapidly tapped on the screen:

[What, I can’t even see you if I just want to?]

‘I just want to see cute little Xingya, is that not allowed?’

[I have work to handle tomorrow.]

[Work?]

Lin Jin’an thought for a moment, then continued typing:

[Working from home? It’s fine, I’ll keep quiet and not disturb you.]

‘I’ll go to Xiao Ya’s room with her to play, and I promise you won’t hear a thing from the living room.’

Seeing Lin Jin’an’s reply, Jiang Chiyue inexplicably felt a surge of irritation.

[Not working from home. I’m going to the office… In any case, don’t come over. No one will be home to host you.]

[…No one home, huh.]

‘Only Xiao Ya is home.’

[Alright, I’ll visit another time.]

‘Alright, I’ll sneak over tomorrow anyway.’

Lin Jin’an turned off her phone, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

“Not telling Jiang Chiyue I’m holding a concert at the school was definitely the right call. That girl’s possessiveness is way too strong.”

Lin Jin’an lay on her side, muttering to herself:

“And she has the nerve to say she’ll be home alone… not a single truthful word out of her mouth. Oh well, since this older sister is never home, I’ll just take care of the little sister for her.”

‘After all, I’ve always wanted to hear Xiao Ya call me “big sister.”‘

***

“Big sister.”

Li Xingya, sitting in the living room, looked up at Jiang Chiyue descending from the second floor.

“Mm.”

Jiang Chiyue answered, then added, “The TV’s too loud.”

“Oh.”

Li Xingya picked up the remote and quickly turned down the volume.

There was no helping it, really—the volume was too loud.

Being alone in the living room could be a bit creepy.

But Li Xingya didn’t feel like being alone in her room with Jiang Chiyue either.

To ease her anxiety, she naturally had to crank up the movie’s volume.

“Hungry?”

Li Xingya suddenly asked as Jiang Chiyue sat down beside her.

Jiang Chiyue nodded. “A bit.”

“There’s congee on the table, but it should be cold by now. Heat it up if you want some,” Li Xingya reminded.

Jiang Chiyue didn’t say much. She quietly got up to warm the congee.

Li Xingya covertly watched Jiang Chiyue’s cold demeanor and felt a little relieved.

‘Looks like she doesn’t remember what happened before she fell asleep.’

‘That’s good.’

‘”Sister Li Xingya” is a one-time-only thing.’

‘Think of it as a special broadcast for being drunk.’

‘Normally, I can’t be bothered to play the gentle young older sister.’

‘Just thinking about it is weird.’

Li Xingya thought, grabbing a throw pillow to hug as she continued watching the boring, mindless romantic comedy on TV.

‘Almost time. I’ll watch for another half hour, then go to bed.’

At the table, Jiang Chiyue looked at the two bowls of congee.

One was cabbage and lean pork congee, the other was white fungus and lotus seed soup.

‘Li Xingya actually made congee.’

‘But didn’t she say she couldn’t cook?’

‘Is she lying about that too?’

Jiang Chiyue thought, glancing back at Li Xingya on the living room sofa.

“Li Xingya.”

“Hm?”

Li Xingya lifted her chin, looking at Jiang Chiyue from afar. “What is it now?”

“Which bowl do you want?”

Li Xingya waved her hand casually. “Just take whichever flavor you like. Give me the leftover one.”

When it came to food, Li Xingya was far from picky.

Hearing this, Jiang Chiyue heated up both bowls, then handed the savory congee to Li Xingya.

The two of them ate quietly in front of the TV.

Throughout the entire process, aside from the occasional “slurp” of congee and the dialogue between the protagonist and heroine on screen, they didn’t exchange a single word.

Suddenly.

Jiang Chiyue couldn’t help but speak.

“How was your first week at Starseeing Academy?”

she asked.

“Not bad.”

Li Xingya smiled.

“I got to know a really good friend.”

‘A soft little mochi that, if used properly, can make my three years here smooth sailing.’

Jiang Chiyue nodded, scooping a spoonful of lotus seeds into her mouth. “That’s good. If anything happens at school, make sure to tell me.”

“Mm.”

Li Xingya answered softly.

‘Not bad, Jiang Chiyue.’

‘You actually care about your sister’s school life.’

‘Mm-hmm, you’re finally starting to act like an older sister.’

‘Keep it up, okay?’

‘I’m sure our twisted sister relationship will be over soon.’