“Xiaoya, that’s not how you smile.”
“Mmm.”
“Come on, raise your head first.”
“No.”
Li Xingya kept her head down, unwilling to look at Lin Jin’an.
For some reason, from a moment ago, Lin Jin’an had been persistently trying to make eye contact with her.
Li Xingya didn’t like eye contact.
“Sister, I don’t want to practice this anymore.”
Li Xingya pinched her thigh hard, then sniffled.
“…I don’t want the reward anymore.”
‘There, that should be pitiful enough.’
‘This is exactly how I tricked Meng Yiqiao back then.’
“Xiaoya.”
Lin Jin’an shook her head.
“If it hurts, then stop pinching your thigh so hard.”
As she spoke, a tear slipped from the corner of Lin Jin’an’s eye:
“You see, as long as you practice hard enough, you can cry easily without even hurting yourself.”
“Tsk!”
Lin Jin’an firmly lifted Li Xingya’s chin.
“Xiaoya, was that an impatient sound I just heard?”
“…No.”
Li Xingya said stubbornly.
She guiltily averted her gaze.
“I love Sister the most. How could I ever be impatient?”
‘Yeah, right.’
‘I am impatient.’
‘You could see it clearly enough.’
‘No need to keep asking me.’
Watching Li Xingya’s defiant expression, Lin Jin’an’s heart ached for her after all.
This child hid her thoughts too well. Every time she interacted with someone, she would instinctively put on an easygoing front.
Li Xingya was only sixteen—who knew where she’d picked up this habit of reading the room.
“Are you really sure you don’t want the reward?”
Lin Jin’an brought the topic back to the smiling practice.
Li Xingya pursed her lips and stayed silent.
How could anyone possibly not want a reward?
‘Lin Jin’an is an idiot.’
‘She always asks such difficult questions.’
Suppressing the sour feeling in her chest, she lied,
“I don’t want a reward… I don’t like practicing smiling.”
Li Xingya’s resistance was obvious. She wasn’t resisting the reward—she was resisting smiling… or rather, making eye contact with others while smiling.
Li Xingya not only wanted to hide her true self, but she also didn’t want anyone to find her.
Seeing how unwilling Li Xingya was, Lin Jin’an realized that today’s session would have to end here.
If she pushed any further, Xiaoya would only resist more openly.
‘This kind of thing has to be taken step by step.’
‘I have to slowly make my way into Xiaoya’s inner world.’
Lin Jin’an took Li Xingya’s hand.
“Alright, then today’s practice ends here.”
She led Xiaoya to the living room.
After the two sat down on the sofa, Lin Jin’an turned on the TV.
“Xiaoya, want to relax and watch a movie? I heard from Jiang Chiyue that you like romantic comedies?”
“Mm.”
Li Xingya curled up in Lin Jin’an’s arms and let out a nasal hum.
‘Romantic comedies are boring.’
‘But still better than eye contact.’
Hearing Li Xingya’s submissive hum, Lin Jin’an rested her chin on top of Li Xingya’s head.
‘Jiang Chiyue isn’t lying to me, is she?’
‘Xiaoya’s reaction…’
‘It really doesn’t look like she likes romantic comedies.’
“How about a suspense thriller instead?”
“Okay.”
“Forget it, let’s watch a martial arts film.”
“Sure.”
“…A horror movie. How about a horror movie?”
“That works too.”
‘Hiss—’
Lin Jin’an finally understood. Li Xingya had no preferred genre of film at all.
‘This little one has far too few hobbies.’
Other than receiving gifts and drinking milk tea, Lin Jin’an rarely ever saw Li Xingya genuinely happy.
‘Think… think, Lin Jin’an. Come on, think hard.’
‘You’re the Lin Jin’an who graduated top of the grade in all subjects!’
‘Think about what a sixteen-year-old girl these days actually likes.’
As she thought, a sudden idea struck her.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I used that.’
“Xiaoya, do you want to play games?”
“What game?”
Li Xingya looked up curiously.
Lin Jin’an pointed at the object beside the TV, similar to a computer tower.
“Video games.”
As she spoke, Lin Jin’an pulled two controllers out of the coffee table drawer and handed one to Li Xingya.
Then, she powered on the “computer tower.”
“It’s a PS5. I used to love playing this for a while, Xiaoya. Have you ever played one before?”
“No.”
Li Xingya shook her head, staring intently at the white controller in her hands.
‘Games.’
This was somewhat special to Li Xingya.
Ever since her previous life, she’d always heard people around her talk about all kinds of games.
But she’d never tried one.
After all, Li Xingya’s first smartphone was bought when she was twenty-three.
And by that point, she had long lost any interest in “games.”
But now—
Li Xingya tentatively gripped the controller, and a different feeling stirred in her heart.
‘This thing… feels kind of fun actually.’
Sixteen years old.
That was the age of overflowing energy, the perfect time for playing games.
Consider it making up for past regrets. Li Xingya didn’t choose to refuse.
Instead, she stared at the TV screen with intense focus.
“Let’s play something multiplayer?”
“Mm-hm.”
Li Xingya nodded.
And the game Lin Jin’an chose… was a fighting game.
Lin Jin’an hadn’t picked it randomly, nor was she trying to bully the newbie Li Xingya. She was simply curious about one thing.
‘Xiaoya always acts so indifferent about everything.’
‘She doesn’t get excited when she gains something.’
‘And she doesn’t show sadness when she loses something.’
‘It’s as if she’s long since grown used to this kind of life.’
‘So I’m a little curious…’
‘Curious about what kind of expression Xiaoya will show when her competitive spirit gets stirred up.’
And a fighting game was naturally the best medium for that.
Lin Jin’an pointed at the buttons on the controller, explaining to Li Xingya:
“This is to move, this is to jump, this is to crouch. The buttons on the left are light punch, light kick, heavy punch, and heavy kick. Can you follow all that?”
“Got it.”
Li Xingya said confidently.
“Sounds simple enough.”
A strange smile curled at the corner of Lin Jin’an’s lips.
“That’s right… it’s simple. Very simple indeed. Then let’s begin.”
Fifteen minutes later
When Li Xingya’s character was pushed to the edge of the screen by Lin Jin’an’s relentless assault, she started to panic.
As the character moved on screen, her body unconsciously swayed left and right.
“Wait…”
“Wait a second… Si—Sister!”
In response to Li Xingya’s plea, Lin Jin’an didn’t stop.
In fact, her fingers only moved faster across the buttons.
“Calling out for your sister just to survive, huh?”
“Guh!”
Li Xingya furrowed her brows tightly. She was getting angry.
‘Lin Jin’an has terrible gaming etiquette!’
“Xiaoya, time for this little farce to end.”
“No, wait—I said wait a second, too fast, please—”
“Hehe, today, ‘wait’ is the one option that doesn’t exist in Sister’s playbook.”
With that, Lin Jin’an deftly executed the final combo.
[K.O]
When the huge announcement appeared, Li Xingya’s body went limp.
‘I lost.’
‘I lost for no reason.’
‘And even more inexplicable… is this unpleasant feeling in my chest.’
“One… one more time.”
Li Xingya parted her lips slightly, letting out a small, defiant voice.
“What?”
“I said one more time!”
Li Xingya glared at Lin Jin’an.
Her expression was fierce, her eyes glistening with tears.
‘Miss Lin, aren’t you just taking advantage of the fact that I’m a newbie?’
‘I don’t accept this!’
‘If you’ve got the guts, let’s go another round!’