The Delighted Younger Sister and the Eavesdropping Older Sister

"I should say this in advance—don't casually make requests like this in the future."

"Especially not to oth—"

The words had barely left his mouth when Jiang Yubai stopped himself.

Wait, he had just agreed, and now he was saying this. Didn't that make it sound like he was PUA-ing her...?

Yet Lin Tingwan nodded very seriously and gently set the panda plushie in her arms aside.

Before Jiang Yubai could say anything, the girl had already leaned forward slightly and gently wrapped her arms around him.

That familiar faint lavender fragrance lingered around his nose once more.

Lin Tingwan moved very gently, her arms loosely around his neck as though she were holding something precious.

In his arms was the soft warmth of the girl, and by his ear was the sound of her light breathing.

Jiang Yubai simply let her hold him, his hands hanging properly at his sides without lifting them to return the hug.

After all, Lin Tingwan seemed to... simply like the feeling of hugging someone.

And he just happened to be a body pillow she didn't dislike.

Naturally, he wasn't narcissistic enough to think Lin Tingwan liked him. Jiang Yubai even doubted whether this girl knew what liking someone meant.

Maybe, in her eyes, there was no essential difference between him and the panda plushie she had been hugging earlier.

Well, perhaps... he was more comfortable to hug than a plushie?

At that thought, Jiang Yubai couldn't help tilting his head slightly.

Lin Tingwan had her eyes closed, her breathing even, and there was even a faint curve at the corner of her lips.

From this close, the girl's fair, clear face was so beautiful it almost seemed unreal.

Forget it. A body pillow was a body pillow. It wasn't like he was losing out.

That was what Jiang Yubai thought.

Such a cute, beautiful girl had practically no social life. The only entertainment she had at home was reading the novels her older sister secretly hid away.

Most of the time, she could only hold a plushie and stare blankly out the window, counting the clouds as they drifted by one after another.

But...

It seemed that just one hug from you was enough to make her happy.

Lin Jianxia turned the stewed ribs down to low heat to keep them warm, then glanced at the few dishes already plated and prepared. Satisfied, she nodded.

But as she looked, the girl's gaze began to wander on its own.

It drifted and drifted, finally landing once again on the wall beside her, as if she could see through it.

It should... be fine, right?

Lin Jianxia wasn't worried that Jiang Yubai would trick her little sister.

For one thing, her new boss truly did seem like a good person. At most, he was just a little improper with his words.

And for another, although Wanwan's favorable impression of him seemed surprisingly high, Jiang Yubai... didn't seem to have any particular thoughts about her.

The one he had thoughts about was...

Lin Jianxia suddenly remembered how, when she had disguised herself as her younger sister to attend school, Jiang Yubai had spent all day passing little notes to "Lin Tingwan's" desk.

What had that bastard said back then?

He said he was very interested in the "older sister," then started asking all sorts of questions—what songs she liked, whether she followed celebrities, and he even dared to ask about things like her height and weight.

His intentions couldn't have been more obvious, could they?!

Although Jiang Yubai later said in the pavilion that he knew it had been her in disguise, he had only figured it out during the last two days!

In other words, before that—those questions about "Lin Jianxia" truly had come straight from his heart.

At that thought, Lin Jianxia's ears heated up faintly.

Ever since her identity had been exposed, she had deliberately avoided bringing it up.

And since she hadn't mentioned it, Jiang Yubai seemed to find it awkward too and had never said anything about it.

No, no!

Lin Jianxia took a deep breath and patted her cheeks.

She was supposed to be worried about Wanwan. How had her thoughts wandered off to something like that?

What she should be more worried about now was what Jiang Yubai would think if her little sister ignored him.

If that really happened, she would have to apologize to Jiang Yubai—after all, she had invited him over to help, only for him to get a cold shoulder...

Wanwan, Wanwan, please don't give him the cold shoulder... Your older sister is still working as his maid.

The more Lin Jianxia thought about it, the less she could relax. In the end, she decided to sneak over and take a look.

She quietly stepped out. The moment she returned to the half-open door of her room, Jiang Yubai's curious voice came from inside.

"Say... do you have any plushies you especially like?"

The rustling sound of paper came from inside, probably Lin Tingwan writing her response.

A few seconds later, Jiang Yubai's cheerful voice sounded again.

"I see. I actually have several at home too. I just didn't bring them with me this time."

Lin Jianxia blinked, and a flicker of unexpected delight suddenly rose in her heart.

Wanwan... actually seemed to be chatting with Jiang Yubai?

But then, the pleased expression on her face slowly stiffened.

Wait, did that mean her earlier guess had been right?

The reason Wanwan refused to speak... really was because of her?!

Why?!

Why had she, Wanwan's actual older sister, become the one getting in the way?!

And!

Wanwan hadn't been like this with her for so long. It had always been one question, one answer. Later, she had simply nodded or shaken her head, and eventually she stopped speaking altogether!

But from outside the door, Jiang Yubai's voice sounded completely relaxed. Clearly, the two of them were having quite a pleasant conversation?!

Jiang Yubai could get along so well with her little sister, while she could only eavesdrop out here. She didn't even dare peek through the half-open door.

What if Wanwan found out and stopped talking to Jiang Yubai too!?

Wouldn't that make her the eternal sinner who had hindered her little sister's recovery?

At that thought, Lin Jianxia's gaze couldn't help turning resentful.

She ground her teeth and raised her hand to gently knock on the door in front of her.

With three soft knocks, the room immediately fell silent.

"Jiang Yubai," she said, without realizing her voice had taken on a slightly sulky tone, "lunch is ready. You can come eat now."

Though Wanwan's recovery plan was important...

It was still more worthwhile to feed Jiang Yubai first, then let him focus on keeping her little sister company.

Sharpening the axe wouldn't delay the chopping!

Only after hearing Jiang Yubai reply from inside, "Got it, I'll be right there," did Lin Jianxia nod in satisfaction and turn toward the kitchen with light steps.

Inside the room.

Listening as the footsteps outside gradually faded, Jiang Yubai let out a soft breath and said cheerfully, "Then I'll go eat first. Your sister should bring you food later. See you later~"

Honestly, he had originally thought communicating with Lin Tingwan would be rather difficult.

But after actually interacting with her, he realized—the girl took every word he said very seriously.

Even a simple "Mm" would be written down stroke by stroke, then carefully handed over for him to read.

Honestly, it was kind of cute.

With all sorts of random thoughts running through his head, Jiang Yubai stood up and was just about to push the door open when he caught sight of the girl beside him quietly standing up as well.

Hm?

Jiang Yubai paused and turned his head in confusion.

"What is it? Is there something else?"

Lin Tingwan stood beside him with her head slightly tilted, seemingly puzzled by why he had suddenly stopped.

They quietly looked at each other for a few seconds. Then she suddenly raised her spiral notebook, quickly wrote a line, and held it out in front of Jiang Yubai.

"Eat."