Xia Yinuo bit her lip, a hint of reluctance in her expression. The little fellow’s vigilance was far higher than she had anticipated.
This made it difficult to make a move. Xia Yinuo pondered for a moment, deciding it was better to take the initiative. She softened her voice, “Um… Chirp… don’t you think it’s very hot in here?”
I nodded silently, wholeheartedly agreeing with her statement. It was the height of summer, a time when people could suffer heatstroke within minutes of being outside. Furthermore, the room’s air conditioning was off, meaning the indoor temperature was easily over 30 degrees Celsius.
Now, lying in bed, still covered by a blanket, I was already drenched in sweat, constantly wiping away the beads rolling down my face. I longed to throw off the blanket and cool down.
However, if I did, wouldn’t Sister Yinuo see me? And I felt as though my body was having a certain physical reaction; if she saw that, I would die of embarrassment. To conceal it, I hugged my shins, curling my entire body into a ball.
“Chirp, can I take off a layer of clothing?”
“Ah?” My body suddenly trembled at her words, causing the small bed to rock.
*Creak, creak!*
To my surprise, the bed emitted an awful sound, like someone deliberately moving on it. This sound was all too familiar; anyone who had seen certain videos would recognize it instantly. I was too scared to even breathe, and whether from nervousness or something else, my legs began to shake uncontrollably. Thus, the piercing sound once again echoed through the recently quiet room.
*Creak, creak…* This dreadful noise made me wish the ground would swallow me whole, but I dared not say anything to Yinuo. Would Sister think I was doing it on purpose? What was I to do? My fingers dug deeply into the skin of my shins, but it offered no relief.
“Chirp, stop shaking the bed! It’s a folding bed, and it’s missing two screws,” Xia Yinuo reminded me. Yet, I detected a strong note of concern in her voice, and at the same time, the rustle of clothes reached my ears.
How I wished I could tell Yinuo, ‘It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it, my legs moved on their own!’ But who would believe such a joking excuse, even if it was the truth? That recent sound—was Sister Yinuo taking off her clothes? The thought surfaced in my mind, and I couldn’t help but swallow hard. A voice emerged from the depths of my heart.
‘Chirp, are you trying to peek?’
‘No, no, no, I’m not that kind of person. I’m a good kid; I wouldn’t hurt Sister Yinuo.’
‘Don’t lie to yourself. You’re a bad kid. Just now, you imagined Yinuo as the girl from your dreams, didn’t you? That’s called being a hypocrite.’
‘I…’
‘If you want to look, then look! What are you afraid of? Xia Yinuo isn’t afraid, so what’s a boy like you scared of? Are you afraid she’ll eat you?’
‘No, Sister will get angry. She doesn’t like bad kids.’
‘Idiot, idiot, idiot! Men who aren’t a little bad aren’t loved by women. Haven’t you heard that?’
‘Shut up, shut up!’
‘If you’re really a good kid, why don’t you dare face Xia Yinuo? Why don’t you dare look at her? Not daring means you have something to hide. Don’t forget, Yinuo doesn’t like dishonest children.’
‘Enough, enough, enough!’
I roared internally, as if to prove something to my other self. I suddenly rolled over, facing the other direction.
My gaze happened to fall upon Xia Yinuo’s hand pulling down the zipper of her collar, revealing more of her chest. Squinting, they looked like two white clouds drifting in the sky.
Xia Yinuo exhaled, fanning herself with one hand. Her normally fair cheeks were now flushed crimson from the heat.
Sister Yinuo didn’t seem to notice me. Her hands tugged at the fabric on both sides of her shoulders, pulling it down, though not completely removing it.
This revealed her rounded arms, like lotus roots, completely. Beneath, she wore a flesh-colored camisole. No wonder I had previously thought Sister Yinuo wasn’t wearing anything underneath; her top was flesh-colored, making it truly unnoticeable without a close look.
‘Sister Yinuo must be very hot, wearing so many clothes.’
“Chirp, could you do Sister a favor?” Xia Yinuo suddenly turned and smiled, her eyes gentle and full of trust.
“Mm,” I whispered in response, my gaze unable to leave her face.
“Then… could you come a little closer to me?”
“This…” I anxiously scratched the back of my head. The bed was already small, barely enough for one person, let alone two. The space between us was only a finger’s width; any closer and we would touch.
“Am I… very ugly?” Xia Yinuo asked faintly, her tone filled with sadness as she lowered her head.
“No, not ugly at all! Sister is super beautiful!” I waved my hands frantically, vaguely seeing the shimmer of tears in Yinuo’s eyes.
A crystal-clear tear rolled from Xia Yinuo’s eye. “Then, then why don’t you dare look at me? Why don’t you dare come closer to me?”
“I… I… I’m afraid you won’t like me!” How I wished to move closer, how I wished to embrace Sister Yinuo, to let her lean on my not-so-broad shoulders and cry her heart out. But… I hesitated, afraid I wouldn’t be able to control myself and would ultimately do something to hurt her.
“How could that be? Sister likes you the most. Sister wants to…”
*Knock, knock, knock!*
“Nuo Nuo, aren’t you going to come out and greet your bestie? Hey, don’t say you’re not home! I heard your voice!”
“If you don’t open the door, you’ll regret it.”
A sassy, slightly hoarse female voice suddenly came from outside. Xia Yinuo hastily wiped away her tears and gestured to me.
I understood immediately, lying on the bed like a mummy, motionless. The blanket covered my body, completely obscuring my vision.
“Coming, coming!” Xia Yinuo tidied her clothes and put on her shoes, then walked over and opened the door.
Standing gracefully at the doorway was a tall, short-haired girl wearing a black and red Garo cosplay outfit, with a long golden sword hanging from her back.
Two round red armor plates were held high, and a circle of red tassels clung tightly to her waist, making it appear exceptionally slender. As she walked, the long hem of her clothing swayed, revealing her long, beautiful legs.
The over-the-knee black stockings wrapped around her legs further accentuated her fair and tender skin. “Nuo Nuo, are you secretly having an affair behind my back?”
“You! Always so improper. I was just taking a nap! Do you want to squeeze in here with me?” Xia Yinuo’s tone was calm, her hands still adjusting her clothes, seemingly unconcerned. Yet, her peripheral vision inadvertently drifted towards the head of the bed.
If I were discovered, she would have no way to explain herself. This girl was a huge gossip, and if this matter were exposed, it would surely cause a huge stir in class. It wouldn’t take long for the entire campus to know. `[Xia Yinuo from Class 2 of Junior High Grade 3 has a boyfriend, and then many busybodies would come knocking, which is not what she wanted.]`
“Squeezing in can lead to pregnancy!” Zhao Lin’er teased as she entered the bathroom.
Seeing her best friend head straight for the toilet upon entering, Xia Yinuo quipped, “Lin’er, you didn’t just come here to use the bathroom, did you?” At the same time, she pulled open the curtains; if she didn’t, this girl might become suspicious. Zhao Lin’er had a good character and a quick mind, but she couldn’t control her mouth.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, as expected of the class flower and campus belle, you guessed it. The homeroom teacher is waiting for you in the security office; it seems to be about the sports meet,” Zhao Lin’er said slowly in a low voice.
“Lin’er, let’s go together once you’re done!” Xia Yinuo said this, afraid that this girl would stay behind and discover Chirp.
“I’m afraid not. I want to take a cold shower. You go ahead; I’ll wait for you here. If any students come looking for you, the school psychologist, I can cover for you. Go quickly! Don’t let the teacher wait too long.”
Zhao Lin’er waved at Xia Yinuo and began to change her clothes, leaving the bathroom door ajar.
“Hey? You, you…!” Xia Yinuo trembled, pointing at Zhao Lin’er. Her best friend was completely unpredictable. If things continued this way, Chirp wouldn’t be able to hide.
Xia Yinuo gritted her teeth, deciding to take a gamble. “Lin’er, the SGGG I bought yesterday is in the drawer under the office desk. You can play with it after your shower. Sit nicely on the chair and wait for me to come back, okay? And don’t make a sound! Don’t let anyone discover you. I’ll be right back, don’t be scared.”
After speaking, Xia Yinuo locked the door and ran towards the guardhouse at the school gate.
“Heh, has Nuo Nuo finally smartened up? Why do I feel like she’s so concerned about me today?” Zhao Lin’er stared blankly at the door.
I shivered, hiding under the blanket. I knew Sister Yinuo’s last two sentences were meant for me.
‘Sister Yinuo, don’t worry, I’ll protect myself.’ I pressed my body tightly against the wall, trying to merge with it.