After sending them, I returned to my seat. I could only give vague answers to my classmates’ questions.
They pressed me with inquiries: ‘How do you know the senior student?’ ‘What’s your relationship with her?’ ‘Can you help us ask her out?’
****
“Damn it, how am I supposed to write this? The printed text is so small, and the questions aren’t even in sequential order. They’re all jumbled up!”
Chao grumbled, his voice filled with frustration.
“For instance, below question one isn’t question two, but question four, or even ten. If you’re not careful, you’ll definitely mix them up.”
I glanced at the test paper and realized he was right. Many students had already pulled out their phones to photograph the answers, and Chenxi was no exception.
I checked the time. It was almost when Sister had said she would be ready. I headed towards the psychological counseling room.
Approximately three minutes later, I arrived at my destination. The door was ajar, so I pushed it open and stepped inside.
Sister was lying on the bed, her body turned to the side, fast asleep. Her legs dangled over the edge, and she hadn’t even taken off her shoes, indicating her profound exhaustion.
This sight intensified my worry. How could she have so little sense of safety? To sleep so carelessly with the door open—what if some nefarious person came in? It would be disastrous.
I walked in and softly called out, “Sister, Sister, wake up, we still have class!” Perhaps she was truly deep in slumber, for she didn’t stir.
Mom had always said Sister was incredibly difficult to wake once she fell asleep, and it proved true. I approached her and gently shook her arm, but she remained motionless.
As I drew closer, the rich scent of orchids emanating from her became more prominent. It was fragrant and sweet, not at all overpowering.
I used both hands to pull at Sister’s arm, causing her body to roll over and lie flat on the bed. Even in sleep, Sister looked beautiful, serene, and elegant.
Her face was free of makeup, yet she remained stunning. In the somewhat dim room, her skin appeared incredibly fair, as if it glowed from within.
Looking at her full, luscious red lips, I felt my blood race. Those delicate, cherry-sized lips exuded an invisible magnetism, drawing me closer and closer.
‘Darling, I really want to kiss you.’
Suddenly, this thought popped into my head, startling me. I nervously gripped Sister’s smooth arm, my small hand sinking into the soft flesh of her bicep. Her skin was incredibly soft and supple, a pleasure to touch.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t dare to be so intimate with Sister. Fortunately, she was asleep, allowing me to act on impulse.
I opened my mouth and leaned down, nearing those tempting lips. My heart pounded faster as the distance between us closed.
When only two centimeters separated us, the air before me was fragrant and moist. I knew it was the scent of Sister’s breath. Just as I was about to kiss her, Sister’s eyes suddenly snapped open.
“Ah!”
I yelped, stumbling backward. I bumped into something behind me and fell, landing on my back. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt.
I turned my head to see that I had fallen onto the sofa. Sensing another gaze in the room, I quickly sat up straight. I pressed my legs together and placed my hands on my knees.
My heart still pounding from the near-kiss, my legs and back were ramrod straight. I hung my head, afraid to speak.
“Little brother, Sister… Sister missed you so much, so much, so much. I’ve finally seen you again. You don’t know how agonizing it was to be separated from you, how painful. The thought of you possibly being snatched away by another girl makes my heart ache terribly.”
Xia Yinuo spoke as she walked towards the sofa. By the time her words ended, she had already settled beside Jiu, the side of her face closest to him flushed crimson to her ears.
Feeling Sister’s intense gaze, I was a little flustered. “Sister, we separated this morning and met again in the classroom. It’s only been two hours.”
“Has… has it been that short? In my heart, a whole week has passed. Jiu, promise Sister, don’t date any girls, okay?” Xia Yinuo stared at Jiu with fiery eyes, filled with possessiveness, and directly took his hand, placing it before her lips.
“Uh, why?” I tried to pull my hand away, but Sister squeezed it even tighter. Her doting affection overwhelmed me.
“Dating will interfere with your studies. If you don’t study well, you won’t find a job in the future. No job means no money, and no money means you can’t support a family!”
Xia Yinuo watched as Jiu fell into thought. Taking advantage of his distraction, she pulled him into a hug, pressing his head against her chest. Only after feeling his erratic breathing did she release him, settling him on her lap.
“I’m sorry, Sister, I shouldn’t have disobeyed you. I promise not to date any girls, to study hard, and be a good child.” I felt that Sister made a lot of sense. Mom and Sister loved me so much; I couldn’t break their hearts.
“Please put me down, you still have to invigilate!” I struggled a bit, but Sister only held me tighter. Her arms, though seemingly delicate, possessed immense strength, squeezing me until I could barely breathe.
“Shh!” Xia Yinuo made a shushing gesture. She carried Jiu out of the counseling room, walking through the campus as if no one else existed.
“Sister, put me down! It wouldn’t be good if our classmates saw us.” I realized Sister’s affection for me went beyond normal sibling love. I was twelve, yet she still carried me like a child, cradling my bottom. Fearing I might fall, I wrapped my arms from her neck to her front.
“It’s class time now, no one will see. Besides, you’re my little brother! It’s perfectly natural for a sister to hug her brother!” Xia Yinuo spouted righteous nonsense, all while inhaling Jiu’s scent deeply.
She finally set Jiu down only when they neared the classroom. The two then walked in, one after the other.
Upon entering the classroom, Xia Yinuo clasped her hands behind her back and began patrolling the aisles.
“My dear, what took you so long?” As soon as I sat down, Chenxi’s sharp voice reached me. I frowned, glanced at Sister, and then whispered, “Don’t joke around. We’re just classmates.”
“Hmph, you scoundrel! You clearly did *that* with me, yet you won’t admit it!” Chenxi said with a resentful pout, shifting closer to me and blocking my only free space.
My leg was pressed tightly against the desk leg, unable to stretch. I ignored her and lifted my test paper—the answers were gone. I looked at her suspiciously. “Where are the answers? Did you take them?”
“You stingy old man, it’s just your answers, isn’t it? Go get them yourself!” Chenxi stretched out her leg, her shoeless foot pressing onto my instep, the soft sole rubbing against my ankle.
Unlike with Sister, there was no barrier of black stockings, making the touch of her delicate, pink skin feel more real. Girls naturally have a cooler body temperature, and even in the summer heat, her skin remained icy, providing an exceptionally refreshing sensation upon contact.
Chenxi wore a look of disdain, her right hand placed on the desk to block Xia Yinuo’s view. Her left hand clutched the hem of her skirt, her fingers trembling as if she were about to lift it. “The answers are hidden right here. If you’re man enough, come and get them yourself!”