The Weight of Rumors and a Sister’s Gaze

While Jiang Li had managed to regain her composure, Xi Yao found herself growing increasingly agitated with each passing thought.

“That Yun Caiyi is truly vile, to concoct such a despicable scheme,” Xi Yao fumed, grinding her teeth in barely suppressed rage.

It was absolutely outrageous, stirring up scandalous rumors about her and Jiang Li. Setting aside everything else, the most crucial concern was… what if Sister Xi Ruo were to see them!

Even though there was genuinely nothing untoward between Xi Yao and Jiang Li—they were merely good sisters who shared bath times—the real predicament lay in the fact that Xi Yao herself was far from being a paragon of purity.

Should Sister Xi Ruo stumble upon these rumors and confront her about infidelity, Xi Yao knew she would inevitably feel a pang of guilt. And if Sister Xi Ruo were to take a harsher approach, launching her own investigation, things could go awry. While Jiang Li’s name might be cleared, what if… what if Sister Wan’s involvement were to be uncovered?

A cold sweat began to trickle down her back.

“It’s alright,” Jiang Li reassured her this time, her voice a calming presence. “As long as our consciences are clear, that’s all that matters.”

A heavy silence then descended upon both young women.

‘Indeed, having a clear conscience should suffice,’ Xi Yao mused inwardly, ‘but I harbor a secret guilt within me.’

Meanwhile, Jiang Li pondered, ‘A clear conscience—such a simple truth. Why did this not occur to me the moment I heard those rumors today?’

‘Could it be that, at that very moment, I felt my conscience was not entirely clear?’

‘No, impossible. Absolutely impossible.’

After several minutes of quiet reflection, Jiang Li finally broke the silence. “Speaking of which,” she began, “have you decided to run for student council president?”

“Of course,” Xi Yao declared, clenching her small fists with determination.

That Yun Caiyi—she was already this arrogant without even holding the title of student council president. If she actually secured the position, who knew what she would become.

“Then,” Jiang Li began, her voice tinged with hesitation, “do you need any assistance?”

Yet, upon careful consideration, the only assistance she seemed capable of offering was still academic tutoring.

Or perhaps… a back scrub?

“It’s fine, there’s still plenty of time. Let’s discuss it once Aileen arrives on Monday,” Xi Yao said, stretching languidly. “Oh, right, I’ll be heading somewhere else this weekend; I have a matter to attend to.”

She planned to visit Sister Xi Ruo at the university campus this weekend, intending to subtly gauge her reactions then.

“Yes, I also need to go out this weekend,” Jiang Li affirmed. “I’m going to visit my sister.”

Apparently, her definition of “going out” merely meant stepping beyond the confines of their dorm room.

Picking up the untouched cup of water from the table, Jiang Li took a delicate sip, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

“Why hasn’t this water cooled down at all?” Jiang Li asked, her gaze turning to Xi Yao with a hint of confusion. “Did you pour her water that was still freshly boiled?”

“I did,” Xi Yao replied simply.

“But why?”

Could it be that her voluptuous roommate had discerned at a glance that the blonde girl was no ordinary person, and had thus offered her a scalding cup of water as a subtle display of dominance?

“Because her chest is quite prominent,” Xi Yao declared with an air of absolute righteousness. “I enjoy drinking plenty of hot water, and I assume she would too.”

This, she reasoned, was simply a case of projecting her own preferences onto others—or rather, extending empathy. (TL Note: The phrase ‘以己度人, 啊不, 将心比心’ is a humorous self-correction, moving from a negative connotation of assuming others are like oneself to a positive one of empathy.)

“…” Jiang Li was rendered speechless.

It was probably best just to go to sleep.

Tucking herself beneath her small blanket, Xi Yao drifted into slumber, welcoming her first weekend since the start of school.

That weekend, Xi Yao went to spend time with Xi Ruo, Jiang Li sought out her sister Jiang Wan for a chat, and Aileen met with her counterparts in the university student council to discuss various matters.

They all had bright futures ahead.

Zzzzz.

****

Saturday dawned.

Xi Yao indulged in a blissful sleep until half past nine in the morning, then rose and changed into a fresh ensemble: a pristine white slip dress paired with light-colored sandals, her feet bare, showcasing her delicate, glistening toes.

The overall impression was one of innocent purity, though her ample bust added a subtle hint of allure… but then again, what outfit wouldn’t appear alluring on a woman with such a figure?

Even her sailor-style school uniform evoked the same effect.

In fact, the school uniform might even be *more* alluring, given its form-fitting nature, whereas the dress, being looser, at least possessed a light and airy quality.

Xi Yao twirled once before the mirror, thoroughly pleased with her appearance.

Jiang Li, who had been engrossed in a book nearby, found her attention gradually drawn away from the pages and toward her roommate.

“Where are you off to today?” she inquired, a note of curiosity in her voice. “You’ve gone to the trouble of dressing so beautifully.”

“Oh, nowhere special, these are just my everyday clothes,” Xi Yao replied, her expression perfectly composed, her heart betraying no flutter. “I look beautiful in anything I wear.”

Jiang Li considered this for a moment and conceded the point, returning her focus to her book.

‘Focus on your reading, concentrate!’

****

Xi Yao had indeed lied, yet not entirely. Given her figure, any random outfit pulled from her wardrobe would have appeared both prettier and more alluring than the simple white dress she currently wore.

Even so, she garnered countless admiring glances from fellow students along her path.

After taking the school bus from the high school campus to the university division, Xi Yao found Xi Ruo already waiting for her at the bus stop.

Her sister was draped in a gray jacket, its front zipper left undone, revealing a black sports vest beneath. This ensemble subtly accentuated the graceful curve of her bust—like a snow-capped peak—and her slender yet toned waist.

Below, she wore matching black athletic shorts, their dark fabric serving to further highlight the striking fairness of her beautiful legs.

“Sister Xi Ruo, do you have a game today?” Xi Yao asked, curiously appraising her sister’s attire. “You’re dressed so… athletically.”

‘How alluring.’

Xi Ruo’s eyelid twitched almost imperceptibly. “It’s merely for ease of movement,” she replied.

Of course, this was far from the truth. She had meticulously chosen this outfit because, during a ball game a few days prior, Xi Yao had seemed particularly fond of what she was wearing then, her eyes constantly sneaking glances at her.

Thus, she had deliberately replicated the look today, only to find that Xi Yao, that utterly ungrateful girl, had completely missed her thoughtful gesture.

Then again, Xi Ruo thought, *she* was dressed so alluringly, so what exactly was Xi Yao wearing?

“You came to see me dressed like *that*?” Xi Ruo asked, her gaze turning sharp. “Just a white dress?”

Xi Yao’s heart gave a nervous lurch. “Doesn’t it look good?” she stammered. “Everyone says white dresses are supposed to be more innocent…”

“Hmph,” Xi Ruo scoffed, a cold sneer twisting her lips. “I’ve already witnessed you ‘unveiling the prize’ at home; are you *still* trying to pull off the innocent look?”

‘Still pretending to be innocent with me, are we?’

Frankly, there was nothing inherently wrong with a girl one admired dressing in a pure and charming manner. However, given their shared history over the past two and a half years, witnessing Xi Yao in such an innocent guise only triggered Xi Ruo’s PTSD.

‘Oh, so that’s what she meant.’

Xi Yao subtly breathed a sigh of relief, then promptly and obediently stated, “Next time, I’ll wear something different. Whatever you tell me to change into, Sister Xi Ruo, I’ll wear it.”

Xi Ruo let out a cold snort. “Very well,” she said. “Remember, you said that.”

‘I wore athletic wear specifically this time,’ she thought, ‘but next time, I’ll have you wear a cheerleader uniform. It’ll be like a matching couple’s outfit.’

“I have a few things to attend to this morning, so come with me to the plaza, and we can sit there until lunch. This afternoon, I’ll take you out to have some fun,” Xi Ruo outlined the plan. “Did you have breakfast?”

“I did,” Xi Yao confirmed. “Sister Xi Ruo, what exactly is happening this morning?”

“Nothing particularly exciting,” Xi Ruo answered. “The student council elections have officially begun. While I’m not running myself, I still need to be present to observe and show my support.”

‘Oh, so that’s the situation.’

Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck Xi Yao. Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to address the rumors circulating on the forums? Her choice of an innocent outfit today had, after all, been precisely for this very discussion.

By proactively confessing and thoroughly clarifying the situation, it would be akin to giving advance notice. Later, if Xi Ruo were to encounter the rumors herself, she would no longer dwell on them.

“Speaking of student council elections, while the high school division hasn’t officially begun, things are already starting to take shape,” Xi Yao said, puffing out her cheeks indignantly. “Some individuals are resorting to every conceivable underhanded tactic to suppress their rivals, and it has even affected me.”