A Chance Encounter and a Sister’s Interrogation

Two hundred meters separated us, the distance blurred by the dappled shadows of the trees and the incessant clamor of the world. From such a distance, I could only faintly discern Su Xiao Yu’s silhouette.

Had it not been for her perfectly fitted school uniform and the countless strands of hair that had brushed my nose in the past, I surely would have missed this unexpected encounter once more.

Standing by the gate, Su Xiao Yu appeared to be gazing into the distance, her head tilted, almost stepping forward before halting abruptly.

I wasn’t so dense as to misunderstand; Su Xiao Yu was clearly worried about me. After all, since last week, my sister had confined me to my room, preventing any contact with her for nearly ten days.

Even then, our ‘contact’ had been limited to mere pleasantries: “Good morning, are you awake?” or “Good night, sleep early.”

I couldn’t help but shake my head, a bitter smile touching my lips. What truly puzzled me was Serena’s complete lack of reaction. She had also seen Su Xiao Yu, yet instead of pulling me away, she merely tightened her grip on my wrist, standing rigidly in place like a wooden post.

Serena knew Su Xiao Yu; of that, I was absolutely certain.

Just last week, when we had coincidentally run into Su Xiao Yu working part-time at the lingerie shop, Serena, with her quick reflexes, had instantly distanced herself from Chen Si Yi and me, feigning the role of an oblivious customer.

This was precisely why I was so confused. If she knew Su Xiao Yu, and was indeed worried about me trying to escape, then why would Serena stand there so calmly, giving no indication of her presence?

Despite the cover of the tree shade, a slight turn of Su Xiao Yu’s head towards the edge of the locust tree grove, and the sight of our familiar faces, would undoubtedly spark her immediate suspicion.

I couldn’t understand it, nor did I have the mental capacity to try. The mere sight of Su Xiao Yu standing by the gate was enough to make my mind freeze, leaving me with nothing but the instinct to stand rooted to the spot, utterly dumbfounded.

Fortunately, after a prolonged wait by the entrance, Su Xiao Yu finally decided to depart.

She slowly lowered her head, her crimson lips moving as if in a hushed murmur. From this distance, however, I couldn’t discern a single word.

“Alright, let’s head home. I’m getting a little hungry.”

I watched Su Xiao Yu turn and walk away, her figure shrinking into a mere speck amidst the stream of people until she vanished completely. Only then did I thoughtfully rouse myself, tugging at Serena’s sleeve to indicate we should head towards our building’s stairwell.

Serena remained silent, trailing quietly behind me. Yet, as we reached the elevator, she finally broke her silence.

“Is this truly alright, Lin Yan?”

“What?” I furrowed my brows. “What do you mean, ‘truly alright’? What are you referring to?”

“I’m referring, of course, to…!”

Just as the words reached her lips, Serena’s pupils contracted, and she snapped her mouth shut, uttering nothing further.

“Never mind, pretend I didn’t say anything,” Serena declared, waving a dismissive hand before stepping into the elevator.

I was utterly perplexed. What business did Serena have meddling in my affairs with Su Xiao Yu?

Besides, she clearly knew nothing of the true situation, did she?

****

As evening approached, Chen Si Yi returned home from school.

It was the start of the month, and their school traditionally held physical education tests around this time.

The moment she arrived home, a breathless Chen Si Yi hurried to her bedroom to change into casual sleepwear. After tossing her sweat-drenched school uniform into the laundry basket, she padded barefoot into the bathroom to shower.

The rush of water, accompanied by her soft humming, drifted into the living room. Her singing sounded exceptionally pleasant, suggesting her physical education test results had likely been quite good.

“Lin Yan, how was your day with Serena? You two didn’t fight, did you?”

After her shower, Chen Si Yi, rubbing her hair vigorously with a towel, uncharacteristically teased me.

I spread my hands, a wry smile gracing my lips. “How could we possibly fight? In my current state, would I really risk my life to go against her?”

This scrawny little girl’s body, aside from its undeniable cuteness, was practically useless.

Had I not keenly observed that Serena was a dedicated rank-climber, these days of being confined at home would have been truly unbearable.

After exchanging a few trivial words with me, Chen Si Yi turned with a sweet smile, then looked at Serena and commenced her daily, obligatory interrogation.

Yet, calling it an ‘interrogation’ was a stretch; it was merely a repetition of the same boring questions.

“Was Lin Yan a good boy at home today?”

“Hmm… he was, he was quite good.”

“Did he exhibit any unusual behavior?”

“No, he just took a nap.”

“How long did he sleep for?”

“Three… three or four hours, I suppose.”

“Three or four hours? That’s quite a while. Could his after-effects be acting up again?”

“It… it should be, but it could also just be a child’s natural sleepiness. Regardless, his after-effects will gradually fade, so please don’t worry, Si Yi.”

“Oh, alright then. We’ll stop here for today.”

“Yes, alright…”

Given Serena’s singular focus on climbing the ranks, she was hardly going to sell me out to my sister.

After all, she and I were currently on the same ‘pirate ship.’ If Chen Si Yi were to discover that I had been leaving the house and playing on my phone…

There was no doubt that Serena would be the first one ‘eliminated’ for dereliction of duty and accepting ‘rank bribes’!