Fell In Love With My Older Sister’s Friend - Chapter 36

When Xu Luwei arrived on time at nine o’clock to wake up Xu Luzhi, she saw the young girl looking sleepy, still wearing a nightgown. Seeing her sister come in, she innocently asked, “Sister, what do you think I should wear?”

Xu Luwei surveyed Xu Luzhi’s walk-in closet. It was mostly filled with clothes chosen by the family, as well as some Xu Luzhi had bought with her friends. The styles were all very similar: pure and simple.

She couldn’t even find one slightly daring piece.

Xu Luwei gave an objective assessment: “They’re all about the same.”

“Nonsense, Sister is humoring me!” Xu Luzhi stamped her foot, her voice sweet and charming, like a nascent peach blossom by a stream, fresh and delicate.

Watching Xu Luzhi wander around the room, seriously picking out clothes and bags, Xu Luwei genuinely felt that her little sister had grown up.

She was no longer the little girl who used to cling to her and act spoiled, but a teenager who was becoming more and more focused on beauty and was also awkwardly learning to like someone else.

For some reason, there was a feeling of wistfulness in her heart.

Xu Luwei sighed softly and waited patiently for Xu Luzhi to change, and then for her to spend a long time accessorizing with the right hair clip.

Perhaps the sesame paste and papaya she had been eating for the past few days were effective. When Xu Luzhi changed her clothes, she looked at herself in the mirror for a long time and felt like she was indeed a little bit bigger.

Unfortunately, once she put on a soft cotton bra, that tiny difference was immediately erased, becoming a slightly raised curve that could be easily grasped with one hand.

Xu Luzhi pouted in disappointment. She recalled Lin Qingyue’s gentle and enchanting charm when wearing a cheongsam, and then painstakingly picked out a Han-element qiyao ruqun (a style of ancient Chinese dress) from her closet.

All the whimsical clothes in her closet were thanks to Fu Shixuan, who was keen on choosing things for her.

She didn’t know when she bought this one, but thankfully, although Fu Shixuan was unreliable, her taste was good. It fit her very well and looked beautiful.

The original plan to tie her hair into twin tails was abandoned. Xu Luzhi measured her hair it barely reached her collarbone, but it was still far from enough to pull up into a bun.

Although it was very hot outside, she had to settle for leaving it down and just decorating it with a beautiful hairpin.

When Xu Luzhi finally emerged after her slow and meticulous dressing, she was still a little shy and couldn’t help but ask Xu Luwei, “Sister, how do I look?”

Xu Luwei had used the time to read a report and was currently writing a memo. She paused and looked up.

The girl before her stood tall and graceful in a plum green ruqun, just revealing her fair ankles. Her slender waist was easily spanned. Because it was a Han element design, the sleeves were cinched. Her two fair, small hands were clasped in front of her waist. Her side-swept hair framed a small part of her face, softly curving by her collarbone. Her features were pure and exquisitely beautiful, like a little fairy stepping out of a traditional Chinese painting.

Xu Luzhi smiled brightly, her dark eyes curving into crescent moons, and a faint dimple on her cheek. She anxiously urged, “Is it pretty, Sister?”

“It’s pretty,” Xu Luwei murmured in reply.

It had been too long since she had a good look at her little sister. Coming home once every six months, she always felt like her sister had grown a little.

She just hadn’t expected that in the blink of an eye, she would be this grown up and this beautiful.

Whether in appearance or in wit, she was no longer inferior to her.

A spring of clear water seemed to flow through Xu Luwei’s heart. She beckoned Xu Luzhi over.

Xu Luzhi obediently ran over and leaned against Xu Luwei, blinking her eyes, “What is it, Sister?”

Xu Luwei paused, then raised a hand to gently stroke Xu Luzhi’s head, feeling the girl’s smooth hair, and smiled, shaking her head, “Nothing. Zhizhi has grown up.”

Xu Luzhi smiled happily at her and nodded vigorously, “Mhm!”

She bent down and pressed her small face against Xu Luwei’s knee, unconsciously rubbing against it.

Xu Luwei stroked Xu Luzhi’s head in a gentle, rhythmic motion, feeling the small girl’s warm body temperature, and her heart softened.

Such intimate actions between sisters were not uncommon, especially when they were young, when Xu Luzhi loved to cling to her sister. But as they got older and Xu Luwei left home for school and work, the two gradually grew distant.

To have such closeness on a quiet morning, Xu Luzhi actually cherished the time spent with her sister.

Thinking of this, Xu Luzhi couldn’t help but reach out and hug Xu Luwei’s waist, softly calling out “Sister.”

Xu Luwei softly responded with an “Mhm,” and smoothed Xu Luzhi’s back repeatedly, her gaze filled with gentle tenderness.

Between biological sisters, sometimes there was no need for many words; it was as if their hearts could communicate with each other.

Xu Luzhi felt the warmth of her sister’s palm, and her heart was warm, relaxed, and comfortable, almost falling asleep.

Although she called them both ‘Sister,’ the feeling of being with Xu Luwei was completely different from being with Lin Qingyue. With Xu Luwei, she felt both close and a little afraid, sometimes finding her rigid and boring, but at crucial moments, she would instinctively rely on her.

As for Lin Qingyue, it was like facing a wild, untamed horse, or a cunning, spiritual little fox, intimate yet elusive, always afraid she might run away, so she tried hard to catch her, to get closer.

Xu Luzhi was very clear about these two feelings.

She just didn’t know what Xu Luwei’s attitude was towards Lin Qingyue, and towards the relationship between herself and Lin Qingyue.

Xu Luwei drove Xu Luzhi there, her expression calm the whole way, not saying much.

Xu Luzhi sat properly in the passenger seat watching pointless short videos, sneaking glances at Xu Luwei’s outfit today.

A most ordinary A-line skirt paired with a small blazer, but on Xu Luwei, it looked exceptionally bright and elegant. Her wavy long hair curled over her shoulders, and her eyes were indescribably beautiful.

Xu Luzhi imagined herself and her sister appearing together. Everyone’s attention would probably first fall on Xu Luwei before noticing her.

She sighed inwardly in resignation. There was no help for it being born later always put her at a disadvantage.

After getting out of the car, Xu Luwei walked gracefully in front, and Xu Luzhi followed closely with small steps.

When pressing the elevator button, Xu Luwei hesitated for a moment, then lit up her phone to check her message history. Xu Luzhi controlled herself, not rushing to press that all-too-familiar button.

Everything that followed was methodical. Xu Luzhi acted as if this was her first time here, following Xu Luwei step by step. Even when Xu Luwei occasionally lost her way, Xu Luzhi just waited obediently on the side.

She wouldn’t preemptively say anything, even though she knew the address by heart and could find her way with her eyes closed.

After finally knocking on Lin Qingyue’s door, Xu Luzhi let out a long breath, feeling like she had just completed a great adventure.

Though she knew Xu Luwei knew she came often, she had to pretend she had never been here to clear herself of suspicion.

Patience is a virtue, and discretion is the better part of valor.

Lin Qingyue opened the door quickly. Today, she had changed her clothes early, but her black hair was still loose and uncombed. Her eyes were lazy and weary, and her voice involuntarily carried a hint of sultriness.

She leaned against the door, a large package behind her. Her gaze first landed on Xu Luwei, then on Xu Luzhi, and finally returned to Xu Luwei.

Lin Qingyue yawned and chuckled, “So early?”

Xu Luwei smiled, “It’s not early; it’s already ten o’clock.”

“Come in, then.” Lin Qingyue stepped aside, curving her lips nonchalantly, “I’ll pack up.”

“No rush.” Xu Luwei stepped inside, followed closely by Xu Luzhi.

As she passed Lin Qingyue, Xu Luzhi caught a familiar sweet scent. For some reason, her nose stung, and she inexplicably felt like crying.

Something so familiar, so tangible, something she had held full in her arms, was now out of reach.

Xu Luzhi felt incredibly wronged, but after several furtive glances at Lin Qingyue, the boldest thing she dared to do was secretly touch the hem of her sheer dress, pretending it was the wind that had swept it inadvertently onto her fingertips.

Then, with a soft voice, she quietly said, “Hello, Sister.”

She should have added a surname and called her ‘Sister Lin,’ but Xu Luzhi selfishly refused to give up this little bit of intimacy.

Sister, Sister, I miss you so much, do you know?

Lin Qingyue immediately noticed Xu Luzhi’s state. Although she was smiling faintly, the dimples weren’t there, and her eyes were watery, seemingly full of grievance, yet she dared not show it.

The most overly bold thing she did was only dare to touch her dress hem intentionally or unintentionally, and then timidly call her ‘Sister.’

It was as if they were meeting for the first time today.

All the past instances seemed like a lifetime ago, even though it was just a few days ago, it felt like a grand dream.

And was the little girl dressed up so beautifully today just for her to see? Was she hoping for a compliment, perhaps a stroke on her head?

Lin Qingyue’s thoughts were scattered. She lifted her peach blossom eyes, then sat down at the vanity to comb her hair.

The ox horn comb was loosely held in her palm, running through her hair in slow, deliberate strokes. Her already impossibly smooth long hair still required painstaking attention.

Xu Luwei chose a spot and sat down, starting to read her report again. Xu Luzhi sat next to Xu Luwei, bored, pretending to play on her phone, but her gaze frequently darted toward Lin Qingyue.

Her gaze was sharp, and she immediately noticed that the hair tie on Lin Qingyue’s wrist was still the honey colored one she had lent her.

She said “lent,” but in fact, there would never be a chance for it to be returned.

Xu Luzhi’s heart sweetened. She couldn’t tell what the flavor was. Being so close, she wanted to comb her sister’s hair one more time.

She wanted to be closer to her, even closer.

Seemingly sensing Xu Luzhi’s distraction, Xu Luwei spoke casually, “Don’t you have to work?”

Lin Qingyue shook her head, “The boss gave me the day off. I’m treating you to lunch.”

Even so, Lin Qingyue sped up her movements, tying her hair into a neat high ponytail in a few quick motions, and then stood up to shove all the items on her vanity into the large bag.

She didn’t bring many things to begin with. Aside from the large guzheng (zither), Lin Qingyue didn’t care much about the other small things, stuffing them wherever they fit, which made Xu Luzhi frown.

She had the urge to reach out and help her organize, but after thinking about it, she gave up. She was moving anyway, so she could organize everything when they got to the new place.

Xu Luzhi comforted herself this way, her eyes never leaving Lin Qingyue.

Moving things naturally didn’t require help from the young one. Xu Luwei symbolically had her carry a bag, which counted as help, and the two of them carried the rest of the items to the car.

The belongings were tossed into the trunk. Lin Qingyue sat in the back seat. Xu Luwei started the car smoothly. Light paced foreign music played, the air conditioning was at a comfortable temperature, and there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Xu Luzhi took a bottle of water, passed it back, and softly said, “Sister, have some water.”

Lin Qingyue took it and smiled, “Thank you, little one.”

Xu Luzhi only relaxed after glancing back and seeing that she had actually taken a sip. In a self-conscious attempt to cover up, she twisted open her own bottle of mineral water and drank from it.

Moving things, though not overly strenuous, certainly required a drink of water, so there was absolutely no problem with her offering water to Lin Qingyue.

At a red light, Xu Luzhi considerately asked Xu Luwei, “Sister, do you want some water, too?”

She held the mineral water bottle to Xu Luwei’s lips, looking as if she were about to feed her.

Xu Luwei could only nod this time, letting her well-behaved and sensible sister feed her the cool water.

Xu Luwei took a few sips and shook her head, indicating she didn’t want any more. Xu Luzhi withdrew her hand, then took a quick sip herself before capping the bottle.

Lin Qingyue, sitting in the back, saw everything clearly. She smiled leisurely, leaning back, her eyes naturally indifferent.

It was only natural for biological sisters to drink from the same bottle of water. There was nothing to warrant any extra emotion.

However, she realized she had also drunk from the same bottle as the little one before.

At that moment, a vague envy arose in Lin Qingyue’s heart. She couldn’t articulate what it meant, perhaps just envying such closeness that was taken for granted, or perhaps missing the days when the little shadow trailed behind her.

The new place Lin Qingyue found was in a more remote area of the city center. It wasn’t too far, nor too close. Fortunately, the rent was cheap, the security was good, and most importantly, it was a new complex with excellent soundproofing, which was convenient for her to practice the guzheng.

She rented a spacious one-bedroom apartment with a south-facing large balcony and bay window. The lighting and greenery were excellent, and the room was bright and airy, which instantly lifted her mood.

Lin Qingyue opened the air conditioning as soon as she entered. She then turned around and saw Xu Luzhi pull out an alcohol spray bottle, meticulously cleaning every corner of the room.

Lin Qingyue found it amusing: “I had someone clean it already.”

Xu Luzhi seriously shook her head: “It’s not the same.”

Other people’s cleaning was other people’s; she also wanted to do something for her sister.

“Alright, then, thank you for your hard work, Zhizhi.” Lin Qingyue accepted with a smile, watching the young girl dart back and forth, completely heedless of her clothes, being both obedient and diligent.

If they lived together, she would probably be well taken care of every day.

A thought crossed Lin Qingyue’s mind, but she quickly dismissed it. No way, this little one would probably lecture her daily about drinking alcohol. How restricting.

But having been used to freedom, she sometimes really wanted to try the taste of being restricted and being watched over.

Xu Luwei helped put things in their designated places and quickly made a detailed shopping list for her to purchase later.

Many things were available in the hotel, but not in a rental apartment, so she had to buy them all over again.

Lin Qingyue mentally tallied the expenses, lamenting her foresight it was right to find a job first; otherwise, she wouldn’t even have money to buy pots and pans.

After a lot of tidying, the apartment finally took shape and was temporarily habitable.

Lin Qingyue took a breath, surveyed the room, and suggested, “How about we rest for a bit and grab a meal?”

Xu Luwei had no objection and said, “It’s a good chance to accompany you to buy some necessities.”

To live there long-term, she needed to set up a kitchen. There were many troublesome things to do. Since she was helping, it was best to solve everything at once.

Lin Qingyue felt that Xu Luwei was very dependable and couldn’t help but compliment her, “Weiwei, it was indeed the right choice to follow you.”

She was beautiful, and her peach blossom eyes were alluring. Everything she said sounded like flirting.

Even a simple compliment, spoken in her charming and boneless voice, was impossibly soft.

As if they hadn’t just helped move, but had privately pledged their lives to each other.