Fell In Love With My Older Sister’s Friend - Chapter 84

Days passed by quietly. Lin Qingyue opened the balcony window and was startled to see the lawn downstairs covered in white.

She took a picture and sent it to Xu Luzhi, hesitatingly asking, “It’s only November, is it snowing in Lincheng?”

The next second, a voice message came from the other side. Upon playing it, she heard the girl’s clear voice, filled with laughter: “Silly sister, that’s not snow, it’s frost.”

The weather in Lincheng was a bit warmer, and while it did snow, it was very rare. At the end of autumn, one would wake up to a field covered in a white blanket of frost and severe cold.

What was worse was that there was no heating yet.

So, when Lin Qingyue saw Xu Luzhi again, the girl was completely bundled up, her trench coat dragging to her knees, making her look even more elegant and composed.

Xu Luzhi was eager to show off her change: “Sister, look, what’s different about me?”

Lin Qingyue seemed habitually unafraid of the cold, wearing only a long-sleeved sweatshirt as if it were winter, with her two legs directly exposed, glaringly white.

She reached out to touch Xu Luzhi’s cheek, and the young girl hissed, pulling her hand into her own embrace: “Sister, your hands are so cold.”

Lin Qingyue paid it no mind: “My body temperature is always like this.”

“You’re really not cold,” Xu Luzhi slowly wrapped Lin Qingyue’s hand into her palm, pursed her lips, and urged her again, “Sister, look at me!”

Lin Qingyue glanced over with a faint smile, and sure enough, she noticed some subtle differences.

The girl’s round eyes were clearly meticulously made up; her eyelashes were longer and curlier, fluttering beautifully. A light layer of powder dusted her face, and a clear, bright strawberry red graced her lips. Her small face looked dewy and lively, stunningly beautiful amidst the bleakness of autumn.

One glance was enough to feel the vibrant essence of spring; she was incredibly, heart stoppingly pretty.

“Beautiful,” Lin Qingyue affirmed, suppressing the urge to touch the soft lips. “You learned how to put on makeup?”

“Mhm,” Xu Luzhi proudly held her head high. “But I don’t have time to put on makeup usually, I only dress up to see you, sister.”

Lin University was mostly filled with boys; there was nothing worth dressing up for.

The most beautiful makeup was reserved for her sister to see.

Xu Luzhi stared intently at Lin Qingyue with clear eyes, her small mouth slightly pouted, her whole face screaming, ‘Praise me quickly.’

Lin Qingyue chuckled, noticing that Xu Luzhi had grown a bit taller again. She couldn’t help but reach up and pat her head, murmuring, “My little Zhizhi is getting more and more beautiful.”

Her smoky voice was low, making everything she said sound like storytelling. The warmth of Lin Qingyue’s breath touched Xu Luzhi’s earlobes, making them tingle and flush slightly red.

However, she happily curled her lips and nodded affirmatively: “Yes, I’ve grown up, and I’ve become prettier.”

In terms of dress, appearance, and personal ability, she was growing rapidly, bit by bit fulfilling the promise she had made back then.

To grow up quickly, and then marry her sister.

The final exams arrived in a flash. Xu Luzhi disappeared for another solid half a month. As the New Year approached, the business at the Minyue Music Shop became increasingly busy, and Lin Qingyue went out for several performances; business was booming.

As soon as the exams were over, Xu Luzhi was packed up by Auntie Lin and sent home. She spent time visiting relatives and friends until the first day of the Lunar New Year, finally getting a chance to meet with Lin Qingyue.

Of course, she couldn’t just go to Lin Qingyue’s house in public. However, it was a Xu family tradition to visit the suburban temple on the first day of the New Year to offer the first incense of the year. If planned well, she could meet Lin Qingyue.

Xu Luzhi sent out her plan, nervously awaiting Lin Qingyue’s reply, and sent several more anxious messages: “Sister, I’m sorry to trouble you to come over, but I miss you so, so much.”

“Sister, can I come find you next time?”

“Sister, it’s okay if you don’t come, I’ll find you next time then.”

The young girl’s thoughts churned back and forth. She yearned for her crush to agree, yet she was afraid of bothering her, afraid her sister wouldn’t want to come.

This led her to retreat repeatedly, playfully cajoling back and forth.

After a while, she received Lin Qingyue’s reply, tinged with a faint smile: “Who said I’m not coming?”

Every time it was Xu Luzhi who came to find her; what was the problem with her going to see little Zhizhi this time?

Moreover, the suburban temple in Lincheng was famous; she had long wanted to see it, hearing that the plum blossoms in the snow were particularly superb.

As if to specifically fulfill Lin Qingyue’s wish, Lincheng, which rarely snowed, experienced a heavy snowstorm on New Year’s Eve.

By the steaming mutton hot pot, Xu Luzhi looked down and messaged Lin Qingyue: “Sister, it’s snowing.”

Lin Qingyue replied with an “Mm.” She seemed very busy and didn’t have time to reply.

In the heavy snow, she stood in the snow in thin clothes, quietly looking up. The streetlights elongated her shadow, her dark hair contrasted against the white snow, snowflakes dusted her head, and her bright red lips curved upwards, indescribably beautiful.

On a bustling New Year’s Eve, her heart felt as cold as the snow. She had long since let go of all attachments, walking the world alone.

Yet, she didn’t feel lonely.

Lin Qingyue stood for a long, long time, until a layer of fine snow settled on her, and she still didn’t feel cold.

As her peach blossom eyes half-closed, a small umbrella appeared over her head. Lin Qingyue lazily looked up and saw that it was her.

Xu Luzhi was holding a large bag, wearing a light down jacket, and looked up at her with a hint of helplessness: “Sister, what are you doing standing in the snow like that?”

“Nothing,” Lin Qingyue answered lightly. “Forgot to go back in.”

In the snow, the woman smiled charmingly, confirming the description of the “Third Kind of Peerless Beauty.” Xu Luzhi instantly lost the mood to be angry.

“Okay,” Xu Luzhi appreciated Lin Qingyue’s strangeness, so she held the umbrella and patiently stood with her in the snow, watching the heavy snow slowly fall.

Every window in the residential complex was brightly lit. Occasionally, fireworks burst in the sky, mixed with the surprised, noisy cheers of children. No one noticed the two people standing quietly in the corner, watching the snow.

It was very cold outside. After standing for a while, Xu Luzhi felt numb from the cold, but Lin Qingyue seemed completely unaware. The fine snow on her body melted into water, wetting her dark hair. Her eyes were vacant, as if they couldn’t hold anyone.

Xu Luzhi knew that feeling was called being utterly alone, with nowhere to go.

It was especially apparent on New Year’s Eve when families gathered, to the extent that she needed the cold snow to extinguish the pain in her heart and seal the already-healed wound.

The look Xu Luzhi gave Lin Qingyue was filled with more pity and deep heartache.

Due to certain reasons, she came to Lincheng alone from Weicheng. What started as a bold, grand journey across the world had now settled into a quiet, ordinary life with almost no friends, meaning she had to spend New Year’s Eve alone, just standing downstairs watching the snow.

That kind of feeling must be very hard to bear, right?

Xu Luzhi’s chest ached, and she could almost no longer hold back. They were standing side-by-side. She took a deep breath, felt the cold wind between her teeth, slowly turned, and reached out to hug Lin Qingyue.

The woman didn’t struggle or move; her body simply went soft and fell into her embrace. Her peach blossom eyes drooped, as if she were asleep.

Or perhaps, she just wanted to absorb the young girl’s warm body temperature.

Xu Luzhi gently stroked Lin Qingyue’s back with heartache. Standing in the snow for too long and being dressed too thinly, her back felt slender and ice cold to the touch.

Having finally embraced the Lin Qingyue she yearned for, inhaling her sweetness and the cold fragrance of the snow, Xu Luzhi didn’t feel as happy as she imagined.

All she could do was repeatedly caress the woman’s spine and coax her softly, “Sister, shall we go upstairs? I brought you mutton hot pot. Let’s eat it while it’s hot, okay?”

Lin Qingyue only remained silent. After a while, she asked in a low voice, “Will you stay with me?”

“I will,” Xu Luzhi’s emotional defenses crumbled at that single question. Her eyes stung, almost welling up with tears.

She quickly rushed to explain, “Sister, I’m sorry, I snuck out, so I can only stay with you for a little while, or my family will worry when they don’t see me.”

Xu Luzhi spoke faster and faster, almost crying herself in distress in the end. “Sister, I promise I’ll spend the whole day with you tomorrow, okay? I’ll leave right after offering incense and stay with you all day long, okay?”

The more she spoke, the more dejected she became, lowering her head, feeling useless.

Tomorrow is not today; today is New Year’s Eve, and tomorrow is the New Year.

She didn’t want Lin Qingyue to spend the last day of the year standing alone under the building, watching the snowflakes, with half her body seeming transparent.

When she saw that moment, she felt heartbroken to the point of madness.

But for now, that was all the time she had.

Xu Luzhi hugged Lin Qingyue tightly, slowly moving towards the elevator. She coaxed her softly the whole way, even pleading, “Sister, remember, you still have me. No matter what happens, tell me, trust me, okay?”

Even if she couldn’t solve everything completely, she could think of many, many ways to stop Lin Qingyue from feeling wronged.

Xu Luzhi was very, very capable; she was grown up and could protect her sister now.

Lin Qingyue held her hand and replied quietly after a long pause, “Okay.”

A smile briefly flickered in her peach blossom eyes, then vanished.

The next morning, Xu Luzhi was afraid Lin Qingyue would still be standing alone and lost like last night. She almost nonstop slipped down the mountain and anxiously searched at the temple entrance until she caught sight of a brightly colored figure, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

Lin Qingyue was wearing an apricot red aoqun (a type of Chinese jacket and skirt), as if nothing had happened the night before. She stood there languidly and raised her hand to greet her: “Happy New Year, Zhizhi.”

Xu Luzhi let out her breath, immediately flashing a huge smile, and pounced over sweetly, calling out softly, “Sister!”

Lin Qingyue gently hugged her, stroked the young girl’s head, and said softly, “Zhizhi is really pretty today.”

It was the New Year, and Xu Luzhi had specially changed into the new clothes her family had prepared—a wine-red little dress, both warm and solemn, which highlighted her graceful figure and bright face.

“You look beautiful too, Sister,” Xu Luzhi rubbed against Lin Qingyue’s arm and reached out softly, “Happy New Year, give me my red envelope!”

Lin Qingyue curved her lips and slowly said, “I think I forgot to bring it. What should we do?”

Xu Luzhi blinked her eyes and cheerfully suggested with a smile, “Then how about you give yourself to me?”

The young girl’s eyes were clear and clean, the dark brown pupils reflecting Lin Qingyue’s image, completely filled with her and no one else.

Lin Qingyue’s heart stirred. The rhythmic sound of the wooden fish in the temple seemed to strike directly at her heart.

A place that should be free from worldly desires had given her an unexpected worldly attachment.

Or perhaps, holding such a sprite of the human world in one’s arms was the most sacred thing.