Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 92

That night, Li Ting conducted emergency training for the three-year-old Si Xiaoxiao. She focused on teaching Xiaoxiao how to use her adult body to play the “role” of herself and how to handle potential questions. The most important point of all was that she must remember never to say she was only three years old.

Si Xiaoxiao sat on the sofa playing with toys. The warm yellow light spilled over her, outlining her focused profile. Her long lashes cast shallow shadows as she looked down; her innocent appearance was soft enough to melt anyone’s heart. She pouted and said something startling: “But Xiaoxiao isn’t three. Xiaoxiao is clearly already four.”

Four? In Xiaoxiao’s current perception, had she already turned four?

Li Ting’s fingers tapping on the tablet suddenly froze, as if someone had pressed the pause button. She was stunned for a moment, followed by a surge of pure ecstasy.

Undoubtedly, this was good news. If three could become four, then naturally, four could become fourteen or twenty-four. This meant Xiaoxiao’s consciousness was growing; it meant there would come a day when she would return to her original adult cognitive level. All of this simply required time.

However, a question lingered in the depths of Li Ting’s heart: would her memories return as well? Those bits and pieces they had experienced together, the things that made Si Xiaoxiao who she was…

As this question crossed Li Ting’s mind, she walked over and crouched in front of Si Xiaoxiao, bringing her eyes level with the girl’s. Her voice carried an undetectable anticipation and a hint of cautious probing: “Xiaoxiao, do you remember anything?”

Si Xiaoxiao, who had just been corrected by Li Ting on her facial expressions in front of the mirror, utilized her stunning features to flash a glamorous, vivid smile: “I remember! Sister Li Ting is the best sister!”

See, the only thing she remembered was still “Sister Li Ting.” This realization made Li Ting’s heart feel as if it were soaking in warm honey water—swollen with sweetness, yet carrying a microscopic trace of bittersweet ache.

Li Ting could almost hear the sound of her rational defenses crumbling.

She could only avert her gaze somewhat desperately, not daring to look back into those eyes so pure they reflected her own silhouette.

Si Xiaoxiao was already Li Ting’s ultimate weakness, let alone a version of Si Xiaoxiao who had shed her prickly “tsundere” shell to become incomparably honest, direct, and full of nothing but love for her. The lethality was multiplied exponentially; how could Li Ting possibly defend against this?

A “straight ball” of honesty can conquer all the hardships in this world—especially when that honesty comes from the most sincere puppy in the world.

Xiaoxiao’s eyes were filled with stars, carrying a boatload of light within them, as she delivered another blow: “You are also my favorite sister.”

She did not yet understand the weight of “love,” but her intense emotions poured out wantonly, brilliant and magnificent, impossible for anyone to resist.

With nowhere to hide, Li Ting could only reach out her hand to cover Xiaoxiao’s eyes, letting a soft kiss fall upon the back of her own hand.

She was afraid of disturbing that beauty, yet she couldn’t bear to close her eyes and miss a single moment of her. She wanted to kiss her—and not just her eyes—but those emotions had to be restrained and endured.

And so, she reached out and touched her, but the kiss only dared to land on herself. This time, there was no script or system to use as an excuse.

Li Ting had always been this kind of person—the kind who would rather suffer herself.

To prepare for the important interview the next day and the potential questions regarding Si Xiaoxiao’s current status, Li Ting decided to give Xiaoxiao some “homework” in advance.

She sat on the sofa next to Si Xiaoxiao, preparing to describe the complete version of the Si Xiaoxiao she knew.

It was strange and somewhat absurd that such a day would come—where she had to describe “the person” to “the person” herself.

Li Ting hesitated, unsure where to start or how to begin.

At that moment, a voice that had been silent for days—cool and tempting—suddenly emerged from the deepest part of her heart like a hidden undercurrent.

【Right now, she is a blank piece of paper. She will become whatever you tell her she is… This is an opportunity. An opportunity to make her love you as much as you love her. She doesn’t need to remember anything else.】

An opportunity? Li Ting’s heart skipped a beat. Once such a dark, controlling thought surfaced, it would spread like a vine, taking root and sprouting until it grew into a towering tree.

No. She disdained using base methods to obtain someone’s heart.

She looked up again at the Si Xiaoxiao before her, who was tilting her head and watching her with eyes of boundless clarity—a gaze too pure to hold any impurities. Li Ting took a deep breath, exerting every effort to suppress those uncolored, wicked thoughts, sealing the restless demon back into Pandora’s box.

Her second personality let out a sneer but did not deny her, before vanishing like a shattered reflection in a mirror.

Li Ting’s gaze returned to calmness and tenderness. In a steady, soothing tone—as if telling a precious bedtime story—she began to speak.

“Xiaoxiao… she is like the most brilliant sunshine in summer. Sometimes she’s a bit scorching, but mostly she’s warm and comfortable. She’s a bit stubborn; once she sets her mind on something, ten bulls couldn’t pull her back. But when she works, she is exceptionally serious; even for the smallest things, she gives her all. Sometimes she seems a bit silly and is easily fooled, but that heart of hers… it’s more sincere than pure gold, always carrying a reckless warmth. So you see, it’s as if she never grows up. She’s always so vivid, like a flower that never withers…”

In Li Ting’s perspective, every word was saturated with tenderness and sincerity. Beneath those seemingly objective descriptions flowed the deep love and admiration she had found impossible to voice for so many years.

She was not merely stating facts, but rather painting a portrait meticulously crafted from memory and emotion. In this moment, she could finally pour everything out without the need for any pretense.

Si Xiaoxiao listened quietly. She might not have fully grasped the profound meaning behind the words, but the warmth, nostalgia, and deep-seated emotion in Li Ting’s voice flowed into her heart like an invisible, gentle current.

She felt a warm glow inside, as if she were wrapped in a blanket freshly dried by the sun. Yet, for some reason, her nose felt a bit prickly, and a trace of inexplicable, hazy sadness welled up—as if she were listening to a beautiful but slightly melancholic story about someone else.

Still, Xiaoxiao felt very happy. She sensed that the wall standing between her and her sister’s heart had finally begun to crack.

However, unexpectedly, the theme of the next day’s interview program wasn’t Si Xiaoxiao herself, but… Li Ting.

It turned out the program was producing a “Qixi Festival” (Chinese Valentine’s Day) special, so they invited Si Xiaoxiao, who was part of one of the hottest trending “CPs” (couples) at the moment. The production team had an interesting concept: since Qixi is about two lovers separated by the Silver River, they split the special into two parts. Si Xiaoxiao was the guest for the first half.

It was like cramming all night for an exam only to realize you studied the wrong subject. Fortunately, when Xiaoxiao had followed Li Ting to the film set the day before, she happened to run into some of Li Ting’s fans, who had caught her and bombarded her with “education” on all sorts of stories about Li Ting.

It was as if she had studied the wrong subject, but the actual exam questions happened to cover things she knew—only to realize as she started writing that the teacher had taught the material wrong!

What one learns from a fan dedicated enough to become a background extra just to be near the set is, naturally, self-evident.

The host asked: “Xiaoxiao, is there anything you’d like to say to Teacher Li?”

Xiaoxiao’s little brain worked at full capacity to piece together an answer.

“Sister, I will always support you!”

The host was taken aback, instinctively using her signature catchphrase: “Really? I don’t believe it.”

After all, even though the four-year-old Si Xiaoxiao had been coached, she was prone to losing control under sudden pressure. Instantly, her face crumpled as if she were about to cry. Looking aggrieved yet earnest, she defended her most important sister: “Everything I said is true.”

One must remember that Si Xiaoxiao always presented a haughty and conceited persona to the public; she never showed such a vulnerable side.

This reaction actually made the host shut down in confusion. Why does she look like she’s suffered some monumental injustice? The host had come to work prepared to be verbally attacked by the famously sharp-tongued Si Xiaoxiao, but instead, this happened?!

Consequently, the host—known for her razor-sharp tongue—unconsciously softened her tone: “Uh, is that so? Alright, I believe you two have a very good relationship.”

Si Xiaoxiao nodded obediently, her smile as sweet as a little cupcake, as she emphasized: “It’s especially good.”

Perhaps it is human nature to adopt a “baby voice” the moment one encounters a little cub—even one in an adult’s body. The host found herself beaming, her usual witty banter completely forgotten: “Alright then, Xiaoxiao, can you share what you and your good friend Li Ting usually do together? Do you have any plans for next Sunday?”

Despite her friendly demeanor, the host hadn’t forgotten to set a trap. This was clearly a loaded question.

Many celebrities don’t actually maintain contact in private; by asking this way, she was forcing an assumption that the two were close. Furthermore, “next Sunday” held a specific significance: it was Qixi Festival.

Seeing the trap, Si Xiaoxiao jumped right in without a moment’s hesitation: “To the amusement park, of course!”

Support