The Devoted Female Supporting Lead and the White Moonlight’s Sister Got a Happy Ending (GL) - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Skiing

“Cough, cough…” Shao Peiran almost choked on her own saliva. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” He Baizhou asked instinctively, but she immediately realized that the nickname Peipei sounded a bit like “Pei Pei” (the sound of spitting), which could easily be mistaken for an insult or a curse. She took a step back and offered, “Can I call you that when it’s just the two of us?”

Shao Peiran gave her a long look. “If you insist.”

He Baizhou brightened up instantly. There might not actually be many chances to use it, but having an exclusive nickname made things feel very different.

She even went as far as pulling out her phone and changing Shao Peiran’s contact name to “Peipei.”

After breakfast, Shao Peiran took the initiative to ask, “What are your plans for the rest of your trip?”

He Baizhou looked up at her and said, not without a hint of suggestion, “I don’t have any plans. If possible, I’d like to look around. I’ve never been here before, so I imagine there’s a lot to see, right?”

Of course, as an outsider who knew nothing, it would be difficult for her to have a good time. It would be different if she had a guide.

Shao Peiran did not continue to be vague on this point; instead, she smiled directly and said, “Normally, since you’ve come all this way, I should host you as the local. But I am truly busy during this period and probably won’t be able to spare any time. If you want to sightsee, I can introduce you to a reliable guide.”

With things said so plainly, He Baizhou stopped harboring redundant expectations. However, since she had already said she was staying, it would be inappropriate to change her mind and leave now. She accepted Shao Peiran’s kindness. “Then thank you very much.” In any case, there was nothing to do back home, so looking around here was fine.

At the very least, being under the same sky as Shao Peiran made the distance between them feel a bit shorter.

Seeing her agree, Shao Peiran took out her phone to send a message. After a moment, she looked up and said to He Baizhou, “It’s all set. I’ve pushed your contact card to her. Keep an eye out for a friend request.”

This efficiency took He Baizhou by surprise, and she even wondered if the other woman found her annoying and wanted to be rid of her.

But if Shao Peiran disliked someone, she surely had plenty of ways to brush them off; there would be no need to go through all this trouble personally, right?

After turning the thought over in her head a few times, He Baizhou received the guide’s friend request. She didn’t add her immediately but first clicked into the profile to browse her “Moments.” Surprisingly, there was nothing related to tour guiding. There was plenty of content about eating, drinking, and having fun, but it looked more like a “rich second generation” showing off their daily life rather than a professional page.

“This guide…” She looked up at Shao Peiran, asking hesitantly.

Shao Peiran was very candid. “She’s a friend of mine. She doesn’t usually have much serious work to do and is quite familiar with the area. If you go with her, you should be able to enjoy a pleasant holiday.”

He Baizhou was happy again. Shao Peiran was willing to let her enter her social circle. Even if it didn’t necessarily have a special meaning, to He Baizhou, it was a small step well worth commemorating.

She wanted to say something more, but Shao Peiran checked the time and stood up. “I still have some things to handle. Will you be okay on your own?”

“I’m fine, go ahead with your work,” He Baizhou quickly promised. She paused, then asked, “Are you still staying here tonight?”

Shao Peiran shook her head. “I have other business.”

He Baizhou felt a bit disappointed, but not surprised. She nodded. “Then drive carefully.”

The friend Shao Peiran introduced was just as efficient as she was. That same afternoon, He Baizhou met Shao Peiran’s friend downstairs at the hotel.

There are many Chinese people in Australia, and the number of immigrants has been increasing in recent years. Shao Peiran’s family had immigrated over a decade ago. But this friend, named Tao Xuefang, was a third-generation immigrant whose family had moved here during her great-grandfather’s time; she was now completely integrated into the local culture.

Tao Xuefang drove a very flashy Porsche. The moment she waved to greet her, He Baizhou even considered retreating back into the hotel.

She was certain that Miss Tao was exactly the type of person she found hardest to deal with.

Gao Yiwen was actually of the same type, but since throwing herself into the embrace of gaming, her other hobbies had been set aside, and she had become a shut-in. Coupled with her busy work, she rarely had the time to bother He Baizhou. But Tao Xuefang was different; she not only had plenty of time but also endless enthusiasm and energy.

Tao Xuefang didn’t give her a chance to escape. The young lady stepped out of the driver’s seat, gave her an exuberant hug, and then pushed and pulled her into the car before driving off like a bolt of lightning.

Because she was on high alert, when Tao Xuefang asked what she wanted to do, He Baizhou racked her brain and finally came up with a relatively non-terrible answer.

“I plan to go skiing,” she said. “I’ll find a large place and stay quietly for a few days. My vacation is only a few days long.”

“No problem.” Tao Xuefang snapped her fingers. “Perisher Ski Resort. The largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere, the most luxurious ski resort in Australia, five hours’ drive from Sydney. What do you think?”

“Very good,” He Baizhou affirmed. She looked at Tao Xuefang and spoke sincerely, “That’s the place. If possible, I’d like to stay overnight at the resort hotel tonight.”

Tao Xuefang sounded a bit disappointed. “I originally wanted to take you to meet my friends. There’s a party tonight that you absolutely shouldn’t miss!”

“That is my loss,” He Baizhou said.

And so, with “regret,” He Baizhou arrived at the Perisher Resort. Since it was the peak of the skiing season, a world-famous destination like Perisher was naturally fully booked. However, for a “local snake” like Tao Xuefang, this wasn’t much of a problem. But before she could even take out her phone to make a call, He Baizhou had settled it herself.

Yes, this hotel was also one of the massive properties under the He family group.

“You’ve got some moves…” Tao Xuefang said, looking at the platinum card in He Baizhou’s hand. She must live in hotels every day to reach this level of membership, right?

Truthfully, when she first saw He Baizhou, Tao Xuefang was a bit amazed that Shao Peiran had such a friend. She wasn’t sure if He Baizhou realized it herself, but from her clothes to her posture to her aura, the words “conservative and old-fashioned” were written in her very marrow.

She looked like an aristocrat handed down from the last century.

On one hand, she was so rigid and conservative it was almost funny; on the other hand, she possessed a melancholic and mysterious temperament that made people want to explore.

In short, she didn’t seem to belong in the same world as someone like her, or even someone like Shao Peiran. However, considering Shao Peiran’s profession, this woman was likely a client, which would explain it. So, regardless of her inner thoughts, Tao Xuefang was determined to take good care of her and make her feel at home.

Now, seeing He Baizhou treating the hotel like her own house, she realized one truly shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

He Baizhou couldn’t explain—because she truly did treat hotels like home. After all, she didn’t have to pay to stay in them.

Tao Xuefang was very loyal. Although she thought He Baizhou’s travel plans were a bit too much like an “old cadre”—skiing every single day even though there were plenty of other things to do at the resort—she still “risked her life to accompany the gentleman” and stayed there with her.

However, she admitted defeat on the very first day of climbing the mountain. She ultimately chose to take the cable car up to wait, letting He Baizhou climb on her own.

He Baizhou didn’t mind. To her, the presence or absence of social interaction didn’t have a large impact. She forgot who said it, but most people choose to live in groups not because they like it, but perhaps because they need it. He Baizhou, however, undoubtedly did not need it. She could choose her own way, and thus, there were very few ways for others to influence her.

She was content. She could endure the hardships of climbing the peaks and enjoy the exhilaration of flying down the ski trails from the summit.

Wrapped in her thick ski suit, she didn’t need to speak to anyone; there were only the mountains, the snow, and her.

The pity was that she had never learned the sport before and had to start from scratch. For the time being, she could only practice on the beginner trails, which undoubtedly diluted the sense of exhilaration.

By the third day, Tao Xuefang stopped accompanying He Baizhou.

She could see that her presence was actually a hindrance, preventing He Baizhou from fully enjoying herself. That being the case, she gave Shao Peiran a heads-up and left.

Shao Peiran didn’t force her. However, after returning to Australia, she felt a bit uneasy and decided to come over and check.

Yes—during these past few days, she hadn’t just been too busy to play with He Baizhou; she had even flown abroad twice. This bit of rest time was squeezed out with great difficulty; He Baizhou really should be grateful.

When she reached the mountain, she discovered that He Baizhou had improved rapidly and had already started using the intermediate trails. However, the results were often quite disastrous, with accidents happening from time to time. Fortunately, falling in the snow doesn’t hurt much, and from He Baizhou’s appearance, she seemed to be enjoying it.

Shao Peiran felt a bit of an itch herself. Thinking back, she hadn’t skied for several years.

She put on her gear and headed down the same trail He Baizhou was using. The biting cold wind scraped past her side, scattering the sluggishness born from work in her chest; she felt clear and refreshed.

She couldn’t help but open her arms in a gesture of embracing the world. Then, in the next instant, she lost her stability and flipped to the side of the trail, plunging into the thick snow.

There was a muffled roaring in her ears. Even so, Shao Peiran could clearly distinguish He Baizhou’s breathless voice: “Are you okay?”

She was speaking in Chinese.

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