The pre-outing beauty routine for girls is always long and tedious. But no one can make them put down their makeup—they’d rather stay home than skip it.
Even Su Su, a pseudo-lolita who’d lived as a rough guy for thirty years in her previous life, was no exception.
No matter how wildly the thirty-year-old man part of her soul struggled, it was pinned down by the fifteen-year-old girl’s obsession with makeup, left trembling in the corner.
Perhaps this shows just how terrifying a girl’s fixation on her appearance can be.
In short, even though she protested inwardly, Su Su’s body honestly applied a light layer of makeup.
Su Su already had great natural looks. She could have gone out bare-faced, but she chose to add just a touch.
Just a little, yet like a winter plum blossom blooming unexpectedly in snow—it filled the air with subtle fragrance, making her look even more enchanting.
Su Su gazed at the adorable, charming lolita in the mirror and sighed with a hint of worry.
She wasn’t even fully grown, yet her breathtaking beauty was already evident. In a few years… even buzzing bees would swarm around her.
What a bother.
But thinking that wouldn’t change anything.
Su Su shook her head, banishing those irrelevant thoughts, and gave her reflection a sweet smile.
All set.
She carefully packed away her makeup case. She tidied the table, tossed the trash, and grabbed the cloth shoulder bag from the bedside cabinet. After checking for forgotten items, she returned to the mirror and put on the sun hat.
All ready, she stepped out of the room and greeted Bai Su, who’d been waiting outside for ages. "Let’s go, bro!"
Bai Su finally snapped out of his drowsy, almost-asleep state. He was about to complain when he saw his sister looking so adorable. The words died in his throat, leaving him with a look of unspoken frustration.
Su Su raised an eyebrow. "Bro… what’s that expression for? What were you going to say?"
Bai Su struggled for a moment before finally spitting out a flat "You look beautiful."
Su Su nodded. "Of course! We haven’t gone shopping together in ages. It’s rare to go out, so I have to look nice, right?"
With that, she winked mischievously at him. "But it seems someone didn’t bother at all. Look at you, all sloppy."
Bai Su glanced down at his worn blue T-shirt, faded jeans, and flip-flops. He blushed, scratching his head sheepishly, at a loss for words.
In the end, Su Su saved him from embarrassment.
"Never mind, you look fine like this. Actually, pretty handsome, bro," she said with a smile. "Let’s go, let’s go! Time to hit the streets!"
She turned and opened the door.
Instantly, sunlight flooded in from outside. It seeped in like liquid mercury, light as bird feathers, slowly enveloping Bai Su’s body.
So warm. So bright.
Bai Su instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes. When he lowered it, he saw a small figure waving at him from not far away.
"Hurry up, dummy!" called the voice he knew so well.
Before the words faded, she turned and ran toward the distance. In an instant, her tiny figure was swallowed by the brilliant sunlight outside.
Watching the distant horizon, Bai Su suddenly laughed.
He stood on the dividing line between light and dark. His face was fragmented by the interplay of light and shadow, his expression unreadable. Only his clear laughter could be heard.
Bai Su reached out, trying to grasp the blazing sunlight, but of course, he failed.
This light was merely a derivative from some source. It held warmth and brightness, but its origin held far more. That was the place Bai Su longed for.
He squinted into the distance. In his vision, the girl standing in the sunlight appeared, smiling at him, her warm arms outstretched.
Bai Su suddenly took a step forward.
His toes crossed the line of light and dark, leaving an iron-like imprint in the sun.
Smiling, he opened his arms to the white and golden angel.
Sunlight poured over him, washing away the stench of decay and dampness, making him feel reborn.
He looked at the distant light, wanting to chase the brightness.
"So hot…" Su Su sat in the library, slightly panting, fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
She glanced around at the crowded library full of people escaping the heat with AC. Suddenly, she felt like an idiot for dragging Bai Su out for a haircut almost at noon.
It was 2008, not 2018 from her previous life.
Besides, they didn’t live in a first-tier city. Street shops rarely had AC. Some used electric fans, creaking as they spun. People sat calmly on stools, eyes closed, meditating as if keeping calm would keep them cool.
A completely different slow-paced life compared to her previous timeline.
But this pace wasn’t unpleasant.
On the contrary, after the soul-crushing rush of her past life, Su Su cherished this peaceful existence.
How lucky to return to this gently moving era—watching white clouds drift, raindrops blooming like crystal flowers on blue stone slabs. No need to exhaust herself like a dead dog, becoming a gear spinning desperately under superiors, wasting life on dull routines.
"Wasn’t it you, idiot, who insisted on rushing out? Now you’re complaining," Bai Su’s voice cut in, interrupting her thoughts.
Having innocently followed her all the way and gotten plenty of sun, his tone was irritable.
"I know, I know, it’s all my fault. Don’t be mad, okay?" Su Su cooed, snuggling up to him, her big eyes wide and watery as she acted cute.
Faced with his usually sharp-tongued little kitten suddenly being adorable, Bai Su had no resistance. His attitude visibly softened, and he sighed. "Alright, alright. I give up to you."
But there was no trace of defeat in his eyes—only a soft smile.
Su Su leaned against Bai Su’s back, out of his sight, stuck out her tongue, and smirked mischievously.
[To Be Continued]
