Qin Yue was genuinely a little curious. “What’s with you? You’re getting back earlier and earlier.”

“Isn’t that good?”

“Of course it’s good. It’s just really unusual, so I’m a little confused.”

Besides, Qin Yue herself had only just gotten out of bed not long ago. She was still in her pajamas.

Bai Ningning didn’t answer. Instead, she looked over her outfit and let out a soft laugh. “What about you, then?”

Qin Yue froze. “What about me?”

“What’s with you?” Bai Ningning said flatly. “You’re getting up later and later.”

Crack.

Qin Yue heard the sound of a blood vessel swelling in her head.

Bai Ningning gave her a light, airy glance and parted her cherry lips slightly. “Sleeping more is pretty nice. It’s normal too. But I’m a little worried about you.”

Qin Yue shot up from the sofa at once, one hand grabbing her pajama collar. Then she twisted her slim waist...

...and sat back down again.

Getting her blood pressure up was useless. Her body just wouldn’t cooperate. She’d slept all the way into the afternoon. This was exactly when her waist ached and her limbs felt weak. No way could she start another round that fast.

At the very least, she needed a few days to recover.

When Bai Ningning saw her stand up only to collapse back down, she was utterly puzzled. “What’s wrong with you? Did something happen?”

“Shut up,” Qin Yue said with a livid face. “Don’t talk!”

“...Oh.”

Bai Ningning sat beside her with a cold little face, feeling deeply wronged inside.

What was that about? She was clearly worried about her. She’d even said something thoughtful, and she’d been so well-behaved too. But Qin Yue had gotten mad again for no reason.

What a headache.

Qin Yue sat in the sofa for a while, secretly rubbing her waist. It felt a little better now. At least it shouldn’t affect her daily movement and normal life.

But if she wanted to start the next round, she’d probably still need a few more days.

It couldn’t be helped. The one starting the fight was definitely more tired than the one taking it. After all, the one on the receiving end just had to lie there. No need to move at all.

The key was that this little green tea was always provoking her. That cute little mouth of hers only had to open once, and Qin Yue’s blood pressure would shoot right up.

And she was always dressed all flashy too. Today she was even wearing... hm, hot pants?

Qin Yue’s gaze fell on Bai Ningning’s fair, smooth thighs, and she let out a light scoff. “Heh. Not bad. Dressing pretty cool today, huh?”

Bai Ningning sat there quietly without moving an inch. She only shifted her thighs slightly, crossing them together.

That made them even more eye-catching.

Qin Yue’s anger meter rose. “I’m talking to you. Cat got your tongue?”

Bai Ningning blinked innocently. “You told me to stay quiet and not talk.”

“I...”

“I told you not to say that kind of thing! ...Forget it.” Qin Yue took a deep breath. “You can talk now.”

Bai Ningning tilted her head. “Talk about what?”

Today’s first head tilt.

Qin Yue couldn’t take it anymore. She lightly smacked Bai Ningning’s thigh. “I said you’re dressed really cool today!”

Smack.

Bai Ningning shrank a little deeper into the sofa and nodded. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Qin Yue got so mad she slapped a thigh again—Bai Ningning’s thigh.

“That was not a compliment! I was asking who you’re dressing this cool for!”

Hm?

Wearing shorts is for armor proficiency. Didn’t you notice I was walking way more smoothly than usual today?

Also, stop slapping. It feels... kind of weird.

A faint, almost unnoticeable blush appeared on Bai Ningning’s cool little face.

Qin Yue had been staring at her the whole time, so she caught that detail instantly. “Heh. So I was right, huh.”

She leaned in close and said with a cold laugh, “Do you think just because you show off those pretty legs of yours, you can make people lose their minds? Do you think I’m still the old me?”

The moment Bai Ningning heard that, she understood.

Putting together Qin Yue’s history with the original owner, she understood completely. Qin Yue had misunderstood. She thought Bai Ningning was like the original owner, trying to make her fall head over heels again, so she wouldn’t have to pay back the money and could get herself another loyal simp.

It’s a misunderstanding, big sis. This is absolutely a misunderstanding.

So Bai Ningning explained in a serious tone:

“Anyway, it’s not for you to look at.”

Then she heard another crack, like some tightly stretched string had snapped.

And right after that, her whole body fell back onto the sofa as a huge force pressed down on her.

“You’re mad again. Why?” Bai Ningning asked seriously. “Why exactly?”

She’d clearly explained herself.

Qin Yue looked at the calm, beautiful little face of the girl beneath her, and anger came at her from all directions. She felt like a pressure cooker that had been stewing over a fire for two hours, its valve hissing wildly.

Even if the King of Heaven himself came today, I’d still— mmph!

Big sis’s whole body crashed onto the girl, pressing down hard enough to hurt a little.

Bai Ningning tilted her head. “Is this a new move?”

“I threw out my waist,” Qin Yue said through gritted teeth. “Help me up.”

“...Oh.”

It took some effort, but Bai Ningning finally helped Qin Yue up. Looking at big sis clutching her waist and hissing in pain, she couldn’t bear it and said with concern, “Maybe in the future, you should work within your limits and stop pushing yourse—”

“Shut up!” Qin Yue roared in fury. “You are not allowed to talk!”

But today, her fury was destined to be nothing more than powerless rage.

Qin Yue was dragged off by the maid for a massage. Before Aunt Zou left, she shot Bai Ningning a fierce glare. In the end, though, she still said nothing and only let out a faint sigh.

Sigh.

After everyone left, Bai Ningning curled up alone on the sofa and also sighed quietly.

Sigh.

You tell me to talk, so I talk. You tell me not to talk, so I shut up. I did everything I was supposed to do, and I said everything I was supposed to say.

So why was she this angry?

Bai Ningning squirmed around on the sofa for a while, then decided it still wasn’t as comfortable as the bed. So she turned off the TV and went back to her bedroom.

Perfect. Time for a second nap.

Closing her eyes, Bai Ningning reviewed the day’s events. There was no need to think about the water-delivery incident. She’d already reviewed that at noon.

As for the lounge, although she hadn’t managed to hide the cat-themed underwear and had even been questioned about the loli illustrator, she’d still managed to bring out her senpai dignity and get through it smoothly.

And as for junior Qin Xin lifting her clothes, she usually looked so calm. Who would’ve thought she could do something that impulsive and bold?

Bai Ningning didn’t think much of it. In her previous life, she’d heard that close girl friends often messed around like that. It was a sign of a good relationship.

And if she’d do something like that while fooling around, then junior Qin Xin must be a girl with a normal orientation, right? Not like the big sis at home, or the female class leader from Formation 17.

When she was with normal girls, she felt very safe. No need to worry about getting—

Thinking that, Bai Ningning peacefully drifted off to sleep.

Zzzzz

The sky gradually darkened. Qin Yue’s waist stopped hurting, and the first day of military training at Xicheng University came to an end.

Qin Xin ate dinner, took a shower, and lay in bed, but no matter what, she just couldn’t fall asleep.

A big white cat appeared in her mind, darting around everywhere.

Right. At noon, all she’d been thinking was, “Who gave this to Senior Ningning?” She’d completely forgotten to appreciate the beautiful sight right in front of her.

And now, that beautiful sight was wrapped around Qin Xin’s mind, lingering like an endless echo.