Liang Sheng was, without a doubt, the apple of the Liang family’s eye.

Though not a top student and with a slightly prickly personality, she remained deeply cherished by her parents.

She had a cousin named Liang Jin. Clingy as the girl was, Liang Sheng still enjoyed taking her out—after all, she was family.

Until *that* day. A day that would shock Liang Sheng for what felt like thirty thousand years.

Liang Jin came over to play and suddenly asked a strange question.

"Sister… if—if I may say—if," Liang Jin fidgeted, rubbing her hands together as if wrestling with unspoken words.

"Go ahead," Liang Sheng replied coolly. She had always been distant with everyone.

"If… if you were a boy, would you… like a girl like me?" Liang Jin stole a shy glance at her.

Without hesitation: "Of course I would!"

She meant it. In her eyes, her cousin was exceptional—any boy would be lucky to like someone like her.

But the naive Liang Jin heard something else entirely. *Halfway there*, she thought.

"Then… Sister…" Liang Jin stammered, cheeks flushed. "Could you… come outside later? I have something to tell you."

"Sure," Liang Sheng agreed, not thinking twice.

After finishing her calligraphy practice, Liang Sheng stepped out. Liang Jin was already waiting eagerly.

"Sister!" Liang Jin cried out. Startled, Liang Sheng nearly stumbled.

"What is it?" Ever mindful of her image, she smoothed her long hair and cleared her throat lightly.

"I… I…" Liang Jin twisted her skirt hem, voice trembling. "Sister Liang Sheng! I like you!" She grabbed Liang Sheng’s arm.

"Huh… eh?" Baffled but not frozen, Liang Sheng stammered, "Ah—I know. I understand."

*She must mean sisterly affection*, she thought.

"I like you too," she added softly—the warm fondness of an elder sister.

"Ah!" Overjoyed, Liang Jin threw her arms around her. "So you accepted my confession! Does this mean we’re…?"

"Eh?" Liang Sheng finally snapped to her senses and pushed the clinging girl away. "Stop! Liang Jin—what do you mean?!"

"D-Dating my sister…?" Panic flickered in Liang Jin’s eyes. "S-Sister… didn’t you just agree?"

A wave of nausea hit Liang Sheng.

*Slap!*

She struck Liang Jin hard across the face. "Shameless! Have you no sense of ethics?!"

Liang Jin covered her stinging cheek, watching her sister flee. *Thud.* She sank to the ground.

*Sister… do you hate me?*

"Do you hate me?"

Later, Liang Jin visited again and asked the same question.

Liang Sheng shot her one cold glance—and never spoke to her again.

Days after starting high school, Liang Sheng tripped on the stairs for no reason.

*Thud.* She tumbled straight into the arms of a handsome boy.

Ah… Why was her heart pounding so fast? Her face flushed, confused.

*This must be love at first sight.*

From then on, she fell deeply, helplessly in love.

The boy was Su Ze—ordinary, yet standing out just enough in a crowd.

Tragically, days after Liang Sheng’s feelings bloomed, Liang Jin—the very cousin who’d confessed to *her*—began trailing after Su Ze too.

*Why?! Is this hatred from love?* Liang Sheng assumed Liang Jin was stealing him out of twisted affection.

"Hey! Stop following me! I really don’t like you!" Liang Sheng confronted her cousin in the hallway.

Liang Jin turned, eyes wide with pure confusion, gazing at the long-haired girl with light green strands.

"What? Sister… what are you saying?" Her look held only innocent sisterly concern.

A sharp pang pierced Liang Sheng’s chest.

"Hm?" Liang Jin tilted her head, leaning closer.

Liang Sheng turned away, brushed past her. "Nothing. Guess my brain glitched."

"Oh…" Left bewildered, Liang Jin scratched her head, heart aching. *Why? Because Sister scolded me?*

Time passed.

Liang Sheng’s obsession with Su Ze deepened, even as more girls gathered around him. She couldn’t explain it—plenty of excellent boys pursued *her*, yet only Su Ze held her heart, inexplicably.

She fought fiercely with the other girls.

Then, in the final moment—watching Su Ze leap from the bridge—a strange softness washed over her. *Let it be. Just… stay by my side.*

In the end, lying on the cold ground, regret swallowed her whole.

Too late.