After her bath, Xia Zhibai also changed Ruo Xiaoxi into a little dress.
It was a JK uniform with a white blouse and black skirt, plus a little pink tie at the collar.
White stockings suited Ruo Xiaoxi better. Her legs were very slender, and she could pull off the look beautifully. Paired with the JK uniform, they made her look even more innocent and adorable. It was hard not to fall for her.
“It’s getting late. How about staying at my place tonight…?”
“Huh? Stay at Sister Xia’s place? Th-then does that mean I’ll get… again tonight…!?”
“I won’t! I—I’ll let you decide. If you want to… I was just so angry today, and you were saying all the wrong things, practically rubbing salt in the wound. I lost control and pushed you down…”
Come to think of it, they’d bought this little dress the last time they went shopping together.
Back then, Xia Zhibai had been so deeply in love that she really wanted to buy Ruo Xiaoxi a dress. But Ruo Xiaoxi wouldn’t accept it, no matter what. In the end, Xia Zhibai had insisted on paying for it herself.
Xia Zhibai was the kind of girl you could describe as rich, beautiful, and privileged. She used to wonder if Ruo Xiaoxi had gotten close to her because her family was wealthy, but it didn’t seem that way…
Ruo Xiaoxi didn’t seem like the kind of manipulative girl who went around mooching off people, either. She refused to accept anything too expensive, saying she only liked Xia Zhibai and didn’t want any of that stuff.
Maybe no one could’ve imagined how smitten Xia Zhibai was back then. She’d fallen head over heels in an instant.
She wanted to hold such a sweet little cutie in her arms and dote on her, rubbing her cheek against hers over and over. And today, she’d finally gotten to dote on her just as she’d always wanted—and see Ruo Xiaoxi at her most beautiful.
But was Ruo Xiaoxi really telling the truth when she said she liked her…?
Xia Zhibai was tired, so she decided not to think about it for now. She’d talk things through with Xiaoxi properly later. Maybe their feelings had developed a crack because they hadn’t talked enough.
For a whole week, Xia Zhibai had stayed home every day doing homework. She’d been focused on finishing it so she could take Ruo Xiaoxi out to have fun afterward. But now that she thought about it, maybe…
Maybe she’d let her guard down back then and hadn’t paid enough attention to Xiaoxi.
She’d made Xiaoxi feel lonely, and that had let another girl take advantage of the opening. But this was Xia Zhibai’s first time dating a girl, too. She felt a little lost, but she’d do her best.
Xia Zhibai was a sensitive, thoughtful girl, so she often found herself thinking about all sorts of things.
Ruo Xiaoxi watched Sister Xia in the kitchen, wearing an apron as she made her omurice. She didn’t overthink things nearly as much. Sh-she had a clear conscience! This bratty little loli didn’t care about stuff like that!
She and Xia Zhibai weren’t a couple. Since she wasn’t Xia Zhibai’s girlfriend, it couldn’t count as cheating or betrayal, right? Still… wasn’t Sister Xia being a little too nice to her…?
Well, she’d given Xia Zhibai a taste of the good stuff today. No, not just a little dessert—it was a whole cake! She’d been wrapped up like a giant cake, and Xia Zhibai had savored every last bite.
At least it was a way to repay her for being so good to her…
“Just wait a little longer. I’ll be done soon. You can watch TV for now. There’s fruit on the coffee table, and it’s all been washed, so help yourself.”
Afraid Ruo Xiaoxi would get bored waiting alone, Xia Zhibai poked her head out of the kitchen and called to her.
Ruo Xiaoxi nodded and replied, “Okay.”
But ten minutes later, Xia Zhibai came out of the kitchen wearing oven mitts and carrying a steaming plate of omurice—only to stare blankly at the empty sofa in the living room…
“Ruo Xiaoxi? Ruo Xiaoxi? Where are you…?”
She slowly set the omurice down on the dining table, then checked the bedroom and the bathroom. She couldn’t find Ruo Xiaoxi anywhere.
When she went back to the entrance, the little white shoes were gone…
She hurriedly opened the door and saw that the elevator was already down on the first floor. Ruo Xiaoxi had sneaked away while she was making the omurice.
Xia Zhibai stood at the doorway for a long time before slowly closing the door.
On the coffee table, she found a little note Ruo Xiaoxi had left behind, with a pen resting on top. It was for her, written in neat handwriting. The note read—
【Sister Xia, thank you for taking such thoughtful care of me】
【When you gave me a bath and made me food】
【you made me feel a little like you were my real big sister】
【You really don’t have to be so nice to me】
【Anyway, I’m not staying at your place tonight. I’m heading home】
【—Ruo Xiaoxi】
Holding the note, Xia Zhibai sat down in a chair at the dining table and read it over and over. Then she looked back at the omurice she’d made and couldn’t help pouting.
“What was that about? If you were leaving, you could’ve told me. At least eat the omurice…”
Xia Zhibai lowered her head and looked at the heart she’d drawn in ketchup on the omurice, with Ruo Xiaoxi’s name written inside it. She propped her cheeks up in both hands and drifted off into her own thoughts…
In the end, she thought about it for a while, then had no choice but to eat the omurice herself. She hadn’t had dinner yet, either. She’d planned to make food for Ruo Xiaoxi and watch her eat her fill. She’d wanted to hear her praise her cooking and see her smile happily.
Since Ruo Xiaoxi had already left, Xia Zhibai would just have to eat it herself.
Downstairs, Ruo Xiaoxi glanced back at the building where Xia Zhibai lived, then started toward her own home. She felt a little guilty for leaving without even saying goodbye.
But tonight—if she remembered right—
her vampire loli big sister was supposed to come back and see her.
She had to go home.
