At Tiantan City’s high-speed rail station, the train doors slowly slid open, and a girl’s graceful figure stepped out of the carriage.

She wore a light, mint-blue silk dress. One small, fair hand emerged from its lace-trimmed bell sleeve as Ruo Tianxin took a parasol from the bag at her waist and opened it above her head.

She freed her other hand to pull her suitcase along. She figured she’d stay at her older brother’s place for a day or two, so she’d brought a few changes of clothes. His place wasn’t big, but it did have two rooms.

“This is the right stop, isn’t it? Man, it’s so hot…” The moment she stepped out of the comfortable, air-conditioned carriage, Ruo Tianxin felt sweat forming on her forehead. She was starting to regret wearing a long-sleeved dress.

Summer really was a shameless little sprite, always tempting girls to dress more and more lightly.

Seriously, it’s this hot, and my brother still isn’t coming to pick me up? He sure hung up fast. Didn’t say a word, didn’t even let me finish.

Ruo Tianxin furrowed her delicate brows slightly, grumbling to herself.

At least she knew where her brother lived and how to get a taxi there.

Her ivory-white legs were especially eye-catching in the summer, drawing the gaze to linger for an extra second. Ruo Tianxin crossed her legs as she sat on a bench beneath a shady tree by the station, waiting for her ride.

As she waited, she took out a compact mirror and carefully studied her face. She gently smoothed her bangs, which the wind had tousled, then lightly pressed her cherry-red lips together.

Mm, she still looked pretty good.

But she was only going to visit her brother, so why had she suddenly started caring about her looks? Ruo Tianxin couldn’t help feeling as if she were the one getting the short end of the stick.

Back when they lived together, they’d seen each other every day. It had never felt like a big deal.

But after not seeing him for a while, she suddenly wanted to look extra pretty when she saw her brother. Maybe that was just a girl’s love of looking nice. Still, her bro was probably at home in a pair of oversized shorts, not bothering to make himself presentable at all.

Ruo Tianxin gently smoothed her skirt, then bent down to tighten the laces on her white sneakers. She’d loved playing shuttlecock as a child, and even after growing up, she’d always liked wearing sneakers with thicker soles.

After getting into the car and setting off, Ruo Tianxin thought about calling him again, but changed her mind and put her phone away.

She’d already let him know, and she’d be there soon anyway.

She’d surprise him when she got home. He’d be so shocked and flustered when his little sister suddenly showed up at the door looking this pretty—she could already picture it. A sister you haven’t seen in three days deserves a fresh look!

………………

Meanwhile, back at home, Ruo Xiaoxi was in a frantic race against time. She had no idea what to do when she saw her little sister—or, more accurately, what her little sister would do when she saw her!

Ruo Xiaoxi panicked, looking for some wardrobe to hide in.

A beauty hidden away in a golden house… Turns out the delicate, adorable girl is me.

After hiding in the wardrobe and brooding for a while, she realized that wasn’t going to work. Her little sister had come all this way to see her—she couldn’t just leave her standing outside. You could dodge the first day of the month, but not the fifteenth.

Besides, even though her little sister had grown up and could take the high-speed train alone to an unfamiliar city, Ruo Xiaoxi still worried about her. The protective instincts she’d once had as her older brother remained, and she hoped her sister would get home soon.

Torn between wanting her sister to get home as soon as possible and wishing she’d arrive a little later, Ruo Xiaoxi grew so anxious she nearly ran to the bathroom. After messaging Lan Yinuo, she ended the video call, squeezed her legs together, and hurried off to the bathroom.

Lan Yinuo was eating lunch when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the message and saw Ruo Xiaoxi say that her little sister was coming over, so they’d play games together that afternoon instead.

Lan Yinuo chewed her food, thinking, So Xiaoxi has a little sister? She replied “Okay” to Ruo Xiaoxi. But since her sister was coming over, maybe they could all play together.

“What do I do? What do I do…”

Ruo Xiaoxi sat in the bathroom, holding her phone in both hands. As she watched the seconds tick by, she grew more and more nervous. How was she supposed to explain things to her little sister?

Her brother had suddenly turned into a girl. What would Tianxin think…?

She stared at the white pair of briefs that had slipped down to her calves, lost in thought. At last, Ruo Xiaoxi calmed down, pulled them back up, and stood.

There’s nothing to panic about. So your big brother turned into a girl—this is your little sister’s test. As long as I act calm and don’t feel awkward, then Ruo Tianxin will be the one feeling awkward.

If you can’t solve the problem, just dump it on your little sister!

Anyway, her little sister was a guest, so she should tidy up the house first.

A clean, comfortable home could do wonders for your mood.

Ruo Xiaoxi tossed the clothes hanging on her chair into the laundry basin. She lived alone and hadn’t bought a washing machine, so she usually washed everything by hand. It wasn’t much trouble.

She mopped the dust off the floor, put all the little square cushions scattered across the sofa back in their places, then set a decorative vase of flowers on the coffee table—pretending she was a sophisticated girl.

As for naughty manga, Ruo Xiaoxi didn’t own any and had no idea where to buy it.

And she didn’t have any weird tissues, either! She’d been spending these past few days with Sister Xia, and when she was home alone, she… she hadn’t had any need to indulge those worldly desires for the time being.

Finally, she set a pair of house slippers in her little sister’s favorite color by the door, waiting for her to come home. It might be her first time here, but wherever your family was, that was home—so it wasn’t wrong to call it coming home.

Once she’d finished all that, she looked down at herself, still wearing only a T-shirt and briefs. She was wondering whether she should go to her room and put on a skirt when…

From the entrance came the sound of a key turning in the lock.

Ruo Xiaoxi swallowed. Still holding the rag she’d used to wipe the coffee table, she stood frozen in the entryway.

“Bro, I’m here! Come out and greet your little sister, the great lady! My suitcase is so heavy… Hm————?”

The moment Ruo Tianxin opened the door and saw an unfamiliar, pretty girl standing inside, her eyes clouded with confusion. She let out a long, skeptical, deeply meaningful “Hmmm…?”

Her vivid imagination immediately conjured up a ten-thousand-word story.

—It’s okay, bro. I’ll help you raise your little niece.

No, no, no! It’s way too soon for that! Way too soon!!!

Ruo Xiaoxi’s petite body jolted. Now that her little sister had seen her like this, her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment.

Her gaze darted around like a little rabbit desperately fleeing a pursuer. She held both hands primly in front of herself, but her slender, pale fingers nervously tugged at one another.

The two girls stared at each other in silence, both completely at a loss.