Chapter 241: Bai is Worried
Because Xia Yu and Xia Ling had been playing in their room for ages, they had no clue when those uncles outside decided to leave.
However, it was one thing for Xia Ling to get mad while playing games, but to take her frustrations out by headbutting Xia Yu’s belly was on another level! Xia Yu felt a mix of ticklishness and helplessness.
So, the only thing Xia Yu could do was wrap her arms around Xia Ling and pin her shoulders down, saying, “Alright, cut it out.”
“But sister, they were really mean! Just because I didn’t play well doesn’t mean I wanted to lose! They keep saying bad things about me.”
As she spoke, Xia Ling once again used her little head to nudge Xia Yu’s belly. Even though Xia Ling’s shoulders were pinned down, her head still had the freedom to roam. Xia Yu: “…”
It wasn’t until Xia Ling played herself into exhaustion (and frustration) that she huffed over to charge her phone before returning to the bed to take it out on Xia Yu: “Sister, come on and give me a massage! I’m so beat from battling in the valley earlier!”
Seeing Xia Ling all sprawled out, waiting for service, Xia Yu was at a loss for words. Although Xia Ling always called her “sister,” Xia Yu knew very well who the actual sister was.
So… Spoiling it was!
Finally, when Xia Ling was satisfied and said “Alright,” Xia Yu could finally breathe a sigh of relief and lay down next to her to rest. Giving massages was seriously tiring!
Over the past four months, Xia Yu couldn’t help but notice how well Xia Ling treated her, and of course, that hadn’t changed. It was no surprise that their sisterly bond was getting stronger.
Feeling all comfy, Xia Ling got a bit cheeky and wrapped her arms around Xia Yu, ready to spill some tea: “Sister, do you like that Big Bad Guy, Jiang Kekai?”
“Big Bad Guy?” Xia Yu responded curiously.
Maybe because she was used to being cuddled by Jiang Kekai while sleeping, Xia Yu didn’t feel any discomfort being embraced by Xia Ling. After all, there were no outsiders around, right?
Not only that, Xia Yu even shifted her position to face Xia Ling directly, thinking it would make for a better chat. “Yeah, didn’t that Big Bad Guy say she likes you? So, what’s the deal? Do you like her?”
This question caught Xia Yu off guard, and how on earth was she supposed to answer?
After a long pause, she finally mumbled, “Um.”
“Ugh, I knew I shouldn’t have let you hang out with that Big Bad Guy! My sister, and I still haven’t hugged you enough! Seriously!”
After getting all worked up, Xia Ling suddenly yanked Xia Yu right into her embrace, squeezing her tightly. When had Xia Yu ever been treated like this by a girl? Naturally, she turned bright red and tried to squirm away.
The escape was surprisingly smooth since Xia Ling’s arm was recovering and hadn’t regained its full strength, allowing Xia Yu to slip free quite easily.
But escaping didn’t mean she was off the hook; Xia Ling immediately began to act cute.
Using a bit of effort, she climbed onto Xia Yu’s lap and resumed her fake sobbing: “Wah, sister doesn’t want me anymore! I’m so sad~~~”
Xia Yu let out a helpless sigh at Xiao Ling’s antics, “Okay, what do you really want?”
With Xia Yu in a vulnerable position, Xia Ling shot back with a cheeky grin, “It’s simple! I’ve always been the one hugging you; now it’s my turn to be hugged by you!”
That request was a bit odd, but to spare herself from Xia Ling’s relentless teasing, Xia Yu complied and wrapped her arms around Xia Ling’s tiny frame.
Xia Yu’s embrace felt warm and delightful.
But that still didn’t satisfy Xia Ling. She continued to press: “Come on, squeeze harder! Did you not eat dinner? Clearly, you don’t love your sister! You’re just rejecting me and it makes me so sad~~~”
Seeing Xia Ling about to make a scene again, Xia Yu couldn’t help but feel a bit scared of this little rascal. She tightened her hold on her sister.
Of course, everyone knows that being hugged feels fantastic—especially when it’s a vice-like grip! That was the very effect Xia Ling was aiming for.
After feeling comfy from the ordeal, Xia Ling finally hopped off Xia Yu with a satisfied smile: “Alright, sis! I felt your love! If that Big Bad Guy, Jiang Kekai, bullies you, just tell your sister and we’ll go deal with her together!”
Xia Yu: “…”
To avoid any further chaos, Xia Yu simply replied with a nonchalant “Uh-huh.”
Just when she thought Xia Ling would settle down, Xia Ling dove back in with more chatter: “So, how’s it feel to be a girl?”
“What’s so great about it? Honestly, it’s more of a hassle. Every month I have to deal with that thing, and at school, I don’t even know which restroom to use. It’s just a pain!” Xia Yu spilled the truth.
That’s right; although Xia Yu’s body had transformed into that of a girl, her life hadn’t changed much. She still had to navigate her life as a boy. So, for her, becoming a girl didn’t bring much benefit; it instead made her feel sluggish, made her dread that monthly visitor, and, most importantly, she had to keep everything a secret.
Xia Yu felt a heavy heart. If it weren’t for Sister Little Ning guiding her and pampering her, she wasn’t sure where she would be right now. The despair of wanting to escape had lessened because she realized how many people she didn’t want to leave behind, fearing that her departure would hurt them.
So… maybe that was a sign things were getting better.
As Xia Yu vented, Xia Ling gently pinched her arm, a hint of frustration in her voice: “What’s so bad about it? You’re just focusing on the negatives! Sometimes you need to look at things differently. If you hadn’t turned into a girl, I wouldn’t even let you sleep in my bed!”
“Sure, sure, thanks, sister.”
Xia Yu understood her younger sister well enough to know she needed to be cheered up, or else she’d probably be in for a long night.
It really worked! Xia Ling assumed a big sister role and gently patted Xia Yu’s head, comforting her: “If you ever have problems, just tell me, and I’ll help you out!”
………
Xia Ling and Xia Yu whispered back and forth for so long that Xia Yu had no idea when she dozed off. The next morning, when their mom came to hurry them up, both she and Xia Ling were in a daze.
Yup, they had to get going early because the journey was long, and they wanted to arrive in time for dinner. Seeing the two sleepyheads yawning, Wang Wenjuan didn’t even know what to say to them.
If she didn’t know that Xia Yu was now also a girl, she might have speculated more, but since she did know, she was relieved.
“Xiao Yu, Xiao Ling, what were you two up to last night? Hurry and wash up! Once your dad and grandma finish packing, we can leave, and you can sleep in the car.” “Oh~”
Xia Yu and Xia Ling weakly replied.
However, they obediently headed to the bathroom together to wash up.
Meanwhile, outside, their mom Wang Wenjuan reminded them: “I washed your hoodies last night and hung them out to dry. Don’t forget to grab them before you come downstairs.”
With that, she went downstairs to help out.
Five minutes later, Xia Yu and Xia Ling emerged wearing their red-and-white hoodies with hoods, looking festive and cute.
Next up was picking shoes! So, Xia Yu opened up her big suitcase again to see if there were any shoes that would match. After checking out a few unisex styles and feeling unimpressed, she fixed her eyes on a pair of sporty shoes that were also red and white. Overall, they were mostly white with red logos and decorative patterns. Xia Yu decided these were the best fit.
The only thing holding her back was that the design seemed a bit too feminine, and she worried about what people would say if she wore them.
As she hesitated, her mom called up again: “Xiao Yu, your sister is ready! Are you good to go?”
“Um, I’m just missing shoes, and I’m not sure what to wear!”
Wang Wenjuan took a quick glance at Xia Yu’s suitcase and pulled out the pair of shoes, handing them to her: “Hurry up! Otherwise, Dad’s going to lose it.”
“But these shoes are too girly! I’m scared—”
“Scared of what? Xiao Yu, you’re already a girl! You need to learn to adapt. Don’t worry too much about what others think; just be yourself, okay? Mom will be with you.”
Maybe it was that last line that sparked a little courage inside Xia Yu. She slipped on the adorable socks, followed by the shoes Aunt Little Ning had given her.
Just like that, Xia Yu and Xia Ling started heading downstairs with their mom. “Why is it taking so long? Everything’s packed! You two handle closing the door,” Xia Hong said as he waited by the door, car keys in hand.
To Xia Yu’s surprise, Dad didn’t comment on her shoes—maybe he was used to seeing her in girl’s attire by now.
However, when they climbed into the car and settled in the backseat, their grandparents could clearly see Xia Yu’s shoes. To her further surprise, neither grandparent said a word, and Xia Yu was relieved.
