“Little one, why aren’t you wearing any clothes?” Han Rubing snapped out of her thoughts and asked Meng Xiaoyu, feeling a bit guilty for not noticing earlier.
“Because I just took a bath and I’m going to sleep soon,” Meng Xiaoyu replied matter-of-factly.
Hearing Meng Xiaoyu’s response, Han Rubing suddenly understood. She had almost forgotten that this little one didn’t like to sleep with clothes on. Remembering this, Han Rubing said, “Well, little one, you should go to sleep now. You must be very tired.”
“Okay, I’ll go to sleep first. Good night, Sister Ruobing,” Meng Xiaoyu said, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She walked towards the bed, lifted the quilt, and lay down. Once she was under the covers, she pulled off the large towel wrapped around her and tossed it onto the nearby chair. Then she hugged an extra pillow beside her, snuggled into it, and quickly fell asleep.
Han Rubing stood by, watching Meng Xiaoyu’s series of pre-sleep actions with a helpless smile. However, there was a lot of affection in that smile, something she herself hadn’t realized.
Looking at the sleeping Meng Xiaoyu, Han Rubing fell into deep thought again. She realized that she had developed a different kind of feeling for this little one, though she wasn’t quite sure what it was. Moreover, she noticed that her own sister also had different feelings towards this little one. Although her sister always wore a cold expression and seemed indifferent to everything, some habits had changed because of the little one. These changes were subtle, but as her sister, Han Rubing could still sense them.
Thinking of this, Han Rubing showed a smile of unclear meaning and then slightly frowned. She remembered the little one’s origins and how she had come to be here.
Although the little one’s story seemed unrealistic, she had indeed appeared out of nowhere. According to the little one, she had fallen from a high cliff and ended up here.
Han Rubing worried that one day, the little one might fall back to where she came from. This thought made Han Rubing frown even more deeply, and she made a decision in her heart: she would never allow the little one to go near any high cliffs and would keep her within her or her sister’s sight at all times.
After making these two decisions, Han Rubing nodded to herself, thinking that her sister’s belongings must be well-guarded by their own family. After this thought, she glanced at the person sleeping soundly and got up to call for a servant to change the hot water, preparing to take a bath.
Poor little Meng Xiaoyu had no idea that she had already been claimed as the sisters’ own.
After her bath, Han Rubing changed into a set of pure white inner clothes. She walked to the bed, lifted the quilt, and lay down beside Meng Xiaoyu.
Lying next to Meng Xiaoyu, Han Rubing watched with a smile as the little one, sensing her presence, threw away the pillow she was hugging and snuggled into her arms. Seeing the little one settle down obediently in her embrace, Han Rubing’s smile widened.
She turned on her side, wrapped her right arm around the little one, and gently stroked her smooth, tender waist with her left hand.
Han Rubing felt that life was becoming more and more beautiful. She couldn’t help but marvel at how comfortable the little one’s smooth, tender skin felt, which was very conducive to sleep.
—
When Han Rubing woke up again, it was almost noon the next day.
Sighing, Han Rubing looked at the little one still sleeping soundly in her arms. She thought to herself that she was becoming lazier, having slept so long while holding the little one.
She glanced at the sun high in the sky outside the window and once again marveled at the little one’s ability to help her sleep. She noticed her left hand, which had somehow ended up on Meng Xiaoyu’s chest, and without any sense of guilt for taking advantage of the little one, she moved her hand away.
Instead, she used that same hand to squeeze Meng Xiaoyu’s chest and then, as if summarizing, said, “Feels nice,” before getting out of bed.
Meanwhile, our little Meng Xiaoyu, still sleeping soundly, had no idea that she had been thoroughly taken advantage of. She continued to hug the pillow Han Rubing had given her, sleeping peacefully.
After getting up, Han Rubing didn’t wear her usual white clothes. Instead, she put on the light purple outfit that Meng Xiaoyu had bought for her.
After changing, Han Rubing picked up the bronze mirror on the nearby table and looked at herself.
Seeing her reflection in the light purple clothes, she smiled and praised the little one’s taste in her heart.
She then put down the mirror, opened the door, and walked towards her sister’s room next door.
