Younger sister?
The only person who was her younger sister in name was Lin Tinian.
Lin Jinran's knuckles suddenly bent. She put down the ball - pen in her hand.
"Your younger sister? Is it that younger sister of yours in the Imperial City?" Su Qinian recalled for a while. It took him quite some time to conjure up a vague figure in his mind.
"Probably her," Lin Jinran said in an extremely soft and light voice, just like a dragonfly skimming gently over the water, leaving only a few ripples.
"Why did she come to Wannan City?" Su Qinian asked curiously. When he first met Lin Jinran's family during the winter vacation last time, he just felt something was off.
Since Lin Jinran never said much about it, he never asked.
"I don't know." Lin Jinran stood up, turned to glance at the beautiful daylight outside the window, paused for a moment, and then walked towards the front door.
When Lu Youchuan saw Lin Jinran coming, he pointed at a person outside the door. "Look, this is the person who claims to be your younger sister."
He leaned in closer and whispered, "How come I've never heard that you have a younger sister? Didn't people say that your parents...?"
Lu Youchuan was being cryptic. He sighed and glanced at the person outside the door, counting on his fingers.
"You have to take care of your younger sister, work hard on your studies, and maybe even earn money to support the family. People always say that an elder sister is like a mother. It must be really tough."
Lin Jinran: "???"
What on earth was this guy talking about?
Lin Jinran punched him directly and said crossly, "What nonsense are you spouting? Don't curse me. My parents are not dead."
"It was just a joke I made with Su Qinian before. Why do you all take it seriously? I've explained it, but you still don't believe me. There's nothing I can do."
Lu Youchuan: "???"
Lu Youchuan: "!!!"
So it had always been his own misunderstanding?
So what Lin Jinran said that morning at the parents' meeting was the truth, right?
So all his pity and sympathy over the past half - year had been in vain?
Lu Youchuan stared at Lin Jinran with wide eyes, pointed at her, then at himself, and stammered, "You... I... So?"
"What are you stuttering about? It's just been a few days since the winter vacation. How come you've become a stutterer?" Lin Jinran leaned against the front door, both amused and annoyed.
"Sister, don't bully this senior anymore." Lin Tinian, who was standing by the corridor, tilted her head and looked at the two people at the door. She saw Lin Jinran looking imposing, while the boy in front of her seemed to be holding back.
She didn't know what they had said.
So on a whim, with a sweet smile, she walked forward to intercede for Lu Youchuan.
Lu Youchuan was so touched that tears streamed down his face. With a runny nose and tears, he said, "Sister Lin, your younger sister is really nice. Look, you've scared me speechless."
Lin Tinian gradually widened her smile.
Great, this was the effect she wanted.
"Do you want her? I'll give her to you," Lin Jinran said, casting a disdainful look at him and dropping a bombshell.
The smile on Lin Tinian's face froze halfway, and her mouth twitched back immediately.
Give her to a strange boy?
Was this still her elder sister?
Lu Youchuan was also startled and shook his head repeatedly. "Oh, I just remembered that I haven't finished my homework. I, I'll go back and do it right away."
As soon as he finished speaking, he dashed away.
"Sister, you've scared your friend," Lin Tinian said with a sweet smile, but her eyes darted inside, as if she was looking for something.
Lin Jinran took a few steps forward calmly, blocking her view. "Why did you come here? The teaching building for Senior Grade Two is not on this side."
Lin Tinian had arrived in Wannnan City yesterday.
Lin Cheng had told her about it and hoped that she could take good care of Lin Tinian.
He was really overthinking. She was in Senior Grade Three.
This was the most crucial time.
Naturally, she ignored it.
"Sister, I just wanted to come and see you. You're the only person I know in Wannnan City. Please don't drive me away," Lin Tinian said, seizing the opportunity to grab the sleeve of Lin Jinran's school uniform and shake it. She pursed her lips, looking aggrieved.
Disgust flashed across Lin Jinran's eyes. She shook off her hand and took a big step back. "Don't touch me."
Coincidentally, it was almost time for class. Students were coming back from the toilet one after another. They saw a strange girl, heard snippets of their conversation, and witnessed Lin Jinran's disdainful gesture.
"Hey, Lin Jinran, is this your younger sister? Why are you in such a hurry to drive her away?" someone asked.
Lin Tinian curled her lips, tried to raise her head, and took a deep breath. "Yes, sister, please don't drive me away in such a hurry."
Trying to act like a green - tea bitch here.
Lin Jinran sneered. She lifted her eyelids and looked at Lin Tinian casually, enunciating each word clearly.
"The teaching building for Senior Grade Two is two buildings behind the one you're standing in. There are only three minutes left before class starts. If you don't leave now, do you want to be late on your first day and leave a bad impression on your homeroom teacher?"
The students around suddenly realized.
So that was the case. It was understandable.
Lin Tinian's mouth twitched in annoyance.
What a high - sounding excuse.
"Classmate, you'd better go back quickly. Anyway, your elder sister is here and won't run away. You can come to find your sister next time."
"Yeah, go back quickly. After all, this is a hard - won opportunity."
Lin Jinran smiled slightly, lifted her chin a little, reached out her hand to ruffle Lin Tinian's hair, deliberately messing up her hairstyle. "Be good. Go."
Lin Tinian forced a smile. "Okay, sister. I'll leave first. I'll come to find you next time."
As soon as the words were out, in a corner where no one could see, she glared at Lin Jinran angrily, while Lin Jinran responded with a bright smile.
Lin Tinian was so angry that she almost had a heart attack. She was not willing to go back without achieving anything.
When Lin Tinian completely disappeared from her sight, Lin Jinran's expression gradually turned solemn. She strode towards the toilet.
"Lin Jinran, there's only one minute left before class starts. Why are you going to the toilet?"
"I forgot to go to the toilet. Don't worry about me." Lin Jinran waved her hand and went to the washroom to wash the hand that had touched Lin Tinian thoroughly.
The water gushed down. Lin Jinran stared at her hand, rubbing it inside and out until it was red and hot.
The class bell had already rung. After washing her hands, she went back as if nothing had happened.
This class was the homeroom teacher's class. She called out "May I come in?" at the classroom door.
Zhou Ping frowned. It was already four or five minutes into the class. Why had Lin Jinran just come back?
It was a bit unusual.
He squinted at Lin Jinran. Just as he was about to scold her, he suddenly noticed that her hands were bright red. Surprised, he quickly stopped himself.
"Your... your hands. What's wrong with them?"
"Oh, my hands?" Lin Jinran looked down at her hands and said casually, "I accidentally touched something really dirty. I couldn't stand it, so I stayed in the toilet a bit longer to wash it clean."
Really, really dirty.