Chapter 36: Xiao Yan Tells Me to Call Her ‘Sister’!

Xiao Yan carried Han Hanhan into the room and closed the door with her heel, the lock clicking shut.

The main light in the room was off, only the warm yellow glow of the small bedside lamp was on.

The soft light cast their shadows onto the wall, merging them together.

She bent down and gently placed Han Hanhan on the bed.

The moment Han Hanhan’s back touched the bedding, her hand shot up and grabbed Xiao Yan’s collar, refusing to let go.

“Don’t go…”

Her voice was impossibly soft, her warm, alcohol-scented breath fanning against Xiao Yan’s chin.

“Stay with me…”

Xiao Yan looked down at her.

Han Hanhan’s face was flushed, her eyes half-open and half-closed, her eyelashes damp, her lips slightly pouted, like a little rabbit whose fur had been ruffled.

Xiao Yan didn’t get up. Instead, she leaned over her, one hand braced beside the pillow, the other still held in Han Hanhan’s grasp.

“I’m not going.”

Her voice was low, husky with a slight intoxication.

“Staying with the little rabbit.”

She leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Her lips stayed pressed against her skin for two seconds before pulling away.

Han Hanhan’s eyelashes fluttered, and the corner of her mouth quirked up.

Xiao Yan straightened up and helped her take off her shoes.

When her fingers brushed Han Hanhan’s ankle, she flinched and mumbled, “Ticklish.”

Xiao Yan chuckled but didn’t let go.

She took off both shoes and neatly placed them by the bedside.

Then, she pulled the blanket over her.

As she tucked the corner under Han Hanhan’s chin, her fingers brushed her neck.

Han Hanhan shrank back, like a kitten being tickled.

“Still cold?”

Xiao Yan asked.

“No…”

Han Hanhan’s voice was muffled, but her eyes followed Xiao Yan’s every move.

Xiao Yan poured a glass of warm water, sat back on the edge of the bed, cradled the back of Han Hanhan’s head with one hand, and brought the cup to her lips.

“Drink some water, or you’ll have a headache tomorrow.”

Han Hanhan obediently opened her mouth and took a few sips.

A little water spilled from the corner of her mouth, trickling down her chin.

Xiao Yan gently wiped it away with her thumb, her fingertip grazing Han Hanhan’s lips.

Han Hanhan licked her lips, looking at her with sparkling eyes.

“Xiao Yan…”

“Hmm?”

“You smell so nice…”

Xiao Yan was taken aback.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“…Silly.”

She reached out and ruffled Han Hanhan’s hair, her fingers threading through the strands, gently scratching her scalp.

Han Hanhan narrowed her eyes, like a cat being petted, and nuzzled into her palm.

When Xiao Yan withdrew her hand, Han Hanhan followed, her head moving with Xiao Yan’s hand, almost slipping off the pillow.

“Lie still.”

Xiao Yan pressed down on her shoulder.

Han Hanhan stopped moving, but her fingers were still clutching the hem of Xiao Yan’s shirt, refusing to let go.

Xiao Yan glanced down at that hand, then at Han Hanhan’s face.

Her gaze was unfocused, her lips slightly parted, her breath carrying the sweet scent of fruit beer.

Xiao Yan couldn’t resist.

She leaned down, one hand bracing beside Han Hanhan’s ear, the other pressing down on the hand clutching her shirt.

She pried the fingers open one by one, then laced their fingers together.

Han Hanhan’s hand was small, completely enveloped by her palm.

Xiao Yan’s face was very close, their noses almost touching.

“Call me ‘sister’.”

Han Hanhan’s eyelashes trembled violently, and her ears flushed bright red instantly.

“…Why should I?”

“Because I’m taller than you.”

The corner of Xiao Yan’s mouth lifted.

“Th-that’s just because you’re tall…”

Han Hanhan turned her face away, muttering quietly.

“I’m older than you. I’m your senior.”

Xiao Yan laughed softly, leaning down to blow a warm breath against her ear.

“Even a senior has to call me ‘sister’.”

“I won’t.”

“Will you or won’t you?”

Xiao Yan’s voice was low, her lips grazing Han Hanhan’s earlobe.

“No…”

Han Hanhan shrank her neck back, trying to slide further under the blanket.

Xiao Yan followed her down, one hand braced beside her head, the other gently taking her chin and turning her face back.

“Look at me.”

Han Hanhan was forced to meet her gaze.

Her eyes held a thin layer of mist, her lips pressed together, red.

“You’re younger than me…”

She was still struggling, but her voice grew smaller and smaller.

Xiao Yan drew out the last word.

“Where am I younger~ Hmm?”

Xiao Yan’s fingers, still entwined with Han Hanhan’s, guided her hand towards the area below her collarbone.

“Does the little rabbit want to touch~ See where I’m younger~”

Han Hanhan fell silent.

Xiao Yan leaned down and pecked her lips.

“Will you call me?”

“…No.”

Another peck.

“Will you?”

Han Hanhan bit her lip, silent.

Xiao Yan’s kisses landed on her nose, cheek, forehead, chin, one after another, light as feathers.

Han Hanhan’s eyelashes trembled violently, her breathing completely erratic.

“Will you?”

Xiao Yan’s lips brushed the corner of her mouth, her voice soft as if coaxing.

“…Sis…”

Han Hanhan’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum, the last syllable swallowed back before it could fully form.

“Hmm? Didn’t hear you clearly.”

The corner of Xiao Yan’s mouth lifted, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Sister…”

Han Hanhan buried her face in the crook of Xiao Yan’s neck, her voice muffled, her ears so red they seemed about to drip blood.

Xiao Yan laughed.

She pulled Han Hanhan out from under the blanket, held her in her arms, rested her chin on top of Han Hanhan’s head, and gently nuzzled.

“Good girl, little rabbit.”

Han Hanhan didn’t speak, her fingers clutching Xiao Yan’s clothes, her whole body curled up in her embrace, like a little rabbit that had found its burrow.

Xiao Yan held her, leaning back against the headboard.

One hand gently patted her back, the other smoothed her ruffled hair.

After a while, Xiao Yan released her, got up, and turned off the light.

The room darkened, only a sliver of moonlight seeping through the gap in the curtains.

Xiao Yan lay down beside Han Hanhan, lifted the blanket, and slipped in.

The bed wasn’t big.

Lying together, their shoulders touched, their arms pressed against each other.

Han Hanhan immediately turned over and burrowed into her arms.

Her head rested against Xiao Yan’s chin, her nose nuzzled her collarbone, her whole body curled up like a kitten.

Xiao Yan reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

They were pressed tightly together, able to feel each other’s heartbeat.

“Yan Yan…”

Han Hanhan’s voice was muffled, drowsy.

“Hmm.”

“You’re holding me so tight…”

“Afraid you’ll fall off.”

Xiao Yan tightened her arm, her lips pressed against Han Hanhan’s hair.

“The bed is too small.”

“It’s obviously you…”

“Me what?”

Xiao Yan leaned down and kissed her forehead again.

“Sleeping or not? If not, keep calling me ‘sister’.”

Han Hanhan immediately closed her eyes, though her eyelashes still trembled.

Xiao Yan smiled and gently patted her back.

“Goodnight, little rabbit.”

“…Goodnight.”

Han Hanhan’s voice was slurred, but the corner of her mouth was lifted.

Her fingers were still clutching the hem of Xiao Yan’s shirt, not letting go.

After a few minutes, her breathing became light and long, her chest rising and falling gently.

Xiao Yan looked down at her.

She was already asleep.

Her face was flushed, her lips slightly parted, like a perfectly ripe little rabbit.

Xiao Yan didn’t let go.

She kept holding her.

***

The next morning, sunlight leaked through the gap in the curtains, painting a golden line on the blanket.

Song Tao’s loud voice floated up from downstairs.

“Senior Hanhan! Senior Xiao Yan! Get up—Senior Lin Ming’s strawberry jam is ready! Senior Bai Lu says she added honey, it’s super sweet!”

Han Hanhan groggily opened her eyes, blinking her eyelashes.

Her first thought was—hot.

The blanket was warm and cozy.

Someone was pressed against her back, an arm wrapped around her waist, breath fanning against the nape of her neck.

Xiao Yan was still asleep.

Han Hanhan didn’t dare move.

She turned her head slightly, looking at the person behind her from the corner of her eye.

Xiao Yan’s hair was spread across the pillow, her eyelashes lowered, her lips slightly pursed, sleeping peacefully.

She seemed like a completely different person from the one who had grinned mischievously last night, telling her to call her ‘sister’.

Han Hanhan’s face flushed again.

She shifted her body slightly, trying to slip out of the embrace.

The moment she moved, the arm around her waist tightened.

“Where are you going?”

Xiao Yan’s voice was hoarse, carrying the nasal tone of someone just waking up, muffled against her hair.

“T-to the bathroom…”

“Liar.”

Xiao Yan didn’t open her eyes, pulling her back, resting her chin on top of Han Hanhan’s head.

“I heard. The strawberry jam isn’t cool yet.”

“Song Tao is calling…”

“Let her call.”

Xiao Yan tightened her arm, encircling Han Hanhan completely.

Han Hanhan’s back was pressed against Xiao Yan’s chest, able to feel her heartbeat—thump, thump, thump—slow and steady.

“Five more minutes.”

Xiao Yan’s voice was soft, sticky with sleep.

Han Hanhan didn’t move, obediently curled up in her arms.

A few seconds later, Song Tao’s voice came from downstairs again.

“The strawberry jam is really going to get cold!”

Xiao Yan sighed and opened her eyes.

She looked down at Han Hanhan in her arms, the corner of her mouth lifting.

“Awake?”

“…Yeah.”

“Remember what happened last night?”

Han Hanhan’s hand stiffened slightly.

Her ears started turning red again.

“…What happened?”

“The thing about calling me ‘sister’.”

“Don’t remember.”

Han Hanhan said quickly, trying to throw off the blanket and escape.

Xiao Yan reached out and pulled her back in one swift motion.

Han Hanhan fell back onto the bed.

Xiao Yan rolled over, straddling her legs, one hand pressing down on her shoulder, the other braced beside the pillow.

“Don’t remember?”

Her voice was low, carrying a teasing laugh.

“Then let me help you remember.”

She leaned down and pecked her lips.

“Remember now?”

Han Hanhan, blushing, turned her face away.

Xiao Yan pecked her again.

“Still don’t remember? Let’s try again.”

“I-I remember…”

Han Hanhan’s voice was as small as a mosquito’s hum.

“What do you call me?”

“…”

“Hmm?”

“Sister…”

Han Hanhan buried her face in the pillow, her ears so red they seemed about to drip blood.

After a pause, she added in a muffled voice,

“…Even though I’m older than you.”

“So what if you’re older?”

Xiao Yan laughed and ruffled her hair.

“Who was it that curled up in my arms last night calling me ‘sister’?”

Han Hanhan fell silent.

Xiao Yan rolled off the bed and stood by the window, backlit by the morning light.

She reached out a hand towards her.

“Come.”

Han Hanhan looked at that hand, hesitated for two seconds, then reached out and took it.

Xiao Yan pulled her up and, in the same motion, smoothed her messy, sticking-up hair.

“Your hair is a mess.”

She said with a smile.

“Yours is too.”

“Is it?”

Xiao Yan leaned towards the mirror to look, then glanced back at Han Hanhan.

“Then help me comb it?”

Blushing, Han Hanhan took the comb, stood behind her, and began combing her hair, stroke by stroke.

Xiao Yan’s hair was very soft, slipping through her fingers, tickling.

“Done.”

Han Hanhan said quietly.

Xiao Yan turned around, looking at the two of them in the mirror.

She reached out, pulled Han Hanhan to her side so their shoulders were touching.

“Let’s go.”

She took her hand, intertwining their fingers.

Downstairs, Song Tao’s shout floated up again.

“If you don’t come soon, I’ll eat all the strawberry jam—!”

Xiao Yan laughed and called back.

“You dare!”

Han Hanhan let herself be led downstairs by her.

Morning light spilled into the hallway, warm and gentle.

Xiao Yan held her hand, her thumb tracing circles on the back of Han Hanhan’s hand.

The corner of her mouth was lifted, and it didn’t come down.