Chapter 41: About Xiao Yan Ghostwriting for Me and Making Me Look Like the Soft One

April 8, 2026.

That was yesterday.

Several years had passed since those days at the observatory, the hot springs, and the homestay.

Han Hanhan had become a lawyer, navigating between courtrooms and case files every day.

Xiao Yan had become a full-time author, supporting herself by writing fantasy novels.

The female lead in her books was always named Han something, but she never gave her a romantic plotline.

She’d get jealous of the characters she created.

Song Tao was a senior in college now, interning at Quanhe First High School as a physics teacher.

She also became the advisor for the Astronomy Club.

She said it was about carrying on a tradition.

As for Li Li, she was in grad school, researching atmospheric science, just like her senior, Bai Lu.

Occasionally, Song Tao would drag her in to teach the Astronomy Club kids about cloud charts.

Time had pushed everyone onto different paths.

But some things hadn’t changed.

For instance, Han Hanhan would still catch a cold with a fever whenever the weather suddenly dropped.

For instance, Xiao Yan’s eyes would still turn red with worry.

For instance:

Even when she was sick, Han Hanhan still worried about her story updates.

“No way…”

She was wrapped in a hospital gown, her face pale, her lips almost colorless.

But she clutched her phone tightly and opened the Taozibao app.

“I have to update a chapter today. I don’t have many readers, but they’re still waiting.”

Xiao Yan walked in carrying a bowl of congee, her brow furrowed so deeply it could crush a mosquito.

“My dear Lawyer Han, you’re a patient right now. Patients are supposed to lie down and rest.”

“I’m a lawyer, sure, but I’m also an author,”

Han Hanhan hugged her phone even tighter.

“I promised to write more. If I don’t update, Qingqing, An’an, and the other readers will be upset!”

Xiao Yan looked at her pale face and sighed.

She knew this person too well.

In court, she was calm and sharp, but once she got back to daily life, she turned into a little kid.

“Eat the congee first.”

She brought the bowl of century egg and lean pork congee to Han Hanhan’s lips.

“I’ll help you with the writing.”

“You’ll help me?”

“Yeah. I’m a full-time author. I don’t write yuri novels, but how hard can this be?”

Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow.

“That ‘blushing and holding hands’ stuff you write is way too tame. Let me spice it up.”

Han Hanhan hesitated.

Her head was pounding, so she obediently took her medicine and pushed her phone over to Xiao Yan.

“Don’t change it too much, okay…”

“Don’t worry.”

Xiao Yan’s lips curled up.

She opened the document and stared at the line:

“Han Hanhan blushed and took Xiao Yan’s hand.”

She thought to herself, ‘That “blushing and holding hands” is way too restrained. It should be like this.’

Han Hanhan didn’t know how long she slept.

The IV bag was almost empty.

When she woke up, the lights in the hospital room had already been dimmed.

Xiao Yan was sitting by the bed, her back to Han Hanhan, grinning foolishly at her phone.

Her fingers were flying across the keyboard, her lips curled into a smile, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

She was completely lost in her own world, not even noticing when Han Hanhan sat up.

“What are you doing?”

Han Hanhan leaned over and glanced at the screen.

Just one glance.

Three seconds.

Her face went from pale to bright red.

“Xiao Yan!”

Her voice cracked.

“What did you write?!”

On the screen, it read:

“Han Hanhan’s eyes instantly turned red, her nose went red too. She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She reached out her small hand and clutched Xiao Yan’s clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white.

‘I… I like you…’ Her voice was as quiet as a mosquito’s whine. She buried her face in Xiao Yan’s chest, too afraid to look up.”

And there was more:

“Xiao Yan patted her head. Han Hanhan softened into a puddle, nuzzling around in Xiao Yan’s arms like a little bunny.

‘Good girl, I like you too.'”

And there was even more!

“Han Hanhan was feverish and dizzy. Xiao Yan scooped her up in a princess carry and walked her to the infirmary. Han Hanhan snuggled into Xiao Yan’s arms, murmuring ‘This feels so good.’ Xiao Yan bent down and kissed her forehead…”

“Xiao Yan!!!”

Han Hanhan snatched the phone away.

“What ‘eyes turning red,’ ‘little hand clutching clothes,’ ‘whining and crying’—that’s not me!”

Xiao Yan turned around, looking completely unapologetic.

“That’s how I see you. All soft and super cute.”

“I’m super tough! I can make people speechless in court!”

“Don’t believe me? Ask any other reader! I’m not that soft and adorable! Hmph!”

“That’s with other people. It’s different with me.”

Xiao Yan blinked.

“In front of me, you do blush, you do clutch my clothes, and you do whine.”

“I do not!”

“You’re about to cry right now.”

Han Hanhan touched her face.

It was actually a little wet.

She wasn’t sure if it was from anger or the fever.

“I’m not posting this, anyway!”

She hugged the laptop to her chest like it was a baby.

“If the readers see this, they’ll think I’ve been body-snatched!”

Just then, the nurse pushed the door open to change the IV bag, and she caught the two of them in a standoff.

She looked at Han Hanhan’s flushed face, then at Xiao Yan’s guilty expression, and finally peeked at the screen.

“Oh, young lady, your partner sure makes you sound sweet.”

The nurse smiled.

“Young love, huh.”

Han Hanhan immediately buried her face in the blanket.

Xiao Yan, on the other hand, was unashamed:

“Thanks, sis. She’s always like this—hides under the covers when she’s embarrassed.”

“I do not!”

A muffled voice came from under the blanket.

After the nurse left, the doctor came in.

He adjusted his glasses, looked at the thermometer, and then at the two of them.

“The fever’s gone down a bit, but you still need to rest.”

He paused.

“Don’t rush your work. Let your partner take good care of you.”

Han Hanhan’s face turned even redder.

Xiao Yan’s grin stretched from ear to ear.

“Yes, Doctor. I will.”

That afternoon, the hospital room door swung open, and a familiar loud voice barged in first.

“Sister Han! I heard you were hospitalized!”

Song Tao was wearing a slightly casual formal outfit, her little dress shoes going creak creak.

She was carrying a fruit basket, her ponytail tied high.

She was still the same full-of-energy girl.

Li Li followed behind, holding a bag of oranges.

Her earlobes were still prone to turning red.

“Song Tao? Aren’t you supposed to be interning?”

Han Hanhan poked her head out from under the blanket.

“I took leave! I promised to cover three days of classes for another teacher, so they let me off.”

Song Tao set the fruit basket down on the bedside table and leaned in.

“You look terrible! Sister Xiao Yan, how are you taking care of her?”

“She insisted on writing. I couldn’t stop her.”

Xiao Yan spread her hands.

“Writing?”

Song Tao’s eyes lit up.

“What did you write? Let me see!”

Before Han Hanhan could hide it, Song Tao had already snatched the phone.

She stared at the screen for a few seconds, then burst out laughing, slapping her thigh.

“Sister Han! This is way too sweet! ‘Nuzzling and begging for affection’! Is this your fantasy?”

Li Li, blushing, leaned in to look too, and whispered:

“Actually… it’s kind of sweet. It just doesn’t fit with Sister Xiao Han’s usual image.”

“Of course it doesn’t!”

Han Hanhan finally erupted from the blanket.

“I’m a lawyer! I’m super tough! I’m not like this—waaah!”

“What about the time you cried to me?”

Xiao Yan interjected.

“I did not!”

“You did. Last month, you were working late until midnight. I brought you some congee, and your eyes got all red. You said, ‘Xiao Yan, you’re so wonderful.'”

“That was out of gratitude! Not crying!”

“Same thing.”

“It’s not!”

Song Tao was doubled over laughing.

“You two are still so mushy.”

Li Li said softly,

“If the Astronomy Club kids ever found out their advisor’s seniors act like this, they’d be shocked.”

“Oh, right. How’s the Astronomy Club doing now?”

Han Hanhan asked.

Song Tao puffed out her chest.

“Pretty good! This batch has a few really talented ones. They keep their observation records way more diligently than we did back in the day. Seniors Lin Ming and Bai Lu even come back to visit sometimes to teach the kids about the stars.”

“A tradition,”

Xiao Yan smiled.

“Yeah.”

Song Tao glanced at Han Hanhan.

“So, Sister Xiao Han, you need to get better fast. When the starry night observation event comes around, you can come tell the kids how Sister Xiao Yan swept you off your feet.”

“Who got swept off their feet?!”

Han Hanhan’s ears turned red again.

“You did.”

Xiao Yan said calmly.

“Shut up!”

After all the commotion, Han Hanhan finally gave in.

“Fine. We’ll post this chapter as an extra story.”

She sighed.

“But I’m naming the title.”

She typed out a line—

“About Xiao Yan Ghostwriting for Me and Making Me Look Like the Soft One (Ghostwriter: Xiao Yan, Reviewed by Han Hanhan)”

Xiao Yan leaned in to take a look and laughed.

“My little bunny is the best.”

She planted a kiss on Han Hanhan’s forehead.

“Who’s a little bunny!”

Han Hanhan buried her face in the blanket.

Her ears were so hot they could fry an egg.

Song Tao was covering her mouth and giggling.

Li Li turned her blushing face away.

Outside the window, the sunlight was perfect.

The autumn breeze blew in from the hallway, carrying the scent of osmanthus blossoms.

After the extra story was posted, Han Hanhan curled up under the covers, too afraid to look at the comments.

Xiao Yan, on the other hand, wasn’t nervous at all.

She sat by the bed scrolling through her phone, a grin plastered on her face.

“What are the readers saying?”

Han Hanhan couldn’t help but ask.

Xiao Yan read aloud with a smile:

“‘Haha, Xiao Yan’s version of Xiao Han is way too cute! I want to ruffle her hair when she’s whining!'”

Han Hanhan’s face turned red again.

“‘Ghostwriting confirmed! Xiao Yan, are you writing fan fiction about yourself?'”

“I am not!”

Xiao Yan said matter-of-factly.

“‘Please have Xiao Yan ghostwrite more! I want to see a softer, cuter Xiao Han!'”

Han Hanhan buried her face in the pillow.

“‘Lol, I bet Han Hanhan’s expression when she saw this chapter was priceless.'”

“…It’s pretty priceless right now.”

On the night she was discharged, Xiao Yan carried her all the way home.

From the hospital entrance to the taxi, and from the taxi to their front door.

Han Hanhan kept her face buried in the crook of Xiao Yan’s neck, too embarrassed to look at the passersby.

“Put me down…”

“No.”

Xiao Yan looked down at her.

“You still have a fever~”

“It’s gone!”

“Then why are you blushing?”

“…Because I’m mad at you.”

Xiao Yan laughed.

She set her down on the sofa and ruffled her hair.

In the days that followed, she’d still come up to her from time to time.

“Want me to write another chapter for you?”

Her voice came from behind, tinged with mischief.

“This time, I’ll write about you making the first move to kiss me—”

Before she could finish, a pillow flew over and hit her square in the face.

She caught the pillow and laughed even louder.

“Then I’ll write about you squeaking under the covers.”

Han Hanhan buried her face in the blanket.

Her ears were completely red.

Her phone screen still displayed the unfinished chapter.

The cursor blinked on and off, as if waiting for someone to type the next line.