Seeing Aiwella finally break into a smile through her tears, Luo Xiaosu’s heart settled back into her chest.
She released their linked pinkies, raised her hand, and gently wiped the tear stains from the corner of Aiwella’s eyes.
“Alright, since you’re not crying anymore, you have to be good.”
“First, drink your medicine, then go to bed and sleep.”
“Okaaay—”
Aiwella dragged out the last syllable, replying in a soft, sticky voice before reluctantly letting go of Luo Xiaosu’s clothes.
But the moment she released her grip and tried to steady herself, her legs gave way.
She lost control and stumbled forward, falling back into Luo Xiaosu’s arms.
“What’s wrong?”
Startled by the sudden movement, Luo Xiaosu reacted faster than her mind—instinctively tightening her arms and securely holding Aiwella.
“My legs… they won’t listen to me…”
Feeling the numbness in her legs, Aiwella’s cheeks flushed red.
Her little hands clumsily grabbed at Luo Xiaosu’s clothes.
“They’re so tingly… I can’t stand…”
She muttered in a tearful voice, low and muffled with a pitiful nasal tone, pressing her face against Luo Xiaosu’s chest and nuzzling, as if seeking comfort or acting spoiled.
“Then I’ll carry you back.”
Adjusting her center of gravity slightly, Luo Xiaosu slid one arm under Aiwella’s knees, wrapped the other around her small back, and with a little effort, lifted her into a princess carry.
Aiwella obediently rested her head on Luo Xiaosu’s shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck.
She breathed in the faint, clean scent of her body, and the numbness in her legs seemed to ease.
Luo Xiaosu carried Aiwella back to the room, gently laid her on the bed, picked up the blanket that had been tossed aside, and covered her.
After that, she reached out and smoothed Aiwella’s messy bangs, speaking softly.
“Be good. I’ll go get your medicine.”
“Okay, but come back quickly, sister.”
“Sure.”
A helpless smile tugged at the corner of Luo Xiaosu’s lips.
She turned and left the room.
In the kitchen, as she used magic to reheat the cold medicinal broth, she mentally reviewed the danger she’d just encountered.
‘Why did a Constellation Bear suddenly attack? Even if it’s a nocturnal predator, according to the original body’s memories, it almost never comes near this area.’
‘And its target seemed to be this cabin. Could it be…’
“Sister! Are you done yet?!”
A childish shout interrupted Luo Xiaosu’s thoughts.
She turned around to see Aiwella, barefoot, peeking her head through the crack in the door.
“Hey, why are you out of bed? Get back in. I’ll be right there.”
After coaxing Aiwella back into bed, Luo Xiaosu returned to the room carrying the bowl of medicine.
Sitting back down by the bedside, she held the bowl in one hand, scooped up a spoonful of the broth, blew on it until it was the right temperature, and then brought it to Aiwella’s lips.
“Come on, open wide—ah—”
Aiwella stared at the dark, murky liquid, her brows immediately scrunching up.
But under Luo Xiaosu’s watchful gaze, she obediently opened her mouth, took the spoon, and swallowed the medicine.
The moment the broth touched her tongue, a bitter taste exploded across her taste buds.
Her whole face wrinkled like a bitter gourd, brows tightly knitted, eyes squeezed shut.
“Bitter… so bitter… sister…”
She stuck out her tongue, tears welling in her eyes, as if she’d suffered some great injustice.
Looking at the full bowl of medicine, Aiwella shrank back, gazing pitifully at Luo Xiaosu, pouting, her voice tinged with tears.
“Can I skip it? Please, sister…”
“No, you can’t. If you don’t drink it, your body won’t get better, and you won’t be able to go out and play with me.”
Luo Xiaosu shook her head, unmoved by the spoiled act.
“But… it’s really bitter… ugh…”
Aiwella made an exaggerated gagging face.
Luo Xiaosu sighed helplessly, put down the spoon, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a honey candy she’d prepared earlier, waving it in front of Aiwella.
“How about this: if you finish your medicine like a good girl, I’ll give you this candy. Deal?”
Eyes fixed unblinkingly on the candy, Aiwella’s eyes lit up instantly. She swallowed hard.
“Really?!”
“Really. But you have to finish the medicine first, okay?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Spoonful after spoonful, she drank it all down.
Her little face was completely scrunched up, her tongue constantly sticking out as if trying to spit out the bitterness.
“Sister! The candy!”
As soon as Luo Xiaosu set down the bowl, she threw herself into her arms, staring at her expectantly.
“Alright, alright.”
Luo Xiaosu smiled, unwrapped the candy, and popped it into Aiwella’s mouth.
A sweet taste instantly burst in her mouth, washing away the bitter residue clinging to her tongue.
With the candy in her mouth, Aiwella’s eyes narrowed into happy slits.
“So sweet! Sister’s the best!”
Picking up a towel, Luo Xiaosu gently wiped the medicine stains from the corner of her mouth, then patted Aiwella’s head to soothe her.
“Alright, you’ve had your medicine and your candy. Now it’s time to sleep, okay?”
Seeing Luo Xiaosu about to stand, Aiwella quickly reached out and grabbed her sleeve.
“Sister, aren’t you sleeping with me?”
She blinked her big, watery eyes, looking at Luo Xiaosu with a tearful gaze.
“Uh… well…”
Seeing the expression on Aiwella’s face that suggested she would start crying immediately if she refused, Luo Xiaosu sighed, shrugged, and said helplessly,
“Fine, fine. I’ll sleep with you.”
At Luo Xiaosu’s agreement, Aiwella cheered happily.
“Yay!”
Seeing her excitement, Luo Xiaosu felt a headache coming on.
‘What is this?! I’m a pure, upright high school boy!’
‘Sure, now the system has turned me into a “no-bird” case. But I’ve always believed this is just for the plot of this world. Once the mission is done and I go back to the real world, I’ll be a guy again.’
‘Now I have to… share a bed with a little girl like this? If word got out, I’d be labeled a loli-con and executed on the spot!’
“Sister, come on up!”
Aiwella patted the pillow beside her, looking at her with hopeful eyes.
Luo Xiaosu glanced at the big bed, easily big enough for two or even three people, and silently cursed the original body eight hundred times in her head.
She forced a dry laugh, trying to make one last stand.
“Um… Aiwella, look. I’m already this old. I can’t be sleeping in the same bed as a little kid anymore. People would… laugh at me.”
Aiwella tilted her head, looking completely innocent.
“Why? Mom used to hold me like this when I slept. And… and I get scared sleeping alone. There are monsters in my dreams that want to eat me…”
As she spoke, her little mouth drooped, and those big, sparkling eyes instantly filled with tears, as if they might spill over any second.
“Fine, fine! I’ll sleep! I’ll sleep with you! Just don’t cry!”
She completely caved, mentally ranting about this ridiculous gender-bending isekai while using magic to loosen the ties behind her.
With a whoosh, the tight corset that had been squeezing her all day finally came undone.
“Ahh…”
Luo Xiaosu let out a long sigh of relief, feeling the release of pressure on her chest and breathing much easier.
She blew out the candle, climbed onto the bed by the moonlight, and—
“Hehe! Sister, hug~”
The moment Luo Xiaosu got on the bed, Aiwella wrapped around her like an octopus, arms hugging her waist tightly, burying her face in her chest.
“Sister’s so warm…”
Mumbling to herself, Aiwella found a comfortable position and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Listening to the steady breathing in her arms, Luo Xiaosu lay stiff, not daring to move a muscle.
She could clearly feel Aiwella’s soft cheek pressing against her own softness, occasionally nuzzling.
That sensation was even stranger than when she touched herself.
‘This… this isn’t right! How am I the one getting taken advantage of?!’
Fighting the strange sensation on her chest, she carefully tried to push Aiwella away.
But the moment she applied pressure, Aiwella let out a dissatisfied whimper and held on even tighter, her cheek rubbing against her unintentionally, as if in a spoiled plea.
A blush spread from Luo Xiaosu’s neck all the way to her ears.
‘Calm down, calm down… She’s just a kid.’
In the end, she gave up struggling, letting Aiwella hold her, and closed her eyes, slowly falling asleep.