[Honkai: Star Rail] White Cat and Sweet Fermented Rice

Pei Lan and Jing Yuan were childhood friends.

Born in the same year, with birthdays just one day apart, and living next door to each other, they were as textbook a pair of childhood friends as you could find.

They were inseparable growing up. They attended the academy together, got into trouble together, and sometimes even stayed at each other's homes. There was always one of their pillows on the other's bed.

They shared many of life's firsts and had seen each other in every sort of situation. There were plenty more firsts waiting for them in the future, too.

As they grew older, they were no longer carefree youngsters. Worries and anxieties began to find them.

Pei Lan had a question that had been troubling her for ages: did her childhood friend like her or not?

Jing Yuan had a problem of his own: did his childhood friend like him?

Love can make people impulsive, but it can also make them timid.

They were afraid that confessing their feelings would make it impossible to preserve their relationship as it was. They were afraid that the person they loved would grow distant after turning them down.

So they both thought, This is fine. The way things are now is just fine.

But people are always greedy, always wanting more. They weren't satisfied with the distance between them. One thought kept circling in their minds.

--I hope we can be closer than this. I want to take one more step toward her/him.

"So, I'm going to make Pei Lan confess to me." Jing Yuan clenched his fist, convinced he'd come up with a solution that would make both sides happy.

"...I still don't quite understand why you're doing this." A certain craftsman, who preferred not to give his name, couldn't see why Jing Yuan had to go around in circles.

"If you like her, can't you just tell her how you feel?" The craftsman believed that simplicity was the key to efficiency.

"Jing Yuan is afraid of being rejected." A certain Dragon Lord, likewise unwilling to give his name, kindly explained to the craftsman.

"Little Jing Yuan's plan sounds pretty good to me." A white-haired Foxian pilot eagerly joined the conversation. "If she confesses to you first, then none of the things you're worried about will be a problem."

"Mm. Your master believes in you. You'll definitely succeed," a certain Sword Champion encouraged his pupil.

In another courtyard, just across the wall...

Pei Lan was standing in front of a full-length mirror, trying on outfit after outfit.

After each change, she not only checked her reflection but also asked her adviser for an opinion.

Her younger sister, who preferred not to give her name, munched on Qiongshi Bird Skewers (payment for helping out) and watched in confusion as her elder sister changed outfit after outfit, asking her to judge how each one looked.

"Sis, what are you getting ready for? Is something important happening?"

Pei Lan smoothed a stray lock of hair by her temple, adjusted the flower hairpin on her head, and gazed at her radiant reflection. Then she answered solemnly, "There's something very important I need to do."

"What is it?" her sister asked curiously.

"I'm going to make Jing Yuan fall for me, so he'll confess to me."

"Huh?"

Welcome to two slice-of-life romantic comedies soon to premiere aboard the Xianzhou Luofu: The Future General's Love Strategy: How to Make My Childhood Friend Confess First and The Domineering CEO's Guide to Winning Over His Man: How Can I Make My Childhood Friend Fall for Me?

Reader's notes:

(1) Anything that differs from the original work is my own invention.

(2) A sweet, everyday romance with little angst. If you like that sort of thing, come on in.

(3) The story starts when they're children. They officially start dating after turning eighteen.

Theme: Love means accompanying each other as you grow