A seemingly obedient, gloomy younger sister and a gentle, restrained older sister
The moment her grandmother passed away, Chi Youzhu realized she had become a child no one wanted.
No one in the world would ever look after her again, and no one would love her. She had never been well-behaved to begin with. She would become a pathetic creature in a dark gutter, dying alone beneath countless contemptuous stares.
That was what she had thought.
Until she saw the strange woman who appeared at the funeral. Her world was utterly destroyed, then reborn.
The woman said, "Xiao Sun, I'm your big sister. From now on, would you like to live with me?"
It was a sudden declaration, and seemed rather domineering. But Chi Youzhu knew that maybe she didn't have to die after all.
And so Meng Ruqing came to her, wrapped in the fine, damp chill of rain. But young Chi Youzhu had yet to realize that the faint, cool mist her sister brought with her would permeate her entire life.
From then on, her one and only goal would be to stay by her sister's side.
Or to keep her sister by her side.
.
Meng Ruqing had no one and nothing. Her younger sister, who was not related to her by blood, was her whole world.
Her sister was sensible and obedient, so well-behaved that she never gave Meng Ruqing anything to worry about. As a result, she had almost never encountered any problems throughout her life as an older sister.
Until the day Chi Youzhu came of age.
Her little sister had always been quiet and well-behaved, never getting into trouble. But when she finally did, she went all out.
Meng Ruqing couldn't understand how the sister she'd cherished for years, the one she'd nurtured into adulthood with all her time and energy, could harbor such... irreverent feelings toward her.
Meng Ruqing had to take responsibility as her elder. As always, she patiently taught her sister, telling Chi Youzhu that this was wrong, that a younger sister mustn't feel this way about her older sister.
Such feelings were twisted, abnormal, and unhealthy.
But before she could say a word, her sister stepped forward and pulled her into her arms. Meng Ruqing was flustered and helpless, unable to break free, yet she still tried to raise her voice as she shouted, "I'm your big sister!"
The exact same four words she'd said when they first met.
Chi Youzhu took a quick, shuddering breath, but still restrained herself as she buried her face in the hollow of Meng Ruqing's shoulder and pleaded hoarsely, "I know... I know you're my big sister."
"You're the best sister in the world. Teach me this time, too."
"Teach me how to grow up."
"Teach me how to love you."
"Teach me how to make you more than just my big sister."
In the shattering silence, Meng Ruqing murmured through her tears:
"...Bad girl."
Reader's Guide:
1. The sisters are not related by blood.
2. A semi-coming-of-age story, with a ten-year age gap.
3. Their relationship only makes substantial progress after the younger sister comes of age.
Theme: Growing up safe and sound.
