ISBH - Chapter 31
Chapter 31: The Date
When Han Tian woke up, she felt as if something was weighing down her body.
She looked down and saw Mo Sheng wrapped around her waist, the two of them collapsed on the sofa together, Mo Sheng sleeping soundly.
In her sleep, the young girl's lips were slightly pouted, her brow furrowed, revealing a hint of childishness rarely seen on Mo Sheng's face before.
"Sister, you're awake," Mo Sheng woke almost the moment Han Tian did. She hurriedly stood up, taking a couple of flustered steps back. "Last night, I was going to carry Sister to the sofa..."
"Sister, I'm sorry," Mo Sheng said, her cheeks flushing slightly. She glanced at Han Tian with some apprehension. "I was just going to rest for a moment..."
Seeing Mo Sheng like this, Han Tian could almost guess what had happened: probably, Mo Sheng had also ended up squeezing onto the sofa and falling asleep.
Sunlight streamed in through the half-drawn curtains.
In the bloom of youth, Han Tian had been buying Mo Sheng good skincare products for the past two years. Now, the skin on Mo Sheng's face was no longer the dark, cracked surface of the past.
In the morning light, Mo Sheng resembled a newly blossomed flower. Even without makeup, youth itself was the best cosmetics. The girl's eyebrows were naturally arched without pencil, her lips were red without rouge, and her cheeks were full, bright, and white, looking incredibly vibrant and radiant.
This Mo Sheng looked more and more like the future Mo Sang.
"It's fine."
"I'll sleep a bit longer. You should get ready for school!" Before she could think, looking at Mo Sheng's face, Han Tian had spoken instinctively.
There was no reply for a long while.
Han Tian lifted her head and was met with Mo Sheng's face, on the verge of tears.
"Sister, you said I could rely on you." Meeting Han Tian's gaze, the little girl looked extremely aggrieved, her eye rims red, as if she might burst into crying at any moment. "Sister, are you going to distance yourself from me again?"
This was a girl who hadn't cried even when bullied by many people before, yet now Mo Sheng's eyes were brimming with tears. The look of almost crying was incredibly heart-wrenching.
Seeing Mo Sheng like this, Han Tian felt her heart clench painfully.
So Mo Sheng had been this scared inside all along?
"I won't distance myself from Mo Sheng." Han Tian forced out a smile. She really had no experience comforting people and could only reach out to awkwardly pat Mo Sheng's head. "Mo Sheng is Sister's most important family."
"Really?" Mo Sheng's eyes darkened, but her face quickly broke into a smile, pretending to be comforted by Han Tian. "Yesterday, I saw Li Meng's sister came to visit her. Li Meng is so childish, acting cute with her sister even at her age. Her sister is nice, indulging her in everything. But to me, no one in the world is as good as Sister. Sister helped me during my hardest times. When I grow up, I'll definitely repay Sister well..."
"Sister, I don't want to grow up. Can we be like before? My mother abandoned me because she found me annoying. I'm really scared Sister will also find me annoying..."
...
In that instant, Han Tian deeply realized her own cruelty. She hadn't expected Mo Sheng to have been carrying so much inside her during this time.
"I will never find Mo Sheng annoying. Sister's biggest wish is for Mo Sheng to be happy..."
Meeting Mo Sheng's gaze, remembering how Mo Sheng had become increasingly silent recently, Han Tian felt an immense guilt: So Mo Sheng wasn't learning to be independent. She was just scared.
I was so foolish!
Han Tian lowered her head in guilt. She had originally expected Mo Sheng to say something more, but then she heard Mo Sheng's laughter.
"Whatever Sister says, I believe."
The little girl stood up, smiling as she wiped her eyes.
She seemed to have grown taller again. Her pajamas were a bit short, and as she moved, a section of her snow-white, slender, and lean waist was exposed. "Sister, let's hook fingers!"
Catching an unexpected glimpse of that waistline, Han Tian felt momentarily dazed, then quickly averted her gaze.
Han Tian no longer remembered how she had hooked fingers with the little girl.
It was as if, right under her nose, this little girl had grown day by day into this familiar yet unfamiliar form.
"I'm really so happy right now."
"If Sister is tired, rest a bit more. I'm leaving for school soon..." Mo Sheng gave Han Tian another smile, stood up to draw the curtains, and then went into the bathroom.
Listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom, Han Tian's mind gradually cleared. She hurriedly dashed to the table to look at the painting she had drawn last night...
Fortunately, the painting was already covered by a draft.
Han Tian couldn't remember if she had covered it herself.
Han Tian didn't want anyone to glimpse her inner state. Just in case, she immediately and secretly tore the entire painting into shreds...
As soon as she entered the bathroom, the smile vanished from Mo Sheng's face.
Mo Sheng splashed a handful of water on her face, looked at herself in the mirror, and slightly curled her lips.
No wonder Sister hadn't promised to be with her forever before. It was because she wanted to be with someone else, right?
What a pity! Right now, Sister could only be trapped around her, completely unable to distance herself!
Jealousy and unwillingness spread through her heart. In the mirror, Mo Sheng's eyes were dark as she bit her lower lip.
During the long years of waiting alone, Mo Sheng had become most skilled at patience.
Sister was a hopelessly nice person bound by morality. If she knew Mo Sheng harbored romantic feelings for her, she would likely run away...
She could only retreat to advance, slowly biding her time, like a venomous snake hiding in the shadows, gradually eroding and infiltrating Sister's life, waiting for the right moment to seize Sister's heart in one swift move!
...
A star?
Mo Sheng's face darkened: Compared to a distant, unreachable star, she would one day make Sister realize that she herself was the closest, brightest star.
Sister's beautiful eyes only needed to see her!
She would slowly eliminate all traces of others from Sister's heart. In the future, Sister would only be able to see her!
...
After Mo Sheng finished washing up and changed her clothes, Han Tian was still sleeping with her back to the outside on the sofa, seemingly fast asleep.
Mo Sheng lightened her steps and walked over to Han Tian. Looking at Han Tian's slightly trembling eyelids and the shreds in the wastebasket, her eyes deepened, but she didn't call out Han Tian's pretense of sleeping. She simply turned on the TV as usual, switched to a channel Han Tian liked, and lowered the volume.
Hearing the sound of the door locking outside, Han Tian sat up from the sofa.
She had no experience raising children and had never had deep interactions with others. In a way, Han Tian's emotional intelligence was actually very low.
However, Han Tian had one advantage: when problems arose, she didn't shy away from her own mistakes.
Remembering Mo Sheng's cautious expression when looking at her earlier, Han Tian still felt a pang of soreness in her heart.
Had she gone too far, causing Mo Sheng to guess like this?
Communication was the primary way to solve problems.
Now that Mo Sheng had a boy she liked and her personality had become much more outgoing than before, she shouldn't keep speculating that Mo Sheng would develop a relationship with her beyond familial love.
It was clearly her own guilt and conscience causing the problem. Why should she let Mo Sheng bear the blame?
Transferring her guilt towards the future Mo Sang onto the current Mo Sheng was obviously unfair to Mo Sheng.
...
Han Tian reflected for an entire morning and gradually let down her guard against Mo Sheng. She decided to adjust her mindset and treat Mo Sheng well, no longer overcorrecting like before.
Meanwhile, Mo Sheng wasn't idle at school either.
As soon as she arrived at school, she started writing at her desk. Then, after school, she gave her deskmate Li Meng a stack of letters, asking Li Meng to drop one letter into her desk drawer every two days.
Mo Sheng bit her lower lip, hesitating as she looked at Li Meng. "You know, at this stage, I only want to focus on my studies. But recently, the boys at school..."
"So I plan to pretend I have a boyfriend."
"Li Meng, you're the person I trust most at school. You'll definitely cooperate with me and keep my secret, right?"
...
Being looked at by her goddess with such eyes, Li Meng immediately patted her chest and vowed solemnly that nothing was impossible!
Everything went just as Mo Sheng had anticipated. When Mo Sheng returned home after school, her easily soft-hearted sister's gaze held a hint of guilt, and she also showed a bit more closeness to her.
Mo Sheng played along perfectly, putting on a vivid act of a startled, incredibly happy little poor thing. Sure enough, the guilt in Han Tian's eyes became even more apparent...
Han Tian adjusted her schedule that day and accompanied Mo Sheng to school the next day.
She was still a bit uneasy and wanted to see what kind of person the boy Mo Sheng liked was.
When Han Tian followed Mo Sheng to the classroom, she noticed a letter on Mo Sheng's desk.
Taking advantage of Han Tian's distraction, Mo Sheng winked at Li Meng nearby.
Li Meng, having received the task, immediately exclaimed loudly: "Mo Sheng, a letter from your boyfriend!"
Facing the gazes of those around, Mo Sheng's face turned slightly red. She sat down shyly, put the letter in her bag, and then, as if nothing had happened, began attending class.
Almost within a single day, the news that Mo Sheng had a boyfriend spread throughout the whole school.
Li Meng faced a wave of inquiries, but as the goddess's most steadfast ally, she naturally wouldn't betray Mo Sheng. Following Mo Sheng's instructions, Li Meng kept her lips sealed about the boyfriend's identity, only saying that the boy was in his senior year and Mo Sheng didn't want others to disturb him.
Naturally, Han Tian did not meet Mo Sheng's "boyfriend" that day.
However, seeing Li Meng's reaction, Han Tian thought the news about Mo Sheng having a boyfriend was probably true.
After school, Han Tian walked back with Mo Sheng, inwardly preparing how to remind Mo Sheng about the boundaries between boys and girls and to protect herself, without hurting Mo Sheng's feelings. Beside her, Mo Sheng had already turned to look over, smiling shyly and speaking up: "Sister, do you want to see the letter he wrote me?"
Han Tian hadn't expected Mo Sheng to trust her so much!
It was like receiving a pillow when feeling drowsy. Refusing now would seem overly coy. Han Tian smiled and generously leaned in close to Mo Sheng.
Han Tian also hadn't expected the content of Mo Sheng's boyfriend's letter to be so upright and proper. The letter merely encouraged Mo Sheng to study hard and told her that since the senior and freshman years were in different buildings, it was best for them to meet only once a month...
From this letter, it seemed Mo Sheng had found a very reliable boyfriend. However, Han Tian always felt something was odd: the relationship between Mo Sheng and her boyfriend looked more like comradeship, without a trace of the pink, ambiguous aura Han Tian had anticipated.
But thinking of her own pitifully scarce romantic experience, Han Tian felt she probably wasn't in a position to comment.
Love had many forms. Perhaps Mo Sheng liked this kind right now.
As long as Mo Sheng was happy, it was good.
Han Tian had originally thought to give Mo Sheng a few reminders, but now it seemed everything she wanted to say had already been covered by Mo Sheng's boyfriend in the letter. Han Tian had nothing left to say and could only force a smile at Mo Sheng: "The young man seems quite good. Let's meet your boyfriend when there's a chance in the future."
"Okay. Once he finishes the College Entrance Exam, I'll have him come meet you," Mo Sheng's smile looked perfectly natural and shy. "He's a very nice person. Sister, don't worry."
Later, Han Tian thought about meeting the boy, but since he was in his senior year, a crucial time for studies, she didn't want to urge Mo Sheng to seek him out first.
However, the boy seemed to be very devoted to Mo Sheng. Han Tian went several times and saw letters from the boy on Mo Sheng's desk.
To be able to write letters to Mo Sheng even during the intense senior year, that boy must have held Mo Sheng in very high regard...
After a few times, Han Tian gradually gave up the idea of meeting the little boy, deciding to wait until after the College Entrance Exam.
After coming to terms with things, Han Tian returned to her usual affectionate closeness with Mo Sheng.
Mo Sheng also seemed much more outgoing than before. On weekends, she no longer stayed cooped up at home all day.
Just as Han Tian hoped, Mo Sheng would invite female classmates from her class to go to bookstores, amusement parks, or watch new movies.
Each time, Mo Sheng would bring Han Tian along.
Han Tian felt very embarrassed. She said it was a group outing, but in the end, Mo Sheng was always privately taking care of her.
Han Tian was someone who loved reading, but the idea of book pages turning by themselves was too startling. Every time she read, Han Tian had to avoid the cameras and Mo Sheng's classmates...
The books Han Tian wanted were often bought by Mo Sheng under the pretense of buying them for herself.
Later, Mo Sheng probably felt this approach was a bit awkward and stopped inviting classmates, taking only Han Tian alone to the bookstore.
Han Tian was deeply moved, feeling Mo Sheng was indeed her thoughtful little cotton-padded jacket. She silently resolved to treat the little girl even better in the future, to bring more happiness to her in the remaining time...
At the amusement park, Mo Sheng would also buy an extra ticket to bring Han Tian along. Whether it was riding the carousel or the drop tower, the seat next to Mo Sheng was always empty.
Although Han Tian didn't want to admit it, she was indeed full of anticipation for the amusement park trip. As a child, Han Tian was a prodigy. Her grandparents were old, so outings with them were to science museums or exhibition halls. This was Han Tian's first time at an amusement park.
Looking at the classmates who went out with Mo Sheng, Han Tian felt as if she too had become younger. She trailed behind the group, relying on the fact that no one but Mo Sheng could see her. Han Tian laughed freely, looking at everything with novelty, expressing all her joy without reservation...
However, Han Tian couldn't be happy when entering the haunted house.
Several male classmates, trying to scare the female classmates, deliberately told a bunch of horror stories before entering.
Mo Sheng noticed Han Tian, also scared by the boys' stories, and her gaze flickered.
"Is Sister scared?" While taking a bathroom break, Mo Sheng turned to glance at Han Tian, her eyes showing understanding. "If Sister is scared, you can stay outside..."
"I'm not scared..." Han Tian frowned. "I'm a staunch materialist!"
Mo Sheng lowered her head to hide the smile at the corner of her mouth and nodded. "But I'm scared. Sister, make sure you stay close to me later..."
Han Tian nodded and followed Mo Sheng into the haunted house.
It was just after the Qingming Festival, and the amusement park had specially renovated the haunted house, creating many gimmicks.
Han Tian hadn't expected that after walking about 50 meters, a group of staff dressed as "ghosts" would rush out!
The group was instantly scattered!
Looking at those ghosts with blood dripping from their mouths and terrifying appearances, the materialist Han Tian had long forgotten her previous bold words. She couldn't scream and completely forgot that no one could see her. She froze in place, too scared to move...
The staff chased the other fleeing people farther and farther away. Only then did Mo Sheng emerge from her hiding spot and quietly take Han Tian's hand. "Sister, I'm scared!"
"Can we walk out together?"
...
"Okay."
Han Tian only then snapped back to reality. She gave Mo Sheng a stiff smile, feeling her own smile must look worse than crying.
But Han Tian didn't dare let go of Mo Sheng's hand at this moment. Having someone to support each other at a time like this made Han Tian feel much more at ease.
Moreover, hadn't Mo Sheng said she was scared?
Han Tian openly found a reason for herself: Since Mo Sheng was so scared, as a sister, she must support her and walk through this together...
Han Tian didn't notice the smile hiding at the corners of Mo Sheng's lowered lips.
The staff in this haunted house were unusually numerous. Han Tian and Mo Sheng encountered another wave before long.
Before Han Tian could voice a warning, Mo Sheng grabbed her hand and started running quickly...
Even if her running posture looked a bit strange, so what? This was a chance to hold Sister's hand openly and honestly. Mo Sheng wished this path would never end...
Unfortunately, the path wasn't very long. Mo Sheng soon reached the end with Han Tian.
Seeing Han Tian, who had clearly breathed a sigh of relief after running outside the haunted house, Mo Sheng almost couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
Sister is super cute!
She really wanted to hide this kind of Sister in her arms, letting no one else see...
Fortunately, only she could see this side of Sister.
The others hadn't come out yet. Mo Sheng didn't wait for them, made a call to the other classmates, and then took Han Tian around to play...
The two had a very fulfilling day. Han Tian felt she had never been this happy before. She thought Mo Sheng must feel the same. On the way home, she earnestly instructed Mo Sheng, whose eyes were full of laughter: "In the future, you should also go out more with your classmates! Now is the best age. Don't be so sensible. Be happier..."
Mo Sheng ate the large cotton candy bought at the amusement park, her eyes curved in a smile, nodding indulgently.
Sister would understand in the future why she was so happy: happiness was never about what activities you participated in. As long as you were with the person you liked, every minute and every second would be filled with joy and delight.
During the movie, Mo Sheng often bought an extra ticket to sit with Han Tian.
In the darkness, no one noticed the chair beside the little girl inexplicably folding down.
Han Tian also couldn't understand why Mo Sheng, who seemed so scared every time and would secretly hold her hand, still happily watched every new horror movie that came out.
But most young people had such a temperament: the more bizarre and strange something seemed, the more they liked it.
At these times, Han Tian always felt mentally and physically exhausted. But she could only maintain her sisterly authority, striving to appear unafraid, softly comforting the "scared" Mo Sheng.
...
In such an atmosphere, Mo Sheng's first year of high school ended.
Mo Sheng ranked first in the entire school in her final exams. However, the little girl came home crying after getting her report card.
Seeing Mo Sheng's state, Han Tian's heart ached terribly. It took a long time of questioning before she found out the reason.
Mo Sheng was holding a familiar pink envelope. Han Tian read the letter and learned that Mo Sheng's boyfriend hadn't done well on the College Entrance Exam, and his family had arranged for him to go abroad.
"I was planning to bring him to meet Sister after the exam. I didn't expect him to go abroad so soon..." Mo Sheng clung to Han Tian's waist, crying incessantly.
"What about you? Are you going to wait for him?" Han Tian sighed.
The boy had vowed in the letter for Mo Sheng to wait for him, saying he would return after graduating from university.
Mo Sheng bit her lower lip and nodded. "I promised him!"
Han Tian had long known Mo Sheng's stubborn nature and had anticipated Mo Sheng's answer before she even spoke. Seeing this, she couldn't help but sigh again.
Who could have known such a turn of events would happen?
Han Tian could only do her best to comfort Mo Sheng.
Mo Sheng also seemed to be trying hard to forget the sadness brought by the boy. Just as summer vacation arrived, the little girl took the opportunity to travel around...
Mo Sheng wasn't yet old enough to travel by train alone, so she could only take buses to tour all the scenic spots within the province.
Han Tian naturally wouldn't let Mo Sheng travel alone and always followed behind her.
This was actually a very special experience for Han Tian as well.
It was only then that Han Tian realized: she had been focused on research all these years and had indeed missed a lot of scenery.
The two traveled to a small ancient city.
This ancient city was famous as the capital of romantic encounters.
When Mo Sheng arrived, it was during the Qixi Festival. The streets of the ancient city were decorated with lanterns, and an event was being held in the city center...
A stage had been set up in the city center. Everyone in the audience held a fresh flower to vote. The person who received the most flowers would not only earn the title of the Ancient City Flower Fairy but also get to rest for free for one night at the highest hot spring hotel in the city.
Tourists were enthusiastically participating in the festival.
Mo Sheng was pushed onto the stage by Han Tian.
Although Mo Sheng didn't seem to intend to pursue a career in the entertainment industry now, Han Tian still loved watching Mo Sheng perform.
Seeing the joy in Han Tian's eyes, Mo Sheng didn't refuse further. She casually borrowed a guitar from a street bar musician and went up on stage.
The little girl sang a love ballad softly. She looked beautiful, her voice like heavenly music...
Han Tian didn't know when Mo Sheng had learned to dance.
In the second half of the song, the little girl put down the guitar. Her dance ignited the entire audience. The people below were almost going crazy, screaming and tossing the flowers in their hands onto the stage...
At the end of the dance, Mo Sheng picked up the guitar again. The little girl suddenly turned her head, her expression innocent yet carrying a hint of danger. She caught a flower a tourist had tossed onto the stage in her mouth, her eyes fixed straight in Han Tian's direction, and winked.
This Mo Sheng completely overlapped with Mo Sang...
In that instant, Han Tian's heart pounded like a drum, and she was nearly moved to tears.
She thought she would never see such a performance again...
"This flower is mine!" Although she had been like an enchanting siren during the performance, after calming down, the little girl looked incredibly demure.
The little girl ignored all the flowers on the ground. She took the flower from her lips, disregarded the host's calls, and quickly ran off the stage and away.
"Sister, for you!"
Finally, no one had caught up!
The little girl found a secluded spot. Seemingly not noticing the dodge in Han Tian's eyes, she smiled and stuffed the flower into Han Tian's hands.
"Sister, this flower carries my best wishes. Sister is so good. I hope Sister can soon find her own brightest star..."
Mo Sheng was still different from Mo Sang!
Mo Sang wouldn't speak so demurely.
Han Tian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, emerging from the daze where Mo Sheng and Mo Sang had merged into one. She smiled, took the flower, and habitually tried to pat Mo Sheng's head, only to find that Mo Sheng was already a bit taller than her.
Han Tian could only smile and pat Mo Sheng's hand. "Mo Sheng too. I hope you won't have to wait long for the person you want to wait for."
"I'm sure I can."
Mo Sheng smiled, her smile brighter than the flower in Han Tian's hands.
The person she wanted to wait for was right in front of her.
She had already seen the admiration in Sister's eyes when looking at her. Once she became even better, she was sure she could wait for the day Sister fell in love with her...
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