Act with Impunity – Chapter 46

A scream from Tan Xingwei pierced the stuffy air.

This time, she didn’t just stand up; she pounced to Su Xu’s side, snatched her phone, and pressed the lock screen button.

Their gazes collided in mid-air. Tan Xingwei asked, “What were you reading?”

“The continuation written by Little Scissor,” Su Xu’s expression was matter-of-fact. “Haven’t you read it?”

The problem was, Tan Xingwei had read it.

“Where did you find it?” Tan Xingwei asked.

Su Xu gave the same answer: “You can find it with a simple search.”

Tan Xingwei: “…”

Tan Xingwei didn’t know what to say. She could only lower her head and bury it in Su Xu’s embrace. She knew her face was bright red, but that wasn’t the point.

Even with her face buried, her hand managed to take the phone from Su Xu’s grasp and stuff it into a crevice of the sofa.

Tan Xingwei: “How could you even read that.”

Su Xu laughed so hard her chest vibrated, and Tan Xingwei’s head bobbed along with it.

“Tan Xingxing,” Su Xu called out to her, cradling her head. “I can’t even read what other people wrote?”

Tan Xingwei said, “No.”

Su Xu asked, “Why?”

Tan Xingwei: “You just can’t.”

Su Xu drew out a long “ahhh.” “What should I do? I’ve already finished it.”

Tan Xingwei: “…”

Tan Xingwei took a deep breath.

She had only read this piece by Little Scissor once, a few years ago when it first came out. For the current Tan Xingwei, she had basically forgotten all of it.

As she recalled, that chapter had few words but many key points. Not long after it was flipped and mirrored, it was still blocked by Weibo. Later, Little Scissor tried to post it a few more times, but after repeated failures, she just dropped the matter.

As for the part about Su Xu being the 0, that was indeed in there. It was just that at the time, Tan Xingwei had never imagined she and Su Xu would reach this stage, so she hadn’t dwelled on who was the 1 and who was the 0. She was too busy feeling mortified and thinking it was a bit interesting, and that was the end of it.

Tan Xingwei gave herself a quick mental pep talk, decided it was okay, and gradually began to relax.

Let her read it, then. Su Xu was right. It was written by someone else, so what did it have to do with her, Little X?

Tan Xingwei took a light breath, then slowly wriggled up, wrapped her arms around Su Xu’s shoulders, and rested her head against hers.

This afternoon had been a bit intense. The Little X who wrote those Weibo posts back then surely never expected that one day this content would be seen by Sister A, and she certainly never imagined that the kind of chapter Little Scissor wrote as a sequel would be read in its entirety by Sister A.

“It’s too naked. I feel like I’ve been completely laid bare before you,” Tan Xingwei sighed heavily.

Su Xu smiled. “Isn’t that good?”

Tan Xingwei: “Is that good?”

Su Xu asked, “You’re not willing?”

Tan Xingwei said tearfully, “I’m willing, so willing.” She thought for a moment and added, “I’m willing to let Big Sister Ah Xu do anything to me.”

Su Xu: “Really?”

Tan Xingwei: “Haven’t I been?”

Su Xu: “Yesterday when I told you to turn your face, you seemed quite unwilling.”

Tan Xingwei was silent for half a second. She went limp and slid down again. “Oh, you’re talking about that.”

Su Xu let out a satisfied laugh, pleased with her successful teasing, and then pulled Tan Xingwei back up.

Su Xu stroked Tan Xingwei’s head. “Can I give some comments?”

Tan Xingwei’s heart tightened. “Comments on what?”

Su Xu: “Comments on what Little Scissor Teacher wrote.”

Tan Xingwei breathed a small sigh of relief. She asked, “What do you want to say?”

Su Xu: “I don’t think she wrote it quite right. The Little X in her story isn’t much like you.”

Tan Xingwei said “oh,” completely relieved. “Oh, you’re talking about that.”

Su Xu lowered her head. “What, did you think I was going to comment on that chapter?”

Tan Xingwei buried her answer in her laughter. “Hahaha.” Then she immediately said, “Please, go on.”

Su Xu smiled, twirling a strand of Tan Xingwei’s hair between her fingers. “The part she wrote at the beginning, that’s not like you.”

Tan Xingwei didn’t quite remember. “What was at the beginning?”

Su Xu: “I went to the meeting.”

Tan Xingwei said “oh.” “Please continue.”

Su Xu continued, “She wrote that I went to the meeting that night, and you asked me if you could be my girlfriend.”

The way Su Xu was twirling her hair felt so comfortable. Now, Tan Xingwei didn’t mind the chirping of insects and birds outside, nor the honking of cars on the road. A summer afternoon should be like this, as cozy and pleasant as they were.

Tan Xingwei slowly raised her head and asked Su Xu, “Is that not like me?” She quickly answered herself, “It’s not really like me.” She then asked Su Xu, “Then what do you think I would have said?”

Su Xu twisted Tan Xingwei’s hair into a single strand, then untwisted it, then twisted it again. “You would express your liking for me, but you wouldn’t express it fully, or very clearly. You would express your liking somewhere between liking me as a big sister and liking me romantically. You would make me guess.” At this point, Su Xu paused, then continued, “I could take a step forward, but you would also be able to take a step back.”

Tan Xingwei thought about it seriously, then nodded vigorously. “Mm, that makes sense. You know me so well.”

With Su Xu saying that, Tan Xingwei could already picture it.

This was indeed something Tan Xingwei would do. That night, she really only wanted to express her feelings, and as for what kind of feelings, it would probably have depended on the situation.

Since she could give an unsigned note, of course she would also leave herself an out when face-to-face with Su Xu.

“Then tell me,” Tan Xingwei continued with the hypothesis Su Xu had given, “if you had come that night, what would have happened to us?”

Su Xu said, “I would have walked you home.”

Tan Xingwei started laughing. “I got a lot of mosquito bites, you know.”

Su Xu: “We would have bought some anti-itch spray on the way.”

Tan Xingwei nodded. “That sounds good.”

So there was no need to be too hung up on their past. Although what happened wasn’t necessarily the best outcome, what happened was definitely the outcome that best suited their personalities at the time.

And now, four years later, their current personalities were suited for being together, suited for cuddling together on a narrow sofa under the whooshing air conditioner at 3:33 on a weekend at the start of summer.

“Okay,” after a moment of silence, Su Xu suddenly said. “Now I’ll comment on that chapter.”

Tan Xingwei’s arms around Su Xu tightened. “What are you going to say?”

“Hmm…” Su Xu deliberately drew out the sound, then said, “It’s written pretty well.”

Tan Xingwei was stunned for half a second, then started laughing. “Okay, okay.”

Su Xu added, “But it’s still not accurate. You can only read it as someone else’s story.”

Tan Xingwei asked, “Where is it inaccurate?”

Su Xu asked, “Do you still remember the content?”

Tan Xingwei shook her head. “Not really.”

Su Xu nodded and continued, “You would never say those things to me.”

Tan Xingwei’s mind was blank. “What things?”

Su Xu’s voice changed. “Big Sister, you look so delicious.”

Tan Xingwei let out an “ah.”

Su Xu continued, “Big Sister is fragrant and soft, so sweet.”

Tan Xingwei’s hands clenched into fists involuntarily. What a flirty Little X.

Su Xu continued again, “Does Big Sister like me like this?”

Tan Xingwei chanted silently in her heart, read it as someone else’s story, read it as someone else’s story.

“Little Scissor, she, she,” Tan Xingwei thought for a moment. “She often writes this kind of stuff for the CPs she ships, so maybe she got a little wild. You don’t have to take it to heart.”

Su Xu said “ah.” “What if I do take it to heart?”

Tan Xingwei looked into Su Xu’s eyes. “What do you want to do about it?”

“I’m thinking…” Su Xu drew out the sound. “If I had really gone to the meeting that night, what would have happened to us afterward?”

The topic changed abruptly. Tan Xingwei paused for a moment, said “oh,” and then gradually followed Su Xu into the unhappened past. “Afterward, huh.”

“Afterward,” Su Xu picked up herself, “not long after, you would have gone to university. You would chat with me often, tell me about all the new things, your joys, your worries, your studies, your life.” She didn’t seem too sure, and after speaking, she lowered her head and asked, “Would you?”

Tan Xingwei nodded. “Yes, yes, of course.”

Su Xu was very right. What Little Scissor wrote really wasn’t like them. Although Little Scissor’s story was beautiful, it wasn’t immersive. Tan Xingwei forgot it not long after reading it; it didn’t leave a deep impression. Right now, Tan Xingwei was completely following Su Xu’s train of thought, entering the plot.

Just as Tan Xingwei was thinking that their diverging path should have been like that, Su Xu spoke again.

“But it’s not certain. This is just the ideal situation in my imagination. Maybe you would have met new friends and quickly forgotten about me,” Su Xu said with a light sigh. “Who am I? Just a big sister you knew for over a month during summer vacation. Just a passerby.”

Tan Xingwei watched Su Xu, suppressing a smile.

A “beep” came from the kitchen. The beef Su Xu was stewing was ready. The topic was thus paused.

Paused meant there would be a follow-up. After all, Little X’s update wasn’t finished yet, and Little X was still leaving her readers hanging with a single sentence.

Tan Xingwei wanted to go to the kitchen with Su Xu, but Su Xu made her stay put.

Su Xu said, “You sit here and write the latest chapter. I want to read it today.”

Tan Xingwei’s eyes slowly widened.

Su Xu lowered her head and kissed Tan Xingwei. After doing so, Su Xu asked, “Can you, baby?”

Tan Xingwei was dazed. “Yes, yes.”

Su Xu caressed Tan Xingwei’s cheek. “Little Sister baby is the best.”

Little Sister baby just watched Su Xu go into the kitchen with a silly smile. When she came back to her senses, she realized what she had promised Su Xu.

What an experience, to be urged to update by Sister A herself.

Since she was being urged by Su Xu, the matter became different. Tan Xingwei couldn’t be lazy anymore.

So for the rest of the time, Tan Xingwei wrote and wrote before dinner, paused for dinner, and wrote and wrote after dinner.

Halfway through writing, she received a message from Tan Yinqing.

Tan Yinqing: 「Mom asked me why you didn’t come back this week.」

Tan Xingwei switched to WeChat: 「What did you say?」

Tan Xingwei: 「Why didn’t she just ask me directly?」

Tan Yinqing: 「That’s where the problem lies. Why did she ask me and not you?」

Tan Yinqing: 「She asked me if you’re in a relationship.」

Tan Xingwei: 「What did you say?」

Tan Yinqing: 「I said no.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Good sister.」

Tan Yinqing: 「But Mom said she doesn’t believe me.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Why?」

Tan Yinqing: 「Why don’t you ask yourself why.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Look at your recent Moments posts. Ah Xu buys you a cup of milk tea and you have to post about it.」

Tan Yinqing: 「You look completely in love. I don’t even want to call you out on it.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Isn’t getting milk tea a big enough deal to deserve a Moments post?」

Tan Yinqing: 【Smile】

Tan Xingwei also: 【Smile】

Tan Xingwei: 「If this goes on, I’ll just have to block Mom and Dad.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Haicheng has one more heartbroken mother.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Do you think Mom can accept gay people?」

Tan Yinqing: 「I don’t know.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Can you help me sound her out?」

Tan Yinqing: 「?」

Tan Yinqing: 「You should just block me too.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Hahahahaha」

Tan Yinqing: 「If you weren’t gay, I might have dared to ask.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Now that there’s a lesbian in the family, who would dare to ask?」

Tan Yinqing: 「Anyway, I don’t dare. I have a guilty conscience.」

Tan Yinqing: 「If the conversation goes wrong and I expose you, it would be all my fault.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Besides, Mom is very perceptive.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Especially when it comes to you. Back when Ah Xu left and you locked yourself in your room, Mom was the first one to notice.」

Tan Yinqing: 「At that time, Mom actually suspected you were heartbroken from a breakup. She asked me if something was going on with you recently, and told me to show you more concern and talk to you.」

Tan Xingwei: 「So you went to find Big Sister Ah Xu.」

Tan Yinqing: 「You tell me if I should have looked for Ah Xu or not.」

Tan Yinqing: 「I’m really impressed. It was part of your play all along, even back then.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Big Sister Yinqing is the best.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Get lost, get lost, get lost.」

Tan Yinqing: 「But it’s hard to say. Mom loves you so much, maybe she can accept it.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Really?」

Tan Yinqing: 「I was just saying. Mom has a friend whose child is gay, and Mom said they were crazy.」

Tan Xingwei: 「…」

Tan Yinqing: 「You figure it out yourself. Anyway, I’ve passed on the message.」

Tan Yinqing: 「In the future, copy me on your excuses for Mom, so I’m not caught off guard when she asks me something.」

Tan Xingwei: 「Got it, got it.」

Tan Xingwei: 「By the way, if things get exposed, will you protect me?」

Tan Xingwei: 「Big Sister.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Now you know to call me Big Sister?」

Tan Yinqing: 「If things get exposed, I’ll be the first one to run.」

Tan Yinqing: 「Don’t involve the innocent.」

Tan Xingwei: 【Kill you】

For now, the problem wasn’t huge. Tan Xingwei went back to her writing.

She wrote a bit during their walk, paused for the movie, wrote a bit on the way home, and paused when they got home.

She finally finished writing before her shower. She checked it over, saw no problems, and posted it.

She lay down again. After being immersed in words for several hours, Tan Xingwei was a bit dazed now that she was done.

She had already finished her shower. Su Xu was showering now. There was nothing fun on her phone, nothing good on TV. With nothing to do, she suddenly thought of what Su Xu had said that afternoon.

Maybe I should read that chapter by Little Scissor one more time.

But unexpectedly, the thing was so hard to find. She searched everywhere she could think of but couldn’t find the full version anywhere.

Where on earth did Su Xu read it…

So, Tan Xingwei found Little Scissor.

This just went to show that Su Xu was truly capable.

Little X: 「Little Scissor Teacher, that sequel you wrote about us back then, could you send me another copy?」

Little X: 「I can’t find it.」

Little X: 「I need the full version.」

Little Scissor was very efficient, and directly sent: 【File】

Little Scissor: 「What’s up? Why do you suddenly want this?」

Little X: 「Long story short, Big Sister read this too.」

Little Scissor: 「Eh? Ah? Ah! Ah?」

Little Scissor: 「Then why don’t you ask Big Sister for it?」

Little X: 「I’m afraid she’ll pin me to the ground and laugh at me.」

Little Scissor: 「How could Big Sister do that? She would only pin you to the ground and…」

Little Scissor: 「Ahem ahem.」

Little Scissor: 「Looks like Big Sister finished it. So? How was it? How was it?」

Little X: 「Big Sister is very confused about why she’s the 0.」

Little Scissor: 「Hahahahahahaha」

Little Scissor: 「Hahahahahahaha」

Little Scissor: 「So, is she?」

Little X didn’t say yes or no, only asked: 「Why did you think she was?」

Little Scissor: 「Ah, I think I get it.」

Little Scissor added: 「Good question.」

Little Scissor: 「Maybe it was my xp three years ago, don’t mind me.」

Little X was typing when Little Scissor sent another message.

Little Scissor: 「But Big Sister being the 0 is also really hot, Little X, want to consider it?」

Little X deleted the words she was typing and sent a single one: 「Okay.」

Little Scissor: 「Hehe haha heehee」

Little Scissor: 「Ahhh I just realized you updated.」

Little X: 「Yes, Big Sister urged me to.」

Little Scissor: 「Ahhhhh that’s great, that’s great! It had to be Big Sister.」

Little Scissor: 「Big Sister must urge you to update without holding back!」

Little X: 【Collapses】

Little Scissor: 「Not chatting with you anymore, I’m going to read the update!」

After chatting, Tan Xingwei went back and opened the document Little Scissor had sent. She scrolled directly to the end, to the chapter that had taken her five days to read back then.

The same content, because of Tan Xingwei’s different state of mind, was no longer as embarrassing as the first time she read it.

Her face didn’t flush and her heart didn’t race as she finished reading the short chapter in less than five minutes, and a huge question arose in her mind.

The lines Su Xu had quoted, “Big Sister, you look so delicious,” “Big Sister is fragrant and soft, so sweet,” “Does Big Sister like me like this?”, were nowhere to be found.

Huh?

What does that mean?

Sister Teacher, what do you mean?