Act with Impunity – Chapter 5

“The first surprise after getting off the plane, seeing a little sister I haven’t seen in a long time…”

Beside her, Tan Yinqing read out the first half of Su Xu’s Moments post, then let out a soft “Heh~”

At the same time, Tan Yinqing’s comment flashed on Tan Xingwei’s phone screen.

【Tan Yinqing: Little sister, huh?】

Tan Xingwei blinked, but before she could think too deeply or ask Tan Yinqing about it, the comment suddenly disappeared.

Tan Yinqing had deleted it.

Tan Xingwei secretly turned her head to look at Tan Yinqing, only to see her engrossed in her phone. The lively laughter from the variety show couldn’t compete with the rapid tapping of the keyboard as Tan Yinqing typed with both hands.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Tan Xingwei began to have many suspicions. Was Tan Yinqing in a group chat? What were they talking about? Were they talking about Su Xu’s Moments post? Why did Tan Yinqing repeat “little sister” in that strange tone?

What was Tan Yinqing laughing at? What were they talking about that made her laugh like that? Typing so fast, were all four of them chatting?

Had Su Xu said anything?

What did she say?

Why did Su Xu post that on her Moments?

But it didn’t seem wrong, either. It didn’t seem like she said too much, just that she hadn’t mentioned Tan Xingwei by name.

And whose fault was it that she wasn’t mentioned by name? Who was it that secretly went to the airport to pick someone up?

Tan Xingwei overthought it so much she could almost see many threads tangling together in her mind, forming a round, plump knot.

A round knot wasn’t pretty, so she corrected it, changing it into a bow.

A bow with a white background and a thin red string, just like the one on the bouquet she gave Su Xu today, the one Su Xu had praised as pretty, that red bow.

Su Xu’s name was written on every ribbon of the bow. Wow, how cheesy…

“Hahahaha.” Beside her, Tan Yinqing suddenly burst out laughing.

Tan Xingwei finally couldn’t hold back anymore. “What are you talking about?”

Tan Yinqing shook her head. “Nothing, Chen Jing is being abstract.”

One day, Tan Xingwei would be driven to death by Tan Yinqing’s every evasive sentence, but now was the time to speak nicely. She even forced a smile. “What kind of abstract?”

Tan Yinqing: “She’s saying that the one who’s come back now is Niohuru Ah Xu.”

Tan Xingwei felt she was getting close to the truth. “What’s wrong with Big Sister Ah Xu?”

Tan Yinqing was still staring at her phone and laughing, but she just said, “Nothing.”

Tan Xingwei died.

She also remembered that the period in her life when she was most fawning towards Tan Yinqing was that summer vacation, so friendly that Tan Yinqing thought she had taken the wrong medicine.

At ten-thirty, after much anticipation, Tan Xingwei drove Tan Yinqing and arrived on time.

When they arrived at the private room, Chen Jing and Yaoyao were already there. They had stayed in Haicheng after graduation and were now roommates, so they often came and went together and frequently had meals with Tan Yinqing.

Tan Xingwei had just taken off her coat when a sound came from the doorway.

It was unclear who shouted first, but a second later, the entire private room erupted in screams of “Ahhh.”

Of course, the composed Tan Xingwei did not scream, even though for her, not seeing Su Xu for a quarter of a day felt like three-quarters of an autumn, even though Su Xu had changed into another outfit that was so suddenly cool and commanding it made Tan Xingwei’s head spin, even though Su Xu had tied up her hair and wasn’t wearing glasses, and the fine strands of hair by her ears seemed to be tickling Tan Xingwei’s own skin, Tan Xingwei still stood quietly by her chair, a faint smile on her face, watching this group of older sisters as if she were the only sober one in a crowd of drunks.

Watching them.

“Long time no see, Ah Xu!”

“Ah Xu, Ah Xu, Ah Xu!”

“We missed you so much!”

…

Chen Jing was the first to hug her. She placed her hands on Su Xu’s shoulders. “You’re too thin.”

Su Xu: “I have lost a bit of weight recently.”

Next was Yaoyao. After hugging her, she nodded in agreement. “You are thin,” she then asked, “What perfume are you wearing?”

Su Xu thought for a moment. “I don’t remember the name.”

Yaoyao: “Send me the link later.”

Su Xu: “Okay.”

Then it was Tan Yinqing. After the hug, she grabbed Su Xu’s arm. “This makeup suits you so well.”

Su Xu: “Isn’t it because I’m pretty?”

Tan Yinqing laughed. “Does that even need to be said?”

After Tan Yinqing finished speaking and stepped back, Su Xu turned her gaze to Tan Xingwei.

It wasn’t just Su Xu; the other three older sisters stood to the side as if in a line, also turning their gazes to Tan Xingwei, waiting for the last person to complete this unannounced ritual.

Everything was conveyed in their eyes. Tan Xingwei moved her legs, which seemed casual but had in fact been waiting in line for a long time, and walked up to Su Xu just like the other three.

It was unclear who made the first move, but by the time Tan Xingwei reacted, she was already resting against Su Xu’s shoulder.

Because of their height difference, Tan Xingwei stood slightly on her toes. The pleasant perfume scent that Yaoyao had just mentioned immediately drifted into Tan Xingwei’s nostrils.

It was a floral scent.

“Long time no see, Xingxing.”

The hug was brief. After it ended, Su Xu spoke.

Tan Xingwei secretly suppressed a smile. Then she too said, “Long time no see.”

Su Xu added, “You’ve gotten much prettier.”

Tan Xingwei felt her cheeks growing hot. Fortunately, she was wearing makeup, so the foundation would hide it.

“You’re very pretty too,” Tan Xingwei retorted.

Su Xu let out a low laugh.

“You two really haven’t seen each other in a long time,” Yaoyao said from the side, having already pulled out a chair and sat down. “It’s been four years, right? The year Ah Xu went abroad, Xingxing had just finished her college entrance exams, I think?”

“That’s right,” Tan Yinqing chimed in. “For a few days after Ah Xu left, she was crying in her room every day.”

Tan Xingwei’s eyes widened. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Tan Yinqing started laughing. “Were you in a bad mood or not?”

Tan Xingwei’s face was about to burn up. “When was I?”

Tan Yinqing presented her evidence: “Weren’t you staying in your room and not coming out for those few days?”

Tan Xingwei instantly felt a little guilty, but she remained stubborn. “Just because I didn’t come out of my room means I was in a bad mood? Does that mean every time you go back to your room, it’s because you’re in a bad mood?”

Tan Yinqing: “You know in your heart whether you were in a bad mood or not.”

Tan Xingwei: “Of course I know, and I wasn’t.”

Tan Yinqing: “Pfft.”

Tan Xingwei also: “Pfft, pfft.”

Everyone was already used to the two sisters bickering. No one paid them any mind; those ordering food ordered food, and those unwrapping tableware unwrapped tableware.

So Tan Xingwei decided to unwrap tableware too. With the first battle over, she reached for the transparent turntable. But just as she was about to grab a set, a pair of hands snatched her preferred tableware away faster than her.

At the same time, a set of already unwrapped bowls and chopsticks was pushed in front of her.

Yes, Su Xu was sitting to her right.

Tan Xingwei’s fighting spirit was instantly extinguished, and she became instantly well-behaved. “Thank you.”

As soon as she spoke, laughter came from Tan Yinqing on her left.

Sure enough, the next second: “Who’s your real sister?”

Tan Xingwei immediately leaned against Su Xu. “Of course it’s Big Sister Ah Xu. Big Sister unwrapped my tableware for me.”

Tan Yinqing mimicked her with a twisted mouth, “Big Sister unwrapped my tableware for me~”

Su Xu let out a very light laugh, passed another set of unwrapped tableware she was holding around Tan Xingwei, and pushed it in front of Tan Yinqing.

Tan Yinqing’s expression changed instantly. She put on an affected air in front of Tan Xingwei. “Thank you, Big Sister Ah Xu.”

Tan Xingwei gritted her teeth, glanced at Tan Yinqing, and also held out a fist.

Annoyingly, Tan Yinqing played paper.

Tan Xingwei: “Ah!” She turned to the person beside her. “Big Sister Ah Xu.”

Su Xu also held out her hand. The next second, Su Xu’s scissors and Tan Yinqing’s paper appeared in mid-air.

“Yay!” Tan Xingwei cheered.

Tan Yinqing huffed. “Was it you who beat me?”

Tan Xingwei said smugly, “A win for Big Sister Ah Xu is a win for me.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,” Tan Yinqing said sarcastically, then immediately added, “Have you two really not seen each other in four years?”

Tan Xingwei almost performed a vanishing smile trick, not to mention Su Xu then turned and asked her in return, “Have we?”

Tan Xingwei immediately changed the subject. “Haven’t you guys also not seen each other in four years?”

It was Tan Yinqing’s turn to be smug. “That’s not the case, oh.”

Tan Xingwei was stunned. “Huh?”

Yaoyao explained from the side, “Last year? Or maybe the year before, Ah Xu came back to the country once.”

This time, Tan Xingwei’s smile truly vanished. She really wanted to open her mouth and ask why they hadn’t told her, but reason immediately stopped her. After all, there was really no reason for them to tell her that Su Xu was back.

“The year before last, I think,” Chen Jing added from the side. “I was in the middle of a project and rushed back to have dinner with you all.”

Tan Xingwei blinked, unconsciously turning her gaze toward Tan Yinqing.

Tan Yinqing seemed to know what Tan Xingwei was thinking and said, “I asked you back then if you were coming home, and you said no.”

Tan Xingwei was surprised. “When?”

Tan Yinqing shook her head. “I forgot. Anyway, I asked if you wanted to come home for the weekend, and you said no.”

Tan Xingwei: “…”

Tan Xingwei: “Why didn’t you say Big Sister Ah Xu was back?”

Tan Yinqing thought for a moment. “Did I not say?”

Just then, a voice drifted into Tan Xingwei’s ear, “So you didn’t know. I thought you didn’t want to see me.”

Tan Xingwei didn’t know how to smile anymore.

This topic ended, and their grilled fish was served.

Yes, it was just an ordinary, unremarkable event of a friend returning and meeting up with everyone. No one felt any regret for not informing their friend’s little sister.

Except for the little sister herself.

Everyone was indeed, as Tan Yinqing had said, chatting frequently. They all acted like friends who saw each other often. They could talk about the things and people around them as soon as they opened their mouths, without needing any special explanations or clarifications.

Just like four years ago, Tan Xingwei’s presence here was merely to get a share of the food.

The topic Tan Xingwei had been anticipating never came up.

What was she anticipating?

Haha, shh.

To confess embarrassingly, before leaving the house, she had been fantasizing. What if someone brought up the Moments post? Then, in what kind of subtle tone and wording that only Tan Xingwei could understand would Su Xu explain the matter?

Just thinking about it was thrilling.

Alas, no one asked.

Oh well, it was nice while the thrill lasted.

However, it wasn’t without useful information. At least Tan Xingwei confirmed, hearing with her own ears from Su Xu’s mouth, that Su Xu was preparing to settle down in the country. She had already found a job.

“What about you?”

As the conversation died down, Su Xu picked up some noodles with her chopsticks and put them in her bowl, asking Tan Xingwei, “Are you planning to come back to Haicheng for work?”

Su Xu’s voice was very soft when she asked this, as if she had suddenly stepped out of a crowd to stand beside Tan Xingwei and whisper to her.

Tan Xingwei’s inexplicable emotions were soothed, like a small doll in a corner being picked up. “Yes, I’m still in my internship period, but we’re discussing a full-time offer.”

Su Xu nodded. “Congratulations.”

Tan Xingwei: “Thank you.”

Su Xu asked again, “Are you going back to the university?”

Tan Xingwei nodded. “I have to. I need to go back for the graduation ceremony.”

Su Xu nodded again.

Su Xu had already taken several helpings of the vermicelli. Perhaps it was delicious, so Tan Xingwei also took a bite.

“Then you.”

Beside her, Su Xu spoke again.

Tan Xingwei put down her chopsticks.

Just as Tan Xingwei prepared herself to receive a polite question from Su Xu, she heard Su Xu ask.

“When did you unblock me on WeChat?”

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“Niohuru Ah Xu” is a pop culture reference to the protagonist of the popular Chinese drama Empresses in the Palace, who returns from exile with the new, powerful name Niohuru Zhenhuan, signifying her transformation into a more formidable and commanding person.