Why is the system taking my request to photograph a cosplayer seriously?

Chapter 51: Sisters' Night Talk

After dinner, Ding Heng accompanied Zhao Yanxi back to the hotel.

Zhao Yanxi wanted to stay with him a little longer, and even hinted repeatedly in her words, "How about I don't go back tonight?"

Suddenly, her grandparents called, saying they missed their granddaughter and had come to see her, and that she must be home before nine o'clock.

"Then I'm leaving."

Zhao Yanxi stood at the door of the hotel room, her hand on the doorknob, and looked back at Ding Heng.

"Um."

"They're really leaving."

"Um."

"Aren't you going to try and persuade them to stay?"

Ding Heng leaned against the door frame, sighing and laughing.

"Let's go back. Grandpa and Grandma are old; they've come all this way..."

Zhao Yanxi stared at Ding Heng for two seconds, then stood on tiptoe again and quickly pecked him on the corner of his mouth.

"See you tomorrow, Ding Heng."

The girl smiled brightly: "No, see you in my dreams tonight!"

The door closed gently.

The sound of Zhao Yanxi's light footsteps and intermittent humming could be heard in the corridor, indicating that she was in a good mood.

Ding Heng turned around and went back to his room. After taking a shower, he walked out of the bathroom and found it was already pitch black outside.

He dried his hair and walked to the window. He had just drawn back the curtains to let in some fresh air when he suddenly heard a loud "boom!"

Lightning cleaved the sky, and thunder roared deafeningly.

Large raindrops pounded against the glass, making a loud "pitter-patter" sound.

Ding Heng turned around and lay back on the bed, picking up his phone and casually scrolling through it.

I don't want to play games, and I can't get into watching videos, so I'm just scrolling through them aimlessly.

The rain grew heavier and heavier, thunder rumbled in waves, and occasionally a flash of lightning illuminated the entire room in a stark white light.

It was past eleven o'clock when Ding Heng put down his phone, closed his eyes, and prepared to go to sleep.

"Buzz—!"

The phone lit up.

【Good Luck Xiao Jing】: [Image]

【Good Luck Xiao Jing】: Good night.

【Good Luck Xiao Jing】: You... did you stay overnight in Zhuzhou tonight?

[Ding Heng]: How did you know?

[Good Luck Xiao Jing]: Zhang Jiekai's incident caused quite a stir today.

She sent me a screenshot.

It's a group chat page where you can see keywords like "KTV", "toilet", and "Zhang Jiekai".

【Good Luck Xiao Jing】: It's being circulated in every class's group chat in the whole school. Yan Xi was just mentioning it to me, and then she mentioned you too.

The rain outside the window is very loud.

Ding Heng thought for a moment and then typed.

[Ding Heng]: I'm a complete stranger in Zhuzhou. Do you want to come and keep me company?

The message has been sent.

The "typing is happening" message flashed for a long time.

The last thing that popped up was an emoji—a little rabbit covering its face, its cheeks flushed.

If Ding Heng sends the hotel address at this point, Wen Jing will most likely come over obediently.

Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating tonight...

[Ding Heng]: I'm not teasing you anymore. Just rest at home.

He thought for a moment, then added another sentence.

[Ding Heng]: No matter what, try to talk to your family more.

【Good Luck Xiao Jing】: [Little rabbit nodding obediently.jpg]

……

Wenjing put down her phone, a smile still lingering on her lips.

"Second Sister."

A voice drifted over from the side.

Wen Shu lay on the edge of the bed, her chin resting on her folded arms, staring curiously at her older sister.

"Are you in a relationship?"

Wenjing's smile froze. She instinctively retorted, but her voice was weak.

"Don't talk nonsense..."

"I'm not talking nonsense. Second sister, your thoughts are written all over your face."

"No way..."

"Why isn't it there?"

Wen Shu counted on her fingers: "While we were eating, you were staring at your phone and grinning like an idiot. After you took a shower, you kept grinning while holding your phone. Now you're lying in bed, and you're still grinning—what else could it be but being in love?"

Wenjing felt her face flush from what she said, and wanted to retort but couldn't find the words.

"Also, second sister, didn't you just take a shower and secretly take a selfie in the bathroom?"

Wenjing's face flushed red instantly.

"W-Why were you peeking at me!"

"It's your fault for not closing the door properly."

Wen Shu said matter-of-factly, "I just happened to pass by and glanced at it—wow, the scale was incredible! Second Sister, when did you become so bold!"

"Wen Shu!!!"

Wenjing was so embarrassed that she reached out to cover her mouth.

Wen Shu laughed and dodged away, then climbed onto Wen Jing's bed and squeezed into the covers.

"What's wrong, Second Sister? Is there something you can't tell me?"

Wenjing's movements stopped.

Wen Shu is two years younger than her, and is sixteen this year.

But sometimes, Wenjing felt that her younger sister was much more mature than her.

They had lived in the same room since childhood, and their relationship was much closer than that with their older sister Wenwan and younger brother Wentao.

Wenjing leaned back against the headboard, sighing softly.

"I don't really know if I'm in a relationship right now."

"Still in the ambiguous stage?"

"Hmm...I guess so."

"What does that guy look like? Is he the one who berated my older sister last time?"

How did you know?

"During that time, my older sister would berate him every day in the house, calling him 'crazy,' 'meddlesome,' and 'why are you yelling at me'..."

Wen Shu imitated Wen Wan's tone perfectly: "My older sister scolded me for about half a month, and then one day she suddenly stopped scolding me, and instead packed her bags, saying she was going to Pengcheng to find a job."

Wenjing asked worriedly, "Is my older sister alright?"

"fine."

Wen Shuping lay on the floor staring at the ceiling, her tone flat: "She should have left long ago. She's been a lazy bum at home, penniless and mistreated. I've already decided that if my older sister can settle down in Pengcheng, I'll go find her after I graduate from high school."

Wenjing frowned: "Xiaoshu, aren't you going to university?"

Wen Shu smiled.

The girl's smile was faint, without sarcasm or bitterness; she was simply stating the facts in a very ordinary way.

"Sis, do you think someone with my brain can get into any university? And after I graduate high school, Wentao's expenses will only increase. Will Mom and Dad have the money to send me to a junior college?"

The sound of rain outside the window came through the glass, muffled and muffled.

Wenjing said earnestly, "Xiaoshu, as long as you study hard and get into university, even if Mom and Dad don't support you, your second sister will find a way!"

Wen Shu turned to look at Wen Jing.

Her eyes look very similar to Wenjing's; both are round, double-lidded, with very dark pupils.

But there was neither quiet timidity nor the innocence that one should have at that age.

"Sis, what can you do?"

Wenjing didn't say anything.

Wen Shu continued counting on her fingers: "I just graduated high school, and you're only a junior or senior in college, right? How much money can you possibly earn? What, are you planning to have your boyfriend pay for my studies?"

Wenjing's face flushed again: "He's not..."

"Okay, okay, no, that's not it."

Wen Shu interrupted her with a smile, then turned over and lay back down.

"sister……"

The girl's voice softened: "It's true we're sisters, but even close sisters need to keep clear accounts! I don't want you to become some kind of 'brother-supporting demon' or 'sister-supporting demon,' which would only cause trouble for your life."

But don't worry, sis, I'm not someone who's overly concerned with saving face. If I really encounter any difficulties, I'll definitely ask you for help!

"Xiao Shu..."

Wenjing was completely speechless. She reached out and gently touched her sister's cheek.

"Boom—!"

Another thunderclap.

The rain outside the window intensified, the raindrops pounding against the glass with a dense, drum-like sound.

Wen Shu shrank closer to Wen Jing.

"Sis, do you know?"

"Um?"

"When I was a child, I always had a wish."

"What is your wish?"

"I wanted my own room, just a small one, with my own bed and my own desk. I could go to bed whenever I wanted at night, and no one would wake me up in the morning. I could put my clothes wherever I wanted, without having to share a closet with others. Later, as I grew up, although I knew it was impossible at home, the thought always stayed in my heart."

Wen Shu paused.

"But when you went to work in Xingcheng a while ago, I didn't feel at ease sleeping in this room alone. I always felt like something was missing, especially when I turned over at night and there was no one next to me, I felt so empty..."

Wenjing didn't say anything, but pulled the blanket up to cover her sister's shoulders.

"Xiao Shu".

"Um?"

What are your plans for the new semester?

"I plan to live on campus. Our high school starts earlier than yours, so I have to leave tomorrow."

Wen Shu closed her eyes and spoke indistinctly.

"Sister, listen to my advice, you should leave as soon as possible. Staying in this house for even one more day is torture."

The rain outside the window was very loud.

Wenjing seemed not to hear, and finally let out a long breath, pulling her younger sister into her arms.

"Go to sleep."

"Okay! Goodnight, Second Sister."

Goodnight, Xiaoshu.

It's still raining.

Splash splash splash...