My sister, whom I raised, has turned evil after faking her death for three years.

When Su Qing came out of the photo studio, she had a small paper bag in her hand, containing several freshly developed photos.

She looked down for a long time, in the same pose as in the group photo seven years ago. She was squatting to one side, and Jiang Ran was standing next to her. Only this time, the little one was already as tall as her. The timidity in her eyes had faded, replaced by a quiet, composed beauty.

The photographer was a middle-aged woman in her forties. When she handed over the photos, she glanced at Su Qing a couple of times, then suddenly exclaimed "Huh?" and asked Su Qing if she had come here a few years ago with a little girl this tall.

She gestured to indicate that it was about waist-high to Su Qing.

Su Qing was surprised to be recognized after so many years and nodded in surprise.

Looking at Jiang Ran's striking appearance and then at the five paper bags in Su Qing's hand that were clearly from women's clothing brands, the photographer seemed to understand something.

The corners of her eyes, etched with fine lines by the years, curved slightly, and there was something in her smile that was hard to describe. It wasn't just simple politeness; it was more like the natural respect that a seasoned neighbor feels when someone has worked hard to grow a sapling into a graceful tree.

After leaving the photo studio, Su Qing bought cream puffs and egg tarts at a bakery on the street corner, and also picked up two strawberry milkshakes.

When Jiang Ran took the milkshake, she lowered her head and took a sip. The curve of her eyes was exactly the same as when she first drank strawberry milk in the hospital room seven years ago.

Su Qing looked at her and thought to herself that some things really won't change.

But some things have become too much.

For example, the four dresses in the paper bag, the countdown that was about to end, and the unspoken words she uttered before pressing the shutter in the photo studio.

If this is the last group photo, then at least Xiao Ran is smiling.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

When Su Qing got back to her building, she saw someone lying on a bench in the distance.

The man was very tall, with one long leg extending from the edge of the chair and resting on the ground, while the other leg was bent and propped up on the armrest. He wore a baseball cap to shield his face from the sun, his mouth was slightly open, and his chest rose and fell evenly.

She only recognized him when she got closer; he was Cheng Xiaoyu.

The chubby little boy from back then has grown into a teenager over 1.8 meters tall. His baby fat has completely disappeared, his jawline is sharp and distinct, his brow bone is high, and his facial features are somewhat similar to his brother's, but he has an extra layer of sunny and cheerful undertones.

At this moment, his mouth was slightly open, and there was a suspicious glistening of water at the corner of his mouth, making it look like he was about to drool at any moment.

Su Qing bent down and called "Xiao Yu" in his ear. Cheng Xiaoyu was startled and almost rolled off the bench, his baseball cap flying far away.

He groggily opened his eyes and saw Su Qing's face so close to his. He sprang up instantly as if a switch had been flipped, standing straight in front of the bench. He hurriedly wiped his mouth and scratched his hair. The smile on his face was exactly the same as when she helped him up after he fell in the park seven years ago, except now he had to look down at her.

"Sister Su! Xiao Ran!"

"Why are you here?" Jiang Ran's voice came from beside Su Qing, her tone indifferent, but her eyes held a subtle scrutiny.

Cheng Xiaoyu was all too familiar with that look... Every time he came uninvited and disturbed Jiang Ran and Sister Su's time alone, Jiang Ran would look at him with that look.

He scratched the back of his head, chuckled twice, and quickly explained the purpose of his trip.

His mother is throwing a party at the villa tomorrow and insists that he invite Sister Su and Xiao Ran over no matter what, saying they haven't seen each other in a long time and want to get together.

Su Qing was already used to it. Over the years, Sun Yaqin would find excuses to invite her to her home for dinner, parties, or to try new desserts every now and then.

Looking at Cheng Xiaoyu's face, which seemed to say, "I was forced to come, but I really wanted to," she smiled and said she would be there on time tomorrow.

Cheng Xiaoyu visibly breathed a sigh of relief, helped them carry their shopping bags to the door, said "See you tomorrow" and hurried towards the elevator.

Watching his retreating figure, Su Qing thought that this kid was probably in a hurry to go back and report to Sister Yaqin, since he usually insisted on having a meal at home before leaving.

  

After closing the door, Jiang Ran placed the shopping bags in the entryway, bent down to take Su Qing's slippers from the shoe cabinet, neatly arranged them beside her feet, then turned around, went into the kitchen to wash her hands, opened the refrigerator, and started taking out groceries.

She told Su Qing to rest on the sofa and wait, and that she would cook some of her sister's favorite dishes tonight.

Su Qing wanted to help, but Jiang Ran pressed her down on the sofa, the two hands on her shoulders not heavy but firm.

She leaned back on the sofa helplessly, watching Jiang Ran tie on her apron and walk into the kitchen. Listening to the sound of running water from the faucet and the even chopping of vegetables on the cutting board, she suddenly remembered the first time Xiao Ran learned to cook.

Back then, I taught her how to make scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Xiao Ran stood on a small stool, just able to reach the stove, holding a spatula in her hand, looking as serious as if she were doing some kind of scientific experiment. As a result, she did a better job on her first try than Su Qing had done in two months.

Later, Su Qing taught her several home-style dishes: sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and winter melon soup. She learned each one after just one lesson, and the taste of her dishes was almost identical to Su Qing's.

Su Qing leaned back on the sofa, watching the apron-wearing figure in the kitchen, moving with practiced ease. In her heart, she sighed to the system, "Geniuses not only crush me in math problems, but they don't even leave me a chance to survive when it comes to cooking."

But this is good, at least Xiao Ran won't have to worry about going hungry after she leaves.

The system, unusually, didn't respond with data analysis. Instead, it remained silent for a moment before speaking in a tone less like a machine: [Jiang Ran's ability to accurately replicate the taste of every dish you make isn't because she has a special talent for cooking.]

[Although her aptitude for cooking is above average, what's more important is that she's been eating your cooking every day for the past few years. Your seasoning habits, your preference for heat control, and even the way you arrange the food on the plate have all been etched into her sensory memory, becoming an important emotional bond.]

[Simply put, she's not learning to cook; she's finding another way to keep you in her life.]

Su Qing lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the sofa cushion, and asked herself softly, "Is there really no way I can spend more time with Xiao Ran?"

The system's voice returned to its usual calm and restraint, but its wording carried an added layer of meaning beyond mere formality: [I regret to inform you, host.]

[Please abide by the contract and complete the mission. Jiang Ran's future is something she needs to face, while you have your own path to follow. Separation is itself a part of her destiny that she is destined to overcome.]

Su Qing didn't mentally rebuke the system as she usually would. Instead, she quietly listened to the sounds of the spatula churning in the kitchen and Jiang Ran humming that familiar tune. She mentally rehearsed the system's words several times before swallowing the bitterness back down her throat.

She stood up and walked to the kitchen doorway, asking Xiao Ran if she needed any help.

Jiang Ran turned around and smiled at her, then pushed her out of the kitchen, saying that her sister had already tried on so many dresses today and was tired enough, so she could just sit and wait to eat.

Su Qing was pushed back into the living room, stood in front of the sofa, looked at the photos that had just been taken on the coffee table, and finally sat down after a long while.