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

Dinner was prepared entirely by Jiang Ran.

The sweet and sour pork ribs were evenly coated with a glossy sauce, the stir-fried vegetables were bright green, and the winter melon and pork rib soup was milky white and rich. As usual, a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes was placed in the middle, with golden and fluffy egg pieces. The sweet and sour aroma of tomatoes mixed with the steam filled the entire restaurant.

Looking at the table full of dishes, and then at Jiang Ran who was standing by the table untying her apron with fine beads of sweat on her forehead, Su Qing thought to herself, "This child has really grown up."

Jiang Ran draped her apron over the back of the chair, sat down opposite Su Qing, rested her chin on her hands, and looked at her with bright eyes that had lost their childishness, filled with undisguised expectation.

Su Qing picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour sauce melted on her tongue, and the meat was stewed until tender and fell off the bone with a bite.

She chewed and swallowed, then picked up another piece of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The egg pieces soaked up the tomato sauce, and the salty and sweet flavor was just right.

"Is it good?" Jiang Ran leaned forward a bit, getting closer from across the table, so close that the stray hairs on her forehead almost touched Su Qing's bangs.

Su Qing looked at her expression—that of a young girl who, despite being a graceful young woman, still looked like the little mushroom she had seven years ago, clutching a rabbit and waiting for her praise—and chuckled helplessly, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

He ran his fingers through her soft hair, his tone carrying a hint of pride that wasn't quite candid, but every word he spoke was earnest: "It's delicious, even better than last time, Xiao Ran, you know that..." She put down her chopsticks and leaned back in her chair.

Looking at the face opposite her, which had lost its baby fat, Su Qing smiled and said, "The best thing I've ever done in my life was climbing over that wall back then. Being Xiao Ran's older sister is the thing I'm most proud of."

Jiang Ran was stunned for a moment by Su Qing's direct attack, then the corners of her mouth slowly turned up into an unstoppable curve.

She put her chopsticks down on the table, straightened her back, and said with a hint of smugness from being praised, "Of course, don't you know whose sister I am?"

Su Qing looked at her, who was practically wagging her tail at the ceiling, smiled and shook her head, then continued eating.

  

After the meal, the two of them cleaned up the dishes together. While Jiang Ran was washing the dishes, Su Qing was wiping the plates next to her. The two of them stood in front of the sink, shoulder to shoulder, working together in perfect harmony without making a sound.

After tidying up, it was still early, and the sunset had just faded. Su Qing suggested going for a walk to digest their food.

Jiang Ran responded and went to the door to change her shoes. Just like when she was a child, she first squatted down to untie Su Qing's shoelaces and then neatly arranged her slippers next to the shoe cabinet.

As Jiang Ran passed by the community park, her pace suddenly slowed down.

Su Qing followed her gaze and saw the slide.

Two years ago, when the community was renovated, the property management replaced the original small combination slide with a larger straight slide, which was much taller and had a steeper slope, resembling a silent waterfall in the night.

Jiang Ran took her hand and led her towards the slide. Su Qing followed her without hesitation, but her gaze lingered for a moment on the slide, which was several sizes larger than she remembered.

Su Qing recalled the time she held little Ran in her arms as they slid down that same slide. Back then, the little one was as light as a ball of cotton. She wrapped her arms around Ran's waist from behind, and the two of them slid down the top of the slide together. Ran squinted at the wind, and when they landed, the corners of her mouth turned up. At that time, Ran's smile was small and timid, but it was the most precious thing she had ever seen in her life.

"Sister, let's skate together." Jiang Ran's voice pulled her back from her memories.

Su Qing looked at the expectant light in her eyes and did not refuse.

This time, however, is different from a few years ago.

Su Qing followed her to the bottom of the slide, looked up at the slide that had been raised considerably, then looked at Jiang Ran's eager expression, smiled and said okay.

They climbed up the steps on one side. When they reached the top, Jiang Ran sat down first, then reached out and pulled Su Qing in front of her, gently wrapping her arms around her waist from behind.

Su Qing's back pressed against Jiang Ran's chest, and she could feel the body behind her leaning forward slightly, encircling her completely in her arms.

Jiang Ran tightened her arms around her, rested her chin on her shoulder, said goodbye, and gently pushed off the edge of the platform with her foot.

The two slid down together, going faster than expected. The wind whistled past their ears, and Su Qing instinctively closed her eyes for a moment before hearing Jiang Ran laugh in her ear.

When she reached the bottom, she lurched forward a little, her heels scraping against the ground a couple of times before coming to a stop, but she didn't loosen her grip on Su Qing's arm at all.

Su Qing was pulled up by her, and she patted the dust off her clothes, saying that she used to be the one carrying Xiao Ran, but now it's the other way around.

Jiang Ran didn't reply, but simply took her hand and walked back to the top of the slide, saying that there were so many stars tonight.

The two sat side by side on the platform at the top of the slide, with a clear night sky above them. Countless stars covered the entire sky, like a handful of crushed diamonds casually scattered on a dark blue velvet cloth.

The early autumn evening breeze carries the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms and the moist scent of the grass.

Jiang Ran turned her head to look at Su Qing's profile. Her sister was looking up at the stars, the moonlight turning her eyelashes a light silver. The curve of her lips was exactly the same as when she watched Su Qing swinging on the park bench seven years ago.

She suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, as if afraid of startling something: "Sister, you will always be with me, right?"

Su Qing turned to look at her.

Jiang Ran's eyes shone brightly under the starlight, a brightness that wasn't one of expectation or coquetry, but rather a quiet, unwavering trust.

She had asked this question countless times, from childhood to adulthood, and Su Qing's answer was always "Mmm".

This time, Su Qing's answer was also "yes".

This time, however, the word was stuck in her throat, and it took more effort than ever before to utter it smoothly.

She remembered the thirty days the system had mentioned, and the impending end she couldn't escape. She felt like a liar who had been deceiving Xiao Ran for a long time. Every time she said "forever," she was covering up the old lie with a new promise, and she didn't know how long this lie could last.

Jiang Ran extended her little finger and held it out to Su Qing.

The light from the streetlamp cast a soft, warm glow on her fingers.

She tilted her head, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said in a slightly coquettish tone, "It's childish, but let's pinky swear."

Su Qing looked at the finger she had extended, and then at the unwavering, unconditional trust in her eyes, and felt something in her chest shattering little by little.

But she still reached out and hooked her little finger around Jiang Ran's little finger.

The moment their fingertips touched, Jiang Ran's skin was warm, while her fingertips were icy cold.

The coolness spread from my knuckles to my palm, and then seeped into my heart, leaving a dull, suffocating feeling that I couldn't swallow or spit out.

She couldn't say it, she couldn't bring herself to say it... I can't be with you, I don't have forever to give you, this promise was a lie from the very beginning...

"Pinky promise, never to change it for a hundred years."

Jiang Ran carefully read the phrase she had heard since childhood, hooked her little finger around Su Qing's and shook it, then pressed her thumb on Su Qing's thumb as if to stamp it.

When she withdrew her hand, she inadvertently touched Su Qing's palm, her fingertips brushing against that cool skin.

"Sister, why are your hands so cold?"

"...Blown by the wind."

Su Qing pulled her hand back and put it in her pocket, turning her face away to look at the shadows of the ginkgo trees in the distance.

Jiang Ran glanced at her, but didn't ask any further questions. She simply put her own hand into her pocket and gently touched the back of her sister's hand through the fabric.

After returning home, the two of them washed up one after the other.

When Jiang Ran came out of the bathroom in her pajamas, Su Qing was already leaning against the sofa, holding a remote control, and the movie intro on the screen had just finished.

Jiang Ran walked over, sat down next to her, and then naturally turned to her side, resting her head on Su Qing's lap.

She found a comfortable position and buried her face in Su Qing's legs, like a cat that had finally found its home.

Su Qing's fingers unconsciously ran through her hair, her fingertips gently gliding from the top of her head to the ends, stroking it again and again.

Jiang Ran closed her eyes on her lap, her breathing gradually becoming even and long.

The light from the TV screen flickered and changed colors on the two people. In the movie, the male and female protagonists were chasing and playing in an unknown seaside town. The background music was light and bright, but Su Qing couldn't concentrate on anything.

She looked down at Jiang Ran's profile. The pale pink tinge from her recent shower hadn't faded yet. Her eyelashes rested quietly on her eyelids, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she were having a sweet dream.

Her fingers stopped on Jiang Ran's hair. Suddenly, she felt a tightness in her throat. She shifted her gaze to the television screen, but continued to gently stroke Jiang Ran's hair again and again.