185: Fifth Junior Sister

"Shuanger, what's wrong?"

Luo Qingchen answered the phone, a slight upward curve at the corner of her mouth as she tried to make her voice sound light and pleasant, tinged with a gentle smile.

From the other end of the line came an immediate, crisp, sweet voice, as lively as a sparrow's chirp in the woods:

"Senior Sister, how is your company doing now? I'll be finished with the work on my hands soon, and I can come help you then."

Luo Qingchen was slightly taken aback, her smile instantly freezing on her face, a trace of helplessness quietly creeping into her eyes.

But she quickly adjusted, her voice betraying no hint of anything unusual as she continued with a smile:

"The company has basically recovered and is doing better now, Shuanger. You keep busy with your own things. I can handle things here."

"Really?" The voice on the phone was full of concern, pressing with a hint of doubt.

Luo Qingchen forced an even brighter smile at the corner of her mouth, as if trying to convey absolute certainty through it: "Really! Would your Senior Sister lie to you?"

"Of course Senior Sister wouldn't lie to me."

A light, cheerful giggle came from the other end, followed by a change of topic. "By the way, how was Senior Sister Yu's concert? I've been too busy lately and haven't had time to contact her."

Mentioning Yu Miaoyin, Luo Qingchen's expression instantly turned complicated, a flash of indescribable worry and conflict passing through her eyes.

She paused, thought for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Miaoyin is fine too. The concert went very smoothly. No need to worry."

"Oh, oh, I see. That's good then. I'll come find you both to hang out when I'm less busy."

Hearing this, Luo Qingchen's face changed drastically. Her already uneasy heart tightened suddenly, and without thinking, the words tumbled out:

"No, no need. You absolutely don't need to come find us. We're all doing just fine." Her voice carried a panic she herself hadn't even noticed.

"Senior Sister, I'm coming to hang out with you," the voice on the phone was full of confusion, the crisp tone laced with bewilderment.

Luo Qingchen bit her lower lip, her mind racing, her expression shifting restlessly on her face:

"What I mean is... your Senior Sister recently started working, and we're all quite busy. My company also requires a lot of energy. We probably won't have time to entertain you..."

"Alright, if that's the case, then we'll talk another time when we're free."

"Mhm, mhm." Luo Qingchen nodded hurriedly. "Senior Sister needs to go take a shower now. I'm hanging up."

With that, she quickly pressed the end call button, as if afraid her Junior Sister would say another word.

After hanging up, Luo Qingchen let out a soft sigh. Her back was already damp with cold sweat.

She was filled with relief. It was good she hadn't let her Junior Sister come over. If that Lu Chen saw her, it would be over.

Given her Junior Sister's level of cuteness and beauty, she had no doubt Lu Chen would be smitten.

If that happened, her Junior Sister would likely also fall into his clutches. She absolutely could not watch her Junior Sister jump into that fiery pit!

Luo Qingchen glanced at her phone, gently set it aside, and walked towards the bathroom with somewhat weary steps.

Meanwhile, in a room elsewhere, a little lolita with twin ponytails was sitting on the edge of a bed, tightly gripping her phone.

She wore a pale pink dress, its hem adorned with delicate white lace trim that swayed gently with her movements.

Her fair calves swung slightly, and her small feet were clad in fluffy rabbit slippers.

Her face was round and adorable, fair with a rosy tint like a ripe apple, making one want to reach out and pinch it.

Her large eyes were dewy, like clear spring water, but were now filled with a grave expression.

Her thick eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. Her lips were slightly pouted, carrying a touch of childishness and stubbornness.

She stared intently at her phone screen, her mind replaying her Senior Sister's tone and words from moments ago.

"Senior Sister is definitely hiding something from me."

She murmured softly, her brow tightly furrowed, her gaze resolute.

"No, I have to go there in person."

With that, she jumped off the bed and began rummaging through her small backpack, preparing to pack her things and head to her Senior Sister's place, wanting to get to the bottom of things and help her Senior Sister solve her troubles.

The young girl sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the empty suitcase, her brow lightly creased in thought.

After a moment, she got up and walked to the wardrobe, opened the door, and began searching for clothes.

She picked up a small pink top, held it up in front of herself, hesitated, then put it down, muttering, "This one doesn't seem quite suitable. What if it gets cold?"

Searching again, she pulled out a thicker jacket, nodded in satisfaction, and placed it in the suitcase.

Immediately after, she crouched down, rummaged in the very bottom of the wardrobe, and pulled out several pairs of stockings—black, white, and nude. She folded them one by one, neatly arranging them in a corner of the suitcase. With each pair placed, she would pause, as if considering whether she needed more.

Next, she moved to the vanity table, looking at the dazzling array of cosmetics with some difficulty.

She picked up a lipstick, examined it for a long time. "This color seems too bright. Senior Sister probably wouldn't like it."

Picked up another one. "This one is pretty good. It's suitable for everyday use."

Repeating this process of selection, she finally placed a few commonly used cosmetics into a small makeup bag, then put that into the suitcase.

After packing the cosmetics, she remembered something else and turned towards the bookshelf.

She stood before the bookshelf, her gaze sweeping over the neatly arranged books, muttering to herself, "This medical book might come in handy. Senior Sister's company hasn't been doing well lately. What if someone gets hurt..." As she spoke, she took down a thick medical book and gently placed it in the suitcase.

Then, she selected a few more books related to pharmacology and acupuncture. For each book she took, she would recall its contents in her mind, confirming its usefulness before placing it inside.

After the books were settled, her gaze fell on the bottles and jars on the desk—the potions and tools she used for her research in daily life.

She walked over quickly, carefully picked up the bottles and jars, meticulously checking for any omissions or damage. Only after confirming everything was in order did she place them one by one into a specially made box, then put the box into the suitcase.

She also took out a set of acupuncture tools from a drawer, gently stroking the silver needles. "These are treasures. They can be of great use in critical moments." Having said that, she placed the acupuncture tools into the suitcase as well.

Looking at the now crammed-full suitcase, she patted it with satisfaction. "Mhm, that should be about everything I need to bring."

No time to delay. She would set off tonight.

She walked to the wardrobe, opened the door again, and selected a very cute lolita dress.

The dress was pale blue, its hem embroidered with delicate white flowers. A pink silk ribbon was tied around the waist, its ends hanging down naturally, swaying gently with her movements.

She put on the dress, then found a pair of white stockings from the wardrobe and slowly pulled them onto her legs.

The stockings were soft in texture, clinging to her fair, slender calves with a faint sheen. She sat on the edge of the bed, slipped her feet into a pair of small white leather shoes, tied the laces, stood up, and walked to the mirror.

She parted her hair into two sections with her hands, skillfully tying it into twin ponytails.

Her hair was jet-black and glossy. Tied into twin ponytails, it swayed gently with her movements, appearing playful and cute.

Her face was round and fair, like a peeled hard-boiled egg, with a faint pink hue.

Her large eyes were dewy, like stars twinkling in the night sky, radiating liveliness and curiosity. Her eyelashes were thick and curled, like two small fans; each blink seemed to carry a gentle breeze.

Her lips were small and red, slightly pouted, carrying a touch of childishness and stubbornness. Her figure was petite and delicate. Wearing this lolita dress made her appear even more adorable and charming.

The young girl spun around a few times in front of the mirror, admiring her appearance, a satisfied smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

"Very good. Perfect."

After admiring herself, she picked up her suitcase, ready to leave.

Just as she reached the door, her steps suddenly halted. She patted her forehead. "Oh dear, I almost forgot this most important thing."

She turned and hurried back to the bedroom, approaching a very concealed wardrobe.

She crouched down, fumbled around at the bottom of the wardrobe for a moment, opened a hidden compartment, and took out a sandalwood box from inside.

The box was rectangular, made entirely of dark brown sandalwood, its texture hard, its surface smooth as a mirror.

Mysterious patterns were carved around the box. Those patterns resembled ancient script, or perhaps some kind of mystical symbols, exuding an aura of antiquity and mystery.

Leaning in for a closer sniff, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted from the box—a scent born from the mingling of time and herbs.

She gently stroked the patterns on the box, her eyes full of treasured regard.

She inspected the box, found it showed no signs of damage or having been opened, and only then felt reassured. She placed it in the bag she carried with her, saying softly:

"This thing can't be lost. It's the most important result of my research during this period. I must keep it close."

With the box safely stored, she picked up her suitcase again and walked out.

After opening the door, the environment outside turned out to be a very picturesque cave.

The cave was not large, but was arranged quite elegantly. A few strings of crystal-clear stalactites hung from the ceiling, shimmering with a faint light under the soft illumination, like stars in the night sky.

Some glowing stones were embedded in the cave walls, emitting a faint blue light that illuminated the entire cave.

On one side of the cave was a babbling stream. The water was so clear you could see the smooth pebbles and swaying water plants at the bottom. The stream meandered down along the terrain, making a crisp, pleasant sound, as if playing a beautiful melody. Beside the stream were placed several potted plants with unique shapes—some with lush foliage, some in bloom—adding a touch of vitality to the cave.

Various flowers were also planted in the cave—red, pink, purple, a riot of colors vying for beauty. The floral scent permeated the entire cave, mingling with the faint moisture in the air, creating an invigorating fragrance.

Downstream of the stream was a small pond. A few colorful little fish swam freely in the pond, occasionally blowing bubbles or darting among the water plants.

The names of many medicinal herbs, along with numerous formulas, were inscribed on the cave walls. The handwriting was neat, as if carefully carved with a chisel.

These names and formulas were densely arranged together, resembling an ancient pharmacopoeia, recording the traces of time.

The entire cave was very mysterious and wondrous, like a place where an Immortal dwelling in a secluded paradise might live, forming a stark contrast with her, dressed in a cute lolita dress.

Pulling her suitcase, she slowly proceeded along the path inside the cave. She soon left the cave. The scenery outside the cave was even more breathtaking.

The night sky was ink-black, stars twinkling. A full moon hung high in the sky, casting silvery-white radiance that illuminated the entire land.

All around was a dense bamboo forest. Slender bamboo stalks swayed gently in the breeze, making a rustling sound as if whispering. Beside the bamboo forest was a clear stream. The water shimmered with rippling light under the moonlight, its flowing sound crisp and pleasant.

Not far away was a pond with lush lotus leaves. Lotus flowers were faintly visible under the moonlight, like bashful maidens. From the grass by the pond came the intermittent chirping of insects, rising and falling, weaving into a beautiful nocturnal melody.

She looked back at the cave with a hint of nostalgia, then felt around a protrusion next to the cave entrance. After groping for a while, she found a hidden bump and pressed it directly.

The entrance to the cave slowly began to close. First, the stone walls on either side of the entrance gradually moved towards the center, emitting a dull sound. As the walls moved, the opening grew smaller and smaller, and the view of the cave's interior that was once visible was gradually obscured.

The moss and vines on the stone walls twisted and deformed with the movement. Some small stones and dirt fell from the walls, scattering on the ground.

Soon, the entire cave had completely vanished, blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment as if a cave had never existed here.

After the cave was completely sealed, she frowned slightly, then paused again, murmuring to herself, "Seems like I forgot to bring something."

She immediately checked the things on her person and in her bag. Glasses, phone, money—she had them all.

She tilted her head, talking to herself. "Seems like I have everything... Probably nothing else..."

At that moment, a very small squirrel suddenly came darting swiftly from outside the cave.

The little squirrel was fluffy all over. The fur on its back was dark brown, interspersed with some light brown stripes. The fur on its belly was snow-white, like a soft ball of cotton.

Its ears were pointed, with a few fine strands of fur on top that swayed gently with its movements. Its eyes were black and bright, like two black gemstones, radiating cleverness and cuteness. Its tail was large and bushy, like a parachute, held high as it ran, quite eye-catching.

Looking at the little squirrel, she had a sudden realization. "Oh! I forgot about you!"

She smiled, then gently patted the little squirrel's head, saying with a laugh, "Oh dear, Little Guai. You haven't been back for a while. I almost forgot about you."

The little squirrel seemed to understand her words. It stood up and chirped discontentedly, "Chit-chit-chit."

She smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I didn't forget you. Let's go. We're going back to find Senior Sister."

Having said that, she placed the little squirrel on her shoulder, pulled her suitcase, and started walking down the mountain.

Her twin ponytails bounced with each step, utterly adorable.

Her silhouette appeared even more petite and lovely under the moonlight. As she gradually walked away, she eventually faded into the darkness.