Chapter 11: Caught in the Act and a Sweet Scam

“Hmm-hmm~♪”

Luo Su’s little head bobbed happily to a beat. The feeling of her classmates slaving away in class while she roamed free—

It was pure bliss!

Even better, a new shop at the mall was holding a tasting event! Two yuan for bus fare, and she could cover breakfast and lunch.

The white radish, soaked in amber broth, quivered in its paper cup, steaming temptingly…

She secretly swallowed,

Pulling out her small wallet to count the crumpled bills—only 156 yuan left for the month, with 13 days to go…

“Maybe grab some small breads?”

Luo Su eyed the shelf, hesitating, when she noticed a bag of White Rabbit candies and a soda had somehow appeared in her arms.

“Huh?”

She tilted her head, blinking innocently. “How’d you guys sneak in here? That’s, like, not cool.”

(Not like I took them~)

Her slender fingers poked the chubby rabbit on the candy wrapper. The glass bottle of soda left cold droplets on her arms, making her let out a small “woo.”

“Well, since I’ve got them…”

“Hehe!”

Soon, carrying a pile of candies, Luo Su returned to the tasting shop, cutely pleading, “Big sister… can I have a sample?!”

“Of course!”

The saleswoman couldn’t resist pinching her soft cheeks. “I’ll get it for you! Oh, and did you sneak all these candies while running errands for Mom? Naughty girl.”

“Um…”

Her face squished, Luo Su’s words came out in adorable stutters. “T-these are from my own pocket money!”

“Oh my~”

The saleswoman chuckled. “Such a clever little sister, saving up already?”

“Hmph!”

Luo Su puffed out her chest unconsciously. “O-of course…” She froze mid-sentence—wait! She was a seven-foot-tall man (once)! How could a few compliments make her so smug?!

It had to be

That evil female thug’s influence!

She huffed, biting the candy wrapper, only to hear a rip—the bag tore, and a few candies rolled onto the floor.

“Ugh… my candies!”

Luo Su wilted like a mushroom in the rain, whimpering, “I barely got to eat any…”

“Phew…”

The saleswoman’s heart melted, pulling a strawberry pudding from under the counter like magic. “How about I treat you to this?”

“N-no need…” Luo Su stubbornly turned her head.

“It’s fine!”

The saleswoman leaned close to Luo Su’s ear, whispering, “I can take some home every night!”

“Thank you, big sister!” Luo Su’s eyes sparkled.

Taking the pudding, she wouldn’t accept it if the saleswoman had paid for it herself… but free stuff? The best!

Bidding farewell to the saleswoman,

Luo Su found a window seat, sunlight spilling onto her little tray. She chomped a broth-soaked radish, eyes squinting into happy crescents—

“Why’s radish this good!”

“Hmm-hmm…”

Luo Su swung her dangling legs, fingers idly poking her shopping bag. Though half her precious White Rabbit candies spilled…

Still!

She hugged the bag close, cheeks puffed like a dragon guarding treasure—the rest would last ages in her blankets, a little each day!

As for only having 114 yuan left,

Luo Su wasn’t worried. Worst case… she’d visit that bad woman in her dreams every day this month.

And the absolute worst?

Just getting pinned in a dream… like this or that. No one else would know, and… she didn’t exactly hate it?

…

“So boring…”

Jiang Ning drawled, slumping bonelessly on her sister’s shoulder. “Should’ve stayed home… and it’s only the second day of school, and I’m skipping…”

“Enough already!”

Jiang Cha pouted, exasperated. “You’ve been whining forever. Shouldn’t have brought you!”

They say girls get moody after getting a boyfriend, but her sister… getting moody over a girlfriend?

[Sob, being a sister is tough.]

Jiang Cha sighed, then caught a glimpse of a cute figure. The petite silhouette clutching a snack bag felt unreal, like a hallucination!

“Hey… Jiang Ning.” She grabbed her sister’s wrist.

“What?” Jiang Ning turned, confused, only to see her silly sister staring, muttering, “I-I think I’m in love.”

“What?” Jiang Ning rolled her eyes. “Speak human!”

“Over there…” Jiang Cha cupped her flushed cheeks, her voice dripping with honey. “A super—cute girl eating pudding…”

Jiang Ning followed her lovesick gaze, and her shopping bag dropped with a thud.

Wasn’t that her little liar?!

She gritted her teeth, pinching Jiang Cha’s waist, saying darkly, “Your love story ends here!”

“Huh, why?!”

Before Jiang Cha could react, her sister stomped over, grabbing Luo Su’s cheeks with a “kind” smile. “Little bad egg, we meet again~”

“???”

Luo Su blinked, lifting her head innocently… then froze, fur bristling. “W-what a coincidence…” She forced a smile worse than a cry.

“Yeah, quite a coincidence.”

Jiang Ning scooped Luo Su into her arms. “So, do I call you Luo Su, or Su Xi?”

“Huh?”

Luo Su swallowed, feigning calm. This wasn’t a dream—it was reality. So she played cute, “Who’s Luo Su? I-I don’t know him!”

“Hmph…” Jiang Ning yanked off her little backpack—

“W-wah!”

A black tail, taped to her back with transparent tape, drooped pitifully, the edges curling up from her sloppy job.

“Caught you~”

Jiang Ning flicked the trembling tail, happily shaking Luo Su. “My little succubus~”

“Ugh…”

Luo Su tried to grab Jiang Ning’s wrist… but froze like she’d been shocked when she saw her pinky, hanging her head lifelessly. “Not… here!”

“Of course!”

Jiang Ning returned the backpack, whispering, “Little Su Xi, come shop with me. No refusing… unless you want everyone to know you’re a succubus.”

“Gulp…” Luo Su nodded limply, even her signature tuft of hair curling into a sad wave—ugh, completely caught by this bad woman!

“So good~”

Jiang Ning’s tail would’ve shot to the sky (if she had one). She’d worried she went too far last time, but this little one was so cooperative—

(Maybe I can push it further next time?)