Ch. 35 - A Garden in Full Bloom

"Then let's go. They've been waiting over there for a long time."

Seeing me nod, Wu Xiaoyuan grinned and turned around, waving for us to follow. Although the crowd around the theater plaza had thinned out a little compared to earlier, it was only a little. It was still just as noisy and bustling as before.

The crowd blocked most of the view, making it impossible to see anyone wearing Xingzhihua Middle School uniforms. The gaps between people were only wide enough for one person to squeeze through. Walking side by side would have been difficult.

"Let's go."

I smiled at Bai Lu and took her hand, stepping half a pace ahead of her so I could shield her from the crowd. Though Bai Lu could have quite an intimidating presence at times, she was still only a middle school student. She was small and delicate—actually even smaller than Wu Yaoyao. A textbook little-sister type. Maybe that was why I so easily treated Wu Yaoyao like a younger sister too. Besides, if we got separated in this crowd, Bai Lu might disappear entirely. My sister's hand felt soft and warm in mine, like the paw pad of a kitten.

"Stay close."

I glanced back. Bai Lu had lowered her head slightly. One hand covered her chest, and her cheeks were flushed red. At that moment, she looked exactly like the little cat hairpin she always wore—obedient and adorable. My sister was shy around strangers. Sometimes she even became shy around her own brother. That was the conclusion I'd reached after years of living together.

"Mm."

At my words, the pink tips of her ears twitched as she nodded. She still didn't raise her head to meet my eyes. Wu Xiaoyuan, who had been waiting ahead, looked back and froze when she saw us. Then she giggled.

"Hehe."

Bai Lu immediately lowered her head even further.

"Let's go!"

Wu Xiaoyuan shouted energetically before weaving back into the crowd. I squeezed Bai Lu's hand and followed after her. Entering the crowd felt like diving into the sea, pressure came from every direction. I had to admit my earlier estimate was completely wrong. There were even more people than I'd thought. The theater plaza wasn't very large to begin with, and various vendors had gathered nearby because of the event. Naturally, people were packed shoulder to shoulder.

I glanced back at Bai Lu, who still hadn't looked up and was following me step by step like a cautious little animal. I couldn't even imagine how she'd managed to make her way through an even larger crowd earlier just to find me. My little sister really tried too hard at everything.

While I was struggling through the sea of people, Wu Xiaoyuan moved through the crowd like a nimble goldfish. She slipped effortlessly through every gap. Watching her made me want to sigh like an old man. Youth truly was wonderful.

"Hi, everyone! I brought Bai Lu back!"

Just as I was reaching my limit, Wu Xiaoyuan finally stopped and called out toward a group ahead. At last; freedom. I let out a relieved sigh and led Bai Lu forward.

"Where?"

"What was Bai Lu doing? Why did it take so long?"

"You're finally back!"

"..."

Similar voices rose from the crowd. Wu Xiaoyuan grinned and gestured toward us. Looking beyond her, I saw a large group of girls wearing Xingzhihua Middle School uniforms. They were chatting excitedly while curiously staring at Bai Lu and me. There were around a dozen of them. Although they all wore the same uniform, each girl had her own charm. Standing before them felt like walking into a garden in full bloom. Then again, it wasn't surprising. The Xingzhihua Ballet Club was an all-girls club.

I gave Bai Lu's hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it, signaling that we'd arrived. She blinked, looked at me, then at the girls waiting ahead. Realization dawned on her.

"Sorry for causing everyone trouble."

She stepped out from behind me. An apologetic expression appeared on her face as she bowed slightly.

"Huh? Why is our biggest contributor apologizing?"

"Xingzhihua placed fourth in the entire province!"

"Bai Lu, come over here!"

"Take a selfie with me first!"

The atmosphere that had briefly become formal was instantly shattered by the energetic girls. The bright smiles unique to middle-school girls shone like a field of sunflowers under the afternoon sun. Bai Lu couldn't help smiling as well. As expected of my little sister. She was incredibly popular. As her brother, all I could do was marvel at the sight.

"Huh? Who's that?"

One of the girls finally noticed me. Because of her comment, all the others immediately turned their attention my way. Curious and gossip-filled gazes swept over me like X-rays. Even though they were all girls around Bai Lu's age, being stared at by so many at once made me a little uncomfortable. No one had asked who I was yet, and introducing myself out of nowhere would have felt awkward.

"He's Bai Lu's older brother!"

Wu Xiaoyuan leaned toward the group as if sharing a secret and explained in a playful whisper. Then she winked at me. What a thoughtful girl. She really knew how to repay a favor.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Bai Lu's older brother, Bai Qiao. Please take care of her."

I smiled and introduced myself.

"Wow! You're Bai Lu's brother?"

"Now that you mention it, your eyes really do look similar."

"You're pretty handsome."

"Huh? I didn't notice before..."

The moment I finished speaking, the Xingzhihua girls erupted into chatter again. One by one, they began introducing themselves. Some of them teased Bai Lu while they did.

"What should I call you? Even the president calls you 'Brother,' right? Then I want to as well!"

"Hello, Brother!"

"Hehe, Bai Lu, are you getting ready to call me sister-in-law?"

"Wow, Xiaoqing is so bold!"

The more familiar they became, the more jokes they threw around. Some comments made Bai Lu blush furiously. Others caused her to stare at me with a completely expressionless face. Either way, the atmosphere within the Xingzhihua Ballet Club was far better than I'd imagined. I felt genuinely relieved. My sister was in a wonderful club.

Just as I was thinking that, I casually turned my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar figure standing slightly apart from the group. At the same moment, that person met my gaze, and the look they gave me was filled with hostility.

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