Chapter Seven: Xiao Yurou

"Big Sis, what brings you here?"
Xiao Yuru cast a glance at Ye Qiu, hesitated for a moment, then turned her gaze back to Liu Yiran.
She didn’t recognize me?
Looking at the short-haired, fair-skinned, beautiful woman before him, it was hard for Ye Qiu to reconcile this image with how his second sister looked when they were kids.
Back then, she was a complete tomboy.
Now, his second sister radiated a confident and heroic air, and the white lab coat she wore added an extra layer of intrigue. No wonder so many people have a thing for uniforms.
"I’m here to introduce you to a client."
Liu Yiran nodded in Ye Qiu’s direction.
Only then did Xiao Yuru take a closer look at Ye Qiu.
Distinct features, sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, clear skin, and a well-proportioned, athletic build.
Hmm...
Big Sis had never shown much interest in men, so why would she bring such a handsome guy here today?
Xiao Yuru winked at Liu Yiran.
So that’s your type, Big Sis.
"No problem. Since you’re Big Sis’s friend, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think you need any procedures. If you do, you’ll end up hiding your natural features and look no different from those internet celebrities."
Ye Qiu shook his head. "I’m still not satisfied. Dr. Xiao, don’t you have that facial reconstruction simulator? Let’s try that first."
"We can do a simulation, sure, and if you insist on doing something, I won’t stop you," Xiao Yuru replied, still insistent. "But as a plastic surgeon, I’d advise you to keep your natural look. At most, you could do a bit of skin whitening."
So, she thinks I’m too dark.
Years of training had left his skin rough.
If he did go for whitening, wouldn't he just look overly effeminate?
Still, her straightforwardness was just as he remembered from childhood.
"Whitening is fine, but I still want to try the simulation."
Xiao Yuru glanced at Liu Yiran.
Why is this guy so stubborn?
"If he wants to do it, just let him. Since when do we turn clients away?"
Xiao Yuru looked suspiciously at Big Sis.
She’s so different from usual today.
"Alright, fill out this basic information first. After the simulation, we’ll pinpoint the areas to be treated, then you’ll need to do a checkup and bring the report back."
With practiced ease, Xiao Yuru handed Ye Qiu an A4 registration form.
"I never went to school. I can’t write."

Ye Qiu pushed the form back at her.
Xiao Yuru’s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at him, then turned to Liu Yiran.
Big Sis, where did you dig up this weirdo?
Rubbing her forehead, Xiao Yuru grabbed a pen and began asking, "Name?"
"Ye Qiu."
"Age..." Xiao Yuru wrote briskly, then suddenly stared at him. "What did you say your name was?"
A faint smile touched Ye Qiu’s lips. "Xiao Erhu, don’t tell me you can’t even write Ye Qiu?"
Clatter.
The pen fell from Xiao Yuru’s hand onto the floor as she stared at Ye Qiu intently.
She’d been focusing on Liu Yiran, assuming her elder sister had taken a romantic interest for once, but now, looking again, Ye Qiu’s features began to overlap with the image in her memories.
Xiao Erhu.
The nickname Ye Qiu had given her.
He always said she was too fierce.
"Little Leaf?"
He’d changed so much.
He’d gotten more handsome.
And his skin was darker now.
Ye Qiu nodded slightly, eyes warm as he looked at her. "Second Sister."
"You little rascal!"
Xiao Yuru sprang up, crossed the room in two steps, locked Ye Qiu’s head in her arm, and playfully ruffled his hair with her other hand.
"How dare you tease your own second sister!"
"Second Sister."
Ye Qiu let Xiao Yuru mess up his hair, feeling as safe and content as a lion cub under the protection of its mother.
"Mind your image," Liu Yiran finally chided, breaking up the playful scuffle.
Xiao Yuru shot her an exasperated look. "Big Sis, really? Ganging up with this rascal to tease me?"
She turned and glared at Ye Qiu. "Why didn’t you contact me when you got back? Why’d you go straight to Big Sis?"
As she spoke, her tone softened, and her expression suddenly turned plaintive. "So Big Sis really is the most important to you. I can’t compare, huh?"
"Second Sister, as soon as I heard about you I—"
Ye Qiu stopped mid-explanation when he saw the twitch at the corners of Xiao Yuru’s mouth. She could hardly contain her laughter, and he realized she’d been teasing him all along.

"Now that’s just unfair, Second Sister."
Xiao Yuru snorted softly. "Unfair? You and Liu Yiran plotted against me, and I haven’t even settled the score with you two yet."
Ye Qiu shrugged sheepishly, not daring to argue further.
Xiao Yuru stopped her teasing and sized Ye Qiu up seriously. "You’re all grown up now, taller than me even. You used to be the shortest one."
"That’s because girls hit their growth spurt earlier."
Xiao Yuru scrunched her nose. "Tch."
"Alright, the two of you need to behave." Liu Yiran gave them a stern look. "Now that Leaf is back, take the day off. Let’s welcome him home and let the others know he’s back."
"No way."
Xiao Yuru quickly stopped her.
Seeing Ye Qiu and Liu Yiran’s confusion, she explained, "I don’t mean I can’t take the day off. I mean, if you’re going to gang up on me like this, we can’t let the others off easy. Third Sis and the rest have to go through the same thing."
Ye Qiu was baffled. Just what were his sisters plotting?
Besides, Third Sister Pang Feiyan was always so gentle. When he fell from a tree as a child and broke her arm, she didn’t even make a sound, comforting him instead.
Wasn’t this just picking on the quiet ones?
Ye Qiu started shaking his head.
"What, so Big Sis is your sister, Third Sis is your sister, but Second Sis isn’t?" Xiao Yuru raised her fist. "Little Leaf, just because you’re taller than me now, doesn’t mean I won’t smack you."
"Second Sister, that’s not—"
Just then, Liu Yiran interrupted, "Better do as your second sister says."
Ye Qiu looked at her, puzzled. "Big Sis..."
"You know how stubborn she is. If you don’t agree—"
Before she could finish, the receptionist burst in. "Dr. Xiao, that client from last time is back, demanding to see you. Please come and calm her down."
"Big Sis, Little Brother, wait here," Xiao Yuru said, following the receptionist out.
"Let’s go see what’s happening," Ye Qiu suggested.
Liu Yiran nodded.
As they stepped out of the office, they saw a provocatively dressed woman with two burly men causing a scene at the front desk. Shattered teacups and scattered documents littered the floor.
The woman had gauze wrapped around her nose. Spotting Xiao Yuru, she rushed over, agitated. "Xiao Yuru, if your clinic doesn’t give me an explanation today, I’ll report you to the Health Bureau!"