After the school ended, Li Chunhua planned to scout the area around the back gate to narrow down the place where Dai Shenqiang and Li Caiyi could meet. If she did that, she could figure out the route Dai Shenqiang would use if he ever came to their school again and secure the fastest course to intercept him.
Not that she expected she would succeed because the area behind the school was pretty complicated with lots of mouse paths, but there was no harm in trying. If it was for her sister, Li Chunhua was willing to spare the utmost effort to make her stay by her side. Her sister was hopeless without her, so she should constantly be alert 24/7 to keep her safe from anything.
Li Chunhua recalled the first time she ever felt the need to protect her weak, timid, and crybaby older sister.
.
.
<<Flashback to 12 years ago>>
For as long as she could remember, everyone around her always treated her "especially."
'How cute.'
'How smart.'
'How well-behaved.'
Li Chunhua, who was still little then, enjoyed all the attention she received very much. She would always do her best to hear the same sentence repeatedly. Being praised in anything she did made her feel like a princess in a fairy tale, adored and loved by all.
On the other side, Li Caiyi was just an ordinary girl with an average talent in anything. She couldn't talk without stuttering, couldn't study well, and although she had never caused any trouble, she had never stood out either. Her introverted personality made people reluctant to approach her.
However, as lacking as she was, Li Caiyi had one advantage over Li Chunhua. Something that she would do anything to have but could never attain.
A healthy body.
When Li Chunhua was big enough to understand her circumstances, she noticed that people's expressions changed when they looked at her. At first, they would smile fawningly, but later, their eyes were laced with pity and a bit of gloating.
'How cute, but alas, the medicine she took made her pale. What a waste of pretty face. How pitiful.'
'How smart, but with her body, she wouldn't be able to work. She was destined to be a useless flower vase forever. How pitiful.'
'How well-behaved, but with a frail body like that, she would have a hard time growing up. I doubt she could even marry properly. How pitiful.'
Slowly, pitiful was the only thing left of her.
The beautiful little princess adored by people would wither before she fully bloomed. That was her role.
Her situation differed significantly from Li Caiyi's.
Nobody expected anything from her, but she could fly anywhere she wanted if she wished to do so. She was different from Li Chunhua, who would spend the rest of her life in a tall tower, hoping that somebody would remember her. She would slowly rot in that place and be forgotten by everyone.
Because she couldn't live anywhere without inconveniencing others, nobody except her family would genuinely accept her. She couldn't go anywhere.
Li Caiyi was the opposite of Li Chunhua. That was why they should always stick together to complete each other. Li Chunhua believed that, and she thought Li Caiyi also felt the same. Until that day when she realized her different important role.
That day was the day before New Year. Su Suyin brought the twins to shop when she saw an interesting-looking New Year street market from the car.
Li Chunhua followed her mother's line of sight and exclaimed excitedly when she saw red lanterns and dragon miniatures everywhere. "Mom, what is that? So pretty!"
"It's a street market where people sell foods and goods for New Year's celebration."
"It looks fun! Mom, let's go there too." Li Chunhua tugged her mother's arm while smiling coquettishly, causing Su Suyin's heart to melt. However, considering her younger daughter's frail body, she was reluctant to take her there.
"Nice try, but you can't. Xiaohua, your body is weak, so it's a no. There would be lots of people there. What if you get lost or collapse?"
Li Chunhua pouted in disappointment. Her mother always used the same reason whenever she forbade her from doing anything. It was frustrating and unbearable for a little kid who only knew how to play and couldn't sit still.
"Mom, I promise I won't run around and will always stick by your side. Xiaoyi already went to the street market with Brother Jie last time, and I heard they had lots of delicious food there. I'm the only one who has never gone there. So please let me go just this once? Please, Mom!"
Li Chunhua's insistence overwhelmed Su Suyin. Her heart ached a bit, knowing that her youngest daughter felt sad for being left out.
While Su Suyin hesitated, a small voice came from the passenger seat. "Mother, I promise I will look after Xiaohua. Can't you let her go with us just this once?"
Li Chunhua's eyes sparkled when her sister gave her some support, so she pleaded again. "That's right! There would be two pairs of eyes watching me, so I won't get lost. I will also tell you immediately if my body feels strange again. So please??"
Su Suyin looked at both girls and was eventually defeated by their pitiful eyes. She sighed helplessly. "We will only look around for a bit. No complaining if I tell you to go back, understand?"
"Yay! Thank you, Mom!" Li Chunhua beamed happily and hugged her mother's arm, causing the latter to chuckle.
"Good for you, Xiaohua." Li Caiyi said with a smile.
"Yeah! We finally can go to the new year market together. It will be so much fun!"
After that, they got out of the car, and Su Suyin tightened her daughters' woolen scarfs and cotton-padded jackets before she took their hand on both sides. "Don't let go of my hand, okay?"
The twins nodded their heads. There was unconcealable excitement and anticipation in their eyes, and Su Suyin just wanted to cuddle both of them because they looked warm and cute.
Oblivious to her mother's thought, Li Chunhua had greedily recorded everything she saw in her mind. She was fascinated with everything because it was her first time going to a crowded place like this. She would occasionally whisper to her sister while pointing at something, and Li Caiyi would explain what she wanted to know with a bit of pride on her face.
The street market was packed with people, and everything was colored red and golden. Many stalls sold various things, such as decorations, red packets, toys, clothes, and trinkets, lined up neatly on both sides of the streets. There were even fruit and firework stalls.
Su Suyin tried to maneuver her way through the crowd while keeping her daughters from bumping into people, but it was just hard to do that when she held children with both of her hands. In the end, she switched the position to make it easier for them to walk, with Li Caiyi's hand in hers and Li Chunhua's hand in her sister's. With this, she could walk in front of them and act as their shield more freely.
"Never let go of your hand, understand?"
"Yes, Mother/Mom."
However, what Su Suyin was most afraid of happened when she bumped into a man carrying a box not long after that. It happened so suddenly she unconsciously let go of her daughter's hand for a moment. She apologized to the man quickly, but when she turned back to check on her daughters, the twins were nowhere in sight.
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