Picked Up the Female Lead When She Was Young (GL) - Chapter 22

The system was screaming for help, and Xia Wanshuang felt like screaming for help too.

She had just been worried about the household registration problem, and now another difficult situation had popped up.

Zhou Qinglang absolutely could not be on the same hukou (household registration) as Zhao Tianhang. Xia Wanshuang knew this without the system’s warning.

“Can’t Langlang be on my hukou?” Xia Wanshuang asked, feigning the confusion of a child, her palms sweating.

“She can’t, dear. Your mother is not here, so it’s not possible. But it’s okay even if she’s on my hukou! You and Langlang will still be sisters, and Langlang will still live with you.” Jiang Wan rubbed Xia Wanshuang’s head, assuming Xia Wanshuang had misunderstood the meaning of household registration. She assured her that her sister would still be her sister and the situation wouldn’t change.

Xia Wanshuang knew all that, of course, but she couldn’t tell Jiang Wan outright, “Your son and my sister are going to be a couple later, and they can’t have a legal family relationship.”

However, Xia Wanshuang couldn’t think of a better excuse right away. Based on the current situation, putting Zhou Qinglang on Jiang Wan’s hukou was the best option—but she couldn’t do it!

The system looked distressed. If only I had firmly persuaded the host not to interfere with the plot earlier! If the female lead had just continued as she was, she would have met the person who was meant to help her.

“Then I’ll ask Langlang about it. And I’ll ask if she has any other family members.”

“Good. This is a very, very important matter.”

“Mhm!”

Xia Wanshuang closed the door, and the smile on her face vanished, replaced by a deep frown.

[System]: Host, what do we do now?

[Xia Wanshuang]: Go help me check your files. See why Langlang is undocumented.

Xia Wanshuang had always assumed Zhou Qinglang had a hukou but never expected her to be undocumented.

Xia Wanshuang walked into the bedroom deep in thought. Zhou Qinglang was waiting for her on the bed, wearing a short-sleeved top and shorts, her slender arms and legs exposed. Her eyes were dark and bright, and her bangs fell softly on her forehead, making her look incredibly gentle and obedient.

“Sister, is this about me?” Zhou Qinglang had heard them talking but, afraid of being caught, hadn’t listened closely, only catching her own name.

“Yes. Aunt Jiang said you don’t have a hukou, so you need to get one registered. She asked if you’d be willing to join her family’s hukou.”

Xia Wanshuang definitely had to discuss this with Zhou Qinglang first. If Zhou Qinglang agreed, she would have to find a way to stop it.

Even though the female lead was supposed to join the male lead’s hukou later, it wasn’t supposed to happen this way at this time.

“I want to stay with you, Sister.” Zhou Qinglang shook her head emphatically. Although the aunt next door was nice, she didn’t want to go to her house at all.

“Aunt Jiang just wants to solve your hukou problem so you can go to school. She’s not asking you to move in. If you agree, then you’d be Brother Tianhang’s sister.”

Xia Wanshuang’s heart was bleeding. She felt a little helpless in this situation.

If there was absolutely no other way, perhaps this was the only option.

[System]: Aaaah! No! This violates moral and core values! I strongly object!

[Xia Wanshuang]: Hear me out. This is a temporary measure. She can transfer her hukou out later.

[System]: But… what about… the male and female leads’ romantic storyline?

[Xia Wanshuang]: I don’t know.

Xia Wanshuang was getting anxious and felt a headache coming on.

Her age truly was the fatal problem. Xia Wanshuang felt powerless.

Maybe she shouldn’t have changed any of this to begin with, or she wouldn’t be facing this now.

Xia Wanshuang was momentarily lost, wondering if she was helping Zhou Qinglang or unconsciously destroying her fate.

“I don’t want to be his sister. I just want to be your sister.” Zhou Qinglang held Xia Wanshuang’s hand. The soft touch brought Xia Wanshuang back to her senses.

“Sister, I don’t want to…” Zhou Qinglang lowered her head, feeling like a difficult child.

Xia Wanshuang smoothed Zhou Qinglang’s hair and hugged her, her expression slowly hardening.

Would Zhou Qinglang’s destiny truly be the fate she wanted for herself?

If this world was a book, then the so-called trajectory of fate was merely an artificial mark, a brief sketch that painted the characters’ lives as tragic or glamorous. Could the people trapped within it truly not have another choice?

Xia Wanshuang didn’t know if this thought was just an excuse for her actions. She had used her own power to change Zhou Qinglang’s life trajectory to the way it was now.

“Langlang, what if you had a very smooth and bright future if you hadn’t met me? Would you regret meeting me?”

“How could I have a future without you, Sister? I am very smooth, very bright, and very happy right now. Sister is the best.” Zhou Qinglang widened her eyes, terrified that Xia Wanshuang might abandon her.

“I said what if. If you didn’t have me, some other kind person would be good to you, and then Langlang would grow up to be a very capable person, meet someone she loved, and live a happy life.”

“But none of those people are you, Sister. I will work hard to become a very capable person too.” Zhou Qinglang didn’t show much joy or longing for the future Xia Wanshuang described. She just looked earnestly at Xia Wanshuang, making a promise.

If this is what Sister wants, then I will give it my all.

“Langlang is the most obedient. I’ll think of another way for that hukou matter.” Xia Wanshuang’s gaze fell on the pattern of the bedsheet, and she sighed softly.

Xia Wanshuang was preoccupied, feeling light-headed and sleeping poorly. She couldn’t help but feel drowsy in school the next day.

Xia Wanshuang propped her head up and slept, asking the system to keep watch for her.

Lin Qiushui looked admiringly at his openly-sleeping desk mate, thinking Xia Wanshuang’s courage had grown immensely.

Even he wouldn’t dare sleep in class. What was even more amazing was that Xia Wanshuang always opened her eyes right before the teacher walked by. It was uncanny.

Xia Wanshuang was unaware of her desk mate’s admiration. She went home burdened with worry, just figuring out an excuse to stall Jiang Wan from hastily dealing with the issue when Jiang Wan herself became busy and wouldn’t be returning until late evening.

Xia Wanshuang let out a breath of relief, but she felt the situation was still not good.

“Shuangshuang, Langlang, what are we eating for lunch? Instant noodles?” Zhao Tianhang quite liked instant noodles; they were convenient and delicious.

“Let me see what we have at home.”

Xia Wanshuang opened the refrigerator and found chicken wing mid-sections, mushrooms, and sliced meat. These must have been the ingredients Jiang Wan had prepared for lunch. Xia Wanshuang took them out and also grabbed the half-empty can of cola on the table.

“Shuangshuang, are you going to cook again? But didn’t my mom say not to go into the kitchen?” Zhao Tianhang looked disapprovingly at Xia Wanshuang, thinking it would be better to just eat instant noodles.

“It’s fine. Just don’t tell Auntie, okay? I’m perfectly capable.”

“But…”

“Why so many ‘buts’?” Zhou Qinglang interrupted Zhao Tianhang, staring at his face.

“My sister’s cooking was delicious last time. We’ll just wait here to eat.” Zhou Qinglang was blindly devoted to Xia Wanshuang. She tugged at Zhao Tianhang’s shirt, making him stop at the kitchen doorway.

Zhao Tianhang could only wait there, nervously watching Xia Wanshuang chop vegetables.

Xia Wanshuang first scored the back of the chicken wings, then marinated them with ginger slices, cooking wine, and light soy sauce. Then, she started rinsing the rice to cook.

While the rice was cooking, she sliced the mushrooms, chopped the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and set them aside. She cracked the eggs, whisked them, and then washed her hands and left the kitchen.

“Brother Tianhang, I’ll go home to work for a bit. Call me when the rice cooker pops.”

“I’ll come with you.” Zhao Tianhang knew Xia Wanshuang was going to make ice jelly and was curious to follow her.

“If you go, who will watch the rice cooker?” Zhou Qinglang spoke up, stopping Zhao Tianhang in his tracks.

While that seems true, why does Sister Langlang always seem a little disgusted with him?

“Alright,” Zhao Tianhang reluctantly agreed, watching Xia Wanshuang and Zhou Qinglang leave with longing eyes.

After leaving the door, Zhou Qinglang snorted to herself. She definitely couldn’t become that annoying guy’s sister, or she’d be annoyed by his stupidity every single day.

Just the thought of it gave her a headache.