Picked Up the Female Lead When She Was Young (GL) - Chapter 42

“You’re almost starting high school, why are you still talking so childishly?”

Xia Wanshuang smiled helplessly. Zhou Qinglang had said these words many times, and she had heard them just as many.

In youth, it was dependence, but as one got older, it couldn’t be like this. A person should live for themselves. What was the point of life if you constantly used others as a benchmark, just copying them without making your own choices?

“Sister, I’m serious. Why do you always treat it like a joke?”

Zhou Qinglang was a little discouraged. Xia Wanshuang always thought her words were just child’s play and didn’t believe their sincerity at all.

“Because it sounds like a child’s joke! Only children talk like that, right?”

Lin Qiushui delivered the punchline. The statement sounded incredibly naive and sweet.

“But hey, you’re young, so it’s unavoidable.”

Lin Qiushui smacked his lips, recalling his own awkward teenage years.

“Even if I were younger, I wouldn’t have changed my QQ nickname to ‘Lonely Wolf.'” Zhou Qinglang returned the smile, finding Lin Qiushui to be a childish fool trying to act mature.

“Zhou Qinglang! That was when I was in the third grade of primary school! Can you stop bringing that up?” Shameful, absolutely shameful! Lin Qiushui searched his memory for something to mock Zhou Qinglang with, but despairingly remembered that Zhou Qinglang’s nickname hadn’t changed since she created her account. It had always been “Wanshuang.” Damn sister-con!

With Lin Qiushui’s interruption, Zhou Qinglang and Xia Wanshuang forgot about their previous argument over the “childish talk.”

“Tianhang, what about you? Have you thought about what profession you want to pursue or what kind of person you want to become?”

“Probably… a doctor.” Zhao Tianhang spoke, his voice clear and gentle, typical of a young man.

“A doctor?” Xia Wanshuang’s voice lifted, sounding very surprised. She was genuinely surprised. Why a doctor? She remembered the plot the System gave her: Zhao Tianhang and Zhou Qinglang first met in a company, where Zhao Tianhang greatly admired Zhou Qinglang’s talent, and the two then engaged in business warfare together.

Could it be that Zhao Tianhang’s former ideal was to be a doctor? And then he abandoned medicine for business?

“Yeah. Someone once told me he was always scared when seeing a doctor, and if I were a doctor, he wouldn’t be scared anymore.” Zhao Tianhang’s voice was laced with a smile. Lin Qiushui’s face immediately turned red, like his butt was on fire.

“Don’t, don’t, don’t talk nonsense! Don’t slander me! I’m a proper man! Do you think I’d be afraid of seeing a doctor?”

“He didn’t even name you, but you were quick to admit it.” Zhou Qinglang said coolly, never backing down when sparring with Lin Qiushui.

“I, I, I was just joking then! I was young! I’m not afraid of doctors now! I don’t get sick, right? So… so… I’m not scared!” Lin Qiushui stammered, realizing Zhao Tianhang had a surprisingly good memory. He thought he said that to Zhao Tianhang when he was sick in fifth grade, and Zhao Tianhang still remembered it.

“So it was because of Qiushui! But do you really, really want to be a doctor? I heard being a doctor is very difficult.” My son, for the sake of the plot, abandon medicine for business, please. Although the dynamic had changed from adult partners to childhood sweethearts, the business warfare storyline still needed to hold up.

“Saving lives and treating the injured sounds pretty good, too. I don’t really have any professional path I love more.”

“You could also study Finance! Get promoted, raise your salary, reach the peak of your life, and marry a rich, beautiful woman?” Zhou Qinglang was already beautiful. As for rich, Xia Wanshuang was working hard to make enough money for Zhou Qinglang to be a second-generation rich kid.

Zhao Tianhang smiled, not very interested. Xia Wanshuang felt a deep sense of desolation, hoping the System wouldn’t be deeply depressed if it woke up and discovered the business storyline had also vanished, with Zhao Tianhang now training to be a doctor.

This deviation was probably another one she had caused. In the original plot, Lin Qiushui and Zhao Tianhang didn’t interact, but they met because of her. Lin Qiushui’s parents were constantly busy and had no time for him. Since she and Zhou Qinglang were both girls, it wasn’t easy for Lin Qiushui to always hang out with them, and their interests didn’t fully align. But Zhao Tianhang, being another boy, was different. Lin Qiushui was a lively, playful child, so he quickly got familiar with Zhao Tianhang and started spending time with him.

Zhao Tianhang seemed thoughtful, warm, and mature, but he actually maintained a very high psychological defense line with people. That defense was different from Zhou Qinglang’s trauma-induced guard. So, while Zhao Tianhang seemed to have many friends and was popular, few truly got close to him. Due to his single-parent background, Zhao Tianhang was also extremely patient and restrained, which became more pronounced as he grew older.

But Zhao Tianhang did bicker with Lin Qiushui and enjoyed teasing him. Since Lin Qiushui was carefree and warm toward people, Xia Wanshuang wasn’t surprised that Zhao Tianhang grew close to him.

Xia Wanshuang silently wished for the System to wake up, find out Zhao Tianhang was genuinely studying medicine, and not lose its mind.

“What about you, Shuangshuang? What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Me…” Xia Wanshuang suddenly paused. She truly hadn’t decided what she wanted to do in this life. She was a teacher in her last life, but this time, she was reluctant to engage in the great educational cause, wanting to try a different field.

When she first started college, her professor jokingly said, “The one who slaughters pigs in the last life teaches in this one. The one who murders people in the last life teaches Chinese.”

Actually, she’d gotten used to it, and it was a good career. But now, she had new directions to choose from.

Xia Wanshuang was debating whether to continue down the old path. If she remained a teacher, she had rich experience and could excel, but Xia Wanshuang was also eager to try a different life.

She didn’t want to teach anymore.

If not teaching, then what? A dream… what was her dream?

Her former dream was to dedicate herself to the great educational cause of the motherland, contributing to its development.

At that time, Xia Wanshuang was full of passion, dreaming of having students everywhere.

But later, life slowly wore down that enthusiasm, moving it from public expression to being hidden deep within her.

After dying once, Xia Wanshuang became even more reserved. She rarely thought about ideals and dreams, only setting goals.

There was a clear boundary between youth and adulthood, and the rules of their respective worlds weren’t the same.

For example, the word “consider.” If a young person says “I’ll consider it,” they believe the opportunity is still possible and they can achieve what they want with effort.

But in the adult world, that possibility is practically zero.

Xia Wanshuang had an mature soul residing in a youthful body. At times, this contrast was unintentionally apparent.

“So you haven’t decided what you want to do either, Shuangshuang.”

Lin Qiushui teased the person who started the conversation. He thought Xia Wanshuang had a clear goal tonight when she wanted to talk about life, but it turned out she hadn’t decided either.

“Mhm… I haven’t decided yet. I initially wanted to be a teacher, but now I think changing professions might be good, too.”

“Teacher suits you. You don’t know, sometimes I was a little scared of you when I was little because you looked just like a teacher, kind of scary.”

Xia Wanshuang thought, Well, I was a teacher! Every time Lin Qiushui misbehaved, she would give him a loving glare.

“Sister, if you want to be a teacher, then I…” Zhou Qinglang pondered, feeling she could try it too.

“You, the little vinegar pot, a teacher? Are you going to be a P.E. teacher, punching one kid at a time?” Lin Qiushui couldn’t stop laughing. He genuinely couldn’t imagine Zhou Qinglang as a teacher; it would be a student’s nightmare.

“Zhao Tianhang, can you get some duct tape and shut Lin Qiushui’s mouth?”

Zhou Qinglang was constantly on the verge of stuffing Lin Qiushui in a sack and beating him. This idiot was too annoying.

“I’ll do it myself! I’ll do it myself!” Lin Qiushui made a zipping motion over his mouth, indicating he absolutely wouldn’t disrupt the serious atmosphere again.

“If you don’t like kids or the education field, there’s no need to be a teacher. But our Langlang is very gentle, so it’s not entirely unsuitable. Still, you could do something else you like more.” For example, entering business and contributing to the nation’s GDP growth.

“Gentle? Only Shuangshuang thinks she’s gentle.” Lin Qiushui’s expression was complex. If you asked anyone in No. 3 Middle School about Zhou Qinglang, no one would call her gentle.

“Lin Qiushui, are you trying to put on a comedy act here?”

Zhou Qinglang raised her hand to deal with Lin Qiushui.

Lin Qiushui was already prepared and ran off first.

Zhou Qinglang immediately chased after him.

The two chased and played ahead.

Xia Wanshuang and Zhao Tianhang gradually walked side-by-side.

Xia Wanshuang looked like a parent watching her children play, her face full of affection.

“Tianhang, do you really want to be a doctor in the future?”

“Maybe. If I don’t study medicine, I might pursue a career in Finance, as you suggested.” Zhao Tianhang sometimes helped his mother review business proposals and offered suggestions. He found it surprisingly easy to understand, as if he had a natural aptitude for it.

“That’s good, too.”

“Mhm.”

“Remember to cover yourself with the blanket when you sleep tonight. Since you’re having some trouble acclimatizing, your stomach will feel worse if you get cold.” Xia Wanshuang gave him motherly advice.

However, back at the hotel, Zhao Tianhang had no issues. Instead, she was the one who fell ill.

She suddenly got a stomachache in the middle of the night. The pain was so bad her face turned pale. She managed to get up to use the bathroom, then vomited. Even after that, she still felt unwell. When she left the bathroom, she was utterly exhausted and slightly disoriented.

“Sister, I bought the medicine. Take it first.” Zhou Qinglang’s hair was still messy. She rushed to pour the pre-boiled, now-lukewarm water and helped Xia Wanshuang swallow the medication.

After taking the medicine, Xia Wanshuang curled up on the bed. Even though it was summer and she had turned off the air conditioning, she was still cold.

Xia Wanshuang’s lips were pale.

Zhou Qinglang lay down on the other side of the bed and gently massaged Xia Wanshuang’s cold stomach with her warm hands.

Xia Wanshuang suffered for about half an hour in a state of half-sleep and half-wakefulness before she started to feel better.

Once the intense pain subsided, the clammy feeling on her body became distinctly noticeable.

Xia Wanshuang wanted to drift off to sleep, but she was too uncomfortable.

“Langlang.” Xia Wanshuang’s voice was weak, but Zhou Qinglang heard it clearly.

“I’m here.” Zhou Qinglang kept a small light on. She brushed Xia Wanshuang’s sweat-dampened hair away, looked at her pale face, and squeezed her hand.

“I want to take a shower…”

“I’ll help you.”

Zhou Qinglang immediately perked up.

She got out of bed, put on her shoes, and scooped Xia Wanshuang up in her arms.