My sister, whom I raised, has turned evil after faking her death for three years.

Su Qing held the red ball in her hand and blinked.

Wait... has hotel service gotten this bad now? Extending your stay in a luxury suite for five days, plus a private butler/guide—isn't this a ridiculously generous bonus?

Before she could voice her question, Xiaozhi seemed to have read her doubts and calmly added, "This event is mainly to raise our hotel's profile, so the grand prize winner may have someone follow and record their experience. However, we assure you that we will absolutely not disturb your personal space, Ms. Su. Please do not refuse. Giving us a five-star review afterward would be the greatest support you can give us."

As she spoke, she pulled out a beautifully printed tourist route map from the folder and gently pushed it in front of Su Qing. The map marked several famous attractions and food streets in Beicheng, and the itinerary was arranged in a relaxed yet reasonable manner.

"Ms. Su, please take a look at this first. If there's anything you'd like to adjust, just let me know. Originally, we were supposed to hold a grand prize-winning ceremony for you in the lobby, but it's getting late. How about this, we'll give you a simple celebration tomorrow morning..."

Su Qing quickly shook her head: "No need, no need for any winning ceremony, that's too extravagant, it's just..." She pointed to the red ball in her hand, then to the luxury suite, "Isn't this grand prize a bit too much? Five nights' room plus a private tour guide, how much does that cost?"

Xiao Zhi maintained her perfect professional smile, her tone sincere and confident: "That's all thanks to your good luck, Miss Su. We only set up one spot for this grand prize, and the fact that you won means you have a special connection with our hotel."

Xiao Zhi was not lying; there was indeed only one spot in the box, since the entire box was full of red balls.

Seeing that Su Qing was still hesitant, she gently pushed the tour map towards her again, then bowed slightly and said that she would not disturb Miss Su's meal any longer. Someone would come to clear the tableware later, and she hoped that Miss Su could get a good night's sleep.

The moment the door closed gently, Su Qing was still standing in front of the dining table, holding the exquisitely designed travel map that didn't look like it had been hastily printed, staring blankly at the table full of dishes for a while.

She felt like her luck had improved a lot since she came back. Did the system give her some kind of luck stat or other attribute?

The system's voice remained calm and restrained as always, stating that this was due to the host's own condition and had nothing to do with the system; the system had not made any adjustments to her attributes.

Upon hearing this, Su Qing happily picked up her chopsticks, thinking to herself that her luck wasn't so bad after all.

She looked at the delicious-looking dishes in front of her, her eyes sparkling with delight.

It smells so good... She picked up the soup spoon and took a sip of the winter melon and pork rib soup.

The broth was rich and sweet, the pork ribs were stewed until tender and flavorful, and the winter melon, soaked in the broth, melted in her mouth. She didn't know what seasonings were used, but the saltiness was just right, with a hint of sweetness. It was the best winter melon and pork rib soup she had ever tasted in her life.

On the other side of the mirror, Jiang Ran leaned against the wall of the dark room, watching her sister's surprised expression after taking the first sip of soup, a satisfied smile slowly curving her lips.

The time at the top of the screen is still ticking; only two minutes have passed.

She pressed her forehead against the glass, her fingers unconsciously tracing circles on the mirror surface.

Three years have passed, so why does this hour feel longer than three years...?

When Su Qing was about 70% full, the system suddenly reminded her not to eat too much at night, as eating until 70% full helps with digestion and health.

She looked at the still-leftover food in front of her and felt a little regretful, but then she thought that no matter how much she ate, she definitely wouldn't be able to finish it, so she put down her chopsticks.

After resting for a while, she felt increasingly sleepy, and her body began to feel unresponsive.

  

The system then prompted her that her body had just recovered and that various functions were still in the process of returning to normal, suggesting that she take a bath to relax and get some rest.

Su Qing yawned, thinking that she really should take a good bath.

She turned around, picked up the bathrobe that was placed to the side, and went into the bathroom. The moment she pushed open the door, she froze on the spot.

This isn't a bathroom; it's clearly a miniature hot spring resort.

The entire bathroom floor was covered with pebbles, which were warm and smooth to walk on.

In the very center is a sunken hot spring pool, about two meters square, with walls made of bluestone. Hot spring water cascades down from an artificial waterfall above, creating a fine mist on the surface of the pool. The air is filled with a faint fragrance of flowers and the fresh scent of minerals.

Potted green plants were arranged in a staggered manner around the hot spring pool, and several spider plants hung down from the ceiling, swaying gently in the misty water vapor.

A blue stone pillow was specially placed by the pool, and fresh rose petals floated on the surface of the pool. The water temperature was kept constant at thirty-eight degrees Celsius.

Su Qing reached out and tested the water temperature. The warm sensation spread from her fingertips to her whole body, making her feel so comfortable that she almost melted on the spot.

The system then began broadcasting precautions for soaking in hot springs in her mind.

Su Qing didn't care about any of that anymore. She quickly took off her skirt and slowly slid into the pool on the bluestone steps.

The water temperature is just right, slightly higher than body temperature, so it won't burn your skin, but it will allow every muscle in your body to relax slowly.

She submerged herself completely in the water, leaned against the smooth pebble wall of the pool, tilted her head back, and let out a long sigh: "Ah, this feels so good..."

The rising steam quickly turned her cheeks a light pink, and a few strands of hair, damp with moisture, clung to her temples and slender neck.

Those usually sharp and aloof eyes were now slightly narrowed in contentment, with tiny water droplets clinging to their eyelashes. Their shoulders and collarbones were half-hidden beneath the water's surface, and glistening water droplets clung to their fair skin.

After soaking for a while, she changed her position and lay on the stone slab by the pool, resting her face on her crossed arms, muttering that she wished Xiao Ran were here, as she had never soaked in a hot spring with Xiao Ran before.

Only after he finished speaking did he realize that he was talking to himself. He shook his head with a wry smile and buried his face in his arms.

And in the bathroom, the huge floor-to-ceiling mirror was less than a step away from her.

Behind the mirror, Jiang Ran stood there, her gaze tracing inch by inch the slightly flushed cheeks and neck from the steam, and the languid, relaxed figure of her leaning against the pool.

Her Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and her fingers slowly clenched at her sides.

The clock hands are moving too slowly.

She took a deep breath, slowly loosened her fingers, and whispered, "Almost there, almost there."

After soaking for about twenty minutes, Su Qing climbed out of the pool, feeling a mix of drowsiness and satisfaction.

The system promptly reminded her that she shouldn't soak in the hot spring for too long and that it was time to leave.

She dried herself off, put on her underwear, and started blow-drying her hair. Halfway through, she yawned several times, and her eyes were almost closed.

She looked at her sleepy reflection in the mirror, her eyes red at the corners, and said, "Why am I so sleepy?" Without thinking much of it, she dried her hair and wandered into the bedroom.

In the center of the bedroom was a huge round bed with off-white sheets so soft they looked like they were woven from clouds. A bouquet of fresh white roses sat on the bedside table.

The walls are illuminated by warm-toned wall lamps, bathing the entire room in a soft, hazy yellow glow.

The wall behind the bed still features a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror, facing the entire bed.

Su Qing stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself in a bathrobe.

The bathrobe was made of silk, the light pink fabric soft and close to the skin, and the belt at the waist was casually knotted, outlining a slender waistline.

With her neckline slightly open, one could see the fair skin below her collarbone, still flushed from soaking in a hot spring.

She looked down at her chest and her face flushed instantly... It was definitely more than a size bigger than it had been three years ago...

Then she quickly patted her face, muttering to herself what nonsense she was thinking, and shook her head to get rid of the strange thought.

Then she turned and collapsed onto the soft bed, sinking into the fluffy down comforter, letting out a satisfied sigh.

When my face is buried in the pillow, that little figure involuntarily floats into my mind again.

I wonder how Xiaoran is doing now, whether she's sleeping well...

Xiao Ran is most afraid of the dark, and I wonder if there is a night light to help her.

She turned over and hugged the other pillow to her chest, burying her face in the soft pillow as she used to do when she coaxed Xiao Ran to sleep.

Sleepiness grew stronger. I used to sleep holding Xiaoran, but now my arms were empty except for the pillow. But that was all I could do.

She closed her eyes, her breathing gradually became steady and long, and she soon drifted off to sleep.

Jiang Ran stood in the dark room, watching the figure on the screen who had already crawled into bed, hugging a pillow and mumbling her name in a daze. The corners of her mouth curved into a deeper smile.

It seems my sister has thought of her more than once...

She leaned against the edge of the control panel, tapping her fingers lightly on the surface, silently counting the time in her mind.

It was just past midnight.

The huge floor-length mirror in the bedroom slid inwards silently.

Jiang Ran emerged from the hidden door, her bare feet treading lightly on the soft carpet, making no sound whatsoever.

She stood by the bed for a long time, just looking down at the sleeping face that had appeared countless times in her dreams, and at the slightly furrowed brows in her sleep.

Then she squatted down, reached out her hand, and her fingertips lightly brushed across Su Qing's fair shoulder, which was exposed due to the crooked neckline.

Her skin was warm and soft, carrying her familiar fresh scent and the faint floral fragrance lingering from her recent hot spring bath.

Her fingertips traced a gentle arc across her shoulder, as if caressing a lost treasure that had been found again.

"Sister," her voice was as soft as a sigh, "welcome back."