18 Pink Stars

These adorable creatures are simply irresistible!

"So, your parents and your second uncle's family, six people in total, are all living with you now? No, forget about your parents, what's with your second uncle's family? Are they sucking your niece's blood? Are they all reincarnated leeches? These kinds of extremely poor relatives don't just exist in literature and movies?"

Zhong Xuelu held Xu Huaihuai's left hand and asked a series of questions, her expression indescribable. She and Xu Huaihuai had arranged to go shopping together, and as they chatted, the conversation turned to family matters.

"Perhaps art imitates life? But I'll have them move out by the end of the month. As for my parents, I'm looking for a new place for them. I hope things will be peaceful this month."

"I hate them so much. They've only been quiet for a few years. You absolutely must not put their names on the property certificate. If they do it once, they'll do it again. Who knows if they'll sell the house to gamble again next time?"

"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

"Honestly, if they keep causing trouble, and it gets really bad, I'll just put a sack over their heads and beat them up. Even though I might have to pay a little bit of medical expenses afterward, it feels really good to beat them up with a sack over my heads."

"Yes, when I watch dramas, I like to watch the villains being put in sacks and beaten. But I forget it, for fear of being blackmailed."

“That’s true,” Zhong Xuelu leaned on Xu Huaihuai’s shoulder as they walked slowly down the night street. “If only my parents were your parents. Huaihuai, my parents really like you, you could totally be their goddaughter. You can’t cancel your original parents if they’re not good, but you can always find a different pair.”

That would mean you and your brother would end up doing *that*.

Feeling guilty for not telling Zhong Xuelu about her relationship with Lin Xu, Xu Huaihuai coughed lightly, "Let's not, I'm afraid my parents will hold your parents responsible."

"Hmph, you're just afraid of causing trouble for our family."

Zhong Xuelu didn't press the matter further. She then went on to talk about her half-brother Lin Xu's mother, Lin Shulian.

"Although my biological mother is a bit unreliable, my current mother is amazing. She is Xiaolinzi's mother. We are not related by blood, but she is really good to me. It's not the kind of deliberate kindness, but the kind of kindness that you show to family. I used to think that she was only good to me because she liked my dad."

"And then what happened?"

"Later I found out that she was a very loving person. How should I put it, she was very capable of loving others. She was generous with her love, to her family, to her friends, and to strangers. She was like a source of light. When I was a child, I always wanted to be like her. I felt that it was really wonderful. Being with her made me feel warm all over."

Zhong Xuelu said with a touch of melancholy, "In the end, I found that my heart was too big when I grew up. It can hold several people at the same time. It seems that I can like many people at the same time, but I don't like any of them. The only people I can truly care about are my parents, Xiaolinzi, and you."

Her tone changed, becoming very domineering as she said, "Ha, woman, you should feel honored to occupy a quarter of my heart!"

“Then, you are one half of me!” Xu Huaihuai said after thinking for a moment.

"What? I'm not the only one?!" Zhong Xuelu exclaimed in anguish. "Who's the other half?! It can't be that bastard of a husband, can it?"

"Of course not!"

Zhong Xuelu suddenly remembered something, "I know! Isn't it that little boy you mentioned last time! My God, you two have progressed to the next level? He's already halfway there?"

Her eyes were bright. The siblings' eyes were actually quite similar, except that the older sister's were rounder, like a cat's—an elegant cat that looked noble and aloof but was actually affectionate.

"Well, it's all about development, so I... you know, that's how it is." Although he was really intense that day because of some kind of emotion, he was actually a bit too intense, but Xu Huaihuai was still a little embarrassed to say it out loud.

"Oh my god, the world has lost another virgin. How was the experience of being a virgin?"

"What... what does it taste like? I'm not a monster..."

Zhong Xuelu looked at her best friend's flushed face, reached out and gently touched it. It was hot, a clear indication of her body's reaction. "Tsk tsk tsk, that means it's really enjoyable. Calm down, calm down! Why is your face getting redder and redder! Hey! There's a newly opened trendy toy store up ahead! Let's go in and have a look."

The two girls walked arm in arm into the trendy toy store. They were just browsing casually, but when they reached the plush toy section, Xu Huaihuai became incredibly excited. She was completely powerless against fluffy little things. "Oh my gosh, this is so cute! Oh my god! This is so cute too! They're all fluffy!"

"Buy it!" Zhong Xuelu put the coal-bomb cat head she had her eye on into the shopping cart. "Wait, don't you already have one of these?"

"It's different, it's different!"

Zhong Xuelu felt there was no difference, but as long as her best friend liked it, that was fine. She picked out some more trinkets, then turned around and found her best friend staring blankly at the cotton doll display case.

"What are you looking at? Is it that pink one?" Zhong Xuelu followed her gaze and saw the pink cotton doll with pigtails.

Looking at the doll on the display case, Xu Huaihuai felt for a moment as if she had returned to her original world.

“This cotton doll looks like…” Xu Huaihuai didn’t know how to say it. She really looked like the doll she used to have in her original world, but there shouldn’t be any in this world. Was it a coincidence?

“She seems to want to come home with us!” Zhong Xuelu chimed in, putting the cotton doll into the shopping cart. “Sit tight!”

The pink-haired cotton doll sits obediently and adorably in the shopping cart.

After paying, Zhong Xuelu carried the shopping bags, while Xu Huaihuai, holding a cotton doll, felt a little embarrassed. "Should I carry them?"

"It's alright, she's not heavy. You can hold your daughter. Besides, your right hand isn't fully healed yet, is it? Hey, is she a cotton ball? Do you want to come with Auntie?"

Zhong Xuelu flicked the cotton doll's round, chubby, short, and soft hands. They were so bouncy and soft, so fragrant and cute. It was hard to resist such a cute creature.

Xu Huaihuai quickly made the cotton doll in her arms shake its head.

"Wow, Cotton is quite aware of how to avoid being abducted. Huaihuai, does this cotton doll have a name?"

"Yes, you can call her Pink Star."

"Pink stars? That sounds so warm. She must be a very cute and wonderful girl."

Zhong Xuelu suddenly remembered the topic they hadn't finished discussing earlier. "Hey, we were talking about your younger brother earlier. Did he ask you for a formal title? Oh, look at your expression, does that mean he did? So you two are dating now?"

Actually, it's your younger brother, Xu Huaihuai thought, but she couldn't say it directly. She needed to lay the groundwork for her relationship with Lin Xu before telling her. "Ah, yes, mainly because I can't just leave him like that, can I?"

"So what, Huaihuai? You're just too moral. Sometimes, things that are consensual don't require you to take responsibility."

“But I also quite like him…” Xu Huaihuai couldn’t help but retort softly.

"Oh, you admit it now. It's not about being responsible for her; you just like her and want to be with her."

Zhong Xuelu sounded smug after successfully getting the information out of him, but after a while she realized what she had done wrong.

"Wait a minute, my dear, why are you suddenly so obsessed with a little brother? Could this little brother be some kind of male fox spirit in disguise?"

"Ha... How could that be? How could that be? Maybe I'm just attracted to his good looks? After all, it's easy to get carried away with good-looking people."

How could you say that about your brother? Even though it's because Zhong Xuelu doesn't know anything. Xu Huaihuai wanted to laugh but didn't dare.

"How good-looking could he be? I think he's more likely lusting after your beauty. No, things are progressing too fast for you two. I'm a little worried. When can I meet him? I want to see what kind of male enchantress has you so bewitched."

"What? I'm perfectly sober. How about... next time?" Xu Huaihuai hesitated.

"Sure, next time. It's pretty close to Xiaolinzi's studio, wanna go?"

"Ah, this isn't very convenient..." Xu Huaihuai recalled how she had rejected Lin Xu several times over the phone.

[Lin Xu: Sister Huai, can I come to your house today?]

[Xu Huaihuai: It's not convenient right now.]

[Lin Xu: Why?]

[Lin Xu: What happened?]

[Xu Huaihuai: It's okay, my parents are here.]

[Lin Xu: Okay qaq]

[Lin Xu: Can we go shopping together tonight?]

[Xu Huaihuai: I don't have time tonight.]

She has already agreed to go shopping with Zhong Xuelu.

[Lin Xu: Okay qaq]

[Lin Xu: Shall we have dinner together tomorrow?]

[Xu Huaihuai: I have something to do tomorrow.]

She's going to look at apartments.

[Lin Xu: Okay qaq]

[Lin Xu: Sister Huai, then be careful with your hands, apply the medicine on time, don't get them wet, and don't lift heavy objects.]

[Xu Huaihuai: Okay.]

The conversation ended.

Xu Huaihuai felt that it would be very awkward if she saw Lin Xu later.

"What's inconvenient about it? Xiaolinzi Studio has lots of dolls too, but they're not cotton dolls, they're BJD dolls. Come on! I think you'll like them!"

When the elevator dinged and arrived at the floor, Zhong Xuelu got out first. Noticing that Xu Huaihuai hadn't followed, she turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Um, wouldn't it be inappropriate to go empty-handed?" Xu Huaihuai tried to find an excuse to avoid the meeting.

"Aren't you holding the baby? You're not empty-handed. It's okay, don't worry, it won't bother him." Zhong Xuelu pushed Xu Huaihuai out of the elevator. "Let's go, let's go."

Lin Xu's studio is quite large. It was already 8 p.m., and there were still some people in the design area. However, they did not look tired from working overtime. Instead, they were full of energy. Several people nodded and greeted them.

Ding Yi, who was familiar with Zhong Xuelu, stood up. "Sister Lu, are you here to see the boss?"

"Yeah, where's your boss?"

"They're in the polishing area. Sister Lu, who's this lady next to you?"

"My best friend is Xu Huaihuai, just call her Sister Huai."

"Oh, Sister Huai, let me introduce myself. My name is Ding Yi. Do you have a boyfriend? We can add each other on social media..."

"You wish! She already has a boyfriend."

"Sigh, alright then, ladies, you can shop around by yourselves. I'll get back to work." Ding Yi sat down, heartbroken.

“Come on, Huaihuai, I’ll take you to the exhibition area. You’ll be absolutely amazed! Look—this is it. Just follow the corridor. You keep an eye on things while I go find Xiaolinzi.”

Xu Huaihuai's gaze was completely fixed on the exhibition area, and she didn't even notice that Zhong Xuelu had left.

Holding the cotton doll, she slowly walked into the corridor of the exhibition area, where two entire walls were decorated with BJD dolls.

Although they vary in size and height, every detail—from the hair and makeup to the clothing and skin texture—is exquisite, delicate, and gracefully crafted.

From the moment she stepped into the exhibition area, Xu Huaihuai felt as if she were being stared at by many eyes.

It was as if, while she was observing the BJD dolls, they were also curiously observing her.

[Author's Note]

Happy birthday, pink star! [Sprinkling flowers]

(I didn't expect the timing of writing this to be so coincidental | 2025.12.06)