"Hm, truly shameless customers indeed."
The loli at the counter sighed softly, averting her gaze from the couple engaged in a feeding play upstairs. She walked to the corner of the back kitchen, pulled the curtain, and let out another sigh.
"This is why I hate couples so much."
She leaned her head against the wall, her back slowly sliding down until her standing posture transformed into a squat, finally sitting on the cold tile floor with her knees together.
The back kitchen was the only well-lit place in this establishment, with its double-door freezers and complete set of smart appliances standing before her, a stark contrast to her current mental state.
[Buzz... Buzz...]
While lost in thought, her phone suddenly vibrated in her apron pocket.
The loli casually pulled it out, and her expression froze when she saw the caller's name on the screen.
Taking a deep breath, she answered, "Sister?"
"Yes, Little Mu, how have you been lately? Do you have enough money?"
The voice on the other end was clear as a spring, melodious in tone. Just from the voice alone, one could tell it belonged to an elegant, well-mannered young lady who had received etiquette training since childhood.
"...It's enough."
The loli called Little Mu responded with a complicated expression, her tone notably distant.
"How's your mood?"
"It's fine."
"That's good. Did you receive the digital piano I sent you?"
"Yes." She nodded, her expression troubled: "But the Mosse is too expensive... someone like me... doesn't deserve to use it."
"What are you saying? It's rare for you to like something, just enjoy it. Why worry so much?"
"But Sister... you're already sending me too much money..."
She paused for a moment, letting out a soft sigh, "And having Sister Gao Ban drive over to deliver things all the time... it'll be troublesome if Uncle finds out."
"So what? I'm his cash cow, what can he do to me? Besides, the money I'm giving you is what I earned myself as a singer, what does it have to do with him? Don't worry, Little Mu, I'll handle things here at home. I just hope... you'll come around soon and come back to live with me."
"No. I won't go back."
On this matter alone, the loli was absolutely resolute.
"..."
Hearing this, the other end of the line fell into brief silence.
Indeed, in a blended family, being pointed at and scolded by a stepfather saying things like "A girl like you who smokes, drinks, and dyes her hair - you should be grateful we even let you stay here" —
Who would want to go back after that?
[Lin Mu, listen well — if it weren't for your mother being decent to me when she was alive, I wouldn't even spare you a grain of rice, understand?]
[Also, stop hovering around me, you're an eyesore.]
[Can't you do something proper for once? Playing in that make-believe band of yours every day, strumming that noisy electric bass. Heh, think you'll ever hold concerts like your sister?]
[Rock music is for lowlifes, classical music is true art. You're such an embarrassment. From now on, don't tell people you're a daughter of the Mu family.]
[You'll never measure up to your sister in this lifetime.]...
...
"I'm sorry. I still can't adapt to that atmosphere."
Lin Mu buried her head in her arms, holding the phone with one hand as she spoke dejectedly.
Being able to address that man as "Uncle" was already the highest respect she could muster.
She bore the surname Lin, while Uncle's surname was Mu - they were never truly family to begin with.
And Sister was the true daughter of the Mu family, their genuine heiress.
Over these years, Uncle had severed all familial ties with her, and only Sister continued to help her secretly, occasionally having that foreign manager transfer money over, assisting with any needs she had.
In fact, the responsibility that should have fallen on that man's shoulders had been entirely shouldered by a sister with no blood relation to her.
Why things had turned out this way, Lin Mu wasn't sure.
She just felt that Sister's care for her was excessive, completely unnecessary.
"Yes, I understand."
At this moment, Sister's comforting voice came through the phone, "But I'm really worried about you, Little Mu. You're going abroad next year, yet you're taking a break from school at such a crucial time..."
She said regretfully, "You know, your homeroom teacher actually called me yesterday, saying that you listed my name as your guardian, and asked me 'when will the child return to school'... Oh my, I was quite stumped by such questions."
"I..."
Lin Mu's face flushed with embarrassment.
"The teachers at Senyue Women's Academy are quite responsible, I understand that well since I graduated from there too. I didn't want their concern to go to waste. So, I took the liberty of telling her 'Little Mu is still adjusting, she'll return to classes soon'..."
"What???"
"Oh, Little Mu, you're not angry with me, are you?"
"..."
Lin Mu took a deep breath, shaking her head, "Sister, you're so cunning."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"..."
Sister was always like this, superior in every aspect, whether it was intellect or anything else.
It had been this way since childhood; she was always the center of attention.
She was beautiful, gentle, and understanding, with an innate ability to read people's hearts.
When she played the piano, she could captivate everyone, and the spotlight would linger on her, reluctant to move away.
She always knew what Lin Mu was thinking, would give her small gifts on birthdays, take her shopping during holidays, treat her to many delicious foods, buy her beautiful clothes and expensive makeup.
She seemed to have endless energy, managing to focus on Lin Mu while handling both her studies and career, taking care of her to the best of her ability.
As Uncle had said, compared to Sister, Lin Mu had no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
There wasn't even room for comparison.
If it hadn't been for her mother coincidentally becoming Master Mu's last disciple, how could she have any connection to such a prestigious family?
How could she have ever known someone as perfect as Sister?
It was unthinkable.
Lin Mu hung her head in dejection.
In her eyes, Sister was like an insurmountable mountain, standing directly before her, forever impossible to overcome.
However, even someone as brilliant as her had aspects that were hard to understand.
For instance, several years ago, she gave up an admission offer from the Juilliard School of Music, declined olive branches from masters, and insisted on staying in China - specifically in Tianhai City - to attend an art school that had little connection to music.
Lin Mu knew that such a decision was life-altering; Sister had essentially abandoned the path of becoming a professional artist, choosing instead to walk down an "ordinary" path.
At the time, Uncle had a huge argument with her about it, but she stubbornly refused to change her mind, even using "giving up the role as the spokesperson for 'Mosse' pianos" as leverage to make him mind his own business.
Later, both sides compromised - Uncle tolerated her willfulness, and she agreed that as long as she stayed in the country, she would reluctantly develop in the direction of a debut singer, continuing some musical activities. Only then was the matter settled.
After that came the period just before Lin Mu completely fell out with Uncle and ran away from home.
During that time, she would hide in her room, immersed in anime, secretly watching band-themed shows.
When Sister discovered this, she surprisingly began to secretly engage with anime as well, learning about otaku culture.
Honestly, she was absolutely a real-world ojou-sama, and had no need to develop any attachment to this fictional world...
Yet she went ahead and bought an expensive bass guitar for Lin Mu, saying "I suddenly think girls who play bass are really cool, and there's nothing wrong with playing rock music - after all, you can freely express what you want to say, right?"
Her gentle expression remains vivid in memory, "Why don't I try playing some ACG songs too? I've long lost interest in rigid classical music anyway."
That day was the day Lin Mu cried the hardest.
...
"Hello? Little Mu, what are you thinking about? Why did you stop talking? Are you really angry with me?"
Sister's voice through the phone interrupted the loli's thoughts.
"No. I understand, I'll return to school soon."
Lin Mu wiped her eyes as she spoke.
"Hmm~ So this means you're agreeing with me, right? This is our promise - you'll go back to school properly, study hard for university next year, and as for the tuition fees, I'll take care of everything. Is that okay?"
"...I'll try my best," Lin Mu responded.
"OKOK~ Then it's settled. Also, Little Mu, I've really missed you lately. Why don't we meet next week? I happen to have some free time. What do you say?"
"Huh? Where would we meet...? I need to watch the store..."
Feeling her sister's pushing boundaries, she started to retreat.
"What store? What watching? Gao Ban helped me investigate, and told me that your store has no customers at all - it's just a little room you use to isolate yourself," Sister spoke bluntly.
"...I-I do have two customers!"
Lin Mu glanced outside the hall, still trying to defend herself.
"Oh come on, I know you too well," Sister said with a smile. "Actually, you want to see me too, right?"
"No, I don't!"
"Hehe, then let's meet at the downtown branch near City Center next Friday at 1 PM. I need to practice on the new piano there anyway. Little Mu, you must be on time, and make sure to dress up nicely, okay?"
"Ugh."
Ignoring her sister's quiet mumbling, Mu Xia on the phone issued her final command.
...
...