Honkai: Star Rail: I Can Fix This Gender-Bent World — Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Little Sister

He stopped dead in his tracks. It wasn’t because he saw something—his eyes were, after all, bound by a strip of black cloth. Instead, it was a perception that transcended sight, an instinct as innate to his current form as the Lucid Sword Heart.

It was a feeling that painted a clear picture in his mind: at the corner of the alley ahead, a sharp, condensed aura lay in wait.

A master.

Chen turned his head, his covered eyes focusing on the source of the presence. A figure stepped out from the deep shadows of the corner.

It was a girl who looked no older than twelve or thirteen. Though she had yet to reach her full height, her posture was already tall and straight, radiating a disciplined confidence. She wore a modified Cloud Knight uniform, tailored for ease of movement rather than the standard heavy armor, which made her look light and agile. Her pale gold hair was tied into a neat, high ponytail that swayed gently with each step. Her small face was exquisite, with a hint of childishness still clinging to her features.

The girl’s appearance… struck him as vaguely familiar. But with the black cloth obscuring his vision, Chen couldn’t place her immediately.

Meanwhile, Yanqing was also sizing up the woman before her, who suddenly exuded an exceptionally unique aura. Silver-white hair, eyes covered by a blindfold, and an elegant yet sharp attire. She was enveloped in an indescribable, cold presence that seemed to isolate her from the rest of the world. Although her eyes were covered, Yanqing could feel the stranger’s attention fixed squarely in her direction.

‘This older sister…’Yanqing thought, her brow furrowing slightly.’Is there something wrong with her eyes? And all alone in such a secluded alley… could she be lost?’

The Xianzhou Luofu hadn’t been peaceful lately. Mara-Struck abominations and other suspicious characters were appearing with alarming frequency. A blind person like her, wandering alone… As someone who had been taught by the General since childhood and served as a Cloud Knight Lieutenant, sworn to protect the Luofu and its people, a sense of responsibility immediately swelled in Yanqing’s heart.

She instantly cast aside her original plan: tracking a certain Stellaron Hunter to prove she could handle important tasks independently. This was more important.

With brisk, determined steps, she walked toward Chen.

“Big sister,” Yanqing said, her voice clear and polite as she closed the distance. “Are you… looking for someone here? Or do you need help? This area hasn’t been very safe lately. Being alone… it must be quite inconvenient for you, right?”

She observed the woman carefully as she spoke. The more she looked, the more she felt it… this blindfolded sister’s temperament was truly special. She couldn’t sense any obvious hostility or threat, but that deep sense of loneliness, as if it had settled upon her over an endless expanse of time, was unmistakable. And that indifferent posture, which suggested she could perceive everything even without her sight…

All of it made Yanqing faintly feel that this was by no means an ordinary blind person.

At that moment, Chen finally placed the girl in front of him.

‘Yanqing! It really is her!’ he realized with a jolt. The little Cloud Knight Lieutenant from the game who was always at the General’s side, the one who was both fierce and cool in a fight! And now, here she was, a heroic yet undeniably cute little girl.

Chen looked at the young Yanqing before him, her face set in a serious expression, her eyes filled with genuine worry. He quickly weighed his options. Refusing her help would likely only make her more suspicious, and she might even insist on escorting him. It would be far better to go with the flow and let her lead him out of this maze of alleys. Besides… maybe he could even unlock an icon out of this?

He gave a slight nod, replying in Jingliu’s cold voice, which he deliberately softened. “Yes. I… am having some trouble finding my way. Little sister, could you lead me for a bit? Just to the main street ahead, where there are more people.”

As he spoke, he played the part, tentatively and slowly reaching out a hand in her direction.

Seeing the gesture, Yanqing didn’t hesitate. She reached out and gently took Chen’s hand in her own.

Her hand was warm, possessing the characteristic softness of a child’s. Yet, he could feel the thin, firm calluses on her fingertips and the web of her thumb—the telltale marks of years spent practicing with a sword.

The moment their hands touched, a familiar sensation washed over him.

In the corner of his vision, a brand-new icon flared to life.

[Five-Star Yanqing, Unlocked!]

Yanqing’s sensation, however, was completely different. The hand she held was cold, so very cold. The palm carried a temperature utterly unlike that of an ordinary person. While not icy enough to cause pain, it was completely devoid of warmth. She recalled her master occasionally mentioning that some individuals with unique constitutions had naturally lower body temperatures.

‘This sister’s hand is so cold…’Yanqing thought, a fresh wave of concern washing over her.’Is her health poor? Or is it a side effect of her cultivation? It must be so hard for her, being out alone with her eyes in this condition…’

Thinking this, Yanqing couldn’t help but grip the cold hand a little more tightly, as if hoping to infuse it with her own warmth. She lifted her small face and gave Chen a bright, sunny, and reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, sister! Leave it to me! I’ll definitely get you there safely!”

Chen was startled by the sudden increase in warmth radiating from his palm. He turned his head toward Yanqing; though a black cloth separated them, he could perfectly perceive the sincere, brilliant smile on the girl’s face. In that instant, a corner of his heart seemed to be gently touched by her pure, unreserved enthusiasm.

‘What a good kid…’ he thought with a flicker of genuine emotion.

“Thank you for the trouble,” he responded in a low voice, the chill in his tone seeming to have truly faded a bit.

Holding Chen’s hand, Yanqing began to lead the way, her steps careful and measured. She didn’t walk fast, ensuring every footfall was as steady as possible. Whenever they encountered slightly uneven ground or a set of steps, she would give a soft warning in advance.

“Sister, there’s a small step ahead. Slow down.”

“The ground is a bit slippery here, be careful.”

They passed through a relatively narrow archway that connected to the bustling Exalting Sanctum. The moment they emerged, the flow of people became noticeably denser. Although the Stellaron disturbance and the resulting restrictions meant there were far fewer pedestrians than usual, the streets were still alive with vendors hawking their wares, tourists gazing at the sights, and Cloud Knights hurrying past on patrol.

The cacophony of voices and the mingling of countless different smells was a significant challenge for someone handling without sight.

Yanqing’s delicate brows furrowed in concentration. She glanced at the cold-looking blind sister beside her, who seemed so out of place amidst the surrounding clamor. Then she looked at the crowded throng ahead, and a flash of determination crossed her eyes.

“Sister, there are quite a few people up ahead. I’ll lead you through; it’s safer this way.”

As she spoke, without waiting for Chen’s response, she naturally let go of his hand. Then, she reached out her arms and gently wrapped them around Chen’s waist. In a posture that was both protective and entirely non-threatening, she half-embraced him. Using her small frame as a shield against potential collisions with the crowd, she began to guide him forward.

Chen hadn’t expected Yanqing to adopt such a… direct method of protection. The girl’s head only reached his chest. Right now, she was craning her neck, her gaze darting about alertly as she observed the flow of people around them, carefully adjusting their direction and pace.

That serious, slightly nervous expression was more than just a little cute.

‘Truly a good kid,’ Chen sighed inwardly once more.

He consciously relaxed his body, allowing Yanqing to steer him through the crowd, feeling the pure kindness and sense of responsibility the girl was conveying through her simple, earnest actions.

After they passed through the most crowded section, the road ahead became wider, and the foot traffic thinned out considerably. Yanqing seemed to breathe a small sigh of relief and was about to let go.

Suddenly, a somewhat desolate and mournful, yet strangely piercing, strain of music drifted from a relatively quiet street corner not far away.

That sound… it was an erhu.

Chen’s footsteps stopped involuntarily.

‘An erhu? There’s actually an erhu on the Xianzhou Luofu?’he thought, surprised.’The style is… interesting. But this tune seems a bit familiar…’

The melodious and mournful music flowed through the streets of the Luofu like a quiet sob. It formed a subtle contrast with the tense, oppressive atmosphere that hung over the city, yet strangely, it didn’t seem out of place. Instead, it sketched out an indescribable, poignant artistic mood.

Yanqing also heard the music. Seeing the sister beside her stop to listen, she assumed the woman was attracted by the unique sound and liked the tune. Thinking that this sister’s eyes were an inconvenience and she probably didn’t have many forms of entertainment, an idea stirred in Yanqing’s heart.

“Sister, do you like this sound?” Yanqing asked, looking up at him.

Chen nodded subconsciously. He was indeed a bit interested, though it was mainly out of sheer curiosity.

“Wait for me!”

Yanqing let go of him and ran a few steps over to an old man playing the erhu at the street corner. The man was dressed simply, his face weathered by time, his eyes closed as he lost himself in his music. An open, old cloth bag lay on the ground in front of him.

Yanqing spoke to the old man in a low voice, then took a few coins from the small pouch at her waist and placed them in the bag. The old man nodded but didn’t stop playing.

A moment later, Yanqing ran back, holding a small object that bore the marks of careful handiwork. She held it out to Chen like a treasure, an expectant smile blooming on her face.

“Here, sister! This is for you! Although it’s not anything expensive, the sound is very nice! You can have someone play it for you when you go back!”

Chen froze, his gaze falling to the item Yanqing was holding out. It was an old erhu that looked like it had seen some years; the skin on the resonator was a bit worn, but the instrument itself was kept quite clean. It was clearly the street performer’s own, or perhaps a spare.

‘She… thought I liked it, so she just bought it for me?’

A complex, warm ripple spread through Chen’s heart. He reached out and took the slightly heavy erhu, his fingers brushing over the strings and the smooth neck.

“Thank you… little sister.” His voice was softer than before, carrying a hint of warmth that even he hadn’t noticed himself. “I like it very much.”

Seeing him accept the gift, Yanqing’s smile grew even brighter, as if she had just accomplished something truly great.

“You’re welcome! I’m glad you like it, sister!”

She once again took Chen’s free hand.

“Let’s keep going. The main street is just ahead!”