"Is that my brother?" Li Mingzhu cheered as she ran towards the door. She stung it open and yet another unexpected sight greeted her this morning. In her past life, Li Mingzhu's little brother was only two years younger than her. Not that it stopped her from acting as the overprotective older sister. In front of her, however, was the face of her little brother when he was just a little kid.
"Big Sister, there you are! Mom just wanted me to make sure you're awake!"
Li Mingzhu felt a lump in her throat as she looked down at her baby brother. Maybe it was the sheer relief that she didn't have to everything behind or maybe it was her deep sorrow at the realization that the person before her wasn't really her brother. Either way, she couldn't help but fall to her knees and wrap her arms around her little brother.
"H-hey, what are you-?"
"Just keep quiet and let me hug you." Li Mingzhu mumbled out as she hugged him tighter.
[Hey System, how are my family back home? Would I ever get to see them again?]
{... I'm sorry but I can't answer that. You're the only human I have contact with.}
[Well, I guess having a little of something is better than having nothing at all.]
"Arrgh! Big Sister I can't breathe."
"Just five more seconds!' Li Mingzhu begged/ordered as she held him tight despite his struggling.
"lei lei, what are you doing to your little brother?" Tears began to well up in Li Mingzhu's eyes at the sound of her mother's voice. Her mother had called her lei lei since she was a baby. Mama Li once told her it was because she knew that her daughter was the kind of person who would be fierce and didn't mind making noise. Personally, Li Mingzhu could only imagine how much she cried as a baby to warrant such a name.
Even though things were going to be different now, Li Mingzhu was glad that her family mostly stayed the same. Just her, her mother, and her now VERY little brother. They were the only people that really mattered to her.
"I'm just hugging him, Mama!"
"Oh? Well, you should get going or else you'll be late for your first day of High School!"
Much to her little brother relief, Li Mingzhu loosened her grip in shock at her mother's words.
[Wait, did she just say it's my first day?]
{Indeed! Today marks your first day of High School. Isn't that exciting?}
[But I was already near the end of my final year! Are you telling me that I have to redo those three years!?]
{...}
Li Mingzhu immediately began mentally cursing at the system for its lack of an answer. Meanwhile, her little brother started to get disturbed at the dazed look on his sister's face.
"Eh? Why are you looking at me like that? What, did you hit your head or something?"
At the sound of his voice, Li Mingzhu finally snapped out of her one-sided argument and blinked at him. Since she really didn't have an answer she just ruffled his hair, wished her mother goodbye and left the house. As she stood on the front porch, a thought occurred to her
[Um, System? Are you still there?]
{That depends, are you done yelling? ( ￣＾￣)}
A sense of shame hit Li Mingzhu. She had a habit of popping off when she felt frustrated which didn't go well with the temper she had since she was a child. Still, it didn't feel right to take out her anger on the system. Especially since it was the only thing that understood what she was going through right now. Plus the system felt so real that Li Mingzhu if it somehow had feelings despite it basically a robot.
{You... Think I'm real?}
[...]
{...}
Li Mingzhu could hear crickets chirping in the background.
[So, um... How do I get this new school?]
{（;^ω^）Haha, Right! Let just pull up the map for you!}
[Wait, what do mean by-]
She didn't get the chance to finish that thought when an overly simple map with white blocks and an arrow popped up in front of her face.
"Holy shit!" She screamed out as she jumped back and hit the front door. "Did you HAVE to do that!?"
{Wah! I'm so sorry! (*´д｀*). Please don't die, I've heard that some hosts can die of fright!}
"I'm fine... Just give me a warning next time."
{Yes, Ma'am! (^-^)ゝ}
{Now if you would please follow the map we can start on your adventure!}
Li Mingzhu looked warily at the floating map. "Is there any way I could make this smaller?" She asked as she reached out to touch it. Once her hand made contact, the map dinged and with a bright flash, shrunk into the size of a photograph and landed into her hand.
"Huh, that's convenient."
{Of course! I was literally created to help ease you into your adventure. Now let's get you to school! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ}