"Mom, Dad, Cassie is always like this. Don't get upset. I'd feel terrible if you got sick from being angry."
Her words easily made my parents smile. My mother hugged my sister and kept praising her.
"Aww, my baby is so considerate. Let's go."
"Um... I..." My hesitance made my mother even more annoyed.
She barked, "What now? You're always so fussy!"
I explained in a low voice, "The bag Julia likes is arriving tomorrow morning. Why don't you go ahead first? I'll fly there as soon as I get the bag."
Since they wouldn't reach my sister's boyfriend's house until the next morning, this timing worked out perfectly.
Besides, my sister had been obsessing over this bag, so I was sure she'd want me to stay.
She bounced up and down, grabbing my arm and asking, "Is it true, Cassie?"
Suppressing the urge to strangle her, I said, "Of course, I waited in line for a long time and paid extra for this bag, so I absolutely cannot miss the appointment. Otherwise, they might never sell it to me again."
My mother, seeing my sister still bouncing around despite being pregnant, couldn't help but complain.
"Julia, it's just a bag. Don't forget you are pregnant now."
She turned around and rolled her eyes at me, saying, "Come on, it's just a bag. When can't you get it?"
To my surprise, my sister acted completely out of character. She swatted away our mother's hand, pouted, and started to act all cute and clingy again.
"You don't understand, Mom. Let Cassie stay and get it tomorrow, okay? I have to get this bag before my roommate does!"
Since she was little, my sister had always gotten her way due to her stubbornness. My parents could only give me a harsh look before taking them and leaving.
After seeing them off, I felt a sense of relief. I immediately went home to start packing. I vaguely remembered that the severe weather from my previous life lasted about half a month before it gradually returned to normal.
To get through it smoothly, I began a large shopping spree at the supermarket.
Since I couldn't cook, I bought a lot of ready-made food, including canned goods and instant meals, and plenty of vegetables and pre-packaged ingredients.
...
I even got thick carpets because the underfloor heating might not work.
Since there was underfloor heating at home and work, I didn't wear down jackets or use thick blankets. So, I also bought some down jackets and comforters.