An Adoptive Older Sister Cannot Become a Wife - Chapter 13

Qi Nianshu couldn’t help but feel that Zhang Ruomeng’s last remark sounded strange.

What did it matter if they were both girls?

Qi Shu had said it herself that morning: if two people like each other, there’s no reason girls can’t be in a relationship.

Though that was true, Sister didn’t like her like that anyway; the people on the Confession Wall were just “shipping” them blindly.

Before Nianshu could even begin to feel sad about that stray thought, a shiver ran through her. She shook her head vigorously, what on earth am I thinking?

Qi Shu was her sister! The sister who had lived with her for nearly ten years and treated her better than anyone else!

“Qi Nianshu, let’s go home.”

Speak of the devil. Qi Shu was standing at the classroom door, silhouetted against the light, calling her name.

Nianshu scrambled to her feet, tossing her previous thoughts to the back of her mind. “Coming, coming!”

She waved at Zhang Ruomeng. “My sister’s here to pick me up, I’m heading out!”

Watching Qi Shu naturally reach out to fix Nianshu’s slightly messy bangs, Zhang Ruomeng instinctively reached for her phone to snap a picture. It was only when her hand met an empty pocket that she remembered her phone had already been confiscated.

The thrill of “shipping” instantly vanished, replaced by a silent moment of mourning for her lost device.

With Qi Shu carrying her backpack, Nianshu felt light as air, and her mood brightened accordingly. Her eyes curved into crescents. “Sister, I listened really well in class this afternoon. Even Lao Chen praised me.”

The subtext was clear: Hurry up and praise me too.

Qi Shu looked down at her. Seeing the expectant glow in Nianshu’s eyes, the corners of her lips tilted up slightly. “Mm. Niannian is the best.”

Even though it was a simple, flat compliment, Nianshu felt an inexplicable wave of bashfulness.

She reached out and took Qi Shu’s hand, which was hanging by her side. Stifling her racing heart, she asked with feigned casualness, “Sister, when you go to university, can I call you every day?”

“Yes,” Qi Shu replied.

“Then… can I come visit you?” Nianshu pressed.

Qi Shu looked at her, her answer remaining brief: “Yes.”

Nianshu wasn’t satisfied yet. She added, “Then you can’t have any other ‘sisters’ at university.”

Qi Shu found the question amusing. “Where would I even find another sister?”

Nianshu’s eyes darted around. She knew she was being weird, but she stubbornly insisted, “I don’t care. You just can’t.”

Qi Shu smiled helplessly. “Alright.”

As they reached the school gate and saw Qi Yan’s black sedan waiting for them, Nianshu suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Shu asked.

Nianshu looked up, her expression purely serious. “Sister, tutor me. I want to be with you.”

“Even if… even if I can’t get into the same school, being in the same city is fine.”

Around them, the after-school crowd was slowly dispersing. Students walked in small groups, chatting with arms over shoulders. Parents’ cars were jammed along the curb, with the chaotic symphony of horns and the whistles of traffic police filling the air.

Nianshu held Qi Shu’s hand, her world narrowed down to her sister’s figure. Her tone held a gravity it never had before. She didn’t know if she was part of Qi Shu’s future plans, but right now, she only wanted to place Qi Shu at the center of her own.

She couldn’t leave Qi Shu. So, wherever Qi Shu went, she would follow.

Qi Shu was silent for a few seconds. Her answer was as minimalist as ever: “Okay.”

Nianshu bit her lip and started smiling again.

She very quickly realized what her decision actually entailed.

Because the “Tutor Qi Shu” and the “Sister Qi Shu” who usually indulged her were two completely different people.

Nianshu had imagined tutoring would just be her sister sitting beside her, gently explaining a few problems while she occasionally scored some snacks or a head pat.

But once she actually sat at the desk facing open workbooks and test papers, she realized how catastrophically wrong she had been.

Qi Shu spread Nianshu’s homework across the desk. Her fingertip pointed at a glaring red “X.” Her face was calm, but her tone held a sternness Nianshu had never heard before. “This problem is basic. Your teacher definitely covered something similar.”

Nianshu tucked her chin, not daring to meet her eyes. She could only stare at the scratch paper and start grinding through the calculations again. Halfway through, she couldn’t help but steal a glance.

It was the same face as always, but right now, Qi Shu radiated an aura that practically shouted “do not disturb.”

Yet, even with a stiff face, Qi Shu was still beautiful. Her profile was sharp and lean; her long lashes were partially lowered, casting a small shadow. She carried an air of quiet, solitary focus.

Nianshu’s gaze involuntarily drifted lower, landing on Qi Shu’s slightly pursed lips.

Qi Shu’s lips were pale, like half-melted snow in early spring, light and delicate. But the shape was exquisite; the slight downward tilt at the corners added a touch of chilliness, making her seem a bit more distant.

If only they had a bit more color, Nianshu thought dizzily. Does Qi Shu ever use lipstick?

The school was strict and didn’t allow makeup, but there were always girls who loved beauty and would sneakily apply “tone-up” cream or subtle lip glazes to look less dull. Even Nianshu had once bought a popular matte lip glaze out of curiosity. She thought she was being stealthy, but Qi Shu had spotted it instantly.

Qi Shu hadn’t scolded her. She had simply asked, “Wearing makeup?” It felt like a casual greeting, yet it made Nianshu feel strangely embarrassed, and she hadn’t touched it since.

What about Qi Shu? What color would suit her lips? Nianshu went through several shades in her head and decided none of them fit. Qi Shu’s natural color was perfect, anything more would be too flamboyant, anything less would be too plain.

“What are you thinking about?”

Qi Shu’s thin lips parted, her voice very soft.

Nianshu, caught staring blankly at her, had an empty brain. She blurted out, “Thinking about you, Sister.”

The next second, she felt the temperature in the room drop. Qi Shu’s gaze was as flat as ever, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

“Thinking what about me?”

Nianshu finally realized what she’d just said. Feeling guilty, she avoided the topic and apologized decisively: “I was wrong. Sorry, Sister.”

The most important lesson Nianshu had learned growing up was: if you mess up, regardless of whether you intend to change, you must apologize first.

Qi Shu looked at Nianshu and gave a light chuckle, but her next words felt like a declaration of war.

“If you don’t want to study, that’s fine. But in the future, I’ll find another ‘sister’ in a place where you can’t see me.”

“Don’t come complaining then.”

Nianshu blinked in disbelief and protested loudly, “No! You can’t!”

Qi Shu’s tone was calm. “Why not?”

Nianshu was so anxious her eyes turned red. She stood up abruptly from her chair. “You just can’t! You can only have me as a sister. You promised!”

Qi Shu leaned back in her chair, looking up at her. “But if you can’t even be in the same city as me, whether I find another sister or not is up to me, isn’t it?”

Even though Nianshu was the one standing over her, the relaxed Qi Shu seemed like the one truly in control of the conversation.

Nianshu was choked by the logic. Her bravado vanished. Once she calmed down, she knew Qi Shu was just teasing her. She sat back down indignantly and restarted the math problem, muttering under her breath, “I’ll study, okay? I’m definitely not giving you the chance to find another sister.”

Watching her pouty expression, Qi Shu laughed out loud.

Hearing the laugh, Nianshu turned her head and gave a huff. “You’re mean.”

Qi Shu remained noncommittal.

When the homework was finally finished, Nianshu collapsed face-first onto the desk. “I feel hollowed out.”

She watched Qi Shu, who was still working through problems beside her without a hint of exhaustion.

“Sister, you’re already number one in the grade. Do you really have to work this hard?”

Qi Shu kept writing, her hand never pausing. She didn’t look up. “Because it’s not enough.”

Nianshu blinked. “What’s not enough?”

Qi Shu finally stopped her pen and looked at Nianshu.

Being number one in the grade wasn’t enough. Studying until midnight wasn’t enough. Being cautious wasn’t enough.

The current her was far from enough—not enough to shield the completely oblivious Nianshu.

Nianshu had grown up by her side, so Qi Shu knew every little secret in her heart. She knew about Nianshu’s unhealthy, excessive dependence on her. She knew why Nianshu had been acting strange lately. She knew that after Nianshu asked that question this afternoon, she would slowly start to realize her own feelings.

So Qi Shu was never in a hurry. She would wait.

Wait for Nianshu to discover it herself. Wait until she became stronger. Wait for everything to fall into place.

But that didn’t mean she could simply enjoy Nianshu’s dependence and feelings with a clear conscience.

Nianshu was the “younger sister” the sister in the eyes of the world, and her most beloved sister. Therefore, Nianshu could be carefree. She could act spoiled, feel possessive, and fall in love with her sister without reservation.

But Qi Shu couldn’t. Because she was the “older sister.”

The younger sister’s spoiled behavior, dependence, possessiveness, and love were all the result of the older sister’s indulgence.

Thus, as the sister, she had to be strong enough so that Nianshu could remain fearless. All Nianshu needed to do was be happy.

Nianshu was still sprawled on the desk watching her, waiting for an answer. Her cheek was pressed against the wood, making her face look soft and cute.

Qi Shu reached out to lift Nianshu’s head. Unsurprisingly, the side of her face that had been against the desk was flushed red. In response to Nianshu’s confused look, Qi Shu pinched her cheek, then turned back to the difficult problem in front of her.

“Maybe being number one in the province isn’t enough.”

Hearing this, Nianshu let out a long sigh, her eyes full of worry. “Sister, your goals are so grand. I can’t even get into the top hundred of our grade.”

This is good, Qi Shu thought. Nianshu only needed to worry about these trivialities.

Worrying about test scores, being happy over snacks, and throwing little tantrums about whether her sister would find someone else.

As for everything else… she would be the one to face it.

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