An Adoptive Older Sister Cannot Become a Wife - Chapter 27

The morning of the sports meet.

Qi Nianshu changed into the dress she had bought while shopping with Qi Shu a white princess dress with a skirt adorned with delicate blue petals and a matching bow tied at the small of her back, swaying gently as she moved.

Xu Zhiyu had even hung a “Closed” sign on the flower shop door, eager to do Nianshu’s makeup. While Nianshu worried it might be a bit too grand, her mother was already sitting before her with skincare products, ready for action. “You only turn seventeen once,” Xu Zhiyu said. “Of course it should be celebrated grandly.”

Nianshu couldn’t win the argument, so she closed her eyes and let her mother work.

“Your skin is so good at this age,” Xu Zhiyu remarked. “A little touch-up is all it takes.” She swept a hint of pale pink over the corners of Nianshu’s eyes and applied a thin layer of lip gloss, making the girl’s delicate features look even sweeter.

Qi Shu stood leaning against the doorframe, her school jacket draped over her arm. She didn’t say a word, but her eyes never left Nianshu.

“There,” Xu Zhiyu clapped her hands, satisfied. “Our Niannian is so beautiful. Isn’t she, Xiao Shu?”

Nianshu opened her eyes and met Qi Shu’s gaze in the mirror. She flinched and looked away.

“Mm. Beautiful.”

Qi Shu’s words were brief, but they made Nianshu’s heart race with embarrassment. As she stood to leave, Qi Shu suddenly caught her wrist. Nianshu instinctively tried to pull back, then realized it looked too intentional, so she froze. “What… what is it?”

Qi Shu walked behind her, her voice flat. “The bow is crooked.”

Nianshu tried to look back as Qi Shu expertly untied the ribbon and began to re-tie it. Nianshu stood rigid, telling herself: This is just normal sisterly interaction. Nothing more.

“Done.” Qi Shu finished a perfect bow and picked up Nianshu’s backpack. “Let’s go. Dad is waiting in the car.”

The Drive to School

In the car, Nianshu was still struggling with the sensation of makeup. The lip gloss, in particular, felt strange, and she kept reaching up to touch it.

Qi Shu, resting her elbow on the armrest, watched her. “Don’t you like it?”

Caught in the act, Nianshu felt a bit awkward. “It’s not that I don’t like it. It just feels… odd.”

“If it’s uncomfortable, wipe it off.”

“Mom did it for me,” Nianshu whispered. “And I don’t have a mirror. I’m afraid I’ll smear it.”

Qi Shu nodded. “Want me to help?”

Nianshu froze, realizing exactly what “I’ll help” implied. She declined immediately. “It’s fine! No thanks. I’ll get used to it.”

Having been rejected, Qi Shu shifted her gaze back to the window. She leaned back, her long lashes veiling her eyes, her profile looking somewhat lonely and distant.

Seeing her like that, Nianshu felt a wave of guilt. She had been intentionally distancing herself from Qi Shu for days. Qi Shu was far too smart not to notice.

It’s not her fault, Nianshu thought. I’m the one pushing her away because of my own messy feelings. The silence lasted until they reached the school. The playground was already buzzing with noise. Since they had to gather for the opening ceremony, Qi Shu said, “I’m heading off first.”

Nianshu couldn’t help herself. She grabbed Qi Shu’s sleeve, her voice sounding forced. “Sister… later… when it’s time for my race, will you come?”

“Mm,” Qi Shu replied with the faintest ghost of a smile.

Nianshu let go and ran toward the Year 2 building. As she ran, the blue bow on her back fluttered, drawing admiring glances from the students around her. Only after Nianshu disappeared into the building did Qi Shu’s smile vanish, replaced by her usual expressionless mask.

The Opening Ceremony

“Qi Shu, morning!”

Jiang Ye, a fellow student and also a placard bearer for her own class, approached Qi Shu. Jiang Ye was wearing a bright red dress, looking striking.

“Morning,” Qi Shu replied.

Jiang Ye scanned her friend’s face and smirked. “That look… Did you and Niannian have a fight?”

Qi Shu ignored her. Jiang Ye’s grin widened. “I hit the nail on the head, didn’t I?”

Jiang Ye was sharp. Having known Qi Shu for years, she was the first to notice Qi Shu’s feelings for Nianshu. “Rare to see you like this,” Jiang Ye teased. “A lover’s spat?”

“No,” Qi Shu said shortly. “Let’s go.”

The Race

The opening ceremony was a blur. When it was finally Class 3’s turn, Nianshu stood at the front, holding the placard. She stood straight, wearing the smile she had practiced a thousand times.

Qi Shu stood below the podium, watching Nianshu pass. She heard the students around her whispering in awe. A girl nearby said, “Qi Shu, I’m so jealous you have such a beautiful sister.”

Qi Shu looked down, her expression unreadable. “Mm.”

After the march, Nianshu changed out of her dress and back into athletic clothes. She scanned the stands for the Year 3, Class 1 area. Qi Shu’s events weren’t until the afternoon, so she was currently sitting in the stands watching the races.

Nianshu pulled out her camera, adjusted the settings, and focused on Qi Shu.

Click.

The moment the shutter snapped, Qi Shu looked up. Her gaze pierced through the crowd and landed right on the lens. Nianshu nearly dropped the camera in fright. She hurriedly looked down, pretending to check her settings, her face burning.

When she finally dared to look up again, Qi Shu was still watching her. Seeing Nianshu look back, Qi Shu raised a hand and signaled for her to come over.

Her mouth said: “Come here.”

Nianshu hesitated for only two seconds before handing her “tools of the crime” to Lin Xiao and running over. The bleachers were steep, and in her rush, she stumbled. Qi Shu caught her firmly.

“Careful,” Qi Shu said, letting go and making room for her. “Sit.”

The stands were loud with cheers and music, but Nianshu could only hear Qi Shu’s voice. “The 400m is up next. Are you ready?”

Qi Shu didn’t ask about the photo, which allowed Nianshu’s heart to settle. “I’m okay. Just a bit nervous.”

“That’s normal,” Qi Shu said, watching the girls’ 200m race on the track. “Just do what I taught you. You’ll be fine.” She reached out and gently smoothed Nianshu’s hair. “Good luck.”

Just then, the PA system called for the 400m heat check-in. Nianshu jumped up, her nerves returning. She turned to leave, but Qi Shu caught her wrist.

Nianshu turned back, confused, only to see Qi Shu reach out. Her fingertip brushed against Nianshu’s slightly parted lips.

Nianshu went rigid, her mind flashing back to the dream. She forgot to breathe. Qi Shu’s fingertip was cool, and the touch was as light as a feather.

“There was a hair stuck to your lip,” Qi Shu said softly. She withdrew her hand as if the intimate gesture was just a routine act of care.

“Thanks, Sister,” Nianshu stammered, running toward the check-in area like she was fleeing a crime scene.

The Finish Line

When the starting gun went off, Nianshu burst forward like an arrow. The wind whistled in her ears. Her mind was a chaotic mix of the dream and the feeling of Qi Shu’s finger on her lip. She didn’t even notice if anyone was passing her; her eyes were locked on the end of the track.

Qi Shu was standing there, wearing a simple white T-shirt, looking striking in the crowd.

Nianshu sprinted toward the finish line—and toward Qi Shu. The moment she crossed, she threw herself into Qi Shu’s arms. Her legs felt like lead and her lungs burned, but Qi Shu’s arms were steady around her waist.

“Second in your heat. Congratulations,” Qi Shu whispered, a hint of a smile in her voice.

Wrapped in the familiar scent of gardenia, Nianshu finally relaxed. She leaned into Qi Shu, gasping for air. “Sister… am I dying?”

“You idiot,” Qi Shu whispered, stroking her back. “Stand up straight and drink some water.”

Class 3 students swarmed around them, cheering. Lin Xiao waved the camera. “Don’t worry, I caught it all on video!”

Caught what?! Nianshu suddenly realized she was still clinging to Qi Shu. She pulled away, blushing furiously.

The “Friend” Strategy

Later, while resting in the stands, Nianshu looked at the video Lin Xiao had recorded. It ended exactly at the moment Nianshu pounced into Qi Shu’s arms. Qi Shu’s expression in the video was so tender it looked like she could drown in it.

Nianshu looked at Lin Xiao. “When you run the 800m later, will the Class President be at the finish line for you?”

Lin Xiao coughed and looked away. “We… we aren’t that kind of relationship.”

“You aren’t a ‘kiss-and-run’ kind of scumbag, are you?” Nianshu teased, remembering the stairwell incident.

Lin Xiao choked on her water. “Don’t talk nonsense. She… she said she just wants to focus on studying right now.”

Nianshu sighed. Seeing Lin Xiao’s troubled face, she whispered, “I have a friend”

Lin Xiao’s ears perked up instantly. “Go on.”

“This friend… she had a bit too much to drink,” Nianshu began, struggling to find the words. “And she did some… very inappropriate things to someone she’s lived with for a long time.”

Lin Xiao knew immediately that “this friend” was Nianshu herself. She also knew Nianshu wasn’t Qi Shu’s biological sister, she’d seen the records in the teacher’s office. She’d always suspected Nianshu’s feelings for Qi Shu were more than sisterly.

“And then?” Lin Xiao asked, trying to keep a straight face.

“She woke up and forgot everything,” Nianshu mumbled.

Lin Xiao had to turn away to hide a snicker. I can only imagine Qi Shu’s face when it happened.

“What are you laughing at?!” Nianshu pushed her.

“Nothing, nothing. And then?”

“Then she went to the person and asked if she’d caused trouble. And then she remembered everything later and felt like she wanted to die of embarrassment.”

Lin Xiao looked at her friend with a mix of pity and amusement. “How did the other person react?”

“No reaction. Same as always. Still treats my ‘friend’ well. But my friend thinks the other person is just maintaining the peace for the sake of their history.”

Lin Xiao took a deep breath. She saw Qi Shu in the distance, her gaze fixed firmly on Nianshu.

“Has your friend ever considered another possibility?” Lin Xiao asked seriously. “What if that person… feels the exact same way as your friend?”

Support