After Getting Married to My Obsessive Older Sister - Chapter 40.1

Chapter 40.1

After all the dragging and delays, they reached the mountaintop close to 5 o’clock. Fortunately, the sunrise in early April wasn’t that early, so they still had time to stand and admire the ethereal blue sky before dawn.

It was serene and pure, like a dream that would never end. Chu Yiqiao took many photos with her phone. Tan Ze quietly walked behind her, intending to capture a photo of Chu Yiqiao’s back.

However, the moment before she pressed the shutter, Chu Yiqiao turned around. The surprised and joyful expression on her face was captured by the phone.

Love has no physical form, yet for some reason, Tan Ze could feel the weight of being loved in that photo. She immediately decided to keep this photo private, refusing even when Chu Yiqiao playfully begged to see it.

Once Chu Yiqiao’s love was given, it no longer belonged to Chu Yiqiao; it belonged to Tan Ze.

A breeze gradually picked up from all directions. It wasn’t cold; it was the refreshing coolness unique to a spring morning. As sunrise approached, more people arrived on the mountain. Some had illegally spent the night there, and when they got up and walked by, there was a mixed scent of instant noodles and tents.

Tan Ze cherished every moment they spent together. She steered Chu Yiqiao to another area with fewer people.

They stood side-by-side beneath a tree. Chu Yiqiao first held Tan Ze’s hand, then gradually moved closer, leaning lightly on Tan Ze’s shoulder. Their eyes met, then simultaneously shifted away, focusing on the distant, blue-and-orange gradient in the sky.

When Tan Ze was studying in the UK, she often saw the sunrise. Her energy levels had always been higher than others; she could accomplish in one day what others took three days to finish. Even with only three or four hours of sleep, she remained frighteningly efficient the next day.

During her undergraduate years, she was pursuing a dual degree and working on her own projects, so all-nighters were common.

She lived in a single dorm room then. The window was long and narrow, overlooking a perpetually gray lake. Everything outside the window was silent as dawn approached. Tan Ze closed her laptop and opened the window for air, only to stumble upon the sunrise.

She wasn’t the type to stake out a spot to watch the sunrise, but since she happened upon it, staying for a minute or two wouldn’t hurt. She lit a cigarette, stretched her arm out the window, inhaled once, let the wind take three puffs, and quietly stared as the perfectly round sun climbed over the cathedral’s spire, getting pierced by its point. The yellow glow around it was like its spraying blood mist. Tan Ze found it gory, yet she was somehow captivated by the cruelty.

After returning to Yanjing, she quit smoking. Chu Yiqiao’s nose was too sensitive, and she would frown if she smelled smoke. She still watched the sunrise, but the first thing she associated with the golden light was new life, no longer the cruel blood mist.

Sometimes when Tan Ze reflected on the past, she found her former self completely foreign.

Was I really that kind of person? Why is the difference between now and then so immense?

If I changed, when did it start?

Tan Ze felt Chu Yiqiao shift her posture again. No longer content just resting on Tan Ze’s shoulder, she took a slight step forward, stealthily snuggling into Tan Ze’s arms, occasionally turning her head to give an undisguised look of adoration.

Ever since they became a couple, Chu Yiqiao often made this expression: staring straight at Tan Ze with wide, unmoving eyes. It was silly, but adorably so.

Tan Ze reached out and hugged Chu Yiqiao, using her palm to gently rub the top of Chu Yiqiao’s head. She stopped thinking about the UK and focused on the sunrise in Linhang.

Chu Yiqiao had indeed been watching Tan Ze. She was probably the person most infatuated with Tan Ze’s looks in the entire world.

Grey-blue eyes, a prominent nose, thin pink lips, and a distinct jawline combined to create an indifferent yet sexy beauty.

Chu Yiqiao examined Tan Ze’s face with the seriousness of an art student studying a still life. She was surprised at how clearly she could see everything.

She saw the faint sadness on her sister’s face and the memories of the past in her eyes.

What kind of past was it? Chu Yiqiao couldn’t help but want to explore more.

Their life was certainly sweet, and Chu Yiqiao wanted to add a bit of depth to it now. However, that door was permanently closed to her. Bringing it up would only lead to awkward silence and compensatory physical intimacy.

She felt it was unfair. Her sister was too harsh. She was only eight years late; she wasn’t even given a chance to make amends.

She also felt wronged. Why was her sister so petty? She wasn’t asking Tan Ze to tell her about every single day of the past. Chu Yiqiao was easily satisfied; a few small anecdotes would make her very happy.

Forget it. If she won’t give it, she won’t. Chu Yiqiao would be obedient, too.

What her sister didn’t say, she wouldn’t ask. What her sister didn’t want her to know, she wouldn’t dwell on.

Chu Yiqiao asked for very little. She just wanted her sister to hold her, forever, just like this.

The sun fully rose.

The Return to Yanjing

Back in Yanjing, life didn’t give Chu Yiqiao much time to recover from the decadent vacation.

The competition, final assignments, part-time jobs, two resentful friends, and an energetic sister Chu Yiqiao was constantly busy.

Unfortunately, Tan Ze couldn’t write her final paper for her, nor would she give up their nightly “sleep-aid” routine. Instead, she took over the entire progress of the competition, communicating with Si Yueshan on Chu Yiqiao’s behalf and answering Kong Caiqing’s calls.

In previous years, Chu Yiqiao was often slightly ill in April, wearing a mask for half the month. This year, for some reason, she hadn’t gotten sick. She slept soundly nestled in Tan Ze’s arms every night, radiating warmth, her young heart beating healthily and strongly.

One day, Tan Ze casually brought it up. Chu Yiqiao believed it was the nourishment of love; reduced stress naturally improved her health. Tan Ze mercilessly mocked her, saying it was clearly because she had been morning running with her for the past week. Since the effect was so obvious, she wasn’t allowed to pout and stay in bed anymore.

Calling it “morning running” was a stretch. Tan Ze ran, and Chu Yiqiao walked. Tan Ze would run back and forth twice, just in time to meet up with Chu Yiqiao again.

Then they would slowly walk to the breakfast shop together, eat, change clothes, and one would go to school while the other went to the company. Their life was so proactive and normal that Zhao Jingxing found it hard to believe.

After the Qingming Festival, Yanjing had a lot of rain. The temperature had finally climbed a few degrees only to be dampened back to its original state by the rain. When they came home last night, it was just a drizzle, but overnight, the rain grew heavier. The pattering rain hit the window sill outside the bedroom, the sound fine and crisp, exceptionally hypnotic.

Chu Yiqiao had woken up a while ago, but she didn’t feel like getting up, so she burrowed into the blanket and continued to lie in.

Next to her, Tan Ze was already awake, sitting up and leaning against the headboard, turning her head to look at the person beside her.

Rainy days naturally had poor sunlight, and without the curtains drawn, the only light source in the entire bedroom was the small nightlight on Chu Yiqiao’s side table. The warm, yellow light cast a veil over the room. Chu Yiqiao lay on her side, her eyelashes trembling subtly, her brow slightly furrowed.

Her act of feigning sleep was truly clumsy.

Tan Ze got a mischievous idea. She reached out, curved her fingers slightly, and tucked her pinky finger under Chu Yiqiao’s jawline, cupping her soft cheek.

Then, as if kneading dough, she slowly massaged it. The technique was suggestive, too easily evoking Chu Yiqiao’s memory of Tan Ze kneading that spot on her.

Chu Yiqiao didn’t dare move, the frequency of her eyelash trembling gradually increasing. She suppressed her breathing, waiting for Tan Ze to let go.

Tan Ze watched Chu Yiqiao’s nervousness with a smile, becoming bolder with her touch.

It wasn’t just her face. She also used her fingertips to prod other parts of Chu Yiqiao’s face.

One moment she used her index finger to flick Chu Yiqiao’s eyelashes, the next she used her thumb to rub Chu Yiqiao’s lips, pressing and grinding until Chu Yiqiao’s lower lip became red, as if it had just been sucked and licked.

Chu Yiqiao held her breath, her eyebrows tightly furrowed in tension. She was waiting for Tan Ze to kiss her. Just one kiss, and I’ll open my eyes immediately.

Sure enough, the next second, a warm breath rushed over her face. Chu Yiqiao felt her chin being pinched by Tan Ze, and a wisp of hair lightly fell onto her shoulder. It was slightly ticklish, but mostly agitating.

She must be about to kiss me. So, Chu Yiqiao cooperated by tilting her face up slightly, parting her lips…

Tan Ze leaned down, gently bit Chu Yiqiao’s reddened ear, and laughed: “Chu Yiqiao, were you waiting for me to kiss you?”

When she said this, Tan Ze deliberately lowered her voice. The low chuckle and the exhaled air worked together, spreading like an electric current throughout Chu Yiqiao’s body.

Her bones instantly turned to mush, and she couldn’t suppress an ambiguous soft moan in her throat.

The atmosphere instantly became charged.

Tan Ze raised an eyebrow, turned Chu Yiqiao’s chin, and finally gave the diligently feigning Chu Yiqiao a good morning kiss.

Only then did Chu Yiqiao slowly wake up, acting with what she believed was good acting skills—like she had just woken up. She lay down on Tan Ze’s legs with half-closed eyes, her voice sticky: “Good morning, Sister.”

“Good morning.”

Tan Ze reached out and rubbed Chu Yiqiao’s earlobe a few more times. Then, she gently removed the fuzzy head from her lap and got out of bed decisively.

She put on her slippers, walked to the sofa by the door, picked up the clothes she had laid out last night, and tossed them onto the bed: “Okay, get up quickly. It’s raining today, so no morning run.”

Chu Yiqiao climbed out from under the covers, only to have her head covered by the clothes Tan Ze threw over her.

They were long past the stage of being shy about seeing each other naked. Chu Yiqiao faced Tan Ze and directly unbuttoned her pajamas. She found her clothes amidst the messy pile of fabric and started dressing, beginning with her underwear.

Tan Ze was in no hurry to change, standing at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed, appreciating the view.

Beneath the childish pajamas was a young, beautiful body. Scattered red marks on her pale skin were like plum blossoms in the snow. Chu Yiqiao had a great figure; she was slim, but curvy in all the right places, with a slender waist, long legs, and shapely buttocks. She was the type who would be stared at the whole way down the street, even in childish clothes.

Since it was raining, and considering Assistant Zhao Jingxing’s electric scooter wasn’t ideal, Tan Ze personally drove Chu Yiqiao to school.

Even after opening the door and sitting in the passenger seat, Chu Yiqiao was still preoccupied with the morning’s events. She’d take a bite of her bun, pause for a few seconds to think, and then ask Tan Ze curiously: “Sister, how did you know I was pretending to sleep?”

Tan Ze couldn’t help but laugh again. She was used to dealing with people with many tricks up their sleeves, and it had been a long time since anyone had asked her such a technically simple question.

Only Chu Yiqiao would ask, and only Chu Yiqiao would receive an answer from Tan Ze.

“Chu Yiqiao, you know your acting is terrible, right?” Tan Ze glanced at Chu Yiqiao while turning the corner and continued: “I’ll take a photo of you pretending to sleep sometime, and you’ll see.”

Tan Ze intentionally repeated: “Seriously, it’s really bad.”

Chu Yiqiao retorted somewhat petulantly: “I won’t pretend to sleep anymore, so you won’t be able to take a photo.”

Tan Ze gave a perfunctory “Mm-hmm,” but didn’t take it seriously at all.

Confession and Surprise

As punishment for ditching Bei Tong and Yan Yuanjing to have fun in Linhang, Chu Yiqiao had to save seats for their general elective class for a week. The seats couldn’t be too far back or too close to the front, and ideally, they should be near a charging port.

There were three of them in the class, so Chu Yiqiao needed to save two adjacent seats and one solitary seat.

After hearing Bei Tong’s demands, Chu Yiqiao frowned deeply: “But I don’t have the textbook! What if the teacher calls on me?”

Tan Ze had accidentally left the Basic Principles of Marxism textbook when packing their luggage. The one ordered online wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow. Chu Yiqiao had no book. Bei Tong hadn’t bought one either. Of the three, only Yan Yuanjing had a book.

Bei Tong rolled her eyes at her: “Borrow one from your roommate. I’m allergic to the lingering scent of your six-day holiday.”

Chu Yiqiao posted on her Moments, and within 30 seconds, she borrowed the book from her scholarly roommate, Pei Ding.

Pei Ding’s Principles class was right before hers. She brought the book over immediately after class. She was in such a hurry that there was even a pen still tucked between the pages.

“Thank you!” Chu Yiqiao was startled by the book’s thickness. Every page was covered in dense, tiny notes.

In comparison, Chu Yiqiao’s own book only had her name written on the title page, and even that was just the single character “Qiao” because she was too lazy.

The hallway was crowded during the break, not suitable for chatting, and class was about to start. Chu Yiqiao thanked Pei Ding with the book in hand, saying she would return it directly to her dorm after class.

She waved, then stepped into the classroom.

Pei Ding stood rooted to the spot, mechanically waving back at Chu Yiqiao. She hadn’t said a word the whole time, her face devoid of emotion, but she was deeply shocked inside.

She was taller than Chu Yiqiao, and Chu Yiqiao’s long-sleeved top had a slightly loose collar today… Pei Ding swore she only accidentally glanced down; it wasn’t intentional.

However, in that one glance, Pei Ding was certain she saw a hickey, just below Chu Yiqiao’s collarbone.

It was definitely not a mosquito bite.

Mosquito bites don’t leave teeth marks.

Chu Yiqiao hadn’t loudly advertised that she was dating on her Moments, but she hadn’t deliberately concealed it either.

Previously, her posts were only accompanied by pretty photos. Recently, the accompanying pictures had become more casual: the sofa, the TV, the clothes rack on the balcony, and the captions were subtle displays of affection.

“Why didn’t I notice this sofa was so hard before?”

“Hehe, watching TV with Sister again.”

“Sister said to hang it like this. I don’t get it.”

They weren’t casual, but rather more domestic.

In fact, one didn’t need to look at her Moments; Chu Yiqiao’s recent state was clearly different, indicating a very happy life.

Pei Ding had harbored a sliver of hope, but now her heart was completely shattered.

After class, Chu Yiqiao stood up and habitually struck up a conversation with her friends: “What should we eat for lunch? I have another class this afternoon more sketching…”

But no one replied. She turned around to find Bei Tong and Yan Yuanjing still embracing each other in their seats, completely ignoring Chu Yiqiao. They didn’t even spare her a glance.

Chu Yiqiao got annoyed at being ignored. She gave the couple three rows away a scornful look, saying aloud, “Then I’ll go eat by myself!” but thinking to herself, I’ll go expose them on the campus wall later.

She had promised to return the book right after class, so Chu Yiqiao slowly walked toward the dorm, holding her umbrella.

Pushing open the dorm door, the interior looked no different from Chu Yiqiao’s memory. The other two roommates were out. Pei Ding was sitting deep in thought at her desk, so absorbed that she didn’t even notice Chu Yiqiao walking in.

“Thank you, Pei Ding. You’re so serious in class; my eyes are completely blurred from looking at all the notes.” Chu Yiqiao returned the book to Pei Ding, casually handing her a milk candy she had brought from home that morning.

Pei Ding snapped back to reality, taking the book in a daze. Her gaze moved from Chu Yiqiao’s face to the candy in her palm. She hesitated for a few seconds but finally accepted it.

Chu Yiqiao thanked her again: “Really, thank you. If there’s nothing else, I’m going to eat now. Bye-bye.”

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