After Mistaking My Stepsister’s First Love - Chapter 21.1

It was almost three in the afternoon, and the civil affairs bureau hadn’t closed yet. It was indeed possible to go and get their marriage certificate now.

But when Ye Wenjin suddenly heard Jian Mo say they should go register immediately, her heart skipped an uncontrollable beat.

The truth was, she was completely unprepared. Just this morning, the two of them had decided to go on Thursday.

Even after returning home, Ye Wenjin still felt a little out of sorts.

“Xiao Jin, go get the documents we need.”

Hearing Jian Mo call her, Ye Wenjin snapped back to attention and instinctively nodded. “O-okay! I’ll go get them right away!”

With that, she turned and ran upstairs, only to stop abruptly halfway, realizing how eager she must seem. She slowed her steps awkwardly.

The last time she had returned to the Yin family home, she had taken all her belongings with her. The necessary documents were in her suitcase, in the room where she had slept last night.

The closer she got to the room, the more nervous she became. After retrieving all the required documents, she stared at them blankly.

If they were really going to register, shouldn’t she pay attention to her appearance?

The thought crossed her mind hazily, and suddenly, she felt even more anxious. Forgetting about the documents, she jumped up and rushed to the bathroom to scrutinize herself in the mirror.

The reflection staring back at her didn’t look bad, but Ye Wenjin felt like everything was wrong.

Her hair wasn’t voluminous enough, it needed washing. The clothes she was wearing were too dark not suitable. Most importantly, because she had an early class today, she hadn’t put on any makeup.

Ye Wenjin’s eyes widened slowly as panic set in.

After standing frozen in front of the mirror for a while, she finally made up her mind and went to find Jian Mo.

Jian Mo was also in her room. Ye Wenjin knocked on the door, then peeked in and asked softly, “Jiejie, can you wait for me a bit?  I want to freshen up.”

As she spoke, she lowered her eyes, slightly embarrassed.

Jian Mo seemed surprised, but her smile widened. “Of course. It seems I should tidy up too. Getting married is no small matter, thanks for the reminder, Xiao Jin.”

Ye Wenjin: “!!!”

She really wanted to say that Jian Mo already looked perfect as she was. But the moment she met Jian Mo’s smiling eyes, the words stuck in her throat.

So she could only nod meekly. “O-okay.”

Time was tight, she couldn’t waste a second. Once she got the confirmation, Ye Wenjin dashed back to her room, washed her hair in a hurry, picked out an outfit, and applied light makeup.

When she was finally done, the person staring back at her in the mirror looked entirely different. For a moment, she felt dazed.

Unconsciously, her mind drifted back to the last time she had returned to the Yin family home.

That day, her makeup had been done by a professional, but it had aged her, completely mismatched with her youth. And she had felt no excitement about attending the banquet her eyes had been dull, devoid of any anticipation.

But now, the reflection in the mirror showed someone who couldn’t help but smile. Though there was nervousness in her eyes, there was even more expectation.

So this was how much she was looking forward to marrying Jian Mo.

Ye Wenjin felt a little embarrassed and quickly patted her cheeks to snap out of it.

But as she made her way to Jian Mo, her nerves returned. She couldn’t help but worry was she pretty enough now? Was this the version of herself that Jian Mo would like?

She wanted to present the most perfect version of herself to Jian Mo, even though her image hadn’t been the best during their previous encounters. But at the very least, when it came to registering their marriage, she wanted to be flawless.

Her nervousness only subsided when she caught a fleeting look of admiration in Jian Mo’s eyes.

Ye Wenjin had dressed even more meticulously, her laughter as radiant as a hundred flowers in bloom. “Xiao Jin really has a talent for styling.”

To her, Jian Mo’s smile was utterly devastating. Her usual faint smile was already captivating enough, but the one she wore now was like a gentle spring breeze, carrying with it a faint, cool fragrance that seemed to linger in the air.

For a moment, Ye Wenjin was dazed before suddenly realizing, this subtle scent wasn’t her imagination. It was real!

Jian Mo’s pheromones were leaking!

Her expression shifted to surprise, and she immediately grew tense, asking worriedly, “Sister? Your pheromones are escaping has your hormonal imbalance flared up again?”

Jian Mo’s smile paused briefly, as if resigned. “Seems like the suppressant patch failed. Xiao Jin, help me put on a new one.”

Treating it like a critical mission, Ye Wenjin hurriedly asked Butler Wu for several suppressant patches, planning to keep extras on hand in case of another failure.

As she carefully applied the patch for Jian Mo, she didn’t notice the deep, unreadable look in Jian Mo’s eyes. She focused entirely on the task, determined to do it perfectly.

Once the patch was in place, the pheromones dissipating in the air vanished instantly, and Ye Wenjin finally relaxed.

Jian Mo touched the suppressant patch on the back of her neck, her smile enigmatic. “Xiao Jin did such a good job.”

Ye Wenjin grinned sheepishly. “As long as you’re satisfied!”

Jian Mo’s faint smile lingered, though the corners of her lips dipped slightly.

Once everything was ready, the two set off for the civil affairs office.

After taking their marriage photo, submitting the necessary documents, filling out the application, and completing the registration, they each held a red booklet in their hands.

It had gone surprisingly smoothly.

Staring at the marriage certificate, Ye Wenjin felt a momentary daze.

Only now did it truly sink in, Jian Mo had agreed to marry her.

At some point in the afternoon, the sun had peeked out. As they stepped outside, the warm golden light of the setting sun bathed the marriage certificate in a soft glow. Just looking at it filled her with an involuntary sense of joy.

Ye Wenjin’s dazed expression gradually returned to reality, though her gaze kept drifting back to the red booklet.

In their marriage photo, the two were seated close together. She wore a shy smile, while Jian Mo looked graceful and composed yet the photo turned out stunning regardless.

The more she looked at it, the more her heart swelled with happiness. Naturally, she didn’t notice Jian Mo’s momentarily stunned expression as she stared at the certificate. By the time Ye Wenjin snapped out of her joy and glanced at Jian Mo, her usual calm demeanor had returned.

But the smile on her face was more genuine than ever before.

Ye Wenjin stole several glances, unable to suppress the thought,

Was Sister also happy about their marriage? She must be after all, she was smiling.

Clutching the red booklet, Ye Wenjin was reluctant to put it away. Driven by some inexplicable urge, she wanted everyone to see it.

So she held onto it the entire way, sneaking glances now and then, her lips curled in an unshakable smile.

When they got out of the car, she was still holding the marriage certificate, completely forgetting to tuck it away.

The moment she stepped out of the car and looked up, Ye Wenjin saw Housekeeper Wu waiting at the entrance. When their eyes met, Ye Wenjin froze, her gaze instantly darting to the red booklet in her hand.

Housekeeper Wu hadn’t noticed it at first, but Ye Wenjin’s expression was too transparent, so she naturally caught sight of the small red booklet in the younger woman’s grasp.

Housekeeper Wu’s eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, her expression shifting to one of sudden warmth and affection.

Ye Wenjin grew even more flustered.

She instinctively wanted to hide the marriage certificate, but before she could act, Jian Mo stopped her.

“Aunt Wu, today is a special day. Let’s prepare a lavish dinner for everyone to enjoy together.”

Housekeeper Wu’s eyes crinkled with joy as she nodded enthusiastically. “Of course, of course! I’ll go out right away to buy the ingredients.”

Ye Wenjin’s attempt to conceal the marriage certificate halted mid-motion as she stared at Jian Mo in shock.

Jian-jie actually just came out and said it!

Was this really something they could announce so casually?

Yet, undeniably, the moment Jian Mo spoke, the tension and fear that had barely begun to rise in Ye Wenjin’s heart dissipated like mist under the sun.

Their social standings were unequal, making her far from an ideal marriage partner. And Housekeeper Wu had been by Jian Mo’s side for years, Ye Wenjin had been afraid of seeing judgment in the older woman’s eyes.

But Housekeeper Wu’s attitude hadn’t changed at all. If anything, Ye Wenjin felt the woman’s gaze toward her was even kinder than it had been the day before.

Dazed, she let Jian Mo lead her inside, where she immediately noticed the beaming expressions on the faces of the household staff. They seemed to be discussing something animatedly.

When the two entered, one of the maids brightened and approached them. “Miss Mo, should we decorate a little? Such a joyous occasion calls for some festive touches!”

Before Ye Wenjin could even process the question, Jian Mo had already nodded in agreement.

Then, to her astonishment, the maids happily produced an assortment of colorful decorations from who-knows-where, eagerly setting about adorning the house.

Ye Wenjin’s sharp eyes caught sight of several large red double-happiness characters among the decorations. Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Everyone… had just accepted her, an outsider, without hesitation.

Ye Wenjin could feel it, everyone in this villa treated her with kindness. Even if she knew this warmth stemmed from their affection for Jian Mo, it was still a tenderness she had never experienced in the Yin family.

Her nose tingled, and her eyes grew hot.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Wenjin struggled to compose herself, unwilling to break down in front of everyone.

The maids bustled about enthusiastically, occasionally stopping to ask for Jian Mo’s input.

Jian Mo glanced at Ye Wenjin and said gently, “I have some matters to attend to. Xiao Jin, could you help make some decisions for everyone?”

Suddenly entrusted with this task, Ye Wenjin was momentarily stunned.

But the maids were delighted. One held up a paper-cut window decoration and asked eagerly, “Miss Wenjin, where do you think this would look best?”

Before Ye Wenjin could respond, another chimed in, “And this sticker, is it too small? Should we cut a new one?”

“How about changing the couplets too? Oh, I remember we have plenty of ribbons and balloons! We could decorate the dining room to liven up dinner later.”

Surrounded by the cheerful maids, Ye Wenjin found herself fielding questions and making suggestions, their expectant smiles warming her heart.

Caught off guard by the sudden responsibility, Ye Wenjin nervously glanced at Jian Mo, wanting to say she’d rather not participate, she was afraid she might mess things up.

However, Jian Mo seemed oblivious to her silent plea and simply smiled, saying, “I know Xiao Jin wouldn’t refuse, right? Go ahead and give it a try.”

Ye Wenjin hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.

The next second, she was cheerfully whisked away by the aunties, who chatted with her as they walked.

Ye Wenjin listened to one after another, feeling so dizzy she could barely keep up.

But… it felt comforting.

It was as if she had seamlessly blended in.

After getting past the initial awkwardness, Ye Wenjin gradually relaxed and began discussing with the housekeeper aunties how to decorate the house meticulously.

However, the villa was quite large, and even after working for a long time, they hadn’t finished. Yet, Ye Wenjin grew more and more at ease, occasionally offering her own suggestions.

And whenever she did, the aunties would immediately adopt her ideas and shower her with praise so effusive it made her blush.

Come to think of it, her sister often praised her in the same tone. Seeing it now,

Ye Wenjin smiled and, after a moment of thought, quietly asked, “Auntie Guo, did everyone used to praise my sister like this too?”

Mostly, they were just so practiced at it, their tone identical.

Auntie Guo smiled nostalgically. “Actually, we learned it from Miss Momo’s mother. That lady was truly gentle.”

“When Miss Momo was a child, she went through a phase of being quite stubborn. Her mother would often praise her, so we just followed suit.”

This was the first time Ye Wenjin had heard anyone mention Jian Mo’s mother, and she was deeply curious after all, there were no traces of Jian Mo’s mother in the house. Now that Auntie Guo brought it up, her interest was piqued.

“Then where is my sister’s mother? I haven’t seen any of her family in the villa.”

Auntie Guo’s smile faltered slightly, and she looked hesitant. “This… it’s better if Miss Wenjin asks her directly. It’s not our place to say.”

Ye Wenjin froze. “Did… did I say something wrong?”

Auntie Guo sighed helplessly. “The matters concerning Miss Momo’s family are a bit complicated. It’s best if she tells you herself. If we were to say anything, it might come across as gossip.”

“But… I think if Miss Wenjin asks, Miss Momo will definitely tell you.”

Ye Wenjin obediently set aside her curiosity but couldn’t help asking, “Why?”

Auntie Guo pressed her lips together in a smile. “You two are wives now. Why would Miss Momo refuse to tell you? After all, you’ve already gotten your marriage certificate.”

“!!!”

This spread way too fast!

She thought only Butler Wu knew. Who would’ve guessed that once he knew, all the housekeeper aunties would too?

Ye Wenjin felt heat rush to her face, her gaze darting around in embarrassment.

Auntie Guo found her reaction amusing and chuckled. “Why so shy? Ah, young people are so easily flustered.”

Ye Wenjin silently focused on sticking window decorations, not caring how they turned out, her expression serious but her ears were burning red.

Seeing how embarrassed she was, Auntie Guo stopped teasing her. By the time they finished decorating, it was already dinnertime.

The villa had been completely transformed, looking brand new.

When Butler Wu announced that dinner was ready, Ye Wenjin dutifully went upstairs to call Jian Mo.

Taking in the newly decorated rooms, Jian Mo let out a soft laugh. “How festive.”

When she heard the word “festive,” Ye Wenjin’s gaze wavered slightly.

Those double happiness symbols the aunties had brought out had also been pasted up, and “festive” was usually associated with weddings.

Hearing Jian Mo say this, Ye Wenjin took another look at the decorations in the villa, no matter how she looked at it, it resembled a wedding venue.

Actually, while pasting them, Ye Wenjin hadn’t thought they were overly festive, but now, the effect was undeniable.

Her heart tightened, and she quickly turned to Jian Mo, asking cautiously, “Did we put up too many? Do you not like them, sis?”

Jian Mo turned and ruffled her hair. “No, you all did a great job decorating. I really like it.”

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