After Mistaking My Stepsister’s First Love - Chapter 30

This version of Jian Mo was one Ye Wenjin had never seen before.

The atmosphere in the room shifted so abruptly that it took her a moment to process what had just happened.

Jian Li?

Who was that? Judging solely by the surname, if they shared the same family name, could it be her sister’s mother?

But,  it was highly unlikely to be the mother who loved dancing.

For her sister to exude such an intense, chilling hostility, it must be someone she deeply despised.

Ye Wenjin hesitated but ultimately stayed silent, casting only a cautious, worried glance at Jian Mo.

Mei Yan, however, let out a heavy sigh. “Xiao Mo, you still haven’t let go.”

Jian Mo’s entire body seemed to radiate even colder energy, as if she had turned into an ice sculpture. “Let go? How could I? She killed my mother!”

Mei Yan opened her mouth to speak but sighed again in resignation. “Xiao Mo, A-Yun would never have wanted you to hold onto this hatred. I’m not asking you to forgive Jian Li, but… I just want you to free yourself. Dwelling on the past isn’t good for you.”

From their conversation, Ye Wenjin gradually pieced together fragments of the past.

In short, Jian Li was indeed Jian Mo’s Alpha mother, while her other mother was the dancer her name was Shen Xiyun.

When Ye Wenjin first heard the name Shen Xiyun, she froze for a moment, struggling to recall where she had heard it before.

Then it hit her, she had seen it before, on the alumni honor wall at school. At the time, she had only glanced at it casually, never imagining that it belonged to Jian Mo’s mother.

Back then, Shen Xiyun had been utterly enthralled by the stage. Her fame had even surpassed Mei Yan’s at one point, and if not for unforeseen circumstances, she would have undoubtedly become a world-renowned dancer.

But tragedy always strikes when least expected. At the peak of her career, she publicly announced her marriage. Even more shocking, she chose to carry and bear a child herself.

Mei Yan had been utterly baffled at the time. It was as if Shen Xiyun had become a completely different person, losing all sense of self.

Yet, Shen Xiyun had seemed unrepentant, even blissful, all because she had met Jian Li.

Shen Xiyun believed she had found true love, and for that love, she was willing to give up everything.

Mei Yan had never known her to be so blindly devoted to romance. With each confrontation, the truth only made the world feel more surreal to her.

But Shen Xiyun had insisted she was happy.

Despite her misgivings, Mei Yan had ultimately respected her decision.

Yet, good times never last. Happiness proved as fragile as a reflection in water shattered with the slightest touch.

As for what exactly had happened, Ye Wenjin couldn’t say. Jian Mo’s expression grew increasingly grim, and Mei Yan abruptly stopped speaking.

Ye Wenjin didn’t dwell on what might have followed. Her attention remained fixed on Jian Mo, worried that her emotional turmoil might trigger another episode of hormonal imbalance.

And… after hearing their conversation, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Jian Mo’s hormonal imbalance might also be tied to whatever had happened next.

If it was severe enough to cause such a condition, it must have been an immense trauma for Jian Mo. Ye Wenjin didn’t want to see those wounds reopened.

Her gaze searched the table eagerly before she picked up a small dessert and carefully offered it. “Sister, would you like a little dessert? This one tastes really good.”

The moment Ye Wenjin’s voice sounded, the chill around Jian Mo paused, then slowly dissipated.

She turned slightly and saw the concern, tenderness, and cautiousness in Ye Wenjin’s eyes, as if she were a delicate porcelain doll.

The atmosphere fell into silence. Just as Ye Wenjin began to fidget uneasily, Jian Mo took the dessert, lowered her eyes, and scooped a bite into her mouth.

“Mmm, the dessert Xiao Jin chose is indeed good.”

Seeing her voice return to normal and her emotions settle, Ye Wenjin suddenly let out a sigh of relief.

Softly, she said, “I’m glad Sister likes it.”

As if coaxing a child.

Jian Mo thought this to herself as she took another spoonful, eating the entire dessert bite by bite.

Though the portion wasn’t large, the sweetness actually did lift her mood considerably.

Once calmer, Jian Mo finally spoke. “Auntie Mei, thank you. But I know my limits, no need to worry too much.”

Mei Yan shook her head helplessly, her gaze lingering thoughtfully on Ye Wenjin.

Previously, she had thought Ye Wenjin was just a companion Jian Mo had found to pass the time, but now it seemed that might not be the case.

After observing discreetly for a while, Mei Yan realized Jian Mo appeared to be serious.

She smiled faintly and turned to Ye Wenjin, asking casually, “Which school do you attend, Xiao Ye?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Ye Wenjin froze momentarily before Jian Mo answered for her.

Mei Yan shot Jian Mo a surprised glance, even more astonished to learn that Ye Wenjin was actually an alumna of Shen Xiyun’s school.

Her gaze grew more earnest as she asked a few more questions, each answer leaving her increasingly intrigued.

Mei Yan nodded thoughtfully but didn’t elaborate further.

Ye Wenjin felt like a student suddenly put on the spot, so nervous that beads of sweat formed on her nose.

Fortunately, Teacher Mei only asked a few brief questions, yet even those inexplicably made her break out in a cold sweat.

It was somehow more nerve-wracking than being quizzed by a teacher in school.

Thankfully, the rest of the meal passed without incident, and the atmosphere returned to its earlier state. Whether it was her imagination or not, Ye Wenjin felt Teacher Mei’s gaze held a touch more kindness toward her now.

Still, she didn’t dwell on it. Though the person she had long admired was right across from her, Ye Wenjin remained tactful not interrupting unless necessary and answering only when asked.

Her impeccable demeanor earned Mei Yan’s growing approval.

After the meal, as the two bid farewell to Mei Yan, Ye Wenjin suddenly exhaled a long, slow breath of relief.

Her look of unburdened relief amused Jian Mo. “Didn’t you really like Teacher Mei? Why were you so nervous?”

Ye Wenjin chuckled sheepishly. “I do admire Teacher Mei, but her presence is just too overwhelming. I couldn’t quite handle it.”

She lowered her head in embarrassment, then added in a bashful whisper, “When Teacher Mei was asking me questions earlier, it felt like being caught off guard by a pop quiz.”

Jian Mo laughed lightly. “What a dummy.”

Ye Wenjin blinked, letting out a confused “Huh?” before looking up at her. “Me?”

Jian Mo found her innocent expression even more amusing but didn’t comment further. Instead, she asked softly, “Xiao Jin, seeing that I have a good relationship with Teacher Mei, haven’t you thought about leveraging that connection? If you just say the word.”

Ye Wenjin shook her head. “Even though you and Teacher Mei are old acquaintances, I don’t want to use up that favor for my sake. If I’m skilled enough, I’ll naturally be selected during the troupe’s auditions. If I’m not chosen, it just means I haven’t worked hard enough.”

“If I took someone else’s rightful opportunity through backdoor connections, I’d feel uneasy.”

As she spoke, her eyes were filled with sincerity.

Though she truly wanted to join Teacher Mei’s dance troupe, that didn’t mean she would resort to connections. She preferred to rely on herself.

Even if her efforts didn’t yield the desired outcome, Ye Wenjin wouldn’t be discouraged. She would simply redouble her efforts and prepare for the next audition until she succeeded.

Jian Mo wore a faint smile. “Alright, let’s go. Where else would you like to visit?”

Ye Wenjin thought for a moment and said cautiously, “Sister, can we go back now? After watching the performance, I’ve got some new ideas for the adaptation. I’d like to go home and try them out.”

Jian Mo chuckled. “Sure, let’s go home.”

So the two returned. Once home, Ye Wenjin dashed off energetically, announcing her intentions before disappearing into the dance studio, leaving everyone astonished.

Jian Mo appeared leisurely behind her. The butler, Wu, approached curiously and asked, “Miss Mo, what’s gotten into Miss Wenjin?”

Glancing in the direction Ye Wenjin had vanished, Jian Mo raised an eyebrow slightly. “That little ingrate, running off so fast. She’s in a hurry to choreograph.”

Butler Wu laughed. “It’s good that Miss Wenjin is so lively. I take it the outing was fruitful?”

Jian Mo’s lips curled, her mood seemingly quite pleasant.

Butler Wu smiled as well. “It seems the trip was indeed rewarding.”

She mused with some emotion ever since Miss Wenjin arrived, Miss Mo had become much more lively. Who said this marriage was a bad idea? It was clearly wonderful.

In high spirits, Butler Wu busied herself again, instructing the maids to carefully wash, dry, and deliver the returned clothes to Ye Wenjin’s room while she herself headed early to the kitchen to prepare.

Jian Mo shook her head and retreated to her study to handle work.

Meanwhile, Ye Wenjin immersed herself in the dance studio, eagerly incorporating her new ideas.

Lost in her work, time flew by. It wasn’t until a maid called her for dinner that she realized it was already evening.

After freshening up and arriving at the dining room, Ye Wenjin was once again stunned by the lavish spread.

“Is today, some special occasion?” she asked, slightly dazed.

Butler Wu smiled. “No special occasion. Miss Wenjin, please sit and enjoy.”

Ye Wenjin nodded and sat down, eyeing the array of dishes on the table with a growing sense of unease.

If she kept eating like this, wouldn’t she gain weight?

Though worried, she didn’t want to reject Butler Wu’s kindness, so she ate the meal with trepidation.

Maybe I should head back even earlier tomorrow, she thought.

By noon the next day, she had resolved to return to school ahead of schedule not because of Butler Wu’s sumptuous meals, but because Rong Yunshu had messaged her.

Jian Mo looked up at her. “So early?”

Ye Wenjin nodded. “Yes, I want to prepare sooner. I’d like Yunshu to review my work, we both signed up for this audition.”

Jian Mo’s eyes flickered slightly. “Yunshu is that the classmate from yesterday?”

Ye Wenjin nodded obediently. “Yes, sister.”

Jian Mo smiled faintly. “Alright, then I’ll take you back to school.”

Ye Wenjin wanted to say it was still early and she could go back on her own, but…

If her sister took her, they could spend a little more time together.

So she swallowed the words she was about to say. “Okay, sister.”

The trip back to school was quick, and when they arrived at the school gate, Ye Wenjin still felt a little regretful.

Noticing this, Jian Mo’s smile deepened at the corners of her lips. She said slowly, “Xiao Jin, you need to focus on the upcoming election. How about giving me another soothing?”

Ye Wenjin was startled and stammered, “R-right, right now?!”

Jian Mo paused, glanced around, and seemed a little regretful. “The environment doesn’t seem quite right. Then,  how about a temporary mark instead? It’s not as effective as soothing, but it’ll still help.”

Her eyes held a hint of amusement.

Ye Wenjin felt her face burn at her words, as if she were about to combust.

This was way beyond the scope of what she expected!

But looking at Jian Mo’s face, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. So she let out a small, flustered “Mm,” her face red and her gaze panicked, frozen in place.

Jian Mo, however, leisurely swept her hair aside. “Come on.”

Ye Wenjin’s heart pounded heavily. Taking a deep breath, she finally leaned in and bit down.

The enclosed car was instantly filled with the mingling scents of cold plum and rosemary.

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