After Mistaking My Stepsister’s First Love - Chapter 78

At that time, Jian Mo was in a sorry state—soaked from the rain, her clothes drenched and crumpled, her face streaked with wet strands of hair. She looked entirely different from how she did now.

So when they met again later, Ye Wenjin had no recollection of ever helping this version of Jian Mo.

Yet Jian Mo remembered that umbrella for a very, very long time.

Perhaps it was because she had been so unfortunate back then that she clung desperately to even the faintest glimmer of light, even if the other person didn’t remember her at all.

From then on, whenever she had free time, Jian Mo would go to the dance studio just to catch a distant glimpse of Ye Wenjin.

She even sought out information about the competitions Ye Wenjin participated in, attending every single one. As long as Ye Wenjin was performing, Jian Mo wouldn’t miss it.

At first, it was just curiosity sparked by that umbrella that made her pay attention to Ye Wenjin’s every move.

But as days turned into months of silent observation, she gradually came to understand what kind of person Ye Wenjin really was.

Contrary to her expectations, Ye Wenjin was timid, often silent, overly honest to a fault—she had too many flaws.

Yet despite all that, Jian Mo couldn’t bring herself to look away. She continued watching quietly from the shadows.

Until three years ago, when that observation had to become even more concealed.

Her struggle with Jian Li had begun. She wasn’t just fighting to take control of the Jian family—she also wanted Jian Li to pay the price. As long as Jian Li suffered, Jian Mo was happy.

But that meant she had to temporarily stop paying attention to Ye Wenjin. Jian Mo didn’t dare take the risk. If Jian Li discovered her unusual interest in Ye Wenjin, she might use her as leverage—just as she had once used Jian Mo to control Shen Xiyun.

Jian Mo couldn’t bear to see that happen again, so she had no choice but to give up watching over Ye Wenjin.

She had planned to find Ye Wenjin again once everything was over. But by the time her own battles had concluded, she discovered that Ye Wenjin’s situation had only worsened.

The family she lived with openly either ignored her or made trouble for her—they even wanted to marry her off for their own gain.

Jian Mo could no longer stand by. So… she deliberately sent a signal to the Lin family, making them think they had a chance.

Sure enough, the Lin family invited her to a banquet. It was there that Jian Mo finally appeared before Ye Wenjin for the first time.

But by then, Ye Wenjin had been worn down so much that there was hardly any light left in her eyes. She moved numbly alongside the Yin family members, more wooden than Jian Mo remembered.

The Yin family couldn’t even raise one child properly.

That was the first thought that crossed Jian Mo’s mind—until she caught sight of Yin Feifei, lively and even scheming, out of the corner of her eye.

It wasn’t that the Yin family couldn’t raise a child well. They just wouldn’t.

Jian Mo decided then and there to take Ye Wenjin away. And soon, the opportunity quietly presented itself.

So when she realized Ye Wenjin had been drugged, Jian Mo didn’t hesitate to bring her into the room.

The beginning of all this wasn’t the accident Ye Wenjin believed it to be—it had been Jian Mo’s plan all along. Even if it hadn’t happened this time, she would have found another way to pull Ye Wenjin out of the Yin family’s mire.

She had waited and watched for so many years, restraining herself until now, finally managing to draw the person into her own territory.

If she had never possessed her, Jian Mo might have been able to suppress her feelings.

But she had once had Ye Wenjin, so when the other woman discovered her true nature, Jian Mo panicked, terrified that Ye Wenjin would leave her because of it.

Jian Mo knew her mental state wasn’t healthy and had considered that no one would willingly stay with someone like her, which made her all the more afraid.

Lost in these chaotic thoughts, she spiraled into a state of distress, once again making Ye Wenjin feel frightened.

Just when she thought there was no way to salvage the situation, she was caught off guard by Ye Wenjin’s words—that she wouldn’t leave her.

Jian Mo quickly regained her composure. Not wanting Ye Wenjin to be afraid or upset, she struggled to suppress the turmoil in her heart, at least enough to keep Ye Wenjin from feeling scared.

After recounting the story of how they first met, Jian Mo never took her eyes off Ye Wenjin, naturally noticing her utterly astonished expression.

Seeing her lost in thought for so long, Jian Mo couldn’t resist reaching out to brush the hair at her temple. “Why that expression? Are you surprised, Ah Jin?”

Ye Wenjin was silent for a long moment before nodding reflexively. “I… really didn’t expect that girl to be you, sister.”

In that instant, she was pulled into distant memories. Though hesitant, she still shared the events of that time with Jian Mo.

“Actually, I was in a terrible mood that day. I had finally gotten a recommendation to participate in a competition.

First place came with a prize of a thousand yuan, second place was eight hundred, and third place only five hundred.

Back then, the first-place prize was a huge sum to me—more than I’d ever had at once—so I took the competition very seriously.”

“But on the morning of the competition, it was pouring rain. The only way to get from the Yin family to the venue was by taxi since the family driver wouldn’t take me.

The rain that morning was relentless, with strong winds that made umbrellas useless against the sideways downpour. Worse still, my clothes got soaked, and the wind left me shivering uncontrollably.”

“But that wasn’t even the worst of it. Because of the storm, taxis were scarce. I stood in the rain for thirty minutes before finally catching a ride.

Maybe I was too anxious, but I didn’t realize I was running a fever until I was backstage preparing. Only when my forehead burned to the touch did I realize I had a fever.”

“It’s strange how the mind works. When you’re preoccupied with something else, you don’t notice physical discomfort. But once you do, that discomfort magnifies endlessly.

So I quickly became aware of how awful I felt—dizzy, foggy-headed, my body unbearably heavy. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t win first place that day. I only got third.”

Looking back on those memories now, Ye Wenjin felt much calmer. But at the time, first place had been her goal—she desperately needed that prize money—so she couldn’t accept the outcome.

Yet life is unpredictable. Despite all her hard work and practice, a sudden fever had cost her the top spot.

After receiving the award, Ye Wenjin silently returned to the dance studio, persistently practicing. If the teacher hadn’t noticed something was wrong and stopped her in time, giving her fever-reducing medicine, she didn’t know if she would have burned herself into a stupor.

In that state, the teacher wouldn’t let her continue, so Ye Wenjin had no choice but to go home.

But then it started raining again. Staring at the gloomy weather, Ye Wenjin felt as if dark clouds had settled over her heart as well.

Numbly, she stepped out of the dance studio, ready to head home, when she suddenly noticed a strange person.

A girl stood motionless in the rain, staring blankly at the studio’s sign. Passersby seemed to assume she had some special circumstance, all giving her a wide berth—no one stopped to help her.

Ye Wenjin didn’t want to meddle either, but as she passed a convenience store, she still went in and bought an umbrella.

Getting caught in the rain could lead to a cold, and fever was terribly uncomfortable—something she had just experienced firsthand. So she handed the umbrella to that girl.

Perhaps the other person was going through something too, but Ye Wenjin didn’t have the energy to ask. Giving her the umbrella was the most she could do at that moment.

After all, she could barely take care of herself.

Yet it wasn’t until now that she realized—that girl back then had actually been Jian Mo!

But they were nothing alike. She hadn’t recognized her at all.

Ye Wenjin’s emotions were complicated as she murmured, “At the time, I just felt… you and I were a bit similar. Meeting in that state might have been fate, which is why I gave you that umbrella.

But honestly, apart from that umbrella, I didn’t help you in any way. Instead, you’ve remembered it all this time and helped me so much…”

Ye Wenjin felt this was unfair to Jian Mo. It had just been a casual act on her part, something she hadn’t even kept in mind, yet Jian Mo had remembered it for so long. Even if it was about repaying a kindness, she didn’t have to go so far as to involve herself like this—it really wasn’t worth it.

Jian Mo saw through her thoughts. Cupping Ye Wenjin’s face in her hands, she made her meet her gaze.

“A-Jin, you might not know this, but I’ve actually watched many of your competitions and performances. At first, I just wanted to see what kind of person the girl who gave me an umbrella was. Then I discovered you were studying dance.

At that moment, I really did think of my mother—she loved dance just as much. So I started paying attention to you, watching you grow stronger with each competition, and realizing you were such a quiet child.”

“There’s a few years between us, so back then, I only saw you as a younger sister to watch over.

But A-Jin, you’re truly outstanding. No one in your position could’ve necessarily done as well as you did.

Not to mention, your talent for dance is remarkable, and you work hard enough on your own. The longer I watched you, the more I was drawn to you.

But at the time, my struggle with Jian Li was at its most critical point, so I had to pause my attention toward you. It wasn’t until everything was over that I could focus on you again.”

“A-Jin, do you know? When you dance, it’s like you’re glowing—so dazzling, so captivating. I’m only human—being drawn to you is only natural.”

She finished with a sigh, her expression flickering with hesitation before she added softly, “That accident at the banquet… part of it was my fault too. Because I didn’t want to just watch you from the shadows anymore. I wanted to stand by your side.”

“So… will Ah Jin be angry? Angry that I schemed against you.”

Ye Wenjin had already guessed, but hearing Jian Mo say it so bluntly still left her momentarily dazed.

However, she quickly steadied herself. “Sister isn’t wrong, and I’m not angry. After all, I had my own selfish motives back then—I thought if I married you, I wouldn’t have to return to the Yin family or face the possibility of being forced into a political marriage. But would you mind my scheming?”

Jian Mo chuckled softly. “What scheming? Ah Jin did nothing wrong. If I were in your place, I’d have done far worse. But you’re kind-hearted and gentle—you wouldn’t go that far.”

Ye Wenjin smiled sheepishly. “But I did take advantage of you. Of course, I wouldn’t dare go too far. At the time, I just wanted to escape the Yin family. Beyond that, I didn’t dare hope for anything else.”

All these years, though she had lived with the Yin family, she had never benefited from their influence. Even after leaving, Ye Wenjin knew nothing would change—she would still have to rely on herself.

So, she had long been prepared, with clear plans for her future, taking things step by step.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she could achieve her dreams ahead of time.

During their time together, Jian Mo’s kindness to her far outweighed any schemes or manipulations. Ye Wenjin remembered that kindness, and so she no longer dwelled on those past calculations.

Besides, hadn’t they already laid everything bare between them now?

Ye Wenjin only felt closer to Jian Mo than ever. The love swelling in her chest urged her to press a soft kiss to Jian Mo’s lips.

“Sister, would you let our relationship grow even closer?”

The implication behind those murmured words made Jian Mo pause for a moment. Then, tenderly, she responded to Ye Wenjin, answering her with action rather than words.

“Mark me permanently, Ah Jin.”

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