After the Sickly Child Differentiates into A - Chapter 44

Zhou Cheng frowned. “Not talking again? Why are you asking this?”

“Could it really be jealousy?”

Seeing the dark-hearted girl’s expression grow increasingly unpleasant, Zhou Cheng swallowed, cleared his throat, and said, “It’s normal to feel jealous. Sometimes, when Grandma pays more attention to other kids and ignores me, I get jealous too.”

Lin Li suddenly lifted her eyelids in realization. “So that’s how it is.”

Once, when she was little, she and Xiao Huan accidentally ruined vegetables in someone else’s field, and Grandma took her to apologize. Grandma kept handing candies and snacks to the other child without even glancing at her.

At that time, her chest had felt uncomfortable too.

But, it seemed a little different?

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it probably similar, right?

“Of course, whether it’s friends, family, or even a more intimate lover, everyone feels a bit jealous over things like this.” Seeing her face deathly pale, Zhou Cheng decided to kindly comfort the young girl. “It’s completely normal.”

“And even if Sister Zhizhi doesn’t like Sister Shen Yuan, she’ll eventually like some other Alpha and marry them.”

“You’ll move out too.” Zhou Cheng enthusiastically recommended, “Living alone is so comfortable. Xiaoxiao and I can save the place next door for you.”

She wore an expression that said, “Look how kind I am,” completely oblivious to the deepening darkness in the young girl’s eyes. It was Sun Xiaoxiao who sensed the awkward atmosphere and changed the subject. “Let’s not talk about this. Lin Li, are you going out with Sister Zhizhi tomorrow?”

Suppressing the tightness in her chest, Lin Li nodded. “Yes, we’re going out.”

“Are you feeling unwell?” Sun Xiaoxiao, noticing her paler-than-usual complexion, urged worriedly, “You should go to bed early.”

Lin Li acknowledged and hung up the video call directly.

Zhou Cheng’s words, “She’ll eventually like some other Alpha and marry them” echoed in her mind, over and over. The tightness in her chest grew, and she felt so suffocated she could hardly breathe.

Warm “water” dripped onto the back of her hand. She looked down, it was red.

Her nose felt warm. She lifted her eyelids, grabbed a few tissues, pressed them under her nose, wiped her hand clean, picked up her phone, and sent a message to Dr. Su.

【Nosebleed. Coming on Monday.】

Dr. Su replied quickly.

【So soon? The new medication’s effectiveness has weakened to less than a week. You need to be prepared.】

【Avoid crowded places with mixed scents recently.】

【Understood.】

After the nosebleed stopped, she got up, tossed the blood-stained tissues into the toilet, and flushed. Passing the mirror, she noticed her still-damp hair. Realizing, she pulled the towel from her neck, took out the hairdryer, and quickly dried her hair.

Returning to bed and slipping under the covers, as soon as her head touched the pillow, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She closed her eyes, frowning and enduring until the dizziness faded, but the ever-present pain intensified, making it hard to fall asleep.

Half an hour later, she opened her eyes, grabbed her phone from the bedside, and unlocked it.

Zhou Cheng had sent her a few private messages.

【So you only guessed because you smelled my scent on Xiaoxiao?】

【Then why were you so fierce, saying I offended Xiaoxiao?】

Unable to sleep, Lin Li endured the pain, threw off the covers, and got out of bed. She put on her glasses, went to the bookshelf, and took down Biology Volume 1. After finding what she needed in the table of contents, she flipped to the correct page, took a photo, circled the key points, and sent it to Zhou Cheng.

The highlighted text read: “Applying pheromones to another person without an intimate relationship or their consent is a serious offense.”

[What kind of nerd are you!?]

[No way, no way, are there really high schoolers who don’t watch anime or read romance novels?]

[Why, at such an edgy age, have you turned yourself into an unromantic block of wood!?]

[And so many Alphas like you oh my god, I genuinely light a candle for your future Alpha.]

What does “edgy” mean?

Zhou Cheng sometimes said things she couldn’t understand.

[What are you talking about?]

[My future Alpha is none of your concern.]

Besides, I won’t have an Alpha anyway.

Being able to stay by my sister’s side for a few more years is already enough for me.

[Then, haven’t you noticed anything unusual about how Xiao Xiao and I interact?]

[Doesn’t it seem ambiguous?]

Lin Li frowned. Where was the ambiguity?

[You two haven’t even kissed where’s the ambiguity? Isn’t it pretty much the same as how you and I interact?]

Grandma said only people in that kind of relationship kiss. If they don’t, they’re just friends.

We hold hands and hug, how is that not ambiguous!?

[Then why did you tease us about flirting?]

[I saw someone on Hongbo say: “Bickering without any real harm is just flirting XX and XX must be real!”]

Wow, she even added an exclamation mark.

[You’re beyond saving. Just wait!]

[Sweet Alpha Chasing His Pregnant Wife, Sister-in-Law, Long Time No See, Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Alpha of the Villainous Omega]

[These are some of my favorite premium novels recommended just for you. No need to thank me.]

[Here’s the app installation file. You don’t even have to search for it just download, install, and look up these titles.]

[You block of wood, you should really study these. At least learn a little about emotional common sense.]

Looking at these strange book titles, Lin Li felt immensely confused.

[What kind of textbooks are these?]

Zhou Cheng was speechless. It took over ten minutes for her to reply.

[Love textbooks! Go study them!]

Lin Li: …?

Hesitantly, she installed the app and, among the three books, picked the one with the least strange-sounding title Sister-in-Law, Long Time No See.

Taking off her glasses and slipping under the covers, Lin Li opened the first chapter of this “love textbook” with mixed feelings.

The next morning, a little after 8 a.m., Wen Jingzhi returned from walking Xiao Xi, washed her hands, took out the warmed breakfast, and set it on the dining table. Glancing at the girl’s tightly shut door, she raised a puzzled eyebrow.

She usually woke up around this time was she sick?

She walked over, pressed the door handle, and stepped quietly inside.

The girl was curled up under the covers, only her closed eyes and smooth forehead visible, strands of hair scattered across the pillow, brushing against her thick, curled lashes.

Docile and adorable.

Wen Jingzhi’s lips curved into a smile as she sat by the bed, leaning sideways to lift a hand. Her fingers gently brushed aside the stray hairs on the girl’s forehead, her thumb lightly pressing against the corner of the girl’s right eye, tracing without touching the faint scar on her eyelid. Her gaze was full of tenderness.

For the child’s missing eye, she had always carried a sense of guilt.

The turbulent emotions hidden within those eyes when they were whole were like an abyss that drew one in, as beautiful as obsidian.

If she had never seen them, perhaps she wouldn’t feel such regret now.

The girl’s breathing grew heavy, her long lashes fluttering slightly as she opened her eyes. The drowsy gleam in her left eye shimmered, spilling over her pale, cool face, and her gaze trembled violently.

“…Sister?”

“Mm.” The fingertip pressed against the corner of her eye withdrew. “Time to get up.”

Lin Li blinked, feeling somewhat dazed. “Okay.”

Wen Jingzhi curved her lips slightly and stood up to leave.

As the door closed, Lin Li lay flat on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling, the sound of her heartbeat growing louder and heavier in her ears.

Closing her weary eyes, a passage from that novel surfaced in her mind.

“…Being touched by her whether on the wrist or having her hand held, the warm, soft fingertips brushing against her cheek even the most ordinary, non-intimate skin contact could make her heartbeat go haywire.”

“Perhaps it was the girl’s involuntary ‘admiration’ for her elder, those touches like ‘favors’ bestowed by someone she revered, bending down to her level, making her heart race uncontrollably.”

“New to emotions, the girl, dazzled by worldly desires, gradually found it hard to restrain herself, her gaze always drifting toward those soft lips.”

“The moment her gaze first fell on those lips, the girl’s feelings for her elder were no longer pure.”

The more she recalled, the more confused Lin Li became.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the chaotic thoughts, and got out of bed to wash up.

When she stepped out, Wen Jingzhi was sitting at the dining table. Hearing the sound, she turned to look. “Come here.”

Lin Li forced a smile, walked over, and sat down beside her, picking up a glass of milk and taking a big gulp. “Good morning, Sister~”

“Good morning.”

Lin Li picked up the perfectly presented sandwich from the plate, took a bite, and secretly glanced at the cool, distant “snow-capped mountain” beside her.

Her heartbeat wasn’t too fast.

Her gaze imperceptibly slid to the elder’s moist, red lips, lingering for just a second before she jerked it away as if electrocuted.

Her heartbeat quickened.

But—she didn’t want to kiss her sister.

This realization made her breathe a sigh of relief.

If it were as the book described, then she didn’t harbor such disrespectful feelings toward her sister. It was just that she was too attached, too dependent on her sister, which was why she felt a tightness in her chest when her sister grew closer to others.

This was normal.

But she needed to control it.

If she kept this up, she would only become a burden to her sister.

Her sister would have someone she loved, would get married, she couldn’t keep relying on her like this.

Suppressing the sour, heavy feeling in her chest that made her throat ache, Lin Li quickly finished her sandwich and downed the rest of her milk in one gulp. Squinting her eyes, she forced out a smile. “Sister, I’m done eating. I’ll go change now.”

The girl’s slender figure disappeared behind the heavy door, and Wen Jingzhi withdrew her gaze, a slight frown forming between her brows.

Was she in a bad mood?

She usually hugged her before leaving.

After tidying up and leashing Xiao Xi, Wen Jingzhi drove them personally to Qinghu Commercial District.

The road was a bit congested. While waiting at a red light, Wen Jingzhi glanced sideways.

Xiao Xi had taken over the back seat, poking his head into the front, while the gentle girl smiled and rubbed his head.

Tapping her index finger lightly on the steering wheel, Wen Jingzhi’s red lips curved into a faint smile before she looked away.

The car started moving again.

An hour later, the car parked in the underground lot of the commercial district.

Wen Jingzhi put on a mask and sunglasses before getting out. She opened the back door, and Xiao Xi, wagging his tail, jumped out and bounded over to Lin Li’s feet, waiting for his young mistress to attach his leash.

Lin Li held Xiao Xi’s leash, and Wen Jingzhi originally intended to walk to her right side. But the former suddenly spoke with a smile, “Sister, would you mind walking on my left?”

She wanted to be able to see her sister.

Wen Jingzhi paused mid-step and didn’t respond immediately.

Lin Li switched the leash to her right hand, and Xiao Xi obediently moved to her side, sitting down like a loyal guardian.

“See, Xiao Xi can keep an eye on the right for me.”

Wen Jingzhi gave in. Lowering her gaze, she walked to the girl’s left side and extended her hand. The other girl’s eyes crinkled into a smile as her slender, delicate hand settled into the soft, pale palm.

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