Bullying The Sister-In-Law - Chapter 25.2

She kept waiting for her sister-in-law to buy it for her.

As if it were a precious admission ticket.

The ticket for her to welcome the true peak of summer.

At the end of June, Liu Chengxu’s tears suddenly poured down while eating in the cafeteria, startling Meng Zhengyue, who asked her, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Liu Chengxu wiped the tears from her face and pretended that nothing had happened.

Liu Chengxu returned to her dorm, drew the blackout curtains, and once again took out her phone to repeatedly confirm.

She lay on the bed, her heart beating heavily and feeling swollen. She had to keep checking the purchase record just to dare to believe that Su Zhiluo had actually bought the ticket for her.

This feeling was no different from her experience with hyperventilation.

She wiped her eyes, forced back the sourness in her nose, turned over, and took out a piece of clothing from under her pillow, carefully sniffing its scent, desperately trying to suppress the surging emotions.

In the past, she had always fumbled in the dark, desperately hoping Su Zhiluo wouldn’t abandon her for the sake of her sister. Now, this ticket was like a single ray of light piercing the dark night sky. The endurance she’d built from running every day was enough to support her in sprinting toward this thread of light.

She didn’t have to rush.

That entire day, Liu Chengxu was completely immersed in silent ecstasy.

That night, she also received a message from Su Zhiluo: I bought your ticket. Don’t bring any clothes; just come as you are. Take it easy.

Liu Chengxu took a screenshot of the message. She saved it to her private social media timeline, writing the caption: The first time you opened your heart’s door for me. I really, really like you. I actually really want to send this text to you. It’s been a while since I wrote a diary for you. It’s not that I don’t write, but I’m afraid you’d be scared if you read it. I have to say it one more time, I truly love you.

Right after she finished writing, she received a message.

Su Zhiluo: I should still explain. I didn’t buy the ticket for you immediately because they said there would be a typhoon recently. I didn’t know how severe or big it would be, so I wanted to wait until I found out more before arranging for you to come over.

During this time, she had asked colleagues in the warehousing business and finally understood that some typhoons simply fizzle out. Of course, the safest thing was for her not to come, but Liu Chengxu would definitely be sad and look like a gloomy little puppy. Su Zhiluo couldn’t stand those pitiful eyes, so she decided to have her come.

After sending the message, Su Zhiluo was getting ready to sleep when another message instantly popped up.

Liu Chengxu: Sister-in-law, thank you, and thank you for explaining it to me. My heart feels so full and swollen. I like you so much.

I want you for a lifetime. Even if you don’t love me, I will keep loving you for a long time.

I will give you everything I think is good, woo woo.

After she sent the message, the status bar quickly flashed “Typing…”

Su Zhiluo didn’t know what to reply, so she just watched silently. A smile was in her eyes. Silly dog.

Before the holiday, Liu Chengxu bought many dehumidifier packets and placed them in the rental apartment.

This time, she had learned her lesson and wouldn’t let their home get moldy again.

She had a dream.

In the dream, she and her sister-in-law were intimate, and her sister-in-law was very active and wet, like a spring stream, slowly trickling.

Liu Chengxu specifically cycled to purchase a huge pile of things, carefully packed them, and prepared to bring them to her sister-in-law.

This level of devotion made Su Zhiluo feel a pang of guilt.

She couldn’t help but ask herself: Does she really deserve this kind of dedication from the other person?

Looking closely, Liu Chengxu seemed even more beautiful. Her features had shed their youthful shyness and gained a touch of mature elegance. She wore a baseball cap and raised her eyebrows at Su Zhiluo. Even through the loose T-shirt, one could see her well-toned physique; the faintly visible ab line outlined her youthful strength.

The lines of her arms were equally graceful, with taut muscles wrapped in thin skin. She pulled her suitcase and gave Su Zhiluo a bright, radiant smile.

With her long legs, Liu Chengxu reached her side in a few steps and softly called out, “Sister-in-law.”

Su Zhiluo answered with a low hum, only then snapping out of her daze. Her attention had been entirely focused on Liu Chengxu’s physique, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

“Didn’t I tell you not to bring anything? Just coming here is enough,” Su Zhiluo said, reaching for the bag in her hand.

“I’m not tired,” Liu Chengxu shifted aside to avoid her, “I really didn’t bring much.”

The summer car compartment was hot and stuffy, and half of Liu Chengxu’s face was flushed. Su Zhiluo felt concern, pulled out a wet wipe, and gently placed it on her cheek. “You, why are you so bad at taking care of yourself?”

“It’s fine.” Liu Chengxu pressed her lips together and smiled.

Su Zhiluo hailed a taxi and was wondering if she should arrange for her to stay in a hotel, but Liu Chengxu preemptively spoke: “Let’s hurry back. I brought ice packs, and if we delay any longer, they might melt.”

Su Zhiluo led her back.

Liu Chengxu carefully examined the place where she lived. There were two bedrooms, half of the living room was partitioned off as a kitchen, plus a bathroom. The area wasn’t large, but the layout was much more spacious than before.

Su Zhiluo put the brought items into the refrigerator and handed her a bottle of soda. Liu Chengxu slowly drank it with a straw and was ushered by Su Zhiluo into the bedroom to enjoy the air conditioning, while Su Zhiluo stayed outside to continue tidying up.

Pushing open the closet door, Liu Chengxu was slightly startled. It was filled with dresses, short-sleeved tops, and hot pants, all in the latest styles.

Everything had been prepared for her by Su Zhiluo.

More accurately, Su Zhiluo had made them for her by hand. She had enrolled in a sewing class and, after learning, often bought fabric to cut and make clothes herself.

This feeling was exactly like a dream she used to have as a child: opening a closet filled with princess dresses. Ever since her family went bankrupt in junior high, she had stopped having such dreams. But Su Zhiluo had quietly continued this dream for her.

During those difficult days, Su Zhiluo always carefully protected her self-esteem. The hardest part for her was merely the lack of pocket money for trendy toys, but Su Zhiluo would always “casually” bring back small gifts and would also ask her to help buy groceries, letting her keep the change. Later, Liu Chengxu stopped thinking about buying toys and instead used the change to buy a pair of gloves for her sister-in-law so her hands wouldn’t be cold when washing clothes in the winter.

Su Zhiluo never let her do laundry, thinking it would interfere with her studies. At that time, she worked hard to study, wanting to be as outstanding as her sister.

Liu Chengxu looked around. On the table was a photo frame containing a picture of the two of them. It wasn’t an ambiguous or intimate photo, but rather one that Su Zhiluo seemed to have printed herself: the two of them sitting upright on chairs, looking proper, almost like a family portrait.

Su Zhiluo’s tablet was propped up by the table, next to a second-hand computer. Liu Chengxu casually pressed the space bar, and the screen lit up. The wallpaper was a photo of Su Zhiluo and her older sister, their faces affectionately pressed against each other.

Liu Chengxu’s nose tingled with emotion. She recalled a phone call where Su Zhiluo sounded like she had been drinking a little and softly said, “I can’t forget your sister.” Her sister had passed away young, and if the people who remembered her were gone, she would truly vanish from this world.

It’s okay. She looked at the traces of herself all over the room and told herself she should be content.

Liu Chengxu grabbed a set of clothes and went into the bathroom. She recognized Su Zhiluo’s usual shower gel bottle immediately. Standing under the warm water, she suddenly understood why Su Zhiluo always kept her sister as her wallpaper.

Even though Su Zhiluo had a connection with her, and even with the guilt in her heart, Su Zhiluo still couldn’t bear to forget her sister. Even while enduring the scorching heat of moral condemnation and guilt, her sister would forever be the ‘white moonlight’ in her heart.

Su Zhiluo’s love for her sister was deeper than anyone else’s, including her, the younger sister.

Liu Chengxu’s love for her sister was not as profound as Su Zhiluo’s. She would slowly let go over time and calmly recall, “I once had a sister.”

But Su Zhiluo was different; that was “Love.” Her deceased sister would forever live in her soul.

She disliked Su Zhiluo’s persistent remembrance of her sister, yet she knew perfectly well: wasn’t the person she fell in love with this very Su Zhiluo who couldn’t forget her sister? She loved this characteristic about her.

Liu Chengxu hand-washed her underwear and placed the rest of her clothes in the basket inside, as Su Zhiluo had instructed.

After Liu Chengxu hung up her clothes, Su Zhiluo urged her to sleep, then turned and went into the bathroom, where she washed Liu Chengxu’s remaining clothes.

It had been a long time since Liu Chengxu had seen her sister-in-law wash clothes for her. She stood by the door, watching Su Zhiluo’s slender, white fingers submerging her garments in the water, and she was momentarily lost in thought.

She went back inside to tidy up for a bit, then couldn’t help but come out again: “Sister-in-law, let me wash them myself.”

“Just two pieces, I’ll be done soon.” Su Zhiluo didn’t let go.

Liu Chengxu crouched by the basin and gently took Su Zhiluo’s hand, noticing the slight calluses on her knuckles. She lowered her eyes to examine them closely, but Su Zhiluo pulled her hand back.

“I’ve had to move goods while managing the warehouse recently, so it’s inevitable.”

“Mhm.” Concern was visible in Liu Chengxu’s eyes.

As Su Zhiluo changed the water, she gently reminded her, “Ruyin jie will be back tonight. The soundproofing in this house is terrible. We have different schedules, so when you go to the restroom or do anything else at night, be quiet. Don’t wake her up.”