Bullying The Sister-In-Law - Chapter 35

The call connected.

At this moment, her breathing nearly stopped. Liu Chengxu’s first thought was to hang up.

In a state of panicked confusion, her heart, a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time, began to pound against her chest.

A voice from the other end broke the silence first.

Su Zhiluo said, “What are you doing?”

Liu Chengxu, who had been sitting on the bed, slowly walked over to the bay window. From her high floor, she could see the city’s nightscape.

She replied, “Just finished work.”

Su Zhiluo’s voice was as slow as hers. “Have you eaten?”

“Yes, I just spoke to Meng Zhengyue on the phone.”

Liu Chengxu slowly added, “She’s getting married.”

“Married?” Su Zhiluo sounded surprised. She asked, “Where is the wedding going to be, and when?”

Liu Chengxu said, “It should be in Beishi, currently scheduled for October.”

After a moment of silence on the other end, Su Zhiluo suddenly said, “Give me an address.”

Liu Chengxu let out a laugh, tinged with a hint of mockery. Her suppressed rebellious streak resurfaced, and she immediately retorted, “What’s the point of you asking that?”

She regretted speaking the moment the words were out, staring intently at the screen.

Liu Chengxu thought Su Zhiluo would follow up with, “If it’s pointless, then forget it.” After a long wait, she suddenly heard a suppressed, heavy, and slow inhale from the receiver. Su Zhiluo then said, “To send you something.”

Liu Chengxu asked, “Why did you block me that day?”

Su Zhiluo said, “You would have transferred the money back.”

She added, “You earned all that money, save it for yourself.”

Liu Chengxu said, “It was earned from the fund.”

A long silence fell over the call. Su Zhiluo did not confront her as she had in the past, but instead displayed a sense of quiet calmness following a period of reflection.

Su Zhiluo said, “Wasn’t the principal for the fund earned from all your late nights and hard work?”

Liu Chengxu opened her laptop. Yes, it was.

When she first came here, she was desperate to prove herself—overtime, running various client accounts, working herself to death. They weren’t in contact, but money would regularly be deposited into her bank account. Su Zhiluo would always include the memo: Rent.

She was still the same, like a tree silently extending its branches to shield her from the wind and rain. Knowing the pressure of rent here, she regularly sent money for her to pay it.

Every time, Liu Chengxu would transfer it back with extremely aggressive words: I don’t need you.

She finished working past midnight and was ready for bed.

Just as the call was about to end, Su Zhiluo said one last thing: “Your words are truly unpleasant.”

In that instant, the restraints that had bound her began to fall away.

Politeness meant care and unfamiliarity; this current thorny conversation meant that the threads of their emotional connection were still lingering and unbroken.

That night, both of them tossed and turned.

Later, Su Zhiluo returned to Beishi.

Su Zhiluo bought the house. The landlord had proactively contacted her, offering to sell it to her at half price. The previous buyer couldn’t agree on a price, and later, the landlord fell out with their children and couldn’t go to Australia, so they needed to move to a nursing home.

It happened to be around Su Zhiluo’s thirtieth birthday. She had money now, and purchasing a long-held aspiration was not an unforgivable act.

At the time, Chang Ruyin had insisted on buying her own house in Beishi, believing that a house gave one a foundation.

Su Zhiluo had also spotted a unit. She proactively called Liu Chengxu, hoping she would come back. Both houses needed two signatures, with both their names on the deeds. Unfortunately…

She meticulously decorated and furnished the small house. In her spare time, she went with Chang Ruyin to the building materials market, watching Chang Ruyin and Yang Jie slowly transform a bare structure into a warm, cozy home. They planned to see their parents after the renovations were complete.

Yang Jie asked, “When will you have a new home?”

Su Zhiluo replied, “Chengxu will be back soon.”

The meaning was ambiguous: Was it that Liu Chengxu was returning, so she couldn’t share a new home with anyone else? Or that once Chengxu returned, they would have a new home together?

Regardless of the interpretation, the answer revolved around Liu Chengxu.

Yang Jie asked, “Are you sure?”

Su Zhiluo didn’t nod, saying, “I’ll ask her for the address then.”

Su Zhiluo bought many winter supplies, thinking she would visit the house once Liu Chengxu returned and she had some free time.

In October, Chang Ruyin called Su Zhiluo to ask.

Su Zhiluo said, “Soon.”

In October, Liu Chengxu didn’t return. Her work issues required her personal attention. She texted Meng Zhengyue to apologize.

Meng Zhengyue posted in the group chat: It’s fine, she’s not my true love anyway. We can meet up after the wedding.

A few days later, she tagged Meng Zhengyue, saying she was still too busy to return to Beishi for dinner.

Meng Zhengyue tagged everyone back with the reply: My wife died. No gathering. It’s inconvenient.

Liu Chengxu: ???

She reread the message, ensuring she hadn’t misread it: That fast? Was the rich woman you married 38 or 83?

Meng Zhengyue didn’t reply; she was probably busy.

Liu Chengxu contacted Cha Baomei, who replied: I told you it was a scam. Help me call the police and check if her location is still in the country.

Liu Chengxu had no choice but to call the two other friends who attended the wedding. Her friends confirmed she had truly died—murder, they said—and even sent her information about the rich woman’s conglomerate.

Liu Chengxu quickly sold a few stocks and asked: Should we attend the funeral?

Meng Zhengyue: It’s complicated. I’m with my stepdaughter now.

Liu Chengxu continued checking her stocks: Is that acceptable? Isn’t remarrying too soon? Don’t her family object to you two being together?

Meng Zhengyue didn’t reply. Liu Chengxu’s plan to return to Beishi was shelved.

In December, Cha Baomei returned from Africa. Liu Chengxu was still working overtime in S City, tied down by her job.

Just before the New Year, Meng Zhengyue invited her to relax. Liu Chengxu left work that day and rushed to catch a flight without even changing her clothes.

On this trip, she met Meng Zhengyue’s stepdaughter. She had expected a small child, maybe around her age back then. To her surprise, she was eighteen!

At that age, one is prone to getting involved with people close to them.

At that age, she herself was always trying to secretly kiss her sister-in-law.

The stepdaughter looked well-behaved and followed Meng Zhengyue everywhere, even holding her hand. Meng Zhengyue seriously explained that her stepdaughter had a crush on someone, but she liked scumbags. Plus, she had a bit of a mother complex from her mother dying early, so she saw Meng Zhengyue as a mother. They could absolutely never be together…

Liu Chengxu desperately wanted to pat Meng Zhengyue’s shoulder and tell her that her stepdaughter might be trying to seduce her, and she should wear more layers at night. This was definitely a distorted kind of love.

She rephrased her thoughts and said, “Nothing is impossible. I also never told you I wanted to sleep with my sister-in-law.”

The moment she said it, everyone stared at her in astonishment. Liu Chengxu suddenly felt a rush of satisfaction. Her feelings were no longer a secret. She no longer had to mute her sadness.

Then, she felt ironic. She was warning Meng Zhengyue to be careful, yet she herself was shamelessly holding onto Su Zhiluo?

After the trip ended, Liu Chengxu did not return to S City; she went back to Beishi.

Meng Zhengyue drove her. When they arrived downstairs, she saw the light on in the building.

Liu Chengxu hesitated for a long time before saying, “She’s still living here, reminiscing about my sister every day, I guess.”

She spoke with a mixture of helplessness and sarcasm, laughing at her own foolishness for still loving Su Zhiluo—a love that only grew—and laughing at Su Zhiluo’s stupidity for guarding that broken house and thinking of her sister for so many years, calling her the most antiquated person in the world.

Liu Chengxu was covered in thorns, but she tore them out one by one to go see Su Zhiluo.

Meng Zhengyue finally realized that all of Liu Chengxu’s past emotions were because of her sister-in-law.

It had been over two years since Liu Chengxu had mentioned her sister-in-law.

At the door, Liu Chengxu still felt timid.

It was the middle of the night, and the door was being knocked on loudly. Su Zhiluo was afraid to open it and hadn’t spoken for a long time. With the New Year approaching, all sorts of shady characters came out. She vigilantly asked, “Who is it?”

The sound outside grew more urgent. Su Zhiluo grabbed a knife and was preparing to call the police.

Liu Chengxu said, “Sister-in-law, open the door, it’s me, I’m my sister.”

The door did not open.

Liu Chengxu had to speak again, realizing Su Zhiluo wouldn’t want to open the door if she thought it was her.

She whispered, “It’s me, Liu Chengxu.”

Inside the door, Su Zhiluo’s heart rate suddenly accelerated, and her breathing became rapid. A scenario she had envisioned countless times had suddenly come true. She almost blurted out: Are you imitating Liu Chengxu’s voice?

When she was little, her third sister told her a story about a monster that would imitate the voice of the person you missed most in the dead of night, and then devour you whole.

She was stunned for a long time.

Outside, Meng Zhengyue chimed in to help: “Please open the door. If you don’t, she’ll probably freeze to death outside. She’s not wearing anything but a sweater.”

Su Zhiluo caught a glimpse of Liu Chengxu through the door crack.

She had permed her hair now, giving her a sexy and mature look, completely different from the image of the eager college dog she once was.

I knew it, she thought.

She’s no longer the dirty little dog she used to be.

Liu Chengxu was foolishly starting to take off her own clothes to back up the lie.

A painful lump formed in Su Zhiluo’s throat. She quickly put down the knife. Biting down hard on her teeth, she pushed the door open and said, “No, let her die outside.”

Liu Chengxu said, “Heartless.”

The moment the door opened, the warm light from inside spilled out. Su Zhiluo stood in the doorway. Two years had passed, but neither of their appearances had changed much.

Liu Chengxu froze on the spot, looking at the familiar silhouette outlined by the light and shadow, which instantly made her feel as if she were back in that life-changing summer.

Many words were stuck in her throat.

Su Zhiluo spoke gently, “Dinner is ready. Come in and eat.”

Meng Zhengyue smiled and replied, “Thank you, I’m not hungry.”

Liu Chengxu smelled the aroma of the food. She couldn’t help but wonder, Did she make this for me?

She was afraid of being presumptuous.

Liu Chengxu said, “Sister-in-law, I’m hungry.”

Su Zhiluo’s gaze fell on her. She pushed the door wider, letting her enter.

Meng Zhengyue didn’t stay long.

Liu Chengxu stepped inside. The house layout was familiar yet foreign. Finally, she looked at the table and asked, “Why did you make so much? Are you expecting guests?”

Su Zhiluo dragged in her suitcase. Liu Chengxu habitually disliked her sister-in-law carrying heavy objects and reached out to take it. Their hands touched. Her fingers were icy cold, and Su Zhiluo flinched abruptly from the chill. The suitcase crashed to the floor, echoing hollowly in the quiet room.

The suitcase landed on Su Zhiluo’s foot. Liu Chengxu immediately knelt down to check, asking, “Are you okay?”

She didn’t hear what Su Zhiluo said. She quickly asked, “Does it hurt a lot?”

Su Zhiluo’s throat was clogged with emotion. She spoke again, enunciating clearly: “I said, there are no guests. It’s all made for you.”

Liu Chengxu was stunned.

Su Zhiluo said, “I have been waiting for you to come back.”