Crossing the Clouds and Sky to Fall in Love with You - Chapter 42

“…I’m fine, you can stop worrying now, can’t you?” Mom Tao pouted, their hands tightly clasped together. “Alright, it’s already noon, have you girls eaten yet?” Siqi shook her head honestly. “Yi’an, take Siqi and them. You two siblings haven’t seen each other for years… it’s time you had a good talk.”

Tao Yi’an looked up, his tone deliberately cold as he echoed his mother, “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Tao Yi’an…” Ignoring the fact that Mom Tao was present, I couldn’t help but whisper his name!

Mom Tao pursed her lips in disapproval, “You’re a stubborn child… just like your father. If you don’t want to talk, then don’t, but at least take the guests to eat.”

“Mmm, Xiaoning, come with me.” Tao Yi’an completely ignored Siqi and addressed only me, pushing his electric wheelchair, intending to leave the room.

I glanced at Siqi. She didn’t say anything, but just nodded and pointed towards Tao Yi’an. Was she telling me to go with him?

Puzzled, I followed Tao Yi’an out first. He waited for me outside the door, and when he saw me hurry out, his lips curled into a smile. “I thought you’d wait for her.”

“She… well, I’ve been here a few times anyway, even without you guiding me, I know the way myself.” I pouted, and he laughed heartily a few times.

“Yiting doesn’t know?”

“If you’re talking about me and Siqi, she just asked about it a moment ago.”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Just now?” I briefly explained to him what happened last night, including staying over at Yiting’s house and how we ended up here. He seemed slightly relieved, perhaps because even Yiting still didn’t know.

“Is she… is she good to you?” He looked back towards the door, his expression entirely serious.

The gentle smile that often hung on Siqi’s lips flashed in my mind.

“She’s very good to me.”

“Is that so? So you’ve been living together all this time; she’s your roommate.” The more time passed, the more clues he could recall. “Xiaoning, you…” He parted his lips, perhaps about to ask about my sexual orientation.

But Siqi finally caught up, and before he could ask, she took my hand right in front of him.

It was like asserting her ownership.

He glared at his older sister with visibly colder eyes. I anxiously glanced at Siqi, only to find her attention focused solely on me. “Are you hungry?” The smile on her lips remained.

“Mmm… a little.”

“I’ll take you to the restaurant.” She strode past Tao Yi’an. I immediately understood that they were actively competing in front of me, both deliberately ignoring the other.

Tao Yi’an was left trailing behind us two. Siqi explained Mom Tao’s condition to me, but I only sensed that she was very relaxed. Other than that, the details didn’t register in my mind.

Lunch was steak. I was seated right between the two siblings. They chose to speak only to me, which meant they had a tacit understanding to treat each other like air, making the atmosphere extremely tense.

“Could you two… please not be like this?” Halfway through the meal, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I surrendered! “Please, you two siblings talk to each other! If this keeps up… I’m leaving!” I was frustrated and helpless, even feeling a little like crying… being directly sandwiched between them face-to-face was incredibly stressful!

“Xiaoning…” Siqi on my right called my name, and Tao Yi’an’s wheelchair pushed a little closer to me. I had completely become the cookie filling.

“You’re brother and sister… siblings who care about each other!” I finally burst into tears. “Tao Yi’an! Didn’t you say in your grandpa’s room how good your relationship with Siqi used to be? She even deliberately encouraged you before she left for her trip! Even after running away, she still remembered to post a photo wishing you a happy birthday… and who is it that always acts tough and says he doesn’t care about his sister, but checks Chu’s fan page every day?”

He turned his head away, looking every bit like a sulking child. I turned to my girlfriend. “You, too! I admire your maturity and magnanimity… you can be so tolerant of the hurt and willful me, so why are you ignoring your brother completely just because he said something you didn’t like?”

“I’m not.” She stubbornly shook her head. “If I’m making things difficult for you, I’m sorry.”

She gently stroked my face, attempting to hug me as comfort. Normally, I would accept, but since he was present, I pushed her away, truly unwilling to fan the flames further.

“Xiaoning, you once said that Tao Siqi loves me?”

Tao Yi’an spoke. I looked at Siqi, who was intently glaring at her brother.

“Perhaps you’re right, but as soon as it involves ownership, her attitude definitely changes; she’s always very aggressive about her possessions. Am I right, Tao Siqi?”

Siqi’s face instantly darkened.

I had never truly seen her angry. Perhaps Tao Yi’an knew exactly what his sister hated to hear. He knew how to use the easiest and most hurtful words to provoke Siqi.

“Xiaoning is not my possession, but you got one thing right. She is my girlfriend, and we are together.”

“Siqi!” I cried out softly, but she immediately pressed her lips against mine, giving me no chance to speak.

“I was surprised when I heard you were also pursuing Xiaoning. Why did you end up at this school? I was happy to hear you finally enrolled in the Art Department. Xiaoning also received your care at school, and I should thank you.”

His tone was icy cold. “My transfer has nothing to do with you. I advise you not to flatter yourself. I only took care of Xiaoning because I admire her. I never imagined such a coincidence: you return to Taiwan without a word, end up liking the same person as me… and then nonchalantly sweep her off her feet, even bringing her back here like a boast, dragging the innocent her into this mess between us. Tao Siqi, you haven’t changed at all. You’ll stop at nothing to hit back at me.”

“Heh! You overestimate yourself. I didn’t bring Xiaoning back entirely because of you. Besides, I haven’t known you for a day. If I don’t make it clear who your opponent is, you’ll definitely keep harassing Xiaoning.”

“I harassed Xiaoning?” His voice sharply rose!

“Isn’t that the case?” Siqi forced a triumphant and provocative smile. “You confessed to her even when she was with her ex-boyfriend, didn’t you? Oh! Don’t misunderstand, Xiaoning didn’t tell me, but I know you well. A gentleman values helping others achieve their goals; I’m afraid Tao Yi’an, you are incapable of that, aren’t you?”

“Tao Siqi!”

“Enough!” I struggled free from her embrace. “I should just leave! What do you two take me for, arguing like this?” I understood now, as long as I was present, these two would definitely not be able to calm down and talk. I genuinely walked away from the dining table right in front of them, even running out the front door of the mansion. Her car was still parked there. I didn’t have the keys, but I’d rather stay outside and brave the cold wind!

The second-floor restaurant wasn’t far from the main door, and the large house was empty, so I could hear them arguing even while standing by the entrance. Although both were very angry, they finally shifted their focus away from me and started talking about family, work, and matters directly relevant to them.

“…That’s well put! If I genuinely wanted to snatch what belongs to you, how would you compete with me in your current state?”

“So you’ve finally decided to come back? Have you made up your mind? After enjoying yourself for a few years, that’s what I call responsible!”

“I never said that! My work is going smoothly. I heard you’ve been checking my fan page? Thank you for your concern! If you haven’t bought the book, I can send you a copy. I’ll come back occasionally, but it’s for Mom and Dad.”

“Only now you remember to care about Mom and Dad? To make up for your three years of neglecting your filial duty?”

“How I mend my relationship with Mom and Dad is my business! You just focus on your painting. Since you’ve chosen this path, don’t disappoint Mom and Dad.”

“Hmph! When it comes to disappointment, I’m probably far behind you, am I?”

“Say whatever you want! I will take care of Mom and Dad’s affairs. As for my career and this house, they are not within my concern. I’ll leave them to you to worry about slowly!”

“Tao Siqi!”

Despite Tao Yi’an’s sharp shout, Siqi went downstairs without looking back. When her eyes met mine, the icy frost on her face finally melted, and she gave me a slight smile.

Tao Yi’an couldn’t come down the stairs directly. He stopped at the stairwell, glaring at Siqi with a terrifying, yet perhaps slightly sad, expression. Our eyes met, he pursed his lips, and immediately turned his wheelchair around. I couldn’t know his mood at that moment.

“Are you done arguing?” I wiped away my tears. Hearing them loudly criticize each other just now made my heart ache.

“Mmm.” She smiled, a little lost, but also with a strange sense of satisfaction.

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to your mom again?”

“It’s okay, I’ll probably be back soon. Next time I meet Dad, it’s best to arrange it outside. Similarly, I still hope you can accompany me.” She took my hand and led me out of her family’s front door.

“Can we not make the situation so tense every time?” I gave a wry smile and got into the car first.

“I don’t want to either,” she shrugged. “If their attitude towards me had been like what my mom said to me today from the start, I probably could have confidently pursued what I wanted and wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to run away from home!”

The car circled the courtyard and drove out the gate. Not long after leaving, she honked the horn as we passed an approaching sedan. “That’s my dad!” She laughed heartily and stepped on the gas, quickly widening the distance.

“You’re such a child!” It was rare to see such a mischievous side of her. “Does your dad recognize your car?”

“He might, but his reaction probably isn’t that fast.”

“So, did you and Tao Yi’an… clear things up?”

“I guess so? At least he knows you’re taken; and that ‘taker’ is me.” Her eyes suddenly sharpened, but her tone was incredibly soft. “No one can take you away from me again… not even my brother.”

I pouted. This was the first time I had witnessed her possessiveness. “What Tao Yi’an said… I think it might be somewhat true.”

“What did he say?”

“You’re very aggressive about your things!” I poked her arm hard.

“You’re not a ‘thing’.” She pursed her lips to correct me. Coincidentally, we stopped at a red light. She pressed the brake, leaned over, and pinched my nose! “That’s how he provoked me just now. You are not a ‘thing,’ you are my girl.friend.” She smiled faintly, subtly glancing at the red light.

We had just enough time left for a brief, intimate display of affection.