Dating Myself - Chapter 22

The rain continued, but the thunder and wind had died down. The sky was getting brighter. The door was still rattling. Qin Yige held Jian Yihu’s shoulders, his eyes cold and his expression grim.

From the window, it was hard to see Jian Yihu’s face, but they could see her hands. They clenched into fists and then slowly relaxed. She wrapped them around Qin Yige’s neck.

“I’m sorry…” she said in a soft, sobbing voice.

Qin Yige scoffed. “You think an apology is enough? You think I’m an idiot?!”

Jian Yihu shook her head. She pulled him closer and seemed to kiss him. When he pulled away, his expression had softened. Jian Yihu sobbed, “I know it’s too late to say anything, but I have to…”

Xie Maomao muttered, “If you know it’s too late, why are you still talking? You’re a fake.”

An Mu gave her a cold look, and Maomao immediately shut up. They were only a wall away. Even with the rain, there was a chance they could be heard.

Jian Yihu leaned into Qin Yige and started crying. “I know it was wrong of me to encourage someone to take pictures of my sister, but I just wanted to scare her. I would never post a video of her online. She’s my sister, and if something bad happened to her, it would affect me. I would never risk my future. The forum incident wasn’t me, either. I only typed in my account because I couldn’t find any other evidence.”

“I know you must think I’m a terrible person for doing something like this, but have you ever wondered why I did it? I worked so hard to find my sister for three years. I love her so much. How could I ever hurt her? I was forced to!”

“You don’t know this, but ever since she moved in, she’s been trying to get my parents to do whatever she wants. She asks for something new every day, and she even tried to steal my room. My mom takes her everywhere and treats her like a princess, and they completely forgot about me. I don’t care about any of that. After all, my sister just came back. I want to spoil her, too. But do you know what she did when she didn’t get my room?”

Jian Yihu’s voice trembled as if she were terrified. “She came into my room in the middle of the night, put her hands on my neck, and said that she had to have my parents now because I had them to myself for so long. She said that everything I have belongs to her, including our parents, my fans, and you. She said she would take it all.”

Qin Yige frowned. He didn’t know if he was truly confused or just pretending. “What do you mean?”

Jian Yihu looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. She was so dramatic. “She knows that I… I…”

“You what?”

“I like you.”

Qin Yige was shocked. A look of pure joy spread across his face. “Then why didn’t you tell me you liked me?”

“I just didn’t want to distract you from your studies,” Jian Yihu said, resting her face on his chest and crying. “I wanted to wait until we were in college, but who knew…” She hugged Qin Yige and started sobbing. “I can let her have everything else, but not you! I don’t care about my parents, my fans, or anything else! I just want you!”

Qin Yige was shaken. He had never been so shocked in his life. He stood there for a few moments, then hugged her back. “Then why did you lie to me? Why didn’t you tell me the truth from the beginning?”

“I like you. I wanted to be perfect in your eyes. I didn’t want you to hate my dark side… Boo hoo…”

“You really like me?”

“I really do…”

“Then…” Qin Yige paused. “How can you prove you’re not lying now?”

Jian Yihu froze. She looked up and kissed him again. “Isn’t that enough?”

Qin Yige pursed his lips. “It’s a start, but it’s not enough.”

“Then what do you want?”

He pushed her against the door, making it shake. Jian Yihu was shocked. “What are you doing?”

Qin Yige leaned in and whispered, “Don’t be scared. I’m just proving a point.”

Then, they heard the rustling of clothes.

Maomao’s eyes widened. Her face, which had been okay before, was now pale. This wasn’t just a shattered image. This was a total collapse. It was disgusting.

An Mu looked at Jian Yixi, who had her head down. Her expression was hard to see in the shadows. An Mu bit her lip, then got up and opened the window. She took out her phone and snapped a few pictures. She then looked at them and smiled. “Thanks for the material for tonight’s Weibo post.”

Even though they didn’t do anything, it was still shocking for high school students. Jian Yihu’s face turned white. She pushed Qin Yige away and screamed, “Get her phone!”

Qin Yige came to his senses and tried to grab it. An Mu stepped back and calmly shook her phone. The smile on her face was cold, and her eyes were terrifying. “I suggest you calm down. My phone automatically backs up to the cloud. Even if you break it, the pictures will still be there.”

Qin Yige tried to climb through the window but stopped. “What do you want?”

An Mu said calmly, “I’m easy to talk to. If Jian Yihu comes over and lets Jian Yixi slap her twice, I’ll delete the pictures.”

Jian Yihu was furious. She clung to the window and screamed, “Why?! She’s not even worthy! If she touches me, I’ll have my parents kick her out of the family! I’ll make her miserable!”

An Mu smiled. “You just said our parents favor her. Now you’re saying you can have her kicked out? Don’t you think before you speak? I told you before, a brain is a good thing to have. Did your parents forget to give you one when you were born?”

“You! Qin Yige! What are you doing?! Grab her phone, make her unlock it, and delete the backup, too!”

Qin Yige was finally starting to think straight. He grabbed the window and jumped inside. He tried to grab An Mu. Maomao screamed and tried to stop him. Jian Yixi, for the first time in her life, reacted quickly. She grabbed An Mu and ran. Jian Yihu tried to stop them but stumbled backward and hit a metal shelf. She cried out in pain and held her back. When she looked up, the girls were gone.

Jian Yihu yelled at Qin Yige, “Why are you just standing there?! Go after them!”

Qin Yige had also gotten away from Maomao and ran after them. He saw the girls slowing down as they approached the stairs.

The school building was a large square with a courtyard in the middle. It had a pond and a small pavilion. Students usually cut through the courtyard, but because it was raining, they had to walk around.

Qin Yige’s face was dark. He walked quickly toward them, grabbed An Mu, and dragged her into the hallway. The rain had slowed down, and the sky was brighter. The teachers had probably gone back to their classes, so the hallway was empty.

Jian Yixi followed them and was about to scream for help, but An Mu, who was stumbling, calmly looked back. She put her finger to her lips and said, “Shh.”

Qin Yige dragged An Mu to the end of the hallway. Jian Yihu had just walked through the rain and was a little wet. She saw An Mu and her eyes lit up. “Where’s the phone?!” She looked at An Mu and Jian Yixi, but they didn’t have a phone on them.

Xie Maomao also ran over, her hair wet. She grabbed them and said, “I’m so glad you’re okay. Let’s go. Don’t worry about them.”

Qin Yige’s face was pale. He gritted his teeth and looked at An Mu. “Where did you hide the phone?!”

“Guess?”

Qin Yige left them and ran around, looking for the phone. With so many classrooms and offices, how would he ever find it? He came back, frustrated.

Jian Yihu was so angry that she was about to scream. Qin Yige had to cover her mouth. “Calm down! Don’t you think there’s enough chaos?!”

Qin Yige might have been a fool for love, but he was also in the elite class. He wasn’t stupid. He was willing to be blamed before because he knew that with his looks and a “true love” story, it would only make him more popular. But now things were different. Jian Yihu’s reputation was in ruins. If the pictures were released, he would be in big trouble with the school and his family. He could even be expelled.

Qin Yige really did like Jian Yihu, and he was getting carried away, but there was a way to delete the pictures. Why would he risk his future? He tried to be calm and said, “I’ll give you money if you delete the pictures.”

An Mu’s face was expressionless. “I’ll give you money if you leave.”

“You… Mmmph!” Jian Yihu tried to swear, but Qin Yige covered her mouth.

Qin Yige said, “I’m being serious.”

An Mu put her hair behind her ear. Her smile was fake and mocking. “So am I. I told you, if Jian Yihu lets Jian Yixi slap her, I’ll…” An Mu remembered how Jian Yihu had tricked Maomao in her past life. She added, “And if Maomao slaps both of you, I’ll delete the pictures.”

Maomao was shocked. “I get to slap them, too?”

Jian Yihu pulled Qin Yige’s hand away. “You’re dreaming!”

Qin Yige quickly weighed his options. A real man knows when to step back. He would get his revenge later. “Fine. You can delete the pictures, and I’ll watch you. You can hit me after you delete them.”

An Mu said, “I don’t think so. You have to get hit first.”

“How do I know you won’t change your mind?”

“I’m not forcing you to trust me. Don’t waste my time.” An Mu grabbed Jian Yixi and Maomao and walked away. Qin Yige gritted his teeth and stopped them. “Fine! I’ll take the slaps for Jian Yihu.”

An Mu looked at Jian Yihu. “She can take them for herself.”

“An Mu!” Jian Yihu was furious. “Why are you doing this?! What did I ever do to you?!”

An Mu looked at her with contempt. “How did you get into the elite class with that memory? I already told you, you’re the one who’s brainless.” A teacher walked by and yelled, “What class are you in? Why aren’t you in class?!”

An Mu said, “We’re going now, teacher.” The teacher walked away.

Qin Yige was getting desperate. “Fine! I agree! Just hit me!”

An Mu looked at Jian Yihu. “What about her?”

Jian Yihu was about to swear, but Qin Yige whispered something in her ear. She was furious, but she bit her lip and nodded. She knew she had to. She had just been exposed. If the pictures were released, it would be a total disaster.

An Mu told Jian Yihu to stand against the wall. The light from the hallway made the red marks on her face more visible. If it wasn’t so dark, Qin Yige would probably be disgusted by her. An Mu looked at Jian Yixi. “Come here.”

Jian Yixi didn’t move. An Mu pulled her and pushed her so she was standing in front of Jian Yihu. “Look at this woman. Think about what she said about you. She had you photographed, set you up, and is now lying about you. She doesn’t care about your relationship and shows no remorse. You still can’t bring yourself to hit her?”

An Mu didn’t want to force Jian Yixi to do this, but she had told her Qi Liran’s story so that she would know what kind of person Jian Yihu was. Jian Yixi needed to understand that she wasn’t the reason for the attacks. It was Jian Yihu’s own malicious nature.

An Mu had calmed Jian Yixi down a bit, but Jian Yihu was still making things worse. She was still lying about Jian Yixi. Even though Jian Yixi had been quiet and stoic, An Mu knew what she was thinking. She knew the pain and anger that her sixteen-year-old self was feeling.

The timing wasn’t perfect, but Jian Yixi needed to release that anger. She was the only one who could help her sixteen-year-old self.

Jian Yixi looked down at her shoes. Her white shirt and plaid skirt were rustling in the wind. Her ponytail was also messy. An Mu pushed her on the shoulder. “Jian Yixi, she owes you this.”

Maomao said, “She’s horrible! She doesn’t deserve to be your sister! Slap her! Slap her! Slap her!”

Jian Yixi closed her eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered in the wind. She finally spoke. Her voice echoed in the hallway. “I don’t like to use violence to solve problems.”

An Mu was shocked. Her sixteen-year-old self was a pacifist, but after everything Jian Yihu had done, she was still a doormat. An Mu was disappointed and let go of her shoulder.

Jian Yihu held her stomach and laughed. “Hahahaha! That’s hilarious! You think she’s going to listen to you? We’re sisters! What are you…”

PANG! Jian Yixi suddenly slapped her. Jian Yihu wasn’t ready, and the sound echoed in the empty hallway. It sounded so painful. Jian Yixi looked at her, her eyes clear and firm. Jian Yihu’s face, which was already red, was now even redder. It was twisted to the side and looked horrible.

“I wasn’t done talking. Why are you so impatient?” Jian Yixi’s voice still had that babyish sound. “I don’t like using violence, but this is an exception.” In other words, if An Mu told her to do it, she would. Jian Yixi shook her hand and looked at An Mu. It looked like there were tears in her eyes. “My hand hurts…”

Was her sixteen-year-old self trying to act cute? No, that’s impossible. She never acted cute. Not even with her adoptive parents. An Mu looked around. There was nothing she could use. She had already slapped her once, so the job was done. “Do you want me to do the second one?”

Jian Yihu’s ears were ringing. It took her a while to realize what had happened. She tried to go crazy, but Qin Yige held her back. Jian Yixi shook her head. “If my hand hurts when I slap her, won’t yours?” The law of physics was correct. Unless she used a tool, she would get hurt. An Mu didn’t have an answer. Jian Yixi continued, “So, we should just use other methods. Violence is not worth it.”

It was as if her sixteen-year-old self was teaching her a lesson. Jian Yixi suddenly turned around and slapped Jian Yihu again. Jian Yihu wasn’t ready, and her nose started to burn. Tears came out of her eyes. She almost screamed. Jian Yixi shook her hand and looked at An Mu. “See? It’s red. It really hurts. I’m not doing it again.” An Mu looked at her hand. It was red, but she couldn’t help but hold it and blow on it. “Okay, we won’t do it again.” Jian Yixi smiled, revealing her dimple.

Using violence is not a good idea. You might get arrested and have a criminal record. An Mu is so violent. I can’t let her become a criminal.

An Mu had no idea that she was being seen as a dangerous person. She looked at Xie Maomao. “You’re next.”

Maomao had seen how much Jian Yixi’s hand hurt. She didn’t really hate them. If Jian Yixi hadn’t slapped them, she would have. But Jian Yixi had done it herself. “I can’t!” Maomao suddenly felt like a hero. “This is a team effort. An Mu used her brain, and I’ll use my strength. If I don’t, I’m not a good friend.” Maomao slapped Jian Yihu. Jian Yihu held her face and cried. She had never been so humiliated in her life!

Maomao shook her hand. “It… it really does hurt!” Jian Yihu’s face was soft. Qin Yige was a big guy. It was going to hurt. Maomao wanted to quit. She looked at An Mu. “My hand hurts!” She put her hand out, hoping An Mu would hold it and kiss it like she did for Jian Yixi. “Then use your other hand.”

“What?!” Maomao didn’t understand. She was furious. Why was there such a difference in treatment?! But she gave up. Jian Yixi had been through a lot. She looked at Qin Yige and slapped him. The slap was weak. She was afraid her hand would hurt. But Qin Yige’s face went dark. He was humiliated. Maomao had looked at him like he was a disgusting bug. He was about to vomit blood. He held Jian Yihu’s face and said, “Can you delete the pictures now?”