I Am Not a Vicious Stepsister! - Chapter 5

“She’s likely just been too busy lately. Eloise looks as healthy as ever, so there’s no need to worry.”

Ni Tianjiao hesitated, “But”

The two were likely whispering now, as the rest of their conversation faded into inaudibility.

Inside the restroom, Ni Song’an’s fingertips trembled. She gently set her glass on the sink counter and slumped against the wall, feeling drained.

Ni Tianjiao had definitely realized she wasn’t the original soul! She just didn’t have any concrete proof yet.

In theory, Tianjiao would never find anything to prove Song’an wasn’t Eloise. After all, Song’an felt that Eloise had vanished without a trace, she hadn’t found a single note or word among Eloise’s belongings. The original Eloise had simply evaporated into thin air.

Ni Tianjiao was likely the only one who had noticed. Althea seemed to think Tianjiao was just exhausted and hallucinating. Given Tianjiao’s fragile mental state, Althea wasn’t going to fully trust such a baseless suspicion anytime soon.

Ni Song’an tried her best to soothe herself: It’s fine. If I don’t say anything, maybe no one will ever know. Just don’t overthink it.

As for telling Ni Tianjiao the truth, that was a last-resort backup plan, only to be considered in the direst of circumstances.

She feared that if she spoke the truth, they would tie her up and ship her off to some bizarre research lab. Who would believe that “transmigrators” actually existed? Besides, everything Ni Song’an knew wasn’t exactly kind to the inhabitants of this world. Who would want to accept that their entire life was just a plot in a novel?

No one.

They’d likely assume she’d gone mad and was merely babbling nonsense. Even if someone did believe her, they would surely silence her, because if word got out, it would trigger absolute mass panic.

In the lounge, Ni Tianjiao gradually calmed down under Althea’s comfort. Once the two of them stepped out and Ni Song’an was sure the coast was clear, she made a quick exit herself.

Ni Song’an stayed until the day before classes resumed. She had originally wanted to leave the very night the banquet ended, but she felt that such a move would be as subtle as a self-destructing truck. So, she forced herself to endure until the weekend was over.

During that time, Ni Tianjiao and Althea called her over for a private chat again. It wasn’t the interrogation she expected, they simply asked after her daily life and whether she liked the food.

Seeing their affectionate, dignified expressions, Ni Song’an almost wondered if the incident in the lounge had been nothing more than a fever dream.

Before she left, Ni Tianjiao handed her a card, telling her to take good care of herself.

Now, she sat fiddling with the card, staring absentmindedly out the window. The night at Nanzhou University was lively, with students bustling all over campus.

The noise made her head feel heavy. She walked over and shut the window, trying to block out the din. The original mother had acted perfectly normal today, but Ni Song’an remembered exactly what she’d confessed to her lover in the lounge. It was hard to tell what she was actually thinking.

Did she truly believe Song’an was just overworked? Or was she waiting for the right moment to strike?

Maybe the money was just a distraction to keep this “imposter” complacent. Perhaps the moment she got cocky, they would catch her red-handed and demand she return the real Eloise.

Song’an let out a heavy sigh and tucked the card into a hidden compartment in her drawer. she only planned to withdraw a little at a time. If Tianjiao was monitoring the account, it would make sense, she was just using it for living expenses and pocket money.

Still, this belonged to the original owner. Song’an couldn’t use it without a guilty conscience. If she ever found the original Eloise, she’d find a way to pay back every cent, along with all the kindness she’d received.

It’s time to find a part-time job, she thought. She had originally planned to use the Rodney family’s influence to further her studies, but that seemed risky now. She’d have to rely on herself.

Her phone screen lit up, catching her eye. It was a message from Modesty.

[Modesty Rodney: Sister, you left without even saying goodbye… By the way, are you free next week? I really, really want to hang out with you]

Her fingers tapped across the screen as she sent a reply.

[Ni Song’an: Sure. Wednesday afternoon is a school holiday. Let me know when you arrive and I’ll come get you.]

[Modesty Rodney: Okay! Thanks, sister~ Love you!]

She had left in such a rush that she’d completely forgotten about Modesty, let alone saying goodbye.

With Wednesday afternoon now booked, Song’an stopped dwelling on her anxieties. She settled down, opened her course design assignment, and started working ahead.

At 1:00 PM on Wednesday, Ni Song’an received a text from Modesty. She had already arrived at the northwest gate of Nanzhou University.

[Ni Song’an: Got it. I’ll be there in a second.]

After replying, Song’an tossed her bag into the basket of a shared bike she’d just unlocked and pedaled toward the gate.

After passing through the facial recognition turnstile, Song’an looked around but couldn’t see Modesty anywhere.

That’s weird, she thought. The female lead’s platinum-blonde hair and tall stature should have been impossible to miss. She mumbled to herself and reached for her phone to ask where she was.

Suddenly, a thick scent of gardenias enveloped her. A pair of hands cupped over her eyes. A small velvet pouch hanging from the person’s fingers brushed against her cheek, feeling slightly itchy.

“Guess who?” The youth tried to disguise her voice, intentionally making it husky, but she couldn’t keep the act up for long before bursting into a giggle.

Song’an pulled the hands away with a sigh. “Modesty, at least try not to laugh next time. If you can’t hold it in, anyone could guess it’s you.”

“Oh, come on! I’ve never covered anyone’s eyes before. Today was my first time trying that prank,” Modesty quickly made an excuse for herself.

Song’an turned around and immediately understood why she hadn’t spotted her. Modesty was wearing a hat today, with all her hair tucked inside. When Song’an had walked out, Modesty had been crouching by some bushes. Since she was wearing green, she had blended in perfectly.

“That disguise of yours…” Song’an’s lip twitched. “Is practically perfect.”

“Ta-da! I brought you a gift!” Modesty didn’t mind the teasing at all. She leaned in close and pressed the velvet pouch into Song’an’s hand. “Open it and see”

“This is…” Song’an did as she was told and pulled out an exquisite sapphire earring. The color looked incredibly familiar.

Glancing between Modesty and the earring, Song’an found the source of the déjà vu. “The color is just like your eyes. It’s beautiful.”

“Oh? Really? I didn’t even notice. Anyway, try it on, sister! I learned how to make this in my craft class, and the teacher even praised me!” Modesty acted as if she had no idea the gemstone was as crystal clear as her own blue eyes, as if choosing this stone was a total coincidence.

Under her prodding, Song’an had no choice but to stand by the roadside and put on the gift.

The new weight on her earlobe felt a bit strange. The gift served as a reminder that she hadn’t worn jewelry in a long time. Surprisingly, her piercings hadn’t closed up, they were still there after her transmigration.

“How did you know I had my ears pierced?” Song’an suddenly realized. She usually wore her hair down, which covered her ears. Even so, Modesty had noticed.

Modesty answered readily, “I saw them when I helped you fix your clothes last time. My craft class required us to finish a silver piece, and I thought earrings were dainty and pretty, so I made them for you.”

Without a mirror, Song’an didn’t know how she looked. She went to pull out her phone to use the front camera, but Modesty stopped her. “They’re so sparkly. Sister, you look so good in these. Truly, you’re super pretty!”

The blunt compliment made the tips of Song’an’s ears turn red instantly, and a faint pink flush crept onto her cheeks. “Alright, let me show you around the school!”

She quickly changed the subject to escape the embarrassment. Modesty didn’t keep teasing her, Song’an looked like she might actually combust from blushing if pushed further. It was better not to scare her off.

There wasn’t much to see at Nanzhou University, and with Ni Song’an’s reserved personality, she wasn’t exactly a professional tour guide who could sell the school’s charms.

After walking through several spots, she could tell Modesty’s interest was waning. To save the day, she asked tentatively, “Are you tired? We can go rest in my dorm for a bit, then come back out for dinner later.”

As expected, Modesty perked up immediately and agreed without hesitation. “Okay!”

The dorm elevator was a bit crowded. Song’an and Modesty pressed their floor button and squeezed into a corner, their arms brushing against each other.

Song’an’s room was on a higher floor. As she stared blankly at the silver metal walls of the elevator, she noticed a blurry blue reflection near her ear.

As the other students filtered out, only she and Modesty remained. They were still standing close together. Song’an couldn’t help but lean in slightly, trying to see the earring more clearly in the reflection. Then, she heard Modesty’s voice right by her ear.

“Sister, what are you looking at?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Song’an saw Modesty’s clear blue eyes staring at her. They were identical to the blue in the reflection, one on each side, as if they were surrounding her.

Being caught checking oneself out in a reflective surface was always a bit awkward. Since Modesty was just a “kid” in her eyes, Song’an could pretend nothing had happened, though a very strange feeling stirred in her heart.

“Nothing, just fixing my hair.” She coughed lightly, trying to ignore the odd sensation, and told a harmless lie while fussing with her hair to make it look neat.

Fortunately, they reached their floor. Song’an led Modesty out of the elevator and to her room.

As she pulled out her keys to open the door, Modesty dropped a bombshell out of nowhere that nearly made Song’an miss the keyhole entirely.

“Sister, I think I forgot my dorm keys. I might not be able to scan back in tonight. Can I stay here and sleep with you?”

Support I Am Not a Vicious Stepsister!