Make Her Heart Flutter - Chapter 17

Jiang Qi peeked out from the kitchen and saw that Chi Shuang’s hair and clothes were drenched. “Got caught in the rain? Go take a hot shower, don’t catch a cold.”

Chi Shuang disliked the damp, sticky feeling on her skin and nodded before heading upstairs.

Closing the door behind her, the familiar scent still drifted faintly into her nostrils. Chi Shuang let her guard down, crouched by the door, her body pressed against it, arms wrapped around her knees as she trembled uncontrollably.

She repeated to herself over and over: It’s been a long time, a very long time. Everything before was fake, only the final act that nearly killed you was the real her.

So, don’t fall for it again. Chi Shuang closed her eyes in anguish, her skin so pale it was almost translucent, her raven-feather lashes casting a small shadow beneath them. Fragile and helpless.

Downstairs, Yan Xu was the first to arrive.

“Good morning, Xiao Qi! What’s for breakfast?” Yan Xu asked with a smile.

“Pasta,” Jiang Qi replied, as concise as ever.

After speaking, she glanced at her watch. Chi Shuang had been upstairs for almost forty minutes, was she not done yet?

As they spoke, Shang Chumu also came over from next door. He had originally intended to help with cooking, but as soon as he arrived, he caught the enticing aroma wafting from the kitchen.

“Ah! That smells amazing! Who cooked today?” Shang Chumu took a deep sniff and put on an exaggerated expression of delight.

“Your Sister Jiang!” Tang Qiluo came up from behind and threw an arm around Shang Chumu’s neck.

“What? So, Sister Jiang really can cook? And it actually smells pretty good!” Shang Chumu exclaimed in surprise.

Jiang Qi: “…” Thanks, but I don’t take that as a compliment.

Chi Shuang descended the stairs slowly, and Shang Chumu, sharp-eyed, noticed the redness around her eyes. “Sister Chi? What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“I went for a morning run and got caught in the rain. Probably some rainwater got in my eyes,” Chi Shuang replied with a gentle smile, having prepared the excuse in advance.

Everyone seemed to accept this explanation, except for Jiang Qi, who felt something was off. She pursed her lips, glanced at Chi Shuang a few more times, opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing.

“Xiao Qi cooked today, and it smells delicious. I’m really looking forward to it,” Yan Xu said with a smile, glancing at Jiang Qi.

Shang Chumu chimed in, “Yeah, and where’s Jiang Ran? It’s rare for all of us to have breakfast together.”

“Someone should go call her,” Shang Chumu suggested. As a male Omega, he wasn’t the most suitable for the task.

That left Jiang Qi as the most appropriate person among them.

“I’ll go,” Jiang Qi said, feeling everyone’s eyes on her.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ran, yawning, opened her door only to find Jiang Qi standing right in front of her.

Slam!

The door shut abruptly.

Jiang Qi: “…”

Jiang Ran snapped awake instantly: Did I open the door wrong? Why is Sister Jiang standing outside my room? To call me for breakfast?

Breakfast?

Jiang Ran’s expression shifted instantly. She gave herself fifteen seconds to mentally prepare, then reopened the door with a bright smile. “Sister Jiang, I’m still half-asleep~”

Hearing that tone, Jiang Qi felt a mix of emotions but managed to reply stiffly, “Go eat breakfast,” before heading back downstairs.

So, there was no escaping this after all. Jiang Ran crouched down and let out a mournful groan. As a third-generation heiress, she usually avoided being spoiled, bullying others, or stirring up trouble but some things were just unavoidable.

Even when she had nothing to do, she would help the weak, assist elderly ladies in crossing the street, and just yesterday, she volunteered at a kindergarten.

But why did misfortune always seem to find her? She was truly suffering. Sob…

Even so, Jiang Ran eventually resigned herself to fate and went to the small courtyard shared by Chi Shuang and Jiang Qi.

As soon as she entered, she was captivated by the aroma.

Wow! It really smelled like the tomato meat sauce pasta her late grandmother used to make for her! So fragrant!

Following the scent, Chi Shuang saw Shang Chumu serving pasta to everyone.

Could it be that Sister Chi made it? Jiang Ran wondered, but wasn’t it Sister Jiang’s turn to cook today?

Chi Shuang was the first to spot Jiang Ran at the door and waved her over. “Come in quickly. If you don’t hurry, the pasta will be gone soon. The noodles Xiao Qi made today are in high demand.”

“Huh? It was really Sister Jiang who made it?!” Jiang Ran couldn’t believe it. She blinked and stared at Jiang Qi.

How strange, she looked exactly like someone who had never lifted a finger in the kitchen.

“What? Can’t even food shut you up?” Jiang Qi, already annoyed after being shut out by Jiang Ran earlier, raised an eyebrow upon hearing her skeptical remark.

“My bad, sorry!” Jiang Ran apologized quickly, putting on such a pitiful expression that Jiang Qi didn’t bother holding a grudge.

Watching their banter, everyone burst into laughter and soon finished the pasta.

The morning rain hadn’t fallen, and the sky remained overcast.

“I think it’s going to pour this afternoon,” Yan Xu remarked, glancing at the sky.

Jiang Qi checked the weather on her phone and confirmed that heavy rain was expected in the afternoon, though it would only last two hours.

With nothing to do in the afternoon, they gathered indoors, listening to the rain outside while playing a board game.

“Bad luck, let’s go again!”

Jiang Ran had a strip of tissue stuck to her face but waved it off casually, eager for another round.

Two hours flew by, and the sound of rain outside gradually softened. Shang Chumu’s face was covered in paper strips, Jiang Ran came in second, while Jiang Qi, Chi Shuang, and Yan Xu only had one or two strips each.

Tang Qiluo hadn’t joined the game and had gone out for a stroll.

Shortly after the game ended, the rain stopped. Tang Qiluo returned carrying a fairly large watermelon.

“A neighbor gave it to us. How about that?” Tang Qiluo lifted the watermelon proudly.

“Pfft!” Yan Xu couldn’t hold back a laugh. “We know you’re amazing, strutting around like a little rooster.”

“Summer is definitely better with ice-cold watermelon!” Jiang Ran cheered excitedly.

“Then I’ll go chill it,” Jiang Qi said, eyeing the watermelon’s size. “It might not fit in the fridge.”

“Oh! I remember there’s a well by the back door,” Chi Shuang chimed in.

“A well?”

Everyone looked puzzled, turning their attention to Chi Shuang.

Chi Shuang smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “You probably don’t know this, but well water in the summer is as cold as a fridge. If we put the watermelon in there until evening, it’ll be perfectly chilled.”

Jiang Qi had never heard of such a method and followed them to the backyard with great interest.

Chi Shuang brushed the fallen leaves off the well cover and opened it.

“Wow, it’s so deep!” Jiang Ran peeked in but quickly backed away, too nervous to look again.

Chi Shuang pulled up the bucket tied to a nylon rope at the edge of the well.

The bucket was half-filled with water. Chi Shuang poured it into a plastic bucket she had brought along. “It’s really cool! Want to come and feel it?”

Jiang Qi, who was closest to Chi Shuang, was the first to put her hand in. Her eyes widened in disbelief, it was incredibly cool.

“Let me try too!” Shang Chumu moved closer and dipped his hand into the water. “Wow! This is amazing. On such a hot day, the well water is actually this cool.”