One Year After Her Sister-In-Law Was Widowed - Chapter 26.2

Besides, after becoming a security guard, Xiao Shuangyu even drank less.

Xiao Shuangyu soon returned to Ji Zhuozhou’s home.

Even before she could knock on the door and say, “I forgot,” Ji Zhuozhou was already waiting at the entrance.

She had rushed out of the elevator and ran quickly; the moment she saw Ji Zhuozhou, she didn’t react in time and slammed on the brakes, nearly skidding onto the floor.

Her staggering form swayed several times before stabilizing, though her dark gaze remained fixed steadily on Ji Zhuozhou.

She lightened her steps and approached Ji Zhuozhou. Her dark eyes darted down and then back up. Her voice was very low; her tone filled with caution. She said, “Sister.”

A smile rippled at the corners of Ji Zhuozhou’s lips. “You’re back.”

At the thought that Ji Zhuozhou was waiting for her, Xiao Shuangyu’s heart raced uncontrollably. She nodded. “Mm.”

Ji Zhuozhou turned around, stepped aside to let her in, and walked toward the interior. Her deep green eyes, however, turned back to look at Xiao Shuangyu. “I almost forgot my keys today, too.”

Therefore, “So I called a locksmith; we can change to a smart lock tomorrow.”

Xiao Shuangyu couldn’t help but freeze for a moment, then hurriedly followed, her voice stiff. “That’s… good.”

It wasn’t good at all.

After switching to a smart lock, she could no longer use the excuse of forgetting her keys to wait for a Ji Zhuozhou who would greet her upon hearing a knock.

A viscous gaze was fixed tightly on Ji Zhuozhou in front of her, staring at those green eyes looking at her, as black tentacles flowed down.

That key Ji Zhuozhou had handed to her, she hadn’t even used it to open this door once, and now it was going to lose its purpose forever?

The only time was the day she received the key; before she could even turn it in the lock, Ji Zhuozhou had opened the door from the inside.

After this, would Ji Zhuozhou still open the door for her?

Ji Zhuozhou looked at her face, the smile on her gentle features deepening slightly. “Yes, we won’t have to worry about keys after this. You can throw away the current keys, too.”

Eh?

The flowing tentacles paused slightly. Xiao Shuangyu quietly tightened her grip on the handle of her canvas bag.

If they were to be thrown away… if Ji Zhuozhou didn’t need them…

Could… could it be hers?

That key—the key to Ji Zhuozhou’s home, the key Ji Zhuozhou had personally handed to her—could it be hers?

She didn’t ask.

She didn’t dare ask.

She was afraid that if she asked, Ji Zhuozhou would make her hand back for her to dispose of.

She carefully hid the canvas bag behind her back, determined to guard the key hidden within the inner lining.

She looked at Ji Zhuozhou and nodded.

Back in her room, Xiao Shuangyu carefully put away the canvas bag. Only then did she step out, clutching one of the two sets of pajamas Ji Zhuozhou had given her, preparing to wash up in the bathroom inside Ji Zhuozhou’s bedroom.

If the previous Xiao Shuangyu was only staying temporarily, or if it was simply too late to unpack her suitcase on the day she brought it, then for Xiao Shuangyu, who had already lived here for a week straight, such an issue no longer existed.

But she still wore Ji Zhuozhou’s pajamas; she even rotated between those two sets, still having no pajamas of her own.

Of course, it wasn’t that she didn’t have a change; it was that Xiao Shuangyu hadn’t brought her own pajamas at all.

Only in this way could she have an excuse to continue wearing Ji Zhuozhou’s pajamas.

She wanted to wear Ji Zhuozhou’s pajamas.

In case Ji Zhuozhou asked, she had already thought of an excuse: her pajamas were too old, so she had thrown them all away.

She wouldn’t mention that she hadn’t bought new ones yet; she would just let the conversation end with the fact that she had no pajamas to wear. Without Ji Zhuozhou’s pajamas, she would either have to go without or wear her regular clothes.

Such an explanation was flimsy at best—complete sophistry.

Xiao Shuangyu also felt that such a thing would surely annoy Ji Zhuozhou.

So, if Ji Zhuozhou brought it up, she might not be able to continue wearing her pajamas.

Fortunately, Ji Zhuozhou didn’t ask.

In fact, as she walked out clutching the pajamas, Ji Zhuozhou even chuckled. “If Lianlian likes these pajamas so much, I’ll have to buy a lot of them for you.”

Xiao Shuangyu stopped, unconsciously clutching the pajamas in her arms even tighter. She shook her head.

She didn’t need more pajamas.

Even if they were pajamas Ji Zhuozhou bought for her, they couldn’t compare to these two sets that Ji Zhuozhou had worn or intended to wear.

She was startled, almost thinking Ji Zhuozhou was telling her to go buy her own clothes to wear.

She said, “No need to buy.”

The tips of her ears were red.

Ji Zhuozhou didn’t say anything more and watched as she ducked into the bathroom.

But soon, a freshly washed, fragrant, and soft Xiao Shuangyu reappeared at Ji Zhuozhou’s side.

She carefully looked up, saying nothing.

Ji Zhuozhou didn’t say “goodnight” directly as usual. Instead, she reached out and pulled her onto the sofa to sit. “Lianlian, what did you study in school?”

It was a very sudden and abrupt question. It made the words Xiao Shuangyu had about wanting to sleep with Ji Zhuozhou get stuck in her throat, leaving her blocked and bewildered.

It took a moment for Xiao Shuangyu to react. She lowered her dark, heavy eyes and muttered, “Big Data.”

Ji Zhuozhou’s gaze inexplicably swept over her.

The color of the pajamas she gave Xiao Shuangyu was very plain light blue that against Xiao Shuangyu’s pale skin made her look a bit livelier.

But Xiao Shuangyu was mostly somber; even the light, eye-catching blue seemed to be covered in a thin layer of gray, appearing dim and lusterless.

Just like now, the blue she was wearing was almost completely turning into dull gray.

Ji Zhuozhou didn’t press further. She asked again, “Lianlian, you often seem to have things to do late at night. What are you doing?”

The gray on Xiao Shuangyu’s body seemed to lighten slightly, and her gaze lifted a bit, but the words she was about to speak got stuck again.

After a long while, she said, “Part-time job.”

Xiao Shuangyu wasn’t lying, performing at the TH Bar had always been just a part-time job.

She didn’t mention being in a band; that wasn’t an identity or profession everyone could accept, even if it was just part-time.

But even though she didn’t say it, a hint of suspicion entered Ji Zhuozhou’s tone. “A part-time job that requires drinking?”

Xiao Shuangyu had once smelled of alcohol in front of Ji Zhuozhou, and Ji Zhuozhou remembered it clearly.

She suddenly realized Ji Zhuozhou’s misunderstanding and looked up quickly. “No, it doesn’t require drinking. I drank it myself after it was over.”

Her voice grew lower. Those green eyes were looking straight at her, filled with clear concern.

Ji Zhuozhou said, “Lianlian, you have a job and a part-time job… are you… short of money?”

Xiao Shuangyu was stunned.

This clearly wasn’t a simple conclusion to reach.

The Xiao family was a famous wealthy clan. Even if Xiao Shuangyu’s branch of the family was doing poorly, they still held several traditional manufacturing companies.

Externally, whether it was the mothers or Xiao Mingyi, their glamor was obvious to all.

Ji Zhuozhou knew. She clearly knew, yet she was asking if she was short of money?

Ji Zhuozhou seemed to take her stunned silence as an admission. Her soft voice continued, “Lianlian, do you want to… change positions?”

Xiao Shuangyu suddenly snapped back to her senses. “I…”

Ji Zhuozhou didn’t let her continue. “Huarui also needs Big Data positions. The salary would be higher than a security guard, and you could also commute with me.”

Xiao Shuangyu froze.

She instinctively wanted to refuse.

And yet, she felt shamefully tempted.