Romance Allergy [Book Transmigration] - Chapter 6

“Sister?”

Dou Anyao turned around.

She was still standing in the hallway. The hotel corridors were carpeted, providing excellent soundproofing. A girl had appeared not far behind her, though Dou Anyao hadn’t noticed when.

For a moment, Dou Anyao was startled by the sudden appearance. Once she saw the girl’s face clearly, she was stunned.

It was a girl who looked exceptionally well-behaved. Her long black hair reached her waist, framing an oval face with curved eyes and brows. She looked like the type of person one wouldn’t dare speak to loudly, for fear of startling her.

Beep—

The System, which had been playing dead, suddenly spoke up. [Host, please take note. This is one of the female leads of this story, the original owner’s stepsister, Wen Zhixin. The current progress of the story: Wen Zhixin has basically given up on the original owner. They haven’t been in contact for three months, and Wen Zhixin is gradually moving on.]

After hearing this, Dou Anyao understood the System’s point. Currently, the two of them were just like siblings in a typical blended family with no extra strings attached.

“Zhixin, long time no see.”

Having sorted out their relationship in an instant, Dou Anyao greeted her with what she considered her most “kindly” smile.

Since the person the original owner had hurt had taken the initiative to greet her, she couldn’t respond coldly. Looking at such a cute sister, she wondered how the original owner could have had the heart to hurt her. Even if she didn’t love her back, she should have handled it more properly.

As she thought this, the smile on Dou Anyao’s face grew even brighter.

Wen Zhixin, looking at that brilliant smile, was momentarily dazed. Was such a bright and kind smile… really meant for her?

After her father had cheated, she and her mother were kicked out of their home. She was young then and could do nothing but watch her mother laboriously move from place to place until they finally ended up with the Dou family.

Wen Zhixin’s mother had originally been an accountant, but because she became a full-time housewife after marriage, she had been out of touch with society for over a decade. After the divorce, even though she wanted to work, few people were willing to hire her.

Left with no choice, Wen Zhixin’s mother started with the simplest jobs, like washing dishes and serving food. The original owner’s family owned a hotpot restaurant. Wen Zhixin’s mother started working at the restaurant owned by Dou Anyao’s father, and over time, the two got to know each other.

Wen Zhixin’s mother had a great personality and was a diligent worker. Plus, since she had a child with her, everyone looked out for them. Gradually, affection grew from that care.

In fact, Wen Zhixin had met the original owner even before their parents remarried.

Back then, the Dou family’s hotpot restaurant wasn’t very large, and Dou Anyao’s father had to do many things personally. When the original owner had business with her father, she would go directly to the restaurant.

Wen Zhixin still remembered that day. Her student aid had arrived, a total of one thousand yuan. She was so happy that she ran straight to her mother’s workplace after school, desperate to tell her the news.

But since it was Friday, the restaurant was busy. Her mother was occupied and could only tell her to sit and wait at the entrance of a small storage cubicle under the stairs.

It was then that Wen Zhixin saw the original owner.

At that time, Dou Anyao was in her first year of high school. She was wearing a blue and white school uniform, her face still had a bit of baby fat, and her eyes were large and round. She looked very cute but intentionally kept a straight face, looking like someone you shouldn’t mess with.

With a lollipop in her mouth and her backpack slung sideways, she entered the hotpot restaurant. She was there to ask her father for money to go out with friends over the weekend. Her father was out ordering supplies, so Dou Anyao had to wait just like Wen Zhixin.

However, unlike Wen Zhixin, she could go into the small cubicle and sit in her father’s seat while she waited, while Wen Zhixin could only stay at the door.

Wen Zhixin had heard of Dou Anyao. She knew she was her mother’s boss’s daughter and had heard she loved music and often went out with friends to play in a band. She had expected her to be like the people she saw on TV—cool and rebellious with colorful hair and various piercings—but to her surprise, aside from looking unapproachable, the girl was quite beautiful.

Because she was young, Wen Zhixin didn’t know how to hide her gaze. She just stared blankly as the other girl walked past her.

A person sitting there with such a burning gaze would be felt by anyone who wasn’t dead.

Dou Anyao, with her hands in her pockets, naturally noticed. She looked over from the corner of her eye. Wen Zhixin snapped out of it, not daring to meet her gaze, and quickly looked down, landing on the lollipop in the other girl’s mouth.

Then, two lollipops suddenly appeared in Wen Zhixin’s lap.

One was orange-flavored, and one was sea salt-flavored.

The common factor was that they were both very sweet.

“L-long time no see, Sister.”

Wen Zhixin, who thought she had long since moved on, felt a bitterness in her mouth. She didn’t even know how she managed to force those words out.

On the other side, Dou Anyao was oblivious, still trying her best to express the concern of an older sister.

“What are you doing here?”

Wen Zhixin’s hand, hanging at her side, pinched the fabric of her skirt. “I saw the trending searches on Weibo. Like you, I am here to participate in the filming of Heartbeat.”

Actually, it wasn’t because of the trending searches. Her alt account still followed Dou Anyao, so she saw it the moment Dou Anyao posted. She had also reposted the production team’s Weibo, and her own name was on the trending list too. Yet Dou Anyao could still ask why she was here. It was clear that Dou Anyao had never paid attention to her at all.

Wen Zhixin smiled self-deprecatingly in her heart.

Wen Zhixin, oh Wen Zhixin, you’re still so pathetic. How can you let a single small smile from her completely tear down the walls you worked so hard to build?

“Huh?” Dou Anyao, who had been too tired from the trip to check her phone, was slightly surprised. “You’re participating in a dating show too?”

Wait…

Two sisters participating in a dating show together… is that even logical?

The System answered for her. [The two of them have never disclosed their relationship. No one knows they are sisters. In the public eye, they are still strangers.]

After all, one was a singer and the other was an actress. They had never collaborated, so it was normal for them not to know each other.

“Yeah,” Wen Zhixin replied. “I didn’t expect you to be here either, Sister.”

This was a statement of sorts, indicating that she hadn’t come for Dou Anyao; she just didn’t know the other woman would be here.

Dou Anyao didn’t say much. The show was popular, and it was only natural for everyone to want to join. Being able to get on it was a skill in itself.

“It’s fine. Since no one knows the details, we’ll just act as if it’s our first time working together,” Dou Anyao said without a second thought.

Wen Zhixin lowered her eyes and gave a soft “Mm.”

As expected. She isn’t even willing to acknowledge that I am her sister.

Just as this thought finished, she heard Dou Anyao say, “But we still have to be careful. It’s a full live-stream. It might not look good if people find out two sisters are on a dating show together.”

“And as you know, I’m a bit of a magnet for hate. If people find out we’re related, I’m afraid I’ll drag you down.”

In her memory, the female lead, Wen Zhixin, had never had a single scandal since entering the entertainment industry. She had a good character, great acting skills, and was humble and studious, never engaging in fake romance marketing. She was diligent and had an excellent reputation. If people knew of their relationship, it would inevitably become a blemish on Wen Zhixin.

Wen Zhixin was stunned. Before she could say anything, she felt a warmth on her head.

Dou Anyao rubbed her sister’s head and instructed, “Where are you staying? Go back quickly so no one sees you. We’ll be in touch when we have time.”

Wen Zhixin didn’t snap out of it until she was back in her own hotel room.

So, she’s saying that her cold warnings in the past to never tell anyone about their relationship were to… protect her?

“Heh…”

Wen Zhixin suddenly smiled, but it looked more painful than crying.

“Dou Anyao, you’re really too much.”

Did she care what others said? Dou Anyao probably had no idea why she had entered the entertainment industry in the first place.

Dou Anyao was also pondering this. “The female lead looks so soft and delicate. Why would she enter the melting pot of the entertainment industry?”

System: “…It’s all because of you.”

“Me?” Dou Anyao was confused.

It certainly wasn’t because of her, but because of the original owner.

Ever since the original owner debuted as a singer, she had less and less time to go home. Meanwhile, her father’s hotpot restaurant grew from one location to ten, then twenty, until it became a famous national chain.

Dou Anyao’s father treated Wen Zhixin as his own, and she never lacked for money. At a young age, with no financial pressure, Wen Zhixin chose a different path to see the person she loved more often. Lacking the original owner’s talent for singing, she entered the acting world. She thought that since they were both in the entertainment industry, there would be more chances to meet.

So, the reason Wen Zhixin became an actress was entirely because of love.

“Tsk,” Dou Anyao sighed. “I’m actually quite envious of the original owner.”

Someone was willing to do all that so recklessly, just to try and get a little bit closer to her.

In the suite, Qiu Shili regretted her decision the moment she put her bag down. She had come to Hong Kong for business, but that business didn’t necessarily include booking a suite for Dou Anyao to rest in and then coming inside herself.

Wasn’t this creating a private space for just her and Dou Anyao? She was letting the girl off too easy.

Thinking this, Qiu Shili poured herself a glass of water and sat by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, watching the rain outside.

Based on her knowledge of Dou Anyao, the girl would soon come over, touch her hand or massage her shoulders, and ask if she had any inside information about the upcoming filming. Or perhaps she would ask if there were any prepared press releases or marketing plans for her. If she said no, Dou Anyao would press her face against hers and ask why not, wondering if she didn’t love her anymore.

At this thought, Qiu Shili gave a cold snort.

She hadn’t forgotten how the girl had been “self-disciplined” and “keeping her distance” both yesterday and today. If she dared to get even an inch closer, Qiu Shili would kick her away.

Thinking this, Qiu Shili calmed her mind and took small sips of her water.

She kept drinking until the glass of hot water was completely empty before she finally heard the movement of the other person entering.

As soon as Dou Anyao finished her farewell to Wen Zhixin and walked in, she saw Qiu Shili sitting on the black leather sofa, radiating the formidable aura of a high-powered career woman.

Dou Anyao scratched her head and said thoughtfully, “Sister Shili, is the business you have to handle in Hong Kong urgent? If it is, go ahead and deal with it first. I can handle things here on my own.”

Qiu Shili: “…”

Had she really changed her nature?

Even if she wasn’t asking Qiu Shili to pull some strings for the upcoming filming, she wasn’t even asking for the guest list?

Qiu Shili was a sharp professional; she immediately heard the hidden implication beneath Dou Anyao’s seemingly caring words: she was being shooed away.

Thinking of how the girl used to flatter and fawn over her, and looking at her current attitude now, Qiu Shili stood up abruptly, her eyes locked onto Dou Anyao.

She disliked—no, she hated—the feeling of people or situations slipping out of her control.

Clack, clack, clack.

The rhythmic sound of low heels hitting the marble floor echoed through the room.

Seeing Qiu Shili approaching her step by step with an imposing aura, Dou Anyao instinctively took two steps back.

What… what was going on?

She had only asked a simple question. Wasn’t she being considerate and sensible? Why did the other woman look like she wanted to tear her apart?

Qiu Shili closed in, and Dou Anyao retreated until she was backed against the wall, trapped as she watched the other woman arrive right in front of her.

Dou Anyao screamed in her mind, “System! Help!”

Uphold Purity System: “Don’t be afraid. She… she probably won’t do anything to you.”

Dou Anyao didn’t believe it for a second. “Based on my years of experience reading novels and watching dramas, I feel like she’s about to pin me against the wall and kiss me forcefully!”

The System was shocked. “What kind of novels have you been reading?”

Dou Anyao: “?!”

Was this really the time to discuss her reading habits?

With a sharp thud, Qiu Shili slammed one hand against the wall next to Dou Anyao’s head. She stared at her with a piercing, predatory gaze, trapping the girl within her personal space.

Pinned in a “kabedon,” Dou Anyao blinked nervously and asked cautiously, “What… what is it, Shili—”

“Shut up.”

Before the word “Sister” could even escape, she was cut off by a low, suppressed command.

Dou Anyao immediately pressed her lips tight, wishing she could put a literal lock on her mouth.

She didn’t know how the people in this book grew up, but even though she was 168cm tall in flat shoes, she felt like a child in front of Qiu Shili, who was wearing low heels. Was everyone in this world 1.8 meters tall?

“Dou Anyao.”

The voice was cold and sharp, spitting out her name with an icy chill.

Dou Anyao: “Present!”

Qiu Shili took a deep breath. “What’s the matter? Have you found a better target? Come on, tell me. Who is she?”

The question left Dou Anyao bewildered. “What target?”

Qiu Shili lowered her head, refusing to let even the slightest micro-expression on Dou Anyao’s face escape her. Seeing the genuine confusion on her face, which didn’t look faked, Qiu Shili furrowed her brows.

She knew Dou Anyao; her acting skills were mediocre. It seemed she really hadn’t found a new target.

Then what was it?

A change in personality?

Did she suddenly decide to stop relying on connections and rely on herself?

“Or do you feel that I’m no longer valuable, and you don’t want to continue?” This was the third possibility Qiu Shili had deduced after ruling out the first two, though it was the one she believed the least.

First of all, a leopard doesn’t change its spots, and Dou Anyao wouldn’t just drop her habit of waiting for resources to be handed to her through connections.

Therefore, it was most likely that she felt Qiu Shili had lost her utility, which was why she wanted to return to a “simple relationship.”

Hearing this, Dou Anyao finally understood why Qiu Shili looked like she was here to settle a debt. It turned out she had lingering feelings for the original owner and was looking for a reason to stay entangled.

Once she figured that out, Dou Anyao felt the situation was easier to handle.

Dou Anyao extended a fair, slender index finger and pressed it against Qiu Shili’s shoulder, slowly pushing the other woman back to create a safe distance.

The summer suit wasn’t thick; Dou Anyao’s fingertip felt like it was poking right into Qiu Shili’s skin as she pushed her away.

The two stood a step apart, facing each other.

Dou Anyao smoothed her brown curly hair and said seriously, “Ms. Qiu, I think we made ourselves very clear yesterday. You said ‘whatever’ to me. I don’t know where this interrogative stance is coming from now?”

Looking at the person in front of her who was neither humble nor arrogant, Qiu Shili narrowed her eyes, sizing her up as if meeting Dou Anyao for the first time.

“Yesterday, you also said that as long as I don’t cling to you, it’s fine. I don’t think my actions today have given you any reason to misunderstand. So, what is this about?”

With Dou Anyao throwing one question after another at her, Qiu Shili was stunned. For the first time in her life, she was being questioned and lectured by someone who used to worship her, all just to draw a clear line between them. Qiu Shili laughed from sheer anger.

“Dou Anyao, you don’t actually think that just because you’re famous now, you can kick me to the curb and fly solo, do you?”

Dou Anyao shook her head with a serious expression. “I have no such intention. You are an excellent manager. The thought of leaving you has never crossed my mind.”

“It’s just.”

At this point, Dou Anyao’s expression dimmed, and her tone turned haunting. “In the past, I felt I had no choice, which is why I used certain means to exchange for certain things.”

“But now, times have changed. I want to be a clean person who maintains her purity from now on. I hope you can grant me that.”

Perhaps because Dou Anyao’s expression was too earnest, or perhaps because her tone was so sorrowful carrying a genuine sense of remorse and self-reflection Qiu Shili actually froze for a moment.

So, she only did this because she wants to start over and be a better person?

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