Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Continuous Overcast

Continuous overcast days brought a sharp drop in temperature. Pedestrians on the street had all changed into warm winter clothes. The pooled water on the road forced Shen Ya to divert her path to the side, but the road was narrow, and people coming from the opposite direction were walking briskly. Before she had time to fully avoid them, an umbrella collided with hers. Raindrops rolled off the black surface, splashing the nearby puddle. Her once-clean black leather shoes now had some stains from the unintentional spray.

Shen Ya steadied the black umbrella in her hand. Thankfully, she had been quick enough to avoid getting her clothes wet from the splashing water. Today, she was still dressed in black, even her handbag was an unremarkable style. If the day were any darker, she feared she would completely merge with the surroundings.

She arrived at the entrance of a restaurant, folded her umbrella, and handed it to a waiting server. The server took the umbrella for safekeeping and politely asked, “Hello, do you have a reservation?”

“Yes.”

The server continued with a smile, “Then, please tell me the name and phone number used for the reservation, or the name of the private room, so I can check for you.”

“Cold Dew (Han Lu).” Her voice was clear and cool, like the howling north wind behind her, making one feel a touch of chill.

The server tapped the screen with her fingertip, found the reservation through the room name, and confirmed the details with Shen Ya one last time.

After verification, the server pressed the walkie-talkie clipped to her collar and spoke to her colleague inside. A moment later, another woman in a uniform came out to welcome Shen Ya into the restaurant.

This was a secluded, niche private kitchen restaurant. The style resembled a Jiangnan garden, featuring pavilions, rockeries, and delicate flower arrangements. The individual private rooms were situated amidst the landscapes. A faint, elegant incense smoke enveloped her as she walked along the long corridor.

Although it was the weekend, the terrible weather meant there were few patrons today. The restaurant was quiet, and even the servers seemed relaxed.

At the end of the long corridor, Shen Ya and the server stopped in front of a semi-closed private room. The server raised her hand to knock, waited a few seconds, then pushed the door open and invited Shen Ya in. Shen Ya gave a polite nod, straightened her clothes before entering, then lifted her leg and stepped inside.

Once inside, she immediately closed the door. Just as she was about to bend down to place her bag on the side, a gentle female voice came from within: “Just come over.”

Shen Ya’s expression remained unchanged. She straightened up, gripped her bag tightly, and took a deep, silent breath before walking further inside. Her back was always ramrod straight, like a stone slab standing firm against the blowing snow in a snowy mountain.

Only one woman was seated at the ten-person round table. Her dark hair fell naturally in front of her. She wore a faint smile, appearing gentle, reserved, and somewhat approachable. The woman lifted her chin, signaling to her: “Sit.”

Shen Ya glanced around the seating. She chose a seat neither too close nor too far from the woman, opting to sit one chair away. She placed her bag on the vacant seat beside her. The woman next to her then handed her a menu, saying, “I’ve ordered some specialty dishes. Take a look and see if you’d like anything else.”

Shen Ya did not touch the menu. She merely kept her eyes down and sat primly: “No need.”

The woman smiled, took back the menu, closed it, and pushed it to the side. “I asked you to meet today to discuss business, so don’t be so nervous. When we’re not in the ‘game,’ we can consider ourselves half-friends, can’t we?”

From the moment she learned the meeting location was here, Shen Ya knew that Jiang Yunxi might have some unpleasant news for her. She and Jiang Yunxi couldn’t even be considered “half-friends.” Their relationship was secret, illicit, and impossible to disclose to outsiders.

It was the first time they had communicated in such an equal, gentle, and old-friend manner. Consequently, she felt anxious and uneasy.

Every time she met Jiang Yunxi, they were both getting what they needed. Shen Ya rarely spoke a single unnecessary word in front of her. They were never the kind of friends who could chat freely.

Shen Ya waited patiently for Jiang Yunxi’s next words, but the woman stopped speaking after that sentence. Her long-term habit of dealing with Jiang Yunxi forced her to start considering the woman’s real intention: Did she want Shen Ya to proactively ask, or was now simply not the right time to discuss business?

Silence fell over the private room. Jiang Yunxi was chatting on her phone with someone unknown. Shen Ya only dared to let her gaze briefly rest upon the woman.

When the private room door was pushed open again, the rolling sound of the serving cart broke the atmosphere’s dullness. A server placed the dishes on the table one by one, briefly introducing each one, but Shen Ya didn’t hear a word.

Not until the sound of the wheels disappeared and the door closed again. This time, the air was no longer cold; it was filled with the warmth and aroma of food.

Jiang Yunxi put down her phone, picked up her chopsticks, and said warmly, “Let’s eat first. We can talk after we finish.”

Shen Ya remained quietly seated. The more Jiang Yunxi strung her along like this, the less appetite she had. If there was a conclusion for their future, why not tell her quickly and spare her this slow agony?

Jiang Yunxi swallowed the food in her mouth, put down her chopsticks, and gently dabbed the corner of her lips with a napkin. Then she uttered an ambiguous sentence: “It seems you don’t want to talk properly with me.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Ya clenched her hand. Her eyelids flickered, and she was about to stand up, but Jiang Yunxi put away her smile, tapped the table lightly with her bent finger, and her voice took on a hint of seriousness: “What are you doing? Sit down.”

The familiar tone brought Shen Ya back to their usual dynamic. The earlier anxiety dissipated significantly. She straightened her back, placed her hands on her thighs, adopting a posture of waiting for Jiang Yunxi to continue.

Noticing her expression, Jiang Yunxi’s tone became even more displeased: “Can’t you even distinguish a simple tease?”

Shen Ya was silent for a few seconds before replying, “My apologies.”

Faced with Shen Ya’s lack of emotional fluctuation, Jiang Yunxi felt a surge of frustration. Shen Ya was too cold on ordinary days, like an emotionless machine, only showing a sliver of feeling in extremely rare circumstances. Such a somber person was utterly boring.

Jiang Yunxi’s tone became quite serious. She said, “Our relationship is terminated. The game ends here.”

Shen Ya had a momentary ringing in her ears. She thought she had misheard. Although their relationship wasn’t intimate, it was harmonious and compatible. Why would Jiang Yunxi propose termination at this moment?

Instantly, countless thoughts flashed through her mind: Did she do something wrong? Or did Jiang Yunxi have other plans and want to completely exit this “game”?

She thought for a long time but couldn’t find an answer. Therefore, she gathered her courage and asked cautiously, “May I know the reason?”

Jiang Yunxi didn’t intend to hide anything. The question made her tone become lighthearted again: “I have someone I like. We are already together, and she knows everything that happened between us. From now on, I won’t be entering this kind of ‘game’ again.”

When she heard Jiang Yunxi say she had someone she liked, the first person that came to mind was Qin Shuyao, whom she had only met a few times. The other woman was Jiang Yunxi’s sister—a proud woman, like a white swan, who was the same age as Shen Ya but lived a carefree and unrestrained life.

But she quickly dismissed that idea. They were sisters; how could such feelings develop? Still, her curiosity was difficult to suppress. She wanted to know who Jiang Yunxi had fallen in love with. Even if they were separating, she wanted a perfect conclusion.

However, Shen Ya knew their relationship wasn’t close enough for her to pry into private matters. Even though they had maintained their “game” relationship for four years, they had an agreement from the beginning: no discussions of feelings, no probing into each other’s private lives, and to mutually get what they needed. If one party suggested ending the game, the other could not obstruct or cling to them.

But she was so unwilling! It had been four years. Although she never dared to hope that Jiang Yunxi would develop any romantic feelings for her, she only wanted the woman’s gaze to linger on her for a moment longer. She understood that she was the one who first broke the rules of this game, but precisely because of that, she felt a thousand regrets and unwillingness at this moment.

“Shen Ya, our ‘game’ was bound to end eventually. I believe I have fulfilled my part over the years. If you have any dissatisfaction, you can bring it up today, or if you have any other request, I will certainly fulfill your wish if it’s within my means.”

A wish?

Such an unfamiliar word had never appeared in her 28 years of life. What “wish” did she ever have? Before, she only wanted to have books to read and food to eat. Later, she hoped to earn more money, have a stable job, and not be disturbed by the outside world.

She never dared to make a wish, because wishes required the help of others to come true, and she only had herself. How could she dare to long for a wish?

Shen Ya clearly knew there was no room for negotiation on this matter. Perhaps she could find an alternative route, a replacement for her private desires. “Then, I have one request.” She didn’t dare look at Jiang Yunxi, afraid her true thoughts would show in her eyes and be discovered.

“Tell me.”

Shen Ya’s expression remained calm, but the hand on her thigh trembled slightly: “I want…”

Knock, knock. The sound of knocking interrupted her at an inopportune moment. The words Shen Ya had just begun to speak were cut off. The private room door was pushed open, and both women at the dining table looked up toward the doorway.

A head peeked out from behind the door. A pair of bright, lively eyes scanned the situation inside the room. Then, the girl, wearing a light-blue jacket and a backpack, called out warmly: “Doctor Jiang!”

Jiang Yunxi’s surprise flashed and was quickly replaced by a gentle smile: “Xiao Xi? What are you doing here? Come on in.”

Qiao Xi pulled the strap of her backpack with one hand and stepped out from behind the door. As she got closer to the table, she turned her head and met Shen Ya’s indifferent gaze. The two of them were a study in contrasts: one was full of vigor like the bright sun of spring, the other was like the frost of a cold winter, radiating only intimidating coldness.

With just a glance, Shen Ya averted her eyes. Such warm scrutiny made her uncomfortable. But the girl still followed her gaze and greeted her warmly: “Teacher Shen, long time no see!”