Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Unspoken Agreement

The car had already driven a distance, and Qiao Xi was still immersed in the small interaction she had with Shen Ya before they parted. However, she also needed to busy herself with reinforcing her lie, so she didn’t continue sending playful messages to Shen Ya.

Qiao Xi found her friend’s number, called, and asked for a favor. The two rehearsed their stories. Only after Qiao Xi promised to treat her friend to a meal as compensation did she hang up. A small red dot appeared on her messaging app. Clicking on it, she saw it was from Shen Ya.

【The interest was delicious.】

She couldn’t help but laugh out loud in the car. Realizing there was a driver in front, she quickly covered her mouth. It was just an ordinary tea egg, but coming from Shen Ya, it felt like some delicacy from the mountains or seas. She could already imagine the expression Shen Ya must have had when typing those words.

On New Year’s Day, the streets were naturally crowded. Qiao Xi’s mother’s house and Shen Ya’s house were in opposite directions, so it took a considerable amount of time to get there.

The villa in the old city district was built at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by mountains and water, making it particularly suitable for retirement. Qiao Xi had lived here until she started high school. Outside vehicles could only stop at the entrance of the complex, but the property management had its own cars for transporting residents.

Qiao Xi finally arrived at the doorstep. She zipped up her jacket, patted her cheeks, and before entering, put on a flattering smile. She opened the door, changed into slippers, and stealthily walked inside.

“Stop right there.”

Qiao Xi jumped in fright. She quickly stood at attention. When she looked up, her voice was laced with a hint of a whine: “Doctor Jiang…”

But Jiang Yunxi was completely unmoved. Her face was dark, and fire seemed to flash in her pupils. She sharply questioned, “Where were you last night?!”

Qiao Xi caught sight of her two mothers behind Jiang Yunxi. She immediately bypassed Jiang Yunxi and slid on her knees in front of her two mothers. She half-buried herself in Qin Yunxin’s arms, forcing out tears and speaking in a choked, feigned crying voice: “Mom, Mommy, I argued with my sisters yesterday, so I wanted to go out and clear my head. I stayed at a classmate’s house last night. If you don’t believe me, Mom, you can ask her.”

“Argued?” Qin Yunxin’s hand rested on Qiao Xi’s shoulder, gently patting her in comfort. Her voice was gentle, but her gaze at Qin Shuyao was questioning: “Did you two argue with your sister?”

“Mom, how could we argue with Xiao Xi?” Qin Shuyao felt wronged, but what happened last night absolutely couldn’t be told to their mothers right now. She looked to Jiang Yunxi for help, feeling both frustrated and helpless toward Qiao Xi.

“Mom, we just had a small misunderstanding, but the important thing is, when she left last night, she explicitly told us she was coming back here. Now, she’s not only lying but also stayed out all night.” Jiang Yunxi understood Qiao Xi too well. She was 14 years older than Qiao Xi and had practically raised her. She could easily tell that the little imp was trying to divert attention.

Jiang Zhiqing rubbed Qiao Xi’s head and pulled her out of Qin Yunxin’s embrace. Seeing Qiao Xi’s red-rimmed eyes, she hugged her with affection: “Mommy knows your two sisters must have upset you first, but it’s not safe to go out alone so late, is it? Mommy believes you stayed at a classmate’s house, but you can’t lie next time, understood? If something happened to you, what would Mom and your sisters do?”

Qiao Xi sniffled, obediently admitting her mistake: “I understand. I definitely won’t lie to Moms again.”

Qin Yunxin took out a tissue to wipe away her tears, then told Qin Shuyao and Jiang Yunxi: “Alright, let this matter go. Your sister is still young. Talk nicely to her. Why are you always so fierce with her?”

Jiang Yunxi felt innocent. A lump of frustration was stuck in her chest. Yesterday, Fat-Fat made a mess of the house under Qiao Xi’s command. There were no pet shops open late, so they had to take Fat-Fat to the pet shop early this morning. They also hired a familiar cleaning lady to clean the house, and because it was a holiday, they had to pay the auntie triple wages.

But none of this could be shared with their two mothers. Even though she and Shuyao were not related by blood, she was afraid their two mothers wouldn’t be able to handle it. Qiao Xi had counted on this, which was why they were so passive and outsmarted by the little fox.

Qiao Xi knew that going to her mothers was the right move. As long as she acted spoiled, her mothers would soften and stop asking questions. Having cried enough, she wiped away her tears and sat between her two mothers. She didn’t dare to look at her two sisters for a while, so she could only link arms with one mother on each side and say, “I watched the fireworks by the river with my classmate last night. The fireworks were so beautiful, and there was a drone show! So many people!”

Jiang Zhiqing picked up the conversation: “Is that so? There were a lot of people outside our complex last night too. Many people were even hiking late at night, saying they wanted to see the sunrise.”

“Should we go mountain climbing to see the sunrise this Spring Festival?” Qin Yunxin gently patted Qiao Xi’s leg: “When the New Year comes, we’ll all go to the temple to pray for a good luck charm for Xiao Xi. Xiao Xi is going to college soon. In the blink of an eye, our Xiao Xi is all grown up.”

“Even if I’m grown up, I’ll always stay with Mom and Mommy.”

“You’re such a sweetheart.” Jiang Zhiqing poked Qiao Xi’s nose: “Are you hungry? Should we go out to eat now or rest a bit more?”

Qiao Xi had eaten the dumplings Shen Ya cooked this morning and was still stuffed. She figured this must be the punishment for her lying, forcing her to eat multiple meals last night and today.

She could, of course, choose to rest a bit more, but she also knew that her mothers and sisters were waiting for her to eat. Even though she wasn’t hungry, she had to consider the others. Qiao Xi smiled and said, “Let’s go now. I’m starving.”

Leaving the house, she still wanted to stick close to her two mothers, but her two sisters were quick. When she wasn’t paying attention, they grabbed the hood of her jacket and hauled her over to them.

Qiao Xi looked at the two of them with an awkward and forced smile, her eyes involuntarily glancing backward, but Qin Shuyao and Jiang Yunxi quickly sandwiched her between them, one on each side.

“Sister, Doctor Jiang…”

Qiao Xi’s smile was now uglier than a cry. Jiang Yunxi reached out, pinched her ear, and grinned ominously through gritted teeth: “Who did you go out with last night?”

“It was really my classmate! Hey, hey, hey, ow, ow, ow…”

Qin Shuyao, beside her, showed no intention of rescuing her. Her sharp eyes had already noticed that Qiao Xi’s inner clothing was different. She shot a cold look at Qiao Xi and said chillingly, “Xiao Xi, you didn’t secretly start dating without telling us, did you?” Although her voice was gentle, it concealed daggers, the blade seemingly pressed against Qiao Xi’s neck.

“How could I?!” Qiao Xi felt her ear was about to be pulled off, but she was afraid of speaking too loudly and alerting her two mothers standing at the doorway, so she could only lower her voice and pleaded, “I really watched fireworks and ate hotpot with my classmate outside. I only didn’t come back because I was afraid you two would be angry.”

“So you do know Shuyao and I would be angry? We’ll deal with you when we get back tonight.” Jiang Yunxi let go. Seeing the redness on the ear she had pinched, her heart softened, and she finally sighed, gently rubbing Qiao Xi’s ear.

“What are you three still talking about? Hurry up and get in the car!” Jiang Zhiqing’s voice broke the sisters’ secret conversation at the right moment.

Qin Shuyao put an arm around Qiao Xi’s shoulder: “Let’s go eat first. We’ll have a good talk when we get home tonight.”

The family of five set off. Jiang Yunxi drove, and Qiao Xi and her two mothers sat in the back. With Qiao Xi present, the car could never be quiet. She always had plenty of topics to keep the family happy and entertained.

It was a familiar restaurant and the same old private room. The restaurant owner was practically a semi-friend of her mother’s. She had grown up eating here, and the restaurant’s decor had changed several times. Qiao Xi was sweet-talker, always managing to charm herself some free dishes or desserts every time she visited.

Today, as soon as she sat down, the owner brought over pudding and homemade bubble tea for Qiao Xi. Normally, she would be overjoyed, but today, these two items were undoubtedly adding insult to injury for her already bloated stomach.

But Qiao Xi still had to accept them happily and say a few pleasing words. After the owner and her mothers started chatting, she seized the opportunity when her two sisters weren’t looking, quickly pulled out her phone, took a picture, and sent it to Shen Ya.

【Teacher Shen, I’m so full. I can’t eat anymore.】

She didn’t dare to look at the screen after sending it, just turning off the ringtone and vibration entirely.

Qiao Xi held a spoon and stared blankly at the pudding. Soon, a thought flashed through her mind. She immediately divided the pudding in two, giving half to Qin Shuyao and half to Jiang Yunxi.

She raised her hand to cover her mouth and whispered, “Sisters, I was wrong. This pudding is my apology to the two of you.”

Jiang Yunxi raised an eyebrow slightly: “Oh?”

Qiao Xi pushed the bubble tea over as well: “And this is also a gift of apology to my sisters.”

“You’re quite clever, trying to placate Shuyao and me with one pudding and one cup of bubble tea?”

Qiao Xi had already planned this. She spoke as if making a firm decision: “Then I’ll give you both five days of massages as further compensation.”

“Deal.” Qin Shuyao immediately agreed, as if afraid Qiao Xi would change her mind if she answered too slowly.

Qiao Xi felt miserable. She knew that enjoyment taken in advance would eventually have to be paid back. But at least she had kept the matter with Shen Ya a secret, thus fulfilling Shen Ya’s request.

When all the dishes were served, Qiao Xi secretly checked her phone. Shen Ya hadn’t replied to her, of course. She wondered what the woman was doing.

She hid her left hand under the table, quickly tapping the screen to type several messages:

【What are you doing, Teacher Shen?】

【The dumplings Teacher Shen made were so delicious. I wonder if I’ll have a chance to taste dumplings hand-wrapped by Teacher Shen next time?】

【If not, would Teacher Shen like to taste the dumplings I wrap?】

She didn’t expect Shen Ya to reply immediately. She was the one who was harassing her, after all. But precisely because she didn’t know when Shen Ya might feel like replying, she wanted to talk to Shen Ya more.

She had witnessed Shen Ya’s loneliness, and she was certain that after she left, Shen Ya would seal herself off in that apartment again. Therefore, she wanted to share more things. At least this way, Shen Ya wouldn’t feel so lonely anymore.

Qiao Xi was about to put away her phone when a message popped up on the screen. She immediately became excited. Clicking on it, she saw that Shen Ya had replied with a single word: 【Good.】