Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 14

 Chapter 14: The Promise of a Date

Shen Ya’s words gave Qiao Xi a surge of adrenaline. Such simple problems didn’t need to wait until tomorrow. She had initially wanted Shen Ya to watch her finish, but she worried about disturbing her rest, so she quickly ended the call.

While Xia Cong’an and Yu Tiantian were outside eating barbecue and playing games, Qiao Xi was diligently writing in the bedroom.

Later, Xia Cong’an’s sister called, and the two friends left Qiao Xi’s apartment. Qiao Xi, who had decided to stay there for the night, messaged her two sisters, but her past behavior meant she didn’t earn their trust.

Helplessly, Qiao Xi had to turn on the video camera. She walked with her phone from the living room, panning around herself and the apartment: “Sisters, I really am at the house across from the girls’ high school. You don’t have to worry.”

“Then Yunxi and I will come over when we’re done with our engagement.”

“No need, no need, Sisters. You stay busy. I’ll go to sleep right after I finish my homework. I’ll send you a message before I go to bed, okay?”

Qin Shuyao was still uneasy. Qiao Xi rarely left them, and tonight she was staying alone. Last time, she had lied about staying out all night. Qin Shuyao realized Qiao Xi was growing up, learning to lie to them, and making many decisions on her own. It wasn’t that she was overly controlling, but Qiao Xi was practically raised by her, so she couldn’t help but worry and fear that something might happen to her.

Qin Shuyao’s tone became slightly firm: “Yunxi and I will come over later. You go to sleep on time. We’ll sleep in the room next door.”

“Alright.” Qiao Xi didn’t refuse again. She hadn’t lied this time, and she understood clearly that her sister was just worried about her.

Hanging up the phone, Qiao Xi continued writing on the unfinished exam paper. It wasn’t until the time on her phone screen showed close to 1:00 AM that Qiao Xi put down her pen and scanned all the exam sheets onto her phone.

She planned to send them to Shen Ya after she woke up in the morning.

It was late. She tidied up the desk, found clothes, and went into the bathroom. The apartment’s soundproofing was excellent, and she didn’t know if her two sisters had returned. She wanted to go out and check, but ultimately decided not to open the bedroom door.

A beautiful dream came to her that night. Despite her exhaustion, Qiao Xi managed to fish the moon out of the sky in her dream.

…

Shen Ya received Qiao Xi’s scanned exam paper first thing in the morning. She gave it a quick once-over. The handwriting was neat, clean, and contained hints of Jiang Yunxi’s style.

She started reviewing from the first question. The problems were indeed not difficult for Qiao Xi, and the score was within Shen Ya’s expectations. After grading the paper, Shen Ya checked the time. She was afraid her message would disturb Qiao Xi, who was likely in class, so she didn’t reply immediately.

Although Shen Ya worked at a training institution, the twelve years of compulsory education meant that students who didn’t get into their ideal university could choose different training centers for a year of remedial study.

Her institution accepted these repeating students, so her class schedule was not much different from a regular school.

She had planned to look for an apartment right after New Year’s Day, but year-end work kept her busy, and the viewing had to be postponed repeatedly. Chinese New Year was fast approaching, and her lease would expire after the holiday. The landlord had been subtly urging her, so she had no choice but to use the weekend to view apartments.

When class ended at noon, Qiao Xi’s message came right on time. Although it was just a polite inquiry: 【Is Teacher Shen busy?】 Shen Ya could still sense Qiao Xi’s eagerness and nervousness in those few words.

For some reason, she always felt an urge to tease Qiao Xi. She typed two words on the keyboard: 【I’m busy.】

【Then Teacher Shen should stay busy. I’ll contact you again tonight.】

Shen Ya had already typed out a line of text in the input bar, just waiting for Qiao Xi’s reply. She pressed send: 【I’m busy thinking about what to eat for lunch.】 A moment later, she received a small, wronged dog emoji from Qiao Xi.

A look of delighted amusement spread across her eyes. The surrounding air felt lighter. After a busy morning, teasing Qiao Xi helped dissipate the frustration in her heart.

【Can I call you now?】

【You can.】

Qiao Xi seemed to be waiting right behind the screen. As soon as Shen Ya’s words appeared in the chat box, the voice call popped up immediately.

Shen Ya pressed ‘Answer’ and held the phone to her ear. The line was a bit noisy, but the background sounds quickly faded away. “Teacher Shen.” Qiao Xi sounded slightly breathless, like she had just finished exercising, but her cheerfulness was clear. The little sun was always so lively.

“Mm.”

“Did Teacher Shen decide what to eat yet?”

“No.” Shen Ya asked in return: “What about you?”

Qiao Xi was very enthusiastic, and perhaps Shen Ya had just provided the perfect opening. She happily shared what she had been wanting to tell Shen Ya: “My friends and I are eating burgers and fried chicken. My friend told her sister today that she missed ‘Crazy Thursday’ yesterday, so she needed to make up for it today. She asked her sister for a hundred dollars, but when her sister found out we were all together, she sent three hundred dollars. My friend is so funny; she really spent all three hundred on fried chicken, fries, and burgers, saying if we can’t finish it, she’ll take it to class this afternoon and share it with everyone.”

Shen Ya listened quietly. Her brows relaxed, and a faint smile curved her lips.

“I can just imagine the expression on the teacher’s face when they walk into the classroom this afternoon and smell the burgers. I’m definitely staying far away from her this afternoon.”

“You have a good relationship,” Shen Ya said.

“Yes, because our sisters all know each other, we often get together for meals, so our relationship naturally became good.” Qiao Xi wondered if it was her imagination, but she thought she heard a hint of envy in Shen Ya’s words. Does Shen Ya not have close friends?

Qiao Xi’s voice remained cheerful, as if she hadn’t noticed anything, but her mind was working. Now might be the chance to ask for an answer: “My friend is named Xia Cong’an. Her sister is also a friend of Doctor Jiang’s. I wonder if Teacher Shen knows her?”

Xia Cong’an?

Shen Ya remembered that last summer, Jiang Yunxi asked for her help, saying that Song Wanning wanted a tutor for Xia Cong’an. She wasn’t close to Song Wanning but had heard Jiang Yunxi mention her. The woman had studied abroad and only returned two years ago.

“I know her, but we are not close.”

“What about Ji Lingwei?” Qiao Xi asked next.

The name was unfamiliar to Shen Ya: “I don’t know her.”

Qiao Xi understood. Shen Ya’s relationship with Doctor Jiang’s family was truly complicated. She knew their friends, so why did Shen Ya previously say that Doctor Jiang didn’t want her to associate with her?

Not a romantic relationship, not a friendship—Qiao Xi racked her brain but couldn’t figure it out. She thought she was close to the truth, only to find that the more information she gathered, the bigger the fog became.

Qiao Xi stopped overthinking. She returned to the previous topic, coaxing Shen Ya: “Then from now on, Teacher Shen has two more friends.”

“Hm?”

“Well, Sister Wanning is Doctor Jiang’s friend, Sister Lingwei is Sister Wanning’s friend, and I’m already Teacher Shen’s friend. So my friends, Xia Cong’an and Yu Tiantian, are naturally Teacher Shen’s friends too.”

What kind of twisted logic is that?

She had only met Xia Cong’an a few times last summer, and the other person Qiao Xi mentioned, she had never heard of, let alone met. Could two people with no connection to her be considered her friends?

Before Shen Ya could answer, Qiao Xi concluded: “Then it’s settled. Next time I have a chance, I’ll bring them both to meet Teacher Shen.”

“Then tomorrow…” Qiao Xi’s tone shifted, becoming expectant again.

Shen Ya gave her a definite time: “Tomorrow at ten in the morning, I’ll wait for you at the complex entrance.”

At that moment, another girl’s voice came over the phone. She curiously asked Qiao Xi, “Why aren’t you coming over? The burger is getting cold! Who are you talking to??”

Qiao Xi quickly muffled the phone: “I’ll be right there.”

Yu Tiantian looked at Qiao Xi with a strange expression, as if accusing her of keeping secrets.

Once the girl left, Qiao Xi lowered her voice and apologized: “Teacher Shen, I won’t bother you anymore. See you tomorrow. I promise I won’t be late.”

“Mm.”

“Then, Teacher Shen, you hang up first.”

Qiao Xi’s thoughtfulness warmed Shen Ya’s body, even as she walked in the cold wind. The sun hanging in the sky seemed to reflect Qiao Xi’s smiling face. Her voice was light as a feather, gently caressing Qiao Xi’s ear through the phone: “See you tomorrow, Qiao Xi.”

Shen Ya ended the call. She had decided what to eat for lunch. Ten minutes later, she walked into a chain burger restaurant and ordered a single set meal. It had been a long time since she had eaten such food, and listening to Qiao Xi talk about it had suddenly given her an appetite.

She carried her tray and found the most secluded seat. Students around Qiao Xi’s age happened to be sitting nearby. They were chatting animatedly, discussing fun things that happened at school.

Suddenly, Shen Ya saw Qiao Xi’s reflection in these students. Perhaps Qiao Xi, too, was enjoying her youth just like them right now.

…

As soon as Qiao Xi returned to her seat, Xia Cong’an and Yu Tiantian cornered her at the innermost part of the booth. The two of them were completely unconcerned about the stares of others, ready to publicly interrogate her.

Xia Cong’an held a drumstick, pointing it at her nose, pretending to be fierce: “Confess honestly! Are you hiding something from us?”

Yu Tiantian played the nice cop. She pinched a french fry, dipped it in ketchup, and held it out to Qiao Xi’s mouth: “Tell us the truth, or else you won’t have any ketchup for your fries ever again.”

That threat was truly vicious! Fries without ketchup—could you even eat that?!

Qiao Xi raised her hands: “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you! Is that better?”

Hearing this, Yu Tiantian and Xia Cong’an returned to their seats. They each held a drink in one hand and food in the other, their eyes glued to Qiao Xi as if smeared with glue.

Qiao Xi first cleared her throat, took a big gulp of her drink, and after satisfying their curiosity, she smiled sweetly and said, “She’s a friend of my sister and a high school teacher. We were just talking about a problem, so the call went on for a while.”

“That’s it?”

Xia Cong’an and Yu Tiantian didn’t believe her. Seeing the two reaching for her fried chicken, Qiao Xi quickly took out her phone and opened the chat with Shen Ya. The scanned exam paper was there, and above it was Shen Ya’s detailed solution.

Qiao Xi made sure they both saw it, then closed her phone and put it back in her pocket, her face full of smugness: “Well, do you believe me now?”

With the evidence right in front of them, the two had to believe her. Without any gossip, Yu Tiantian and Xia Cong’an lost interest, but they still pretended to be angry, scolding Qiao Xi: “You sly Qiao Xi! Secretly studying all the time! You’re trying to out-compete us to death!”