Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Cold Call

When Shen Ya hung up the phone, the small apartment became silent again. She was now like a creature of the dark, craving sunlight in the swamp yet fearing the light would relentlessly fall upon her.

She absorbed warmth under a pure, blazing sun, but when that brilliance tried to get close, she became terrified and retreated back into the mire.

The light emanating from Qiao Xi was too dazzling. Although it could dispel the darkness in her heart, Shen Ya felt she was already close to merging with the shadows. If that light were to constantly gaze upon her, would she and the shadows be utterly obliterated by the sun?

Shen Ya sighed again. She hadn’t controlled her emotions well just now. Qiao Xi’s mind was pure, and her intentions were good. There was nothing wrong with wanting to help a friend. It was simply that Shen Ya was still unable to let go of her feelings for Jiang Yunxi.

Therefore, she could only choose to avoid everything related to the other woman. It was her cowardice and fear; unable to step forward, she had to retreat.

But she wasn’t sure if her coldness would freeze the little sun. After only a brief thought, Shen Ya made a choice. She stood up and walked to the door of the small apartment, opened her phone’s camera, and started recording a video. She said nothing, only slowly moving the phone, capturing the entire small apartment within the screen.

After walking through both the first and second floors, Shen Ya leaned against the door of the upstairs bedroom and sent the video to Qiao Xi. She put away her phone, came downstairs, checked everything one last time, turned off the lights, locked the doors and windows, and left the small apartment.

All these years, she had moved from one place to another, constantly drifting like rootless duckweed. She never used to find loneliness so unbearable. But now, simply because someone actively shared interesting stories with her, actively offered her candy and a ray of light, she became greedy for more.

The phone vibrating interrupted her thoughts. Shen Ya’s first instinct was Qiao Xi, but when she saw the caller ID, her expression darkened, emanating resistance. She hung up without hesitation, but the person on the other end seemed frantic, continuously dialing her number.

“Whenever I look for you, you’re busy. Are you busy this late at night too? I see you just don’t want to talk to me. I raised you for nothing.”

“You haven’t come home to visit in so long. Do you even still consider me your mother?!”

Sharp and harsh accusations and curses entered Shen Ya’s ears. She had heard such words since childhood. As she grew older, perhaps seeing her wings developing, her mother’s scolding became even more unrestrained.

Shen Ya held the phone away from her ear. She never cared about such nonsense. Once her mother vented enough, she would naturally get to the point.

Sure enough, Shen Ya’s silence made Shen Qiuyu feel like she was punching cotton. Just as Shen Ya expected, not getting a response and not wanting to lose face, when she spoke again, it carried a tone of condescension and command befitting an elder: “When are you taking time off? The New Year is almost here, and you still haven’t come home for a visit.”

Shen Ya sneered, “What home?” Her voice, swept by the north wind, condensed into frost. The disgust radiating from within caused her to clench her fist.

“What kind of talk is that? I knew you were an ungrateful wretch, a white-eyed wolf. Your sister is taking the university entrance exam next year. You’ve read so many books, you should at least tutor her.”

“Tutoring is fine. 600 yuan per session.” Shen Ya was utterly uncompromising, adding a few barbs: “I’m busy now. If you want me to tutor, make an appointment in advance.”

With that, Shen Ya held the phone away, but the irritable roaring sounds still intermittently reached her ears.

“Say what you need to say, or I’m hanging up.” Shen Ya added coldly right when Shen Qiuyu was most agitated.

“You’re going to hang up after just a couple of words? Are you planning to disown me as your mother?!” Shen Qiuyu’s tone sounded less like she was talking to her daughter and more like she was addressing an enemy. It was as if she disliked Shen Ya but was forced to speak to her: “Listen to me, you’re almost thirty, and you don’t know how to hurry up and get married. Look at the kids in the neighborhood—who is still single at your age? Come back for the New Year, your second aunt has a match for you. If he’s suitable, you can get married this year. He’s about to be a relocated household and will get a lot of money. If you weren’t my daughter, I wouldn’t bother with you.”

Just as expected, her mother never called her for anything good. Either she coveted Shen Ya’s money, or she coveted someone else’s money. After years of neglect, she now realized Shen Ya still had value that hadn’t been fully exploited.

Perhaps in the past, she was powerless and could only be controlled, but now, she could survive without relying on her family. If her mother weren’t like a clingy insect she couldn’t shake off, why would she still be struggling in the mire?

Shen Ya stopped by the side of the road. She crossed her arms, her eyes filled only with cold disdain: “If you like him so much, then marry him yourself.”

“You little brat!! How can you say such a thing!!”

The roaring started again in her ear. Shen Ya decisively hung up the phone, rubbed her throbbing ear, and when the phone vibrated again, she answered, preempting Shen Qiuyu: “Since you never cared for me before, you should stop meddling in my affairs now. Go ahead and make a fuss. At most, neither of us will have an easy time.”

This time, the other end was silent. She hung up again and put the phone in her coat pocket. Her previously calm heart was once again stirred up by unpleasant memories.