Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 23(1.2)

Chapter 23(1.2): The Secret Base

The Lunar New Year was approaching, and Shen Ya’s work was winding down. Before her holiday, she wasn’t too busy. Although the new small apartment wasn’t particularly comfortable, the unpleasant situations she had anticipated hadn’t occurred.

She had expected Qiao Xi to bother her, wanting to visit, but reviewing the chat history, she found that Qiao Xi’s contact with her had gradually decreased during this time.

Shen Ya knew the reason because Qiao Xi would proactively share her current status. Just like now, Qiao Xi had many exams and was constantly swamped, having to rush even to eat, let alone play with her phone.

She remembered Qiao Xi calling her one evening, her voice already tearful the moment she spoke. Shen Ya worried something had happened, only to realize the other girl was just crying about her heavy coursework and wanting comfort.

Qiao Xi was full of tricks and often unpredictable. She and Qiao Xi were not peers and, logically, shouldn’t have much to talk about, yet for some reason, their communication never ceased. Whenever Shen Ya felt troubled, waiting for Qiao Xi’s ‘interruption’ had become an amusing expectation.

…

The day after the first snow of the year, Shen Ya started her Lunar New Year holiday. Free from work, she indulged in a rare lie-in. Her mother had been sending her messages daily, uniformly pressuring her to return home immediately.

Since college, Shen Ya had barely returned home. Now that she had saved money and improved her life, that so-called home had been cast aside, yet her mother clung to her neck like a venomous snake.

With nothing to do, new worries made her heart heavy again. Fully awake, she sat up in bed. The curtains in the small room completely blocked out the light outside.

She moved to the bedside, her feet searching for her slippers, and then reached out to pull back a corner of the curtain to peek at the scene outside.

It seemed to have snowed all night. Outside was a blanket of white. Children already on winter break were playing in the snow, gathered in small groups with their snowman-making tools.

Shen Ya stood up, grabbing a long fleece bathrobe from the small clothes rack at the foot of the bed. Despite the snowy weather, she didn’t turn on the heating in the room.

She was long accustomed to the cold. She had no plans to go out in the snow. Her mind was still calculating what groceries she had when the vibration of her phone interrupted her thoughts.

Her mother’s harassment over the past few days had conditioned her. Before even picking up the phone, she subconsciously thought it was her mother.

Shen Ya picked up the phone, answered without looking, her tone cold and filled with deep aversion: “Was I not clear enough last time? Stop bothering me.”

She was about to hang up when a cautious, anxious, and fearful voice suddenly came from the other end: “T-Teacher Shen?”

Shen Ya frowned. She moved the phone away from her ear to look at the screen, only then realizing the caller wasn’t her mother. She pinched the bridge of her nose, suppressed her anger, and softened her voice: “Mm.”

“Did I disturb you, Teacher Shen?”

Shen Ya let out a breath: “No. I wasn’t paying attention and mistook you for someone else.”

“Oh, then… who was the person who annoyed you?”

“Just someone inconsequential.” Shen Ya didn’t want to elaborate or continue discussing the topic with Qiao Xi, so she proactively asked: “Calling at this hour, don’t you have class?”

“I’m on holiday today, Teacher Shen! I’m near the place you used to live, buying books. Um… can I…”

“I’ll send you the address. Come over, but be careful on the way.”

“Okay! Did you have breakfast, Teacher Shen? I’ll bring some.”

Shen Ya considered what ingredients she had at home for cooking. She said, “I have noodles at home. If you want something else, bring a little with you.”

Qiao Xi already had an idea. She simply responded: “Okay, I’ll be right over. Wait for me, Teacher Shen.”

…

Shen Ya hung up and sent the detailed address to Qiao Xi. Every time she heard Qiao Xi’s voice, she felt like a small candlelight had appeared before her. Just looking at that warm light brought her joy and hope for the future.

She thought that perhaps it was Qiao Xi’s enthusiasm that prevented her from ever being able to refuse Qiao Xi’s proximity.

Wondering what surprise Qiao Xi would bring her today, Shen Ya walked into the bathroom with anticipation. Just as she picked up her toothbrush, her phone on the counter vibrated again.

She glanced at it, thinking Qiao Xi had called again to ask her something, but the caller ID showed a number she’d never seen.

Shen Ya picked up the phone, answered, and politely asked: “Hello, who is this?”

“Sister… it’s me.”

The voice was both strange and familiar. Shen Ya lowered her eyes and thought for a few seconds before realizing the person on the other end was her half-sister. But she didn’t recall ever giving her sister her contact information, so the call must have been arranged by their mother.

“What is it?” Shen Ya’s voice dropped, laced with displeasure, sounding like a rebuke for the interruption.

But the girl didn’t notice the abnormality in her voice. Despite the phone call, she spoke to Shen Ya with a timid and awkward unfamiliarity: “Mom asked me to come. I’m at your door right now. I just knocked, but no one opened. Sister… did you go out?”

The girl’s words confirmed Shen Ya’s suspicion. Shen Ya tossed the toothbrush into the mouthwash cup. “What did she send you for?” Her tone was colder than the snow outside. Anyone could hear her current irritation and repulsion.

Even unfamiliar with Shen Ya, the girl on the other end could vaguely sense Shen Ya’s displeasure. But she still forced herself to say: “Mom told me to come and ask you for tutoring. She also told me to tell you to come home for dinner the night after tomorrow. Mom said I should come to you for tutoring during the New Year holiday.”

Hearing this, Shen Ya couldn’t help but raise her voice: “When did I agree to tutor you?”

“Well… I don’t know either. Anyway, Mom sent me. Sister, where are you? If I go home now, Mom will definitely ask.”

Shen Ya knew that the phone harassment was just the beginning. If she continued to resist, her mother would become increasingly excessive, testing her boundaries step by step.

She had never interacted with this sister. Even though they shared blood, to Shen Ya, she was just a stranger.

She had just moved and didn’t want to expose her new residence so quickly, but if she didn’t let this sister come over today, her mother would surely go crazy.

Knowing her mother, she might try to smash the door of her former apartment. She and her mother had already ended up at the police station countless times because of domestic issues. Her mother might be shameless, but Shen Ya couldn’t be.

But Qiao Xi…

Shen Ya sighed inwardly. She opened Qiao Xi’s chat box and typed a line: 【Something came up. Go home.】

Her thumb hovered over the send button, but before she could press it, Qiao Xi’s message popped up: 【Teacher Shen, I’m downstairs at your building.】

Seeing this message, Shen Ya was puzzled. She had only just sent the address to Qiao Xi. How did she arrive so fast?

Since the person was already at the door, sending a message now would surely hurt Qiao Xi’s feelings. She pressed her forehead, knowing she could only quickly deal with her sister later.

She deleted the entire message in the dialogue box and sent one word: 【Okay.】

“Sister? Are you still listening?”

Shen Ya recited an address and warned the other person to message her before showing up at the door.

After the girl agreed, Shen Ya immediately hung up.

She picked up her toothbrush, squeezed toothpaste onto it, thought for a moment, then turned and walked toward the front door.

Even though the door hadn’t been knocked on yet, Shen Ya had a strange premonition. She pulled open the door, and outside stood a brightly smiling girl: “Good morning, Teacher Shen.”

That smile instantly dispelled the surrounding chill, warming Shen Ya’s limbs and heart with a powerful force. Shen Ya moved slightly aside: “Come in.”

There was a new pair of slippers in the shoe cabinet. Shen Ya took them out, tore open the packaging, and handed them to Qiao Xi. She then took the bag from Qiao Xi’s hand, and upon closer inspection, realized it contained meat filling and dumpling wrappers.

“I promised to make dumplings for you, Teacher Shen, didn’t I? I just started my holiday today, so I came to fulfill my promise! My mom remotely guided me to mix the filling, and I just bought the wrappers. I guarantee they’re fresh.”

Had Qiao Xi not mentioned it, Shen Ya would have forgotten the playful remark Qiao Xi made. It was just a casual chat; would Qiao Xi really keep it in mind all this time?

Qiao Xi changed her shoes. Seeing Shen Ya stand there lost in thought, and noticing the toothbrush in her hand, she realized: “Did I wake you up, Teacher Shen?”

“No.” Shen Ya turned, first placing the items Qiao Xi brought in the open kitchen. The small apartment was much smaller than her previous one, and the space by the door was a bit cramped for two.

“Go sit in the living room first. I’ll brush my teeth and then make the dumplings.” Shen Ya hadn’t seen the breakfast Qiao Xi bought. She asked an extra question: “Are you hungry?”

“Not hungry, not hungry. Teacher Shen, may I use your bowls and chopsticks?” Qiao Xi was too embarrassed to let Shen Ya do all the work. Since she bought the ingredients today, the cooking should naturally be done by her.

“They’re in the cupboard. Get them yourself.”

As Shen Ya went into the bathroom, Qiao Xi finally took a look around the small apartment. Her eyes scanned the room, but her hands didn’t stop moving. She took the longest plate out of the cupboard and a large bowl. She poured the meat into the bowl and moved the items one by one onto the dining table.

Qiao Xi recalled the dumpling-making methods she had learned online. She took out a dumpling wrapper, scooped a large amount of meat with a spoon, placed it in the center, and remembered the next step was to fold the dumpling in half, and then…

Meat oozed out from the edges of the wrapper, but Qiao Xi quickly pinched the edges shut. But then came the problem: why couldn’t she crimp the edges into the beautiful patterns seen online? Not only that, why did her dumplings resemble fallen leaves, just lying peacefully on the plate?

“I’ll do it.”

Qiao Xi looked up at the sound. Shen Ya was leaning against the wall, watching her. Perhaps her clumsy appearance was amusing, for Shen Ya’s eyes held a smile, and her voice carried a hint of helplessness and teasing.

“Teacher Shen…” A flush crept onto Qiao Xi’s face. She was shy and embarrassed, only able to lightly cough to cover her self-consciousness before moving aside to give up the spot.

She watched Shen Ya roll up her sleeves. Her long, flowing hair was gathered at the back of her head into a casual low ponytail. After washing her hands and coming to the table, she picked up the dumpling Qiao Xi had just made, undid some of the crimping along the edge, then pushed and pressed with both hands. The flat dumpling completely transformed in Shen Ya’s hands.

Qiao Xi’s eyes widened instantly, and a look of pleasant surprise burst forth. Her hands clapped involuntarily, followed by a gasp of admiration: “Teacher Shen, you’re amazing!”

The heartfelt compliment brought a slight smile to Shen Ya’s lips. Qiao Xi’s ability to provide such emotional value was appreciated.

Shen Ya’s dumpling-making speed was so fast that Qiao Xi couldn’t clearly see how her fingers crimped the wrappers into patterns. Even though she tried hard to remember and learn, she felt powerless.

When the dumplings filled the last empty space on the plate, Shen Ya carried the plate to the stovetop. She asked Qiao Xi: “How many can you eat?”

“However many you can eat, I can eat.”

Shen Ya washed her hands, set the plate aside, took a pot, filled it with water, and placed it on the induction cooker. The small apartment only used electricity, and the kitchen space was narrow. Not many things could be placed on the counter, so Shen Ya felt a bit restricted when working.

Qiao Xi noticed all this but didn’t show any displeasing expressions or intentionally say anything condescending. She simply opened the cupboard, took out two more bowls, and asked Shen Ya: “Do you prefer vinegar dip or soup, Teacher Shen?”

“Soup.”

“What a coincidence!” Qiao Xi placed the bowls aside, excited: “Looks like we have the same taste, Teacher Shen!”

This time, without Shen Ya’s guidance, she found the seasonings and put them into the bowls herself. After Shen Ya boiled the water and poured it into the bowls, the plump dumplings Shen Ya had made were placed one by one into the pot.

The dumplings were split in half. Qiao Xi carried her bowl to the dining table. Shen Ya washed her hands and returned to Qiao Xi’s side but didn’t start eating immediately.

She picked up the remaining dumpling wrappers and continued filling the rest of the meat: “You eat first.”

But Qiao Xi felt bad watching Shen Ya work. She stood up, walked around to the other side of the table, picked up a wrapper, and began mimicking Shen Ya’s movements while saying: “Let’s finish making them quickly together, then. Please don’t mind how ugly my dumplings are, Teacher Shen.”

Shen Ya just chuckled softly, her movements slowing down. When Qiao Xi produced a poorly shaped imitation, Shen Ya hadn’t even had time to comment before Qiao Xi’s face turned red herself.

She immediately covered it with her hand, as if that would make the dumpling disappear. She quickly glanced at Shen Ya, whose gaze instantly captured hers. The next second, Qiao Xi looked away, pleading awkwardly and innocently: “Teacher Shen!”

“Mm.” Shen Ya held back her smile, gently pulled Qiao Xi’s hand away, and took the nearly-hidden dumpling into her palm. “It’s cute. Well done.”

Just as the words fell, the dumpling in Shen Ya’s palm suddenly collapsed backward, directly exposing the well-intentioned lie.

Silence fell again. Qiao Xi was the first to react, wanting to snatch it back, but Shen Ya blocked her hand just before it touched the dumpling. She placed that one far away, mixed in with the plump, beautiful dumplings: “Alright, you eat breakfast first. I’ll take care of the rest.”

But Qiao Xi was not one to admit defeat. She refused to believe she could be defeated by a single dumpling.

The sudden surge of fighting spirit made Qiao Xi observe Shen Ya’s movements more meticulously. Her dumplings went from being crooked and messy to becoming increasingly presentable. Absorbed in her progress, Qiao Xi didn’t notice that Shen Ya had stopped working and was watching her with an approving gaze.

When the last piece of dumpling wrapper in Qiao Xi’s hand became a round, plump dumpling, she finally showed a triumphant smile. “Look, Teacher Shen!” She presented the dumpling to Shen Ya like a treasure, quite satisfied with her final “work”: “What score would you give this dumpling, Teacher Shen?”

Shen Ya pretended to be serious, as if genuinely examining Qiao Xi’s work. Finally, she gave a score: “99 points.”

“Ah?” Qiao Xi’s smile froze. She immediately chased the question: “What about the last point?”

“The last point, naturally, can only be determined once it’s eaten.” Shen Ya finished, then reached out a finger and gently tapped Qiao Xi’s nose. “Now go wash your hands and eat the dumplings.”

A little bit of flour clinging to her finger was left on Qiao Xi’s nose. As that hand approached her, she smelled the scent of Shen Ya’s hand soap, but when the fingertip touched her nose, that scent seemed to merge with Shen Ya’s natural scent and transformed into cold plum blossoms. First, it made her body numb, and then the fragrance soothed her body and mind, slowly warming her extremities.

When Qiao Xi snapped out of it, Shen Ya had already found a food container and packed the dumplings, placing them in the freezer. Qiao Xi then hurried to the sink to wash her hands. Seeing the hand soap nearby, and still savoring the scent she had just caught, she pumped the dispenser twice when Shen Ya wasn’t looking.

Shen Ya had already returned to the dining table to eat breakfast. Qiao Xi was also very pleased with the scent on her hands. She turned off the faucet and found a paper towel nearby to dry her hands. Just then, a knock sounded at the front door. Qiao Xi was close; she could reach the door in two or three steps.

By the time Shen Ya reacted and tried to stop Qiao Xi, it was too late. She heard the door open, followed by Qiao Xi’s puzzled voice: “Um? Who are you looking for?”

The person outside looked at Qiao Xi, then stepped back to check the room number. She muttered, “That’s right, it is here.”

“Qiao Xi, go eat.” Shen Ya had rushed to Qiao Xi’s side. Seeing the girl standing outside, the warmth on her face instantly froze over. Her expression became aloof, her gaze sharp. She grabbed Qiao Xi’s arm and pulled her behind her, seemingly disgusted by the person approaching Qiao Xi. She ignored the person outside and turned, blocking Qiao Xi’s view, her voice becoming soft and slightly coaxing: “Go eat first.”

Qiao Xi immediately noticed the change in Shen Ya’s mood. The coldness made Shen Ya’s heart raise its armor again, shielding even Qiao Xi from the frost. The girl at the door looked somewhat like Shen Ya. Could she be Shen Ya’s family? But if she was family, why would Shen Ya look like that?

Qiao Xi didn’t press. When unsure of the situation, she chose to follow Shen Ya’s instruction. But her curiosity persisted. Returning to the dining table, she saw a half-eaten dumpling in Shen Ya’s bowl. How rushed was she to leave her dumpling and run out to separate Qiao Xi from that girl?

She picked up a dumpling and put it in her mouth, her ears pricking up like a rabbit’s. Her attention was focused on the door, listening closely to the sounds outside.

Shen Ya’s voice was cold, reprimanding: “I told you to message me when you got downstairs. Why did you come straight up!?”

The girl was unbothered. She was also very unfamiliar with this blood-related sister. Her limited understanding came from constantly hearing her mother’s curses and complaints at home. Over time, she, too, began to feel that her sister was indeed the ungrateful, unloving wretch her mother described.

If her mother hadn’t endlessly nagged her and promised to buy her new shoes, she wouldn’t have chosen to come today. Facing Shen Ya’s questioning, she felt wronged and complained a little more: “Whether I message you or not, I still have to come up, so why bother with the extra step?”

“Chen Xi!” Shen Ya low-yelled, her tone no longer kind: “Since you want to come, then you must follow my rules!”

Chen Xi was not convinced by Shen Ya’s reprimand. But she was somewhat timid and only dared to grumble under her breath. If she had to actually exchange insults with Shen Ya, she would back down.

Chen Xi muttered internally, reluctantly replying: “Got it. I’ll message you before I come next time.”

Shen Ya didn’t welcome Chen Xi’s visit at all, so there wouldn’t be a next time. Even now, she didn’t want the other person to intrude on her private residence.

“Can I come in? It’s really cold outside.” Chen Xi was wearing warm clothes, but the corridor was drafty. She stomped her feet and rubbed her arms, trying to warm up her cold hands and feet.

Unfortunately, Shen Ya was unmoved. She only wanted Chen Xi to leave her apartment as soon as possible. However, if she let her go now, her mother probably wouldn’t let the matter rest.

But Shen Ya decided to state things clearly: “I did not agree to tutor you, so there won’t be a next time.”

Chen Xi felt even more unhappy hearing this. She thought, even if Shen Ya wasn’t close to the family and rarely visited, she was still her blood sister, wasn’t she? Did she have to treat her like an enemy?

She mumbled emotionally: “It’s not like I wanted to come.” The voice was small, but every word clearly reached Shen Ya’s ears.

Shen Ya didn’t want to waste time arguing with Chen Xi. She held no hope for this sister. A child raised by her mother wouldn’t be well-behaved or sensible. Chen Xi bore her mother’s shadow everywhere.

If she was only somewhat resistant to the intrusion before, the feeling of repulsion and disgust now completely occupied her heart. Her mother sending Chen Xi over without notice was a clear signal of invasion.

She could be dragged down to hell with her mother, but Chen Xi was still a minor. She didn’t want to take it out on the child. After all, long before Chen Xi was born, she and her mother were already mutually hostile and had severe conflicts. She wouldn’t transfer that hatred onto a child.

Shen Ya took out her phone from her robe pocket, found Chen Xi’s chat box, transferred 200 yuan, and said in a cold voice: “Find somewhere to stay out until it’s time to go home. If she asks about me, tell her I’ll talk to her. And don’t tell her I live here, understand?”