Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The End of the Exam

Shen Ya wasn’t sure why Jiang Yunyi had said that to her. She pondered it, but in the end, she only nodded as a response.

She had initially expected it to be awkward with Qiao Xi’s family, but Qiao Xi’s two mothers were incredibly kind. It was no wonder they had raised a bright child like Qiao Xi. Jiang Yunyi, seated beside her, was also more considerate than Shen Ya had expected.

After having morning tea and resting, the group returned to the examination center to pick up Qiao Xi. Watching the girl emerge from the school campus, an ineffable emotion rose in Shen Ya’s heart. When Qiao Xi spotted them, she rushed over, only to be immediately surrounded by her large family the moment she approached.

No one asked her how she performed. They simply patted her head and told her she had worked hard. Shen Ya saw Jiang Yunxi hand Qiao Xi her favorite juice, Qin Shuyao take out a wet wipe to clean the sweat from her forehead, and Jiang Yunyi take the things Qiao Xi was holding and put them in her own bag.

Although Qiao Xi was talking to her family, her gaze kept darting toward Shen Ya. She was surprised that Shen Ya was with her family, waiting for her exam to finish, but every time she tried to speak to Shen Ya, she was interrupted.

She still had an exam that afternoon, and time was tight. The group didn’t linger outside the examination center. After lunch, Qiao Xi rested in a private room at the restaurant.

For all three days of the Gaokao, Shen Ya accompanied her family to send her into the examination hall every day, and offered gentle encouragement when she came out. Qiao Xi didn’t let herself get distracted. Even though she really, really wanted to talk properly with Shen Ya, she restrained herself. She knew that once the exams were completely over, she would be completely free, and then she could do whatever she wanted.

When the last subject finished, the heavy burden on Qiao Xi’s shoulders lifted the moment she left the exam hall. After twelve years of hard work, even before the results were out, she knew she had submitted a satisfactory paper. She had done right by her mothers, her sisters, and herself.

Stepping out of the examination center, she saw her family, and Shen Ya stood in front of her two mothers, holding a bouquet of flowers. For some reason, Shen Ya’s face was even more radiant than the flowers.

“Mom, Mommy, Sisters, Teacher Shen!”

As Qiao Xi reached the group, Shen Ya handed the flowers to her. Qiao Xi took the flowers and sniffed them. The floral scent blended with Shen Ya’s fresh clean smell. “Thank you, Teacher Shen.”

“We were just about to buy you flowers, but Xiao Shen said she already had some. Xiao Shen is so thoughtful,” Qin Yunxin said, patting Shen Ya’s shoulder from behind. In just three days, she had adopted Shen Ya as one of the family.

No wonder Shen Ya was blushing. The family’s enthusiasm must have overwhelmed her. Qiao Xi knew this, but still intentionally caused mischief. She looped one arm around Shen Ya’s arm and sweetly said, “Teacher Shen is so good to me.”

No sooner had she spoken than Qin Shuyao’s hand landed on her head. Jiang Yunxi gave a forced smile, staring at the flowers in her hand with eyes that seemed ready to swallow her whole. But Qiao Xi wasn’t worried. With her two mothers nearby, and having just finished the Gaokao, she was the little overlord of the family.

“Let’s go. Mom has booked a restaurant. Now that the exams are over, let’s relax and have a good meal.”

Shen Ya naturally joined them. This time, she and Shen Ya walked at the back, finally getting a chance to talk.

“What made Teacher Shen think of buying me flowers?”

“In previous years, outside the examination centers, I saw parents giving flowers to students who had just finished their exams.”

“Oh~” Qiao Xi drew out the last word: “So, Teacher Shen wants to be my parent?”

Shen Ya closed her mouth and shot her a sidelong glance.

Qiao Xi burst into laughter. With the pressure gone, she was much more relaxed. Since she was in a good mood today, she couldn’t resist teasing Shen Ya.

“Teacher Shen, I did very well on the exam. Do you believe me?”

“I do.” Given Qiao Xi’s grades, once the scores were released, good universities would likely be fighting over her.

“Teacher Shen, I’ve finished the exam, and I’ll be a university student soon. I’m turning adult next month, too. You can’t treat me like a child anymore.”

Shen Ya had never truly treated Qiao Xi like a child. Every day spent with Qiao Xi was effortless, often making her forget that she was interacting with a girl eleven years her junior.

“Mhm.”

Qiao Xi felt wonderful. When she met Shen Ya in the future, she wouldn’t have to worry about the conversation always revolving around studies.

Dinner that evening was exceptionally rich. As the main character of the day, Qiao Xi couldn’t spend all her time talking only to Shen Ya. Qiao Xi, the master of balancing attention, engaged everyone at the table and, moreover, kept everyone happy.

The joyful atmosphere was infectious to Shen Ya. She realized this was how a loving family interacted daily. It was the first time she had experienced it, making her envy Qiao Xi even more, and she was genuinely happy for Qiao Xi to be born into such a family.

Shen Ya had a little to drink that night. The meal lasted for a long time. By the time the dinner ended, she was slightly tipsy.

Jiang Zhiqing and Qin Yunxin didn’t feel comfortable letting Shen Ya go home alone. Jiang Yunyi volunteered to drive Shen Ya back.

Shen Ya frowned. She was currently living in Qiao Xi’s apartment. This was a secret between her and Qiao Xi. If Jiang Yunyi drove her, wouldn’t the secret be exposed?

She shook her head, refusing, but Jiang Yunyi was unexpectedly persistent. Left with no choice, Shen Ya got into Jiang Yunyi’s car in front of everyone.

Qiao Xi, meanwhile, wanted to say something, but Jiang Yunxi and Qin Shuyao were talking to her, one on each side, leaving her unable to move. She could only watch helplessly as Jiang Yunyi drove Shen Ya away.

After driving some distance, Jiang Yunyi finally asked her: “Where are you living now?”

Shen Ya replied: “Please drop me off at the nearest subway station. I can get back on my own.”

“The subway is closed at this hour.” Jiang Yunyi curved her lips: “Shen Ya, do I look like a bad person, which is why you’re so resistant to me?”

“No.” Shen Ya certainly wouldn’t admit that. She only said, “I’m afraid of delaying your main business.”

“My… main business?” Jiang Yunyi couldn’t recall anything she needed to do.

“Blank. Those…” Shen Ya thought for a moment before subtly saying: “People you have close relationships with.”

Jiang Yunyi didn’t immediately understand Shen Ya’s meaning. A brief silence fell in the car. Then, remembering her “scandalous” news, she suddenly realized.

She laughed and shook her head: “I’m surprised you believe those ridiculous rumors.”

So it was false?

“Fang Moyao and I were classmates, and we grew up playing together. She became the boss of Blank, so of course, I would go support her. As for the rumors, they were just jokes made at the dinner table. I didn’t bother to explain, and people who don’t know me took them as truth, spreading them further and further.”

So that was the truth. Shen Ya genuinely didn’t know, and she had never heard anything about Jiang Yunyi from Jiang Yunxi. It seemed she had misunderstood the other woman. Shen Ya gripped the leather tighter and whispered, “I apologize.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.” Jiang Yunyi stopped at a traffic light. She turned her head to look at Shen Ya. Her eyes were not as sharp as usual, but gentle in a way Shen Ya had never seen: “We’ve been talking for so long, and you still don’t plan to tell me your address? Are you planning to make me drive around a few more times?”

Shen Ya then realized with a start that Jiang Yunyi had been driving in circles around the area where they had just eaten.

But she didn’t know how to speak the address, nor did she know what Jiang Yunyi would think or do upon discovering it.

“Let me guess why you find it so difficult to say.”

From the moment she got into Jiang Yunyi’s car, all her emotions were being led by the other woman. This gave Shen Ya a deeper understanding of Jiang Yunyi. The woman seemed gentle but was subtly assertive everywhere. The atmosphere of that circle was once again brought closer to her.

“Could it be… related to Xiao Xi?”

Shen Ya’s heart jumped. She tightened her grip on her bag, but kept her face neutral. Jiang Yunyi was too clever. Could this be an inherited trait in Qiao Xi’s family?

“By all accounts, you and Xiao Xi shouldn’t have crossed paths, yet Xiao Xi showed so much surprise and affection upon seeing you. I can see it, and naturally, Yunxi can too.” The traffic light turned green again, and this time, Jiang Yunyi drove onto a different road: “Jiang Yunxi is very protective of her sister. She raised Xiao Xi. More than a sister, Xiao Xi is practically half her daughter. Therefore, she absolutely cannot let Xiao Xi know about that circle. She doesn’t want her other side exposed to Xiao Xi.”

“Are you telling me all this to make me stay away from Qiao Xi?”

“No.” Jiang Yunyi shook her head: “Jiang Yunxi has too many burdens, but I am different. Like I said to you in the beginning, I don’t see any problem with Xiao Xi interacting with you. So, I hope you don’t view me as you view Jiang Yunxi. Perhaps you can choose to trust me a little.”

Shen Ya didn’t know if she could truly trust Jiang Yunyi, but in both conversation and feeling, the woman was genuinely different from Jiang Yunxi.

As she was agonizing over this, Shen Ya received a message from Qiao Xi. She checked her phone: 【Little Rascal: Teacher Shen, if Sister Yunyi asks, just tell her. Sister Yunyi won’t tell on me to my sister.】

It seemed she had greatly misunderstood Jiang Yunyi.

After receiving this message, Shen Ya finally told Jiang Yunyi her address. The other woman didn’t say anything after hearing it, as if she had expected it all along.

The car fell silent afterward. Jiang Yunyi wasn’t a talkative person, but she had always had some interest in Shen Ya, and coupled with other reasons, she had paid extra attention to her.

She hadn’t expected Shen Ya to change so much after leaving Jiang Yunxi and that circle. She looked significantly brighter and more genuinely human than before.

Jiang Yunyi’s car drove into the community’s underground parking lot. She stopped the car by the elevator but showed no intention of getting out. As Shen Ya opened the car door, Jiang Yunyi spoke again: “If you have time, you can still come to Blank. Even if you’ve left the circle, you can come for a meal, a drink, and a chat.”

“Okay.” Shen Ya pushed the car door open and got out. Before closing the door, she said to Jiang Yunyi, “Thank you.”

Only after Shen Ya walked into the elevator area did Jiang Yunyi restart her car and drive away.

After returning home, Shen Ya sent Qiao Xi a message but didn’t receive a reply. It was very late, and Qiao Xi had been nervous for three days. Now that she had completely relaxed, she was probably already asleep.

Qiao Xi was indeed tired. After getting into the car and chatting with her two sisters for a while, she finally found a chance to send Shen Ya a message.

Once the car quieted down and the speed became smooth, Qiao Xi, sitting in the back seat, grew increasingly heavy-lidded. Before long, she fell asleep leaning against the backrest.

Qin Shuyao saw Qiao Xi sleeping in the rearview mirror. Jiang Yunxi quietly asked her, “Is she asleep?”

“Mhm. She’s been working hard recently. She looks like she’s lost weight.” Qin Shuyao turned her head, her gaze briefly meeting Jiang Yunxi’s.

“Let her rest well tonight. When we get back, we’ll help her pack.”

Qin Shuyao looked at the dim streetlights outside the car, watching the scenery recede past the window. She couldn’t help but sigh at how quickly time had passed. In the blink of an eye, Qiao Xi had grown so big. She still remembered the first time she saw Qiao Xi—that palm-sized baby had truly been raised well by them.

Her deepest maternal tenderness was stirred. Qin Shuyao said to Jiang Yunxi, “I want to sleep with Xiao Xi tonight.”

“What?”

“It’s been a long time since the three of us slept together, hasn’t it?”

Jiang Yunxi smiled helplessly. “Alright. Then we’ll all sleep with Xiao Xi tonight.”

Upon arriving home, the car was parked in the garage. Jiang Yunxi got out of the car, circled around, and opened the back door to carry Qiao Xi out. Qiao Xi showed signs of waking up during this, but the familiar scent made her feel completely safe.

She only fully woke up after being carried into the room. Habitually, she indulged in some brief affection with her two sisters before grabbing clothes and heading to the bathroom to shower.

Tonight, Qiao Xi felt like she was back in her childhood. She remembered her two sisters always sleeping with her during kindergarten. Only later, as her sisters became increasingly busy, did she start sleeping alone.

The Gaokao was over. She would have more time to spend with Shen Ya after this. Qiao Xi was already planning to go see Shen Ya as soon as she woke up tomorrow.

But her beautiful dream was ultimately shattered.

Before she was fully awake the next day, Qiao Xi was woken up by Xia Cong’an and Yu Tiantian. The two girls seemed to have speakers attached to their mouths, shouting in her ear the moment they entered the room: “Wake up, Qiao Xi! We have to leave!!”

Leave for what? Where was she going? Wasn’t today the first day after the Gaokao? Qiao Xi sat up groggily, staring blankly at Xia Cong’an and Yu Tiantian.

“Still sleeping? The plane is about to take off!” Xia Cong’an pulled off her blanket and exchanged a look with Yu Tiantian. The two dragged her off the bed.

Yu Tiantian patted her face: “Wake up. You didn’t know, did you? Sister Ji Lingwei and the others planned a big trip for us right after the Gaokao. We’re not coming back until the results are released.”

“What?!”

Qiao Xi was truly awake now. Her two mothers hadn’t told her about this. She had thought she was free after the Gaokao. She hadn’t expected this surprise. She had planned to go see Shen Ya! Now she wouldn’t see her for twenty days. She hoped Shen Ya wouldn’t distance herself from her again by the time she returned!