Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: With the New Year approaching, Shen…

With the New Year fast approaching, Shen Ya planned to move back to Qiao Xi’s home on the first day of her holiday. Perhaps Zhou Ziqian’s words had struck a chord, revealing a hidden path through the fog. She had been avoiding things for a long time here, and some things just had to be faced.

“Leaving today?” Zhou Ziqian leaned against the doorway, watching Shen Ya pack her luggage. “Even though ‘Blank’ won’t be open for business these few days during the New Year, it’s fine to stay here. We’ll still be receiving a few close friends.”

“No need.”

“So, you’re going back because you’ve figured things out?”

Shen Ya didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure if she had completely figured things out; she just wanted to get out and see after hiding for so long. At the very least, she needed to see Qiao Xi first to understand how their feelings for each other had changed.

After finishing her packing, she picked up Shiyi, who was rubbing against the suitcase. Shen Ya turned and walked to the doorway: “Could I trouble you to look after her for a few days?”

“Of course, no problem. You can even leave her with me permanently.” Zhou Ziqian took Shiyi from Shen Ya’s arms and held her close. “Are you going out of town for a few days?”

“Mhm.” Shen Ya didn’t say where she was going or for how many days. She poked Shiyi’s face with her fingertip and stroked her head, instructing: “Be good. I’ll pick you up when I bring her back home.”

Zhou Ziqian precisely caught the word ‘her.’ She smiled meaningfully but didn’t ask who this “her” was. Zhou Ziqian still remembered the name mentioned by Jiang Yunyi that night and wondered when she would get the chance to meet this ‘Xiao Xi.’

Shen Ya only took one suitcase back with her. Tickets for the New Year were hard to buy. She had tried for several days but failed to secure a high-speed rail ticket to Zhoucheng, so she had to buy a plane ticket instead. Not only were the round-trip tickets to Zhoucheng hard to get, but the price of accommodation was also significantly higher than usual. Even with the inflated prices, the better hotels were still in high demand. She didn’t know how long she would stay, so she rented a seaside guesthouse.

After nearly a month of being away, the house was cold and devoid of life. After dropping off her luggage, she planned to clean up first. Shen Ya went to the living room and found that the note she had left pressed under the tissue box on the coffee table before leaving was still untouched.

Could it be that Qiao Xi hadn’t returned home during this time?

Shen Ya thought it was highly likely. Based on her understanding of Qiao Xi, if the other person had returned and not found her, even if she hadn’t seen the note, she should have sent her a message. It seemed the rejection that day had truly broken Qiao Xi’s heart.

She picked up her phone, intending to send Qiao Xi a message, but as soon as her fingertip touched the screen, she hesitated, unsure what to say. What if Qiao Xi didn’t even know she had left the house? What would Qiao Xi think if she brought it up now?

Shen Ya shook her head, ultimately putting the phone down.

Never mind. She would make a plan after she arrived in Zhoucheng and saw Qiao Xi.

Shen Ya hadn’t managed to buy a ticket for New Year’s Eve itself. She only secured a flight for the third day of the Lunar New Year. On New Year’s Eve, Qiao Xi was still the first person to send her a New Year’s greeting. Even though she wasn’t there, she had reserved a New Year’s Eve dinner for her. The reservation phone number was Shen Ya’s, and the delivery person called to confirm the address before heading out.

She had been prepared to spend New Year’s Eve alone, but Zhou Ziqian had invited her to ‘Blank’ to celebrate the New Year with friends. Thus, she had the delivery person send Qiao Xi’s ordered meal to ‘Blank’.

After receiving the food, Shen Ya took a picture and sent it to Qiao Xi, along with a thank you. After a long time, she received Qiao Xi’s reply. The other person only said two words: [You’re welcome.]

Such distant words. Shen Ya’s heart felt sour. As she ate the New Year’s Eve dinner Qiao Xi had pre-ordered for her, her mind recalled the scene of them together last year.

The contrast increased the sense of loss. Without Qiao Xi by her side, the food tasted bland. Zhou Ziqian and Fang Moyao hadn’t arrived yet. Shen Ya wasn’t close to the others, so she just watched them talk and laugh from the side.

Last year, light had lingered by her side. Now, she was the one who actively pushed the light away. Sitting in the corner of ‘Blank,’ Shen Ya felt a pang of regret for the first time.

Qiao Xi, far away in another city, was also thinking of Shen Ya. When she saw the photo Shen Ya sent, she was first delighted, then disheartened. She instantly recognized that Shen Ya was not at her home; it was an unfamiliar environment.

Her first thought was to ask Chen Qian. She thought Shen Ya might have gone back to her mother’s house, but Chen Qian told her that the family hadn’t been in contact with Shen Ya for a long time.

Sure enough, Shen Ya must have found a new place and moved out of her home long ago. The dinner table was lively, but Qiao Xi couldn’t feel happy. She could only pretend to be cheerful in front of her family, but the smile lacked sincerity.

Were she and Shen Ya completely over?

Zhoucheng was a southern coastal city where tourists flocked all year round. Even in winter, the temperature was relatively mild, making it a prime vacation spot.

Shen Ya endured until the third day of the Lunar New Year before finally boarding the plane to Zhoucheng. She wanted to surprise Qiao Xi, so she didn’t tell her in advance. Only after getting off the plane did she text Jiang Yunyi, asking for the name of their hotel.

Jiang Yunyi didn’t reply with a message but called Shen Ya instead. As soon as the call connected, Jiang Yunyi asked: “Are you in Zhoucheng?”

“Yes, just landed.”

Jiang Yunyi was still in her hotel room, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, admiring the sea view outside. Her first thought was: “Did you find a place to stay?”

“Mhm.”

“So you came because of Xiao Xi?”

Shen Ya paused for a moment before responding: “Yes.” She knew what Jiang Yunyi would ask, so she spoke first: “We had a misunderstanding. I came here to talk to her properly.”

“Misunderstanding?” Jiang Yunyi stood up from the chair and walked toward the door. Passing the small closet in the room, she took out a coat. “I’m curious what kind of misunderstanding makes you specifically fly from Jianglan City to Zhoucheng during the New Year to find her.”

The questioning tone sounded a bit harsh to Shen Ya. “That should be none of Boss Jiang’s business.”

Jiang Yunyi’s laugh flashed by so quickly that Shen Ya thought she might have misheard. “It’s true that it has nothing to do with me. But unfortunately, you’re too late. Xiao Xi took a plane back to Jianglan City this morning. She said she had an urgent matter to attend to back home. I thought her so-called urgent matter had something to do with you, but now it seems I was mistaken.”

What?

Qiao Xi left?

Shen Ya stood frozen in place, stunned. She came to Zhoucheng just to see Qiao Xi. Now that she arrived, the other person had already left. Did this mean that if she missed this chance, the distance between them would only grow, becoming irreversible?

“So, what about you? Are you going back now, or do you want to stay in Zhoucheng for a while longer?”

Shen Ya had already opened the ticket purchasing app, but unfortunately, there were no flights back today. High-speed rail tickets were also impossible to get. She checked tomorrow and the day after. The high-speed rail had no seats, and only a morning flight the day after tomorrow was available for purchase.

“Have you checked the ticket app fully?” Although they were on the phone, Jiang Yunyi anticipated Shen Ya’s every move. She had left her room and was walking down the hotel hallway. She lowered her voice and offered a solution: “After lunch the day after tomorrow, I’ll be driving back to Jianglan. Would you like a ride?”

The day after tomorrow? Shen Ya refreshed the ticket app and found that the flight she just saw was now sold out. Both Jianglan and Zhoucheng were extremely popular cities. With many people traveling during the New Year, tickets were incredibly difficult to buy.

It seemed the only way to get back now was to ride with Jiang Yunyi. Her attitude softened slightly: “If it’s convenient for Boss Jiang, then thank you for the trouble.”

“Wait for me at the airport. I’m coming now.”

On the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Qiao Xi received a call from Chen Qian. Her first thought was that something had happened to Shen Ya, so she answered without hesitation.

Before she could speak, she heard Chen Qian anxiously say: “Sister Qiao Xi, something happened at home. My mom is in the hospital now. Should I tell my sister?”

“What happened?”

“I…” Chen Qian was as agitated as an ant in a hot pan, unable to articulate herself clearly at first. Only with Qiao Xi’s patient guidance was she able to clearly express what she meant.

It turned out that on New Year’s Eve, Shen Qiuyu discovered Chen Qian’s father was having an affair. The mistress was already pregnant and almost full-term. At that moment, Shen Qiuyu exploded in anger, and the two had an argument at home.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Shen Qiuyu clashed with him again. During the pushing and shoving, she fell down the stairs and was injured. Chen Qian called an ambulance to take Shen Qiuyu to the hospital. After examination, the doctor said she had a fractured leg and needed surgery.

With such a major incident suddenly happening at home, the underaged Chen Qian was completely flustered. She didn’t know what to do. She initially wanted to find Shen Ya, but she knew Shen Ya hated Shen Qiuyu and probably wouldn’t help even if told, so she called Qiao Xi instead.

After hearing the whole story, Qiao Xi asked her: “Did your mother mention asking Teacher Shen to come over?”

“Not yet. She’s completely preoccupied with my father and his mistress. She hasn’t had time to think about my sister.” Chen Qian looked at the operating room door. “Sister Qiao Xi, what should I do?”

“Don’t tell Teacher Shen for now. If your mother asks, try to stop her. I’ll get back as soon as possible. This is a good opportunity for me to have a good talk with your mother.”

After hanging up, Qiao Xi immediately opened the ticket purchasing app. Both high-speed rail and plane tickets were scarce. She had to spend extra money to find a third party to help her buy a ticket.

Despite this, she only managed to secure a flight back to Jianglan on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

She didn’t want such matters to disturb Shen Ya during the New Year holiday. Moreover, after hearing about the incident, Qiao Xi smelled an opportunity to completely free Shen Ya from her original family.

Regardless of whether she and Teacher Shen could still be together, the other party’s family had always been a thorn in her side. She wanted to do one last thing for Shen Ya. Without the burden of her original family, wouldn’t Shen Ya be able to live a more free and unrestrained life?

She kept in touch with Chen Qian for the next two days. After confirming that Chen Qian was choosing Shen Qiuyu’s side, Qiao Xi guided her to collect some evidence of the affair. She spent these two days in the hotel organizing the information Chen Qian sent her, and through an older student at her school, contacted a lawyer specializing in divorce cases to ask for advice.

When she returned to Jianglan City on the third day of the Lunar New Year, Qiao Xi dropped off her luggage at her mother’s house and immediately headed to the hospital. She bought a fruit basket and a case of milk at the hospital entrance. Fully prepared, she walked into the inpatient department according to the address Chen Qian had given her.

During the New Year, there weren’t many people in the hospital. Qiao Xi arrived at the orthopedics ward, checking the numbers outside the rooms one by one, finally stopping outside a particular room.

The three-person ward currently only housed Shen Qiuyu, with Chen Qian as her companion. Qiao Xi could hear Shen Qiuyu talking to Chen Qian about family matters from outside the door.

Qiao Xi knocked first. The voices in the ward instantly ceased. Only then did she step inside from the doorway.

She offered a smile, and when she saw Shen Qiuyu look at her with confusion, she proactively placed the items in her hands on the side table and said: “Do you remember me, Auntie Shen?”

Shen Qiuyu stared at Qiao Xi’s face. She found her familiar at first, but only when Qiao Xi came closer did she suddenly recall the time she went to find Shen Ya and was interrupted by a young girl.

“You… it’s you!” Shen Qiuyu remembered. Her face darkened, and her tone was hostile: “What are you doing here? Who let you come!”

Qiao Xi didn’t care about the other person’s unwelcoming tone. She deliberately pulled a wooden chair to Shen Qiuyu’s bedside and sat down. Looking at the plastered leg suspended high, she first asked with concern: “Auntie, are you alright? I heard from Chen Qian that you fell down the stairs, so I specifically came to see you today.”

“What does that have to do with you? Get out!” Shen Qiuyu only felt that Qiao Xi was here to mock her.

“Auntie, calm down. We have no bad history, so why be so cold to me?” Qiao Xi maintained her smile, not caring how Shen Qiuyu interpreted it. “I only came today to ask Auntie if you want to continue living in misery or if you want to live a happier, more comfortable life.”

“What do you mean?” Shen Qiuyu became wary. Qiao Xi looked harmless, but after their last encounter, Shen Qiuyu knew perfectly well what awful things could come out of Qiao Xi’s mouth. “Did Shen Ya send you? Where is she? Her own mother is hospitalized, and she doesn’t even come to visit. She’s so ungrateful!”

“Auntie, to be honest, I told Chen Qian not to inform Teacher Shen about what happened at your home. After all, you’ve never treated Teacher Shen as your daughter, so naturally, she doesn’t need to concern herself with your family matters, right?”

Shen Qiuyu was so angry that she lifted her finger and pointed at Qiao Xi. She wanted to shout curses, but Qiao Xi was always one step ahead.

“Auntie, you’re currently unable to move and need care, so don’t waste your energy. To put it bluntly, you’re like a fish on a cutting board now, completely at the mercy of others. I can offend you, and Chen Qian’s father can too. Open your eyes and see who is still staying by your bedside right now.”

“You, you!”

This was the first time Qiao Xi had played the villain. Normally, she would never be able to do it, but after facing Jiang Yunyi every day recently, she had picked up six or seven layers of her cold, serious, and overbearing demeanor.

Qiao Xi released Shen Qiuyu’s hand. She then pulled the blanket up a bit, her tone becoming gentle: “Auntie, would you like to hear my story?”

Even though Shen Qiuyu didn’t answer, Qiao Xi took it as a tacit agreement. She stepped back two steps and sat down on the chair, staring at Shen Qiuyu as she slowly said: “I lost my birth mother from birth, but I met a pair of wonderful adoptive mothers. They treated me as their own and gave me a complete and loving family. Sometimes I felt inferior, wondering why other children had their birth mothers by their side when I hadn’t even met mine.”

“I envied other children for having their birth mothers, just like Chen Qian. She has received your attention and all your love since birth. I believe you’ve never mistreated her, right? So why are you so harsh towards another child, neither wanting to acknowledge her nor being willing to completely let go and give her freedom?”

Qiao Xi saw Shen Qiuyu’s face alternate between blue and purple. Being offended by a junior, she must be furious.

But Qiao Xi didn’t intend to stop. She was here today to give Shen Qiuyu a thorough ‘talk therapy.’

“Now, Chen Qian’s father has betrayed you. What are you planning to do? Believe he will repent, or decide to cut all ties and separate completely?”

Hit in a painful spot, Shen Qiuyu’s face was somewhat contorted with anger. She was about to point and curse at Qiao Xi again, but Qiao Xi always beat her to it.

“Auntie, you must think clearly about this. Time passes quickly. Chen Qian is growing up, and you are getting older. Maintaining this relationship, aren’t you afraid that the next time you’re on the operating table, he won’t sign the consent form that could save your life?”

Reminded of this, Shen Qiuyu suddenly recalled Qiao Xi’s words from earlier. Only then did she realize a terrifying fact: during her hospital stay, only her daughter Chen Qian had been constantly by her side. Even relatives just came to look and left.

A sudden dread made cold sweat break out on her back. Looking at her broken leg and aging hands, she truly confronted the fact that she was growing old for the first time.

“Auntie, my mothers used to tell me that you reap what you sow. People must pay the price and bear the consequences for their choices. My mothers love me, so I love my mothers. In their twilight years, I will take good care of them, and they can rely on me with peace of mind. That is cause and effect.”

Qiao Xi’s tone shifted. Staring at Shen Qiuyu, she asked coldly: “So what about you? What kind of cause and effect will you receive in the future?”

This question echoed in Shen Qiuyu’s ears. Unconsciously, she recalled Shen Ya’s childhood. She saw herself raising her hand and slapping Shen Ya’s face, saw herself fiercely pointing at Shen Ya and constantly verbally abusing her. Her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

“I know, you still have Chen Qian, but she’s not an adult yet, is she? How much longer do you think it will take for her to stand on her own and become as capable as Teacher Shen?”

Qiao Xi watched Shen Qiuyu’s face gradually turn pale. She knew her words were having an effect. If so, she had to press her advantage and hit her with more hard facts: “You know very well that Chen Qian’s father is unreliable. The consequence of forcing the relationship to continue is that you broke your leg. If this still can’t make you determined, then the next time, what you break might not be just a simple leg.”

“I know what you’re worried about. You think divorce is shameful. But what era are we living in? He is the at-fault party. You can completely make him leave with nothing. The money, the house, and your daughter will all be yours. You can live your life with Chen Qian, and every penny spent in the future will be used on yourself and Chen Qian. Isn’t that a hundred times better than your current life?”

Qiao Xi continued: “But if you insist on not divorcing, the child he had with his mistress will have inheritance rights. Are you really not planning to leave anything for Chen Qian?”

Shen Qiuyu clutched the white blanket. Her tone was no longer sharp. In just a short time, her voice carried a trace of fatigue: “What exactly do you want to do?”

“You’ve already harmed one child. I don’t want you to harm a second one. If you decide to divorce, I can recommend a lawyer for you. I’ve also organized the evidence of Chen Qian’s father’s affair and can send it to you.”

“You came here just to make me divorce?”

“Of course, there’s one most important point.” Qiao Xi stood up. She slightly bowed toward Shen Qiuyu, her tone more sincere than before: “I hope you can let go of Shen Ya and give her freedom.”

“You…”

Qiao Xi looked up: “Although Teacher Shen has deep conflicts with you, you are still her mother. I like Teacher Shen and am pursuing her, but because of your influence, she has become timid and cautious, afraid to take a step forward. She is clearly excellent, yet she still feels inferior. This is all because of the harm you once inflicted on her. In my eyes, you are a failed mother. Teacher Shen is soft-hearted and has been bullied by you for so long that she doesn’t know how to fight back anymore.”

“I came today to have a serious talk with you. If you can understand, that would be wonderful. But if you insist on going your own way, then I can only offer you my apologies.”

Qiao Xi had said everything she intended to. The other party was an elder, and she had laid all her cards on the table today. Regardless of the outcome, she would firmly stand behind Shen Ya as her support.

Before leaving, Qiao Xi left her phone number and told Shen Qiuyu: “If you’ve thought it through, Auntie, you can contact me anytime. However, I hope you can keep today’s matter a secret from Shen Ya.”