Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 79

Chapter 79: The dinner was abundant, even though…

The dinner was abundant. Although there were only two of them, Shen Ya had prepared a large table full of dishes, all of which Qiao Xi loved to eat in the past. Even though Qiao Xi intentionally pretended not to forgive Shen Ya, facing the table full of delicacies, she couldn’t keep a stern face toward Shen Ya anymore.

The saying “softened by being fed” must be about this.

Caramelized ribs, golden chicken soup, tender chicken wings…

Qiao Xi couldn’t possibly eat everything. Shen Ya was eager to put all her signature dishes on the table. Qiao Xi hardly touched her rice, but she ate the dishes one after another without stopping. Shen Ya’s bowl was empty. She rested her chin in her hand, her expression unusually gentle, and a smile never left her face.

In the past, Qiao Xi often stared at her, but she hadn’t given it much thought then. Now, thinking back, their fate must have been intertwined a long time ago.

“Wh-What’s wrong?” Qiao Xi swallowed the food in her mouth, looking back at Shen Ya awkwardly. Did she have something on her face?

Qiao Xi quickly stopped eating and pulled out a napkin to wipe her mouth, but besides a little sauce, she didn’t wipe off any rice grains.

“How does it taste?”

Qiao Xi answered honestly: “Delicious.”

“Just delicious?” Shen Ya switched hands to prop up her chin, asking with a slight, knowing smile.

This…

Teacher Shen’s tone was weird. It reminded her of the bosses of ‘Blank’, Zhou Ziqian and Fang Moyao. She guessed those two must have taught Teacher Shen something, which was why Teacher Shen was so proactive this time, so… alluring without realizing it.

Unsure what Shen Ya wanted to hear, Qiao Xi suddenly became less clever. She held the napkin, pondering carefully, then swallowed, staring at the pot of chicken soup: “It’s very delicious. I love it. Thank you, Teacher Shen, for the hospitality.”

“I can’t hear any ‘love’ in that sentence.” Once she had lowered herself to be a rascal, some things became intuitive. Shen Ya showed a hint of sadness: “It seems this meal didn’t quite hit the spot for you.”

“Of course not!” Qiao Xi couldn’t stand seeing Shen Ya look sad. She became anxious and said: “Teacher Shen’s cooking is delicious. I really like it. I’ve been thinking about this meal for a long time. I thought I’d never get to eat it again.”

“How could that be? Whatever you want to eat in the future, I’ll make it for you.”

Qiao Xi was about to nod but realized something was wrong. After processing it, she looked at Shen Ya with a mournful expression: “Teacher Shen has become naughty.”

“Hmm?” Shen Ya pretended not to understand.

Darn it, she really wanted to pounce and bite Shen Ya hard. Shen Ya called her a little rascal, but Shen Ya was the biggest rascal!

Seeing Qiao Xi speechless, Shen Ya put another rib into her bowl: “Eat up. Are you staying tonight?”

Qiao Xi looked at the rib in her bowl. The rib was meaty and perfectly seasoned. It smelled wonderful just by inhaling the aroma. If only she could live with Shen Ya all the time, she could ask Shen Ya to teach her how to cook these dishes, and then in the future…

Wait a minute, how did Shen Ya lead her into a trap again? She hadn’t forgiven Shen Ya yet, so why was she thinking about moving in together?

She firmly shook her head: “No.”

Shen Ya was silent for a moment, then lightly nodded: “Okay.”

The sound was faint, like a gentle breeze, yet Qiao Xi couldn’t ignore it. When did Shen Ya learn to retreat to advance and even feign grievance? She knew Qiao Xi would soften up, didn’t she?

Qiao Xi knew it in her heart, but she couldn’t be cruel. She picked up her chopsticks, took the rib from her bowl, took a bite, and then explained: “My mom and sister haven’t come back yet. Pangpang needs someone to look after her at home. I have to leave after eating. Pangpang has been home alone all day. If I don’t go back, I’m afraid she’ll start wrecking the house.”

Upon hearing the explanation, Shen Ya’s disappointment was eased: “Then how about bringing Pangpang over?”

“No. Pangpang is very enthusiastic. I’m afraid Shiyi will be scared. But my mom should be back soon.” Qiao Xi could actually ask Shen Ya to stay at her house with her. After all, there were many rooms at home, and she could just keep Shiyi upstairs. But she was still angry and insisted on making Shen Ya experience the taste of rejection.

“Alright, I’ll take you back later.” Shen Ya asked again: “Are you coming over tomorrow?”

By now, Qiao Xi’s heart was finally sweet again, but she deliberately kept a serious face and said: “I still haven’t forgiven Teacher Shen. Besides, Teacher Shen could leave me hanging for a month, so I should leave Teacher Shen hanging for a month too.”

“No.” Shen Ya’s tone became serious.

“Why? Teacher Shen, as a teacher, wouldn’t resort to kidnapping, would you?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Afraid Qiao Xi would misunderstand, and afraid her tone would scare Qiao Xi, she reached out and grabbed Qiao Xi’s wrist, softening her voice: “It’s too long. I will miss you.”

Qiao Xi bit her lip to hold back her laughter: “You didn’t come to find me for a month. I don’t believe Teacher Shen missed me.”

“I apologize. It was my fault. Then I’ll come to find you tomorrow.”

Qiao Xi was ecstatic inside but still refused: “Why come to find me? I remember everything Teacher Shen told me today. We don’t have any relationship right now. How can we meet every day?”

Shen Ya was indeed inexperienced in this relentless pursuit. Every word Qiao Xi said was barbed, hurting her heart, but at the same time, it made her realize how upset Qiao Xi must have been when she was rejected on New Year’s Eve.

Ultimately, she was the one who hurt Qiao Xi’s heart. “I will come to find you. I’ll come every day from now on.”

Qiao Xi raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. Shen Ya held her left hand, but her right hand was still free. She used her chopsticks to pick up some fish and put it in her mouth.

Shen Ya took Qiao Xi’s silence as assent. She let go of Qiao Xi’s wrist and patted the back of her hand.

She had prepared a lot of dishes today. Even though Qiao Xi was full, she hadn’t finished even half of them. It would be a shame to waste the food. When Qiao Xi stopped eating and wiped her mouth, she hinted: “Teacher Shen, you can’t possibly finish all this food alone tomorrow, right?”

“Mm.”

“Then…”

Shen Ya quickly reacted: “I’ll pack it into containers and take it back with you later.”

Qiao Xi was satisfied. She was worried about not having food tomorrow. She didn’t know when her mom and sister would return, and now that she was reconciling with Shen Ya, she had nothing to worry about.

After dinner, Qiao Xi wanted to help clean up, just like before, but Shen Ya wouldn’t let her. However, Qiao Xi wasn’t one to simply obey. In fact, she enjoyed doing household chores with Shen Ya. It gave her the illusion that she had been cohabiting with Shen Ya for a long time.

It was getting late, and Qiao Xi had to go home. Shen Ya refilled Shiyi’s food and water before leaving. She also opened another can of food without telling Qiao Xi.

A small nightlight was left on in the cat room. After Qiao Xi left the house, Shen Ya turned off all the other lights in the room.

It had been raining during the day, but the rain had stopped at night, though the ground was still wet. Shen Ya drove steadily. There were no stars tonight, and the road was busy with cars. The scenery outside flashed by, and the car tires occasionally splashed accumulated water on the road. Qiao Xi was quiet, leaving only the sound of the radio in the car.

This was Shen Ya’s first time visiting Qiao Xi’s mother’s house. Although she knew no one was home, she felt inexplicably nervous. The car parked in the last empty spot in the garage. Qiao Xi opened the car door and got out first. She hadn’t actually invited Shen Ya to drive into the garage, but she didn’t stop her until the car was parked.

Watching Shen Ya turn off the engine, unbuckle her seatbelt, and push the car door open, Qiao Xi raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, walking towards the small household elevator. Shen Ya followed close behind, and the two walked into the small elevator, understanding each other without needing words.

Stepping out of the elevator, the large Golden Retriever in the living room heard the commotion. Before Qiao Xi could even walk into the living room, Shen Ya saw a small golden mountain rushing towards them. Qiao Xi had already opened her arms to catch Pangpang, but Pangpang didn’t even look at her, raising its front paws and pouncing on Shen Ya.

“…Hiss.” Pangpang was too strong, and Shen Ya was completely unprepared. The weight of tens of pounds suddenly pressed against her, and she nearly lost her footing, stumbling back a few steps.

“Pangpang!”

Qiao Xi immediately yelled a warning, but Pangpang was too excited to hear Qiao Xi’s shouts. Pangpang looked at Shen Ya as if she was a long-lost family member, showing more enthusiasm than Qiao Xi usually did. Her fluffy tail wagged wildly from side to side. As Qiao Xi got close, the tail hit her legs twice.

Wincing from the pain, she ignored it and immediately wrapped both arms around Pangpang’s neck from behind, pulling the dog off Shen Ya: “Let go of Teacher Shen! You’re going to crush Teacher Shen!”

Qiao Xi finally managed to pull Pangpang away. She was practically straddling the Golden Retriever, but Pangpang was still looking at Shen Ya, panting and wagging its tail, as if Shen Ya were her true owner.

Qiao Xi patted Pangpang’s neck: “Sit!”

This time, Pangpang obeyed the command. Qiao Xi continued to threaten: “If you’re not good, I’ll tell Big Sis when she gets back.”

Pangpang whimpered twice. Shen Ya then approached, raised her hand, and stroked Pangpang’s head: “I remember her name is Pangpang.”

“Mm.” Qiao Xi said: “I found her when I was in middle school. She was tiny then, abandoned next to a trash can and had distemper. In the blink of an eye, she weighs sixty or seventy pounds. Everyone says she needs to lose weight every time I take her out, but Pangpang is just a glutton. Fortunately, her check-ups are all fine.”

Pangpang had calmed down a bit. Qiao Xi stepped away from Pangpang, patting her body: “Let’s go, time to eat.”

Hearing the word “eat,” Pangpang dashed away. She sat in front of her food bowl, waiting for Qiao Xi to prepare her meal. Shen Ya followed Qiao Xi and watched as Qiao Xi picked up a large dog bowl from the floor, then opened the dog food container and scooped a portion of food, followed by a can and a chewing treat from the side cabinet. The bowl was full of food. Pangpang’s eyes were wide, and saliva was constantly dripping from her mouth.

When the dog bowl was placed down, Qiao Xi gave a command, and only then did Pangpang lower her head to start eating. Shen Ya watched the whole process, marveling: “She’s very smart. She can even understand commands.”

“Mm. Most of the commands were taught by Doctor Jiang. Doctor Jiang is very good at training puppies, and Doctor Jiang is the only one in the house who truly scolds Pangpang, so Pangpang is always afraid of Doctor Jiang when she misbehaves.”

The Golden Retriever ate quickly, finishing and starting to lick the bowl in under two minutes. Qiao Xi said: “I need to take Pangpang out for a walk. Teacher Shen, make yourself comfortable.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Qiao Xi neither refused nor agreed. She just curled the corners of her mouth. Although happy inside, she turned her back, hiding her smile from Shen Ya. She found the dog harness and skillfully put it on Pangpang. The colorful leash was held in Qiao Xi’s hand.

Stepping out of the house, the cold made Qiao Xi shiver. Shen Ya noticed Qiao Xi’s exposed hands. She proactively took the leash from Qiao Xi: “I’ve never walked a dog before. Let me try.”

Qiao Xi didn’t overthink it, handing the leash to Shen Ya. The cold wind was biting, and in just two minutes, her hands were ice-cold. Qiao Xi put her hands into her pockets. The two people and one dog slowly strolled in the neighborhood.

The villa area was quiet, and the streetlights weren’t too bright. Pangpang had been trained, so she obediently walked by their side, only sniffing and relieving herself when they reached the grass.

Neither of them spoke, focusing their attention on Pangpang. On the quiet road, only the “shush-shush” sound of footsteps remained. When they reached the corner, both spoke simultaneously and stopped at the same time. They looked at each other, and Qiao Xi, embarrassed first, looked away: “Teacher Shen, you go first.”

“It’s very late today.”

“Mm.” Qiao Xi nodded: “So?”

“So driving at night is unsafe. Can I stay for the night?” Shen Ya gathered her courage to say this after a long period of consideration.

Qiao Xi snorted twice, as if she had seen through Shen Ya’s little scheme. She secretly glared at Shen Ya: “Teacher Shen often drives at night.”

Shen Ya didn’t respond. Since she had lowered her dignity to ask, being teased by Qiao Xi made her ears burn in the cold wind. If Qiao Xi didn’t agree, she could only let it go: “Then…”

“I knew Teacher Shen lacked sincerity. I haven’t even said anything, and Teacher Shen is already retreating.”

What did she mean by that?

Qiao Xi’s words now were genuinely perplexing. She didn’t give a clear refusal, nor did she say yes. Shen Ya couldn’t figure out Qiao Xi’s true thoughts. Chasing someone was her first time doing so. Even with Zhou Ziqian’s emergency tutoring, most of the time she couldn’t find a standard answer in her notes.

Shen Ya couldn’t figure it out, so she had to ask directly: “Then can I stay?”

The shadow of the trees shielded Qiao Xi’s unwillingness to show her joy. Who would have thought they would switch roles one day? Last New Year, she was the one shamelessly begging Shen Ya to take her home, and this year, it was Shen Ya pitifully asking to stay.

Perhaps fate was helping Shen Ya. When Qiao Xi still hadn’t given an answer, sleet began to fall from the sky. The New Year was almost over, and only now was it snowing? This also gave Qiao Xi a perfect excuse.

She held out her hand to catch the sleet. “I’m only letting you stay because it’s going to snow and the road will be slippery, and I’m afraid you’ll get into an accident.”

“Mm.”

Qiao Xi lowered her hand and put it back in her coat pocket. She continued: “I don’t have any extra rooms at home, so if you don’t mind, you’ll have to sleep with me. Let me make it clear, I still haven’t forgiven Teacher Shen, and Teacher Shen is not allowed to make any excessive moves.”

These words sounded more like Qiao Xi wanted her to make some excessive moves, but Shen Ya still nodded: “Don’t worry. It will be just like when we slept together before. I promise I won’t do anything to upset you.”

Why did those words sound increasingly strange? She had indeed shared a bed with Shen Ya before, but they hadn’t done anything. No, that wasn’t right. Shen Ya didn’t say anything wrong. She was just agreeing with Qiao Xi’s words, but it still sounded very strange.

Qiao Xi was the one who intentionally teased Shen Ya first, but in the end, she was the one too shy to look up or speak.

It’s all Teacher Shen’s fault!

No, wait!

It’s all the fault of those two bosses at ‘Blank’. Next time she goes there, she must cause some trouble. How did they teach her mature and steady Teacher Shen to become like this!