Secret Lover Who Stealthily Fell in Love with My Older Sister - Chapter 91

Chapter 91: The largest cemetery in Jianglan City…

The largest cemetery in Jianglan City.

Qiao Xi had been coming here two or three times a year since she was old enough to remember. She didn’t actually have much feeling for the mother who gave birth to her. Although her mothers had shown her photos and videos and recounted their love story, for Qiao Xi, it was like listening to someone else’s tale.

She didn’t really look like the mother who gave birth to her, but rather more like the mother who died before she was born. In the past, she would fantasize: if her two mothers hadn’t passed away, what kind of life would she be leading now?

Although she experienced some unpleasant things when she was little, her mothers and sisters were taking excellent care of her now. She was grateful from the bottom of her heart and truly regarded them as her biological mothers. Therefore, she rarely brought up her birth mother in front of her two mothers. Although her mothers didn’t mind, Qiao Xi always felt it would hurt their feelings.

Every time she came to the cemetery, she felt the silence in the air. Looking up at the cold gravestones on the hill, a chill seemed to penetrate her body. Even wearing thick clothes, she couldn’t warm up.

She held a bouquet of yellow and white chrysanthemums in her right hand, and her left hand was held by Qin Shunyao. With every step up the stairs, the wind in her ears brought indistinct murmurs.

Qiao Xi squeezed Qin Shunyao’s hand. Although she had been here many times, she still disliked the atmosphere of the cemetery—oppressive, empty, leaving only endless sorrow. She wondered how many people’s tears and grief were buried beneath this land.

After her two birth mothers died, her current mother and Mommy bought a double grave site for them. Qiao Xi had always been curious: didn’t her two birth mothers have their own relatives? Why had her mother and Mommy never mentioned her birth mother’s family?

Every time Qin Shunyao brought Qiao Xi to the tombstone, she would walk back a distance, allowing Qiao Xi a private moment to communicate with her birth mothers.

The double tombstone was inscribed with two names: Qiao Qianrou, Fang Lanxi.

While others had black and white ID photos on their gravestones, her birth mothers had a photo of them hugging and kissing. The first time Qiao Xi saw this photo engraved on the tombstone, she was surprised and pointed at the photo, asking Qin Yunxin: “They look very much in love.”

She was very young then and couldn’t keep a secret. Qin Yunxin stroked her head and said: “Qianrou and Lanxi loved each other deeply. Do you know why you are called Qiao Xi, Xiao Xi?”

Young Qiao Xi tilted her head: “Why?”

“Because Qianrou missed her.”

Even after so many years, Qiao Xi would recall this conversation immediately every time she came here. She took a wet wipe from her pocket and carefully cleaned the tombstone, then placed the flowers she was holding in front of it.

“I’ve come to see you again, Mom, Mommy.”

The flowers in front of the tombstone swayed in the wind. One or two petals fell to the ground. Qiao Xi found a place to sit down. She stroked the photo on the tombstone and smiled: “I didn’t understand what Mommy Yunxin meant back then, but now, I think I do.”

“Mom, Mommy, I’ve met someone I like. She’s very beautiful and particularly capable. Although she looks unapproachable and is always cold, only I know that she’s actually a very gentle person.” Qiao Xi said this, then grew a little embarrassed. Her smile became awkward, and her gaze, which had been fixed on the tombstone, immediately shifted away.

“Alright, I did something embarrassing, but isn’t it normal to be rejected when you confess? You’re not allowed to laugh at me up in heaven.”

A moment later, she lifted her face, a little proud: “But it’s different now. Teacher Shen has figured things out, and she’s actively pursuing me. I just haven’t completely forgiven her yet.”

“Teacher Shen is so excellent, and such an excellent person is pursuing me. Don’t you think I’ve become very successful!”

No matter how much she talked, the only response was the constant whistling of the wind. Qiao Xi let go of her hands. She bent her legs, rested her chin on her knees, and hugged her legs tightly.

“Time flies so fast. I’m an adult in the blink of an eye. I got into Jianglan University and found someone I love. I will walk the road ahead well and will see the wider world for you. I will also bring Teacher Shen along to help you fulfill the wishes you couldn’t complete.”

“Mom, Mommy, even though we never met, I still miss you very much. If you were still here, would you like Teacher Shen?”

Qiao Xi let go of her legs and stood up from the ground. She patted her pants and stood in front of the tombstone again: “You would definitely like her. So, can you two up in heaven please help out and bless our Teacher Shen?”

“Next time, I’ll definitely bring Teacher Shen over to meet you.”

She had said everything she wanted to say. She never stayed for very long each time she visited. After her relationship with Shen Ya became more stable, she would bring Shen Ya again.

“Alright, that’s all for today. I’m leaving. See you next time.”

Qiao Xi turned around and, just as she looked up, she saw Qin Shunyao walking toward her. She stood still, waiting for the other person to approach. Qin Shunyao had a faint smile on her face. When she reached Qiao Xi, she first took her hand and then greeted the tombstone: “Auntie.”

“Sister?”

Although her two sisters accompanied her every time she came, they only greeted the tombstone when they first arrived. Now that they were about to leave, why was Qin Shunyao coming over?

Qiao Xi had a hunch that the other person had something to tell her.

“Xiao Xi, you’re all grown up now. There are some things I can tell you.” Qin Shunyao raised her hand and patted her shoulder: “Didn’t you always wonder about Auntie Qianrou and Auntie Lanxi’s families? If I told you that you actually have relatives alive in this world, would you want to know where they are?”

“What do you mean?” Qiao Xi’s expression stiffened. The cold wind hitting her face made her feel like she was being cut by a knife.

“Auntie Qianrou truly has no family, but Auntie Lanxi’s relatives are still alive. Back then, her mother divorced but had no stable job, so the court only awarded her one child. Auntie Lanxi, as the youngest child, was left behind in the original family.”

Qin Shunyao’s hand rested on Qiao Xi’s face, gently stroking it: “That family wasn’t good, but at the time, your grandmother and eldest aunt didn’t have the means to take her in. Auntie Lanxi moved out of that home after getting into university, but your grandfather didn’t intend to let her go. However, your eldest aunt’s career started to pick up, so she covertly helped your mother a great deal. Unfortunately, your grandfather later turned his focus on your grandmother. Auntie Lanxi didn’t want to drag down her mother and sister, so she reduced contact with them and eventually cut off all ties. It wasn’t until her accidental death that your mothers brought the news of her passing to your grandmother.”

Qiao Xi remained silent. She had already shifted her gaze to the photo on the tombstone.

“Auntie Qianrou was diagnosed with an issue when she was pregnant with you, but Auntie Lanxi’s death made her determined to give birth to you. She hadn’t met your grandmother and eldest aunt, so she wasn’t comfortable entrusting you to them. That’s why she asked Mother and Mommy to take you in and raise you when you were born.”

So that’s how it was. She wasn’t an unwanted child after all. But why hadn’t her mother and sister told her before? “Who are they?”

“You’ve met her.” Qin Shunyao’s voice was soft: “Fang Moyao. She is your eldest aunt’s child, and your true blood-related older sister.”

Fang Moyao?!

It was her?!

Qiao Xi clenched her fists. At that moment, all the confusion in her heart was resolved. Perhaps, during their first meeting, Fang Moyao was already guessing her identity, because she looked too much like Fang Lanxi, even sharing a similar name.

That’s why Fang Moyao’s attitude changed so dramatically in subsequent meetings. Not only did she go out of her way to care for her, but she also constantly sought opportunities to get close to her. Even Zhou Ziqian always called herself “sister-in-law.”

At the time, she thought Zhou Ziqian was trying to take advantage of her, but looking back now, the other person had known who she was all along, which was why she was so close to her and always joked around with her.

The only person kept in the dark from start to finish was her. A single sentence from her birth mother determined where she would grow up, and even with living relatives, they had kept it from her for so many years.

Why?

Why did no one ever ask for her opinion!

Qiao Xi controlled her emotions, pretending to be nonchalant as she asked Qin Shunyao: “Why choose to tell me today?”

“Actually, everyone has been looking for a chance to tell you about this. Besides, the Fang family also wants to recognize you.”

Qiao Xi’s nails were almost digging into her flesh. What did her sister mean by this? “So, Sister, you suggested I come to visit my birth mother today just to tell me this?”

Qin Shunyao touched Qiao Xi’s head: “I thought the moment you were visiting your birth mother would be the best time to tell you the truth.”

“Sister.” Qiao Xi took a step back. She looked up, staring at Qin Shunyao with complex eyes: “Does the Fang family really want to recognize me, or are you all planning to get rid of me?”

Qin Shunyao’s expression changed dramatically. She quickly reached out, trying to pull Qiao Xi back to her side, but Qiao Xi, intent on escaping, was one step faster, retreating and avoiding her hand: “Xiao Xi, don’t overthink things. How could we possibly abandon you?”

“Is that so?” Qiao Xi didn’t think so: “No wonder you all excluded me to discuss things the day you came back. No wonder Mom asked my sister to take me home. No wonder Fang Moyao has been trying to get close to me these past few days. No wonder my sister reminded me to come and visit my birth mother today. It turns out you’ve all been calculating everything. From before I was even born, one sentence from my birth mother could change the trajectory of my life, and now, whether I should recognize the Fang family is also decided by you.”

“Why did no one ever ask for my opinion? Did you arrange everything in private, and all I get as the person concerned is to be informed by you!”

Qiao Xi was unable to control her emotions anymore. She hated being excluded by her family. It turned out all these events had been leading up to this. Her family’s actions made her feel like she was being pushed away.

She didn’t deny her mother’s and sister’s love for her, but precisely because she had clearly felt deeply loved by them, it was even harder to accept their arrangement of her fate.

Why didn’t they tell her when she was old enough to understand?

Why were they making decisions for her now that she was grown up? Didn’t her mother and sister always respect her opinions the most? Why was their approach different this time?

Could she still call Qin Shunyao and Jiang Yunxi her sisters in the future? Which family would she be living with next?

“Xiao Xi, it’s not what you think.” Qin Shunyao was still approaching Qiao Xi: “How could we possibly abandon you? When you were little, you were sensitive and always worried we would abandon you. We simply didn’t dare to tell you this.”

Qiao Xi let out a cold laugh from her nose: “So now you don’t think I’m sensitive anymore? And you’re not afraid that I still think you’ll abandon me.”

“I…” Qin Shunyao choked. Had she known Qiao Xi would react this way, she would never have agreed to tell her. The bond of eighteen years suddenly developed a rift after she revealed the truth to Qiao Xi.

“I know Sister and Mom love me, but I can’t accept this right now.”

Qiao Xi ultimately couldn’t bring herself to say harsh words to Qin Shunyao: “Sister, I’m very angry and unable to accept this right now. So I won’t be going back for the time being, and please don’t come looking for me. I’m grown up now. I hope you can give me some private space.”

Qin Shunyao didn’t want Qiao Xi to leave at all. As soon as she took one step forward, Qiao Xi took two steps back. Facing Qiao Xi’s resisting gaze and distancing action, Qin Shunyao’s heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by a hand. She couldn’t force the sister she had raised to do something she hated, and she couldn’t bear to see Qiao Xi’s look of disappointment.

She watched helplessly as Qiao Xi moved further and further away from her, until only she was left in the empty cemetery.

Qin Shunyao took out her phone from her pocket. She first called her two mothers to tell them what had just happened. Both mothers fell silent, and finally, Jiang Zhiqing sighed and told her to come home first.

Qiao Xi called a taxi after leaving the cemetery. Even sitting inside the warm car, the bone-deep chill she brought from the cemetery still hadn’t dissipated.

She didn’t know what her mother and sister felt about the Fang family wanting to recognize her, but judging by Qin Shunyao’s attitude today, her family seemed to approve of it.

But the Fang family was essentially a stranger to her. Finding out she had living relatives after almost twenty years wasn’t a pleasant surprise but a shock.

She was afraid her life would undergo earth-shattering changes, afraid the formerly warm home would shut her out, afraid she would be abandoned again, and afraid of having to live with unfamiliar relatives.

The car stopped on the road in front of ‘Blank’. She didn’t know if Fang Moyao was here right now, but whether she was or not, Qiao Xi came today to vent her dissatisfaction.

Qiao Xi didn’t act excessively when she entered ‘Blank’. Her expression was normal as she greeted Mumu behind the bar.

“Are Sister Moyao and Sister Qianqian here?”

“No, Sister Qianqian must be at work right now. The boss is probably sleeping at home,” Mumu said: “Should I ask for you?”

“No need.” It was best if she wasn’t here. Since Fang Moyao wanted to get closer to her, Qiao Xi wouldn’t be polite: “Mumu, show me the most expensive wine you have here.”

“The most expensive wine?” Mumu thought for a moment and said: “Actually, the really expensive wines aren’t kept here by the boss, but there is one bottle of six-figure red wine here. What’s wrong, do you want to drink it?”

“Six figures?” The price was acceptable. It could make Fang Moyao feel a little pain: “Bring it out for me to see.”

“If it were anyone else asking, I definitely wouldn’t give it out, but the boss and Sister Qianqian specifically instructed that if it’s you, there are no restrictions.” Mumu didn’t think too much of it. She took the only bottle of red wine from a special wine cabinet and placed it in front of Qiao Xi.

“Here it is. The boss said it’s a treasure of the store, so it hasn’t been opened.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Xi grabbed the red wine and ran, moving so fast that Mumu couldn’t react immediately. By the time Mumu’s scream rang out, Qiao Xi had already run out of ‘Blank’s’ door with the red wine.

The private car that brought her was still parked by the roadside. Qiao Xi opened the door and got in, all in one go. Watching Mumu chase after her from ‘Blank’, she decisively told the driver: “Drive.”

Mumu watched helplessly as Qiao Xi’s car blended into the traffic. She stomped her foot, looking like the sky was falling, then frantically took out her phone and trembling dialed Fang Moyao’s number: “Boss, this is bad! Qiao Xi stole your most prized wine and ran away!”