She Adopted Me After My Biological Mother Passed Away - Chapter 10

“Delete it for me! (Angry)”

The news of Shi Xianyu’s death caused the atmosphere in the living room to plummet to freezing point.

No one expected this woman to meet such an end. In life, she had been so flamboyant, carrying a naive arrogance and an unconstrained freedom. She lived like a child who refused to grow up, always lightly pushing responsibilities she didn’t want to bear onto those around her, yet able to cast everything aside without hesitation to chase whatever direction she had set her heart on.

But no one could deny that every member of the band “Screaming Goldfish” had once been ignited by the burning passion she possessed. As the founder of the band, Shi Xianyu was never just a name, she was the undisputed soul of the group.

Li Lingling suddenly felt that the fried chicken in her mouth tasted like wax. She fished a soda out of the delivery bag in front of Tiangua and took a massive gulp, the sound of the plastic bag rubbing together echoing clearly in the silence.

Yu Xiu bit through a soft fry and moved his lips, wanting to say something to warm the atmosphere or at least to comfort the child experiencing the pain of losing a mother.

Unexpectedly, Shi Shuxue spoke up abruptly: “This was her own choice. Is a piece of trash like her really worth this kind of reaction?”

She turned her face toward Chi Yeyu. Her eyes were extremely dark, her lashes thick and long. When she looked at people, she usually carried a sense of cold scrutiny, but at this moment, Chi Yeyu inexplicably felt as though the girl was contemplating how to use language humans could understand to persuade her.

“She dumped so many messes on you. Why are you so sad for her? Shi Xianyu never took us into consideration, did she? Didn’t everything she did exclude us?”

Shi Shuxue’s perspective was unique. Chi Yeyu had never imagined such aggressive words could come from that pale pink, cute little mouth.

“Shuxue, actually your mother wasn’t really that”

Tiangua began to speak, but in that moment of hesitation, Chi Yeyu cut her off.

“Are you classifying yourself as one of those ‘messes’?” She looked at the cold-faced child. Her light-colored eyes, which usually held a hint of a smile, were now like a lake surface shrouded in spring mist.

“What else would I be?” Shi Shuxue looked back without flinching.

There was a sense of honesty in the elder’s gaze, a transparency born from shedding all noisy disguises. What was Chi Yeyu thinking? She could almost not bear the expression Chi Yeyu was making.

“Xiaoxue, I have never viewed you as a ‘mess,’ and Shi Xianyu isn’t quite what you think she was.” The curve at the corner of Chi Yeyu’s lips hadn’t entirely vanished. Her emotions were unexpectedly stable and calm.

“She was indeed a terrible piece of trash, perhaps even less fit to be human than I am. But she definitely never thought about distancing herself from us. Or rather, until the day before she died, she might have still been looking for a way to come back.”

“What are you talking about?” Shi Shuxue’s voice remained flat.

Chi Yeyu stared at her quietly. Her cat-like pupils seemed to narrow. Shi Shuxue suddenly felt that this person’s expression was far too vivid, it was impossible to ignore even the slightest nuance.

“Even if you try to make excuses for her, it doesn’t change the fact that she abandoned me and my grandmother for so many years… mmph…”

As she spoke, her cheeks were suddenly pinched by someone. Her words became muffled mid-sentence, and her momentum instantly crumbled.

“You’re right, she was too wicked.” Chi Yeyu laughed, her eyes curving into crescent moons, the skin beneath them crinkling.

Shi Shuxue grabbed Chi Yeyu’s arms with both hands, struggling fiercely. Her eyes projected a desperate demand for her to let go: “Mm…wha…oo…oo…” (What are you doing…)

Is she crazy? Why did she suddenly agree?? What exactly is she going along with?

Chi Yeyu pinched her lips until they pouted out. The moist lips turned a shade of red, looking quite pitiful.

“We are all big villains, here specifically to bully Xiaoxue. What are you going to do about it?” Chi Yeyu teased her cheeks and smiled at Tiangua: “Gua, get my phone. I want to take a picture.”

Shi Shuxue’s eyes widened to an unprecedented roundness, and her struggle became even more intense.

“Is it really okay to bully a kid like this?” Li Lingling asked. However, she didn’t stop eating.

Yu Xiu clicked his tongue: “Scum. You need to pay attention to protecting the self-esteem of a teenage girl.”

Tiangua had already brought the phone over, thoughtfully opening the camera app: “I think recording some ‘family photos’ from her childhood isn’t a bad thing.”

Who wants this kind of family photo?! Shi Shuxue lifted her leg to kick Chi Yeyu, but Chi Yeyu used her free hand and her legs to pin her down, rendering her unable to move.

“Please zoom in several times on my Xiaoxue’s cute face. A photo needs a focus.”

Chi Yeyu began making demands. Tiangua complied, and the sound of the shutter click-click-clicked nearly ten times.

It wasn’t until Chi Yeyu was satisfied that Shi Shuxue’s face was finally released. She rubbed her cheeks incessantly, they were tinged with a faint pink, and her obsidian-like eyes were shimmering with a bit of moisture.

“Did I hurt you?” Chi Yeyu asked with zero sincerity while flipping through the masterpieces in her phone gallery.

Shi Shuxue’s face was cold: “Delete them.”

“No way, I’m going to set one as my wallpaper,” Chi Yeyu said.

Shi Shuxue stood up to snatch the phone, but she was no match for the raw strength of Chi Yeyu. Unable to actually start a fight, she could only angrily kick the leg of the chair, which slammed into Chi Yeyu’s leg.

Chi Yeyu was stunned: “No way, you’re being that childish?”

Shi Shuxue replied: “What right do you have to say that to me?”

Her use of formal honorifics successfully made the other band members laugh.

Li Lingling wondered aloud: “I really can’t believe our captain could give birth to such a polite daughter.”

Tiangua silently nodded in agreement while gnawing on a piece of fried chicken.

“Shuxue, eat first,” Yu Xiu said. “Eat something so you have the strength to snatch it back later. As for this child-bullying scumbag, she doesn’t deserve a seat at the table.”

Chi Yeyu plopped down, pressing the girl back into the seat beside her. “You didn’t stop me either, don’t pretend to be the good guy!”

She gathered all the best food on the table and placed it in front of Shi Shuxue, sticking a straw into a drink and holding it to her lips.

“Xiaoxue, eat! Only when you grow tall will you be worthy of challenging me.”

“I can drink it myself.” Shi Shuxue frowned slightly but still took the straw Chi Yeyu offered. Her hand reached for the cup, hesitating for a moment when her fingers brushed Chi Yeyu’s, before eventually sliding to the bottom to hold it.

Yu Xiu raised an eyebrow and continued poking at the ketchup with a fry.

They still had rehearsal in the afternoon. Worried that she would be bored, Chi Yeyu took her to the third floor, trying to find a suitable place to settle her.

She felt that Shi Shuxue didn’t like studying, but she couldn’t exactly leave her in the kitchen to cook all afternoon. So, she opened the rooms one by one to introduce them.

The first door opened to a game room. Motion-sensing consoles were connected to a large screen, half-height plush toys were piled in the corner, and unfinished board games sat on the table. Shi Shuxue glanced at the screen, the tips of her hair brushing the doorframe as she shook her head: “Too noisy.”

Next was the gym. Floor to ceiling mirrors doubled the space, with a treadmill and boxing bag on one side, alongside dumbbells and tension cables. “No.” She took a half-step back: “I hate sweating.”

The last door she opened was the private study. Chi Yeyu had already lost hope, but to her surprise, Shi Shuxue’s gaze landed on the bookshelf. Her feet moved inward instinctively, and her fingertips touched the spines of the books. This time, she didn’t refuse.

It’s a good thing for a child to be interested in reading. Chi Yeyu felt relieved leaving Shi Shuxue in the study while she went downstairs to play the drums.

In the evening, after Li Lingling and the others had gone home, Chi Yeyu was finally free. She didn’t even take the elevator, running up the stairs to the third floor to find her kid.

The whole afternoon had passed, and Shi Shuxue hadn’t come down once. There was no sound at all. Had she really become so immersed in the world of books that she couldn’t pull herself out?

If she could fall in love with learning because of this, that wouldn’t be bad, Chi Yeyu thought. She knocked randomly a couple of times and pushed the door open impatiently, only to see a young girl slumped over the desk, fast asleep.

“…”

Fast asleep? No wonder it was so quiet.

Chi Yeyu lightened her steps and approached her, crouching beside the solid wood desk to watch her peaceful sleeping face.

The girl’s arm was tucked under her head, her fingers slightly curled, loosely hooking the edge of the desk. Her profile was tranquil and sweet, her mouth slightly open like a little fish. Chi Yeyu noticed that her face was still tinged with a faint red.

Is her skin really that tender? Chi Yeyu felt she hadn’t used much strength, yet the marks hadn’t faded after an entire afternoon.

“Xiaoxue, want to go to your room to sleep?” she whispered.

Shi Shuxue’s ear twitched reflexively, but she remained sound asleep. Her breathing was steady. The cold indifference she held while awake had vanished, leaving her looking exceptionally well-behaved.

Chi Yeyu poked her cheek, her well-manicured nail sinking into the soft flesh, creating a tiny dimple.

There was a pen on the desk with the cap off. An idea struck her, but she knew Shi Shuxue would be genuinely angry if she did it.

So, she gave up on the prank, stood up, and lifted Shi Shuxue in a princess carry, supporting her back and knees. The child in her arms was lighter than she expected. She decided it was necessary to get Shi Shuxue a specialized nutrition plan; it would be best if she switched from boarding school to being a day student so she could watch her eat every day.

Just as she laid her on the bed, before the blanket was even pulled up, Shi Shuxue opened her eyes.

She rubbed them slowly, squinting at the person in front of her: “Ah… I fell asleep.”

Her voice carried a bit of nasal congestion, sounding softer than usual.

“You fell asleep in my study. Still tired? Go back to sleep.” Chi Yeyu smiled gently, her expression blurred in the dim bedroom.

Shi Shuxue’s brain hadn’t quite detached from the dream yet. She reacted sluggishly for a moment, staring blankly at Chi Yeyu above her, before suddenly realizing it was dark.

“How long did I sleep?” She bolted upright, stars exploding before her eyes as her vision briefly went black.

Chi Yeyu pretended to look at a non-existent watch: “It’s 8:00 PM.”

“Since when is there an 8:00 PM in the afternoon?” Shi Shuxue expressionlessly tried to get out of bed, her two legs dangling off the edge, unable to find her shoes.

She asked: “Excuse me, where did you take my shoes?”

Great, after a nap, her attitude is even more distant. Chi Yeyu couldn’t help but wonder if she was currently in an office at a desk rather than a bedroom.

Even her secretary didn’t talk to her like that.

“Stay at my place tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll drive you to the live house,” Chi Yeyu said.