Sis, Do You Need a Dog? - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Red Rashes

Yu Yuanye’s pained wails were shut out behind the door.

Inside the car, it was as quiet as if it were another world.

The woman sitting on the sofa stared at the computer, her fingertips resting on the mouse, clicking very lightly.

Her red nail polish made her hands look extremely white. Her black hair was bundled behind her head. The sound of the door opening didn’t seem to startle her; the woman’s gaze remained fixed on the screen. From this angle, one could only see her profile—a clear, smooth jawline and a full, rosy lip.

The irritation that had been stifled in Si Tingbai’s chest all afternoon vanished the moment she saw the woman.

There were no strange smells in the air, not even the scent of smoke. There was only the long-lasting woody tone left over from iris crushed into vetiver—this was the base note of Cheng Shuyi’s perfume, sophisticated and cold, yet somewhat sexy and seductive.

Everything in the RV belonged to Cheng Shuyi, including the scent in the air.

It seemed that nothing had happened during the afternoon that “Sister” spent with that person.

Thinking this, Si Tingbai did not move further forward, but sat obediently in the single seat at the entrance of the RV.

This was a vehicle Cheng Shuyi used exclusively for work on film sets; besides the sofa for resting, there was a wine cabinet and a coffee bar. From her seat, Si Tingbai could easily take in everything inside the car. A mysterious sense of control spread and grew in her heart, giving her a trace of inexplicable satisfaction.

With her back to the door, Cheng Shuyi was staring at the computer screening Si Tingbai’s photos. Hearing the door close, she didn’t even move her eyes: “What are you shouting about again? Can you be a bit more stable day by day?”

Hearing the voice, Si Tingbai gave an “en” and lied without blinking: “It seems someone broke her car.”

“Car?” Cheng Shuyi’s hand sliding through the photos paused. She turned her head and looked at the person before her with some surprise: “Why is it you?”

She had thought it was Yu Yuanye doubling back after getting off the car. After all, on the entire set, only Yu Yuanye was bold enough to board this car without saying a word.

A flicker of impatience flashed in Cheng Shuyi’s eyes as she looked at Si Tingbai; her expression was distant and cold.

This look stung Si Tingbai for no reason. Beside her shock, she felt somewhat hurt: “I thought Sister’s car was parked here waiting for me. So, did Sister mistake me for someone else just now?”

So, the car door wasn’t open to wait for me?

So, that woman is going to double back?

Wasn’t it enough that they stayed alone together for an entire afternoon? What exactly is their relationship?

Having removed her makeup and changed her clothes, Si Tingbai had less sharpness and aggression than before, her features gaining a bit more pure, youthful air. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess; Si Tingbai was nearly unable to restrain her wild imagination. She looked at Cheng Shuyi, forgetting to feign humility and docility for a moment, her eyes full of stubbornness and grievance.

Seeing those eyes—so clear and pure, yet somewhat hurt—Cheng Shuyi dazed for a moment. Her gaze unconsciously softened.

But after just a moment of daze, Cheng Shuyi returned to her distant and cold manner. She turned her head and dropped her gaze back onto Si Tingbai’s photos.

This conflict—hardly a conflict at all—should have ended with that “No.”

However, Si Tingbai, who should have walked toward Cheng Shuyi, did not move a step.

The joy she had felt all day expecting to see Cheng Shuyi after work had completely vanished. Si Tingbai’s mind was filled with Cheng Shuyi’s recent emotional shift.

It was that look again—the one that turned tender in an instant.

If Cheng Shuyi had looked at her with that gaze the moment she stepped on board, Si Tingbai wouldn’t have overthought it. But this transition—as quick as a Sichuan Opera face-change—caused a bad suspicion to sprout and take root in her heart.

Why the sudden change? Clearly, she looked at me with impatience and coldness, so why did it become tender the moment our eyes met?

Si Tingbai couldn’t think of an answer. She pressed on: “So Sister didn’t hope the person appearing was me, right?”

“Is your task finished?” Cheng Shuyi coughed lightly, avoiding her question.

Cheng Shuyi kept her back to Si Tingbai, leaving her with only a silhouette. Distant and cold.

Si Tingbai stared at the back of her head and pressed: “It’s finished. So, did Sister mistake me for someone else just now? Did you two do anything in the car this afternoon?”

Is it because she mistook me for someone else that she had such a tender look?

Suspicion was like a tiny ant, slowly gnawing at Si Tingbai’s heart—painful, itchy, and somewhat bitter.

“Tsk.”

A soft, impatient sound of emotion.

“You seem to love asking questions today?” Cheng Shuyi slowly turned around to look at Si Tingbai, her expression flat.

This time, there was neither impatience nor tenderness in her eyes.

“Because I care about Sister very much.” Si Tingbai heard her own voice, muffled and somewhat dejected.

During the shoot this afternoon, Si Tingbai had spent almost the entire time in torment. She missed Cheng Shuyi, yet she was wary of the woman who had shared a cigarette with her. The joy she felt yesterday upon learning she wasn’t the only one who had waited nine years had been completely burned away with today’s cigarette.

The two of them had stayed in the RV for an entire afternoon—what would they do during that time? This question plagued and tortured Si Tingbai; that little ant called jealousy had practically gnawed through her entire heart.

She had finally endured until the end of work, finally able to return to her side. But before she could feel joy, another little ant crawled onto her heart.

A young girl in the throes of her first love had never experienced this kind of torment; all her emotions were completely driven and controlled by another person. Si Tingbai felt her heart right now was like a live fish being fried in oil.

Looking at the girl’s increasingly forlorn expression, Cheng Shuyi’s voice turned cold: “Is asking questions more important than kissing me?”

“I… what?” Si Tingbai doubted her own ears; her words were stifled back down.

The air conditioning in the nanny van was on full blast, and the privacy curtains were drawn on all sides, creating a private environment for just the two of them. Si Tingbai raised her eyes; her vision and the tip of her heart could only hold Cheng Shuyi.

In the past, after a shoot, if Cheng Shuyi was satisfied, Si Tingbai would usually receive a kiss as a reward. Therefore, Si Tingbai looked forward to the end of filming most, and she looked forward most to that slight smile when Cheng Shuyi’s lips curled up after selecting satisfactory photos.

But was there one today as well?

The ink fragrance of the books still lingered on her fingertips, but she felt a bit dazed.

“I said,” seeing the slightly silly daze of the person before her, Cheng Shuyi couldn’t help but curl her lips: “Come here.”

She remained sitting on the sofa, her long legs crossed casually, but she raised her hand to pull out her hairpins. Her long hair cascaded down like snow. Usually, Cheng Shuyi only let her hair down during kisses or intimacy. And right now, the loose hair was a signal being broadcasted.

Si Tingbai’s response to Cheng Shuyi’s movement was to lean forward without hesitation.

Her palms naturally passed through the ends of Cheng Shuyi’s hair, firmly supporting the back of her head—this was a kiss with extremely strong dominance.

The scent of printer’s ink finally intertwined and merged with the fresh fragrance of Cheng Shuyi’s hair. The little ants crawling around her heart were picked up and thrown away. Si Tingbai held the person in her arms, kissing deeper and deeper.

It wasn’t until the last trace of air was squeezed from their lungs that the kiss showed signs of ending.

Si Tingbai reluctantly moved her hands away from the tips of Cheng Shuyi’s hair, her eyes filled with grievance and a touch of childishness.

“Tsk.” Cheng Shuyi looked at the redness at the corners of Si Tingbai’s eyes and scolded: “Childish.”

“I am not very happy today, Sister.” Si Tingbai pursed her lips, her gaze falling on Cheng Shuyi’s lips: “Is she really just Sister’s friend?”

Si Tingbai’s gaze was as hot as fire, tightly glued to Cheng Shuyi’s lips, which had been smeared by the kiss. It seemed that as long as Cheng Shuyi gave an answer that dissatisfied her, she would bite down on that touch of red.

Cheng Shuyi saw through all her emotions. She laughed softly, her tone frivolous: “Is it because I’ve been too good to you these past two days that you’ve forgotten your place?”

Despite the expected answer, Si Tingbai still looked stubbornly at the person tidying her hair.

From the day she was picked up, Cheng Shuyi had explicitly told her that their identities were merely superior and subordinate, each taking what they needed. Cheng Shuyi was responsible for promoting her debut and making her famous. In exchange, she had to be 100% obedient to her, both mentally and physically.

But what about those nine years when we both remembered each other?

Si Tingbai really wanted to ask, but just as she opened her mouth, she was interrupted.

“Get off the car.” Cheng Shuyi had finished tidying her hair.

Her movement as she turned back was crisp and decisive. Her long fingers returned to the mouse, continuing to screen the photos. She left Si Tingbai with only the back of her head. Her long hair was bundled up again, as if the kiss just now was merely a hallucination.

Cheng Shuyi’s coldness and heartlessness were truly hurtful.

One day, I will possess you completely, Sister.

Si Tingbai’s gaze lingered on Cheng Shuyi for a long time before she finally looked away and got off the car.

One by one, the RVs left the site and drove away. The motorcycle with the punctured tires was also towed away. In the end, Yu Yuanye still left with Cheng Shuyi.

Streetlights lit up on both sides of the road, warm yellow shadows falling on the ground. Residents living nearby had already finished dinner and were walking in groups of two or three to digest their food; occasionally, a few playful cats or dogs would chase each other and run past.

Si Tingbai stood alone by the street. The bookstore behind her had already closed its doors. The site that had been lively all day was now frighteningly quiet.

Standing in place, Si Tingbai looked down at the tips of her shoes, her somewhat thin silhouette looking lonely in the dark night. She didn’t want to go back to the dormitory, nor did she have anywhere else to go. The laughter and joy in the vast Jiangcheng seemed to come from another world, leaving her behind.

“Eh?” A female voice sounded behind her, her tone carrying a bit of surprise: “Tingbai? You haven’t left yet?”

The person whose name was called was startled. Her lowered head lifted, and her gaze turned back. It was Linlin, the wardrobe assistant from today. She had stayed behind to do a final inventory after everyone else had left.

Linlin was a very enthusiastic person; she was also the one who had knocked on the door to help Si Tingbai get her clothes earlier.

Si Tingbai raised her hand to grip her bag strap, bowing slightly to her with understanding: “Sister Linlin, I was just about to take the bus back to the dorm.”

“What a coincidence, I’m just about to take the subway.” Linlin had a naturally familiar personality and invited her with a smile: “Together?”

The girl before her was wearing a shirt and trousers with a black tote bag slung across her waist, looking like a high school student who had just finished self-study. With manners and politeness carved into her bones, Si Tingbai was equally polite and humble to everyone. Therefore, even though Si Tingbai had been here for less than a month, the entire team liked her very much.

Especially Linlin. She was five or six years older than Si Tingbai, and she had a sister at home about the same age, so she usually took good care of her.

Si Tingbai nodded, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Sister Linlin.”

The Si family was a century-old prominent family that prioritized etiquette education. Thus, Si Tingbai had been taking etiquette classes since she was a child and had long since formed the habit of remaining polite and humble without appearing fawning. Every gesture carried a natural air of nobility.

The more Linlin looked, the more she liked her. Her eyes, which should have been on the road, turned toward the person walking beside her. Si Tingbai was beautiful—a stunning, aggressive type of beauty, especially those fox-like eyes, which were sharp and wild. When she wasn’t smiling, there seemed to be a barrier around her that warned strangers not to approach, making people afraid to get close.

Yet, her personality was that of a very gentle and polite “good kid.” Such a contrast was truly a delightful surprise.

Having been in the entertainment industry for seven or eight years, Linlin considered herself to have seen countless beauties, but her gaze still couldn’t pull away when it landed on Si Tingbai. The person beside her not only had a good face but an even better body; her long limbs suited clothes perfectly. Especially her fingers, which were currently gripping the bag strap—the joints were well-defined.

“Are you allergic to these clothes?”

Linlin’s gaze stopped on her companion’s arm. She stopped walking and asked softly: “I see your arm is covered in red rashes. Does it hurt and itch a lot?”

“Ah?” The dejected Si Tingbai hadn’t expected Linlin to notice her. Even less did she expect the wounds on her body to be seen.

The fabric of the staff uniform used for the shoot today was poor; the synthetic fibers made Si Tingbai very uncomfortable. Having worn only real silk since birth, Si Tingbai had suffered repeated allergies from various fabrics over the past month. The red marks from the friction of the bartender outfit last night had just faded, and today her shoulders were pressed into red marks by the overalls.

What was worse was that Si Tingbai hadn’t really felt it before, but being asked by Linlin, it truly started to itch.

“Um, it seems a little.” Si Tingbai pulled her sleeves down slightly, covering the red marks.

When did this get exposed? Was it just now, or had it been exposed the whole time after changing?

“Silly child, does covering it make it go away?” Seeing Si Tingbai’s concealment, Linlin’s tone was somewhat helpless, and her gaze was full of pity: “Go buy some saline to wipe it later. I’ll tell Sister He tomorrow to prioritize better fabrics for the clothes they pick for you. With the training and shooting this month, you’ve lost a lot of weight compared to when you first arrived.”

“If your body can’t handle it, remember to tell Sister Cheng and beg her to reduce your workload, okay?” Linlin chattered on, letting out a sigh: “You’re still young; you need to take good care of yourself.”

To outsiders, Cheng Shuyi was mysterious and possessed her own halo; at work, she was a resolute “Queen.” Originally, Linlin was worried that Lola’s scandal would affect work. Who would have thought that the day after Lola’s incident, this beautiful and noble girl would be brought back to the company by Cheng Shuyi?

Not only did she move into the trainee dormitory, but she was also arranged for basic music theory and dance classes. More importantly, the team originally responsible for Lola was entirely reassigned to lead this newcomer. To be so highly valued by Cheng Shuyi—one couldn’t tell if it was this newcomer’s blessing or…

Linlin sighed again and stopped talking.

Si Tingbai, who hadn’t spoken the entire time, lowered her eyes and stared at the large patches of red rashes on her arms. Ever since Linlin mentioned Cheng Shuyi’s name, Si Tingbai couldn’t take in anything else.

Sister Linlin only walked a few steps with me and could see my rashes. So, when I was so close to Sister in her car just now, did Sister notice?

Was she afraid of affecting work so she didn’t mention it, or did she simply not notice at all?

Si Tingbai felt a wave of sadness for no reason.

Right now, Sister must be at the bar with that woman, right? What will they do?

Will they do something more intimate than sharing a cigarette?

It turns out that when a wound isn’t noticed, you really can’t feel the pain.

Now that Sister Linlin had pointed it out, Si Tingbai only felt that her entire body was itching intensely. The rashes were throbbing with pain, and the friction from her clothes made it even worse.

“I’ve noted it, Sister Linlin.”

Si Tingbai blinked back the tears in her eyes and said muffledly: “These rashes don’t feel bad at all.”

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