The Devious, Seductive Older Woman Has Been Plotting to Get Me for a Long Time - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: I Never Thought You Were a Trouble

Chu Yingqiu didn’t tell her who that person was in the end, only excusing herself on the grounds that it was too late.

Xiang Shuxing returned to her room reluctantly. After some thought, she opened her chat window with Fu Jin. Having grown up together, Fu Jin was the only one who had been willing to talk to the stubborn, isolated Xiang Shuxing as a child.

She had become her best friend, and even now, she turned to Fu Jin whenever she had something on her mind.

After hesitating, she typed out a description of the situation. To her surprise, Fu Jin was online and replied quickly: “Why does it sound more and more like that person is you?” Followed by a confused cat sticker.

How could it be me? Xiang Shuxing was just about to type a rebuttal when her fingers paused. Chu Yingqiu was someone who valued excellence, surely the person she held dear was someone outstanding in every way.

Xiang Shuxing knew she was a mess, her grades were a disaster, and she was always acting on impulse. To Chu Yingqiu, she was likely nothing but a headache. She had enough self-awareness to know she could be annoying, so it definitely wouldn’t be her.

She typed back: “It definitely won’t be me.”

They discussed it for a while, but neither could reach a conclusion. Eventually, Fu Jin teased her: “The most effective way is to ask her directly. And, you haven’t seen each other in a long time, why are you suddenly so concerned about Chu Yingqiu? Something’s fishy.”

“I am not!!!” Xiang Shuxing hammered the keys, adding several exclamation marks for emphasis. Not wanting to be teased further, she changed the subject: “Can you help me find out where Secretary Xu went?” Fu Jin understood that Secretary Xu was her mother’s confidante and agreed to help.

Secretary Xu had been a pillar at Mingchen for years, as long as she was still working in the industry, they would be able to find her.

Left without a chat partner, Xiang Shuxing exited the app. Bored, she scrolled through news notifications. She accidentally tapped on a pop-up advertisement for a novel. She usually hated these, but she stopped when she saw the title: The Days and Nights with My Stepsister.

That title…Xiang Shuxing hesitated for a long time, but curiosity won out. She clicked it. It was from some obscure website, the content shockingly bold. She lay on her bed, illuminated only by the small lamp, scrolling down the page. She spent half the night reading it, leaving her groggy and physically exhausted the next morning.

From the stairs to the dining table, Xiang Shuxing yawned countless times. It took several minutes before she finally managed to sit down properly. Chu Yingqiu noticed her lack of energy. “What is it? Didn’t you rest well last night?”

Xiang Shuxing was on high alert. She couldn’t let Chu Yingqiu know what she’d been reading. “It’s nothing. I just found a good book and stayed up a bit late.”

Chu Yingqiu poured her a cup of warm milk. “You? Getting absorbed in a book?”

Xiang Shuxing raised an eyebrow. “Why is that impossible? Besides, you should be happy that I’m starting to study.”

Chu Yingqiu gave her a look that was hard to read. Thankfully, she didn’t press for details. Xiang Shuxing poked at her sandwich, thinking about the upcoming return to C University. “I’m going back to school tomorrow.”

“Mmm,” Chu Yingqiu nodded. “Your cold has just started to improve. Make sure to take precautions when you get back.”

“I know. My throat doesn’t hurt anymore, so I should be almost fully recovered.”

Chu Yingqiu looked at her. “Your health was never very strong as a child. You got sick often. Remember to take your medicine on time when you go back, or you’ll be bedridden again in no time.”

Xiang Shuxing’s eyelashes fluttered. Only those close to her knew about her childhood health. She hadn’t realized Chu Yingqiu knew that, too. Her temples began to throb again, and she frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Yingqiu noticed immediately.

“Nothing.” Xiang Shuxing shook her head. Whenever she tried to force those blurry memories to surface, her head would ache, and she felt as if she were trapped in a thick, confusing fog.

Trying to reassure her, she repeated, “I’m really fine.”

Chu Yingqiu moved to her side, her cool fingertips brushing against Xiang Shuxing’s temple. “Does it hurt here?”

The tone was calm but hid a hint of gentle tenderness. Xiang Shuxing turned away, her hands clenching involuntarily. Chu Yingqiu didn’t pull away; instead, she brushed her fingers across Xiang Shuxing’s cheek, tucking back a loose strand of hair. In the process, the coolness of her fingertips inevitably brushed against Xiang Shuxing’s earlobe.

Xiang Shuxing shivered, her breathing turning shallow. She had lost her usual bold, brash demeanor. Chu Yingqiu caught her reaction and curled her lips imperceptibly, her fingertips deliberately lingering or brushing against the earlobe again. “How is it? Does it still hurt?”

Xiang Shuxing tried to ignore the strange sensation, almost certain the woman was teasing her. But when she looked up, she saw nothing but genuine concern. Frustrated, she shot up from her chair. “I’m fine now!”

“Mmm, good.” Chu Yingqiu finally withdrew her hand. Xiang Shuxing downed the remaining milk and fled back to her room.

She collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. The strange, tingling sensation hadn’t faded, and even after tossing and turning, her body felt weak. What is this unknown feeling? She hugged a plush doll, burying her face in the fur. Her cheeks were still hot. She tried to cool her face with the back of her hand, but her mind kept drifting back to the scene.

She reached up and pinched her earlobe, mirroring Chu Yingqiu’s action. It felt like nothing. It wasn’t the same. Strange…

Chu Yingqiu was the strange one, if she wanted to care, she could just care, why touch her earlobe intentionally? But that touch made her realize just how…sensitive her ears were.

She buried her face even deeper into the doll. She decided she would stay in her room; she would absolutely not have any more contact with Chu Yingqiu until she had calmed down.

In her spare time, Chu Yingqiu checked the clock. The girl hadn’t left her room all afternoon. Recalling Xiang Shuxing’s reaction, Chu Yingqiu curled her lips. She had genuinely wanted to help, never expecting the girl to act like a boiled shrimp, scrambling away in a panic.

The more Xiang Shuxing tried to hide it, the more her body’s instinctive reactions betrayed her. It was a side of her she had never seen before, a total lack of her usual sharpness.

By dinner time, Xiang Shuxing had adjusted her mood and descended the stairs as if nothing had happened. Chu Yingqiu didn’t mention the morning’s events, only asking about her return to school.

“I’m going to Luancheng tomorrow as well,” Chu Yingqiu said calmly.

Xiang Shuxing realized the implication. “You’re going to take me to school?”

“It’s on the way.”

Xiang Shuxing fell silent. “Is it really just a coincidence that you have business in Luancheng tomorrow?”

Chu Yingqiu held her gaze. “Do I have any reason to lie to you?”

“I didn’t mean that…” Xiang Shuxing shook her head, unable to find the words.

“It’s settled, then.”

“Oh, okay.” Xiang Shuxing lowered her eyes. She felt guilty for wanting to make things difficult for the woman, especially since discovering Chu Yingqiu’s genuine concern.

She even secretly hoped Chu Yingqiu wouldn’t waste her time on her, she knew how busy Yingxing was. She’d seen her working in the middle of the night.

She bit her lip and finally asked the question that had been bothering her: “I asked about your relationship with my mother before, and you said it was good. What about us? Were we close when I was little?”

Chu Yingqiu watched her, her expression calm. “Do you have no impression of how we were?”

“I…” Xiang Shuxing hesitated, unsure if she should reveal her memory loss. She opted for an excuse. “It’s been too many years, I really can’t remember clearly.”

Chu Yingqiu looked disappointed, eventually turning her head away. “We were indeed very close.”

Xiang Shuxing listened intently.

“After all, you used to call me ‘Big Sister’ every time you spoke to me.”

Chu Yingqiu stopped there. Xiang Shuxing looked at her, confused by the faint playfulness in her eyes. “Are you telling the truth, or are you teasing me again?”

Chu Yingqiu didn’t answer and walked away.

The next morning, Xiang Shuxing packed her bags. The cold morning wind made her shiver as she scrambled into the car. During the drive, she glanced at Chu Yingqiu several times, but the woman didn’t say a word. A strange, suffocating silence filled the car.

Xiang Shuxing thought back to yesterday. She realized that with Chu Yingqiu’s perceptiveness, she must have guessed that Xiang Shuxing had lost some memories, especially regarding the year Chu Yingqiu spent in the Xiang home.

Seeing the flicker of disappointment in the woman’s eyes, Xiang Shuxing’s heart felt inexplicably heavy. Anyone would feel sad if someone they were once close to suddenly forgot everything about them.

She eventually drifted off to sleep due to the comfortable warmth of the car. She woke up to Chu Yingqiu tapping her arm as they neared C University. “Get your luggage. Let’s go.”

Xiang Shuxing looked at her, feeling flustered. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“I…” She wanted to explain about her memory, but it felt impossible to say out loud. She changed the subject. “I won’t cause you any more trouble.”

Chu Yingqiu fell silent for a moment, then reached out, her warm palm pressing gently against Xiang Shuxing’s cheek. “I never thought you were a trouble.”

If Chu Yingqiu had responded coldly or with her usual sarcasm, she wouldn’t have minded. But being comforted so gently made her feel an indescribable ache in her heart.

“Okay, get out.” Chu Yingqiu looked down at her work messages.

Xiang Shuxing nodded, pushed open the car door, and retrieved her luggage. She expected Chu Yingqiu to drive off, but as she stood by the curb, she hesitated.

“What is it?”

Xiang Shuxing looked into the woman’s eyes and said awkwardly: “Big Sister, goodbye.”