The Seductive Pretender: Sister-in-Law is Turning Gay - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: “A Little Closer.”

“Sister.” Xie Sihe was a bit dazed, unsure of what to do. Lin Yuqing’s proficiency with the ropes terrified him. He turned to Zhong Manjing, only to find her smiling, which terrified him even more.

He now realized that Zhong Manjing was the type to hide a dagger behind a smile the most frightening kind of person.

“What are you standing there for? The plan hasn’t changed.”

Zhong Manjing was about to get up from the rocking chair when Lin Yuqing said, “Don’t come over yet. Let me check things first.”

Based on the setup when she arrived, the man wasn’t tied up securely enough. If Wang Dingchun were a bit smarter, he could have broken free. While he wasn’t exactly a hardened criminal yet, being beaten and toyed with like this might push him over the edge.

Thinking this, Lin Yuqing pressed the cloth gag deeper into Wang Dingchun’s mouth. His fury meant nothing to her. She looked up calmly at Xie Sihe. “Did you bring electrical tape? Seal his mouth.”

Wang Dingchun began to struggle violently. Lin Yuqing noticed he had earplugs in and couldn’t hear them. She added, “Give him a couple of kicks.”

Xie Sihe scrambled to find the tape in his bag. Lin Yuqing, finding him too slow, snatched it away, tore off a strip, and taped Wang Dingchun’s mouth shut tight. She then picked up a piece of scrap wood and poked the man’s calf hard. Wang Dingchun went still.

“You can come over now.” Lin Yuqing sighed softly. “Didn’t I tell you that violence doesn’t solve anything?”

Xie Sihe shrank back subtly. Do you even hear what you’re saying right now?!

“I don’t advocate for violence, but my sense of justice is too strong—I just want to protect the ‘little flowers’ of our motherland.” Zhong Manjing set her large lemon tea aside and chatted with Lin Yuqing. “He’s too obnoxious, don’t you think? I hate men who pull women’s hair most of all.”

Lin Yuqing nodded and urged, “Hurry up. The cameras are broken, but someone might come by soon.”

Xie Sihe swallowed hard. “No wonder you told me to shave his head.”

He brought out the pre-prepared fluorescent sign. He moved the stool and the man to the edge of the path, and Zhong Manjing nodded in satisfaction. “The young really do have more strength. As expected of someone who used to handle explosives.”

Xie Sihe’s shoulders stiffened, but he said nothing.

Lin Yuqing remarked thoughtfully, “You even managed to find someone like him…”

Of course, Zhong Manjing thought. I found even you; what’s so strange about finding Xie Sihe?

One should never underestimate a small town; it’s full of hidden talents. Meanwhile, Xie Sihe was thinking: I’m just a kid… He truly hadn’t expected these two young women, whom everyone called kind and friendly, to be so professional when it came to “dirty work.”

He didn’t dare say a word, simply following every instruction. Wang Dingchun had taken quite a beating; whenever he let out a groan, Zhong Manjing would frown in annoyance, and Xie Sihe would deliver another punch.

Zhong Manjing turned on the speaker. Xie Sihe quickly swapped Wang Dingchun’s earplugs for Bluetooth headphones playing audio at high volume.

Before long, Wang Dingchun’s face began to contort. He seemed stimulated by whatever he was hearing; even though he was tied to the chair, he tried to flee. It was futile.

Zhong Manjing took a short video on her phone and said to the others, “Let’s go.”

“What are you playing for him?” Lin Yuqing asked. Before leaving, she noticed Wang Dingchun was covered in tears and snot, and a wet patch had spread across his crotch.

Zhong Manjing replied, “A collection of horror movies I curated where domestic abuse victims get successful revenge. It’s enough for him to listen to all night.”

She pressed a button on her phone. Lin Yuqing didn’t ask what it was; she led them back to the shop. Xie Sihe remained silent, clearly shaken by the night’s events. He wanted to leave immediately, but Zhong Manjing said, “Celebrate before you go. I made a cake this afternoon.”

She pulled a small 4-inch cake from the fridge. She had asked Xiao Ying to bring it over earlier.

It was covered in thick, delicate cream with a simple “happy puppy” drawn on it. When cut, it revealed double layers of sea salt caramel tucked into taro paste, with chocolate crunchies in the center.

Upon entering the shop, Lin Yuqing began checking her ledgers as naturally as any other night. They gave Xie Sihe the illusion: Did I really just help terrify a man in an alleyway?

Zhong Manjing cut only two pieces; the rest she boxed up for Xie Sihe. She patted his shoulder gently. “Go home and try it. I suggest you come to the noodle shop for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

After Xie Sihe rode off, Zhong Manjing pushed another piece of cake toward Lin Yuqing, who accepted it.

She ate too, but only dug for the chocolate crunchies, which made a crisp sound as she chewed. She sat opposite Lin Yuqing, watching her go over the books. After eating half in silence, she said, “Thanks for the help.”

“You’re welcome.” Lin Yuqing looked up. “I only have one question: what about your safety after this?”

Her expression was serious.

Zhong Manjing looked down and realized the pen Lin Yuqing was holding hadn’t even had the cap removed she had been faking it the whole time.

Zhong Manjing couldn’t help but laugh, and the atmosphere softened. “A person with nothing to lose has nothing to fear. I’m not sure about others, but even if Wang Dingchun knows Xiao Xie beat him, he won’t dare do anything.”

He might even leave town out of fear of running into Xie Sihe.

Lin Yuqing said, “Even though Xiao Xie used to be disobedient, he’s changed for the better since getting out of juvenile detention.”

“That’s because your intel is incomplete. Do you know why he went in? He made explosives with others and blew up someone’s warehouse. Xie Sihe is an orphan with no parents; he was a notorious little hoodlum. The aunt who used to help him passed away a year ago.”

Lin Yuqing added, “Wang Dingchun is a coward who fears for his life. He won’t mess with someone who isn’t afraid to die.”

Zhong Manjing handed the cake back to her. “Exactly. So don’t worry. It was just a little joke, I didn’t actually hurt him. Can we eat the cake now?”

Lin Yuqing let out a soft breath. She picked out the crunchies from her piece and put them on Zhong Manjing’s tray. “Don’t lie to me again, and don’t do things like this anymore.”

She felt that Zhong Manjing wasn’t the type of person who should be getting her hands dirty. She belonged in the light, not the darkness.

While tightening the ropes on Wang Dingchun, fragments of memory had flashed through Lin Yuqing’s mind. She was certain they were her own. She had done things like this before, many times. She was familiar with it.

Upstairs, Zhong Manjing saw a clean nightgown on the bed. It smelled of laundry detergent and sunlight—a scent she loved. She walked barefoot to the windowsill to check if the gardenia had sprouted, placing it in the moonlight before lying down to scroll through videos while waiting for Lin Yuqing.

When Lin Yuqing arrived, she obediently put her phone away. Before sleeping, she asked, “I was well-behaved last night, right? I didn’t disturb you?”

Lin Yuqing lay flat and closed her eyes. “No. Go to sleep.”

The next morning, Zhong Manjing didn’t wake up until 7:30. She barely had time for a quick wash before running downstairs.

“So satisfying! Truly satisfying!”

Liu Ru had brought Su Yun for breakfast, her face full of joy. Officer Zhang, who was about to go on duty, stood nearby. Xie Sihe happened to walk in as Zhang Pingrui was serving noodles; he looked up and caught Zhong Manjing’s eye.

“Did you hear about last night?”

“What happened?” Zhong Manjing sat down and let out a big yawn. Lin Yuqing brought her a glass of warm water and sat down too, sharing a table with Xie Sihe.

“Wang Dingchun got beaten up last night!” Liu Ru made no effort to lower her voice. “He finally got what was coming to him. My husband, Dahai, was out making deliveries at dawn and saw the police gathered. As soon as I heard the news, I told Su Yun.”

“Really? Who did it?”

“Did he go to the station to complain?”

Deng Shuanggui, the square dance leader, said, “Oh, it’s true. His eyes were covered, his face was swollen like a pig’s head, and he’d been shaved bald. He smelled of urine when they found him. Whoever did it… so satisfying! They even knew to cover his eyes how smart! Finally, our Su Yun has been avenged.”

Zhong Manjing said, “Oh, really? This person did a good deed without leaving a name?”

Su Yun added, “Officer Fang told me he had many bruises hidden under his clothes. At first, he didn’t even want to take his clothes off so secretive. He deserved it! I really want to thank this kind person.”

In the past, Wang Dingchun had always hit her in places that weren’t easily noticed. This was karma.

Xie Sihe listened intently, his blushing face buried in his bowl.

Zhang Pingrui asked, “Was he really not discovered the whole night?”

“No! There was a fluorescent sign next to him saying something about ‘Cosplay Immersive Experience.’ Passersby thought he was a nutcase. His mouth was gagged, so no one could hear his squealing anyway. Hahaha, well done! Well done!”

Zhong Manjing laughed along and asked, “Did he report it to the police after they found him?”

Su Yun huffed, “Ha! He was probably too embarrassed. The police asked if he needed help, and he said he just fell. He scurried away like a gray mouse. Who couldn’t tell he’d been beaten?”

Deng Shuanggui said, “It’s a service to the public. It’s good the cameras were broken; they just got fixed today.”

Xiao Ying added, “Yes! Before I came to work, my mom already knew about it. She was asking me if we should send a commemorative silk banner to the person who did it.”

“I’m full! Going to work!” Xie Sihe suddenly stood up, covered his face, and ran out.

Officer Zhang remarked, “That kid really has drive.”

Zhong Manjing finished her water with a smile and stretched, catching the faint scent of osmanthus.

Lin Yuqing placed a hand behind Zhong Manjing’s waist to steady her, then returned to the kitchen. Soon, she brought out an oatmeal yogurt bowl and two mini burgers.

These were the items Zhong Manjing had made for Lin Yuqing’s stock now she was being fed her own food.

Zhong Manjing beckoned Lin Yuqing over. “Lin Yuqing, did you drink the health tea I made you? How come you didn’t—”

Lin Yuqing: “How can you tell?”

“You have dark circles. That health soup is supposed to improve sleep quality.” Zhong Manjing beckoned again. “Come a bit closer. Maybe I can’t see clearly because I just woke up.”

Lin Yuqing leaned in.

Zhong Manjing said, “A little closer. Closer still. Let me have a good look.”

Zhong Manjing was sitting, so Lin Yuqing had to lean down deeply to accommodate her. Looking at the face just inches away, Zhong Manjing reached out and lightly touched the tips of Lin Yuqing’s eyelashes.

The eyelashes brushed against her fingertip. Zhong Manjing’s gaze moved from Lin Yuqing’s forehead down to her eyes, brow bone, the sharp contours of her face, and her pale cheeks.

It felt like a lingering, damp touch. Under this focused gaze, Lin Yuqing’s heart couldn’t help but race. Before she could pull back, she heard Zhong Manjing whisper.

“My god,” her voice was so soft only the two of them could hear, like a kitten’s purr. “You really are too beautiful…”

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