The Sickly Fake Daughter, But a Beloved Darling of All - Chapter 23

Si Yu’s tone was not overbearing; rather, it was very gentle, as if coaxing Xu Chengjin to state her answer.

Was she really worse than Jin Xi? Was she really that bad? Of course not, which is why she needed Xu Chengjin to give her an answer.

After all, the other person involved was also there.

Si Yu raised her hand and covered Xu Chengjin’s eyes. She let out an “Mm,” sounding slightly impatient from waiting.

Xu Chengjin’s vision was blocked, and at that moment, her five senses were magnified. She could even clearly hear her own breathing, one breath after another, making it impossible to ignore.

“You are both very good. I was just a little afraid of you.”

Xu Chengjin’s voice was very soft: “But I won’t be now. Were you angry just now? Actually, I wanted to explain our relationship to my mom, but I didn’t get the chance. I reacted too slowly. Please don’t be angry.”

After speaking, she fumbled by feel for Si Yu’s hand. Their bracelets touched, making a clear sound that anyone standing near them could hear.

Si Yu was clearly satisfied. She released her hand from covering Xu Chengjin’s eyes, and when her peripheral vision scanned the side, Jin Xi was no longer there.

Young people, still too young.

Xu Chengjin hadn’t noticed anything amiss just now. She looked up at Si Yu and, gathering her courage, softly asked, “Will you hurt me in the future?”

“Hurt you?” Si Yu looked baffled. She pointed a finger at herself, “Me?”

Was she really that terrifying, to the point where she was already notorious without having done anything?

Xu Chengjin replied with an “Mm,” nodding vigorously, nearly dizzying herself: “Yes.”

Her face was pale, and when she looked up at someone with such earnest eyes, it was easy to feel her sincerity, making it hard to sense any deception.

Si Yu immediately denied it: “Of course not. Why would I hurt you for no reason?”

Having received a definite confirmation, Xu Chengjin immediately smiled: “Thank you, Si Yu.”

“You’re welcome.”

Si Yu shook the bracelet on her hand. She felt much better, and everything seemed more pleasing to her eyes: “Are you going to accompany CEO Xu now?”

“Yes, then I’ll see you later!”

Xu Chengjin waved at Si Yu. She turned and left to find Xu Mu. When her emotions overwhelmed her, she didn’t know what she was doing, so she had to control herself from making an inexplicable early departure again.

“Mom!” Xu Chengjin walked up to Xu Mu. She glanced at Jin Xi beside her and was about to speak an invitation when the other person cut her off, “I’m not going.”

Xu Chengjin paused. She blinked and quietly asked, “You’re not going?”

“Mm.”

There was nothing unusual on Jin Xi’s face. She walked up to Xu Chengjin, but her gaze was fixed on Xu Chengjin’s wrist: “You hired me today, and I’m very grateful. But I want to try to ask if I can take another part-time job during this time. I want to save money to buy something.”

Her tone was so serious that Xu Chengjin naturally wouldn’t refuse. She smiled: “Okay. Is your part-time job far from here? This place is a bit remote, so I’ll have someone take you over. It’s no trouble.”

“Okay.” Jin Xi didn’t refuse. She reached out and gave Xu Chengjin a quick hug, so fast that Xu Chengjin didn’t even have time to react. After the hug, her action was just as decisive—she turned and left.

She didn’t even say goodbye.

Xu Chengjin was stunned. She opened her mouth but still managed to add a sentence: “See you later.”

Xu Mu looked at her daughter’s expression, and a smile couldn’t help but appear on her face: “Let’s go, Mom will take you for a walk.”

“Okay.”

Xu Chengjin nodded and followed Xu Mu. The environment here was indeed excellent. Each scenic spot had specially arranged service points, and each service point had a small stall, which might be selling barbecue or fruit, just in case they got tired from walking.

“This is quite tasty.” Xu Chengjin took a fruit salad. She tasted it and found the flavor very good, so she turned back to get a portion for Xu Mu: “Mom, you try some too.”

“Alright.” Xu Mu smiled as she took it. She naturally brought up a topic: “Are you and Jin Xi very close?”

Xu Chengjin paused. She answered truthfully: “Mm, we’re friends.”

“I think that girl is very nice. Get along well with her. If you encounter any difficulties, be sure to tell Mom, and Mom will definitely help you resolve them.”

Xu Mu spoke very gently. She rubbed Xu Chengjin’s hair: “Xiaojin, your father and I will always be your strongest support.”

She might have noticed that Xu Chengjin was unhappy but didn’t know why, so she could only comfort Xu Chengjin in the simplest way possible.

Xu Chengjin’s eyes instantly turned red. Her heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed, making it hard to breathe. She bit her lip hard, not wanting to cry here.

Father and Mother Xu are truly wonderful…

“Mom.” Xu Chengjin turned her head and sniffed. She forcefully changed the subject: “Do you remember what I looked like when I was born?”

Xu Mu put her arm around Xu Chengjin’s shoulder and smiled: “Of course I remember. You were full-term, but you weren’t very healthy when you were born. You had to be sent to an incubator a few days after birth. Several times, the doctor said you might not make it through the night. I was so scared. I didn’t know why this was happening, why my child had to suffer like this.”

“Your father even ran to a temple to pray and to a Taoist temple to pray for a peace talisman for you. He tried everything he could think of. I was in the hospital, and I went to see you every day. You were just so tiny.”

Xu Mu gestured with her hand. Her smile was a little emotional: “It’s a good thing you survived. Mom is really happy.”

Xu Chengjin listened quietly to her words, recalling the information she had learned. Back then, because of Xu Chengjin’s poor health, she required a huge amount of money immediately after birth. Her parents and the Xu family’s enemies conspired and secretly swapped her with Jin Xi. The two girls’ destinies were exchanged.

I wonder what kind of scene it will be when the truth is discovered.

“I’m also very happy to have met you and Dad.”

Xu Chengjin reached out and hugged Xu Mu directly:

“Mom, I love you.”

Illness and Return to School

The leisure activity didn’t last too long. Xu Chengjin felt unwell. She was originally resting in the lounge but suddenly developed a fever and collapsed semi-conscious on the sofa. It was Si Yu who came in to call her for dinner and discovered her condition.

Xu Chengjin was sent to the hospital once again.

The reason for her illness this time was very simple: it was due to overthinking. The doctor advised her to gradually start exercising, regulate her mood, and not hide everything in her heart.

Xu Chengjin opened her eyes and saw Xu Jing sitting by the bed waiting for her. Her lips were very dry, and her throat hurt so much she could barely speak. She squeezed out one sound: “Sis…”

“You’re awake?”

Xu Jing immediately noticed. She stood up, her expression serious, poured water for Xu Chengjin, and then fed it to her with a straw: “Are you okay?”

“Mm.” Xu Chengjin didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable anymore. She wasn’t sure how she had fainted and was now in the hospital feeling bewildered.

Seeing that Xu Chengjin had drunk enough, Xu Jing put down the cup and smoothed her hair. She seemed to have held back for a long time before finally speaking: “Do you have something on your mind?”

Xu Chengjin replied very naturally: “No, why do you ask?”

“The doctor said you think too much and suggested you try exercising and getting out for a change of scenery. If you keep this up, it definitely won’t work.”

Xu Jing’s tone wasn’t very pleasant. She had suddenly received a call from Xu Mu outside saying Xu Chengjin was hospitalized, which scared her into rushing back without a second thought.

“It’s normal to have things on your mind at your age, I understand, but you can’t ruin your health. How long has it been since you were discharged, and you’re back in the hospital? If this continues, I’ll find a rope and tie you up so you can’t go anywhere.”

Xu Jing’s words made Xu Chengjin laugh. She took a deep breath and slowly propped up her upper body to sit up. She smiled and said, “Then big sister can just tie me up.”

She only intended it as a joke, but unexpectedly, Xu Jing fell silent, her gaze instantly becoming much more complex. The change in the other person made Xu Chengjin a little unsure of what to do.

“Nonsense.” Xu Jing turned her head away from Xu Chengjin. She licked her dry lips and turned to walk out, “I’ll go find the doctor. If there’s nothing seriously wrong, I’ll take you home.”

Xu Chengjin clutched the quilt. She lowered her eyes and gently said, “Mm.”

The doctor quickly came over and gave Xu Chengjin a full examination. After confirming she could be discharged, Xu Chengjin got out of bed to change her clothes and slowly followed behind Xu Jing. She didn’t speak, and Xu Jing didn’t speak either. The two little “mutes” remained silent all the way home.

In the end, it was Xu Chengjin who spoke first: “I want to go to school.”

Her voice was very hoarse, sounding muffled and not as clear as before, giving a feeling of being very wronged. Xu Chengjin pursed her lips: “I’ve missed several days of class.”

Xu Jing was in the driver’s seat. She unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned back to relax, placed one hand on the steering wheel, and then spoke softly: “Do you really want to go?”

“I can find someone to tutor you. I can also explain the situation to the school. You don’t have to go yourself.”

“But I want to.” Xu Chengjin turned her head to look out the window, her voice low: “I want to go out for a walk.”

Xu Jing was silent for a few seconds. She covered her face and took a sharp breath: “I’ll take you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

After Xu Chengjin said this, she felt it wasn’t quite appropriate, so she spoke softly: “Thank you, big sister.”

Xu Jing seemed to chuckle softly: “We’re sisters, the closest people. Why say such things? You go inside first, I want to be alone for a little while.”

“…Okay.” Xu Chengjin had intended to say something, but it seemed she held back. She forced a smile: “Good night, big sister.”

“Good night.”

After receiving Xu Jing’s reply, Xu Chengjin opened the door and got out of the car. She glanced back, but couldn’t see anything through the car window. However, her intuition told her—

Xu Jing had been suppressing herself, wildly… suppressing herself.

The Little Duck

The next morning, Xu Chengjin had the driver take her to school. When she arrived at the dorm, Wu Borao was still sleeping. She walked in lightly. She was dressed very simply today: a sleeveless vest and loose-fitting knee-length shorts, holding a small bag in her hand. Because of her light-footedness, she looked like she was sneaking in.

“Tsk.”

Wu Borao was woken by the small noise. She impatiently pulled back the curtains and immediately met Xu Chengjin’s gaze. The other girl’s eyes were wide open, and she looked apologetic.

The displeasure that was about to come out of Wu Borao’s mouth was swallowed back. She scratched her hair: “You’re back?”

“Mm.”

Xu Chengjin’s throat still wasn’t well; it was hoarse. She had been quite distressed about it that morning, which Xu Jing discovered and couldn’t help but laugh at, making Xu Chengjin flip out and storm off in a huff.

Wu Borao didn’t notice anything amiss. She flipped out of bed: “Are you coming to class?”

“Is your body better?”

Wu Borao finished speaking and went into the bathroom. But after waiting for a while, she didn’t get a reply. She walked out while wiping her face: “Why aren’t you talking?”

Xu Chengjin sat on the chair, hesitating for a moment: “Not bad.”

Hoarse.

Wu Borao froze. She stood still and stared at Xu Chengjin in disbelief for a few seconds: “Say something else.”

Xu Chengjin stared at her resentfully and, to show protest, turned her head away.

No, she absolutely wouldn’t speak.

Wu Borao realized what was going on, and a smile appeared in her eyes: “I wondered why I was woken up this morning. Turns out there’s a little duck here.”

“Wu Borao!”

Xu Chengjin pouted. She rubbed her face: “I’ve been like this since I woke up yesterday.”

“Caught a cold?” Wu Borao walked up to Xu Chengjin. She looked down at Xu Chengjin’s face and, after a few seconds, let out a ‘hiss’: “How come I feel like you’ve lost a lot of weight?”

“Mm, a little thinner.” Xu Chengjin pursed her lips. She raised her hand and looked at Wu Borao: “Is my voice really that unpleasant?”

“Mm…” Wu Borao quickly thought of comforting words for Xu Chengjin, but what came out was, “It’s really unpleasant.”

Xu Chengjin: “…”

Xu Chengjin was devastated. Xu Chengjin was desperate. Xu Chengjin was sad.

“Then I won’t talk today.” Xu Chengjin pursed her lips. She looked up, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall: “I have a duck voice now.”

Wu Borao’s smile grew wider and wider, eventually bursting into laughter: “How did you do that? Will your voice be okay?”

“Yes.”

Xu Chengjin looked at her laughing. She had been angry, but suddenly all the anger disappeared. She sighed: “I believe it’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

Wu Borao didn’t respond to her comment but reached out and pinched Xu Chengjin’s mouth, making it a flat shape: “This looks even more like it.”

“Are you going to swimming class later?”

Wu Borao quickly let go of her hand and clenched her own: “You shouldn’t…”

“I’m going.”

Xu Chengjin opened her bag. Inside were various small breads and snacks. She wasn’t allowed to eat them, so she had raided Xu Father’s stash of snacks.

Xu Mu had strictly forbidden Xu Father from eating junk food, but she couldn’t stop him from secretly buying some. These snacks were also put into her bag by Xu Mu, telling her to share them.

“Do you want some?” Xu Chengjin laid out the snacks. She opened her hands: “The doctor said I can try exercising. I might go into the water, but I don’t really know how to swim.”

She remembered that she and Wu Borao had both chosen this class. Xu Chengjin smiled brightly: “Can you take me with you?”

Wu Borao’s breathing hitched. She paused: “Of course… I can. Swimming is super easy. I’m really good at it.”

“That’s great.” Xu Chengjin clasped her hands together, her eyes full of expectation: “Then I’ll look forward to being taught by Teacher Wu.”

These extracurricular classes were generally not heavily supervised by the teacher, so when they arrived, everyone was playing freely in the water.

Xu Chengjin had brought her own swimsuit. She first followed Wu Borao to the changing room. The other girl moved a bit faster than her and left first, telling her to figure things out herself.

She had prepared a one-piece swimsuit. The boy-short legs covered her bottom perfectly, and the suit was tight-fitting, beautifully highlighting her figure.

This was the first time Xu Chengjin had worn clothes like this. After she was ready, she walked out. She spotted Wu Borao waiting for her in the water with just a glance. She smiled shyly: “I’m ready. It seems okay.”

Wu Borao was leaning on the edge of the pool. She looked at Xu Chengjin, her gaze completely fixed on her. She was stunned for a moment. Seeing the other girl getting closer, she instinctively reached out her hand, tilting her head up to look at Xu Chengjin, her voice carrying a plea that she herself didn’t detect:

“Do you want to come with me?”