The Sickly Fake Daughter, But a Beloved Darling of All - Chapter 24

Xu Chengjin was startled by Wu Boran’s invitation. She quietly asked, “Don’t I need to warm up first?”

According to what she knew, there should be a warm-up session first.

A hint of confusion flashed in Xu Chengjin’s eyes: “Should I go in the water… will I drown…”

Wu Boran was also reminded by Xu Chengjin’s words. She immediately shook her head, muttering words that Xu Chengjin couldn’t hear, but vaguely seemed to be scolding herself.

“Come, I’ll teach you.” Wu Boran leaped out of the pool, splashing water onto Xu Chengjin. She wore a swimming cap, and her muscle definition was particularly noticeable at this moment.

Xu Chengjin raised a smile and held up her hand in a dodging gesture: “You splashed water all over me.”

“Did I?”

Wu Boran looked bewildered, a look of apology appearing in her eyes: “I’m sorry… just kidding!”

The next second, she immediately crouched down and used her hand to flick a large amount of water onto Xu Chengjin. Wu Boran’s face held the slyness of having succeeded: “Scared?”

Xu Chengjin closed her eyes and dodged back slightly. She wasn’t angry; instead, her eyes were filled with amusement: “Scared to death.”

“That’s good then.” Wu Boran stood up again, no longer teasing Xu Chengjin. “Come, I’ll lead you through a warm-up.”

Xu Chengjin also became serious. She gave a firm “Mm,” and began to concentrate on following Wu Boran’s movements.

It was just that her physical endurance was genuinely poor. She felt tired after only a few stretches, but she grit her teeth and completed the entire routine.

Xu Chengjin’s breathing was heavy. She slightly parted her lips to regulate her breath. Seeing Wu Boran staring at her, she smiled sheepishly: “My stamina is too poor, sorry.”

Wu Boran averted Xu Chengjin’s gaze. She then immediately jumped into the water. Her entry was beautiful, with minimal splash, which made Xu Chengjin quite envious.

“You’re amazing,” Xu Chengjin genuinely sighed. “I really envy you.”

“Don’t envy. Even if you envy, you won’t be able to practice to be like me.” Wu Boran licked her lips, then cleared her throat twice, speaking awkwardly, “Well… do you want to come down and try?”

“How deep is this water?”

Xu Chengjin hesitated. She crouched down and tentatively touched the water. The temperature was fine; it wasn’t particularly cold. She bit her lip: “Should I just come right in?”

Wu Boran spread her hands directly: “Just come down. I can hold you steady.”

Despite what she said, Xu Chengjin was still hesitant. She first tried sitting down, then put her legs into the pool. This pool was indeed the shallow end, but she was still a bit nervous.

“I’m still scared.”

Xu Chengjin spoke honestly. She swung her legs, causing slight ripples in the water.

Wu Boran was facing her. She lowered her eyes to look at Xu Chengjin, then suddenly grabbed the other person’s leg. She narrowed her eyes, feigning seriousness: “Don’t move.”

As soon as she spoke, Xu Chengjin immediately stopped moving and looked at her obediently, waiting for Wu Boran’s next words. Xu Chengjin blinked, even leaning forward slightly: “I’m not moving.”

“You clearly moved just now.” Wu Boran’s tone was a little heavy. She squinted at Xu Chengjin, and the hand gripping the other’s leg tightened slightly. “You’re still arguing.”

“I am not.” Although Xu Chengjin said that, her other leg began to swing at that moment, accidentally brushing past Wu Boran’s waist. She looked innocently at Wu Boran: “What should I do after I get into the water?”

Wu Boran released her grip on Xu Chengjin’s calf. She squeezed forward a bit, her expression becoming much gentler: “Are you still afraid of getting in the water?”

“Yes.”

Xu Chengjin placed her hand on Wu Boran’s shoulder and squeezed it. She looked very focused: “I envy your physique. I’m a bit too thin; I don’t look very healthy.”

Wu Boran agreed: “I don’t think you look very healthy either.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than she directly carried Xu Chengjin into the water. After the person was standing steadily, Wu Boran added, “Easy peasy.”

“Whoa.”

Xu Chengjin let out a cry of surprise. Stepping into the water, she felt a resistance that made it difficult to stand firm, and a sensation like stepping on cotton. Waves rippled towards her one after another. This never-before-experienced feeling made her cling to Wu Boran, afraid to let go.

Her athletic abilities were truly poor. For so many years, due to health reasons, she couldn’t try various sports. Even a slight increase in activity would cause her to gasp for air. Her family saw this and were unwilling for her to try again. Gradually, she had almost regressed.

“Why is this little duck so flustered getting into the water?” Wu Boran’s voice reached Xu Chengjin’s ears, clearly carrying amusement. “Could it be a landlubber?”

“Of course not!”

Xu Chengjin was ultimately embarrassed by Wu Boran’s teasing. She became a little angry out of frustration, but still dared not let go of Wu Boran’s hand. Her anger had no deterrent effect; instead, it sounded more like a spoiled complaint: “It’s just my first time touching it. Teacher Wu, you have no patience at all, and you even mock your student.”

Wu Boran couldn’t suppress her smile. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Xu Chengjin’s waist, lowering her voice: “Then I’ll just do that. Where are you going to complain about me?”

“I’m going to expose you, bad teacher.”

Xu Chengjin looked up slightly, her eyes bright: “How about I treat you to dinner this afternoon?”

“Is that payment?” Wu Boran raised an eyebrow. She led the person to the pool wall, letting Xu Chengjin hold on by herself for a moment. “Will someone else join us mid-way?”

Wu Boran pouted and sighed softly: “Like your good friend, or that good friend.”

Xu Chengjin understood Wu Boran’s hidden meaning. She smiled: “No, it’ll just be you and me.”

“Alright, since you put it that way… I’ll reluctantly agree!”

Xu Chengjin chuckled softly: “Good. I’ll book the restaurant after class.”

Wu Boran gave a deliberate, aloof “Mm,” and then started teaching Xu Chengjin the most basic movements.

Unfortunately, after only ten-plus minutes of learning, Xu Chengjin was guided by Wu Boran to the edge of the pool to rest. If she hadn’t known it was improper to lie down, she would have already been lying on the ground panting.

“Tired, aren’t you?” Wu Boran rubbed her legs. She tried her best to keep her gaze on Xu Chengjin’s face. “We’ll go shower soon and change clothes. I feel like a lot of people will be fighting us for the showers in a bit.”

Xu Chengjin was truly exhausted. Her heart was beating fast, and the watch on her hand kept vibrating. This time it wasn’t controlled by Si Yu, but the watch itself warning her of an elevated heart rate.

Wu Boran clearly saw the watch’s alert. Without a second thought, she climbed onto the platform, reaching out her hand to Xu Chengjin: “Are you okay? Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Xu Chengjin took Wu Boran’s hand, relying entirely on her strength to stand up. Her steps were a little unsteady, but she wasn’t so weak that she couldn’t stand. However, the moment Wu Boran saw her like this, she couldn’t help but frown. She immediately put her arm around Xu Chengjin’s waist, half-hugging her as they walked forward: “Let’s go shower first.”

“Okay.”

Xu Chengjin was completely drained. She quickly took a shower and came out. She changed into her own clothes and rested on a chair for a while.

Wu Boran was much faster than her. She walked over with a hairdryer: “Sit closer. I’ll blow-dry your hair.”

“Okay.”

Xu Chengjin sat in front of her and lowered her head slightly. Wu Boran’s movements were clearly unskilled, but she restrained herself to be gentle. Her hair partially blocked her vision, and it even hurt a little, but Xu Chengjin didn’t say a word.

“Done?”

Xu Chengjin swept back her hair. She looked up and immediately asked: “Have you ever blown anyone’s hair before?”

Wu Boran instinctively felt that Xu Chengjin’s question was odd, but she still answered: “No.”

“That’s good. It looks like currently…” Xu Chengjin said as she stood up. Her body had recovered some energy, and she even had more strength to speak. “I’m the only victim!”

After speaking, Xu Chengjin turned and walked out without the slightest hesitation, leaving Wu Boran alone in confusion. But Wu Boran quickly reacted and rushed to catch up: “Oh, Xu Chengjin, are you saying my technique is bad?!”

“Not at all…”

.

Xu Chengjin didn’t have many classes in the afternoon. After her last class, she planned to go find Jin Xi to talk about the afternoon, but Jin Xi approached her first: “Xiaojin, I might be a bit busy these two days, so I won’t chat with you for now. See you later!”

She was stunned. Jin Xi left without her saying a word. Xu Chengjin’s hand, which she had intended to reach out and stop her, was left hanging in mid-air, and then she retracted it awkwardly.

Xu Chengjin felt that Jin Xi was acting strangely.

She had arranged to have dinner with Wu Boran at seven in the evening, and it was only half-past three. Xu Chengjin thought for a moment and had the driver come pick her up at the school gate.

“Help me find out where Jin Xi went today, and follow her.”

Xu Chengjin’s tone was flat. She coughed twice: “Hurry.”

She knew that both Xu Mu and Xu Jing had investigated Jin Xi, so she went straight to the driver to ask for her whereabouts.

The driver glanced at Xu Chengjin through the rearview mirror and quickly responded: “Understood.”

Jin Xi was indeed very busy today. She spent the entire afternoon doing every high-paying part-time job she could find: handing out flyers, sales… Xu Chengjin didn’t know how one person could have so much energy in a day. She narrowed her eyes and quietly asked, “How is Jin Xi’s mother?”

“Still in the hospital.”

“Can’t pay the medical bills?”

Xu Chengjin folded her arms, staring intently at Jin Xi: “Or is there something else?”

The driver answered honestly: “The hospital hasn’t reported any outstanding fees. We don’t know anything further.”

After all, they weren’t private detectives; they could only investigate superficial things.

The weather was so muggy today, yet Jin Xi worked relentlessly under the scorching sun, refusing to rest even when her face was sunburned crimson.

Xu Chengjin sat in the car, waiting for her for three hours.

It was almost time for her appointment with Wu Boran, and Jin Xi stopped working at this moment. She found a step to sit down and rest, completely exhausted.

“I earned five hundred yuan today… that’s great.”

“That’s great?”

Xu Chengjin’s voice suddenly rang out beside her. Jin Xi abruptly looked up, her pupils trembling: “Why are you here?”

“Are you very short of money?”

Xu Chengjin rarely showed a cold face to anyone. She looked at Jin Xi expressionlessly, her tone even icy: “How much are you short?”

“I’m not short of money,” Jin Xi mumbled. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

Xu Chengjin exhaled silently: “Do you think I’m pitying you? Jin Xi, what kind of person am I in your eyes… let’s not talk about this. What do you need money for?”

Jin Xi didn’t look away. She said, “I’m inherently short of money, you know, my family background—”

“What do you need the money for?” Xu Chengjin’s throat was uncomfortable. Her tone wasn’t harsh, but she still interrupted Jin Xi: “Speak? What is worth you exerting yourself so much for?”

“I…”

“Are you going to tell me or not?” Xu Chengjin seemed to have lost patience. She said directly, “If you don’t say anything, I’ll assume you want to end our friendship. I mean what I say; I won’t talk to you again.”

Xu Chengjin’s expression and tone were not those of someone who was lying. Jin Xi immediately panicked. She stood up right away, her body covered in sweat making her reluctant to get close to Xu Chengjin. She clutched the hem of her clothes, hesitated for a long time, and finally said, “Isn’t your birthday coming up soon? I was thinking of saving up money to buy you a gift.”

“That’s it?”

Xu Chengjin was truly infuriated by Jin Xi. Her eyes instantly turned red, completely unable to understand Jin Xi’s behavior: “Are you out of your mind?”

“You… what kind of person am I, what am I to you, to be worth you working so desperately?” Xu Chengjin took the initiative to grab Jin Xi’s clothes, fighting back tears. “Are you stupid?”

“I just wanted to give you a gift that both of us would be satisfied with.”

Jin Xi was still stubborn, as if she had walked into a dead end: “I understand my own body.”

“You don’t even take care of yourself, yet you expect me to feel your affection through the gift you give me?” Tears rolled down Xu Chengjin’s cheeks. Her eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and her lips were slightly trembling. “Do you think I’d be happy receiving a gift that you spent your energy to get like this?”

“Jin Xi!”

Xu Chengjin’s voice was slightly louder. More and more tears fell: “What do I lack? If I truly cared about money so much, I wouldn’t be friends with you.”

“Don’t cry.”

Jin Xi was completely at a loss. She wanted to raise her hand to wipe Xu Chengjin’s tears, but her hands were also quite dirty. She hesitated for a long time, unsure what to do.

“I understand. Maybe I’ve been around too many people these past few days. My first reaction was to earn money to buy you a better gift.”

“Then you should use that money to buy yourself a good meal instead.”

Xu Chengjin retorted without hesitation. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, but for some reason, they wouldn’t stop.

Jin Xi was supposed to be the protagonist, so how could she be so dense?

“Idiot, utterly stupid.”

Xu Chengjin kept repeating these few phrases. Just as she was about to ask the driver for a tissue, the Jin Xi opposite her handed her one.

“Wipe your tears.”

Jin Xi’s voice suddenly sounded a little dry. Xu Chengjin took the tissue and looked up, her gaze directly meeting that of Si Yu, who was standing behind Jin Xi.

Si Yu was wearing an oversized shirt paired with wide-leg pants. She stood quietly behind Jin Xi, gazing at Xu Chengjin. The emotion in those eyes was exceptionally complex—

Or rather… cold.