The Sickly Fake Daughter, But a Beloved Darling of All - Chapter 3

Xu Chengjin’s phone still had a full battery. It was obvious that Si Yu’s arrangements had been considerate in every way, except for the fact that the place she was staying in was rather remote. She had been trying to hail a ride for ages, but no one accepted the order.

She stood for so long that she began to feel exhausted. Her breathing grew labored, her vision blurred, and she had no choice but to slowly crouch down. Her face was deathly pale, as if she might collapse onto the roadside at any moment.

“Beeep—”

The deliberately prolonged honk of a car horn drew Xu Chengjin’s attention. Resting her head against the crook of her arm, she turned her gaze sideways.

A car stopped steadily in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing a neatly dressed middle-aged woman. Her expression was calm as she softened her voice and even showed Xu Chengjin her ID and credentials one by one.
“On President Si’s orders, I’ve come to take you home.”

“Si Yu?”

Xu Chengjin froze for a couple of seconds. After thinking for a moment, she immediately tried to stand, but she exerted too much force. Darkness rushed over her vision, and her body swayed unsteadily until she caught hold of the car for support. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the woman.
“Thank you for the trouble.”

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

She opened the car door and sat down. Unfortunately, her strength was spent. She lay half-reclined in the backseat, drifting in and out of drowsiness. But the metallic tang in her throat kept her from fully succumbing to sleep. Her breathing was rough, her nose was stuffy, and she felt uncomfortable—so she tried to make conversation.

“Are you President Si’s bodyguard?” Xu Chengjin’s voice was hoarse, and a dry cough shook her thin frame. “Please thank her for me later.”

“Of course.”

The woman’s attitude was cool, but Xu Chengjin didn’t mind. Casually, she asked:
“Does President Si have… a lover? Or, maybe, a bed partner?”

Though she knew the villainess only had eyes for the true daughter, matters concerning physical health still seemed worth asking about.

“She does not!” The woman’s heart sounded alarms at once. Without thinking, she blurted out, “Our President Si has always been single. Her personal life is spotless.”

“Oh,” Xu Chengjin murmured. Then, closing her eyes, she lowered her voice further. “Got it. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” The woman silently exhaled in relief. Her gaze slid toward the phone set beside her. The screen displayed an ongoing call—with none other than Si Yu herself.

Close call. At least her job was safe.

By the time Xu Chengjin was dropped off at home, it was almost eight o’clock. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, immediately sensing two pairs of eyes on her—watchful, probing, and tinged with worry.

“Mom.”

She pretended nothing had happened and smiled at Xu Mother. “I’m back.”

“Your dad’s just finishing breakfast. You’ve come back right on time.”

Setting aside her laptop, Xu Mother pushed up her glasses and quickly crossed the room. Seeing the unhealthy pallor on her daughter’s face, her heart clenched in pain. She cupped Xu Chengjin’s cheek. “Not feeling well?”

“No.”

Shaking her head, Xu Chengjin changed into her slippers and followed her mother to the sofa. She leaned against her affectionately. “Mom.”

Her mother stroked her hair with tender pity. “You’re all grown up and still acting spoiled.”

“I am spoiled.” Xu Chengjin tilted her head up, gazing at her mother’s features. In the Xu household, it was her mother who held the reins. Her father spent more time tending to the home and cooking for the family. Both of them treated her with nothing but love, pouring all their affection into her.

But if… they were to discover she wasn’t truly their daughter…

She didn’t dare continue the thought. Slowly straightening, she turned her eyes toward the man cooking in the kitchen. “Dad, when will the meal be ready?”

Neither of them asked where she had been the night before. That, in itself, was a sign of their respect.

“Almost done. Your sister will be home soon. If you’re hungry, I’ll fix you something first.”

“No need.”

At the mention of her sister, Xu Chengjin’s heart gave a jolt. The Xu family had two daughters. The elder, Xu Jing, had been abroad for the past few months managing a branch office. When they were younger, they had been able to play together, and Xu Jing had always treated her kindly.

With five years between them, Xu Chengjin had grown up indulged in every way. Xu Jing had yielded to her in everything.

But at sixteen, Xu Jing’s attitude had abruptly changed. She stopped interacting with her, spoke to her coldly, and even flinched away from her touch. Over time, Xu Chengjin developed a quiet fear of her elder sister.

The last time they’d seen each other had been three months ago.

“Your sister’s just cold on the outside, warm on the inside. Don’t overthink it,” Xu Mother said gently. “After breakfast, remember to take your medicine, then go rest upstairs.”

“I already ate.”

Xu Chengjin hugged her mother. She truly wasn’t hungry. Fearing her mother wouldn’t believe her, she patted her stomach deliberately. “I really did. I woke up early and grabbed something on the way.”

“No more food?”

Xu Father emerged carrying a bowl of soup. “At least drink some soup?”

“No, I’m a little sleepy. I’ll nap first.”

With that, Xu Chengjin ran upstairs without looking back, leaving her parents to exchange puzzled glances.

“So tired.”

She flopped onto her bed and pulled the blanket over her head. Her memories of last night were hazy, but she clearly remembered one thing: it had been her who made the move. She had taken the initiative… to sleep with the villainess.

Oh god.

Clutching the blanket tighter, she soon grew stifled. Pushing it back, she had barely drawn a breath when she heard a knock at the door. She quickly sat upright, smoothed her hair and clothes, and called, “Come in.”

She had expected her mother—but instead, it was Xu Jing.

Her half-sister, yet closer to her than anyone else.

“Little one, why is your face so red?”

Still in her suit, Xu Jing looked weary, yet her gaze on Xu Chengjin was piercing. Her features resembled their mother’s more closely, carrying an undeniable sharpness.

Nervous for no reason, Xu Chengjin rose to her feet to face her. “I was just lying down a bit.”

“I brought you a gift.” Xu Jing scanned her up and down without a trace of a smile. “A pair of earrings.”

Xu Chengjin’s eyes lit up. Xu Jing rarely gave her presents anymore. Overjoyed, she couldn’t help moving closer. “Sis, show me!”

Xu Jing hadn’t braced herself, and Xu Chengjin’s sudden closeness left her frozen in place. She couldn’t step back. She couldn’t even tear her gaze away. The girl before her was like a little bird, unexpectedly fluttering straight into her world—impossible to cut off, impossible to push away.

“Deer-shaped.” Xu Jing brought out the earrings, each set with a blue gem. The moment she had seen them, she’d thought of Xu Chengjin and bought them without hesitation.

She had originally planned to wait for the right moment, so as not to seem too hasty. But after receiving a call from her mother the previous day, she could no longer sit still and rushed home overnight.

Xu Chengjin had spent the night with Si Yu. How had they become involved? And what sort of involvement was it?

Suppressing her thoughts, Xu Jing softened her voice. “Do you like them?”

“I love them!” Xu Chengjin accepted them happily, genuinely delighted. She felt this might be a chance to thaw the ice between them. Her smile bloomed all the brighter. “I’ll try them on right now.”

Hurrying to her vanity, she carefully fastened the earrings. The blue gem gleamed like a deer’s heart, making her pale skin glow even brighter. It was as if the earrings had been made for her alone.

“You look beautiful, too.” Xu Jing came to stand behind her, watching through the mirror. Her gaze softened as she asked quietly, “Were you with Si Yu yesterday?”

The sudden question startled Xu Chengjin, but she answered honestly. “Yes. I drank a little… but I wasn’t uncomfortable, so don’t worry.”

“I was drunk, and she just took care of me all night.”

Licking her lips, she turned to face her sister. “Why?”

“Then why didn’t you come home?” Xu Jing pressed, sharp and precise. “Are you sure she didn’t deliberately keep you there?”

Xu Chengjin shook her head. Not only had it not been deliberate—she had been the one to seduce her.

“No. What’s wrong with her?”

She hesitated. The business world was full of schemes she didn’t have the strength to fathom. Her understanding of Si Yu was limited at best.

Xu Jing shook her head. “Nothing. She’s just ruthless and calculating. Best to avoid her when you can.”

“Alright.”

Truthfully, Xu Chengjin couldn’t agree more. She hoped never to meet again—maybe that way her fate could change.

She exhaled silently and turned back to her vanity, searching for jewelry to match the earrings. She didn’t notice that her shifting blouse had exposed faint marks on her skin.

Xu Jing only had to glance once. Her eyes sharpened instantly, her face paling as her pupils contracted. Her mind went blank, and before she realized it, she was tugging Xu Chengjin’s clothes back into place.

“Sis?”

Xu Chengjin blinked, startled at being held down. “What’s wrong?”

Xu Jing’s head buzzed as she stared at the ambiguous traces on her sister’s shoulder. Who had left those?

Was Xu Chengjin in a relationship? With whom?

“You’re seeing someone?” Xu Jing’s voice trembled, her chest tight as though clenched in a fist, leaving her breathless. “With who?”

Only then did Xu Chengjin realize the problem. Gripping the hem of her shirt tightly, she heard her sister’s barely contained anger and quickly lied. “Bug bites. Allergic reaction.”

Xu Jing’s eyes reddened with disbelief. Her teeth ground together as she pressed the question. “Allergic reaction?”

Her fingertips brushed firmly over the mark, reddening the pale skin further. Xu Jing pursed her lips. “Really?”

“Really.” The sting made Xu Chengjin grasp her hand, turning toward her. “Really.”

Xu Jing blinked, drew in a deep breath, and forced her emotions down. “Alright.”

Licking her dry lips, she lowered her eyes. Meeting her sister’s bewildered gaze, all her anger dissolved in an instant—leaving only the bitter ache that they were bound by blood.

“I’ll get you some medicine.”

Xu Jing gave her hand a gentle squeeze and murmured:

“Wait here for me, little one.”