The Sickly Fake Daughter, But a Beloved Darling of All - Chapter 57

It was already afternoon when they finished their meal. Jin xi and Wu Boran. both had classes. Initially, they said they would skip class to keep her company, but Xu Chengjin immediately refused: “You are in your prime, how can you neglect your studies?”

She then said a lot about the importance of studying diligently, and in the end, the two of them had no choice. After eating, they went straight to class. In the end, it was Xu Jing who took her upstairs.

After Xu Jing registered, she carried the suitcase upstairs: “If you ask me, home is better. I’m not busy at all these days.”

“No.”

Xu Chengjin rejected Xu Jing’s request and dropped a bombshell: “If you say that again, I’ll block you. Let’s not see each other for a while.”

Xu Jing was silent for two seconds. She scratched her head, and finally said helplessly: “Fine, I won’t say it.”

The dormitory was very clean. Wu Borao, who lived alone for a long time, had excellent living habits. The dorm was mopped and swept every day, and a faint fragrance could be smelled upon entering. This was why Xu Chengjin felt no pressure living there.

“It’s quite clean.”

Xu Jing put the suitcase aside. She glanced casually and then looked away. After all, it was a two-person dorm, and as an “outsider,” she felt a bit intrusive.

Xu Chengjin sat on the chair and noticed that her desk seemed to have been wiped by Wu Borao. She chuckled softly: “She’s a bit of a germaphobe.”

“A few days ago, Mom told me… you asked about Si Yu.” Xu Jing crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, lowering her eyes slightly, “Have you two been in touch these past two days?”

Xu Chengjin’s hand, which was arranging things on the desk, paused. Her expression didn’t change, and she was even remarkably calm: “We have.”

She turned to look over, and the warmth in her eyes faded a lot: “Do you need me to check my phone for you? Should I send you a copy of our chat history?”

Xu Jing sensed the anger in Xu Chengjin’s words. She frowned instinctively, and her tone deepened a lot: “I was just asking, why are you so angry?”

“Because I think you genuinely had that intention.” Xu Chengjin curved her lips, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. Once this topic came up, the atmosphere between them became sharp, “I didn’t make it clear last time, but since you and Mom are on the same page about this, telling you is the same as telling her.”

She was clearly sitting, but her presence wasn’t suppressed by Xu Jing at all: “I never wished for a long life since I was little, and even now, I firmly believe I won’t live long.”

Xu Jing immediately wanted to interrupt Xu Chengjin: “What are you saying…”

“I know my disease best. You also know clearly how I’ll die. Whether Si Yu jinxes me or not is between us.”

Xu Chengjin stood up. She stood face to face with Xu Jing. Her clothes, which had been a perfect fit, now looked loose. Her voice was very soft: “Ultimately, you don’t dislike her because she jinxed someone, or because she’s targeting our family, but simply because you detest the person, right?”

In the business world, with all the scheming, how could Mother Xu hold a grudge against Si Yu just for those reasons?

Xu Chengjin let out a sarcastic laugh: “No need to answer that question. Let’s get back to the point. My contact with Si Yu won’t affect anyone. At least let me manage my life properly before I die. I’m very grateful that you raised me and love me, but I really need freedom.”

“A freedom that belongs entirely to me.”

Xu Chengjin was particularly serious when she said this: “After I die, you can do whatever you want with me, burn me or bury me. Jie (Sister), it’s not me being pessimistic, but this will truly become a reality.”

She wanted to live, but she also longed for a decent death. Not dying in a ditch was already enough for her.

Xu Jing’s brows were tightly furrowed. Her hands were clenched, clearly dissatisfied with Xu Chengjin’s words. The word “death” was highly taboo in their family.

“I know what you’re worried about, afraid that I’ll be with Si Yu?” Xu Chengjin found it amusing. She turned her head and chuckled mockingly, “Well, if I don’t get with Si Yu, what if I get with Jin xi? Or Wu Borao? Would you agree to that?”

“Xu Chengjin!”

Xu Jing finally couldn’t help but interrupt her sharply, but after shouting, Xu Jing immediately calmed herself down. She took a deep breath: “Xiao Jin, the family doesn’t need you to enter into a marriage alliance. It hasn’t reached that point. I can support you for the rest of your life!”

“I asked, if I were with Jinxi or Wu Borao, or married someone else, would you agree to that?”

Xu Chengjin repeated the question. She stared straight at Xu Jing, but her sister seemed very angry, her whole body slightly trembling, and she seemed unable to understand her words. Perhaps she was angry, or perhaps she was heartbroken.

Xu Jing clenched her jaw. She closed her eyes, suppressing the emotions in her heart: “Xiao Jin, of course, I would agree, as long as you’re happy.”

“Thank you, Jie.”

Xu Chengjin sat back down. She didn’t speak, and neither did Xu Jing. They seemed to have returned to the way they were when they were giving each other the silent treatment, like the most familiar yet most estranged family members.

Xu Jing kept looking at her. Xu Chengjin could feel it.

“Xiao Jin, if one day I wasn’t your biological sister, would you still stay by my side?”

Xu Jing’s voice was a bit hoarse. She asked the question very cautiously, but it also made Xu Chengjin’s heart tremble. She looked up. The subject of the sentence had changed, becoming Xu Jing, but in reality, it was Xu Chengjin who was supposed to ask that question.

She wanted to smile but couldn’t. Every word seemed to fall out of place: “Yes, I will stay with you.”

She also hoped that when the truth came out on that day, you would stay with me too.

At least… not hate her.

Xu Chengjin lowered her head, her heart still restless, but Xu Jing felt satisfied. That one sentence from Xu Chengjin was enough.

“I’m going back now. If anything happens, you must tell me. My phone is on 24 hours a day, and I’ll visit you often during this time. Don’t avoid me.”

Xu Jing gave many instructions. Only after seeing Xu Chengjin agree to all of them did she turn and leave, as if she had completely set her mind at ease about something.

Xu Chengjin only looked away after she could no longer see Xu Jing’s retreating figure. She opened her phone and didn’t see a message from Si Yu, so she simply called her via video. The ringtone rang for a while before Si Yu answered.

“Xiao Jin, have you reached the dorm?”

Si Yu’s voice sounded particularly heavy and muffled. Xu Chengjin immediately realized what was happening. She didn’t rush to answer Si Yu’s question. Instead, she looked at the background behind the other person, pursing her lips. Her vision was very sharp, and the pressure it brought was also great.

“What are you looking at?”

Si Yu smiled. She licked her dry and parched lips: “Uh—”

“Which hospital are you at?”

Xu Chengjin directly interrupted Si Yu’s words. Her face wasn’t cold; instead, it was full of concern: “What kind of sickness do you have?”

No matter how many backgrounds Si Yu changed, she could still spot immediately that the other person was in a hospital. She was too familiar with the place.

“A cold. I had a persistent low fever that wouldn’t go away, so I came to the hospital for an IV drip.” Since she couldn’t hide it, Si Yu simply showed Xu Chengjin her hand openly, “I’ve been on a drip for a few days. I feel much better these past two days. The doctor said I probably won’t need to come tomorrow.”

Xu Chengjin looked at Si Yu, tracing every inch of the other person’s face with her gaze: “You’ve lost weight.”

“It’s normal for me to lose weight. You, on the other hand, have lost a lot.” Si Yu couldn’t help but sigh when she looked at Xu Chengjin, “I finally saw you put on a little weight before, and now you’ve lost it again.”

Xu Chengjin ‘mm’-ed. Her voice was very soft: “I’ll put it back on.”

“I’ll come to see you once I’m better.” Si Yu might have been uncomfortable sitting down; she shifted her body. Even as a CEO, she had to sit honestly in the infusion hall now, “I’m suddenly glad we didn’t meet today. My cold isn’t gone yet. What if I passed it on to you?”

Xu Chengjin chuckled softly: “You haven’t been replying to my messages much lately. Are you still worried about something?”

“Mmm…” Si Yu pondered for a few seconds. She sighed, “I don’t think I’m very suitable to meet you lately.”

“My parents died a few days ago. You should know, right?” When Si Yu spoke about this, it was as if she was discussing unrelated people, “My mother felt this life was too painful. She first called me back and said she wanted me to get married, to find someone and just get married. When I refused, she started going crazy. My father’s mental state wasn’t good, and the two of them went crazy together.”

Si Yu couldn’t help but laugh when she mentioned this: “I found it annoying. I have so much going on every day, and I still had to listen to their complaints. I was just about to leave when my mother cut her own neck with a knife. The fresh blood splattered directly onto me, on my neck…”

She gave a bitter smile: “When I turned around, the floor was covered in blood. It was like her mind finally cleared up for a moment. She said she was sorry to me and hoped I wouldn’t blame her. Actually, I never hated her.”

“She died quickly. I couldn’t even hold her up at that time. Her body quickly lost its warmth.” Si Yu paused here, “Then my father also went crazy. He ran downstairs, took a look at my mother, and said, ‘Finally free’.”

Si Yu curled her lip in mockery: “He also jumped off a building and died. To be honest, he’s the one who should go to hell, but I don’t believe in the occult. Otherwise, I would nail his soul there, never to be reborn.”

“Two people died on the same day, and they died because I came home. They said I harmed them, that I jinxed my parents. Although I don’t really believe in that stuff, I thought it was best to avoid it.”

“Your health isn’t good either. That day was also right after we met…”

“Si Yu.”

Xu Chengjin finally interrupted Si Yu’s words. She had been silent, but when Si Yu pushed the blame onto herself, she couldn’t help but speak: “It’s not your fault.”

Si Yu looked up. She didn’t see pity in Xu Chengjin’s eyes, but rather a profoundly serious emotion. She heard Xu Chengjin’s voice, heard the other person ask her:

“You must have been really scared then, weren’t you?”