Tu Li heard a noise from the bathroom and called out, "Chen Yi?"
There seemed to be a muffled response from outside the door.
"Why are my conditioner and hair mask both replaced?"
"Come out," Chen Yi knocked on the door, his voice a low growl. "Put on clothes and come out."
Five minutes later, Tu Li emerged dressed—wearing one of Chen Yi's loose T-shirts that reached her upper thighs, leaving her legs bare and her chest uncovered beneath the fabric. She toweled her damp hair as she stepped out.
"Did you hire a housekeeper? The place is so clean—"
Chen Yi stood rigidly in front of her, his face as dark as a storm cloud, jaw tight, with a strange glint in his eyes. Tu Li's gaze slid past him and landed on a slender figure—a pair of beautiful eyes met hers. Startled, Tu Li quickly regained her composure, her eyes locking onto Miao Jing. Her face flushed pale then red, shoulders trembling. Gritting her teeth, she suddenly swung her hand and slapped Chen Yi hard across the face.
Smack!
The sharp sound echoed through the deathly silent apartment.
"You brought a woman home? You're secretly seeing someone else?" Tears streamed down Tu Li's face. "You bastard, no wonder you didn't want me coming over."
Miao Jing calmly turned and returned to her room.
Chen Yi hunched his shoulders, grinding his teeth repeatedly before glaring toward Miao Jing and roaring in frustration: "Goddammit, that's my sister!"
Chapter 6: Blood Sister, Dear Sister
Chen Yi and Miao Jing attended the same middle school. They would pass each other in hallways without recognition, and even when special circumstances forced them to speak, their interactions remained so distant and cold that no one ever suspected their relationship. Except for those in the know—Bo Zai also studied at their school. Living near the Chen household, he knew Miao Jing and would occasionally greet her while trailing after Chen Yi.
The school had recently constructed a five-story dormitory building where boys and girls lived together—boys on the first two floors, girls from the third floor up. The building had separate staircases designated for male and female students.
Chen Yi lived on the first floor while Miao Jing's dorm was on the fourth. They frequently crossed paths at the building's entrance, occasionally meeting in the cafeteria or on the sports field. He spent his days playing basketball and soccer, sneaking out during evening self-study to visit internet cafes. By then Chen Yi had developed into a typical adolescent—tall and lanky with hollowed pant legs, long limbs, an Adam's apple, and a cracking voice. He secretly smoked cigarettes. Rumor had it the PE teacher wanted to recruit him for the sports team, potentially leading to athletic school admission, though for unknown reasons this never materialized.
Ninth grade was graduation year, and the school prioritized high school entrance exam results. While Chen Yi mostly wandered aimlessly through his days, he rarely started fights or caused trouble—meeting a dedicated homeroom teacher is every troubled student's fortune, and this partly explained why Chen Yi remained in school. His homeroom teacher, surnamed Li, was a stout middle-aged man. Back in eighth grade, Lao Li had guaranteed Chen Yi from being expelled, personally ensuring his return each semester and contacting Chen Libin about tuition fees. Chen Yi's grades weren't the worst—his best performance landed him in the class's top ten, reportedly after betting with classmates. The entire class had wagered money against him, and he walked away with over a thousand yuan, subsequently receiving a formal reprimand from the school.He was exceptionally popular at school, especially during basketball games and sports meets, always drawing large crowds of onlookers. Sometimes, Miao Jing overheard senior girls in her building gossiping, frequently mentioning Chen Yi’s name. They described him as cool and handsome, with fierce yet bright eyes, but when he smiled, it was devilishly dazzling, carrying a roguish charm that made hearts flutter. Even the school belle had a secret crush on him. Miao Jing couldn’t fathom how so many peculiar adjectives could be piled onto one boy. She only remembered how he looked when he was beaten up or asleep.
Miao Jing had grown a bit taller in middle school, her skin fairer, but she still retained a childlike innocence. Washing her hair at school was inconvenient, so she cut it short like Chibi Maruko, with chubby, baby-faced cheeks. Whenever she passed by Chen Yi and his gang of troublemakers, she would lower her eyes and sidestep to avoid them. Her curled, fluffy eyelashes framed her delicate, slender face, giving her a quiet, scholarly aura. Some boys frequently glanced back, saying she was cute and they wanted to pursue her. Chen Yi, swaggering along, sneered coldly, "You’re interested in a primary school kid? If you’re sick, go to the hospital—don’t embarrass yourself here."
The boys burst into laughter. Miao Jing felt displeased inwardly, frowning subtly.
Both children lived on campus. With nothing to do at home, Wei Mingzhen found a job as a hostess in a tea house. Over the years, she had never become pregnant, which seemed to prevent her from fully integrating into the family’s core. Chen Libin, meanwhile, was engrossed in stock trading and gaming, chatting fervently with strange women online. Despite the power bureau being a highly profitable unit with astonishing bonuses and benefits, Wei Mingzhen had never gained control of the finances—even her mahjong games required her to scrape together her own money.
Wei Mingzhen began arguing fiercely with Chen Libin, their conflicts escalating dramatically. Yet, after living in Tengcheng for several years, ending this relationship wasn’t so simple. Returning to her hometown was out of the question. Though Chen Libin wasn’t particularly generous, he hadn’t treated them harshly either, covering their living expenses and the children’s school costs. It was like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat, but a pity to discard.
Miao Jing knew about their arguments. Wei Mingzhen went to work daily, but she remained wary of Chen Libin. Although Miao Jing returned home weekly to collect her living expenses, she only stayed for a day—arriving Saturday morning and leaving Sunday afternoon. During Chen Yi’s ninth-grade year, he hardly ever came home, only occasionally stopping by to pick up things. It was unclear how he received his living expenses; perhaps he had his own ways of making money.
Every Sunday afternoon, boarding students would return to school with their living expenses, crowding the commercial street outside the campus. Miao Jing and her dorm mates would stroll together, buying stationery and snacks.
Near the school gate were small restaurants, stationery shops, and boutiques. Venturing further into the residential area, hidden spots like small internet cafes, gaming arcades, and billiards halls could be found. The girls mentioned how boys from their class sneaked there to play games, and how school gang leaders and influential figures often hung out in the area. Out of curiosity, they would peek inside—the storefronts in the alley had their rolling shutters half-raised, revealing voices and glimpses of green pool tables with people milling around. The arcades were similar, with pinball machines at the entrance and roaring sound effects emanating from within.The young girl didn't dare to get involved, merely watching the novelty and commotion from afar. Turning at the end of the alley and heading back toward school, she spotted several boys up ahead—some squatting, others standing—gathered together and smoking with an air of arrogance, their demeanor rough and unruly. They stopped two girls, exchanged a few words, then waved them away. Next, they intercepted a passing boy who reluctantly pulled something from his pocket before trudging off dejectedly.
OpenNovel