After Accidentally Marking My Stepsister's White Moonlight (GL, ABO) - Chapter 2

Ye Wenjin attended university in the same city—the Beijing Dance Academy, one of the top-tier art institutions and coincidentally the best school she could attend locally.

If given the choice, Ye Wenjin would have preferred to study in another province, but…

When filling out her college applications after the gaokao, she had already selected her dream school. However, her mother secretly altered her choices, switching it to a local university. She only found out when the acceptance letter arrived.

Ye Wenjin couldn’t describe how she felt at that moment, but she didn’t have the right to throw a tantrum. Ye Shuyao had trotted out the same old reasoning—that it was “for her own good”—and she had relented, only minimizing her visits home afterward.

——

The Yin family’s residence was quite far. Ye Wenjin boarded the bus, resting her head against the window. The cold seeped into her skull, sharpening her awareness.

The bus rattled forward, and soon, a light drizzle began outside.

Ye Wenjin stared blankly at the raindrops streaking the window until the bus reached its final stop. Only then did she pick up her umbrella and step off.

The security guard at the gated community recognized her. Seeing her approach through the rain, he opened the gate in advance.

Ye Wenjin thanked him politely and walked in slowly.

In this household, she didn’t even have the privilege of freely entering the front door—she didn’t even possess a key to what was supposedly her home. Every time she returned, she had to knock and wait for someone to let her in, like a guest.

The only difference was that, unlike a guest, she wasn’t treated with courtesy.

Raindrops pattered steadily from her umbrella as she stood carefully on the doorstep, waiting.

Before long, the door opened, and the sound of elegant music drifted out. A maid emerged and quickly closed the door behind her.

“Miss Ye, you’ve returned. Please come this way—the family is hosting a banquet, so you’ll need to freshen up first.”

The villa belonged entirely to the Yin family, so of course, there were maids aplenty.

Without a word, Ye Wenjin nodded and followed the maid through a side entrance.

“Miss Ye, this is the gown Madam prepared for you. The makeup artist is waiting outside—we must hurry downstairs soon.”

Ye Wenjin glanced at the dress but didn’t take it. “I’m not here for the banquet. Where’s my mother?”

The maid’s expression remained neutral, professional. “Miss Ye, these are Madam’s instructions. Please change, and the makeup artist will be in to attend to you in five minutes.”

Ye Wenjin fell silent for a moment. She knew that once she had returned, she had no right to refuse.

She changed into the dress anyway. The makeup artist entered as promised and began working on her. Roughly twenty minutes later, the maid returned to hurry them along.

The makeup artist rushed to finish.

Ye Wenjin lifted her gaze slightly, studying her reflection in the mirror.

The makeup didn’t suit her—the lipstick was too bold, aging her. But she said nothing, simply following the maid into the banquet hall until they reached an elegant woman.

“Madam, Miss Ye is here.”

Ye Shuyao turned with a smile, though a flicker of displeasure passed through her eyes at the sight of Ye Wenjin. Her tone, however, remained warm and gentle. “A-Jin, come here.”

Not a single word of concern—but Ye Wenjin was long accustomed to it. She stepped forward numbly.

“Madam Lin, my apologies for the wait. Allow me to introduce my daughter, Ye Wenjin.”

Ye Wenjin suddenly looked over, yet Ye Shuyao didn’t even glance her way, still maintaining a gentle smile as she faced Lady Lin, with a hint of ingratiation upon closer inspection.

Lin Yu’s expression was unwell as she swept a glance at Ye Wenjin, saying with a mocking tone, “Miss Ye is truly naturally beautiful.”

Though her words carried sarcasm, Ye Wenjin paid no attention to them, her gaze fixed on Ye Shuyao, hoping for an explanation. But the latter never turned her head.

“A-Jin has never liked wearing makeup since childhood. Today, knowing she was meeting Lady Lin, I asked her to dress up a bit. Unfortunately, her skills aren’t quite there yet. Please forgive her, Lady Lin.”

Ye Wenjin’s expression shifted. She no longer looked at Ye Shuyao but turned to Lin Yu instead. “Lady Lin, my apologies. I just remembered something urgent and must excuse myself.”

Ye Shuyao’s face finally changed as she reached out to grab her, but Ye Wenjin sidestepped, avoiding her grasp.

Yet she didn’t manage to leave. As she turned, she saw two figures approaching their direction.

Ye Wenjin paused mid-step, watching as they quickly closed the distance.

The two bore striking resemblance, differing only in aura and temperament—Yin Yu, the head of the Yin family, and her daughter, Yin Feifei.

A faint smile played on Yin Yu’s stern face as she remarked cryptically, “Wenjin is back? No wonder Feifei said she couldn’t find you at school, and your phone went unanswered. So you returned first.”

Hearing this, Ye Wenjin pressed her lips together and remained silent.

Yin Feifei wore a polite smile. “Mother, it’s alright. Sister must have missed Aunt Ye, so she came back early.”

Ye Wenjin listened numbly to their words, offering no response.

Ye Shuyao’s expression faltered, her smile growing strained.

Now, with Yin Yu’s arrival, Ye Wenjin was rooted to the spot, unable to leave even if she wanted to.

Lin Yu, having enjoyed the spectacle, felt some of her displeasure dissipate. She remarked meaningfully, “The Yin household is certainly lively, Director Yin.”

Yin Yu responded with a composed smile. “My apologies for the scene, Lady Lin. After all, we’ll soon be family. Though I didn’t raise Wenjin myself, she has a pure and kind nature. It’s a joyous occasion for her to be united with Miss Lin.”

Lin Yu felt a pang of irritation at her words, her smile turning slightly derisive, though she said nothing more.

She knew exactly what these people were scheming. What infuriated her was that the Lin family’s current standing couldn’t rival the Yins’. Even if they unilaterally changed the engagement to Ye Wenjin, there was nothing the Lins could do. But…

Lin Yu narrowed her eyes, giving Ye Wenjin a meaningful look before politely taking her leave.

She had come solely to see the substitute fiancée Yin Yu had arbitrarily chosen. Now that she had, there was no reason to linger.

Had it not been for maintaining superficial relations, she wouldn’t have come at all.

The Yins had switched candidates without consulting them—simply because her daughter hadn’t presented as an Omega.

Yin Feifei, on the other hand, was fortunate—not only presenting as an Alpha but also of a high tier, her future undoubtedly bright.

But… who could say for certain what the future held?

As the cityscape blurred past the window, a shadow flickered in Lin Yu’s eyes.

Lady Lin’s departure caused little disruption, and the banquet continued as usual.

Amid the surrounding revelry, Ye Wenjin felt as though she had plunged into an icy abyss.

Though their conversation had been brief, she had sensed something unsettling beneath the surface.

The engagement that should have belonged to her stepsister Yin Feifei had been transferred to her without anyone consulting her.

And the other party in the engagement was the daughter of that Mrs. Lin from earlier.

Her head ached even more now…

Ye Wenjin pressed her lips together tightly, no longer in the mood to stay at the banquet, and turned to leave.

Ye Shuyao was very displeased with her silent departure but couldn’t bear to leave such an occasion herself. So, she had no choice but to cautiously stay by Yin Yu’s side, afraid of displeasing her.

However, Yin Yu didn’t even spare her a glance. After signaling to a nearby servant, she led Yin Feifei, all smiles, into the thick of the socializing.

Ye Wenjin had originally intended to leave directly, but a servant stopped her. Puzzled, she hesitated for a moment and decided not to leave just yet—she wanted to ask for herself.

The banquet lasted until nearly dawn. The moment Ye Shuyao appeared, Ye Wenjin approached her.

“What exactly is going on with this engagement?”

Having spent the entire night forcing smiles, Ye Shuyao was exhausted and eager to go rest. But when she suddenly heard Ye Wenjin’s blunt question, her temper flared.

“Ye Wenjin, since when do you speak to your mother so rudely? Is this how I raised you?”

Ye Wenjin suddenly felt suffocated.

She had heard words like this all her life, but for some reason, hearing Ye Shuyao’s merciless tone now made her inexplicably nauseous.

Yet Ye Shuyao ignored her discomfort and continued lecturing her.

Each word was like a sharp blade, cutting into her. Ye Wenjin’s face paled slightly, and she suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired.

She refused to stay silent any longer. The moment Ye Shuyao paused, she immediately interrupted, “This engagement belongs to whoever it was meant for. I refuse to replace Yin Feifei in this marriage alliance.”

Ye Shuyao froze, seemingly caught off guard by her refusal.

Yin Yu and Yin Feifei were even more surprised.

When Ye Shuyao had first married into the family, bringing Ye Wenjin with her, neither of them had taken a liking to the girl. Still, Yin Yu hadn’t driven Ye Wenjin away. Yin Feifei, however, was different—she detested her stepsister.

It was as if someone had suddenly invaded her territory, trying to steal what was hers. Yin Feifei felt deeply affronted.

Even though she knew her mother wouldn’t give Ye Wenjin a single cent of the family’s wealth, Ye Wenjin’s mere presence irritated her.

Back then, when Ye Shuyao had first brought her in, Ye Wenjin had been scrawny and small, her manners crude and uncultured—like some wild child with no upbringing. Of course, Yin Feifei had disliked her from the start.

Perhaps because their attitude toward Ye Wenjin was so obvious, Ye Shuyao had sensed it too.

But she hadn’t stood up for her daughter. Instead, she had fawned over Yin Yu and Yin Feifei, knowing full well that in this household, Yin Yu was the one in charge. Only by pleasing them could she avoid returning to a life of hardship—she had had enough of those days.

It wasn’t that Ye Shuyao felt no guilt toward Ye Wenjin, but she believed she had already done enough for her. If not for her own caution and subservience, they would never have achieved their current lifestyle.

Yet Ye Wenjin never showed her any gratitude or concern. Sometimes, Ye Shuyao even felt like this daughter of hers was nothing but a curse.

Because Ye Wenjin held virtually no status in this household, no one bothered to ask for her opinion before deciding her fate for her.

So when Ye Wenjin’s refusal was heard at this moment, the air fell silent.

As if unaware of the atmosphere, Ye Wenjin repeated, “I refuse the arranged marriage.”

Yin Yu frowned, her deep eyes fixed on Ye Wenjin, though her face showed no ripple of emotion.

Yin Feifei, however, couldn’t hold back, her face full of malice. “You won’t go? That’s not up to you. Ye Wenjin, you’re just a Beta. The Lin family might not be particularly wealthy, but given your status, marrying into it would be climbing above your station. What more could you possibly want? Besides…” She glanced at Ye Shuyao with a mocking smile. “Aunt Ye has already agreed. You don’t have the right to refuse.”

Ye Shuyao trembled slightly, instinctively forcing a smile. “Feifei is right, A-Jin. This is the best choice for you. The Lin family is wonderful—once you’re married, I’ll be at ease. And Miss Lin is also a Beta; you two are well-matched.”

Ye Wenjin felt absurd, looking at Ye Shuyao as if she didn’t recognize her, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Perhaps she should have realized long ago—from the moment they divorced, she no longer had a home.

Ye Wenjin stayed silent.

Yin Yu thought she had relented, but then Ye Wenjin turned and walked away.

Ye Shuyao couldn’t help raising her voice. “Ye Wenjin, stop right there! Where do you think you’re going?”

“Back to school. I told you, this marriage alliance has nothing to do with me. I won’t go through with it.”

Before Ye Shuyao could respond, Yin Yu’s expression abruptly turned cold, and she let out a disdainful snort.

The fury of being defied made Yin Yu lose control of her pheromones, and a slightly bitter scent quickly filled the air.

Feeling her pheromones, Ye Shuyao suddenly flushed, her body trembling slightly.

Yin Feifei couldn’t help but step back. “Stop her!”

Several servants obeyed, stepping forward to block Ye Wenjin’s path.

“Miss Ye, please don’t make this difficult for us. You should go back—Madam and the young mistress are angry,” one servant whispered in warning, but Ye Wenjin had no intention of stopping.

Just as she continued forward, Yin Yu finally reined in her pheromones. “No need to waste words. Take Miss Ye back to her room. She is not to leave without my permission.”

The servants immediately seized Ye Wenjin, forcibly dragging her back.

Ye Wenjin struggled, but her body felt inexplicably weak, her head heavy—perhaps due to Yin Yu’s earlier pheromone outburst. The discomfort grew worse, making it impossible to break free.

As she passed Ye Shuyao, she cast one last hopeful glance at her. “Mom!”

But Ye Shuyao paid no heed to her voice, lost in some strange daze.

Watching her mother remain indifferent to her plight, Ye Wenjin’s heart finally died the moment she was locked in her room.