After Being Betrayed by Bai Yueguang, She Said She Wanted to Keep Me as a Mistress (Pure Yuri) - 15 Not My Sister

15 Not My Sister

“…Yeah, yeah, okay. Thanks for looking after her. I’ll try to get back tonight.”

“No problem. But I’ve got some stuff to do today. I left her some cash for food. If you’re back and I’m not home yet, just grab the key from the soil of the biggest flowerpot and go in.”

“How much? I’ll transfer it to you.”

“Oh, come on, you haven’t even settled my delivery fees yet.”

“Alright, I’ll treat you to dinner sometime.”

A quick call handled the situation. After hanging up, a creature with a towel draped over its head appeared from under the bed. Its body was hidden. Only a pair of eerie eyes were visible.

“You scared me!”

“You’re going home?” 

The creature asked.

Her tone sounded so resentful.

“Yeah, something came up. Sorry. Can we make it up next week?”

“No need, I’ll drive you back.”

Huh?

“Huh?”

The creature grinned. 

“It’s not far. I’ve got nothing to do today or tomorrow.”

“You’re not working…”

“I’ll take leave.”

“But you didn’t sleep enough.”

“I’m fine, slept great. You, though, didn’t sleep enough. Those dark circles—you’ll pass out lugging bags around. Maybe you’ll even miss your stop.”

“But you just said you wanted breakfast…”

“Grab some buns to go, done.”

“Tolls and gas cost way more than a ticket.”

“I’ve got money.”

“I don’t want to owe you.”

“Then produce some content for me.”

“Which pair?”

“You agreed? Hurry, shower and change!”

Tricked.

This person was flawless.

They locked eyes.

“It’s just a ride,” 

Cheng Yafei said. 

“Drop you off downstairs? Promise I won’t go up, won’t invade your privacy.”

“It’s not really private. It’s someone you know.”

“But if you don’t want me involved, I won’t pry.”

“If I let you drive me and don’t invite you up, my karma’s gonna take a hit.”

“Then you’re a saint.”

“Not really. Just wondering why you’re so nice to me.”

“We were besties before, old times’ sake.”

“Besties usually have s3x?”

“Yup, look at us.”

Fine, be my pack mule then. Zhou Pinyue sneered.

They packed bags, went to the parking lot, loaded the trunk, and started the engine.

When driving, Cheng Yafei wore glasses—light prescription, half-rim. They turned into sunglasses in sunlight. It was a trendy style.

It felt oddly cute. Driving was such an adult thing; she could steal a few extra glances now.

“Hm?”

The eyes behind the lenses blinked. They glanced back.

“How bad’s your vision?” 

Zhou Pinyue looked ahead. She pretended it was casual. 

“You never wore them before.”

“Less than 200, hasn’t been checked in years. It’s gotten a bit worse.”

“Doesn’t it stabilize after adulthood?”

“Myth. It worsens if you don’t take care.”

AC on, GPS set, gate opened. Some playlist blared loud metal. The growling vocals nearly bursted eardrums.

Until they hit the city’s fast ring, Zhou Pinyue hesitated.

This might just make things messier…

A hand turned the knob, lowering the growls.

Usually, that meant a talk was coming.

After a pause, Cheng Yafei asked, 

“Who’s this not-your-sister person?” 

Her tone was calm.

“My romantic debt.”

“…What!?”

Score one for her.

“Kidding. Xie Yaqing’s daughter.”

The air froze for a moment.

“Oh… uh, your sister who did IVF to have a kid alone?”

Sounded like parthenogenesis.

Just single-parent sperm bank stuff.

“Cousin.”

“Right, right, cousin.”

Mid-talk, the car passed a high stretch of road. There were no cars ahead. It was like the world was just this road and blue sky.

“I remember they lived near Zhongshan Road. The kid came to another city alone? That’s bold. Why’s she looking for you?”

Kids these days were wild. Probably a middle schooler? Zhou Pinyue recalled.

“Who knows? Can’t be she suddenly thinks I’m her mom.”

“Your jokes always leave people unsure if they should laugh…”

“Laugh while you can.”

“Why?”

“Anything tied to that family kills your ability to laugh.”

“Got it.” 

Cheng Yafei actually laughed. 

“But since you moved out, do you still talk to your aunt?”

“Not much.”

“Feels like you all had it rough.”

“Yup, I’m so pitiful.”

“Not pitying you.”

“I know.”

The volume went up again. The growling track ended. It switched to vaporwave. What kind of playlist was this?

Zhou Pinyue considered calling her cousin but couldn’t bring herself to.

“Should I contact her mom?”

“Do it. Otherwise, they’ll blame you for kidnapping.” 

Cheng Yafei shrugged.

“I’ve got an alibi.”

“Are we accomplices then?”

“No crime. You’re just my witness.”

“Fine.”

Her tone sounded oddly disappointed.

A witness was close enough to ride-or-die. Too sappy to say out loud. So Zhou Pinyue swallowed it.

She decided to text instead.

[Ms. Xie, this is Zhou Pinyue. Sorry to bother. Xie Tianyu showed up at my place last night. Can you please come get her soon? Let me know when you arrive; no need to come up, I’ll send her down. Thanks.]

Formal enough, perfect. Sent.

After, she tossed the phone into the glovebox like it was burning. The move made Cheng Yafei laugh.

“Still bad bl00d, huh?”

“Yup.”

“Then why’d the kid come to you?”

“She probably thought I wouldn’t call Xie Yaqing.”

No matter how she dodged, the glovebox buzzed. Two kilometers later, she warily checked it.

[I’m coming now. Please keep an eye on her. Don’t let her run off. Thanks.]

“What’d she say?”

“She’s coming.”

You could hear the driver’s mental abacus clicking. 

“From Zhongshan Road, starting now… driving or transit, she’ll get here by afternoon. What’s for lunch?”

“Why do you sound excited?”

“Am I?”

Definitely.

Seeing her stay quiet, Cheng Yafei said casually, 

“Just hungry.”

“It’s not just you and me eating.”

“I know.”

Not a date, not for anything else—just here to be a sucker? Couldn’t figure her out.

At the place, Zhou Pinyue dug out the key from the flowerpot and opened the door. The layout was like her place: living room, balcony, and bedroom on the right; kitchen and bathroom on the left, bathroom through the kitchen.

To not startle anyone, she knocked first.

“Hello?”

No one in the living room.

“Xie Tianyu?”

No one in the bedroom.

“I’ll bring your bags in,” 

Cheng Yafei called from the door.

“Thanks, sit wherever for now.”

She checked the kitchen and bathroom. She left the balcony. It was large with a corner; one end for laundry, the other for storage. Her own storage area was a reading nook with shelves, a rocking chair, and a tea table. While Ah Ying’s was full of climbing plants. It was like a green wall.

Besides the garden rack, there was just a small stool. A person in a T-shirt, basketball shorts, and headphones sat there. They were swaying to the music.

Even sitting, they looked tall…

She remembered a kid with pigtails running around. Kids developed fast these days.

“Xie Tianyu, Xie Tianyu!”

She shouted. But the noise-canceling headphones were too good—no reaction. She had to tap the shoulder.

Xie Tianyu whipped around, startled. She nearly dropped her phone.

Pigtails were now short. She had ear-exposing hair. Zhou Pinyue recalled cutting hers like that as a kid—easier to wash. Once she could wash her own hair, her mom stopped taking her for cuts.

Meeting her gaze, Xie Tianyu seemed confused. She was unsure if she recognized her or how to address her.

“Uh… Lele?”

She used her childhood nickname.

“What?”

“That’s what my mom calls you…”

“…Fine, fine,” 

Zhou Pinyue said. Facing a face so like her cousin’s, her anger rose. 

“Why’d you come here in the middle of the night, alone, across cities? It’s dangerous, you know. Go home.”

“I don’t want to.”

“What, you’re crashing here?”

“I don’t want to go home!”

“Look, there’s no space here. I’m busy. And I’m not close with your family. Whatever soap opera drama you’re playing, don’t do it here, okay?”

“You took me to play PS4 when I was little…”

“That was ages ago.”

“Not that long for me!”

“I don’t care. I called your mom. She’s coming. Go home with her.”

Xie Tianyu shot up.

A head taller, face dark. Zhou Pinyue stepped back, off the balcony.

“How do you have her number?”

She sounded frantic.

“She never changed it.”

“I thought you didn’t talk.”

“We don’t, but now we do because of you.”

“You’re all so annoying,” 

Xie Tianyu wiped her eyes. She yelled. 

“Go die, I hate you all, get lost!”

“Hey, this is someone else’s place. Don’t make a scene. If you cause trouble and they call the cops, I’m not paying for you—”

The balcony door slammed shut.

Headache.

Cheng Yafei peeked from the door. She was whispering to ask what happened. Zhou Pinyue shook her head. She was clueless. She was irritated by this mess.

“Now what?”

Let it all crash and burn.

“I’ll tell Ah Ying. If it comes to it, call the cops. Kids—what’s the point? Just a bunch of people popping them out.”

Her cousin seemed to want a kid just for retirement. Worth it? Better save the education money for a pension plan.

“Come on, don’t say that. It’s the rebellious phase. We were like that, acting out because adults doted on us.”

“I wasn’t like that.”

Seeing her down, Cheng Yafei poked her cheek lightly.

“Then you were a good kid. Here’s a gold star.”

“…”

Zhou Pinyue cleared her throat. She headed to the door. She was skipping the topic. 

“Let’s go eat lunch.”

“Wait a sec?”

“For what?”

With a confident smile, Cheng Yafei pointed to the balcony. 

“Or why don’t you go grab a spot first?”