After Stealing a Kiss from My Sponsor Sister - Chapter 8
As they walked down the mountain, Yu Shuang’s suitcase somehow ended up in Feng Gu’s hands again.
After a brief exchange, Feng Gu insisted on carrying it for her, and Yu Shuang thanked him.
The forest was lush and green.
The first time she had gone up the mountain, it had already been dark, and rain had been falling. Yu Shuang had spent the entire journey staring at the puddles underfoot. The second time she descended, she had been in a hurry to leave—same when she returned—her mind too restless to pay much attention to her surroundings.
But this time, they took their time, and the scenery along the way was beautiful.
Click.
Yu Shuang took another photo, planning to use it for reference later.
“Am I holding you up?”
Their pace was practically a leisurely stroll, so she asked Feng Gu just to be sure.
The young man quickly waved his hands. “No, no, Miss Yu, feel free to take as many photos as you like.”
Yu Shuang nodded.
After snapping a few more shots, she zoomed in on one and remarked, “There really are wild dogs here.”
Behind a tree trunk, the tip of a black tail was visible. And judging from the photos she’d taken along the way, more than one had made it into the frame.
“Yeah, there’ve been a lot of wild dogs lately,” Feng Gu said, sounding somewhat exasperated. “No idea how many pups were born this spring. There weren’t this many in previous years.”
“Miss Yu, be careful. Packs of wild dogs can be a real nuisance. If we run into any, we’ll have to pick up the pace.”
Yu Shuang found it odd. “Jiang Ya mentioned something like that when I arrived, but I didn’t see any around while I was staying at her place.”
Then it dawned on her, and she and Feng Gu spoke in unison: “Xiao Huang.”
“She has Xiao Huang. That dog’s really good at guarding the house.”
No wonder there were no wild dogs loitering nearby.
Whenever Yu Shuang went out to scout locations, she often took Xiao Huang along for walks, so the wild dogs naturally kept their distance.
“Was he raised specifically to guard the house?”
“Not at all,” Feng Gu shook his head. “Xiao Ya found him. He was just a tiny pup when she picked him up, barely the size of a palm. Everyone thought he wouldn’t survive, but look at him now—all grown up.”
Yu Shuang nodded. From what she’d seen, the way the kid raised Xiao Huang was more like keeping a pet.
She took him for walks every morning and evening, had a basket full of dog toys—though the toys themselves were nothing special, the leash was a branded one, complete with a prong collar, a regular collar, a harness, and a retractable lead.
Even the dog food was a well-known brand. During meals, Xiao Huang often got extras—pumpkin, ribs, big chicken legs, broccoli, carrots, even little rabbit-shaped treats. He wasn’t fond of vegetables, so Jiang Ya would hide them in his meat to trick him into eating them… The thought of Xiao Huang happily taking a bite only to scrunch up his face when he tasted the veggies made Yu Shuang chuckle.
“Miss Yu, do you like dogs?”
“I used to have one, so I know a bit about their habits.”
Feng Gu: “Then didn’t Xiao Ya ask if you wanted to take Xiao Huang?”
“Huh?”
“She was thinking of giving him away before because no one’s home during the day.” Scratching his head, Feng Gu paused, feeling like something wasn’t quite right, but he didn’t dwell on it. “Maybe she changed her mind recently.”
“After everything that’s happened, having Xiao Huang around is probably good for her.”
Yu Shuang blinked, still processing the thought, when Feng Gu suddenly urged, “Come on, let’s pick up the pace! There’s a whole pack of wild dogs over there!”
“Alright.” Yu Shuang put her phone away.
Only after putting considerable distance between them and the dogs did Feng Gu catch his breath and grumble, “If I ever find out who’s been feeding them, I’ll give them a good thrashing!”
“Someone in this area feeds wild dogs?”
“That’s just it—no one knows! The city’s been running public awareness campaigns every year telling people not to feed them, and the few households living up here all know better. But my mom and Old Huang next door have both seen wild dogs gnawing on ribs this year…”
Yu Shuang immediately thought of Xiao Huang’s chew treats—sliced ribs, given daily.
Frustrated, Feng Gu ran a hand through his hair. “Forget it. They didn’t get a clear look anyway. Maybe it’s just that spring litters are bigger—who knows? If there are too many, we’ll organize a cleanup later.”
After sitting in the town café for a while, Yu Shuang’s car was returned.
The trunk had contained some items when it was taken, and Yu Shuang hadn’t cleared them out. Upon inspection after its return, everything was still there, nothing missing. She also checked the newly sprayed undercarriage armor, completed the insurance handover, and signed for the car keys.
By the time the insurance agent left, her phone showed 3:40 p.m.
There was plenty of time to return to Shangjing.
After a moment’s thought, Yu Shuang said to Feng Gu, “I’m going out to make a call.”
Summer had already arrived by the lunar calendar, and Yu Shuang had long shed her trench coat. Now, she wore only a simple top and long pants.
The white blouse had a floral lace cutout at the waist, hinting at her slender figure. Her legs were long and straight, with a glimpse of pale ankles above her flats as they tapped against the cobblestones. The mountain breeze swept through her waist-length hair like a gentle caress from a mountain deity.
First, she checked in with her assistant about work progress.
Then, she exchanged a few words with her business partner.
“I’ve got no issues with the rest—design drafts and samples are all approved. It’s just… the ‘Forest Nymph’ makeup. I’m stuck. There aren’t many references for a Chinese-style look, and the director hates anything too Westernized.” Tan Xiao sounded exasperated. “Partner, how about you pitch in a little? Stop joyriding on mountain roads all day.”
“Wasn’t it you who told me to wreck it before returning it, afraid Professor Shu would get jealous?”
“Who’s Professor Shu? ‘Wise men don’t fall in love; they build a beautiful new China!’”
Great, work had driven another one mad.
Yu Shuang: “Hold on, let me record this. Say that again.”
Tan Xiao: “Goodbye!”
The faint smile on her lips faded as she scrolled through her contacts again. Her finger hovered over a few names, irritation already bubbling up before she even dialed.
In the end, she tapped her aunt’s name—Yu Jiao.
“Planning to come back?” Her aunt cut straight to the point.
Yu Shuang exhaled. “Getting ready.”
Yu Jiao didn’t mince words, laying out recent events in meticulous detail, each revelation making Yu Shuang’s vision darken further.
“That’s about it. When are you coming back to face the music?”
“…Tomorrow.”
“Can’t make it today? It’s still early.”
“I need today to… brace myself.”
Yu Jiao laughed. “Fine. Be careful out there, and try not to stir up trouble.”
Yu Shuang: “You make it sound like I go looking for it.”
“Not exactly. Our Ningning is very well-behaved—just too soft-hearted, easy to take advantage of.”
Yu Shuang couldn’t be bothered to correct her aunt’s rose-tinted view. “By the way, how’s Dad lately?”
“Oh, just on the verge of having his brains scolded out by your grandma.”
Yu Shuang: “Good. The worse he feels, the better I feel.”
Yu Jiao burst into laughter.
Back at the café, Yu Shuang said to Feng Gu, “My lawyer’s gone over the contract. If there’s nothing else, let’s sign today.”
She was referring to the new funding project.
Feng Gu’s eyes lit up, and he immediately called to gather the necessary people.
Everything was signed before dinner. They waited for a courier to collect the documents needing official seals, and the director insisted on treating Yu Shuang to a meal. Checking the time, she agreed.
Director Wang, also a local, brought up charity again, and within a few sentences, the conversation turned to Jiang Ya.
“The kid came to ask me about other programs before. I thought she wanted to continue her studies… Who knows if she’s acting out of spite or what. If she really quits, it’d be such a shame.” Director Wang cracked sunflower seeds while shaking her head. “Though a degree isn’t worth much these days, that’s not how you should look at it. Ms. Yu, you must know—those who go to college and those who don’t start from completely different places. What they see, how they think, it’s all different…”
Yu Shuang seized the key point: “What’s Jiang Ya so upset about?”
“Her uncle, of course. Sometimes kids just act out of spite, not realizing the consequences!”
Ah, the property issue—Yu Shuang knew about that.
Director Wang continued, “Then again, it’s not entirely her uncle’s fault. Anyone stuck with a son like that would be unlucky! Young but no good, sticky fingers too. A few years back, Old Man Jiang beat him half to death, and still, he didn’t change… Though his parents spoiled him rotten. If you ask me…”
Yu Shuang frowned. “Did he steal something from the Jiang family?”
“What else? Money!”
Sticky fingers, bad grades, loves to fight—the classic delinquent combo.
Used to bully Jiang Ya as a kid, so their relationship was never good.
After a meal’s worth of gossip, back at the hotel, Director Wang’s chatter still seemed to echo in Yu Shuang’s ears.
But it wasn’t unpleasant. The director meant well.
At its core, it was concern.
Her hands paused while organizing the sketches. Yu Shuang blinked once.
The voices had buzzed in her ears all day. Now, in sudden silence, the overlooked inconsistencies finally surfaced in her mind.
One piece locking into another.
Stray dogs. Training. Dog treats.
Property. Commands. ID card.
Jiang Rui’s character.
Giving away Xiao Huang.
Asking about other funding programs.
And—thanking her but still needing to think it over…
All the oddities threaded together into a line, leading to a chilling suspicion.
The moment Yu Shuang snapped back to reality, the sketch slipped from her fingers and hit the floor. Her heart pounded wildly.
No, no, no—it couldn’t be, right?
Splashing water on her face, Yu Shuang tried to calm down.
Calm… was impossible.
The more she thought about it, the more unsettling it became.
Jiang Ya was well-behaved around her, but the kid wasn’t stupid—quietly shrewd, in fact. She…
Yu Shuang looked up. The mirror reflected her pale face.
—”Don’t go looking for trouble.”
Her aunt’s earnest warning rang in her ears.
Slapping a hand over her face, Yu Shuang breathed rapidly.
No, no, it might not be like that. She must be overthinking.
Life was hard enough already—why pile on more debuffs?
Forcing down the clamoring thoughts, she returned to the room to pick up the sketches.
After searching, one was missing.
Counting them, it was the landscape drawing of Jiang Ya’s courtyard.
Thinking of that yard, fragments of memories rushed back.
Jiang Ya’s cooking was genuinely good.
The kid wasn’t even legally an adult yet.
Yu Shuang closed her eyes. Don’t look for trouble, don’t look for trouble, don’t…
Don’t look for trouble, my ass!
Standing up, she snatched the car keys from the desk and strode out the door.
Starting the sports car, she floored the gas. For a moment, Yu Shuang wondered if the car could even make it up the mountain.
But she quickly dismissed the hesitation.
Leave it to fate!
–
Jiang Ya had prepared her tools meticulously, all mixed in Little Huang’s toy basket. Now, as she took them out, she first gagged him, then tied his legs. When he struggled, she punched him in the wound… Once everything was neatly arranged, she dragged him to the usual spot where the dog was tied and secured him there. Just then, Jiang Ya heard the sound of an engine.
She froze, thinking she must have misheard, but then came the sound of the engine shutting off.
Jiang Ya’s pupils constricted.
Realizing who it most likely was, her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst from her chest.
Her first instinct was to clamp a hand tightly over Jiang Rui’s mouth. For a fleeting moment, she even considered knocking him out with the baseball bat first.
“Bang, bang, bang—!”
The knocking came faster than she could act.
“Jiang Ya?”
“Jiang Xiao Ya?”
It was Miss Yu.
Jiang Ya frowned deeply, feeling as though she had split into two—one part of her desperately wanting to answer, the other coldly observing from the sidelines.
Reason won out. Before Yu Shuang could call, Jiang Ya muted her phone.
Four or five consecutive calls lit up the screen. Jiang Rui squirmed in her arms, but she held him down firmly.
Don’t come.
Don’t come in.
Go away, leave.
Don’t wade into this mess, Miss Yu.
The veins on the back of her hand bulged as she gritted her teeth in agony.
Please.
Finally, the phone screen darkened.
After a few more knocks, silence fell outside.
Jiang Ya heard footsteps retreating and had just begun to exhale in relief when suddenly, from outside: “Little Huang, fetch!”
Little Huang had been immobilized by Jiang Ya from the start and didn’t bark.
But precisely because he didn’t bark…
“If even the dog’s frozen, what’s the point of pretending? You’re definitely in the yard!”
The door was pounded again with force.
“Brat, open up!”