Being Raised in Captivity by the Former Canary - Chapter 11

A subtle thorn remained lodged deep within Jiang Jixue’s heart.

The delicate balance between carefully flattering and obeying Quan Ruo’an while suppressing any outward display of affection had long become second nature to Jiang Jixue.

Her elder sister favored the image of a naive, bashful, pure white flower—a performance of coy resistance and reluctant surrender.

Thus, in Quan Ruo’an’s presence, Jiang Jixue maintained an air of restraint and obedience, never daring to reveal her true desires. She had truly become a pristine, sacred lotus, devoid of worldly desires.

She could only passively endure the pleasure of being drawn into the mortal realm.

A month before their impending internships, the residents of Dorm 513 decided to gather for a weekend get-together.

Jiang Jixue was nestled in Quan Ruo’an’s arms when she received the message in the dorm group chat, detailing the time and location of the gathering.

Quan Ruo’an, with one arm around Jiang Jixue’s waist and the other holding her phone, merely lowered her eyelids slightly at the notification sounds and asked, “Who is it?”

Jiang Jixue hesitated, unsure whether to answer.

The agreed-upon time coincided exactly with their scheduled hot spring trip.

Jiang Jixue had initially planned to decline the invitation herself, but when Quan Ruo’an asked about it, she simply showed her the chat history. Jiang Jixue tilted her entire small face upward, her smooth, delicate forearm holding up her phone as she brought it closer for Quan Ruo’an to see.

Quan Ruo’an straightened up slightly, her affectionate gaze lingering on Jiang Jixue’s wrist, which was straining to hold the phone.

Quan Ruo’an lowered her eyes to Jiang Jixue’s lips, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth, before gently pressing down on the hand holding the phone.

Jiang Jixue couldn’t tell if Quan Ruo’an had actually read the message. Annoyed by her dismissive attitude, she pouted slightly.

Looking down from above, Quan Ruo’an could only see Jiang Jixue’s furrowed brows and tightly pursed lips.

Quan Ruo’an chuckled softly. “What’s with that expression? I saw it. If you want to go, go ahead.” As she spoke, her fingers slowly traced the skin just below Jiang Jixue’s wrist.

The tingling sensation was so comforting it made Jiang Jixue feel drowsy.

Thinking Quan Ruo’an had forgotten about their conflicting schedules, Jiang Jixue reminded her, “But Elder Sister, didn’t we book a trip to the hot springs resort?”

Quan Ruo’an’s hand, which had been caressing Jiang Jixue’s wrist, now began tracing the contours of her cheek.

Quan Ruo’an’s casual voice drifted into Jiang Jixue’s ear, “What’s more important than Xiao Xue’s roommate gathering?”

With that, Quan Ruo’an lowered her head, her nose nuzzling against Jiang Jixue’s pale neck.

Jiang Jixue’s cheeks flushed crimson as she remained trapped in Quan Ruo’an’s embrace, enduring her blatant teasing.

Quan Ruo’an’s words warmed her heart, creating a soft, tender space within her.

Elder Sister is always so good to me, Jiang Jixue thought, so good that sometimes I forget our true roles and relationship. Quan Ruo’an respected her in every way, always yielding to her wishes. It was as if she were living in a dream where she was truly loved.

But after only a brief moment of tender embrace, Quan Ruo’an rose and went to her study to attend to urgent business.

Leaving behind only the lingering warmth of her presence and the lingering fragrance of her perfume.

Jiang Jixue sat alone on the living room sofa, scrolling through posts. Suddenly, a notification pinged in the group chat she usually kept muted. Group admin Qu Fang had tagged her, asking if she was coming. Jiang Jixue finally replied with an “OK.”

As soon as she exited the chat, a video call came through—a group video call from her dorm. The last lingering traces of intimacy were completely shattered.

She didn’t like this feeling. It felt as if strangers had trespassed on her and her elder sister’s territory.

Jiang Jixue subconsciously pursed her lips, then lowered the volume, walked to the balcony, deliberately paused for a long moment, and finally answered the video call.

There were four people in their dorm: besides her, one studied environmental art, another studied fashion design, and the last one, like her, studied oil painting.

During her last visit to campus for classes, Jiang Jixue couldn’t withstand their relentless questioning and had to confess that she had moved out to live with her girlfriend.

This was to dispel the rumors circulating on the campus forum, which claimed she was being “kept by a sugar daddy,” accompanied by a blurry photo of her standing in front of a Bentley.

After she told her roommates, someone—she never found out who—leaked the information, and another gossip thread about her appeared on the forum. The second thread was titled: “Who knew? Jiang Jixue is actually gay!”

Sensational headlines always attract attention, much like the viral content strategies on Xiaohongshu. This anonymous post quickly surpassed ten thousand views.

Rumor had it that many students from other universities were logging into their school’s forum mini-program.

Snapping back to reality, Jiang Jixue took a deep breath.

She had essentially lent Quan Ruo’an out as a weapon this time, while also securing a top hat that might slip off at any moment.

“Jiang Jixue, bring your girlfriend to meet us sometime!” Qu Fang’s voice chimed in.

Jiang Jixue simply offered her usual warm yet slightly distant smile, genuine and composed. “I’ll ask her,” she replied, “but she’s been quite busy lately, so I’m not sure if she’ll be able to make it.”

After a few more rounds of insincere pleasantries, Jiang Jixue deliberately let slip a few details beyond what they were fishing for, and the video call ended.

The human instinct to gossip was undeniable. Jiang Jixue stood on the balcony, gazing down at the lawn below, the cold wind whipping around her as she pondered.

Of course, she wouldn’t ask Quan Ruo’an if he would attend.

In her heart, she had long excluded Quan Ruo’an from all her personal relationships. She also tacitly assumed he wouldn’t interfere with her private plans.

This was one of the unspoken agreements between the Golden Canary and his Gold Master.

The next day, since there were no afternoon classes on Friday, Jiang Jixue returned to her apartment outside the school as usual. As she pushed open the door, the cold, empty living room was dimly lit by a single floor lamp. The suit jacket that had been draped over the sofa was gone.

Elder Sister is gone? She left without a word again.

It seemed to be her elder sister’s habit to leave without saying goodbye or informing her beforehand. Even though Jiang Jixue was used to it, the sight of the empty room still left her with a sudden sense of emptiness, followed by a wave of bitterness that churned in her chest.

After standing in the entryway for a long moment, Jiang Jixue finally moved her stiff legs and walked mechanically to the sofa. She found Ruo Shui’s profile in her contacts and made a voice call.

The dimly lit room was warm and quiet. It took five or six seconds for Ruo Shui to answer.

“Hello? Miss Jiang?” Ruo Shui held her phone flat in her palm, her gaze instinctively darting to the woman sitting on the sofa.

The woman on the sofa had sunk deep into the cushions, her expression languid and serene, her eyes fixed on Ruo Shui without a flicker of emotion. The crimson ember of the cigar in her hand seemed to pulse with her shallow breaths.

Jiang Jixue lifted her chin slightly, and Ruo Shui understood, handing her the phone.

A long silence stretched between them. Jiang Jixue gripped the phone tighter, biting her lip. Knowing she couldn’t afford to delay any longer, she forced her voice to remain steady. “Assistant Ruo, is my elder sister nearby?”

Quan Ruo’an’s expression paused momentarily before she looked up. Ruo Shui quickly stepped forward and leaned down beside her. “Miss Jiang, President Quan… is currently in a meeting.”

The sharp intake of breath echoed abruptly through the phone.

A cluster of ash fell from the cigarette in Quan Ruo’an’s hand.

Ruo Shui cleared her throat, about to speak again, when Jiang Jixue interrupted. “…Then please pass on my regards to my elder sister, Assistant Ruo. I won’t disturb you any further.”

Ruo Shui: “…Very well.”

The call ended, and a heavy silence settled over the conference room.

Jiang Jixue hadn’t asked anything. She hadn’t asked why Quan Ruo’an had suddenly left, where she had gone, or when she would return.

Quan Ruo’an seemed somewhat disappointed. She let out a long sigh and murmured to the empty air, “This child’s boundaries are too rigid. Could that be… a bad thing?”

Ruo Shui wasn’t sure if Quan Ruo’an was talking to herself or genuinely asking her. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “Miss Jiang is still a student. Her reserved nature is normal for someone her age. Besides… isn’t that precisely what Sister Quan intended when she took her in?”

In the silence punctuated by their brief exchanges, Quan Ruo’an finished her cigar and casually tossed the butt into the wrought-iron trash can nearby.

Yes, she thought, I don’t know when it started, but the constraints of a romantic relationship began to feel stifling. A kept woman relationship, on the other hand, only requires the Gold Master’s unilateral release, demanding no emotional investment whatsoever.

It was a downward compatibility, and for her, a healthier arrangement.

Thus, Xiao Xue had been appointed as her first Golden Canary.

Quan Ruo’an’s eyes narrowed slightly as her thoughts drifted into the distance.

Seeing her lost in contemplation, Ruo Shui quietly withdrew.

In the conference room, the incense sticks curled upward, their ethereal blue smoke rising like it had half a year ago in that smoky bar. From the second-floor balcony, she had watched that naive young woman sitting alone in a booth, nursing her drink.

The lights flickered, illuminating the long table in the booth, which was covered with various bottles and jars of liquor. With each drink, the young woman scribbled several strokes on the paper beneath her sketchbook, her hand moving fluidly, almost like she was doodling.

Just then, a waiter approached her. Quan Ruo’an pointed in his direction with her ringed hand, and the waiter leaned down to listen attentively.

After a few murmured words, the waiter leaned closer and explained, “President Quan, she’s a student from the art academy next door, looking for inspiration.”

“With the lights flickering and so dim, can she even see clearly?”

The waiter replied, “Artists are just… eccentric, I guess.”

“Oh.”

The conversation should have ended there, but the young waiter, eager to ingratiate himself, added, “Artists are so strange. They’re often so broke they can’t even afford a few coins, yet they still come here to drink themselves into a stupor. Maybe it really is a good way to find inspiration…”

“You seem to know her well,” Quan Ruo’an said, her gaze fixed on the slender, hazy figure below.

The waiter replied honestly, “She came to our bar yesterday looking for a job. She could have worked in marketing or as part of the atmosphere team, but she was looking for a painting job. Our boss recommended her to the bar across the street that’s being renovated. The owner there seemed to agree…”

Memories of what others had said and their first one-sided encounter with her flashed through Quan Ruo’an’s mind.

Page after page of images flipped open, and many things became clear.

Quan Ruo’an immediately opened his phone and sent a voice message.

Standing by the door, Ruo Shui tapped to listen. Her boss’s slightly agitated voice came through the speaker.

On Ruo Shui’s phone, the voice message from “Queen” read: The dinner on the last day is canceled. Book a flight back to R City for the day before.

For some reason, Ruo Shui secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Quan Ruo’an sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, idly turning his ring between his fingers. His thick lashes drooped, obscuring most of the light in his eyes.

The little pet at home misses her. Why not grant her wish?

Quan Ruo’an turned off his phone screen and unconsciously rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index finger.