Being Raised in Captivity by the Former Canary - Chapter 22

In a daze, the two women found themselves embracing again.

At the Jin Family’s banquet, where both red and white wines flowed freely, it was nearly impossible to avoid becoming utterly drunk.

As they clung tightly to each other, Quan Ruo’an’s fingertips brushed lightly against the soft nape of Jiang Jixue’s neck, accidentally touching the scar left by a cigarette burn.

“I’m sorry…”

“I’m sorry…”

“Xiao Xue, I’m so sorry…”

Quan Ruo’an couldn’t quite hear her own words. She didn’t know if this was another one of her drunken dreams, or if it was actually real.

Jiang Jixue’s heart softened instantly, her voice gentle. The last trace of irritation from Quan Ruo’an’s drunken state at the banquet vanished.

Jiang Jixue cupped Quan Ruo’an’s face, her eyes filled with restrained tenderness. She murmured, “It’s okay, Elder Sister. I’ve always thought of the scar from the cigarette burn as the prologue you left on my body.”

“In the days you were gone, it was the only memento that kept me company. I’ve long forgotten the pain…”

She was, in a way, using Quan Ruo’an’s drunken state to reveal her true feelings.

Jiang Jixue owned another apartment in the city center. In this apartment, she had deliberately placed a massive mirror in the bedroom, directly facing the bed. Many times, under the moonlight, she would bare her back and caress the scars in the mirror, indulging in solitary admiration.

Touching the scars had long become her way of remembering her. This was the most genuine expression of her longing.

The room in the suburban villa, filled with portraits of Quan Ruo’an, only made her feel like a stranger. Facing that same face, she felt an overwhelming panic rising from the depths of her heart.

Elder Sister, why is the memory of you fading? Why does your face, captured on paper, no longer feel so vivid?

Perhaps bad women with beautiful appearances are destined to be loved more.

You’re helpless against them, yet willingly let them lead you by the nose.

The allure of bad women has always been irresistibly potent and captivating.

After the “girlfriend” incident with Nana, Quan Ruo’an canceled all non-essential appointments to spend a proper weekend at home with her little one.

In the mornings after they’d made love, Jiang Jixue would wake to find a luxurious orange-red gift box from a high-end brand on her bedside table.

After waking from her afternoon nap, she’d receive a fragrant kiss on her forehead from her Elder Sister.

And in the evenings, she could sit at the same dining table as this woman, who seemed so refined and out of place in their humble surroundings, sharing the most homely and comforting stir-fries.

Quan Ruo’an genuinely felt her little one was too easily pleased, and still felt a pang of guilt. With a grand gesture, she had a custom set of art supplies delivered from abroad a week later.

After finishing work each day, Quan Ruo’an would spend the night at the apartment near the school, as if it had become a habit, an unspoken understanding between them.

That evening, Quan Ruo’an returned from outside. Raindrops clung to her trench coat, and her face appeared softer and more ethereal in the dim light.

Jiang Jixue had just emerged from the bathroom, clad only in a towel, her skin like jade and her shoulders flushed pink. As she closed the door, her eyes met those of the woman standing before her.

Quan Ruo’an stood motionless, like a willow swaying gently in the breeze.

Thud—

The door clicked shut.

Noticing the dampness on Quan Ruo’an’s collar, Jiang Jixue quickly grabbed a dry handkerchief and stepped forward, wanting to wipe the raindrops from her hair.

“Elder Sister, why didn’t you use an umbrella? You’ll catch a cold!”

Quan Ruo’an lowered her gaze to Jiang Jixue, who was diligently wiping the rain from her hair with a furrowed brow. She suddenly wrapped her arms around Jiang Jixue’s waist, pressing their bodies together.

“I brought you a gift. I want Xiao Xue to wear it for me.”

Jiang Jixue’s face flushed crimson. She turned her head away, her expression radiating bashful charm. What kind of gift would Quan Ruo’an give her, one she specifically wanted her to wear? It could only be something… intimate.

“…Mm,” Jiang Jixue murmured in acquiescence.

Quan Ruo’an withdrew her hand from Jiang Jixue’s waist.

Ignoring the raindrops clinging to her trench coat collar, Quan Ruo’an immediately tore open the gift bag she had set on the cabinet earlier. Inside was a gift box, and within that, a dust bag…

Jiang Jixue stood to the side, watching her unwrap the layers.

The woman’s graceful, slender figure bent over as she carefully unwrapped the gift she had brought. The warm scene briefly made Jiang Jixue feel surrounded by love and radiance.

But in a matter of seconds, Jiang Jixue snapped back to reality. It’s just lingerie, she thought. Beneath Quan Ruo’an’s elegant and gentle facade, he’s nothing more than a doll dressing himself up to feel pleased.

This has nothing to do with me. The Gold Master is merely indulging himself.

One by one, the layers of packaging were removed. The long-haired woman peeled back the final layer of watermark-printed paper and lifted out the contents.

With a gentle shake, a starlight-colored gown shimmered into view.

Jiang Jixue’s first thought was, What a beautiful dress. Only then did she realize, This isn’t lingerie?

Why would Elder Sister bring a gift home at night?

Puzzled, Jiang Jixue looked up at her.

“Do you like it?” Quan Ruo’an asked, his face beaming with satisfaction. He held up the dress, his expression like a child seeking praise.

“I… I love it,” Jiang Jixue stammered, nearly blinded by his radiant, innocent smile.

Quan Ruo’an continued, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear any of the clothes or jewelry I’ve given you. Anything I give you never seems to appear in front of me.”

Her expression carried a hint of resentment and grievance.

“That’s not true, Elder Sister,” Jiang Jixue quickly interjected, rushing forward to explain. “I’ve carefully preserved every gift you’ve given me.”

“Then why don’t you ever wear them?” Quan Ruo’an interrupted, her gaze sweeping critically over Jiang Jixue’s fair, flushed skin, still damp from her bath. A flicker of displeasure and indifference flashed in her eyes.

Anyone would be upset if they frequently gave gifts only to find they were never truly appreciated.

Jiang Jixue suddenly realized this.

She had assumed Quan Ruo’an gave gifts without expecting anything in return, neither feedback nor emotional validation. But now it seemed otherwise; her elder sister clearly cared deeply. That must be why she had brought another gift tonight, testing her.

Acting quickly to remedy the situation, Jiang Jixue wrapped her arms around Quan Ruo’an’s waist, gently resting her head against her chest. Her soft voice carried a hint of grievance. “Elder Sister… I’m just afraid that if my classmates saw me wearing such expensive clothes, they’d say unkind things.”

Having been by Quan Ruo’an’s side for nearly a year, Jiang Jixue had learned how to subtly soothe her moods, even if it meant revealing aspects of her daily life she’d rather keep hidden.

After Jiang Jixue finished speaking, Quan Ruo’an seemed to ponder for a moment before truly calming down. She tenderly cupped Jiang Jixue’s face, her voice soft as she asked, “Then will you only dress nicely for Elder Sister from now on?”

“…Mm.”

That night, Jiang Jixue lay nestled in Quan Ruo’an’s arms, her palm resting on the woman’s chest. She managed to lie still for only a short while before she couldn’t resist inching upward, their cheeks pressed together, Jiang Jixue’s eyes swirling with desire and confusion.

“Elder Sister…” Jiang Jixue murmured against her earlobe.

The woman, who was holding an iPad, smiled faintly and glanced at her dismissively.

“Getting restless again?”

Though she was smiling, Jiang Jixue caught a hint of mockery in her eyes. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her, extinguishing all her earlier thoughts and leaving a heavy sadness in their wake. Her nose suddenly stung with emotion. Sometimes, what Elder Sister said left her unsure whether it was praise or criticism.

Lost in her melancholy, she felt a gentle hand cover the one resting on Quan Ruo’an’s chest. When she looked up, she met the woman’s warm, shimmering gaze.

“Why the long face?” Quan Ruo’an asked, lowering her head to kiss the back of Jiang Jixue’s hand. As she leaned down, her eyelashes brushed lightly against the delicate skin.

A tingling sensation spread across the back of Jiang Jixue’s hand, as if the spot kissed by Quan Ruo’an’s lips had been lightly veiled by a feather, both near and yet distant.

Jiang Jixue lowered her gaze, watching Quan Ruo’an’s movements. She felt as if she had become a lofty deity looking down upon the masses, while her elder sister had become one of her many devotees.

This was entirely an illusion, one that shattered abruptly as Quan Ruo’an raised her head, snapping Jiang Jixue back to reality.

Jiang Jixue didn’t know how to respond, afraid that if she spoke, her sensitive, fragile voice would betray her tears.

Quan Ruo’an noticed the child’s crestfallen expression and likely understood what had gone wrong.

It’s my fault, she thought.

Quan Ruo’an reached out and pulled Jiang Jixue into her arms. Lowering her gaze, she said softly, “Elder Sister was wrong. Xiao Xue is different from others. What I said earlier was meant as a compliment, okay?” Though her words carried a comforting tone, Jiang Jixue detected a hint of amusement, as if the matter were trivial.

What seemed insignificant to Quan Ruo’an was magnified and became intensely sensitive in Jiang Jixue’s mind.

But none of that mattered now. Perhaps she had been overthinking things. The fact that her elder sister had taken the time to explain was already a great comfort.

Quan Ruo’an continued, “Elder Sister doesn’t come to see Xiao Xue just for that kind of thing every time. If our relationship were solely based on s3x and lust, it would lose its true meaning…” She seemed to transform into a gentle, persuasive leader, gradually calming Jiang Jixue’s nervous twitches.

The room fell silent, save for the faint sound of breathing. After a moment, Quan Ruo’an’s gaze burned with intensity as she asked with a teasing smile, “Or was it just Xiao Xue who wanted it today?”

Jiang Jixue was taken aback by her directness. Her eyes darted away, unable to meet Quan Ruo’an’s gaze.

“N-no,” Jiang Jixue stammered. Realizing how flimsy and unconvincing her denial sounded, she quickly added, “I thought you wanted it… so I took the initiative…”

The rest of her words trailed off into a whisper, so faint she barely heard them herself.

Quan Ruo’an listened quietly to Jiang Jixue’s earnest explanation. After a strange silence of a few seconds, she suddenly burst out laughing.

“You’re so adorable, our little Jiang Jixue,” Quan Ruo’an couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle her hair.

Jiang Jixue blushed at being treated like a child so suddenly.

“Let’s be completely honest about our desires, okay?” Quan Ruo’an lowered her head slightly, her palm caressing Jiang Jixue’s cheek, creating an intimate atmosphere.

Under Quan Ruo’an’s mesmerizing gaze, Jiang Jixue unconsciously murmured, “Mm.”

“Good girl,” Quan Ruo’an said, withdrawing her hand after receiving the response.

Jiang Jixue had expected Quan Ruo’an to linger and share a tender moment, but she was clearly mistaken.

The fatigue from a long day’s work was already etched between Quan Ruo’an’s brows. After spending time with Jiang Jixue, she threw back the covers and got out of bed.

Before leaving, Quan Ruo’an thoughtfully turned off the master bedroom’s nightlight and, in a rare gesture, pressed a warm, fragrant goodnight kiss to Jiang Jixue’s forehead.

“Good night, little one.”

“Good night, Elder Sister.”