Being Raised in Captivity by the Former Canary - Chapter 9

Beneath the dark curtain of night, spring rain pattered softly. Quan Ruo’an suddenly lowered the car window and lit a slender woman’s cigarette.

The crimson tip glowed, expanding and contracting like a pulsating cheek.

The cigarette burned down quickly. The window rolled up, sealing out the chilly wind and rain.

“What are you thinking about?” Quan Ruo’an’s voice was cold and sharp, like a sudden thunderclap in the confined space.

Jiang Jixue felt as if a heavy, suffocating wall had pressed against her chest.

“…Nothing.”

“…Mmm!”

Before Jiang Jixue could react, icy fingers gripped her chin, forcing her face upward. Strands of the woman’s cool hair brushed against Jiang Jixue’s cheek as she moved. They were so close that Jiang Jixue could almost see the lingering crimson glow of the cigarette in Quan Ruo’an’s eyes.

The elder sister’s fierce, indifferent gaze sent a wave of panic through Jiang Jixue, momentarily stopping her breath.

Without warning, the woman’s lips pressed against hers, her kisses light and insistent. The faint scent of tobacco drifted from the fabric of her shoulder into Jiang Jixue’s nostrils, mingling with the citrus-scented hand cream as her hand stroked the back of Jiang Jixue’s neck.

As the kiss deepened, the hand at her neck tightened its grip, pulling her closer.

“Mmm…”

In the enclosed space, soft moans mingled with ragged breaths filled the air.

When it ended, Quan Ruo’an punished her by biting Jiang Jixue’s tongue with sharp teeth.

The sharp pain shot through Jiang Jixue’s entire body, and tears welled up in her eyes. Having just been violated, she now looked utterly pitiful.

Quan Ruo’an seemed to be in a slightly better mood. She unconsciously reached out and pinched Jiang Jixue’s cheek.

“Be good, and Elder Sister will like you.”

With that, Quan Ruo’an didn’t bother to check Jiang Jixue’s reaction. She fastened her seatbelt and started the car.

That night, Quan Ruo’an spared her once.

They slept in separate rooms, a tacit understanding they had developed over time.

If they had s3x during the day, they wouldn’t at night, and if they didn’t, they would sleep apart.

Jiang Jixue took the master bedroom, while Quan Ruo’an slept in the guest room next door.

Quan Ruo’an had said she disliked the lingering scent of others on her bed. The master bedroom, still saturated with their mingled scents, was naturally off-limits.

That night, Jiang Jixue hugged the blanket tightly, her heart pounding.

The day’s mix of joy and sorrow had left her exhausted.

She buried her face in the blanket, still faintly carrying Quan Ruo’an’s scent. The pillow, too, retained the last trace of her hair fragrance.

When Quan Ruo’an was away, Jiang Jixue often fell asleep surrounded by these lingering scents.

Only from last night until eight this morning had she truly possessed Quan Ruo’an for an entire night.

Snapping out of her hazy memories, Jiang Jixue gazed at the figure before her, her smile suddenly tinged with a bitter, almost aggrieved edge.

Quan Ruo’an was currently standing in the meticulously arranged walk-in closet Jiang Jixue had prepared for her.

Her Elder Sister was no longer the fleeting illusion conjured by alcohol, now appearing and disappearing at will.

Jiang Jixue walked over and selected a shirt and trench coat for her.

Quan Ruo’an watched her movements, then hesitantly named the brands: “A Brunello Cucinelli shirt and a Burberry trench coat?”

“Mm-hmm,” Jiang Jixue replied. “The logos are subtle. You can only tell they’re from those brands by the interior check pattern and the label at the back of the collar.”

Quan Ruo’an pressed her lips together. Jiang Jixue’s words struck a nerve, reminding her of her past remarks that had hit the mark.

She suddenly felt ashamed of how mean she had been.

Look at all the subjective, mean things I’ve been saying to this child.

“You don’t need to remember those things I said so clearly,” Quan Ruo’an said after a long pause.

“I remember every word you’ve ever said, Elder Sister,” Jiang Jixue replied without hesitation, the words tumbling out as if they’d been waiting to be spoken.

Quan Ruo’an opened his mouth to say something more, but before he could, he was suddenly embraced from behind.

Two arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

Xiao Xue’s affection felt strange to him.

After all these years, shouldn’t she hate him?

Why… why has she become like this?

Quan Ruo’an’s fingers brushed against the hand on his waist. He slowly gathered his strength, intending to pry it loose. But Jiang Jixue seemed determined to defy him, tightening her grip around his waist as if she wanted to strangle him.

As the pressure around his waist remained unyielding, a soft, deliberate voice whispered in his ear:

“Elder Sister, I haven’t been drinking for a long time. Alcohol used to give me flashes of inspiration in my drunken stupor. Later, it became a way to see you in my drunken dreams, only to wake up and find you gone… I couldn’t bear that crushing disappointment. I don’t dare let myself get drunk anymore.”

“…Not drinking is good,” Quan Ruo’an finally managed to say after a long silence, squeezing out the awkward, lifeless words between his teeth.

Jiang Jixue’s hand remained firmly clasped around his waist.

Without a word, the two stood frozen before the wardrobe. A quick glance to the side revealed their reflections in the full-length mirror.

They looked like lovers embracing from behind.

Quan Ruo’an’s gaze darkened as she slowly removed her hand from Jiang Jixue’s waist.

This time, Jiang Jixue didn’t cling to her. After Quan Ruo’an pulled her hand away, Jiang Jixue even took a few steps back.

Facing the overflowing wardrobe, Quan Ruo’an bypassed the designer brands and chose instead from the understated, custom-tailored pieces.

Jiang Jixue was slightly shorter than her, but otherwise their figures were similar. Even the custom-made clothes would fit her perfectly.

Ignoring whether anyone was behind her, Quan Ruo’an began unbuttoning the remaining buttons.

As the nightgown slipped off, her snow-white back was fully exposed.

Jiang Jixue stared, momentarily entranced.

Quan Ruo’an strode to the right-hand cabinet, stopped at the lower right corner, and pulled open the drawer.

As expected, neatly folded underwear lay inside.

Another pull revealed a drawer overflowing with bras.

Quan Ruo’an grabbed a set and began dressing, asking with feigned innocence, “My size, right?”

Standing behind her, Jiang Jixue mumbled, “…Mm.”

“Good,” Quan Ruo’an added. “Developing good organizational habits.”

Jiang Jixue was baffled.

Quan Ruo’an wore a thin chiffon turtleneck blouse under a pair of tailored trousers. She walked up to Jiang Jixue and extended her hand.

Jiang Jixue paused, then handed her the trench coat she had chosen earlier.

The impeccably tailored trench coat draped over Quan Ruo’an’s shoulders, instantly restoring much of her former elegance. Regal yet aloof, she looked almost like the Quan Ruo’an from three years ago.

Seeing this, Jiang Jixue was momentarily stunned. Her voice softened involuntarily, tinged with uncertainty as she asked the figure before her, “Where are you planning to go next? Why don’t you stay here? I’m free this afternoon, we could go shopping for daily necessities.”

Quan Ruo’an considered for a moment, then replied without hesitation, “Alright.”

Her quick agreement caught Jiang Jixue off guard. She wondered if she had misheard, perhaps hallucinating a word her mind had filled in.

“But I have to meet Hara soon,” Quan Ruo’an added. “We made plans beforehand.”

Is she explaining herself to me? Jiang Jixue wondered.

Confirming she hadn’t misheard, Jiang Jixue blurted out, “I’ll lend you a car.”

Quan Ruo’an chuckled. She tucked her hands into the trench coat pockets and leaned closer. “A car and a place to stay? Are you trying to take me in?”

Jiang Jixue stared with wide, beautiful eyes, her expression bewildered.

Again, I must be doubting my ears.

She’s back to being my old Elder Sister.

“Is that… okay?” Jiang Jixue asked softly.

Quan Ruo’an hummed in response.

“Elder Sister, you’re going through such a difficult time right now. I want to help you. Let me help you through this, okay?”

Jiang Jixue’s expression was earnest. Quan Ruo’an met her gaze, a self-deprecating smile curving his lips.

“Xiao Xue, I’m not actually doing that badly. Otherwise, how would I have dared to return to R City after only three years?” Quan Ruo’an’s voice flowed like a gentle stream. “I got my bachelor’s degree in Chicago and came back right after. Even though it was a long time ago, do you really think I couldn’t find a job?”

A wave of disappointment washed over Jiang Jixue’s heart.

I actually wanted my Elder Sister to be struggling, desperate, so we’d be bound together.

How could I think such a wicked thing?

But what other worldly treasure could possibly bind her to her Elder Sister?

“Then… how much do you make a month?” Jiang Jixue heard her own distracted voice echoing in her ears.

Quan Ruo’an fell uncharacteristically silent. After a moment, she continued, “…It’s a foreign company. My current position requires me to work odd hours, basically flipping day and night. The salary is only six or seven thousand for now, but it will gradually increase.”

She tried to justify her situation.

Jiang Jixue asked, “How long will you be staying in R City this time?”

“I’ve taken all my annual leave early. It depends on how the plan goes.”

Jiang Jixue took a deep breath, her chest slowly rising and falling.

“If the plan progresses smoothly, I’ll resign from my job there,” Quan Ruo’an added. “And then I’ll come back to R City.”

Jiang Jixue stared at her, stunned.

She’s still the same Quan Ruo’an after all.

Ambitious, intelligent, and decisive.

Now that Quan Ruo’an had revealed her plans, Jiang Jixue thought for a moment and said, “Elder Sister, if you need any help, just ask.”

Quan Ruo’an smiled faintly, pressed her lips together, and gracefully turned to leave.

“Your room is on the left…!” Jiang Jixue blurted out.

Quan Ruo’an paused, then walked in the opposite direction.

Her retreating figure seemed slightly stiff.

Jiang Jixue stood rooted to the spot, watching her go.