My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 11

Even after Ba Xueyue sent her all of He Hanmeng’s information last night, Zhen Zhu’s memories remained hazy, shrouded in mist.

 

She remembered her time with Zhen Min’er, but couldn’t recall where she had put those things after that incident.

 

She could only search based on her old habits.

 

Inside the wardrobe, she found a hidden compartment. Opening it, she saw a pearl-inlaid round box. The pearl’s luster had faded, but the bright crimson silk ribbon tied around it remained vibrant.

 

It’s still in the same place I left it as a child.

 

Zhen Zhu took the round box from the wardrobe, untied the slightly crumpled silk ribbon, and opened it.

 

Inside lay the most precious things from her youth.

 

She set aside the neatly folded handwritten letter and retrieved the palm-sized oil paintings beneath it.

 

There were three paintings:

 

One depicted a girl playing the piano.

 

Another showed a girl secretly watching from the shadows.

 

The last featured two young girls holding hands.

 

Zhen Zhu remembered them all.

 

The first painting had been a gift from Zhen Min’er.

 

The second painting she had seen when she went to find Zhen Min’er and demanded it.

 

The third painting she had asked Zhen Min’er to paint.

 

At this thought, Zhen Zhu’s fox-like eyes narrowed slightly.

 

Zhen Zhu pursed her lips and gazed out the window, her voice regaining its composure. “I only managed to find this one painting.”

 

“The other two were lost long ago.”

 

Zhen Zhu looked up at her stepsister, frowning. “Don’t delude yourself into thinking we can ever go back to how things were…”

 

“Elder Sister, you remember I gave you three paintings?!”

 

Her stepsister’s eyes sparkled with delight, completely overriding Zhen Zhu’s faint attempt to distance herself.

 

“I thought… you’d forgotten all about them.”

 

As she spoke, tears began to well up in Zhen Min’er’s doe-like eyes, one, two… overflowing from her reddened, round eyes and trickling down her cheeks.

 

“…My memory isn’t that bad,” Zhen Zhu said, turning her head away. After a moment’s pause, her voice softened slightly. “Anyway, I only found one painting.”

 

“Thank you, Elder Sister.”

 

“For remembering my paintings.”

 

Zhen Zhu froze, turning back to look at her.

 

Tears still glistened in her stepsister’s eyes, the midday sunlight casting golden highlights on her soft, black hair. Her delicate face, framed by reddened eyes, was tilted upward, her small, rosy lips curved into a wide smile, and her round eyes shone with vibrant color as she gazed at Zhen Zhu. “Thank you, Elder Sister!”

 

“…”

 

Zhen Zhu’s fox-like eyes flickered with confusion before she frowned and turned away. “Hmph, who needs your thanks?”

 

“Hurry up and learn to paint, and win an international award.”

 

“That way, I can break off the engagement.”

 

Then Zhen Min’er could be with Jining Lan.

 

And she could complete her mission and escape the so-called original plot.

 

Zhen Zhu closed her eyes. Was her stepsister’s joy just because she remembered her paintings?

 

That made her feel…

 

“The Main Lead must be happy because she can finally be with the Male Lead! Host, you’re amazing! The Main Lead’s Happiness Index has increased by 15 points! It’s now at 45%!”

 

The System’s childish voice interrupted Zhen Zhu’s chaotic thoughts.

 

Right, that must be it.

 

Zhen Zhu bit her lip, clenching her increasingly cold fingertips. Sensing her stepsister’s unconscious warmth drawing near again, she didn’t open her eyes but abruptly pulled her arm away, creating distance.

 

The soft, cool touch vanished.

 

Zhen Min’er released her nails from her palm, her tearful, round eyes concealing all emotion. She noticed Zhen Zhu’s sudden closing of her eyes and the seemingly unconscious, yet deliberate, withdrawal.

 

Zhen Zhu’s eyelashes fluttered gently. Zhen Min’er stared at the slight trembling of that small curve, at the dance in her chest, unable and unwilling to suppress her emotions.

 

Elder Sister… still remembers.

 

Yes, Elder Sister had said… If you want something, fight for it.

 

Seize it.

 

Yes, Zhen Min’er’s lips curved into a sweet smile. As the car glided smoothly along, she inadvertently, following a slight sway of the vehicle—

 

Let out a soft “Oh!”

 

She felt her sister’s cool, soft skin against her own again.

 

She could feel her body heat slowly transferring to her sister.

 

The curve of her already smiling eyes deepened further.

 

Zhen Zhu stepped out of the car.

 

The patch of skin where she had been pressed against Zhen Min’er felt strangely warm.

 

Only when she moved away and felt the cool breeze did the heat begin to dissipate.

 

My stepsister must have been a furnace in her past life, Zhen Zhu thought. It’s chilly today, yet she’s radiating heat.

 

Zhen Zhu quickened her pace, trying to normalize her body temperature, when the guard at the gate bowed. “Eldest Miss, Young Master J has arrived.”

 

At that moment—

 

Jining Lan’s voice boomed across the grounds.

 

“Min’er! Where have you been?!”

 

Zhen Zhu dodged his frantic rush, watching as he sprinted toward Zhen Min’er, grabbed her arm, and began checking her over from head to toe.

 

As if I’d take her out and torture her, Zhen Zhu scoffed inwardly.

 

She watched Zhen Min’er tilt her head back and give Jining Lan the same sweet smile she reserved for Zhen Zhu herself. Zhen Zhu’s beautiful fox-like eyes narrowed slightly as she turned and entered the villa, cutting off all further eye contact.

 

Just as I thought, Zhen Zhu quickened her steps. I was overthinking things.

 

The increase in the Happiness Index was exactly as the System had said: it was because Zhen Min’er realized she could be with Jining Lan.

 

Good, good, good.

 

Perfect. Let the male and female leads cultivate their romance.

 

As the villainous supporting character, I’d better stay out of it!

 

“Elder Sister!”

 

Noticing Zhen Zhu had already entered the villa, Zhen Min’er grew anxious and turned to call out, wanting to follow her, but her arm was restrained.

 

“Min’er, Zhen Zhu is a vicious woman. She promised to annul our engagement, but she hasn’t made any move to do so.”

 

Jining Lan’s handsome face darkened with displeasure as he tightened his grip on Zhen Min’er’s arm. “Don’t follow her. Zhen Zhu has no intention of honoring her word and will only use this as an excuse to torment you.”

 

“As long as I’m here, I won’t let Zhen Zhu bully you.”

 

Then you might as well just die.

 

Realizing her elder sister’s figure was gradually disappearing, yet she was unable to follow, the Zhen Min’er in her heart glared coldly at Jining Lan.

 

“Min’er?” Jining Lan’s hand unconsciously loosened slightly, noticing the unfamiliar expression on Zhen Min’er’s face—a stark contrast to her usual sweet smile.

 

“Brother Ninglan, please don’t speak ill of Elder Sister. She… she probably still likes you. She’s already trying her best to do what she can.”

 

Zhen Min’er lowered her head, her face blank, and resumed her usual soft, gentle voice. I must endure.

 

Glancing sideways at the hand still gripping her arm, she suppressed the urge to…

 

Zhen Min’er looked up, her dewy deer-like eyes softening into a gentle smile. “Brother Ninglan, don’t blame Elder Sister. She’s only acting this way because she loves you.”

 

Elder Sister doesn’t like you.

 

Looking at Min’er, as soft and adorable as ever, Jining Lan wondered if he had imagined the cold glint in her eyes earlier. He quickly spoke, relaxing his grip.

 

“But I don’t like that malicious, arrogant woman.”

 

“…Brother Ninglan, don’t talk about Elder Sister like that…”

 

“Brother Ninglan… Even though I want to be with you, your engagement to Elder Sister still stands. What we’re doing is wrong.” Zhen Min’er deftly freed her hand from Jining Lan’s grasp.

 

Turning, she noticed her mother standing by the door. Her eyes flickered twice as she feigned fright, rushing toward Sang Xiaohua with trembling, fearful tones: “Mother, I haven’t been clinging to Brother Ninglan anymore…”

 

This maneuver prevented Jining Lan from approaching further.

 

Reaching Sang Xiaohua’s side, she saw her mother trying to retreat and immediately grabbed her arm, squeezing it tightly. Her amber eyes, now cold and dark, fixed on her mother as she said in a shaky voice, “Mother… I haven’t been deliberately getting close to Brother Ninglan…”

 

“Min’er!” Jining Lan hurried after her, slowing his pace only when he reached Sang Xiaohua.

 

“Aunt Sang, Min’er hasn’t been deliberately clinging to me. But I have no connection to Zhen Zhu. It’s Min’er I love.”

 

“Young Master J, please don’t…” Sang Xiaohua instinctively wanted to scold her daughter, but suddenly felt a warmth on her stomach and quickly changed her tone. “It’s alright, Young Master J. I don’t blame Min’er.”

 

Sang Xiaohua’s eyes flickered for a moment before she paused. “But you’re engaged to the Eldest Miss. It’s not appropriate for you to visit Min’er.”

 

“The Eldest Miss would definitely be upset. And then my daughter…” As she spoke, Sang Xiaohua sighed and glanced at her daughter, only to meet those emotionless amber eyes. She shuddered and trailed off.

 

“Young Master J, Min’er is fine. Please go home now.”

 

“…Very well, then. Thank you for your trouble, Aunt Sang.”

 

Having been given the hint to leave, Jining Lan had no choice but to comply. With an elder present, he couldn’t confess his true feelings to Min’er. He reluctantly turned to leave, glancing back every few steps.

 

Only after confirming that Jining Lan had truly left did Zhen Min’er slowly remove her hand from Sang Xiaohua’s stomach and turn to walk back into the villa.

 

“Min’er, do you want to be with Young Master J?” Sang Xiaohua called out urgently.

 

Be with that disgusting man? How typical of a disgusting mother to say something like that.

 

Zhen Min’er slowly turned her head, her large, expressionless eyes dominating her delicate face as she stared back at Sang Xiaohua.

 

Waiting for her next words, Sang Xiaohua forced herself to meet Zhen Min’er’s gaze, a shiver running through her. “If you want to be with Young Master J, then the Eldest Miss is someone you can’t avoid.”

 

“Oh?” A smile flickered across Zhen Min’er’s lips. “And so?”

 

Infected by that smile, Sang Xiaohua relaxed considerably, blurting out, “So, Min’er, we can work together to make the Eldest Miss leave the Zhen Family.”

 

“For example?” Zhen Min’er’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she leaned closer, whispering, “Mother, what do you have in mind?”

 

“You can lure the Eldest Miss out. She rarely locks her door. I can arrange for some people to slip into her room and plant… What are you doing?!”

 

“Mother,” Zhen Min’er’s smile widened as she pressed closer, her hand resting on Sang Xiaohua’s still-flat stomach. “Didn’t I tell you?”

 

“Not to harm Elder Sister?”

 

“Sigh,” Zhen Min’er sighed dramatically. “You just don’t believe me, do you?”

 

“I-I was just talking. I wouldn’t do anything without your permission,” Sang Xiaohua stammered, trembling. “Don’t move! Your father already knows I’m pregnant. If you hurt me, he’ll never forgive you.”

 

“Hahahaha!” Zhen Min’er burst into laughter, her crescent eyes curving into a sweet, charming smile. “So that’s how you dared, Mother.”

 

“Well then,” Zhen Min’er said slowly, deliberately, after releasing her mother’s stomach and waiting for her breathing to steady. “I wonder… does Father know about Mother’s visit to that alley near the Summer Palace?”

 

Sang Xiaohua looked up in shock at Zhen Min’er, who was still smiling brightly. “How could you—!”

 

“Take good care of your belly,” Zhen Min’er said, her smile fading. “And don’t provoke me or my elder sister.”

 

As Zhen Min’er walked away, Sang Xiaohua gritted her teeth, her hand tightening protectively over her stomach. Impossible. She couldn’t possibly know about that.

 

Spotting Aunt Wang passing by, Sang Xiaohua quickly composed herself and grabbed the woman’s arm, her expression anxious. “Aunt Wang, the Eldest Miss just ordered you to lock Min’er in the restroom all night…”

 

“Even though the Eldest Miss said that, could you just lock Min’er up for a short time? The Eldest Miss rarely—no, she’s unlikely to notice!” Sang Xiaohua pleaded, her voice trembling. “Aunt Wang, please help me.”

 

“No, no, no, Madam, I can’t help you with that,” Aunt Wang replied, shaking her head nervously and pulling her arm free. “You’ll have to ask the Master. He’s made it clear that all matters concerning the Zhen Family are to be decided by the Eldest Miss.”