My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 18

“The Main Lead is home!”

“The Main Lead is knocking on the door!”

“The Main Lead is going to class!”

“The Main Lead…”

Day after day, the System in my mind acted like a clairvoyant, reporting Zhen Min’er’s every move.

Zhen Zhu pursed her lips, refusing to look down at her stepsister who was adjusting her clothes. She tilted her head back, lifting her chin high.

Another light touch on her chest…

Once.

Again.

Something felt off.

Though it wasn’t as intense as yesterday, her mind buzzed. Learning from experience, she hopped back two steps, clutched her chest, and frowned in annoyance. Ever since that dinner, she couldn’t shake the feeling that…

Whenever her stepsister helped her change, the contact area seemed a little too broad.

“Elder Sister?” Worry flickered across Zhen Min’er’s delicate, doll-like face. “Did I hurt you?”

“…” Seeing Zhen Min’er lower her head again, Zhen Zhu knew tears would well up in seconds. She quickly said, “It’s fine! You didn’t hurt me!”

Just… numb.

Aaaaaaaah!

“How many times has this happened?!” Zhen Zhu stomped her foot. “Get out! I’ll dress myself!”

“Elder Sister… do you dislike me?” Zhen Min’er asked, her amber eyes glistening with tears as she looked up at Zhen Zhu.

The sound of tears dripping onto the floor was almost audible.

“…No,” Zhen Zhu said, biting her lip and giving up the struggle. She turned her face away and snorted coldly. “Fine, you can dress me.”

Suppressing the tingling itch, Zhen Zhu finally got dressed and let out a long sigh. She backed away several steps before stopping. “Alright, go to class now!”

But Zhen Min’er remained motionless, her head bowed. Zhen Zhu frowned. “Why aren’t you going to class?”

“Elder Sister…” Zhen Min’er’s voice was hesitant, tinged with a hint of anxiety. “Brother Ninglan wants to take me to his grandfather’s birthday banquet tonight…”

“…”

“If you want to go, then go,” Zhen Zhu said, pursing her lips and glancing sideways without looking at Zhen Min’er. “I’ve already told you, do whatever you want.”

“You don’t need to ask for my opinion.”

After all, maintaining a good relationship with the Male Lead was beneficial to her. Why would she object?

Just like how she hadn’t gone to pick up Zhen Min’er recently.

Just like after their meal the other day, Zhen Min’er was brought home by Jining Lan. The recent unstable weather had been making Zhen Zhu’s head feel irritable. She took a few steps back and leaned against her recliner, calming her restless thoughts as she looked up. “If Jining Lan wants to take you, go if you want.”

“I don’t want to go…” Zhen Zhu coughed lightly, glancing up at the cherry blossom lamp on the wall. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”

After all, she had spent so much time with the Male Lead, yet her Happiness Value hadn’t increased much. It might be better to create some distance for now.

As the saying goes, “A day apart feels like three autumns.”

Zhen Zhu scoffed. Wouldn’t it be better if they saw each other less often, accumulating multiple “three autumns” of longing before reuniting?

“Elder Sister… do you want me to go?” Zhen Min’er asked in her usual cautious voice.

“Who cares!” Zhen Zhu snapped, her gaze snapping back. “Go or don’t go, whatever!”

“Then…” Zhen Min’er clenched her fists, took a small step closer to Zhen Zhu, and knelt down, resting her head against her sister’s leg. She wrapped her arms around her, the scent of roses emanating from her sister filling her nostrils. Her dark eyes flickered with emotion. “If I go, you can’t ignore me.”

She had to go. She had to break off the engagement.

Her elder sister had once said that if she and Jining Lan were together, they would keep to their own affairs, like well water and river water.

But if her sister broke off the engagement with that disgusting man, and she herself never became engaged to him, then they wouldn’t be “together” in that sense. Her sister would have no reason to maintain her distance.

And between her and her sister…

There would be no obstacles left.

So…

Zhen Min’er lowered her head, pressing her cheek against her sister’s knee. The soft, fair skin felt smooth and cool. Her breath could warm her sister’s skin.

She pressed a light kiss, wanting more…

The silky touch vanished from her embrace. Zhen Min’er looked up in confusion.

Zhen Zhu hugged her knees, sinking into the sofa, her face burning. “Go if you want to go!” she snapped. “Why are you kissing me again?!”

This was the umpteenth time in recent days!

Each time, it was so sudden.

First, the kiss on the cheek at the dining table. Then, the kiss on her neck when Zhen Min’er adjusted her collar the day before yesterday. And again, the kiss on her arm when Zhen Min’er brought her lace cuffs yesterday.

And then there was yesterday!

She said my dress was too low-cut, and when she pulled up the neckline, she actually… she actually…

Aaaah!

“Zhen Min’er! Stop kissing me all the time!” Zhen Zhu hugged her knees, curled up in the armchair, and casually tugged her long skirt up to cover herself completely. Her beautiful fox-like eyes tilted upward, thick lashes fluttering as she glared down at her baby-faced stepsister kneeling before her. “Who gave you the nerve?!”

As she spoke, she reflexively tugged her collar higher. Zhen Zhu’s neck flushed a delicate pink, not a fiery red, but a soft, subtle blush that made it…

…hard to look away.

Drawn by an irresistible impulse, Zhen Min’er leaned forward slightly, resting her head against her elder sister’s skirt-covered knees. Her amber eyes sparkled as she stared intently at that delicate blush, gazing for a long moment before her vision was suddenly blocked.

The words that had been lingering in her mind finally slipped out: “Elder Sister… you’re so beautiful.”

“Y-you, you, you—”

Zhen Zhu, already flushed from her shameless stepsister’s intense gaze, felt like she was about to explode. She reached out and covered those bright amber eyes, but even with her eyes covered…

…those rosy lips could still speak.

Zhen Zhu’s eardrums vibrated with the undisguised words, her voice trembling with reprimand: “What are you saying?!”

“Elder Sister is so beautiful.” Zhen Min’er covered her sister’s slightly cool hand with her own, gently clasping it, her eyes darkening. “I love Elder Sister so much…”

She loved everything about her sister.

“Elder Sister smells so good.”

“Elder Sister is so beautiful.”

“Elder Sister…”

“Stop talking!”

Her ears burned crimson. Zhen Zhu, her knees hidden beneath the skirt, shrank further into its enveloping folds, shame and irritation swirling in her mind. The hand covering Zhen Min’er’s eyes was gently pressed down by her soft hand, yet her own body felt weak, unable to pull away.

She could only clamp her other hand over Zhen Min’er’s lips to silence the words spilling from that mouth—words that were…

Words that were infuriating!

“I said stop talking!” Her cheeks burned uncomfortably, her lashes fluttering wildly, betraying her unsteady emotions. Zhen Zhu snapped, “You—”

“Ahhh! What are you doing?!”

The sudden wet warmth against her palm nearly made Zhen Zhu leap off the chaise lounge, her hand recoiling violently.

The hand covering Zhen Min’er’s eyes was yanked back.

But the hand clamped over her lips was caught by a pair of soft hands.

And refused to budge.

Her face flushed crimson, Zhen Zhu felt like she was about to explode with anger. Trembling, she pointed her only free hand at her insubordinate stepsister. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

“You… you actually just… you actually licked—”

The word sent a shiver down Zhen Zhu’s spine, and she quickly recoiled. “That’s enough!”

The damp warmth in her palm still burned faintly, making her skin tingle.

Zhen Zhu wanted to wipe it off immediately, but the soft, pitiful girl before her refused to let go.

Her eyes remained teary. “Elder Sister… I didn’t mean to…”

“You did it on purpose!” Zhen Zhu snapped, her temper flaring. “Let go of me now!”

With a forceful tug, Zhen Zhu tried to pull her hand free. Realizing she couldn’t resist, Zhen Min’er finally released her grip. However, the sudden release threw Zhen Zhu off balance, causing her to lurch forward and collapse against Zhen Min’er’s shoulder. Her waist was immediately encircled, and her face was buried in Zhen Min’er’s long, silky hair—

And that familiar, beloved scent of roses.

Did Zhen Min’er use the same rose-scented body wash as me?

Snapping back to reality, Zhen Zhu’s face burned hotter. She pushed against Zhen Min’er. “Let go of me—”

“Elder Sister, have you forgiven me?” Zhen Min’er tightened her grip, her rose-scented embrace even more intense. Her dark eyes held no light, only raw desire—

A fierce longing to merge her elder sister into her very being.

Zhen Zhu’s ribs ached from the tight embrace. She felt as if the scorching heat radiating from the body pressed against her was about to boil her alive. Even the soft, silky black hair brushing against her cheek sent an unbearable tickling sensation through her.

“Enough already!”

Immobilized, her knees trapped on the sofa beneath her long skirt, and her upper body pinned against Zhen Min’er’s shoulder, Zhen Zhu was completely helpless. Gritting her teeth, her beautiful fox-like eyes welled up with angry tears. “I forgive you! Isn’t that enough?!”

Now she’ll let go, right? Zhen Zhu tried to push Zhen Min’er away, still scolding her: “Let me go now!”

“But…” Zhen Min’er wanted more.

“Don’t say another word!” Zhen Zhu snapped, her temper flaring. This feeling of being trapped and unable to escape was unbearable. She grabbed Zhen Min’er’s hair and tugged sharply. “Let me go now, or I’ll rip your hair out!”

“Then, Elder Sister, rip my hair out…”

“I’ll accept anything you do…”

The unwavering grip, combined with Zhen Min’er’s pitiful voice, made Zhen Zhu involuntarily soften her grip.

But realizing something was wrong, Zhen Zhu reached out and pried at Zhen Min’er’s arm. “Then why don’t you let go when I tell you to?!”

“I already said I forgive you!” Zhen Zhu exclaimed anxiously, gripping Zhen Min’er’s shoulders and cupping her face, her eyes blazing with anger. “Let go now, or I’ll really get mad!”

“You—”

Zhen Zhu was about to retort when she noticed something… Zhen Min’er’s amber eyes weren’t the pitiful, tear-filled pools she’d expected. Instead, they were cold and unnervingly calm, completely at odds with her trembling voice.

The realization flashed through Zhen Zhu’s mind, and her body went limp.

The amber eyes flickered momentarily before reverting to the familiar, vulnerable expression Zhen Zhu knew so well.

“I’m sorry…”

“Elder Sister.”

Following the released pressure, Zhen Zhu sank back into the lounge chair. She watched as Zhen Min’er lowered her head, her voice softening. “Then, Elder Sister, I’ll go to the birthday banquet with Brother Ninglan.”

“Elder Sister, I’m leaving now. Please don’t be angry.”