My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 19

Without waiting for Zhen Zhu to recover from her shock, Zhen Min’er turned and left immediately.

She composed herself, clenching her fist.

No, that wasn’t right.

That emotion was wrong.

I almost exposed myself…

I need to hold back. Just a little longer… until Elder Sister cares about me even more…

Click. Zhen Min’er suppressed her emotions. When she raised her face, she was once again the delicate, soft-hearted girl, gently closing her elder sister’s door.

The sound of the closing door snapped Zhen Zhu out of her daze.

Wait a minute?

She just left?! The confusion vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of nameless anger. She didn’t even apologize for licking my palm!

She just walked away like that! Zhen Zhu tried to get up and call Zhen Min’er back to settle the score, but her legs were tangled in her own skirt. After struggling for what felt like forever, she finally managed to pull the stretched fabric free.

Several minutes had already passed.

“Host, don’t worry too much~” the doll-like voice chirped sweetly, reporting her thoughts. “You reached out so quickly just now. The Main Lead probably licked your palm by accident~”

“What?!” Zhen Zhu stomped her foot. “Then what was with her kissing me?!”

“Well…” The childlike voice paused to consider. “Maybe she just likes you, Host?”

“That’s great news, Host! The Main Lead likes you, and you’re not involved in the love triangle with the Male Lead. You should be happy!”

“Happy my ass!”

“Who wants the Main Lead to like me?!”

Zhen Zhu clenched the hem of her dress, crumpling it into a ball. “I’d rather never see her again!”

“Then… will you be attending the Male Lead’s grandfather’s birthday banquet later, Host?” The System asked cautiously, still reeling from Zhen Zhu’s outburst.

“Of course not,” Zhen Zhu scoffed. “Why would I go when the Male Lead will be there? To be a third wheel?!”

Zhen Zhu flopped back into her lounge chair, still seething. Over the past few weeks, fragments of her memories had resurfaced.

Though the details remained hazy, she recalled that after her conflict with Zhen Min’er at age ten, she had grown distant from her. Soon after, she had asked her father to arrange for her to study abroad. From then on, she spent her weekends and holidays overseas, returning only for concentrated study periods. After graduating from university, she extended her stays abroad even further, essentially living overseas.

It was October now, but back in July, Zhen Zhu should have been practicing piano under her teacher’s guidance, preparing for a competition the following July. She needed to compose a piece that showcased both technical skill and emotional depth.

Technically, Zhen Zhu had mastered everything Philippa Percy could teach her. However, she still lacked the ability to create original emotional depth in her compositions. Perhaps that was why her father had called her back to China for practical experience.

That was why she had returned to China in July.

Strangely, after returning, she had become obsessed with pursuing Jining Lan.

Originally, Zhen Zhu had recalled returning to China to prepare for the piano competition next year. But this memory had triggered a flood of recollections about her bizarre actions since July.

For instance, she had demanded that Zhen Min’er take care of her daily needs, even though she had previously spent most of her time abroad and treated Zhen Min’er as if she didn’t exist.

Recalling this, Zhen Zhu refused to let Zhen Min’er dress herself the day after Jining Lan brought her home.

Though, in the end, she couldn’t refuse because Zhen Min’er started crying again.

As Zhen Zhu thought about this, she gripped the corner of her dress even tighter, her frustration growing. Why is Zhen Min’er crying so easily now?

“But Host, the Main Lead might be pushed into the pond today!” the System warned anxiously.

“Isn’t the Male Lead there?” Zhen Zhu retorted.

“Besides, in the original plot, I was the one who pushed her into the pond. Wouldn’t it be better if I stayed away?”

Her fingers stilled their twisting of her skirt hem as she glanced at the Cherry Blossom Lantern. Right, the important thing now is to focus on my musical piece. Next July is coming up, and three months have already passed without me even starting.

“But Host, when the Main Lead was locked up before… you weren’t involved, yet she was still imprisoned!”

“And you were the one who finally noticed!”

“The Male Lead would have rescued her eventually,” Zhen Zhu scoffed, leaning back in her chair and relaxing her grip on her skirt. Her gaze followed the Cherry Blossom Lantern as it drifted through the air.

The System’s voice was filled with concern: “What if the Main Lead isn’t rescued at all if you don’t go?”

“How could that happen?” Zhen Zhu hugged the panda plushie on the chair back, rubbing its dark eye circles. How could that happen?

Jining Lan couldn’t be that useless…

…Then again, he really might be that useless.

“Hmph.” Zhen Zhu buried her face in the plushie’s fur. What do I care?

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“…If something happens to the Main Lead, will the Happiness Value decrease?”

“Of course it will, Host!”

Setting aside the panda plushie, Zhen Zhu stood up and went to the side room to put on the high heels Zhen Min’er had already picked out and placed outside the glass door. She definitely wasn’t worried about Zhen Min’er…

She just wanted to escape the plot as soon as possible!

Under the neon lights, luxury cars streamed into the villa estate. As one of the city’s top ten wealthiest magnates, J Deha’s 70th birthday banquet drew a crowd of well-wishers.

Moreover, Zhen Hongbo, the Yue City tycoon, would also be attending, as he was related to J Deha, the host of the banquet, by marriage.

Speaking of Zhen Hongbo, everyone knew his story: a man who rose from humble beginnings in the countryside, he unexpectedly met Zhen Mingyue, the Zhen Family’s only daughter, and became her fortunate husband. But Zhen Hongbo was no mere opportunist; he possessed genuine talent. Though the Zhen Family had previously ranked among the top ten wealthiest families, they hadn’t been considered truly elite. After Zhen Mingyue’s death and Zhen Hongbo’s assumption of power, he propelled the Zhen Family to unprecedented heights, firmly securing their position as the wealthiest family in the nation.

Ironically, the once-superior J Family now relied on the Zhen Family’s support.

“So, choosing a good in-law family is still crucial.”

“Indeed. But I heard Miss Zhen has been studying piano abroad for years. I’ve never actually seen her in person.”

“That’s true. I haven’t heard of any major achievements from her. Young Master J, on the other hand, may not be as capable as his elder brother, but his company is steadily growing.”

“Ah, no matter what Miss Zhen is like, the J Family is now dependent on the Zhen Family. They have no choice but to accept her.” The man raised the wine glass a waiter had brought and took a small sip. “It’s just a pity about the Second Young Master of the J Family.”

“Agreed. I heard Zhen Hongbo dotes on his only daughter. He’d never allow the Second Young Master to keep any mistresses.”

“But doesn’t Zhen Hongbo have two daughters? How is she his only daughter?”

“That’s his stepdaughter, the daughter his second wife brought with her. Speaking of which, the Zhen Family is a bit strange. It seems they’ve always had only one heir. I wonder if it’s a genetic issue.”

“Or maybe it’s Zhen Hongbo’s problem, haha.” The man lowered his voice, exchanging a knowing glance with his companion. “After all, he remarried ten years ago, and still no second child.”

“Gentlemen, you seem quite interested in my personal life,” a warm, amused voice said from behind the man.

Zhen Hongbo smiled at the man, who had grown visibly uncomfortable upon realizing he’d been overheard. Accompanied by his wife, Sang Xiaohua, Zhen Hongbo continued walking forward, heading toward J Deha on the elevated platform.

He ignored the calls of “President Zhen! It’s a misunderstanding!” from behind.

Seemingly unfazed, Zhen Hongbo turned to his wife and asked, “Zhu’er didn’t want to come?”

“I asked the Eldest Miss… she said she didn’t want to attend such an occasion,” Sang Xiaohua replied softly, her voice trembling slightly. “It might be because she knows Min’er left with Young Master J. I’ll speak to Min’er about it later.”

“…Hmm,” Zhen Hongbo replied evenly, his tone neither loud nor soft. “Remember this: Zhen Zhu is the only Miss Zhen of the Zhen Family.”

“No matter what happens.”

“Even though you carry my child,” Zhen Hongbo continued, his expression gentle and his voice warm and mature, “as long as Zhu’er lives, you must never surpass her.”

“Yes,” Sang Xiaohua replied, lowering her head, a flicker of resentment in her eyes. “I understand.”

“Well, well, Miss Zhen, didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

“What, you couldn’t bear to stay away? Want to go on a date with me?”

Zhen Zhu had just stepped out of the car when she ran into Lin Zhi at the banquet entrance. Lin Zhi’s peach blossom eyes flickered as she sashayed over, her serpentine waist swaying with each step.

“Can’t you walk properly?” Zhen Zhu couldn’t help but blurt out, unable to bear the sight. “That swaying…”

“It just shows off my figure.” Lin Zhi’s gaze drifted to Zhen Zhu’s chest. “Actually, Eldest Miss, even though your waist isn’t as slender as mine, certain areas are quite… ample.”

If a sleazy man had said that, Zhen Zhu would have snapped back immediately. But this was Lin Zhi, the notorious flirt.

At this, Zhen Zhu’s arms froze mid-cross. She pulled Zhao Zh aside. “It’s normal for girls to be a little affectionate with each other, right?”

“Yeah, totally normal.”

“So, Eldest Miss, can I touch you? You look much bigger than me!”

“…You don’t have romantic feelings for me, do you?”

“Huh?” Lin Zhi’s wandering hand froze. She stared at Zhen Zhu in disbelief, stumbling back two steps. “No way! Eldest Miss, you have romantic feelings for me? That won’t do at all! I’m straight!”

“Get lost!” Zhen Zhu scoffed. “I’m a perfectly normal heterosexual!”

“I was just curious,” Zhen Zhu said, pursing her lips. “You know, I know someone who’s a lesbian, and I suddenly realized I didn’t really know what that meant.”

Perhaps because He Hanmeng was gay, Zhen Zhu couldn’t help but feel that Zhen Min’er’s recent behavior had been a little too intimate.

But…

Slapping away Lin Zhi’s wandering hand, Zhen Zhu glared at her with cold disdain. Maybe she was just imagining things.

She had only encountered danme (male-male romance) in Ba Xueyue’s novels, let alone the even rarer female-female relationships.

Besides…

The Main Lead was supposed to be in love with the Male Lead, right?

“Touch me again, and I’ll hit you!” Zhen Zhu snapped, slapping away Lin Zhi’s restless hand for the second time. “What are you doing here?”

Rubbing her stinging hand, Lin Zhi gave Zhen Zhu a pitiful look, her eyes still darting around. “I had no choice. My mom dragged me here.”

Speaking of which, Lin Zhi glanced behind Zhen Zhu. “Where’s Jining Lan?”

“Why would Jining Lan be with me?” Zhen Zhu’s expression flickered with disdain. “He—”

“Young Master J has arrived!” The waiter’s announcement at the entrance drowned out Zhen Zhu’s unfinished sentence, followed by murmurs of conversation from the other guests.

“The woman next to Jining Lan must be Miss Zhen, the eldest daughter of the Zhen Family. She’s absolutely stunning!” a man in a suit remarked nearby.

Me? Zhen Zhu’s gaze involuntarily followed the man’s line of sight.

Jining Lan stood tall in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, exuding a deep, understated elegance. Zhen Zhu couldn’t tell if he was handsome, but he certainly looked pretentious. Many people were staring at him, but she couldn’t be bothered to look any longer, lest she dirty her eyes.

It was the person beside him… the stepsister who, according to others, had stolen her identity.

Zhen Zhu shifted her gaze and saw the girl in a silver gown clinging to Jining Lan’s arm. She moved with a slow, graceful gait, like moonlight scattering across the night sky, leaving silent ripples in her wake.

Her jade-white face was flawlessly made up, softened by a luminous filter that enhanced her refined features. Her amber eyes, like honeyed wax melting from a glacier, glowed brilliantly under the dazzling lights. Her lashes, fluttering like butterfly wings, made Zhen Zhu’s heart pound faster.

“Damn it! How did Zhen Min’er become the Zhen Family’s eldest daughter?!”

Hearing the man’s words, Lin Zhi, whose eyes had been fixed on Zhen Min’er, erupted in anger, drawing everyone’s attention to Zhen Zhu.

Caught off guard, Zhen Zhu found herself staring into those familiar yet alien amber eyes.