My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 21

“Zhu’er!”

Jining Lan’s mother called out from behind, but Zhen Zhu ignored her completely.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on Lin Zhi’s arm.

Zhen Zhu wanted to shake off that piercing gaze that had been fixed on her.

She didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was.

Zhen Min’er.

What are you looking at?! Zhen Zhu quickened her pace, dragging Lin Zhi completely out of the main leads’ battle zone.

The male and female leads had their destined romance to fulfill; they didn’t need to get involved.

Since she was the villainous supporting character, she might as well play the role of an observer!

It wasn’t until they returned to the small pond earlier that Zhen Zhu finally stopped. She stared at the pond in the distance—the very spot where Zhen Min’er would fall into the water…

“No way, Eldest Miss, why are we back here again? Do you want to see the goldfish?”

Lin Zhi, freed from Zhen Zhu’s grip, immediately started chattering. She even sent a voice message to Ba Xueyue: “Hurry over! The Eldest Miss is so mad she’s lost her mind and started acting all cultured!”

“……” Zhen Zhu tore her gaze away from the pond and glared at the woman beside her through gritted teeth. “You’re the one who’s lost her mind!”

“Then what are you doing here?” Lin Zhi asked, her curiosity piqued. Earlier, Zhen Zhu could claim she’d wandered here by accident, but now her purpose was clearly deliberate.

“…Nothing,” Zhen Zhu replied, averting her gaze from her friend’s probing stare. She couldn’t possibly admit she was waiting to see if Zhen Min’er would fall into the pond!

The dignified Miss Zhen, ready to rescue her stepsister at a moment’s notice? If she said that aloud, where would she ever show her face again?

Besides… Zhen Zhu pressed her tongue against her teeth, glancing at her friend. She couldn’t reveal the plotline to her either.

Right, I need to follow the script.

Zhen Min’er was destined to be with Jining Lan.

“Hmm?” Lin Zhi was about to press further when she noticed a figure running up behind Zhen Zhu. She paused, her gaze lingering for a few seconds.

It was Zhen Min’er.

Forgetting her questions, Lin Zhi immediately stepped in front of Zhen Zhu, confronting the approaching Zhen Min’er: “What do you want?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be chasing after your Ning Lan-gege?” Lin Zhi, a popular online personality, deliberately emphasized the “gege” with sarcastic exaggeration.

“Elder Sister…” Zhen Min’er didn’t even look at Lin Zhi. Instead, she blinked her doe-like eyes, their shimmering depths already beginning to radiate that familiar, heart-softening quality as she gazed at Zhen Zhu with a pitiful expression.

Zhen Zhumin turned to see this scene, her red lips pursed. Instinctively, she took a step forward, wanting to…

Her foot froze mid-stride. Realizing she had been about to wipe away her stepsister’s tears, Zhen Zhu suddenly saw a flash of memory: Zhen Min’er’s hands clutching the hem of Jining Lan’s suit jacket, tugging gently.

So clingy! She was even pulling on me this morning, reluctant to let go!

Hmph, let her go cry to Jining Lan! Zhen Zhu, annoyed and irritated, grabbed Lin Zhi’s arm. “Forget about her. Let her do as she pleases.”

“Elder Sister!”

Before Zhen Zhu could take more than two steps, Zhen Min’er had pried her hand from Lin Zhi’s arm. Startled, Zhen Zhu turned to see Zhen Min’er immediately wedge herself between Lin Zhi and her, reaching out to grasp her hand. Her voice was soft and pleading. “Elder Sister…”

Zhen Zhu immediately shook off Zhen Min’er’s hand, frowning. “Don’t call me that. Aren’t you supposed to be with Jining Lan today?”

“Go find him, then!” Zhen Zhu stomped her foot, retreating behind Zhen Min’er to pull Lin Zhi away. With a cold huff, she turned and stalked off. “What do you have to do with me?!”

Get lost.

The faint echo of that cold voice from over a decade ago resurfaced. Zhen Min’er’s pupils constricted as she sprinted forward, trying to grab her sister from the pond’s edge. “I…”

“Don’t say another word,” Zhen Zhu interrupted, frowning as she walked toward the pond’s edge, evading Zhen Min’er’s outstretched hand.

She didn’t want to hear anything right now.

No, she shouldn’t have come here in the first place!

With the Male Lead present, how could the Main Lead, Zhen Min’er, possibly be in danger?!

Realizing her stepsister was still clutching her skirt, Zhen Zhu immediately shook her hand off. “Let go of me.”

No! Zhen Min’er gripped her sister’s skirt tightly, refusing to release it. Her sister had forgiven her before; she couldn’t abandon her now.

I love my sister the most! That’s right.

Zhen Min’er trembled. If Elder Sister sees me crying, she’ll soften!

Her fingernails dug into her palm, concealing the bl00d-red marks from view. Tears streamed down her cheeks, driven by the instinctive pain. She pitifully switched hands, clutching her sister’s skirt with the other. “Elder Sister, I was wrong.”

She had been wrong.

Even in her eagerness to break off her sister’s engagement, she shouldn’t have left her side.

If she hadn’t left her side…

Zhen Min’er’s gaze flickered past Lin Zhi. If she hadn’t left her sister’s side, it would still be just the two of them, instead of this disgusting person being added to the mix.

It was that woman who had been appearing around her sister from time to time.

Zhen Min’er bit her lip, tears streaming down her delicate face, blurring her vision as she stared at her elder sister. No! she thought fiercely. I’ve been the one by her side all this time!

She clearly cares about me too!

I won’t let anyone come between us!

Not Jining Lan!

Not Lin Zhi!

Zhen Zhu refused to turn around. Just hearing that soft, tearful voice told her that her stepsister was crying.

Hmph! Do you think I’m so easily swayed?

Besides…

What mistake? Apologizing over and over! Zhen Zhu’s wind-tossed curls momentarily hid the glare she shot at Zhen Min’er. By the time Zhen Min’er could see her face again, Zhen Zhu had already turned away.

Why are you crying? Zhen Zhu noticed Jining Lan approaching from the same direction as Zhen Min’er.

Ah, I see. Saving the tears for the Male Lead to wipe away, are we?

“Stop crying! All you ever do is cry!”

A surge of anger flooded her mind. Her chest heaving, Zhen Zhu yanked her hand free with renewed force, grabbed Lin Zhi—who had been staring silently at Zhen Zhu and Zhen Min’er—and dragged her aside.

Zhen Zhu’s movements froze as a tight grip tightened around her waist.

A warm, soft presence pressed against her back, completely blocking the night’s chill from reaching Zhen Zhu’s skin.

Startled, Zhen Zhu’s grip on Lin Zhi’s hand loosened slightly.

Zhen Min’er reached out and hugged Zhen Zhu tightly, her arms wrapping around her sister’s waist. She carefully avoided letting her tears fall onto Zhen Zhu’s body, though her own frame still trembled. Biting her lip to suppress the tremors, she managed to speak, “Elder Sister… don’t ignore me.”

I don’t want to.

“Mm-hmm.” Lin Zhi smoothly slipped her hand free from Zhen Zhu’s grasp, her peach-blossom eyes flickering slightly as she stood silently to the side.

“Why do I feel like… I shouldn’t even exist?”

“What are you talking about?!”

Uncomfortable under Lin Zhi’s watchful gaze, Zhen Zhu snapped irritably and tried to pry Zhen Min’er’s arms away.

“What’s wrong with your palm?” Zhen Zhu noticed something amiss after only a few attempts. Her fingers came away stained red.

Frowning, she paused briefly before resuming her efforts to pull Zhen Min’er’s arms away. But Zhen Min’er’s grip was too strong, and Zhen Zhu couldn’t budge her.

“Let go of me now,” Zhen Zhu said angrily, slapping the hand around her waist.

“No.”

“I don’t want to…”

Zhen Min’er’s voice was soft and her expression dim as she spoke in a low, deep tone. Her elder sister would surely soften.

Her elder sister had already softened.

She would forgive her.

Just like last time.

Zhen Min’er relaxed her grip, letting go of the trembling. Her heart beat slowly, but a faint smile curved her lips. It was certain.

She pressed the newly made long nails deeper into her palm until a warm, damp sensation filled her hand. Noticing the warmth sliding down her palm, Zhen Min’er detected the tension in Zhen Zhu’s voice.

“Enough! Let go! I’m not leaving!”

Success.

The little face resting against her elder sister’s back wore a sweet smile, revealing a deep, satisfied grin.

Once again, she had captured her elder sister.

She released her grip, letting her elder sister’s icy fingertips touch the excruciatingly painful palm. Zhen Min’er felt a genuine sense of comfort.

Warmth.

Watching her elder sister stare at the bl00d-soaked hand, Zhen Min’er felt utterly content.

Yes,

Elder Sister,

Look at me.

Look only at me.

Zhen Zhu’s expression turned grave. She had sensed something was wrong the moment she saw the first trickle of bl00d seeping from Zhen Min’er’s palm.

What is Jining Lan doing?!

Once Zhen Min’er completely opened her palm, Zhen Zhu pulled her to the edge of the pond, under a tall lamppost. “You…”

“What is Jining Lan doing?!”

“Giving you such long nails!”

“You too!”

Zhen Zhu stared at Zhen Min’er’s outstretched palm, her soft, pale hand pierced by several bloodied holes from the long nails. She was truly impressed. “Why are you wearing such long nails?!”

“For Empresses in the Palace cosplay!”

“Oh.” Lin Zhi, who had followed them, noticed the constantly bleeding palm. “You don’t feel any pain?”

As she spoke, Lin Zhi couldn’t help but study Zhen Min’er more intently. This girl… was she truly fearless of pain? Or simply incredibly resilient?

Stroking her chin, Lin Zhi couldn’t resist adding, “Weren’t you just crying? Now you’re not crying, even with those bloody holes?”

Zhen Zhu was taken aback by Lin Zhi’s words. She looked up at Zhen Min’er, whose hand she was still holding, and saw her eyes rimmed with red, tears welling as she bit her lower lip to suppress them.

Zhen Zhu’s heart softened.

This is…

“Fine,” Zhen Zhu said, pursing her lips and huffing. “Cry if you want.”

“As if you could stop me,” Zhen Min’er murmured, her voice softening. Her red lips parted slightly, and the frustration in her fox-like eyes lingered, tinged with awkward annoyance.

“I’m sorry, Elder Sister…” The pitiful voice was accompanied by a steady stream of tears falling from her delicate deer-like eyes.

“You—” Zhen Zhu was utterly exasperated. She stomped her foot, wanting to scold her, but her gaze fell on Zhen Min’er’s palm…

“Zhu’er!”

A voice suddenly cut through the air, followed by a forceful shove against Zhen Zhu’s back. Her pupils constricted slightly.

The two stood beneath a tall lamp at the edge of the pond, a spot favored for watching the goldfish. The sudden force threw Zhen Zhu off balance. Her foot slipped, and she stumbled forward, still gripping Zhen Min’er’s wrist, dragging her toward the pond with her.

“Zhen Zhu!”

Lin Zhi, who had been watching from nearby, immediately grabbed Zhen Zhu’s arm. Zhen Zhu, in turn, yanked Zhen Min’er’s arm with all her might.

Their angry gazes locked onto the figure who had suddenly appeared near the pond—Sang Xiaohua.

What was she doing just now?!

The unexpected force sent Zhen Min’er stumbling backward. Her foot landed on the pond’s edge, her sole already sensing the cold, muddy bottom.

She looked up and saw—

Her mother, just a few steps away, rushing toward them, followed by Jining Lan and the others.

Oh.

Zhen Min’er’s gaze shifted to the crowd gathering at the sound of the commotion.

Have they all noticed?

If… Elder Sister is humiliated…

Then…

Zhen Min’er lowered her head, staring at her soaking shoes.

Fewer people will love Elder Sister, won’t they?

With a sudden surge of strength, Zhen Min’er took another step back, her body tilting toward the pond—

Splash!

Splash!

The sound of falling into the water.