My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 24

As Zhen Zhu helped Zhen Min’er into the car on their way to the hospital, she noticed Lin Zhi massaging her arm through gritted teeth.

“What’s wrong?” Zhen Zhu asked, puzzled.

“It’s my fault…” Before Lin Zhi could answer, Zhen Min’er clung to Zhen Zhu’s arm, her voice trembling. “My legs went weak just now… In my panic, I accidentally squeezed Lin Zhi Elder Sister’s arm too hard…”

As she spoke, Zhen Min’er glanced at Lin Zhi, her voice softening. “I’m sorry, Lin Zhi Elder Sister.”

“I have a feeling,” Lin Zhi said, her peach-blossom eyes arching and a mischievous smile curving her lips, “that your legs weren’t actually weak.”

More like jealousy.

She couldn’t finish the thought, because Zhen Min’er interrupted with another apology before suddenly closing her eyes and collapsing into Zhen Zhu’s arms.

“Zhen Min’er!” Zhen Zhu’s heart clenched as she frantically shook her scalding-hot stepsister, but there was no response.

Has she fainted from the fever?!

Well, Lin Zhi’s next remark would have to wait.

Leaning back casually with her arms crossed, Lin Zhi watched the Eldest Miss urgently urge the driver to speed up.

Zhen Min’er’s hand had been bandaged and was now connected to an IV drip.

Zhen Zhu had just seen the doctor out when she turned to find Lin Zhi staring at her with a greasy, chin-stroking expression.

“…Lin Zh,” Zhen Zhu said, speechless. “If you make that face again, I’ll want to kill you.”

“Alright, alright, Eldest Miss,” Lin Zhi replied, shrugging and reverting to her normal, flirtatious gaze. “Speaking of which, I have a question.”

“What exactly is your relationship with Zhen Min’er?”

As she spoke, Lin Zhi kept her eyes fixed on Zhen Min’er, who was sleeping in the bed. Sure enough, she noticed a barely perceptible twitch in the hand resting by the bedside.

Heh. Lin Zhi found this amusing. When Zhen Zhu hesitated to answer, she grabbed her arm and whispered in a voice loud enough to be heard, “Eldest Miss, you can speak a little quieter.”

“???” Zhen Zhu was bewildered by Lin Zhi’s actions. She glanced around the room—wasn’t it just the two of them in the hospital room? “Who are you afraid of hearing us?”

Shuddering, Zhen Zhu scoffed, “Stop being so paranoid!”

“Then tell me!” Lin Zhi’s flirtatious eyes blinked expectantly. She hadn’t forgotten the question Zhen Zhu had asked her at the banquet: Lesbians, heh heh heh heh.

“Just a normal stepsister relationship,” Zhen Zhu said, pursing her lips. “What else could it be?”

“Do you like Zhen Min’er?” Lin Zhi asked, glancing sideways to observe the person on the bed.

“…” Like…

“No, I don’t,” Zhen Zhu said firmly after a moment’s pause. She didn’t like Zhen Min’er—neither her personality nor her appearance. And she especially disliked her status as the Main Lead.

Hmph, what a weak and useless Main Lead! Sure, she’s cute, but can cuteness feed you? She bursts into tears after just a few words, those doe-like eyes dripping with tears, making it impossible to scold her. And that insane Main Lead status forces me to constantly monitor my stepsister’s every move.

And…

Zhen Zhu glanced at Zhen Min’er, unconscious and pale on the bed. She didn’t like this body either—it was too weak…

“So, how did it feel to kiss Zhen Min’er just now?”

Caught off guard by the question while already in a foul mood, Zhen Zhu’s face flushed crimson. She instinctively recoiled two steps, her narrow fox-like eyes widening in shock. “Y-you, you, what are you saying?!”

“Heh heh.” Lin Zhi raised an eyebrow. “Eldest Miss, why are you so nervous?”

“Who, who’s nervous!” Zhen Zhu’s face flushed crimson with anger as she stomped her foot and glared at her mischievous friend. “I’m not nervous at all!”

“Oh.” Lin Zhi nodded, pretending to believe her, but her gaze drifted to the hand that had twitched slightly again. “Alright, alright, Eldest Miss isn’t nervous~”

“…” Zhen Zhu frowned, her fox-like eyes narrowing into a sharp, menacing glare as she stared coldly at the person who had started talking nonsense.

“I was giving CPR!”

“Saving her life!”

“Alright, alright.”

Lin Zh responded dismissively, her eyes fixed on the slightly moving hand as she said with a cheerful smile, “Your Min’er is waking up.”

“What?” Zhen Zhu turned her head reflexively, then realized something was off and whipped back around, glaring furiously. “Whose Min’er?!”

“Yours, of course~”

“Isn’t Zhen Min’er your family?”

“Doesn’t she share the Zhen surname?”

Zhen Zhu was speechless, sensing that Lin Zhi’s words carried a deeper meaning, though she couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t anything good!

Just as Zhen Zhu was about to demand clarification, Lin Zhi yawned. “Ugh, I’m exhausted. Gotta run! See ya!”

“It’s getting late. I need my beauty sleep. Good night, Eldest Miss.”

Lin Zh rubbed her eyes, waved her hand, and left without waiting for Zhen Zhu to ask her to stay. She practically vanished in a flash.

Zhen Zhu was puzzled, but then she heard Lin Zhi’s footsteps pounding back.

Lin Zh peeked her head through the doorway with a mischievous grin. “Oh, by the way, that little girl you lent your gloves to today, Gu Anhe?”

“She’s a few years younger than Zhen Min’er, just a freshman.”

“And even cuter than Zhen Min’er.”

Lin Zh’s peach blossom eyes curved into a provocative arc. “I think you’ll really like her.”

“Huh?” Zhen Zhu was confused. “What are you…?”

“She just texted me, saying you’re so beautiful and cool, Eldest Miss! She’s already your little fan.”

“She wants to come see you tomorrow,” Lin Zhi added, stirring up trouble as usual. “Will you let her?”

“…Sure,” Zhen Zhu nodded. She had promised to return the gloves anyway.

“Alright, I’m really leaving now.” Lin Zhi waved and slipped away, satisfied with the day’s drama. She couldn’t wait to share the gossip with Ba Xueyue.

Such good fortune couldn’t be enjoyed in secret; it had to be shared.

Zhen Zhu frowned as she watched Lin Zhi dash away, sensing she was up to no good. She snorted coldly, “No matter. I’ll find out what she’s planning eventually, and then I’ll deal with that girl properly.”

With that thought, Zhen Zhu returned to the sofa and called her personal luxury goods manager.

“Manager L, check if you have any suitable white gloves—”

“Elder Sister…”

Zhen Min’er’s soft voice interrupted the call. She didn’t want to hear any more.

Struggling to sit up, Zhen Min’er looked up at the sofa. “Elder Sister—”

Min’er’s awake? Drawn by the slightly hoarse voice, Zhen Zhu looked up to see Zhen Min’er gazing at her with tear-filled eyes and a pained expression. She quickly finished her request on the phone and hung up.

Quickening her pace slightly, Zhen Zhu slowly sat on the edge of the bed, snorting coldly. “Feeling better now?”

Elder Sister is finally looking at me.

Elder Sister’s attention must be on me.

It has to be only on me.

“Not very well…” Zhen Min’er coughed twice, her voice hoarse and her face still pale. “Elder Sister… cough cough…”

Zhen Zhu poured a cup of tea and handed it to Zhen Min’er.

“Hmph.” Forced to play the role of a servant, Zhen Zhu felt annoyed. “You should learn to swim,” she snapped. “Otherwise, I’ll have to go to the trouble of saving you again!”

Zhen Min’er’s hand froze mid-reach, then tightened around the teacup. The scalding heat burned her palm, almost feeling like her skin was sticking to the scorching surface. But… she couldn’t bear to put it down.

“…Thank you, Elder Sister…” Zhen Min’er offered a wan smile.

Soft.

Obedient.

Zhen Zhu pressed her lips together, realizing this made it impossible to scold her.

“Drink your tea,” Zhen Zhu said, glancing at the cup still cradled in Zhen Min’er’s hands. “Your voice is completely hoarse.”

“Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was abusing you again!” Zhen Zhu snorted coldly, her irritation rising at the thought of the Male Lead’s utter cluelessness.

“Okay,” Zhen Min’er croaked, bringing the scalding cup of tea to her lips and taking a sip.

Her tongue went numb, and she could almost feel the boiling liquid searing her throat.

Yet, a warmth bloomed in her chest.

“…Th-thank you, Sis…” Zhen Min’er smiled sweetly after taking a sip, the scalding water bringing a flush to her pale lips.

“Why is your voice even hoarser now?” Zhen Zhu instinctively sensed something was wrong. Just moments ago, Min’er had managed to string together two sentences. Now, each word came out dry and strained.

Zhen Min’er faced her, tears still glistening in the corners of her eyes, yet she offered a soft, wordless smile.

The tea!

Zhen Zhu reached for the cup in Zhen Min’er’s hand, but her fingertips recoiled reflexively from the scalding heat.

This is boiling water!

Zhen Zhu glanced at the cabinet beside the bed, which automatically heated and stored water. She had simply placed the cup under the dispenser, let the water flow, and told Zhen Min’er to take it herself.

And this girl—

She actually picked up scalding water!

“Are you out of your mind?!” Zhen Zhu snapped, her anger boiling over. In a flash, she snatched the scalding tea cup from Zhen Min’er’s hands and slammed it back onto the table, moving as swiftly as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

It was only a matter of seconds.

Yet her hand was already numb from the heat.

Frowning, Zhen Zhu grabbed Zhen Min’er’s hand to examine it.

The uninjured hand was so red it looked like the skin might burst. Even after Zhen Zhu’s hand had cooled, she could still feel the lingering heat when she touched it. As for the injured hand—

It was bleeding again.

Zhen Zhu’s anger flared anew.

She turned to her stepsister, whose face was pale but whose lips were unnaturally red, and barked, “Open your mouth.”

Zhen Min’er obediently complied.

Her pink tongue was swollen and covered in tiny white blisters from the scalding water.

“You’re unbelievable!” Zhen Zhu exclaimed. “Do you even feel pain?!”

Stunned, she frantically pressed the nurse call button, not forgetting to scold her mentally unstable stepsister, “What were you thinking?!”

A pang of regret struck her. If only she had been more careful…

Perhaps Zhen Min’er wouldn’t have been burned.

But…

Ultimately, it was still Zhen Min’er’s fault!

Gritting her teeth, Zhen Zhu glared at Zhen Min’er, who was staring back with a pitiful expression. “What exactly are you thinking?” Zhen Zhu snapped.

“Do you want me to feel guilty?”

“Let me tell you, I’ll never feel guilt or remorse for anyone in my life! I only acknowledge myself!”

“No, I…”

Zhen Zhu’s crimson lips moved incessantly, spewing a torrent of words. She didn’t stop even when Zhen Min’er shook her head.

“Don’t think…”

Then she saw Zhen Min’er’s expression gradually darken as she lowered her head.

“…Hmph!” Zhen Zhu turned away in annoyance. “Fine, I can’t be bothered bullying the weak!”

Zhen Zhu fell silent, while Zhen Min’er, her eyes darting nervously, looked up again at her sister’s perfect profile.

Elder Sister…

Of course she’ll feel guilty.

A smile curled Zhen Min’er’s lips, the burning sensation in her throat no match for the scorching heat in her heart.

And she would exploit this.

“Elder Sister…” Zhen Min’er rasped.

Zhen Zhu frowned and turned back—

Only to feel the familiar, soft, wet, scalding touch on her cheek.