My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 25

“You—!”

Zhen Zhu never imagined her audacious stepsister would steal another kiss while she wasn’t paying attention!

Furious, Zhen Zhu’s face burned as she clutched the kissed spot. She stood up from the bedside and glared at her stepsister, who was still restless despite being ill.

“You do—”

“Th-thank you, Elder Sister,” Zhen Min’er choked out, each word labored as if swallowing were painful.

Zhen Min’er’s soft, trusting gaze met Zhen Zhu’s, her gratitude expressed in carefully articulated syllables. Anyone watching would have thought Zhen Zhu had performed some extraordinary act of kindness to elicit such heartfelt emotion.

But in reality…

She had merely poured a glass of water—scalding hot water, hot enough to scald Zhen Min’er’s throat.

Zhen Zhu pressed her lips together, her harsh words dissolving involuntarily as she took in Zhen Min’er’s miserable state, which she herself had caused. She could only stomp her foot in frustration and let out a cold huff.

I’ll remind this girl later, she thought. I told her no kissing! Does she think my words mean nothing? And kissing my cheek to express gratitude? I don’t need that!

Shooting one last fierce glare at her stepsister, who still gazed at her with unnaturally flushed lips and a soft expression, Zhen Zhu retreated to the sofa, genuinely afraid of another surprise attack.

Deliberately ignoring Zhen Min’er, Zhen Zhu averted her gaze from those pleading eyes and focused on her phone.

She still couldn’t concentrate on the sheet music. Glancing at the time, she realized ten minutes had passed, yet the nurse still hadn’t arrived.

The private room, located on the top floor, was reserved exclusively for the wealthy. There was no bustling noise from passersby, and nurses and doctors only came upstairs when absolutely necessary, maintaining absolute silence to avoid disturbing the VIP patients.

Therefore, if Zhen Zhu needed to call for help, she would have to take the elevator.

To summon a nurse or doctor, she could press the call button.

Zhen Zhu noticed Zhen Min’er’s pale face, her lips still shockingly vivid. Yet, instead of showing any signs of pain or distress, she simply stared at Zhen Zhu.

Her gaze had been fixed on her for ten full minutes!

What? Can she stop the pain?

Irritated, Zhen Zhu stood up, strode to the bedside, and pressed the call button firmly and held it down.

Ding-a-ling—

Unlike her previous brief press, this sustained hold drew out the sound, making it ring particularly clearly in the almost silent room.

A hesitant female voice responded through the call system: “Miss Zhen, a gentleman named Jining Lan wishes to come up. Do you permit him to enter?”

Jining Lan?

Zhen Zhu instinctively glanced at Zhen Min’er, catching her hesitant gaze. The crimson lips that had been silent for so long parted slightly. “Bu…”

Don’t allow him in? Zhen Zhu thought instinctively.

But the System in her mind interjected:

“Hurry, Host! Let the Male Lead come up! I can sense the Main Lead’s Happiness Value fluctuating—it’s right on the cusp of increasing!”

Just hearing that her Happiness Value was about to increase?

Hmph.

“Enough,” Zhen Zhu said, turning away from Zhen Min’er and speaking into the call button.

“Let him come up.”

“You come up too, and bring a doctor who specializes in burns.”

After hanging up, Zhen Zhu rose to leave when—

Her dress was tugged at her waist, and a hand gripped her side.

She had already changed out of her wet clothes, borrowing another black gown from Lin Zhi—a strapless, long, form-fitting dress.

Lin Zh favored tight-fitting clothes, and formal gowns were already snug. When Zhen Min’er grabbed the fabric, she pinched the soft flesh of Zhen Zhu’s side along with it.

Her legs went weak, and she nearly stumbled, only managing to stay upright by bracing herself against the bed. She slapped away Zhen Min’er’s restless hand, which seemed to lightly knead her waist. Zhen Zhu’s entire body went numb. Leaning against the wall for support, she finally snapped.

“Zhen Min’er!”

“What exactly are you trying to do?!”

Zhen Zhu was truly bewildered—not just by Zhen Min’er’s audacity, but by her own body’s reaction.

Just that brief squeeze, and her body… had completely lost control!

Leaning against the wall, her fox-like eyes shimmered with a watery sheen. She gripped the IV pole beside the bed, biting her lip to suppress the tingling numbness spreading through her.

Just as she was about to glare at the instigator, she noticed a change in those usually dewy, fawn-like eyes.

They were now utterly calm, dark and intense, staring at her with an unnerving stillness.

There was no soft, trembling response to her earlier scolding, nor any of the usual ingratiating, sweet smiles.

Instead, there was no expression at all—only those amber eyes, fixed on her with a profound intensity.

Like a giant python raising its head to gaze at its prey, poised to—

swallow her whole.

“Min’er!”

A male voice called from the doorway, jolting both Zhen Zhu and Zhen Min’er awake.

Elder Sister’s waist is so sensitive…

I really want to…

No, I must restrain myself.

Burying her dark desires deep within her heart, Zhen Min’er looked up just as Zhen Zhu’s probing gaze met hers.

Composing herself, Zhen Min’er tilted her head, adopting a pitiful expression and flashing an ingratiating smile at her sister through wide, teary eyes.

The hand that had gripped Zhen Zhu’s waist, now resting on the blanket, seemed to still retain the memory of that soft, yielding touch.

Though her hand was small, it had been able to encircle it completely.

Elder Sister’s waist is so slender…

And so soft…

It seems I’ll need to ally with Mother after all.

Zhen Min’er lowered her gaze, forcing herself to look away from her sister. Dark thoughts, like seaweed thriving in murky waters, quietly took root in her mind. She couldn’t wait for her sister any longer…

She wanted to possess her sister so desperately.

It’s all Elder Sister’s fault.

No, I can’t blame her…

It’s my fault.

But… there’s no other way.

Zhen Min’er looked up again, offering Zhen Zhu a timid smile.

I can’t leave you now.

A warm feeling spread through her heart as her gaze flickered past Jining Lan, who had just rushed in. Looking at her beloved Elder Sister, Zhen Min’er yearned for the day when she could pull the warm sun down from the sky and keep it by her side forever, never to fly away.

Ding-dong! The Main Lead’s Happiness Index has increased by 30%, now at 65%! Hooray! Hooray! It really does take the Male Lead!

Zhen Zhu snapped back to reality at the notification. Jining Lan’s voice also jolted her out of the daze caused by his earlier piercing gaze. Irritated by the System’s childish glee, she retorted instinctively, “It’s not necessarily because of the Male Lead!”

“Why do you always blame everything on the Male Lead?”

“If it were him, why didn’t the Happiness Index increase even a little during all those times he drove Zhen Min’er around?”

“Then…” The System’s childish voice fell silent, stunned by Zhen Zhu’s sudden barrage of questions. “Then… what could it be?”

Because…

Jining Lan had rushed in, looking like a clumsy fool as he tried to take Zhen Min’er’s hand, only to pull back when she coughed. She gave him a soft, surprised smile.

Zhen Zhu pressed her lips together, her emotions churning. Regaining her composure, she ignored the System’s comment and stood up. “The water she just drank was boiling hot. Check her throat.”

“What?!”

“Zhen Zhu, what are you thinking?! Min’er is in this state, and you’re giving her hot water?! What’s your motive?!”

“No motive at all.”

Zhen Zhu coldly glared at the Male Lead, who was shouting at her. In a foul mood, she couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Go take care of your Zhen Min’er yourself!”

With that, she turned and left without looking back.

Yes.

What other reason could there be?

Besides Jining Lan, what else could it be?

“Sister… cough cough cough cough—”

The coughing behind her made Zhen Zhu pause briefly before snapping back to her senses.

But she didn’t want to turn around and see Zhen Min’er’s tearful expression. Following her instincts, Zhen Zhu strode away.

She shouldn’t disturb the Main Leads’ budding romance.

Otherwise, her reputation as the villainous supporting character would be truly cemented.

Watching Zhen Zhu leave, Zhen Min’er’s heart clenched. She tried to speak, her mouth still open from the doctor’s examination, but only saw her sister pause for a moment.

Then Zhen Zhu walked further and further away until her figure disappeared beyond the doorway.

No, I can’t let her go—

Zhen Min’er threw back the covers, slid out of bed barefoot, and was about to chase after her when an arm grabbed her.

“Min’er? What’s wrong?” Jining Lan looked at her, puzzled by her sudden panic.

“…

Zhen Min’er gently lifted her gaze, her sorrowful eyes and delicate face struggling to form words. “E-Elder Sister… she’s… gone.”

“I-Is she… not… happy?”

Each syllable scraped against her throat like a blade, yet Zhen Min’er persisted.

Partly, she wanted Jining Lan, that scoundrel, to recognize her innocence and deepen his resentment toward her sister.

But more importantly…

She needed to suppress her own urge to chase after her sister.

Ever since realizing the true nature of her feelings for her sister, Zhen Min’er found it increasingly difficult to control herself. She couldn’t bear her sister’s gaze falling on anyone else, jealousy gnawing at her whenever someone else was near her.

Yet she knew it wasn’t the right time.

“Don’t worry about whether she’s happy or not!” Jining Lan fumed, still seething over his humiliation earlier that day. “What does she even deserve your concern for?”

“She won’t have an easy time from now on!”

With that, Jining Lan released Zhen Min’er’s arm, who had begun coughing again, and stepped back slightly, allowing the doctor to approach and examine her.

Observing Zhen Min’er’s pale complexion and clearly unwell state, Jining Lan smirked triumphantly. “Zhen Zhu has truly lost face today!”

“Even my parents are starting to disapprove of her.”

He tilted his head back, his arrogance palpable. “Min’er-meime, there’s hope for dissolving our engagement now. What is Zhen Zhu compared to you?”

“Uncle Zhen even apologized to Grandfather for what Zhen Zhu did today!”

“Apologized?” Zhen Min’er swallowed the medicine the doctor had given her, her expression shifting slightly before returning to its usual innocent, anxious demeanor.

“Uncle Zhen is a sensible man!” Jining Lan said smugly. “If you ask me, Zhen Zhu’s actions today have angered everyone!”

“Otherwise, why would Uncle Zhen apologize?”

No, that shouldn’t be the case. Zhen Min’er lowered her gaze. Her elder sister’s actions today had only highlighted the Zhen Family’s high status. Even though she had fallen into the water, no one dared to belittle or demean her.

Her elder sister’s aura alone made that clear.

Moreover, Zhen Hongbo, though outwardly devoted to his daughter, was a man of deep calculation.

So…

Why would he apologize to J Deha? What was their relationship? Or could it be…

Did Zhen Hongbo also want to destroy his own daughter?

Zhen Min’er blinked slowly, her eyes wide and innocent. “E-Elder Sister… she’ll be alright, won’t she?”

“Don’t worry about Zhen Zhu. She’s no good,” Jining Lan said, his voice both tender and proud of his kind-hearted lover. “You’re just too kind.”

“Anyway,”

“Uncle Zhen went back and said he’s going to properly discipline Zhen Zhu! He’ll even help you get revenge!”

Jining Lan’s excited expression made Zhen Min’er want to vomit.