My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 28

“Elder Sister told her to get out.”

Zhen Min’er clenched her fists.

This can’t be happening.

When she looked up, she saw the door had already been slammed shut. Zhen Min’er lowered her gaze.

“Damn, Eldest Miss, you’re so cool,” Lin Zhi purred from the bed, her voice dripping with amusement. “I’m so turned on.”

Zhen Zhu didn’t reply. She didn’t regret what she’d said, but Zhen Min’er…

Hmph, I wasn’t wrong anyway. Zhen Min’er will leave sooner or later to live happily ever after with the Male Lead.

I wasn’t wrong.

“But Eldest Miss, you seem unusually agitated today~”

Lin Zh’s sultry voice trailed off with a suggestive wave. Zhen Zhu, who had just settled into bed, turned to see her friend’s mischievous expression. Something felt off. “What is it?”

“Eldest Miss, you’re so worked up today~” Lin Zhi giggled, rolling over to let the masseuse work on her back. She glanced at Zhen Zhu. “Speaking of which, that hickey on your neck the other day…”

“…I told you, there was no hickey.” Interrupted by Lin Zhi, Zhen Zhu’s fiery anger froze. She glared at her friend, exasperated. How many times have I told her? “It was just an allergic reaction.”

“Alright~” Lin Zhi’s peach blossom eyes gleamed with curiosity as she finally asked the question that had been burning in her mind since her conversation with Ba Xueyue yesterday: “Were you with Zhen Min’er the day before that red mark appeared on your neck?”

“?” Hmm? Zhen Zhu thought back. “Yes, that’s right.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Do you think Zhen Min’er pinched me?” Zhen Zhu frowned at her friend. “Even though Zhen Min’er isn’t exactly a saint, she wouldn’t dare pinch me.”

Lin Zh had always disliked Zhen Min’er, and Zhen Zhu knew it. Was she sticking up for her?

But…

“Oh~” Lin Zhi’s expression cleared, and she chuckled. “Of course she wouldn’t pinch you.”

“Maybe I misunderstood.” Lin Zhi didn’t finish her sentence, lying back. “Just give me a good massage.”

Puzzled, Zhen Zhu glanced at Lin Zhi, but her friend had already closed her eyes.

Never mind.

Zhen Zhu lay back too.

How strange.

Zhen Zhu also felt that her emotions were off. She had indeed been more emotionally expressive today.

She rarely experienced such emotional fluctuations; few people could truly affect her.

She usually didn’t care about insignificant people. If someone really provoked her, she would simply vent her anger directly.

She never allowed unstable emotions to linger for long…

In the end, it’s all the System’s fault! Zhen Zhu thought irritably. Forcing me to do these troublesome things.

And Zhen Min’er was nothing but trouble.

The Happiness Value kept fluctuating, which was affecting her emotions!

“Host, it could be the influence of the World Consciousness~” the System suddenly chimed in with its childish voice.

Zhen Zhu’s thoughts unconsciously transmitted to her mind, and the System chimed in with a serious guess: “Host, if you don’t complete the mission soon, more problems are likely to arise!”

Mission, mission!

Missions all day long! Zhen Min’er and Jining Lan had absolutely no compatibility!

Forget it. Why am I getting so worked up?!

“If I remember correctly, Zhen Min’er’s Happiness Value is already at 65%, right?” Zhen Zhu asked, closing her eyes to regain her composure as her emotions began to waver again.

“Yes, yes, Host! Only 35 more to go!” the System’s childlike voice chirped excitedly.

What else could she do to increase Zhen Min’er’s Happiness Value?

“Give her a gift!” the System suggested enthusiastically. “I saw in the novel comments that the Male Lead once gave the Main Lead a necklace. Host, if you get the Male Lead to give the Main Lead a necklace, it might increase her Happiness Value!”

Get Jining Lan to give Zhen Min’er a necklace? Zhen Zhu closed her eyes and faintly imagined the scene: Jining Lan taking out a necklace and fastening it around the neck of that soft, shy girl…

The dormant volcano within her began to erupt with sparks again.

Frustration.

She opened her eyes.

Got up.

“Eldest Miss?” The masseuse paused, startled.

“It’s nothing. I just want some water,” Zhen Zhu said coldly, her voice seemingly calm but laced with ice.

The masseuse immediately fell silent.

Zhen Zhu instinctively frowned as she drank the ice-cold water. “Why is this water so cold?”

“Eldest Miss, this is your family’s water, you know. Don’t blame the Elder Sister; if you want to blame someone, blame your Aunt Wang, ha ha ha…” Lin Zhi laughed, her eyes closed.

“Hmph,” Zhen Zhu snorted, ignoring her.

Usually, Zhen Min’er would bring her tea.

Hmph.

Zhen Zhu finished the cold water in one gulp. So what if Min’er isn’t here?

It’s just cold water. I’ve drunk colder things abroad.

Zhen Zhu had diarrhea.

She had already visited the bathroom four times.

Lin Zh, who had massaged her the previous night, was doubled over with laughter on the lounge chair. “Oh, Eldest Miss, you truly are a pampered young lady! A little cold water and you’re running to the bathroom like crazy!”

“…” Zhen Zhu emerged from the bathroom again, glared at Lin Zhi, and decided to head to the villa’s medical room. It was still daytime, and the private doctor would be there to check her condition.

As she stepped out of the main hall, she saw her stepmother and Zhen Min’er sitting on the sofa, facing each other. Jining Lan was nowhere to be seen.

Sang Xiaohua, who had been speaking, immediately fell silent when she saw Zhen Zhu.

Zhen Zhu watched Zhen Min’er sitting obediently beside Sang Xiaohua, pouring water for her mother.

She still remembered the two incidents: Zhen Min’er being locked in the bathroom and being pushed into the water.

“…Zhen Min’er, come here,” Zhen Zhu said, her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn’t like Zhen Min’er, but she didn’t want this naive and innocent Main Lead to be hurt by her mother again.

…To prevent her Happiness Value from dropping.

She would have to figure out how to fix it again.

And…

As Zhen Min’er approached with a look of surprise and delight, Zhen Zhu took a step back, avoiding the girl’s attempt to grasp her sleeve. She turned her warning directly to Sang Xiaohua, who was sitting tensely on the sofa: “From now on, stay away from me.”

“And stay away from Zhen Min’er too.”

Being nearly pushed into the water made Zhen Zhu realize her stepmother was truly malicious. But…

Rather than telling her father, Zhen Zhu’s expression turned cold. She preferred to handle this herself.

Just as Lin Zhi had said, the Zhen Family belonged to her.

“Eldest Miss, I…”

“Elder Sister… Mother…”

Sang Xiaohua stood up nervously, and anxious voices echoed from behind her, their owners seemingly tense.

“Shut up,” Zhen Zhu snapped. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t bear to hear Sang Xiaohua speak right now.

When the voices behind her fell silent, Zhen Zhu turned to Sang Xiaohua. “I don’t care what you’re plotting, but the Zhen Family is mine. Stop scheming behind my back.”

“I can have you thrown out at any moment.”

Zhen Zhu showed no mercy. “My father won’t refuse my request either.”

Indeed, Zhen Zhu held fifty percent of the Zhen Family’s shares. Originally, she owned one hundred percent, but after discussing it with Lin Zhi last night, her memories had become clearer.

The remaining fifty percent had been transferred to her father through various equity transfer agreements signed under different pretexts.

She had voluntarily transferred her shares to him.

Zhen Zhu was shocked by this memory, but what shocked her most was…

She could feel her past emotions.

She feared her father would abandon her, would stop loving her, so…

She voluntarily transferred the shares.

Was she really influenced by the novel’s plot? Zhen Zhu thought to herself. I would never be so foolish as to casually hand over the inheritance my mother and grandfather left me.

Or was she trying to gain affection from others by offering herself up?

I would never.

…Even Zhen Min’er, who used to sleep beside me when we were younger, shouldn’t have done that.

Yet she did.

Zhen Zhu turned to leave, but she didn’t hear the usual footsteps following her.

She glanced back at Zhen Min’er, who was on the verge of tears, her gaze shifting between Zhen Zhu and their mother. Zhen Zhu’s eyes turned cold. “Are you coming or not?!”

“Elder Sister…” Zhen Min’er’s voice trembled with tears, her deer-like eyes brimming with pleading.

How annoying.

Ignoring Sang Xiaohua’s expression, Zhen Zhu strode forward, grabbed Zhen Min’er’s hand, and dragged her out the door.

The villa’s gate slammed shut.

Sang Xiaohua’s anxious expression didn’t fade; instead, she frantically stuffed the gift bag into her designer handbag before finally exhaling a shaky breath.

Her pale face remained fixed on the doorway for several minutes, until Aunt Wang brought in a plate of fruit. Only then did she steady her breathing and regain her composure.

Zhen Min’er gazed at her elder sister, who was holding her hand, her heart overflowing with contentment.

Elder Sister still wants to be close to me…

As they reached the side courtyard, Zhen Zhu released her hand. Zhen Min’er’s heart tightened, her instinctive urge to grasp that cool hand resurfacing.

“Do you have any art supplies with you?” Zhen Zhu’s cool voice suddenly broke the silence, soothing Zhen Min’er’s racing heart. Before Zhen Zhu could turn around, she slowly withdrew her hand.

“No… Elder Sister.”

When Zhen Zhu turned back, Zhen Min’er had already regained her composure, answering timidly.

Then I’ll give her Mother’s art supplies.

The thought flashed through Zhen Zhu’s mind, her first reaction being that she was once again being influenced by the plot.

But as she gazed into those dewy eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line, Zhen Zhu inexplicably found herself recalling…

The day’s events: waking up, getting dressed, preparing tea and fruit.

Zhen Zhu hated to admit it, but it was true… her stepsister had been a constant companion to her in the past.

Memories of their shared history grew clearer, while her own long-buried memories resurfaced with greater clarity.

Zhen Zhu gritted her teeth. Hmph, fine. I’ll just pretend this was the dowry I once prepared for my sister Sh.

Zhen Min’er lowered her head under the intense gaze, her body flushing hot. Elder Sister… is looking at me. Watching me.

Her fists clenched, restraining her tightening heart. What is Elder Sister thinking?

Whatever it was, Zhen Min’er curved her lips into a smile. Even if it was a malicious desire to torment her, as long as her sister’s eyes were on her, she didn’t care.

Even if it was disgust, she didn’t mind.

As long as that gaze… was fixed on her.

Under that unwavering scrutiny, Zhen Min’er couldn’t help but slowly move closer. Pulling her gaze away from her sister’s delicate, pale calves, she tugged gently at Zhen Zhu’s hem and asked cautiously, “Elder Sister, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Zhen Zhu replied, snapping back to reality.

After taking the medicine and drinking the lukewarm tea Zhen Min’er had prepared, the mild discomfort in her stomach finally eased.

Zhen Min’er took back her teacup, her eyes flickering slightly as she spoke in a soft voice, “Elder Sister… the doctor said it was because you drank cold water. I’ll make your tea from now on…”

“No need,” Zhen Zhu refused.

No one could stay with her forever.

She had realized this after her mother’s death.

So…

“Elder Sister… do you think I’ve done something wrong?”

“It’s just not necessary.” Zhen Zhu found herself remarkably calm after her sudden emotional outburst—a welcome change.

Her fox-like eyes turned cold and indifferent as she looked at her stepsister, whose eyes were darting nervously, brimming with tears at her words. “From now on, you don’t need to wake me up.”

“You don’t need to pour my water.”

“We have a housekeeper.”

“There’s no need to trouble you.”

Zhen Zhu stood up as her phone rang. It was Lin Zhi.

Ignoring Zhen Min’er sitting beside her, she answered, “Okay, I understand. Gu Anhe has arrived?”

“Greet her first. I’ll be there shortly.”

Zhen Min’er’s bandaged palm, pressed against the armrest, began to bleed again.

The bl00d slowly stained the white bandage.