My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 37

Zhen Zhu glared at her disobedient stepsister. “I’m asking you, where’s the medicine box?”

“I don’t have one…”

“?”

Zhen Zhu was shocked. “Didn’t you prepare a whole arsenal of medicine to use against me? You don’t even have medicine for yourself?”

“Mmm.” Zhen Min’er blinked her doe-like eyes, tilting her head with a naive charm as she looked at her sister. “Nope, I don’t.”

Zhen Zhu was exasperated. “You—”

“Oh, right! I have that healing ointment I use to treat Elder Sister’s wounds.” Zhen Min’er seemed to remember suddenly, looking at her sister with a docile expression. “Can I use that?”

“Huh? Healing ointment?” Zhen Zhu frowned. “Sure, why not?”

“Isn’t that supposed to prevent your wounds from reopening?”

“Where’s the ointment?”

“In the cabinet.”

Zhen Min’er sat obediently on the bed, a pink hair tie dangling next to the gold bracelet on her arm. Zhen Zhu glanced at it before tucking the blanket around her stepsister and heading to the cabinet.

When she opened it, Zhen Zhu found over twenty tubes of ointment in identical white and green packaging.

Zhen Zhu snorted coldly. “So much for ‘I don’t have any’!”

She pulled out a tube, tore open the packaging, and was about to unscrew the cap when she remembered to check the instructions first.

The label read:

Indications: Relieves itching, kills parasites, prevents infection, and promotes tissue regeneration. For swelling of the vulva…

Smack!

What the hell is this?!

Zhen Zhu slammed the ointment back into the cabinet.

Swelling?! Ugh!

She tried to glare back at the mischievous culprit, but as the faint jingle of a cat bell sounded, a pair of hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Zhen Min’er, who had slipped behind her unnoticed, now held her close.

“Elder Sister~”

“Weren’t you going to apply the ointment for me?”

“Why did you throw it back?”

How dare Min’er even ask?!

Smack! Zhen Zhu dodged her injury and slapped Min’er’s hand away. She spun around furiously, glaring at her stepsister, who had somehow managed to sneak up behind her.

“You did this on purpose!”

“How could I?”

Min’er didn’t retract her hand, instead pressing it against Zhen Zhu’s blanket-wrapped chest. She twirled strands of her elder sister’s long hair around her wrist, which was adorned with a golden bracelet, coiling them into delicate loops. Her innocent, cherubic face wore an expression of feigned innocence. “But, Elder Sister…”

“You were the one who asked where the ointment came from first.”

“I was just answering your question~”

“Then… I was asking about the healing ointment!”

“Who… who… who told you to give me this ointment?!”

Zhen Zhu’s face burned with heat. She finally understood: her stepsister wasn’t worried about her wound at all. All she cared about was taking advantage of her!

Even if… even if she liked her, this was unacceptable!

She couldn’t just take liberties without her permission!

And…

Zhen Zhu didn’t want to dwell on it. What exactly was Zhen Min’er planning with all those preparations? Where was she planning to use them, and on whom?

Sensing Zhen Min’er’s breath ghosting across her neck, Zhen Zhu waited fiercely until her stepsister was about to kiss her throat—

Then she ducked, bent low, wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, and slipped past Zhen Min’er’s side.

Zhen Min’er’s fox-like eyes widened with triumph. “Hmph!”

“Did you really think you could always get away with bullying me?”

“Huh?”

Having missed her target, Zhen Min’er let out a pitiful sigh. Her dark amber eyes flickered, but instead of straightening up, she slumped downward, succumbing to gravity.

Without support, her body was forced down, and her injured palm pressed against the sharp corner of the bedside table, eliciting a sharp hiss—

“You can’t even stand properly!”

Zhen Zhu never imagined he would fall the moment she left. Her smug expression barely had time to register before she frantically reached out to grab Zhen Min’er.

But it was already too late.

Zhen Zhu forcibly restrained Zhen Min’er, pushing her onto the bed. She grabbed a random dress from the closet—a pink, frilly dress that Zhen Min’er hadn’t worn since childhood. Zhen Zhu tried to ignore how utterly uncomfortable she felt in the childish outfit.

She examined Zhen Min’er’s palm, which was now visibly more bl00d-soaked. As she unwrapped the bandage, she found the wound oozing with a yellowish pus, its color far from normal.

This girl really has no sense of pain! Zhen Zhu bit her lip, glaring angrily. “Don’t make the wound worse.”

“We’re going to the hospital.”

Zhen Zhu snapped, “If you don’t go to the hospital, you might as well just cut out the flesh from your palm and throw it away. Even tetanus shots won’t save you then.”

“……”

Seeing Zhen Min’er’s silence, Zhen Zhu frowned and glared. “Did you hear me? Hospital.”

“……”

As she spoke, Zhen Zhu tugged awkwardly at the overly frilly pink dress. It had been years since she’d worn something so childish, and the sudden change felt utterly unnatural.

When Zhen Min’er remained silent, Zhen Zhu couldn’t help but fix her with a cold stare. “Didn’t you hear me?”

“…Elder Sister, are you trying to run away?”

After a moment of silence, Zhen Min’er suddenly looked up, her dark amber eyes locking onto Zhen Zhu’s with an unsettling intensity.

“What’s with that look?!”

Zhen Zhu’s head snapped up, startled by the intensity of the gaze. She glared at Zhen Min’er, her voice sharp with irritation. “What?!”

“So what if I want to run away?!”

“Shouldn’t I want to escape?!”

“I don’t even like you!”

“And I’m not into being abused!”

“Why should I be locked up here by you?!”

With that, Zhen Zhu threw her hands up and scoffed. “Give me back my phone.”

She had searched everywhere that morning, and just now she had quickly checked the cabinets. It was nowhere to be found—clearly hidden by Zhen Min’er.

“Do you realize that if I don’t reply for too long, Ba Xueyue and Lin Zhi will definitely come looking for me?”

“Then you’ll be in even deeper trouble!”

“That won’t happen.” Zhen Min’er’s sweet smile returned, her dewy, doe-like eyes blinking innocently. “Don’t worry, Elder Sister~”

Don’t worry?!

How could I not worry?!

Seeing that Zhen Min’er had no intention of returning her phone, Zhen Zhu stared at the horrifying wound on her outstretched palm. She scoffed. “Fine, just go to the hospital first.”

“…”

Zhen Min’er simply smiled sweetly at her, neither getting up nor acknowledging the hospital suggestion. Irritated, Zhen Zhu tugged at the kitten chain connecting them. “Go to the hospital, and I won’t try to run away. Okay?!”

The crisp ringing of the bell echoed in the air. Zhen Zhu stared into Xiao Lu’s unwavering, deer-like eyes, speechless for a long moment. She couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch his cheek. “Did you hear me?!”

“Go to the hospital!” She pinched him twice more.

“Then…” Zhen Min’er didn’t resist, letting Zhen Zhu knead her like a cute doll, her soft voice barely audible.

“If I go to the hospital, will Elder Sister give me a kiss when I get back?”

Her deer-like eyes shimmered with tears, gazing at Zhen Zhu with a pitiful yet hopeful expression.

“?”

Zhen Zhu froze, taking two steps back. Her fox-like eyes widened in shock. “You’re pushing your luck, Zhen Min’er!”

“I already said I wouldn’t run away while you’re at the hospital! That’s more than enough!”

“That’s already being incredibly generous!”

“If I shouted right now, do you think a crowd wouldn’t come to arrest you?!”

“And you’re actually trying to bargain with me?!”

Zhen Zhu was furious. This girl was truly…

If not for Zhen Min’er’s earlier concern, Zhen Zhu wouldn’t have bothered waiting for her to heal! And now she was getting so brazen!

Zhen Zhu narrowed her fox-like eyes, emphasizing each word. Her concern was merely a reciprocation of Zhen Min’er’s earlier care—a simple repayment, nothing more!

“I’ll say it again.”

“I don’t like you.”

“I like men.”

Yes, Elder Sister likes men, Zhen Min’er thought. But what’s so great about them? They’re just… extra two ounces of disgusting flesh.

… Suppressing her dark thoughts, Zhen Min’er reminded herself to endure.

Since I’ve already claimed Elder Sister’s body as my own…

Zhen Min’er realized she was far greedier than she’d imagined.

She didn’t want to settle for just that.

She pursed her lips slightly, her deer-like eyes still filled with hopeful, pitiful longing as she looked up. “I…”

“I just want a kiss.”

“My hand hurts so much…” Her voice trembled softly as Zhen Min’er lowered her gaze and shook slightly. “I just… want a kiss from Elder Sister.”

“Nothing more…”

“I know.”

“Elder Sister looks down on me…”

“What?!”

“Wait a minute!” Zhen Zhu snapped, cutting her off. “Who’s looking down on you?!”

“Have I ever said I look down on you?”

She hadn’t even said liking women was a problem!

Turning around, Zhen Zhu was stunned by her stepsister’s words. Her fox-like eyes widened in fury, the corners of her narrow eyes arching into an unnatural curve. “Enough!”

“I agree, okay?!”

“Really?”

“But just a kiss on the forehead!” Seeing those sparkling, deer-like eyes, Zhen Zhu suddenly felt the air grow warm and stifling. She emphasized, “I told you, I don’t like you.”

“I like men!”

“I’m straight!”

After saying this, she couldn’t help adding, “If you like women, you’re gay…”

Pausing, Zhen Zhu glanced out the window at the sunlight filtering through the green foliage, avoiding Zhen Min’er’s gaze. “Actually, you could find someone…”

“…a same-s3x partner who likes you too.”

“…and be together.”

Suppressing her wavering emotions, Zhen Zhu told herself it was just the discomfort of being forced to stay. Once Zhen Min’er’s injuries healed, she’d find a way to leave. Of course, if Zhen Min’er fell for… someone else and willingly let her go, that would be ideal…

Yes, that would be best.

Zhen Zhu thought, That way, Zhen Min’er’s Happiness Value would fluctuate based on someone else, making it easier for me to…

Hmph, my mood is inexplicably sour. Zhen Zhu glared at Zhen Min’er with even greater annoyance. “Do you understand?!”

It was all Zhen Min’er’s fault. Otherwise, she would have completed her mission long ago. Instead, it had turned into… Zhen Min’er liking her?

And then she had the audacity to lock her up! What kind of ridiculous plot was this?!

…she wouldn’t like anyone else.

She only liked her Elder Sister.

But…

Zhen Min’er replied softly, “Alright, I’ll try.”

Although she had prepared everything for her Elder Sister’s escape, it would be best if she could persuade her to stay willingly, without resorting to such measures.

With this in mind, Zhen Min’er obediently looked up at Zhen Zhu. “Elder Sister, I’ll try my best to like someone else.”

“But…”

“Right now, I only like you…”

“Elder Sister, can you promise me you’ll wait for me to come back?”

“Hmph.”

For some reason, Zhen Zhu felt even more irritated. “Fine, I get it.”

The golden ring on Zhen Min’er’s ankle was removed and placed on Zhen Zhu’s wrist. Zhen Zhu tried to persuade her stepsister, whose sexual orientation was clearly skewed, to remove the ring from her own ankle.

“Hmm…”

The beautiful doe eyes blinked. “But I don’t trust you, Elder Sister.”

“You can choose to wear another golden ring on your wrist.”

“Or I can relock the ring to the doorknob, and I’ll keep the magnetic key.”

Zhen Min’er smiled sweetly. “Either way, the room is spacious, you can use the bathroom, and… the chain is quite long.”

“I’ll be back soon too~”

“……”

“Forget it!”

“Then you might as well just keep me chained up!” Zhen Zhu snapped, her displeasure evident.

After following Zhen Min’er downstairs and watching her leave, Zhen Zhu surveyed her surroundings. She realized the layout was almost identical to her own villa at home, just much smaller—about a third of the size of the main building.

The master bedroom was the one she had just come from. But beyond that…

There weren’t any other arranged bedrooms or guest rooms?

Zhen Zhu opened a door—empty. She opened three or four more, each one fully renovated but completely bare.

By the time she reached the last door, Zhen Zhu had lost all hope of finding anything. But when she opened it—

Her eyes fell upon a white grand piano.