My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 5

Zhen Hongbo paused, as if resigned to his daughter’s naiveté, and sighed before speaking, “Zhu’er…”

Her nails dug into her palm as she took a deep breath and exhaled. Zhen Zhu avoided her father’s gaze and began.

“I’m sorry, Father. I acted impulsively.”

“Daughter, I thought you were quite fond of…”

“That’s enough,” Zhen Zhu interrupted, turning her head to look at the books on the shelf. “That’s all in the past. If you want to help me, just tell me how I can break off the engagement.”

“If Zhu’er wishes to break off the engagement…”

“Yes, I do. There are no ‘ifs’.”

Before Zhen Hongbo could finish outlining other possibilities, Zhen Zhu met his gaze, her clear, earnest eyes unwavering.

Zhen Hongbo paused. “We can simply replace you. The Zhen Family’s agreement stipulates a Zhen Family daughter, but Zhen Min’er can’t be too inferior.”

“At least one of her achievements must be an international award.”

An international award? Zhen Zhu glared at her father, who was clearly trying to make things difficult for her, and scoffed. “No problem.”

Though her stepsister hadn’t undergone extensive training, the fact that she had been accepted into A University—the same prestigious institution Zhen Zhu attended—proved she was undoubtedly intelligent.

Moreover, Zhen Min’er was the main lead…

An international award? Zhen Zhu suddenly remembered a painting Zhen Min’er had drawn for her as a child, trying to win her favor.

Perhaps…

“Zhu’er,” Zhen Hongbo suddenly spoke. “Have you truly thought this through? This engagement was arranged by your mother before she passed away.”

“……”

Zhen Zhu fell silent.

How could she have thought it through? She had merely been suppressing her thoughts, which was why she had initially believed she was in a novel world.

Because if she hadn’t had that dream, she would never have given up this engagement.

At worst, she and Jining Lan would simply grow to despise each other.

But… when she realized she was the villainous supporting character, Zhen Zhu suddenly understood that she was now just a character arbitrarily defined by the author’s pen.

Her character was defined by her inability to break free from this engagement.

Zhen Zhu wanted to dissolve the engagement, partly to discover…

whether she could truly escape the plot’s constraints.

Was the System in her mind genuinely trying to help her, or was it attempting to control her? She needed to test it. Perhaps this was the variable that would disrupt her otherwise tranquil life.

She seemed to have been… longing for such a disruption all along.

Ding-dong! The Main Lead’s Happiness Index has decreased by 1! The Happiness Index has dropped to 29%! Host, hurry and save her! It’s still decreasing!

Before Zhen Zhu could fully process her thoughts, the System’s sudden alert startled her.

What’s wrong with my stepsister now?! Zhen Zhu had no choice but to quickly tell her father, “I’ll make sure Zhen Min’er fulfills this request,” before hurrying away.

Zhen Hongbo set down his teacup and tapped its rim twice. “My daughter… she’s different now, isn’t she?”

“This isn’t good.”

“Mother,” Zhen Min’er said, gazing at the noblewoman standing a short distance away—her mother, Sang Xiaohua.

“How was your trip with Father?”

Zhen Min’er took two steps toward her mother, but when she saw Sang Xiaohua flinch back, her eyes flickered and her pace slowed.

“Mother… don’t you want to see me?”

“Didn’t you just call me?”

Zhen Min’er tilted her head slowly, her gaze fixed intently on her mother. The corners of her lips, which had been drawn into a straight line, curved into her habitual smile.

“Mother, if you didn’t want to see me, why did you call me just now?”

Zhen Min’er’s expression made Sang Xiaohua reluctant to approach. But remembering her husband’s warning, she stopped retreating, forcing herself to suppress the urge to back away further. Sang Xiaohua looked at her daughter.

“…I heard you’ve been getting close to the young master of the J Family lately.”

“Could you…”

“Oh?”

Zhen Min’er quickened her pace, closing the distance between them in two swift steps.

Startled, Sang Xiaohua instinctively recoiled, but Zhen Min’er grabbed her arm, preventing her from retreating.

“Mother, be careful not to fall,” Zhen Min’er said, feigning concern as she gripped Sang Xiaohua’s arm. Her grip tightened slightly, pulling her mother closer.

As she forcefully pulled her mother back, Zhen Min’er leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Mother, please don’t arrange anything for me.”

“After all, you know me best.”

“Do you know what happened to everyone who tried to arrange things for me?”

Zhen Min’er’s smile grew even sweeter, her round, deer-like eyes curving into crescent moons. A small dimple appeared on her left cheek as she spoke, her voice soft as silk.

“You must know, Mother.”

Sang Xiaohua’s legs trembled, nearly collapsing beneath her, but Zhen Min’er’s grip kept her firmly rooted in place.

“You…”

“Mommy… I’m sorry, it was my fault. I won’t see Brother Ninglan again. Please don’t ignore me, waah…”

Zhen Min’er’s voice suddenly turned weak and tearful. Sang Xiaohua shuddered, her eyes widening as she stared at her daughter.

“You…”

“Enough, Aunt Sang. I have no interest in Jining Lan. Zhen Min’er can have him if she wants.”

Zhen Zhu, having descended the stairs, spotted the mother and daughter arguing by the door. She hurried over, catching the tail end of their heated exchange.

So, was she upset because her mother wouldn’t let her get close to Jining Lan?

Zhen Zhu paused briefly. She really didn’t want to get close to her extremely weak stepsister, but she had a mission to complete.

Zhen Zhu quickened her pace, intervening in the mother-daughter argument. After speaking, she grabbed her stepsister’s arm and left.

She couldn’t be bothered to talk to her stepmother; it would be pointless.

After all, her stepmother was just a dodder vine, clinging to her father for survival. When Zhen Zhu was younger, her stepmother had deliberately targeted her and her stepsister.

But as Zhen Zhu grew older, she lost the inclination to target them. While she didn’t want to antagonize her stepmother, she also couldn’t be bothered to care about her… or the stepsister she once adored.

“No… Zhu’er!” Seeing the Eldest Miss take her daughter away, Sang Xiaohua realized something was wrong and called out repeatedly, “It’s…”

Before she could finish, her gaze met Zhen Min’er’s, who was smirking back at her. Instinctively, Sang Xiaohua retreated two steps, afraid to speak further.

Clutching her stomach, Sang Xiaohua shook her head, her face pale as she signaled to her terrifying daughter that she wouldn’t say another word.

Zhen Min’er withdrew her gaze, looking down at her beloved sister’s hand on her arm. Her smile deepened, her eyes shimmering with tears.

Ding-dong—The Main Lead’s Happiness Index has increased by 1! It’s now restored to 30%!

Zhen Zhu had just pulled her stepsister back into the room when she heard the System’s notification. Her lips curved into a brief smile, but then she frowned.

How come, after all this effort, the index is still at the same value?

That’s because you’re moving too slowly, Host! You haven’t even broken off the engagement yet. How can the Main Lead’s Happiness Index increase?

If this System had a physical form, Zhen Zhu was certain she would have punched it.

Fine.

Zhen Zhu released her stepsister’s hand and turned around. “Tomorrow, you’re coming with me to a certain place.”

“You can see Jining Lan without worry. Your mother can’t control you there.”

“If your mother says anything to you again…” Zhen Zhu paused, considering. With her stepmother’s frail and delicate demeanor, a cold impatience flashed through her eyes. “Just tell her I said it.”

Remembering Sang Xiaohua’s behavior, Zhen Zhu fell silent for a moment. Then, unable to resist, she snapped at her stepsister, who was gazing at her with shining eyes, “You’d better not end up like your mother!”

Host!

The System shrieked incessantly in Zhen Zhu’s mind: It’s over! It’s over! The Happiness Index is about to drop again!

Zhen Zhu pursed her red lips, her gaze fixed on her stepsister’s even more luminous deer-like eyes. “You…”

Huh? It doesn’t seem to be dropping?

The System’s surprised voice in her mind interrupted Zhen Zhu’s softening resolve.

“You’ve improved quite a bit,” Zhen Zhu said, a hint of delight lifting the corners of her eyes, making her fox-like eyes appear even more captivating.

“Hmm? What does Sister mean?” Zhen Min’er narrowed her eyes slightly, then feigned innocent confusion. “Sister… is praising me?!”

At this, Zhen Min’er seemed to radiate light, her eyes sparkling even more brightly. “Sister? You’re praising me?!”

“I’m not praising you,” Zhen Zhu retorted reflexively, only to see the light in those deer-like eyes instantly dim.

“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to praise you at all,” Zhen Zhu blurted out again, her words tumbling out before she could stop them.

What am I even saying?!

Realizing her mistake, Zhen Zhu quickly changed the subject. “Alright! Just come early tomorrow, and I’ll pick out an outfit for you. We’ll go out together, and I’ll introduce you to someone.”

Having said her piece, Zhen Zhu didn’t bother to check her stepsister’s reaction before shoving her out the door.

Zhen Zhu closed the door and let out a long sigh.

Then she scoffed, “I have no intention of praising her.”

She reassured herself, “I’m just doing this for the points, nothing else…”

Host, why do I get the feeling… you don’t seem like a villainous supporting character at all?

The System in her mind piped up again.

It feels like you actually care about the Main Lead!

As if discovering some earth-shattering secret, the System exclaimed in Zhen Zhu’s mind.

“I don’t! I don’t care about her at all!” Zhen Zhu immediately insisted. “Don’t start making things up!”

Eager to shut down the System’s nonsense, Zhen Zhu quickly changed the subject. “Stop distracting me. I need to prepare a new skill for your Main Lead.”

“Once your Main Lead has grown stronger, I can finally break off this engagement.”

Okay~ Thank you for your hard work, Host~

Hearing the System’s obedient, childlike response, Zhen Zhu rejoiced at the sudden peace and dialed her friend Ba Xueyue.

Zhen Min’er stood by the door, her lips curving upward despite herself as she recalled her sister’s spontaneous praise.

“My sister complimented me,” she thought, her eyes sparkling with joy. She had longed for such praise for so long.

She remembered how kind her sister had been before their mother married into the Zhen family. They used to spend every day together, showering each other with compliments and affection.

“Min’er…”

A slightly trembling voice from behind interrupted her sweet memories.

It was a voice Zhen Min’er didn’t particularly want to hear.

Without needing to force a pitiful expression, Zhen Min’er turned back to her mother with a sweet, adorable smile.

“What is it, Mother?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“You shouldn’t interfere in my affairs.”

Her honeyed voice lacked its usual trembling, pitiful tone.

Maintaining her sweet demeanor, Zhen Min’er’s gaze swept down from her biological mother Sang Xiaohua’s chest to her abdomen.

“Mother, be careful with your belly~”