My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 7

This wasn’t the first time Zhen Min’er had entered Zhen Zhu’s room.

Sometimes she couldn’t help but want to be close to her sister. Zhen Min’er only dared to sneak in while Zhen Zhu was resting, secretly holding her hand for a moment.

After receiving good news from their mother, Zhen Min’er wasn’t sure why her sister had suddenly praised her, but no matter the reason, her sister had praised her—it had been so long since she’d heard those words.

When her knock went unanswered, Zhen Min’er hesitated for a long time, but she couldn’t suppress her longing for her sister.

She carefully opened the door, telling herself she was just checking on her.

As she got closer, Zhen Min’er reminded herself to simply cover her sister with the blanket and leave.

But when she got even closer…

She saw her sister’s hand lying exposed, a pearl bracelet adorning her delicate wrist, making her fair skin appear even more tender and soft… So soft.

Looking at it, Zhen Min’er glanced at her own hand. It wasn’t large, but it should be able to grasp her sister’s wrist—

Her sister’s fingers twitched.

Is she cold? Zhen Min’er gripped the corner of the blanket, ready to cover her sister.

I want to try… to see if I can hold it.

The thought had barely formed when Zhen Min’er couldn’t resist. She tightened her grip on the corner of the blanket and gently placed her hand on the back of her elder sister’s hand, then closed her palm around her sister’s wrist.

She could hold it.

Zhen Min’er knew she should leave now…

But—

Just a little longer…

Just a moment more, while her sister slept soundly.

If she moved quietly, her sister wouldn’t wake up.

“Zhen Min’er.”

The voice, neither warm nor cold, neither light nor heavy, uniquely her sister’s, was Zhen Min’er’s most beloved sound. But now, it struck her like a thunderbolt.

Her sister was awake! She would be truly angry! She would ignore her!

Panicked, Zhen Min’er scrambled to her feet, turning to flee—

A silky touch restrained her arm, and the unsteady Zhen Min’er was pulled backward by an irresistible force. In a dizzying whirl—

Zhen Min’er closed her eyes.

When her back finally landed against the soft, springy mattress, she nervously opened her eyes, meeting those light brown eyes.

The upturned corners of her sister’s eyes, paired with a raised eyebrow, fixed her with a steady gaze.

Like a serene, noble princess, she looked down upon an ant from her lofty perch.

Her sister—no, the Princess—parted her crimson lips.

Radiant and dazzling, the Princess’s beauty nearly stole Zhen Min’er’s breath. A tickle brushed her cheek—had the Princess’s long, curling hair brushed against her face?

Her mind numb, Zhen Min’er awaited the Princess’s final command, fully aware it was a death sentence, yet unable to tear her gaze away.

Princess… Elder Sister is so beautiful.

I want her so badly.

Zhen Min’er tried to move her arm, but she was pinned down, unable to turn over. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her sister’s swan-like neck.

And lower… Elder Sister’s red dress is cut so low at the chest.

Her ears burned, yet Zhen Min’er’s gaze couldn’t help but drift downward…

Elder Sister, you’re truly breathtaking.

Despite the dim surroundings, Zhen Min’er felt as if she had surpassed human limits, seeing her sister’s entire form through the darkness.

Elder Sister radiates a light that blinds me, yet I want to touch her, possess her.

I want to hide her away.

The initial fear had been devoured by greed. Her once-flickering doe eyes now held a clear, hollow emptiness as she stared at her sister pinning her down, her gaze slowly tracing from her sister’s brows and eyes down to the deep cleavage…

Zhen Min’er’s gaze swept inch by inch across Zhen Zhu’s entire body.

I want to hold Elder Sister so badly.

I want to nuzzle against her skin.

I want to caress her brows and eyes.

“Hmph! Now you want to run?!”

“If you’re so scared, why did you sneak into my room?!”

Seeing the tearful expression of her pinned-down stepsister, who seemed too afraid to meet her eyes, Zhen Zhu felt a surge of satisfaction. Hmph, let this disobedient stepsister sneak into my room!

I’ll scare her to death.

Sensing the faint pressure from her stepsister’s arm, Zhen Zhu immediately tightened her grip.

I finally caught her. If she escapes now, I’ll look utterly useless.

Just as Zhen Zhu was about to deliver another scolding, she noticed her stepsister’s lowered gaze and the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she gasped for breath, looking on the verge of fainting.

This…

Host! Host! Ahhh, the Main Lead’s Happiness Index is changing!

Zhen Zhu instinctively released her grip. “It’s dropping again? By how much this time?”

Wow! The Main Lead’s Happiness Index is rising! It’s already at 35%!

Huh? Zhen Zhu thought she must have misheard. What was the System saying? Rising???

Her hand left Zhen Min’er’s arm, her usually upturned eyes flattening as they widened in shock. Her round, wide eyes stared in disbelief at the clearly tense girl beneath her. What’s going on? Why is her Happiness Value increasing?

Could my stepsister have some strange masochistic tendencies?

The thought immediately brought to mind how Zhen Zhu had never been particularly kind to Zhen Min’er since that incident. Yet Zhen Min’er always clung to her, even after repeated scoldings.

She had never truly left.

Zhen Zhu, who had once stayed up late reading her friend’s novels, suddenly recalled some of the absurdly twisted scenarios from those stories:

Ah, he’s scolding me! That means he likes me! I’m so happy…

A shiver ran down Zhen Zhu’s spine. She lifted her skirt hem, stepped barefoot off the bed, and silently retreated two steps. Frowning, she glared at Zhen Min’er on the bed. “What’s wrong with you?”

If Zhen Min’er truly had masochistic tendencies, Zhen Zhu thought, biting her lip, whether she was the Main Lead or not, she’d be damned if she didn’t correct this unhealthy inclination!

Otherwise, if word got out—Zhen Min’er was still her nominal sister—how would she save face?

With this in mind, Zhen Zhu deliberately deepened her frown, her gaze even more severe. “Zhen Min’er, why did you sneak into my room?!”

What was Ba Xueyue’s BL novel description again? The more the dominant partner scolds, the more the submissive partner’s face flushes and their heart races.

Zhen Zhu took two quick steps barefoot and switched on the bedside lamp, then scrutinized Zhen Min’er’s expression.

Heart racing… can’t tell.

Face flushed…

Zhen Zhu narrowed her eyes at Zhen Min’er, her expression cold and devoid of warmth.

The delicate fragrance of roses vanished instantly. Her elder sister’s weight lifted, replaced by an icy, questioning voice at her ear. Zhen Min’er’s pupils constricted as her greed sank back into the depths of her consciousness. Regaining her senses, she realized she was on her elder sister’s bed, with her sister standing beside it. Trembling, Zhen Min’er immediately scrambled off the bed, bowing her head, afraid to look up.

No, don’t ignore me. Don’t push me away.

Her pupils constricted further, her entire body shaking uncontrollably with the terror of impending loss.

“I’m sorry, Elder Sister. It’s all my fault.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry…”

Her voice grew fainter with each repetition, but there was no response, just like the day she had excitedly sought out her sister, only to be pushed out the door and never allowed back in…

A chill that originated deep within her heart spread through her organs.

It felt as if her entire body had been frozen solid.

She had finally… she had finally…

Soft footsteps approached. Zhen Min’er, still bowing her head, noticed the faint fragrance of roses growing stronger. Her elder sister’s pale pink bare feet came into view.

“Sang Min’er, from this day forward, you are no longer my sister.”

“Get out.”

“Leave my house.”

The cold, emotionless voice had been seared into Zhen Min’er’s heart like an indelible mark. Now, the approaching delicate fragrance felt like poison—a harbinger of her impending doom.

She immediately crouched down, covering her ears, determined to hear nothing. Elder Sister doesn’t want to leave me. Elder Sister didn’t say to stay away!

Zhen Zhu slowly approached her stepsister, her expression grave as she observed her intently.

She doesn’t seem to be blushing?

Ding-dong—The Main Lead’s Happiness Index has dropped by 10 points! It’s now at 25%!

Before Zhen Zhu could figure out what was happening, the childlike voice in her mind erupted in panic. “Ahhh, Host! Everything was going so well! Waaah, what did you do?!”

Zhen Zhu’s solemn expression crumbled. Shocked, she looked at her stepsister, who was bowing her head and repeatedly apologizing. Surprised, she leaned closer and said, “Zhen Min’er, you…”

She managed only a single word. Before Zhen Zhu could think of anything to say to raise Zhen Min’er’s Happiness Index, the girl vanished in an instant.

Zhen Zhu stared blankly at her stepsister, who had suddenly crouched down. The childlike voice in her mind continued to berate her relentlessly. “What do we do now, Host? What do we do? I sense the Main Lead’s Happiness Index is still plummeting!”

“What do we do?! What do we do?!”

Zhen Zhu’s head was buzzing from the constant nagging. This stepsister is so easily hurt!

Well, I didn’t really do anything. I just came to secretly cover her with the blanket. It’s not like she has some victim complex…

Biting her red lip, Zhen Zhu crouched down slightly and tugged at her stepsister’s arm, but unlike before, it wouldn’t budge no matter how hard she pulled.

She strained with all her might, gritting her teeth as she tried to pry Zhen Min’er’s arm loose, but it remained stubbornly still. Left with no other choice, Zhen Zhu squatted down beside the huddled figure—a ball of knees-hugged limbs and long, straight hair completely enveloping her body. Reluctantly, she spoke in a soft voice, though her tone betrayed her annoyance.

“Okay, I forgive you.”

“Hurry up and get up now.”

The huddled figure remained motionless. Even Zhen Zhu, who rarely softened her tone, waited for her stepsister to look up, but nothing changed.

I almost never speak in such a gentle voice! Zhen Zhu’s frustration boiled over. She stood up, leaned down, and slapped Zhen Min’er’s arm forcefully.

“How can you be so ungrateful…?”

“Ah!”

Before Zhen Zhu could finish her sentence, she lost her balance. Rising too quickly from her crouch, her legs gave way, and she stumbled sideways, about to fall onto the carpet. Gritting her teeth, she braced herself with her hand against the carpet, cursing inwardly. It won’t hurt too much, but still…

She swore she would be furious!

Even if Zhen Min’er was the Main Lead, she would still be angry!

Zhen Zhu barely had time to brace her arm against the impending pain when she heard Tuanz, who had been silent for so long, suddenly exclaim in alarm.

“Elder Sister!”

Her arm was yanked, and her body, about to collapse onto the carpet, was steadied.

Zhen Zhu hadn’t yet released the bite on her lip as she looked at Zhen Min’er, who was straining to hold her up, her teeth clenched. She straightened up, following Zhen Min’er’s pull.

Before she could fully regain her balance, she saw Zhen Min’er’s wide, deer-like eyes flicker again, glancing at her before dropping her gaze.

Seeing her stepsister about to shrink into herself again, Zhen Zhu quickly reached out, gripping Zhen Min’er’s shoulders to stop the girl, who was half a head shorter, from crouching down. Then, she pinched Zhen Min’er’s chin and, in a voice loud enough to startle the fragile-hearted stepsister, snapped:

“Enough already!”

“Hmph! I already said I forgive you!”

“What’s this about? Do you want me to apologize to you?!”

“Fine, fine! It was my fault! I scared you, okay?!”

A voice of surrender.