My Gloomy Stepsister Has Her Eyes on Me - Chapter 9

She hadn’t slept well at all.

The knock at the door woke Zhen Zhu, her head still throbbing faintly.

She had barely slept a wink last night. No matter how hard she tried to remember, her clearest memories remained those from before she turned ten. Everything after that felt like it was shrouded in dust, even…

Even when she had forgiven her father.

She couldn’t recall it at all.

She couldn’t even remember how she had finally fallen asleep, though it must have been very late.

Hearing the knock again, Zhen Zhu replied without opening her eyes, “Come in.”

Then came the sound of the doorknob being pressed down, an attempt to open the door that failed.

This was accompanied by her stepsister’s plaintive voice: “Elder Sister… the door’s locked…”

With the voice, the image of those round, tear-glazed eyes, filled with wounded innocence, flashed vividly through Zhen Zhu’s drowsy mind.

Is she going to cry again?

I need to stop her.

Zhen Zhu’s hazy thoughts suddenly sharpened. She opened her eyes.

As her mind cleared, she heard the aggrieved voice repeat itself outside the door. Only then did Zhen Zhu remember locking the door last night to prevent… that.

She got up, opened the door, and, as usual, let her stepsister choose her outfit.

Zhen Zhu deliberately ignored the sidelong glances her stepsister kept shooting her, those shimmering, round eyes betraying her resentment over the locked door.

Hmph, I locked the door precisely to keep you out.

She lowered her head and bent down as her stepsister’s hand brushed across her bare skin, leaving a faint warmth in its wake.

It was autumn, and a slight chill was already seeping into the air.

Zhen Zhu’s plan for the day was to take Zhen Min’er to the home of He Hanmeng, a world-renowned young painter.

She hoped to persuade He Hanmeng to take Zhen Min’er as an apprentice.

He Hanmeng had begun painting at the age of three, studied abroad at ten, and won numerous youth awards. After a year of seclusion at eighteen, she returned at twenty with a bl00d-red raven titled “Ink,” earning her the prestigious Moer Inger Prize, the world’s most renowned art award.

After that, He Hanmeng became a prominent figure on the international awards circuit.

Zhen Zhu had learned about her while attending an art exhibition. Ba Xueyue’s mother, who also came from a wealthy family, had a friend who met He Hanmeng at the same exhibition.

That’s how they connected.

He Hanmeng was renowned as a master of surrealism.

Her art blended dreams and reality, expressing the subconscious through exaggerated distortions and symbolic elements.

Lying back in the car, Zhen Zhu rubbed her temples. Last night, while pondering these matters, she had also researched He Hanmeng’s background.

Since her breakthrough at age 20, He Hanmeng had maintained her prominent status in the art world for six years.

She had never taken on any apprentices.

Zhen Zhu had seen He Hanmeng’s paintings, all characterized by a dark, brooding style. No images of the artist herself had ever surfaced online.

Ba Xueyue relayed her mother’s friend’s impression that He Hanmeng was easy to get along with.

But after seeing that painting—a crimson blaze against inky darkness, with only a pair of violet eyes faintly visible—

…she didn’t seem like a particularly approachable artist.

“Zhen Min’er.”

Zhen Zhu was about to tell Zhen Min’er about He Hanmeng when she unexpectedly noticed her stepsister pressed tightly against her side.

She quickly shifted away slightly. When had she gotten so close?

“You… move away from me.”

“Yes, Elder Sister?”

Zhen Min’er blinked her eyes innocently, and Zhen Zhu’s words caught in her throat.

Never mind. If she starts crying again, how will I introduce her to the master later?

“I’ve arranged an opportunity for you,” Zhen Zhu said, abandoning her original intention and cutting straight to the main purpose of their meeting. “You’ll have to seize it yourself.”

Before her stepsister could ask about the opportunity, Zhen Zhu continued, “I spoke with Father yesterday. You have a chance to be with Jining Lan.”

“No, Elder Sister! I…”

“Enough,” Zhen Zhu interrupted her stepsister’s sudden agitation. “Listen to me.”

For some reason, Zhen Zhu pursed her lips, genuinely unwilling to discuss Jining Lan any further.

It must be because my stepsister, the main lead, has such poor taste. I’m afraid her bad judgment will rub off on me.

Since the male and female leads were destined to be together, all Zhen Zhu could do was…

“Father has set a condition: you need to win an international award.”

“After that, my engagement with Jining Lan will be transferred to you.”

“Today, I’m taking you to meet He Hanmeng, a surrealist painter. You’ll have to impress her and see if she likes you.”

Zhen Zhu finished in a rush, then looked up to find her stepsister’s eyes suddenly glistening with tears again.

…Not again. Why is she crying again?

“Don’t like He Hanmeng?” Zhen Zhu frowned. That would be a problem. He Hanmeng was practically the most renowned painter she had access to.

Still, it wasn’t the only opportunity.

Should I ask my teacher? Zhen Zhu thought of her piano teacher, an internationally renowned master. The art world was interconnected; perhaps she could find someone suitable.

Noticing her elder sister’s pensive mood, Zhen Min’er bit her lip. She hadn’t expected today’s purpose to be this.

I absolutely refuse to marry Jining Lan, Zhen Min’er thought, her eyes flashing with disgust. If her elder sister hadn’t chased after Jining Lan so relentlessly before, she would never have had to deal with that repulsive, selfish, and arrogant man.

Now… her elder sister no longer cared so much about Jining Lan, and Min’er had no interest in learning this so-called painting. She just wanted to stay by her elder sister’s side.

“Elder Sister, I don’t want to…”

“If you don’t like He Hanmeng’s style,” Zhen Zhu said thoughtfully, “we’ll probably have to wait a while.”

“Which means I can’t break off the engagement right away.”

“Break off the engagement?” Her elder sister could break off her engagement with Jining Lan?!

Zhen Zhu was still pondering when she heard her stepsister’s joyful exclamation.

Hmph, so happy? Zhen Zhu glared at her stepsister’s sudden elation, feeling annoyed. “What? Weren’t you just saying you didn’t want to be with Brother Ninglan?”

“Now that I mention breaking off the engagement, you’re suddenly so thrilled?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Zhen Zhu realized her tone was off. She quickly closed her eyes. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said that. Just stop being so disingenuous. If you like Jining Lan, just admit it.”

“Elder Sister…”

“Don’t bother me,” Zhen Zhu snapped, cutting off her stepsister’s soft, unfinished sentence. What’s wrong with her lately? Zhen Zhu closed her eyes in annoyance. I need to rest.

That’s not true…

Elder Sister… I don’t like Jining Lan.

Seeing Zhen Zhu’s eyes closed, Zhen Min’er’s gaze darkened slightly. Her nails, already digging into her palm, pressed deeper as she bit her lip, watching her sister’s closed eyes.

She likes…

Zhen Min’er drifted into a daze. Yes, she likes her sister. She doesn’t want her sister to be with that mediocre Jining Lan.

Elder Sister… Zhen Min’er’s expression darkened further. Elder Sister deserves the best in the world.

Jining Lan… he’s not worthy.

“Eldest Miss, we’ve arrived.”

Zhen Zhu opened her eyes and saw a gate no less grand than the one at her own villa.

Huh? Zhen Zhu frowned in confusion. This doesn’t match what I researched earlier.

If she remembered correctly, He Hanmeng’s paintings hadn’t sold well in her early years.

She even struggled for a year.

How could she have amassed such wealth in just six years?

Impressive.

Zhen Zhu nodded inwardly. If my stepsister truly becomes He Hanmeng’s apprentice, she might not be mistreated even if she marries into the J family.

This skill would be her trump card.

Trump card… Zhen Zhu froze, a blank look on her face. Why does it feel like I’ve said that to someone before?

“What’s wrong, Elder Sister?”

A questioning voice interrupted Zhen Zhu’s fleeting thoughts. She replied, “It’s nothing,” and rang the doorbell.

The door opened to the sound of a gentle “Coming!”

A woman with long hair braided into a plait that rested over her right shoulder, wearing a floral white dress, greeted them with a warm, gentle smile. “You must be Zhu’er and Min’er?”

“Hello,” Zhen Zhu replied, suppressing her surprise that the author of dark fiction could be so warm and approachable. “Yes, I’m Zhen Zhu.”

Pointing to her stepsister behind her, Zhen Zhu said calmly, “This is my… stepsister, Zhen Min’er.”

He Hanmeng smiled. “Come in, please.”

After thanking He Hanmeng for the tea she had prepared, Zhen Zhu wasted no time. She pulled a palm-sized card from her small bag.

“Miss He, my sister would like to study painting with you.”

“This is one of her previous works.”

“Could you take a look and see if there’s an opportunity?”

Zhen Zhu handed over the pre-prepared painting, deliberately ignoring the occasional glances her stepsister kept casting her way.

“Alright,” He Hanmeng chuckled softly, surprised by the directness of this somewhat aloof girl. She accepted the small card without hesitation.

The tiny paper depicted a blurry figure of a young girl playing the piano, rendered in muted colors.

At first glance, the painting seemed merely amateurish, showing some talent but lacking refinement.

But…

“Hmm,” He Hanmeng murmured, noticing the invisible wings on the piano girl’s back.

On the girl’s back, colors merged and overlapped, creating the illusion of a vibrant world behind her.

But upon closer inspection, the excessively colorful, invisible feather patterns became visible, inexplicably imbuing the piano-playing girl with a touch of divinity.

It was clear.

The artist had portrayed themselves as insignificant, while emphasizing the divine nature of the figure in the painting.

“Is this your work?” He Hanmeng asked, turning to the girl who had been fixated on her elder sister. Only when addressed did the girl finally look back.

Watching her counting down, He Hanmeng couldn’t help but smile. “Very imaginative,” she commented.

Though He Hanmeng’s gaze was gentle, Zhen Min’er felt inexplicably exposed. She lowered her head in feigned panic, her voice soft and small, “Thank you, Miss He.”

“Your disciple,” He Hanmeng concluded, raising an eyebrow. “I’ll take her.”

“So quickly?” Zhen Zhu’s pupils widened slightly, revealing surprise and astonishment. “Don’t you need more time to consider?”

Zhen Min’er’s hands tightened.

He Hanmeng, who had been observing her future disciple closely, naturally noticed this. She chuckled and turned to Zhen Zhu. “What? Do you think I wouldn’t find your sister worthy?”

“That’s not it at all,” Zhen Zhu said without hesitation. “Her abilities are absolutely beyond question. If you don’t accept her, I’ll simply find someone else.”

“I just didn’t expect you to respond so quickly.”

As she spoke, Zhen Zhu turned to her stepsister, who had once again fixed her gaze on her. “Min’er, do you want to study under Miss He?”

“Me?” Zhen Min’er was taken aback by her sister’s question, momentarily stunned. Hadn’t her elder sister already made this decision for her?

“Of course,” Zhen Zhu replied matter-of-factly. “She’ll be your master, so you should choose someone you like.”

“…” Zhen Min’er’s heart seemed to skip a beat. She unconsciously avoided Zhen Zhu’s gaze and murmured softly, “Whatever you decide, Elder Sister, is fine with me.”

“What do you mean, ‘whatever I decide’?” Zhen Zhu’s voice sharpened. She hated hearing that phrase. “If you like someone, you like them. If you don’t, you don’t. If you like them, fight for it. If you don’t, say so directly.”

Zhen Zhu’s clear, piercing gaze met her stepsister’s flickering eyes. She frowned. “This is your teacher, Min’er. The decision is yours alone.”

“I can provide the opportunity, but the choice is yours.”

“And if you don’t like her, I’ll find you another teacher.”