My Sister-In-Law Has Impure Intentions (GL) - Chapter 15
That night’s question went unanswered. Xu Jingyi remained silent for a long time, not responding, until the commercial break ended and a new episode of the drama began. Only then did she calmly say, “Let’s watch TV.” Lin Ruoyan didn’t press further; she finished watching the show in silence and they each returned to their rooms to rest.
As Lin Ruoyan had predicted, work was no longer as demanding, and she started coming home earlier and earlier. One day, Xu Jingyi was doing yoga at home when she overheard the housekeeper on the phone.
“Miss… okay… What time will you be home?… Around 6 o’clock… Okay, okay.”
After the call ended, Xu Jingyi asked, “Who was that?”
“Madam, it was Miss Lin. She called to say she’s coming home for dinner.”
Xu Jingyi held a difficult yoga pose, exhaling a long breath. “Mhm, got it.”
She finished her yoga, went back to her room to shower. When she came downstairs, Lin Ruoyan was already sitting at the dining table, engrossed in her phone. She seemed to be Browse something, but her expression was serious, as if she were handling work.
“You’re back?” It was still Xu Jingyi who initiated the greeting.
Lin Ruoyan glanced up, then discreetly looked away. “Mhm, I got off work early today, so I thought I’d come back for dinner.”
The conversation felt strange, like a wife greeting her husband returning home from work. Lin Ruoyan felt a flicker of awkwardness but quickly dismissed it.
“Have you been waiting long? Let’s eat.” Xu Jingyi moved to the table and sat beside Lin Ruoyan, not opposite her, instantly closing the distance between them.
“No, I just got here too. Auntie just finished setting out the food.” A pleasant, distinct aroma wafted to her nose.
They both picked up their chopsticks. “I just exercised and was all sweaty. I was afraid you’d find the smell unpleasant, so I showered afterward. I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”
Her hair wasn’t completely dry yet; some parts were still damp, the moisture creating slight waves. Xu Jingyi usually showered before going to bed at night, and to avoid suspicion, she rarely appeared before Lin Ruoyan like this. Today was an exception. Having just showered, she was bare-faced and simple, but she looked remarkably radiant. Lin Ruoyan didn’t dare to look too long and quickly averted her gaze.
“It’s fine, I didn’t wait long.”
Her earlobes were slightly red, clearly visible to Xu Jingyi since her hair was tied back. This small detail gave Xu Jingyi a strange feeling, but it was formless and fleeting, like a wisp of smoke, impossible to grasp. As soon as the feeling arose, it quickly vanished.
She quickly dismissed that feeling. It had been a long time since anyone had joined her for dinner at home after Lin Ruofeng’s accident. Today, with Lin Ruoyan unexpectedly home, she was quite happy. Lin Ruoyan wasn’t very talkative, so Xu Jingyi took the initiative to converse with her. Although Lin Ruoyan spoke little, she would answer questions, usually briefly. So it was mostly Xu Jingyi talking, and they managed to have a good conversation, often about work-related matters.
The atmosphere was quite harmonious, certainly better than the oppressive feeling they had initially, where a couple of mismatched words could lead to an argument. Generally, unless there was something special, after dinner was Xu Jingyi’s time to watch dramas. However, perhaps due to her good mood today or simply having company for dinner, Xu Jingyi actually ate an entire bowl of rice.
She maintained her figure rigorously, so when she saw the empty bowl, Xu Jingyi’s mind went blank.
I actually ate this much!!! How could this happen? How could I eat so many carbs at night?
She was getting older, and her metabolism was slowing significantly, so she always deliberately controlled her diet in the evenings.
The housekeeper was clearing the dishes. Xu Jingyi’s face was noticeably off. It was the complete opposite of her pleasant, chatty demeanor moments ago. Lin Ruoyan was a little puzzled. She was fine just now, what’s wrong? I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?
She replayed their recent conversation, and after confirming that the problem wasn’t with her, she spoke. “Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Xu Jingyi replied, still regretting it inwardly.
“But your complexion looks very bad. Is something wrong with the food?” But I ate it, and I’m fine.
Xu Jingyi hadn’t reacted yet, but the housekeeper was startled, hastily explaining, “Miss, I… the groceries were just bought this afternoon. I absolutely guarantee their freshness, and the seasonings are definitely within their shelf life. There won’t be any problems.”
“I’m always extra careful about these things, and… and Madam even ate half a bowl more than usual today, so the taste should be fine too.”
As the housekeeper spoke, Xu Jingyi’s hands instantly clenched into fists. Her voice tight, she said, “Auntie, it’s fine. Today’s food was delicious. It’s not your fault, don’t worry.”
The housekeeper finally relaxed, feeling relieved. The boss paid well, and the work was easy; she didn’t want to lose her job.
Only after the housekeeper had cleared away the dishes did Lin Ruoyan speak again. “Sister-in-law, if there’s something you want to say, you can say it now.” She thought Xu Jingyi had something serious to discuss but was just debating how to start. “Just say it directly.”
Xu Jingyi raised her face to look at her, and with a serious expression, said, “If Ruoyan isn’t busy tonight, would you mind taking a walk with me?”