On The Night I Confirmed My Girlfriend's Infidelity, I Kissed Her Sister (GL) - Chapter 48: Winning Her Back

“Xiao Ying, it’s me.”

Hearing that voice, Fu Chaoying’s heartbeat spiraled beyond control.

Standing outside the bedroom door, Ye Jiayuan gazed at the wooden barrier with complex emotions flickering through her eyes.

When no response came, she inhaled deeply and murmured, “Rest well then. I’ll… wait outside.”

Fu Chaoying exhaled in relief, only to immediately feel suffocated by some invisible weight.

As silence resumed beyond the door, her composure remained shattered. Suddenly swinging the door open, she found herself instantly trapped in Ye Jiayuan’s profound gaze.

Those eyes were calm yet seemed to hold tenderness and something more intricate—something Fu Chaoying couldn’t decipher.

“Aunt Wu mentioned you didn’t eat dinner, so I asked her to heat up some char siu buns for you.” Ye Jiayuan gazed into her eyes, speaking softly with a cautious tone.

Fu Chaoying felt a pang in her heart, but her mind was in such disarray that she didn’t know how to react. She could only reply instinctively, “Thank you.”

Before the words fully left her lips, she was suddenly pulled by the wrist and drawn into an embrace.

“Are you leaving me?” Ye Jiayuan’s voice carried the same careful hesitation from before.

Fu Chaoying’s nose stung abruptly, and a sharp ache pierced her chest, making it hard to breathe in the warmth of her arms.

“I…” Fu Chaoying opened her mouth but found no words.

Her composed gentleness, her cautious hesitation, her occasional jealousy, her restrained gaze, her possessiveness—all of it now flooded Fu Chaoying’s heart, rendering her unable to refuse.

Ye Jiayuan let out an almost imperceptible sigh before raising a hand to stroke her back soothingly. “Sweetheart, whatever questions you have, I’ll answer them one by one.”

Fu Chaoying took a deep breath. The casual “Jiayuan-jie” she used to call her now felt impossible to utter, so she avoided addressing her altogether. “Qin Zhaodi said… you’ve liked me for a long time.”

Despite preparing herself for this moment, her voice still trembled with a hint of choked emotion.

Noticing this, Ye Jiayuan released her, gently cupping her face. Seeing the flush at the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose, she brushed a thumb over her cheek. “Don’t cry.”

Outside, the night was pitch black, but the warm indoor light bathed her face in a soft glow.

Fu Chaoying averted her gaze, only to hear her give a slight nod. “Yes. A long time.”

“But by the time I realized I liked you, Yi’an told me her confession had succeeded.”

It was during their third year of university—back when they hadn’t interacted much.

Though Fu Chaoying had braced herself, hearing it spoken aloud still made her look at her in disbelief.

“So that’s why you started keeping your distance later,” Fu Chaoying murmured.

“I’m sorry. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control myself.”

“But you controlled it so well,” Fu Chaoying said, her eyes burning as she met her gaze. “Before this weekend, I couldn’t even be sure if you liked me, let alone imagine you’d fallen for me that early.”

Ye Jiayuan was always composed, always steady and rational, rarely revealing her heart.

Unable to argue, Ye Jiayuan could only pull her close again.

Fu Chaoying stayed in her arms for a long moment before taking two deep breaths. “Jiayuan-jie… I might need more time to process this.”

When she looked up, her eyes were filled with indescribable conflict and struggle.

Ye Jiayuan held her gaze and gave a small nod.

Fu Chaoying’s heart ached as she turned away slowly, about to retreat to the bedroom—only for her wrist to be caught again.

“Are you breaking up with me?”

The sting in her nose intensified, and a tear slipped free before she could stop it. She wiped it away quickly. Ye Jiayuan saw right through her—how could she ever bring herself to leave her?

Fu Chaoying turned back and shook her head, forcing a weak smile. “I just need some time to think.”

Gently freeing her hand, she shut the door behind her and slid to the floor the moment it closed.

Countless memories flashed through her mind as she began searching through them for traces of Ye Jiayuan’s love.

After a long while, another knock came at the door. Just as Fu Chaoying was about to say she wanted to rest, Aunt Wu’s voice sounded from outside—

“Xiao Ying, the char siu buns are heated up. You should eat a little.”

Fu Chaoying’s heart trembled faintly. She got up and opened the door, only to see Aunt Wu alone, yet she instinctively asked, “Where’s Jiayuan-jie?”

“She said she has an important meeting tomorrow and left first. Did you two have a disagreement?”

Fu Chaoying silently shook her head, then took the char siu buns from her hands. “Thank you, Aunt Wu. It’s nothing.”

Placing the plate of char siu buns on the table, Fu Chaoying’s gaze fixed on the window. Outside was pitch black, but she remembered one day when she had just woken up to find Ye Jiayuan sitting by the window reading a book.

Fu Chaoying sighed softly, ate two of the buns, and then went to take a shower.

She turned the rock music up loud, yet it still couldn’t drown out the chaotic thoughts in her mind.

After drying off and wrapping herself in a towel, the first thing Fu Chaoying did upon leaving the bathroom was to ask Shen Guannan out for drinks.

But Shen Guannan had just finished overtime and was too exhausted to move. “Are you looking for Fu Chaohua?”

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together. “She’s probably even busier.”

Despite her thoughts, Fu Chaoying called Fu Chaohua, who answered almost instantly—

“Xiao Ying, what’s up?”

“Are you free right now, sis?”

There was a brief silence before the reply came. “I can be.”

Fu Chaoying guessed she might have interrupted her rest and quickly said, “It’s fine, sis. You can go back to what you were doing.”

“Wait, hold on!” Fu Chaohua hurriedly interjected. “I’m not busy. Do you want to grab a drink or some late-night snacks?”

At this hour, those were the only two options.

Fu Chaoying replied softly, “Both.”

“Alright, send me the address.”

Fu Chaoying picked a random barbecue spot and sent her the location.

After quickly blow-drying her hair and changing into casual clothes, she headed out.

While waiting for a taxi at the gate of her neighborhood, Fu Chaoying suddenly realized she’d forgotten to remind Fu Chaohua not to bring Dong Muyu—but it was too late now. She was already on her way.

Fu Chaoying arrived at the barbecue place via ride-hailing, only to run into Fu Chaohua right at the entrance.

Seeing her alone, Fu Chaoying sighed in relief.

Fu Chaohua noticed her subdued expression. “What’s wrong? Did you fight with Jiayuan-jie?”

Fu Chaoying couldn’t bring herself to say it outright and only sighed. “I’m just a little hungry.”

Fu Chaohua nodded, linking arms with her as they entered the shop. She swiftly ordered skewers and a dry pot before asking, “What do you want to drink?”

“Beer. I have work tomorrow.”

After placing the order, Fu Chaohua chatted casually, deliberately avoiding the topic of Fu Chaoying’s troubles. She knew her sister too well—she’d only open up after a few drinks.

They clinked glasses, and after several rounds, a faint flush crept onto Fu Chaoying’s cheeks.

Only then did Fu Chaohua ask, “You look as heartbroken as if you’ve just gone through a breakup. What’s really going on?”

Fu Chaoying’s eyes stung slightly as she forced a smile. “Sis, would you believe me if I told you Jiayuan-jie said she’s liked me for a long time?”

The bombshell made Fu Chaohua widen her eyes, double-checking she hadn’t misheard. “Huh? Jiayuan-jie? Liked you? For a long time?”

Fu Chaoying nodded, then chuckled. “I can’t believe it either.”

“How long?” Fu Chaohua pressed. “Don’t tell me it was back when you were with Ye Yi’an…?”

Fu Chaoying met her gaze steadily. “She said yes.”

“How is that possible? She’s always been swamped with work. We’ve barely seen her these past few years.”

“Did you ever notice anything?”

Fu Chaoying’s lips curled into a faint, strained smile as she shook her head. “Not a single clue. I even doubted whether she liked me at all.”

That unspoken politeness and distance had once made Fu Chaoying wonder if she’d done something wrong.

Fu Chaohua hesitated. “But Jiayuan-jie doesn’t seem like the type to have a secret crush.”

From every angle, Ye Jiayuan was the epitome of an alpha—someone in absolute control. People like her didn’t harbor hidden feelings, let alone for their sister’s girlfriend.

Yet, someone like her also had no reason to lie. Fu Chaoying shook her head. “She did give me The Magnolia Painting, remember? I’ve been testing her reactions since then, and she’s been neither proactive nor resistant.”

“His indulgence towards me was… somewhat beyond what you’d expect for a childhood friend’s little sister. So when Ye Yi’an was pestering me at that time, and considering how many admirers she had, I took the opportunity to test the waters by asking if she’d be my contract girlfriend. But she turned me down.”

“If she liked you, why refuse? Shouldn’t she have seized the chance to fake it till you make it?” Fu Chaohua asked, puzzled.

Fu Chaoying paused before responding, “Probably because she knows exactly what she wants.”

Having built her business to this level, Ye Jiayuan was clearly the type with well-defined goals. What she wanted and how to obtain it were crystal clear in her mind.

Fu Chaohua understood now. “That makes sense. So what happened next?”

“After that, I felt awkward and distanced myself from her for a while.”

“Then on Dragon Boat Festival, she suddenly asked if I wanted to be her girlfriend.”

Fu Chaohua had an epiphany, yet remained confused. “So she confessed to you then?”

Fu Chaoying was silent for a long moment. “No confession.”

The essential step of confession had never occurred between them.

“What? Then how could she ask you to be her girlfriend without confessing?” Fu Chaohua reflected that staying in the ivory tower for too long had made her thinking rather rigid.

“She said she didn’t have time for blind dates or dating, and that I was the most suitable candidate.” Fu Chaoying recalled the scene that day, remembering Ye Jiayuan’s cool, composed expression.

Is that how people pursue others these days? Fu Chaohua was astonished. “…Her reasoning was so proper you couldn’t refuse.”

Fu Chaoying chuckled lightly. “Now looking back at her step-by-step maneuvering, I can’t tell whether it started from ‘The Magnolia Painting’ or that invitation to the Jiugangpo banquet.”

“I don’t know whether to feel happy or sad about it.”

“Happy because she’s liked me for so very long, and was willing to invest time and effort to gradually draw me into her game.”

“Sad because until I asked her this weekend whether she liked me, I’d been constantly guessing her true feelings, testing whether she actually liked me and what she liked about me.”

“Most of the time she’s cool and restrained. Only in rare moments, when I provoke her, might she show a hint of possessiveness towards me.”

“Her rationality and self-control make me feel… insecure.”

Fu Chaoying took a few more sips of wine, her eyes growing increasingly sore. “I admit my personality is too sensitive and complicated. I don’t know how to face her now, nor how to face this terrible version of myself.”

At this moment, Fu Chaoying’s heart was filled only with confusion and bewilderment.

Fu Chaohua took hold of her wine glass and said firmly, “You’re not terrible.”

“If Jiayuan-jie truly liked you from that early on, if she really wanted to have you, she had to proceed step by step without revealing her feelings.”

“Because admiring strength is human nature. If she showed her hand too early, she’d be at a disadvantage.”

“That’s the so-called ‘whoever falls in love first loses’.”

Fu Chaohua concluded: “But her past experiences told her she couldn’t afford to lose.”

“So the root of your problem is that she’s probably used to controlling the pace, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s given less genuine affection.”

“Maybe some time apart would be good now, for both you and Ye Jiayuan to think things through.”

Fu Chaohua blurted out, then belatedly realized she’d dared to address Ye Jiayuan by her full name—perhaps because she was about to become her sister-in-law.

Fu Chaoying nodded. “I told her.”

Fu Chaohua sighed and patted her shoulder lightly. “What about you? Do you like her?”

Fu Chaoying smiled helplessly. “Without a doubt, I fell for her long ago.”

She had fallen without even realizing it.

Fu Chaohua could only sigh inwardly. She hadn’t thought much of Ye Yi’an before, but Ye Jiayuan… who could resist Ye Jiayuan?

After finishing their drinks, Fu Chaohua hailed a cab to take her sister home.

Fu Chaoying was still clear-headed and waved her off. “I can get home by myself. You should go back and keep your senior company.”

Fu Chaohua shook her head. “I wouldn’t dare let you go alone.”

Fu Chaoying looped her arm through hers and couldn’t help but pout. “You’re the best, sis.”

“Cut it out,” Fu Chaohua said, lightly patting her shoulder.

When the car pulled up at the gate, Fu Chaohua helped Fu Chaoying out, only to startle at the sight of someone standing in the courtyard.

The figure turned abruptly, and Fu Chaoying’s gaze locked onto Ye Jiayuan’s deep, penetrating eyes.

Hadn’t she gone back to Hong Kong? Fu Chaoying’s heart suddenly raced.

“You’ve been drinking again,” Ye Jiayuan said helplessly before stepping forward.

Fu Chaohua moved in front of Fu Chaoying. “Jiayuan-jie, I’ve got her.”

Ye Jiayuan’s outstretched hand froze midair. Fu Chaoying forced herself to look away, keeping her voice as steady as possible. “Jiayuan-jie, you should go back and rest early.”

Ye Jiayuan watched as the two sisters disappeared behind the door, momentarily lost in thought.

Then, seeing the lights turn on upstairs, she stared at the window that belonged to Fu Chaoying for a long, long time before finally snapping out of it.

Fu Chaoying and Fu Chaohua each took showers before unwittingly ending up on the rooftop for a late-night chat.

Fu Chaoying told her about Qin Zhaodi. “I felt so sad when I heard her name.”

Fu Chaohua nodded in understanding.

Fu Chaoying murmured, “Do you think Jiayuan-jie is disappointed too? This is the girl she pulled out of the abyss.”

She then gave a bitter smile, her heart pounding uncontrollably again. “And the name of that project… it’s related to me too.”

Fu Chaoying felt even more lost and uncertain.

The love Ye Jiayuan had shown her in ways she couldn’t see far surpassed what she had witnessed.

“Actually, I’m curious—how were you so calm when you saw Jiayuan-jie downstairs earlier?”

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together and sighed softly. “I was pretending.”

Fu Chaohua sighed too and asked the question she hadn’t dared to voice for so long. “So… when Grandma passed, were you pretending then too?”

Fu Chaoying gave a slight nod, lifting her eyes to the scattered stars outside the window. “They said her soul hadn’t completely left yet. I didn’t want her to see me crying when she finally did.”

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to rest in peace.

Fu Chaohua suddenly felt her nose sting and turned to hug her gently. “Do you want to know what Grandma told me before she passed?”

Fu Chaoying quickly turned her face away. “Don’t say it.”

Her voice was already trembling slightly.

Fu Chaohua gazed at the back of her head and spoke softly. “She said… in the near future, you might only have me left as family. She hoped I’d be a good sister and take care of you.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve been too focused on my studies these past few years and haven’t paid enough attention to you.”

Fu Chaoying quickly shook her head but couldn’t speak, tears already streaming down her cheeks and disappearing into her hair. The moment she tried to speak, her voice came out trembling and choked with sobs. She wasn’t accustomed to showing this vulnerable side of herself, even to her own cousin.

Fu Chaohua wiped away her tears and said with a light laugh, “Actually, Grandma later added with a smile that she wasn’t too worried about you. Though you’re a bit sensitive, you’re also very resilient. She believed you could take good care of yourself.”

“And the facts have proven her right.”

“Including the incident with Ye Yi’an—you were strong and bounced back quickly.”

Fu Chaoying dried her tears and smiled faintly. “It took me a long time.”

It was just that she was good at pretending, which gave others the illusion that she had moved on swiftly.

Fu Chaohua patted her shoulder gently. “Then you’re still amazing.”

To recover from such heart-wrenching pain—that alone was remarkable.

Fu Chaoying chuckled softly. “Let’s go back to sleep.”

The two sisters, their eyes still red, descended from the attic and returned to their respective bedrooms.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

–

Early the next morning, Fu Chaoying got up to wash up when she heard a knock at the door.

Her heart skipped a beat, but then Fu Chaohua’s voice came from outside. “It’s me.”

Fu Chaoying opened the door to find her sister grinning cheerfully. “Good morning!”

“Good morning,” Fu Chaoying replied, her lips curving slightly. “Why are you up so early too?”

Fu Chaohua hadn’t officially started her new job yet and could have slept in, free from obligations.

She smiled. “To see you off to work.”

Fu Chaoying shook her head. “No need. Go back to sleep.”

But Fu Chaohua followed her into the bathroom, watching as she washed up. “I’m not sleepy anymore.”

“I forgot to ask yesterday—have you and Senior Sister already…?”

Fu Chaohua chuckled. “Not quite yet. She’s still working on winning Mom over.”

Fu Chaoying’s tone lightened. “Then I have full faith in Senior Sister.”

Dong Muyu’s social skills were practically unmatched.

The two headed downstairs one after the other for breakfast.

As they reached the corner of the dining room, Fu Chaohua suddenly paused.

Fu Chaoying’s heartbeat quickened imperceptibly, and she subtly quickened her pace—but there was no sign of the familiar figure she half-expected.

Fu Chaohua glanced back at her. “Looking for something?”

Fu Chaoying took a seat at the table, feigning nonchalance. “Nothing.”

Fu Chaohua studied the breakfast spread. “This doesn’t look like Aunt Wu’s cooking, does it?”

Aunt Wu beamed. “You’re right! Miss Jiayuan had it delivered this morning.”

It was a Cantonese-style breakfast, featuring several dishes Fu Chaoying had loved during her time in Hong Kong.

A flicker of emotion passed through Fu Chaoying as she quietly picked up a few items and took a bite.

Fu Chaohua, however, pressed further. “Senior Jiayuan-jie didn’t come herself? Who did she send?”

“She didn’t come. It was that… Liu…” Aunt Wu struggled to recall the name of the familiar face.

Fu Chaoying murmured, “Liu Xin?”

“Yes, Liu Xin! She was the one who delivered it,” Aunt Wu exclaimed in realization.

Fu Chaohua nodded thoughtfully. “So Senior Jiayuan-jie must still be in Nanyan?”

“No idea. She didn’t mention it,” Aunt Wu said before heading to the kitchen to fetch soy milk.

Fu Chaohua winked at her sister. “Did Senior Jiayuan-jie stay in Nanyan for love?”

Fu Chaoying tilted her head. “Do you still want this char siu bao or not?”

Fu Chaohua swiftly snatched it with her chopsticks. “Of course!”

A faint smile touched Fu Chaoying’s lips, though a complicated emotion still stirred in her chest. She let out an almost imperceptible sigh.

After breakfast, the two sisters left the house together.

The moment she stepped out, Fu Chaoying suddenly halted. Following her gaze, Fu Chaohua noticed Ye Jiayuan’s car was still parked in the courtyard. “Liu Xin hasn’t left yet? Does she need something from you?”

Fu Chaoying subtly glanced at the backseat but saw nothing—the windows were tinted with privacy film.

She walked slowly to her own car, only to see the door of the black sedan swing open.

Her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably as she instinctively turned her gaze, only to lock eyes unexpectedly with Ye Jiayuan.

Fu Chaoying quickly averted her eyes and reached for her car door, but then she heard Ye Jiayuan’s cool voice—

“Need a ride to work? I’m heading that way anyway.”