Surprise! My Cohabiting Sister is Actually My Fiancée - Chapter 14

Jian Suixin asked sincerely, “What were you about to say earlier? Could you repeat it?”

The assistant choked back sobs, unable to speak.

After a long silence, under Jian Suixin’s earnest gaze, she finally managed to say, “I was just saying…”

Her expression twisted for a moment as she forced a smile. “I was just saying that I love fish and wanted to try some.”

“You could have just asked!” Jian Suixin said understandingly, pushing the sweet and sour fish toward her. “Come on, try some. What’s there to be shy about?”

The assistant chuckled awkwardly. “I’m just… I’m a bit shy.”

Jun Xizhi couldn’t help but laugh.

Ahhh! Don’t laugh!

The assistant was furious. What am I to them? Nothing! Just a pawn in their little game!

Feeling dejected, she wished she could simply vanish. She was clearly an eyesore to the two of them.

The assistant resentfully picked up a piece of fish, her face carefully blank, but her heart was screaming.

Boss, you’ve changed! I’ve been with you for five years, and in all that time, you’ve never touched fish—not even a sip of fish soup!

But now, you’re actually eating fish for her!

What about your principles?!

The assistant glared resentfully at the plate, as if trying to burn a hole through the fish with her gaze.

Jian Suixin and Jun Xizhi chatted and laughed freely, enjoying their meal immensely, completely oblivious to the melancholy figure sitting across from them.

After dinner, the three returned home. Jian Suixin went to her room to rest, while Jun Xizhi and the assistant had business to discuss.

When discussing recent developments, the assistant mentioned Jun Xizhi’s yet-to-be-met marriage partner: “Also, Sister Zhi, your marriage partner…”

Before the assistant could finish, Jun Xizhi frowned at the mere mention of the “marriage partner,” clearly harboring no fondness for the arrangement.

Having spent most of her twenty-odd years abroad, she had returned home to focus entirely on the family business. She had no interest in a forced marriage.

If not for her grandmother’s repeated pleas from her sickbed, she would never have agreed to this union.

After discussions between the two families, they decided to proceed with an engagement first.

Jun Xizhi had only recently returned to the country and had been preoccupied with family matters, so the two future partners had yet to meet.

The engagement ceremony, originally scheduled for two weeks prior, had been postponed due to various complications.

Jun Xizhi harbored little affection for her arranged marriage partner. When her assistant reminded her, she tried to recall any information about the woman, but the details were pitifully scarce.

Until now, she had only referred to her as “my arranged marriage partner” or “Miss Jian.” It was only now that she realized she hadn’t even bothered to remember the woman’s name.

She was about to casually ask what the woman’s name was when her assistant preempted her, saying, “The Jian Family parents… have contacted us again.”

That single sentence immediately extinguished Jun Xizhi’s nascent curiosity.

Never mind. She’s irrelevant. The more I know, the more complicated things will become.

“Didn’t she run away? How can we proceed?” Jun Xizhi sighed, her head aching at the thought of this marriage. “Let’s drop this topic. When Miss Jian returns, the two families can discuss it again.”

The assistant, sensing Jun Xizhi’s reluctance, tactfully changed the subject.

Jun Xizhi approached everything with meticulous seriousness, but this dedication was reserved solely for people and matters she cared about. As for those she would never interact with again, there was no need to waste any more time on them.

With all business concluded, it was time to leave.

The assistant lingered reluctantly. “Boss, I’m leaving now.”

Jun Xizhi nodded emotionlessly. “Go ahead.”

The assistant whispered a reminder, “Boss, please take care of yourself while you’re out alone. Don’t let any bad guys kidnap you.”

Jun Xizhi glanced at her from under lowered eyelids and gave a perfunctory acknowledgment.

As the assistant left Jun Xizhi’s room, she found Jian Suixin sitting in the living room, playing on her phone.

Seeing her emerge, Jian Suixin stood up. “Leaving already?”

The assistant replied with a sullen nod.

Unaware of the assistant’s hidden thoughts, Jian Suixin cheerfully bid her farewell. “A friend of my Elder Sister is a friend of mine! You’re welcome to come over and hang out at our place anytime!”

What was meant as a casual, polite remark struck the assistant as oddly familiar.

Isn’t that exactly how a host invites a guest to “come over and hang out at our place anytime”?

Fine, play the hostess if you want, but “our place”? Dragging the boss into this? Are you two a family now? You’re just roommates, roommates!

The assistant grumbled inwardly, unable to voice her thoughts. She forced a smile and kept her peace.

After leaving the room, Jun Xizhi mimicked Jian Suixin, saying, “You’re welcome to come visit our home anytime.”

The assistant: ……

Boss, do you realize how childish you’re being?!

Unable to endure any longer, the assistant left in a huff, feeling wronged and indignant. They’re clearly in cahoots! Ganging up to bully me!

Watching her disappear into the elevator, Jian Suixin couldn’t help but ask, “Elder Sister, why does she look so unhappy?”

Jun Xizhi chuckled, trying to suppress her amusement. “She’s probably just tired. You’re overthinking it.”

After seeing the assistant off, Jian Suixin had nothing planned for the afternoon and decided to relax at home. In the evening, she went out to buy groceries and prepare dinner.

While she was resting, not everyone had the same luxury.

For instance, Jun Xizhi was back at the office working overtime, and Ying Tao had just returned from her own late shift.

“You’re back?” Jian Suixin greeted Ying Tao as she stepped out of the elevator.

“Yeah, I’m back,” Ying Tao replied, rubbing her shoulders. “That damn boss! Making us work overtime on a weekend! I’m exhausted.”

“Go get some rest,” Jian Suixin said, patting Ying Tao’s shoulder. “You’ve worked hard.”

“Oh, right! Did Sister Zhi tell you? When I returned the hairdryer last time, she happened to be back, so I gave it to her directly.” Ying Tao slapped her forehead, remembering. “I completely forgot to mention it.”

Jian Suixin felt a pang of guilt. Ying Tao hadn’t brought it up afterward, so she had pretended to forget too.

Clearing her throat, Jian Suixin said, “Mm-hmm, she told me.”

Then, she earnestly praised, “You did the right thing.”

“Huh?” A question mark popped up over Ying Tao’s head, unsure what was praiseworthy about it. Still, she accepted the compliment wholeheartedly. “Don’t mention it. Borrowing and returning things is just common courtesy. I’m just a reliable person like that.”

“Oh, wait! Don’t rush off,” Jian Suixin said, pressing the elevator button. Ying Tao, who had already reached the door, remembered something and hurried back to grab her arm. “I have some major gossip to share!”

Gossip always held an irresistible allure. At the mention of gossip, Ying Tao, who had been listless just moments ago, instantly perked up. Even Jian Suixin temporarily set aside her grocery shopping plans. “What gossip?”

Ying Tao, ever the gossip enthusiast, first glanced around to make sure no one was listening before whispering, “The Jun Family is in trouble!”

“The Jun Family? Which Jun Family?” Jian Suixin, who rarely paid attention to such matters, didn’t immediately recognize the name.

“Which other Jun Family could it be?” Ying Tao exclaimed in shock. “You don’t know?”

Jian Suixin shook her head. “I haven’t been following it.”

Ying Tao clicked her tongue in disbelief. How could anyone be so indifferent to the melodramatic, backstabbing drama of a wealthy family feud?

“I’m talking about the richest and most famous Jun Family in the city,” Ying Tao reminded her.

With those qualifiers, Jian Suixin finally understood. After all, this was the family she had nearly been betrothed to. “What happened to them?”

“I heard the old matriarch who used to run the family passed away. Now all the Jun Family branches are fighting fiercely—it’s a bloody mess. Even the Eldest Miss of the Jun Family, who’s been living abroad, has returned.”

Jian Suixin was surprised. She knew the Eldest Miss had returned and that the Jun Family’s power structure was deeply entrenched and currently in turmoil, but she hadn’t heard the specifics. “And then?”

“Then, even though the Eldest Miss was nominally the heir apparent, she had just returned from abroad and was new to the scene. No matter how capable she was, she couldn’t possibly compete with those old foxes in the country.”

“In the end, it seems she lost the power struggle. I heard she’s now controlled by some faction within the Jun Family—ah, I don’t really understand the details, but basically, real power has fallen into the hands of a collateral branch. And guess what happened to the Eldest Miss of the Jun Family?”

“What?”

Ying Tao glanced around theatrically to make sure no one was listening, then lowered her voice. “I heard… she’s gone missing!”

Jian Suixin’s eyelid twitched, a premonition of something bad settling in her stomach. She had heard the woman had left the Jun Family recently, but missing?

Though she didn’t particularly like this arranged marriage partner—she felt an instinctive aversion to her—it was merely dislike, not enough to wish for her disappearance or any other danger.

Before she could ask more, a familiar voice suddenly spoke from behind them. “What are you two chatting about so happily?”