Surprise! My Cohabiting Sister is Actually My Fiancée - Chapter 26

The reality unfolded almost exactly as Ying Tao had predicted.

With the meal prepared and set on the table, Ying Tao mechanically ate the rice in her bowl, her face numb.

Damn it! This is absolutely the last time I’m eating at Jian Suixin’s house!

No, it’s the last time I’m eating with these two lovebirds!

Ying Tao took a large bite of rice and chewed vigorously, as if she were devouring not rice, but the heads of those flaunting their affection.

Ying Tao suspected that her brightness as a third wheel was about to exceed its limit, illuminating the entire world.

Yet Jian Suixin, sensing Ying Tao’s sour mood, sincerely asked her dear friend if the food wasn’t to her liking.

What could Ying Tao say? She could only reply that the food was delicious, forcing a standard eight-toothed smile.

The tense atmosphere was shattered by a ringing phone.

“My phone?” Jian Suixin recognized the familiar ringtone and hurried to answer it.

As she stood up, the eyes of the two at the table followed her.

“Really? That’s wonderful!” Jian Suixin nearly jumped for joy at whatever the caller said. “Okay, okay, I’ll definitely prepare diligently.”

Jian Suixin’s elation clearly signaled good news. The moment she hung up, Ying Tao leaned in eagerly. “What is it? What is it? Why are you so happy?”

Jian Suixin’s face nearly bloomed with joy. Instead of immediately answering Ying Tao’s question, she turned to Jun Xizhi.

No further explanation was needed. Jun Xizhi immediately understood. “You’ve got a chance to audition for a role, haven’t you? Congratulations, Xiao Jian!”

“Yes! My manager secured an audition for me—the third female lead!” Jian Suixin said gleefully, settling back into her seat next to Jun Xizhi. “You always understand me, Elder Sister.”

Ying Tao: …

I told you we should have just ordered takeout tonight.

Fortunately, the conversation soon shifted to acting, and Ying Tao was finally able to join the discussion more naturally.

Today had truly been a day of double blessings: first, her new clothes arrived, and now this audition news.

The audition was for the third female lead in a web drama called Lights Like Day. Though it was a low-budget production and not a lead role, for someone at her current level of obscurity, this was already a remarkable opportunity.

Since she had this chance, she intended to seize it wholeheartedly.

Jian Suixin rubbed her hands together, ready to give it her all.

“Getting a role is definitely the best outcome,” Jun Xizhi said, genuinely happy for her. “Focus on preparing for the audition first. Put everything else aside for now.”

Jian Suixin nodded. “Mm-hmm, I’ll put my part-time jobs on hold for now. I need to focus on acting training during this time.”

The mention of part-time jobs reminded Jun Xizhi of something. After a moment of silence, she couldn’t help but ask, “If you become famous later, won’t these jobs create a negative image?”

“Oh right, Host, that’s a good point,” the System chimed in. “If you blow up and this news gets out, things could get interesting.”

“I’ve already come up with a headline for you: Shocking! Rising Star Forced to Bow to Life’s Hardships—What Led to This Desperate Situation?”

Jian Suixin: “You’re wasting your talent as a System. You should be a marketing account instead.”

Jian Suixin pondered. “Should I ask my manager what to do?”

System: “Do you think your manager will give you a hard time?”

“Then I’d better not ask.”

Actually, Jian Suixin wasn’t too worried about this issue. She reassured Jun Xizhi, “Don’t worry. If I really become famous, I won’t be afraid of a little black history.”

“I was forced to do those jobs out of necessity, not by choice.”

“Besides, it’s too difficult to become so famous that every detail of my past gets scrutinized.” Jian Suixin didn’t take the matter seriously.

Ying Tao quietly raised her hand. “What if?”

“What if?” Jian Suixin pondered for a moment, shifted into a more comfortable position, and waved her hand grandly. “If I really become famous, I’ll make a ten-minute video about my part-time job experiences and pin it to the top of my Weibo profile.”

Ying Tao couldn’t help but applaud. “Warrior! I admire your courage.”

Jian Suixin grinned. “Then it won’t be a ‘dark history’ anymore. It’ll be an invitation for everyone to admire my journey of hard work!”

Jun Xizhi chuckled, amused by her confidence, and said nothing more.

“Do you have a Weibo account?”

“Yeah,” Jian Suixin replied, a little embarrassed. “But I don’t have many followers. Most of them were bought by the company.”

Jun Xizhi pulled out her phone. “Don’t worry. Once you become famous, you’ll gain plenty of real followers.”

Her tone was casual, as if she were certain Jian Suixin would inevitably become famous.

“Is this your name?” Jun Xizhi opened Weibo.

“Yep, just search for my name.”

“Me too, me too!” Ying Tao immediately chimed in, patting Jian Suixin’s shoulder earnestly. “Jian Jian, keep going! Once you’re famous, we’ll be your OG fans!”

Jun Xizhi followed her account and scrolled through her profile. There was only one post, which she had made when she first registered.

“Why haven’t you posted anything?” Jun Xizhi asked casually.

“There’s really nothing worth posting,” Jian Suixin said, scratching her head. “Do you want to see something, Elder Sister?”

Jun Xizhi smiled. “If you post it, I’ll watch it.”

“Okay, I’ll post more often then,” Jian Suixin said, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “If I pass this audition, I’ll post a Weibo update.”

“Good luck! You’ve got this,” Jun Xizhi encouraged her.

Jian Suixin nodded firmly. “I’ll definitely work hard.”

While the two were discussing filming, Ying Tao received a WeChat message from a friend and temporarily switched to online mode.

A moment later, as Jian Suixin and Jun Xizhi were chatting animatedly, a sudden shout erupted from nearby: “Holy crap, this is juicy!”

The two stopped talking and turned to look at Ying Tao.

“Taotao, what’s wrong?”

Realizing she had lost control of her volume, Ying Tao quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry, sorry! I heard some gossip and got a little excited.”

Everyone has a bit of interest in gossip, more or less. “What gossip? Spill the beans!”

“Remember what I told you last time?” Ying Tao said mysteriously.

Jian Suixin looked blank. “Last time? Which time? You’ve shared so much gossip with me.”

Ying Tao clicked her tongue. “How can you forget? It’s about the family feud.”

The phrase clicked. Jian Suixin remembered—this matter was somewhat related to her. “What’s new?” she asked.

Ying Tao glanced at Jian Suixin. They were close friends, and this wasn’t their first gossip session, so there was no harm in continuing. She then turned to Jun Xizhi, who sat quietly, seemingly uninterested in the gossip.

Is she genuinely uninterested, or just too shy to ask? Ying Tao hesitated for half a second before asking Jun Xizhi, “Sister Zhi, do you want to hear?”

Jun Xizhi, who had been lost in thought, looked up, her expression conflicted. “I…”

At that moment, Jun Xizhi had no idea what she was about to hear.

So she simply nodded, showing little interest. “Mm-hmm, go on. I’m listening.”

Ying Tao dropped the pretense. “Remember when I told you about the internal power struggle in their family?”

Jian Suixin: “How’s that going?”

The three of them were alone in the room, but Ying Tao still lowered her voice conspiratorially. “My colleague just told me—the Eldest Miss of the Jun Family is in trouble again!”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Just as Jian Suixin was getting engrossed in the gossip, Jun Xizhi, who was sitting beside her, suddenly choked and began coughing violently.

Startled, Jian Suixin quickly patted Jun Xizhi’s back. “Elder Sister, what’s wrong?”

Jun Xizhi took several gulps of water before managing to stop coughing. Ignoring everything else, she immediately frowned and asked Ying Tao, “The Jun Family… which Eldest Miss are you talking about?”

Ying Tao gestured casually at Jian Suixin beside her. “Who else could it be? The Eldest Miss Xin Xin wants to marry, of course.”

Jian Suixin, who had been quietly listening to the gossip, stared blankly. …Huh?