Surprise! My Cohabiting Sister is Actually My Fiancée - Chapter 4

Jian Suixin froze.

The newcomer had been running so fast that she practically threw herself into Jian Suixin’s arms the moment she turned around, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Caught completely off guard by the sudden impact, Jian Suixin hastily returned the embrace, half-crouching to steady them both.

Their bodies pressed together, the warmth of the person in her arms seeped through the fabric, warming Jian Suixin’s skin.

The woman’s voice was exquisitely soft and lingering, even carrying a hint of allure. Her hot breath brushed against Jian Suixin’s ear, tickling slightly, causing her ear to twitch sensitively.

For a fleeting moment, Jian Suixin’s mind drifted. Fortunately, reason prevailed. Given their current predicament, indulging in such thoughts was hardly appropriate.

She touched the woman’s forehead, finding it burning hot, just like her body.

She must have a fever.

The woman clutched Jian Suixin’s sleeve tightly. Jian Suixin lowered her gaze, and their eyes met in the dim light. Though their faces were obscured by the darkness, Jian Suixin found herself momentarily lost in thought.

Even in the gloom, the eyes staring intently at her were strikingly beautiful.

What kind of face could possibly match such extraordinary eyes?

As Jian Suixin stood frozen in thought, the System urgently interjected, “Hurry! Save her! Pick her up and run!”

Before Jian Suixin could react, another set of urgent footsteps echoed through the alley, this time much louder and more numerous. It was clear that more than one person was approaching, and they were moving with menacing speed.

Jian Suixin’s heart tightened. Instinctively, she pulled the woman closer, shielding her in her arms. The woman had been running so desperately because someone was chasing her.

Who are these people?

Of course, no one answered her silent question.

The commotion alone made it clear the newcomers meant trouble. With someone to protect, Jian Suixin knew she couldn’t outrun them.

“There she is! Hurry!”

Jian Suixin startled and turned to see several burly men charging toward them. They were trying to keep their voices low, but in the silent alley, their suppressed shouts sounded like muffled thunder.

Without even looking, she knew they stood no chance against these men.

Jian Suixin’s heart sank. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she bit her lower lip. “What do we do now?”

Escape was impossible. Her only hope lay with the System.

The System, being a machine, was far more reliable than any human. “Don’t worry. Help is on the way.”

Help?

Clutching the woman in her arms, Jian Suixin strained to look around. As the pursuers closed in, a car horn suddenly blared from the alley entrance.

Honk! Honk!

The car horn sounded like a lifeline to Jian Suixin. She immediately shouted in that direction, “Help! Someone, help me!”

As she cried out, she noticed the tall, dark figures of the men in the distance had stopped advancing.

Outside the alley, the car window rolled down. “What’s wrong, miss?”

Two defenseless women were no match for these men. If more people arrived or attention was drawn, dealing with them would become much more difficult.

The men hesitated for a moment, their eyes fixed on the tightly embracing pair, before reluctantly retreating back into the darkness.

They were finally gone.

Jian Suixin’s tense nerves instantly relaxed. She let out a long sigh, only then realizing her palms were drenched in cold sweat.

A woman in her forties got out of the car. Jian Suixin assured her they were fine and could manage on their own, and the woman left.

Now only Jian Suixin remained, cradling the unconscious woman in her arms.

The woman had fallen unconscious sometime earlier, lying quietly in Jian Suixin’s arms. Her brow remained tightly furrowed, as if she were enduring immense pain.

Jian Suixin couldn’t just abandon her. She turned to the System for guidance. “What do I do now?”

“Let’s take her home first,” Jian Suixin said.

“Take her home?” Jian Suixin hesitated. “Shouldn’t we take her to a hospital?”

“Ah… a hospital?” the System muttered softly, sounding reluctant.

“What? Can’t we go?” Jian Suixin glanced around, making sure there were no immediate dangers, and then asked, “Who is she?”

“She’s…” the System stammered, “…I don’t know.”

“Didn’t you say you have data on all the characters in the book?” Jian Suixin pressed.

The System defended itself: “That’s because… because this person’s name wasn’t mentioned in the book. She’s probably just a background character.”

“A background character? Then why were you so insistent that I save her?”

“Even if she’s just a background character, you should still help someone who’s injured!” the System explained after a moment’s hesitation, its tone urgent, as if afraid Jian Suixin would abandon the woman.

That made sense. Jian Suixin wouldn’t abandon someone on the roadside, but since the System was a machine, its earlier urgency had led her to believe the woman was a crucial character in the book, prompting her to ask more questions.

“I’ll take her to the hospital.”

The Host doesn’t want to take her home? How will we create opportunities for them to interact if we don’t take her home?

The System grew anxious. “It’s just a fever! Why go to the hospital? Take her home, give her some medicine, and let her sleep it off.”

“Take her home?” Jian Suixin frowned at the System’s suggestion. “We don’t know if she’s injured. It’s best to get her checked out at the hospital, just to be safe.”

“I scanned her earlier—she’s not seriously hurt…” The System was frantically trying to explain when the person in Jian Suixin’s arms suddenly stirred.

Distracted for a moment, Jian Suixin felt a burning heat press against her wrist.

Looking down, she saw it was the woman’s hand. Her slender fingers glowed a pale, cold white in the dim light.

The woman was too weak to grip properly. Her hand slipped loosely down Jian Suixin’s arm, leaving a lingering warmth on her wrist.

“No… no…”

Hearing her murmur something, Jian Suixin leaned closer to listen, but couldn’t quite make it out. She had to lower her head until her ear was near the woman’s lips.

Warm breath brushed against her cheek as she finally heard clearly: “No hospital.”

“No hospital? Why not?” Jian Suixin whispered.

The woman fell silent again, offering no further response.

Seeing this, the System immediately chimed in, “Exactly! It’s nothing serious. Why rush to the hospital for every little thing? Just carry her home already!”

The System’s behavior tonight was unusually insistent, making Jian Suixin suspicious. “Why are you so fixated on me taking her home?”

In an instant, the System switched to a righteous and stern tone: “I’m asking you to save lives, heal the wounded, and accumulate good karma.”

Jian Suixin remained silent.

After a moment of silence, the System offered another explanation: “This is related to the Subsequent Plot, which I can’t reveal to you yet. Just trust me and take her home.”

This reason seemed somewhat plausible, and since the woman clearly didn’t want to go, Jian Suixin finally relented.

The woman was extremely weak. Escaping to Jian Suixin had exhausted all her strength, and she couldn’t even stand up now. With no one else around to help, Jian Suixin had no choice but to support her against the wall, planning to hoist her onto her back.

The woman had no strength to move on her own, relying entirely on Jian Suixin’s efforts. As soon as Jian Suixin released her against the wall, she immediately slumped sideways. Her hand struck the wall with a muffled thud, and she let out a soft groan.

Even the sound and her posture exuded a pitiful vulnerability.

Startled by the sound of the impact, Jian Suixin quickly steadied her. Though the woman might not be able to hear, she murmured an apology.

Crouching down, Jian Suixin helped the woman lean against her back, looped her arms around the woman’s thighs, and hoisted her onto her back.

Jian Suixin’s cheek pressed against the woman’s hair, her face still flushed with an unnatural crimson.

Her arms circled around the woman’s knees, and her wrists could clearly feel the soft flesh of the woman’s legs.

The woman rested her chin on Jian Suixin’s shoulder. Jian Suixin tilted her head and gently reminded her, “Hold on tight.”

After considerable effort, Jian Suixin stood up, eager to leave this dangerous place. Without a backward glance, she hurried away.

The woman’s cheek pressed against Jian Suixin’s neck. Still half-conscious, she found being carried far less smooth than riding in a car, with occasional bumps and jolts. She murmured softly, her feverish breath scorching Jian Suixin’s exposed skin, raising goosebumps.

The woman’s burning body temperature radiated through her clothes, relentlessly warming Jian Suixin’s back. It was impossible to ignore.

Jian Suixin pressed her lips tightly together, lowered her head, and walked forward in silence.

The coincidence was too improbable; most people wouldn’t encounter such a situation even once in a lifetime. The mere thought of it sent a chill down her spine.

Fortunately, they encountered no one on their way back. Finally reaching home, Jian Suixin let out a long sigh of relief.

She initially intended to help the woman lie down on the bed, but a glance at her soiled clothes—likely dirtied during her escape—made her hesitate. Lying down in such dirty clothes wouldn’t be comfortable.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jian Suixin helped the woman lie down on the sofa instead.

The woman remained remarkably quiet throughout the journey, uttering only occasional soft moans from the fever and pain. She hadn’t spoken a single word.

If this weren’t a law-abiding society, Jian Suixin would have suspected the woman was being chased, given how desperately she was running.

Judging by the earlier situation, it seemed she had encountered a robbery—a truly harrowing experience.

Now, the woman lay half-reclined on the sofa, her clothes and face covered in dust and grime.

Jian Suixin’s mind drifted back to those strikingly beautiful eyes she had seen under the dim alleyway light.

Such exquisite eyes… What kind of face could possibly do them justice?

At that moment, the owner of those eyes lay quietly on the sofa, her eyes closed, completely unconscious.

With these thoughts, Jian Suixin brought over warm water and began gently wiping the woman’s face. Even though the woman was unconscious, Jian Suixin still murmured an “excuse me” before proceeding.

The warm, damp towel glided across the woman’s face, gradually removing the dark smudges and revealing her fair skin beneath.

As Jian Suixin worked, she couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, Her skin is so flawless.

The System suddenly chimed in: “Jian Jian, a reminder.”

“What is it?”

“You’re someone who values inner qualities. Love at first sight or being swayed by appearances—those things shouldn’t happen to you. You’re not a simp for looks, are you?”

Jian Suixin paused for a second, recalling the conversation they’d had on the road.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, I said that. Why bring it up now?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Jian Suixin realized what she’d said. She glanced at the towel in her hand. “Are you saying this person is so beautiful that I’d become a simp for them?”

“Just kidding! Do you think I’m that shallow? I’ve seen countless beauties in my life. How could I possibly…”

Mid-sentence, Jian Suixin’s mind short-circuited.

She had just seen the person’s face.

After a moment of mental paralysis, Jian Suixin stammered, “Well, actually… being a simp for someone just once wouldn’t be so bad.”