The Beautiful Older Sister I Picked Up Is Good at Flirting - Chapter 49
Chapter 49
The Xia and Fu families were old family friends. When Xia Yicheng was young, she often visited the Fu residence. Especially after Fu Siyi differentiated into an Alpha, she spent more time at the Fu household than at her own. Naturally, the servants didn’t stop her. When they ran into her, they even bowed respectfully.
Xia Yicheng thoroughly enjoyed being treated like a young mistress. She strutted proudly in her high heels, clicking toward the main hall.
Outside, snowflakes drifted down. Xia Yicheng looked out the hallway window toward the garden and her gaze was immediately drawn to a striking splash of red against the snow.
It was Fanzhen!
She was draped in a crimson cloak, holding a pot of pure white plum blossoms in her arms—likely heading to move them into the greenhouse.
In the swirling snow, Fanzhen lowered her gaze and smiled gently. That boundless warmth and purity made her look like a celestial fairy fallen to earth, so pristine that even the blossoms in her arms paled in comparison.
Too alluring.
Such a beauty staying in the Fu residence was a threat—even for someone like her, a Beta who couldn’t smell pheromones.
Xia Yicheng glared at Fanzhen with resentment, gritting her teeth and muttering to herself, “Stupid wench. One day I’ll kick you out of the Fu house.”
She turned and continued walking. A maid approached from the opposite direction, and Xia Yicheng waved her over. “Hey, you. Come here.”
Xiaoju had just come from the garden. Fanzhen had asked her to move the orchids to the rooftop of the main building, where there was heating and sunlight—enough to keep the delicate flowers from freezing and save greenhouse costs for the next year.
She was about to take the elevator across the hallway when she heard Xia Yicheng call out. Startled, she looked around and asked uncertainly, “Miss Xia, you’re talking to me?”
Xia Yicheng shot her a fierce glare. “It’s just the two of us here. Who else would I be calling? Dumb and clueless… Go make me a glass of fresh orange juice. Bring it to the main hall. What are you staring at? Move it!”
Baffled but unable to talk back, Xiaoju returned to the kitchen fuming. She slammed the flowerpot down hard, the clatter loud and angry.
Maid Chen E was ladling out sweet soup that Fu Siyi had just cooked when she heard the commotion and stopped, coming over nosily. “Hey, Xiaoju, what’s gotten into you? Why so pissed?”
“It’s that Miss Xia,” Xiaoju blurted out with her typical bluntness. “Acts like she’s already the young mistress… hasn’t even married in yet and already barking orders at us…”
“Our young miss may be cold-faced, but she’s always polite to us. Now look at her, acting all high and mighty. And it’s not like Miss Fu even said she’s marrying her… Who does she think she is?”
Chen E smirked, enjoying the gossip. “What did she call you?”
Xiaoju curled her lip disdainfully. “Said I’m dumb. I think she’s the dumb one. Doesn’t even look smart, and—”
Before she could finish, a sharp voice interrupted.
“You damn wench! How dare you talk about me like that!”
Xiaoju turned around in shock, only to receive a slap square across her face. She clutched her cheek, glaring at Xia Yicheng in silent rage. “You—”
“What? Keep glaring and I’ll make your entire family disappear from Bincheng!”
Xia Yicheng was used to throwing her weight around—beating and yelling at servants at home, and showing no restraint in public. She looked around arrogantly. “You’re all talking behind my back, don’t think I can’t hear it. Once I marry Siyi, you’re all fired.”
Xiaoju tried to step forward but was pulled back by the chef, who shook his head, urging her to endure, and led her into the corner.
Though the Fu family staff feared the Xia family’s power, they still had some backbone. They stood silently, without groveling or bowing.
Of course, some were eager to curry favor with the “future young mistress.”
Hearing Xia Yicheng talk about marrying into the Fu family, Chen E rushed over. “Miss Xia, I’m not with them. I’ve never spoken badly of you.”
Xia Yicheng looked at her with disdain, smiling coldly. “Oh? You say so, so it must be true?”
“Miss Xia, you’re from a noble background and so beautiful. I’ve always hoped you’d become our Fu family’s young mistress.”
Chen E flattered her while glancing at the table—and spotted the bowl of sweet soup.
Finally, something to show loyalty with! She quickly brought the bowl over. “Miss Xia, this is sweet soup made by our young miss herself… She must’ve known you were coming and cooked it just for you. She’s never cooked for anyone before. She really treats you well.”
That line made Xia Yicheng’s heart bloom with joy. She pretended to be shy. “She… really made this for me?”
Chen E beamed. “Of course! I heard her ask Ah Xiang if this sweet soup helps with Omega cold hands and feet. Aside from Miss Cen, there’s no other Omega here. If she didn’t make it for you, who else?”
Xia Yicheng was over the moon.
She had rushed to the Fu residence after seeing Fu Siyi’s social post that said “tastes like home.” Knowing Fu Siyi, she wouldn’t post something without meaning. Xia Yicheng had been worried—until Chen E’s words convinced her that the message was a veiled love confession.
She pretended to be bashful, then sat at the large table. She glanced at Chen E. “At least someone here has sense. Bring the soup. I’m a little hungry anyway.”
“Yes!” Chen E eagerly handed it over, even wiping the spoon clean with a napkin before offering it. “Miss Xia, I cleaned the spoon for you.”
Xia Yicheng gave a curt “Mm” and stirred the soup. As soon as the spoon touched her lips, a calm female voice accompanied by the soft roll of wheels floated in.
“Sister E, did the young miss come to the kitchen just now?”
Xia Yicheng’s hand paused, and both she and Chen E turned toward the door.
Chen E immediately dropped her smile and snapped, “Fanzhen, why are you asking?”
“She said she made—”
Fanzhen pushed her cart into the kitchen and froze when she saw Xia Yicheng. Her gaze lingered on the porcelain bowl in Xia Yicheng’s hand.
She understood instantly.
Normally, Fanzhen wouldn’t argue over a bowl of sweet soup. But this was Fu Siyi’s first time cooking—every part of it held meaning. It was precious.
She looked up, thick lashes casting shadows over her icy gaze. “Sister E, how could you serve something the young miss made without her permission?”
“I…”
Chen E was stunned, but then she glanced at Xia Yicheng—this was her chance to prove loyalty.
She straightened and snapped back. “So what? Don’t think being the young miss’s assistant makes you better than us. Soon the whole Fu household will answer to Miss Xia. She’s the real future young mistress.”
“That’s not the point,” Fanzhen said coldly. “No matter who runs this house, it’s wrong to handle someone else’s belongings without permission. That’s a separate issue.”
Chen E nearly exploded, jabbing a finger at Fanzhen. “Who do you think you are? Just another servant… What, think being pretty gets you close to an Alpha? Don’t kid yourself. Miss Fang never even took you home to meet her parents. You’re nothing!”
Fanzhen clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought back emotion. Then she heard Xia Yicheng’s mocking laugh.
“Hick is always a hick—can’t show your face in polite society.”
Her nails dug deeper.
On the way to the kitchen, she had noticed the plum blossoms in the garden being weighed down by snow. Wanting to protect them, she’d moved them into the greenhouse. She’d entered the kitchen, heart full of joy—only to find the sweet soup Fu Siyi made for her had already been taken by Xia Yicheng.
But she knew she couldn’t snatch it back. Couldn’t make a scene.
If she caused trouble, Fu Siyi would defend her unconditionally—leading to a fallout with Xia Yicheng.
And Xia Yicheng’s mother was Fu Weirong’s biggest supporter. Falling out with Xia Yicheng would only strain the already fragile mother-daughter relationship.
She couldn’t offend Xia Yicheng.
She couldn’t hurt Fu Siyi.
Fanzhen’s gaze dimmed, and she turned to leave, eyes misty.
She wanted to walk away, but Xia Yicheng didn’t plan to let her go. She sneered, staring coldly at her back. “Stop right there!”
Fanzhen froze.
Xia Yicheng’s expression darkened. “You. Come serve me.”
Fanzhen bit down on the inside of her lip, swallowed her pain, and turned back.
She stood behind Xia Yicheng, watching her eat the sweet soup Fu Siyi made, and a sour ache rose in her nose.
Xia Yicheng took slow, deliberate bites, then lazily raised her left hand and opened her palm. “No sense of awareness…”
Fanzhen didn’t understand and remained still.
Xia Yicheng’s temper flared. “Napkin, you idiot! Been here this long and still don’t know the rules. What good are you?”
Fanzhen bit her inner lip, paused, then handed her a napkin.
Xia Yicheng looked up arrogantly and saw a layer of red in Fanzhen’s eyes—so beautiful even in sadness—and felt a surge of jealousy.
She sneered, her words sharp. “What’s with the attitude? Don’t like it? Then get the hell out!”
Just then, a cold, familiar voice laced with anger suddenly rang out—
“The one who should get the hell out… is you, Xia Yicheng.”
Still stunned, Xia Yicheng looked up—only to see a shadow cast over her.
That shadow gently pulled Fanzhen behind them, protectively.
Xia Yicheng’s gaze moved upward, past full red lips, up a high nose bridge, and into deep, half-lidded black eyes that gleamed with a chilling glint.
She shot up from her chair, wide-eyed. “Fu Siyi, what did you say?!”
“I said…” Fu Siyi’s voice was icy, her expression darker than ever. She enunciated each word—
“Get. The hell. Out.”