Two Faced Lover - Chapter 9

9: Sister
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‎After their late-night snack, Meng Xuran volunteered to clean up. Since there was a dishwasher in the kitchen, Bo Mingyan didn’t argue and took her pajamas to the bathroom for a shower.
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‎By the time Bo Mingyan finished drying her hair and stepped out, the kitchen light was still on. As she approached, she could see Meng Xuran stirring a spoon in a cup with one hand while holding her phone to send a voice message with the other.
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‎”I’ll go back with Sister this weekend.”
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‎Bo Mingyan carried her dirty clothes to the laundry room.
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‎When she returned, she checked her phone and saw a message from Lin Huixin sent half an hour ago.
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‎[No matter what, I am your mother.]
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‎Bo Mingyan paused in front of the aquarium wall, adjusting her glasses. For a moment, she wanted to ask Lin Huixin: Aside from sending me living expenses every month during my school years, in what other way have you acted like a mother?
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‎But saying such things would only lead to pointless arguments.
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‎The impulsive thought flickered like a passing shadow and vanished just as quickly.
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‎Bo Mingyan didn’t reply. Instead, she directly transferred three thousand yuan to Lin Huixin.
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‎The number in her ledger was getting smaller. Once she repaid everything, they would truly be nothing to each other.
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‎Tucking her phone into her pocket, Bo Mingyan looked up at the aquarium in front of her.
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‎The underwater landscape was exquisitely designed, like a fairy-tale world. Unfamiliar fish with beautiful tails darted through the water.
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‎Her restless heart inexplicably calmed.
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‎The living room lights suddenly brightened, set to “movie-watching mode” casting a warm and serene glow.
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‎”Like it?” Meng Xuran approached.
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‎Bo Mingyan replied, “Quite soothing.”
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‎Back in England, Fu Junxue often went diving. Bo Mingyan, a landlubber, loved watching small fish drift by. She could spend hours rewatching the videos Fu Junxue recorded. Fu Junxue had once suggested she keep an aquarium, but Bo Mingyan only said she was afraid she wouldn’t take good care of it—and even more afraid of the feeling of losing something she had grown attached to.
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‎Meng Xuran handed her a cup.
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‎”What’s this?” Bo Mingyan glanced down. “Milk?”
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‎Perhaps due to the lighting, the milk had a faint yellowish tint.
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‎Meng Xuran pressed the cup into her hands, playing coy. “Drink it and find out.”
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‎Warmth seeped into her palms through the glass. Hesitantly, Bo Mingyan took a sip—spicy heat mingled with creamy sweetness. “There’s ginger in it?”
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‎”Ever heard of ginger milk pudding?” Meng Xuran lifted her chin like a proud goose. “Drink up before bed to ward off a cold. No need to thank me.”
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‎Bo Mingyan smiled and thanked her. She sipped slowly, thinking how the little princess was truly pampered—averse to bitterness, so both the ginger candy and ginger milk pudding had to be sweetened.
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‎”What would you like to eat tomorrow?” Bo Mingyan finished the ginger milk pudding in one go.
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‎”Let’s start on Monday. I’m heading to bed first.” Meng Xuran took a few steps before turning back. “Oh, I’m going home Saturday night and coming back Sunday. I’ll bring my cat with me.”
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‎Bo Mingyan’s brows furrowed briefly. “Mm, okay.”
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‎Meng Xuran studied her for a moment but said nothing before leaving.
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‎The lingering warmth in her palms faded slowly. Bo Mingyan rubbed her fingers, waiting until all traces of heat had dissipated before returning to her room.
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‎…
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‎Saturday
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‎Bo Mingyan didn’t wake until two in the afternoon.
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‎Since joining the project, she had been working overtime daily. She liked this state of busyness—it kept her mind occupied, leaving no room for wandering thoughts.
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‎But her body was exhausted.
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‎If not for the phone call, she might have slept until evening.
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‎Groping for her phone, Bo Mingyan squinted and swiped to answer, putting it on speaker. “Lu Yo?”
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‎”Did you just wake up?” Lu Yo sounded surprised at her drowsy voice. “Still jet-lagged?”
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‎”Worked on drawings all night.”

‎Bo Mingyan struggled to sit up, her voice clearing slightly. “Just catching up on sleep.”
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‎”Want to go out tonight and unwind?”
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‎”Sure, I still owe you a meal.” Bo Mingyan slipped on her slippers and walked out. “What do you feel like eating?”
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‎”Keep the business in the family—come to my bar and support me.” Lu Yo chuckled. “I’ll make you steak and dessert~”
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‎Bo Mingyan laughed. “Deal.”
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‎After hanging up, she stepped out of her room and instinctively glanced toward the master bedroom.
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‎She had heard the door close early in the morning as she was drifting off—Meng Xuran must have left then.
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‎Bo Mingyan averted her gaze and went to freshen up before heading downstairs to retrieve a package.
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‎Her clothes, shipped from abroad, had finally arrived.
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‎By the time she finished unpacking and organizing everything, the sun had set, casting the room in dim hues. From the bay window, she could see the city’s lights flickering to life one by one.
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‎Bo Mingyan changed into fresh clothes, applied light makeup, and left for Lost Deer Bar.
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‎It wasn’t peak hours yet, but the bar was already half-full. A female singer on stage strummed a guitar, singing folk songs.
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‎Lu Yo led Bo Mingyan to an upstairs booth. The waiter brought steak, fruit wine, and lava cake—all beautifully presented.
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‎”Let the lava cake melt a bit before eating.” Lu Yo grinned. “I’ve got promotions running these days—mind helping me spread the word?”
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‎Bo Mingyan agreed softly, took a photo, and posted it on her social media. “New singer?”
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‎”Yeah. How do you think she sounds?”
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‎”Not bad.”
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‎”Everyone says she’s not as good as that guest last time, but I think she’s decent.” Lu Yo changed the subject. “By the way, I’ve been busy lately and forgot to ask—did you meet the landlord? Is she pretty? Easy to get along with?”
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‎”Very pretty, and very easygoing.”
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‎”How pretty?”
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‎Bo Mingyan swallowed a bite of steak. “You’ve seen her before.”
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‎”Huh?”
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‎”She was the guest who sang last time.”
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‎”That’s such a coincidence!”
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‎”There’s more.” Bo Mingyan cut her steak leisurely. “She’s also my former roommate’s younger sister—and my new boss.”
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‎Lu Yo blurted out, “Holy sh—”
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‎After a few seconds of silence, Lu Yo asked cautiously, “Won’t your private interactions affect work?”
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‎”No. She doesn’t know I’m acquainted with her sister, and she’s very professional about separating personal and work matters.” Bo Mingyan set down her fork and took a sip of fruit wine. “We had a midnight snack together a few days ago. I was worried she’d give me special treatment at work, so I kept my distance to avoid gossip.”
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‎”Honestly, everyone else would kill for special treatment.” Lu Yo pressed, “And then?”
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‎”Turns out I overthought it. At work, our interactions are strictly limited to her assigning me tasks.” Bo Mingyan paused, a faint trace of amusement in her voice. “She’s two different people on and off the clock—icy and unyielding during work hours.”
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‎Lu Yo clicked her tongue. “What’s she like after work?”
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‎”After work? It’s like her restraints come off.”
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‎Just then, the waiter brought a plate of fried calamari rings, interrupting the conversation.
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‎Bo Mingyan’s mind drifted to the snippets of phone calls she had overheard from Meng Xuran over the past few days.
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‎Sometimes she was ranting about middle-aged men at work, grumbling curses about their receding hairlines. Other times, she guiltily reflected on whether she had been too harsh on interns, lamenting how unfortunate it was for fresh graduates to endure her “tough love.” Once, she even whined pitifully about how the design team had gone for skewers without her—only to console herself by declaring that while everyone else was getting fat, she alone remained beautiful.
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‎When the waiter left, Lu Yo studied Bo Mingyan’s expression and couldn’t help but ask, “What are you smiling about?”
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‎The curve of her lips was faintly reflected in the spoon. Bo Mingyan pressed her lips together. “Nothing.”
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‎”You’re acting weird.” Lu Yo smirked mischievously, teasing, “Two women alone together day and night, living under the same roof—careful, familiarity breeds fondness~”
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‎Bo Mingyan’s spoon paused mid-scoop before she chuckled. “Don’t overthink it. Not everyone swings that way, and this isn’t my first time sharing an apartment with a woman. Have you ever seen me develop feelings before?”
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‎Lu Yo pursed her lips and said nothing.
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‎In the twenty years they had known each other, Lu Yo had never seen Bo Mingyan develop feelings for anyone—let alone from prolonged closeness.
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‎The longer one spent with Bo Mingyan, the clearer it became: beneath her gentle exterior lay an aloofness that never truly faded. She didn’t actively maintain relationships, nor did she grieve when they faded—as if nothing and no one could ever truly matter to her.
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‎If not for Lu Yo reaching out every now and then, they might have lost touch long ago.
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‎But perhaps because the coincidences felt too fated, Lu Yo couldn’t shake the feeling that this time was different.
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‎”She’s just a little sister.” Bo Mingyan’s tone was flat. “Though she refuses to call me ‘sister.’”
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‎At this, Bo Mingyan’s thoughts briefly drifted to the past.
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‎During the singing competition days, Meng Xuran had been sweet-tongued, addressing her as “Sisfer” without fail. But at some point, she suddenly stopped—opting instead for a blunt “you.”
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‎Fu Junxue had been the one to notice, scolding Meng Xuran for her lack of manners: “She’s five years older than you. Call her ‘sister.’”
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‎Back then, Meng Xuran had retorted defiantly, “It’s just five years, not fifty. If she were fifty, I’d call her ‘Madam.’”
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‎Her tone had been bold at first, but the last word had trailed off—still infuriating, yet carrying an inexplicable weight.
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‎Lu Yo teased, “If the younger one won’t call you ‘Sister,’ her intentions might not be pure~”
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‎Bo Mingyan shook her head with a soft laugh, dismissing the idea.
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‎Lu Yo’s phone buzzed on the table. She checked it and stood. “Manman, I’ve got something to handle. Hang out here for a bit. Message me if you want to leave.”
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‎Bo Mingyan nodded understandingly. “Go ahead.”
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‎After finishing her cake and sitting for a while longer, Bo Mingyan pulled out her phone to message Lu Yo that she was heading home. But before she could finish typing, someone called her English name.
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‎”Miya!”
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‎Bo Mingyan looked up.
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‎A few steps away, Fu Junxue’s radiant face broke into a smile as she approached. “You’re alone?”
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‎Bo Mingyan smiled. “Mm.”
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‎”Mind if we share your table?” Fu Junxue said. “It’s too noisy downstairs.”
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‎”Not at all.”
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‎”My sister’s with me.” Fu Junxue turned to someone behind her. “Stop playing on your phone. You were the one who insisted on coming, and now you’re ignoring everything.”
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‎The bar’s lighting was dim, and Bo Mingyan hadn’t noticed Fu Junxue wasn’t alone.
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‎She tilted her head slightly and saw Meng Xuran standing there, engrossed in her phone.
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‎Fu Junxue tugged Meng Xuran forward while introducing Bo Mingyan. “This is my friend—the roommate I lived with for three years in England. The one you used to pester with calls but refused to call ‘sister.’”
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‎The phrase “If the younger one won’t call you ‘sister,’ her intentions might not be pure” suddenly echoed in Bo Mingyan’s mind. Unconsciously, she held her breath.
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‎On Meng Xuran’s phone screen, a yuri video was paused mid-scene—the younger girl leaning close to the older one’s ear, subtitled with “Sister…” while the screen flooded with comments like [She’s so smooth!] and [Calling you ‘sister’? She’s definitely scheming.]
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‎Hearing Fu Junxue’s words now, Meng Xuran arched a single brow, put away her phone, and lifted her gaze to meet Bo Mingyan’s.
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‎”Was I really that rude back then?”
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‎Downstairs, the singer’s song reached its instrumental outro, the lyrics fading into a wordless hum.
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‎Meng Xuran’s voice, laced with amusement, stretched out lazily—just as the guitarist plucked a final note.
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‎”Sister?”
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‎Bo Mingyan’s heart skipped a beat.‎