Chapter 3

Smack—

Bai Tongsheng shot to her feet, slamming the table with a childish huff. “I’m not eating!”

Jiang Bing had just turned back around when Bai Tongsheng stormed out of the kitchen in a fury.

“Shengsheng?”

The fuming girl ignored her call, stomping heavily up the stairs. Her slippers slapped against the steps, followed by the forceful slam of a door. The house fell silent once more.

Bai Shuangshuang carried her bowl of rice to the table. Catching Jiang Bing’s puzzled gaze, she explained gently, “I served Grandma’s rice first, so my little sister might be upset about that.”

Bai Shuangshuang knew full well the real reason for Bai Tongsheng’s anger, but she selectively left it out. It wasn’t exactly lying.

Jiang Bing understood at once. She glanced back with a sigh.

Then she watched as Bai Shuangshuang picked food into her bowl—all of it Bai Tongsheng’s favorites. Helplessly, she said, “Shengsheng, you’ve been taking such good care of her. This child’s been spoiled rotten since she was little, and now she’s got this temperament even the family can’t rein in. But she’s just hot-tempered—her heart’s in the right place.”

Bai Shuangshuang smiled without saying a word, letting it serve as her reply.

Once she’d filled the bowl, she held it out to Jiang Bing. “Grandma, why don’t you take this up to her?”

Jiang Bing paused in surprise. Bai Shuangshuang’s expression remained calm as she continued softly, “I’ve been too clingy with her lately. I wanted to get closer, but I didn’t read the room. I got too intimate too fast, crossed her boundaries, and now she doesn’t like me. So from here on out, I’ll take it slow. Little by little, until she’s willing to accept me.”

A lump formed in the woman’s throat, stinging her eyes. How had she forgotten? Children were the most sensitive of all—especially ones raised in an environment like that. Of course they could tell real affection from rejection.

She blinked away the ache, her heart aching even more for Bai Shuangshuang’s maturity. She wanted to offer some comfort, but words failed her. In the end, all she could say was, “All right. Grandma will take it up to her.”

Bai Shuangshuang ladled herself another bowl of rice. Inwardly, she gave a wry, self-mocking smile at her own words.

If she weren’t worried that a sudden shift would tip off the adults, why on earth wouldn’t she just cut Bai Tongsheng off cold?

Luckily, she was still just a kid. She had room to pull back. From now on, she’d seize opportunities bit by bit, turning herself and Bai Tongsheng into two separate people.

As for what Bai Tongsheng would think?

She’d probably just rejoice that the shameless clinger was finally off her back.

~~~

“Shengsheng, open the door. Grandma brought you some food.”

No response.

Jiang Bing knew her granddaughter’s temper well. Storming off from the table in a huff happened plenty of times, but give her a graceful out and she’d open up, acting all reluctant like she’d been forced into it.

Patient as ever, Jiang Bing waited quietly for a moment before knocking again. “Skipping meals isn’t good for you. The bowl’s full of your favorites. Be a good girl, Shengsheng, and open up.”

She coaxed her several times, but Bai Tongsheng—uncharacteristically—gave no reply.

With no other choice, Jiang Bing decided to wait until the girl’s temper cooled before trying again. Before heading downstairs, she added one last line: “If Sister knew you were refusing the food she picked out just for you, she’d be heartbroken. Grandma’s going downstairs now. I’ll come back up later.”

She’d just turned and taken two steps when the door flew open from inside.

Bai Tongsheng stood there with an impatient scowl, her eyes locked unblinkingly on the bowl in Jiang Bing’s hands. “Did she pick those vegetables?”

Delight lit up Jiang Bing’s face. She hurried closer. “Will Shengsheng eat now? See how well your sister knows you—even better than Grandma does. Look, all your favorites. Eat it while it’s hot. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll come collect the bowl.”

Bai Tongsheng snorted, muttering under her breath, “I never asked for another sister.”

“Hm? What was that, Shengsheng?”

She didn’t repeat herself or reach for the bowl. Instead, she issued a command: “Have her come up and feed me. Otherwise, I’m not eating.”

Jiang Bing: “…”

“How about Grandma feeds you? Your sister’s still eating. I’ll start, and if you’re not done by the time she finishes, I’ll ask her then?”

Bai Tongsheng shook her head, her face cold as she bit out each word: “I. Don’t. Want. That. Have her come feed me now, or I won’t eat.”

They stood at an impasse for a moment before Jiang Bing sighed in defeat. “All right. I’ll go ask your sister right now.”

A glint of smug triumph flashed in Bai Tongsheng’s eyes. She knew it—Bai Shuangshuang couldn’t have turned over a new leaf that fast. Hand her an opening to get close, and she’d probably come sprinting up at top speed.

…

Jiang Bing hesitated to speak up. Bai Tongsheng’s request was indeed a bit much, but she had always indulged the girl. So if forced to choose, the balance in her heart would tip unmistakably toward one side.

When she returned to the table with the bowl, she was surprised to find Bai Shuangshuang had already finished eating and was waiting.

“Shuangshuang, you’re done already?”

Bai Shuangshuang nodded. “Yeah.”

“Why so fast today? Are you full?”

“Yeah, I’m full.”

In her previous life, she had always kept piling food into Bai Tongsheng’s bowl during meals. Even when Bai Tongsheng disdainfully shoved it aside, she never stopped.

Today, though, she had nothing to do, so she finished quickly.

Bai Shuangshuang glanced at the bowl in her hand. “Has little sister not eaten yet?”

Jiang Bing breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “She wants you to feed her. Shuangshuang, could you do Grandma a favor first?”

“Sure. Then you eat up too, Grandma. I’ll wash the dishes after, and you can go rest.”

Jiang Bing wouldn’t dream of letting her wash the dishes. Without agreeing outright, she pressed the bowl into her hands. “Thanks for the help, Shuangshuang.”

She smiled gently. “No trouble at all. Taking care of little sister is only right.”

~~~

Bai Shuangshuang pushed open the half-closed door. Bai Tongsheng was already seated at the desk, her tablet propped up and playing one of those cartoons all the kids were obsessed with lately.

She glanced over at the sound of someone entering but offered no greeting. Only when Bai Shuangshuang drew near did she grudgingly open her mouth.

Truth be told, across both lifetimes, this was the first time Bai Shuangshuang had ever fed her.

Bai Tongsheng had always hated her getting close. In her previous life, Bai Shuangshuang had wanted nothing more than to play the doting big sister and feed her little one. Her sole attempt ended before it began: the bowl flew from her hands and shattered on the floor before she could even scoop the rice.

“Get lost!”

It wasn’t the first time those words had come from Bai Tongsheng’s lips, but they stung her heart like never before.

She silently berated herself. Bai Shuangshuang, her disgust has always been plain as day. You’re just too pathetic, deceiving yourself over and over without a shred of self-respect.

“Keep going!”

The childish, impatient voice yanked her back to the present. Bai Shuangshuang scooped up another bite and held it to Bai Tongsheng’s mouth.

The motion was gentle and careful, almost instinctive—etched into her bones by long habit, lingering in her subconscious even as her conscious mind overlooked it.

Bai Tongsheng noticed immediately, the mockery in her eyes sharpening. She had guessed right: Bai Shuangshuang loved throwing herself at people.

Neither spoke again. One fed the rice in silence; the other watched the cartoon, parting her lips now and then to accept the bites.

A peculiar harmony settled over the room, flowing as softly as water.

When the bowl was empty, Bai Shuangshuang’s legs tingled with numbness. She straightened as Bai Tongsheng swallowed the last mouthful.

She turned to leave with the bowl, but Bai Tongsheng—satisfied now—slumped back against the cushioned chair and barked her next order without a hint of politeness. “Wipe my mouth.”

Bai Shuangshuang smiled softly. “Tongsheng’s a big girl now. You can handle that yourself, right?”

Bai Tongsheng went pale. As Bai Shuangshuang turned for the door, she yelled in a huff, “You’d better not think about coming back in! I won’t open the door!”

Bai Shuangshuang paused, nodding over her shoulder. “Okay. I’ll wash the dishes and stay downstairs.”

With that, she thoughtfully pulled the door shut behind her.

Bai Tongsheng’s eyes bulged. It took her a long moment to process, then she snatched up a stuffed toy and hurled it at the door. “Bai Shuangshuang! Don’t think for a second that pulling this stunt will make me like you! I’ll hate you forever! You’re the one I hate most!”

~~~

Jiang Bing hadn’t heard the commotion upstairs. She caught sight of her entering from the corner of her eye and took the bowl from her hands. “All done?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Grandma, let me wash them. You go rest.”

“Go keep Shengsheng company. I’ll take care of this. If she let you feed her, it means she sees you as family deep down—even if she doesn’t know it yet. So don’t worry, Shuangshuang. Trust your grandma. Before long, Shengsheng will adore you.”

Bai Shuangshuang offered no real response. Topics about Bai Tongsheng no longer held her interest.

“Since you won’t let me wash alone, can I at least help you? That way, I can chat with you and keep you company.”

Jiang Bing couldn’t refuse after that.

She stroked her head fondly. “How are you such a good girl?”

~~~

Someone knocked on the door.

Bai Tongsheng couldn’t tell if it was Bai Shuangshuang or Jiang Bing outside. She huffed. “Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Hearing that reply, Bai Tongsheng’s face darkened instantly.

After feeding her dinner, Bai Shuangshuang really hadn’t come upstairs again. She had been waiting for the shameless girl to knock on the door so she could unleash a torrent of mockery, but all the words she had prepared never got the chance to leave her mouth.

Over the past few hours, she had been so irritable that she couldn’t even watch her favorite cartoons. Now that Bai Shuangshuang had finally knocked, she had a feeling it definitely wasn’t to see her.

Sure enough, the next moment, Bai Shuangshuang said exactly the kind of infuriating words she had expected.

“Tongsheng, could you open the door? Big Sis just needs to grab her pajamas and she’ll be out of here.”

Bai Tongsheng was so angry that her eyes turned red-rimmed.

She hated Bai Shuangshuang the most!