Chapter 7

Sure enough, Shu Qingyou hadn’t lied to her. Shu Wan Ning, who looked at her unfavorably, wasn’t home.

Lin Xu figured she should build a good relationship with Shu Rong. Otherwise, if the child disliked her, it would be hard for her to stay long-term at Shu Qingyou’s house.

Kids were kids, after all—they loved to play by nature. Shu Rong knelt obediently half-kneeling amid a pile of toys, stacking blocks.

Lin Xu slowed her breathing and watched to see if the blocks could form a little skyscraper without toppling.

She squatted behind Shu Rong, looking like a thief from anyone else’s perspective.

Before long, Shu Rong shifted to sit upright. She was a bit underdeveloped, short and small, only about 80 centimeters tall compared to her peers.

This made Lin Xu suspect the child was developmentally delayed—probably a bit slow too.

Shu Rong’s little hands clutched blocks as she lowered her head, hesitating over which one to place next.

Seeing this, Lin Xu, determined to be the caring big sister, poked Shu Rong’s shoulder.

“Sis will help you.”

Shu Rong turned and saw the bad guy’s face, which stunned her completely. Her hands went limp, and all the blocks tumbled down.

Her little mouth pursed tightly. She neither nodded nor shook her head, her eyes flashing with surprise.

Though Lin Xu found Shu Rong’s timid demeanor odd, the girl was just a kid. How could she hold a grudge against a child?

With good intentions, she picked up all the blocks.

“Watch me show off my skills.”

Lin Xu ruffled Shu Rong’s hair with a whoosh. The texture was amazing—softer than a cat’s fur, more like a bunny’s fluff.

She even heard Shu Rong let out a little whimper, making her seem even more like a small animal.

“You’re so cute.”

Lin Xu gazed at her chubby little face, resisting the urge to poke it, and immediately started stacking the blocks.

She studied the blocks’ stress points and wobble level, brimming with confidence. With a proud lift of her face, she placed a block on top.

That was like the final straw that crushed the “little skyscraper.”

Whoosh—

The plastic pieces clattered against each other, utterly disrespectful to Lin Xu as the tower collapsed with a crash.

The effort Shu Rong had poured in for ten minutes or so vanished in an instant, making her nose tingle.

This big sister is so mean. She stole my toys—such a bully. I don’t like her!

Lin Xu simply uttered a regretful sound. She knew she shouldn’t have tried to help. She turned back.

“How about you try again yourself?”

That was fine until she spoke. At her words, Shu Rong sniffled a few times, and tears flowed like a broken string, nonstop.

“Hey, you you…”

Lin Xu’s face stiffened. She’d made such a little girl cry and had no idea how to handle it.

After several seconds, she clumsily wiped Shu Rong’s tears with her hand, which ended up drenched.

“It was just a mistake, really. I swear, I’m a level-ten block-stacking prodigy!”

Shu Rong couldn’t understand what a “prodigy” was. She only knew Lin Xu was the bad sister.

Shu Qingyou, who had been busy in the kitchen, had just finished a phone call. Her university advisor invited her over for tea.

It was called tea, but it was really just an excuse. Shu Qingyou knew exactly what they wanted to discuss.

She’d refused once already. This time, she simply said she’d think about it some more.

She stepped out of the kitchen and saw the two in the corner looking flustered.

The older one hadn’t even grabbed a tissue; tears had soaked through the sleeve.

The younger was cornered against the wall, unable to escape. She clutched her little clothes into wrinkles and cried nonstop.

Lin Xu hadn’t heard the footsteps approaching at all, fully focused on coaxing Shu Rong, her mind in chaos.

Suddenly, a slender arm appeared before her, holding several tissues.

Lin Xu blinked, then looked up. Guiltily, she said, “Sis Shu, I’m sorry. I made your daughter cry. I don’t know what to do.”

Shu Qingyou glanced at the mess of toys on the floor, then squatted to carefully wipe Shu Rong’s tears. Her voice was nonchalant, without any blame toward Lin Xu.

“It’s fine. I see you like playing with these too.”

Lin Xu had squatted so long her legs were numb. She steadied herself against the wall and caught an unusual flavor in those two words.

She couldn’t help thinking of the shameful “play” she and Shu Qingyou used to enjoy.

To do that to a married woman… Were we some illicit underground lovers?

She shook her head. How could I be so dirty-minded?

Shu Wan Ning must hate her to say something like “being a woman’s dog.”

“I… I wanted to help Shu Rong. I meant well. Don’t be mad.”

Though Shu Rong was only three, she understood some words. She lifted her head, her gaze landing on the arrogant bad sister.

She didn’t help at all! Shu Rong fumed inwardly. But since she couldn’t speak, she just puffed her cheeks and clung to her mom without letting go.

Shu Qingyou used a warm towel to clean Shu Rong’s tear-streaked, flushed face.

Throughout, Lin Xu stood like a wooden post, wanting to help but useless. Shu Qingyou was just too skilled.

Once Shu Qingyou set Shu Rong on the sofa with a children’s book,

Her lips moved slightly as she asked seriously, “Why did you get mad? Did you make her cry on purpose?”

Of course not! Lin Xu shook her head like a rattle.

Shu Qingyou had such a good temper—Lin Xu admired her.

“Then… can I ask? Why doesn’t Shu Rong talk at all?”

By rights, some kids could say a few garbled words by age one.

“She’s just introverted.”

Shu Rong pored over her picture book with relish. Shu Qingyou knew what Lin Xu meant—wondering if there was a physical issue.

“Lin Xu, don’t overthink it.”

“Got it, got it.”

Lin Xu nodded vigorously, even craning her neck in a circle.

“Where’s that Shu Wan Ning?”

No sooner had she asked than she heard the key turning in the lock. Speak of the devil.

It turned out Shu Wan Ning hadn’t left. She returned with a plastic bag full of green veggies and fresh fruit.

“Sis, I bought veggies for two days.”

Shu Wan Ning’s eyes were sharp; she spotted Lin Xu’s smug face instantly and turned away.

“For stuff you like?”

Shu Qingyou took the bag to the kitchen, sorting the produce—today’s out, the rest in the fridge.

“Heh heh, yeah, sis. Make some for dinner. It’s been ages since I tasted your cooking.”

After kicking off her shoes, Shu Wan Ning chattered a bit, shot Lin Xu a glare, and ran to help Shu Qingyou.

Prepping veggies took time, after all.

The faucet ran loudly as Shu Qingyou tied up her hair and rolled her sleeves to her elbows, revealing her fair arms.

A faint scar lingered on her wrist, like a blemish marring flawless skin.

Shu Wan Ning yelled,

“I’m not like some people, lording it up and enjoying the fruits of others’ labor. They don’t get the joy of doing it ourselves and living self-sufficiently.”

It was clearly aimed at Lin Xu. Shu Qingyou narrowed her eyes slightly and tapped Shu Wan Ning’s finger.

Lin Xu sprang up with a carp flip.

“Hey! Shu Wan Ning!”

It didn’t startle the other two, but Shu Rong flinched and whimpered.

Conditioned reflex kicked in for Lin Xu. She quickly softened her tone to soothe, “Sorry, Rongrong. Be good and read your book.”

Then she strode forward fearlessly, confronting Shu Wan Ning.

“That’s enough! You’ve already beaten me once—still not satisfied?!”

Shu Wan Ning’s hands dripped water; she flicked it right onto Lin Xu’s face. “Yeah, I just don’t like you. Freeloading at our house like an ancestor.”

Lin Xu wiped her face, her anger flaring. Her neck gland swelled subtly, leaking a bit of floral pheromone scent.

As a Beta, Shu Wan Ning couldn’t smell it, but Shu Qingyou’s legs weakened uncontrollably. The pheromone invasion hit faster than expected.

If this kept up, Lin Xu’s pheromones would go out of control. Helplessly, she panted softly, “Lin Xu, phero…mones.”

Shu Wan Ning noticed her sister’s odd state first and glared at Lin Xu.

“Are you even human? Releasing pheromones at the drop of a hat!”

With that, she dashed off.

Lin Xu wisely distanced herself from Shu Qingyou. She felt like crying like Shu Rong—when would her gland issue fix itself?

Less than a minute later, Shu Wan Ning returned with a fresh Inhibitor Patch. She handed it to Shu Qingyou and turned away considerately.

After applying it, Shu Wan Ning’s gaze swept her sister’s neck.

Ignoring Lin Xu, she sat back on her stool to pick veggies.

“Sis, I’m heading back to school tomorrow.”

Shu Qingyou paused. Shu Wan Ning was so sensible—fiercely just in the face of unfairness, never self-pitying for being a Beta.

A strong, ambitious good kid.

Her meaning now was clear: With Lin Xu staying awhile, Shu Wan Ning didn’t want to face her daily. Perfectly reasonable.

Shu Qingyou diced potatoes into a bowl. “I’ll drive you. I was heading out anyway.”

“Oh, okay.”

Lin Xu saw Shu Qingyou handling the knife fine and stepped forward slowly.

“I can do these too.”

Shu Wan Ning scowled and shoved a handful of edamame into her hands.

“No duh. If you’ve got hands, get to it. You—pick and wash veggies. And you chop the ribs. Sis likes sweet-and-sour ribs, not too big—smaller pieces.”

“Oh, oh, got it.”

So obedient it seemed fake to Shu Qingyou, like it’d shatter any second.

Lin Xu didn’t dare talk to Shu Qingyou, diligently and clumsily handling everything—though her clothes got soaked in the process.

Hot, steaming, fragrant dishes hit the table.

Sweet-and-sour ribs, braised fish, clay pot edamame chicken stew, tomato egg drop soup, stir-fried baby bok choy.

Plus egg custard specially for Shu Rong.

Her first proper meal since losing her memory, and Lin Xu swallowed hungrily.

“Ningning, no issues with your thesis?”

Shu Qingyou fed Shu Rong first. The girl was obedient, eating whatever Mom offered.

Mentioning it gave Shu Wan Ning a headache; she rubbed her shoulder.

“Ugh, the thesis is fine, but there’s this guy Alpha harassing me. I rejected and blocked him, but he switches accounts to add me. I wanna punch him, but his uncle’s the dean.”

Haicheng A University, the nation’s top-ranked comprehensive university.

Shu Qingyou had graduated from there too, though in arts, while Shu Wan Ning studied biotech.

Shu Qingyou: “What’s the dean’s name?”

Shu Wan Ning spat out the name casually, gnawing a rib in frustration.

Lin Xu didn’t butt in, just shoveled food quietly.

Though Shu Wan Ning disliked Lin Xu, she’d tired of cursing.

“Hey, sis, why’d you ask the dean’s name?”

Shu Qingyou’s brows cooled faintly as she wiped her daughter’s mouth.

“Nothing. Eat more.”