Chapter 9: Task 4

Sure enough, Big Boss Sister was holding a grudge.

The blunder from last night was still fresh, and after sending that wildly inappropriate message, she’d gone and done something even more outrageous this morning. Jiang Xiaoyi was definitely on Big Boss Sister’s blacklist now.

She’d thought last night’s screw-up was bad enough, but something worse had been waiting for her this morning.

Jiang Xiaoyi, who apologized eight hundred times a day, was just about to atone for her stupidity when System PP popped up on purpose.

【Good morning, host! Time to kick off another day bursting with energy.】

Jiang Xiaoyi let out a hollow laugh. 【I’m alive, but I might as well be dead.】

【Don’t be so pessimistic. Meng Chuning’s asking you something—answer her quick.】

【Have I lost my mind? How am I supposed to answer that?】

【Think it over carefully. PP’s ready to dock ten grand from your account anytime.】

If glares could kill, System PP would have been obliterated by Jiang Xiaoyi a thousand times over.

Not wanting to lose ten thousand bucks, Jiang Xiaoyi gritted her teeth. 【Answer what?】

【Sis is big.】

System PP’s matter-of-fact voice slid through Jiang Xiaoyi’s mind. She really shouldn’t have asked.

Exiting the chat, Jiang Xiaoyi swallowed hard, her face burning red as she whispered, “Sis is big.”

Ding-dong—

【Correct answer.】

“I’m sorry, Sis!” Jiang Xiaoyi blurted out, desperate to defend herself. She hadn’t wanted to answer that—it was all because she was forced.

A penniless D-lister salty fish like her had been saddled with this task system. Fail a mission, and it drained her measly account balance.

Jiang Xiaoyi could live without her dignity, but she absolutely couldn’t live without money.

But after the ding-dong, there was no notification about task rewards hitting her account.

System PP teased, 【Because I haven’t issued today’s task yet.】

【Then making me answer Sis’s question wasn’t the task?】

【I was just saying.】

Jiang Xiaoyi was furious. 【You what?!】

【I never said it was a task.】

Whatever. No time to argue with the system right now.

“I-I…” Jiang Xiaoyi thrust her right hand out toward Meng Chuning in atonement. “Sis, hit me. Just vent however you want.”

Meng Chuning propped her head up with one hand, watching her with keen interest. She smiled, about to speak, when the bedroom door suddenly swung open.

“Chuning, how come the hot water downstairs is busted? It was fine yesterday…” Meng Fanyu caught sight of the scene in the bedroom and quickly shut the door, her voice floating over apologetically. “Sorry about that. Carry on.”

Jiang Xiaoyi was kneeling on the bed with her hand outstretched, looking for all the world like she was braced for punishment. It was way too easy to misread.

“She’s my sister,” Meng Chuning said.

“Then did she misunderstand something? I-I’ll go explain!” Jiang Xiaoyi hopped off the bed, jammed her feet into her slippers, and dashed out.

“Slow down. No rush,” Meng Chuning called from the pillows, a smile playing on her lips.

She had no idea how she’d ended up sleeping in Jiang Xiaoyi’s arms last night, but damn, it had felt good. She hadn’t woken up once, and this morning she’d still been cradled right there in her palm.

The fleeing Jiang Xiaoyi ducked back into the guest room to change into her own clothes. On her way to explain things to Big Sis Chuning, a fluffy pink Little Dumpling appeared at her feet.

The Little Dumpling barely reached her knee. She tilted her chubby little face up and cooed sweetly, “Little Auntie.”

“Little… Auntie?” Jiang Xiaoyi crouched down and gently pinched the Little Dumpling’s soft cheek, her voice pitching up into a squeak. “Who’re you calling that?”

The Little Dumpling blinked her big eyes, spotted the person behind Jiang Xiaoyi, and toddled over with arms outstretched. “Little Aunt!”

Meng Chuning scooped up the Little Dumpling and planted a kiss on her cheek. “What a good Baby.”

The Little Dumpling pointed a tiny finger at Jiang Xiaoyi. “Little Auntie.”

Meng Chuning didn’t correct her. She just gave Jiang Xiaoyi a faint smile.

“I-I’m not,” Jiang Xiaoyi protested, waving her hands. How was she supposed to explain to a kid who didn’t even have all her teeth yet that she wasn’t the little auntie?

“Little Auntie, hug!” The Little Dumpling stretched her arms toward Jiang Xiaoyi, those big sparkling eyes full of hope.

A hug was fine, but kiddo, don’t go calling me that.

“Hug,” Jiang Xiaoyi said. She’d never held a child before. She reached out to pick her up—and ended up clutching Meng Chuning’s arm instead, unable to pull free.

Meng Chuning shifted her arm. “Xiaoyi, you grabbed me.”

“Sorry, Sis. I’ve never held a kid before.” Jiang Xiaoyi froze in place, not daring to move a muscle in case she dropped the child.

Trapped between them, the Little Dumpling clapped her hands gleefully. “Little Aunt and Little Auntie hugging!”

“Baby, I’m not Little Auntie,” Jiang Xiaoyi said earnestly. How much could a toddler even understand?

The Little Dumpling pouted and whined, “You areeee…”

Kids were too soft. One pout, and Jiang Xiaoyi was helpless. She turned pleading eyes to Meng Chuning. “Sis, explain it to Baby…”

“Sure. I’ll explain to Baby later.” Like hell Meng Chuning would. Right now, she just wanted to praise how smart Baby was.

“Little Dumpling, come here.” Meng Fanyu came over and lifted the Little Dumpling away. The child puffed out her cheeks. “I want Little Auntie!”

Meng Fanyu tapped the tip of her nose with a finger and chuckled. “Call her Sis.”

Then, to Jiang Xiaoyi: “Sorry about that. Kids don’t know any better.”

As long as someone cleared it up, Jiang Xiaoyi breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s fine.”

God, Little Auntie was not a role she could handle.

She still hadn’t smoothed over offending Big Boss Sis this morning, and now she’d piled on another layer.

“Chuning, tell your girlfriend to come down for breakfast!” Meng Fanyu’s voice drifted up from downstairs, perfectly audible to Jiang Xiaoyi.

No way.

Hadn’t she just explained?

She wasn’t the little auntie, so obviously not the girlfriend either.

“Sis, I’ll go clarify downstairs.” Jiang Xiaoyi’s head was throbbing. Big Sis Chuning must have gotten the wrong idea.

Meng Chuning handed her fresh toiletries. “No need. Wash up first. I’ll handle her.”

“Okay.”

With Meng Chuning saying that, Jiang Xiaoyi headed to the bathroom without a worry.

Once the door clicked shut behind her, Meng Fanyu glanced at Meng Chuning with a grin. “When did you get a girlfriend?”

Meng Chuning dodged the question. “What’s for breakfast today?”

“Tell me about her. Is she the girl you mentioned before? Jiang Xiaoyi?”

Meng Chuning hummed in agreement.

“You finally caught her?” Meng Fanyu crossed her arms, nodding approvingly. “Xiaoyi’s gorgeous. Good eye.”

The Little Dumpling chimed in. “Little Auntie pretty.”

Meng Fanyu praised her. “Little Dumpling’s got great taste too.”

Remembering the bedroom scene earlier, Meng Fanyu added a reminder. “But treat her right. Don’t go overboard—one big misunderstanding first thing in the morning.”

Meng Chuning glanced up, looking utterly wronged. “I’d never bully her.”

“Oh, you did. I saw it.” Meng Fanyu figured her sister had stayed single all these years because of her icy face and dominant vibe. Time to fix that.

“Punishing her bright and early? Don’t scare her off.”

“I…” Meng Chuning blinked. When had she punished Jiang Xiaoyi?

Jiang Xiaoyi descended the stairs, clutching her phone nervously. “Good morning.”

Both sisters and the tiny milk dumpling turned to her. Jiang Xiaoyi was already sweating bullets—an introvert desperate to flee.

“Xiaoyi, come eat breakfast.” Meng Fanyu warmly took her hand. “Chuning’s never brought anyone home before. Don’t be nervous.”

Those words hit way too close to home.

Wasn’t this straight out of one of Su Jiuyue’s novels? The CEO brings someone home for the first time in forever, smiling like she’s never smiled before.

Jiang Xiaoyi’s legs went weak. She was Meng Chuning’s first woman brought home.

No.

What was she thinking? She’d come here to teach Meng Chuning how to make low-fat meals—not as a girlfriend.

She couldn’t stick around Meng Chuning’s place much longer. Jiang Xiaoyi got a message from Lu Xi: “Sis, I’m leaving now. My agent’s here to pick me up.”

Meng Chuning paused mid-pour of water for her. “No breakfast?”

“Already got some. Agent brought it.” Jiang Xiaoyi waved goodbye to them all.

The Little Dumpling blinked her big, innocent eyes sadly. “Bye-bye, Little Auntie.”

Jiang Xiaoyi: “…Bye-bye.”

By the time Meng Fanyu arrived, Jiang Xiaoyi was gone. She poked Meng Chuning. “You scared her off again?”

Meng Chuning watched her go. Jiang Xiaoyi bolted like a panicked bunny, as if a beast were chasing her right out of Lovers’ Water Bay.

Meng Chuning couldn’t help doubting herself. “Am I that scary?”

Ten minutes later, that little bunny came scampering right back, waving through the floor-to-ceiling window.

“Xiaoyi?”

Meng Chuning stepped outside. Jiang Xiaoyi was breathing hard, lips glossy as she licked them. Her cheeks were flushed from the run, making her look irresistibly alluring.

“Sis…” Jiang Xiaoyi stepped closer, like a soldier marching to her doom.

The distance shrank to nothing. Meng Chuning watched her lashes flutter, words hovering unspoken.

Worried she’d spook her, Meng Chuning asked softly, “What is it?”

“Sis, this request is pretty over the top. No, really over the top.” Jiang Xiaoyi squeezed her eyes shut, not daring to look.

“Sis, could you… drive me to work?”

“That’s all?” Meng Chuning had braced for something wild, seeing how tense she was.

Jiang Xiaoyi nodded.

Of course it wasn’t all. The second Jiang Xiaoyi had fled Lovers’ Water Bay, System PP dropped today’s task.

—Get pinned against the car by Meng Chuning.

What a ridiculous mission. A wall slam was one thing—why a car slam? And she had to be the one slammed.

But to save her ten grand, Jiang Xiaoyi had no choice but to double back.

Meng Chuning glanced behind her. “Where’s your agent?”

“Something came up. She’s not coming.”

“Alright. I’ll get the car.”

Jiang Xiaoyi nodded eagerly. Car first, then slam.

Meng Chuning pulled out in her sleek black luxury ride from the underground garage and rolled down the window. “Xiaoyi, hop in.”

How was she supposed to get slammed inside the car?

Jiang Xiaoyi slid into the passenger seat, mind racing for a way to trigger the task. Her thoughts scattered as she fumbled with the seatbelt, missing the buckle.

“Here.” Meng Chuning leaned over, her soft hand guiding Jiang Xiaoyi’s to the slot.

A whiff of gentle fragrance washed over her. Jiang Xiaoyi’s back pressed instinctively into the seat, eyes locked on Meng Chuning’s profile.

They were too close. Jiang Xiaoyi’s breath hitched. “F-Found it.”

Click. The belt locked in.

Meng Chuning let go and turned to her. “To the company?”

“Yeah.”

Their gazes met for a fleeting instant. A glint flashed in Jiang Xiaoyi’s clear, bright eyes, and she suddenly wondered if this position counted as being pinned against the car.

Meng Chuning withdrew her hand, about to slide back into the driver’s seat.

Jiang Xiaoyi reached out and grabbed her slender wrist. “Sister, don’t move yet…”