Chapter 60: The Scheming Little Green Tea Stepsister Part 1

“World’s First Cutest Yun Chu Little Baby?”

The message on Jiang Li’s screen faded away moments later, but that extraordinarily long contact name lingered in Lu Chaohuan’s mind like a curse, spinning endlessly.

She called out to Jiang Li with such intimacy, the ambiguous undertones woven through every word revealing a relationship that was anything but ordinary.

A new flame, an old love.

The contact name, the pet name, all the things this Yun Chu said—it was all too easy for Lu Chaohuan to connect them to that humiliating fact she couldn’t escape—

The special treatment she thought Jiang Li reserved only for her, the pursuit, the indulgence of her every whim, the joy sparked by her actions—it had all been because Jiang Li liked her… or so she had believed. But what if it wasn’t?

Perhaps Jiang Li’s special attention to her really was just a big sister’s care and affection for her little sister?

Lu Chaohuan lowered her gaze darkly. Memories of everything that had happened between her and Jiang Li flashed through her mind, one after another, until she realized—

It wasn’t unreasonable to interpret Jiang Li’s curiosity about her as simply an older sister’s protective fondness.

It was Lu Chaohuan who had jumped to conclusions, who had twisted Jiang Li’s genuine concern into something romantic. It was Lu Chaohuan who had been presumptuous.

How depressing, Sister. The lips that usually curved up in obedient sweetness were now pressed into a cold line. Lu Chaohuan had never imagined she would stumble like this.

Ding.

The familiar WeChat notification chimed again. Lu Chaohuan’s eyes flicked to the screen instinctively, and there it was again—that contact name she had just been obsessing over.

-World’s First Cutest Yun Chu Little Baby

I want to kiss Baby. I want Baby’s home-cooked food. [Drooling]

Then keep wanting it.

Lu Chaohuan reached out and flipped Jiang Li’s phone face-down onto the car seat. A blaze of anger surged in her chest, refusing to subside even after the message vanished from view.

Kissing… ha.

Someone who could leave a note like that on Jiang Li’s phone—how could she, as the supposed new favorite, even dream of competing with this Yun Chu Little Baby for attention?

Lu Chaohuan let out a cold laugh, her thoughts fueling her bitterness while her cheeks drained of color, her ink-black eyes as somber as polished jade.

She had even deluded herself into thinking Jiang Li’s eagerness to go out and buy groceries was an attempt to please her, never suspecting it was just Jiang Li’s own fondness for cooking.

Wait… Lu Chaohuan narrowed her eyes, a flicker of suspicion crossing them. She pulled out her phone and messaged Bai Qing.

-Is a hot mess but pretty

What does cooking mean?

-Roommate, decent

Throw veggies in the pot, stir-fry with your noble wrists, flipping the pan. When done, turn off heat and plate.

-Is a hot mess but pretty

[Laugh] I mean the cooking you always mention to the senior in the dorm. Want me to relay it to her?

-Roommate, decent

[Obedient] Fuck. Off.

Her fingertips dug hard into the back of her phone as she exhaled a slow breath of pent-up frustration. Lu Chaohuan recalled that blatantly flirtatious message from earlier, and an inexplicable fury ignited within her.

Her expression darkened further as she remembered the video she had played for Jiang Li last night—her sensitive reactions, her shy dodging of the screen.

A cold smirk tugged at Lu Chaohuan’s lips. Now she understood.

Watching little adult videos behind her partner’s back and getting aroused—how could a lonely midnight indulgence like that be shared with a little sister? No, this was sharing with her partner.

Remembering her own tangled deliberations about Jiang Li, Lu Chaohuan now found them laughable.

She had flipped the script on that adorably foolish big sister.

The car glided smoothly forward while the two in the back seat leaned against their respective windows.

Someone had drawn the curtain on Jiang Li’s side, blocking the scorching sunlight. The humming air conditioner blew cool air over her exposed skin, making her sleep all the more comfortable.

Outside, the blazing sun poured directly through Lu Chaohuan’s window, illuminating her face. She showed no expression whatsoever, her lifeless eyes reflecting coldly in the glass, radiating chill.

The delicate hem of her skirt draped over her thighs was now crumpled in her grip, as if she were trying to wipe away the hand that had just drawn the curtain for Jiang Li.

Originally, she had wanted to scrutinize this woman who had led her on so. Instead, she watched sleeping Jiang Li frown uncomfortably at a shaft of sunlight sneaking in and found herself swiftly pulling the curtain closed.

The impulse had betrayed her feelings too quickly. Lu Chaohuan sat back down abruptly, as far from Jiang Li as possible.

I look like the desperate pursuer who can’t stay away, licking her boots.

Lu Chaohuan recalled her earlier assessment of Jiang Li’s behavior, her heart churning with mixed emotions. Somehow, she felt their positions had quietly reversed.

By the time Jiang Li was woken, Lu Chaohuan was already standing by the car door, bags in hand, waiting for her.

There was no mirth in her eyes. The bow tie she had worn that morning was gone, and the collar of her white blouse had been undone by its owner.

The sunlight outside was still so harsh that it forced the eyes to squint. Jiang Li took in Lu Chaohuan’s humorless expression, her long lashes fluttering as she blurted out a compliment.

“Chaohuan, next time you don’t want to smile, just don’t. You look great like this.”

From the corner of her eye, Lu Chaohuan saw Jiang Li’s eyes crinkle into happy crescents.

Her smile was as sweetly cloying as the ice cream cone Jiang Li had fed her today, with an extra layer of creamy filling inside after one bite.

Lu Chaohuan averted her gaze. “When did Sister ever think I didn’t want to smile?”

Jiang Li thought for a moment. If she had to pinpoint it, “That time we ate at the restaurant together. Chaohuan didn’t like the sweet and sour fish, did you? But when Aunt Chu asked, you smiled and said it was good.”

Sweet and sour fish…

Lu Chaohuan arched a brow. She really didn’t like that dish, and it had happened to be placed right in front of her. She had just taken a bite when the excessive sweetness exploded on her tongue.

She had downed several cups of bitter tea to wash it away.

“Sister, at our first meeting,” she shifted the grocery bag to her other hand, no longer holding it between them as she asked curiously, “you liked me a lot, didn’t you?”

Jiang Li answered without hesitation. “Of course!”

Her mission target was an obedient, delicate, and adorable little sister—who wouldn’t like that?

“Oh.” Lu Chaohuan looked away, then dropped a bombshell that nearly caused Jiang Li, walking beside her, to stumble on the lawn.

“But I didn’t like Sister at first sight.”

Devastating news.

Why, oh heavens, did she have to learn this?

Jiang Li had never imagined that Lu Chaohuan hadn’t liked her upon first meeting. What could have caused such dislike?

Her curiosity clawed at her insides. Desperate for answers, Jiang Li had to know.

On the stone path under the trees, dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves onto their figures, flickering in and out of shadows where they sometimes seemed to merge intimately.

Lu Chaohuan swapped the bag between her hands as Jiang Li bombarded her with questions right by her ear, tugging at her shirt hem and even playfully shaking her wrist.

“Why didn’t you like me?”

“Did I do something that day?”

“Come on, tell me, tell me…”

Even after they got home, Jiang Li still hadn’t gotten her answer.

Lu Chaohuan set the bags on the dining table and turned to find Jiang Li standing there, arms crossed and cheeks puffed out in a pout, glaring her disapproval at the result-without-reason nonsense.

Lu Chaohuan glanced at Jiang Li’s phone tossed on the sofa and reminded her indifferently, “Sister’s phone rang a bunch of times in the car. Aren’t you going to check your messages?”

A bunch of times? Was it the school administration with some class arrangements?

Watching Lu Chaohuan’s retreating back as she headed to her room, Jiang Li grabbed her phone to see what was up.

The moment she unlocked it, her face darkened instantly.

123, what kind of inappropriate content are you sending!!!

-World’s First Cutest Yun Chu Little Baby

Pear Pear Baby, wanna try thick tits next time? [Lecherous]

Jiang Li never set a passcode on her personal phone, so a swipe up from the lock screen revealed more messages from the sender.

In the short time she had been asleep in the car, the barrage from 123 could only be described as utterly indecent.

Sickeningly sappy words one moment, the next threatening full-screen mosaics… Every line trampled straight over Jiang Li’s sense of shame.

How could a cold, emotionless bot spew such lewd drivel?

What made her curl her toes in mortification was the thought that Lu Chaohuan might have seen 123’s dirty talk already.

Jiang Li could scarcely imagine what Lu Chaohuan must have thought upon reading it…

She’d probably figure Jiang Li had a fuck buddy—why else would the texts be overflowing with erotic filth?

Ah! My image! 123, are you glitched?!

Right on cue, 123 pinged another message through WeChat.

-Pear Pear Baby, saw my messages, right? Like my words? [Grin]

Jiang Li hammered the keyboard with a straight face.

-Thanks. You’ve successfully twisted this big sister’s pure image all the way to the Arctic Circle. Knowing I have to interact with Chaohuan while stuck with your sleazy Minion persona—I already feel sorry for her in advance for the contamination.

Imagining those wide, innocent eyes of Lu Chaohuan’s reading 123’s verbal harassment while she slept, Jiang Li fell silent for a moment before resolutely setting a lock screen passcode.

Safeguarding the pure, adorable college girl from perverse intrusions—whether as a teacher or a big sister, it was Jiang Li’s duty.

Meanwhile, Lu Chaohuan had entered her room and sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the bow tie in her hand.

It was a dark red plaid pattern with crisp lines and dainty fabric. The one flaw was a faint smudge from melted ice cream.

Barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

The pretty bow spun in her palm. Having been pocketed and buffeted by the wind on the way back, the sweet milky scent on her hands had faded considerably.

But each breath still brought the aroma clearly to her nose.

Normally, if a bow tie got dirty, Lu Chaohuan would unhesitatingly rip it off and toss it.

If it was tainted by something else, it was no longer hers.