Chapter 81
Since she was a child, Qiao Xiaoxiao had never been so cherished. Over time, even she herself had gotten used to this feeling of being ignored, and had even started to believe—she didn’t deserve to have too much.
Just like now, even though she had long been well-fed and clothed, that unforgettable “sense of unworthiness” still followed her like a shadow. So the moment Xie Ying had appeared, she was like a startled hedgehog, instantly raising all her quills and fleeing in a panic.
She had never thought that there would be someone in this world who would carefully treasure her scars and, with daily gentleness, smooth out the wrinkles in her heart bit by bit.
Qiao Xiaoxiao’s eyes suddenly grew hot. She abruptly opened her arms and hugged Chu Xinrou tightly, the force so great it was astonishing, as if she wanted to knead the other person into her own flesh and blood.
Chu Xinrou let out a muffled groan, a little pained from being squeezed, but she just gently raised her hand and stroked her back gently.
The familiar warmth and jasmine scent gradually calmed Qiao Xiaoxiao down.
She was a little embarrassed. It seemed that she had been crying a lot recently. In a panic, she subconsciously rubbed her cheek against her sister’s neck, wanting to wipe away the evidence of her vulnerability.
But this unintentional intimacy made Chu Xinrou’s breath catch. The soft lips brushed against the side of her neck, like a feather lightly sweeping over the tip of her heart. She nonchalantly tightened her arms around Qiao Xiaoxiao’s waist, wanting to suppress her racing heart, but that throbbing sensation quietly spread between their touching skin.
Her heartbeat started to go haywire…
Qiao Xiaoxiao, who was being held tightly, suddenly sensed something was off. She pulled back a little, looked up at Chu Xinrou, wanting to confirm if that rapid heartbeat was really coming from the other person.
But the moment she looked up, she met a pair of eyes filled with a watery mist. Chu Xinrou’s cheeks were slightly red, her lips lightly bitten, and she was looking at her deeply, as if she were hiding countless unspoken words. The next second, she abruptly let go of her hand and turned to leave quickly.
Qiao Xiaoxiao was stunned on the spot. The warmth of the other person still lingered on her fingertips, but her heartbeat, belatedly, started to go out of control.
—Her sister…
Could it be that it really wasn’t a misconception?
Of course it wasn’t a misconception.
Chu Xinrou was, after all, a living, breathing adult woman. Even if she was restrained and forbearing in her feelings, the desires of a mortal still flowed in her bones.
Perhaps it was her nature, but she had always been indifferent to matters of love. In her youth, at the age when it was easiest to be restless, she could still suppress it with the heavy affairs of the group. Now, she was even less troubled by such emotions.
She had always thought that she didn’t need these things.
But when Qiao Xiaoxiao’s soft body was pressed against hers, when that wet cheek had unconsciously brushed against her neck, she had felt a certain strange throbbing.
Chu Xinrou quickly walked into the study, closed the door behind her, and her fingertips unconsciously touched her hot earlobe. It seemed that the warmth of Qiao Xiaoxiao’s breath still lingered there, itchy, as if a feather had lightly scratched the tip of her heart.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. But her mind was constantly filled with the image of Qiao Xiaoxiao’s red-rimmed eyes and the way she had dependently buried her head in her neck.
The setting sun gradually sank outside the window, stretching her shadow long. Chu Xinrou looked at the blurry reflection on the glass, and for the first time, her pride in her self-control was shaken.
The next morning.
Qiao Xiaoxiao had gone for a run as usual, but Chu Xinrou was a little absent-minded. Today was Sister Yang’s day to cook. She had recently taken a liking to making buns, all sorts of different flavors. Her skills were not great, but they were much better than rotten noodles.
Usually, if Yang Feitang brought over food she had made herself, Chu Xinrou would definitely praise her and give her enough emotional value. But today, her gaze was distant, and she was absent-minded. Who knows where her soul had gone.
“Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong with you?”
Yang Feitang waved her hand in front of her eyes. “Did you have a fight with Xiaoxiao again?”
Chu Xinrou glared at her. “Crow’s mouth.”
They had just made up.
Then what was wrong?
Yang Feitang stared at her. Chu Xinrou ignored her. “You’re in cahoots with Xiaoxiao now, colluding for evil.”
Oh my.
Hearing this, the shrewd Sister Yang immediately figured something out. She stared at Chu Xinrou for a while and saw that under her gaze, the tips of her guilty ears were gradually turning crimson.
Sister Yang cleared her throat, hooked a strand of long hair, and looked at Chu Xinrou with charming eyes, her opening words a bombshell. “Did you eat Xiaoxiao yesterday?”
Chu Xinrou: !!!
Someone, drag her out! What kind of sacred place is this, to let such a hooligan speak so freely here?
Yang Feitang was an experienced person. Seeing Chu Xinrou’s angry and embarrassed look, she smiled. “Then are you sexually frustrated?”
What a mess.
Chu Xinrou wouldn’t admit it, not even if she were beaten to death. She still wasn’t completely sure of her feelings for Xiaoxiao. How could she have such chaotic thoughts?
Yang Feitang was amused. She looked at the “old-fashioned” Chu Xinrou. “Do you feel that you haven’t confirmed your own heart yet, but your body is out of control?”
Chu Xinrou bit her lip, not wanting to talk to her at all.
Yang Feitang said with a smile, “Actually, your heart might not be unaware. It’s just that your body’s reaction is the most honest.”
When it came to topics with a bit of color, that old driver Sister Yang was definitely a hall-of-fame figure who could get on the highway with her seatbelt on. Her mouth started to have no filter.
“A younger person, sometimes they’re impulsive and have a big temper, but they have their good points.”
“See? The fruit you’ve cultivated with your heart will soon be fruitful.”
“It’s not that I’m biased towards my own brat. Look at Xiaoxiao’s figure, the foundation from practicing sports since she was a child, that waist strength… tsk, tsk, you’re just not appreciating your blessings. If she were to live stream, a bunch of rich old sisters would be rushing into the live stream room to send her carnivals.”
“And her fingers, have you seen them? She’s exceptionally talented.”
…
Yang Feitang chattered on for a long time. Seeing that Chu Xinrou had no reaction at all, she asked hesitantly, “You really don’t feel anything at all?”
Chu Xinrou answered with a straight face, “I don’t.” She got up to pour some water but almost tripped over herself.
A thunderous burst of laughter came from behind her.
Chu Xinrou: …
“Fair-weather friends” and the like are sometimes really annoying and can make one’s mind a mess.
Chu Xinrou was neither sitting nor standing this whole afternoon. In the end, she simply went to Qiao Xiaoxiao’s room, rested her head on her blanket, and held one of her shirts before she slowly fell asleep.
But even her dream was not to her liking.
Chu Xinrou was sinking into the soft bedding. In a daze, she heard the light sound of the door hinges turning. Against the light from the hallway, Qiao Xiaoxiao’s tall figure stood at the door. The collar of her pajamas was loosely revealing her collarbones, and the ends of her hair were still damp from her bath.
“Jiejie?”
The smiling voice made Chu Xinrou’s heart tremble. She wanted to prop herself up but was as if frozen, only able to watch the other person approach step by step. The mattress sank slightly. Qiao Xiaoxiao knelt on the edge of the bed, her fingertips brushing away the hair on her forehead.
“Sleeping so early?” The calloused fingertips stroked her temples, and Chu Xinrou’s breath hitched. The fresh scent of the young girl’s body wash mixed with the warmth of her body after exercise rushed to meet her. In the shadow of her pajamas’ collar as she leaned over, the curves of her body were faintly visible.
When the cool tip of her nose brushed against the side of her neck, Chu Xinrou trembled in her dream. Qiao Xiaoxiao’s breath swept over the sensitive skin behind her ear, and a light laugh, tinged with a breathy sound, escaped her throat. “So fragrant…”
When the afternoon sun filtered through the gauze curtains, Chu Xinrou woke up with a start. The skin under the blanket was flushed with an unnatural heat. She subconsciously touched the side of her neck, where the warm touch from her dream seemed to linger. The sound of the main door opening and closing came from downstairs. It was the returning Qiao Xiaoxiao.
“Jiejie, I’m back!”
The clear voice made Chu Xinrou clutch the corner of the blanket. As the footsteps grew closer up the stairs, she could hardly tell if her racing heart was because of that absurd dream or the anticipation of seeing the person from her dream.
Qiao Xiaoxiao was holding a bag of freshly bought crayfish, her face beaming. “I’ll make crayfish tonight. Shall we have some wine?”
Chu Xinrou stared at her in a daze, the throbbing in her chest still not subsided.
“Crayfish, crayfish… garlic, spicy, thirteen-spice…” Qiao Xiaoxiao had already eagerly turned to the kitchen.
Chu Xinrou: …
Looking at that cheerful back, Chu Xinrou lowered her eyes. Xiaoxiao trusted and relied on her so much, and yet she… an indescribable sense of guilt quietly crept into her heart, intertwining with the lingering warmth of the dream, making her unconsciously bite her lip.
Chef Qiao really showed off her skills tonight.
Three basins of bright red, oily crayfish were neatly arranged on the dining table, each with a different flavor—spicy, garlic, and thirteen-spice. The aroma went straight to one’s nose. Ever since she had been separated from Chu Xinrou, Qiao Xiaoxiao had had no appetite. Now, she had finally recovered her good appetite.
Chu Xinrou had a taste of each flavor, only a couple of crayfish in total. Qiao Xiaoxiao performed at her normal level, her ten fingers flying, and soon, a small mountain of shrimp shells was piled up in front of her.
“Eat slowly,” Chu Xinrou said softly, sitting beside her as usual. But gradually, her gaze uncontrollably fell on Qiao Xiaoxiao’s nimble fingers.
Those hands were astonishingly long, with well-defined knuckles but not rough. When she peeled the shrimp, her fingertips were slightly red, and her oily skin had a honey-colored luster under the light. The shrimp shells cracked crisply in her hands, and the fresh and tender shrimp meat was deftly pulled out, the whole set of movements as smooth as flowing water.
Chu Xinrou unconsciously pressed her lips together. She remembered Yang Feitang’s meaningful “exceptionally talented,” and her ears quietly burned.
Qiao Xiaoxiao’s shrimp-peeling motion suddenly paused. She tilted her head and looked at her red-oiled fingers, then looked up at Chu Xinrou. “Jiejie, what are you staring at my hands for?”
She’s been staring for a long time, her gaze changing so much. What, did a flower grow on her hand?
Chu Xinrou’s face burned with a whoosh. She hastily looked away and changed the subject. “How was… your review today?”
“Don’t mention it,” Qiao Xiaoxiao wrinkled her nose in annoyance and casually grabbed a tissue to wipe her fingertips. “The key points the teacher marked are piled higher than the crayfish. I’m getting a headache from memorizing them.”
Outsiders always said she was a genius and a top student, thinking she could easily get a scholarship. Only she herself knew that she had to shed a layer of skin at the end of every semester. Now, her mind was full of her review plan. After she got through the exam week, she had to hurry back to Wuliu Village to see her uncle. Recently, her uncle had been hemming and hawing on the phone. He must have been bullied by Huang Sulan again. She had made up her mind. This time when she went back, she would seriously ask her uncle if he was going to divorce or not. If he was, she would find a lawyer.
“Eat a little less. You’ll get sleepy at night,” Chu Xinrou reminded her softly, but her gaze did not dare to fall on Qiao Xiaoxiao again. She was secretly annoyed with herself. They had been living under the same roof for so long. How could her heart race just from making eye contact now?
Qiao Xiaoxiao was a little straightforward in some aspects. Now, her mind was completely occupied by her studies, and she didn’t notice her sister’s abnormality at all.
These past few days, not only had the exams taken half of Qiao Xiaoxiao’s life, but Qingxin Sports was also extremely busy. Ever since the video of the conflict with their competitor had gone viral, all sorts of headhunters had been flocking to them. The team was currently arguing endlessly over the next promotional strategy.
Wang Ning had her hands on the conference table, her tone firm. “We must find a professional spokesperson from the sports world, with a positive image and a sunny temperament.” As the oldest member of the team, she was more concerned with long-term development.
Yuan Lu was twirling her pen and retorted, “We can’t afford a first-tier celebrity, and a second or third-tier one has no influence. It’s better to find a few sports bloggers for promotion. It’s more cost-effective.”
Xiaohua nodded in agreement. “That’s right. We can find a few different types of bloggers to test the waters.”
Wang Ning shook her head. “A short-term traffic burst won’t solve the fundamental problem.” She looked around at everyone. “If Qingxin wants to go far, it must establish a professional image.”
Everyone was arguing, and they all turned to look at Qiao Xiaoxiao, only to find that she was staring at her own hands in a daze, a faint smile on her lips.
“CEO Qiao?” Wang Ning asked tentatively.
Only then did Qiao Xiaoxiao come back to her senses. She looked up and asked, “What tier do you think Wang Tiantian is?”
The conference room instantly exploded.
“Holy shit! Are you talking about the high jump goddess Wang Tiantian, who just broke a record at the Asian Games?” Yuan Lu shot up, her chair making a harsh sound on the floor.
Xiaohua slapped the table excitedly. “Is it the dark horse who switched from track and field to high jump and swept all the major competitions within a year?”
Wang Ning’s eyes lit up. “Her image is sunny and healthy, and her professionalism is impeccable. But she’s not just first-tier, she’s a super big shot. How can we possibly afford her?”
Qiao Xiaoxiao thought of Wang Tiantian’s big round face in high school and couldn’t help but smile. Just yesterday, when she had posted about the crayfish on her Moments, this “esteemed Ms. Wang Tiantian” had even commented below, “I’m back in the country. I need to eat them immediately!”
“You don’t happen to know her, do you?” Wang Ning asked suspiciously.
Qiao Xiaoxiao straightened her collar and said seriously, “Back then, we almost debuted as the Xiao Tiantian combination.”
Everyone: …
No one believed Qiao Xiaoxiao’s words, thinking that she was blowing her own horn.
However, that night, the super-first-tier athlete Wang Tiantian, who was busy with a million things, actually appeared at the studio door. She was driving a black Honda in a low-key manner and walked in wearing a black hoodie. When Wang Tiantian walked into the studio, her whole being exuded a celebrity aura. She was wearing oversized sunglasses, a black mask that covered most of her face, and a baseball cap that was pulled down very low, revealing only the exquisite line of her jaw. The black hoodie she was wearing was loose, but it couldn’t hide her upright athlete’s figure.
The staff all turned to look, but no one dared to go up and disturb her. Some of the young girls who couldn’t control themselves were covering their mouths and screaming.
It wasn’t until she pushed open the door to Qiao Xiaoxiao’s office that Wang Tiantian locked the door behind her, ripped off her sunglasses and mask, and threw her hat aside. She rushed forward and jumped on Qiao Xiaoxiao, revealing her true colors. “You brat! I missed you to death!!!”
Qiao Xiaoxiao smiled and caught her. The two of them fooled around like they had during their high school training.
Wang Ning, who was standing at the door, was dumbfounded. She quietly retreated and closed the door.
Because Xiaoxiao was so engrossed in chatting with Wang Tiantian, she had put her phone aside and hadn’t listened to it.
Yang Feitang was at home, waiting for her to come back to eat ice jelly. She had called for a long time but couldn’t get through. She called Wang Ning’s phone. “Hello, hello, where’s CEO Qiao?”
Wang Ning said with a smile, “She’s talking business, but I think it’s more like old friends meeting. I haven’t seen Xiaoxiao smile so happily in a long time.”
“What do you mean?” Yang Feitang was at a loss.
Chu Xinrou, who was watering the flowers, stopped and looked at the phone.
Wang Ning explained, “It’s that recently popular athlete, Wang Tiantian. They’re catching up.”
Yang Feitang, who had hung up the phone, was a little dazed. Maybe she had eaten too many sweets, and her brain was a little short-circuited. She thought for a while and looked at Chu Xinrou. “Who is it? Why can’t I remember?”
Chu Xinrou looked at her, her gaze as still as a pool of stagnant water. “Such an important person, and you don’t remember?”
Yang Feitang was even more confused. “An important person?”
Did she miss something?
Chu Xinrou looked at her with a blank expression, her voice as cold as ice, enunciating each word. “Wang—Tian—Tian, Qiao—Xiao—Xiao’s—first—love.”
