In the hotel, after Chen Yuan had left.
「In another suite.」
"Why did you suddenly show up without saying anything?"
Jiangg Yao jumped, startled by the sound of the door opening.
She thought it was housekeeping and they had the wrong room.
Only when she got a clear look at the person in front of her did Jiangg Yao pat her chest and let out a sigh of relief. She was still clutching a bag of shrimp crackers, shalessly munching on the snack.
"Chen went to visit so elders, and I was bored, so I ca over to see you."
Jiangg Ning plopped down on the sofa, casually grabbed a throw pillow, and leaned back lazily.
"Elders? What elders?" Yaoyao asked, baffled.
"It's Rourou's parents. They heard Chen was in town for a visit, and they're planning to give him a warm welco, so he decided to buy so gifts to bring over."
"Rourou? Why is it Rourou again!? And you just let him go?"
"Yeah. What else was I supposed to do?"
"What were you thinking?!" Jiangg Yao's eyes filled with disbelief as she stared blankly at her sister. "Did I not tell you? He and that Rourou are childhood sweethearts, the kind who might rekindle their old fla. You just let him go so easily? That's like throwing a lamb to the wolves!"
"It's not that dramatic," Jiangg Ning said dismissively. She had a lot of faith in Chen Yuan. "I think he knows his boundaries. Besides, it's normal to repay social favors."
"Hah, I trust him too. But I sure as hell don't trust that Rourou!"
Jiangg Yao pressed a hand to her forehead in frustration.
Her sister was perplexed by how worried and troubled she looked after hearing the news.
'Is this really that serious?'
"You're not seriously this worked up…"
"It's not a matter of being worked up, Sis. You haven't seen them together. It's obvious they're not just friends! Normal friends don't have that kind of chemistry between them."
Jiangg Yao spoke with absolute certainty. She trusted her intuition.
When she'd discussed it with Chen Yuan, his attitude had also been a little too evasive—a detail the perceptive Yaoyao had noticed long ago.
'That boy and his little secrets.'
'She could see right through him.'
'An unknown past, feelings from a long history together, plus the other girl isn't exactly a slouch either.'
Good grief!
'No matter how you slice it, she's a powerful rival!'
"Then what am I supposed to do? I can't just forbid him from going, that would be so petty… Besides, this Rourou has already t you, and there was already a bit of friction. If he doesn't go this ti, she'll imdiately guess it's because his girlfriend is ddling."
"I know, but you're being way too lenient. Seriously… I'm speechless."
"What? I don't understand what you're saying, Yaoyao."
"My aning is obvious! Soone made a move, so you need to make a countermove! And what are you doing? Just lying on the sofa, casually chatting with ?"
Jiangg Yao gave her sister a look of utter contempt, filled with exasperation at her inability to live up to potential.
'If this were *The Legend of Zhen Huan*, a person like my sister would have been killed off a hundred tis over by now. Her only saving graces are her nice personality and gentle nature.'
'Otherwise, she has absolutely zero competitive edge!'
'Trust?'
'What good is that?'
'Even the most self-controlled man can be deceived. Can he possibly outsmart a woman who's a master-level manipulator?'
'She's the childhood sweetheart, she's pretty, and she has that idealized 'one that got away' vibe. All the buffs are stacked against you, and you're still in a daze!'
"I… I still don't think it's that serious. Forget it. He's already gone. We can talk about it when he gets back." Jiangg Ning was starting to waver after her sister's tirade, but there was nothing she could do now.
'She couldn't just run out and stop him now.'
'If she did that, she wouldn't be herself anymore.'
Jiangg Yao puffed out her cheeks, speechless.
She viciously pulled out a shrimp cracker and bit it in half with a loud CRUNCH.
She put her headphones back on and started composing on a simple music app on her phone.
She needed to make up for her streaming hours when she got back from this trip, and she'd spent all day racking her brain for program ideas.
She got busy, working and eating at the sa ti.
But Jiangg Ning, now idle, found her mind in turmoil over what her sister had just said.
She stewed on it for a while before her frustrated gaze finally locked onto Jiangg Yao.
A mont later.
Jiangg Ning snatched the bag away from her.
"Eat, eat, eat! That's all you know how to do! You'll get fat, and Chen Yuan will notice imdiately. Stop eating!"
"Hey! My shrimp crackers!"
"Jiangg Yao, look at that fat on your stomach! How long has it been since you worked out? Do you really want to beco a fat slob?"
As she spoke, Jiangg Ning made an exaggerated move. Acting completely familiar, she grabbed the zipper on Jiangg Yao's pajamas, pulled it down, and pinched the small, chubby roll of fat on her little belly.
She gave it a little "WOBBLE, WOBBLE."
But what she hadn't expected was that Jiangg Yao was wearing nothing under her pajamas. In an instant, a vast expanse of snowy-white skin was exposed.
The younger sister froze for a mont, her face instantly flushing crimson.
"What are you doing!?"
Her voice cracked in her panic.
She shoved her sister's hand away and clutched her pajamas shut in horror.
"There's no one else here, stop yelling," Jiangg Ning said, continuing to pinch her belly while making tsking sounds. "Just look at this! Look!"
"I'm not looking! What girl doesn't have a little pudge on her stomach? If you weren't sitting up so straight, you'd have it too! Why do you have to keep picking on mine?"
"But yours is thicker than mine," Jiangg Ning said, spreading her hands as if stating the obvious. "I'm serious. Why don't you lose so weight and try to stay the sa weight as ?"
"I will! I'll do it in a couple of days, okay? Now stop bothering !" the younger sister said impatiently.
"Nope. Co on, go weigh yourself right now. I want to see exactly how much you weigh."
"?" Jiangg Yao's brow tightened. "Are you trying to pick a fight?"
"Oh? My hands *are* feeling a little itchy," Jiangg Ning said, stretching languidly. Her voice was light. "You know, last night, I wonder who it was making kissy noises while playing gas… with the voice chat on. I an, what was that about? Am I just part of you and Chen's foreplay now???"
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