The air froze for a moment.
Although Jiang Jiang knew that the truth of the matter was not like that, an unspeakable sense of shame still surged up in her heart.
Compared to Jiang Jiang's blushing embarrassment, Ji Xu'an was genuinely angered by that sentence.
"Who is this?" An unmistakable note of interrogation crept into her tone.
In Ji Xu'an's heart, Jiang Jiang was still a child who had not grown up. For someone to say such words to Jiang Jiang was no different from harassing a minor.
And the language was so crude and vulgar.
Ji Xu'an's face darkened. Thinking about how that person called Jiang Jiang "Sister," could it be that she was even younger than Jiang Jiang?
Then had she even reached adulthood?
Children nowadays truly were—at such a young age and already learning bad things!
The more Ji Xu'an thought about it, the more unsettled she felt. It was like a flower she had carefully nurtured had accidentally been rooted up by a wild boar outside, leaving her with a choking pain in her chest.
Her lips pressed tightly together. Her eyes stared straight at Jiang Jiang, as if she absolutely had to demand an explanation.
Jiang Jiang's face was so hot it could fry an egg. Her gaze flickered anxiously. She stammered, unable to form a complete sentence for a long time.
"She, she is…"
Ji Xu'an closed her eyes briefly and began eliminating possibilities in her mind as to who this person could be.
There did not seem to be anyone younger than Jiang Jiang around her. Could it be someone she met at school?
Seeing Jiang Jiang blush and remain silent, Ji Xu'an felt her chest grow even more stifled, as if something were blocking it.
She could not help but say in a low voice, "Jiang Jiang, she is offending you. Can't you see that?"
Could it be that Jiang Jiang also had feelings for that person, which was why her first reaction upon seeing those words was not anger, but shyness?
Just a few days ago Jiang Jiang had said she liked Fu Xiaoyin very much.
Ji Xu'an did not know what she was angry about, but she simply felt unhappy. Especially when she saw that Jiang Jiang still refused to explain, the irritability in Ji Xu'an's heart reached its peak.
She asked Jiang Jiang, "Did that person deceive you?"
Jiang Jiang was so pure, always easily trusting others. It was entirely possible she had been coaxed and tricked.
At this point, Jiang Jiang seemed to be unable to endure any longer. She reached out and grabbed the corner of Ji Xu'an's clothes. "Sister, you really misunderstood."
Ji Xu'an did not think she was overthinking it. She did not hear the pleading in Jiang Jiang's tone, only her full defense of that person.
"What could I have misunderstood? Was I seeing things? Did she not actually say that sentence?" Ji Xu'an looked at Jiang Jiang expressionlessly.
Jiang Jiang guiltily shifted her gaze away. "She did say that, but she didn't mean it that way."
"Then what did she mean? Wasn't she trying to look at your legs?" As Ji Xu'an spoke, her gaze moved downward and landed on Jiang Jiang's legs.
Those two long legs were tightly covered by the quilt, but Ji Xu'an already had their outline in her mind.
Jiang Jiang was slender, but not skin and bones. Her leg bones were wrapped in soft flesh. A layer of perfectly proportioned softness covered her legs. Ji Xu'an had seen her calves exposed beneath the hem of a skirt before—straight and long, her ankles slender enough to be grasped in one hand.
Under Ji Xu'an's gaze, Jiang Jiang's legs hidden beneath the blanket shifted uneasily. She explained in a very small voice, "She really wasn't trying to look at my legs…"
"If she didn't mean that, why would she send you that kind of message?" Ji Xu'an felt that Jiang Jiang was speaking on that person's behalf. That was enough to prove that Jiang Jiang truly trusted the person called "Little Bird."
Up until now, Ji Xu'an still had not realized that Little Bird was Ji Heyuan.
Because Ji Heyuan frequently changed her profile picture. She had only just changed to the current one, and Ji Xu'an had not seen it before.
It was precisely because of this that Jiang Jiang had confidently modified Ji Heyuan's contact name.
"She, she was teaching me…" Jiang Jiang still did not let go of Ji Xu'an's clothes.
Because of her shame, Jiang Jiang's voice unconsciously lowered. Yet she was worried that Ji Xu'an would not hear her, so her body leaned slightly toward Ji Xu'an without realizing it.
"Teaching you what?" Ji Xu'an only felt it was absurd.
Because of that sentence, the air suddenly seemed to be stained with ambiguity. The topic had already reached a dangerous edge. Jiang Jiang's breathing grew hurried.
"Sister…" Her eyes looked at Ji Xu'an, moist and glistening.
When Ji Xu'an thought that Jiang Jiang was acting coquettishly toward her for the sake of another person, her heart felt even worse.
She was now certain that this person had been someone Jiang Jiang met at school.
"You still refuse to tell me who she is?" Ji Xu'an stared steadily at Jiang Jiang's flushed cheeks.
Jiang Jiang looked troubled. "It's not that I refuse to say, it's just…"
She could not force out the rest of the words. Ji Xu'an only thought she was covering up. She took a deep breath and decisively threw off the blanket.
"Then I'll go ask little Yuan. She should know who it is."
Jiang Jiang's face changed drastically. Her movements were fast—so fast that even Ji Xu'an did not react in time. Ji Xu'an had only just set her feet on the floor when a soft body pounced from behind and pressed her back into the bedding.
Ji Xu'an felt her vision darken. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around Jiang Jiang's waist. "Be careful!"
The weight covering her body was so clear. Beside her ears even echoed another person's tense breathing. Her eyelids lowered slightly as she silently looked at the girl lying on top of her.
Jiang Jiang's eyes were watery. She pressed her warm body tightly against Ji Xu'an. Her long hair fell and brushed along Ji Xu'an's neck, stirring waves of ticklish sensation.
For a moment neither spoke. Jiang Jiang seemed to sense the danger too. Her breathing gradually lightened, yet her heart in her chest beat faster and faster, intertwining and echoing with Ji Xu'an's heartbeat, playing a unique melody.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Jiang finally heard Ji Xu'an say in a low voice, "I won't go. Get up first."
There seemed to be an indescribable huskiness in her voice.
Jiang Jiang was lying against Ji Xu'an's chest. Her fingers were still clutching Ji Xu'an's collar. Because of her urgent movement, Ji Xu'an's pajama collar had been tugged open slightly, revealing a beautiful collarbone and half of a rounded shoulder.
Ji Xu'an seemed not to care that her spring scenery was exposed. Her face, half hidden in disordered long hair, remained as cold and distant as ever. Even her breathing had not become disordered in the slightest.
Yet it was precisely this appearance—as if she had been bullied and ruined—paired with her calm and indifferent gaze that made one's chest burn even more, made one want to do something more to her.
Even Jiang Jiang was momentarily bewitched by Ji Xu'an in that state.
Her eyelashes trembled faintly. She let out a silent breath, then slowly moved her body away. "I'm sorry, Sister. I was too agitated just now. I didn't hurt you by pressing you down, did I?"
Those words felt strangely familiar. It seemed that not long ago, Jiang Jiang had said something similar to Ji Xu'an.
"No."
Ji Xu'an did not look at Jiang Jiang. Her gaze rested somewhere unknown. After Jiang Jiang fully sat up, Ji Xu'an followed and sat up as well. She curled her slender fingers and silently fastened the collar that had been pulled open.
If not for noticing the slight tremble at Ji Xu'an's fingertips, and that her body remained subtly tense for a long time, unable to relax, Jiang Jiang might truly have believed that Ji Xu'an did not care at all.
Jiang Jiang thought that Ji Xu'an was truly very capable of controlling her reactions. No matter how turbulent the emotions in her mind were, she could still pretend to be calm and composed, making it difficult for others to see through her true thoughts.
After that sudden incident, Ji Xu'an seemed to have completely calmed down. She did not mention going to find Ji Heyuan again, nor did she continue to press Jiang Jiang about who the person sending messages was.
Instead, Jiang Jiang took the initiative to explain. "Sister, you really misunderstood. Maybe you didn't see clearly just now. The person who sent me messages… was little Yuan."
Ji Xu'an abruptly looked at her.
But Jiang Jiang kept her head lowered, not letting Ji Xu'an see the expression on her face.
"Just now little Yuan asked me what I was doing. She just… she just wanted to teach me how to get along with you."
Jiang Jiang spoke vaguely, but Ji Xu'an instantly understood her meaning.
Ji Xu'an's expression immediately became very strange. She should indeed have felt embarrassed. After all, everything had been her misunderstanding. But amid the awkwardness, Ji Xu'an also seemed to let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
Jiang Jiang did not raise her head, so she naturally did not see how complicated Ji Xu'an's gaze was. She kept twisting her fingers together. "I wanted to explain it clearly to little Yuan, but…"
The rest did not need to be said. Ji Xu'an already understood.
Jiang Jiang had not yet had time to explain to Ji Heyuan before Ji Xu'an had seen it.
Jiang Jiang still did not dare look at Ji Xu'an. "I wasn't deliberately refusing to tell you just now. I just felt it was too… I didn't know how to say it out loud."
"Little Yuan said some very embarrassing things. I didn't want Sister to know."
After Jiang Jiang finished speaking, the room fell into a long silence.
Ji Xu'an should be very embarrassed now. Jiang Jiang felt she could say something more. But before she could speak, Ji Xu'an broke the silence first.
"I understand." Ji Xu'an paused. "Just now I lost control of my emotions. I didn't scare you, did I?"
Jiang Jiang shook her head. She finally gathered the courage to look up at Ji Xu'an, but she only saw Ji Xu'an's side profile. Those rosy thin lips parted slightly, summarizing everything that had just happened.
"I'll remind little Yuan not to talk nonsense again."
After Ji Xu'an finished speaking, Jiang Jiang did not respond for a long time. Ji Xu'an had no choice but to glance sideways at her, and then noticed that Jiang Jiang's eye sockets were slightly red as well.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Jiang Jiang rubbed the corner of her eyes, rubbing that patch of skin even redder. She did not dare to pull at Ji Xu'an's sleeve again. She simply sat there blankly and asked softly, "Sister, are you blaming me?"
Ji Xu'an heard a deeper meaning in her tone. Jiang Jiang cared greatly about her thoughts, even to the point of being cautious and careful.
Strangely, Ji Xu'an's mood improved considerably.
"I'm not angry with you." Her expression was serious. "This matter was little Yuan's fault. It has nothing to do with you."
Only then did Jiang Jiang finally smile. "Just now Sister asked whether I was afraid. Actually, I wasn't afraid that Sister's tone was harsh, because I know Sister was concerned about me."
"I was only worried that Sister would misunderstand me because of it." Jiang Jiang tightened her grip on the quilt beneath her palm. "Even if you gave me ten thousand times more courage, I wouldn't dare to offend Sister."
The moment Ji Xu'an heard those words, her previously chaotic heartbeat seemed to suddenly calm. Her heart sank heavily downward. The flames in her eyes were extinguished before they had the chance to grow and burn.
"I know." Ji Xu'an replied in a hoarse voice.
Jiang Jiang finally felt completely at ease. She let out a yawn. "I'm a little sleepy. Is Sister going to sleep?"
Ji Xu'an had no trace of sleepiness at all, yet she still turned off the bedside lamp and lay down beside Jiang Jiang.
There was quite a distance between the two of them, but Ji Xu'an always felt as though Jiang Jiang's warmth still lingered on her body.
The more she refused to think about it, the more clearly the scene from just now appeared in her mind.
Ji Xu'an's thoughts were completely out of control, yet what made her feel even more irritated was that it seemed she was the only one deeply troubled by it. Jiang Jiang clearly hadn't taken what happened just now to heart; she had even fallen fast asleep very quickly.
The long, steady breathing did not make Ji Xu'an feel drowsy as well; instead, it made her even more awake.
Ji Xu'an kept her eyes open and pondered for a long time before finally reaching for her phone from the bedside table.
—
That night, just before going to sleep, Ji Heyuan suddenly received a WeChat message from her older sister.
[Ji Xu'an: I'm deducting half a year of your allowance.]
Ji Heyuan: !!!
Huh???!!
Ji Heyuan abruptly turned over and sat up. The glow from her phone screen faintly illuminated her face, which twisted in distortion.
[Ji Heyuan: Why!!]
Ji Xu'an replied very quickly.
[Ji Xu'an: What did you say to Jiang Jiang?]
Ji Heyuan froze, instantly turning into a quail.
But very soon, Ji Heyuan became agitated again. It must have been that Xie Jiang Jiang did something, otherwise how would her sister know about this?
When Ji Heyuan said those words, she had only meant to joke around a bit. She had never expected that Jiang Jiang would actually have the courage to follow through.
[Ji Heyuan: What did Xie Jiang Jiang do to you?]
It would have been better if she hadn't said anything. As soon as she did, Ji Xu'an recalled the feeling of being pinned beneath Jiang Jiang, the other woman's soft breasts pressing against her body, that sweet fragrance filling her entire nose.
Now this person was sleeping right beside her. Ji Xu'an's chest grew increasingly restless because of Jiang Jiang's presence. She could feel that something beyond her expectations was about to break through the soil.
Yet she did not want to stop it.
[Ji Xu'an: You're not allowed to say that kind of thing to her again.]
Not even as a joke.
Ji Heyuan silently screamed for quite a while. She didn't dare to argue with Ji Xu'an and could only secretly complain in her heart.
Who was she doing this for?
Wasn't it all for her sister's happiness? How could her sister cross the river and tear down the bridge?
Besides, wasn't this exactly her sister's type? What had she said that was wrong?
Ji Xu'an was just pretending to be proper. She clearly liked it to death, yet she still insisted on being stubborn about it, and even blamed her, this innocent bystander eating melon!
That was a full half year of allowance!!
Ji Xu'an probably didn't know just how heartbroken Ji Heyuan was at this moment—or perhaps she did, and that was precisely her purpose.
At Ji Heyuan's most painful moment, Ji Xu'an had to stab her hard once more.
[Ji Xu'an: Remember that.]
Ji Heyuan was furious and indignant, raging helplessly, yet she could only choose to swallow her anger.
[Ji Heyuan: Got! It!]
At worst, she would go beg her sister-in-law. Her sister's heart might be ruthless, but her sister-in-law couldn't possibly just watch her suffer, right?
—
They had to go to class the next day, so Jiang Jiang woke up earlier than usual. When she opened her eyes, Ji Xu'an happened to open hers as well.
Jiang Jiang moved her body, then realized that at some unknown time the two of them had pressed together again, and this time they were even more intimate than before, because not only had Jiang Jiang leaned her body over, she was also hooking her arm around Ji Xu'an's arm.
Ji Xu'an's sleeping posture, on the other hand, was quite proper. Aside from the arm that Jiang Jiang was holding, which had drooped down, her other hand was placed neatly on her stomach.
It really looked as though it was only because Jiang Jiang had been restless in her sleep that they had ended up in this position.
Before Ji Xu'an could speak, Jiang Jiang quickly withdrew her hand. Her cheeks flushed red, her lips moved, yet not even half a sound came out.
Ji Xu'an didn't speak either; she only rubbed her shoulder.
Jiang Jiang had truly fallen asleep last night. Because the stimulation before sleep had been sufficient, Jiang Jiang hadn't planned to secretly edge closer to Ji Xu'an again.
But she couldn't understand how she had still ended up sleeping over on Ji Xu'an's side. Could it be that after she fell asleep at night, she had instinctively rolled over?
It should be like that.
But Jiang Jiang still felt that something wasn't quite right.
Just as she lowered her gaze and fell into thought, Ji Xu'an had already lifted the quilt and gotten out of bed. She did not leave immediately; instead, she turned back and extended her hand toward Jiang Jiang.
"I'll help you to wash up."
Jiang Jiang stared fixedly at the palm in front of her for a few seconds before slowly placing her own hand into it. The next second, her fingers were clasped tightly by Ji Xu'an.
She was helped out of bed by Ji Xu'an, half of her body leaning against Ji Xu'an. The other woman steadily wrapped an arm around her shoulders, her gaze restrained as she looked straight ahead, not even sparing Jiang Jiang a sidelong glance.
Everything seemed no different from before.
Yet Jiang Jiang still harbored doubts in her heart.
After helping her to the bathroom, Ji Xu'an did not stay long. She gave a few instructions and then turned to leave, leaving Jiang Jiang staring at her back for a long time. It was only after Ji Xu'an had already been gone for quite a while that Jiang Jiang withdrew her gaze.
By the time Jiang Jiang finished washing up and came out, Sister Zhou had already set out breakfast. Ji Heyuan was sitting at the dining table playing with her phone. When she saw Jiang Jiang come out, Ji Heyuan immediately let out a cold snort.
Her temper was clearly directed at Jiang Jiang. Jiang Jiang sat down opposite Ji Heyuan and asked directly, "Little Yuan, did I offend you somewhere?"
Ji Heyuan snorted twice. "You know perfectly well."
At this point, Ji Heyuan couldn't help but reveal a pained expression. "I treated you as a teammate. How could you betray a comrade?"
Jiang Jiang immediately understood. Her gaze drifted. "I didn't mean to. Sister happened to see it by accident."
Ji Heyuan ground her teeth. "Do you know what she said to me? She's deducting a full half year of my allowance!!"
That was Ji Xu'an's style.
Jiang Jiang didn't dare to protest to Ji Xu'an either. "How about… I give you my allowance?"
Ji Xu'an had previously given her a card, and Jiang Jiang had never used it.
Ji Heyuan waved her hand. "Don't say this kind of thing openly. We'll do it secretly."
As soon as her voice fell, Ji Xu'an's voice came from behind her.
"Do what secretly?"
Ji Heyuan felt that she had been especially unlucky lately. Every time she did something bad, her sister would find out. Should she go burn incense at a temple?
"Nothing, I was just joking with Xie Jiang Jiang." Ji Heyuan gave an embarrassed laugh.
Ji Xu'an walked to Jiang Jiang's side and sat down, casting her a calm glance. "Careless jokes come with a price."
Fine, fine, using allowance to threaten her again!
Ji Heyuan shut her mouth resentfully.
Jiang Jiang watched with a smile from the side and said nothing.
For breakfast, Sister Zhou had cooked vegetable porridge with several light side dishes. Jiang Jiang lowered her head and quietly ate. The other two did not speak either, and for a moment the dining table fell silent.
Jiang Jiang swallowed the food in her mouth and picked up her milk to moisten her throat. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Ji Xu'an wiping her fingers, clearly having almost finished eating.
Jiang Jiang lowered her eyelashes and picked up her chopsticks to take another piece of pickled radish.
At this moment, neither Ji Xu'an nor Ji Heyuan noticed Jiang Jiang's movement. It was only when Jiang Jiang suddenly sucked in a sharp breath that the other two turned to look at her.
"What's wrong?" Ji Xu'an's brows furrowed slightly.
Jiang Jiang covered her mouth and shook her head, moisture quickly welling up in her eyes.
Ji Heyuan laughed. "Don't tell me you bit your own tongue? Xie Jiang Jiang, how are you so dumb?"
She burst into laughter, but before she could laugh twice, her sister shot her a glance, and Ji Heyuan's laughter immediately stuck in her throat.
Ji Xu'an did not mock Jiang Jiang. Seeing that Jiang Jiang was still covering her mouth without speaking, she reached out and lifted Jiang Jiang's face, asking with concern, "Let me see."
Under Ji Xu'an's focused gaze, Jiang Jiang lowered her arm. Her thick lashes hung low as she obediently opened her mouth and slightly stuck out the tip of her tongue so that Ji Xu'an could see more clearly.
Ji Xu'an held Jiang Jiang's chin. Her strength was not great, yet her fingertips still sank lightly into the soft flesh of Jiang Jiang's cheeks.
The subtle touch made Ji Xu'an freeze for a brief moment, but she quickly came back to her senses and carefully examined the bite mark on the tip of Jiang Jiang's tongue.
Watching from the side, Ji Heyuan suddenly felt that her presence was somewhat unnecessary.
She had just been laughing at Xie Jiang Jiang, yet after all that, she was the joke.
Jiang Jiang did not raise her eyes, but she could feel Ji Xu'an's gaze resting on her face the entire time. Because they were so close, Jiang Jiang even felt as though she was completely enveloped by Ji Xu'an's aura. That cool fragrance surrounded her airtight, making even her breathing filled with Ji Xu'an's scent.
Did Ji Xu'an truly not feel just how wrong the atmosphere at this moment was?
Even Ji Heyuan felt something was strange. She even thought that perhaps in the next second, her sister would lower her head and kiss her.
Was this something she was supposed to be watching?
Ji Heyuan couldn't help but raise her hand to cover her eyes, yet her fingers were spread wide apart, both eyes filled with excitement and curiosity.
Unfortunately, Ji Xu'an did not kiss her as she had hoped. After finishing the inspection, she told Sister Zhou to take some ice cubes from the refrigerator.
"It's not very serious. Just hold it in your mouth for a while."
Before Jiang Jiang could speak, Ji Xu'an pinched the ice cube with her fingers and put it into Jiang Jiang's mouth.
Her fingertips seemed to brush across Jiang Jiang's lips unintentionally, touching and leaving in an instant, so light that it seemed as though it had only been Jiang Jiang's illusion.
Jiang Jiang obediently held the ice cube in her mouth. Without blinking, she looked at Ji Xu'an, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with moisture, filled with trust toward Ji Xu'an.
Ji Xu'an's heart stirred slightly. She averted her gaze, wiped the moisture from her fingertips with a tissue, and instructed at the same time, "Count two minutes in your head."
With something in her mouth, Jiang Jiang couldn't speak. She made a soft sound and curved her lips at Ji Xu'an.
A faint, almost imperceptible arc lifted at the corner of Ji Xu'an's lips.
Jiang Jiang caught that fleeting smile on Ji Xu'an's face, and only at this moment could she finally be certain that Ji Xu'an's attitude toward her was truly different now.
If before she had always been the one taking the initiative while Ji Xu'an merely passively accepted her closeness, then starting from this morning, Ji Xu'an was already trying to take the initiative to draw closer to her.
Jiang Jiang wondered—had Ji Heyuan's words stimulated Ji Xu'an?
Or had last night's not-quite-accidental accident finally made Ji Xu'an begin to properly face her identity?
She was not some ignorant child. She was an adult who could freely fall in love, and she also possessed the needs that an adult should have.
If Ji Xu'an did not want her to be snatched away by someone else, then she could only treat her better and keep a tighter hold on her.
Jiang Jiang looked at Ji Xu'an's calm profile, yet in her heart she couldn't help but think—
Did Ji Xu'an still simply see her as just a younger sister?
—
Author's Note:
Little Bird: You two are dating, so why am I always the one who suffers?!
—
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