Chapter 58.2

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The weekend arrived, and Elvis had been invited over to the Chi family home.

When the doorbell rang, Jiang Shu put down her homework and bounded over to open the door. “Sis, are you back?” she called excitedly.

But the moment the door opened, her bright smile vanished, replaced by a cold glare. “Oh, it’s you.”

Inside, Chi Qilan heard the commotion. “Who’s at the door?” she demanded. “Where are your manners?”

Elvis inclined her head politely, handing over the gifts in her arms. “These bottles of wine and tea leaves are for Father, and here’s a dress I had custom-made by a London designer. It’s in the style you like best.”

Her emerald-green eyes swept over Jiang Shu. “My, haven’t you grown.”

Jiang Shu bristled under Elvis’s chilly gaze and snapped, “Who are you calling ‘little one’? My sister’s not home, so you can leave.”

“Jiang Shu!” Chi Qilan scolded sharply. “Don’t be so rude. Go back to your room and finish your homework!”

Jiang Shu’s eyes grew red and filled with tears. “Homework, homework—that’s all you care about! You keep forcing us to do things we don’t like.” She bit her lip, voice choking with emotion. “My sister already has a girlfriend—why are you still letting her come here?”

“I finally understand why my sister doesn’t come home anymore!”

With that, Jiang Shu turned and ran out the door, sobbing.

“Jiang Shu!” Chi Qilan clutched at her chest for a long moment, trying to steady herself before forcing a smile. “Please excuse her. She’s just a child and doesn’t know better.”

Elvis merely nodded, her expression unruffled. “It’s fine.”

Chi Qilan personally prepared a spread of dishes, and the two sat down at the table. She spoke first: “Since your Uncle Jiang isn’t here—he’s usually the one who cooks—it’s been a while since I made a full meal. I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste. Go ahead and try it.”

Elvis didn’t pick up her chopsticks. Instead, she said calmly, “Aunt, you know why I’m here. How do we proceed?”

Chi Qilan lowered her head, took a small bite of rice, and chewed in silence. Only after swallowing did she speak, her tone tinged with reluctance. “I want to advise you to give it up.”

Elvis’s hand clenched under the table. She stood and leveled a cold stare at Chi Qilan. “What do you mean by that?”

Chi Qilan sighed. “I’m getting old. I just don’t have the energy to keep meddling in the children’s affairs.”

“Have you forgotten our agreement?” Elvis’s voice was cold. “You promised that if I came back to the country, you would help me win Yin back.”

Chi Qilan set down her chopsticks, her expression growing equally cool. “I helped you once, didn’t I? I never said I’d keep helping you.”

“Don’t act so high and mighty. You’re the one who approached me first—that’s how we reached a deal.”

Elvis let out a low, eerie chuckle and slowly took her seat. “I see how it is. From start to finish, you’ve been using me, haven’t you? Ever since we met overseas and you asked me to look after Yin, it was all pure manipulation, wasn’t it? You never intended to help me get closer to her—because you look down on my background.”

Her smile vanished without warning, and a fierce gleam flashed in her emerald eyes. “You and your daughter… You’re both heartless. Quite a pair indeed.”

***

After that confrontation, Jiang Shu stormed out of the Chi residence and jumped into a taxi, heading straight for Chi Yin’s villa. She’d been in such a rush that she forgot her phone, but as luck would have it, she ran into Qiao Ziman the moment she arrived.

Climbing out of the cab, tears still streaming down her cheeks, she dashed toward Qiao Ziman and threw her arms around her.

“Sister-in-law…” she sobbed.

Qiao Ziman studied the girl’s face for a long moment, unable to respond right away.

Jiang Shu lifted her head, eyes swollen with tears. “Sister-in-law, did you forget me?”

Qiao Ziman’s silence spoke volumes, and Jiang Shu’s sobs grew even louder. “I’m your girlfriend’s younger sister! And to think I’ve been sticking up for you!”

Feeling awkward, Qiao Ziman refused to admit any lapse in memory. “Of course I remember you,” she insisted. “You’re the one who teased me for not knowing how to do those simple math problems, right?”

Jiang Shu pouted. Why does my sister have to blab about everything? I’m just a lonely soul…like a poor cabbage in the field with no one to care for me…

“All right, calm down.” Qiao Ziman reached out to pat her shoulder. “What happened? Why are you crying so hard? Tell me, and I’ll help you get even.”

Jiang Shu gave her a once-over, from head to toe, then thought, Forget it. She doesn’t look too intimidating. So instead, she said, “It’s nothing, Sister-in-law. Could you pay the cab fare for me? I didn’t bring any money.”

While Qiao Ziman hurried off to settle the taxi bill, Jiang Shu slipped away and sprinted into the villa. She spotted Chi Yin and raced over.

“Sis,” she cried, “let me stay here for a while. I ran away from home.”

Chi Yin paused what she was doing, turning to her in confusion. “What?”

“That horrible woman came to our house again looking for you! I’ve had it. That E-something… Elvis or whatever her name is. She even wants to steal you away from Sister-in-law. How shameless can she be?” Jiang Shu huffed.

Chi Yin’s expression grew serious. Suddenly, her phone rang. Seeing the name on the screen, a cold glint flickered in her eyes. She pressed “answer.”

Elvis’s voice came through the speaker. “I’m at the Chi family home. You have half an hour to get here, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Then she hung up.

Chi Yin’s hand curled into a tight fist before she slowly loosened it again. Exhaling softly, she murmured, I have to settle this sooner or later.

She turned to Jiang Shu, placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “I’m going home to handle things with Elvis once and for all. In the meantime, you’re going to accompany your sister-in-law on a quick trip back to her hometown. If she asks where I went, remember—don’t mention anything about Elvis, understand?”

Jiang Shu tilted her head. “Why can’t I tell Sister-in-law?”

Chi Yin ruffled her hair. “I don’t want her to worry. You’ll understand once you’re in a relationship yourself.”

Jiang Shu stood there, momentarily at a loss for words. “Fine,” she finally mumbled. “It’s just falling in love—what’s the big deal?”

Once they stepped outside, Chi Yin told Qiao Ziman she was heading out for some ‘business’ and drove off alone to the Chi family home. She sped down the road, hovering right at the speed limit, managing to arrive within the thirty-minute deadline.

With a grim expression, Chi Yin pushed open the front door. Elvis, who had been sitting at the dining table, stood up and flashed her a smile. “Yin, you finally—”

Before she could finish, Chi Yin lunged forward, swinging her fist with all her might. Her punch connected squarely with Elvis’s face, sending Elvis staggering backward and slamming hard against the table. Plates and bowls went flying, food splattering everywhere. Shards of porcelain littered the floor, the scene an utter mess.

===

Author’s Note: 

Hot-headed Yin Yin is so cool!