Chapter 9 Sister Barges In
The next day I woke up late. The sun was already high.
A scorching pair of arms had me locked tight.
The second I moved, he pressed closer.
"Lu Jingchuan!"
I pinned down his wandering hands.
"Show a little restraint..."
"You want me dead? Yesterday wasn't enough for a full day?"
His arms only tightened.
"Not enough."
His voice was muffled and completely shameless.
I was angry and amused at the same time.
Even a production-team donkey never got used this hard.
What honest man? He was a starving wolf!
I was still trapped against his chest, trying to reason with him, when the front door slammed open with a bang.
"Lu Jingchuan? You home?"
A booming voice mixed with kids squealing.
We shot apart and scrambled for clothes.
The bedroom door creaked open.
"Oh my mother!"
His sister Lu Hongxia stood in the doorway, eyes round as coins.
"What time is this? You two..."
Two little terrors charged straight for the bed, chattering nonstop.
I wanted to vanish on the spot and turned away, frantically buttoning up.
"Out!"
Lu Jingchuan's face went black. He scooped up one kid under each arm and tossed them outside.
"Sister! Why didn't you knock?"
He blocked the doorway, anger in his voice.
"Oh please, when have I ever not walked straight into this house?"
His sister planted her hands on her hips.
"Marrying a city wife made you precious? Your own sister can't visit now?"
"Before was before! Now there's Xia Mianmian! Mind your boundaries!"
Lu Jingchuan didn't give an inch.
She clicked her tongue and prowled the living room like she owned it.
"This place used to be empty and lifeless. Now that Xia Mianmian married in, look at it—flowers and frills everywhere..."
"A city wife really is different. Look at this bag, these clothes... tsk tsk, how much did all this cost?"
"A big empty house is so cold. You two should hurry up and have a few kids to liven things up! Buying stuff you can't eat or wear is just wasting money!"
The kids had sharp eyes. One grabbed the plush from my shelf.
"Mom! This little fox is so pretty!"
Lu Jingchuan barked,
"Put that down! Don't touch your aunt's things!"
His sister didn't stop them. She only chimed in.
"Exactly! Where are your manners? You should ask if Aunt will give it to you!"
The second she said that, both kids tipped their heads up.
"Aunt, can we have it?"
Unbelievable!
The two of them singing the same tune shoved me straight onto the fire!
Lu Jingchuan frowned, ready to explode.
I forced a smile.
"Fine. If you like it, take it and play."
Whatever. She was still his sister. Making things too ugly wouldn't help.
Lu Jingchuan scowled at me. I shook my head, exhausted.
"Forget it. Kids like it. Let them play."
Out of sight, out of mind. I just wanted them gone.
His sister got what she came for, told him to "get to the fields already," and left with the kids.
At least Lu Jingchuan stopped clinging to me and went out.
I was tired, sleepy, and sore all over.
After a second nap I couldn't hold it in. I called Bestie and ranted about the big sister-in-law.
Bestie exploded the second she heard.
"What the hell? Where did this nightmare come from? Acting high and mighty with you?"
I sighed.
"Lu Jingchuan's parents are both gone. She's the only older sister left. I can't completely refuse her face."
"What a waste. My limited-edition Lina Bell..."
Bestie got even angrier.
"The holiday limited one? Secondhand listings hit three thousand! And they just snatched it?"
I must have gotten too deep into the call.
When I hung up, I found someone standing behind me.
Lu Jingchuan's gaze rested on me. His face did not look good.
"Xia Mianmian, was that thing really that expensive?"
"Not that expensive..."
What did he mean? That I was wasting money?
He stayed quiet a few seconds, then frowned.
"Wait here. I'm going to get it back."
He turned to leave.
"Hey! Lu Jingchuan!"
I grabbed him fast.
"Forget it. Taking it back after giving it away looks awful."
His stance stayed rock solid.
"No. We can't feed that habit. Once, and there will be a thousand times more."
"I thought it was just an ordinary little plush. If I'd known it mattered that much to you, cost that much, I never would have let them take it."
Then he stood up and walked out.
Half an hour later he came back.
My Lina Bell was in his hand.
"Here."
I was a little surprised.
"Your sister didn't fight with you?"
His tone was flat.
"It's fine."
I thought it over and tried to talk him down.
"She's still the only family you have left in this world. You should still get along."
He looked at me, then suddenly said my name, low.
"Xia Mianmian."
"Mm?"
"You are my only family in this world."
For some reason, there was a loneliness in his eyes I couldn't read.
My chest clenched, hard and sudden.
Sour and sharp, and burning hot.