My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 1 - The Total Player

Chengnan High School.

After finishing lunch in the cafeteria, there was still plenty of time before afternoon classes began, enough for Tang Huaijin to take a leisurely stroll.

The wind was strong today, and it had rained. Autumn was settling in, bringing a chill to the air. Tang Huaijin zipped up his school jacket; leaving it open wouldn’t make him any cooler, but catching a cold would certainly be troublesome.

As he walked, a girl came running towards him, glancing back with a playful smile, seemingly engaged in a game of tag with her friends.

The cliché of two people colliding only happens in novels, right? Tang Huaijin thought as he stepped aside to give the girl room to pass.

Perhaps because she was running too fast, or maybe due to the slightly damp ground, the girl dramatically fell right next to Tang Huaijin.

She seemed to have taken quite a fall, supporting herself with her hands on the ground, a pained expression on her face, unable to get up.

Poor thing.

Tang Huaijin extended a hand to help her up.

“Thank you,” the girl said shyly, rubbing her sore wrist while curiously eyeing Tang Huaijin.

The boy in front of her had long hair that fell over his eyes, his skin was pale, giving him a somewhat eerie appearance.

“No problem,” Tang Huaijin replied.

The girl seemed to want to say more, but her friend, who had been chasing her, quickly pulled her away.

Tang Huaijin didn’t seem to notice, waved his hand, and turned to leave.

“How did you run into him?” the girl’s friend asked, looking at Tang Huaijin’s back with undisguised disdain.

“Fei-Jie¹, do you know him?”

“A classmate from freshman year. After the class split, he chose science subjects. He’s a total player.”

“What? What do you mean?”

…

Sigh… I’m not even that far away.

Gossip truly is a human instinct.

The conversation between the two girls drifted into Tang Huaijin’s ears, leaving him speechless.

It didn’t really matter to him, as there was nothing to regret.

With that thought, he quickened his pace.

Entering his classroom, there weren’t many people there yet. Those who arrived this early were mostly good students, quietly sitting at their desks.

A graceful figure walked through the classroom door, causing Tang Huaijin to glance up before quickly looking away.

Throughout the afternoon, Tang Huaijin listened attentively to the lessons.

Though he wasn’t particularly fond of studying, he was willing to invest in things that promised long-term benefits.

A degree doesn’t guarantee success, but for someone like him, without background or resources, relying on the online myth that top students end up working for high school dropouts was nothing short of foolish.

“Lin Ruoxi, 136 points,” the math teacher announced during the test score reading.

Tang Huaijin looked up, watching the ponytailed figure walk up to the podium.

“Great improvement,” the balding math teacher encouraged warmly.

“Thank you, teacher,” Lin Ruoxi replied, her voice cool.

“Tang Huaijin, full marks,” the math teacher nodded and continued.

As Lin Ruoxi returned to her seat, she paused and stepped aside.

Tang Huaijin stood up in response and walked to the podium.

Only after Tang Huaijin passed through the aisle between desks did Lin Ruoxi return to her seat.

Throughout the process, their eyes never met, as if they were invisible to each other.

The math teacher looked at Tang Huaijin with satisfaction and said warmly, “Keep it up.”

“Thank you, teacher,” Tang Huaijin smiled, taking his test paper.

After the papers were handed out, it was time for school to end.

Tang Huaijin packed his things unhurriedly. By the time he finished, most of the class had already left. He glanced at the familiar seat once more before leaving the classroom.

…

“I’m back, sister.”

“Welcome home, dinner will be ready soon,” Tang Yaoyao’s gentle voice came from the kitchen.

Tang Huaijin walked to the kitchen, watching Tang Yaoyao’s busy figure in an apron.

Sensing movement behind her, Tang Yaoyao turned around, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling like a mischievous fox. The apron was stretched tightly over her ample chest, and the strings tied around her waist accentuated her slender figure.

Her striking figure always left Tang Huaijin in awe.

He walked over, hugging Tang Yaoyao and resting his head on her shoulder, inhaling the sweet kiwi scent of her favorite shampoo.

“What are you doing? I’m cooking,” Tang Yaoyao said with a doting smile, nudging Tang Huaijin’s head. “Go sit down, it’s hard to cook like this.”

“Just a little longer, ten seconds, no, thirty seconds,” Tang Huaijin tightened his embrace.

“What’s wrong?” Sensing something off in his mood, Tang Yaoyao furrowed her brows slightly.

“Nothing,” Tang Huaijin shook his head and released her.

“Really?”

“Really,” he smiled. “I just missed you.”

“Clingy,” Tang Yaoyao teased, tapping his head gently. “Go sit down, dinner will be ready soon.”

After changing into his pajamas and washing his hands, Tang Huaijin found that his sister had already prepared dinner.

Three dishes and a soup: sweet and sour ribs, meatball soup, stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts, and smashed cucumber.

His sister’s cooking was impeccable, and she always made his favorite dishes.

After dinner, Tang Huaijin washed the dishes while Tang Yaoyao lounged on the sofa watching TV.

Tang Huaijin poured a glass of water and sat down. “Don’t lie down right after eating.”

“Brother, could you wash some grapes?” His sister nudged him with her foot, her pajama pants slightly short, revealing a stretch of smooth, fair skin.

Her feet were dainty and well-proportioned, with toenails painted a soft pink. Tang Huaijin played with them in his hands, squeezing gently, watching a blush creep onto her cheeks before he stood up.

His sister always liked to have him do these little tasks, and he was happy to oblige.

Orphaned, with a sister and a home.

The perfect protagonist template.

His sister wasn’t even his biological sibling. Both were adopted by their parents in Jingdu. According to their parents, after finding five-year-old Tang Yaoyao, she wouldn’t stop crying until they discovered Tang Huaijin abandoned in a corner.

Their parents often joked that Tang Huaijin owed his life to his sister.

They had tried to find their biological parents but to no avail, ultimately adopting the siblings. For their sake, their parents never had children of their own.

In the face of such profound gratitude for their upbringing, the debt of birth seemed insignificant, so neither sibling ever considered searching for their biological parents.

Their parents had lived a carefree life, spending money on family trips rather than saving, leaving little behind when they passed.

Fortunately, his sister was capable, finding a well-paying job after graduation to cover Tang Huaijin’s tuition.

Taking grapes from the fridge, a seasonal autumn fruit, his sister was generous with food despite their financial situation.

After washing the grapes, he brought them to his sister, who pulled him down to sit beside her, snuggling into his arms like a kitten, offering him a grape. “Here.”

Tang Huaijin opened his mouth, savoring the burst of sweet, fragrant juice.

The TV played a drama that bored him, but his sister seemed to enjoy it, laughing occasionally and shifting in his arms.

As they lay together on the sofa, the contact was already intimate, and Tang Huaijin’s body reacted honestly, his mouth dry.

He gently pinched her waist, warning, “Stop moving.”

“Okay…” Tang Yaoyao pouted, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, lost in thought.

Settling down, she continued eating grapes, her eyes glued to the TV, casually asking, “How are things with Lin Ruoxi?”

Tang Huaijin paused, then smiled, “We broke up. We don’t talk, she doesn’t even look at me.”

Tang Yaoyao set the grapes aside, turning to face him, her fingers pinching his chin as she met his gaze. “Jin, it’s okay. I’ll always be here for you. Family never leaves.”

Tang Huaijin held her gently, whispering, “Yeah, family never leaves.”

“If she broke up with my brother, it’s her loss. Next time, I’ll introduce you to someone better,” Tang Yaoyao stretched, her waist revealing a tempting glimpse of skin, and walked lightly to her room. “It’s late, time for bed.”

“Okay, goodnight, sister.”

“Goodnight.”

Once she closed the door, Tang Huaijin sighed softly, his expression complex.

Introduce someone…

If I hadn’t read that diary, I might have believed your lies, sister.

Footnote:

1. -Jie(-姐):In Chinese culture, using “xx姐” (pronounced as “xx jie”) to address someone is quite common, especially in Mainland China and other Chinese-speaking communities. The term “jie” means “older sister” and, when used in this context, typically carries a sense of affection and friendliness. It indicates respect and amiability towards the person, similar to calling someone “sis” or “big sister” in English.