My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 35 - The Bracelet

After finishing their meal, Tang Huaijin tried to scan the QR code to pay Uncle Yang, but Uncle Yang stopped him with a firm, “If you don’t see me as your uncle, then go ahead and transfer the money.”

Bidding farewell to Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang, the siblings strolled leisurely toward a nearby shopping mall.

As they stepped out of the warm restaurant into the chilly outdoors, Tang Yaoyao shivered slightly and let out a sneeze.

Tang Huaijin gently unlinked his sister’s arm from his and adjusted her scarf snugly around her neck. Then, taking her small hands in his, he tucked them into the pockets of his coat to keep them warm.

Yaoyao giggled softly, her fingers playfully tapping the back of his hand before slipping between his fingers, intertwining with his in a warm, ten-fingered clasp.

Huaijin led his sister through the mall, buying her two new outfits and a pair of gloves. At her insistence, they also picked out matching scarves-one in beige and the other in gray, resembling a couple’s set.

Humming a cheerful tune, Yaoyao seemed to be in high spirits. She stood on her tiptoes and looped the scarf around Huaijin’s neck, carefully tying it in place. Satisfied, she patted his chest lightly, her gaze brimming with pride as if to say, “See? Your sister’s taste is impeccable, isn’t it?”

The warmth around his neck brought a gentle smile to Huaijin’s face. He took her hand again, and they continued their leisurely shopping.

After drinking two bottles of beer earlier, Huaijin felt nature’s call. He gave Yaoyao’s hand a small shake and said, “Sis, I need to use the restroom.”

“Go ahead, go ahead,” Yaoyao replied casually, waving him off.

When Huaijin returned, his sister was no longer where he’d left her. He glanced around and soon spotted her standing by a glass display case, her head lowered as she examined something intently.

Walking over, Huaijin saw that she was admiring a bracelet. The delicate gold piece featured two fine chains adorned with small pearls spaced evenly along its length. At the end of the chain dangled a tiny, intricately crafted ring.

It did seem to suit her perfectly. Huaijin smiled and asked, “You like it?”

Yaoyao sighed softly. “I do, but it’s too expensive.”

Huaijin glanced at the price tag-2,400 yuan. It was more than he’d earned from his recent online writing royalties, but with 50,000 yuan in his pocket, it wasn’t an unmanageable expense. Smiling, he turned to the sales associate and asked, “Could we try it on?”

Though the siblings weren’t dressed in designer clothes, their tidy appearance and striking looks made a good impression. The sales associate, eager to please, quickly retrieved the bracelet and complimented them, “Your girlfriend has excellent taste. This bracelet is part of our new autumn collection and has been selling very well.”

Yaoyao extended her fair wrist as the associate helped her put on the bracelet. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction as she admired it.

Catching her expression, Huaijin leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “If you like it, let’s get it. I’ll pay for it-I still have plenty saved from my part-time jobs.”

Yaoyao bit her lip, casting one last reluctant glance at the bracelet before removing it and handing it back to the associate. “I’ll wait until I get my paycheck next month,” she said. “We’ve already bought enough today.”

Huaijin blinked but nodded. “Alright then.”

As they left the jewelry store, Yaoyao held Huaijin’s hand and murmured, “I didn’t want to say it in front of the staff, but after looking closely, I think the quality isn’t that great.”

Huaijin nodded in agreement, saying nothing.

As if to comfort him, Yaoyao gently rubbed his hand and said softly, “Jin, save the money you’ve earned for yourself. When you really start making big money in the future, you can buy something even better for your sister.”

After that little incident, Tang Yaoyao seemed to lose much of her enthusiasm for shopping. They wandered through a few more stores aimlessly before she decided it was time to head home.

Tang Huaijin held her hand and said, “You had a few drinks earlier, and it’s still a bit of a walk to get home. Don’t you think you should use the restroom before we leave?”

Yaoyao thought he had a point. She nodded, handed her bag to her brother, and went off to the restroom.

A short while later, she returned to find Huaijin still standing in the same spot, fiddling with his phone. She walked over, affectionately looped her arm through his, and they left the shopping center together.

They hailed a cab by the roadside and settled into the back seat.

Feeling bored during the ride, Yaoyao began playing with Huaijin’s hand. His hand was large, and she placed her small hand in his palm for comparison. Satisfied, she nodded approvingly. “Jin, you’ve grown up. Your mother is so proud.”

The driver, sitting in the front seat, glanced at them through the rearview mirror with a look of utter astonishment, clearly misinterpreting their relationship.

When Huaijin didn’t respond, Yaoyao puffed up her cheeks in mock frustration and poked his face with her finger, then pinched his lips. Only when he rolled his eyes in exasperation and swatted her hand away did she burst into giggles.

Noticing the damp hair at the back of his neck, she asked curiously, “Jin, are you feeling hot? Why are you sweating?”

“A little. It’s all because of this thick scarf you wrapped me in,” Huaijin replied, unwrapping the scarf. Yaoyao pouted in dissatisfaction at his actions.

…

The gate to their apartment complex only allowed vehicles with registered license plates to enter, and the security guard was nowhere to be seen. So, the siblings got out of the cab at the entrance and walked the rest of the way home. It wasn’t far, anyway.

The neighborhood was quiet at night, with hardly anyone around. Feeling emboldened, Yaoyao let Huaijin wrap an arm around her waist. Her cheeks flushed as she nestled against him, looking as docile as a kitten.

When they reached the base of their building, Huaijin stopped and pulled a small box out of his pocket, handing it to her.

“What’s this?” Yaoyao took the box, opened it, and immediately looked up at Huaijin in surprise. “When did you buy this?”

“Just now, while you were in the restroom. I ran back to get it,” Huaijin said with a cheerful grin.

Yaoyao beamed as she took the bracelet out of the box and slipped it onto her wrist. She held her hand under the streetlight, letting the rose-gold chain catch the faint glow. It shimmered delicately, looking absolutely stunning.

Her expression was a mix of joy and reproach as she said, “You’re always so sneaky. How much did this cost? I told you the quality wasn’t great, and you still went ahead and bought it. You’re so annoying.” Despite her words, she glanced at him again, reluctant. “Maybe I should return it tomorrow?”

Her tone, full of mock disdain but betraying her obvious delight, made Huaijin both amused and exasperated. He reached out, plucked the tag off the bracelet with a decisive snap, and winked. “Too late to return it now.”

“Jin…” Tang Yaoyao gazed at Tang Huaijin’s faintly smiling face under the streetlight, feeling a sudden flutter in her heart.

Her face lit up with a mix of joy and contentment as she nestled softly in his arms, her voice tender, “Thank you, Jin. I really love it…”

Tang Huaijin tightened his hold around her slender waist, leaning down to take in the fragrance of her hair with a playful sniff. He teased, “How are you going to thank me?”

Tang Yaoyao buried her delicate face against his chest, her eyes filled with a hint of infatuation as she gently rubbed against him, murmuring, “I don’t know…”

Tang Huaijin gently lifted her chin, studying her enchanting almond-shaped eyes for a moment. Without saying a word, he leaned down and kissed her.

“Mmm…”

Tang Yaoyao closed her eyes, letting him nibble softly on her lips.

“Hey! What are you two doing?!” A sudden shout echoed from the stairwell.

Tang Yaoyao’s rosy cheeks instantly turned pale. The residents here were all old neighbors; someone was bound to recognize them. Panicking, she forcefully pushed Tang Huaijin away, stumbling back a few steps. She turned around, looking utterly flustered, as if she was contemplating escape.

“Why are you embarrassed, sis? Is your eye feeling better now?” Tang Huaijin, far more composed, grabbed her small hand to stop her from running. Ignoring her terrified gaze, he turned to the source of the voice and smiled, “Aunt Li, sorry about that. My sister’s just shy like that. She was just telling me her eye felt uncomfortable, so I was blowing on it for her.”

Aunt Li, holding a bag of trash, looked at him skeptically but nodded. Her eyes, however, lingered on the visibly uneasy Tang Yaoyao. “Oh, you gave me quite a scare. I thought you two were… you know, kissing or something.”

“Come on, Aunt Li, where’s your mind going?” Tang Huaijin slapped his forehead in mock exasperation.

Seeing his expression devoid of deceit, Aunt Li chuckled awkwardly, “The lighting’s so dim, I couldn’t see clearly. Don’t mind me, just me being silly.”

With that, she carried her trash outside, adding, “I’ll just toss this out and head upstairs. You two wait for me.”

“Alright, no problem.”

Aunt Li was referring to the elevator. Tang Huaijin’s family lived on the 10th floor, while the trash bin was just outside the stairwell. It was only polite to wait for her to finish and ride up together. Tang Huaijin had no choice but to comply.

Inside the elevator, Tang Yaoyao’s mind was in turmoil. Her expression was far from natural, drawing Aunt Li’s scrutinizing gaze, which never left her.

Tang Huaijin was inwardly groaning. His acting was flawless, but his sister’s face practically screamed guilt. Wasn’t she just giving everything away?

The elevator ride to Aunt Li’s 6th-floor apartment lasted barely twenty seconds, but to Tang Yaoyao, it felt like an eternity.

As soon as Aunt Li stepped out and the elevator doors closed, Tang Yaoyao let out a deep breath, as though she’d been freed from a heavy burden.

“Sis, are you alright?” Tang Huaijin’s gaze was complicated, tinged with concern.

Tang Yaoyao had been holding her breath since stepping into the elevator, nearly suffocating herself. Meeting Tang Huaijin’s worried eyes, she shook her head lightly and said, “I’m fine…”

Once they got home, Tang Yaoyao’s expression remained unsettled. She stared blankly at the water glass in her hand, still shaken.

“Sis…” Tang Huaijin called softly, moving to sit beside her.

But Tang Yaoyao reacted as though she’d been electrocuted, springing up from the couch. Forcing a smile, she tried to act casual, “We walked around for so long today. I’m feeling a bit tired and want to go to bed early.”

“…” Tang Huaijin fell silent for a moment before nodding, “Alright, then. Goodnight, sis. Don’t overthink it.”

“Mm… Goodnight, Jin.” After saying that, Tang Yaoyao turned away. The forced smile she’d managed to muster vanished, replaced by a somber expression as she walked back to her room.