My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 43 - Mrs. Xia

After the Bentley was parked, Tang Huaijin found himself once again at the Xia Family residence. This time, Aunt Song handed him a pair of disposable slippers.

The slippers weren’t particularly comfortable, but Tang Huaijin, along with the others, followed Aunt Song into the living room.

The living room was illuminated by a magnificent crystal chandelier. The light refracted through the crystals, casting a luxurious glow that was both dazzling and enchanting.

Yet, Tang Huaijin didn’t spare a glance at the chandelier, no matter how expensive it looked. His gaze was fixed on the sofa.

To be precise, on the woman sitting on the sofa.

The woman sat there with a touch of languid elegance, holding a document in her hands. She wore a simple white blouse, its fabric stretched taut across her chest.

Her lower half was clad in a black pencil skirt that hugged her curves, paired with sheer black stockings. Her long, slender legs were gracefully crossed, exuding a natural balance of fullness and slimness-neither too much nor too little. Her stocking-clad feet lightly hooked a slipper, swaying gently in a playful manner.

Her jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders in a casual yet elegant way. Her face was smooth and radiant, with the light reflecting off her flawless complexion. Her delicate oval face was adorned with perfectly shaped lips, painted a soft red, pressed together in a subtle pout. Her well-defined brows furrowed slightly, and her almond-shaped eyes, deep and luminous, carried a trace of weariness.

Though her attire and posture were understated, she exuded an air of refined sophistication, intertwined with a hint of sultry allure. These two seemingly contradictory qualities blended seamlessly in her, radiating an irresistible charm that was impossible to ignore.

Just looking at her made Tang Huaijin’s heart race uncontrollably. He felt as though words like “breathtaking” and “enchanting” had finally found their rightful place.

Sensing the commotion, the woman set down the document in her hands and turned her head toward them. Upon seeing Xia Xinya, she smiled-a gentle, elegant smile that only deepened the intensity of Tang Huaijin’s gaze.

“You’re back? And this must be… your classmate?” Xia Yunzhu’s soft red lips parted as she spoke. Her gaze briefly swept over Tang Huaijin, pausing slightly at the fervor in his eyes. However, she merely narrowed her eyes imperceptibly, her expression remaining calm. She had encountered such looks countless times before.

Realizing his lapse in composure, Tang Huaijin quickly offered an apologetic smile. His gaze cleared as he introduced himself, “Hello, Auntie. My name is Tang Huaijin.”

Bai Yuerou, standing beside him, greeted politely but nervously, “Hello, Aunt Xia.”

Xia Xinya, however, ignored her mother’s question entirely and walked straight toward the sofa.

Xia Yunzhu’s composed gaze flickered with a hint of surprise. She was well aware of her own allure, and it was rare for an eighteen-year-old boy to recover his composure so quickly after being captivated.

Mrs. Xia nodded lightly at the group, her smile warm but reserved. “Come, have a seat.”

The group settled onto the sofa. Xia Xinya naturally chose the seat next to her mother, though she maintained a noticeable distance, making it clear that the two were not particularly close.

Aunt Song stepped forward to take the tea prepared by the maid. She poured cups for everyone before standing quietly to the side.

Xia Yunzhu glanced at her daughter and sighed softly in her heart before turning to Tang Huaijin with a warm smile. “I’ve been so busy with work that I didn’t get the chance to thank you personally. Thank you for saving my daughter.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Aunt Xia. It was the right thing to do,” Tang Huaijin replied with a casual smile, clearly unbothered.

Xia Yunzhu’s gaze shifted to Bai Yuerou, her expression momentarily complicated, though she maintained her polite demeanor. “Yuerou, you’re here too. How’s your father doing?”

Bai Yuerou, fully aware of the weight and influence this woman carried in Jizhou City, felt far less at ease than Tang Huaijin. Her response was polite but slightly stiff. “My father is doing well. Thank you for asking, Aunt Xia.”

“There’s no need to be so formal,” Xia Yunzhu said with a gentle nod. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the two, Xia Xinya suddenly interrupted, her expression turning sour. “Didn’t you invite them over for dinner? Why does this feel like an interrogation?”

The smile on Xia Yunzhu’s face froze for a brief moment before she quickly recovered. “You’re right. Let’s eat, then. Song-Jie, please have the dishes brought out.”

With that, she rose gracefully, her full and curvaceous figure moving with an effortless elegance, and led the group to the dining room.

The dining table, though crafted from fine materials, was modest in size-suitable for a family of six. In the grand dining room, it seemed oddly out of place, disrupting the otherwise refined atmosphere. It looked like a later addition, chosen for practicality rather than aesthetics.

Xia Yunzhu took her seat at the head of the table and glanced at Xia Xinya, as if expecting her daughter to sit beside her. However, Xia Xinya didn’t even spare her a glance, instead pulling Bai Yuerou to the seat furthest from her mother.

An awkward tension flickered across Xia Yunzhu’s face, but she quickly masked it. Turning to Tang Huaijin, she gestured warmly. “Tang, why don’t you sit here next to me? Xinya’s been a bit upset with me these past couple of days.”

Not wanting to embarrass the elegant woman, Tang Huaijin reluctantly took the seat beside her, though he felt a bit uneasy.

Once Tang Huaijin was seated, Xia Yunzhu turned her attention back to Xia Xinya, her tone soft and coaxing. “This dinner was specially prepared for Tang. It’s not very polite to sit so far away from the guest, you know.”

As a mother, this was already a significant concession. Even if they were at odds, most daughters would at least put on a show of respect in front of others. But Xia Xinya was not one to play along. She raised an eyebrow and retorted coldly, “You know exactly what you’ve done. Now you want to act all motherly and lecture me? Why should I listen to you?” She was, of course, referring to her mother reading her diary.

The words were sharp, and Xia Yunzhu’s expression darkened immediately. She suppressed her anger with great effort, thinking to herself, “All I did was go into your room. Is that worth such a big fuss? Saying something like this in front of others-what will they think?”

What Xia Yunzhu hadn’t realized was that her snooping had been discovered.

Tang Huaijin, catching sight of Xia Yunzhu’s chest subtly rising and falling with restrained anger, felt a bit awkward. He also thought Xia Xinya was being too harsh. Clearing his throat, he said, “Xinya, come sit over here. Don’t upset Aunt Xia.”

Xia Xinya, though unwilling to make a scene, didn’t want to appear as if she was yielding to Tang Huaijin either. Still, she took the opportunity to stand up and, with Bai Yuerou in tow, moved to sit across from him.

Xia Yunzhu, though conflicted, gave Tang Huaijin a grateful glance before signaling the servants to bring out the dishes.

After that little scene, the atmosphere at the dinner table turned somewhat awkward. Xia Yunzhu occasionally tried to make small talk with Tang Huaijin, but it was clear she was just trying to fill the silence.

Tang Huaijin felt the tension too. He glanced at Xia Xinya, who was quietly eating her food, and decided to break the ice. “The exams are next week. How’s your preparation going for the other subjects, aside from Chinese?”

Xia Xinya’s eyes lit up at the mention of exams. She let out a confident hum and said, “Hmph, I’m definitely not worse than you. If you don’t hold back and actually help me, I’ll ace Chinese too.”

“You’re way too confident. Overconfidence isn’t a good thing,” Tang Huaijin teased with a chuckle.

“Oh, please. Aren’t you the same way?” Xia Xinya retorted, scrunching her nose in defiance.

Tang Huaijin feigned a dismissive look and joked, “What I have is a solid understanding of my own abilities, thank you very much.”

Xia Xinya rolled her eyes dramatically and said in a playful tone, “Brag all you want. I’m going to score higher than you, just watch. If you think you’re going to sit next to Yuerou, keep dreaming!”

Bai Yuerou glanced at her best friend and couldn’t help but smile helplessly.

The atmosphere at the table lightened considerably. Under the table, Tang Huaijin subtly nudged Xia Yunzhu’s leg.

Xia Yunzhu immediately caught on to his effort to liven things up. Though she wasn’t particularly fond of physical contact with men, she didn’t take offense. Smiling, she asked, “I heard you mention sitting together. What’s that about?”

The excitement on Xia Xinya’s face faded slightly, but she still responded, albeit in a cooler tone. “Tang Huaijin wants to be Yuerou’s desk mate. We’re competing to see who scores higher.”

“Oh?” Xia Yunzhu raised an eyebrow and gave Tang Huaijin a knowing look, her smile carrying a hint of mischief.

Tang Huaijin could tell she was reading too much into it. Smiling faintly, he clarified, “It’s nothing like that, Aunt Xia. I just thought sitting next to Yuerou would make it easier to exchange study tips. Don’t misunderstand.”

Before Xia Yunzhu could respond, Xia Xinya shot Tang Huaijin a glare and snapped, “You’ve never tried to exchange study tips with Yuerou in the club, have you? You just like her, don’t you? Well, let me tell you, dream on! Yuerou is mine!”

Hearing Xia Xinya declare that Tang Huaijin liked her, Bai Yuerou’s face turned bright red. Embarrassed and flustered, she slapped Xia Xinya’s hand and scolded, “What nonsense are you spouting, Xinya? You’re so annoying!”

Tang Huaijin felt his face heat up as well. This girl really had no filter. He decided it was time to put her in her place. With a teasing smirk, he said, “Your Yuerou? Do you mean your desk mate Yuerou, your best friend Yuerou, or…”

Before he could finish, Xia Xinya panicked. Even she wasn’t entirely sure of her own feelings, and the last thing she wanted was for Bai Yuerou to start overthinking things.

Grabbing Bai Yuerou’s hand, Xia Xinya stood up abruptly. “We’re full. We’re heading upstairs,” she announced before quickly dragging her friend away.

Bai Yuerou scolded Xia Xinya softly as they left, but Xia Xinya just laughed it off. The two of them walked hand in hand back to the living room.

Watching the pair, Xia Yunzhu’s expression grew complicated. In a quiet voice, she murmured, “They really are close…”

Tang Huaijin’s heart skipped a beat. He had only meant to tease Xia Xinya a little, not stir up any misunderstandings. Now he regretted saying anything at all.

To smooth things over, he forced a smile and said, “Yeah, best friends really do share a special bond.”

Xia Yunzhu gave Tang Huaijin a long look, then nodded slightly without saying another word.