My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 62 - The Bet

The three of them left the school together, walking side by side. Lin Ruoxi usually took the bus to school in the morning, but in the afternoon, her mother would come to pick her up.

As soon as they stepped out of the school gates, Lin Ruoxi smiled lightly and said, “Jin, why don’t you come with me? My mom can give you a ride home, no need to take the bus.”

Tang Huaijin glanced at Xia Xinya and replied softly, “Thanks, but no need. Xinya will give me a ride; we’re heading in the same direction.”

Who said we’re heading in the same direction… Xia Xinya opened her mouth but didn’t say anything, merely letting out a dissatisfied huff.

Lin Ruoxi glanced between the two of them and said with a smile, “Alright then, I’ll be off. See you next week, Jin, Xinya.”

After watching Lin Ruoxi’s car drive away, Tang Huaijin turned his gaze back and silently got into the Xia Family’s car. Seeing him get in, Xia Xinya’s expression was somewhat sullen, but she didn’t say anything.

The two sat in silence for a while, until Tang Huaijin suddenly spoke up, “Xinya, have you ever thought about whether you really like Yuerou?”

Upon hearing this, Xia Xinya turned her head, looking at him as if he were an idiot, and replied without hesitation, “Is that even a question? Of course, I like Rou.”

Ah, this silly girl. Tang Huaijin looked at Xia Xinya helplessly and said softly, “I mean, like in a romantic way.”

“…So what if I do? Do you have a problem with that?” Xia Xinya blinked, looking at Tang Huaijin suspiciously and said with dissatisfaction, “What are you up to?”

“I don’t have a problem, just making conversation.” Tang Huaijin chuckled, looking into Xia Xinya’s eyes, and asked casually, “Then why are you sure you like Yuerou?”

Xia Xinya furrowed her pretty brows slightly, thought for a moment, and said, “Because I feel upset when I see her getting close to others. I want to be with her all the time.”

“But don’t you also feel upset when Lin Ruoxi gets close to me?” Tang Huaijin said with a teasing smile, “Does that mean you like me too?”

Xia Xinya froze, her face quickly turning red, and she glared at Tang Huaijin in anger, saying, “Who likes you? You shameless pervert!” As she spoke, she tried to kick Tang Huaijin.

“I was just joking, who wants you to like me anyway?” Tang Huaijin said with a look of disdain, swatting her leg away, “According to what you said, even if you’re not romantically involved with Yuerou, you can still be with her all the time.”

“Easy for you to say, do you think I’m stupid?” Xia Xinya glared fiercely at Tang Huaijin and said, “What if Yuerou gets a boyfriend? She’ll have her own family eventually and drift away from me.”

According to her logic, to prevent Bai Yuerou from being with someone else, she should make the first move herself?

Tang Huaijin looked at Xia Xinya with a serious expression and said, “You see, it’s not really about liking her. It’s more about the fear of losing her to someone else, the fear of losing this friend.”

“I do like Rou, what’s it to you?” Xia Xinya was displeased at Tang Huaijin’s questioning of her feelings for Rou. She cast a suspicious glance at him and said, “You’re just trying to steer me away from Rou because you’re afraid I’ll end up with her. You’re definitely up to something with Rou, aren’t you? Pervert, I’m telling you, give up on that idea.”

Tang Huaijin didn’t argue back. He simply squinted at Xia Xinya and said softly, “How about we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“A bet that you don’t really like Yuerou. If I win, you have to agree to one request from me.” As he spoke, Tang Huaijin suddenly scoffed dismissively, “Forget it, you wouldn’t admit it anyway.”

“You!” Xia Xinya was furious at his attitude and said angrily, “Fine, let’s bet. I won’t be that petty!”

“Great!” Tang Huaijin laughed, “Once a word is spoken, it can’t be taken back. It’s set in stone now.”

He was worried that Xia Xinya might deny it later, and the system wouldn’t acknowledge it, which would be a waste. Although a bet doesn’t mean much, Xia Xinya would at least consider it… right?

Seeing his smug expression, Xia Xinya realized she had been tricked again. But having already spoken, she couldn’t take it back. She sat there sulking, muttering to herself, “Stupid jerk, pervert. I thought you were different from other guys, who either try to cozy up to me for my family’s money or use me to get close to Yuerou.”

The more Xia Xinya spoke, the more upset she became. Her eyes started to redden as she felt wronged, “I thought you were my friend, but you also want to take Rou away from me.”

Tang Huaijin shook his head helplessly, moved closer to her, and gently ruffled her hair, saying softly, “You’re overthinking it. I want to be friends with you simply because I want to be friends with you.”

The young man wore a gentle smile as he lightly tousled her hair, making it a bit messy.

Xia Xinya stared at Tang Huaijin, dumbfounded. It was the first time a boy had touched her head, and she didn’t find it unpleasant. There was a strange feeling swirling in her heart, tickling and warm.

When he withdrew his hand, Xia Xinya felt a sense of loss but quickly put on a reluctant face, saying fiercely, “Annoying, who said you could touch my head?”

Tang Huaijin glanced at her with amusement but said nothing, returning to his original seat.

…

After this little incident, Xia Xinya didn’t cause any more trouble on the way. She sat quietly in the car, lost in thought, not even playing with her phone.

Tang Huaijin often wondered whether Xia Xinya was truly naive or just pretending. She usually seemed carefree, but sometimes even Tang Huaijin couldn’t decipher her thoughts.

The Bentley smoothly came to a halt at the entrance of Tang Huaijin’s neighborhood, yet Xia Xinya still gazed absentmindedly out the window.

Tang Huaijin glanced at her and said, “Hey, silly girl, I’m leaving now. Are you okay?”

“Huh, what?” Xia Xinya seemed startled, as if she had just snapped back to reality. Her cheeks flushed, and she stammered, “Are we there?”

“Obviously,” Tang Huaijin frowned, casting a puzzled look at her rosy face. “You’re not coming down with something, are you? Fever frying your brain? You alright?” He reached out as if to check her forehead.

Before his hand could touch her skin, Xia Xinya jerked back as if electrified, deliberately putting on a fierce expression. “You’re the one with a fried brain. If we’re here, then get going. You annoy me.”

Tang Huaijin chuckled, exasperated, shot her a glare, and got out of the car.

Guess I was overthinking. Shouldn’t doubt my judgment. This silly girl really is clueless.

Once Tang Huaijin’s figure disappeared from view, the female bodyguard in the driver’s seat glanced at the rearview mirror and cautiously asked, “Shall we head back to the villa, miss?”

“Uh-huh…” Xia Xinya replied absentmindedly, reaching out to touch her own cheek.

Hmm, it’s so warm…

…

Tang Huaijin returned home to find the living room empty and no aroma of food wafting through the air. Checking his sister’s bedroom, he found it vacant as well.

Strange, he called his sister, but she didn’t answer.

Then a message popped up on WeChat: “I’m working overtime. That Zhu woman is lurking in the office, can’t take calls.”

Tang Huaijin asked, “What are you busy with? Need me to pick you up?”

“Yeah, come over. I’m almost done.”

Tang Huaijin put away his phone, spent ten minutes making a soup, left it simmering on low heat, then changed clothes and headed to his sister’s company.

Familiar with the place, he greeted his sister’s colleagues as he made his way to the entrance of Editorial Department Three. There, he spotted a rotund figure pacing back and forth, arms crossed, squinting at him with a bloated face, which made Tang Huaijin wrinkle his nose in distaste.

Knowing this woman often gave his sister a hard time, Tang Huaijin naturally had no fondness for her and didn’t bother to greet her, simply walking past.

Zhu Meiyu was about to ask which department he belonged to with a smile, but upon realizing this handsome young man ignored her, she frowned and called out, “Stop right there, which department are you from?”

Tang Huaijin’s lips twitched. He genuinely disliked this woman, but since she was his sister’s boss, he couldn’t say much. Forcing a smile, he replied, “I’m not employed here, just picking someone up.”

The company didn’t have a strict policy against family or friends visiting, as long as they registered at the front desk.

“Oh? Who are you picking up? Someone from the third group?” Zhu Meiyu, seeing the young man’s smile, laughed along, her thick foundation seemingly ready to crack with her laughter, causing Tang Huaijin to shiver with disgust.

Tang Huaijin struggled to keep his expression neutral, saying, “I’m here for Tang Yaoyao.”

“Tang Yaoyao?” Zhu Meiyu tilted her head towards his sister’s direction, then asked, “And who is she to you?”

“She’s my sister. I’m here to take her home.” Tang Huaijin really didn’t want to waste more words with her, so he plastered on a smile and asked, “May I go over?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Zhu Meiyu gave him another once-over before smilingly letting him pass.

Tang Huaijin quickly picked up his pace, heading towards where his sister was. Even after walking quite a distance, he could still feel a nauseating gaze lingering on his back. He discreetly glanced over his shoulder and, sure enough, Zhu Meiyu was still standing there, smiling at him.

A shiver ran down his spine, but thankfully, he had reached his sister’s desk. The sight of her delicate and beautiful face instantly soothed him. He pulled up a small stool and sat beside her, staring at her intently and occasionally taking in the comforting scent that surrounded her.

Tang Yaoyao noticed his odd behavior and glanced around nervously to make sure no one was watching. She playfully tapped his shoulder and said, “What are you doing, acting like a rogue?”

“Just cleansing my eyes,” Huaijin shrugged, glancing at Yaoyao’s screen. “Are you done, sis? Let’s head home. I’ve got soup simmering.”

“Yeah, just finished,” Yaoyao replied, retrieving the warm documents from the printer. She gathered her things and stood up, hesitating for a moment before deciding against linking arms with Huaijin. Instead, she smiled and said, “Shall we go home, Jin?”

As the siblings made their way to the exit, they passed Zhu Meiyu, who was eyeing Huaijin with narrowed eyes. A flicker of disdain crossed Yaoyao’s gaze as she said, “Supervisor, here’s today’s proofread content. If there’s nothing else, can we leave?”

Zhu Meiyu nodded slightly, taking the manuscript, but her eyes lingered on Huaijin as she asked, “Is this your brother?”

“Yes, my brother,” Yaoyao replied, a hint of pride in her voice.

“Your brother is quite the looker. Has he ever dated?” Zhu Meiyu’s gaze shifted back to Huaijin, her smile widening.

Yaoyao couldn’t stand the thought of Zhu Meiyu’s gaze lingering on Huaijin any longer. Her expression soured at the question, and she struggled to contain her anger as she replied, “My brother is still in high school, Supervisor. If there’s nothing else, we’re heading home. We’re both starving.”

Sensing the irritation in Yaoyao’s tone, Zhu Meiyu’s smile faded, and she replied sarcastically, “Oh, I didn’t realize you were so busy. I wouldn’t dare hold you up. Go ahead.”

Yaoyao snorted, grabbing Huaijin’s arm and striding out with her long legs.

…

In the parking area below the company, Huaijin noticed his sister’s still fuming expression and couldn’t help but chuckle. His sister really needed to learn to keep her cool; she didn’t understand the necessity of bowing to circumstances.

Seeing her brother approach, Yaoyao looked at him with a pout, and Huaijin reassured her, “Alright, there’s no need to get upset with her. Getting worked up over her is just making yourself miserable.”

“Didn’t you notice how disgustingly she was staring at you?” Yaoyao complained, pouting. “And asking if you have a girlfriend-I just can’t stand it.”

“I’m a grown man. Being looked at a couple of times won’t hurt me,” Huaijin said, amused by his sister’s protectiveness.

“Well, I can’t stand it,” Yaoyao huffed, feeling even more wronged when her brother didn’t join in her complaints but instead tried to calm her. She decided to tease him, “Do you like her? If you do, I can introduce you.”

The image of Zhu Meiyu’s face flashed in Huaijin’s mind, and he shuddered. Seeing Yaoyao’s mischievous grin, he retorted, “Tang Yaoyao, are you crazy? Are you trying to gross me out?” He reached out, threatening to tickle her.

Yaoyao giggled, ducking into her brother’s arms and sneaking a glance around.

Seeing no one nearby, Yaoyao tiptoed and planted a quick kiss on Huaijin’s right cheek, her face turning crimson. Her delicate fingers lightly scratched his chest as she whispered, “How about a kiss from your sister? No more tickling, okay?”

Huaijin huffed, pointing to his left cheek. After Yaoyao shyly kissed him there too, he grinned triumphantly and hopped onto his sister’s electric bicycle, leaving the company.

From a window above, a rather plump figure watched them leave, a cold smile playing on her lips.