My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 80 - Not a Couple

Tang Huaijin accepted the rather troublesome million yuan and chose not to have Mrs. Xia drive him back. Instead, he picked up a shared electric scooter from the street and rode towards home.

Stopping outside a cake shop, Tang Huaijin went in to buy a few pieces of cake for his sister. This shop was known for its expensive and high-quality cakes. When their parents were still around, they would occasionally buy two pieces for the siblings. Although his sister loved them, she would always save half for her brother.

Eventually, Tang Huaijin lost his taste for sweets, and the cakes their parents bought ended up entirely in Tang Yaoyao’s stomach.

After their parents passed away, his sister rarely mentioned the cakes, mainly because she couldn’t bear to spend the money. The last time she had them was when Tang Huaijin bought them for her.

Even though his sister scolded him, saying the cakes were too expensive and impractical, and told him not to buy them again, she happily devoured the cakes he bought with his first paycheck.

Returning home, Tang Yaoyao, who was lounging on the sofa playing with her phone, immediately got up when she saw her brother. She walked over in her slippers and softly asked, “Jin, how did it go? Did Mrs. Xia give you a hard time?”

She wasn’t concerned about the money but worried about her brother being troubled. Seeing his sister’s concerned expression, Tang Huaijin smiled awkwardly and said, “It’s fine. Mrs. Xia didn’t give me any trouble. After I explained everything, she even asked me to continue tutoring Xia Xinya and increased my pay.”

He shook the bag containing the small cakes and smiled gently, saying, “Sis, guess what I got?”

“Oh, why did you buy cakes from that shop again? Didn’t I tell you not to spend money recklessly?” Tang Yaoyao scolded him, but her face lit up with joy.

Tang Huaijin sat on the sofa with his sister, handed her the cakes, and watched her happily open the box. He said warmly, “Sis, how about we go out for dinner tonight? And maybe buy you a couple of outfits? Whatever you want, I’ll get it for you.”

Tang Yaoyao picked up a fork, took a piece of cake, and offered it to her brother. After he ate it, she smiled gently and asked, “Jin, weren’t we saving up to buy a house?”

Tang Huaijin chuckled lightly and said, “Sis, saving money isn’t urgent. Money is meant to be spent. Now that I can earn, I won’t let you live a hard life anymore.”

The cake’s cream was of excellent quality. Tang Yaoyao took a piece, placed it in her mouth, and let the cream melt, tasting sweet.

She gently put down the cake, snuggled into Tang Huaijin’s arms, looked up at his face, and placed her small hand on her chest, her eyes curved with a soft smile. “Sis isn’t suffering. With Jin around, my heart is always sweet.”

Tang Huaijin didn’t say anything, holding his sister a little tighter as if afraid she’d leave. He rested his chin gently on her head, savoring the moment with a sense of contentment.

Though he wanted to reassure his sister, he couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. He still hadn’t decided how to tell her about the fake girlfriend plan.

The siblings remained silent, savoring the warmth and tranquility of the moment.

After staying in her brother’s gentle embrace for a while, Tang Yaoyao felt something pressing against her, causing her cheeks to gradually redden. Noticing her brother’s breathing becoming slightly heavier, she pinched his waist and moved away, playfully scolding, “You little rascal, go make dinner.”

Seeing Tang Huaijin still sitting there, Tang Yaoyao furrowed her brows and nudged him with her foot, whining a bit, “Come on, I’m hungry.”

Tang Huaijin chuckled helplessly, glancing at his sister, “Can you give me a moment? I can’t exactly stand up right now.”

“…?” Tang Yaoyao didn’t catch on at first. Sneaking a glance at his waist, her face instantly flushed crimson. She glared at him in embarrassment before hurriedly grabbing her cake and retreating to her room.

…

The next morning, Tang Huaijin got up, washed up, and headed to the bathroom. He glanced at the small spot on his lip where the skin was broken-a result of his sister biting him after dinner when he tried to give her a kiss.

After preparing breakfast, Tang Huaijin knocked on his sister’s door, softly asking, “Sis, are you up? I’m coming in, okay?”

Tang Yaoyao, still drowsy, responded instinctively, “Mm…”

Hearing the door open, Tang Yaoyao, clad in her pajamas, was startled awake. She quickly pulled the covers over herself, only then looking up at Tang Huaijin. Seeing no unusual expression on his face, she breathed a sigh of relief, grumbling, “Jin, why did you just barge into my room?”

“You told me to come in,” Tang Huaijin replied, somewhat exasperated.

“Oh… Well, get out then, I need to get up,” Tang Yaoyao recalled vaguely, feeling embarrassed, and hurriedly ushered him out, her cheeks flushed.

“Tsk, you used to love calling me in for some perks,” Tang Huaijin feigned sadness, shaking his head as he glanced at his sister. “Hurry up, it’s time for breakfast. Didn’t we agree to visit Wei Zhuang Ancient Town today?”

With that, he stepped out of the room, pausing at the door to tease, “Remember, don’t leave your clothes scattered all over the room.”

Tang Yaoyao’s face instantly turned pink with embarrassment. She threw a pillow at him, but it only hit the door, followed by Tang Huaijin’s mischievous laughter from outside.

Jerk, she wouldn’t leave her underwear lying around. It was just because she was dreaming last night…

…

After breakfast, the siblings set off. Luckily, they left early enough to find seats on the bus.

Tang Huaijin let his sister sit by the window while he took the seat on the aisle side.

A few stops later, the bus became crowded, packed with people, making Tang Huaijin’s mouth twitch as he resolved to buy a car someday.

Tang Yaoyao had a tendency to get carsick, and coupled with a poor night’s sleep, she leaned against Tang Huaijin and soon fell asleep.

By the time they arrived at Wei Zhuang Ancient Town, it was already noon. They found a restaurant outside the town for a quick lunch before venturing into the increasingly popular ancient town.

Though it was called an ancient town, it was actually a scenic area designed in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties¹. The clever design and exquisite craftsmanship attracted many tourists who came to take photos and check in.

The entire area had several streets lined with snack vendors and handicraft workshops. Occasionally, one could catch glimpses of cultural activities like shadow plays², which captivated Tang Yaoyao for quite a while.

The siblings strolled leisurely through the ancient town, sampling the affordable street snacks. Tang Yaoyao bought quite a few along the way, and whatever she couldn’t finish, she handed over to Tang Huaijin.

They walked and took photos, most of which were of Tang Yaoyao, thanks to Tang Huaijin’s excellent photography skills honed from having a beautiful mother and sister. Today, Tang Yaoyao wore a light purple dress and flat shoes, exuding both an artistic and mature feminine charm.

Light purple was a challenging color to pull off, but on Tang Yaoyao, it looked perfect-elegant and gentle, drawing the attention of many male tourists.

It had been a while since Tang Yaoyao had gone out with Tang Huaijin, and despite it being just an ancient village, she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Feeling bold, she held onto her brother’s arm as they walked, curiously observing the sights along the way.

They played until dusk, when Tang Yaoyao pulled him to watch a lion dance³. Tang Huaijin chuckled softly, “Sis, it’s getting late. We’re far from home. Do you want to have dinner here?”

The restaurants in the area were all the same-expensive and not very good. Though Tang Yaoyao hadn’t had enough fun, she pouted and said, “Alright.”

Then, as if remembering something, her eyes lit up, and she shook Tang Huaijin’s arm, pleading, “Can we go to one more place? Just one last stop, and then we can head home.”

“Sure,” Tang Huaijin replied with a gentle smile, letting her lead him deeper into the streets.

Following a guide on her phone, Tang Yaoyao led him to a spot within the scenic area. She took out her phone and snapped a couple of photos of a large stone, her eyes filled with a hint of longing.

It was the Three Lives Stone⁴. Tang Huaijin smiled softly, not believing in such things himself. Seeing his sister engrossed in taking photos, he suggested, “Want someone to take a picture of us together?”

Tang Yaoyao bit her lip, tempted by the idea.

Nearby, a girl from a couple overheard Tang Huaijin’s words and her eyes lit up. She approached them and said, “How about this? You take a picture of us first, and then we’ll take one for you. Sound good?”

“Sure,” Tang Huaijin agreed, accepting the girl’s phone. Once the couple posed, he found a good angle and took a shot, handing the phone back to her. “Is this okay? I can take another if you’re not satisfied.”

“It’s great, really good,” the girl beamed at the photo, calling her boyfriend over. “Let my boyfriend take yours. He’s a photographer. Hey, dummy, remember to take a few shots.”

Her boyfriend seemed a bit awkward, smiling sheepishly at Tang Huaijin.

Tang Huaijin returned the smile, positioning himself with his sister in front of the stone. Tang Yaoyao appeared a bit reserved in front of strangers, lightly holding Tang Huaijin’s arm.

After taking several photos, the man handed the phone back to Tang Huaijin, commenting, “You two have such divine looks!”

Tang Yaoyao was happily looking at the photos but froze at his words.

The girl, thinking he was implying Tang Yaoyao looked older, quickly nudged her boyfriend, displeased, “Watch what you say. They’re clearly a couple.”

“Oh, sorry, my mistake. But you two really do have similar eyes,” the man chuckled, scratching his head.

Tang Huaijin was momentarily taken aback, then laughed, “No worries, people often get it wrong…”

Tang Yaoyao, however, hurriedly waved her hands, her expression awkward, forcing a smile, “No, no, we’re siblings, not a couple.”

Tang Huaijin’s words caught in his throat. He glanced at his sister, pursed his lips, and remained silent.

Sensing the awkwardness, the girl discreetly pinched her boyfriend, smiled at Tang Huaijin, and left with her clueless partner.

Tang Huaijin was quiet for a moment, gently taking his sister’s trembling hand, softly saying, “Let’s go home, sis.”

After the incident, Tang Yaoyao lost her enthusiasm for the outing. She nodded slightly, letting him lead her out of the scenic area.

Footnote:

1. Ming and Qing Dynasties(明清时期):Refers to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), two major imperial dynasties of China known for their distinctive architectural, artistic, and cultural styles.
2. Shadow Play(皮影戏):A traditional Chinese folk art where intricate puppets, usually made of leather, are manipulated behind a translucent screen, with light casting their shadows to tell stories.
3. Lion Dance(舞狮):A traditional Chinese performance where two dancers manipulate an elaborate lion costume to mimic a lion’s movements, typically accompanied by drums, gongs, and cymbals. It is performed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, especially during festivals like Lunar New Year and other celebratory occasions.
4. Three Lives Stone(三生石):In Chinese mythology, a mythical stone believed to record the karmic connections and predestined relationships (especially romantic ones) of individuals across their past, present, and future lives. It symbolizes an unbreakable bond, fate, or destiny between two people.