When Ji Xixing came out of the study, she felt utterly exhausted.
After returning to her room and taking a shower, she picked up her phone and saw several photos Jian Yao had sent her.
The intimately posed couple in the photos were none other than Cheng Songjin and Ji Chenhuan. Beneath the pictures were the location and timestamp.
It was obvious that they had been taken with a watermark camera.
Ji Xixing replied with a thumbs up emoji.
She could not help but sigh in admiration. Having a best friend like Jian Yao was absolutely worth it.
Looking at the address in the photo, she clicked her tongue twice.
Showing off their affection in front of a police station, they truly seemed starved for love.
Over the next few days, Ji Xixing behaved exceptionally well and no longer openly argued with Ji Lifeng.
If she ignored the little obstacles Wang Nianlin deliberately put in her way, life in the house could almost be considered peaceful.
She had not been idle either. She had searched nearly every place she currently had access to in the house, yet found no trace whatsoever related to her mother.
Considering how much Ji Lifeng detested her mother, it would have been strange if such things still existed in the house.
Although Ji Lifeng had restored her bank card, the spending limit had been restricted.
Whenever she left the house, Ji Lifeng also arranged for people to follow her.
On the surface, it was to protect her safety, but in reality, they were monitoring her.
Ji Xixing felt thoroughly frustrated.
What annoyed her even more was that after enduring all this grievance, Ji Chenhuan still came to her every day, putting on an act of sisterly affection.
That evening, both Ji Lifeng and Wang Nianlin had gone out. Ji Chenhuan, oblivious as ever, approached her again, smiling sweetly in an affected manner.
“Big sister, my birthday banquet is coming up in a few days.”
“What do you think about asking Dad to announce my happy news with Brother Songjin on that day? Two celebrations together would be perfect, wouldn’t they?”
Over the past few days, Ji Chenhuan had already learned that Ji Lifeng intended to transfer the marriage arrangement to her.
From her initial hypocritical guilt to her current expression of bliss, Ji Xixing could only say that it was a pity she had not become an actress.
No wonder, in the novel, she had quickly become an award winning actress and exploded in popularity after entering the entertainment industry. Heaven had practically fed her with a spoon.
Just look at those acting skills. Amazing.
A few days ago, whenever she met Ji Xixing in front of Ji Lifeng, she would burst into tears, crying that she had wronged her sister, forcing Ji Lifeng to comfort her before she would calm down.
Ji Xixing wanted to ask, if she truly felt guilty, why was she not guilty when she was being lovey dovey with Cheng Songjin?
Had her conscience been eaten by dogs at those moments?
In the days that followed, Ji Chenhuan would seize every opportunity to stick close to her.
And sticking close was one thing, but she also bombarded her with endless tea-flavored remarks.
For example:
“Big sister, you grew up with Brother Songjin. Can you tell me if he has any favorite things?”
Or:
“Big sister, does this outfit look pretty on me? Do you think Brother Songjin will like it when he sees me?”
Before, Ji Xixing had thought she could endure it.
Perhaps because Ji Lifeng and the others were absent today, the anger she had suppressed for so many days surged upward.
She grabbed Ji Chenhuan by the hair and yanked her over. Although the strength in her hands was not particularly great, most of it was concentrated on Ji Chenhuan’s hair, causing her to cry out in pain as tears instantly streamed down her face.
In a pitiful voice, Ji Chenhuan cried, “Big sister, what are you doing?”
“If you like Brother Songjin, I can stop competing with you. I thought I would receive your sincere blessing, but I didn’t expect you to still resent me.”
Ji Xixing tightened her grip, her face icy and devoid of any trace of a smile.
“Stop acting, Ji Chenhuan. I already removed the surveillance cameras in the house. No one except me can see this pathetic act of yours.”
Her eyes seemed covered in frost. Even while restraining Ji Chenhuan with one hand, she still had a free hand to wipe away her tears.
Her voice was cold and emotionless.
“Unless you run to complain. You know very well that old man trusts you the most. He can’t stand seeing you cry.”
“But I’m afraid you won’t have the chance…”
As soon as Ji Xixing finished speaking, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the house.
She immediately seized the timing and switched their positions.
Before Ji Chenhuan could react, she was manipulated like a doll into the position of pushing someone down the stairs.
Coincidentally, the moment Ji Xixing rolled down the staircase, the living room door opened.
Three pairs of eyes met in stunned silence, while Ji Xixing remained sprawled beside the stairs with her head lowered.
Ji Chenhuan froze completely.
Even she despised such despicable methods, yet now she had been framed by the very person she hated using the tricks she herself looked down upon.
Ji Lifeng fell into thought without speaking, while Wang Nianlin reacted quickly and hurried over to help Ji Xixing up.
At the same time, she covered up her daughter’s actions.
“You two sisters are really too careless while playing around. You’re both grown up already, yet you’re still acting like children and not paying attention to safety.”
On the surface, she sounded like a loving mother educating mischievous children, but in reality, she was blaming Ji Xixing for being immature and reckless.
With just one sentence, she turned the whole matter into childish horseplay and shifted the blame for Ji Xixing’s fall onto her own carelessness.
With reddened eyes, Ji Xixing said, “It was my fault for being careless. I’m fine. The stairs aren’t high, it didn’t hurt much.”
She looked pitiful on the outside, but inwardly she sneered.
If it had been Ji Chenhuan who fell down the stairs, Wang Nianlin would probably have dragged her over and forced her to apologize to her precious daughter.
But she had never expected them to punish Ji Chenhuan anyway.
This whole performance was merely a preemptive strike, preventing Ji Chenhuan from complaining first.
As Wang Nianlin helped Ji Xixing up, Ji Chenhuan finally regained her senses and burst into tears.
“It wasn’t me! I didn’t push Big Sister. She fell by herself…”
“Silly child, who said you pushed her?” Wang Nianlin immediately comforted her. “Your relationship with your sister is so good, how could you possibly push her?”
“Your sister already said she fell by accident. Don’t keep blaming yourself for nothing.”
Ji Lifeng frowned, then finally looked toward Ji Xixing and ended the farce.
“Be more careful next time. Stop blocking the entrance and go back to your room.”
“Yes, Dad,” Ji Xixing answered obediently.
Sure enough, just as she turned around, she caught the upward curve of Ji Chenhuan’s lips.
From an angle invisible to everyone else, Ji Chenhuan even raised her eyebrows smugly at her, openly flaunting the affection she had received.
Ji Xixing returned a friendly smile and slowly limped upstairs while holding onto the handrail.
She did not care about such unfairness.
Only children deprived of love constantly show off their sense of superiority, because the things they stole are precisely what they fear losing the most.