The elegant dress had already been haphazardly bunched up around her slender waist. Contrary to my expectations, beneath it wasn't a pair of sexy underwear but a simple white safety shorts, quietly guarding the unspoken secret that only I could uncover. Below the shorts, her legs stretched out like finely crafted works of art—pale and slender, as if all the beauty in the world had converged there. Under my gaze, those delicate legs lifted gently, intertwining gracefully like two affectionate white swans playfully wrapping around my waist, carrying a hint of ambiguity, a touch of romance, and a subtle, indescribable sensuality. In this enticing entanglement, every inch of her skin seemed to whisper, murmuring endless tenderness and intimacy.
In this moment, all I felt was the hot blood in my body surging like a raging river, converging into an uncontrollable passion. It rushed downward impatiently, flowing into my hardened lower body, expressing its urgent desire to charge forward.
"Baby~ I can't take it anymore~ Let's make love~" I said urgently, even I could hear how deep and heavy my voice had become, laced with uncontrollable panting.
Jingyan's hand, which had been resting on my neck, slid down, caressing my chest along my shoulder.
I could no longer hold back. My fingers slipped into her safety shorts, ready to pull them down.
Knock, knock, knock! A clear, heavy pounding on the door interrupted us, a couple lost in the heat of the moment. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over my head, instantly dousing my desire. I hurriedly got up, and Qin Jingyan frantically adjusted her clothes.
Knock, knock, knock! The knocking sounded again.
I stomped heavily toward the door, as if trying to vent my frustration over the ruined moment onto the heads of the residents downstairs.
"Who is it?— Oh... Aunt Ouyang?"
I opened the door to find an elegant lady standing at my doorstep, arms crossed over her chest. Seeing my mother-in-law, I quickly suppressed all my negative emotions, letting them escape quietly through my intestines, and replaced them with a sincere, polished smile.
"It took you so long to open the door?" Aunt Ouyang said with a smile, her tone carrying a hint of strangeness.
"Uh, I didn't hear it earlier—didn't hear it~" I mumbled, not even sure what I was saying. I glanced down at myself—everything seemed fine—then turned to look at Jingyan. She had already put her clothes back on and was sitting on the edge of the bed, head bowed as she combed her hair with her fingers. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"It seems I've come at a bad time~" Aunt Ouyang remarked, the oddness in her tone even more pronounced.
Before I could respond, she stepped inside. Though she wore the same style of slippers as my mother, she moved with the grace of a model, walking straight over to sit beside Jingyan but deliberately leaving a space between them.
"Come, sit~" Aunt Ouyang waved me over.
I took small steps and sat between the two beauties. My earlier confidence had vanished; now I hunched my shoulders, feeling tense as I glanced nervously at Aunt Ouyang beside me.
Wait a minute... This is my room, so why does it feel like I've stepped into Aunt Ouyang's territory?
"Why are you so nervous? Look at that long face—did Auntie do something to upset you, sweetheart?" Aunt Ouyang said to me with a smile. "Sweetheart" was a nickname she often called me when I was little—she'd refer to me as "sweetheart son" and my sister as "sweetheart daughter." But at some point, she stopped adding the last two words when calling me, though she still called my sister "sweetheart daughter."
"No, Auntie would never be harsh with her sweetheart~" After my earlier thoughts, I felt my brain finally catching up and coming back online.
"Exactly, Auntie isn't going to eat you," Aunt Ouyang said, giving my arm a gentle pinch.
"Pfft~" Jingyan, sitting on my other side, covered her mouth and laughed, her cheeks still flushed.
"Auntie, why did you come over so suddenly? Where's my mom?" I asked.
"Your mom went to the study to see what your dad is up to, so I came to check if you're bullying our Jingyan," Aunt Ouyang said, pretending to be serious. I saw her delicate finger pointing at me, the tip seeming to gleam.
"No way, I cherish her too much to ever bully her~" I replied.
"Is that so?" Aunt Ouyang leaned in, tilting her head to examine Jingyan closely before adding, "Hmm, you haven't bullied her yet, but if I'd come any later, you probably would have."
"Mom~ what are you saying~" Qin Jingyan's face flushed even more noticeably as she feigned annoyance.
What could I say? At times like this, silence was the best response.
"You're both adults now, so even if something happens, it's normal. As for precautions, no need to worry too much—when the time comes, Mom can leave her boring job behind and do something more interesting," Aunt Ouyang said to both of us.
"Mom~~ stop talking~" Qin Jingyan, extremely embarrassed, covered her face with both hands. Feeling that wasn't enough, she leaned her head against my arm.
I gently stroked Jingyan's silky hair.
"What am I saying? What am I saying? Mom is just speaking seriously, okay? You know all about your dad and me. How about we make it a competition? Let's see whether I'll give you a little brother or sister first, or whether I'll get my dear grandchild sooner?" Seeing Jingyan's shy reaction, Aunt Ouyang began to "turn up the heat."
"Mom!! Stop it~" Qin Jingyan, ignoring her bright red cheeks, suddenly got up, moved from my side to Aunt Ouyang's, and reached out to cover her mother's mouth.
"Ah! You naughty girl, let go of Mom~ Mmm!" Aunt Ouyang, muffled by her daughter's hand, tumbled onto my bed with Jingyan in their playful scuffle. Their long, straight black hair and wavy locks spilled across the sheets, creating a chaotic yet strangely beautiful scene.
"Bad Mom, you can't talk nonsense in front of Xuanyu~"
"Ah~ ha~ you mmm! Let mmm go~ hahaha~" Qin Jingyan targeted Aunt Ouyang's ticklish spots, making the usually stern and formidable woman squirm and beg for mercy on the bed.
That's just how Aunt Ouyang is—though she's an elder, she's very down-to-earth in daily life, just like a caring big sister to me.
I watched the mother and daughter playfully roughhousing in front of me—it was only around me that they acted like this. Especially when it was just the three of us, Auntie Ouyang seemed to enjoy deliberately "provoking" her daughter.
Though I didn't quite understand why, this kind of warmth was something I'd protect with everything I had.
Auntie Ouyang had one hand covering Qin Jingyan's mouth, while her other hand, closer to me, reached out and tightly grasped mine.
What's this about? Asking for my help? Or something else? I wondered silently, though I didn't move an inch.
"Let go of me, Mom~ I admit I was wrong~" Auntie Ouyang pleaded. Jingyan released her, allowing her to sit up. After all the commotion, both beauties were flushed, breathing lightly through slightly parted lips, and the air was filled with an intoxicating fragrance.
"Hmph!" Jingyan plopped back down beside me.
Smack!
"Ouch!" Just as my attention was fixed on Jingyan, a sudden sharp pain shot through my other arm.
"Hmph! You little rascal, and here I thought you were my sweetheart. You just stood by and watched me get bullied without lifting a finger!" Auntie Ouyang scolded, hands on her hips.
I just grinned foolishly. Auntie Ouyang was only venting a little, and as the son-in-law, it was my duty to take it in stride.
Seeing my lack of response, she pinched my arm a few more times.
"Lanlan?" My mom's voice came from outside the door, and it opened immediately.
"What are you doing here?" Mom asked.
"Your son's bullying me!" Auntie Ouyang suddenly accused.
"Huh? No, I didn't! I…" Her words threw me into a panic. I turned and caught the mischievous glint in Auntie Ouyang's eyes.
"Alright, alright, stop teasing the kids. Let's go take a nap. Jingyan, want to join us?" Mom looked at Auntie Ouyang with a resigned expression—this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
"I…" Jingyan glanced at me.
"Oh, let the young couple have some time alone. You and I can head back to the bedroom." Before Jingyan could finish, Auntie Ouyang stood up, pulling Mom along, but not before giving my hand a firm squeeze as she rose.
Thud! The door closed, and the room was once again enveloped in an ambiguous atmosphere.
"Jingyan, we…"
"Let's take a nap too~" Jingyan suddenly suggested.
"Mhm~ Okay~" I knew now wasn't the time—after all, she was mine, and there was no rush.
Jingyan, like a devoted wife, slipped under the covers and lifted the blanket for me to join her.
I held the "soft, fragrant jade" tightly in my arms, my hand naturally resting on the softest part of her chest, and soon drifted into a peaceful slumber.
...
"I'm exhausted!"
I dropped the bags in my hands and the ones hanging from my arms onto the coffee table. Under my mom's slightly exasperated gaze, I trudged wearily back to my room and collapsed onto the bed.
Why do women have endless energy while shopping, yet refuse to carry any of the bags?
With great effort, I rolled onto my side and caught a faint, familiar scent—ah, it was Jingyan's fragrance.
Remembering how I'd been surrounded by three stunning beauties this afternoon, drawing countless envious and jealous glances from men passing by, I figured a little exhaustion was worth it.
Buzz! Buzz! My phone vibrated in my pocket.
I opened WeChat and saw a message from someone with a profile picture of a Western actress—it was Aunt Ouyang.
Aunt Ouyang: "You did great this afternoon, my dear. You must be tired. Let me treat you to something delicious."
Aunt Ouyang: "Transferred 2,000 yuan."
Aunt Ouyang: "/heart"
Aunt Ouyang: "/kiss, and don't forget my precious daughter."
Looking at Aunt Ouyang's messages, I couldn't stop smiling.
After replying briefly and lying down for a bit longer, I got up and walked to my sister's room.
Knock knock
"Come in~"
I opened the door and stepped into my sister's cozy little room. Originally, Dad had planned to decorate it in pink with lots of stuffed toys, but my sister didn't like it, so she ended up with a style similar to my bedroom.
I saw my sister wearing metal-framed glasses, her shoulder-length bob tied into a small ponytail, dressed in loose school uniform, staring at an English test paper in front of her. She was sneaking glances at me out of the corner of her eye, twirling her pen skillfully in her right hand while constantly brushing the hair by her ear with her left. Having lived with her for over a decade, I knew immediately—she was up to something.
"Sis~ What were you doing just now?" I asked her.
"Nothing much? Studying~ What else would I be doing~" she replied, sounding natural but with a hint of complaint.
"Is that so? Then—let me—see!" I dragged out my words as I pulled open the desk drawer she was blocking—a comic magazine came into view, and it even said "Collector's Edition" on it.
"Hey, bro!" My sister's slender arms suddenly exerted strength that didn't match her petite frame, pushing my arm away before slamming the drawer shut with a thud. She didn't even seem to mind that my hand had accidentally brushed against her chest.
"Come on~ It's not like I don't know about this little habit of yours," I said with a mischievous grin.
"Mmm..." My sister lowered her head, not daring to look at me.
"Bro, I just bought this. Don't tell Mom, okay? I'll hide it in your room later," she suddenly remembered and looked up, pulling my hand with a pitiful expression.
"Alright, alright, but..."
"But don't let it affect your studies, and don't let your grades slip. I know, I know, I know. You've said it eight hundred times~" she suddenly turned her face away again, looking down at her English test paper.
What else could I say? She had already learned to anticipate my words, but in this atmosphere, I couldn't congratulate her like they do in comedy skits.
"It's okay, don't put too much pressure on yourself," I said, patting her head as I followed her gaze to her test paper—two reading comprehension sections, ten multiple-choice questions, and she had gotten six right.
"Wah!" My sister suddenly turned around and buried her face in my stomach, wrapping her arms around my waist as she began to sob softly.
"Bro~ I'm so tired~ Wah wah wah~"
Watching her delicate body tremble, the bond of shared blood made my heart ache as her older brother.
Instinctively, I wanted to say—it'll get better once you get to college.
But as someone who's been through it, I knew that line had been repeated countless times by teachers, parents, and classmates. If I, her older brother, said it now, it would only have the opposite effect.
Ever since she switched to this high school, my sister had clearly grown much more worn out.
I took out my phone, tapped on my sister's profile picture, and entered the transfer page. Without much thought, I typed in "1000." As my finger hovered over the green transfer button, I paused, deleted the previous amount, and entered "2000" before confirming the transfer.
"Alright, stop crying now. Auntie Ouyang asked me to send you some pocket money," I said, patting my sister's head.
"Huh?" She looked up, her delicate and gentle demeanor made even more pitiable by the redness around her eyes. She picked up her phone, saw the transfer, and then looked at me earnestly, saying, "Thank you, brother~ and thank Auntie Ouyang too!"
"Alright, focus on your studies now."
"Brother~ do you think if I work hard for another year, I can get into the same school as you and Sister Jingyan?" she suddenly asked.
I recalled the whispered conversation between Mom and Auntie Ouyang at noon and paused for a moment before replying, "Although Jingyan and I are at a top-tier university, there are plenty of great schools out there. Just do your best." I gently touched her cheek. Mom was only using Jingyan and me as motivation for her, but she took it so seriously. I couldn't help but feel sorry for my naive, "silly" little sister.
"But I want to be at the same school as you guys. I don't want to be too far from home," she murmured, her tone filled with uncertainty.
"Then you'll have to work even harder!" I opened her drawer, pulled out a comic book, and skillfully tucked it under my clothes, hiding it in my waistband.
Back in my room, I safely stored my sister's "collector's edition"—a horror comic, no less? Then I chatted with my childhood friend and fiancée. She had to go to school early the next day since it was the start of the new semester, and she had some arrangements to take care of.
I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep...