Chapter 150: Uncorrectable bad personality traits

Jiang Lai felt Si Yina’s body turning scorching hot, the hand she placed on the other’s waist felt like it was being seared by tiny flames.

Jiang Lai wanted to take her hand back, but when she tried to pull away with force, she encountered an unprecedented resistance.

If the two of them made any more of a commotion, the whole car would probably shake.

As Jiang Lai and Si Yina were quietly struggling against each other, Chi Yingyu, who was sitting right next to them, sensed that something was off.

Chi Yingyu turned to look over and saw her brother-in-law’s face flushed red, as if she was overheating.

Although both of them had already taken off their thick down jackets, they were still wearing very warm wool sweaters.

There was a slight cool breeze outside, so it didn’t feel hot before, but now, sitting indoors with the three of them pressed together, even Chi Yingyu—who was usually rather cold—felt a bit stuffy.

“How about you scoot over a little more, I’ll crack the window open for some fresh air.”

As she said this, Chi Yingyu glanced at Si Yina, who was sitting on the outermost side.

Si Yina’s slender body had sunk deep into the seat, her eyes closed, her head tilted slightly towards her brother-in-law as if she had drifted into a long dream, only her curled lashes still trembling faintly.

Since she was already asleep, there was no need to ask her about opening the window.

If it got cold, it wouldn’t be Jiang Lai who caught the chill anyway.

But Jiang Lai didn’t dare to move a bit.

Her own body blocked her sister-in-law’s view so she couldn’t see that Jiang Lai’s hand was still on Si Yina’s waist.

Although it wasn’t voluntary, her hand was indeed resting there.

Si Yina’s waist was slender and tight, smooth to the touch.

For a moment, Jiang Lai even had the fleeting thought: if you can’t fight it, maybe you should just enjoy it.

But that was just a thought.

With Si Yina in control, her hand could only stay still, nothing more.

Jiang Lai had no wish to develop any inappropriate entanglements with Si Yina, so for the next few hours, her hand behaved itself.

She wanted Si Yina to know that not everyone who touched a beautiful girl would want to take advantage.

Though Si Yina appeared to have her eyes closed, looking as if she was fast asleep, Jiang Lai could feel the force gripping her wrist, clearly aware that Si Yina was only pretending.

Still, as long as she didn’t resist or try to pull her hand away, Si Yina didn’t take things any further.

The two maintained this strange balance all the way to their destination.

Jiang Lai looked out the window at the scenery.

It didn’t look like there was a hotel here at all—instead, it was a pier.

Beside the pier was a spacious area with a circular mark on the ground, resembling a helipad.

This city was the renowned coastal city, famous for its spring-like weather all year round and its stunning sea views.

The environment was among the very best.

Here, all Jiang Lai had to do was look up to see a sky full of intersecting, radiant stars.

Except for when she was a child, it had been ages since Jiang Lai had seen such a bright night sky.

“Did we arrive so quickly?”

Si Yina, who had been pretending to sleep with her eyes shut, kept up her act even when no one was watching and only now feigned waking up.

“In a bit, we still have to take a boat to the island.”

It was a private island.

Aside from the ferries that operated to and from the island, no other boats were allowed to dock.

Even if Si Yina wanted to bring people over, she had to report it in advance.

If a stranger appeared on the island without prior notice, the consequences would be severe.

Even though this was just a New Year’s gathering among a few families with nothing to hide, privacy was extremely important.

When they got out of the car, Si Yina saw Jiang Lai gazing at the sky.

In those deep black eyes seemed to hide unfathomable emotions—no one could really tell what she was thinking.

What attracted Si Yina most about Jiang Lai was those beautiful eyes.

From them, one could read so many different feelings—melancholy, worry.

These eyes, that made it impossible to guess what she was thinking, along with that air of mature sorrow, were what Si Yina found most enchanting.

She didn’t look much older than Si Yina herself, but carried the aura of someone shaped by time.

The sea breeze blowing in from the depths carried a fresh scent of sea salt.

Jiang Lai stood on the coast gazing far into the distance, moonlight casting a gentle glow on her exquisite face—peerlessly elegant, a beauty surpassing the immortals.

Despite her conservative dress—a tight wool sweater wrapped snugly around her, accentuating her graceful curves and long, slender legs—her allure could not be concealed.

Even tightly wrapped, she exuded an overwhelming charm, her graceful figure enough to stir greed in anyone’s heart.

Looking around, Jiang Lai couldn’t see any sign of a hotel by the coast, only growing more curious as she glanced at Si Yina.

But Si Yina turned her gaze instead toward Chi Yingyu, who had come along with Jiang Lai.

“We’re going to split up next. The driver will take you and your luggage to the hotel I’ve prepared for you.

All your expenses here will be reimbursed by me. Have fun and enjoy yourself.”

Si Yina didn’t care much for the woman Jiang Lai brought along.

Although the other was a beauty too, with striking features and a cold allure, she simply wasn’t Si Yina’s type.

That sharp aura was a perfect clash with her own.

Two tigers cannot share one mountain.

Si Yina preferred Jiang Lai—naturally resolute, but with a fundamentally soft heart.

Even when pushed to her limits, she was still timid at her core, like a rabbit throwing a tantrum.

People like that were the most fun; even if Jiang Lai built unbreakable defenses, Si Yina enjoyed breaking them down.

But someone like Chi Yingyu, Si Yina could never like—too dangerous, like a venomous snake ready to deliver a fatal strike at any moment.

From the airport to now, she’d tolerated the other’s presence only because they were about to leave her behind.

After all, Si Yina had only invited Jiang Lai.

Even if Chi Yingyu tried to force her way over, the security personnel on the island would throw her out.

She probably didn’t want such an embarrassing incident either.

That’s why Si Yina wasn’t concerned about how many people Jiang Lai brought—because in the end, only Jiang Lai would be allowed onto the island.

Listening to Si Yina’s plan to abandon her sister-in-law, Jiang Lai realized Si Yina would never be so obedient.

Her silence in the car hadn’t meant she’d changed; she’d simply been scheming all along.

“This isn’t what we agreed to on the phone!”

Jiang Lai’s calm was suddenly gone.

To keep her sister-in-law from overhearing, she hurriedly pulled Si Yina aside.

“You said on the phone it was fine for me to bring someone—what are you doing now?”

“I said you could bring someone, but I never said she’d join us. I knew you’d be nervous and worried coming to this city alone, so I allowed someone to accompany you on the way. But once you’re here, with me by your side, do you still need anyone else?”

She already felt guilty enough about dragging her sister-in-law here—her sister-in-law could’ve been resting at home, but because of her own fears, she’d used that as an excuse to bring her along.

Now, not only could she not enjoy a proper trip, but she was about to abandon her here—Jiang Lai simply couldn’t do it.

Alone in a strange city, she’d feel scared, sad, worried, and even depressed—if she felt that way, how much worse would her sister-in-law feel?

“You think I don’t need anyone else just because you’re here? But to me, she’s incomparable to you—in my eyes, you don’t even rank above a stranger.”

Jiang Lai’s words were blunt.

She had no intention of giving Si Yina any leeway.

As long as the two kept their peace, that was fine.

But if the other started to push her boundaries, Jiang Lai would give no quarter.

“Let alone her—in my eyes, you can’t even compare to a single strand of Yingyu’s hair. If I had to choose between you two, no matter what happened, I would never pick you.”

Jiang Lai’s words were direct and cutting.

Normally, she would never say something so unkind, but Si Yina’s duplicity had truly infuriated her.

This was nothing like what they had discussed over the phone.

“You clearly promised before—you said she could stay by my side.”

Jiang Lai remembered this perfectly; there was no mistake.

“So what if I promised? Now I don’t want her with us. What can you do about it?”

“You really have no sense of integrity.”

Jiang Lai was livid, and yet there was nothing she could demand.

Now that they were here, what could she possibly do?

Thinking it through, she realized there was no need to stay if this person refused to keep her word.

“If you’re not going to honor your word, then I’m leaving right now.”

Jiang Lai didn’t give her the chance to hesitate.

She turned to leave.

Chi Yingyu watched the beauty’s departing figure, not anxious at all, as if everything was within her grasp.

In a voice only the two of them could hear, she slowly spoke the name Xu Ruobing.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

Jiang Lai wasn’t afraid at all now—in fact, she found herself ridiculous for ever believing a scoundrel’s words.

She’d expected Si Yina to honor the promise, but in reality, Si Yina always wielded the promise as a weapon against her.

She kept bringing it up.

But it was just the promise—Jiang Lai kept her word, Si Yina kept her promise.

That was how it should be.

Why, in the end, did it feel like she owed Si Yina something?

“Why should I be afraid? I see through you now. Whether I agree or not, you’ll only ever do things your way.

I thought if you kept your promise, maybe I could go along with you.

But look at what you’re doing now.

You can’t even keep your word on the smallest matters.

I can’t trust you anymore—not even a little.”

Jiang Lai truly found it laughable.

At first, she really intended to honor the promise.

She’d even mentally prepared herself for how much Si Yina could torment her, imagined every scenario, and braced herself.

“Let’s just pretend we never came tonight!”

With that, Jiang Lai grabbed her sister-in-law’s hand, opened the trunk, took their luggage, and left without a backward glance.

All the plans she’d made in her mind never had a chance to happen—they were over before they even began.

Throughout it all, Chi Yingyu said nothing, obediently following Jiang Lai like a good child.

Whatever her brother-in-law did, she would follow quietly.

Now the two of them might end up wandering the streets late at night, but this was a brand new adventure.

Besides, from now on, this was truly their world for two.

Si Yina watched them leave, luggage in tow, her fists clenched tight, teeth biting into her lips so hard she left deep marks, unable to ease a single shred of her anger.

All the pain and gloom of the past few days erupted at once.

Si Yina picked up her phone—since things couldn’t be solved with words, Jiang Lai had better not blame her for being ruthless.