Chapter 222: On the Verge of Being Exposed

Originally, Xu Ruobing was hiding behind the curtains.

Although she could not see exactly what was happening in the room, she could guess based on the sounds.

She had intended to wait for Chi Yingyu to leave Jiang Lai’s room so she could quietly sneak out.

To her surprise, Chi Yingyu actually spoke her true feelings while in the room.

Listening to those words, Xu Ruobing’s heart was a complex whirlpool of emotions.

As Chi Yingyu poured out her nineteen years of devotion to Jiang Lai, the jealousy in Xu Ruobing’s heart grew like weeds.

Yet, more than that, she felt a sense of bewilderment—just what kind of obsession could make someone hold onto a feeling for more than ten years?

She became even more curious about the past between the two of them.

What kind of relationship could last for such a long time?

However, this curiosity was soon consumed by a surge of anger.

The way Chi Yingyu had just belittled her in her speech made her blood boil.

‘Why did she say my feelings were just for fun? I’m clearly treating Jiang Lai so seriously—more seriously than anyone else. I’ve never wanted to truly walk a path together with someone as much as I do at this moment.’

At the thought of the feelings she had finally managed to reveal being described and belittled like that, Xu Ruobing’s mood soured.

She bit her lower lip hard, her nails digging deep into her palms as she struggled to suppress the impulse to rush out and argue.

Just as her emotions were churning, Chi Yingyu finished her late-night confession and prepared to leave.

At the moment she approached the door, the handle slowly turned.

The sudden turn of the door handle caused the atmosphere in the room to instantly freeze.

Xu Ruobing was fine; after all, she was already hiding.

Chi Yingyu, on the other hand, was like a startled bird, frantically looking around for a place to hide.

When Chi Yingyu saw the closed curtains and remembered that there was a large, empty balcony behind them that could serve as a hiding spot, she dove inside without looking back.

She hadn’t expected to see a familiar figure hiding in the corner the second she stepped inside.

Chi Yingyu whispered in a voice only she could hear, “Xu Ruobing?”

She hadn’t been able to find her anywhere in the house, yet here she was, hiding in her brother-in-law’s room.

‘What on earth is she trying to do by coming here so late?’

Chi Yingyu’s eyes widened as she glared at Xu Ruobing, her gaze filled with anger and accusation.

Not to be outdone, Xu Ruobing glared back, and the air between them seemed ready to ignite.

Chi Yingyu leaned in close to Xu Ruobing.

To avoid making too much noise, she grabbed Xu Ruobing and pulled her as far away from the curtains as possible.

That way, even if they spoke in whispers, they wouldn’t be heard.

Once they reached the corner of the balcony, Chi Yingyu lowered her voice and demanded, “What are you doing here? Sneaking around in the middle of the night… what exactly are you up to?”

Xu Ruobing let out a cold laugh, her voice equally low but dripping with mockery.

“What am I doing? I should be asking you that. Pretending to be asleep to follow me, and then running here to say those sappy words to Jiang Lai… don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?”

“Me, ridiculous?” Chi Yingyu was trembling with rage.

“My feelings for Jiang Lai are sincere! It’s a relationship of nineteen years! Unlike you, who starts things impulsively and ends them whenever you want. Once the novelty wears off, who knows what you’ll do?”

The thing that hurt Xu Ruobing the most was someone questioning her feelings.

If she only wanted to play around, how could things have ever reached this point?

“Don’t you dare talk nonsense!” Xu Ruobing snapped.

Her volume rose slightly before she caught herself and quickly lowered it again.

“My feelings for Jiang Lai are deeper than you could ever imagine.”

Xu Ruobing clenched her fists in anger, her nails digging deep into her palms once more.

“Stop being so self-righteous. I’m the one who can bring Jiang Lai happiness, and I’m the one who will be with her in the future. You’re just a pitiful creature clinging to unrequited love!”

Both Chi Yingyu and Xu Ruobing had lost control of their emotions, and their words were becoming increasingly extreme.

Yet, precisely because they were rivals, they both understood exactly how deep the other’s feelings for Jiang Lai were.

Chi Yingyu knew very well that if Xu Ruobing were only playing around, she wouldn’t have put so much effort into the search when Jiang Lai went missing.

That was why she was so jealous and why her heart ached so much.

She had even put her work aside to rush over during the day.

It was because she had seen everything that she said those things to belittle Xu Ruobing.

Those words were born entirely out of the envy and jealousy in her heart, just like the jealousy she felt toward her sister’s position as the wife.

“You — ”

Chi Yingyu was choked up by those words, her eyes reddening.

Just as she was about to retort, a slight movement came from the room.

The two of them froze instantly, holding their breath for fear of being discovered.

Even so, when their eyes met, the tension between them remained thick.

Shen Ruxue, who had just entered the room, had no idea there was anyone else there.

She walked straight to Jiang Lai’s bedside, her eyes full of tenderness and longing.

She sat down by the bed and gently brushed away the stray hairs from Jiang Lai’s forehead.

Her gaze drifted over her face, as if she wanted to brand the person before her into the depths of her soul.

Her longing for her husband had reached its breaking point.

With only the two of them in the room, Shen Ruxue finally couldn’t help but voice the feelings she had been nursing day and night for all these years.

“Jiang Lai, do you know how much I’ve missed you all these days?”

Shen Ruxue murmured softly, her voice carrying a slight, barely perceptible tremor.

“Every night without you, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.”

She gently grasped Jiang Lai’s hand and pressed it against her cheek, an intoxicated expression appearing on her face.

“You are always so charming. A casual smile from you can make my heart flutter for a long time. Even though the current you is completely different from how you used to be, it only makes me more obsessed.”

Shen Ruxue continued speaking.

Her voice was soft, but it struck the hearts of Xu Ruobing and Chi Yingyu like a heavy hammer.

Xu Ruobing, in particular, widened her eyes, her shock rolling in like wave after wave.

She had never imagined that Shen Ruxue, who was around the same age as Jiang Leyi, would harbor such fiery feelings.

She subconsciously turned to look at Chi Yingyu.

In the dim light, she couldn’t see the other’s expression clearly, but she could feel the intense aura of anxiety radiating from her.

Chi Yingyu was extremely nervous now, even to the point of wanting to make some noise.

She was truly afraid that her sister would reveal the secret she had been hiding under these circumstances.

If her brother-in-law found out the truth, her situation would truly become worse than ever before.