As a transmigrator who had lived two lives, Jiang Cheng naturally didn’t believe in any so-called ‘jinx.’
If someone was truly at fault, it could only be that driver who couldn’t stop the car.
But the original Jiang Cheng hadn’t thought so.
After all, the parents who had raised her for over ten years, who were closer to her than her birth parents, had died right before her eyes.
How could she possibly stay calm?
She had thought about beating Jiang Xiaotang severely.
But when she actually had the girl pinned down, looking at Xiaotang’s face that seemed to say ‘Sister can do anything she wants to me,’ she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
After all, this was also the little sister she had loved for many years.
So, what was she supposed to do?
That Jiang Cheng chose to forget.
She forgot she had a sister.
They still lived under the same roof, still within arm’s reach. But Jiang Cheng would no longer speak a single word to Jiang Xiaotang. No matter how much Xiaotang longed for interaction.
Perhaps in Jiang Cheng’s eyes, neglect was just a form of distance, somewhere between affection and dislike.
But in Xiaotang’s eyes, it was a torture more eternal than death.
She locked herself in her room, just because Jiang Cheng said she didn’t want to see her. Only when she was dizzy with hunger, her mind foggy, would she sneak out to secretly boil a packet of instant noodles.
If she occasionally bumped into Jiang Cheng, she would panic, put down the noodles, and shrink into a corner of the living room.
She didn’t dare to dirty her sister’s eyes, didn’t want her sister to hate her even more.
Yet, she still desperately hoped her sister would look at her. Even a curse, a slap would be fine—at least it would let her know her sister still remembered her.
But Jiang Cheng didn’t. She seemed to have genuinely forgotten there was a sister at home. Even when passing by, she wouldn’t pause for a moment.
It’s just—
It’s just that Jiang Cheng would always buy many different flavors of instant noodles, even though she never ate them herself.
…This is just too awkward.
Jiang Cheng sighed.
As an outsider possessing her sister’s memories, she saw things clearly. Her sister obviously cared about this little sister, obviously wanted to forgive her. And the little sister had always been longing for a single glance from her sister, willing to accept any punishment.
Why couldn’t they just let go of their grudges and give each other a hug?
Perhaps being alive is just inherently awkward.
“Xiaotang.”
She crouched down, meeting the girl’s eyes. “Your sister still remembers you.”
“You are my sister, my most beloved family, aren’t you?”
Jiang Xiaotang’s body suddenly stiffened, like a statue, remaining rigid for a long time.
At the same time, Jiang Cheng felt something stir deep within her heart.
—Perhaps it was the lingering obsession of the original host.
I will take good care of your sister. I will treat her as my family.
She silently recited this in her heart.
Whether it was an illusion or not, she seemed to hear a faint “Thank you.” It came from the depths of her soul, but when she tried to grasp it, it was already gone.
Jiang Cheng stood up, took the girl’s hand, and walked straight towards the bathroom.
Jiang Xiaotang didn’t know where her sister was taking her, nor what her sister intended to do.
She just lowered her head, said nothing, and offered no resistance.
She was already used to this kind of life.
Entering the bathroom, Jiang Cheng turned around and looked at Jiang Xiaotang.
The girl also looked up, gazing at her sister.
The two stared at each other, wide-eyed, momentarily frozen in place.
“Um… Xiaotang, you should take a bath first…”
It was Jiang Cheng who couldn’t bear it, breaking the strange silence first.
Jiang Xiaotang nodded and began to take off her clothes.
“Wait!”
Jiang Cheng hurriedly stopped her.
The girl tilted her head in confusion, quietly watching her sister.
“No,” Jiang Cheng rubbed her temples, “I mean, you take a bath. I’ll leave.”
“…Oh.”
Xiaotang’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s.
Jiang Cheng turned to leave but stopped again.
“Can you wash yourself?”
Xiaotang hesitated for a moment before nodding.
For some reason, Jiang Cheng read a trace of reluctance in her eyes.
She must have relied on her sister too much in the past.
Jiang Cheng thought.
“I’ve already adjusted the water temperature for you. Just turn on the faucet. As for clothes and a towel, I’ll go get them for you now. You just wash here…”
“…Mm.”
After taking two steps, Jiang Cheng paused again.
“Remember not to adjust the water temperature, or it’ll get very hot.”
The girl simply nodded again.
Leaving the bathroom, Jiang Cheng closed the door behind her. It was quiet inside for a moment, then the sound of running water came through.
She went to Jiang Xiaotang’s bedroom, fetched a change of clothes, and placed them outside the bathroom door. Then she went to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinet for two packets of instant noodles.
Checking the expiration date, they had a few days left.
That’s fine. They’re barely edible.
She boiled water, cooked the noodles, and cracked two eggs into the pot.
While waiting for the noodles to cook, the bathroom door opened. Xiaotang walked out in clean clothes, her hair still wet, droplets of water trickling down the ends.
Jiang Cheng glanced at her.
Although she still seemed timid and restrained, her spirit did look much better.
“Come eat.”
Xiaotang walked over and sat down at the coffee table, picking up the bowl and taking small, slow bites. She ate very slowly, as if afraid it would be gone too quickly if she ate fast.
Jiang Cheng sat beside her, resting her chin on her hand, watching her.
Halfway through eating, Xiaotang stopped and stared at the egg in her bowl for a long time.
“Sister…”
“Hmm?”
“This egg…” she said softly, “Sister isn’t eating?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Xiaotang was silent for a while.
“Sister is lying.”
Jiang Cheng was taken aback.
Xiaotang lowered her head, her voice even smaller.
“Sister got up this morning and hasn’t eaten breakfast… Sister last night too, ate dinner very, very early, and didn’t eat much either…”
Jiang Cheng opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.
I didn’t expect to end up being taken care of by a middle school sister.
She thought to herself.
As for how Jiang Xiaotang knew what the original host ate last night, Jiang Cheng didn’t dwell on it.
She probably saw it by chance.
Xiaotang pushed the bowl over a little, used her chopsticks to split the egg in half, put one half back in her own bowl, and left the other half where it was.
“Sister eats half,” she said.
Jiang Cheng looked at the half egg, silent for a moment.
Then she reached out, picked up her chopsticks, picked it up, and ate it.
“…Is it good?”
Xiaotang cautiously watched her expression.
“It’s alright.”
Xiaotang lowered her head and continued eating her noodles.
In the kitchen, the faucet was dripping.
Outside the window, sunlight was gradually filtering in.
Jiang Cheng leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.
Eight million in debt, and I have to raise a little girl who can barely take care of herself.
“…You left quite happily, leaving this mess for me…”
She muttered quietly.
Xiaotang looked up and glanced at her sister.
“Not your business. Eat your food.”
Xiaotang obediently lowered her head.
After a while, she looked up again. “Sister.”
“What now?”
“That…”
Xiaotang hesitated, “That bad woman earlier said Sister has to pay back five hundred thousand…”
Jiang Cheng’s chopsticks paused.
“That… I…”
Xiaotang’s voice grew softer and softer, “I can help too…”
“What kind of help can you offer?”
Xiaotang opened her mouth but couldn’t say anything. She lowered her head, her face almost buried in the bowl.
Looking at her like that, Jiang Cheng suddenly found it a bit funny.
“Alright,” she reached out and ruffled Xiaotang’s damp hair, “Xiaotang just needs to be happy. The rest… leave it to your sister.”
Xiaotang was stunned for a second, then nodded vigorously.
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