“I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that on the phone…”
Chi Yingyu watched obediently as her brother-in-law curled up in her arms.
The eyes that once seemed indifferent now shimmered like a lake sparkling under the sun, with turbulent undercurrents brewing beneath—like a storm ready to break at any moment.
“You didn’t reply all day because you weren’t feeling well, right?”
Jiang Lai noticed the tear lingering at the corner of her eye, about to fall.
He reached out instinctively to wipe it away, but his hands were trapped in the embrace of his little sister-in-law.
After a moment’s thought, he gently nudged his nose against Chi Yingyu’s cheek in a tender gesture.
Since his little sister-in-law was already showing concern, Jiang Lai no longer tried to hide anything and cautiously recounted everything that had happened during the day…
“I didn’t expect the period to be that painful. So that’s what you and Leyi have to endure every month…”
Jiang Lai had just managed to wipe away the tears at Chi Yingyu’s eyes, but now her eyes were moist again.
After transforming into a woman, Jiang Lai’s personality had softened considerably, becoming more sensitive and easily moved by small things.
Thinking to himself how he had never taken this seriously before, only understanding fully after experiencing it firsthand, Jiang Lai felt that he had been utterly careless in the past.
Now, he felt unworthy of being depended upon by his little sister-in-law and daughter.
“I’m sorry~ I used to ignore all of this.”
Jiang Lai had intended to comfort his little sister-in-law, but the situation had reversed—his own emotions began to break down first.
He pressed his lips together, his eyes glistening with tears.
Chi Yingyu hugged her brother-in-law tighter, watching the pitiful figure curled in her arms.
Jiang Lai’s tall frame, soft and supple in her embrace, the smooth and firm skin on his hands—touching him was irresistibly comforting.
Seeing the tear at the corner of his eye, Chi Yingyu felt like a thirsty traveler crossing a desert, yearning desperately for that tear to fall like rain, landing on her lips, soaking into her skin, and quenching her parched heart.
Jiang Lai was stunningly beautiful now, more delicate and alluring than any woman.
Even before he became a woman, he had never been overbearing—always considerate and doing his best to fulfill his duties.
But now, standing before her, that feeling had intensified.
His gentleness, his thoughtfulness, and the vulnerable impression he gave—that he could be held and controlled with just one hand—all perfectly captivated Chi Yingyu.
“It’s okay. Not understanding these things is normal. Brother-in-law, don’t overthink it. Rather than get lost in your thoughts, why don’t you look at me instead? Just like you said, let everything from the past stay in the past…”
Chi Yingyu’s voice softened, and she slowly leaned closer, their faces drawing intimate until it seemed they would merge into one at any moment.
If it were just the two of them in the room, Jiang Lai would have indulged in the closeness, holding her little sister-in-law tightly without hesitation.
But in this small apartment, it wasn’t only the two of them—Jiang Leyi was here as well.
Holding a thick blanket, Jiang Leyi thought to wrap her father warmly as she stepped out of the bedroom.
But she tilted her head and saw the two beauties tightly embracing.
“Dad… what are you two doing?”
Her voice was like a pebble dropped on a calm lake, instantly rippling through the crystal-clear surface.
Jiang Lai broke free from his little sister-in-law’s embrace as if escaping for his life.
Chi Yingyu nearly forgot that her niece was in the room and hurriedly buttoned up the clothes she had just undone.
Jiang Leyi stared at the two people who looked as startled as hunted birds.
Though she hadn’t seen much—just her father and little aunt holding each other tightly—when she tried to turn her gaze to see more, to figure out what they were doing on the sofa, everything abruptly stopped.
But the sudden halt only sparked countless imaginations in Jiang Leyi’s mind.
Blushing deeply and embarrassed, Jiang Lai never once met his daughter’s eyes, speaking only softly from the corner of the sofa, as if she no longer existed in this world.
“Leyi, bring over the blanket. I’ll cover your dad.”
Jiang Leyi hesitated but handed over the thick, fluffy blanket her little aunt reached out for.
Today, this little aunt seemed completely different from the one she knew.
Her long eyelashes trembled, lips tinged with a rosy flush.
Her normally cold and aloof features were now laced with a seductive glow, overwhelmingly enchanting—an image completely unlike the aunt she had always known.
Thinking about how her little aunt and father had just held each other, Jiang Leyi studied them carefully.
This situation resembled what she had imagined before, but she was very clear that her little aunt and father would never have that kind of relationship.
If such feelings existed between them, they wouldn’t have passed over a decade in peace.
And this wasn’t just about the two of them—Jiang Leyi knew very well that her father was far more traditional than she imagined, and in her heart, she absolutely could not accept this forbidden kind of love.
More importantly… if this tangled, forbidden relationship existed, her father wouldn’t even have the face to visit her mother’s Grave.
Because her little aunt was her mother’s own sister.
Others might become her stepmother, but her little aunt could never be allowed that…
Dinner that night, or rather, the meal that had been prepared since noon, was made together by Chi Yingyu and Jiang Leyi.
Tracing back the last time the two had cooked together, it was before Chi Yingyu had moved out.
Jiang Lai ate the reheated dishes on the table.
The familiar flavors exploded on her palate—some parts were delicious, while others were a bit too salty.
It felt like her daughter hadn’t quite followed her little sister-in-law’s instructions obediently, but this flawed, imperfect feeling was truly nostalgic.
Yet this was the kind of indulgence only family gave—no matter who made the dish, whether it was herself or the little sister-in-law, everyone would praise it as delicious.
But her daughter didn’t have the habit of tasting the food during cooking, so any dish that passed through her hands tended to become a little heavier on the seasoning.
Jiang Lai looked at the three people eating together at the table.
When had the three of them last sat so neatly together like this?
She deeply missed those days and the time they had all lived together.