“What does that mean?”
“It means… Dad, what’s the most revealing outfit you’d be willing to wear in front of Aunt?”
Jiang Lai really didn’t understand why her daughter was asking about the limits of her willingness to show skin. Even if she was fine with showing her shoulders or back, in this winter weather, she had to bundle up no matter what.
Otherwise, she’d catch cold and suffer later. Even though Jiang Lai didn’t know her own boundaries in terms of how much she was comfortable exposing, as long as it was her daughter asking, she’d answer earnestly.
Jiang Lai considered it in her heart, and when she really thought it through, she realized that her level of tolerance might be a bit high.
Her sense of shame was not the same as most girls. “As long as it isn’t anything indecent and overly revealing, I can accept it.”
Even then, she was being conservative. If it was in front of a woman, someone who had the same things as her, Jiang Lai felt she barely needed to be on guard.
“Then, Dad, if you’re okay with it, please hear me out.”
Even though it was just the two of them in the bedroom, Jiang Leyi lowered her voice as if afraid someone might overhear her next plan, making Jiang Lai have to listen carefully to catch her daughter’s words.
The plan was simple, all summed up in three words: Beauty Trap.
She wanted Jiang Lai to wear a sexy, alluring outfit and use her absolute charm to seduce her sister-in-law—so that Chi Yingyu would fall for her without even realizing.
As for her daughter, Jiang Lai’s impression had always stayed in those middle and elementary school years. Even though her daughter was already in college, in Jiang Lai’s mind, she hadn’t changed at all.
But her daughter’s recent words brought a shock that Jiang Lai found hard to digest. Her daughter seemed much more mature than she’d thought.
Ait…….
Even though Jiang Lai didn’t know why her daughter would come up with such a plan, she didn’t object, but listened carefully to all her daughter’s opinions.
Even if she didn’t intend to carry out the plan, the opportunity to get closer to her daughter was right in front of her. Whether it was useful or not, Jiang Lai would choose to listen to everything her daughter wanted to say.
Ever since she’d returned home, Jiang Lai could feel that her relationship with her daughter was getting visibly closer, no longer just a few perfunctory greetings each day. That cold relationship made her realize she barely knew her daughter at all.
Back then, Jiang Lai and her daughter had so little communication that even strangers might chat more with her daughter than she did.
Jiang Lai didn’t like having any barriers with her daughter. She hoped for a father-daughter relationship where she could be her daughter’s confidant, at least someone her daughter could rely on when she needed help.
Now, Jiang Lai thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of getting closer with her daughter. She could feel their bond deepening, and the fondness in her heart meant that, even faced with some of her daughter’s unreliable plans, she was willing to comply.
Chi Yingyu’s work had not been as busy lately, but she was coming home even later than before, because she no longer knew how to face her brother-in-law.
Chi Yingyu had thought that once the two of them sat down together again, she’d be able to handle what was on her mind, but now that the time had come, she couldn’t muster up the courage.
She no longer had even a shred of advantage. Chi Yingyu had always believed she was the most suitable person for her brother-in-law—even compared to her sister. Even after knowing her sister was alive, she’d never felt as timid or helpless as she did now.
When she found out her sister had come back to life, Chi Yingyu’s heart was filled with joy that her sister was alive—but the rest was her own selfish feelings.
So what if her sister was her brother-in-law’s late wife?
Her sister had been gone for over a decade; everything was different now. Even if her brother-in-law knew the truth, so what? Chi Yingyu didn’t believe she’d have no chance against her sister.
If her sister could, why couldn’t she?
But the appearance of Xu Ruobing had shattered all the pride in her heart. Faced with Xu Ruobing, Chi Yingyu couldn’t even think of one area in which she was better; she could even imagine that if her brother-in-law had to choose between her and Xu Ruobing, he would never pick her.
Ten-plus years of following the two of them, building up that deep relationship, had now become chains binding Chi Yingyu.
At ten o’clock at night, Chi Yingyu had parked in the underground garage but didn’t get out immediately. She sat quietly in her car, head bowed, with her long hair falling to one side, half-shadowing her face from the dim garage lights.
She remained like that for a long, long time until someone gently tapped on the driver’s side window.
“Why are you taking so long to come up?”
Chi Yingyu looked at her brother-in-law standing beside the window. She was about to lower the window, but saw Jiang Lai walk around the car’s front, heading straight for the passenger seat.
“Not coming up? Are you tired and want to rest in the car for a while?”
Jiang Lai sat in the passenger seat, looking tenderly at her exhausted sister-in-law. She reached out to gently smooth the hair beside her ear—a habitual gesture—revealing Chi Yingyu’s delicate, jewel-like earlobe.
Chi Yingyu looked at her brother-in-law, reached out, and gently grasped Jiang Lai’s wrist. All the tangled emotions in her heart spilled out and were soothed; with a slight tug, she pulled her most beloved brother-in-law into her arms.
“I really do want to rest for a bit. Can I hold you for a while?”
“Why not? You can hold me as long as you want.”
Jiang Lai could sense her sister-in-law’s fatigue lately. Clearly, she’d encountered something unsolvable, leaving her so troubled and distressed.
“Did something happen recently? If you don’t mind, you can tell me about it.”
“With brother-in-law… you mean?”
How could she tell her brother-in-law about these things—that she hadn’t given up her fantasies about him, or those deep, hidden, dirty desires she held in her heart?
As Chi Yingyu considered what to say, she slowly let go of her brother-in-law, but her gaze never left Jiang Lai.
Right now, her brother-in-law was bundled up tightly, dressed exactly as she was when going out, not even willing to show a bit of wrist or calf—a picture of dignity and untouchability.
But even so, Chi Yingyu didn’t know how many times she’d fantasized about this gentle face, how many shameless, wild dreams she’d conjured in her mind.
Yet this was all she dared hope for now—nothing more. Her brother-in-law already had someone better.
Sooner or later, Jiang Lai would belong to someone else.
The loneliness on Chi Yingyu’s face was heart-wrenching, a solitude so profound it made one ache.
“Yingyu… now, lift your head and look at me.”
Jiang Lai’s voice was no longer gentle like water, but like that of a proud queen—filled with an irresistible power.
Jiang Lai didn’t know if her daughter’s slightly outrageous plan would work, but upon seeing her sister-in-law’s forlorn, lonely expression, her heart shattered.
Chi Yingyu’s mood was so low that Jiang Lai just wanted to help her.
According to her daughter, there was no need to overthink it or do anything special. Before leaving, her daughter had only reminded her of one thing: If she saw Chi Yingyu in a low mood, just show her the outfit underneath.
But was it really that easy?
Jiang Lai had her doubts. She regained her composure and began to slowly unzip her down jacket.
She had to admit, her daughter’s sense of style was something she could never match. A vibrant red off-shoulder dress perfectly highlighted Jiang Lai’s exquisite collarbones and neckline, and the curve at her waist was shown off flawlessly.
At first, Chi Yingyu was puzzled seeing her brother-in-law reach for her zipper. But when she saw that flash of red beneath the black down coat, she was transfixed.
That alluring, soft figure made Chi Yingyu want nothing more than to strip her brother-in-law’s clothes off and pull her into her arms again.
Jiang Lai saw her dazed sister-in-law and felt something wasn’t right. She wasn’t thrilled or overjoyed as her daughter had predicted—instead, her gaze was blank.
Jiang Lai had asked her daughter at home, “What if it doesn’t work after taking off my coat?”
But in Jiang Leyi’s mind, failure was impossible—the only risk was being too successful, so successful that her aunt would be utterly captivated.
But discussing that with Dad would be too much trouble, so Jiang Leyi gave a backup plan: if it didn’t work at first, just ask for a big hug.
And Leyi had been very specific—it couldn’t be a hug she initiated; it had to be her aunt hugging her. The difference was clear.
“Yingyu, come and hold me…”
Those words were like opening a floodgate; all of Chi Yingyu’s pent-up feelings surged out in an unstoppable torrent, finding their release.
Without her brother-in-law’s permission, Chi Yingyu never dared to let her feelings out—she didn’t even dare hold her tightly for fear of being found out or disliked.
Her former recklessness was always based on the belief that her brother-in-law couldn’t live without her.
The beloved always acts without fear. In the beginning, Chi Yingyu embodied that, but over time, she realized she wasn’t the only one her brother-in-law cared for—she, too, could be gradually distanced.
Just like when her brother-in-law had asked her to move out alone before. After understanding this, Chi Yingyu no longer dared to act wantonly. She knew that if she squandered all the feelings and attachment built up over more than a decade, she’d have no advantage left in front of anyone.
Still.
But all that restraint vanished as soon as Jiang Lai allowed it.
From now on, unless her brother-in-law asked her to be gentle, she’d only hug tighter, as if she wanted to merge her brother-in-law into herself.
“Let’s just hold each other for a bit, then go up, okay? If we wait any longer, dinner will be cold.”
Jiang Lai wasn’t startled by her sister-in-law’s tight embrace; instead, she gently stroked her back with tenderness.
The saying goes, “The child who cries gets the candy,” and Jiang Lai was the perfect example. As long as her sister-in-law showed even a little grievance or pain, all the defenses she’d set up would crumble. Now, she simply let herself be held tightly.
“Brother-in-law, hello…” Chi Yingyu buried her face in Jiang Lai’s embrace, nuzzling to savor her softness, warmth, and scent.
Jiang Lai gazed fondly at the little black head in her arms, slowly straightening Chi Yingyu’s hair, which had gotten messy from nuzzling.
It felt just like the old days—holding her sister-in-law in her arms, as if back to their first meeting, that lively, mischievous girl who would even act cute to get her way. How nostalgic.
Jiang Lai shed all her defenses and took off her down jacket, placing it on the back seat, and in that moment, she held Chi Yingyu tightly, offering all her warmth.
But she overlooked one thing: Chi Yingyu was no longer that little girl from ten years ago who only knew how to run into her sister’s arms and act spoiled.
Back then, if Chi Yingyu had done something wrong, she’d stand by Jiang Lai and act pitiful. That way, she’d have her brother-in-law backing her up and could mess around with her own sister.
But Chi Yingyu had grown up—a grown woman with a predatory aura. The longer their embrace lasted, the less innocent it became. Chi Yingyu’s beautiful eyes glistened, and every gesture grew more aggressive.