Chi Yingyu watched her brother-in-law’s timid and shrinking demeanor, finding it incredibly amusing. She hadn’t expected to see him so stiff and constrained—this bashful, tongue-tied look was exactly the same as he’d been the night before.
She wanted to savor the sight longer, but checking the flight time, she decided against it. There would be plenty of time for that once they got home.
The sister-in-law’s mood had never been better. Yesterday was the first time her brother-in-law had actively agreed to her intimacy; previously, it had always been at her insistence, sometimes even bordering on a “forced” situation. While “twisted fruit” could still quench one’s thirst, Chi Yingyu hoped for mutual affection. That way, both her brother-in-law and she could be truly happy.
She couldn’t help but reflect on everything she had seen. Even if her brother-in-law still felt a lingering sense of resistance, he would eventually get used to it. After all, things like this were going to happen more and more often.
“Alright, don’t worry about it anymore. Let’s get home!”
Without waiting for a reply, Chi Yingyu grabbed Jiang Lai’s hand and headed toward security.
Looking down at her sister-in-law’s tight grip, Jiang Lai realized she had become accustomed to this level of closeness. Even if her sister-in-law went a bit further in public, she found she no longer minded.
Right now, her only concern was the luggage. Initially, Jiang Lai had a “wicked” thought: she could simply hand the suitcase to her sister-in-law and let her deal with it, allowing herself to escape the social death of the inspection.
But it was just a passing thought. How could she actually do that? If she felt shy and ashamed, then her sister-in-law—carrying a suitcase full of “indecent” items through security—would surely feel the same, wouldn’t she?
Though uncertain, Jiang Lai didn’t want her beloved sister-in-law to endure the confused and judging stares of others. She decided she would bear the burden herself. With the resolve of a martyr, she handed the suitcase full of “scandalous” gear to the security personnel.
When the machines began their scan, Jiang Lai felt like she might die of embarrassment, her face breaking into a cold sweat. However, the security officer simply took a brief look and told her to close it up, without a single lingering glance or hint of suspicion.
Left feeling like a fool for worrying so much, Jiang Lai snapped the suitcase shut.
Seeing her brother-in-law’s adorable reaction, Chi Yingyu couldn’t help but laugh. “It was never something to worry about. Security sees weirder things than you can possibly imagine.”
“I see…”
Realizing her sister-in-law had anticipated this all along, Jiang Lai looked at her gloating expression and, in a fit of pique, shoved the suitcase into her hands and walked ahead, unburdened. She didn’t want to talk to her sister-in-law for a full minute—whatever needed to be said could wait until then.
Watching her brother-in-law stomp ahead like a pouting child, Chi Yingyu felt a sense of relief. How long had it been since he had expressed his emotions so clearly?
His feelings had always been repressed; at home, he never expressed his own desires, acting as if he were a person without wants, as long as she and Leyi were doing well.
But that wasn’t right. Everyone has desires. How could her brother-in-law be any different?
Chi Yingyu didn’t just want him by her side, accepting her love and affection; she wanted him to express his own needs to her. She wanted to satisfy him, to be the one who fulfilled his wishes, and more than anything, she wanted him to be happy.
For Jiang Leyi, this winter break had been special—dreamlike, even. Everything that had happened over the past month was beyond her wildest imagination—confusing, happy, and shocking all at once.
First, her most respected father had turned into a beautiful young woman. Though she was stunning, it took time to adjust. Yet, alongside her father’s transformation, everything that followed brought Leyi happiness.
The three of them were living together again. This break, she had met her favorite idol, Xu Ruobing, and even spent several days alone with her, experiencing things she never thought possible.
What truly surprised Leyi, however, was the day her “father” and aunt returned from their trip. She could clearly sense that the atmosphere between them had shifted drastically.
While her aunt had always paid an excessive amount of attention to her father, there had always been a clear boundary that neither crossed.
But since their return, that boundary seemed to have vanished. More than once, Leyi had walked in on her aunt pinning her father against the wall, her eyes filled with an ambiguity so deep it could drown a person.
Seeing things she used to only imagine in her head actually happening in reality left Leyi a bit lost. She wasn’t sure if she should start calling her aunt “Mom” or stick with “Auntie.”
While Leyi was busy wondering about titles, her friend Shen Ruxue was constantly pestering her for news about her father, sending messages asking if he was back from his “business trip.”
Leyi couldn’t fathom why her best friend was so obsessed with her father. Did she really have… inappropriate thoughts?
If not, why had she been caught sniffing her father’s clothes? Why was she so obsessed with his photos? The whole thing made Leyi’s skin crawl.
Leyi didn’t know what her friend was thinking, but considering the delicate, budding romance between her father and aunt, she wouldn’t let anyone ruin it.
Even though Leyi loved her best friend dearly—ranking her as the most important person outside her family—for the sake of her family’s stability, she felt she had to make Shen Ruxue give up on those unrealistic fantasies.
At this moment, Jiang Leyi was the guardian of the household, protecting the tiny spark that had finally been lit between Jiang Lai and Chi Yingyu.