Chapter 54: Do you like my sister?

Lu Weiyu lay on the hospital bed, Lu Weizhu sat on the edge of the bed, and Bai Yun sat on a chair.

The three of them looked at each other in silence, the atmosphere suddenly feeling a little awkward.

Bai Yun didn’t know what to say; she wasn’t sure if Lu Weizhu would tell her about her past.

Lu Weiyu kept staring at Bai Yun, noticing that Bai Yun’s attention was always on her older sister.

As for Lu Weizhu…she didn’t think much about it, only silently planning what to prepare for Lu Weiyu to eat that evening.

Several minutes passed like this.

“Weizhu.”

Bai Yun finally spoke.

“Could you tell me about your past? How long has Wei Yu’s illness been going on?”

Looking at Lu Weizhu’s face, Bai Yun felt a bit nervous.

Her fingers fidgeted on her pants, unsure if her sudden question would annoy her.

“Hm? Wei Yu…her condition was diagnosed about a year ago.”

Lu Weizhu lowered her head.

She didn’t think too much; she answered whatever Bai Yun asked.

Her memories drifted back to the summer more than a year ago.

At that time, Lu Weiyu had just started her summer break and fainted from heatstroke while working a summer job, and was sent to the hospital.

Since they were already at the hospital, Lu Weizhu decided to have a full checkup done on her, which was when the abnormalities were discovered.

“When I found out she had this illness, my vision went dark, and it felt like all my strength was drained. I nearly collapsed, but thankfully someone caught me in time, or else I would have fallen embarrassingly. When I came back to my senses, I realized my tears had already stopped without me noticing.”

Recalling the pitch-black, bottomless despair of learning her beloved younger sister had a terminal illness, Lu Weizhu gave a bitter smile.

After that, she went through a period of working three jobs alone — from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Washer Factory, then washing dishes at a restaurant until 11 p.m., and taking outsourced work from various Handicraft Factories at home for several hours before finally sleeping.

When the factories had no work, she would find temporary jobs like handing out flyers.

Day after day, the cycle repeated, leaving her exhausted and never fully rested, as if she could collapse at any moment.

Whether lucky or unlucky, this life didn’t last long; she soon met Bai Lu.

She no longer needed to be that exhausted, but instead was constantly tormented by her pride and morality.

When did she become so insecure?

Probably after spending time with Bai Lu.

“That period, working three jobs every day, constantly busy, never daring to stop even for a moment. Hah…”

Lu Weizhu exhaled deeply.

Recalling that brief, suffocating life still gave her chills.

Being used as a toy by Bai Lu and Ning Wan — though without dignity, subjected to insults, and often hurt — was, compared to that endless grind, undoubtedly more comfortable.

So, although Lu Weizhu hated feeling inferior and despised Bai Lu and Ning Wan, she didn’t hate them.

Well… after all, she hadn’t gotten nothing in return, right?

“…”

Her thoughts jumbled, Lu Weizhu rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming on.

“Weizhu…you’ve worked so hard.”

Seeing Lu Weizhu’s thin figure, Bai Yun admired her but also felt a bit sorry for her.

She stood up, squatted in front of Lu Weizhu, and held her hands.

Without saying a word, Lu Weizhu just looked blankly at Bai Yun, feeling the warmth of her hands.

Was this another time holding hands?

The gentle voice of Bai Yun’s concern echoed in her ears, easing her mood slightly.

Lu Weizhu pulled her hands back, feeling a bit embarrassed, rubbing the tip of her nose and turning her head away, her ears flushed red.

“…”

After coughing twice, Bai Yun watched the girl’s shy appearance and suddenly felt her heart flutter.

So cute…really cute…

She took a moment to collect herself.

“So then, Weizhu, did you keep working those three jobs until recently?”

Bai Yun continued asking.

She wanted to know more, to see through the person in front of her completely, to understand everything about her.

Her gaze on Lu Weizhu was somewhat intense.

“…De…”

For Lu Weizhu, Bai Yun’s new question was hard to answer.

Being supported by Bai Lu did make her life easier, but that was a secret she could never tell outside.

“After that, a kind person sponsored me, and I found a higher-paying, relatively easier job, so I wasn’t working so hard anymore. Well, I was pretty lucky. But not long ago, I got fired, and that’s when I met you, Yun-jie.”

Lu Weizhu made up a lie.

She felt guilty.

Deceiving someone who cared for her, Lu Weizhu lowered her head.

Am I really that despicable?

Is this so-called sense of morality just self-deception?

Maybe I don’t have any morality at all?

Her thoughts became agitated.

She stood up.

“Well, Yun-jie, I’ll go back to the Apartment for Rent first. I still have to cook for Wei Yu. You two can chat.”

Lu Weizhu escaped.

“Wait…Weizhu…forget it…………”

Bai Yun stood up, wanting to hold her back, reaching out her arm, her fingertips brushing the girl’s hair but never holding on.

She sat back down in the chair, making eye contact with Lu Weiyu.

With only the two of them left, the atmosphere grew even more awkward.

“Yun-jie~”

Finally, Lu Weiyu broke the silence.

She called sweetly, but her eyes were a little dark.

Having witnessed the entire conversation between Bai Yun and Lu Weizhu, she caught every expression Bai Yun made.

Whether it was the anxious wait for Lu Weizhu’s answer or the dazed look when seeing Lu Weizhu turn her head shyly — she saw it all clearly.

Unlike Lu Weizhu, who was clueless about feelings, Lu Weiyu had seen too many couples at school and understood what liking someone looked like.

Racing heartbeat, unconscious nervousness, and occasional daydreaming — it all fit perfectly.

“What’s wrong? Sister’s here.”

The girl’s overly sweet voice made Bai Yun a little uncomfortable. It felt somewhat forced.

Looking at the girl lying on the hospital bed, Bai Yun calmed down after Lu Weizhu left, her tone very steady.

Glancing at the girl before her, Bai Yun compared the two sisters in her mind.

Lu Weiyu looked like Lu Weizhu in appearance, but their hair color and eye color were completely different. Bai Yun couldn’t figure out why.

She opened a box of milk, inserted a straw, and handed it to Lu Weiyu.

“Do you like my sister?”

Tilting her head, Lu Weiyu smiled as she accepted the milk.

Why the person before her ran away from her sister’s home last night suddenly made sense — most likely because she was shy.

Bai Yun’s expression after Lu Weizhu left made Lu Weiyu more certain that the woman before her had indeed fallen for her sister.

“Uh? Ah? cough cough…cough cough…”

Hands trembling uncontrollably, Bai Yun stood up, choking on her saliva and coughing violently.

Like?

Ah, liking?

Really liking?

Why?

They’ve only known each other for such a short time, how could it be liking?

Bai Yun tried to deny the obvious answer deep inside.

“Haha…Little Wei Yu, no way. We’re just friends.”

She forced out a few stiff laughs and then left with Lu Weizhu.

In the ward, Lu Weiyu’s gaze grew even deeper.