The Fake and Real Heiresses Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 4

Who was that?

Cheng Xuan blinked twice rapidly, her mind momentarily unable to process the situation. She felt her face suddenly turn hot and a thin layer of sweat break out on the back of her neck.

Various emotions churned inside her. It wasn’t until a moment later that she realized the girl in front of her was the distinguished tenant who had rented the entire second floor. By then, her hand had instinctively pressed down on the hat brim, shielding most of her face.

“My little flower.”

A buzzing sound filled her ears, and then this unexpected sentence cut through.

Cheng Xuan was startled. She looked down and saw a goose-yellow flower lying pitifully on the ground, its petals smudged with dust.

“Ah…”

Cheng Xuan released the hat brim, about to pick up the flower.

A hand stopped her: “Don’t bother, if it fell, let it be.”

The girl tilted her head and smiled at her: “The hat’s yours now, anyway.”

Cheng Xuan’s face was burning. She quickly tried to push the hat back: “I don’t want it.”

“Keep it. Be careful of the sun.”

The girl was unconcerned. She saw the blueprints and parts scattered beside Cheng Xuan and her amber pupils brightened, as if she had discovered a new amusement: “Are you a summer worker too? Is assembling this difficult?”

Cheng Xuan held the scorching straw hat, her mind foggy. Of the two questions the other girl asked, she only registered the last one.

“It’s not difficult,” she said in a very low voice.

“Oh, good then.” Yao Yanyan smiled, resting her chin on her bent arm. This trip was essentially an elopement, so aside from Uncle Zheng, she hadn’t brought any of the Yao family’s servants. Here, she didn’t even have anyone to run errands, forcing her to hire temporary day workers through Uncle Zheng.

Yesterday, kids about the same age as the girl in front of her came over to move boxes. Yao Yanyan hadn’t thought much of it and even asked, “What do you want for dinner? We provide meals.”

The girl in front of her only quietly replied after a long pause: “…I won’t eat.”

“Why?” Yao Yanyan slightly frowned, lifting her chin from her arm.

How can a day worker refuse a meal?

Just as she was puzzling over it, Uncle Zheng jogged over from the back, carrying a bag of popsicles: “Miss, I’m here.”

“Oh.” Yao Yanyan stood up and stepped aside. She said to the girl squatting on the ground, “I had someone buy some popsicles for you guys. You pick first.”

Uncle Zheng stepped forward and placed the plastic bag in front of Cheng Xuan. He glanced down and suddenly froze.

Uncle Zheng squinted: “Have I seen you before?”

Cheng Xuan looked up. Uncle Zheng recognized her almost instantly, looking surprised and pleased: “It’s you!”

“Who?” Yao Yanyan asked. “A relative of yours?”

“Replying to Miss, no.” Uncle Zheng’s dual personality was uncanny. “This is the girl who gave us directions the other night when I wasn’t sure of the route.”

“Oh…” Yao Yanyan recalled that night on the way to Fengkang Town. It seemed someone had indeed pointed the way for them.

The voice was the same—muffled and slightly deeper than a typical female voice.

“Are you the daughter of this house?” Uncle Zheng asked.

Yao Yanyan: ?

Yao Yanyan’s eyes widened in horror as she watched the girl in front of her nod.

Yao Yanyan couldn’t be blamed for not recognizing her.

The Cheng Xuan in front of her differed too greatly from the one described in the book.

The novel skimmed over Cheng Xuan’s life before the wealthy family found her, so no one knew she would look like this in the present.

She was thin; her exposed wrists looked like they could break with a snap. Her hair was cut to her jaw, and she always tended to hang her head, making one feel depressed just looking at her.

However, if you met her eyes, you’d see they were alive, as if all her strength was concentrated in that gaze, burning with an unyielding determination.

Yao Yanyan stood in place to compose herself, then looked up at her again.

Cheng Xuan’s gaze was directed straight back at her.

Yao Yanyan felt inexplicably uneasy. She snatched the plastic bag from Uncle Zheng’s hand, her tone carrying a hint of embarrassment and pride: “Go on, pick one. I’m treating you to a popsicle.”

Cheng Xuan habitually pressed her lips together: “No…”

“Here.”

A bag of popsicles was thrust toward her. Cheng Xuan took it instinctively, feeling the coolness on her fingertips.

She looked down; it was milk-flavored.

Chen Huishu inside heard the sound of the plastic bag and, curious, came out while calling: “Cheng Xuan? What are you doing?”

Cheng Xuan turned around, revealing the popsicle in her hand.

Chen Huishu immediately grew displeased: “Didn’t I tell you to work?”

“Why don’t you ever think about your little brother and sister? A big sister shouldn’t eat alone…”

Chen Huishu was still rambling as she approached and finally noticed the extremely beautiful girl standing in front of Cheng Xuan.

The girl radiated wealth, and she was examining Chen Huishu with an expression that was halfway between smiling and not, making Chen Huishu feel irritated. Judging by the girl’s clothes and style, she didn’t look like someone from their village, so Chen Huishu didn’t dare to make a scene. She pulled Cheng Xuan over and asked, “Who is this girl? Do you know her?”

Chen Huishu didn’t recognize Yao Yanyan, but Yao Yanyan recognized her.

Seeing Chen Huishu’s behavior, Yao Yanyan secretly laughed and introduced herself directly: “I’m the tenant who rented your second floor.”

“I was bored today, so I came over to have a look.”

After speaking, she ignored the suddenly changed expression on Chen Huishu’s face. She turned her head and waved at Uncle Zheng, who had just finished distributing the rest of the popsicles nearby.

The tall, intimidating man jogged over: “Miss.”

“There are still this many popsicles left,” Yao Yanyan said expressionlessly, looking at the bag, which was still more than half full. “Give all these to this elderly auntie.”

She turned back to Chen Huishu, her voice sweet and soft: “Otherwise, the eldest child in this family won’t dare to eat, having to defer to her younger brother and sister. Hearing that makes me feel truly pitiful.”

She got a whole bag of popsicles, each of which usually cost four or five yuan, but Chen Huishu didn’t feel particularly happy about it.

It wasn’t until Yao Yanyan and the big guy left that Chen Huishu clutched the large bag of popsicles and went back inside, muttering with a lack of spirit: “Look at the way she carries herself…”

Cheng Xuan held her milk-flavored popsicle, said nothing, and stood in place for a long time before tearing open the wrapper.

A sweet taste filled her mouth. The popsicle had melted slightly. Cheng Xuan unskillfully used her hand to catch the drips and finished the entire one.

In the evening, Cheng Shibao returned home.

The house immediately became lively when he came back. Chen Huishu helped him take off his backpack: “You’re finally back, Mommy’s precious boy.”

Cheng Shibao dodged Chen Huishu’s kiss and excitedly stared upstairs: “Mommy! Did the city people move in yet?”

He had heard his classmates talk about Jing City today—it was a big city, and anyone with relatives working there felt very proud.

Not to mention that someone from Jing City was now living in their house!

Cheng Shibao had been showing off all day and couldn’t wait to see what the city person looked like when he got home.

“Not yet,” Chen Huishu said, immediately dampening his enthusiasm.

“Huh? Why haven’t they moved in yet!” Cheng Shibao drawled disappointedly.

“But the furniture was moved up. Oh, right, Bao’er, Mommy will get you a popsicle…” Chen Huishu said, moving toward the house.

Cheng Shibao exclaimed, grabbing Chen Huishu’s arm, “Mommy! I want to go upstairs and see the furniture!”

“That won’t do. Be good, Bao’er.”

Cheng Shibao whined and pleaded: “I just want to see! Just want to see! Just one look! Mommy! I won’t touch anything upstairs! I’ll just look!”

Chen Huishu couldn’t resist his pleas and said awkwardly: “Alright, then go up and look…”

“No!” Cheng Xuan pushed open the door, raising her voice loudly for the first time.

Chen Huishu was startled and extremely annoyed: “What are you making a fuss about!”

Cheng Xuan frowned tightly: “You can’t let him go up.”

“Why not! What business is it of yours!” Cheng Shibao yelled.

Cheng Xuan took a deep breath, didn’t spare Cheng Shibao a glance, and said to Chen Huishu: “One piece of furniture upstairs is worth as much as our entire house.”

With that, she closed the door.

Chen Huishu’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something but remembered that Cheng Xuan had helped all day and must know the price of those furnishings.

She broke out in a cold sweat. She grabbed her son’s hand: “You are forbidden to go up! If you go up, Mommy will hit you! Do you hear me!”

“Why! I’m going! I want to go up!”

Cheng Shibao kept screaming and clung to the stair railing. Chen Huishu, still fearful, actually gave Cheng Shibao a severe beating that night.

Cheng Shibao had never been beaten so hard and cried for half the night. His eyes were swollen the next day, and he didn’t dare mention going upstairs again.

However, he held a grudge against Cheng Xuan for the incident. In the morning, when Cheng Xuan sat at the dining table to feed him, Cheng Shibao deliberately turned his head away.

Cheng Xuan frowned slightly: “If you don’t eat, you’ll be late.”

“I won’t eat!” Cheng Shibao glared at Cheng Xuan and sulked in his chair.

Cheng Xuan was silent. She poured the cold congee from the spoon back into the bowl, scooped a fresh spoonful of hot congee, blew on it, and offered it to Cheng Shibao.

Cheng Shibao turned his head away, still refusing to eat.

Just as she was at a loss, a sound came from the doorway.

Cheng Xuan felt a flicker of impatience and didn’t notice Cheng Shibao’s eyes lighting up until she heard two taps on the door panel. She frowned and turned her head.

The girl she had seen yesterday was standing by the door, holding a light pink suitcase. Seeing Cheng Xuan look over, she winked cheerfully.

“Good morning.”