Jianglai didn’t know when she’d fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes, she found herself tightly cradled in Yingyu Chi’s arms, her head pressed firmly against her sister-in-law’s chest.
Yingyu’s arms coiled around her like red threads, binding her close.
Jianglai was confused—they’d fallen asleep embracing like this? She must have dozed off on the sofa. The blanket covering them was probably brought from Yingyu’s bedroom. But why was her sister-in-law lying right beside her? Jianglai squirmed slightly. The moment she moved, Yingyu pulled her even tighter, as if determined to smother her into submission.
Trapped against Yingyu’s chest, Jianglai froze. The scent clinging to her sister-in-law made her hold her breath—inhaling someone else’s fragrance felt far too intimate, almost perverse. She lifted her head just enough to whisper, "Yingyu... can you let me go?" Her voice came out thin and soft, unsure whether she was trying to wake Yingyu or lull her back to sleep.
If possible, Jianglai wanted to slip away unnoticed. Her current state was mortifying: half-damp hair, completely bare beneath the blanket. The hair could wait. But being naked? That needed fixing—now. She didn’t want to look like some seductive fox spirit tempting her sister-in-law.
Jianglai began inching toward the edge of the bed, movements hesitant and awkward. Just as she was about to slip off the other side and tiptoe to the bathroom for her shirt, Yingyu opened her eyes, amusement dancing in them. "Brother-in-law," she murmured, "where are you going?"
Yingyu hadn’t been deeply asleep. She’d woken at Jianglai’s first whisper, feigning sleep to see what her sister-in-law would do—and to savor the feel of Jianglai in her arms a little longer.
Hearing Yingyu’s voice, Jianglai panicked. She yanked the blanket off Yingyu and wrapped it tightly around herself. "When did you wake up?"
"The moment you sat up," Yingyu said, gaze tracing Jianglai’s silhouette. "You have such a beautiful figure..." She’d almost pulled Jianglai back just now—if not for fearing suspicion.
"What nonsense are you spouting..." Jianglai pulled the blanket higher, leaving only one shoulder exposed. The pale skin flushed faint pink with embarrassment, looking utterly biteable. The cold sorrow Yingyu had seen earlier had vanished, replaced by a flustered, captivating allure.
Ever since becoming a woman, Jianglai felt her once-dutiful sister-in-law had turned into a relentless tease. Before she could react, Yingyu sat up and gently pressed her back onto the sofa.
"If you need something, I’ll get it."
Jianglai tried to stand again. She wasn’t helpless. "I just need my clothes. I can manage. Becoming a woman doesn’t make me useless."
But Yingyu pushed her down firmly. "I don’t care. I’m getting your clothes. Then I’ll dry your hair and rub that red flower oil on your bruises." She didn’t give Jianglai a chance to refuse. Watching Yingyu’s retreating back, Jianglai fell silent. *Am I just a burden now?*
When Yingyu returned with pajamas, she found Jianglai staring blankly at her lap. She handed over the clothes carefully. Jianglai slipped them on under the blanket, then softly called out as Yingyu sat behind her with the hairdryer.
"Am I... troubling you?" Her voice was feather-light, like the faintest wisp of cloud. "Ever since I called you, I’ve only been bothering you..."
It had always been this way. Jianglai should have cared for her sister-in-law, yet Yingyu had spent years tending to *her*—nagging about her health, managing her daily life, even helping with her daughter. Yingyu deserved her own life, not this endless responsibility. Jianglai had wasted enough of her years. She couldn’t keep leaning on her.
Yingyu paused, setting down the hairdryer. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Jianglai from behind and pulling her close.
Jianglai gasped softly. "Yingyu..."
"Is it about work?" Yingyu murmured. She’d seen Jianglai’s despair after that phone call. Becoming a woman had shattered everything—her career, her identity. Even her own daughter wouldn’t recognize her now.
"I’ll always be behind you," Yingyu said firmly. "If you can’t return to your old job, come work at my firm. I need staff—I’ll pay you. Or just stay here. I survive on takeout when I’m busy. I’ll pay you per meal to cook for me."
Her words fell like gentle summer rain, soaking deep into Jianglai’s heart.
