C7 The People You Don't Want to See

At this moment, the person on everyone's mind was darting through the forest. Jingxi had long lost track of how long she'd been navigating the woods. Her clothes were torn by branches, her hair was a mess, and her shoes were filthy. But she couldn't care less! Her mind was consumed by one thought—run!

"That damn jerk! How dare he lock me up! Just wait until I get my hands on him, he'll regret it!" she fumed. "If I catch him, I'll tear him apart!"

"That idiot with his brain in his pants..." she muttered as she finally reached the main road. After about ten minutes, she managed to flag down a car. By the time she got home, it was already 1 a.m.

Her mom, Ms. Liu, opened the door. Seeing Jingxi's state, she was stunned and exclaimed, "Girl, were you robbed?"

Jingxi, with her head hanging low, didn't even have the energy to respond. She rushed inside, grabbed some water, and gulped it down.

Ms. Liu followed her, worriedly scanning her daughter's dirty clothes and urging, "Girl, say something!"

After drinking, Jingxi's parched throat finally found relief. She set the glass down, looked at her mom, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Do you really think anyone could rob me with my skills?"

That question...

Ms. Liu frowned, thinking it over, and realized it was unlikely. But then, her eyes lit up with a bold idea, "Girl, is there a guy? Were you... having a wild adventure?"

"Ugh..." Jingxi nearly choked. She looked at her mom's eager eyes, speechless. Although she was well aware of Ms. Liu's eagerness for her to find a man, she couldn't agree with her mom's excitement over the idea of a "wild adventure."

Jingxi turned and headed to her room, saying, "Mom, I'm really, really tired today. I need to sleep, please don't bother me!"

Sleep? No way!

They hadn't finished talking yet!

Ms. Liu quickly followed, asking, "Tell me clearly, do you have a boyfr—"

Bang.

Jingxi swiftly slipped into her room, shutting the door before Ms. Liu could reach it, and locked it with a click.

The sound of knocking came from the door.

"You little rascal, are you trying to drive me crazy?"

Jingxi ignored it, flopping onto her bed, not wanting to move an inch. She called out, "You should get some sleep too. If you keep shouting, you'll wake up Dad, and then you'll be in trouble!"

That was a strong warning, and the noise outside ceased.

Finally, peace and quiet.

Jingxi was so exhausted she couldn't even muster the energy to take a shower. She fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until three in the afternoon!

She had slept for fourteen hours straight!

Sitting up and stretching, she heard laughter coming from the living room.

Jingxi froze.

The next moment, there was a knock on her door. "Jingxi, hurry up and get up. Zixin and Yize are here, waiting for you to join us for lunch."

Why is she back?

Jingxi frowned, her face showing immediate displeasure.

Jiang Zixin was her younger sister by a year. They used to get along well, mostly because Jingxi always took care of her. But everything changed when she overheard a conversation between her parents and found out Zixin wasn't their biological daughter but the orphaned child of their father's colleague.

When did things start to go wrong?

To be precise, it was half a year ago when Zixin took her boyfriend, Pei Yize, or maybe even earlier, from the moment she and Pei Yize started dating...

Jingxi didn't want to think about it anymore.

After half a year, she had moved on from the relationship. What she couldn't stand was Zixin bringing Yize around to annoy her.

She didn't want to go out, but she hadn't eaten since yesterday, and her stomach was growling. Plus, she knew if she didn't leave her room, Ms. Liu would definitely come and nag her. So, Jingxi reluctantly changed out of her pajamas and headed out.

"Sis, why are you coming out in your pajamas?" Zixin immediately stood up with enthusiasm when she saw her, running over and grabbing her arm like she used to, all innocent and sweet.

Jingxi found it irritating and subtly pulled her hand away. Feeling an unmistakable gaze from the couch, she turned and went straight to the bathroom to freshen up.

Zixin tried to follow, but Jingxi noticed and shut the door with a bang.

"Why is she so grumpy when she wakes up?" Liu Meiyun grumbled, then turned to Zixin, "Zixin, let's not bother with her. Your sister's in one of her moods again; let her be."

When Jingxi finished freshening up and came out, she saw the meal wasn't ready yet. Feeling hungry, she grabbed a couple of apples and went to the kitchen to wash them.

Zixin watched and stood up, "I'll help you wash them, sis."

She headed to the kitchen but leaned against the counter, watching Jingxi wash the apples. Lowering her voice with ill intent, she asked, "Mom said you got back late last night. Where were you? Out with a guy?"

Jingxi ignored her.

But Zixin's mood wasn't dampened, "If you really have a guy, I wish you well. It'd be a relief for me."

Jingxi continued to ignore her.

Zixin went on, "I know I took Yize from you, but he loves me. You should just give up!"

Jingxi had heard these words so many times over the past six months that she was numb to them.

She finished washing the apples, turned off the faucet, and walked away.

Jiang Zixin immediately stepped in front of her. Seeing Jiang Jingxi's cool expression, resentment flared in her eyes. Zixin couldn't stand that aloof attitude, acting all superior. Growing up, Jingxi always outshone her—prettier, smarter, better at everything. It was infuriating.

When Jingxi went off to college, Zixin learned she had a boyfriend. It took a whole year of planning, but she finally managed to steal Pei Yize away. Yet, even with that victory, she wasn't satisfied. Jingxi showed no jealousy, envy, or even anger. It was like punching a pillow—no impact. The only thing she achieved was making Yize her boyfriend.

Thinking of Yize, Zixin smirked and leaned closer to Jingxi, taunting her, "Tonight, you'll have to endure us next door."

Jingxi's brow furrowed, finally showing a reaction. She met Zixin's challenging gaze and smirked, retorting, "Is Yize not satisfying you enough that you need to come here for a thrill? Sorry to disappoint."

Jingxi walked past her, pausing to offer a warning, "With your appetite, be careful not to wear him out too soon."