Family Banter and a Sister’s Secret

“Aren’t you coming?”

“No, I’m not.”

Cold shook her head, continuing her silent, brisk pace, clearly intending to offer no explanation.

Consequently, Chen Ran did not press the matter further.

Upon their return home, Jiang Zilin had already prepared supper for herself and her sister.

That night, they were having pan-fried dumplings with corn and pork filling, accompanied by a secret recipe garlic chili sauce—a special preparation for Cold.

Unlike her sister, who favored sweets, the younger sibling had a penchant for spicy food.

Chen Ran, for his part, was not picky; he could enjoy both sweet and spicy dishes.

Of course, this was largely due to Jiang Zilin’s excellent cooking, as everything she made was delicious.

“Oh, Xiao Ran, Xiao Ran, do you still remember that little girl from Granny Yang’s house?”

“Yes, I do.”

“That little girl actually came to our convenience store today to buy cigarettes, claiming she was twenty-seven years old!”

“Is she serious?”

“Absolutely not!”

Jiang Zilin declared with certainty, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I asked her for identification, but the little rascal stammered and then bolted, without even a student ID! Hmph!”

“How can children nowadays start smoking at such a young age?”

‘Indeed,’ Chen Ran thought, nodding.

He also couldn’t fathom why anyone would smoke.

“You’re not allowed to smoke either, Xiao Ran.”

“I don’t.”

“But you know, that little girl seemed a bit strange.”

The stream of gossip began.

Clearly, Jiang Zilin, having been cooped up at home all day, had been eagerly awaiting the return of Chen Ran and Cold from school to keep her company.

“How was she strange?”

Chen Ran prompted, seizing the opportune moment.

“She can eat so much! Today, when I went to Granny Yang’s to buy pastries, I heard the granny say that any pastries not sold by the end of the day used to either be given to stray cats and dogs in the neighborhood or thrown away, which was such a waste.”

“But now, no matter how much is left, that little girl can finish it all, and I mean *all* of it!”

“That little girl’s stomach is like a black hole; she can gobble up anything, no matter the quantity.”

Jiang Zilin remarked, munching on osmanthus cakes.

The woman’s plump cheeks were puffed out, her mouth stained with sugar from the pastries.

“My pound of osmanthus cakes, and Cold’s sugar crisps, I snatched them all back from her!”

“She certainly has a big appetite.”

“However, Granny also mentioned that the little girl doesn’t eat much for her regular meals; she simply eats whatever she’s given, never complaining of hunger.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, she gives off a very well-behaved impression.”

As Jiang Zilin spoke, Chen Ran recalled the white-haired little girl from Granny Yang’s pastry shop—a girl who, though equally expressionless, always seemed cold and intimidating.

‘Hmm. Could she really be described as “well-behaved”?’ he mused.

“I wonder who can eat more, her or Miss Ipinas…”

“Hmm, it’s probably still Miss Ipinas.”

“True, given how tall she is…”

She playfully teased their new employee as an afterthought.

****

Soon, after Chen Ran and Cold finished their supper, Jiang Zilin naturally went with her sister to take a bath.

Afterward, clad in loose dinosaur pajamas, she sprawled unceremoniously on the sofa and began to call their mother, Jiang Ruohua.

–Cold, do you want to talk to Mom?

–I’m going back to my room to study.

–Alright~

Jiang Zilin said casually, waving to her sister who was already heading to her room on the second floor.

Then, in the living room, the unreliable mother and daughter resumed their usual chat.

–Xiao Lin, why are you calling Mom so late?

–I forgot.

–Hmph, are you sure you weren’t getting frisky with Xiao Ran?

–That’s not it, Auntie…

Chen Ran said from the other end of the sofa, rubbing his forehead.

–Oh, Xiao Ran is there too, hehe!

–Auntie, you’re over thirty, please don’t try to act cute like a teenage girl…

–Xiao Ran, do you have a death wish?

–…

Chen Ran wisely chose to remain silent.

–No, Mom, I was just chatting with Xiao Ran and forgot.

–Right, right, Xiao Lin and Cold are both grown up now. Once you have a man, you forget your old mom.

–I told you it’s not like that!!!

–Has Cold gone back to her room again?

–Yes, she went back to study.

–Sigh, that child shouldn’t always put so much pressure on herself.

–Exactly, Mom, you should talk to Cold about it.

–I’ll talk to her when I get back.

The mother and daughter seemed to be conspiring, which only reaffirmed Chen Ran’s belief that at least eighty percent of Jiang Zilin’s talkativeness must have been inherited from Jiang Ruohua.

The charming woman appeared to be on a bus at that moment.

It was one of those long-distance tour buses, equipped with individual private compartments where one could lie down and sleep.

The sound of the bus engine constantly emanated from the phone, along with the rush of the road, the dark shadows of mountains, and the intermittent glint of passing streetlights.

–Mommy’s on her way back home!

The beautiful woman, dressed in a thin white sweater, her wavy golden hair cascading over her chest, smiled gently.

Calculating the time, Jiang Ruohua would be returning home around next weekend, which was early October.

–I even brought presents for both Cold and Xiao Lin!

“Eh?!”

Jiang Zilin asked curiously.

–What kind of presents, Mom?

–Hmm, just a moment…

The beautiful woman seemed to be rummaging through a travel bag beside her.

Soon, she pulled out a large photo album.

–Ta-da-da-da-da~

Dramatically narrating her own sound effects, Jiang Ruohua opened the album in her hands.

Inside were numerous landscape photos she had taken, along with postcards and handwritten short descriptions, all resembling a travelogue.

–This is for Xiao Lin. Since Xiao Lin is always at home, Mom took pictures of all the scenery you couldn’t see, and there are many postcards and travel brochures too.

–It’s alright if you can’t go out now. After you marry Xiao Ran, you can have your honeymoon trip and enjoy your world together~

!!! Jiang Zilin, who had been lounging lazily on the sofa with her long legs draped over Chen Ran’s lap, instantly flushed crimson.

“Mom, don’t say another word!”

It was unclear what had provoked her, but Chen Ran, conversely, had long grown accustomed to such remarks.

–And this, this is Cold’s present!

Jiang Ruohua then produced several small, booklet-like notebooks, densely filled with what appeared to be stories written in a woman’s delicate hand.

–These are legends and stories Mom heard after visiting each place, specially recorded for Cold, since she loves reading stories so much.

–Exactly, exactly, they can even serve as material for her to write novels.

–Mhm, mhm, mhm.

The mother and daughter began nodding in unison again, their expressions utterly indistinguishable.

It seemed that even though Jiang Ruohua was technically their aunt by blood, years of growing up together had led to significant mutual assimilation.

–But Mom didn’t bring Xiao Ran a present; I don’t know what Xiao Ran likes.

–It’s wonderful enough that Auntie can return home safely; I don’t need any presents.

–Hmph! Xiao Ran’s just too sweet-tongued!

Jiang Ruohua said delightedly.

–Ah, Xiao Lin and Cold must have been won over by Xiao Ran’s charm, right? Not to mention the sisters, even Mom is a little tempted now~

–…

He was routinely teased by the mature, beautiful woman for a while.

As it neared midnight, Chen Ran and Jiang Zilin finally bid Jiang Ruohua goodnight, preparing to return to their rooms to sleep.

However, just as Chen Ran stood up, preparing to go upstairs, he was suddenly called back by Jiang Zilin.

“What is it, Sister Xiao Lin?”

“Shh!”

She acted as if she were a thief.

Jiang Zilin scrambled up from the sofa, hurried over to his side, and with a mysterious air, leaned in close to his ear.

Then she spoke.

“Xiao Ran…”

“Hmm?”

“Lately, has Cold been acting strangely at school?”