I Want Her to See Only Me - Chapter 18

When Xia Yu woke up, the other side of her bed was already cold. She glanced regretfully at the slight dip in the mattress. After a long while, her face flushed red, her thoughts unknowable.

Xia Yu pushed aside her mattress and reached out to touch something, cherishing its feel in her hands.

She swiftly pulled the quilt back over herself, first extending a single foot, then an elbow, until half her body was uncovered…

Xia Yu buried her face in her pillow.

She could still…smell the lingering scent.

When Xia Xiuyin entered the room, she was greeted by the sight of her little sister burrowed under the quilt like a baby chick.

“A’Yu?” she called softly, watching as the small lump quivered slightly.

Xia Xiuyin padded over, smiling, eyes lifted in amusement. “Eh? My A’Yu has disappeared.”

“Where is she?”

The lump stiffened, then came a rustling as slender fingers unrolled the quilt corner by slow degrees.

Xia Xiuyin beheld the dark pupils glistening with a sheen of embarrassment, blinking to create ripples within that liquid gaze. The corners of her lips curved up as she peeled the little girl from her bed. “Oh, my A’Yu is here.”

As usual, Xia Yu and Xia Xiuyin ate breakfast together.

While helping Aunt Chen with the tablecloth, Xia Yu asked, “Sister, has Miaomiao already eaten?”

“Did I get up too late?”

Xia Xiuyin noticed the little girl’s face wrinkled, as if she felt a little ashamed. She took the two spoons from Xia Yu’s hands and teased, “What’s in the pot?”

Xia Yu stood on her toes to lift the lid, then carefully placed it back down.

“Aunt Chen made a bit too much congee today,” she said, slightly worried, “but I can’t eat another bite.”

Xia Xiuyin didn’t respond, only watching her curiously.

Xia Yu stared blankly at her sister for a moment before she suddenly realized something.

She walked over to the small steamer basket and discovered that there were still some steamed buns inside.

“Sister…” Her mouth opened in surprise, “Miaomiao hasn’t gotten up yet.”

Before meeting Xia Xiuyin, Xia Yu had no concept of time. Afterward, her world revolved around her sister.

The servants in the mansion had always been busy before Xia Yu woke up, so she never even knew what it meant to sleep in.

“She’s still young.” Xia Xiuyin held a hand out to her, and Xia Yu instinctively grasped it.

“It’s perfectly normal for her to sleep in.”

Xia Yu nodded. “Miaomiao is still a little kid.”

As they ascended the stairs, Xia Xiuyin playfully tapped Xia Yu’s nose. “You girl… stick close to me.”

Xia Yu lowered his head, his cheeks burning up. “Mm…”

At seven in the morning, sunlight hadn’t yet reached its zenith, and the grapevine-draped corridor cast long, cooling shadows.

The specimens Xia Yu had asked Liu Zhi to purchase arrived, including sample cases, collection bags, and pruning shears, among other tools. Unable to contain her excitement, Xia Yu and Xia Xiuyin collected leaves and flower buds from plants along the corridor.

“This flower isn’t even as big as my fingernail.” Xia Yu carefully dug up an entire wildflower, its delicate petals barely the length of his palm, with four distinct blue sepals scattered amidst short, green foliage like stars.

Xia Xiuyin glanced at it. “A’Yu, do you know? This flower has a very fancy name.”

Xia Yu held the flower and tilted his head, obediently asking, “What is it?”

Xia Xiuyin pulled out a water-based pen and wrote on a label, then handed it to Xia Yu.

Orchidfoam Arabesque

Xia Yu mumbled it awkwardly a few times, stumbling over the syllables, before nodding along, “It does sound fancy.”

Xia Xiuyin patted her head, holding back a laugh.

Children were naturally drawn to nature, and Xia Yu’s gaze remained fixed on the verdant surroundings, unable to peel away even momentarily. Whenever she spotted a plant that she hadn’t seen before, she begged Xia Xiuyin to take a photo with her camera.

After some time, Xia Yu asked, “Sister, can we make this into a specimen?”

Before the gusts of wind could lift the emerald leaves, the ripe, dark grapes hung heavy on the vines like plump, full strings of pearls.

In the delicate white corridor beneath the grapevines, Xia Xiuyin and Xia Yu conversed in hushed tones.

The clouds drifted lazily by.

Xia Yu had been sneakily eyeing the grapes, and in the end, they spent a long while picking just the right bunch to bring back to the villa.

Pushing open the side door, they entered to see Xia Shulan sitting on the sofa with her legs up, remote control pressed in her hand.

“Xiuyin, you’re back?” Xia Shulan hadn’t yet changed out of her nightgown, and when she turned, her V-neck exposed a large expanse of fair chest.

Xia Xiuyin discreetly shielded Xia Yu’s eyes, but the little girl remained oblivious, her entire attention focused anxiously on the grapes in her hands.

These grapes were…simply too overripe.

Xia Yu carefully carried only one cluster, slowly making her way from the hallway, dropping a few plums every couple of steps. Heartbroken, she glanced at the fallen fruit, but she didn’t dare bend down to pick them up, lest she accidentally brush against the delicate plums and cause more to fall.

Xia Yu didn’t bother greeting Xia Shulan and Xia Zhen, focusing instead on calling out to Xia Xiuyin in desperation, “Sister…”

Aunt Chen, concerned that the purchased ingredients might not please the guests, had decided to follow along. Now she could only trouble her sister-in-law.

Xia Xiuyin casually placed the bags in her hands on the ground and offered a brief word of greeting to Xia Shulan before standing behind Xia Yu, supporting her from behind.

As Xia Yu’s eyes widened slightly, Xia Xiuyin took her by the hand, protecting the grapes between them. Her soft body pressed against Xia Yu’s back, enveloping her in a familiar citrus scent.

“A’Yu, let’s go,” her sister whispered by her ear.

Xia Yu’s heart pounded so loudly she couldn’t look up. She no longer cared about the grapes dangling from her hand, nor could she focus with the dizzying citrus scent.

Xia Yu, at a loss, scrambled to find something to say. “Sister, I forgot to greet Miaomiao’s mother.”

Xia Xiuyin leaned in close, too close. “Don’t worry, she’s watching TV, so she won’t mind.”

Xia Yu shuffled away like a little penguin, grape juice dripping from her feet as she walked, leaving a trail behind her.

The grape skin had been crushed, releasing sweet, sticky juice and revealing the translucent flesh inside.

Unfortunately, neither girl paid it any mind.

“Oh, Miaomiao… She wanted to play with her auntie before she even washed her face. I told her you two weren’t here, but she refused to believe me.” Xia Shulan held a piece of cheesecake. “She ran to each room, knocking on the doors, saying she was going to find her auntie—”

“Xiuyin, you’re quite skilled,” she said with a smile. “If I get the chance, I’ll try making it myself.”

The previous night’s frozen yogurt cheesecake was rich and creamy, its texture soft and smooth, topped with fresh and crunchy fruits.

Xia Xiuyin lifted the corner of her lips. “A’Yu and I made it for the first time too. We’re glad Sister Lan likes it.”

Xia Shulan turned to Xia Yu. “Little girl, do you want to go play with Miaomiao?”

Xia Yu only wanted to stick by her sister’s side, but she felt self-conscious about being overly clingy with others around. She nodded.

Miaomiao was a cute girl, and she liked Xia Yu a lot. Though Xia Yu might find her a tad overwhelming, if she spoke slowly, Xia Yu would listen.

Clumsily, Xia Yu cut a small piece of cake, the cream unevenly sliced and messily placed before Xia Xiuyin.

“Sister, for you…”

Xia Yu blushed. “I’ll go find Miaomiao.”

“Take your time,” Xia Xiuyin called out to her, then pulled the little girl close. As expected, Xia Yu’s cheeks were bright red.

This girl, you have such a thin face.

“I almost forgot…” Xia Xiuyin picked a dessert with an appropriate amount of cream and handed it to Xia Yu with a fork. She lowered her head slightly and coaxed, “A’Yu.”

Xia Yu’s eyes glistened, and she obediently opened her mouth to eat the cake.

“Sister, I’m going now.” Her voice was muffled, and she seemed anxious.

Xia Xiuyin leaned against the cushions, half-lidded eyes watching the little girl’s retreating back, her expression somewhat lazy.

The smile at the corner of her lips loosened, as if it would disappear at any moment, yet it lingered long after.

Xia Shulan raised an eyebrow and observed her.

Xia Xiuyin was young, but she carried herself with poise and maturity, always maintaining a gentle and harmless façade. Yet, despite her caution, her youth inevitably shone through her every now and then.

Could this close interaction with Xia Yu merely be an act put on for Xia Shulan’s benefit?

That didn’t make sense either.

Interesting, Xia Shulan thought to herself.

She looked up nonchalantly, only to meet Xia Xiuyin’s eyes, which had fallen on her from behind. Xia Shulan’s heart raced wildly.

Most rooms in the mansion had locks, but Xia Yu’s sphere of activity was confined within Xia Xiuyin’s own, so Xia Yu had no way to tell.

Cen Ao woke up and called for her aunt, remembering she needed to tell Xia Yu that she, too, had been very brave last night. There was no response. Furious, she decided to find Xia Yu, planning to tell her herself. The first floor and second floor of the mansion each boasted around twenty rooms, yet after knocking on many doors, she opened none.

Clenching her cheeks, Cen Ao padded through the ground floor until she spotted a door slightly ajar.

“Auntie, I’m here!” she called, pushing the door open.

No response.

This room was unlike the others.

It boasted a low bookshelf, upon which stood a dozen books of various sizes. The bedding had been neatly folded and pressed, though it still appeared slightly rumpled. The owner had clearly struggled with this, but eventually arranged the sheets just so, in the center of the bed.

Someone had slept here—

And it must have been Auntie!

Cen Ao snorted. Caught you!

She first rummaged through the books, spotting two that had been marked with a bookmark, as if they’d been read recently.

Most of them were illustrated books, but she didn’t like the pictures. A few were filled with dense blocks of text, which made her eyes swim. “Auntie’s books are boring.” Cen Ao thought Xia Yu was terribly unfortunate.

She was well-versed in etiquette and knew she wasn’t at home, so she couldn’t just pick up a pen and color in the books as she pleased. Lacking interest, Cen Ao put the books back and instead began to explore the room, touching everything she saw.

Exhausted from all the activity, she collapsed onto the bed, rolling around until she grabbed a pillow to hold in front of her. A small gray sheet of paper had fallen onto the pristine white bedsheet.

“Huh?” Cen Ao reached for it.

“Miaomiao?” Xia Yu’s hand landed on the doorframe as she called for her niece. Remembering Xia Shulan’s words that Cen Ao had been looking for her, Xia Yu knew the door wouldn’t be locked, so she stepped inside without hesitation.

The first thing she saw was a mess of blankets, and a child with disheveled hair lying on the bed, reaching for something. “Auntie,” Cen Ao called out, recognizing the slender, elegant girl even though she couldn’t read the words on the paper. She turned the paper over and holds it up to her eyes, noticing the girl standing by the door, her face pale.

“Auntie!” Cen Ao exclaimed in delight, before quickly pouting. “You didn’t wait for Miaomiao to play!”

Both Auntie and Little Auntie had disappeared, so they must have been playing without her.

Xia Yu’s small face was already devoid of color.

The news article she had carefully kept and treasured was carelessly crumpled by Cen Ao, then haphazardly pressed onto her face, as if it were nothing more than a toy.

The skin on her sister’s face, creased diagonally from her forehead to her ears, also distorted the bookshelf behind her.

“Miaomiao, I’ve come to play with you now,” Xia Yu said, fighting back tears.

“Then why didn’t you come earlier?” Cen Ao’s temper flared, her grip on Xia Yu’s hand tightening.

Xia Yu’s eyes quivered slightly.

“Miaomiao is sleeping soundly…” She paused, forcing herself to calm down. “There’s cheesecake in the fridge, lots of strawberries and kiwi too. Miaomiao, let’s go eat some together.”

Xia Yu walked toward Cen Ao and lifted her head to look up at her. In Cen Ao’s eyes, the girl’s were covered in a thin layer of watery mist, making her look incredibly beautiful.

Cen Ao’s agitated mood vanished. Surprised, she asked, “Auntie, are you crying?”

She felt that the girl’s tears must be very pretty, even though they weren’t quite falling.

“Don’t cry…” Cen Ao held the newspaper in one hand and reached a hand out to touch Xia Yu’s face.

The tears in Xia Yu’s eyes dispersed slightly. “I’m not crying, Miaomiao.”

She grasped Cen Ao’s extended hand. “Can you give me that paper?”

Cen Ao waved the newspaper. “This?”

The girl followed the line of his gaze.

Cen Ao looked at the crumpled piece of paper, then glanced at the pitiful girl. Her eyes turned, and she suddenly jerked her hand away from Xia Yu, jumped backward, and climbed to her feet, standing in the middle of the bed.

“Auntie, come get me! Catch me! I’ll give it to you!”

Xia Yu watched her wave the thin paper, heart pounding in her chest.

“Miaomiao…”

The girl’s obvious fondness for the paper made Cen Ao even more excited.

“Come on! Come catch me! I’ll toss it if you don’t catch me!”

Xia Yu had no choice but to play along, and Cen Ao bounced gleefully on the bed.

Finally, Xia Yu stepped onto the bed as well.

“It seems like Miaomiao really likes that… Xia Yu you found.”

Cen Ao’s laughter echoed into the living room. Xia Shulan took a sip of her coffee and glanced at Xia Xiuyin, who was still engrossed in her book.

The guest room was just a short distance away. Xia Xiuyin listened intently but still couldn’t make out the delicate voice of a young girl.

Cen Ao was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

What game were they playing? Why wasn’t Xia Yu laughing?

“A’Yu is usually quiet and reserved… it’s rare that she gets along with someone as energetic as Miaomiao.” Xia Xiuyin’s fingers gently traced the cover of her book. An inexplicable anxiety wound around her like a thin thread.

Xia Xiuyin closed the book and gently said to Xia Shulan, “Sister Lan, I’ll go check on her.”

“What, are you afraid Miaomiao will bully her?” Xia Shulan chided.

“Of course not—”

“Ah!” a scream echoed.

Xia Xiuyin’s eyelids twitched, her expression cooled, and she quickly left the living room.

“There’s no need to rush; they’re probably just quarreling… kids, you know.” Xia Shulan fixed her skirt, then finally placed her coffee cup down.

The wailing cries of a child came from the open doorway.

Xia Shulan recognized it as her daughter’s voice.

Had that little girl bullied Miaomiao? Her footsteps quickened.

“What should we do…” Cen Ao cried, his small body trembling from fright.

Xia Shulan stepped furiously toward the doorway.

When she saw the scene inside, a basin of cold water seemed to douse her from head to toe.

The girl was curled up by the bedside table, a bloody gash the length of a finger oozing from her forehead. The blood trickled to her eyes, down her small chin, and onto the floor.

Xia Xiuyin ripped off the entire bedsheet and carefully covered the girl’s forehead with it. The crimson blood swiftly stained the pure white cloth.

“Mom…” Cen Ao crawled up from beside Xia Yu, then threw himself at Xia Shulan’s leg, tears and snot wiping across his face. “Mom, I didn’t do it on purpose! What do we do?! Auntie’s bleeding so much!”

Xia Shulan instinctively glanced at Xia Xiuyin, only to see the latter’s pale and slender fingers covered in blood, sliding across her phone screen. Sensing the gaze, Xia Xiuyin returned a mild glance.

An inexplicable pressure made Xia Shulan shudder, her throat tight. Yet when she attempted to study Xia Xiuyin’s face further, the latter appeared only slightly agitated.

“Sister Lan, the first-aid kit is beneath the TV screen on the left side. Could you help me grab it?” Xia Xiuyin asked calmly.

A heavy sense of repulsion pressed down on Xia Shulan. She opened her mouth, then turned around to the living room.

“Hello, my child has a head injury…”

While Xia Xiuyin dialed the ambulance, she called Liu Zhi over to bring Li Conghao over, seeming to lack confidence in the emergency services.

“Sister…” Xia Yu’s eyes were too swollen from the blood. She no longer cried, instead quietly waiting for Xia Xiuyin to stop moving before softly calling out to her.

“Hm?” Xia Xiuyin pulled Xia Yu in closer, leaning in to wipe the blood off the little girl’s face gently. “Sister is here.”

“Miaomiao didn’t mean it, I was just being careless…” Xia Yu’s voice wavered, as if she were running out of energy, but she still continued, “I was too anxious…”

Xia Xiuyin felt a lump in her throat, but her voice remained gentle. “Okay… I understand.”

“Sister won’t blame her.”

“… Okay.” Xia Yu seemed to relax.

Of course, Xia Xiuyin didn’t think her sister had done anything wrong.

She stared coldly at Xia Yu’s little face, which was stained by the remnants of blood, and similar scenes from her past flashed before her eyes.

A wave of nausea rolled through her stomach.

The horrifying recollection made her retch.

Xia Xiuyin noticed a small piece of newspaper.

It was the one Xia Yu had been holding earlier, which she had carelessly dropped beside her. The little girl’s eyes were still closed, her hands reaching out in distress as she attempted to grasp it.

Xia Xiuyin narrowed her eyes, noticing her own face on the wrinkled paper.

Xia Xiuyin froze.