Chapter 33 "Sister"

“Ah Yan, you don’t know her yet, do you? Come, come, let me introduce you. This is my… our long-lost youngest daughter. We just found her not long ago. Oh dear, this girl has had a hard life, she suffered a lot while she was away from home… Well, she’s destined to be with her older sister, they look alike, so I took it upon myself to name her ‘Yi Ning.’ It’s also a way of remembering my poor eldest daughter…”

In the end, her tone deliberately carried a hint of sadness and regret, but her eyes were somewhat unfocused, and she dared not look directly into Xie Shiyan's eyes, which seemed to see through everything.

The door to the next room opened, and Mr. Jiang and Jiang Yunting peeked out, just in time to hear Mrs. Jiang's "vivid" performance. Mr. Jiang's lips twitched, and he quickly turned his face away.

Jiang Yunting couldn't help but burst out laughing, then immediately covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hold it in.

Jiang Yining felt a throbbing sensation in her temples, as if a flock of noisy crows were flying overhead, leaving black lines all over her forehead.

She quietly tugged at her mother's sleeve, leaned close to her ear, and whispered through gritted teeth, "Mom, your excuse... is too flimsy, full of loopholes. Even my uncle's family couldn't fool you, let alone Ayan and the others, they're very shrewd."

Jiang's mother grabbed her daughter's wrist with her other hand, speaking in a whisper, but the volume was exceptionally clear in the quiet corridor, carrying a kind of "blind" arrogance:

"Are you stupid? We don't care if they believe it or not, we'll just say it like this, no matter who asks. What else can we do? Say you were reincarnated? Are we just waiting to be captured and dissected like a monster? Tell me, tell me what we should do?" She became more and more "righteous" as she spoke, and the last sentence was almost shouted.

The corridor was quiet.

Xie Shiyan, Xiao Xiao, Shen Nian'an, Zhou Yanzhe, and Lu Jingshen thought to themselves: "…………"

Everyone's expression froze, their eyes filled with bewilderment and astonishment, wondering, "Who am I? Where am I? What did I just hear?"

Xie Shiyan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he stared at Jiang Yining. A complex light flashed in his deep eyes, too fast to be grasped.

Xiao Xiao and Shen Nian'an behind him exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads in tacit agreement, their shoulders trembling slightly.

At this awkward moment, Zhou Yanzhe seemed to have been suddenly unfrozen; he abruptly straightened his back, a bright and exaggerated "sudden realization" expression appearing on his face, and his loud voice broke the silence:

"Oh—so that's how it is, my long-lost sister, I understand, I understand, we completely get it." He stepped forward and extended his hand to Jiang Yining with extreme enthusiasm, "Little sister Ningning, right? It's a pleasure to meet you. Oh my, you really look so much like your sister. You're practically identical. No wonder your aunt likes you so much." His tone and demeanor made it seem as if Jiang's mother's "slice-off" declaration from just now had never happened.

Shen Nian'an couldn't bear to watch her husband's awkward acting any longer, so she pulled him back and quickly changed the subject, giving Jiang's mother a gentle and polite smile: "Aunt Pei, I heard from Ningning that your relatives are having a wedding tomorrow? We're also from S City, and we'd like to shamelessly go and share in the joy. I wonder if we'd be welcome?"

Jiang's mother felt as if she had been granted a pardon, and her smile instantly became much more genuine. She nodded repeatedly, "Welcome, of course you're welcome, it's more lively with more people. But Xiaoxiao..."

She turned to Xiao Xiao, whose belly was noticeably protruding, and said with concern, "You're pregnant, and the wedding procession set off early this morning. It's so noisy and exhausting. You don't need to go with them. Just come downstairs to the banquet hall for the wedding banquet tomorrow at noon. Auntie will save you a seat."

Lu Jingshen immediately agreed: "Aunt Pei is right. It's getting late, and it's not good for so many of us to be crammed here. Why don't we go back first and come back early tomorrow morning?" He glanced around the slightly crowded corridor.

“No need for that.” Jiang Yining quickly spoke up, pointing to her room door, “I booked a family suite, which has two large beds and plenty of space. Xiaoxiao and Nian’an can squeeze into one with me, and Yan Ze, Jing Shen and the others…” Her gaze swept over Xie Shiyan, and her voice unconsciously lowered, “They can make do.”

Jiang's mother looked at the group of young people, then at her daughter, and nodded: "Alright, you young people can make your own arrangements. If you have anything to say, please do so. Be careful and get some rest."

She pulled her father, who seemed hesitant and had a complex expression, and quickly retreated to her room, as if fleeing a major social disaster.

Jiang Yunting was also about to go back to his room when he leaned over to Jiang Yining and said, "Sister, you're supposed to join the wedding procession at four o'clock tomorrow morning, right? I'll call you then."

“Okay, go ahead. I’ll set the alarm. Just wait for me at the door on time.” Jiang Yining replied naturally.

"Okay," Jiang Yunting readily agreed and turned to leave.