Chapter 45 Sister-in-law
He changed his shoes and looked up at the chaos we were in. When his eyes fell on me, he froze instantly! It was as if the pause button had been pressed.
His eyes widened slightly, his gaze like a scanner, scanning from my messy hair, across my obviously modified eyebrows, to my moist lips, then to the necklace dangling around my neck and the conspicuous cross earring on my ear, and finally landing on the hoodie of a completely different style on me...
He just stared at me for more than ten seconds, his eyes complex and indescribable—amazement, astonishment, possessiveness, and a hint of... daze after being strongly shocked?
I felt so uncomfortable being stared at by him that I didn't know where to put my hands and feet. I coughed awkwardly and said, "…What are you looking at? You've never seen this before!"
Lin Yan seemed to be awakened at this time. His Adam's apple rolled and he looked away in embarrassment, but his ears turned red.
He cleared his throat, trying to remain calm, and turned his gaze to Lin Heng, who was watching the show with a look of anticipation. His tone was filled with helplessness and a subtle hint of sourness:
"Lin Heng... I found you a sister-in-law just to be your plaything?"
Lin Heng immediately put away his phone, showing his signature devilish smile, leaning back on the sofa, crossing his legs, and speaking in an innocent yet provocative tone: "Brother, just tell me, do you like it or not?"
Lin Yan was choked by the question, and his gaze drifted back to me uncontrollably, and his eyes made my face even hotter.
He pursed his lips, his voice a little hoarse: "I like... I like him very much..." He paused and added, "But... I still like the original him more."
These words sounded like he was emphasizing sovereignty, but also like he was trying to convince himself.
"Really?" Lin Heng raised an eyebrow and spoke in a long tone, his eyes glancing between Lin Yan and me with a mischievous look, and then he finished with a precise attack, "I guess... brother, you must be thinking about quickly pulling sister-in-law back to the bedroom, 'pampering' her, and seeing what she looks like with her makeup smudged, right?"
"Lin Heng!" Lin Yan's heart was touched. He couldn't hold it in anymore. His ears turned redder. He put on a stern face and showed his brother's authority. "You are the only one who talks too much! You don't study hard in school every day. You are always busy with useless things!"
"666." Lin Heng rolled his eyes and clapped lazily. "If you can't argue over classics, just talk about studying. Brother, you've been using this trick for more than ten years. Aren't you tired of it?"
He stood up, stretched, and picked up Snowball who was watching the show next to him. "Alas, my little brother has grown up, become independent, and started to talk back. As an older brother, I can't control him anymore~"
He imitated Lin Yan's tone, shook his head and carried the cat back to the game room, leaving Lin Yan and I looking at each other in confusion in the living room.
Lin Yan looked at me with my "landmine gothic cuteness" look, rubbed his eyebrows, sighed, and said with a tone full of helplessness and indulgence:
"Oh...my little brother has grown up...and started talking back...what should I do?"
As he spoke, he walked towards me, the "nuclear kindness" in his eyes lit up again. His fingers gently stroked my made-up cheek, and his voice became low:
"Looks like... I have to continue 'reviewing' tonight... and discipline you properly... and by the way... verify Lin Heng's guess?"
Me: “!!!” Help! The Goblin Warrior is about to die from jealousy and curiosity again tonight!
The Goblin Warrior's premonition proved accurate. That night, I indeed couldn't escape Lin Yan's "in-depth review" and "disciplinary verification."
It was as if he wanted to completely cover up the freshness that Lin Heng had "transformed" me and the gazes of others (even my younger brother) from me, so he kept using new and different methods.
What's even worse is that I feel like I've been set up by these two brothers! One is responsible for starting the fire (Lin Heng's transformation), and the other is responsible for spreading the fire (Lin Yan's jealousy and possessiveness)!
Moreover, I don’t know if that kid Lin Heng is poisonous, but after spending a long time with him, I actually feel... quite comfortable?
Even though this brat is a bit of a troublemaker and loves to stir up trouble, he's not pretentious and is always having fun. He takes me to see some new and interesting things (although many of them give me social anxiety attacks), and most importantly - he never looks down on my "dog brain"!
He seems to be particularly fond of my straightforward personality, which is not good at beating around the bush. Is there even a sense of mutual understanding between us?
Many times, we played games in the living room or watched him mix cocktails, and chatted so intently that we forgot ourselves. When Lin Yan came home from get off work and saw us arm in arm (mainly Lin Heng was just hanging on me), his face was, wow, as dark as ink.
Lin Yan must have been speechless. He had finally managed to get his brother back home, but instead of being content, this kid was trying to steal his "sister-in-law's" attention!
The point is, I seem to be... quite happy to be led around by Lin Heng? This is simply pouring more gasoline into Lin Yan's jealous jar!
I could feel that Lin Yan's eyes looking at Lin Heng were becoming more and more "kind", and the subtext clearly read:
We have to find a way to get rid of this guy. He keeps disturbing our time together! We haven't had a good time together since we came back from my parents' house!
That afternoon, Lin Heng came running over excitedly again, carrying a bag in his hand: "Sister-in-law! Quick! Pack up and take you to a nice place!"
"Ah? Where are you going?" I looked at him warily, the shadow of the last "transformation" still lingering in my mind.
"Oh, don't worry! I won't put makeup on you this time. I'll just change your style. I guarantee you'll look super handsome!" Lin Heng pushed me into the bedroom without saying anything.
Under his "guidance" (mainly forced matching), I put on a black turtleneck sweater with good texture, a neatly tailored short leather jacket (contributed by Lin Heng) on the outside, and paired it with simple jeans and boots.
He styled my hair casually and sprayed me with the refreshing perfume he recommended.
He circled around me twice, stroking his chin. "Hmm! Sister-in-law, you look like a real cool guy with this outfit! Standing next to me, we're a perfect match!"
He insisted on taking a selfie with me in front of the mirror in the entrance hall.
You know what, the outfit he put together for me is really smart. Even I feel a little unfamiliar looking at it - as if... I look quite decent?
Lin Heng was even more proud. He snapped several selfies of us arm in arm in the mirror. His fingers moved quickly on the screen and he directly posted it to his internet celebrity account:
"Going out to play with my sister-in-law! (Via)" The picture attached is a photo of the two of us. He has a devilish smile on his face, while I have a confused look on my face as if I were kidnapped.
Me: “…” Bro, can you move any faster?! I haven’t even thought of the words to say no!
"Master Heng, I really don't want to go..." I tried to struggle, my social anxiety instinct kicked in, "I heard there's someone else? I..."
"Oh, sister-in-law, they are just some of my childhood friends, they are very nice! Don't be afraid!" Lin Heng dragged and pulled.
Just as we were struggling in the hallway, and I felt like a decent woman about to be sold, the door opened. Lin Yan came back.
He saw at a glance how we were like "good brothers" getting ready to go out, especially the fact that I was obviously dressed up and had even sprayed perfume on me.
Lin Yan's gaze lingered on Lin Heng's leather jacket on me for a few seconds, and his eyes instantly darkened. The temperature was so cold that it made the back of my neck feel cold.
"Lin Heng," Lin Yan's voice was not loud, but it carried a sense of impending pressure, "Where are you planning to take your sister-in-law?"
Lin Heng was not afraid at all, but smiled and deliberately pulled me closer to him, saying in a smug tone:
"Brother, I'm going to take my sister-in-law out to see the world and make some friends! Unlike you, who only knows how to hide your treasure at home, hiding your beautiful daughter in a golden house?"
"Lin Heng!" Lin Yan's brows were furrowed so tightly that they could kill a fly. He was obviously very angry about the phrase "hiding a beautiful girl in a golden house" and his brother's arrogant look.
He took a deep breath and turned to me, trying to soften his tone, but the threat and expectation in his eyes could not be hidden: "Baby, do you want to go?"
I was stuck in the middle, feeling suffocated! On one side was Lin Yan's eyes that said, "You're dead if you dare to say you want to go!", and on the other side was Lin Heng's pitiful (and fake) expression that said, "Sister-in-law, you won't abandon me, will you?"
Lin Heng immediately stood in front of me, turning into a messenger to protect his sister-in-law: "Brother, can you please be reasonable? I finally found someone who can play with me, and my sister-in-law is so nice, so please be flexible! Just for one afternoon!"
"But she is your sister-in-law!" Lin Yan emphasized.
"What's wrong with my sister-in-law?" Lin Heng said confidently, "My sister-in-law treats me well. I've always liked her! She has fun with me and doesn't control or criticize me like you do every day!"
"Lin Heng!" Lin Yan's voice suddenly rose, and the tension between the two brothers instantly became choking. It seemed that a fight would break out in the next second!
My scalp went numb when I saw this! I usually have a bad temper, but now I have no choice but to bite the bullet and act as a peacemaker.
I quickly poked my head out from behind Lin Heng and forced a soothing smile at Lin Yan: "Um... Lin Yan... don't be angry. How about this, do you think it's okay?" I took out my phone, "If you're really worried, we can video chat the whole time! You watch! Okay?"
Lin Yan's expression was still grim, but when he heard the suggestion of "video chatting the whole time", his eyes flickered noticeably.
Lin Heng rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, but did not object.
Finally, under Lin Heng's persistent pestering and my "soft persuasion" (mainly the killer weapon of video surveillance), Lin Yan finally, with a dark face, squeezed out a word through his teeth: "Okay."
I felt as if I had been pardoned, and quickly pulled Lin Heng, who wanted to talk more, out of the house. I felt like Lin Yan's gaze was about to burn two holes in my back.
Lin Heng took me to a rather upscale KTV. He was familiar with the place and was obviously a regular. I pushed open the door of a private room and saw a man sitting inside.
The lighting was a little dim, but he was impressive at first sight - he was very handsome, not like Lin Heng who had an aggressive charm, but a kind of exquisiteness that was almost fragile.
Her skin is white and transparent, her eyes seem to be covered with a layer of mist, and when she looks at people, she always has a hazy smile on her face, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, giving her a lazy and gentle temperament.
When he stood up, wow, he was taller than both me and Lin Heng!
"Hello, sister-in-law! I'm Su Yan, Xiaoheng's childhood friend." His voice was just like him, light and airy, with a hint of a smile, and his speaking speed was neither fast nor slow, which was very pleasant to listen to.
He warmly invited me to sit down, his eyes full of curiosity, "I've heard Xiaoheng talk about my sister-in-law for a long time, and today I finally get to see her!"
Before I could even exchange a few words, the phone in my pocket started vibrating wildly - Lin Yan's video call came as promised!
I answered the call in a hurry and scanned the camera around the box, focusing on Su Yan.
Su Yan also came in front of the camera and waved with a smile: "Hello, Brother Yan~ Don't worry, I will help you take good care of your sister-in-law!"
Lin Yan hummed on the other side of the screen, his voice devoid of emotion: "Thank you for your help, Su Yan. Just keep calling, don't hang up."
Lin Heng beside him said, "Tsk! Is it really that serious? And you're broadcasting the whole thing live? Don't you trust me and Su Yan?"
Lin Yan's voice came faintly through the phone, with a hint of sarcasm: "I trust you two. But who knows if anyone else will come later?"
Facts have proved that this bastard Lin Yan's sixth sense is terrifyingly accurate!
Not long after, the door of the box was pushed open, and several handsome men and beautiful women came in! They were all friends of Lin Heng and Su Yan's circle, all dressed in fashionable clothes and with outstanding temperament.
I instantly felt like a groundhog that had strayed into Swan Lake. My social anxiety index went through the roof and I wanted to shrink into the crack of the sofa!
Lin Heng took to the situation like a duck in water. He pulled me up and proudly introduced me: "Come on, come on, let's meet each other! This is my sister-in-law! Chen Rui!"
"Wow! Hello, sister-in-law!"
"Young Master Heng hid it well enough!"
"Sister-in-law is so cool! This outfit is so cool!"
"Sister-in-law is so cute! She's blushing!"
Everyone's eyes fell on me, with a look of friendly amusement and scrutiny, and they greeted me in a flurry.
I froze in place, not knowing where to put my hands and feet. I felt like the heat on my face could fry an egg, and I could only give the camera (that is, Lin Yan) a smile that was uglier than crying.
At this moment, a handsome man with a muscular body and dark skin wearing a tight black T-shirt (I later learned his name was Azhe) came over, looked me up and down, whistled, and said half-jokingly:
"Tsk tsk, this type of sister-in-law... is my ideal type! What a pity!"
A handsome guy with curly hair and a bright smile (Ajie) joined in the fun and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, sister-in-law, think about it? Do you mind having another boyfriend?"
This was clearly a joke between friends, and everyone joined in the laughter. But before I could even get embarrassed, Lin Yan's icy, warning voice came through the phone:
"Who dares?"
The box suddenly became quiet.
The air seemed to freeze. The smiles on the faces of those who had been laughing and joking just a moment ago froze, their eyes flicking strangely between me and my phone.
Me: “…” I was so embarrassed that I dug a magic castle out of my toes! Help! Lin Yan, you jealous bastard!
Lin Heng reacted the fastest and quickly tried to smooth things over: "Hey, hey, hey! Enough, enough! Stop joking! Didn't you see my brother is 'protecting his food' online? Come on, order some songs! Drink, drink! Ignore him!"
The atmosphere became lively again.
Although there were many people, Su Yan always sat next to me and took good care of me, a socially anxious person, very considerately.
He chatted with me in a gentle voice, asking me how Lin Yan and I met, how we got together, and what I liked about each other.
I was concerned that Lin Yan on the other end of the phone was listening intently, speaking haltingly and with a red face.
Su Yan listened very carefully, and exclaimed from time to time, "Wow, is that so?", "That's great!", "Brother Yan is so romantic!", his eyes sparkling, and he was very supportive.
Amidst the noisy music and singing, he suddenly moved closer to me, lowered his voice, and said with a shy smile, "Sister-in-law, actually... I seem to like Xiao Heng a little."
"Huh?" I was stunned for a moment. Looking at Su Yan's gentle smile and a hint of longing, a very inappropriate and completely thoughtless question popped up in my mind:
"So... who's 1 and who's 0 between you two?" I wanted to slap myself after asking that question! What kind of stupid thing is that?
Su Yan was obviously stunned as well, then he burst out laughing. He twisted the ends of his soft hair with his fingers in distress, his eyes a little confused: "Alas... Actually, I don't know... I just... want to be good to him."
He looked at Lin Heng, who was howling like a ghost with a microphone in the distance, with his eyes so gentle that they seemed to be dripping with water.
As I looked at his innocent look as he first fell in love, a thought suddenly popped up in my mind: This doesn't seem... like that kind of passionate love?
(My intuition was later proven to be correct. Su Yan's feelings for Lin Heng were more like a deep friendship mixed with dependence and admiration, rather than the pure throbbing feelings of a lover.)
A group of people played until late.
Under Lin Yan's "remote surveillance", I didn't dare drink too much.
Lin Heng was in a miserable state. He let himself go and got drunk. In the end, Su Yan and I carried him out one by one.
Lin Yan's car was already waiting at the door.
He got out of the car and walked over. He had a tall and straight figure, a gentle face but with a hint of coldness, and an aura that kept strangers away, which instantly caused a small commotion of "So handsome!"
Lin Yan ignored me and walked straight to us. His eyes first swept over me (to confirm that I was intact and had not drunk any alcohol), then fell on Lin Heng, who was hanging on me like a puddle of mud, and his brows frowned even more tightly.
He reached out and pulled Lin Heng off me like a chicken, and handed him to Su Yan next to him: "Su Yan, please keep an eye on him." Then he pulled me over and stuffed me into the passenger seat.
The car started and drove into the night.
Lin Yan drove in silence at first, without saying a word, and the lines on his profile were a little tense.
I thought he was still angry about the jokes in the KTV, and I felt a little nervous, wondering whether I should explain.
Suddenly, he spoke, his voice was particularly clear in the quiet carriage, with a hint of... suppressed laughter and pride?
"So you've been caring about me since that early?"
"Huh?" I was confused.
Lin Yan turned his head and glanced at me quickly, his eyes bright and surprising: "Just now in the box, Su Yan asked you how we got together, and you said..."
He imitated my stumbling tone, "'Just...he helped me pack my things...took care of me...and then...that's it...'" He chuckled, "'that' is what? Huh?"
I reacted instantly! My face flushed bright red! Shit! Su Yan asked me what I liked about Lin Yan, and I was so nervous at the time that I stammered, "He helps me pack my things and keeps an eye on me." I couldn't continue, so I just vaguely said, "That's it!" He caught me in this?!
"I...I just made a slip of the tongue!" I was filled with shame and indignation.
"Slip of the tongue?" The curve of Lin Yan's mouth became bigger and bigger. While waiting for the red light, he suddenly came over and kissed me with irresistible force!
The kiss was quick and deep, filled with strong possessiveness and the pride of having found a treasure.
"Ugh!" I was startled and subconsciously tried to push him away, but he grabbed the back of my head.
He glanced at the back seat - Lin Heng was lying on his back, sleeping soundly and snoring softly.
Su Yan tilted his head and looked out the window, as if he saw nothing (but I suspected he was smiling!).
Lin Yan didn't care about that. He kissed me passionately and contentedly until the green light came on. He then reluctantly let me go. His fingertips rubbed my lips affectionately, and his voice was low and hoarse:
"I'll settle the score with you when I get home...about you doing that to me so early in the morning."
Me: “…” I’m afraid that the Goblin Warrior will have to struggle to survive again tonight amidst “digging up old accounts” and “sweet torture”!
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