The Vicious, Vain Stepsister (7)

Jiang Xuefu and Lu Zhiyan had officially gotten together.

On the evening they made their relationship official, Jiang Xuefu announced the news over dinner with the Su family.

Su Jiu's chopsticks paused. She took a deep breath, then couldn't help mocking herself. Forget it, Su Jiu. He and you are no longer on the same path.

Su Jing was the happiest person at the table.

"Xiaoyan? I never expected you two to have such a connection. Our families were neighbors for a while when you were little."

"Come to think of it, we've been in North City for a while now, but we haven't gotten in touch with our old friends. Fufu, when you have time, ask Xiaoyan to come over for a meal. It's been so many years; I don't even know what he looks like now."

As she spoke, a trace of nostalgia flickered in Su Jing's eyes. Those days had been wonderful.

Jiang Xuefu's lovely eyes curved as she agreed to everything with a smile. "He's really handsome now. Lots of girls like him."

Su Jing said, "Hahahaha, but our Fufu was the one who won him over."

Jiang Xuefu lifted her chin proudly, a haughty look in her eyes. The sight delighted Su Jing so much that before her laughter had even stopped, she burst out laughing again.

The table was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.

Su Jiu ate in silence, her nails pressing red marks into her palms.

Before long, Lu Zhiyan came to visit, bearing gifts.

"Aunt Su, Uncle Jiang."

"Oh, Xiaoyan, come sit down." Su Jing had made a rare trip into the kitchen and prepared several of the signature dishes she used to make.

Jiang Sheng looked at the fine young man before him and thought of his family background. He nodded inwardly, naturally satisfied as well. "Xiaoyan, come sit over here. Dinner will be ready soon."

Lu Zhiyan said, "All right."

Standing behind Jiang Sheng, Jiang Xuefu poked her head out and smiled at Lu Zhiyan.

Once they had finished exchanging pleasantries, she hurried over, took his hand, and led him into the house. "Dad, Aunt Su, I'll show him around."

Su Jing and Jiang Sheng simply smiled at the sight and did nothing to stop them.

"Fufu," Lu Zhiyan called affectionately, as though no one else were there.

Even Lu Zhiyan, composed as he was, felt a little embarrassed being intimate in front of his girlfriend's parents.

Jiang Xuefu led him through the living room to the small garden behind the villa.

It was late autumn. The sun had set, and the evening glow resembled honey-soaked amber, covering the sky in a warm, soft sugar frosting. Several golden osmanthus trees grew in the garden. Their petals, like flecks of gold, rustled down in the evening breeze, spreading the rich fragrance of osmanthus across the ground.

Deep in the garden stood a swing seat. Banksia roses climbed and wound their way over its frame, forming a dome. When the two of them entered, it was as though they had stepped into a fairy-tale world in an oil painting.

She pulled him down onto the swing, wrapped both arms around his neck, and buried herself in his embrace.

The evening breeze lifted the hem of the girl's dress and her hair, only for him to smooth them gently back down.

"Lu Zhiyan, I missed you so much. Didn't you miss me? We haven't seen each other in days~"

A few days ago, something had come up at the company. With both of Lu Zhiyan's parents abroad, he had been the only one who could go and handle it.

All told, the two of them hadn't seen each other for four days.

Although they hadn't met, they had never stopped messaging and video-calling each other every day.

But what could Lu Zhiyan do with such a coquettish, clingy girlfriend? Of course, he had to spoil her.

He cupped the girl's fair, tender little face in both hands and squeezed lightly, pushing the soft flesh of her cheeks together and making her lusciously red lips pout.

Lu Zhiyan leaned in and kissed the lips he had longed for day and night, then rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. "If I don't work hard, how am I going to buy bags for my baby?"

Bags?

Jiang Xuefu's eyes lit up at the mention of bags. She asked indistinctly, "Is it the one I sent you yesterday?"

"More than that."

"All right, then I'll reluctantly forgive you for not coming to see me for so long."

A smile overflowed from Jiang Xuefu's eyes. Now that she was happy, she naturally didn't mind giving him a little taste of sweetness, so she wheedled sweetly, "More kisses~"

Lu Zhiyan's eyes darkened slightly. Faced with the invitation, he covered her lips with his without hesitation.

The evening glow faded, and stars lit up the night sky.

By the end, Jiang Xuefu lay against his chest, panting delicately, her lips visibly redder than before.

She frowned and complained, "Are you a dog? I already said no more."

"Who was it that asked for kisses, hmm?"

"I don't care, I don't care. You have to listen to me anyway."

"I'll listen to Fufu about everything except that."

Remembering what he meant, Jiang Xuefu couldn't help blushing.

Back then, he had been so innocent that the slightest touch would turn the tips of his ears bright red. Now he could make suggestive remarks in front of her without batting an eye.

"I can't be bothered to care whether you listen or not. I'm going to eat."

Watching the girl's retreating figure as she practically fled, Lu Zhiyan smiled, then got up and followed her inside.

At the dinner table, Su Jing noticed that someone was missing again and asked with a frown, "Have you seen Xiao Jiu? I just sent her to the back garden to call you in for dinner."

"Xiao Jiu? I didn't see her." Jiang Xuefu hid the contempt in her eyes and answered indifferently as she ate the food Lu Zhiyan had put on her plate.

How disgusting. Could she have spied on me kissing him, then hidden herself away, heartbroken or something?

"Never mind, let's eat first. Xiaoyan, have some of this. I made it especially for you. I remember you liked it when you were little." Su Jing paid her no further mind, once again feeling angry at Su Jiu's willfulness and lack of consideration.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, New Year's Day had arrived.

The school traditionally held a New Year's Day gala every year, and Jiang Xuefu happened to be the host of this year's gala.

Outside the Su family home.

Inside the car, the girl held in Lu Zhiyan's arms pushed at him twice as he kissed her deeply. She finally managed to break free and take a few breaths of fresh air.

When she saw him lean in again, Jiang Xuefu quickly covered her mouth. The young man's kiss landed on the back of her hand, leaving a faint trace of warmth.

"Fufu." Lu Zhiyan opened his closed eyes, which still held unspent desire and a hint of grievance.

"Stop it. No more kissing. What if they swell up?"

Jiang Xuefu shot him a glare. The New Year's Day gala was tomorrow, and she didn't want to appear with swollen lips. It would look awful.

Lu Zhiyan could guess what she was thinking just from her expression.

How can she be so cute?

Oh no, now I want to kiss her even more.

Alas, but my wife won't let me kiss her.

He sighed and settled her on his lap, finally remembering what he had wanted to talk about tonight.

"Fufu, my parents are going to the school to watch the gala tomorrow too. Do you want to have a meal together afterward?"

His parents? Am I meeting my future in-laws already?

"Sure, but what if your parents don't like me?"

Jiang Xuefu had given the matter serious thought. After all, it was rare to find someone as rich and lovestruck as Lu Zhiyan. Unless she had no other choice, she didn't want the two of them to separate.

"Our Fufu is so cute. Anyone who doesn't like you must be blind."

The longer they were together, the more adept Lu Zhiyan became at coaxing her.

Before long, he had coaxed the girl into kissing him affectionately again.

The two of them spent quite a while being intimate in the car before Jiang Xuefu got out. As soon as she returned home, sure enough, she heard the melodious sound of a violin coming from the second floor.

Jiang Xuefu, who had been immersed in sweetness just moments ago, gave a cold laugh. If she hadn't gone to the rehearsal today, she still wouldn't have known that Su Jiu had also signed up for a performance: a violin solo.

They had lived under the same roof for more than ten years, yet she had never heard Su Jiu play the violin.

She had kept it well hidden. Jiang Xuefu didn't even know where she had found the time to learn.

But even if she performed, so what?

Whether she would steal the spotlight or make a fool of herself remained to be seen.