Chapter 34: The Unmotivated Mistress

When Cheng Xingye returned to the dormitory, he saw Lu Yi lounging at his computer, working on a lab report. Chen Shujie was there too, sprawled on his bed, engrossed in a lively WeChat conversation.

Cheng Xingye shrugged off his jacket, draping it casually over the back of a chair. He pulled his phone from his pocket to charge it, then remarked to a certain someone who paid little attention to his younger sister, “Your sister’s being chased after so openly, shouldn’t you be keeping an eye on her?”

Mentioning Lu Qingyue only made things worse. Ever since she and Lu Yi had their falling out at the mall entrance, they’d barely spoken at home these past few days. Both were too proud to back down, each ignoring the other.

Lu Yi didn’t even bother to turn around, replying lazily, “What’s the point? Didn’t she say she didn’t want me as her brother anymore? I’ve come to terms with it. The cabbage has grown up—how could it avoid being nibbled by the pigs?”

He stretched out his long legs, and before Cheng Xingye could reply, added nonchalantly, “Besides, if you think about it differently, if there are pigs eager to eat the cabbage, it just proves my cabbage is attractive. I should be happy.”

Cheng Xingye was speechless. Wasn’t that a bit too broad-minded? You could probably fit an entire ocean into that heart of yours.

For some reason, even though he knew Lu Yi wasn’t talking about him, Cheng Xingye still felt faintly offended.

Who are you calling a pig?

Before he could respond, Chen Shujie suddenly raised his hand high. “Lu, I have a question!”

“Go ahead,” Lu Yi said.

Chen Shujie grinned slyly, waggling his brows at Cheng Xingye. “So by your logic, it doesn’t matter who pursues your sister? Sooner or later, a pig will get her anyway.”

Cheng Xingye: … Who are these two calling names at, exactly?

Lu Yi, missing his look, turned around at the question and sized him up with open disdain. “Someone like you? Absolutely not.”

That little brat might be annoying, but not just anyone could be his brother-in-law.

Chen Shujie pretended to be wounded, clutching his chest but pressing on, “What about someone like Xingye, then?”

Lu Yi snorted, casting a glance at Cheng Xingye. “Isn’t he into long legs and tiny waists? Why would he bother chasing after some kid who hasn’t even grown up yet? Has he developed a thing for babysitting?”

Cheng Xingye: …

When had he ever said he liked long legs and tiny waists? Besides, that kid might have short legs—her head probably couldn’t even reach his chin—but her waist was pretty slender.

Cheng Xingye couldn’t help feeling a little indignant on Lu Qingyue’s behalf.

After poking fun at his own sister, Lu Yi stepped out onto the balcony to take a call.

Once he was gone, Chen Shujie climbed down from his bed, sidling up to Cheng Xingye and asking in a low, conspiratorial tone, “Where did you just go? Sneaking a peek at Lu Yi’s sister?”

As if he’d need to sneak around if he wanted to look.

Just thinking about how Lu Qingyue had looked at him earlier, earnest as she confessed she’d liked someone for a long time, filled Cheng Xingye with a restless irritation.

He snorted coldly, his expression indifferent. “Come on. She’s just a kid, already claims she has a crush. Why would I bother watching her? Am I supposed to be the Lu family's nanny?”

It wasn’t as if he had a thing for taking care of kids.

Lu Yi didn’t want to babysit—why should he?

“Oh?” Chen Shujie looked surprised. “How old is Lu Yi’s sister, anyway? She already has a boy she likes?”

Cheng Xingye glanced at him but said nothing. He found it even more baffling himself.

Only sixteen! And she already has someone she likes!

Are kids these days really that precocious?

Seeing his dejected, impatient face, Chen Shujie realized it was true. He grinned, enjoying the drama, and pressed further, “So you’re just going to give up?”

Cheng Xingye shot him a look that screamed “what nonsense are you spouting?”

“What else? Should I chase after her like some lovesick puppy?”

Chen Shujie, seeing he didn’t get it, shook his head with a sigh. “There’s no such thing as an unbreakable relationship, only someone who doesn’t try hard enough.”

Besides, with his friend’s credentials, he probably wouldn’t need to try very hard to come out on top.

Cheng Xingye just scoffed, “Me, be her side guy?”

But the thought of the girl one day getting cozy with some pretty boy made his irritation and restlessness bubble up again.

With a faintly scornful expression, he looked down and chuckled, “She wishes.”

A grown man like him, play second fiddle to a kid? Not a chance.

...

After that PE class, Lu Qingyue didn’t see Cheng Xingye for an entire month.

She didn’t particularly want to admit it, but she had to acknowledge she did miss him a little.

Jiang University was just next door—should she try to find him?

Lu Qingyue wasn’t sure. Judging by Cheng Xingye’s reaction that day, he seemed to regard her crush as a stroke of bad luck.

What exactly did he say...? “Who’s the poor soul being pestered by a little pervert like you?”

She was a bit of a flirt, true, but hadn’t done anything too out of line, had she? At most, she’d teased him a few times—who knew the old man was so uptight?

Lu Qingyue decided not to scare him off again. She set her feelings aside and focused on preparing for her finals.

...

Finals at Jiang University were scheduled over two days, Monday and Tuesday.

Over the weekend, Lu Qingyue studied at home. Both her parents, rarely home near the year’s end, were there too.

A few years ago, Lu Jiachen had been promoted to chief physician and was now so busy he couldn’t be bothered to worry about his children’s studies even on his days off. Xi Yu, now the head of the middle school’s academic affairs, managed a thousand unruly teenagers at work and had no energy left to discipline her daughter at home.

Luckily, though Lu Qingyue was a bit mischievous, she had a studious elder brother who could spare their parents the trouble.

Yet, that weekend, with both siblings home for once, neither spoke to the other—not even a glance exchanged.

Usually, they weren’t particularly close, but when exams approached, Lu Yi would at least check on his sister’s revision progress. This time, he went straight to his room, making it clear he had no intention of helping.

Xi Yu, unsure what had caused tension between the two, took the opportunity of bringing fruit upstairs to look in on them.

Both were in their rooms. After a moment’s thought, she knocked on her son’s door first.

A few seconds passed before she heard the chair scrape back inside.

Lu Yi opened the door, already sounding impatient. “What now… Mom!”

Xi Yu rolled her eyes in annoyance. “What’s keeping you so busy in here?”

No matter how arrogant he was at school, at home, the young master Lu had no choice but to bow to his mother’s authority.

Lu Yi scratched his head, a bit uneasy. “Nothing much.”

She glanced inside—his desk spotless, clearly not busy—so she instructed, “If you’re not doing anything, help your sister review. Her exams are coming up.”

If not for that troublemaker, he might have agreed. At the mention of his sister, Lu Yi snorted. “That brat needs my help?”

Xi Yu was used to his sharp tongue and rebuked him without expression, “Speak properly, and drop the sarcasm.”

Lu Yi sighed, putting on an air of helplessness. “It’s not sarcasm. She’s grown up now, stubborn as anything. Say a word and she’s ready to cry or throw a fit—who’d dare interfere?”

Xi Yu wasn’t especially partial to her daughter; she’d been through it herself and understood the mindset of kids that age. She replied, “She’s just going through a rebellious phase—it’s normal. Didn’t I put up with you for years when you were that age?”

Lu Yi: ???

Seeing he had nothing to say, Xi Yu pressed her advantage. “I put up with you for years, raised you from a baby—now it’s only right you help take care of your sister for me, isn’t it?”

Lu Yi: ???

So just because you got rained on back then, you want to tear up my umbrella now?