WHIF- Chapter 9

Ch. 09 Sister-in-law

    “Chenchen?!”

    Ji Shuyu rushed out the moment she heard the loud commotion in the garden. The swing chair had collapsed, and the child had fallen. Without hesitation, she ran over and lifted Ji Chen, who was safely shielded by Ji Xiang below her.

    “Chenchen? Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” Ji Shuyu held Ji Chen’s tear-streaked face, inspecting her worriedly. She then gently pulled away the little hand rubbing her eyes.

    Ji Xiang’s back and elbow had gone numb, and his head had made a powerful impact with the ground. The dull ache was spreading quickly. As he tried to push himself up, Yang Chaosheng gripped his hand firmly, lending him strength.

    “Ji Xiang, are you alright?” Yang Chaosheng half-hugged Ji Xiang who was left out and helped him up.

   The couple were still focused on comforting the softly crying Ji Chen. It wasn’t until Yang Chaosheng spoke, his hand gently cradling Ji Xiang’s head, that Wan Wenqi finally looked over and offered a few words of concern.

    Ji Shuyu, too, realized belatedly and looked at Ji Xiang with worry. “Xiao Xiang…”

    “I’m fine. Take Chenchen to treat the wound first.”

    Ji Xiang’s throat tightened. Seeing the bruise on Ji Chen’s arm, he pulled down the right sleeve of his shirt while leaning against Yang Chaosheng.

    In the distance, Ji Shuyu’s voice drifted away along with Ji Chen, “I’m going to put some medicine on her. How did she fall like that, so careless…”

    The rest of her murmuring faded into a blur.

   Yang Chaosheng wanted to smooth down Ji Xiang’s messy hair—just as much as he wanted to soothe the guilt written all over his face.

    But after weighing it for a moment, he held back and asked gently, “Can I take a look at your injury?”

    He had seen blood on Ji Xiang’s arm earlier from behind.

    Ji Xiang winced at the burning pain. Though he didn’t answer, he also didn’t resist when Yang Chaosheng carefully rolled up his sleeve.

    Just like a dull, soulless puppet, it was hard to figure out what he was thinking.

   Dressed formally today, Yang Chaosheng’s pocket handkerchief came in handy. He used it to clean around the wound, a deep gash the length of a finger.

    Glancing at the mess on the ground, he saw that the swing’s base frame had snapped. Ji Xiang had been cut by a piece of metal while shielding Ji Chen.

    “Are there any other injuries?” Yang Chaosheng asked.

   Ji Xiang shook his head.

    “I’ll help you inside.”

    Ji Xiang had assumed that meant a light hand on the arm, so when Yang Chaosheng actually wrapped an arm around his shoulders, he was momentarily stunned.

   Yang Chaosheng supported Ji Xiang as they walked into the house. Ji Chen had already stopped crying, and Wan Wenqi and Ji Shuyu were coaxing her with smiles, having completely forgotten about Ji Xiang left behind in the garden.

    The child’s emotions came and went quickly. When she saw Ji Xiang coming in, she timidly called “brother” and lowered her head guiltily.

    Her head hung low with guilt. If she hadn’t insisted on pulling her brother to swing, this wouldn’t have happened.

    Yang Chaosheng spoke up just in time, “Uncle, Auntie, do you have any iodine? Xiao Xiang’s arm is injured too. It needs disinfecting.”

    Ji Shuyu reacted the most. She had just finished applying ointment to Ji Chen and now rushed to grab the medicine box. “Yes, yes, we do. Chenchen was such a wild child when she was little, always getting hurt… Found it!”

   She held the cotton swabs and bottle, her eyes meeting Ji Xiang’s, but she seemed to be fixed in place, not knowing what to do next.

   “I’ll take care of it.” Yang Chaosheng took the items and guided Ji Xiang to sit by the sofa, crouching beside him to apply the disinfectant.

    “Does it hurt?”

    Yang Chaosheng didn’t mind the audience. In fact, he asked after every few dabs.

    “…It’s okay.” Ji Xiang only flinched once at the first touch, at which Yang Chaosheng gently switched from gripping his wrist to simply holding his hand.

    When Ji Xiang tried to wince and pull away, Yang Chaosheng pinched his palm lightly to distract him.

    Ji Shuyu, seeing Ji Xiang hurt, felt a pang of guilt herself. She patted her chest and said, “That swing… only Chenchen usually plays on it. Luckily, Xiao Xiang was nearby today…”

    Ji Xiang’s expression froze.

    At the same time, Wan Wenqi cut in, “It was my oversight not checking the swing. It’s been years, we should’ve repaired or replaced it long ago.”

   “Xiao Xiang, are you hurting anywhere else? Do you want Uncle to take you and your sister to the hospital?”

    Ji Xiang suppressed the inexplicable sourness in his heart and smiled at Wan Wenqi, “It’s okay, it’s just a minor injury.”

   Then, with nonchalance, he added to Ji Shuyu, “Yeah, good thing I was there. As long as Chenchen’s okay.”

    Ji Shuyu then realized how her words earlier had sounded, as if playing favourites. There should be no such thing as luck or misfortune. They were all her children.

   She opened her mouth to say something, but Ji Xiang gently called Ji Chen over.

    The little girl hesitated, then leaned into Ji Xiang’s embrace and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

    “It’s not your fault, Chenchen.” Ji Xiang stroked her head.

    Even if Ji Chen one day realized how unhappy he really was in this home, the love he had for her was always sincere, his joy around her, his protectiveness, they were all real.

    After all, the little girl who once ran after him couldn’t fake that kind of bond.

    Ji Chen, still teary, wrapped her arms around his and blew lightly on his wound. “Pain pain, fly away.”

    Wan Wenqi, seeing this touching moment, quietly tugged Ji Shuyu to the kitchen to help Aunt Fang prepare lunch.

    Ji Xiang chuckled and remembered the ‘study gift pack’ Yang Chaosheng had prepared for Ji Chen. Feeling mischievous, he teased, “Chenchen, Brother Yang brought you a present. Want to see it?”

    Hearing that, her eyes lit up. “A gift for me?!”

    “Yep. It’s something you really need right now.” Ji Xiang exchanged a playful glance with Yang Chaosheng.

   “What is it? I want it!”

    “Alright, close your eyes.” Ji Xiang then covered her eyes with both hands, “Ready?”

    “Ready!”

    He gestured to Yang Chaosheng, who smiled and handed him a workbook.

    “Ta-da—open your eyes.”

    Ji Chen’s excitement immediately faded away the moment she read the words on the cover: ‘Final Sprint to Junior High School: Elite Mock Tests’. Looking at her expression, Ji Xiang burst out laughing as she snatched the book from his hands and scolded, “You meanie!”

    Yang Chaosheng couldn’t look away from Ji Xiang, as if trying to memorize this moment—his bright smile, the way he laughed.

    Ji Xiang, too caught up in teasing, didn’t notice Ji Chen flipping through the book with growing confusion. She looked up at her family’s so-called ‘Brother Yang’—her brother’s boyfriend and saw him making a shushing gesture at her.

    “Shhh.”

    Ji Chen nodded like she understood. When Wan Wenqi called out, “Lunch is ready!”, Ji Xiang habitually went to grab bowls and chopsticks. Ji Chen lingered behind and asked Yang Chaosheng in a small voice, “Sister-in-law, do you really like my brother?”

    Yang Chaosheng had brought not just the workbook but also snacks that kids love, chosen carefully after asking a friend. Hidden between the workbook’s pages was a red envelope—just a small one, enough for a child’s pocket money. Ji Xiang didn’t know, and Yang Chaosheng never intended to tell him.

    Watching Ji Xiang dote on his sister, Yang Chaosheng thought: ‘Well, a little bribe never hurts.’

    “I do. Very much,” he answered without hesitation. “Did you just call me ‘sister-in-law’?”

   “Yeah, isn’t that what you call your brother’s wife?”

    “Smart girl. Call me that a few more times.”

    Though she found it a bit strange, Ji Chen obeyed and called out several more times.

    When Ji Xiang came out with Ji Shuyu, carrying the dishes, he was stunned to find Ji Chen repeating ‘sister-in-law’ like a broken record, each time more enthusiastic than the last.

    “Chenchen! What are you shouting? Come eat,” he said, rushing over to drag her away.

    “I’m not shouting nonsense! He’s your partner—your future wife! So he’s my sister-in-law!”

    “Well… you’re not wrong, but he’s a guy…”

    “It’s fine,” Yang Chaosheng said with a calm smile. “Kids can call people however they like.”

   Ji Xiang swallowed the “But we’re not married yet” that was on the tip of his tongue.

    Ji Chen beamed at Yang Chaosheng.

    As long as someone treated her brother well, she’d like them too.

    Lunch was hearty and lively. No one knew what Yang Chaosheng had said to Ji Shuyu in the kitchen, but midway through the meal, she even ladled him a bowl of soup.

    Yang Chaosheng stood up to receive it. “Thank you, Auntie, I can do it myself.”

    Ji Shuyu spent the meal asking Yang Chaosheng about his background. Ji Xiang, aside from what he already knew, was clueless.

    He didn’t dare interrupt, so he listened attentively, committing every detail to his memory.

    Only now did Ji Xiang learn that Yang Chaosheng came from a well-off family—his parents ran a luxury brand company, and it was currently managed by his older sister while he pursued his own ventures.

   “Oh right, how did you and Xiao Xiang meet? He said you were friends.”

   Ji Xiang glanced nervously at Yang Chaosheng. Luckily, he handled it with ease. “We met at a university club event in our freshman year. He came to watch the performance, and I was on duty maintaining order.”

    He recalled that time with a mix of truth and false. “The moment I saw him, I thought he was adorable. He got lost looking for a friend’s guitar performance and accidentally wandered into the backstage area during rehearsals. Just as I was about to guide him out, his friend showed up.”

    “He was so loyal—his friend’s guitar broke right before going on stage, and there was no spare. So he got up there himself and sang ‘Mainly’. On his way offstage, he passed by me and cheerfully asked, ‘Did I sing well?’ That’s how we got to know each other and became friends.”

    Wan Wenqi chuckled, “So Xiao Xiang can sing too?”

    “He sings beautifully,” Yang Chaosheng said, turning to Ji Xiang with tender eyes. “You even asked me to sing a duet with you afterward, remember? Too bad I’m tone-deaf.”

    The story was too believable.

    Ji Xiang did have a friend who played guitar in college, and he had once sung ‘Mainly’ at a freshman welcoming party.

    But in his real memories, there had never been a Yang Chaosheng.

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The author has something to say:

Chenchen: Sister-in-law!

Xiaoyang, who has completely forgotten that there was such a term as ‘brother-in-law’, was secretly happy: Sounds nice, can you say it again?