Chapter Twenty-Two: He Has a Sister Complex

After the meal, Jiang Wuyang had Uncle Wang drop them off at home first before taking her back to the hotel. With the week almost over, she knew she needed to prioritize finding a place to live...

Meanwhile, Jiang Yiran took Ruan An'an to the Lishui Bay villa. He was still seething with anger. He flung the door open with force, only to find the house in complete darkness. Instinctively, he frowned and called out for Auntie Zhang, but there was no response. He then remembered he had given her the day off.

Looking at the dark villa, Jiang Yiran felt a surge of irritation. If Auntie Zhang wasn't back, did that mean Jiang Wuyang hadn't returned either? It was already eleven o'clock; what on earth was Jiang Wuyang doing out so late?

Ruan An'an clearly noticed the emptiness as well. She tugged at Jiang Yiran’s sleeve, feigning fear: "Sister Wuyang isn't back yet at this hour. Could something have happened to her?"

Jiang Yiran’s heart skipped a beat, but he retorted sharply, "What could happen? She’s old enough; can’t she take care of herself?"

Ruan An'an froze, clearly shocked that Jiang Yiran would speak to her in such a loud tone. Realizing his outburst, Jiang Yiran calmed himself and softened his voice. "I'm sorry, An'an. It’s all Jiang Wuyang's fault. Brother lost his temper; I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He stroked Ruan An'an’s hair with an apologetic expression.

Ruan An'an’s eyes turned red, but she forced a smile. "It's okay, Brother. I don't blame you. It’s only natural to be worried since Sister isn't home."

"Good girl. Go wash up and get some sleep. Make do for tonight; I’ll find you a south-facing room to move into tomorrow." It was rare for Jiang Yiran to remember that Ruan An'an was in poor health and needed a room with plenty of sunlight.

Ruan An'an agreed softly. Jiang Yiran patted her hair and sighed, wishing Jiang Wuyang could be as sensible as Ruan An'an. He had completely forgotten that a young Jiang Wuyang used to be just as sweet and obedient. As he gazed out at the pitch-black night beyond the window, a flicker of worry crossed his mind. He wondered when Jiang Wuyang would finally return.

After washing up, Jiang Yiran sat on the living room sofa, waiting for her. The light from the television cast a dim glow on his face, revealing the undisguised exhaustion in his expression. Yet, he remained still, determined to wait on the sofa. If his sister came home and saw the house in darkness, she would be scared...

It had been like that when they were children. If their father was away and he went out to play with friends, little Jiang Wuyang would be taking a nap. When she woke up to a dark, empty house, he would return to find her sobbing uncontrollably, calling out for her brother. Heartbroken, he would hold and comfort her, and from that day on, he never left her behind to go out again. No matter where he went, he brought her along. His friends teased him for being obsessed with his sister, but he didn't care.

Lost in these thoughts, he eventually drifted into a deep sleep, unaware of the delicate figure standing at the top of the stairs, watching him with eyes full of overflowing resentment. She knew it! Jiang Yiran was still hung up on that wretch Jiang Wuyang! All his usual indifference must have been an act!

...

"Brother, Brother, wake up! You're going to be late for school."

A soft voice whispered in his ear. Jiang Yiran stirred and opened his eyes, murmuring instinctively, "Wuyang?"

Ruan An'an gritted her teeth, a flash of malice crossing her eyes before she quickly replaced it with concern. "Brother, it's me, An'an. Wake up, breakfast is ready."

Jiang Yiran frowned, his head throbbing. "An'an? Oh, right. Is Jiang Wuyang back?" His voice was raspy. He remembered waiting for her in the living room, but he must have fallen asleep before she arrived.

Ruan An'an sighed and shook her head with feigned worry. "No, I didn't see Sister Wuyang come home."

"Let's ask at school later. Hurry up and wash up, Brother Yiran; we need to leave."

Still groggy, Jiang Yiran followed her instructions without much thought. By the time he regained his senses, he was already in the car heading to school. Thinking of Jiang Wuyang staying out all night, he felt a mix of anger and annoyance, determined to find her in the Grade 11 Science Class A later.

At that moment, the Jiang Wuyang they were fretting over was already sitting at her desk in the classroom. As time passed, the students gradually filed in. During the morning reading session, Xi Wencheng stood at the podium.

"There's something we need to finish today. As you all know, the school sports meet is coming up soon. I’m leaving these two sign-up sheets with Sang Wan. If you want to participate, go to her to sign up."

"The old rules apply: a maximum of two people per event, and a maximum of three events per person. Do you hear me? If there aren't enough people signed up, I’ll have to resort to a lottery."

"Whoever gets picked, gets picked. If you're not satisfied, you can trade with others, as long as every event is covered."

Xi Wencheng spoke slowly and clearly. As soon as he finished, the class erupted in groans. They looked forward to the sports meet, but only as spectators. If they had to participate, they’d rather it not happen at all. Their "treasures" in Class A were great at studying, but how were they supposed to compete in running and jumping? Especially against the sports students.

"Oh, one more thing. There’s a group event this year. It’s not by grade level, but a school-wide competition. Our class has been assigned the twenty-person twenty-one-legged race. This doesn't conflict with the sports meet events, so those interested should sign up as soon as possible."

With that, Xi Wencheng handed the three sheets to Sang Wan. She took them, her eyes shining with excitement.

"What are you planning to sign up for?"

"Long jump and shot put, I guess."

"What about you?"

"I’ll probably do the same as last year: the one hundred and four hundred meter."

...

For the entire morning self-study session, Grade 11 Science Class A was in a heated discussion. Xi Wencheng, resigned to the fact that they wouldn't listen even if he spoke, let them be.

"By the way, does anyone know what those sports students in Class A are signing up for?" a few students sitting near Sang Wan chatted.

The "Class A" they referred to was understood to be the Liberal Arts Class A; the Science Class A didn't have sports students, as the daily training would make keeping up with the science curriculum impossible. As the question was posed, everyone’s gaze shifted toward Jiang Wuyang. She was the only one who had previously been in the Liberal Arts Class A, so she would know them better.

Jiang Wuyang was silent for a moment. "I’m not really sure. They seem to excel more in track events, like sprinting."

Jiang Wuyang wasn't lying; she genuinely didn't know. She had only spent a little over a month in the Liberal Arts class, and during that time, her focus had been almost entirely on Lin Jiachi and Ruan An'an.