"I don't get it. I spend every day with the young master and we never fight! How did you manage to make such a mess of things in a single afternoon?"

"If you two don't fight, then go be with him. I'm certainly not stopping you," Jiangg Ning said, shooting her a sidelong glance.

"How am I supposed to be with him when you've already made him angry? The air is so cold I'd freeze solid just standing next to you! So what, you expect me to go and cheer him up for you, just so you can go and make him angry again? Are you trying to use me as a perpetual motion machine?"

"Say whatever you want. I wasn't in the wrong."

Jiangg Ning went to the living room and sat down, crossing her legs. She looked completely unconcerned, but Jiangg Yao knew with a single glance that her sister was only pretending.

When it came to how much they cared about Chen Yuan, it was hard to say which of the two sisters came out on top. They were both genuinely in love with him.

They just had different ways of showing it.

A moment later, as if she'd just remembered something, Jiangg Ning started searching through the cabinet next to the TV. She lifted a cup, then took apart a tissue box. It was unclear what she was looking for.

"The young master is so good-natured. For things to get this bad, how can you say it's not your fault? Are you saying *he's* the one being unreasonable?"

"You're right. This time, it really is Chen Yuan who's being un-rea-son-a-ble!" Jiangg Ning bit out each word, her composure finally cracking as her face flushed with anger. "And besides, Jiangg Yao, that's enough. Don't be such a simp that you lose your mind. We both like him, but does that mean we have to ignore all his faults and only focus on what he does right?"

"You're calling me a simp again, and Chen Yuan is ignoring me... I've had it with you two. What did I even do?" Jiangg Yao flopped dramatically onto the sofa, speechless as tears streamed down her face. "I didn't even do anything, WAAAH."

'Who wants to be a simp?'

'Who's a natural-born masochist who only loves to give and never receive?'

'That's just plain insane.'

She just valued this relationship and wanted to see it through to a happy ending.

She and Ningning were in this bizarre love affair together. Now that there was a fight and the relationship was in crisis, how could she not be anxious?

CLANG—

Jiangg Ning had pulled out some dark, grimy object and thrown it on the floor.

It smashed to pieces with a CRACK.

"This camera was hidden so well... How did she get into the house," Ningning muttered to herself.

"You found it?" Turning onto her side, a tear fell from the corner of her eye, but Jiangg Yao instantly got her emotions under control. "I looked for an hour at noon and couldn't find it."

She wiped her tears away, and in an instant, not a single trace of her crying remained.

"Then you must not have looked carefully enough."

"Fine... Hey! I was talking to you about the young master! What did you two even fight about?"

"The reason is simple. I quit my job at the school, and he wasn't happy about it. He went on about how I always treat him like a child and never discuss anything with him..." Jiangg Ning explained as she continued to search, recounting the entire incident before shrugging. "Was I wrong? I even apologized, and he wouldn't accept it."

"You're unbelievable."

Jiangg Yao leaned back in despair, wishing she could just cough up a gallon of blood and die on the spot.

"Unbelievable how? I'm telling you, stop using all that weird slang. I don't get your generation's stuff."

"Stop, stop, stop! You're just overthinking it, Sis. This has absolutely nothing to do with all that stuff you were just saying."

"It does have a relationship! Of course it does! Am I not allowed to do something I'm passionate about? I wrote several notebooks for this plan, did so much research, and read countless books. And so what if Chen Yuan feels like he can't participate in my life? I think our dynamic is perfectly fine. I'm very happy with it... I'm overthinking it? No, I'm not. I really am trying to communicate with him and make him understand."

"Is that the real issue here?"

"Is it not?"

"It's not."

"Then you tell me! What is the real issue?! What did I do to make him this angry!"

Jiangg Yao had rarely seen Ningning in such a state. Her sister was actually losing her cool.

Only Chen Yuan could push such a calm and composed person to this point. Perhaps this was the kind of "unexpected event" that Ningning had worried about before.

Her carefully planned life was never supposed to include things like this. Chen Yuan's appearance had introduced too many variables.

It was no wonder Ningning had been so hesitant before.

Without a doubt, she was completely frazzled.

"Sis, do you remember when you decided to study abroad..."

"I remember. Why?"

"I really admired you for making that decision. You were so determined, ignoring everyone's objections, insisting on leaving Mingzhu City after living there for so long. I really hated you back then."

"'Hated?'" Jiangg Ning repeated the word, taken aback.

"Yes, hated. We grew up together. Every time Mom was about to hit me, you'd stand in front of me. When I secretly cried at night after being scolded, you were the one who comforted me. I couldn't imagine how lonely I would have been without you. I would have been terrified sleeping alone at night."

Yaoyao rarely spoke so seriously. Jiangg Ning listened in silence, looking into her eyes.

Jiangg Yao continued, "But you were so determined to leave. No matter how much I cried or begged, I tried everything... I even threatened you to try and stop you from going. I hated your guts back then. I wished I'd never see you again and that you wouldn't be my sister anymore. You know how I am—I get angry, but I still missed you after you left. But at that moment, that's what I truly thought. I don't know how I got through those years. We only saw each other once a year. Just when I was finally getting used to sleeping alone, you came back. From the moment you returned, I could clearly tell you were different. You didn't seem like the sister I knew."

"Was I?"

"Definitely. You became very mature, decisive, and organized. After you brought me to Lanjing, you arranged every single aspect of my life. At first, I hated having you plan everything for me. But then I realized it meant I could be a lazy bum without feeling guilty, so I never said anything."

Jiangg Yao's tone suddenly shifted. "But Chen Yuan isn't like that. He doesn't want you to arrange everything and leave him in a completely passive role. That passivity puts pressure on him. It makes him feel like his pride has been wounded, like he can't find his place in the relationship. Do you get it?"

"When you put it that way... I think I'm starting to understand."

Ningning thought for a moment and was surprised to find that what Jiangg Yao said made perfect sense.

"So this isn't about personality, and it has nothing to do with your plans. It's about a young man's pride. You have to learn to take care of his pride, don't you? He's only eighteen. He doesn't think about things the same way you do."

It had to be said.

Jiangg Yao had given Ningning a moment of sudden enlightenment.

She understood instantly. That really was the problem.

"Why do you think Chen Yuan and I never fight? Because most of the time, I let him take the lead."

"So because I'm too decisive, it makes him feel lost?"

"Exactly!" Jiangg Yao nodded.

"I never would have guessed, Yaoyao. You can analyze problems from such a unique angle and express yourself so clearly," Jiangg Ning said, thoroughly impressed.

"Hmph. I just don't usually feel like showing off. Did you really think I was just some fat, lazy slob who never thinks?"

After receiving a single compliment.

Jiangg Yao immediately put her hands on her hips, her nose in the air, so smug she looked like she could fly. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

This was one of her few moments to shine in front of her sister.

How could she not be smug?

She was probably cackling maniacally on the inside; it was obvious from the smug curve of her lips.

"I think I know how to make it up to Chen Yuan now."

"Then go, quick! I'll be cheering for you!"

"Okay, I'm going right now."

As Jiangg Ning spoke, she immediately took off her apron and let down her tied-up hair. Since she smelled a bit like cooking, she also went to change her clothes.

She spritzed on some nice perfume.

As she stepped out the door, Yaoyao was still shouting from behind her, "Don't be shy! Go make up with him properly! I know you can do it~"

...

SLAM—

The door shut.

A smile was still on Jiangg Yao's face as she let out a satisfied sigh.

She sat down on the sofa. 'Honestly. This time, they'll definitely make up, right? Their relationship will be back to normal, and Ningning can be all lovey-dovey with my man again, hehe.'

'Wait a minute.'

'Something's not right.'

Jiangg Yao's smile vanished.

After a moment, the stunned girl finally realized. Since she knew the reason for the fight, why didn't *she* go make up with him and use this golden opportunity to score some major points?!!!

A few seconds later, a desperate cry echoed through the living room.

"Oh, for meow's sake! What the hell! How could I be so stupid..."

"DAMN!!! (The river kind!)"