"I"m home!"Cheng Jia announced as she entered the house, changing her shoes into house a house slipper while putting the former into the a rack.
"Jiajia, you"re just in time. I already cooked for..." Cheng Jian answered losing her train of thought when she saw Cheng Jia with make-up as she came out to welcome her.
"Why does she look like she has gone somewhere? Oh! Right, she did. She went out as my replacement, but that doesn"t mean she has to look pretty like this."
Came Cheng Jian"s inner thoughts. She might be thinking inwardly but the question in her mind is clearly shown in her face and it just told Cheng Jia about her confusion.
On the other hand, Cheng Jia remembered that she hadn"t removed her make up earlier due to her excitement of coming home with a good news. She understood her sister"s reaction.
She smiled, "Sister, stop talking to yourself, mentally. I will explain to you later. Let"s..." before she could finish talking her stomach grumbled.
She looked at her sister sheepishly.
"Did they not let you eat earlier that you"re stomach"s protesting like this?" Jian queried out of concern, worrying that her sister might have been bullied by the "demanding" Director Min.
Walking pa.s.s her, Cheng Jia said, "Oh! Big sister, you knew just one meal won"t satisfy me. Don"t worry, Director Min"s been good to me," she patted her sister"s shoulder lightly and added, "I"m changing first then I"ll come out to eat."
Not waiting for an answer, Cheng Jia entered her room, put down her sling bag on the bed and sat down. She picked the picture frame on the bedside table and caressed it as if she is face to face with the boy she dearly love.
"We will soon be together again, baby," she planted a kiss on the frame before putting it back.
She washed up and changed quickly. When she came out, she salivated as she smelt the food that was now served on the table. Cheng Jia then sat on the chair in their little dining.
She didn"t wait for any invitation from her sister, she picked up her chopsticks and started devouring the food in front of her.
Jian while eating took glances at her little sister. She would like to hear her explanation, no matter how shallow it is. Having seen her with makeup is unusual of her who chose to be in her simplest.
"Sis Jian, don"t keep on looking at me like that. It makes me feel uneasy."
Jian chuckled lowly, "You wouldn"t speak so all I can do is watch you eat and wonder."
Cheng Jia shrugged while munching. Then she pointed her chopsticks at Jian. She was about to tell her that "Curiosity kills a cat", but then...
"I know what you"re about to say, so just shut it. Lil sis, spill now, will you?"
Rolling her eyes, Cheng Jia pointed at her food, indicating that she is still eating.
"You"re such a b.u.mmer Jiajia. If one day you ask me to help you in anything, I swear I won"t help you."
Cheng Jia swallowed down the food she was munching and drank the water in her gla.s.s. Without delay, she reached her sister"s hand.
"Big sister Jian, I am wrong. I"ll spill just promise me you"ll help me."
Jian was just messing with her sister. She didn"t think she will react this way. Even so, she won in making her talk so she wore a satisfied smile.
"If you were someone else, I would not waver but since I"m a good big sister and I love my lil sis, I am giving you this chance," Cheng Jian answered smugly.
Cheng Jia retracted her hand into a praying position and bowed, "All hail to the ever forgiving Cheng Jian."
The big sister waved her hand, "Oh you silly girl. This is nothing, you"re my sister after all," she leaned in a little in the table, "So, what is it that made you wear makeup?"
Cheng Jia bit the end of her chopsticks and looked at the appetizing foods before looking at Jian.
"These would get cold later, could she not wait for me to finish eating?"
Seemed like Jian read her sister"s thought, "Jiajia, if you speak now I will heat these up for you once it gets cold. If not, then I won"t cook for you anymore."
Cheng Jia sighed and decided to munch whilst talking from time to time.
"Big sister Jian, I think I will have to resign from my work. I found something that would make me earn big."
Furrowing her brows in confusion, Jian asked before drinking water, "Are you sure about that? What work could this be that made you give up the bookstore?"
In her mind, her sister, Jian"s reaction is normal. She haven"t finished college because of financial struggle. So, she haven"t had any good job until a friend of her put up a bookstore and invited her in as clerk. When she got the job, she even swore to keep it as long as she can and now, she suddenly wanted to resign.
"I know it"s a sudden decision," Cheng Jia"s tone is now serious, unlike her usual way of conversing, "The thing is I received a call yesterday night."
"Is it from Luwei?"
"Mmmmm," Cheng Jia answered with a nod then looked at her sister in the eye, "Sister, Shuyang was rushed to the hospital yesterday. Luwei said he needs medication, that"s why I need to earn."
This time, Cheng Jia is teary.
"I... You just don"t know how hard I fought to myself yesterday whether I should go to province X or not. I really wanted to go but if I go without enough money, how would I face Shuyang? So when I heard Luwei that he was fine, I decided to stay and swore that this would be the last time I"ll be apart from him while he is in pain. Yesterday I prayed for a miracle. I need a lot of money to pay for his medication and for my plans for us."
Jian understood her sister very well. She reached for Cheng Jia"s hand to console her.
"Everything is going to be alright, Jiajia. No matter what, big sister is here. So what are you planning?"
"I think, sending me in your workplace today is a miracle," Cheng Jia started, "Earlier, instead of just focusing as your replacement, they let me try out for the "Broken Innocence"."
"Broken Innocence? Did she say she try out for that? And..."
Jian"s eyes grew big as she stared at her sister who has a hopeful face. She could already guess what she would say next but she needs her to confirm it.
"I was chosen to be the amba.s.sadress in the end," goes Cheng Jia"s confirmation.
Her sister did not interrupt so Cheng Jia continued.
"At first I did it to satisfy the madam who looked so warm but then when I was facing the mirror, a thought came in to me like lightning. I thought if I"d be able to get it done, I might earn a lot, even just this once."
"You... you mean to say you would enter entertainment? Are you sure with that Jiajia?"
She nodded, "Sister, I am doing this for Shuyang. Again, I need to earn!"
"Cheng Jia, do you know that this kind of job is quite hectic and chaotic? If you are doing this for Shuyang, I understand, but have you considered Shuyang being dragged with you in a scandal or something?"
"But, big sister I am only doing this just once and for this brand only. After this, if my money is enough, then I would put up a small business so Shuyang and I won"t be apart anymore and that way, I can watch over him. That way, my heart will be at ease. Also, I am not like those famous models and artists who would get everyone"s attention. I am new in this so my appearance will not matter that much. And this brand is also new, so I don"t think I will be someone"s interest other than just a mere amba.s.sadress for The Jewel"s "Broken Innocence"."
Jian scanned her sister"s face to see if she"s holding back but she can only sigh to see Cheng Jia"s determined look. She made sense but still, in entertainment, Jian can never be sure of what will happen.
She thought that maybe she should just support her with her decision since Cheng Jia seemed very determined.
Jian nodded as she was in deep thought. She reached for her gla.s.s when...
"Big sister Jian, I am already decided so please support me and be my manager."
As Jian was drinking water while Cheng Jia said that, she accidentally spat water on her sister"s face while she coughed. All the poor little sister could do is to close her eyes and accept her fate.
"I should have made sure she wasn"t drinking anything before I freed the bomb," she thought to herself while wiping the mixture of water and saliva of her sister on her face.
"This is so gross, but I need to endure it for my Shuyang."