Sister, can I be a maid too?

Page 289

Looking at Lin Jianxia, who had been holding the photo and staring at it for a long time, her smugness almost overflowing, Jiang Yubai couldn't help but speak up:

"No, do you like it that much? It's just an improvement award."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jianxia immediately composed herself and said with a stern face:

"What? Can't I even look at myself?"

"...I didn't ask who you were looking at, why are you reacting so strongly?"

Lin Jianxia rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to waste words with him, and simply stuffed the two photos in her hand into her clothes.

Seeing her action, Jiang Yubai blinked and asked in surprise:

"No, you... you've taken it all for yourself? You won't even share one with me?"

"......"

Lin Jianxia thought about it and it seemed to make sense; her expression visibly showed hesitation.

Reluctantly, she took out the photos, looking at them from left to right, as if choosing one.

Jiang Yubai watched her with great interest, but as Lin Jianxia picked and chose, her face gradually fell.

—So, you want them all, huh?

"Alright, alright," he said, both amused and exasperated. "Take them all if you like. I'll subscribe to a newspaper for you later, okay?"

"Mmm~"

Lin Jianxia immediately beamed with joy and, without any hesitation, stuffed the photo into her arms again.

After she finished stuffing it in, she suddenly blinked and looked at me with a somewhat blank expression:

"What newspaper?"

Jiang Yubai: "?"

What does it mean?

"No, you seem so happy..." he asked, squinting, "Isn't it because you'll be in the newspaper?"

Lin Jianxia blinked her eyes.

Then she blinked her eyes again.

She hummed in agreement twice:

"Yeah, yeah."

"You're kidding me! You're obviously just realizing it now!" Jiang Yubai couldn't help but retort. "Are you trying to fool me like Wanwan?"

"...No, it's just because it gets published in the newspaper."

Jiang Yubai didn't believe this at all, and suddenly frowned.

He recalled Lin Jianxia's delighted expression just now, and then looked at her obviously guilty little face, finally realizing that something was wrong:

"No, Lin... uh, Jianxia, the reason you're sulking isn't because Wanwan took photos but you didn't, is it?"

Lin Jianxia's previously confident expression froze, and her eyes suddenly wandered.

Upon seeing her expression, Jiang Yubai immediately understood, his eyes widening:

"Really? It doesn't really matter whether Wanwan or you go up, does it?"

Lin Jianxia pursed her lips, finally managing not to be stubborn for once, and instead began to hum and haw:

"It's different..."

"So that's why you're angry?" Jiang Yubai exclaimed in astonishment. "Didn't you ask yourself why you weren't going up last night?"

"I didn't know we'd be taking pictures at the end!"

Lin Jianxia finally opened up and began to ramble on and on.

"Think about it, if we didn't take pictures, it would be fine..."

"I've worked so hard for the scholarship, but in the end, it's not me standing on the stage and being recorded by the camera. It just doesn't feel right."

"Even if the person in the photo is my identical twin sister, it's still not me, and it can't replace that feeling."

Jiang Yubai felt that something was wrong, but the reason sounded so reasonable that he couldn't find fault with it for a while.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he finally spoke:

"So, the reason you were angry that you couldn't even figure out yourself... is this?"

“Mmm,” Lin Jianxia said without changing her expression, “I was too embarrassed to say it back then, so don’t tell Wanwan.”

He hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back, and Jiang Yubai couldn't help but ask:

"So...it has nothing to do with me?"

"What does it have to do with you?" Lin Jianxia showed that familiar look of disgust, wrinkled her little nose and said, "Jiang Xiaobai, you are so narcissistic."

Jiang Yubai chuckled but didn't reply, while Lin Jianxia glanced at him and hummed a little tune contentedly.

Lin Jianxia was sulking for this reason. She hadn't said anything before because she was too embarrassed to let Wanwan know.

It seems to have nothing to do with Jiang Yubai.

Now, the photos have been taken again, and Lin Jianxia looks happy; everything is perfect.

The vague notion in his mind that it was "one of the greatest illusions in history"... seems to have really just been an illusion.

And so, this series of events came to an end.

...or so?

“Xia, I just remembered something.” Jiang Yubai suddenly spoke up.

"I told you to call me Jianxia, but what kind of nonsense is this 'Xia' in 'Jianjian'...?"

Jiang Yubai ignored her complaints and continued speaking:

"You said you were angry because you couldn't go up and take pictures, and you felt that your efforts over the past few months weren't enough, right?"

"...Yes, what's wrong?"

Jiang Yubai narrowed his eyes:

"How come I remember you throwing a tantrum like that once before?"

Lin Jianxia's expression froze instantly:

"Does it...?"

"Anything else? Weren't you just as listless back then, and wouldn't give me a reason when I asked?" Jiang Yubai raised an eyebrow. "If you say it's nothing, nobody's going to believe you!"

"There weren't any award ceremonies or photo shoots back then... so?"

Lin Jianxia's eyes began to dart around, and she stammered:

"Um...the weather is so nice today, the sun is really shining..."

Jiang Yubai narrowed his eyes and stared at her:

"So there really is a problem, isn't there?"

Lin Jianxia's ears turned red from his gaze. She looked around for a while, but Jiang Yubai showed no sign of backing down.

Enraged, she raised her little fist and charged at the annoying guy:

"You're so annoying, Jiang Yubai!!"

After a flurry of cat-like punches, due to the vast difference in size and strength, Lin Jianxia was once again humiliated by Jiang Yubai's handcuffs behind her back.

"Speak up, what exactly are you angry about?"

Jiang Yubai spoke slowly.

"Didn't I already tell you?!" Lin Jianxia turned her neck and glared at him.

“Okay, I’ll assume this is how it is this time,” Jiang Yubai raised an eyebrow. “What about before?”

Lin Jianxia fell into a suspicious silence.

"Speak!"

Jiang Yubai urged.

But then Lin Jianxia twisted her neck and gritted her teeth, saying:

"Just kill me!"

These words, on the contrary, made Jiang Yubai laugh out loud:

"Hey, Lin Jianxia, do you know that you look a lot like a knight right now?"

"What knight?"