Chapter Eight Relatives Crossing the Line

Xin Gan paused for a moment. "It's nothing, just a slight cold, nothing serious."

"I'm glad to hear that. The temperature here on the plateau is unpredictable. You might not be used to it yet since you just arrived. I was the same way when I first came—always getting sick. Luckily, Cheng Jiu took good care of me."

Xin Gan's expression dimmed, and she pressed her lips together, remaining silent.

From a distance, Cheng Jiu noticed Jiang Tang speaking with Xin Gan. He walked over, his gaze settling on Xin Gan. "It's getting late. You should head back and get some sleep."

Xin Gan took a moment to realize he was speaking to her. She nodded, her response subdued. "Alright, I'll head back to my room now."

Her figure was thin, wrapped in a dark red shawl. Cheng Jiu glanced at her retreating back, lost in thought for a few seconds. Beside him, Jiang Tang remarked, "Cheng Jiu, why do I get the feeling you two are so distant?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't think you two are relatives."

"Who said she's my relative?"

"What?"

Cheng Jiu took out a pack of cigarettes, holding one lightly between his teeth without lighting it. He looked up at the night sky. "She's not my relative."

If not a relative, then what?

Jiang Tang wanted to probe further, but asking more would be crossing a line.

Not long ago, his family had called, telling him a cousin's younger sister wanted to travel after graduation. She refused to go anywhere except Beiyu—a city on the southwestern border of the country, famed for its unique landscapes and wildlife reserves.

At the time, he truly believed she was a relative’s sister coming for a graduation trip. But just as her flight was about to land, another call came from home. They told him she wasn’t a relative at all, but his fiancée—someone he’d never met since childhood.

...

Xin Gan had barely returned to her room before her stomach began acting up again. After several trips to the bathroom, her face was as pale as paper. As expected, it was her old problem—lactose intolerance. Even a small amount of dairy led to diarrhea, leaving her weak and washed out.

Shen Ruxin called again, her voice full of concern, asking about Cheng Jiu.

"Are you settling in alright?"

"It's fine," Xin Gan replied, lying weakly on the bed.

"What's wrong? You haven't seen Cheng Jiu?"

"I've seen him."

"And how was it?"

Xin Gan turned over. She was afraid to confess to her cousin that she wanted to end the engagement. The marriage had been arranged by their families long ago, even before she was born. If she brought up breaking it off, both families would be in a difficult position.

But she didn’t want a loveless marriage. She could sense that Cheng Jiu did not care for her.

She said, "Cousin, I don't think Cheng Jiu is interested in me."

"You two have barely spent any time together. Don't be hasty; there’s plenty of time ahead." Shen Ruxin continued, "Still, he really should have gone to pick you up. Xin Xin, this engagement was your grandfather’s dying wish. If you truly don't care for him, I'll support you no matter what. Don’t feel pressured—just treat this as a trip to relax and get to know the country better."

Shen Ruxin knew better than to push her. The engagement itself was rather absurd. If not for Grandpa Xin’s last wish, her parents would never have insisted.

"Auntie!" came the sweet, childish voice of her cousin's five-year-old daughter, Keke, on the phone. "Auntie, when will you come back to see me? I miss you so much!"

Hearing Keke’s voice, Xin Gan smiled for the first time in a while. "Keke, Auntie will come see you in a while. Be a good girl for your mom, okay?"

"Auntie, Mommy said you went to find Uncle. Is Uncle handsome? Will Uncle buy me dolls?"

How was she supposed to answer that? The ink on their relationship wasn’t even dry, but Keke already called him "Uncle."

Xin Gan laughed, but it was Shen Ruxin who finally soothed Keke, otherwise the questions would have never ended. Shen Ruxin finished by saying, "As I said, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Feelings can grow, but if you truly feel Cheng Jiu isn’t right for you, then the engagement should be called off."

Fortunately, Shen Ruxin was on her side.

...

Xin Gan spent the entire night with diarrhea. In the morning, when she could endure it no longer, she put on a jacket and went out. Relying on her memory, she found the small clinic where Cheng Jiu had taken her before. The doctor prescribed her montmorillonite powder. He remembered her and asked if she still had a fever. She said no, but the doctor insisted on taking her temperature just to be sure.

Xin Gan was forced to stay until her temperature was confirmed normal, then she was allowed to leave.

Back at the inn, she took her medicine and slept. When she woke, her stomach was empty and she felt as if she’d been through a serious illness, her whole body sweaty. She quickly showered, changed clothes, and went downstairs in search of food.

As she stepped out, she overheard voices at the stairwell's corner:

"Xiao Shi, did Jiang Tang go out with Brother Jiu last night?"

"I think so."

"Honestly, I feel like she cares a lot about him. Remember last time, when something went wrong on a mission? She was the one who shielded him from that bullet."