C15 Apologize!

The shovel grazed his scalp and thudded against his shoulder. Jiang Zhuo winced but remained unharmed. Whirling around, he seized the shovel, his gaze landing on the woman before him. Her delicate features and bright eyes were ablaze with an anger beyond words. "Fifth Sister?" He could barely make out the familiar contours of his fifth sister, Lin Shixuan, though he wasn't certain.

"You pervert! How dare you lay a hand on my sister? I'll kill you!" Lin Shixuan's rage was palpable as she yanked at the shovel with all her might. Yet the shovel wouldn't budge, as if rooted to the spot. "Touch my sister?" Jiang Zhuo was taken aback. The woman's accusations confirmed it for him; she was indeed his fifth sister, Lin Shixuan. Lau Ruoyan had mentioned earlier that afternoon that Lin Shixuan would be returning.

"Ah! This tissue..." Lin Shixuan's eyes accidentally caught sight of the tissue Jiang Zhuo had used to wipe his mouth. The sight of the liquid on it flushed her cheeks with embarrassment, and her eyes seemed to burn with tangible fury. "Fifth Sister, please don't get the wrong idea. This tissue isn't..." Jiang Zhuo followed her gaze to the coffee table, instantly grasping the misunderstanding and hurriedly tried to explain.

But before he could finish, Lin Shixuan, unable to contain herself any longer, charged at him, ready for a fight to the death. Her eyes brimmed with sorrow and anger as she glanced at Lau Ruoyan, seemingly unconscious on the couch, her heart heavy with guilt and regret. If only she had returned sooner, perhaps Lau Ruoyan wouldn't have been violated!

Jiang Zhuo let go of the shovel and grasped Lin Shixuan's shoulders, pleading, "Fifth Sister, you've got it all wrong. I'm innocent. Please, can you just calm down for a moment?" "What did you call me? Scoundrel! Who's your fifth sister?" Lin Shixuan seethed. Realizing she couldn't overpower Jiang Zhuo, she snapped her jaws shut on his arm, biting down hard enough to draw blood. In truth, Jiang Zhuo could have easily shattered her teeth with his strength. But Lin Shixuan was just an ordinary person, incapable of truly harming him.

Jiang Zhuo dared not exert too much force, so he clenched his teeth and bore the pain.

"Ugh..."

Lau Ruoyan, who had been sound asleep, was roused by the commotion. She sleepily opened her eyes to see Lin Shixuan, rubbed her eyes, yawned, and mumbled, "Shixuan, you're back?"

Since Lin Shixuan was only slightly older than her, she seldom addressed her as 'sister.'

"Ruoyan, are you awake?" Lin Shixuan asked, her words muffled by her bitten lip.

Sitting up, Lau Ruoyan noticed the blood dripping from Jiang Zhuo's arm and was momentarily taken aback. Her complexion drained of color as she sprang to her feet, grabbed Lin Shixuan, and cried out in alarm, "Shixuan?! What on earth are you doing?"

Breathless, Lin Shixuan released her grip, her mouth smeared with blood. She tugged Lau Ruoyan back a few steps, her eyes sharply fixed on Jiang Zhuo. "Ruoyan! Call the police, quick! I'll hold him here; we can't let this pervert get away!"

Lau Ruoyan, bewildered and caught between laughter and tears, pointed at Jiang Zhuo and clarified, "Shixuan, you've got it all wrong. He's Zhuo!"

"Zhuo? What do you mean by Zhuo?" Lin Shixuan's brows knitted together, her confusion evident.

Her expression shifted to one of disbelief as she stared at Lau Ruoyan and exclaimed, "Could it be that he is..."

With a resigned nod, Lau Ruoyan fetched some tissues and dabbed at the blood on Lin Shixuan's mouth. "Really, Shixuan, you could've asked me before attacking Zhuo like that."

Embarrassed, Lin Shixuan bit her lip and grumbled, "I didn't realize he was your..."

She paused, then shifted gears, hands on her hips, and scolded, "Ruoyan, shouldn't you be more careful? Even if you two are lovers, you should at least show some restraint!"

"Lovers?" Lau Ruoyan was taken aback, utterly confused.

Lin Shixuan pointed at the tissues on the coffee table with a look of disgust and said, "How can you just leave something like this out in the open?"

"This thing?"

Lau Ruoyan glanced at the tissues on the coffee table, her face full of curiosity. "Isn't this just a tissue? What's wrong with it?"

Lin Shixuan's eyes widened in a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. "Just a tissue? Ruoyan, are you pretending not to understand? I'll have you know, I'm a doctor; I understand these things far better than you!"

"Ah? Isn't it just a tissue?" Lau Ruoyan grew even more puzzled.

Lin Shixuan took a deep breath, her face flushing as she thought of something, and she said through gritted teeth, "It's not about the tissue itself, but the liquid on it! After you do whatever it is you're doing, at least clean up. Don't leave these things lying around!"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Jiang Zhuo coughed violently, his face flushed with embarrassment as he pointed to the tissue on the coffee table and explained, "Fifth Sister, you've got it all wrong. That tissue was just used to wipe off some saliva."

"Wipe off saliva?"

Lin Shixuan's gaze shifted to Lau Ruoyan, her expression growing even more peculiar. In a mix of shame and irritation, she said, "Ruoyan, you actually used your mouth to help him... As a doctor, I must remind you, using your mouth can easily lead to infection!"

"What do you mean 'using your mouth'? Shixuan, what are you talking about? And how could Zhuo and I be a couple? He's our brother, our dearest brother!" Lau Ruoyan took Lin Shixuan's hand, speaking with sincerity.

Lin Shixuan was about to respond when something dawned on her. She paused, her expression turning to one of stunned realization as she mulled over the name 'Zhuo'.

It seemed to click, and her eyes lit up with understanding. She swallowed hard, turned her head incredulously, and stared at Jiang Zhuo.

"Zhuo, you are... Jiang Zhuo?!"

Lin Shixuan found it hard to speak, her disbelief evident.

Jiang Zhuo, wiping the blood from his arm, responded with a bitter tone, "Sister Xuan, seeing me and getting all flustered right away – that's just like you."

"I..."

Lin Shixuan's cheeks flushed to the tips of her ears as she bowed her head, her eyes brimming with remorse.

"Sister Xuan, you've only grown more beautiful with the years," Jiang Zhuo complimented, his smile beaming.

Lin Shixuan bit her lip and looked up, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Jerk! Where have you been all these years?"

She marched up to Jiang Zhuo and playfully pounded on his chest, careful not to hurt him.

"Ouch!" Jiang Zhuo feigned agony, wincing and clutching at the spot she had hit.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..." Lin Shixuan stammered, apologizing profusely.

Before she could finish, Jiang Zhuo, still smiling, wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace.

"Jerk, after all this time, you've started to play tricks on your big sister, huh?" Lin Shixuan said through her tears, half-annoyed, half-endearing, as she gave him a light twist on the waist.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, she clung to Jiang Zhuo, crying as if a dam within her had burst.