CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 18

"Who was that lady?" Yue Ning asked once they arrived in Huo Yan’s room.

"Huo Fei? Sister-in-law, you don’t need to bother yourself about her, she’s just my cousin," Huo Yan replied with a flick of her like it didn’t matter at all.

"Well, it doesn’t seem like she is just your cousin, do you both have beef with each other?" Yue Ning asked carefully.

Huo Yan paused in her actions as she turned to look at Yue Ning who had an innocent look in her eyes. But beneath that look was a look of expectancy.

"Sister-in-law’s eyes are quite sharp," Huo Yan praised her dryly, while Yue Ning coughed in response.

"Well, Huo Fei and I compete in various things, and it doesn’t help that we are in the same level at college. That isn’t the major issue, she is jealous since her brother isn’t the one handling the company. In a simple sense, they are just the branch family."

Although Huo Yan’s explanation was a bit off, Yue Ning could gather what she meant with just these bits of information.

Huo Fei’s family is the branch family, and she is jealous of the spotlight on Huo Yan considering that she is from the main family.

Power struggle. This was the only phrase Yue Ning could sum it up to. And she was quite sure Huo Fei wasn’t the only one bitter against the main family.

"Well, let’s forget about them. A lot of people will be jealous about what they can’t have," Yue Ning consoled Huo Yan who chuckled.

"Sister-in-law, do you get jealous of your sister?" She asked seriously.

Yue Ning turned silent, racking her brain for an answer. If it were the real character in the novel, she would probably be jealous. After all, her little sister always got the attention, while she received nothing.

It was a pity that Yue Ning wasn’t the character, so her answer would be different from what Huo Yan expected it to be.

"I am not jealous. Actually, I feel that my life is better this way, I can’t stand the spotlight, I love my privacy," Yue Ning replied honestly, and it was the truth.

Before she transmigrated into the novel, she was ordinary. She had no friends, no relationship, she was a loner.

Huo Yan parted her lips to speak, but she was too stunned to speak. Yue Ning’s words left her speechless.

After being silent for a while, she finally said, "are you sure? You aren’t lying, are you?"

"Why would I be lying? Honestly, I am not cut out to be the main character," Yue Ning answered seriously, nodding her head to make a point as well.

"But you know all that would have to change, you are married to my brother," Huo Yan slowly said.

Her words poured cold water all over Yue Ning. She finally recalled that she was married to Huo Feng, the most eligible bachelor.

Author: Well, technically, he isn’t a bachelor anymore.

Yue Ning’s face dropped as she let out a deep sigh.

She wasn’t jealous of her sister, not really. But this marriage... it was like being shoved into a spotlight she never wanted. She didn’t crave attention, she didn’t want people whispering about her in the hallways. Yet, whether she liked it or not, her life was no longer her own.

Seeing Yue Ning’s face change, Huo Yan hurriedly comforted her. "But you don’t have to worry too much, my brother doesn’t like being in the spotlight as well, so it would be rare for you to appear in the spotlight."

The heaviness lingered for a moment, like a shadow stretching across the room.

"It is fine," Yue Ning finally said, forcing a small smile as she straightened her posture.

"Shall we see those collections?" She changed the topic instantly.

Relieved by the change of topic, Huo Yan’s eyes lit up. "Of course."

It had to be said that Huo Yan was a novel enthusiast, and her family truly supported her. She had a bookshelf chilling in her room.

Yue Ning had her mouth wide open as Huo Yan led her to the shelf.

’I only get to see this sight when I visit the community library,’ Yue Ning thought to herself while her eyes were on the book.

’You should be grateful to the system for bringing you in here,’ the system who had been quiet for a while suddenly spoke with a proud voice.

"Oh shut up," Yue Ning scoffed.

’It is the fact isn’t it? If you are finally able to charn Huo Feng, then he might build something bigger than this for you,’ the system enticed.

Yue Ning narrowed her eyes. She could sense a trap hidden in the system’s words, but she couldn’t figure out what it could be.

"Sister-in-law, do you like it?" Huo Yan’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Uhn, it’s very beautiful," Yue Ning answered, her eyes crinkling with delight.

"Great, I’ll just freshen up while you choose the novel you’d like to read," Huo Yan said, and Yue Ning nodded in response.

Yue Ning glanced through the shelf, and she sighed.

"System, you are such a pain in the ass. You could have at least given me a simple genre to start with," Yue Ning complained, groaning out loudly.

’You will understand soon, host.’ The system subtly said, causing Yue Ning to frown, genuinely having no idea what she meant.

After twenty minutes, Huo Yan stepped out of the bathroom, and Yue Ning had still not found what she was looking for.

"Still haven’t found it?" Huo Yan asked seeing that Yue Ning was still standing in front of the shelf.

"Sadly, no." Yue Ning shook her head dejectedly.

Huo Yan was silent for a while. "What genre did you want again?"

"Horror, and by a lesser known author," Yue Ning repeated.

"Oh, I should have one," Huo Yan said, and searched the shelf. In two minutes, Huo Yan found a suitable novel.

"How about this?" She waved the novel in front of Yue Ning who was astonished.

"You found it really fast," Yue Ning commented.

"Well, it’s my shelf, and I know how I arranged the novels, so it would be quite easy for me," Huo Yan replied while playing with the tip of her hair.

"Thank you Yanyan," Yue Ning laughed, and thanked her.

"But sister-in-law, why are you so specific about the genre?" Huo Yan had her eyes fixated on Yue Ning who smiled.

"I guess it’s my interest," she giggled.

Although her answer wasn’t straightforward, it was enough to keep Huo Yan from questioning her again.