Chapter Thirteen: Scheming to Steal Love

  Zhang Li seemed to be deliberately avoiding Xia Meng, and had not made eye contact with her all along. Li Han, on the other hand, took three days off, citing family matters at home. Xia Meng found it very strange, as Li Han's family was in the United States, and he didn't have any relatives or friends in City A, so what family matters could he possibly have?

  After school in the afternoon, Xia Meng didn't leave the classroom. She couldn't figure out what had happened between Zhang Li and Huang Yiqi, and why Zhang Li was avoiding her. Her phone showed a text message: "Xia Meng, can you come to the riverbank?" It was from Zhang Li.

  Xia Meng packed up her school bag and didn't even have time to go back to the dormitory to change into her sports clothes, directly running towards the riverbank behind the school.

  Zhang Li leaned against a tree, staring blankly at the constantly flowing river water. Yesterday afternoon's events seemed like a dream.

  Huang Yiqi returned home with Zhang Li, to her house located on the south bank of the river. Huang Yiqi's and Zhang Li's homes were both on the same street, not far apart. She lived in City A with her grandparents.

  Pushing open the door, there was no one at home. "My grandfather, yes, our Principal Huang, has gone to another city for an inspection. My grandmother also went to a distant place for a medical examination and won't be back until a week later. Let's eat something first and wait for my dad to come back." Huang Yiqi invited Zhang Li to sit down while pouring him a drink.

  "Zhang Li gege, it's been over 2 years since we last met, right? Have you noticed any changes in me during this time?"

  "Ah, she's become even more beautiful." Zhang Li said with a warm smile. The little girl who used to only follow behind him, calling out "brother", and would burst into tears at the slightest thing, had suddenly grown into a slender and elegant young lady.

  "You're speaking too vaguely!" Huang Yiqi pouted. "Zhang Li, your eyebrows are even thicker now, and that mole between them is getting bigger. Your face has become more defined, and you've started growing a beard around your mouth. And look at how tall you've grown - you're a whole head taller than me! One of your hands can wrap around both of mine. Zhang Li, I saw the hair on your calf that day... does your body have...?"

  "When will Uncle Huang be back home?" Zhang Li shifted his body to the other end of the sofa, and Huang Yiqi's body slowly leaned towards Zhang Li.

  "Uh, I don't know." Zhang Li looked at Huang Yiqi's face as beautiful as a peach blossom, her eyes gazing at him with a bewildered expression. He couldn't help but feel a little flustered in his heart. It wasn't that he didn't understand Huang Yiqi's feelings for him; it was just that he had always treated her like his own younger sister, and the thought of having any improper thoughts about her made him feel uncomfortable. But with Xia Meng, it was different - at first sight, he felt a deep connection. As long as Xia Meng was by his side, even if they didn't say or do anything, he would still feel content and happy. Zhang Li was calm and introverted, while Xia Meng was lively and optimistic, so whenever they were together, everything seemed bright and sunny.

  "Shall we give Uncle Huang a call?"

  "Okay." Huang Yi Qi dialed her father's phone number, but all she got was a busy tone. "He's probably still in the meeting."

  "Let's wait and see."

  "Zhang Li gege, let's go upstairs, I'll show you something."

  Zhang Li let out a sigh of relief, Huang Yi Qi was leaning against him too tightly, making him feel inexplicably tense.

  "Zhang Li gege, come up!" Huang Yiqi called out to Zhang Li from upstairs.

  "Okay, wait a minute." Zhang Li walked upstairs. Huang Yiqi's home was the same layout as Zhang Li's, except for the different furniture arrangement, every corner was almost the same.

  "Zhang Li gege, come in." Huang Yiqi pulled Zhang Li into her room. "My new skirt, I'll try it on and show you."

  Zhang Li felt that Huang Yiqi was a bit abnormal today. During the interval when she went to change her clothes, she quickly left Huang Yiqi's room and returned to the large hall downstairs.

  "Zhang Li, brother, how did you come downstairs?" Huang Yiqi poked her head out from upstairs and shouted. Huang Yiqi had fair skin with a healthy glow, rosy cheeks, and after taking off her glasses, her almond-shaped eyes seemed like a pool of autumn water, her light eyebrows, and a pair of small red lips pursed together, looking at Zhang Li with a hint of a smile.

  "Huh? I'm thirsty, let's go get a drink." Zhang Li's face turned slightly red as he picked up the drink in front of him and gulped it down. Huang Yiqi watched Zhang Li finish his drink, a sly smile spreading across her mouth.

  Huang Yiqi changed into a new set of clothes and walked down from upstairs with a gentle swaying motion. Zhang Li couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.

  Zhang Li only saw Huang Yiqi wearing a white silk short skirt, without a bra, the thin clothes underneath barely visible her full and upright breasts, lightly trembling with the movement of her body going downstairs. The short skirt had a beautiful arc line, slender and proportionate legs, fair and small feet bare, a youthful aura surrounding Huang Yiqi's whole body, but because she studied dance, every step she took, her waist moved gracefully, making Zhang Li's heart flutter. Suddenly, Xia Meng's pure and beautiful face flashed before his eyes, and Zhang Li immediately sat up straight.

  Huang Yi Qi also sensed the subtle change in Zhang Li. "Zhang Li ge ge, take a good look, it's been over 2 years since we last met, the changes that have happened to me. I've grown up, right?"

  "You may have grown up, but it can't change the fact that you are my sister." Zhang Li said seriously.

  "I don't want to be your sister! I want to be your future wife! We are the perfect match!" Huang Yiqi pouted, her eyes slightly red as she threw herself into Zhang Li's arms.

  "Qiqi, I've always treated you like my own little sister, and that's how it will be in the future too. Brother already has someone he likes, and she's your deskmate Xia Meng. We're not announcing our relationship yet because we're still high school students, but that doesn't mean we don't have feelings for each other. Let's just forget what you said today. In the future, I'll still be your brother, no matter what difficulties you face, I'll always be your strongest support." Zhang Li pushed away Huang Yiqi who was in his arms, "I need to go first."

  Zhang Li suddenly stood up and felt dizzy, then fell back onto the sofa with a thud.

  "Zhang Li gege, Zhang Li gege?" Huang Yiqi pushed Zhang Li, but there was no response, only even breathing.

  Huang Yiqi had just put a sedative in Zhang Li's drink, but this drug won't make people sleepy, and it also has an aphrodisiac effect. This was something Huang Yiqi learned from her cousin DY when she visited her aunt's house in the US last year. When they were talking about boys, Huang Yiqi mentioned that there was a boy she really liked, but he didn't seem to see her as a girl and might even like another girl instead. DY then gave her this little potion and taught her how to use it. Huang Yiqi felt both shy and scared, but DY comforted her, saying that many people use this method to win over their loved ones. When it comes to love, there's no high or low, no need to be shy; if you're not brave enough, you'll only end up regretting losing your loved one to another girl.

  Simple Huang Yiqi, under the instigation of DY, stuffed the medicine bottle into her luggage and brought it back to the country. After hesitating several times, seeing Zhang Li and Xia Meng getting closer and closer, Huang Yiqi's heart was anxious, finally finding an opportunity to be alone with Zhang Li. Coincidentally, Grandpa and Grandma were going to leave A City for a while, and the nanny's son was getting married, also leaving A City for a few days, Huang Yiqi felt that this was an opportunity that could not be missed, so she performed a big show in front of Zhang Li, saying that her father was coming to A City to meet him.

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