Chapter 26: Becoming My Ex’s Sister-in-Law (End)

Bai Shuang and Ruan Ni thought Shi Can would fly into a rage, but to their surprise, Shi Can simply pulled Yu Liuxue over and casually wrapped an arm around her waist in an intimate gesture. Though Bai Shuang had declared she wouldn’t let go easily, with a slight exertion of force from Shi Can and a bit of struggling from Yu Liuxue, she was separated from Bai Shuang in an instant.

Shi Can wore a faint smile, showing no trace of anger. She turned her gaze to Ruan Ni, who instinctively took half a step back before belatedly puffing out her chest in an attempt to put on a brave front. “S-Secretary Shi, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Want to come over to the house?” Shi Can asked.

Ruan Ni hesitated for a moment but then heard Shi Can turn to Bai Shuang and say, “My father and I have something to announce.”

The three of them immediately pricked up their ears. Could it be an engagement announcement?

Ruan Ni agreed without hesitation. “Since Secretary Shi has graciously invited me, I won’t refuse. It’s been a long time since I visited Uncle Bai—I’ll take the opportunity to see him.”

Shi Can remained calm, but Yu Liuxue felt as if she were standing in the eye of a storm just before it hit. Darkness clouded her vision, and she almost lost the strength to walk. Shi Can steadied her, speaking in a teasing tone as she leaned in close to her ear, “What’s wrong? Feeling unwell?”

Yu Liuxue clutched her chest in anguish. “It hurts here.”

Then, shifting her hand to her stomach, she pulled an exaggeratedly miserable face. “It hurts here too.”

Shi Can nodded in mock understanding. “Seems serious. After my father makes his announcement, I’ll take you upstairs to check on you.”

Yu Liuxue feigned weakness, rubbing her temples with a sigh. “Once we get back, I just want a good night’s sleep. Secretary Shi, you don’t need to bother with me—go handle your work.”

Shi Can pursed her lips, her tone suddenly cooling. “Oh? Is that so?”

Yu Liuxue quickly shook her head. “No, no! I think with Secretary Shi by my side, I’ll recover much faster!”

Looking as if she were on the verge of tears, Yu Liuxue let Shi Can half-carry her back home. Bai Shuang’s father was in his study making a phone call, while Ruan Ni had already finished two cups of tea, waiting for him to come downstairs. But when her family called, urging her to return, she had no choice but to get up. “Since Uncle Bai is busy today, I’ll visit another time.”

Bai Shuang showed little reaction. After politely sending Ruan Ni off, Shi Can returned to find that Bai Shuang’s father had just finished his call and emerged from the study.

A bad premonition suddenly rose in Bai Shuang’s heart, as if something was slipping beyond her control. But seeing that even Yu Liuxue looked equally clueless, she suppressed her unease for now.

Bai Shuang’s father had already taken swift action, instructing his trusted aides to gain control over the entire company. Shi Can had long been prepared—Yu Liuxue’s termination papers and Shi Can’s own resignation letter had been signed and approved under Bai Shuang’s father’s orders.

Yu Liuxue’s position was insignificant, but a company couldn’t go leaderless for even a day. Bai Shuang’s father, decisive as ever, directly appointed Bai Shuang as the new president of Bai Corporation.

Settling into the leather sofa with a broad smile, he said to Bai Shuang, “Shuangshuang, I’m very pleased with your performance over the past six months. Thanks to you, our partnership with the Ruan family has proceeded smoothly.”

Bai Shuang lowered her gaze, remaining silent. Her father hesitated, then continued, “Your sister has managed Bai Corporation for many years. You should learn from her and not act recklessly like before. Remember, you are the heir of the Bai family—the future of our family and the entire company.”

Bai Shuang’s face paled as she pressed her lips together tightly, an increasing sense of unease creeping over her. “Dad… did something happen?”

Her father raised an eyebrow. “What could possibly have happened?”

Shi Can interrupted their conversation with a calm voice. “Shuangshuang, Bai Ling isn’t feeling well. I’ll take her upstairs to rest. After you finish talking with your father, come to my study—I have something for you.”

Yu Liuxue, who had been quietly munching on melon seeds while spectating, was suddenly mentioned by name. She immediately pretended to have a headache and leaned against Shi Can, letting her lead her upstairs.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Yu Liuxue sprang up, fully energized. “Secretary Shi, what’s going on?”

Not just Bai Shuang, even she could tell something wasn’t right. Bai Shuang’s father and Shi Can had acted like they were giving their final instructions—was something really wrong?

Shi Can ignored her question and instead tossed her a suitcase. “Pack your favorite things—we’re leaving on tonight’s flight.”

Yu Liuxue instinctively asked, “Where to?”

“America.”

America? Why?

Unfortunately, Shi Can gave her no time to ask further and turned to leave, heading for the study. Yu Liuxue sat atop her suitcase, quickly piecing together all the subtle clues from before. Realization dawned on her.

“So Shi Can had already planned to leave the Bai family!”

No wonder she had encouraged her to interact with those wealthy wives and socialites—they all had fathers and husbands running businesses abroad. Their companies might not be massive, but they were well-established.

As Yu Liuxue packed, she spoke to the system: “Don’t we look like we’re secretly eloping?”

“This is a love story unaccepted and unblessed by all. In a moment of reckless passion, the devoted CEO resigns from her position, packing up her little lover and fleeing overseas to an unknown destination, where they will live a shameless yet blissful life together.”

The system: “……” She’s just telling you to pack your bags for a flight, and you’ve already gone off on this wild imagination spree?

Upstairs, as Shi Can and Yu Liuxue departed, Bai Shuang immediately moved to sit beside her father. “Dad, about my sister—”

Her father patted her shoulder. “Shuangshuang, you know how difficult it was for your sister’s leg to recover. If she doesn’t get treatment in time, she may be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.”

Bai Shuang bit her lip. Despite her selfishness, she still respected her sister and couldn’t bring herself to stop her from seeking treatment.

Unwilling to give up, she asked, “Then what about Bai Ling? She…”

Father Bai frowned in displeasure. “Shuangshuang, Manager Ke is your sister’s girlfriend. Even if they aren’t engaged yet, even if they’re just dating, she is still your sister-in-law. From now on, you must not be so rude in public and make a laughingstock of the Bai family!”

“But…” Father Bai immediately shot her a sharp look. Bai Shuang instinctively lowered her head and muttered, “I understand.”

“How long will Sister be away this time? When will she come back?”

Father Bai felt a deep sense of frustration, but no matter what, the girl in front of him was still his own daughter. His tone softened as he said, “At least half a year, at most one or two years.”

Bai Shuang wandered into Shi Can’s study in a daze. Shi Can had already packed all the important company documents into organized boxes neatly arranged on the desk. Seeing Bai Shuang enter, Shi Can looked up. “Dad told you everything?”

“He did.” Bai Shuang’s mood was low. She knew that things had reached a point of no return. She walked weakly to Shi Can and murmured, “Sister, get well soon and come back. Dad and I will be waiting for you.”

Shi Can smiled faintly, her composed demeanor melting away. She once again became the elder sister Bai Shuang had known since childhood—someone with a somewhat aloof nature but a deeply gentle soul.

Shi Can gently patted her head. “Shuangshuang, you need to learn to grow, to look forward.”

“There’s only one life.”

Bai Shuang lifted her head. Precisely because there was only one life, she didn’t want to miss out on something for a second time. Shi Can didn’t elaborate further and turned to discuss business. Bai Shuang listened in a daze, most of the information going in one ear and out the other.

Finally, Shi Can handed her a set of keys. “These are for the president’s office safe. Take them and go check on the company.”

“Your appointment has been finalized. The company is going through major personnel changes, so you should familiarize yourself with things. The collaboration with Ruan Group is something Dad values highly. Our Bai family and the Ruan family have always been close, and this partnership will help both grow stronger. So, even if you and Ruan Ni have some personal grievances, you must consider the bigger picture.”

Bai Shuang tasted bitterness in her mouth.

After Bai Shuang left for the company, Shi Can grabbed Yu Liuxue’s round, lazy suitcase with one hand and held Yu Liuxue’s hand with the other. They entered the airport, checked in, boarded the plane, and took off. By the time Bai Shuang found out, the two of them had already disappeared without a trace—not only from the country but also from her world.

All of a sudden, Bai Shuang felt drained of strength. She collapsed onto the sofa, elbows resting on her knees as she buried her face in her hands.

After a long while, she sent Ruan Ni a message:

“Did you know? Ke Bailing and my sister have left the country. Maybe… they’ll never come back.”

When Ruan Ni later saw the message, she drowned her sorrow in alcohol, drinking herself into a stupor.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue stood inside their new house. No—calling it a vacation villa would be more accurate. Shi Can had prepared it long ago. The place was quiet, surrounded by vibrant, blooming flowers. It had everything: a golf course, a gym, a home theater, even an outdoor swimming pool. The sheer luxury of the rich was on full display.

The sunlight was just right, casting Shi Can’s silhouette in a divine, noble glow.

Shi Can turned back. “Do you like it here?”

The sun outlined her delicate, sculpted features, and even her fluttering eyelashes seemed bathed in a golden halo, making her breathtakingly beautiful. She wore a simple knit top that revealed her slender waist, with toned abs subtly visible under the sunlight. A pair of well-fitted, vintage-style jeans hugged her long, shapely legs, and on her feet were just casual slippers. She exuded an air of cool aloofness, yet her slightly wavy long hair added a touch of sensuality. Her half-lidded eyes carried the seductive charm of a fox.

Now that the mask was off, the real Shi Can was so irresistibly attractive that Yu Liuxue didn’t want to let go.

Dazed by her beauty, Yu Liuxue unconsciously stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Shi Can’s waist with her delicate wrists. “I like it.”

I really, really like it!

Shi Can pressed a kiss to her lips. “I like it too.”

“There’s only the two of us here.”

Yu Liuxue giggled foolishly for a while before suddenly realizing something felt off. “So what?”

Shi Can stroked her cheek, her wavy hair brushing against Yu Liuxue’s nose, tickling her. Holding her waist, Shi Can whispered, “Don’t you want to… do it in every corner of this place?”

Without thinking, Yu Liuxue let go and ran.

Shi Can slowly tightened her grip around her waist, her cool voice murmuring by her ear, “Where are you going?”

I’m going to reincarnate!

Shi Can had come here for a life of pure indulgence, with only three things on her daily agenda—eating, sleeping, and teasing her girlfriend. Yu Liuxue lay beside the pool, furiously complaining to the system: “Didn’t you say Shi Can stole the male lead’s script? You lied to me!”

The system sounded particularly aggrieved. 【I didn’t lie to you, Host.】

“Then why is Shi Can obsessed with beauty and has no interest in business?!”

The system checked its data before replying in a serious tone: 【The internet says—】

Enough! Don’t tell me what the internet says! Since when can you trust netizens?

While Yu Liuxue endured a bittersweet life of both bliss and suffering, the lost and weary Bai Shuang met Ruan Ni again due to their project collaboration.

When they saw each other, Ruan Ni first let out a cold snort before saying, “Shall we grab a drink after the meeting?”

Bai Shuang didn’t refuse.

The two of them sat in a bar, drinking in silence. Ruan Ni was already half-drunk. She laughed, slumping against Bai Shuang and tracing her fingers along Bai Shuang’s face. “Bai Shuang, I have to say—you were such a jerk before.”

“We both had feelings for each other. If either of us had taken that first step, we could’ve been together openly.” Ruan Ni blinked her hazy eyes, hiccupped, and laughed at herself. “But you… you chased after Ke Bailing just for your pride.”

“You never really liked her, yet you still pursued her. Even though you couldn’t give her happiness, you still ignored my feelings and chose to be with her.”

Bai Shuang remained silent, not saying a word.

Ruan Ni continued speaking on her own, “Do you know how terrible I felt at that time? My feelings back then weren’t any better than yours now.”

Bai Shuang finally reacted. Her eyes moved slightly as she looked at Ruan Ni and said hoarsely, “I’m sorry.”

Ruan Ni curled her lips mockingly. “What’s the use of saying sorry? I, Ruan Ni, don’t think much of you now, and I never will.”

After a long silence, Ruan Ni asked again, “How does it feel to have your girlfriend run off with your biological sister? And how does it feel to call your ex-girlfriend ‘sister-in-law’?”

“You ended up like this entirely because of your own choices.”

Bai Shuang lowered her eyes. “You’re not doing much better yourself.”

And so, they started arguing again.

News of Shi Can leaving the company and Bai Shuang taking her position couldn’t be kept under wraps for long. People gossiped, but what interested them the most was the fate of Yu Liuxue. After all, in their eyes, Yu Liuxue was a woman obsessed with vanity. She had originally gotten together with Bai Shuang for the Bai family’s wealth, only to later realize that the most powerful person in the Bai family was actually Shi Can—so she had dumped Bai Shuang and chosen Shi Can instead.

When they learned that Yu Liuxue had also left the company, many sighed. In the end, her plans had fallen apart.

She didn’t get the money, and she lost her job too.

Hearing these rumors, Bai Shuang couldn’t help but drift into thought.

Was Ke Bailing really only with her for money?

And now that she was willing to leave with her sister, was it because she truly loved her?

After indulging in a soft, indulgent life for two months, Shi Can finally regained her wolf-like drive. During Bai Shuang’s father’s birthday banquet, she had met a business tycoon who happened to be in town. Seizing the opportunity, she cheerfully agreed to have dinner together. Taking out a champagne-colored dress, she said, “Come with me tonight—I need to close a deal.”

Yu Liuxue numbly took the dress and muttered, “No wonder you haven’t been messing with me lately.”

Shi Can raised an intrigued brow. “Not used to it?”

Yu Liuxue immediately grabbed the dress and fled. These days, female leads were getting way too shameless.

Miles, a long-time Forbes billionaire, owned hundreds of companies. Their dinner was set at a seaside hotel. Ten minutes before the scheduled time, Miles arrived with his wife and young daughter. Shi Can stood up, while Yu Liuxue couldn’t take her eyes off the blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl, involuntarily murmuring, “She’s so pretty.”

Before long, Shi Can’s gaze swept lazily toward her.

Yu Liuxue muttered, “Don’t you think Shi Can is planning to mess with me again tonight?”

The System: 【I do.】

The dinner went smoothly. Miles was slightly surprised to hear about Shi Can’s plans to start a new company but soon extended an olive branch. “If the opportunity arises, let’s collaborate.”

Later, Shi Can established a new company overseas, covering a wide range of industries, including cosmetics, high-end fashion, home goods, and technology. In the three years she spent abroad under the pretext of treating her legs, she single-handedly expanded the company from a two-person startup—including Yu Liuxue—to a multinational corporation employing tens of thousands.

When the news reached home, Bai Shuang was stunned.

Bai Shuang’s father sighed deeply. “She really takes after your mother—bold and stubborn. Once she sets her mind on something, not even a hundred oxen could pull her back.”

It wasn’t until a headline announced an upcoming partnership between Bai Group and a certain multinational company that people realized Shi Can had long since recovered. Moreover, she had built a thriving multinational conglomerate from scratch, without any help from the Bai family.

And as for Ke Bailing—whom they had once dismissed as a gold digger—she had never abandoned Shi Can. She stayed by her side through her recovery and her rise from the ashes.

If this wasn’t true love, then what was?

“So it turns out Ke Bailing wasn’t after the Bai family’s money or their company. She just happened to fall for her ex-girlfriend’s biological sister—Bai Group’s former president, Shi Can.”

Yu Liuxue finally realized: everything Shi Can had done was for her. She had given up competing for Bai Group, abandoned years of hard work, and gone overseas—all to personally shatter the rumors and protect her.

Ruan Ni arranged another drink with Bai Shuang. She had long since moved on from that relationship. Raising her glass with a light smile, she asked, “Bai Shuang, do you regret it?”

“I heard they’re getting engaged soon.”

Bai Shuang expressionlessly glanced at Ruan Ni’s new girlfriend. “None of your business.”

Ruan Ni chuckled. “As a former friend, I was just asking out of concern. Bai Shuang, let me formally introduce you—this is my new girlfriend, Li Xinyi. You know her. She was your classmate.”

Bai Shuang slowly curled her lips. “Of course I know her. How could I not? I heard she was kissing He Lu by the roadside just yesterday.”

Ruan Ni’s face changed instantly. In a fit of rage, she threw her bag at her girlfriend. “Li Xinyi! You cheated on me with my best friend and gave me a green hat?! We’re done! I’m breaking up with you!”

Bai Shuang sipped her drink at a leisurely pace, watching as the two ran out of the bar—one chasing, one fleeing.

The bitter taste of alcohol spread across her tongue. After all this time, she still couldn’t let go. She couldn’t give up. Just thinking about how she had once been so close to having it made her feel an unbearable sense of regret, leaving her clinging to a sliver of hope.

The next time Bai Shuang saw Yu Liuxue again, she was with Shi Can, in the Bai Group headquarters’ conference room.

The three of them wore sharp, professional attire. Yu Liuxue had her hair styled up, looking stunning and radiant. Bai Shuang stared at her motionlessly—she had become even more beautiful, even more captivating.

But in Yu Liuxue’s eyes, there was only Shi Can.

Shi Can slid a prepared contract across the table. “President Bai, please take a look.”

While Bai Shuang focused on the contract, Shi Can’s tone suddenly became relaxed. “President Bai.”

Bai Shuang looked up. Shi Can smiled. “This is my wife, Director Ke. Isn’t she beautiful?”

Bai Shuang’s eyes stung. “Mm.”

“She’s very beautiful.”

After signing the contract, Shi Can and Yu Liuxue declined Bai Shuang’s invitation to have dinner together. Hand in hand, they openly walked out of Bai Group’s headquarters. Many longtime employees recognized their former President Shi and Manager Ke.

Yu Liuxue’s smile was bright and radiant. “Shi Can, even though you don’t talk much and have such a reserved personality, there’s no one in the world who loves you more than I do.”

Shi Can let out a low chuckle. “Honestly, when we first met, I thought you were just a girl trying to scam me.”

(End of Arc)