Can't deny it, Qin Ruoying really plays the part well. If it were someone else, they might have been fooled by her. But even her dad, the detective, couldn't deceive Chu Ge, so her little tricks are just wasted.
Making a speechless expression, Chu Ge chuckled and poked Qin Ruoying's forehead, saying, "Xiaoying, have you been watching too many soap operas? How did you even come up with such a melodramatic idea?"
Unlike Qin Ruoying, Chu Ge didn't lower his voice but spoke very naturally, as if he didn't mind Qin's mother and Qin Ruojing hearing from the kitchen, which made him seem even more at ease.
Qin Ruoying stared seriously into Chu Ge's eyes for a long time but failed to see what she wanted. Then, with some frustration, she pouted, still skeptical while asking, "You're really not hired by my sister to play along?"
Chu Ge said "helplessly," "Xiaoying, you overestimate me. I blush just telling a lie, let alone pretending to be someone else's boyfriend? I can't handle such a challenging task."
"Really? Then tell me a lie and let me see."
"Uh..."
As Chu Ge was left both crying and laughing, just as Qin Ruoying was about to press on with more questions, Qin's mother, who had just finished washing the dishes, came out, "What are you guys chatting about so happily?"
"Uh, nothing much, just asking my brother-in-law how he makes the braised crucian carp so delicious, hehe."
Affectionately yet helplessly, Qin's mother said, "What's the use of asking? You never cook. If I relied on you to make meals, we'd all starve."
Hearing her mother say this, Qin Ruoying immediately put on a pitiful expression, "Mom, my brother-in-law is here, can you please give me a bit of face?"
Qin's mother chuckled ruefully, "What's there to worry about? Seeing you just gives me a headache. If only you had the skills of your sister, that would be great, you know..."
Qin Ruoying felt even more helpless. Knowing her mother could go on endlessly once she started nagging, she quickly changed the subject, "Oh right, Mom, didn't Auntie Zhang invite you to play mahjong this afternoon? You should go, don't keep her waiting."
Simultaneously speaking, Qin Ruoying pushed Qin's mother towards the door.
"You brat, I haven't even got my money yet!"
Retrieving her wallet, Qin's mother tapped Qin Ruoying on the forehead and said to Chu Ge, "Little Chu, make yourself at home. Auntie is going out for a stroll," and walked out the door.
"Phew... Finally, some peace and quiet in this world!"
As the door closed behind Qin's mother, Qin Ruoying murmured, stretching her arms with a contented look on her face.
"Xiaoying, is that any way to speak about Mom? Believe it or not, I'll spank you!" Qin Ruojing emerged from the kitchen, her voice carrying a tone of reproach, just as Qin Ruoying was halfway through her stretch.
"Tch! How old are you? Still trying to scare me with that old trick, boring!"
After saying this, Qin Ruoying tilted her head towards Chu Ge and asked, "Brother-in-law, dealing with someone as boring as my sister, it's such a waste of your potential."
"Qin! Ruo! Ying!" Qin Ruojing was genuinely a bit displeased.
"Alright, alright, you're not boring, you're full of energy, happy? Let's change the topic. Dad and Mom are both out, and the three of us have nothing to do. What should we play?"
Seeing Qin Ruojing's stern face without a word, Qin Ruoying turned her gaze to Chu Ge, "Brother-in-law, do you know how to play chess? Can you play a round with me?"
Chu Ge was just about to nod when Qin Ruojing interjected with a snort, "He played chess with Dad yesterday and won six to zero. If you want to lose, go ahead play with him."
Surprised, Qin Ruoying looked at Chu Ge, then stuck out her tongue, "Uh... never mind, let's go shopping instead. Since sister's back for a short time, I'd be foolish not to make her treat us."
Qin Ruojing chuckled in exasperation, giving Qin Ruoying a sidelong glance, "I say, Xiaoying, I'm right here. Do you really think I'm invisible? Just now you said I'm boring, and now you're contemplating making me pay?"
"Hehe, well, it's only natural since you were born a little earlier than me. It's rightful for a sister to spend money on her younger sister! Besides, you're such a rich girl, spending money on me is even more rightful, hehe."
Qin Ruojing's eyes twitched as she shook her head speechlessly, "I really wonder if I owe you something from a past life! Alright, let's get changed and head out!"
Qin Ruoying's tone of entitlement only left Qin Ruojing at a loss, poking her sister's forehead with a begrudging smile on her tensed face.
"Brother-in-law, wait for us, we'll be right out."
With a giggle, Qin Ruoying bid farewell to Chu Ge and, arm in arm with Qin Ruojing, headed towards the bedroom.
Watching the sisters' playful banter and laughter, deep inside, Chu Ge felt a sense of envy. This kind of intimate sibling bond was something he had never experienced.
It turns out sometimes having someone to quarrel with can be a kind of happiness too.
This "right away" ended up taking a whole forty minutes, but when Qin Ruojing and Qin Ruoying finally emerged from the room, Chu Ge was dazzled. For such a stunning scene before him, he felt that the forty-minute wait was definitely worth it!
With two identical, stunning faces adorned with delicately identical subtle makeup, gracing two alluring, perfectly curved figures clad in the same light blue silk dresses.
Even their white necks were adorned with identical jade necklaces, their petite earlobes with matching platinum studs, their slender left wrists with the same Cartier watches, each holding identical LV handbags and wore identical black high heels.
"Hehe, sorry for making you wait so long. Dumbstruck, aren't you? Want to guess which one of us is the older sister and which is the younger?"
The two beautiful women simultaneously extended their right hands, posing for Chu Ge to come and hold.
Chu Ge smiled slightly and walked over to the beautiful woman who had just spoken, holding her hand without any hesitation.
"You got it wrong, I'm Qin Ruoying, that's my sister over there."
Chu Ge shook his head and said, "Xiaojing, I have to say, you're pretending very well. I'm surprised to see this side of you, but no matter how well you pretend, I still won't mistake you."
Hearing Chu Ge say this, Qin Ruojing, whose hand was held by him, couldn't help but be a little dazed, while Qin Ruoying, who was standing aside with a nonchalant demeanor, was completely dumbfounded.
"Wow, brother-in-law, you're amazing! You could tell just like that? I'm starting to believe in your relationship with my sister now."
Qin Ruoying was stunned for a few seconds. She no longer tried to impersonate her sister's elegant demeanor and, looking at Chu Ge as if he were a monster, marveled in amazement.
"Xiaoying, there's a magnetic pull between people. Between those with an emotional connection, this pull is even stronger. So even if your acting was perfect, I definitely wouldn't mistake your sister. That's the power of love."
Though he spoke to Qin Ruoying, Chu Ge's eyes were deeply set on Qin Ruojing. When their eyes met, Qin Ruojing couldn't help but feel a bit flustered and instinctively averted her gaze.
"Ugh, brother-in-law, you're so cheesy! It's giving me goosebumps!"
Qin Ruoying put on a disgusted face, giving an exaggerated shiver. Yet, a flash of tenderness flickered in her clear eyes, as if something in her heart had been touched.
Pretending to be the other person was a trick these sisters delighted in since childhood. Every time they did it, even Father Qin and Mother Qin often mistook them.
Qin Ruoying had the spur of the moment idea to test Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing, although she didn't really think Chu Ge would be able to tell them apart.
Yet she never expected that even with her sister fully cooperating, Chu Ge would still distinguish them at a glance.
This… how was that possible?
When Qin Ruojing looked away, Chu Ge casually smiled at Qin Ruoying, "That's not cheesy, I'm just speaking the truth."
"Okay, okay, truth, truth. Brother-in-law, stop showing off your love in front of this single young woman. Let's go, let's go, time to party with the wealthy!"
The tenderness in Qin Ruoying's eyes disappeared in a flash, masked by her playful grin as she nimbly pushed open the door like a cheerful fawn.
Chu Ge chuckled and followed, but after a few steps, he noticed Qin Ruojing was still standing there. Looking back, he saw her slightly dazed expression, looking at him with a somewhat odd expression.
"Come on, rich guy?"
"Oh, go to hell, you're the rich one. That's such an awful name."
Qin Ruojing snapped out of her daze, taking a step while giving Chu Ge a sidelong glance, but her demeanor was imbued with the kind of coyness and mock reproach shared only by true lovers.
"Seriously, how did you recognize me?"
As they walked out the door, seeing that her sister was already in the elevator and a little distance away from them, Qin Ruojing lowered her voice, asking with a mix of emotions.
Chu Ge smiled and softly said a single word, "Foot."
Qin Ruojing suddenly understood, looking down to see a faint red mark at the previously twisted part of her right ankle, realizing that's how Chu Ge identified her.
Knowing the truth, Qin Ruojing felt no sense of satisfaction in solving the mystery, but rather a more complex mix of emotions—perhaps even a slight bit of… disappointment.
Realizing this, Qin Ruojing was startled. It was simply inexplicable.
After exiting the apartment building, the three of them didn't take a car; the Qin Family's neighborhood was near the city center, making any shopping mall easily accessible.
Chu Ge hadn't walked far before feeling a soft, delicate touch on his right arm. Turning to look, he saw Qin Ruojing wrapping her arm around his.
Chu Ge wasn't surprised by this, since they were supposed to be pretending to be a couple. It wouldn't make sense to walk separately in front of Qin Ruoying.
Like a real couple, Chu Ge gave Qin Ruojing a gentle smile, a picture-perfect image of affection, as passersby glanced at him with increasing envy.
However, just at that moment, passersby's envy turned into jealousy, and some were even left speechless as they witnessed Qin Ruoying also loop her arm through Chu Ge's left arm.
My gosh, not only is he arm-in-arm with two beauties, but they're twin sisters?
If they were just twin sisters it would be one thing, but these sisters are stunningly beautiful!
What incredible fortune! This is just ridiculous! This guy is amazing!
This guy must be a rich tycoon!
Everyone who saw this scene couldn't help but have these thoughts arise in their minds.
When Qin Ruoying also linked her arm with Chu Ge's, he was a bit surprised, while Qin Ruojing frowned, "Xiaoying, what are you doing?"