I sighed to myself and said nothing. She was drunk and just looking for some comfort. Even if she wasn't my sister-in-law, even if she was just a female friend, I wouldn't take advantage of her. No matter how desperate I was, I couldn't abandon my principles.
She stood up and walked towards her room. I had the urge to stop her, but I couldn't find a good reason. Forget it. It's better to know when to quit. If she stayed, I might lose control and do something unforgivable, which would only be pouring salt on her wounds.
I was worried she wouldn't be able to get over this anytime soon, but to my surprise, the next evening, someone came to the door with a delivery. My sister-in-law was always ordering takeout and shopping online, so I was used to it. But this time, the delivery guy wanted over three hundred yuan. That set off my alarm bells. She had warned me that the city was full of scammers and to be careful whenever money was involved.
I asked the guy why he was charging me. He gave me a strange look and said it was cash on delivery, then handed me an electronic receipt.
"'Sky Love Adult Emporium.' 'Super-Powered Electric Dildo - 198.' 'Pleasure-Plus Lubricant - 38.' 'Okamoto...'" A month ago, I wouldn't have had a clue what these things were for. But after being edified by Japanese porn, I was practically an old pro.
Still, I was stunned. "Dude, I think you have the wrong address."
"What?" he said, pulling out his phone. "Huimin Residential Complex, Building 6, Chloe, 158-XXXX-XXXX. Nope, this is it."
He even had her phone number right. He was about to call her.
"Wait, wait. Three hundred and eighty, right? Open the box, I need to check the goods." I felt my pocket. I still had over a thousand yuan I'd earned from her. Maybe she had figured it out. Sometimes, an electric dildo was more reliable than my cousin.
But I was still worried this guy was a scammer. He didn't refuse my request and opened the well-packaged box right in front of me. He didn't seem to mind. As he was opening it, he complained, "Kid, why would I scam you? It's not the first time I've delivered to your place. Your girl is a stunner. Great tits, long legs, and a great ass. I just don't get why she'd buy this stuff. Don't tell me you..."
He gave me a sympathetic, yet lecherous, smile. He thought I was the man of the house. It wasn't surprising. When my cousin was away on business, my sister-in-law loved ordering takeout, so he'd never seen him.
I laughed awkwardly, not knowing how to respond. I just checked the items against the receipt.
The guy was getting friendly now. He patted my shoulder and said, "Kid, there's a men's health clinic in the north of the city. They specialize in treating impotence and premature ejaculation. You should check it out. Man, such a hot wife, and you're letting an electric dildo have all the fun. What a waste."
"Here's your money," I said, quickly paying him to get rid of him. My sister-in-law might look soft on the outside, but she was tough on the inside. Last night, she was crying her eyes out and climbing into my bed, and less than a day later, she was ordering sex toys online.
Her mindset and recovery speed were astonishing. Of course, it wasn't a bad thing. If she was constantly wallowing in sadness, the atmosphere at home would be unbearable. Heh, my sister-in-law was truly something else. Only thinking of ordering things for herself, and not a single thought for me.
Then again, I felt a little ashamed. This was her private business, and I had just let a delivery guy open the package in front of me all for three hundred yuan. Thank god it was just the two of us. If anyone else had seen, how could she ever show her face again?
I felt a strange sense of anticipation. Since she had ordered it, she would definitely use it. The thought of that steamy scene made my blood boil. God, I couldn't take it. I ran to the bathroom and jerked off.
I had just finished cooking when I noticed it was raining outside. I tried calling my sister-in-law, but the call wouldn't go through. The rain got heavier and heavier, mirroring my own growing anxiety. She wouldn't do something stupid, would she? After all, she was a sensitive woman, and rainy days are the perfect breeding ground for negative thoughts.
I grabbed an umbrella and ran out to find her. I searched like a headless fly, checking every place she might be, but there was no sign of her. It wasn't until after ten that it started to get dark. I found a convenience store and called my cousin. It was noisy on his end.
"Hey, cousin, I can't find sister-in-law," I said, my voice filled with panic. In contrast, he was completely calm.
"Oh, it's fine. She likes to throw tantrums. Just let her be," he said nonchalantly. It sounded like someone was toasting him.
"But..." Before I could finish, he hung up.
I couldn't find her anywhere. I dejectedly headed home. To my surprise, the lights were on. She was back! I pushed open the door and found her lying on the sofa, her face pale and her hair damp with rain.
Even though I was quiet, I still woke her up. She shot up, her brow furrowed. "Derek, where have you been? Is it so fun outside that you forgot to come home?!"
Her string of questions left me bewildered. She was hallucinating, mistaking me for my cousin. Could it get any more cliché? Heh, I was pretty sure if I played along, I'd be getting my clothes taken off.
"Sister-in-law, it's me, Ethan. I couldn't reach you, so I went out to look for you," I explained, bracing myself.
She blinked, and a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes. Like a deflated balloon, she collapsed back onto the sofa.
I could see that she was deeply in love with my cousin. Even though he had cheated on her, she still held out hope for him. If I had a wife like that, I would have to thank my lucky stars.
I brought a dry towel and started to dry her hair. She began to cry silently. "I knew he wouldn't come back. But when I came home and you weren't here, I thought you had abandoned me too."
Her pain and sorrow were heart-wrenching. "No, no. I'll always be by your side, no matter what," I said, shaking my head and trying to calm her down.
I ran downstairs and bought a Coke, then boiled it with ginger. I poured a cup and waited for it to cool before handing it to her.
"Here, drink this. It'll keep you from catching a cold." I helped her sit up. A flicker of gratitude appeared in her beautiful eyes. "Oh, Ethan, you're the only one who cares about me like this. I'm sorry for how I treated you before."
"Heh, it's nothing." Her praise made me feel a little embarrassed. She was truly captivating. In her current pitiful state, she could easily arouse any man's protective instincts.
Her delicate body was slightly curved, showcasing a breathtakingly seductive silhouette. I tried my best not to look, lest I get any wicked ideas.
"Ethan," she called out suddenly.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Why are you so good to me?" she asked, her voice filled with a hopeful curiosity.
The question stumped me. I didn't even know the answer myself. At first, I had hated her. But as we got closer, my opinion of her changed. I even found myself instinctively wanting to protect her.
Being a conservative boy from the country, I hesitated slightly. "Because you're my sister-in-law."
"Oh. Then what if one day, I'm not your sister-in-law anymore?" she pouted, clearly not satisfied with my answer.