My Online Girlfriend Has a Twin Sister

"Do I look like I’m joking? This plan is perfectly reasonable. Think about it. You and Yaoyao would become siblings. You’d still be family, it’s just that your romantic feelings would turn into familial affection. Your relationship would be one of mutual respect. It might be a little awkward at first, but in the long run, you’ll see there’s nothing wrong with that. You could treat her like a dear older sister and make up for your guilt."

Liu He paused, smacking her lips thoughtfully. "And at the same time," she mused, "you and Ningning can build a happy, blissful family. I’ve been mulling it over all day, and the more I think about it, the more feasible this plan seems."

"Mom, I’m normally never disrespectful to you, but this time... I think you’ve gone completely insane." Chen Yuan was in awe of her outrageous idea.

He didn’t have to think twice about it.

All he had to do was mention this idea to Yaoyao, and no matter how good-natured she was, she would fly into a rage instantly.

A complete falling-out was guaranteed.

"How is it insane? It’s a pragmatic solution! Like you said, matters of the heart are complicated. The law won’t let you marry two women. Son, don’t tell me you’re daydreaming that the one-spouse law will change someday and the problem will just solve itself. That’s just an unrealistic fantasy."

"But—"

Chen Yuan was desperate to argue back, but before he could get a word out, Mr. Chen, who had been sitting calmly on the sofa beside them, SLAMMED his hand on the table.

"Yuan! Watch your attitude!"

"Dad..." Chen Yuan’s brow furrowed. No matter how good-tempered he was, he was reaching his limit.

"Then again," Mr. Chen said, looking at Liu He and calmly crossing his legs. "I don’t support your mother’s plan. If we were to adopt a goddaughter, I wouldn’t be against it. Your mother and I would both be very happy. But why adopt Yaoyao instead of Ningning?"

"Huh?" Chen Yuan’s jaw hit the floor with a CLANG.

He never imagined his own father would support this terrible idea—just with a different target.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Liu He narrowed her eyes at her husband.

"Ningning is beautiful, kind, and elegant. A gentle soul like that is perfect for being Chen Yuan’s older sister. Like you said, the family stays together, so it’s a win-win. But Yaoyao is so lively and good-natured. Her personality is a much better match for our son’s. If he marries her, they’ll have a wonderful, harmonious life together. He, we can’t just look at the surface-level qualities and ignore what’s on the inside. Haven’t you noticed that Ningning is very opinionated and stubborn? Our son is the exact same way. In a relationship, someone has to be willing to compromise, and Yaoyao is much better at that than Ningning."

"Dad, I don’t get your plan at all, but I have to admit, I’m impressed by your insight into human nature," Chen Yuan said, nodding to himself in agreement.

He had spent a lot of time with both sisters, and he knew it was true.

Mr. Chen had figured it all out in just one day. His assessment was so accurate, you just had to give him a thumbs-up.

It’s true what they say: the older, the wiser.

"Absolutely not!" Liu He’s eyebrows shot up. "Ningning is the one I’ve set my heart on. Don’t even think about changing my mind. I won’t budge on this, no matter what anyone says."

Her stance was absolutely resolute; she wouldn’t give an inch.

...

Liu He was already lost in a fantasy where her son chose Jiang Ning. Their relationship deepened, and they reached the legal age for marriage.

She would then throw a massive wedding banquet.

She’d invite everyone: relatives from the bride’s side, from the groom’s side, old schoolmates, and every random aunt and uncle she could think of.

Someone would inevitably ask, "So, where does your daughter-in-law work? What about her education? Is she tall or short? How did they meet? Where’s her family from?"

Liu He would immediately cover her mouth with a light laugh, her eyes sweeping over the circle of women sitting around her. They’d all be cracking melon seeds, their eyes filled with a mix of emotions, all eagerly awaiting her answer.

"Oh, there’s not much to say. As long as the kids are in love, that’s all that matters," Liu He would say, feigning indifference at first. Then, she would suddenly lower her voice and add conspiratorially, "She used to be a university professor, and now she’s a white-collar professional at a major corporation!"

"Oh?" all the women would gasp in surprise.

"And her education, ugh, don’t even get me started. My daughter-in-law is just so passionate about her studies. She applied for two master’s programs, and she just finished her third one last year! Two of them aren’t even related to her job. What a waste of her youth, sigh."

"Wow! Three master’s degrees," the women would whisper to each other, exchanging glances.

"Her height isn’t important, of course... but she’s five-foot-seven! She and my son look perfect together when she wears high heels."

"Five-foot-seven?!" the women would murmur, clicking their tongues in amazement.

"It was a campus romance. They met at the university. My son was so bold back then, daring to pursue his own professor. Honestly, isn’t he just the worst!"

"Yuan really has a way with him..." Some of the women would be rendered speechless, focusing on cracking their melon seeds, their hearts filled with envy. Especially that Li Huizhen.

And for the grand finale, she’d drop the ultimate bombshell.

"She has a local Mingzhu City residency permit, but she’s marrying into our little backwater town. Their love is so strong, they just don’t care about things like that."

In an instant.

Most of the women would erupt in applause, the excitement palpable. They’d all start laying on the flattery, saying things like, "You’re so blessed!" and urging her to hurry up and give them a chubby grandson in a couple of years.

In a single day, after the wedding was over, the news would spread through every street and alley in the eastern district, if not the entire county.

She wouldn’t even dare go out grocery shopping, afraid the brilliant glow of pride on her face might blind people.

It was, quite simply, the purest form of a wish-fulfillment fantasy for a middle-aged woman.

And that wasn’t even mentioning Ningning’s other qualities. She was as brilliant as she was beautiful, and incredibly meticulous. Those shining traits were just the tip of the iceberg.

...

「The fantasy ended.」

Liu He discreetly smoothed down the corners of her mouth, which had begun to curl into a smile. She looked at Chen Yuan, her gaze suddenly softening. ’Son,’ she thought, ’Mom is doing all of this for your own good. You’ll understand someday.’

Chen Yuan felt a little weird being subjected to this sudden "benevolent motherly gaze," and he scratched his head in confusion.