Chapter 206: Sister and Brother

This "unmerited disaster" of a storm was soon cast to the back of Qiao Suisui's mind, but the school forum and various group chats were boiling over, even sparking a small-scale sensation on the internet.

That short video of Lin Xixi hitting Fang Yuan had been edited into a meme and posted online; by that evening, it had over one hundred thousand views, with four-digit figures for shares, likes, and comments. Firstly, it was because Lin Xixi was indeed quite fierce, and secondly, because Qiao Suisui, who was standing beside her, had been caught on camera—her palm-sized face, exquisite features, and pure appearance led netizens to directly call for her to debut on the spot. Some even commented that she could be sent straight to *Produce 101*, saying they were willing to spend real money to pick this little sister.

Yet the two parties involved were completely unaware, and at this moment, they were huddled together crying at a street-side revolving hot pot stall.

On the table in front of them were three or four empty beer bottles. Lin Xixi's face was as red as a monkey's butt; not only was her alcohol tolerance poor, but she also flushed the moment she drank, and by now, her speech was already incoherent.

"I'm telling you, Sui Sui, I'm telling you... I just knew, I knew you would definitely be able to escape your mother's clutches. Your life will get better and better, believe me, believe me, what did I tell you?"

Qiao Suisui had drunk half a bottle, and her face was also flushed crimson, but she was a bit more sober than Lin Xixi. She only had this one friend, with whom she shared everything. When she had argued with Mother Qiao and been kicked out of the house, it was Lin Xixi who took her in; when she had no money but was too stubborn to ask the Qiao family for any, it was Lin Xixi who gave her half of her living expenses without hesitation. They had attended the same elementary school and the same middle school; they had argued and been angry with each other, but they would always make up within a day.

Qiao Suisui hugged Lin Xixi and choked out, "It will get better, our lives will both get better and better."

"Are you, are you hiding something from me?" Lin Xixi extended a finger and pointed at her ear, treating it as Qiao Suisui's mouth, and said with great certainty, "You definitely have something you're hiding from me, speak!"

Qiao Suisui supported her, afraid she might fall, and hesitated, stammering, "I told you, I'm afraid you won't believe me."

"What's there not to believe? You are my best friend, I believe everything you say!"

"I... do you still remember the game I mentioned to you? I..."

"Ha! I know!"

Qiao Suisui was surprised, and she and Lin Xixi said in unison—

"You know? You've been in there too?"

"I know! Qiao Jiming likes you!"

Lin Xixi looked at her with unfocused eyes, "Hm? What did you say, what been in there? Gone where?"

Qiao Suisui sighed and said, "Nowhere, let's go home."

She knew Lin Xixi was not in her right mind, so she didn't take her words to heart. She swayed as she went to pay the bill, hoisted the already unconscious Lin Xixi up from the table, and was just planning to walk to the street to hail a taxi when her phone rang.

Qiao Suisui answered, "Hello?"

Qiao Jiming had waited for her until ten o'clock without seeing her return. He had intended to call and ask when she would be back, but upon connecting, he heard her slightly heavy nasal tone and voice, so he immediately asked, "You've been drinking?" The ambient noise on her end was very loud, and without waiting for her to answer, Qiao Jiming asked again, "Where are you?"

"The commercial street near the school. Xixi drank too much, I need to take her home first."

Qiao Jiming immediately grabbed his clothes and, while walking out the door, said, "Wait for me at the shop for a moment, don't wander off, send me your location, I'm coming over now."

Qiao Suisui felt that it was indeed difficult for her alone to manage the drunken Lin Xixi, so she agreed. Qiao Jiming arrived very quickly; he was there ten minutes after hanging up the phone.

She watched Qiao Jiming run over, drenched in sweat, and said, "No need to be so anxious, Xixi won't be waking up for a while."

Qiao Jiming panted, first looking around to confirm that no hooligans or sleazy men had come over to hit on or harass her, before he truly felt at ease.

"Why didn't you tell me in advance so I could come pick you... guys up."

"It's very close, just one street away from the hotel."

Qiao Jiming did not argue with her; he resignedly squatted down with his back to her and turned his head to say, "Help Sister Xi over."

She let Lin Xixi lean on Qiao Jiming's back, and because Lin Xixi was wearing a short skirt today, she took off her own jacket and tied it around her waist. Qiao Jiming carried Lin Xixi on his back, and she left the commercial street with him; the three of them walked along the small path bathed in moonlight.

"Why drink?" Qiao Jiming asked.

"Xixi said she wanted to celebrate for me."

A breeze blew against them, and Qiao Suisui tilted her head back to feel it, finding it extremely comfortable. By now, they had left the noisy district, and there was only the sound of cicadas all around.

"Jiming, I'm planning to move out and rent a place."

Qiao Jiming froze for a moment, using the bangs on his forehead to hide his expression, and muttered, "That's good."

"I've saved up a little money, and I've been looking at apartments these past two days. There's one I really like, and the price is reasonable. But don't tell Mom, I don't want to be found by her."

"Mm."

"I want to go to the building materials market myself to buy a bucket of paint and touch up the walls so the place will look a bit newer." "Mm."

"I also want to have Xixi live with me, and then we can get a little dog. When we're free, we can walk the dog, and on weekends, we can cook together."

"..."

Qiao Jiming suppressed the bitterness in his throat; his heartbeat became increasingly irregular. The feeling of panic made his limbs weak, and his pace grew slower and slower.

Qiao Suisui noticed he hadn't kept up, turned back, and called out, "Jiming? Are you tired?"

Qiao Jiming just stared straight at her, the emotions in his chest surging like waves, one higher than the next, but he couldn't say a single word. He could only bite his teeth together tightly, terrified that he might lose control and let his hidden feelings spill out.

After a long while, Qiao Jiming only squeezed a few words through his teeth, saying, "... Then what about me?"

Qiao Suisui was stunned for a moment, thinking he was envious of an independent life, so she walked back and patted his shoulder with a smile, "You can come whenever you want to."

She didn't remember... didn't remember the promise they made when they were little, that they would live together when they grew up.

Didn't remember that they were going to build a home together, a home with only her and him.

She could include Lin Xixi in her life, yet she hadn't left a spot for him.

Qiao Jiming looked up and let out a long, heavy sigh.

Qiao Suisui didn't quite understand why his mood had suddenly turned so poor. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, she saw Qiao Jiming continue walking forward with Lin Xixi on his back.

"We're almost there. It's dark in the alley, you wait for me here under the streetlamp."

After saying this, Qiao Jiming quickened his pace without a word, every step accompanied by an inescapable gloom.

Around the corner was Lin Xixi's home. He walked a distance into the darkness, and the person on his back suddenly spoke: "I thought you had more guts."

Qiao Jiming was immersed in his emotions and was startled by the sudden voice. "You've been awake the whole time?"

Lin Xixi said, "Your heart was beating so violently, it would be hard for me not to wake up."

Qiao Jiming stood still, intending to put her down, but Lin Xixi played the rascal and refused to get off.

"You've already helped me this far, just finish the job; it's only a few more steps."

Qiao Jiming said nothing and carried her quickly toward her apartment building.

"Hey, stinky little brother, do you have a sister complex?"

"..."

"Then why don't you consider me? I'm your sister too."

Qiao Jiming threw Lin Xixi in front of the apartment entrance, turned, and took two steps back to put some distance between them.

"Don't you dare talk nonsense to her!"

"Too late. I told her everything."

"You!"

Lin Xixi watched the fair-skinned youth's face flush with anger under the moonlight and laughed out loud; she pouted and said, "But guess how your sister reacted? She didn't believe a word of it."

She had truly been out of her mind when she said that, but for all her poor tolerance, she didn't black out when drunk; in fact, she was crystal clear. She had actually woken up the moment Qiao Jiming started carrying her, but she didn't want to miss such an opportunity, so she kept pretending to be drunk.

"You are her family, you are her younger brother, you two cannot—"

"I am not," Qiao Jiming interrupted before she could finish, "we have no blood relation."

His face flickered in the dim yellow streetlamp light; the youth's eyes were deep and restrained, his hands balled into fists, his expression firm yet suppressed.

"Please do not interfere, and do not spout nonsense in front of her. I will tell her about this myself, and besides, I have a lifetime to make her accept me; I can afford to wait."

(End of this chapter)