Tomb raiders: You stole my little Qilin?

When the train left Ningxia, the scenery outside the window still had the unique desolation of Northwest China.

The sky is high and the clouds are light. Layers of loess gullies stretch to the horizon. Occasionally, a cluster of windmills passes by, their white blades turning slowly in the sunlight.

Wu Wei leaned against the car window, holding a half-empty bottle of mineral water in his hand, his gaze fixed on the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, but his mind was completely blank.

The group couldn't get consecutive tickets, and Wu Xie and Fatty's seats were a few rows ahead of them.

As soon as Wang Pangzi got on the bus, he pulled out a deck of cards from his bag and, as if they were old friends, pulled Wu Xie into playing cards with the two people opposite him.

The group lowered their voices, but bursts of laughter still broke out from time to time.

The fat man lost three rounds in a row, and several pieces of paper were stuck to his face.

"Fatty's luck is really bad." Fatty muttered as he pressed the slips of paper that said "I'm an idiot" against his face.

"You have to accept your loss, Fatty." Wu Xie tore another piece of paper from the notebook and, amidst the cheers from the other side, slapped it onto Fatty's chin.

Hearing the laughter and chatter coming from ahead, Wu Wei's lips unconsciously curved into a smile.

Then he lowered his head and looked at his right arm, which was being held by Xie Yuchen.

Xie Yuchen has maintained this posture since she got on the bus.

The movement of leaning in was not ostentatious; it was simply a loose arm around her, a casual gesture.

But every time Wu Wei tried to pull his arm out, Xie Yuchen's fingers would tighten slightly, and she would turn her head to look at him.

"Did I make my brother feel uncomfortable?"

Xie Yuchen lowered his gentle and calm eyes slightly, his tone carrying just the right amount of vulnerability.

This always reminds Wu Wei of the child who cried his heart out in his arms back then.

Wu Wei sighed and didn't pull his arm away again.

Xie Yuchen didn't push her luck; she simply held his arm quietly.

The air conditioning in the carriage was on full blast, and in the slightly cool air, Xie Yuchen's body temperature wafted through the fabric of her shirt, warm and steady.

"Xiao Hua," Wu Wei called out.

"Hmm?" Xie Yuchen opened her eyes.

"What exactly do you want?" Wu Wei's voice was a little dry.

Xie Yuchen sat up straight and turned to look at Wu Wei.

Those eyes no longer held any weakness, only honesty and earnestness.

"Do you have someone you like?" Xie Yuchen asked.

Wu Wei shook his head, looking somewhat confused.

"I like you."

As the train rounded a bend, its body tilted slightly, and the sunlight from the window flickered across the faces of the two people.

Wu Wei's eyes widened, his lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know what to say.

Even though he already had a guess in his mind, he was still stunned when he actually heard those four words.

"Brother Wu Wei," Xie Yuchen called out again, her voice softer and more earnest than before.

"Could you try to like me?"

Wu Wei finally hardened his heart and completely pulled his arm out of Xie Yuchen's grasp.

He clasped his hands on his knees, lowered his head to organize his thoughts, and spoke as gently as possible: "Xiaohua, I consider you my younger brother."

Xie Yuchen's expression showed no surprise.

In just a few days, he understood Wu Wei's confusion and obtuseness about relationships.

He takes it for granted that he is kind to others, but he can't distinguish the nature of the kindness others show him.

In Xie Yuchen's eyes, this slowness was both a good thing and a difficult thing.

The advantage is that no one has gotten there first yet;

The difficulty is that it takes him a lot of effort to open the door himself.

"I can accept being the younger brother for now."

Looking at the gentle and composed head of the Xie family, Wu Wei wanted to say, "That's not what I meant," but felt it would be pointless to say it anyway.

"Brother Wu Wei," Xie Yuchen leaned forward slightly, her voice carrying a hint of weakness.

"You can't take away my right to pursue the person I like, can you?"

Wu Wei remained silent.

"I can accept you treating me like a younger brother."

Xie Yuchen looked into Wu Wei's eyes, "But you can't hide from me."

There was an undeniable seriousness in those eyes that Wu Wei couldn't ignore.

Wu Wei remained silent for a long time, finally sighing with a hint of helplessness in his voice:

"I really only see you as a younger brother."

"It's okay." After Xie Yuchen finished speaking, she did not try to take Wu Wei's arm again.

"I am willing to wait, and I am willing to give Brother Wu Wei time."

Xie Yuchen leaned back in her chair and sat quietly in her seat, a hopeful smile on her lips.

……

At the front of the carriage, Wu Xie kept glancing back.

He peered through the gaps between several rows of seats, frowning as he stared at Wu Wei and Xie Yuchen.

Just now, when Wu Wei leaned close to Xie Yuchen to speak, Wu Xie almost crumpled the playing cards he was holding into a ball.

Although Xie Yuchen had released his grip at this moment, the subtle sense of intimacy lingered in Wu Xie's heart like a thorn.

Why are you staring at them?

The seventh note had been pasted on Wang Pangzi's face. He followed Wu Xie's gaze and looked over.

"Why is Xiaohua so affectionate towards my brother?"

Wu Xie threw the King of Hearts in his hand onto the table, his tone somewhat accusatory.

Fatty Wang scratched his head.

He's a guy who's incredibly thick-skinned, but he still has a good eye for things.

During his time in Ningxia these past few days, Xie Yuchen hadn't thought too deeply about his little schemes, but he had at least caught a glimpse of their outline.

"Maybe he likes your brother," the fat man winked at Wu Xie.

Wu Xie suddenly turned his head: "Why do you like my brother?"

Wang Pangzi was a little confused by his reaction. He put down his cards, waved to the person opposite him, and signaled that he was not going to play anymore.

Then she said to Wu Xie, "That's your brother, not your boyfriend. The fact that someone likes him means he's outstanding. Aren't you happy?"

That's your brother.

It's not your partner.

Your partner.

The tension that had been building up in Wu Xie's mind finally snapped at that moment.

It was as if someone had ripped a hole in the window, and light rushed in so intensely that he almost dared not open his eyes.

But after the glare subsided, everything became clearer than ever before.

That inexplicable concern. That inexplicable heartbeat.

Seeing Xie Yuchen arm in arm with Wu Weishi brought a pang of sadness to my heart.

The fear that her brother would be taken away by someone else.

All the emotions he had suppressed, bypassed, and pretended not to exist on countless nights found their home at this moment.

Wu Xie sat stiffly in his seat, his expression blank yet revealing a hint of understanding and panic.

Through the gaps between several rows of seats, he saw Wu Wei leaning back in his chair, resting with his eyes closed.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a long, thin patch of light on Wu Wei's face.

That's someone I grew up with.

Those awkwardness, discomfort, and fear of him being taken away from her were not possessiveness towards her brother.

He wanted Wu Wei to be good to him only, and he wanted Wu Wei to stay by his side forever.

Wu Xie felt as if all his strength had been drained by this sudden realization.

He leaned back in his seat, his heart pounding heavily in his chest, and his palms were sweating.

"Hey, Wu Xie, what's wrong?" Fatty noticed that Wu Xie's expression was off and waved his hand in front of him.

"……fine."