They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

That's true. After summer vacation, my sister would share her life whenever she had the chance. Especially since the bullying incident ended, she has become much more cheerful and seems to be more popular at school.

After all, she is my proud and well-behaved younger sister. Every time she is confessed to, she tells me about the other person's situation very seriously, and then asks me somewhat awkwardly what to do.

As a new older brother, I naively told her at first to just handle things according to her wishes, since I read online that older brothers should be open-minded and stand on the same side as their younger sisters to be popular.

Then she complained with an unhappy expression that I hadn't listened to her properly, that she didn't really know the other person, and that she was going to refuse.

According to what Ling Chuqing told me online, my sister was in a bad mood every time she rejected someone during that period. She would say that they were not familiar with each other and were all students, so please don't waste your time. This broke the hearts of many young boys who had mustered up the courage to do so.

...Having grasped the point, I immediately adopted a one-man rule in subsequent similar situations, very seriously telling my younger sister to focus on the upcoming entrance exams, as I, as her guardian appointed by her parents, did not want her to accept that.

Then Ling Chuqing told me that Ning Ruoxin was in a much better mood. Every time she refused someone, she would say with a happy look that her older brother cared a lot about her life and studies, and that she thought her brother was the most important person, so she had to listen to him.

My little princess is happy, but my reputation is ruined. The boys at the affiliated high school seem to hate me to the core because of this. Ning Ruoxin, the most beautiful girl in the school, has a brother who is extremely doting on his sister. If you want to pursue her, you have to get rid of that jerk!

—A report from Ling Chuqing, the cutest T0 girl in our school. She also mentioned, somewhat shyly, that she's always getting confessed to, and because it's so troublesome, she always uses me, her "most trusted senior," as an excuse.

And because they weren't family, she was often asked why she listened to her senior so much, to which she would just smile wryly and say that she was secretly in love with him...

"It's to make them believe me more! I'm not trying to pressure Ruoyu! Really!" Ling Chuqing explained repeatedly. "Besides, it's not like I'm lying..."

Correction: The boys at the affiliated high school hate me to the core. The most beautiful T0 girl at the affiliated high school, Ning Ruoxin, has a very doting older brother, and the cutest T0 girl, Ling Chuqing, has a senior who has a one-sided crush on her—these two identities refer to the same person.

No matter who he's pursuing, this bastard must die!

That concludes the recollection. I feel it was a bit more unfair on my side.

"It's mainly because of our age now..."

"If you still don't agree, then I'll sleep on the sofa." Ning Ruoxin seemed determined not to budge this time. "It's your rented room anyway."

"……Ugh."

Oh well, let it be, it only happened once in a while. I wonder how many excuses Ning Ruoxin has used for this already. Things like, "I watched a scary movie and I'm scared..." "I feel a little unwell..." "I can't sleep because of the upcoming exams."

In these situations, I would either sit on the sofa with the bedroom door open, taking care of her until she fell asleep, or I would move a chair to the bedside to tell her (or make up) stories, hold her hand, and watch over her as she slept.

But ever since she asked that strange question about "not being my brother," Ning Ruoxin's coquettishness has been mixed with a lot of unease, and sometimes her behavior has become a bit excessive. For example, when she gets up in the morning, she will look for me all over the house. Sometimes when I get up early and I'm brushing my teeth instead of in the kitchen, she will hug me from behind like a scared little rabbit, burying her face in my back and sucking in air.

"We agreed on just this once."

As I said this, I stood up and ruffled her hair.

Ning Ruoxin's eyes lit up immediately.

"Hehe, thank you, brother!!"

She suddenly hugged me, then cutely lifted her face and smiled sweetly at me.

"Let's watch some suspenseful or thrilling TV series or movies together later~ I have so many that I want to watch but am too scared to watch~"

"I seem to remember that you weren't actually interested in this kind of subject matter. And what was your answer?"

"Thank you, brother~~"

"No, just this once, okay? You promised! You have to answer properly!"

"Okay, thank you, brother~~"

"???? It's not 'I understand,' it's 'Okay.' Say 'Nine Chinese people don't lie to Nine Chinese people!'"

"I'll be careful. Hehe~"

My sister refused to answer and tried to get away with it by playing dumb.

[Next chapter preview: "Seriously, why did I click on this when I clearly didn't dare to look?"]

"Cold...and scared..."

"Are the girls next door arguing?"

"It was so close, so very close."

Interlude: The Cunning Sister's Brother-Obsessed Tale

"!"

On the screen, a ghostly face suddenly appears, accompanied by a sudden increase in the volume of background music.

Ning Ruoxin clung to Ning Ruoyu's arm, looking somewhat frightened.

Ning Ruoyu, who was engrossed in watching the plot, came back to her senses and saw the unease in her sister's eyes, and sighed softly.

"Honestly, why did you click on this if you're clearly afraid to look?"

"Ah Qing said the plot of this drama is very interesting. I definitely wouldn't dare to watch it alone if my brother wasn't here."

Ning Ruoxin whispered, then moved closer to Ning Ruoyu.

"Hmm, the plot is indeed..."

As Ning Ruoyu said this, she seemed to be drawn back into the plot.

Ning Ruoxin, however, didn't pay much attention to the plot at all, and instead spent the whole time secretly glancing at her brother.

The initial fright was merely an act to match the sudden appearance of the camera. In reality, Ning Ruoxin, who hadn't paid any attention to the plot's background, had no idea what the sudden appearance of the pale, ghostly face meant.

Although what she just told her brother wasn't a lie, Ah Qing had actually dragged her to watch a few episodes. The result was that Ah Qing became fearful and paranoid for days afterward, while she felt nothing at all.

...Ning Ruoxin is actually a girl who is so brave about horror stories that she's practically numb to them. She's not really interested in this kind of subject matter, but that doesn't mean she's afraid of it.

Compared to watching the story unfold in the plot, what's more important for the girl is to carefully approach her brother and secretly do some small things.

For example——

Ning Ruoyu, who was engrossed in watching the drama, suddenly felt a corner of her blanket being secretly lifted, and the chill of the late autumn night crept in with it. Immediately afterwards, a smooth and cool touch gently brushed against her ankles, and she felt the shy blush on the cheeks of the girl next to her, who was trying to appear calm.

"...Seriously, how many times has this happened already?"

Ning Ruoyu gave a wry smile in exasperation at her younger sister's "bed invasion."

"Cold...and scared..."

Ning Ruoxin looked pitiful and somewhat aggrieved. This childish demeanor, let alone being seen by her teachers and classmates, would probably make even Ling Chuqing's pupils dilate in shock.

"Should we turn on the air conditioning or heating?"

“It uses too much electricity.” Ning Ruoxin shook her head, looking at Ning Ruoyu with some unease. “…Can’t we do it this way?”

"..." Faced with her sister's unique, doting charm offensive that was only directed at her, Ning Ruoyu finally didn't rearrange the blankets as she had done before. Instead, as if she couldn't do anything about it, she roughly rubbed Ning Ruoxin's head.

"Fine, fine, I'll let you be as cute as you want today. But about this kind of thing..."

"You need to know your limits, right?"

Ning Ruoxin's eyes lit up upon receiving the agreement, and she answered very quickly.

"Um, you, it's good that you know."

"I know my limits. I only ask my brother for this kind of thing. I wouldn't even do that to Mom and Dad!"

Ning Ruoxin chuckled, then hugged Ning Ruoyu tightly, resting her head on the boy's shoulder like she was hugging a pillow. The blankets that had previously kept their boundaries completely were now a mess, giving the boy's private space an unprecedented invasion.

"...Um." Feeling that even her legs were being arbitrarily bound and entangled, Ning Ruoyu couldn't care less about the plot and was somewhat bewildered.

"My brother just promised me I could act cute as I please."

Ning Ruoxin deliberately avoided looking at Ning Ruoyu, instead pretending to be engrossed in watching the plot, giving Ning Ruoyu no chance to discipline her.

As the closest relative to the boy, Ning Ruoxin had some experience in dealing with her seemingly warm but inwardly cold older brother. He didn't care much about distance or closeness, and even important people were kept at a safe distance, as if he was worried that his misfortune would affect others.

So, for her brother who is so particular about maintaining a sense of distance, Ning Ruoxin's recent efforts have been to gradually erode his personal space. First, she'd pat his head, then move on to simple physical contact, like small hugs and cuddles. And now, as long as she doesn't go too far, even a nap with her lap as a pillow is acceptable…

I need to take advantage of this special day and turn my brother into a body pillow. That way, I can hold him in my arms and... he won't be able to leave me.

Unbeknownst to her, a hint of darkness churned deep within Ning Ruoxin's eyes. Unlike An Yu, with whom she could deepen her relationship through daily interactions, and the idol senior who could use her cat-like harmless appearance to engage in outrageous acts of infidelity, Ning Ruoxin knew that her greatest advantage was her status.

My brother dotes on me a bit. Because he's the best brother in the world.

But I'm not content with just being the best little sister in the world.

Seeing Ning Ruoyu's expression of wanting to say something but ultimately being helpless, Ning Ruoxin felt a strange sense of pleasure welling up inside her. This pleasure frightened her, yet she still unconsciously wanted to succumb to it.

I want to meld my brother into my body... I want to devour him... If his neck was covered with marks left by me, my brother wouldn't say things like "disappeared" or "gone" anymore, right?

Ning Ruoyu probably didn't realize, or realized but didn't expect, that after he made that tentative assumption that night, a part of Ning Ruoxin's heart seemed to break.

She had some bruises on her feet and legs, which were left from bumping into the door frame and coffee table in her haste to find her brother every morning when she didn't see him right away.

She had already managed to hug her brother as she wished. But after achieving her goal, she was no longer satisfied. Ning Ruoxin then realized what a greedy girl she was.

Clinging almost entirely to the boy like an octopus, Ning Ruoxin had long since lost track of what the TV show on the tablet was playing. Only one thought was rapidly expanding in her mind…

Eat it, eat it, eat it... even if it means doing something that will ruin our sibling relationship... my brother will forgive me, because it's him, he definitely will...

Uncontrollably tilting her head slightly towards the boy's neck, Ning Ruoxin gently opened her mouth.

"elder brother……"

As she spoke, she tried to do the thing she had imagined countless times, but then she saw Ning Ruoyu suddenly frown.

The boy paused the video on the tablet and made a shushing gesture.

This action interrupted Ning Ruoxin's obsession with going to extremes.

"Are the girls next door arguing?"

Ning Ruoyu frowned. "Doesn't she live alone?"

Ning Ruoxin also held her breath and listened carefully.

"This...is unnecessary...!"

"I'm... leaving... stop... fooling around...!"

"...Dad and...me...!"

"They...and you're a girl...!"

Although the soundproofing in the rental apartment was poor, even in this situation, the two people arguing seemed to be suppressing their anger and tone of voice, so as not to disturb the neighbors.

Ning Ruoxin looked at Ning Ruoyu, whose brows were slightly furrowed. His hearing was probably better than hers, so he might have heard more.

"Please rest here!"

As that suppressed, tearful voice rang out, the neighbor's door suddenly opened and then slammed shut.

"……elder brother."

"Um, I'm sorry, Xiaoxin. After all, she's a senior from the same school. It's so late, I think it would be better if I went over to check on her. Besides, I also have some things I wanted to ask her." Ning Ruoyu gently pushed away the girl's hands and feet that were wrapped around her. Ning Ruoxin nodded obediently.

"So, if tonight doesn't count..."

"Okay, I know. But next time you have to use two blankets properly."

"Hehe." Ning Ruoxin just smiled shyly and didn't agree.

The boy gently patted his younger sister's head, picked up his outer clothes, and went to the bathroom. A few minutes later, the sound of the boy opening and closing the door could be heard, leaving Ning Ruoxin alone in the room.

In an instant, a wave of loneliness and unease washed over the girl's heart.

"Clearly, it was just a little bit short."

"No, I wasn't mature enough this time. Hmm, I need to get my brother to be more open with me."

With that thought in mind, Ning Ruoxin walked to the restroom.

Ning Ruoyu had just changed into her pajamas and placed them in the laundry basket.

The girl blushed and picked it up, then took it to her bed.

"I'm sorry, brother, Xiao Xin is probably going to become a bad child."

She gently unfolded the clothes, blushing, and placed them in front of her.

He gently stuck out his tongue.

"It's all my brother's fault."

[Next chapter preview: "Yes, yes, yes. It's you, my nosy junior, who came over in the middle of the night."]

Wu Yuehua looked at me with a somewhat weak gaze, which was different from her usual expression.

—I want to add a special edition to the list of the three most unapproachable groups.

"Um, I actually wanted to go to Yun Shen Temple."