They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

……

Ning Ruoxin remained silent for a long time after hearing my question.

"........."

"........."

"........."

No, this has been a long time coming, hasn't it?

I twitched my eye.

"Um, don't you want to say something?"

I finally couldn't help but ask.

"Since you've already guessed it, what's the point of saying anything more between us now?"

Ning Ruoxin sat on the hospital bed, looking at me calmly, without any unease or panic on her face after being exposed.

"There's a lot to say, like why we did it this way, and so on..."

"These things have nothing to do with you, brother, right? After all, even if I fell down on purpose, in the end, only I would be the one who gets hurt, and that's all that matters."

She spoke softly, and even smiled gently at me.

"That's true, but actually I still hope you can... wait, what did you just call me?"

I stared in horror at the girl on the hospital bed.

I rarely observe Ning Ruoxin so closely. Unlike her usual somewhat forceful demeanor, she is remarkably petite. The hospital gown hangs loosely on her, and even the nurse from yesterday felt pity for her.

"Brother, aren't you my brother?"

She smiled, her eyebrows arching, revealing a touch of the playfulness and cheerfulness typical of her age. But for some reason, there was a hint of sadness in her expression.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble these past few days at the rented apartment."

Ning Ruoxin bowed slightly to me.

"The way you're saying it... it just feels like..."

“I’m going home, so brother, you don’t need to worry about me anymore.”

"School is about to start, and I'll be very busy with tutoring at school for the next few days. I might not be able to contact you often, so please remember to eat on time."

"Senior An Yu, Senior Chu Guyin, and Senior Wu Yuehua are all very nice people. It's something that others envy that you can be friends with them... So stop bothering other girls. Oh, by the way, Senior Ling Qingxue doesn't like you, really."

"Let's put that aside for now; you're just overheated from the fever—"

"elder brother."

I was speechless.

Because teardrops quietly spread across Ning Ruoxin's blanket.

One by one.

Tears dripped onto the blanket as my sister, so strong that even I was at a loss, sobbed.

"Can you listen to me just this once? Just this once?"

It was already afternoon when I got back to my rented room.

Some of Ning Ruoxin's things were still in the room; she didn't intend to take them with her.

I sighed, packed them up, and prepared to mail them over when I had some free time.

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang while I was packing my things.

I lazily went to open the door, and a blue ribbon and purple hair came into view.

"Senior...you and me? What a strange combination."

"How rude. I only brought Senior Chu Guyin upstairs because I saw her downstairs and thought she probably thought the same way I did."

Ling Chuqing said unhappily.

The senior student waved quietly and then handed over a bag.

"A souvenir... I hope you like it..."

"Ah, this?" I scratched my head awkwardly.

"In short, thank you for your care, senior. I heard from President Wu Yuehua that temporary hospital beds are actually quite scarce, and someone like Ning Ruoxin wouldn't normally be able to be admitted. It's all thanks to you for putting in a good word for me."

"It's okay... because... she's my sister."

Seeing that I didn't take the bag, Chu Guyin tilted her head slightly.

"A souvenir...don't you want one?"

"Haha, didn't I tell you? Actually, Ning Ruoxin went home and doesn't live with me anymore."

"Are you crazy?!"

I knew it. Rather, Ling Chuqing's reaction was perfectly normal.

"What are you thinking?! Ah Xin just fell and was hospitalized because she was alone at home, and you're telling her to go back and live alone? Are you even human?!"

"listen to me……"

"Senior Ning Ruoyu! I'm begging you, can you please put some of your frivolous thoughts into Ah Xin? Ah Xin is the one you should really care about!"

"I've already told you, you fucking listen to me!"

After he shouted those words, a deathly silence fell over the doorway.

"……Feel sorry."

"No, I'm sorry, I was a little tipsy too."

Ling Chuqing obediently lowered her head and admitted her mistake. I can now understand why she is Ning Ruoxin's best friend.

"...She wanted to go back to live alone. I tried to stop her, but she cried."

Ling Chuqing looked surprised, while Chu Guyin, the senior student beside her, looked somewhat confused.

I sighed.

"I'll handle the rest. But for now, I think it's best to let Ning Ruoxin be alone for a while."

"...If it's something that happens later, I'll help too."

"Why? Aren't you the one who hates me the most?"

"Although it's still the most hated thing..."

That's an overly honest answer, isn't it?

“But last night, when you heard that Ah Xin had an accident, you didn’t even come to see your sister—that made me look at you in a new light.”

Ling Chuqing said earnestly.

Just how bad was your impression of me before? I smiled bitterly to myself.

Although I am aware of this.

"So as long as it can help Ah Xin, I don't mind cooperating with you."

"Although I...don't understand...it's still...okay..."

Just as Senior Sister Chu Guyin was about to say something, a vibration sound came from her backpack pocket.

She clumsily opened her backpack, found her phone, glanced at the screen, and her expression darkened.

"I'm sorry... something came up... I can't come together..."

"It's okay, senior, you've already helped a lot."

I comforted Chu Guyin.

"Then at least... this... is for you."

I accepted the gift she offered. After a slight bow, the senior student walked downstairs—although it was the same as usual, I felt that her footsteps were somewhat more hurried than usual.

"...Okay, so what should we do next?"

Ling Chuqing turned to me and asked.

I glanced at her and gently pushed her out the door.

"wait."

I closed the door.

Ignoring the tantrums coming from outside, I turned on my phone.

There's a video on my phone that An Yu forwarded.

【What should I do, Ning Ruoyu?! Ling Qingxue said you did that kind of thing in your first year of high school and even filmed it!!】

[Next chapter preview: [I was almost assaulted by your brother~]]

Who would do something so stupid!

"Excuse me for interrupting, my hearing has always been pretty good."

What exactly is he saying?

Interlude: My Brother Can't Be That Handsome

My brother's existence is something I take for granted.

I don't really have many feelings about this person who I've been with since childhood and who seems to have always been there.

Whether it was when your friends said to you as a child, "You have an older brother? That's so sweet!"

Even now, my friends say, "Ah Xin, you must be very tired having a brother like that."

But whether it's "good" or "tiring," Ning Ruoyu's presence is just a habit for me.

Just like how most people take their parents' existence for granted. Isn't that what family is all about?

So even though Ning Ruoyu's actions have always made me feel embarrassed and ashamed, I think that maybe my brother is just that kind of person.

I'm not some clueless princess from a fairy tale who, upon seeing a suspicious old woman handing me an apple, thinks to myself, "What a kind old woman!"

I know Ning Ruoyu is a terrible older brother. But I still think that this might be the way my brother and I get along.

There are so many families in the world, so many siblings. My relationship with Ning Ruoyu is probably just one of the worse ones—but it's not uncommon.

No matter how awkward our relationship may be, Ning Ruoyu and I are blood relatives, and that will never change.

However, I was wrong. Perhaps I was the only one who ever thought this way.

So that night, when Senior Ling Qingxue sent me the instructions, I refused her.

……

I met Senior Ling Qingxue after that time when I gave her a subway pass.

Out of the blue, one night I received a friend request.

"Hello junior~ My name is Ling Qingxue~ There are some things I'd like to talk to you about regarding your brother."

At that time, I didn't want to care about Ning Ruoyu anymore, but I couldn't stop her from sending an application every half hour.

[Sorry, senior, I just checked my phone.]

I lied as a matter of course—the reason I didn't want to add my senior as a friend was because of family matters, and I didn't want her to know.

It's okay~ Actually, I added you as a friend because I wanted to tell you something that made me a little sad...

This is baffling. Is this really the senior student the Linwai basketball team members were talking about? Why does her way of speaking feel a little uncomfortable?

Although that's what I thought, I still replied politely.

What is the matter?

Don't be surprised when I tell you!

[Oh, she was almost assaulted by your brother~]