They are in the music show, but I am a stranger to them

"To me, he is not only my brother, but also my favorite and most beloved person."

As he spoke, Gao Songdeng seemed to have thought of something. After a slight pause, he asked with a little expectation:

"Brother...from now on, can I call you by your name like everyone else?"

Because to me, my brother is more than just a relative. Deng wants to take this opportunity to change her identity as a "sister" and face Chen Qi as a lover.

Naturally, Chen Qi also understood what Deng meant. After a moment of surprise, he couldn't help laughing and rubbed Deng's little head in his arms. As always, he chose to give in.

"Of course, if you like the light."

"...Then." Under Chen Qi's encouraging gaze, Gao Songdeng hesitated for a moment before hesitating and trembling softly calling out:

"...Qi, I like you. Search Q group...:9０⒋8→〉四－佴＠.九琳wu"

puff.

The heartbeat was just strong enough.

It's so weird. I just changed my name, but why do I feel so restless... and my face feels so hot.

"Sure enough, so shy."

It was just a short sentence, but it made Gao Songdeng blush and cover his face in Chen Qi's arms again. From Chen Qi's perspective, Deng's ears were already red, and the hot temperature on his cheeks was transmitted to his body through his clothes.

"I'll get used to it sooner or later." Chen Qi laughed dumbly and continued to rub Deng's little head, but he also concealed the activities in his heart and said with relief:

"Of course, if Deng feels that this is too much of a stretch, it's okay for him to continue calling me brother."

“…Yeah.” This time, Deng agreed sullenly. Obviously, it was still too early for her to be called “Qi”.

It was a close call. If Deng hadn’t been shy before him, Chen Qi would have felt like he was about to blush.

The moment Deng called him "Qi", Chen Qi also felt a wonderful feeling in his heart... This was the second time that he treated the sister in his arms, with whom he had been living for more than ten years, as a woman, rather than just a sister.

The last time was when Gao Songdeng pushed her down at home and put his hand on her chest.

But for Chen Qi, the feelings these two times were completely different. The first time, instead of feeling moved, Chen Qi felt that it was his male instinct at work. But this time, Chen Qi really felt the unique charm of Deng.

Should I say, it really is a lamp? This charm, once it is serious, is just as irresistible as Chuhua.

"Well, brother."

Just as Chen Qi was calming his heartbeat and suppressing all his male instincts, Gao Songdeng suddenly thought of something, raised his head and looked at him curiously and asked: U

"Who are the people my brother likes... um... the people he will never give up on?"

"this……":

Oops, you asked me the most embarrassing question.

Looking at Deng's innocent and curious eyes, Chen Qi also suppressed his guilt. Although he didn't have the option of "taking them all", facing Deng, Chen Qi felt that he still had to think carefully and reduce the number of places as much as possible.

So, after Chen Qi thought about it again and again, he finally named a few people that he thought he absolutely could not let down.

"Besides you, there is also Xiaomu, right? She has helped me a lot, and I have also promised Mr. Ruoye that I will take good care of Xiaomu for the rest of my life. I still have to find a way to convince Mr. Ruoye..."

“Of course, there’s also Aine-chan. Without Aine-chan, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have a place to heal my wounds… I can’t let Aine-chan down.”

"If there are any others... it would be Chuhua and Lixi. I just don't know if they can accept my proposal."⑶

"After that... maybe, there will be nothing."3

Chen Qi originally wanted to say Su Shi's name, but when he thought of Su Shi, his mind was filled with what Su Shi had personally admitted to doing to Li Xi and Ain that day.

This knot in his heart made Chen Qi shut his mouth silently. Even though he knew that Su Shi also liked him, it was still a little hard to accept.

As for Xiangzi...

It’s not that Chen Qi doesn’t want to, but he just feels it’s not realistic.

Now he had finally pulled Xiangzi back from the brink of collapse, giving her the courage to face her bleak life again. Chen Qi could no longer bear to let Xiangzi suffer any more from him.

Moreover, even if he really got Xiangzi back, would he be able to make everyone forgive Xiangzi? Although Chen Qi had more confidence, he was still not out of touch with reality.

Therefore, Chen Qi also silently removed Xiangzi's name, although he was really reluctant... but at the moment, this might be the best choice.

Outside the house, Ruoye Mu, who was listening silently beside Xiangzi, became more lively after he was the second one to get Chen Qi's affirmation after the light came on. A faint blush appeared on his porcelain doll-like face.

Sure enough, there is a place for me in Qi's heart.

Have I become someone who is inseparable from Qi, just like Deng? Am I one of the most important people to Qi?

...Thank you, Qi, I did not trust the wrong person.

On the side, when Xiangzi noticed Mu's faint smile that was beyond words and the few tears in his eyes, a hint of envy flashed through his heart, but he felt more lonely.

Xiangzi had expected not to hear her name. She also understood Chen Qi's concerns and would not shamelessly ask Chen Qi a question like "What about me?"

She doesn't have the qualifications now, but Xiangzi knows this clearly.

But... when Xiangzi was sure of all this, she felt a little disappointed. Especially when she recalled the close relationship between Chen Qi and her in the past, when no one could interfere with their relationship, Xiangzi found her current disappointment ridiculous.

But, there is nothing to regret. I was the one who pushed him away. Since I have done it, I will bear the guilt and bitterness on my own.

“Da Da Da——”④

However, just as Xiangzi was sighing over the past, a burst of hurried footsteps came from the other side of the corridor, causing Xiangzi to stand up and look.

"Chihaya-san?"

However, Chihaya Aine, who ran over quickly with tears in her eyes, ignored Shoko's surprised words and pushed open the door of the ward without saying a word, breaking the harmonious atmosphere in the ward.

"Bang!"

With the sound of the door being violently opened, Chen Qi and Deng in the room were also frightened, but before they could react, they saw the pink-haired girl walking straight towards them with her head lowered.

“Aine…”⑷

"Snapped!"

This time, before Chen Qi could finish his words, he saw a slender hand suddenly raised, and the next second, he felt a pain on the side of his face.

"elder brother!"

"pray?!"

However, it was this slap from Aiyin that made both Gao Songdeng, who was beside Chen Qi, and Xiangzi and Mu, who were outside the door, completely unable to sit still.

Deng almost subconsciously protected her brother's body. With tears in her eyes, she looked at her injured brother with concern. Xiangzi and Mu, who entered the ward one after another, also came to Chen Qi's side and asked with concern:

"Chen Qi? Are you okay?"

"Qi, are you okay?"

Chen Qi: “…I’m fine.”

Chen Qi subconsciously covered the side of his face that was hit. Aiyin was not very strong and this palm strike did not cause much damage to Chen Qi. Instead, Aiyin's little hand that struck him turned red and looked like it hurt a lot.

But compared to the pain on his face, Chen Qi now felt worse in his heart... Chen Qi could also guess why he was slapped.

After all, what I just said was heard by a girl who liked me, so the slap was not unfair.

However, Chen Qi felt that he was not wronged, but Ruo Yemu next to him did not think so.

Watching the person he loved being beaten, Mu immediately glared at the stunned Chihaya Aine with angry eyes after seeing that Chen Qi was not seriously injured. Without saying a word, he walked forward and raised his hand as well...

"Swell & turn: ㈨※Another □⊙四basi⑵jiu琳⑸啪!"

——Mu's palm did not reach her. The moment she raised her hand, Chen Qi, who had anticipated this, grabbed Mu's wrist and gently stopped her movement.

"Qi?" Mu turned his head and looked at Chen Qi in confusion, but Chen Qi just shook his head silently and said nothing more.

Until finally, Mu reluctantly put down his little hand, and Chen Qi let go of Mu's wrist, focusing all his attention on Chihaya Aine, who was in a trance and crying silently in front of him.

Chen Qi wanted to reach out and wipe away Aiyin's tears as he did in the past, but just as he raised his hand, he unconsciously retracted it.

He didn't know what Aine thought of him now, and he was afraid that his rash actions would have a counterproductive effect on Aine and further irritate her.

Ai Yin, who was silently shedding tears, also looked up and stared blankly at Chen Qi's rosy face. It was clearly the mark left by her, but in the end, she couldn't bear it and stretched out her hand and gently touched Chen Qi's face.

But, just after the touch of the fingertips, Aine's delicate hand unconsciously clenched into a small fist, forcing herself to take it back.

"Brother Qi, is this all true?"

Aine took her hand back and lowered her head silently. Unable to suppress her tears, she asked with the last glimmer of hope:

"Do you really think so? You... regard me as a member of your so-called harem?!"

"...I don't want to lie to you, Aine."

Faced with this scene, even with Chen Qi's emotional intelligence, he couldn't say anything to defend himself, so he chose to frankly admit everything he had done.

"But, I don't want to say that my feelings for you are fake. If I really didn't have so many burdens at the beginning, I really, really wanted to be with you." Hiss

"At this point, I don't want to avoid anything anymore. Everything I just said is from the bottom of my heart. I want to keep everyone I love by my side, including you, Aiyin."

"I won't let you go unless you are determined to leave me."

This time, let me unfold it with gravity!

Now, Chen Qi, who has completely faced his true self, has made a desperate decision. He once again mustered up his courage and tried to reach out to Aiyin in front of him...

Just when Chen Qi held Aiyin's hand, Aiyin was stunned for a moment, then gritted her teeth slightly under Chen Qi's expectant gaze.

The next second, before Chen Qi could even react, he only felt a faint fragrance blowing towards him. Soon, as Aiyin gently stood on tiptoe, Chen Qi felt a slightly cool touch on his lips.

However, in stark contrast to Chuhua's passion and Deng's immaturity, the only feeling that Chihaya Aine's kiss brought to Chen Qi was pain.

Although the first touch was indeed a kiss, Chen Qi soon felt his lips being bitten tightly by Aiyin's teeth, especially Aiyin's two sharp little canine teeth, which penetrated into Chen Qi's flesh and blood.

Soon, a trickle of blood mixed with tears and saliva slowly flowed down the corner of Chen Qi's mouth... But even so, Chen Qi did not loosen his arms that were holding Aiyin.

But even so, he still couldn't keep this girl in his arms forever.

"call……"

With a gasp, Aiyin, who had given her first kiss, pushed Chen Qi away. Aiyin, who no longer cared about her image, silently wiped the blood from the corners of her mouth and the tears on her face with her sleeve. After a long time, she sobbed and said word by word:

"...I am such a fool."

Why should I fall in love with you? Falling in love with someone I am destined to lose?

If I had known this would be the outcome... I wouldn't have wanted to know you at all.

Why, you are so unreasonable and break into my world when I am at my most vulnerable.

Why, after embellishing my world with so much light, you want to leave it so cruelly?

“Hate it…” Chihaya Aine, whose tears could not stop flowing, finally burst out her long-suppressed emotions at this moment, and shouted in a cathartic manner:

"Hate it! Hate it!! I hate it so much! Search§≮Search〔∷Q Group『○:九驷哵"【贰泀∵馓sanlin⑸"

"This isn't everything I wanted! What I wanted—it was never like this!"

I just want a simple love, why is it so difficult?

I didn't do anything wrong, so why was I the one who lost everything in the end?

Unable to accept this fact, Chihaya Aine chose to escape. She rushed out of the door and quickly disappeared from the sight of Chen Qi and his group. This time, Chen Qi looked at the fleeing Aine, and after trying to catch up with her for a few steps, he silently chose to stop.

Everything that Aiyin had just done had made Chen Qi realize that he probably had no chance to win Aiyin back.

At least there is no chance now.

But Chen Qi has not given up. He said that unless Aiyin is determined to leave him, he will never let Aiyin leave. He must fulfill the decisions he has made and the promises he has made.

"…It's okay, Chen Qi."

When everyone was silent, Toyokawa Shoko looked at Chen Qi's lost expression, and after some hesitation, she said softly, "

"I think, Chihaya-san, it won't be that easy to give you up."

After all, she could relate too much to Aine's mentality.

How similar is the mentality of Aiyin now, who has also lost everything, to herself? Xiangzi still remembers Aiyin's love and attachment to Chen Qi in the past. She doesn't think Aiyin is so much stronger than herself, and can let go so decisively.

However, it is not easy for Chen Qi to persuade Chihaya now... In this case, perhaps he should do something.

Just think of it as atonement.

……④

Chihaya Aine ran a long distance in a row, and she didn't stop until she was completely exhausted. However, even though she was venting her emotions, she still couldn't calm the sadness and desolation in her heart.

Brother Qi, she is not the only one I like.

Not only that, he actually wants to open a harem and take all the people he cares about into his pocket? ! 4