At the dinner table, both Bai Shinan’s father and mother looked at him with worried expressions. They had originally planned to scold him once he got home, hoping it would get him to refocus on his studies—his monthly exam score had dropped beyond the 200th rank.
But the moment Bai Shinan walked through the door, he gave each of them a hug, as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. Before they could say anything, he had already promised he would never chase after Mu Yuwei again, and even vowed to take first place in the entire school in the next exam.
“Son, it’s okay if you didn’t do well. Just adjust your mindset and keep going,” his mother, Xu Fengling, said gently as she placed a piece of his favorite roasted duck on his plate.
“Yeah, whatever it is, you can always talk to us,” his father, Bai Xingyi, added, wondering if he had said something too harsh before.
“It’s really nothing. I’m fine,” Bai Shinan scratched his head. Was it really that hard to believe he had become mature?
After dinner, Bai Shinan went to shower. Meanwhile, Bai Yuejing was secretly called over by their parents and given a mission—to test the waters and find out if her brother was being bullied at school.
Bai Yuejing sat in her room, trying to figure out how to complete the task given by their parents. Just then, the door opened, and Bai Shinan walked in.
“Yuejing, I’ve got something good to show you,” Bai Shinan said, casually closing the door behind him. He walked step by step toward her as she sat on the bed, the look on his face like a big bad wolf eyeing a little white rabbit.
“W-What is it?” Bai Yuejing grew flustered. Something was definitely off with Bai Shinan today—seriously off.
“Close your eyes first. I’ll tell you when to open them,” Bai Shinan said mysteriously.
“Why… do I have to close my eyes?” Bai Yuejing stared at her brother’s handsome face, her heart inexplicably racing.
Coincidentally, today they had a special health class—one of those sessions where boys were sent out for the first half while girls stayed, and then vice versa for the second half. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.
“Just close them, alright? Would I, your brother, ever bully you?” Bai Shinan felt like his authority as an older brother was shrinking by the day—this wouldn’t do.
“Then… I’m closing them. But don’t forget, we’re… we’re siblings…” Bai Yuejing’s voice was dry, and her palms were drenched in sweat.
With her eyes shut, darkness surrounded her. She was completely defenseless, her emotions in disarray.
Suddenly, something soft and fuzzy brushed against her cheek. She jolted in surprise and slowly opened her eyes to see an adorable black-and-white bear plushie.
“Tada, this is for you,” Bai Shinan said as he stuffed the half-human-sized bear plush into her arms. He had noticed many times that whenever Bai Yuejing came into his room, her eyes would always drift to that plush.
Instinctively, Bai Yuejing hugged the bear tight. She really loved the black-and-white bear series, especially the ones this big—she had no resistance to them at all.
But wait, wasn’t this the plush her brother had saved up for ages to give to some girl? He normally wouldn’t even let her touch it, and now he was giving it to her?
“I already said I’m not chasing her anymore. Besides, you’re the one who truly deserves to receive my gift,” Bai Shinan looked at his teenage sister and felt that in this life, he needed to cherish their sibling bond properly.
In his past life, because all his attention was on Mu Yuwei, his relationship with Bai Yuejing had grown increasingly distant. Later, the two of them even had a huge fight because of Mu Yuwei. By the time he died, they had never reconciled.
“Brother, are you really okay?” Bai Yuejing reached out to feel his forehead. She knew just how obsessed he had been with that girl.
Bai Shinan was speechless. Was it really that hard to believe a wayward son had turned over a new leaf?
“Alright, I’ll come clean. A few days ago, I confessed to Mu Yuwei and got rejected. Things between us are completely done now. Satisfied?” Bai Shinan had no choice but to give a version that would be easier to accept.
Oh, so her brother had just gone through a breakup. No wonder he’d been acting so strange today. Suddenly, everything made perfect sense to Bai Yuejing.
“Then I’m really going to accept it, okay? And even if you cry and beg for it back later, I’m not giving it up!” Bai Yuejing hugged the black-and-white bear like a mother hen protecting her chicks.
Bai Shinan couldn’t help but laugh. He reached out to rub her head and said affectionately, “When has a brother ever taken back a gift meant for his little sister?”
Bai Yuejing couldn’t even remember the last time Bai Shinan had been this close to her. Feeling the warmth of his palm on her head, she suddenly thought—maybe her brother’s breakup wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Bai Shinan stayed a while longer, asking about her schoolwork and daily life. They chatted for a bit, just like they used to, before he finally returned to his own room.
Bai Yuejing hugged the black-and-white bear her brother had given her and rolled back and forth on her bed. She buried her face in the plush toy’s belly and sniffed carefully—it still carried a hint of Bai Shinan’s scent.