Muyang had just pushed open the door of the hot-pot restaurant when
Liuxiaoxiao came charging at him like a little wild boar.
Her two short legs moved incredibly fast as she plunged headfirst into Muyang’s arms.
“Big Brother! Did you miss me today?!”
Liuxiaoxiao buried her head against Muyang’s chest.
The impact made Muyang stagger half a step backward.
Although he was about as tall as Liuxiaoxiao, he was obviously not as strong as she was. Still, Muyang was not annoyed. After all, Xiaoxiao was the youngest of his sisters, so it was perfectly normal for her to depend on her big brother.
“Easy, easy. I missed you!”
Muyang smiled and patted her head.
Liuxiaoxiao slowly raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were sparkling, and she appeared to be in a good mood.
But then, in the very next second,
Muyang suddenly felt his arms grow empty. Liushuning had approached at some point and gently pulled Liuxiaoxiao away.
Then she bent down and warmly wrapped her arms around Muyang’s shoulders.
“Big Brother, you worked hard today!”
His Second Sister, Liushuning, spoke very softly, but her voice was extraordinarily gentle—much better than that flighty little thing, Liuxiaoxiao.
There was also a distinct fragrance about her, which seemed to be the scent of body wash.
With her arms around him, Muyang had trouble breathing.
Every time, Liushuning liked to hug him like this. Although he knew that his Second Sister was expressing her affection, that affection was simply too suffocating.
So Muyang lightly patted Liushuning’s arm.
“Liushuning, loosen up a little. I’m having trouble breathing.”
Only then did Liushuning seem to realize what she was doing. She apologetically loosened her hold a little and lowered her head to look at Muyang, who was breathing slightly heavily.
“I’m sorry, Big Brother. Are you all right?”
Liuxiaoxiao, meanwhile, stood to the side with her arms crossed, puffing out her cheeks as she glared at her Second Sister.
“Big Bro~ Are you all right? You’re really good at pretending!”
Liuxiaoxiao muttered angrily to herself. The moment Liushuning finally let go of her Big Brother, she hurried over and forcibly grabbed his left hand, hugging it tightly.
Liushuning had not expected Xiaoxiao to be so skilled at taking advantage of an opening. Her gaze toward her grew slightly unfriendly.
Liuxiaoxiao did not care in the slightest.
If they wanted to fight over Big Brother, then they would each rely on their own abilities.
Did Liushuning think she was the only one allowed to use tricks? Why couldn’t Xiaoxiao do the same?!
What a joke!
Unwillingly, Liushuning hugged Muyang’s right arm.
She also took the bag Muyang was carrying.
And so, with one sister on either side, they sandwiched Muyang between them as they walked home.
“Big Brother, what’s inside?”
His Second Sister, Liushuning, asked.
“These are ingredients the store manager gave me. There are beef balls, lotus root slices, and things like that. I’ll make you two something tasty for a late-night snack when we get home.”
“Then, Big Brother, have you eaten dinner?”
“Haha, I have. I ate hot pot.”
Like parents from his previous life, Muyang would never tell his sisters that he had not eaten. He was afraid they would worry.
However, being caught between his two sisters, with both of their full bodies pressing against his arms, was extremely awkward.
He awkwardly tried to pull his arms free.
He could not.
The two sisters were walking home with Muyang when they both turned to look at him after feeling him move.
“Um, you two don’t have to hold Big Brother so tightly.”
“No!”
The two sisters answered in unison.
At the same time, they tightened their grips around his arms.
Muyang helplessly smiled.
Forget it. Having his sisters depend on him and cling to him like this still gave him a great sense of accomplishment.
In about a month, his sisters would be leaving for university. After that, there would be fewer chances to see them. Later, they would find jobs, get married, and have children.
If they wanted to hug him, then they could hug him.
There would not be many more days when they could stay together so carefree.
Muyang then simply let the two sisters hold on to him.
Suddenly, Muyang remembered that he had received his wages today and immediately shared the news with his sisters.
“Big Brother got paid today—seven thousand two hundred yuan!”
“Hehe, the store manager forgot to pay me last month, so he gave me the back pay today. He even added two hundred yuan because your Big Brother works so diligently!”
The two sisters immediately showered him with praise.
“Wow! Big Brother, you’re amazing!”
“Big Brother, you worked so hard!”
Listening to the voices beside him, Muyang suddenly felt that work was not actually so exhausting after all. Instead, he was filled with energy.
After thinking it over, Muyang decided that he would take the two of them out for a good meal on Tuesday, his day off this week.
Today was Sunday, so his day off was only one day away.
“How about I take you two to an all-you-can-eat mini hot-pot restaurant when I’m off next Tuesday?”
Liuxiaoxiao was the happiest of all. She was a genuine big eater. Normally, she ate at least two bowls of rice with a huge basin of vegetables.
The toilet at home often became clogged because she ate too much.
Recently, though, she had started dieting and ate only one bowl of rice each day.
The effect had been immediate: the toilet no longer clogged, and Xiaoxiao herself had lost quite a bit of weight and looked prettier too.
But for some reason, her figure was still remarkably full.
Liushuning was just as happy, though she still wore that gentle, tender expression.
However, seeing how delighted his two sisters were merely because they were going to eat a mini hot pot that cost only a few dozen yuan made Muyang feel even guiltier.
He really was useless.
He could not even afford to take his sisters out for something delicious.
He still had to run around trying to earn money for their tuition.
Yet even the cheapest mini hot pot could make his sisters this happy.
Muyang’s mood grew slightly downcast, and he began to miss the days when his parents were still alive. Back then, he had been carefree.
Now, however, he had to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his younger sisters.
Only after taking on that responsibility had he realized just how difficult it was.
Liushuning was the first to notice the change in Muyang’s mood.
“Big Brother?” Liushuning asked.
“What is it?”
She turned her head toward Muyang and bent slightly at the waist.
Muyang tugged at the corners of his mouth and said tiredly,
“Nothing. I just feel like I’m pretty useless.”
“I’ve been working from dawn until late at night for a whole month, yet I still have to calculate everything carefully just to take you two out for a mini hot pot.”
But before Muyang could finish speaking,
Liuxiaoxiao suddenly stopped.
“Huh?! Big Brother! What are you saying?!” Xiaoxiao cried.
She hugged Muyang’s arm tightly, her little face flushed bright red.
“You’re not useless at all! You’re the best Big Brother in the world! The best Onii-chan ever!!!”
Liushuning’s response was more direct.
Liushuning lifted Muyang’s face in her hands, then gently pressed it into her embrace.
Muyang struggled a little, but his Second Sister was simply too strong. It was completely useless.
“Big Brother, don’t say that.”
Her voice was slightly choked.
Muffled against her chest, Muyang’s ears turned red.
His sadness from moments ago had already vanished. Now, all that remained was embarrassment.
Liuxiaoxiao stood to the side, gnashing her teeth in fury.
She glared viciously at Xiaoxiao.
Aaargh, Shuning!
That damned woman was teasing Big Brother like this again, relying on the fact that he would never guard himself against her!
She used this trick every time!
Liuxiaoxiao lowered her head and looked at herself. She was not inferior either.
Why was it always her Second Sister who got to pull Big Brother into her embrace?!
She wanted to pull Big Brother out, but she had just fought to hug one of his arms herself.
If she interfered with Liushuning now,
then when Big Brother was not home tomorrow, she would probably get another thorough beating from Liushuning.
Liuxiaoxiao had no choice.
Liuxiaoxiao was absolutely furious!
In the end, Muyang still managed to break free from Liushuning’s embrace. His hair was a mess, and his face was flushed. Xiaoxiao was absolutely furious!
He abruptly took two steps back from Shuning, his expression turning serious.
“Shuning!”
“How many times have I told you, Shuning?! You can’t press boys into your arms like that, especially not your Big Brother! It’s wrong, and it’s dangerous. Do you understand?!”
“If a security officer saw you doing this, they would definitely arrest you and lock you up!”
But Liushuning’s eyes immediately reddened.
“Big Brother, I just feel so sorry for you. Is it really wrong for me to feel sorry for you?” Shuning asked.
Her voice was soft and gentle, and her eyes were brimming with tears.
Looking at her pitiful appearance, Muyang’s heart immediately softened.
Ever since he was little, he had been especially afraid of women crying.
He was even more afraid when it was one of his sisters crying.
Helplessly, Muyang reached out and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“All right, all right. Don’t cry.”
“Big Brother isn’t blaming you. I’m just saying that you can’t do that to… other boys, understand?”
“I know. I only do it to Big Brother.”
Muyang did not pay attention to what she had said.
Forget it. Let it be.
In this world, hugging someone—or even kissing them on the cheek—was a very common family ritual.
He was simply still not used to it.
“All right, all right. You’re both grown women now. Why are you still crying and sniveling?”
Liuxiaoxiao immediately took advantage of the opportunity and hugged Muyang’s left arm again.
She ground her teeth in fury as she thought:
Damn it! Second Sister is such a green tea! She’s so good at pretending!
She can shed tears the moment she wants to!
All she does every day is deceive silly Big Brother!
That fake, affected manner of hers is truly disgusting!
You make me sick!!!