Chapter Fourteen

Cheng Xiangbei began to probe Guan Yijia.

Initially, he thought Guan Yijia liked Lu Nan, which wasn't a problem. What he feared most was that Lu Nan liked Guan Yijia.

He couldn't figure out what Lu Nan was thinking. Guan Yijia, on the other hand, always blushed and lowered her head when facing him, an attitude that couldn't help but raise suspicion. He coldly observed Lu Nan and Guan Yijia's interaction, and this observation made him somewhat alarmed; Lu Nan's attitude towards Guan Yijia was rather unusual!

Cheng Xiangbei had no other choice but to personally intervene and try to isolate the two of them. As soon as Guan Yijia came to see Lu Nan, Cheng Xiangbei immediately put on a smiling face and stopped the pretty Guan at the door. He told her that he could relay anything to Lu Nan, occasionally hinting to Guan, "Don't you think the student council president is much more capable than Lu Nan? So, if you need anything, just come to me. Hmm?"

Guan Xiaomei blushed and nodded, then ran off shyly with small, hesitant steps. Cheng Xiangbei watched her retreating figure helplessly, thinking to himself, "Lu Nan, Lu Nan, why did you take on this god-sister?" Lu Nan sat in his seat, watching Cheng Xiangbei and Guan Yijia talk at the door. He could see the blush on Guan Yijia's face even from that distance. But why did he feel so annoyed and angry? Wasn't a girl's shy expression endearing? Why did he feel furious when he saw Cheng Xiangbei bending down to speak to Guan Yijia to accommodate her height?

Guan Yijia would occasionally come over to have dinner with Lu Nan.

Cheng Xiangbei was very unhappy, but because she was Lu Nan's "sister", she had to endure it.

And with the arrival of his "little sister," Brother Lu had to show his elder brotherly demeanor, such as adding a dish for her. Cheng Xiangbei watched with a dark face as Lu Nan pushed the sweet and sour pork ribs he had just bought in front of Guan Yijia. Hey! That's Nan Nan's favorite dish, okay?

"Um, isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Guan Yijia pushed the ribs back.

"Here's some food for you." Lu Nan forced a smile. Tiger was really something. As soon as Guan Yijia arrived, he ran off to buy groceries. Was he really trying to curry favor with a girl?

"Yes, eat up!" Cheng Xiangbei forced a smile and pushed the plate over again.

Guan Yijia blushed and ate in small bites with her head down. Cheng Xiangbei watched her eat the ribs like a cat, thinking, "Are all girls this meticulous?" Watching her eat made him feel tired.

The meal was finished slowly. Lu Nan ate slowly, but faster than Guan Yijia. Cheng Xiangbei had been sitting to the side, looking around. After Guan Yijia finished eating, he habitually started clearing his and Lu Nan's plates. Guan Yijia quickly helped, and Cheng Xiangbei hesitated whether to wash Guan Yijia's plates as well, but despite his hesitation, he was extremely reluctant to serve anyone other than Lu Nan.

Carrying two plates, Guan Xiaomei, blushing, followed behind him with her own plate. The restaurant was nearly empty; a few people around the sink were exchanging knowing glances at Cheng Xiangbei and Guan Yijia. One busybody even teased, "Oh! Chairman Cheng finally has a confidante? Which class is this beauty in? How did she win over Chairman Cheng's diamond heart?"

Cheng Xiangbei glared at the man, and everyone scattered. Guan Yijia's face flushed, but she was overjoyed. Although the man was teasing her, Cheng Xiangbei hadn't denied it! She stood by the sink, watching Cheng Xiangbei's slender hands quickly and skillfully wash the dishes. Looking up, even his profile was so handsome that she was almost mesmerized. She only looked down when Cheng Xiangbei turned his head in confusion.

Good heavens, does the rushing water drown out the pounding of my heart?

Lu Nan looked at Guan Yijia, who was cheering her on from the sidelines, with a puzzled expression.

Isn't she his "adopted sister"? Why are she getting closer and closer to Cheng Xiangbei?

Cheng Xiangbei and Zhou Pu were sweating it out on the court in a friendly match against the first-graders. Many students from both classes were cheering them on from the sidelines. But why was Guan Yijia cheering for Cheng Xiangbei? Looking around, she noticed that many girls were staring at Cheng Xiangbei with uncomfortable looks. This wasn't unusual; since entering the second year of junior high, the number of girls staring at Cheng Xiangbei like that had gradually increased.

What puzzled Lu Nan was that Guan Yijia not only openly cheered for their class's "rival" team, but also acted as if Cheng Xiangbei and he were on very good terms. When did she and Tiger become so close? Or perhaps Tiger actually preferred girls? Lu Nan's eyes dimmed. Wasn't he the one who didn't like girls? He stared blankly at the field, his gaze wandering elsewhere. Lu Qian's words echoed in his mind: "Xiao Nan, if you can't tell whether you like boys or girls, just go and date them!"

Cousin, I've tried interacting with girls, but I feel neither sad nor happy. But seeing Tiger so comfortable with girls makes me very sad. Looking back at Zhou Pu, who was fighting alongside Cheng Xiangbei, a flicker of pain crossed Lu Nan's eyes. It turned out that Cheng Xiangbei was sad whether he was with boys or girls.

Lu Nan fell silent.

Cheng Xiangbei didn't know why, but for most boys, wouldn't it be a happy thing to recognize such a cute "little sister"? Cheng Xiangbei didn't know what to do, so he could only silently accompany Lu Nan and fulfill all her needs. However, Lu Nan made fewer and fewer demands on him.

When asked, Lu Nan only said that he was getting busier with studies and was a bit tired. Cheng Xiangbei nodded understandingly. He took even better care of Lu Nan's daily needs. Of course, he also had to deal with some of Guan Xiaomei's problems. Because of his plan to prevent Lu Nan and Guan Xiaomei from meeting, he had to handle all of Guan Xiaomei's trivial matters. To his amusement and exasperation, Guan Xiaomei didn't seem to mind at all; in fact, she seemed quite happy to come to him.

So, whose sister is this?

Lu Nan was studying harder and harder, so Cheng Xiangbei had to advise him to balance work and rest. He even joked that since it was just direct admission to high school, he should just maintain his usual grades. "Are you going to take the provincial high school entrance exam?" Lu Nan's eyebrows twitched, and he shook his head. Cheng Xiangbei patted his hair and laughed, "Didn't we agree to go to high school together?"

Lu Nan suddenly felt weak and slowly leaned against Cheng Xiangbei's shoulder. Cheng Xiangbei looked at Lu Nan, who hadn't acted like a child to him in a long time, and his heart stirred. He held Lu Nan's shoulder tightly. "Nan Nan, what's wrong? Are you tired?" He gently swayed his body, coaxing Lu Nan.

Lu Nan leaned on Cheng Xiangbei's increasingly broad shoulders and whispered, "Tiger, do you think we can stay together forever?"

"Of course!" Cheng Xiangbei said decisively.

"But...we all grow up..." You will get married and have children, and you will forget the name Lu Nan who grew up with you.

"No buts, I will always be with you!" It doesn't matter if you get married, or even if you just stay friends, Cheng Xiangbei will always be with Lu Nan.

However, his words could not be fulfilled, and the moment of parting between him and Lu Nan was drawing ever closer.

During the winter break, the first snow of winter fell gently.

Lu Nan and Guan Yijia haven't seen each other for a long time. Well, not that long. Due to someone's deliberate obstruction and Guan Yijia's deliberate attempts to get closer, the two haven't seen each other for about a month. Their "brother-sister" relationship is basically dead in name only.

Cheng Xiangbei was getting tired of dealing with Guan Yijia. His initial intention was to separate her from Lu Nan, but now, anyone with eyes could see that Guan Yijia liked him. Lu Nan was becoming increasingly silent, turning her head away every time she saw him talking to Guan Yijia, ignoring him for a long time. Cheng Xiangbei smiled bitterly to himself. Was this stealing his brother's woman? But what else could he do? Was he really going to watch them hold hands and laugh together as they walked towards the sunset? No way! Any woman who came within three feet of Lu Nan was someone Cheng Xiangbei had to deal with! Although Lu Nan's eyes were full of resentment, and although Guan Yijia was annoying, Cheng Xiangbei still kept his guard up.

Until the day of winter vacation, Guan Yijia braved the wind and snow to wait for him near his home.

Cheng Xiangbei didn't want to go out. He could roughly guess what Guan Yijia was going to do, but... what use would it be if he went out?

Ten minutes later, Guan Yijia called again. Cheng Xiangbei glanced at the snowflakes falling outside the window, and finally, reluctantly, walked out.

Winter days are short and darkness falls early, so the streetlights came on early as well. Under the streetlight at the street corner, Guan Yijia wore a pure white down jacket and a cute dress, making her look innocent and delicate. However, Cheng Xiangbei didn't feel anything. For someone whose heart belongs to another, no one is more adorable than their beloved.

The dim streetlights, the innocent-looking girl, the handsome boy, and the romantic snowflakes falling from the sky—it all seemed like the perfect time for a confession. Guan Yijia nervously kept pacing in circles. It was cold, and her legs were shivering, but sweat was beading on her nose. She was so nervous, praying that Senior Cheng would come out to see her.

Even after Cheng Xiangbei stood before her, her heart pounded like a drum, unable to calm down for a moment. She approached him, almost trembling, and stammered, "Cheng...Senior Cheng..."

The buzzing sound, barely audible, made Cheng Xiangbei frown. "What is it?"

"I...I..."

Not wanting to see her nearly fainting expression of anxiety, Cheng Xiangbei turned around. "It's nothing, I'm going back."

"No!" Summoning courage from who-knows-where, Guan Yijia rushed forward and hugged Cheng Xiangbei tightly around the waist. "I like you! Senior, I like you!"

Cheng Xiangbei looked down at the hands tightly wrapped around his waist and said indifferently, "I don't like you."

"Cheng Xiangbei! I really, really love you!" Guan Yijia cried out, tears streaming down her face.

Cheng Xiangbei grasped the incredibly strong hand, unsure whether to forcefully pull it away. He had known this day would come, but Lu Nan's ambiguous attitude towards this girl had forced him to be cautious. Now, hearing the girl's confession, he felt a sense of relief. Maintaining his grip on the girl's hand, he said, "So, you used Lu Nan to get close to me?"

"I..." Guan Yijia shrank back. She knew it was wrong to use Lu Xuechang, but she really liked Cheng Xiangbei!

Cheng Xiangbei pried her hands off and turned to face her. "You know I can't tolerate anyone doing anything that's detrimental to Lu Nan."

Tears streamed down Guan Yijia's face as she cried, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but I..."

"No buts." Cheng Xiangbei looked at her quietly. "Don't associate with Lu Nan anymore."

Guan Yijia nodded and rushed into his arms without hesitation. "I promise you, sob sob..." Just one last hug, please? Just a few seconds.

Lu Nan stood in the shadows of the street, quietly watching the two people embracing at the street corner.

It was snowing, and he came to visit Cheng Xiangbei. He never expected to encounter such a shocking scene as soon as he turned the corner.

A tall, handsome boy, a petite, adorable girl, under the dim light, snowflakes dancing in the air, and the two embracing. What a romantic and innocent moment of love… Lu Nan clutched his chest, trying to stop the sharp pain in his heart from making him kneel down. “Don’t associate with Lu Nan anymore.” Cheng Xiangbei’s voice, the voice he’d heard since childhood, he wouldn’t mistake it. His best friend, the one who promised to always be there for him, probably already had a lover. Look how perfectly matched they are as they embrace! Men and women are truly destined to be together, aren’t they?

Lu Nan leaned slowly against the tree. The wind, carrying snowflakes, stung his eyes. The icy snowflakes met his warm pupils, slowly melting into tears that trickled down his cheeks. Drop by drop, they gradually formed a river. His vision blurred, and Lu Nan gently wiped his eyes. He saw the two people who had been embracing finally separate, disappearing one after the other into the snowstorm…

Finally, unable to hold on any longer, Lu Nan slowly slid to the ground. His heart throbbed with pain, and tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes. One hand clutched his chest, while the other frantically wiped his eyes. More and more snowflakes flew into his eyes, gathering into a torrent that overflowed from his eye sockets. Lu Nan simply closed his eyes, his hand still pressed against his aching heart, but the person who had always been by his side had already given her embrace to someone else. A woman he could never win against.

Tiger, my heart hurts so much!

It really, really hurts.