Chapter 18 Green Moss, you mean your brother is in a relationship...?

"You mean you caught your brother dating someone, and he kept it a secret from you?" Jiayi exclaimed, jumping up from the single sofa, the hand warmer in her arms falling to the ground.

Lin Yu felt that the word "瞒" (mán, to conceal) was used very cleverly. From the meaning of the word, it refers to a person who intentionally hides the truth from others so that they do not know it.

Lin Yu bent down, picked up the hand warmer, and handed it to her to warm her stomach. In the past, she had been unable to extricate herself from her inappropriate feelings for Zhou Ke. She deliberately avoided him, even not going home during holidays. She wanted to prove that perhaps long separation would allow her to suppress these feelings, and even tried to find someone to replace Zhou Ke in her heart.

But as it turned out, she failed with either the former or the latter.

For her, her brother was not someone she could simply get rid of or let go of.

She had been thinking about it for so long that she had overlooked one thing: rather than letting go of Zhou Ke first, it might be faster for her brother to find her a sister-in-law. After all, in terms of age, Zhou Ke would be 27 in a few months.

Jiayi sat on the recliner, chin in hand. After the initial surprise subsided, she changed the subject: "But then again, it's perfectly normal for your brother to have a girlfriend at his age." She then looked up at Lin Yu's cold, listless expression, a strange feeling rising within her: "But you don't seem too happy. What's wrong? Do you know this woman? Don't you like her? Or something else?"

"No." Lin Yu shook her head.

"Then why are you unhappy?" Jiayi blurted out.

She and Lin Yu have known each other for nearly ten years. They went from being classmates to becoming best friends. Their personalities are completely opposite. Jia Yi is outgoing and says whatever comes to mind, but Lin Yu is different.

When Jiayi was in junior high school, Korean entertainment culture was very popular in China. It was also in that year that she accidentally came across a viral picture of Korean actress Go Yoon-jung on her phone.

Jiayi always felt that Lin Yu's appearance was the kind of cool and aloof temperament. She didn't smile much, her skin was fair and clear, and she was tall and slender. She wasn't a bright and beautiful woman, but she was the kind of woman whose beauty grew on you.

When not speaking, he exudes a cold aura, with a built-in 'cooling' effect.

To be honest, if I didn't know her personality, just looking at her like this would send chills down my spine.

Jiayi focused her attention, her gaze landing directly and deeply on Lin Yuluo.

She wasn't the type to have dramatic emotional outbursts, but that's precisely why things really got bad when she started displaying such visibly intense emotions.

Jiayi frowned, unable to help but think. In her memory, Lin Yu had never argued with anyone, except for the time in high school when she grabbed Kong Sha's head in the bathroom and poured cold water on her head, which resulted in her parents being called in by the teacher.

Most of the time, she kept herself out of it. In all the years she had known her, Jiayi had never seen such an expression on her face. Was it because her brother was dating?

However, Lin Yu wasn't such an unreasonable sister, insisting that her brother couldn't date. Besides, as far as she knew, Zhou Ke was almost 27, and at that age, many of his older brothers were already married and had children.

Isn't dating a normal thing? But right now, the only thing that's not normal is Lin Yu's reaction.

Jiayi was completely baffled.

This is so strange; something's definitely not right here.

Jiayi looked at Lin Yu and remained silent for a long time.

Her brain raced, mixing together fragments of the past, all connecting to form a coherent line. Finally, Jiayi's eyes widened, as if shocked by her own conclusion. She jumped up from the rocking chair with such a sudden movement that even Lin Yu was startled.

Lin Yu: "What's wrong?"

Upon hearing this, Jiayi shook her head violently. How could she think like that? But she was really curious. Jiayi took two deep breaths and prepared herself mentally for a long while before hesitantly asking, "Xiaoyu, I remember you told me before that you fell in love with someone, but because of various problems, you couldn't be together. Was that...person your...brother?"

After asking the question, Jiayi suddenly felt her heart beating very fast. This was too surprising. Did she have a real-life example in her life after reading so many articles?

Lin Yu's eyelids twitched, and her chaotic thoughts slowly drifted away. She came back to her senses and met Jia Yi's complicated eyes.

This was a secret that had never been spoken aloud, known to no one, not even Jiayi. But now, looking at her friend, Lin Yu nodded and readily admitted, "Yes."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiayi's head buzzed, and she stared wide-eyed in disbelief. She opened her lips, her long eyelashes fluttering.

Lin Yu looked at her reaction: "Is it hard to accept? Do you think I'm abnormal?"

"No, no, no." Jiayi swallowed, retorting to her self-deprecating words, "I just feel..."

She paused, then slowly lifted her eyelids, her gaze towards Lin Yu suddenly softening with a hint of heartache. Falling in love with her own brother was destined to be a difficult path.

Jiayi sighed, walked towards her, then opened her arms and hugged Lin Yu. "You must be... having a tough time."

Lin Yu was stunned, her thoughts suddenly blank, somewhat surprised by Jia Yi's words.

Jiayi: "You've liked him for so long, why haven't you told him?"

Lin Yu nodded, her eyes dimming slightly, and said softly, "Because of fear."

Because it is so important, there is no room for the slightest mistake.

Some people are just too important in my life.

Moreover, when Lin Yu realized that she had fallen in love with her brother, she couldn't tell whether her feelings for Zhou Ke were due to a long-term dependence or whether the sibling relationship was truly impure.

Hearing this, Jiayi's heart skipped a beat. She could probably guess what was going on: "What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of being criticized? Are you afraid of the world's judgment and scorn?" But then she thought again and said, "But you and your brother aren't even biologically related."

“But in other people’s eyes, what’s the difference between us and our own children? We’ve lived together since we were little, grown up together, what’s the difference between us and our relatives? I can’t block it, I can’t let this inappropriate feeling affect our family ties.”

After hearing Lin Yu's words, Jia Yi was able to understand her feelings. Indeed, having grown up together and depended on each other for survival, their relationship was no less than that of siblings.

One wrong step and you're on the edge of a precipice.

Rain pattered outside the window, creating a misty atmosphere. Rainwater trickled down the glass, leaving a winding curve, and the fog blurred her vision, making it impossible for her to see the road ahead.

Desire is a bottomless pit. If you can't see it or touch it, you might be able to suppress it. But for people like them, living just a wall apart and eating together, their brother's concern for them is like transparent oxygen, seeping into their lungs with every breath.

How can I control myself?

Lin Yu has a roommate who, like her, has an older brother. They live in the same dormitory. Lin Yu has heard her complain more than once that her brother is really too much of a troublemaker. The two siblings have been fighting since they were little. It would be a miracle if they could sit down and have a calm conversation for three minutes. As long as the two of them are in the same space, sparks will inevitably fly within half an hour.

After hearing this, Lin Yu couldn't help but think of herself and Zhou Ke.

They are a completely opposite control group; Zhou Ke's kindness towards her permeated every aspect of their lives.

She didn't know if all siblings were like them, but after her roommates heard about her relationship with her brother, the three of them collectively let out a long sigh.

'Oh my god, Nuwa owes me a brother like that.'

'Now you call me brother; I was at most an enemy from a past life.'

As an only child, I'm genuinely envious.

"Having a brother like that, I'd be happy even if it meant living in a villa and driving luxury cars!"

It was then that Lin Yu realized that not all brothers would care for and love their younger sisters so much, and regard them as the most important person in their lives.

My brother is great in every way, except for one thing.

He's the older brother!

Lin Yu looked up at the rain outside the window, which was as fine as silk and mist. Her eyes were like moss growing after a spring rain, never able to bear the light. Even today, she still didn't have the courage to risk breaking up family ties to build a romantic love story.

Her brother was too important to her, and she couldn't accept the day when she would have to sever that relationship.

The phone on the table suddenly buzzed, interrupting Lin Yu's thoughts. She lowered her eyelashes and looked at the two simple words flashing on the screen—"Brother."

Lin Yu has not seen him for almost thirty hours since yesterday, including a whole day and night. She has no right to control her brother's time, but she still can't help thinking about him.

Are you with her?

Lin Yu slid her fingertip across the screen, holding the phone, and said in a weak voice, "Hello."

"Lin Yu, is the lock on the house broken?" Zhou Ke stood at the door, looking at the brand-new lock with suspicion.

Lin Yu didn't answer, but asked knowingly, "Didn't you go home last night?"

"Hmm." His low voice came through the receiver, sounding hoarse like someone with a mild cold, with subtle changes in his tone.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu was momentarily stunned. She tightened her grip on the phone to prevent it from falling to the ground and shattering. "It's not broken. I changed the lock."

Zhou Ke: "Why did you suddenly think of changing the locks?"

Lin Yu had to explain: "When I got home last night, I found that I had lost my key and couldn't get into the house. I called a locksmith to open it, and he said that our lock was too old and the lock cylinder was rusty. He suggested that we replace the lock, and I agreed."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the line, then a realization dawned on him, and he continued to ask, "Where are you?"

Lin Yu: "Jiayi, I'll have someone deliver the keys to you. Wait a moment, I'll stay here with Jiayi tonight and won't be going back."

Upon hearing this, there was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a deep, resonant voice: "Lin Yu."

The sound was like a tiny electric current rising from her tailbone, making her tremble as if she were being electrocuted, and her body suddenly stiffened.

"No need to call a delivery person, I'll come pick you up. I'll call you when I get there, then come downstairs."