elder brother?
Late autumn in the northern city is always short and precious. On this day, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew. Qi Shuo held Qing Ran's hand and walked slowly towards the park.
Qingran wore a light purple sweatshirt and jeans, her hair tied into two small braids. She hopped and skipped around like a happy little rabbit.
"Brother!" Qingran suddenly pointed to the flower bed by the roadside, "Flowers!"
"Yes, flowers." Qi Shuo nodded, his voice gentle. "Are they pretty?"
"It's beautiful!" Qingran nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling. "It's red!"
"Yes, red."
"There are yellow ones too!"
"Um."
"And...and..." Qingran tilted her head, seemingly trying hard to think of the next color, but couldn't remember, and finally could only pout, "And...so many colors!"
Qi Shuo smiled and ruffled her hair: "Yes, there are many more colors."
Qingran smiled contentedly and continued chattering away. Although she spoke unclearly and Qi Shuo couldn't understand much of what she said, he would still smile and nod, or ruffle her hair to show that he was listening.
As they approached the beach park, the crowd gradually thickened. Qingran suddenly stopped, pointed to a stall in the distance, and excitedly exclaimed, "Brother! Cotton candy!"
Qi Shuo followed her finger and saw an old woman selling cotton candy, with a long queue in front of her stall. Qing Ran stared longingly at the colorful cotton candy, her little face filled with anticipation.
"Ranran wants to eat?" Qi Shuo asked.
"Yes!" Qingran nodded vigorously, "I want to eat it!"
Qi Shuo glanced at the increasingly crowded park entrance, then at Qing Ran's expectant eyes, and finally sighed: "Okay, I'll go buy it for you. But you have to sit obediently on that bench over there and wait for me, and don't run around, okay?"
"I know!" Qing Ran nodded obediently.
Qi Shuo took her hand and led her to a bench not far away, where he told her to sit down: "Wait here, don't move, your brother will be back soon."
"Mm!" Qingran sat up straight, like a little soldier.
Qi Shuo smiled and turned to walk towards the cotton candy stall. The line was long, and he stood at the end, glancing back every now and then to make sure Qing Ran was still there.
Qingran sat on the bench, swinging her legs, waiting obediently. Her gaze followed Qi Shuo's back as she watched him queue and slowly move forward.
Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to a figure under a sycamore tree across the street.
He was a slender man, wearing a mint green jacket and brown cargo pants, standing quietly, his gaze fixed on Qi Shuo in the distance. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the sycamore leaves, casting a gentle yet lonely silhouette on him.
Qingran tilted her head, looking at him curiously.
That person... seems to be looking at my brother?
She thought for a moment, then slid off the bench, carefully made her way through the crowd, and reached the zebra crossing. Looking left and right to make sure there were no cars, she slowly crossed the road with small steps.
Tan Huaiyu's thoughts were still lingering on Qi Shuo's departing figure.
Five years have passed, yet Qi Shuo's back view remains so familiar, so...heartbreaking. He wore a simple black shirt and jeans, his back straight and lonely, standing in the crowd like a silent mountain.
Five years have passed, and he still prefers to hide in a corner and watch Qi Shuo's back.
What a loser.
Tan Huaiyu sighed self-deprecatingly, a self-mocking smile playing on his lips. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He turned around and froze—
Qingran.
She puffed out her cheeks, staring at him warily, pointing her little finger at him, and exclaimed in a clear voice, "Pervert!"
Tan Huaiyu: "..."
Passersby who heard the shout turned to look at him with curiosity. Tan Huaiyu's face turned red instantly. He quickly squatted down and whispered, "Qingran, I'm not a pervert."
"Exactly!" Qingran took a step back, hugging her small arms, and looked at him warily. "You were peeping at...my brother! You even know my name! You pervert!"
Tan Huaiyu: "..."
Who taught her?
"Qingran," Tan Huaiyu said softly, her voice gentle, "Do you still remember me?"
Qingran tilted her head, looked at him carefully, and then shook her head: "I don't remember."
Tan Huaiyu sighed helplessly, then thought about it and realized that Qing Ran was still young more than ten years ago, and her mental development has been unstable over the years, so how could she possibly remember him?
“I’m not a bad person,” Tan Huaiyu explained patiently. “Don’t be afraid.”
"I don't believe you," Qingran stubbornly turned her head away, "You were peeping at...my brother! You pervert!"
Tan Huaiyu: "..."
He sheepishly protested, "I didn't peek... I just..."
Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly noticed Qingran's gaze fall on the jade ring ornament on his coat. It was a small, emerald-green jade ring, tied with a red string and hanging from the zipper.
Qingran's eyes lit up, and she subconsciously reached out to take it, but then she warily withdrew her hand, pouted, and looked on with regret, yet she stared longingly at him, both stubborn and adorable.
Tan Huaiyu understood. He smiled, took off the jade ring, placed it in his palm, and handed it to Qingran: "Qingran, do you want it?"
Qingran blinked and turned her head away, but her eyes still couldn't help glancing at the jade ring.
Tan Huaiyu continued to coax her, "Really don't want to?"
Qingran puffed out her cheeks, neither speaking nor making a move, her little face contorted in a distressed expression.
Tan Huaiyu smiled: "If Qingran can call me brother, I'll give myself to Qingran, okay?"
Qingran looked at him, and hesitated before saying, "No...no, you're lying!"
"I'm not lying," Tan Huaiyu said earnestly.
Qingran's eyes darted around, as if weighing the pros and cons. Finally, she hesitated before speaking, her voice soft: "Brother...brother?"
Tan Huaiyu's heart skipped a beat, and his smile became even gentler. He reached out and ruffled Qingran's hair, then took her small hand and placed the jade ring in her palm: "Hmm, Qingran is such a good girl. Here, a reward."
Qingran held the jade ring with curiosity, looking at it from left to right, treasuring it dearly. The jade ring gleamed with a warm luster in the sunlight, reflecting in her amber eyes like two tiny stars.
Looking at her like this, Tan Huaiyu felt a surge of satisfaction. He squatted there, quietly watching her, the sunlight shining on them both, warm and beautiful.
Tan Huaiyu's heart melted as he watched Qingran intently playing with the jade ring.
He thought he should send her back to Qi Shuo's side, so that Qi Shuo wouldn't be anxious about not being able to find her.
"Qingran," he said softly, "how about I take you home? Your brother is waiting for you."
Qingran raised her head, looked at him, then at the jade ring in her hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded: "Okay."
Tan Huaiyu smiled, took her small hand, and was about to turn around when he suddenly felt a gaze fall on him. He instinctively looked up, then froze on the spot—
Qi Shuo.
He held a pink cotton candy in his hand and watched them quietly, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Tan Huaiyu and Qing Ran, finally settling on the jade ring in Qing Ran's hand.
Tan Huaiyu: "..."
He instinctively wanted to explain, but saw Qi Shuo raise an eyebrow and say quietly, "Brother?"
These two words, spoken lightly by Qi Shuo, struck Tan Huaiyu like a heavy hammer blow to his heart.
Tan Huaiyu froze on the spot.
He heard his own heartbeat—thump, thump, thump—each beat louder than the last, as if it were about to break free from the confines of his chest. Blood rushed to his head, his eardrums buzzed, and even his vision blurred.
He felt his ears were burning hot; without even touching them, he knew they must be so red they could bleed.
He stammered, "No, no, I was just teasing her..."
How embarrassing!
Tan Huaiyu wailed inwardly.
For five years, he had been a powerful figure in Beijing, calm and composed in court, handling even the most formidable opponents with ease. But now, just because Qi Shuo casually called him "brother," he crumbled, blushing and flustered like a lovesick young man experiencing his first crush.
What a loser.
Tan Huaiyu cursed himself in his heart.
But he couldn't control himself.
That's Qi Shuo.
She was the person he had waited for, thought about, and longed for for five years.
She was the only person he ever wanted in his life.
His face grew increasingly red, his mind a complete mess, filled with the words Qi Shuo had just called him "brother"—though it was just a casual teasing remark, the tone and the look in his eyes made his heart race, almost leaping out of his chest.
Qi Shuo found his flustered appearance somewhat amusing, but didn't continue teasing him.
He stepped forward, reached out and ruffled Qingran's hair, his voice gentle: "Qingran, look, your cotton candy is here."
Qingran's eyes lit up, but then she hesitated and looked at the jade ring in her hand with reluctance. Although this "perverted brother" had just said he would give it to her, both Mask Brother and Little Secret Brother had said that she shouldn't take things from strangers, so she had to return it.
There are principles, but not many.
She stood on tiptoe and handed the jade ring to Tan Huaiyu: "Here you go."
Tan Huaiyu was taken aback. Just as he was about to say no, Qingran had already taken the cotton candy, carefully took a bite, and syrup smeared all over her face, making her look like a little kitten.
Tan Huaiyu smiled helplessly and looked up to meet Qi Shuo's gaze.
"What are you doing here?" Qi Shuo asked, his voice calm and devoid of emotion.
Just as Tan Huaiyu was about to make an excuse, Qing Ran suddenly looked up, her face covered in syrup, and said in a clear voice, "Brother! He's a pervert! He was peeping at you!"
Tan Huaiyu: "..."
Qi Shuo: "..."
He felt like dying.
The air seemed to freeze. Tan Huaiyu's face turned even redder, and he hurriedly tried to deny it: "I didn't! I..."
But he stopped mid-sentence. Qing Ran was right; he had indeed been secretly watching Qi Shuo. He couldn't explain it, nor could he.
I just hope... Qi Shuo won't hate him.
"Spying on me?" Qi Shuo raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible amusement.
Tan Huaiyu lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, not daring to look Qi Shuo in the eye. His fingers unconsciously twisted together, his knuckles turning white.
Looking at Tan Huaiyu, who was filled with guilt and embarrassment, Qi Shuo suddenly felt that for a moment, he saw the boy who was still flustered and cautious in front of him in the past, and remembered the child who always followed him around calling him "brother".
That... child who once made him feel heartache and helplessness.
Qi Shuo lowered his eyes and changed the subject: "Alright, Qingran, we should go home."
Qingran raised her little face, nodded obediently, and took Qi Shuo's hand. Before leaving, Qi Shuo turned back to look at Tan Huaiyu and said softly, "It's late, go home and rest early."
Tan Huaiyu was taken aback, then nodded obediently: "Okay, Qi Shuo... goodbye."
He instinctively wanted to call out "Brother Qi Shuo," but the words caught in his throat. Had they become so estranged after five years that they even had to carefully choose how to address each other?
Qi Shuo paused for a moment, then slowly said, "I wanted to ask you this last time, why don't you call me Brother Qi Shuo anymore?"
Tan Huaiyu: "..."
His heart skipped a beat. He looked up and met Qi Shuo's calm yet inquisitive eyes.
The evening sunlight filtered through the gaps in the sycamore leaves, casting dappled light and shadow on Qi Shuo's face, making his expression appear somewhat indistinct.
"I..." Tan Huaiyu opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Qi Shuo smiled silently and waved casually, "I'm leaving."
After saying that, he took Qingran's hand and turned to leave. The sunlight cast long shadows of the two of them, which intertwined on the ground and then gradually separated.
Tan Huaiyu stood there, watching their figures disappear into the crowd, clutching the jade ring tightly in her hand. The jade ring still retained Qingran's warmth, a gentle warmth like a faint glimmer of hope.
He took a deep breath and turned to walk in the opposite direction.
At least... Qi Shuo didn't hate him.
At least... they're still... friends?
Tan Huaiyu tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a bitter smile.
friend.
This word is better than "stranger," yet it falls far short of what he expected.
But he knew that this was the best possible outcome at the moment.
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