Chapter Six: So It Was You

For the first time, an unusual silence settled among the three of them.

“Qin Xuan…” Liu Ruoxi turned her head and asked softly, “When you have a girlfriend in the future, you must, must never treat her like this, okay?”

“Alright,” Qin Xuan replied with a hint of resignation. “Do I really seem like that kind of person to you?”

Liu Ruoxi’s smile bloomed. “Of course you’re not.”

“I’ve decided! I won’t get a boyfriend ever again,” Liu Ruoxi suddenly declared with great spirit, and silently added to herself: Unless that person is you.

“What nonsense is that?” Qin Xuan and Qin Lin’er stared at her, dumbfounded by Liu Ruoxi’s “single for life” declaration.

“Hehe, just feeling inspired,” Liu Ruoxi said, reaching out to smooth her hair. “Want to stay single with me for the rest of your life?”

Qin Lin’er, unable to stand it any longer, cut in.

“Pfft! You want to drag my brother down with you? Even if nobody wants you, my brother still has options.”

“What do you mean ‘drag him down’? Your brother can’t find a girlfriend anyway.”

“Nonsense! You think I don’t know?” Qin Lin’er shot back angrily. “Tell him yourself—how many love letters meant for my brother did you throw away in high school?”

Qin Xuan: Huh? No wonder some of those girls always looked at me so strangely!

Seeing Qin Xuan’s stunned expression, Liu Ruoxi knew things weren’t looking good.

“What are you talking about?” she said quickly. “And what about all those milk buns people gave you that you ate? Why don’t you mention that?”

Qin Lin’er’s eyes widened. “How did you even know about that!”

All the things Qin Lin’er thought she’d hidden perfectly well—turns out she’d been caught.

Qin Xuan: Just how many things have the two of you hidden from me?

The two in front of him only seemed to be escalating.

“And you—you even used the flowers people gave you to take baths!”

“And in your first year, you rejected a bunch of classmates on my brother’s behalf!”

“And you pretended to be my brother’s girlfriend! Why don’t you mention that?”

“Well, that’s still better than you pretending to be some online girl just to get close to my brother!”

Qin Xuan was utterly bewildered. All through his final year winter break, someone kept pestering him online: “Big brother, want a cyber romance? Why won’t you reply to me, QAQ?”

So it was you all along! Who’d have thought my own sister was like this.

Qin Lin’er looked stricken, realizing from her brother’s gaze that her image in his heart had completely collapsed. Seventeen-year-old Qin Lin’er, on the verge of adulthood, finally understood what shame meant.

“Brother, let me explain!”

“Hey, bro, why are you picking up that stick? Don’t!”

Liu Ruoxi, witnessing the scene, couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Hm?” Qin Xuan turned to look at her. “You still have the nerve to laugh? I never even got a single confession in high school! Do you know what the greatest regret of youth is?”

“Ah…” Liu Ruoxi lowered her head. “I just didn’t want those flashy girls to distract you from your studies.”

“I don’t believe a word of it!”

“Hehehe…” Liu Ruoxi laughed awkwardly. “Look at me, at least I’m still single by your side.”

Qin Xuan said irritably, “So I should thank you, huh?”

“No need to thank me…”

He never would have thought that his youthful reputation would be ruined by the two people closest to him.

After all the commotion, the atmosphere finally eased. After all, Qin Xuan never had strong feelings for his old classmates, but he still strongly condemned the two for their actions.

Then… Qin Xuan glanced over at the two massaging his shoulders and legs, nodding in satisfaction.

“Brother?” Qin Lin’er, kneading his leg, called out quietly.

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Let’s get a cat!”

Qin Xuan knew Qin Lin’er had always wanted a cat as a child, but their parents never allowed it. Was she letting herself go now that they’d moved out?

After thinking for a moment, he said, “I don’t mind. What about you, Ruoxi?”

“Me? I don’t mind either. Cats are adorable.”

“Alright then, we’ll go check some out when we have time.”

Overjoyed at his approval, Qin Lin’er nodded vigorously. “I knew you were the best, brother.”

“Hold on. You need to tell me—who were all the people you rejected for me?” Curiosity really is deadlier than a cat’s.

“Well…” Qin Lin’er hesitated, “I forgot!”

“…Forget it,” Qin Xuan sighed. “I’m not that interested anyway.”

“Oh, right. Come here for a moment, I need to ask you something.” Something had just occurred to him.

Liu Ruoxi watched as the two of them left, leaving her alone on the couch, puzzled: Why do I suddenly feel like the extra one here?

Half an hour later, Qin Lin’er came out with puffed cheeks, slamming Qin Xuan’s door behind her.

Who knows what Qin Xuan had said to her, but once Qin Lin’er returned to her room, she buried her face in her comforter, mortified by her past deeds.

“Shame on you, Qin Lin’er!” she muttered, pummeling her pillow as if it were her brother.

“But wait—how did Ruoxi know all that?” Suddenly, she spotted the flaw in the story.

Tap, tap, tap…

Qin Lin’er burst into Liu Ruoxi’s room.

Liu Ruoxi, lying on the bed watching a variety show, jolted in surprise.

“What are you doing! Ever heard of knocking? What if I was doing something indecent?” Liu Ruoxi exclaimed.

“None of your business,” Qin Lin’er, full of doubts, jumped onto the bed and demanded, “How did you know about all that?”

“That’s for me to know!” Liu Ruoxi quickly recovered, replying with a smug grin.

“Were you stalking me? Snooping on my phone?” Qin Lin’er tried to resort to force.

But soon enough, she was the one pinned down on the bed.

“I should be asking you,” Liu Ruoxi whispered close to Qin Lin’er’s ear, her breath tickling, “Have you been stalking me?”

“I was just making sure you didn’t lead my brother astray! That’s not stalking.”

“Still in denial, Lin’er?” Liu Ruoxi teased. “Not only do I know you pretended to be a girl online, I also know you—”

“Ah, stop! Don’t say it!” Qin Lin’er, knowing exactly what she meant, interrupted frantically, struggling beneath her.

“Oh? Getting bold now?” Liu Ruoxi, watching Qin Lin’er’s futile resistance, pressed her hand firmly against her waist, dissipating all the strength she’d managed to muster.

“Think you can turn the tables?” Liu Ruoxi smiled sweetly, but to Qin Lin’er, it was the smile of a devil.

“No, I surrender—” But before she could finish—

Slap!

And so that night, Qin Lin’er had no choice but to sleep on her stomach—utterly defeated.