Chen Qian, do you remember me?
Of course, I remember.
He is the "younger brother" I watched grow up since childhood.
Our families are neighbors, and since we were born around the same time, we both have the character "Xi" in our names.
When he was born, he was dark and thin, like a little monkey.
I watched him grow little by little, from a soft little bundle into an inexperienced young man.
He has always been very proud and outstanding.
Whatever he wanted, he would go after it without hesitation.
Just like when we were kids, if he saw a toy in my hand, he would snatch it away directly.
If he couldn't get it, he would cry.
When he cried, he would secretly open his eyes to glance at me.
If I still didn't give it to him, he would cry even louder until I compromised.
Back then, he was like a wolf cub.
I watched him grow up, from a wolf cub into a gentle and polite young man.
But I knew that the wolfish nature within him had never disappeared.
He merely disguised himself with a layer of gentleness.
I knew that if one day he wanted something, he would still act decisively to take it.
Even more ruthlessly than anyone I knew.
I thought we would always grow up together and then live our own lives separately.
But I never expected that one day, he would turn his aggression towards me.
It was during our senior year of high school when he came to find me to do homework.
I handed him an orange, and he lowered his head, quietly peeling it.
I glanced at him inadvertently and noticed that the way he peeled the orange was quite strange.
He peeled it very carefully, his nails digging into the bottom of the orange as he gently tore the skin apart, then meticulously removed the white pith on top.
He handed me the peeled orange and said, "Sister, you eat."
I took the orange and casually passed him the apple on the table, saying, "You eat the apple."
He picked up the apple but didn't eat it. Instead, he suddenly leaned closer to me and smiled, "Sister, do you know what it means to eat an apple together?"
I shot him a glance and replied, "No, and I don't want to know."
He chuckled softly, "Then do you know what it means to eat an orange together?"
I looked at him curiously and asked, "What does it mean?"
He blinked and said, "I won't tell you."
I hit him lightly in annoyance, "Say it if you want to."
He laughed heartily and ran out of my house.
Later, I specifically looked it up online; eating an orange together represents liking someone.
I understood his feelings, but I couldn't respond.
We were family, siblings; that relationship was already deeply rooted.
I couldn't imagine what it would be like if we became a couple.
I only saw him as a brother, and my kindness toward him was purely out of familial affection.
But he didn't think that way.
He started seeking me out more frequently, bringing me various snacks.
When I asked him why, he said, "Sister treats me so well; I want to treat Sister well too."
I stopped accepting his gifts and avoided him whenever I saw him from a distance.
But he would block my way, his eyes turning red with worry: "Sister, why are you ignoring me? Did I do something wrong?"
I couldn't bear to look at him: "No, you're great; it's my fault."
He grabbed my arm: "Sister, please don't be like this. If you ignore me, I feel bad."
My heart softened.
I told myself that he was my younger brother, and his affection for me was just a temporary illusion. As long as we continued to interact as we always had, he would come to understand. I began to slowly accept his kindness; he brought me snacks, and I bought him Popsicles. It felt as if we had returned to the past.
But I noticed that the way he looked at me was becoming increasingly inappropriate. That gaze was like a hunter who had spotted its favorite prey. After the college entrance examination, he confessed his feelings to me. He took my hand, his eyes shining with a dazzling light: "Sister, we can be together now. Will you?"
I panicked and shook off his hand: "We are siblings; how could we possibly be together?" He stubbornly held onto me: "We are not blood-related siblings; there is no blood connection between us. Why can't we?"
I pushed him away: "I only feel familial love for you, not romantic love. Do you understand?" He wouldn't let go: "I don't believe it. Sister, look into my eyes. Do you have any love for me?"
I looked into his dark eyes, where my reflection was visible. I hurriedly turned away: "Of course I have love for you, but it's familial love, not romantic love." He stubbornly stared at me: "I don't care. All I know is that I love you, and you love me too. Why can't we be together?"
I pushed him away again: "Because we are family, and that bond is deeply rooted. I can't develop any other feelings for you." His eyes turned red: "You are the first person I've ever liked; I won't give up."
I pushed him away once more: "We can never be together; you should give up." He grabbed my arm: "What if I refuse to give up?"
I closed my eyes: "Then don't come looking for me anymore." He stared at me with red eyes for a long time before finally leaving with tears in his eyes.
Comment 0 Comment Count