Chapter 42: In this way, we are even.

Xiao Yaoxi didn’t go to study. She waited for Uncle Police to reply, and while she waited, she picked up the family’s spare phone and kept calling Lin Mo.

Older Brother had told her before that Yaoxi was still young; children her age shouldn’t have cell phones, as it might affect their studies. But the two of them were special cases—in many ways, they were their own guardians.

Older Brother had also said, if you can’t find me, just call me. After all, he would never change his number—she would always be able to find him.

Her brother had never once broken a promise.

She called dozens of times, but not a single call was answered.

If… if Older Brother ran into a bad person, his phone would definitely be in the bad person’s hands.

Xixi was crying, but stubbornly wiped away her tears. With her tiny, childish hands, she typed out a message: “Cold-faced Big Brother, Xixi knows Lin Mo Older Brother is with you. Please give my brother back to Xixi. If you want money, Xixi has some here. At worst—at worst, Xixi will give you all the money in our home.”

There was no reply.

Seeing no answer, Xiao Yaoxi edited another message: “Did you and Older Brother have a fight?”

Older Brother was a gentle boy; he never liked to fight. Oh, she got it now—you must’ve said bad things about Xixi, right?

But actually, Older Brother is a really good person. You two can be friends.

If you won’t let Older Brother go, that’s fine, but you mustn’t hurt him. If you don’t reply, Xixi will take it as you agreeing.

Xiao Yaoxi cradled the phone, tears dropping one by one onto the brand new phone case, blurring Lin Mo’s Q-version Cartoon Face at some point.

Hurriedly wiping her tears, she sat at the top of the stairs, arms pressed over her knees, resting her head on her arms. The phone was held up to her ear, ringer set to the loudest setting.

滴滴滴.

The clear sound made Xiao Yaoxi’s ears ring.

Ignoring her soaked sleeves, she wiped her eyes and looked at her phone right away.

Big Brother replied!

No reply meant he wouldn’t hurt Older Brother, but the fact that he replied filled Xiao Yaoxi with both fear and hope for news of her brother.

“Food is in the fridge. Heat it up yourself. Stop bothering your brother over everything.”

Xiao Yaoxi stared at the words on the phone, stunned, then quickly typed a reply: “Xixi is hungry… haven’t eaten anything… waiting for Older Brother to come back and eat together…”

“Xixi will starve to death.”

She stared hard at the phone screen.

A moment later, Big Brother replied again: “Then starve, if even staying alive is a problem. Your brother’s taught you for nothing all these years.”

Xiao Yaoxi blinked: “But Older Brother… Xixi is short… can’t reach…”

This time, Big Brother took a long time to reply. Yaoxi worried that maybe he would just stop responding.

Fortunately, ten minutes later, Big Brother sent another message: “…Don’t you know how to use a stool?”

Xixi was about to type another message, but just then, Uncle Police actually called her. Xixi answered right away, greeting him with her childish voice: “Hello, Uncle! Is there any news about my brother?”

“We found your brother. He’s right here with us, but he says he won’t go back. Little one, did you have a quarrel with your brother? How about… you come pick him up? The location is XX Street…”

“Thank you, Uncle Police! Uncle, you’re a good person! Xixi will go pick up Older Brother now! Thank you again!”

Xiao Yaoxi didn’t even bother to change into a little dress. Her sleeves were stained with tears, her skirt hem smudged with stairwell dust, but she couldn’t care less. She dashed off to the station…

She didn’t forget to reply to Big Brother: “I can use a stool… but Xixi would rather have Older Brother hold me…”

This time, there was no reply.

But Xixi’s attention wasn’t on the messages anymore.

She was going to see Older Brother.

She needed to find out what happened.

Why didn’t he come home last night?

It’s Lin Mo Older Brother!

Uncle Police was talking to Older Brother.

Xiao Yaoxi ran up, about to throw herself into Lin Mo Older Brother’s arms—something she often did—but this time, she missed.

“You must be little Yaoxi, right?”

“Mm! I’m Yaoxi! He’s my brother! He’s Lin Mo! My brother is amazing! When he grows up, he’ll be just as amazing as Uncle Police!”

“Heh! Little one, we’ll leave him to you. Don’t lose him again, okay? Goodbye.”

“Thank you, Uncle Police! Goodbye!”

Xiao Yaoxi waved to the uncles, then, eyes red-rimmed, looked at Lin Mo, trying once more to jump into his arms.

“To think you’d actually do it. You called the police.”

Lin Mo Older Brother’s tone was cold, but seeing him again, Yaoxi was so happy. She had planned to throw a tantrum and demand treats, but now all her words turned into a single sentence: “Lin Mo Older Brother, let’s go home!”

But Older Brother said coldly, “You know how to call the police—well, that’s good. Means you can survive on your own. Thanks to you, the police found me using my phone’s location, so I have no choice but to keep living as Lin Mo…”

Xiao Yaoxi didn’t understand what Lin Mo Older Brother was saying, but for some reason, a sudden, inexplicable fear rose up inside her. He said she could survive on her own—what did that mean?

“Older Brother, let’s go home, okay!” Her voice was already trembling with tears.

“I’m transferring schools.”

“Transferring…? Older Brother, you mean we’re moving? But Father is still here.”

“I said, I’m transferring.”

“Not we, just me.”

“I’m about to enter high school, you know that, don’t you?”

“Brother, let’s go home!”

“Sigh… Don’t call me Brother so easily.”

“Brother…”

“Come home… with Xixi, okay…”

“You said it’d be close to home…”

Seeing her cry so hard, usually, at times like this, Lin Mo Older Brother would magically pull a bottle of orange soda from who knows where. But this time, Xiao Yaoxi felt he had no such intention.

He reached into his pocket—could a bottle of soda fit in a pocket?

When Lin Mo Older Brother took his hand out, Xiao Yaoxi’s eyes dimmed.

It was a Card.

Usually, her brother kept it; it was left by their father.

“This way, we’re even.”

“Even… what do you mean, even! Older Brother, what are you saying? I don’t understand!”

“Come home with me!”

“Home? I have no home.”

“…Not necessarily. Lin Mo can still sense where it is. There are people important to Lin Mo there. I’ll go find her.”

“If I can’t find her, Lin Mo will still be just fine on his own.”

Xiao Yaoxi stepped forward and hugged Lin Mo Older Brother tightly. Lin Mo seemed to react a beat late, but didn’t dodge: “How could you not have a home, Older Brother!”

Lin Mo’s gaze was complicated. After a long sigh: “I hope… you can live well too.”

“Are you leaving too… Lin Mo Older Brother…”

Gently letting go of Xixi, Lin Mo said coldly, “Study hard, grow up healthy.”

“I’m leaving.”

“Brother…! Older Brother! Don’t! Xixi can’t make it alone!”

“That’s your problem.”

Xiao Yaoxi couldn’t believe there would come a day when Lin Mo Older Brother’s eyes would be so cold, cold enough to look at her like a stranger.

It made her think of the Big Brother who’d suddenly appeared at home—they had the same look in their eyes: “You’re… are you my brother?”

“I am Lin Mo.”