“Xiao Yu, you can’t be a picky eater. You have to eat this too.” Yun Qianxin smiled as she placed a piece of bright green loofah into Gu Yu’s bowl, watching with amusement as he painfully forced it down.
Living on his own had taught Gu Yu to yield to many things he disliked; he had learned to tolerate most vegetables he hated, with the sole exceptions of loofah and tomatoes—those he simply could not stomach.
“Why look so miserable? It’s not like it’s poison.”
“To me, it is lethal poison. Sister Qianxin, you cooked this dish very well… please don’t make it again.”
“No picking. If you’re picky, you won’t grow tall. You’re still shorter than your sister right now.”
Gu Yu couldn’t argue. Among guys, he wasn’t particularly tall at 171 cm. Yun Qianxin was about 175 cm; when they stood together, she was noticeably taller.
“I get it. I’m not even that picky—just these few vegetables on my blacklist. Don’t be so strict, Sister Qianxin.”
“I have to. It’s my responsibility to ensure your nutrition is balanced. You’re at the age where you’re still growing; you need to learn to eat everything.” Yun Qianxin pulled out a tissue and wiped Gu Yu’s mouth. Seeing his bowl was empty, she asked, “Another bowl? I made a bit too much rice today.”
“No, no, I’m full. Save it for fried rice later.”
“Alright, we’ll do whatever Xiao Yu wants.”
Yun Qianxin gathered the dishes and went into the kitchen to wash up. The sound of rustling water filled the room. Her slender silhouette was graceful, her legs long and straight, and beneath her pinned-up hair, a patch of delicate, snow-white skin on her neck was revealed.
She really was beautiful. In his memory, Yun Qianxin had never changed—an exquisite beauty carved by the heavens, gentle, intellectual, and elegant. She was always calm regardless of the situation and seemed capable of anything, making people… unconsciously rely on her.
This was a holiday routine Gu Yu had long grown used to. With the Lunar New Year approaching, the shop owner had closed up for the holidays, paying out wages and bonuses to him and Luo Ming before leaving.
Yun Qianxin seemed to have taken leave in advance; she had been staying home these past few days, taking care of his three meals a day and managing the household chores with the air of a “matriarchal” elder sister. The cold, quiet house felt much less desolate with another person’s presence.
Gu Yu sat on the sofa and flipped to a random TV channel, killing time by watching a drama filled with convoluted love and hate.
Winter break had been underway for a few weeks, and Spring Festival was drawing near. The old street near his home was already lined with bright red couplets, firecrackers, cigarettes, and candles. Many young people working away from home were trickling back, bringing fresh vitality to the aging neighborhood.
Seeing Yun Qianxin finish her work and sit down beside him after drying her hands, Gu Yu asked curiously, “Sister Qianxin, aren’t you going home for the New Year?”
“Go home? This is my home,” Yun Qianxin replied matter-of-factly, making his question seem the strange one.
“I mean your other relatives. Aren’t you going back to spend it with them?”
“Xiao Yu is my most important relative.”
“…Me?”
“That’s right. Didn’t you say long ago that you’ve always seen me as your real sister? That makes you my younger brother. In that case, aren’t we family? The most important kind.”
Gu Yu truly hadn’t expected to be so important to Yun Qianxin. He was all alone in the world, and his closest ties were with her and a few best friends. But she surely had other blood relatives, yet he was the most important one.
They watched TV in silence. An old-fashioned family drama suddenly transitioned into a kiss scene; the lead actors embraced and kissed passionately in the snow as the camera panned to melodious background music.
“Xiao Yu, what’s the most intimate contact you’ve ever had with a girl?” Yun Qianxin asked out of the blue.
“It would probably be… kissing.”
“With me? Or have you done it with other girls too?”
Gu Yu suddenly became nervous. Yun Qianxin’s tone was as gentle and kind as ever, but for some reason, he found it impossible to answer honestly. He felt the way a child does when they’re afraid a parent will discover a past mistake—a sense of dread coming from an unknown source.
“…Um, I’ve only… kissed you, Sister Qianxin.”
“Really?” Yun Qianxin turned her head, her gaze locking onto his. She reached out and gently grabbed the boy’s face, forcing him to meet her eyes.
His emotions were written all over his face; it was too easy to see the tiny cracks caused by the lie. He was lying.
“Lying to your sister is a great sin. Do you really want to deceive me, Xiao Yu?”
Gu Yu’s eyes flickered, not daring to meet her gaze. After several moments of hesitation, he slowly spoke. “With Luo Ming… I’ve also kissed her.”
“And? Is that all?”
“…Yes, only you and Luo Ming.”
“I told you not to lie. If you don’t confess truthfully, the consequences will be very serious.”
“There’s also… a female classmate. A very good friend of mine.”
Gu Yu lowered his eyes and reluctantly admitted it, looking like a child forced to confess his faults to a parent.
“Well, well, Xiao Yu, you’ve really outdone yourself, haven’t you? Taking the kisses of so many girls. Should I give you a reward?” Yun Qianxin spoke mockingly, her sarcasm making Gu Yu feel incredibly embarrassed.
Even though it wasn’t his fault.
He instinctively apologized, “It’s not like that, I…”
“Then does that mean I can just kiss you whenever I want?” She cut him off.
“No, that’s not appropriate. Sister Qianxin, we…”
“Don’t you like kissing? Or is it that you only want to kiss the girl you like?”
“It’s not that. Kissing… is something couples do, right?”
“Then if I were to force a kiss on you again, would you be angry with me?”
Gu Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He watched as the expression on Yun Qianxin’s face became flirtatiously charming, the corners of her eyes tilting up into an incredibly beautiful smile.
“No. I don’t think I could ever be angry with you.”
The moment the answer left his mouth, Yun Qianxin kissed him. Her fragrant, soft lips met his, plundering and seizing fiercely—exactly like Luo Ming that night—reckless and desperate.
Her delicate arms circled his neck, and a rich, sweet scent invaded his mind. She took without restraint, the faint, squelching sounds of their lips pressing together echoing in his ears.
After a long while, Yun Qianxin finally stopped, looking teasingly at Gu Yu’s flushed face. “I thought you liked kissing? Why are you reacting like this?”
“I didn’t… Sister Qianxin, you’re going too far.”
“Since you said you wouldn’t get angry, I’ll be a little more forward. I’m going to be even more out of line.”
Yun Qianxin suddenly pressed on Gu Yu’s shoulders, pushing him down onto the sofa. Her slender legs, covered in black thermal tights, rubbed against the space between his legs. She admired the panic and helplessness on his face; the anger and desire she was venting through this finally found some measure of satisfaction.
Her soft palms moved over his body, caressing the contours of his skin, easily controlling his movements and triggering a strange sensation within him.
“Xiao Yu… you… are a bad boy.”
Yun Qianxin’s eyes were misty with desire, a triumphant smile on her lips. She was very satisfied with the boy’s submission.