Chapter 89

You Changqing had Luo Yi stop the car and rolled down the window to speak to You Changhong, who was standing there with a twisted expression like he was constipated. “Changhong, get in.”

Hearing his sister’s voice, You Changhong lifted his head in a daze. He spotted the black sedan ahead and hurried over. You Changqing opened the door and scooted over toward Shen Lihuan to make room for him.

As he got in, You Changhong greeted Shen Lihuan while closing the door. “Lihuan-jie, I came to hang out with you and my sister.”

“Why didn’t you give me a call before coming? No need for you to wait outside like that.”

Shen Lihuan also noticed something off about him—like he was carrying some kind of emotional burden. His expression was listless.

You Changhong forced out a strained smile. “Ha, haha, I was in such a rush I forgot. Next time I come over, I definitely won’t be so polite with you, Lihuan-jie.”

“Alright, just remember that. Your sister has work, so even if you text or call, she probably won’t be able to reply.”

Shen Lihuan shifted positions, leaning against the back of the seat and propping up her long legs.

You Changqing nodded in agreement. “Lihuan-jie’s right. I can’t use my phone during work, so if you want to come visit the new place, just call Lihuan-jie—she’s got the time.”

As she said this, You Changqing gave Shen Lihuan a playful slap on the hand, stopping her from trying to hold her hand.

Shen Lihuan didn’t get upset at being swatted away. She simply retracted her hand naturally, as if nothing had happened.

The unshakable chemistry between the two left You Changhong feeling like he’d just been force-fed dog food. He was a bit jealous too.

His sister and Lihuan-jie hadn’t even been together that long, but they already gave off this old married couple vibe. They clearly loved each other very deeply. As long as his sister was around, Lihuan-jie’s eyes were only on her—and it was the same for his sister. When Lihuan-jie was near, she wouldn’t spare a glance at anyone else.

It was all so familiar. That was how Brother Ye looked at him too. Every time he showed up, Brother Ye’s face would light up with a soft, indulgent smile, his gaze never leaving him. Did Brother Ye… like him?

You Changhong bit his lip, lost in thought. If Brother Ye liked him, then why was he being so gentle to others too? But if he didn’t like him, why treat him so tenderly?

Or was it that Brother Ye only saw him as a little brother, someone on the same level as Mu Xi in his heart? But then why would he invite him to a movie? And why say he didn’t like him getting too close to Brother Huo and even acted jealous?

The more You Changhong thought about it, the more tangled his thoughts became. Though he usually carried himself like a mature young man, he was only fifteen years old. When it came to the age-old enigma of love, he couldn’t keep up his usual composure.

You Changqing paid extra attention to her little brother and could tell just from his on-the-verge-of-tears expression that he was upset. But who would dare to upset him?

Their parents doted on him and never spoke harshly to him. His friends knew his background—they were either trying to suck up or at least wouldn’t dare speak rudely to his face.

Could it be someone unfamiliar gave him attitude? Or bullied him?

When they reached the building, You Changqing gently nudged her dazed brother. “Changhong, we’re here. Time to get out.”

“Huh? Oh, right, I’m getting out now.”

Snapping out of it, You Changhong blinked rapidly and climbed out. Shen Lihuan got out from the other side and thanked Luo Yi before taking both siblings by the hand and heading toward the elevator.

“Our new place is on the ninth floor, a duplex—three bedrooms, two living rooms. It’s pretty spacious.”

You Changqing described their new home as they walked.

“A duplex, huh? Not bad. The area’s really nice too.”

You Changhong tried to perk up and made small talk.

“Yeah, it’s great. There’s a park nearby—South Lake Park. Next time when I’m free, let’s go for a walk around the lake.”

You Changqing smiled.

Just then, the elevator arrived on the first floor. After the people inside got out, the three of them entered. Seeing that no one else was getting in, You Changqing pressed the door close button.

A few seconds later, they reached the ninth floor. Shen Lihuan took out the key and unlocked the door, while You Changqing guided her brother inside. “Change into slippers first. Are you thirsty? Want something to drink?”

You Changhong thought about it. “A glass of milk would be good.”

“Alright, I’ll pour you one.”

You Changqing switched to indoor slippers and went to the fridge to pour her brother a glass of milk.

Shen Lihuan closed the door, puffed out her cheeks, and said, “Changqing, I’m thirsty too. I want milk.”

You Changqing gave her a side-eye, looking helpless. “Alright, fine. I’ll pour you one too.”

Only then did Shen Lihuan smile smugly at You Changhong and blow a kiss toward You Changqing. “Love you, baby~”

The wavy tone in her voice made You Changhong shiver. He silently went to sit on the couch.

You Changqing brought over two glasses of milk, placing one in front of each of them. She herself made a cup of black tea. You Changhong took a sip of milk, slowly calming down, and then looked at his sister with pleading eyes. “Sis, I have something I want to ask you. Could you…”

“Come with me to the study. Lihuan, play on your phone or watch some TV for now.”

You Changqing said. Shen Lihuan nodded, and You Changqing took her brother upstairs to the study.

Not long after, Ye Muyan called Shen Lihuan. His voice was anxious. “Lihuan, is Changhong with you? He’s not answering my calls.”

“He’s here. What did you do to upset him? He looked really unhappy.”

Thinking back to how he’d acted earlier, Shen Lihuan frowned.

“Today I…”

Ye Muxi had finally regained his memory. The whole family was thrilled for him. His favorite cousin was so excited he made a special trip to visit him at the Ye house. That afternoon, Ye Muxi took his two younger cousins shopping for new clothes. Since he was going back to school now that his memory was back, he needed a proper wardrobe.

While Mu Xi was trying on clothes, he and his cousin chatted nearby. At one point, something funny came up and he ruffled his cousin’s hair—just as Qianghong, who happened to be out with friends, looked over and saw it. He ran off without saying a word, probably misunderstanding the scene and thinking something was going on between them.

“It’s really your cousin? Not someone else you’re just calling a relative to cover it up?”

Shen Lihuan’s voice was cold and accusatory.

“I swear he’s my cousin! If he’s not, I’ll walk out right now and get hit by a car!”

Ye Muyan was practically begging. “There’s only Qianghong in my heart. Please, I’m begging you—just help me this once.”

If he had known Qianghong would misunderstand, he never would’ve touched his cousin’s hair in the first place.

“Alright then. I moved into a new place—Qianghong’s here at my new home.”

“Where do you live now? I’m going crazy with worry.”

Ye Muyan was terrified that Qianghong might be mad at him or heartbroken. He couldn’t bear the thought of Qianghong suffering, even just a little.

After giving Ye Muyan the new address, Shen Lihuan looked at her phone and shook her head with a laugh. Qianghong might finally be waking up to his own feelings. Still, it didn’t feel great—her own little brother was about to get stolen away.

“So you just ran off without asking anything first?”

You Qiangqing crossed her arms, glaring at her brother with a mix of disappointment and frustration. “You should’ve gone up and asked! If Ye Muyan really was messing around with that guy, you should’ve punched him and then walked out!”

“But… we’re not even a couple. If he’s with someone else, I don’t really have the right to go punch him, do I?”

You Qianghong shrank his neck back a bit and spoke sheepishly.

“If he doesn’t like you, why the hell would he say he’s jealous? Flirting with you and not taking responsibility—what a scumbag!”

You Qiangqing was both angry and regretful. She hadn’t even realized her brother and Ye Muyan had gotten so close.

“Jie…”

You Qianghong’s eyes were red as he called out to her. “I’m just so confused right now. I don’t want to deal with him.”

You Qiangqing sighed. “Then don’t. Leave this to me and Lihuan-jie. If he really is a scumbag, we’re not gonna let you suffer.”

Qianghong buried his face in his knees and gave a soft “mm.”

Ye Muyan arrived soon after, clearly having rushed like mad. Who knew if he’d run red lights on the way. The tension and anxiety practically radiated off of him. As soon as Shen Lihuan opened the door, he blurted out, “Where’s Qianghong?”

Raising an eyebrow at his flustered state, Shen Lihuan said, “Come upstairs. He’s with Qiangqing.”

Ye Muyan let out a long breath. “Thanks, Lihuan.”

Just as You Qiangqing was leading her brother out of the room, the very person they’d been talking about appeared. Her brows arched sharply. “Ye Muyan, you’ve got some nerve showing up!”

Ye Muyan’s eyes locked on Qianghong, who was hanging his head low. His voice was hoarse. “Qianghong, please… just let me explain.”

Qianghong hesitated, eyes reddening even more. The sight made Ye Muyan’s heart ache. He stepped forward, trying to pull him into a hug to comfort him. You Qiangqing moved to stop him, but Shen Lihuan quickly held her back.

“This is between them,” she said. “Don’t worry. Ye Muyan wouldn’t dare hurt Qianghong.”

“You’re taking his side now?” Qiangqing glared at her as Ye Muyan led her brother into the room. “How could you let him see Qianghong?”

“I’m on your side, obviously. If Ye Muyan really did Qianghong dirty, you wouldn’t need to say a word—I’d kill him myself. Qianghong’s my little brother too. Of course I care about him.”

Shen Lihuan looked wounded. Why didn’t Qiangqing trust her?

“I do trust you. It’s just… you looked like you were siding with him back there.”

Seeing the big “I’m hurt and not happy” written all over Shen Lihuan’s face, You Qiangqing realized she’d misunderstood. Her tone softened.

Shen Lihuan bumped her head against Qiangqing’s neck like a big clingy dog. “My heart really hurts. Only Qiangqing kisses can make it better.”

Qiangqing gave her a playful smack on the back and cupped her face, planting a kiss on her cheek with a sigh. “Happy now?”

Feeling the softness of her lips and the sweet scent she carried, Shen Lihuan’s breathing hitched. She suddenly pushed Qiangqing against the wall. “Just a cheek kiss? That’s not enough. My heart still hurts.”

Qiangqing caught a whiff of her minty scent and saw the wicked grin at the corner of her mouth. Her legs wobbled a little. Shen Lihuan wrapped one arm around her waist, pressing their bodies together. Feeling Qiangqing’s soft warmth, the look in Shen Lihuan’s eyes turned deeper and more intense. In one swift motion, she picked Qiangqing up face-to-face. Qiangqing instinctively wrapped her arms around Shen Lihuan’s neck, her body going completely soft like water.