Memory, like a dammed-up flood, surged forth. Ye Chenhan sadly recounted past events to Ye Ziyu.
"Sister Wen Xi attended the same school as Big Brother from elementary school all the way through high school. It wasn't until university that Sister Wen Xi chose a school in the Imperial Capital, while Big Brother stayed at a university within Sijiu City. It was the first time they had been separated since childhood.
During their freshman year, things were fine. Sister Wen Xi and Big Brother maintained constant contact via phone. Whenever there was a holiday, Big Brother would visit Sister Wen Xi in the Imperial Capital. That year, just before they graduated, both families began discussing the marriage plans for Sister Wen Xi and Big Brother, intending for them to marry upon graduation.
In everyone's eyes, they were like a perfect match. Who would have known that Sister Wen Xi would refuse to marry Big Brother in front of both families, stating that she had someone she loved and that her feelings for Big Brother were merely those of a sibling?
The elders' long-held expectations were suddenly dashed, but they couldn't force them to marry. Moreover, Big Brother also stated that he would not marry Sister Wen Xi and proactively offered to help her go to the Imperial Capital to confess her feelings to the person she loved. Sister Wen Xi happily went to the Imperial Capital, but within a day, she returned utterly dejected.
Everyone could tell something was wrong, but no matter how Uncle Wen and Aunt Wen asked, Sister Wen Xi remained tight-lipped. Upon her return, she locked herself in her room. During the night, when everyone else was asleep, she slit her wrist in the bathroom."
Ye Ziyu frowned. Just listening to Ye Chenhan's account made her heart clench as if squeezed tightly, making it impossible to breathe.
She finally understood why Ye Shaoting couldn't emerge from his grief. He blamed himself for Wen Xi's departure. If he hadn't supported her back then, would the outcome have been different?
Seeing Ye Ziyu's sadness, Ye Chenhan lightened his tone, changing the subject, "Let's not talk about that. Did you have lunch with Mingjue today?"
"Mm, Big Brother was there too," Ye Ziyu replied.
"That's too much!" Ye Chenhan slammed the table. "You didn't even invite me!"
Ye Ziyu was startled by him and quickly explained, "I originally invited Mingjue, and Big Brother happened to overhear our phone call, so he joined us."
"I'm unloved. Big Brother went, and you didn't even think to ask if I wanted to go," Ye Chenhan expressed his disappointment.
He had intended to gain Ye Ziyu's forgiveness for pursuing him, but instead, he was being blamed.
Ye Ziyu wrapped her arms around her chest, her demeanor commanding as she pointed out his flaws, "If I recall correctly, Mingjue paid you to keep me company. Where did you disappear to near the end of your workday today?"
This!
At that time, the band's drummer called him, saying there was an issue with the band. He had to leave temporarily to attend to it.
Ye Chenhan's expression immediately changed, and he ingratiatingly rubbed Ye Ziyu's arm, "Oh, come on, we're siblings. I just stepped away for a moment, only about half an hour. Please don't report me to Mingjue. If he gets angry, he might stop investing in my band. The band has finally gotten on the right track, and you certainly wouldn't want it to disband."
His most obvious strength was his ability to bend and adapt. Just moments ago, he was self-importantly pointing out Ye Ziyu's mistakes, and in the blink of an eye, he was lowering his high-and-mighty stance to apologize to her.
Looking at his spineless behavior, Ye Ziyu was amused, "Don't worry, I won't say anything."
"Really?"
"More real than pearls."
"I knew it was right to dote on you. You're not just my sister, but also my little lucky star."
Ye Chenhan opened his arms and hugged Ye Ziyu tightly.
Caught off guard by the sudden intimacy, Ye Ziyu's eyes widened as she numbly felt Ye Chenhan's warmth.
She suddenly felt that having a brother was quite good!
If Ye Qianzhi had found her earlier, would her childhood have been free from hardship and filled with familial affection instead?