"Koukou?"
She answered softly, "I'm here, Aunt."
Docile as a rabbit, but her long ears drooped. Lu Tingzhou's dark, deep eyes fixed on her, but whenever she sensed it, she cautiously looked away.
It was as if, in some damp, dark corner, a pair of morbid, gloomy eyes were covertly watching.
Mrs. Bai asked, "All done with your brother's clothes business?"
"Mm, the fabrics are all finalized. We'll go again in a while."
She answered clearly, detailing what fabric was chosen for each garment, even remembering the woven label codes. As she spoke, her gaze occasionally fell on her brother, but every time they almost met eyes, she hurriedly looked away.
Really like a little rabbit.
Lu Tingzhou's smile deepened slightly.
The other end didn't suspect anything. Her foster mother had always been at ease with her obedient youngest daughter. She then changed the subject to scold her biological daughter, Lu Siyu: "Your second sister said she'd stay home a few more days, all mysterious, but then she got a call that very night and left without a word. Oh, I'm so... fuming!"
Cheng Buxi listened quietly, saying nothing.
After complaining for a bit, Mrs. Bai remembered the grievance Cheng Buxi had suffered today and comforted her: "Koukou, don't take what the second son of the Yang family said to heart. North City is big; it's not like there's only that family. If it doesn't work out with him, your mother will find you someone better. Just rest assured."
Her foster mother spoke confidently, and she had the capital to back it up. The Lu family was prominent; countless people schemed to curry favor. Cheng Buxi could only nod and hum in agreement: "Mm... I know."
"By the way, your Aunt Jiang from the Si family and I have booked tickets to Kunming. We're leaving soon. If you come home, ask Uncle Liang to arrange things."
"..." She was taken aback, thinking there seemed no need to go back. Uncle was away on business, and Aunt was going to Yunnan for a break. With both elders gone, what would she do at home? Stare at her brother? The thought alone was suffocating; she didn't want that.
After another long string of advice and nagging, the call ended. The atmosphere in the car grew even heavier, as if about to sink.
Cheng Buxi had something on her mind. She stole a sideways glance at her brother. He sat there, dignified and elegant, as always, with an otherworldly bearing.
Words like handsome, sexy, charming seemed inadequate for him. Long years of abstinence, extreme self-discipline, and yet his face was so bewitchingly handsome. She wished she could pin him down, pull off his tie, bind his hands above his head, kiss his Adam's apple, taste his loss of control... nothing could be more thrilling.
"Brother... I want to go back to school..."
After much deliberation, she finally said it.
She thought, it wasn't the first time she'd done this. At worst, he'd refuse, scold her, but she'd take the risk. Go big or go home—"roll the dice."
After saying it, she turned her face away, like a prisoner awaiting execution at noon, quietly waiting for the official's verdict.
Sure enough, her brother's face darkened instantly upon hearing it. His Adam'sapple rolled with restraint, but he didn't speak for a long time.
After an eternity, even the ticking of the watch on his wrist was clear, he finally said, "Fine."
"Whatever you want."
Such an indulgent tone—the young driver up front was utterly shocked. He feigned professionalism, but his hair stood on end.
So the rumors were true: Chairman Lu truly spoiled this sister, with no principles to speak of when it came to her.
Unexpectedly smooth. Cheng Buxi's stiff shoulders and neck slackened almost simultaneously, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
--
Perhaps feeling the car was too stuffy, halfway through, Cheng Buxi rolled down the window halfway.
The nightscape of the international trade district had a surreal beauty—a ten-mile foreign field with lights never resting.
She still clutched the new bag tightly in her arms, but it hadn't warmed up yet. The creamy white gold buckle was icy cold against her palm, leaving small indents. The shoes on her feet, with 3.5 cm heels, were neither high nor low. Though the size was right, they were clearly uncomfortable for a first wear.
An autumn breeze carried a hint of chill, pleasant against her face. She leaned on the window, letting the wind caress her head as she idly counted the streetlights.
One, two. She thought that after a while, when snow fell, it would look even better. She hoped she'd still be friends with Ning Ci then, and would ask him to come see the snow and take Polaroid pictures. When the snow was thicker, she'd invite him to run a lap on the Great Wall. "You're not a hero until you've climbed the Great Wall"—she had never been there, even at her age.
Thinking of this, the corners of her eyes and brows curved, and her lips lifted involuntarily, blooming into a charming smile.
Just half a profile, her smile so sweet, as if lost in a beautiful dream. Beside her, Lu Tingzhou almost couldn't look away.
--
Soon, they reached the school gate, the familiar drop-off routine.
The shoes could no longer be removed, but the bag was too conspicuous. Cheng Buxi realized this and hesitated. She considered leaving it with her brother for now, to deal with later, but when she looked up at him, she decisively abandoned the thought. Last time, refusing his watch had already caused friction; if she didn't take the gift today in front of him... it would be hard to explain.
She thought her brother would say something, like he usually did—urging her to learn driving, asking if she was hungry, what she wanted to eat, if she had enough pocket money, if she'd come home on the weekend—all that concerned talk. But tonight, unexpectedly, he was unusually silent.
It threw Cheng Buxi off balance.
"Brother, I'm going..." She placed her hand on the door handle, her heart wavering, her voice soft as she tested the waters.
After a long wait, all she got was a faint, "Mm."
No extra words. Cheng Buxi: "..." Dazed.
Seeing her frozen, "What's wrong?" Her brother raised an eyebrow.
She snapped out of it, shaking her head furiously: "Nothing...! Thanks for the bag and shoes, brother. Good night."
Lu Tingzhou was silent for a moment, then said, "Good night." His tone was slightly cold.
Cheng Buxi was unsettled by his inexplicable attitude, but since it had come to this, she didn't dwell on it.
They say serving a ruler is like serving a tiger—her brother's thoughts were unfathomable.
Getting out of the car, she took a deep breath, like a soldier resigned to death, slowly inching toward school.
...
In the night, her silhouette was slender. She walked looking around as if dodging something. On her earlobes, the white Akoya pearls occasionally peeked out, captivating.
Actually, the moment he saw her today, Lu Tingzhou noticed she was wearing pearl earrings and easily recognized who gave them. In earlier years, when the siblings' relationship wasn't so tense, she would happily share every nice thing she got from Second Sister with him. But now, that was a luxury.
She had a small face, jade-like bones and icy skin. Pearls, nurtured by water, had a distinct luster, accentuating her tenderness with a hint of playfulness. Her ear bones were thin, earlobes soft and pink, perfectly complementing the round, delicate pearls.
Caught carelessly by the streetlight, it was impossible not to stir the heart.
Lu Tingzhou watched through the car window, silently, without a word. After a moment, his gaze fell on her discarded old shoes—one placed horizontally, the other vertically. Without a care for dirt, he picked them up and placed them on the seat beside him, showing not a hint of disdain.
This move left the young driver in the front seat speechless with shock. What about the so-called cleanliness obsession? Could it be ignored just because it was his sister? People were less important than shoes.
In fact, in earlier years, Cheng Buxi often took off her shoes in his car, swapped them, rolled around in the back seat without restraint, dirtying the cushions and backrests as a matter of course. She would also latch onto his arm and giggle foolishly over nothing, her small frame brimming with endless energy.
But time pushed on; before he knew it, she had changed. Now, every smile and frown seemed to seduce, her supremely captivating appearance impossible to ignore.
At that moment, through the car window, something caught his attention. Her brother's face suddenly darkened, and his sharp lips pressed together tightly.