Guang Huan only recognized the threat then, and he nodded vehemently.
âWhatâs your relationship with my sister?â
âWeâre a couple owwww...â Guang Huan blanched, feeling like his fingers were breaking.
âIâll give you one more chance.â Gao Yang leveled Guang Huan with a dark gaze. He didnât even bother to use Lie Detection. âBe honest with me.â
âFriends, weâre friends...â Guang Huan chickened out immediately.
âWhy did you lie?â Gao Yang pressed.
âXinxinâahhhh...â
âDo you think you have the right to call her Xinxin?â Gao Yang said grumpily. âCall her by her full name.â
âGao Xinxin...she asked me to put on an act with her...â Beads of sweat dripped down from Guang Huanâs forehead.
âWhy?â
âXin...Gao Xinxin said that she couldnât lose when youâve got a girlfriend, so she told me to play her boyfriend...â
Do you have holes in your brain, Gao Xinxin? Is this where sibling rivalry should apply?
Gao Yang didnât let go of Guang Huanâs fingers. âLet me ask you this: do you have a crush on my little sister?â
Guang Huan was taken aback; he forgot about the pain and mustered the courage to say with a flushed face, âYes, I have feelings for Gao Xinxin.â
Good, youâve got a backbone.
Still, you arenât good enough for her.
âAlthough she doesnât like me now...â Guang Huan said with a look of determination, immersed in his role as a romance lead in his head. âBut I believe that faith can move mountains. Iâm willing...willing to wait for a miracle!â
Miracle my ass!
Do you know that love canât be forced?!
âAhem.â Gao Yang tamped down the urge to lay into the boy and instead played along, letting go of Guang Huanâs hand. âI wonât deny that thereâs a slim chance, and youâre free to like whoever you want. I wonât intervene.â
âReally?â Guang Huan held onto his aching fingers, his eyes glinting with rekindled hope.
âYeah.â Gao Yang nodded, speaking in an earnest tone. âI think youâre quite dependable.â
Guang Huan was flattered by Gao Yangâs compliment.
âBut I believe there are quite a lot of people chasing after my sister, and unlike you, most of them arenât dependable.â
âYeah!â Guang Huan got angry thinking about it. âSome of them donât even actually like Gao Xinxin! Theyâre just vain, shallow boys salivating over Gao Xinxinâs beauty. They only pursue her because they think itâll make them look good!â
Gao Yang grumbled inwardly, Pot calling kettle black!
âSo, if you ever see someone unreliable trying to get close to my sister,â Gao Yang held Guang Huanâs gaze, speaking in a severe tone, âYou must tell me as soon as possible.â
Guang Huan was excited. âDonât worry. Iâll protect her well!â
âGood.â Gao Yang nodded with satisfaction and took out his phone. âCome on, letâs add each other as friends.â
The two exchanged contacts.
Gao Xinxin happened to return to the table then. She was in a good mood. âBrother, the orange cat is so cute!â
Gao Xinxinâs eyes shifted. She meekly sat down next to Gao Yang and held onto his arm in a cutesy way. âI have something to talk to you about, Brother...â
âI refuse.â
âHow could you just say that! I havenât even told you anything...â Gao Xinxin pouted.
Gao Yang rolled his eyes. âYou donât have to. Itâs all on your face.â
âYou have school. I do too. If you have a cat at home, Mom and Dad are gonna be the ones taking care of it. They are tired enough as it is. Donât put more burden on them.â
Gao Xinxin sighed. âYouâre right.â
âYou want a cat, just get one once you are able to take care of it yourself.â
âOkaaaay.â Gao Xinxin was easily convinced.
Guang Huan stared at her, mouth agape. So Xinxin has a cute side. She acts petulantly and pouts.
I knew it. I knew her aloofness was a front she put on to protect herself.
Iâm glad. I feel like I know her a little better. Iâm one step closer to her true self, and one day, sheâll turn back to me...
âAhem.â
Gao Yang could tell from Guang Huanâs expression that he was daydreaming the impossible again.
Donât even think about it, you brat!
The dishes were served one after another. Gao Yang knocked on the table and glared at Guang Huan. âEat.â
âOkay.â Guang Huan picked up his bowl and lowered his head.
âHave three bowls, you hear me?â
âYeah, of course.â Guang Huan started digging.
...
After dinner, Gao Yang sent Guang Huan away and escorted Gao Xinxin home. Then he went back to his dorm with the present they had gotten for their mother. They would give their mother a surprise tomorrow.
One oâclock in the morning, Gao Yang went to the old auditorium on campus to meet up with Qing Ling, having a thirty-minute sparring session with blades.
After some time, Qing Ling noticed Gao Yangâs distraction and seized an opening to kick the Tang Dao out of his grip, pressing the Xiu Dao to his neck.
Displeased, Qing Ling said, âDonât waste time if you donât want to train.â
Gao Yang smiled apologetically. âThat doesnât count. Letâs try again.â
âSomething on your mind?â Qing Ling knew Gao Yang well.
Gao Yang had been agonizing over how to start the conversation. It surprised him when Qing Ling brought it up unprompted. He sighed softly. âWell, Can you do me a favor tomorrow?â
âWhat favor?â Qing Ling turned to walk to the balcony, opening a bottle of water and taking a sip.
âItâs my motherâs birthday. Iâd like to take you home for dinner.â
âSure.â Qing Ling didnât think there was a reason to say no to free meals.
âUm, but youâll be coming as my girlfriend,â Gao Yang added.
âWhy?â
Gao Yang went up to her and said honestly, âI used you as a cover story a few times. My parents have always wanted to see you. I can find an excuse for you, of course.â
âBut I still think that if they meet you, itâll be more believable when I use you as a cover story next time, and theyâll be less likely to suspect me. You get what I mean?â
Qing Ling nodded. âOkay.â
Gao Yang knew Qing Ling wouldnât say no, but he didnât expect her to say yes so easily.
âCan we start training now?â Qing Ling asked.
âUm, a moment.â Gao Yang smiled wryly. âWe have to make sure our stories match first.â
âWhat stories?â Qing Ling frowned.
âThereâs some backstory.â Gao Yang opened his bottle of water and drank from it. âI have to tell you in detail, or weâre gonna get exposed tomorrow.â
Qing Lingâs brows furrowed further.
âWe were classmates and only started dating officially after the college entrance exams. Then, during the Crimson Tide, we almost broke up. You planned to go abroad. Feeling pessimistic about a long distance relationship, I asked for a breakup. You couldnât accept it and threatened to kill yourself.â
âDuring those days, Iâve been staying with you to comfort you. Youâre a sensitive, fragile, and sentimental girl who loves me so much that you cannot lose me...â
Qing Lingâs expression darkened. She splayed her right hand, and the two blades flew back to her with a whoosh, reflecting cold, fierce light under the moon.
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