Chapter 28: Why So Cowardly!

After the meal, Liu Ruoxi grabbed Qin Xuan’s hand and pulled him off to her room, leaving Qin Lin’er alone to clear the table. She had wanted to follow them, but after a single glance from Liu Ruoxi, Lin’er immediately lost her nerve.

Inside the room, Liu Ruoxi fetched a booklet from the desk and handed it to Qin Xuan, who tested its weight in his hand.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“You’ll know when you look,” Liu Ruoxi replied mysteriously.

Qin Xuan untied the red thread binding the album and opened it, only to discover it was filled with photos of the two of them from childhood to the present—every kind of moment captured.

“So that’s why you panicked the other day when you lost your phone? You were working on this?” Qin Xuan’s look of surprise faded as realization dawned.

“Well… more or less,” Liu Ruoxi said, pressing her lips together.

Qin Xuan flipped through the pages—most were pictures of the two together, some silly, some playful. What surprised him most was a photo of them sitting on the balcony watching the sunrise. He had thought he’d lost that one forever, but Liu Ruoxi still had it!

Seeing Qin Xuan’s look of amazement, Liu Ruoxi teased, “Don’t get too emotional. If you’re really that moved, you can always repay me with your hand in marriage.”

Qin Xuan thought: I treat you like my childhood friend, and you want to sleep with me? Shameless!

“Hey, what’s with that disgusted look?” she protested.

“Figure it out yourself,” Qin Xuan replied, unwilling to say more.

“So, where’s my present?” Liu Ruoxi demanded, holding out her hand.

“Wait here,” Qin Xuan said, not putting down the album as he left for his own room. Soon, he returned with a jewelry box in hand. “Here, see if you like it.”

Liu Ruoxi had a good guess what it was—last year, Qin Xuan had given her a necklace she still kept carefully stored away, too reluctant to wear it.

She lifted the lid and her eyes sparkled as she saw the jade bangle inside. Jewelry had always been her weakness. She slipped it onto her wrist, the green jade accentuating her elegance. But no matter how she tried, she couldn’t get it over her hand, making her wonder if she’d gained weight from skipping exercise these last few days. All Lin’er’s fault!

Qin Xuan watched, amused. “Let me help you.”

Liu Ruoxi, cheeks puffed in embarrassment, offered her hand. Qin Xuan took her warm palm, feeling even more nervous than he had in the car that day.

Soon, he slid the bangle onto her wrist. Liu Ruoxi admired it from every angle, nodding in satisfaction.

“Come here, big sister will reward you with a hug!” she announced, tiptoeing to throw her arms around Qin Xuan’s neck.

This time, Qin Xuan didn’t refuse. Feeling her soft form in his arms, his mind began to wander; he gently rested a hand on her back. For someone who’d never dated, the sensation was pure bliss.

A while later, they sat side by side on the bed, flipping through the album. Only then did Qin Xuan notice something.

“Hey, why aren’t there any photos of Lin’er?”

Liu Ruoxi tried to feign innocence, but Qin Xuan saw right through her. She retrieved a stack of photos from the drawer, including ones of Qin Lin’er. Qin Xuan arranged them all in chronological order.

He had to admit, his memory was sharp. Watching the three round-faced children grow up through the years was a moving sight.

Altogether, the photos took up half the album—he suspected they’d need more pages in the future.

“Qin Xuan!” Liu Ruoxi suddenly called his name. “You and I…”

She hesitated, courage failing her under Qin Xuan’s curious gaze.

“Go help with the dishes! Lin’er’s hopeless,” she commanded, pushing Qin Xuan out of the room. Leaning against the door, she ran her fingers through her hair, scolding herself inwardly. Liu Ruoxi, weren’t you always so bold? Why did you chicken out just now?

Qin Xuan, exiled: What just happened?

He sensed something was strange with Liu Ruoxi, but didn’t dwell on it—he turned and spotted Qin Lin’er floundering in the kitchen.

Hurrying over, he found the sink overflowing with soap bubbles.

“You’re a real little genius, aren’t you?” he said wryly.

Lin’er looked innocent. “How was I supposed to know it’d foam up so much? I only squeezed a little! Is it my fault?”

“Of course not, it’s the manufacturer’s fault,” Qin Xuan replied with feigned seriousness.

“Hmph! You do it!” Lin’er tossed him the dishcloth, as if it was only natural her brother should take over.

“Alright,” Qin Xuan said, handing the album to Lin’er, who promptly flopped onto the sofa, engrossed in the photos.

“Hey, wasn’t I absolutely adorable as a kid?” Lin’er called to him as he washed dishes.

Qin Xuan paused mid-scrub: Was that really a question?

He decided not to answer.

Lin’er kept flipping through the album, occasionally exclaiming over a picture, while Qin Xuan responded only now and then.

At last, Lin’er set the album upright on the cabinet in the living room—it could stand on its own—turning Liu Ruoxi’s gift into a keepsake for all three of them.

When everything was finally tidied up, the three of them collapsed on the sofa to watch TV. Lin’er soon reappeared with a birthday cake from her room. Liu Ruoxi eyed the cake, already calculating how much exercise she’d need in the coming days to work it off.

Lin’er dutifully helped set up the candles. Qin Xuan’s mind wandered—he thought about finding a girlfriend, playing games all day, but in the end, his wish was simple: that the three of them could remain as close as they’d been these past nineteen years.

When it was Liu Ruoxi’s turn to make a wish, she kept sneaking glances at Qin Xuan, to the point that he felt embarrassed. Lin’er guessed exactly what her wish was.

They managed to eat half the cake—any more would have been too much after the hotpot, and the creamy frosting was overwhelming. They couldn’t bear to throw it away, so they sealed it up for tomorrow, which was Qin Xuan’s birthday.

The three of them played games, waiting for midnight—a little ritual, so that Liu Ruoxi’s and Qin Xuan’s birthdays could be celebrated together.

The twentieth arrived as promised. Qin Xuan and Liu Ruoxi held up fine, but Lin’er, leaning on Qin Xuan’s shoulder, had already fallen asleep.

Qin Xuan gently lifted her and carried her to bed. Gazing at her sweet, innocent face, he couldn’t resist stroking her cheek.

After he left, Lin’er slowly opened her eyes, touching the spot where he’d caressed her, as if trying to feel the lingering warmth.

“Go to bed—you’ve had a long day,” Qin Xuan said to Liu Ruoxi, who was sitting on the sofa, her spirits low.

“Mm,” Liu Ruoxi nodded, yawning. She was tired, too.

At her bedroom door, she suddenly turned, fixing Qin Xuan with a stare. “You… better not have any weird thoughts about Lin’er!”

Qin Xuan was taken aback, then laughed. “She’s my sister! Not by blood, but I’m not obsessed with my sister.”

“Good! You’d better not be!” Liu Ruoxi shot him a fierce glare, sending shivers down his spine.