“My little sister is my girlfriend.”
Lan Yan couldn’t stand steadily. Her whole body seemed to be melting, so she could only cling to Liang Jingchuan like a climbing vine.
Her feet suddenly dangled in the air.
Liang Jingchuan simply picked her up and carried her toward the living room sofa.
Even over those short few steps, he couldn’t bear to leave her lips.
He sat down on the sofa and had her sit on his lap, fitting perfectly into his embrace. He continued to seize her breath in a dense, dominant manner.
The air conditioner wasn’t on, but the skin on his neck, where her palm touched, had gradually warmed up.
It was as if his heart was reviving from the dead in the same process.
For the first time, she realized that a kiss could last this long—chasing, tangling, tireless, and never seeming satisfied.
Only when Liang Jingchuan finally gained some real sense of confirmation did he pull back slightly. His lips tenderly brushed her lip corner and cheek, then he turned his head and buried his face in her neck.
His heartbeat took a long time to calm, and his warm breaths pulsed against the skin near her ear.
She liked how he held her, as if she were his indispensable oxygen.
Lan Yan asked softly, “Are you cold? I’ll turn on the air conditioner.”
Liang Jingchuan shook his head, but Lan Yan still braced her arms on his shoulders. He probably thought she was about to stand up and instinctively gripped her waist.
She merely turned around, grabbed the remote from the coffee table, turned on the air conditioner, and set both the temperature and fan speed to maximum.
She settled back into his arms, her chin resting on his shoulder as she sniffed the faint snowy scent on him. “…I thought you’d already left.”
“I wanted to. But I couldn’t bear to, and I didn’t know where to go.”
“…Is that true?”
“Hm?”
“If… you plan to go abroad.”
“I don’t know. Maybe all that crazy talk I said is true. Maybe in a couple days, I’ll be fine again and want to keep trying to knock on your door, over and over, until you open it for me. I might be a bit obsessive.”
Just like sending her “test” messages over and over to see when she’d unblock him.
When Lan Yan stayed silent for a long time and he felt her breath grow damp, Liang Jingchuan looked down in surprise. “…Don’t cry, Yanyan. If I win too many times, I’ll really get cocky.”
“What do you mean, win too many times?”
“…Nothing.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“…If you don’t tell me, I’ll bite you.”
He felt the skin near his carotid artery gently nipped by teeth—a painless, itchless bite.
It tormented him, but this slight pain wasn’t the main reason.
Still, he refused to speak.
Lan Yan gave up with a light hum, not entirely convinced.
Liang Jingchuan chuckled softly.
“…When did you get it from my dad?”
“After my mom’s birthday. Who came up with the name ‘Niaoniao’?”
“My mom. ‘Niǎoniǎo’ as in cooking smoke curling up. But before elementary school, I always thought it was ‘birdie’.”
As she spoke, Lan Yan looked up, leaned over to grab the penguin from the coffee table, hugged it, and nestled back into his arms with it.
Liang Jingchuan reached out and gently stroked her head. “I only realized when I sent it for repairs that besides antiques, lots of things can be fixed—toys, watches, cosmetics… Every industry has restorers.”
“Then you’re my restorer,” Lan Yan said softly. “You fixed me.”
No more indescribable void in her heart. No more obsessive pursuit of superficial eternity. No more shame in accepting her mother’s blessings.
She willingly let herself boil to one hundred degrees Celsius and loved someone without hesitation.
Liang Jingchuan was stunned and lowered his head a bit. “Am I dreaming, Yanyan?”
“Want me to bite you again?”
Lan Yan grabbed his hand, located the second knuckle of his index finger, and bit down.
“Does it hurt?” She looked up.
“Didn’t eat enough? That was so weak.”
…At least, she knew this definitely wasn’t a dream. In dreams, there was no Liang Jingchuan this mouthy and authentic.
Lan Yan released him. “Then if I curse you out, will that feel more real?”
“Do you know what I was thinking every time you cursed me out before?”
“What?”
“I wanted to kiss you. Such a pretty person with such an annoying mouth—just block it up.”
“…” Lan Yan opened her mouth and bit again, this time for real.
Liang Jingchuan hissed softly. His other hand lightly pinched her chin and lifted her head. “…How will you help me after biting it off?”
“…Help you with what?” Lan Yan blinked rapidly.
“Cook.”
“…You even know this internet meme?”
“What internet meme?”
Lan Yan realized she’d misspoken and blushed furiously.
“What meme? Does ‘cook’ mean something else?”
“No…”
Liang Jingchuan pulled out his phone to search, but Lan Yan pressed it down. “…Really, no.”
Even without searching, Liang Jingchuan could guess from her expression. “…Is that the image you have of me?”
“…Stop pretending to be innocent.” Lan Yan covered the penguin’s ears with her hands before whispering, “…You’ve been poking me for ages.”
Liang Jingchuan noticed her action and first wanted to laugh. He immediately leaned back, but since she was sitting on his lap, any movement made it even more obvious.
He turned his face away, his ears already red. “…It’s not like I can control it.” He tried to sound casual.
Lan Yan fell silent.
They tacitly resolved the awkward moment with silence, then she smoothly changed the subject. “…Have you eaten?”
“Yeah. Takeout at the office. Unlike someone on a date with another guy.”
“…I’ve said it several times—there were others too. Liang Manxi and her little brother, you’ve met them. And Zhou Wenshu.”
“Oh, he was there too.”
Lan Yan laughed in exasperation. “…You’re my boyfriend now, and you’re still jealous of them? They don’t even qualify as backups.”
“Didn’t hear clearly. I’m your what?” He looked at her with that familiar teasing expression.
“…You’re my brother.”
“Then call me ‘big brother’ so I can hear it.”
Lan Yan grabbed the penguin and smashed it against his shoulder.
It looked fierce but had no force.
“You meeting them again tomorrow?” Liang Jingchuan asked.
“Yeah. As a local guide.”
“When I went to Penang, you only accompanied me for one day.”
“…Can’t stand you, you petty ghost. Fine, I won’t eat with them tomorrow night. I’ll eat with you. From now on, meals with you.”
Liang Jingchuan’s lips curved up. “Too bad I don’t have that honor. I’m going on a business trip tomorrow.”
“…When?”
“Leaving in the morning. Gone for two days.” Liang Jingchuan lit up his phone screen to check the time. “I’ll stay a bit longer then head back to pack.”
“No, you’re not going. Stay here tonight. Get up early tomorrow to pack at home.” Her tone wasn’t even a negotiation—it was a straight command.
“…Then can I even sleep?”
“Why not? I’m not going to do anything.”
“…That’s why I won’t be able to sleep.”
Lan Yan looked at him. “So what do you want to do?”
“…”
“See? We’ve reached a consensus.” Lan Yan smiled.
Liang Jingchuan suddenly leaned in and brushed her lips.
“…What was that for?”
“Nothing. You’re kinda cute.”
“…You’re so random.” As she said it, Lan Yan laughed too. She felt pretty random herself.
She took out her phone from her pocket. “…I’ll buy you some toiletries.”
Liang Jingchuan sat up a bit and watched her open a delivery app.
“Toothbrush, towel, slippers…” Lan Yan searched one by one. “What color slippers? Black? Navy? Gray?”
Liang Jingchuan couldn’t help smiling. “You pick. Anything you choose is fine.”
Lan Yan selected a pair of navy ones and kept searching. “Bath towel…”
“I don’t mind using yours.”
“…In your dreams.”
Once she’d selected most things, Lan Yan opened the cart for him to see. “Anything missing? Add it yourself.”
“Anything goes?”
“…Yeah.”
Liang Jingchuan took the phone and scrolled. “Seems like they don’t have my size.”
Lan Yan kept a straight face, refusing to show any reaction.
Until she saw him about to crack and snatched the phone back.
He’d been looking at men’s T-shirts.
“Really not.” His expression was innocent. “XXL out of stock.”
“…Just go home then.”
“How could I? Wouldn’t that make you a liar?”
“…You’re shameless.”
“That’s how I caught you.” Liang Jingchuan wore it like a badge of honor.
…She conceded. She had nothing to say.
Lan Yan placed the order. Liang Jingchuan said he’d go downstairs to grab his coat from the car.
“The temperature seems to have risen. Are you cold?”
“A bit.”
Lan Yan got off his lap. He stood, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her face. “Back right away.”
His gaze swept over the sunflower bouquet on the coffee table. He paused, then as if unable to stand it, grabbed it and set it on the floor beside the table.
“…” Lan Yan rolled her eyes at him.
After Liang Jingchuan closed the door, Lan Yan hugged the penguin and sat down on the carpet.
She couldn’t stop herself from grinning foolishly or from acting as immature as a spring-struck teen—maybe even more immature than back then.
She grabbed the penguin’s flippers and squealed at it, “Niaoniao, I’m in love!”
She cleared her throat and mimicked a rougher voice, “Oh, congrats!”
It felt like she could start growing up again from age eight until one day, she no longer needed this “A-Beibei” at all.
But even if she never let it go her whole life, what did it matter?
The room gradually warmed. Lan Yan took off her coat, went to the bathroom to splash water on her face. The dried tear stains felt tight and uncomfortable.
Soon, she heard a knock.
She opened the door. The first thing in view was a large bouquet of light blue roses, like a spring sky after rain—light and bright.
Clearly prepared in advance and kept in the car.
Liang Jingchuan stepped forward. “My girlfriend lives here, right? Didn’t get the wrong room?”
Lan Yan burst out laughing. “Wrong room. Only a little sister here.”
So childish, yet why was she playing along?
“Then it’s right. My little sister is my girlfriend.”