Chapter 8: Little Sister

Chapter 8: Little Sister

After work, Su Lichen packed his things and got ready to go home.

When he got to the elevator, his phone rang.

It was Sister Zhang calling.

"Mr. Su, Mr. Xu is doing well today. He's been practicing transferring from the wheelchair to the bed and back. I've cooked dinner, but he hasn't eaten yet—he said he wants to wait for you."

Su Lichen's eyes softened with a smile. "Okay, thank you, Sister Zhang. I'm off work and on my way back."

He hung up, and the elevator arrived.

With a lingering smile on his face, he stepped inside, and the elevator doors slowly closed.

The elevator reached the basement.

He sat in his car for about half a minute before taking out his phone to message Xu Moxing:

"Anything you need me to pick up? I'm off work and heading back now—can grab it on the way."

The reply came quickly:

"I want malatang."

He sent a sticker that said, "You and me, we're the best."

As he looked at the sticker, Su Lichen suddenly remembered the past—Xu Moxing used to love sending these, always sending a bunch over.

Eventually, he stopped sending them.

Now he was sending them again.

"You can't eat that right now. You'll have to wait a bit."

He put his phone away and walked to the parking lot.

He walked a bit faster than before.

The apartment Su Lichen rented was a bit far from his office.

Back when they were living together, they compromised and picked an apartment that balanced price and distance. It was pretty good—the landlord was easygoing and never raised the rent, so they just stayed.

Nine months ago, Xu Moxing had broken up with him and moved out.

Su Lichen didn't know why he hadn't moved out himself. Even though they had broken up and Xu Moxing would never come back.

With his income, he could easily move closer to work, but he stayed anyway.

...

At home, Xu Moxing was on his phone, waiting for Su Lichen to come home for dinner.

He had exercised for quite a while and was a bit sweaty. He wanted to shower, but with his leg in a cast, it was inconvenient.

After thinking about it, he took out his phone to ask Su Lichen to buy a waterproof cast cover. But before he could dial, his sister called.

Xu Moxing answered, and before he could say a word, his sister's voice burst through the phone.

"Hello? Xu Moxing, are you in Shenzhen now? I heard from Brother Su that you were in a car accident and lost your memory?"

Xu Jianqing was a busy person, just a year younger than Xu Moxing, but she was almost the complete opposite of him in personality.

Xu Jianqing had an innate ability to focus on the big picture and ignore minor details. She knew very well what she wanted, had strong professional skills, devoted herself to her career, and was not afraid of risks—bold and ambitious.

Xu Moxing, on the other hand, preferred stability, was easily swayed, and avoided risks.

A lot had happened in their family, and their differing values and opinions had caused their relationship to sour.

Xu Jianqing couldn't stand Xu Moxing, but she actually admired Su Lichen more.

But Xu Moxing didn't remember any of this now.

"Yeah, that's right. Qing Mei, do you know what my relationship with Su Lichen is?"

"I know. How are you? I happen to be on a business trip in Shenzhen. I'll come see you when I'm free in a couple of days."

"No need. If you're busy, just be busy. I just need rest, that's all."

"That's why I said I'll come after I'm done. You didn't come home for Chinese New Year this year. I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Oh, okay. Come if you have time."

"Okay, I'll let you go. I have to get back to work."

"Alright, bye."

The current Xu Moxing didn't know why he hadn't gone home this year. He had a deep-rooted belief that one should go home for the New Year regardless of whether they were rich or poor.

Even though his parents weren't great, he still went back to visit them every year.

What had happened to make his future self unwilling to go home even for the New Year?

He stared at the call screen on his phone after the call ended, thinking for a while, but couldn't figure it out. His mind was blank.

Soon, Su Lichen returned, and Xu Moxing temporarily pushed these thoughts aside.

"A Li, you're back!"

"Yeah."

"My sister said she's coming to see me. How does she know about our relationship? She seems to know you too."

Su Lichen looked a bit embarrassed.

"Your sister is pretty smart. She figured it out four years ago when you went home for the New Year."

"?"

Xu Moxing wanted to get to the bottom of it, but Su Lichen didn't want to explain.

As they ate, Xu Moxing asked curiously, "But how? Even if she's smart, you didn't go home with me, so how could she have found out?"

"Do you really want to know? I'm worried you won't be able to handle it."

Su Lichen knew that once Xu Moxing's curiosity was piqued, he wouldn't let it go, especially with people close to him.

If Su Lichen didn't answer, he would start overthinking for sure.

"No way, right? What exactly happened in the five years I've forgotten? Spit it out!"

Su Lichen didn't rush to answer; he just said, "Let's eat first. We'll talk after eating."

"Fine."

After dinner, Xu Moxing immediately pressed him, "Now, tell me."

Su Lichen tossed the bowls into the dishwasher, with a knowing smirk.

"Because the night before you left that year, you were teasing me, saying we'd be apart for so long and you'd miss me... I accidentally left a bunch of hickeys on you. After you went home, your sister saw them..."

Su Lichen wasn't lying about this.

Once Xu Moxing was found out, Xu Jianqing pressed him, and he confessed.

After Xu Jianqing found out, she didn't oppose their relationship but insisted on meeting her brother's boyfriend.

Over time, they got to know each other.

At first, Xu Jianqing was worried that Su Lichen might be a bad influence on Xu Moxing, and she looked at him with a critical gaze that seemed to say, "Let me see what kind of guy you really are."

She would often hint, "My brother is very innocent and sentimental. Don't hurt him, or I won't let you get away with it."

It was only after getting to know him better that her opinion gradually changed.

In Su Lichen's view, the siblings simply didn't see eye to eye on their values, but deep down, they cared for each other, just didn't want to show it.

Because Xu Jianqing often found Xu Moxing too sensitive and a bother, and Xu Moxing was afraid she'd think he was a bother, so he reduced contact.

Hearing Su Lichen say this, Xu Moxing was so embarrassed he wanted the ground to swallow him up.

"Alright, stop it. Even though I've forgotten, I can imagine how awkward that must have been."

He probably stammered, and his sister must have interrogated him until he had no choice but to tell her.

"I told you to stop asking."

Xu Moxing awkwardly changed the subject, "I want to take a shower. I was going to ask you to buy a waterproof cover for me, but my sister called, and I forgot."

"I'll buy it tomorrow. Today, I'll still wash you."

Showering wasn't embarrassing for Xu Moxing, except for pooping, which he found a little embarrassing. Other than that, it was fine.

Two days later, Xu Jianqing did come after all.