The two biggest power players in esports are both classic little-sister devotees. One is Cheng Xiaomeng’s own older brother, known as Brother Cheng, a big shot in the North District. The other is her brother’s best friend and the man she loves, Zhang Baiyi, known as Third Brother, the boss of the East District.
Everyone knows Cheng Xiaomeng is cherished and protected, held in the palms of their hands. They all say she has two wonderful “older brothers.” But she hates it most when people call Zhang Baiyi her brother, because the secret in her heart is that she does not want him to be just a brother.
She has no idea that grown-up love is far more complicated than she imagines.
At seventeen, she believes that if you love someone, you can be together, especially when he treats you so well.
So when a rival appears, she speaks softly, tenderly, and firmly: “Zhang Baiyi, I like you.”
“Zhang Baiyi, I’ve liked you for a long time, as a man and a woman like each other. So could you please not like anyone else? Just like me, too?”
As soon as she finishes, Zhang Baiyi gently pushes her hand away and says in an exceedingly soft voice, “Xiaomeng, Brother Cheng and I are brothers, and you’re his younger sister, so naturally you’re my younger sister, too. The stirrings of adolescence will seem insignificant once you’ve seen more of the world. You’ll have plenty of chances to meet someone better.”
“I’ll always protect you, but I’m not the one for you. Third Brother isn’t good enough.”
Every word he says is like a sharp knife, stabbing into his heart one cut at a time. He isn’t a man of many words, but every one is laden with restraint.
Years later, when she looks back, she wonders: if he had accepted her then, perhaps the people who loved them would not have been hurt so badly.
Like! ! ! ! Such extreme pulling! ! Are you chasing after me? ! ! !