[Pseudo-Siblings / Mutual Salvation / A Prodigal Turns His Life Around / Reunion After Years Apart / From School to the City]
Everyone says the new transfer student in Ancheng High School's second year, Xu Yan'an, is just like her name: quiet, beautiful, and brilliant. She's worlds apart from her brash, arrogant, unruly brother, Xu Che.
But only Xu Che knows how good she is at putting on an act.
As usual, Xu Che grabs his bag and leaves early during evening study hall.
Passing the old, dilapidated school building in the corner, he hears the familiar click of a metal lighter. A flash of scarlet stands out in the dim light.
He chuckles, staring straight at the girl's lingering gaze, and takes a few steps forward. "What is it, good girl? In a bad mood today?"
The girl lifts her head. Wearing that innocent-looking face, she gives him a faint smile. Her slender, pale fingers deftly hold out the other end of her cigarette to his lips, then she leans into his arms. "Brother, what would you call our relationship now?"
After they were discovered, everyone said Xu Che had led Xu Yan'an astray.
In the office, the young man leans casually against the wall, his lips curling into a roguish smile. Xu Yan'an, you're really good at pretending.
-
After graduating from high school,
Xu Yan'an leaves home without a word, choosing to study abroad. She hangs up on countless calls from unfamiliar numbers overseas.
A friend asks her why she doesn't answer.
She pretends to be carefree and tugs at the corner of her mouth. "I'm tired of playing. Time to move on to the next one."
-
Years later, Xu Yan'an returns to China.
At a class reunion, someone mentions Xu Che's name, and everyone around her turns to look.
Xu Yan'an pauses, then slightly furrows her brows and shakes her head. Her voice reveals no warmth or coldness. "We haven't been in touch since I left home."
After just a few glasses of warm liquor, she gets dead drunk and fumbles for her phone. By mistake, she calls the contact pinned at the top of her list.
In less than ten minutes, the private-room door swings open.
Xu Yan'an squints. Under the influence of alcohol, the word slips out before she can stop herself. "Brother..."
Everyone notices the veins bulging on the man's forehead. Only she, riding her drunkenness, stumbles over and wraps her arms around his shoulders. Her soft, damp lips land right on his neck.
"Xu Yan'an."
The man carries her out of the private room with one arm. In the underground parking garage, he forcefully shuts the back-seat door, grips her chin, and leans over her, pinning her completely in place.
His warm fingertips trail over her, sparking a fire. The enclosed space fills with heady, sultry tension.
"This is the last time you'll be able to call me your brother."
A seemingly sweet but actually brazen, rebellious girl × a devoted, roguishly handsome bad boy
Important:
1. Both leads are adults from the beginning, and they are not related by blood.
2. The author takes plenty of creative liberties. Don't overthink it.
3. The leads' values do not represent the author's. If you're uncomfortable, feel free to leave.
2024.1.8
Theme: Study hard and make progress every day.
