My Stepfather's Funeral

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Years later, Zhou Qi sees Su Yang again at her stepfather's funeral.

Her stepfather died far from home. As his only son, Su Yang traveled a great distance to bring him back.

After seeing off the police and the lawyer, he looks exhausted, his eyes bloodshot, his stubble unshaven and his sharp jaw shadowed. He stares at Zhou Qi's hand, intertwined with her boyfriend's.

The last time Zhou Qi remembers contacting Su Yang was during her sophomore year of college.

They talked about whether Zhou Qi had a boyfriend. Su Yang spent ages avoiding the subject, then said, "Trust me, guys. If a man really likes you, he'll respect what you want. You get what I'm saying?"

Zhou Qi knew what he wanted to say.

Suddenly, she felt like defying him.

She replied, "I made the first move. I wanted it."

Su Yang kept typing for a long time. Eventually, he sent a few words: "Why are you trying to upset your big brother?"

*

In Zhou Qi's memory, Su Yang had never cried, whether when his birth mother abandoned him as a child or when his future was ruined. He always had that fierce, defiant look, as if the moment he opened his eyes, he was ready to fight the heavens.

But later, he knelt before her and wept bitterly, his handsome face crumpled and red from crying.

She was baffled.

She had a blood feud with him. What did he have to cry about?

*

On the second night after the funeral, Zhou Qi slipped into Su Yang's bed again.

Su Yang asked, "Are you addicted?"

"You're not?" She reached down and grabbed him, sneering. "You beast. Your father just died."

He stared at her for a long time, then suddenly smiled. "I'm a beast? Then what are you? A beast's little sister? Damn it, I'm just addicted to women. What can I do when you're a woman?"

Her face instantly turned cold, reminding Su Yang of when she was fifteen or sixteen and would suddenly get upset like this. She was little, but had a fierce temper. Especially when her little face puckered and she looked up at him, he was afraid for no reason.

Not afraid she'd make a scene, but afraid she'd refuse to speak to him for days.

Zhou Qi got up. The instant she was about to leave, Su Yang grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into his arms, coaxing her as he always had. "Don't be mad. Big brother was wrong."

"My boyfriend is right next door." Zhou Qi pushed him away.

Su Yang nuzzled her neck, unconcerned. "Let him listen."

The night was silent. Water trickled continuously in the bathtub, bubbles occasionally rising to the surface.

*Pseudo-siblings, no blood relation

Theme: Stay true to your original aspirations to see things through to the end.