Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I practically ran all the way home.

My heart hammered frantically in my chest, and my mind was a chaotic mess.

Zhou An’s words played on a loop in my ears: “He just saw you.”

How much did he see?

The sound-activated lights in the stairwell flickered on floor by floor as I rushed up.

Finally, I reached the door.

A warm yellow light peeked through the crack beneath it.

Panting, I raised my hand and knocked.

Almost instantly, the door opened.

Xie Fengnan stood there.

He had indeed just returned from outside.

He hadn’t even changed his clothes yet.

He carried the faint, unpleasant smell of kitchen grease and smoke.

The warm yellow light spilled out from behind him, enveloping his entire figure in a soft, golden glow.

He looked down at me, his eyelashes clearly defined by the light, casting shallow shadows over his lower eyelids.

“You’re back?” he asked, his voice the same as always.

The corners of his mouth even held that familiar, gentle curve. “Why are you in such a rush?”

That smile was too natural.

So natural that it made my heart sink with dread.

“Brother…”

I opened my mouth.

I wanted to explain.

I wanted to say that what he saw wasn’t what he thought.

I wanted to say I wasn’t in a relationship.

I wanted to say we were just friends.

But the words were stuck in my throat.

I looked into his eyes-

Those eyes were still clear and gentle, like two pools of calm autumn water.

They reflected the light, and they reflected my panicked, flustered face.

There was no interrogation.

No prying.

There wasn’t even a hint of anything out of the ordinary.

I changed my shoes, staring down at my toes.

“…It’s nothing.”

“I just brought out some mung bean soup. It’s chilled. Have a bowl to cool off,” Xie Fengnan said as he walked toward the kitchen.

But as I watched his back, a sudden wave of sadness washed over me.

Brother.

Why… why aren’t you asking me anything?

Human Nature: Did you really see him?

AN: Yeah.

Human Nature: Are you sure your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you?

AN: Your brother has a very distinct look. I wouldn’t mistake him for someone else.

Human Nature: …

Human Nature: Stay away from my brother from now on.

AN: How is he?

Human Nature: He’s fine.

When I typed those words, my fingers hovered over the screen for a long time.

Human Nature: It seems like he didn’t see anything. He didn’t ask if I was dating, and he didn’t say a word.

A few seconds later, a message from Zhou An popped up.

-He likes you.

-And it’s definitely more than just brotherly love.