Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I rushed over to the apartment I provided for Jiang Xu.

Only then did I discover the kitchen was a total disaster.

Uncut pork ribs were laid out on the cutting board, pieces of a shattered ceramic knife were scattered nearby, and a few drops of fresh blood stained the floor.

“I remembered you love steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce. I wanted to make some to bring to your office tomorrow for lunch, but I was too stupid. I forgot you can’t use a ceramic knife to chop through bone.”

Steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce-that was the dish my brother loved making for me most.

My expression softened slightly.

“Even so, there was no need to call me. You should have just gone to the hospital to get it handled.”

Jiang Xu looked even more aggrieved. “Ever since we started dating, there have been so many paparazzi tailing me. I didn’t want to cause a scene at the hospital in the middle of the night. It wouldn’t be good for your reputation.”

Before I could even correct his choice of words, Jiang Xu held out his injured finger toward me.

There was a shallow cut on the pad of his finger, barely two centimeters long.

I stared at it in silence for a moment.

“If you hadn’t gone to the hospital, it probably would have healed on its own in a little while.”

Jiang Xu withdrew his hand with fluid grace. “Fine, I admit it. I just missed you.”

“It’s past midnight. It’s not his birthday anymore, so the ‘birthday boy’ privileges are over.”

Taking advantage of the moment, he leaned in and earnestly began unbuttoning my trench coat, taking it off to hang it up for me.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You’ve had a long day. How about I get some water so you can soak your feet?”

I gave a soft hum of agreement.

I watched as Jiang Xu knelt before me.

His head was bowed, and his fine bangs fell forward. They were getting a bit long, occasionally brushing against his eyelashes.

He probably found it itchy, as he would occasionally blow upward with his lower lip to puff the hair away.

This gesture was exactly like something my brother used to do.

I began to drift off again.

In my hallucinations, it felt like I had returned to ten years ago.

We had finally moved into a slightly larger apartment. My brother had bought some shrimp and said he was going to make three-delicacy wontons for me as a celebration.

He was in the cramped kitchen, kneading dough and mixing the filling. His hair was getting long and made his eyes itch, so he had to blow at it every now and then.

After a while, he got tired.

“Yinyin, can I borrow your hair clip for a second?”

I brought it over to him. His hands were covered in flour, and he looked a bit helpless.

“Can you help your big brother clip it back?”

That evening, the twilight glow filtered in.

Tiny dust motes danced through the shafts of light.

The light was so piercingly bright that it made the little bear hair clip on his forehead shimmer.

It was both ridiculous and adorable.

…

I realized I was thinking about my brother again.

I snapped back to reality.

I lifted my wet foot and pressed it against Jiang Xu’s chest.

He jolted, the tips of his ears turning red.

He looked at me with a mix of shyness and anticipation. “Are you going to eat me now?”

I gave a soft “mm-hmm.”

Then, I gave him an order.

“Hold me.”