Chapter 18
After getting his IV drip, Xiao Yu felt much better. Sitting proudly on his brother’s shoulders, he chattered away in a chaotic mix of English and Mandarin.
The little guy was over the moon—not just because he felt better but also because his brother was finally showing him a bit of rare tenderness.
Standing tall as he was, Xiao Yao carrying a curly-haired, blue-eyed mixed-race child on his shoulders made them quite the eye-catching pair. From the hospital lobby to the exit, they attracted more than a few glances.
“Ge! Look!” Xiao Yu flailed his arms excitedly.
His wiggling nearly made Xiao Yao lose balance. He steadied himself and said, “Sit properly.”
But the little guy ignored him, still trying to grab his attention. Seeing the crease forming between Xiao Yao’s brows, Naomi quickly said something to Xiao Yu, and just like that, he quieted down, obedient as a little rabbit.
The winter night was freezing, their breath turning white in the cold air. As the three of them waited for a cab at the curb, Xiao Yao suddenly felt an itch in his throat and let out a small cough.
Right then, he felt a puff of warm air above his head, followed by a pair of tiny hands pressing gently against his ears.
“Not cold, Ge.” The soft, childish voice spoke in imperfect Mandarin.
Something inside Xiao Yao melted just a little.
Before the warmth had time to settle in, their cab pulled up in front of them.
When they got home, the little guy reluctantly climbed down from Xiao Yao’s arms and followed his sister out of the car. But his eyes remained glued to his brother, his nose running without him even noticing.
Xiao Yao, after giving the driver their address, caught sight of the scene and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Pulling out a tissue, he wiped Xiao Yu’s nose and instructed him in English, “Listen to your sister. Take your medicine on time. And stop kicking off your blanket at night.”
There was an unintentional hint of warmth in his voice.
But truthfully, as he spoke, his mind wandered elsewhere—
I wonder if Little Tugger took the medicine I got for him.
—
Of course, Ti Xiao… did not take his medicine.
After the pill rolled under the couch, he stood there in a daze for a few seconds, as if all his intelligence had vanished along with it.
Holding a glass of water, he stared blankly at the empty room. The only source of light was the desk lamp by his computer, while his phone vibrated occasionally with Weibo notifications.
After what felt like ages, he suddenly smacked his forehead, finally remembering to order breakfast delivery for the next morning. Then, for once, he actually went to bed before midnight.
—
Ti Xiao had always been sickly. As a kid, he caught colds every season, and the worst he’d had was an acute appendicitis attack.
His parents and older brother had nagged him endlessly about getting more exercise, not spending all day cooped up at home. Back when they lived together, they could still keep an eye on him, but once he went off to college and later graduated, their reach could only go so far.
Especially when he ignored his medicine, ate too much salty food, and turned a simple cold into a fever.
Then, of course, he kicked off his blankets at night.
By the time he got up the next morning to grab his breakfast delivery, he nearly tripped over his own feet.
He was a regular customer at this particular breakfast joint, and over time, he and the delivery guy had worked out an efficient system—leaving a box outside his door where the food could be dropped off without any need for calls or doorbells.
But today, the packaging looked different, and the order wasn’t what he remembered placing last night.
The hallway lights had been recently replaced, and even the trash outside his door was gone.
Still half-asleep, Ti Xiao stared at the plastic bag in his hand, inhaling the sweet scent of red dates from the porridge inside. His groggy mind barely registered it as he shuffled back into his apartment.
What he didn’t notice was that, when he picked up the bag from the box, a small white card had fallen out.
The card fluttered briefly in the hallway draft, like a tiny white butterfly, before landing on the third-floor staircase.
It was written with a fountain pen, the ink pressed deep into the paper—neat, upright, and strong.
Clearly, the handwriting of someone well-practiced in calligraphy.
“Remember to eat breakfast.”
If Ti Xiao had known he had just let his idol’s handwritten note slip into the abyss, he probably would have cried his eyes out.
—
Last night, since he ran out of time, he had only drawn a back view instead of the promised “one-wheeled drive” (implying solo spicy content). His fans were now flooding the comments, demanding that next time, he take the ride all the way to the city’s edge.
As for the guy who had unknowingly caught Ti Xiao’s attention—Pass By Big Bro—he hadn’t posted anything new lately. The last thing he shared, a few days before the Winter Solstice, was a Minion emoji looking smug, accompanied by the words:
“Happy. Very happy.”
The little yellow guy grinned triumphantly, holding up a fist.
No one knew what had made him so happy.
Ti Xiao stretched his neck, then, without thinking too much, took the cold medicine Xiao Yao had bought for him, washing it down with warm water.
—
At lunch, his cousin Ti Nan Yi excitedly shared some fun stories about a school event. But as usual, she couldn’t resist trying to sell him on her English teacher.
“I don’t get my English teacher at all,” she huffed.
“How complicated can a person be? You’re what, like ten?” Ti Xiao, still weak from his cold, didn’t have the energy to roast her properly and instead offered some vague words of wisdom.
“That’s not it!” Ti Nan Yi looked troubled. “Remember how I told you he was out eating with his boyfriend?”
“Yeah?”
“I thought I had it figured out, but then today I saw him with this gorgeous blonde woman! And this super cute mixed-race kid who looked just like him!”
Ti Xiao didn’t say anything.
Ti Nan Yi continued, “Logically speaking… He’s not some scumbag, right? Like, married with kids but still tricking that other guy?”
Ti Xiao recalled yesterday’s dinner—the one where he and Ti Nan Yi’s English teacher had ended up in the same restaurant. But for the life of him, he couldn’t remember what the tall man actually looked like.
What he did remember was that he barely got to eat anything before Xiao Yao dragged him away. Just thinking about all that untouched food made him grumble:
“Xiao Yao, you heartless little biscuit.”
That meal… He needed to make up for it. Even if he had to treat himself.
“I just feel bad for that guy,” Ti Nan Yi sighed dramatically.
“Instead of worrying about some stranger’s love life…” Ti Xiao shivered and cut himself off. “How about taking out the trash on your way down?”
As she left, Ti Xiao suddenly added, “Also, finals are coming up. If you get good grades, I’ll buy you a new skin.”
Ti Nan Yi, trash bags in hand, solemnly turned to face him. “Uncle.”
Ti Xiao, already half-zoning out in the doorway, forced himself to focus. “What?”
“You were cuter when your fever fried your brain. At least you didn’t yell at me.”
“…Get lost.”
