The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Why?

Xu Nian frowned.

Could it be that Xu Xi's grades are bad, and she's not cut out for studying?

Or perhaps she was bullied at school and therefore doesn't want to go to school?

Xu Xi lowered her head and stammered as she spoke.

"Going to school means I'll be separated from my brother."

"I want to stay by my brother's side forever."

Xu Nian rubbed her temples, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"Just because of that?"

Xu Xi nodded, blushing.

"Silly girl, if you don't go to school, you'll be carrying cement with your brother in the future."

He gently stroked Xu Xi's nose and said earnestly.

"You will grow up someday, and there will be a day when you leave me."

"My brother has no skills, so he can only do the most tiring jobs."

"I don't want you to end up like me, doing the lowest-paying jobs to make a living."

"No! I don't want to!! I never want to leave my brother!!!"

Xu Xi, like a cat with its fur standing on end, suddenly narrowed her pupils and roared loudly.

Her loud voice attracted the attention of many people around her.

They all stopped and looked at Xu Xi with curiosity.

Xu Xi felt instantly ashamed and quickly buried her head in Xu Nian's arms.

It looks like an ostrich.

Before long, tears of grievance soaked Xu Nian's clothes.

This was the first time Xu Nian had seen Xu Xi react so strongly, and he was at a loss for what to do in front of the crowd.

However, Xu Nian quickly regained her composure.

He patted Xu Xi's back gently to comfort her, then squatted down, picked her up, and pushed through the crowd.

For a moment, Xu Nian didn't know whether she should be happy or distressed.

Good news, my little sister is very attached to me.

Bad news: my younger sister is too clingy.

Xu Xi didn't get out of her arms until they got home.

She rubbed her swollen eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"I'm sorry...brother."

Xu Nian shook her head with a wry smile.

Now that things have come to this, he's decided to try appealing to emotions.

"You said you don't want to go to school, is it because you don't want to leave your brother?"

Xu Xi nodded.

"Fine, even if you live with me from now on, do you want your brother to do manual labor for the rest of his life?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xi was stunned.

Her lips moved, unsure of what to say.

She had witnessed her brother's work, carrying loads several times his own weight with his small frame.

Xu Xi didn't want her brother to be able to put down the heavy burden on his shoulders for even a moment.

But if the older brother doesn't sell his physical labor, how will the two of them live?

Is it the hundred or so yuan I earn in a week working as a photography model?

They can't even afford the rent.

"I can work for another ten, twenty, or thirty years."

"But what about forty years, fifty years, or sixty years?"

Xu Nian took a tissue and gently wiped away the tears on Xu Xi's face.

"When my brother can no longer work, he will have to rely on Xiaoxi to earn money with her knowledge to support him."

Xu Xi lowered her head in shame, tacitly agreeing with Xu Nian's statement through her actions.

"So, in order to make it less difficult for Xiaoxi to support her brother in the future, isn't it necessary for her to go to school and acquire knowledge?"

Xu Xi nodded.

"Brother...I was wrong. I'm going to go to school. I'll use my knowledge to earn money in the future, and Xiaoxi will support you."

Xu Nian smiled and hugged Xu Xi.

"Then brother will wait for the day when he's sustained by the stream..."

Does Xu Nian really think he has to rely on Xu Xi to support him? Xu Nian doesn't think so.

He has hands and feet, and is in good health; he can easily do manual labor for decades to come.

But if this could allow Xu Xi to change her fate through studying, Xu Nian was willing to tell this lie.

After a long while, Xu Xi wiped away the tears on her face.

"What do you want to eat tonight? I'll make it for you."

Xu Nian brushed her messy hair aside.

After cutting her hair short, Xu Xi's hair became much easier to manage.

Since Xu Xi learned to cook, she has been the chef in the family almost all the time.

Xu Nian seems to have not been in the kitchen for a long time.

Since I'm off work today, I'll cook a nice meal to treat the little one.

Xu Xi pouted and thought for a moment.

"Whatever my brother makes, Xiaoxi will eat."

Xu Nian chuckled softly and shook her head helplessly.

Xu Xi always catered to her own tastes and never made any demands on her own initiative.

Therefore, Xu Nian had almost no idea what her favorite things were.

That's good, it saves a lot of trouble.

He opened the refrigerator to see what other food was left.

Celery, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and a small piece of pork.

There's not much food left.

Xu Nian frowned. She should have bought some groceries on her way home.

However, looking at the leftover dishes, Xu Nian suddenly remembered a kind of delicious food.

"Xiaoxi, wash the celery. I'm going out to buy something."

"good!"

When she arrived at the convenience store outside the residential area, Xu Nian paced around inside, looking for something.

"What would you like to buy?"

The young shop assistant stepped forward and recognized Xu Nian as the man who had come to buy sanitary napkins last time.

Her eyes darted around, guessing that Xu Nian wanted to buy sanitary napkins but was too embarrassed to ask.

"Are you buying the same things as last time?"

No, no.

Xu Nian quickly waved her hand and said.

Do you sell flour and rolling pins?

"Oh, the flour is in the storeroom, I'll go get it for you."

The little girl blushed and ran into the warehouse.

A short while later, she came out carrying two bags of flour.

"High-gluten or low-gluten?"

"High-gluten content".

The little girl handed Xu Nian the bag of high-gluten flour and then found a rolling pin on the shelf.

"Oh, by the way, could you please bring me two more packs of that from last time?"

Xu Nian recalled that it had been about three weeks since Xu Xi's last period.

I don't know how much I have left at home, so I'll buy two packs to keep on hand.

The little girl responded, put two packs of sanitary napkins in a black plastic bag, and handed them to Xu Nian.

After paying the bill, Xu Nian carried her bags home.

"Brother, what is this?"

"Flour, I'll cook you a nice meal today."

Xu Nian put the flour on the ground and patted the flour off her hands.

"Take this bag to the bathroom. Judging by the days, it should arrive soon."

Xu Xi took the bag, opened it, and her cheeks flushed.

She gave a soft "hmm" like a mosquito's buzz, then turned and quickly went into the bathroom.

After closing the door, Xu Xi leaned against the wall and touched her burning cheeks.

My brother even remembered this; he's so thoughtful.

Even she herself didn't realize that her period was approaching.

Suddenly, Xu Xi felt a little craving the brown sugar and egg soup her brother used to make.

After washing her face with cold water and calming down a bit, Xu Xi pushed open the door and saw that Xu Nian was already busy in the kitchen.

"Brother, what are you making for dinner tonight?"

Xu Nian rolled up her sleeves and slowly poured flour and cold water into the mixing bowl.

"I'll make you dumplings tonight!"