Chapter 148: Oops! This Little Sister is a Bit Shy
“Brother.”
In the stillness of the night, that “brother” sounded particularly delightful, leaving Dragon Brother momentarily speechless.
He couldn’t help but stop in his tracks, his eyes wide with surprise as he turned to look at Lin Wan Ning beside him.
At that moment, Lin Wan Ning felt a little embarrassed; she didn’t know what had come over her. It was as if some mischievous spirit had made her say it.
Perhaps it was Dragon Brother’s overly bold smile, or maybe the joke he told fell flat. Or maybe it was just that the typically cool Lin Wan Ning was craving warmth.
Regardless, she had never encountered someone like him—someone so unabashed.
Everything he did seemed devoid of ulterior motives. He helped her simply because he understood the situation and knew she was in the right. He wouldn’t allow the bad guys to bully her.
In truth, everyone has their own scale to measure right and wrong, but only someone like Dragon Brother would dare to step forward.
So, despite knowing him for only a few days, her feelings for him had already soared to dizzying heights.
That simple “brother” left Dragon Brother dazed for ages: “I was just joking!”
“But I wasn’t joking.” Lin Wan Ning turned her head away, her voice cool and collected. “I’m not like the other girls. I don’t do well with teasing; when you say something, I take it seriously.”
With that, she lifted her gaze and earnestly looked at Dragon Brother: “And right now, I’m serious.”
As those words fell, she cast her eyes down, her delicate face betraying no emotion: “If you’re going to refuse, that’s fine. I’m not as fragile as I look.”
Now it was Dragon Brother’s turn to feel awkward. He honestly just wanted to crack a joke, and hadn’t expected Lin Wan Ning to take it to heart.
“Um, can I ask why? We’ve only known each other for a few days, and you’re so willing to trust me?”
“Because you’re the first person willing to stand up and protect me.” Lin Wan Ning said softly, “You might not understand, but without your help that day, I really would have crumbled.”
Having said that, Lin Wan Ning suddenly exuded a less frosty demeanor, as if a weight had been lifted: “In this strange city, you’re the first person to show me kindness.”
“And you’re such a peculiar person; when I think of you as my brother, it makes me feel particularly grounded and secure.”
“Am I really that strange?” Dragon Brother chuckled. “It’s not as exaggerated as you say. I just…” At that point, he found himself at a loss for words.
Before he arrived in this world, he was also one of those often bullied in the orphanage.
Eventually, he learned to fight back and stopped being a victim. Still, having weathered storms himself, whenever he sees those who bully others, he immediately feels like holding up an umbrella for them.
Because Dragon Brother can empathize with the feeling of being picked on.
You might not believe this, but those who feel particularly insecure are often the best at giving others a sense of security.
Don’t be fooled by how Dragon Brother always gives advice; he does it because he’s on the outside looking in.
Helping Hu Yu Ying was because Dragon Brother was strong enough to protect her.
Untangling Li Qing Xue’s issues was due to his experience; he understood everything.
But often, once such people become entrenched in their own mess, it becomes a bottomless pit because they can’t counsel themselves; they know everything, after all…
Just like when he was kissed by Hu Yu Ying, he didn’t know what to do because he was acutely aware that from the start, he and Hu Yu Ying were never on equal footing.
He helped her from the perspective of a protector, unconsciously believing she couldn’t distinguish between gratitude and reliance.
If someday Hu Yu Ying were to stand in his shoes and understand what gratitude and affection meant, perhaps everything would become entirely different.
“If you don’t refuse, I’ll take it as a yes.” Lin Wan Ning shot Dragon Brother a playful smile. In that moment, she wasn’t the ice-cold school beauty; she was just a mischievous little sister.
Who says cool-headed people lack cunning? They just don’t show it.
Usually, she suppressed her true nature, appearing more aloof and reserved than anyone else.
But, surrounded by her friends’ various crude jokes, once her true nature erupted, her standards would plummet to new lows.
It’s like if you made Hu Yu Ying watch a funny video, she’d be mortified, too embarrassed to even listen to the sound.
Yet, while Lin Wan Ning might’ve peeked at it due to her roommates’ teasing, she could remember everything clearly and even learned some odd catchphrases.
So, you see, there’s just a thin line between innocence and shamelessness.
Dragon Brother appeared at the moment Lin Wan Ning was about to crack under pressure, and perhaps it didn’t matter what he did; he was simply the only one who managed to throw a cloak of modesty over her impending breakdown.
Maybe it wasn’t enough, but over these days together, at least Lin Wan Ning felt Dragon Brother made her feel secure and safe.
“If you don’t mind, I’m all in.”
“However, this is my first time being a brother, so if I mess it up, don’t expect a second chance to regret it.”
Lin Wan Ning covered her mouth to stifle a giggle: “So domineering!”
“Yep.” Dragon Brother stretched his back: “I am pretty domineering.”
Watching Dragon Brother stretch, Lin Wan Ning suddenly thought back to that day at the school gates, where a boy had looked up to the sky and made a hugging motion.
Though their poses were similar, why did it feel so utterly different?
“What are you laughing at?”
“Oh, nothing, just thought of something funny.” With that, she sneaked a glance at Dragon Brother. Perhaps with a little filter now, Lin Wan Ning didn’t feel the same initial awkwardness looking at him.
“What do you think goes through a person’s mind when they hug themselves?”
She asked this likely because men understand men better.
“Well, it’s hard to say; maybe it’s just being pretentious? But I feel like I’ve seen that gesture somewhere before…” Dragon Brother frowned, deep in thought.
He felt like he had seen someone look up at the sky, reveling in their own little world while hugging themselves.
“Wait a second!” Lin Wan Ning suddenly remembered something and turned to Dragon Brother: “Did you put on that ointment on your back today?”
Seeing Dragon Brother’s confused look, Lin Wan Ning scrunched her nose: “I knew it! You always forget.”
As she spoke, she pulled an ointment out of her bag: “Lucky I brought some.”
“The weather’s hot, and the quality of military training uniforms isn’t great; they can really chafe your skin, so I brought this.”
“Didn’t you put anything on?”
“How do you know?”
“I don’t know…” Dragon Brother quickly shook his head.
Seeing Dragon Brother’s serious demeanor, Lin Wan Ning shot him a playful glare, amused yet exasperated. After applying the ointment, she leaned in shyly, her ears blushing crimson as she softly murmured: “I wore it, no need to apply anything!”
Noticing Dragon Brother’s body instantly tense up, Lin Wan Ning couldn’t help but burst into laughter…
The good news? Out of nowhere, she had gained a little sister.
The bad news? This little sister seemed a bit shy.
