Liu Zhiyue was clearly surprised by Zhou Shiyan’s unexpected visit.
His younger sister, Liu Xiazhi, who was lying next to him on the hospital bed holding a strangely shaped apple, froze mid-bite and stared blankly at Zhou Shiyan.
The siblings fixed their gaze on the sudden visitor.
“Why are you here?” Liu Zhiyue asked first.
“...”
Without responding, Zhou Shiyan stepped closer, her eyes scanning him from head to toe.
“Where are you hurt?”
“Huh?”
A bit slow to react, Liu Zhiyue eventually lifted his right foot awkwardly. “My foot—stepped on sothing sharp and got torn up.”
Zhou Shiyan’s gaze lingered on his injured foot, her face showing a trace of distress.
She stepped forward, intending to touch it, but Liu Zhiyue quickly stopped her.
“Don’t touch it! You can’t just go touching soone’s foot.”
Her hand paused mid-air before she pulled it back, unsure what to say next. She clasped her hands behind her back, looking slightly flustered.
Lying beside her brother, Liu Xiazhi tilted her small head upward and curiously eyed Zhou Shiyan. She reached out and patted Liu Zhiyue.
“Brother, who is this kid?”
“Call her ‘sister.’ She’s my classmate,” Liu Zhiyue corrected her while gently patting her head.
“Your classmate!” Liu Xiazhi exclaid, clearly amazed.
She quickly hopped off the hospital bed, not bothering to pull up her little leather shoes properly, and ran over to Zhou Shiyan.
Looking up at Zhou Shiyan, who was only slightly taller than herself, Liu Xiazhi tilted her head in thought before asking, “Did you skip grades to get to middle school?”
“Xiazhi!” Liu Zhiyue pulled his sister back, looking at her sternly.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“But—”
“That’s enough. Go get another apple to eat.”
“Didn’t you say earlier you didn’t want apples I’ve already bitten into?”
“Well, I’ve changed my mind. Go wash one for and peel it with your teeth.”
Pouting, Liu Xiazhi looked annoyed.
She placed the half-eaten apple on the bedside table, rummaged through the bag for another one, and pulled her shoes back on before leaving the room.
The hospital room, which had two beds but no other patients, now felt emptier with Liu Xiazhi’s departure, leaving only Liu Zhiyue and Zhou Shiyan behind.
They stood in silence, their eyes eting.
Finally, Zhou Shiyan broke the awkward atmosphere.
“I’m sorry.”
“Huh?”
The sudden apology caught Liu Zhiyue off guard. He looked at Zhou Shiyan, whose face now held an expression of guilt.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because of , you got hurt…”
Liu Zhiyue’s expression turned unreadable. He stared at her for a mont before replying, “You don’t need to apologize. It’s not your fault.”
“It is my fault. If it weren’t for my dad—”
“Your dad?”
“Nothing…” Zhou Shiyan quickly clamd up, refusing to elaborate further.
Liu Zhiyue could tell she was hiding sothing but didn’t push her. He wasn’t the type to force others to share what they didn’t want to.
Instead, he shifted the topic. “How’s your studying going today?”
“It’s fine. I reviewed my old notes and solidified so key points.”
“Think you’ll do well on the test?”
“I think so.”
“Lucky you—you get to take the test. With my foot like this, there’s no way I can make it to the exam hall.”
Liu Zhiyue’s tone carried a hint of frustration, which didn’t escape Zhou Shiyan.
She glanced at his injured foot, her mind racing.
“Don’t worry. You can still take the test.”
“Huh? How? You want to hop there on one foot?”
Her response confused him, and he stared at her incredulously.
“I’ll talk to the teacher,” Zhou Shiyan said firmly. “After the exam, I’ll co and supervise while you take it.”
“...”
“That way, your score will still count toward the rankings.”
Liu Zhiyue suddenly felt like he had shot himself in the foot with his earlier complaint.
“But wouldn’t that be unfair, since I’m not taking it at the sa ti as everyone else?”
“It’s fine. I’ll watch you closely to make sure you can’t cheat.”
“...”
Is she really this rigid?
Before he could say anything more, Liu Xiazhi returned, holding a freshly gnawed apple.
“Here, brother!”
“...”
Liu Zhiyue found her appearance amusing—she had juice all over her face.
Grabbing a tissue from the bedside table, he began wiping her face clean.
“How did you manage to get apple juice all over yourself?”
As he spoke, he carefully cleaned her small face and took the apple she handed him. Its surface was uneven, marked by her bite marks.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He grabbed another apple from the bag and handed it to Zhou Shiyan.
“You should have one too. My dad bought way too many.”
Watching the siblings interact, Zhou Shiyan slowly accepted the apple, cradling it in her hands.
So this is what it’s like to have siblings...
Leaving the hospital after nightfall, Zhou Shiyan walked ho alone.
Her thoughts were filled with the person who had attacked Liu Zhiyue.
Though she didn’t want to admit it, she had a strong suspicion that the attacker was the sa person who had followed her that night.
Deep down, she had already linked the incident to her father, Zhou Quan.
Once, he had been a kind and loving man—soone who ruffled her hair and took her on adventures.
But gambling had changed him.
In her fragnted mories, she recalled nights spent clinging to her mother, crying silently to avoid waking the drunken monster her father had beco.
She rembered Lan Yixian’s tear-swollen eyes, the bruises on her body, and the strands of hair ripped from her scalp lying on the floor.
That had been the darkest period of Zhou Shiyan’s life.
Thankfully, they had severed ties with him, and life was slowly improving.
Although they lived in poverty, simply being alive was enough.
Quickening her pace, Zhou Shiyan climbed the stairs to her apartnt, fishing her keys from the faded pocket of her school uniform as she went.
Night had fully settled.
Suddenly, a hand clamped tightly over her mouth.
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