Chapter 23: A Sister’s Apology and a Brother’s Promise

“Brother, I’m sorry…”

“What’s wrong, Xiao Xi?!”

Bai YuYang was startled to hear the slight tremor in her voice as she apologized. “You’re not choking, are you?! I’ll go get you some water; just wait a moment!”

Seeing Bai YuYang hastily rise to his feet, Bai YuXi reached out and tugged at the corner of his shirt.

“No… I’m fine,” she murmured. “It’s just that I feel… very sorry, Brother. It’s all my fault for being such a burden, always holding you back. Otherwise… could I also get a job?”

Bai YuXi could no longer suppress these words that had remained unspoken in her previous life.

She had always blamed herself, relying on her brother for everything and causing him so much trouble.

Initially, Bai YuXi hadn’t even known Bai YuYang was secretly working. If her memory served her right, in this timeline, she had only learned about it a few months ago.

She still remembered how, at the time, Bai YuXi had rarely cried so hard, all because she blamed Bai YuYang for keeping it from her and not telling her.

‘Since rebirth is an opportunity, let me try my best to make amends,’ she thought.

However, Bai YuYang, looking at the delicate hand that held his shirt, was clearly stunned.

Then, the expression on his face wasn’t one of difficulty, but rather one of gratification, mixed with a resolute determination.

He stopped, then knelt down to grasp Bai YuXi’s hand.

“Listen, Xiao Xi, you don’t need to think about working. Even if you wanted to, I wouldn’t agree. You’re only in your first year of high school; you only need to focus on your studies.”

“But Brother is only in his second year of high school… I want to help you bear some of the pressure too.”

“Then you just focus on eating more.”

Bai YuYang chuckled breezily. “With your brother here, why do you need to overthink things? As a younger sister, you should hide behind your brother. Haven’t I told you this before? It’s not like I can’t afford to raise you.”

“Mom and Dad aren’t here, but I am. No matter what, I will never let my Xiao Xi suffer even a little injustice.”

Bai YuYang simply spoke the thoughts within his heart.

Meanwhile, Bai YuXi’s sapphire-like eyes were filled entirely with Bai YuYang’s face.

Within her beautiful pupils, a shimmering, almost irrepressible radiance had long begun to gleam.

She buried her face and took a huge bite of sweet potato!

“Hey, hey, don’t eat so fast! What if you really choke?!”

Bai YuXi struggled for a long time and couldn’t finish the sweet potato in one go. She rested for a while before looking up.

“Then, Brother, you remember this: right now, you earn money to support me, but in the future, I’m going to help you buy the store where you work!”

“Haha… then my Xiao Xi will have to be very rich, won’t she? Alright, I’ll look forward to it.”

Xiao Xi’s ambition soared, aiming for the peak of mountains, above the very dome of the sky.

But… at this moment, she faced a predicament.

Bai YuXi stared at the sweet potato on her plate, more than half-eaten, and fell into thought.

Bai YuYang, understanding her perfectly, saw through it immediately. “Can’t eat anymore?”

“Mm… I can’t waste food. It’s fine, I’ll eat it slowly…”

“Don’t force yourself if you can’t eat it. Don’t I know your appetite? Eat some vegetables; I’ll finish the rest.”

With that, Bai YuYang slightly rose and pulled the plate from in front of Bai YuXi.

Without a care that Bai YuXi had bitten the sweet potato here and there, Bai YuYang picked up his own spoon and swiftly finished the remaining sweet potato.

Actually, while Bai YuXi felt a little shy watching this scene, she was also very happy… happy that her brother didn’t dislike her at all.

The siblings had always been like this since childhood, sharing any delicious food and having no defenses against each other. It seemed this was still the case even before her rebirth.

After finishing the sweet potato, Bai YuYang looked up and saw that Xiao Xi wasn’t eating or returning to her room. She simply sat obediently in her chair, staring at him.

“Xiao Xi… are you full? Also, why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?”

Bai YuXi didn’t avert her gaze; she simply smiled. “No, I just got a little lost looking at Brother. I just wanted to look a bit more.”

“Don’t you see me every day?”

“Today is special.” Bai YuXi tilted her head. “After hearing what Brother just said, I suddenly thought… well, it’s a little embarrassing to say…”

“Just say it. Why are you beating around the bush with me?”

Bai YuYang was quite puzzled. Xiao Xi was usually very direct when she spoke.

However, Bai YuXi’s next words proved that she was indeed quite direct.

“It’s just… Brother, can I be a little spoiled for a moment…? I want a hug, just for a little while.”

Her voice held little confidence.

But Bai YuXi had already stood up.

At first, Bai YuYang was a little surprised, but when it came to Bai YuXi, as long as her request wasn’t too outrageous, Bai YuYang would absolutely never refuse.

A mere hug—could he truly make his adorable sister wait for something like that?

Absolutely not!

Bai YuYang put down his spoon, stood up as well, and without a word, stepped forward to embrace Bai YuXi, pulling her into his arms.

He could hear her adorable little “ooh-ing” sound; perhaps she was a bit surprised too.

‘Silly sister, you’re the one who asked for it,’ he thought.

He could feel her quickly relax, and she gently and subtly returned his embrace.

She even buried her head in Bai YuYang’s chest.

“Is this alright, Xiao Xi?”

“Mm…” Bai YuXi’s voice was steady. “I feel like I’ve finally settled down…”

‘Yes… speaking of which, Xiao Xi is a child who loves to be spoiled,’ he thought.

Though her doting was directed solely at Bai YuYang.

No matter how calm, steady, and obedient she appeared in her daily life, it couldn’t change the fact that her inner self was actually quite fragile.

That was why Bai YuYang needed to devote all his energy to cherishing her, to never let her suffer even a little grievance.

And Bai YuXi was also the clear spring that soothed Bai YuYang’s weary heart, his most precious treasure.

It was by supporting each other in this way that the siblings had come so far.

However, until the very end of their previous life… this stable situation changed.

It was Bai YuXi’s third year of university when their parents, during the New Year’s holiday, suddenly dropped a bombshell of news.

Namely, that Bai YuYang and Bai YuXi were not actually blood-related; Bai YuXi was an adopted child.

At first, Bai YuYang didn’t believe it, thinking they were joking. Having grown up together since childhood, how could it be?

But when they brought up Bai YuXi’s unique silver hair, which no one else in the family possessed, and produced the decisive evidence of the adoption report, both Bai YuYang and Bai YuXi were dumbfounded.

What truly dumbfounded Bai YuYang the most was that, after that, Bai YuXi no longer suppressed her own emotions.

In her previous life, after learning this news, she was initially a bit dejected. But a few days later, she suddenly became as cheerful as if it were the New Year!

And she began to frantically express the love for Bai YuYang that had been sealed within her heart for over a decade!

This process was too fast, so fast that Bai YuYang found it hard to accept.

He truly hadn’t known that Bai YuXi’s feelings for him were actually like this.

Yet, he had only ever loved and doted on Bai YuXi as his younger sister.

Even with the truth suddenly laid bare, Bai YuYang couldn’t simply nod in agreement.

But Xiao Xi’s pursuit grew increasingly fervent, even making her the most proactive among the girls who surrounded Bai YuYang.

This somewhat awkward situation persisted for a long time, and even until his rebirth, the matter was never fully resolved.

In this life, however, Bai YuYang had already thought of how to deal with this situation.

‘As long as I instruct Mom and Dad in advance, telling them to keep the fact that the siblings aren’t blood-related a permanent secret, and absolutely not to say anything,’ he thought.

‘Then everything should be fine… right?’