Chapter 1 — When did you stop thinking of her as a sister?
The night air was cool, a fine drizzle drifting down, and the damp mist enveloped the whole city of Zhi’an.
7 PM, Zhi’an International Airport.
Blue-toned natural light spilled into the warm terminal, leaving a faint fog on the glass.
Having just picked up her luggage, Nan Xu finally had a moment to glance at her phone. A message from Aunt Zhang popped up:
[Jiaojiao, Auntie asked your brother to pick you up.]
Her steps faltered. Nan Xu’s breath caught as her mind instantly traveled back to those years when she had lived in Xie Hejing’s home.
The clumsy, tender closeness of youth, the subtle stirrings that had been buried deep like seeds in the soil—now, after lying dormant for so long, seemed ready to burst through and see the light again.
She was going to see him.
That brother.
Xie Hejing.
Her fingers, holding her phone, twitched slightly. Nan Xu took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She walked toward the parking lot, pulling her suitcase with one hand and carrying her coat draped over her arm.
. . . . .
B1 Airport Parking Garage.
Travelers hurried past, dragging their suitcases, while headlights from cars swept briefly across their figures.
Inside one of the cars, a man leaned lazily against his seat, wrist resting on the window as his gaze lifted casually toward the front.
Another figure walked by, but it still wasn’t the figure he was waiting for.
Xie Hejing relaxed his gaze, his eyes feeling a bit uncomfortable from the long staring. He lowered his head and rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
“Hey, brother, why so quiet?”
His phone lit up, and an annoyingly mocking male voice came from the other end of the line.
“Xiang Weishi, if you can’t talk properly, then shut up.”
Xiang Weishi’s tone immediately returned to normal, but it carried a hint of resentment: “So, you’ve been lying to me for so long. I used to actually think you and Nan Xu weren’t close. And now, ha ha.”
As if recalling something, Xie Hejing didn’t respond to Xiang Weishi. Instead, a hint of playful amusement flickered across his face, which was hidden in the shadows.
“When we were in school, you must’ve been so jealous, I’m just now realizing it. You said so many sarcastic things back then,” Xiang Weishi chuckled, refusing to let it drop. “She kept calling you ‘Brother’ over and over… doesn’t it make your heart ache? After all, she probably really did see you as her brother.”
“ Tsk…” Xie Hejing’s expression darkened. “Looking for trouble?”
“Nope, who would dare mess with you?” Xiang Weishi drawled, then added, “By the way, I saw Nan Xu’s Moments last night. Her flight lands in Zhi’an today—did you know?”
“Yeah.” Xie Hejing gave a brief reply.
“I’m guessing by now she should be arriving. Aren’t you going to pick her up?”
His fingertip tapped idly on the steering wheel. He glanced at his phone screen, his tone lazy. “No… I’m not going.”
“Fine, keep up that icy aloof act of yours. Then I’ll go pick her up.” Xiang Weishi paused deliberately, then put on a mock-serious tone. “After all, she used to call me ‘brother’ too. I should take care of my little sister, right?”
“Get lost. None of your business.”
Honk, honk—
A car horn blared nearby.
Xiang Weishi hissed on the other end of the line, suddenly suspicious. “Why’s it so noisy where you are? I can hear cars—don’t tell me you’re already there!”
“No…”
“Brother.”
The voice was soft, delicate, and sweet. Just one word, but Xie Hejing instantly knew who it was.
He turned his head. Nan Xu was standing there, the corners of her lips slightly curved, her eyes shimmering with a faint smile.
He couldn’t help but examine her closely.
The girl had grown tall and graceful, her youthful innocence shed, replaced with a calm, serene smile. Yet her eyes were as clear as ever.
Xiang Weishi must have heard her voice too—he froze for a few seconds before shouting in disbelief: “Xie Hejing, keep pretending, go on, you—”
Xie Hejing frowned and promptly hung up the call.
He pushed open the car door. At the sight of that familiar face, the calm in his heart unraveled, waves of emotion threatening to spill over. Yet outwardly he remained composed, simply gazing at Nan Xu in silence.
She was finally back.
What’s wrong with him?
Nan Xu lowered her head, suddenly self-conscious. She was dressed neatly today; there shouldn’t be anything out of place… right?
“Brother, what are you staring at?”
Suppressing the storm inside him, Xie Hejing reached out. When he took her luggage, his fingertips barely brushed against hers.
“You’ve lost weight.”
His voice was husky, low.
Nan Xu smiled. “Really? Then I guess my months of dieting actually paid off.”
“Brother, once we get home, will Uncle and Auntie be upset I haven’t visited them for so long?”
Xie Hejing’s movement faltered. He answered coolly, “…I don’t know. Maybe.”
He turned away, lifted her suitcase into the trunk, and opened the passenger-side door.
“Thank you.”
Nan Xu bent down to get in, but kept one hand pressed against the door, stopping him from closing it.
Xie Hejing raised a brow. “What’s wrong?”
Smiling, Nan Xu said, “Wait, don’t close it yet,” then lowered her head and rummaged through her bag.
Her bag was a mess, so it took a while.
Xie Hejing lifted his brows slightly and stood there waiting.
“Found it.”
When he looked, she was holding a bracelet made of silver obsidian, strung with a few silver charms, tiny flecks of light glimmering mysteriously.
“Here, Brother—this is for you.”
It had some weight in his palm. Xie Hejing’s lips curved as he slipped it onto his wrist without hesitation.
“What’s this for?”
“Well… when Uncle and Auntie ask why I haven’t visited for so long, can you help put in a good word for me?” Nan Xu blinked up at him, eyes filled with hopeful pleading.
It wasn’t just her uncle and aunt—she hadn’t seen him for a long time either.
She gave him a gift, but it turned out to be a favor she needed him to do. Xie Hejing’s lips pursed into a tight line.
“No.”
“Then give me back the bracelet.”
“Not a chance.”
With that, Xie Hejing shut the car door firmly.
“Ah-choo!” A passerby sneezed nearby, then turned to chat with a friend.
“Zhi’an’s been so rainy this year. The temperature’s bound to keep swinging up and down. It’s already several degrees colder than yesterday. Good thing I dressed warmer today.”
Xie Hejing slid into the car and quietly turned on the heater.
“Will it be very cold in Zhi’an during the rainy season this year?” Nan Xu asked when she saw his movement.
She calculated that the clothes she brought might not be enough.
“It’s always the same,” Xie Hejing replied casually. His eyes drifted to the bracelet on his wrist, and then he added, “But this year… it probably won’t feel cold.”
Nan Xu tilted her head in confusion. “Then why’d you turn on the heater already?”
Xie Hejing glanced at Nan Xu. She had her coat draped over her legs, but was only wearing a thin silk shirt, which was obviously not warm enough.
Nine times out of ten, this girl will catch a cold if she gets a blast of cold wind.
“I’m cold,” he said flatly.
“Oh.”
Nan Xu nodded, secretly sighing at how meticulous and refined he still was.
The car rolled on, roadside scenery slipping by in fragments, puddles scattering under the tires, until traffic slowed at a red light ahead.
Nan Xu wasn’t in a hurry. She was in good spirits, and since the car was so quiet, she wanted to find a topic.
But she couldn’t think of much. After some thought, she ended up starting with an old acquaintance from their school days.
“Brother, how’s Xiang Weishi doing lately?”
“…Still alive.” Xie Hejing replied, his tone even colder and harder.
“Uh… well, that’s good then.” Nan Xu paused for a while before asking again, “What about Qiqi? How’s she doing?”
“She’s fine,” Xie Hejing said.
His answers never exceeded three words. Nan Xu pressed her lips together, guessing that Xie Hejing probably didn’t feel like talking. She straightened out the bag she had just rummaged through and stopped bothering him.
The car fell silent for three seconds.
“That’s all you’re going to ask?” Xie Hejing suddenly spoke.
“Huh? What else should I ask? About Auntie and Uncle?”
Nan Xu shook the phone in her hand. “No need—I talk to Auntie every day!”
“What about me?”
Xie Hejing kept his eyes fixed ahead, as if he had said it casually. But the heaviness of his breathing betrayed a nervousness he never showed.
“Wh-what?”
Nan Xu felt like her ears were malfunctioning. Otherwise, how could she have heard a hint of complaint in his words… as if he was upset she hadn’t asked about him.
Xie Hejing turned his head. “I mean me. Why don’t you ever ask how I’m doing?”
. . . . .
The car pulled up to the house. Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were already waiting at the door. The moment they saw the car, they hurried over.
“Hello, Uncle, Auntie,” Nan Xu greeted sweetly.
Zhang Huiwan clasped her hand. “Jiaojiao, when you used to live with us, I always felt like I had a well-behaved daughter. You’ve been away so long—I’ve missed you so much.”
“Let me take a good look at you. Oh my, Jiaojiao, you’ve grown even prettier.”
“…”
She went on and on, and the group was still standing outside.
Xie Hengzhi had to step in. “Huiwan, Jiaojiao just got off the plane. Let her come inside first. You can talk more later.”
“You’re right, I got too excited. Hejing, carry the luggage in. Jiaojiao, let’s wash up and eat. This time, I cooked everything myself.”
“That’s wonderful! I’ve always missed your cooking,” Nan Xu said.
At the dinner table, Nan Xu sat beside Xie Hejing, with Zhang Huiwan across from her.
“Jiaojiao, try this. I remember you like it,” Zhang Huiwan said.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Zhang Huiwan kept piling food into Nan Xu’s bowl. Before long, it was already overflowing.
Xie Hengzhi reminded her, “Let Jiaojiao eat what’s in her bowl first. Look, she’s only been taking the shrimp you give her and hasn’t touched anything else.”
“You’re right. Jiaojiao, eat slowly. I’ll give you more later,” Zhang Huiwan said warmly.
Nan Xu happily agreed and was just about to start peeling shrimp when she noticed several already peeled ones in her bowl. Turning her head, she saw that it was Xie Hejing—quietly peeling shrimp for her, one after another.
When he caught her looking, he didn’t bother to explain, simply continued peeling. He was always like this—never needing a reason for what he did. If he wanted to, he just did it.
Past memories overlapped with the present.
Nan Xu’s brow twitched ever so slightly. She lowered her head and quietly sped up her eating.
From time to time, Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi discussed company matters at the table. Somehow, the topic shifted onto Nan Xu.
“Jiaojiao, have you thought about getting a boyfriend?”
Xie Hejing’s hand stopped mid-peel.
Nan Xu froze as well. “Why the sudden question?”
Zhang Huiwan smiled. “Your uncle’s company recently hired a young man. He’s single, a top university graduate, good-looking, and I know his mother. We all know the family well, and he’s truly gentle and refined, polite in every way. Men like him are hard to come by. Auntie’s just thinking of you.”
“Hmph… Mom, you really worry too much,” Xie Hejing muttered, his tone bland. “If it’s about knowing someone inside and out, shouldn’t the one you know best be me?”
“You brat, I was talking to Jiaojiao. Why are you butting in?” Zhang Huiwan scolded him.
A boyfriend…
Nan Xu had never really thought about it.
She fell silent, the shrimp caught between her chopsticks never making it to her mouth.
Thinking young people usually disliked such questions, Xie Hengzhi quickly smoothed things over. “Jiaojiao, your aunt was just speaking casually. If you’re not interested, that’s perfectly fine. Just take it as nothing.”
“Yes, yes, Jiaojiao, I only mentioned it in passing,” Zhang Huiwan added with a smile.
Nan Xu wasn’t offended. The question was sudden, but she didn’t want to dismiss their kindness either.
She smiled openly. “It’s okay. I can meet him.”
Clatter—
A sharp sound came from the plate.
The last shrimp was tossed down by Xie Hejing.
He stood, his voice cold. “I’m done.”
“This child…”
Zhang Huiwan muttered in disapproval at her son’s chilly tone.
Nan Xu looked up, only to see that he had already opened the door and left, leaving just his back behind.
. . . . .
After dinner, Nan Xu volunteered to clean up.
Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi, who had the habit of taking an evening walk, reminded her of a few things before heading out. They even asked what she’d like to eat, planning to buy it for her while they were out.
Nan Xu didn’t hold back and listed everything she wanted. They noted it down cheerfully, changed clothes, and went out hand in hand.
The house was quiet with just Nan Xu inside. She stayed in the kitchen, feeling rather at ease—it reminded her of when she had lived here for a year during high school.
Suddenly, she sensed someone enter. Assuming it was Zhang Huiwan, she turned with a smile. “Auntie, did you forget… Brother?”
Nan Xu froze.
Xie Hejing was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, a few damp strands of hair falling over his forehead. He stepped forward and placed a small bag of candied chestnuts beside her.
She instantly recognized the packaging—it was from her favorite shop back then. Nan Xu couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Brother.”
“At the table, you didn’t reject my mom. Do you really want a boyfriend?”
His tone sounded casual, almost airy, yet it carried a certain seriousness. To an outsider, it might have seemed like an older brother simply caring about his younger sister’s love life.
Nan Xu kept slicing the banana in her hand. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. But meeting someone doesn’t sound so bad.”
And then, almost as if she suddenly understood why he was here, Nan Xu said, “Brother, are you going to help me screen him?”
“Screen—” Xie Hejing let out a sharp laugh, his eyes darkening as his gaze fell on the pair of hands in front of him.
Holding her hand must feel nice.
“Auntie just gave me his WeChat. I looked through his Moments, and he seems like a pretty decent guy,” Nan Xu said, completely oblivious to Xie Hejing’s growing displeasure.
Suddenly, the hand she was using to cut fruit was seized. The heat of his palm against hers made her drop the fruit knife in shock.
The knife clattered back onto the cutting board.
Startled, she lifted her eyes. “You—”
Xie Hejing’s entire body was taut, his dark, deep-set eyes flickering with an unreadable intensity. His long, narrow gaze locked onto her.
She’s really grown up, and now she’s even better at making him mad.
His presence was so overpowering that Nan Xu’s heart skipped. She instinctively took a step back.
But Xie Hejing pulled her hand and yanked her straight toward him.
“Tell me—how exactly do you want me to ‘screen’ him for you?”
There was nothing casual about his tone or actions. Nan Xu frowned, confused by his sudden outburst.
“Brother!” She tried to yank her hand free, but his grip was far too strong, making her efforts feel like an ant trying to shake a tree.
Just then, the sound of the front door lock turning echoed through the house.
This time it really was Zhang Huiwan, having forgotten something. As she was entering the code, she grumbled about why Xie Hengzhi hadn’t reminded her before they left.
The beeping of the electronic lock sounded one note at a time. Nan Xu’s heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears. She tugged at her hand, to no avail, and whispered frantically, “Let go.”
Instead, Xie Hejing tightened his grip even more.
The last number clicked into place—
Clack!
The door opened.
In a panic, Nan Xu rushed forward and slammed the kitchen door shut. Thank goodness it wasn’t glass—at least Auntie couldn’t see what was happening inside.
Behind her, Xie Hejing leaned lazily against the door she’d just shut, a faint smile tugging at his lips, his body following her movement until he was right at her side.
Three seconds later, Zhang Huiwan’s puzzled voice came from outside.
“Why’s the kitchen door closed? Jiaojiao, did you shut it? Jiaojiao? Jiaojiao?”
She called out to the upstairs a few times, but no one answered.
Inside, Nan Xu didn’t dare breathe too loudly. Her pulse was racing, and she whispered as softly as she could, “Brother, let go.”
Brother!
Xie Hejing slowly turned the word over in his mind. No matter how he heard it, that form of address grated on his ears.
Nan Xu didn’t realize it herself, but in a moment like this, that single word—Brother—was like fuel to a fire.
He suddenly trapped her against the corner. Nan Xu stumbled back, losing her balance, her heel bumping against the door with a loud thud.
The sound immediately caught the attention of Zhang Huiwan, who had been about to head upstairs. She changed direction and walked toward the kitchen instead, calling out as she went, “Jiaojiao?”
Xie Hejing lowered his head to look at the girl in his arms. Her lashes trembled, her teeth pressed lightly against her lip, and it seemed as though she’d even forgotten how to breathe. Eyes downcast, she didn’t dare look at him.
“Calling you ‘Brother’ over and over… doesn’t it make your heart ache?”
“After all, she probably really did see you as her brother.”
Xiang Weishi’s words echoed in his mind again.
How was it that out of all the nonsense that man had said, this was the one thing he couldn’t shake off?
His breath grew heavier. He clutched her tightly, distracted, but his grip showed no sign of loosening.
Nan Xu sensed the shift instantly. She couldn’t tell what was going through his head, only that a vague sense of danger rose in her mind, urging her to “wake him up” before things went too far.
At the very least, he needed to let go of her—so they could talk properly.
“Brother, are you feeling unwell? Let me go first, we can talk it out.”
It would be strange if he felt comfortable.
He narrowed his eyes and threatened in a low voice, “Call me ‘Brother’ one more time.”
Nan Xu tilted her head back, not hearing the menace in his tone at all. Her watery eyes flickered nervously, and she actually did as he said—softly, obediently, almost pleading:
“Brother.”
Damn it.
His brows shot up. In that instant, Xiang Weishi’s words were confirmed.
She really did just see him as a brother?
As his gaze grew sharper and more unsettling, a thought suddenly clicked in Nan Xu’s mind.
For a fleeting second, the man before her overlapped with the boy in a school uniform she had once known. Her thoughts drifted, imagining how it might have been if this had happened back when she first moved into his home.
Back then, if she’d been this close, Xie Hejing probably would have frowned and said coldly, “Move. Stay away from me.”
But the man he had become, years later—
A cold kiss fell on her lips, lingering and intimate.
Nan Xu felt the softness distinctly. The fragile thread in her mind snapped with a jolt. She couldn’t control her expression, staring at Xie Hejing in shock as the words tumbled out of her mouth.
“You used to clearly—”
A low chuckle interrupted her. His tone was unhurried, almost mocking.
“What, you still think I’m seventeen?”
That familiar scent of cedar surrounded her again, dragging her into a flood of memories, moments from the past flashing before her eyes.
Nan Xu tried to grasp a moment she hadn’t noticed before, wanting to clearly see the ‘brother’ she had been calling out to all along.
When exactly it was…
…that he stopped seeing her as a little sister.