Brother! This is the adoption certificate. I don't want your sister-in-law!

The next morning, just after nine o'clock.

Su Xiao and Su Wan Ning stood at the bank entrance, each clutching a file folder.

Inside were the parents' death certificates, household registration book, ID cards, and their bank cards and passbooks.

Su Wan Ning followed behind him, still two steps away, her head down and silent.

Last night, she locked herself in her room and cried for a long time with the "adoption certificate" in her hand.

When she came out this morning, her eyes were swollen like peaches, but she didn't say anything, and Su Xiao didn't ask anything either.

He simply assumed that his sister's death was due to the passing of their parents.

There were already people queuing in the bank lobby, seven or eight people, mostly elderly men and women, holding passbooks and waiting to conduct business.

The air conditioner was on full blast, blowing out a lot of cold air.

"What's the PIN for your bank card? Is it Mom's birthday or Dad's birthday?"

As Su Xiao was pondering, Su Wan Ning had already stepped forward.

Su Wanning walked to the counter, took all the materials out of the file bag, and handed them in neatly.

The teller was a woman in her thirties, with short hair and glasses.

She picked up the materials, flipped through them, paused, and then looked up at Su Wan Ning.

"The depositor has passed away?"

Su Wanning nodded, her voice low: "My parents."

The teller pushed the documents back: "You can't pick them up. Go to the notary office to get a certificate of inheritance. Come back after you've done that."

Su Wan Ning paused for a moment, then pushed the documents forward a little more: "But... the paperwork is all here, why can't we pick it up yet?"

"Regulation."

The teller had already started flipping to the next form. "The notarization fee is two hundred. You can only pick it up after it's completed."

Su Wanning's voice rose a little: "But this is my parents' money, I..."

"Miss, I already told you, you can't withdraw the money without proof." The teller didn't even look up. "Next."

Su Wan Ning stood there, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on her.

Su Xiao watched from the side the whole time.

"I'll do it."

Su Xiao spoke softly, reaching out to gently pull Su Wan Ning's hand.

Su Wan Ning was pulled back half a step by him and turned her head to look at him.

His expression was normal, as if he had just been passing by and offered a helping hand.

Su Xiao stood in front of the counter.

"What do you mean by 'passed away'? My sister misspoke. I'm just here to collect money for my dad."

The teller looked up and glanced at him.

Su Xiao's expression was calm.

He didn't explain or emphasize that my parents had passed away; he simply said he was there to collect money.

The clerk looked down and flipped through the household registration book, then glanced at the ID card.

She typed a few times: "How much?"

"all."

"Did you get the cassette tape?"

Su Xiao handed over the bank card.

The clerk took the card, swiped it, pressed a few buttons, and the information popped up on the screen. She glanced at it, then at the name on the household registration book, as if checking something.

Then she tapped the keyboard twice more, and the printer hummed and spat out a receipt.

"password."

She pushed over a machine that required entering passwords.

Su Xiao stood there, lost in thought.

After a while, under the watchful eye of the teller, he pressed a few numbers.

The teller confirmed on the computer that the password was correct.

The machine hummed as she counted the cash and pushed it out along with the receipt, adding, "Next time, it's best if you pick it up in person; if someone else picks it up on your behalf, they need to bring an authorization letter."

Su Xiao glanced at the teller and knew that her words were essentially a disclaimer.

Su Xiao put the cash into the document bag, zipped it up, and smiled: "Okay, got it."

Then he turned around, glanced at Su Wan Ning, and gestured with his chin toward the door.

Su Wanning was still standing there, stunned.

She looked at the completed process on the counter.

She said so much and wasted so much breath, but accomplished nothing.

He walked over, said a few words, and in less than two minutes, the money was withdrawn.

Su Xiao counted them; there were only a little over 3600.

He sighed because he got into school through connections, which cost him 10 yuan.

So there wasn't much money left at home.

Before Su Wan Ning could even ask, Su Xiao had already reached the door, glanced back at her, and asked, "Are you coming or not?"

Su Wan Ning pursed her lips and followed.

The two walked out of the bank, with Su Xiao tucking the document bag under her arm.

Su Wan Ning walked beside him, remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke: "...What did you say?"

"What did you say?"

"Didn't she say she wanted to prove it?"

Su Wan Ning turned her head to look at him and asked, "You didn't say anything, and she still did it for you."

Su Xiao casually said, "There's no need to say so much. Just tell them you're here to withdraw the money."

Su Wanning frowned: "It's that simple?"

"Otherwise what?"

Su Xiao turned her head to look at her, a slight smile on her lips, "You can't be too honest. There are some things that won't stop you if you don't say them, but if you do, they can only follow the procedures."

Su Wan Ning was taken aback by his retort, glared at him, but didn't reply.

She turned her face away, quickened her pace, and her ponytail swung in the sunlight.

Su Xiao followed, opened the file folder, counted out five hundred yuan, and handed it over: "Take it."

Su Wan Ning looked down at the money in his hand, but didn't take it: "What for?"

"Your living expenses."

"I do not want."

"Take it."

Su Xiao folded the money and stuffed it into her school uniform pocket quickly, giving her no chance to refuse. "You always need to spend money at school."

Su Wanning glanced down at her pocket, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

Then she looked up, turned her face away, and said in a much softer voice, "How did you know the password?"

Su Xiao tucked the file folder away, took two steps forward, and said without turning back, "I guessed it, it's Mom's birthday."

"Let's go."

He tucked the file folder under his arm and said casually, "Let's go home, I'll cook you something delicious."

Su Wan Ning followed behind him, watching his back.

The sunlight shone from behind, casting a long shadow that was just long enough to completely envelop her.

Her fingers unconsciously touched the five hundred yuan in her pocket, then she lowered her head and followed in his footsteps.

After taking two steps, she suddenly spoke, her voice very soft.

"Th-thank you."

Su Xiao didn't turn around.

"What are you thanking me for? I'm your brother."