Summer Green Apples

"Um!"

Ji Xiwen nodded, completely agreeing with his statement.

She quickly responded with a "Mhm!"

Chi Sui was drawing cards when he heard her two sentences and couldn't help but laugh. "Were you sent by Xu Jiyang?"

Xu Jiyang, who was quietly dealing cards next to him, rolled his eyes. He couldn't understand why his peaceful card game had become a source of "fun" for this young couple.

Ji Xiwen was puzzled: "Why do you say that?"

"I just won three games in a row. I can win whether I'm the landlord or the peasant. Xu Jiyang keeps losing. He loses whether he's the landlord or the peasant. He's almost lost all his money."

Ignoring the murderous glare Xu Jiyang gave him, Chi Sui lowered his head to arrange the playing cards. "You deliberately made me laugh, messed with my mind. Tell me honestly, did he send you?"

Ji Xiwen was taken aback.

Before he could speak, there was a rustling sound of clothes being torn apart, followed by Xu Jiyang's voice, which he could no longer contain, "You son of a bitch, you're really shameless."

He Ran whistled, "Let's fight! Let's fight! Let's fight!"

Cui Kai said, "Xu Jiyang, beg me and I'll help you."

"Get lost. You're not much stronger than me in a fight. I'll handle this myself." Xu Jiyang grabbed Chi Sui by the neck and whispered in his ear, "Little sister, your boyfriend is really too rude. I can't take it anymore. Please forgive him."

These words were clearly transmitted from Chi Sui's earphones to Ji Xiwen's phone.

Ji Xiwen was about to say "okay" when she wisely stopped herself.

While wrestling with Xu Jiyang, Chi Sui said, "Ji Xiwen, why aren't you reacting?"

Ji Xiwen stammered, "...What kind of reaction do you want?"

"hehe."

He sneered twice, "I knew it. When disaster strikes, you'll be the first to run away."

Ji Xi was speechless for a moment.

Fortunately, Zhang Cheng came to her rescue on his electric scooter.

"...Um, Zhang Cheng is at my house, I'll hang up now."

Ji Xi hung up abruptly after speaking.

Chi Sui: "Ji Xiwen?"

He incredulously took off his headphones and glanced at his phone.

Xu Jiyang craned his neck to take a look and said gloatingly, "Your sister hung up the phone."

Chi Sui turned his head and gave him a cold look.

Xu Jiyang immediately shut up, "I won't say anything more."

-

Ji Feiran owns many toy cars. Although the toy car that Luo Meixia bought for him was very novel, he got bored with it after playing with it for less than two hours.

He left the toy car and came out of the room.

A group of adults were chatting in the living room, discussing topics that Ji Feiran couldn't understand. As soon as he showed his face, Luo Meixia smiled and patted the stool next to her, saying, "Ranran, come and sit down."

Ji Feiran sat down, looked around but didn't see Ji Xiwen, so he looked up and asked, "Grandma, where's my sister?"

"Playing at the door." Luo Meixia smiled and squeezed his hand.

Ji Feiran stood up and pulled her hand away as well. "Then I'll go find my sister."

"Go on, go on," Luo Meixia patted his shoulder.

Ji Feiran has known since he was a child that he has an older sister, but they can only meet each other a few times a year, so she is like a stranger to him.

He couldn't say whether he liked it or disliked it.

Until today, after Ji Xiwen taught him many problems, he suddenly fell in love with this older sister.

He thought this older sister was amazing.

Ji Feiran happily ran to the door, but the smile on her lips suddenly froze.

There were two strangers at the door, who looked like a brother and sister. The girl looked about the same age as her sister, with a ponytail and a bright smile, and they were talking about something.

The boy looked to be about the same age as him, holding a box of chocolates in his hand, and looking up as he spoke to Ji Xiwen.

Ji Xiwen smiled and grabbed a few bags of chocolates, then patted the little boy's head with her other free hand.

Ji Feiran stopped in her tracks, sensing the danger.

He pursed his lips tightly, his gaze fixed on the little boy with a hint of inquiry.

He had never seen this person before, so he probably wasn't a relative of theirs.

Why...

He could tell from Ji Xiwen's expression and actions that she was closer to this boy.

Just as Ji Xiwen finished chatting with the siblings and turned to go home with a handful of chocolates, Ji Feiran quickly hid behind the door, as if she had just come out.

The siblings met.

Ji Feiran pursed her lips, looking at the chocolate in her palm, and asked first, "Sister, did you go to the convenience store just now?"

"no."

Ji Xiwen smiled and said, "I was making a phone call at the door. This is... a gift from my good friend's younger brother."

My best friend's younger brother?

Ji Feiran gripped her clothes tightly.

He had an indescribable feeling in his heart—very irritable, very sour, and very uncomfortable.

They are clearly siblings from the same parents, so why does she smile more happily at others?

Ji Feiran couldn't understand it and remained depressed until she went to bed that night.

Mingying urged him to wash up, but Ji Feiran lay in bed and said, "I don't want to go."

Mingying: "Why don't you want to go?"

Ji Feiran sat up and couldn't help but ask, "Mom, who do you think is closest to my sister in this world?"

"Of course it's you."

Mingying asked in confusion, "Why are you suddenly asking that?"

"You're lying." Ji Feiran propped her chin on her hand. "A boy about my age came to see her today, and it seemed like my sister got along better with him."

Mingying couldn't help but chuckle. "That's because you haven't spent much time with your sister. Spend more time with her these next few days, and you'll grow closer. You're both born of the same mother, and no one in the world will be closer to you than you two."

"Really?" Ji Feiran's eyes lit up.

Mingying: "Really."

-

Ji Feiran remembered Mingying's words and went to find Ji Xiwen as soon as he opened his eyes the next day.

Unfortunately, it was her graduation banquet that day, and she was so busy that she didn't have a moment to rest.

Ji Feiran sat dejectedly next to his grandmother. The dishes were plentiful, but he could only eat a few bites before he couldn't eat anymore.

The venue was packed with people and noisy.

He tugged at the tablecloth unhappily, enduring it until the greetings ended and everyone returned to their respective tables to eat.

Mingying also returned and took a sip of water from her teacup.

Ji Feiran turned her head and looked around, then asked softly, "Mom, where's my sister?"

"Your sister is sitting at her classmate's table, not with us." Mingying's voice was a little hoarse.

Ji Feiran bit her lip, feeling even more frustrated.

He put down his chopsticks, made an excuse to go to the restroom, and wandered around the venue until he finally saw Ji Xiwen.

The table was full of young people around her age, both men and women, chatting about something, and everyone was laughing happily.

He looked around for a while, then suddenly realized he didn't know what reason to use to go find her.

Just as Ji Feiran was racking his brains for a reason to go to her, the person sitting to her left saw him.

It's that handsome guy I saw at home before.

He looked thinner than when Ji Feiran last saw him, and his features were more defined, especially his eyes, which were already rather narrow. Now, as he lazily looked over, Ji Feiran felt inexplicably uneasy and subconsciously took a step back.

Finally, he mustered up the courage to wave at the other person as a greeting.

He thought this person would take the opportunity to call out Ji Xiwen's name again.

He merely gave him a cold look and quickly looked away.

There was no intention to greet them, nor to call out to Ji Xiwen.