The engagement was with the younger brother, but I've fallen for the older brother.

Ruan Qiutang felt a pang of sadness and her brows furrowed.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Si Yimian sat up straight, took the pillow from her hand, and patted it.

"I'm about to start my clinical work, and there's no set time to get off work. My commute from home is too far."

"It just so happens that Dr. He said that the apartment opposite his in Guanlan Yipin is vacant, and for the sake of the project's progress, I can stay there temporarily."

Ruan Qiutang was stunned.

He Sichen?

When did he become so easy to talk to?

"Mianmian, is it because of Ning You that you...?"

"no."

Si Yimian interrupted her and put the pillow away.

"Mom, I'm an adult now."

"I moved out because of work, not because I was angry."

"Besides, if I back down first, it will be easier for my sister to back down as well."

Ruan Qiutang looked at her, her eyes reddening again.

"It's all Mom's fault."

"If we hadn't left you at your aunt's house back then, you wouldn't have been kidnapped, and Ningyou wouldn't have lost her parents..."

"None of these things will happen."

Si Yimian held her hand, her tone resolute.

"Mom, what happened when I was five was a man-made disaster. The ones who did wrong were the human traffickers."

"Don't trap yourself in guilt; take on the responsibility for the whole world."

Ruan Qiutang's tears suddenly fell.

"Our Mianmian, how come she's suddenly so sensible?"

Si Yimian sidled up to her with a grin.

"Mom, make sure you eat well while I'm not home."

"Dad has to keep an eye on him when he works overtime; he has to turn off the computer by 10:30."

"Also, don't hold a grudge against your sister."

Ruan Qiutang hugged her tightly, tears falling onto her hair.

When did this child grow up to be like this?

Transparent, soft, yet strong.

She's better than her, the mother.

The night rain gradually subsided.

That night, the mother and daughter squeezed onto the small bed in the guest room and talked a lot.

The mother and daughter squeezed onto a guest bed, separated by ten years of separation and eight years of estrangement.

But that night, those barriers began to melt away.

Some wounds don't need to be healed in a hurry.

Acknowledging its existence is already the beginning of healing.

……

Early the next morning.

Si Ningyou barely slept all night; she tossed and turned all night reviewing the events.

She acted impulsively last night, using her parents as pawns.

Ruan Qiutang may not say it, but she must have a knot in her heart.

That bitch is getting sharper and sharper with her words, and Mom is starting to side with her again, so I can't stand up to her anymore.

A direct confrontation will only lead to losses.

As I walked into the living room, I paused.

Three suitcases were piled up in the living room, and the maid was carrying them out.

Seeing Ruan Qiutang standing in the entrance hall, she immediately went to greet her.

"Mom, I've been thinking about it all night."

"Give the room back to Mianmian."

She smiled gently and generously.

"I was wrong last night; I shouldn't have thrown a tantrum."

"Since Mianmian wants to stay, let her stay."

Ruan Qiutang glanced at her, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Before he could speak, a commotion came from outside the courtyard.

"Put those boxes in the trunk."

"Yes, put this bag in the back seat."

Si Ningyou was taken aback and turned her head to look.

Si Yimian was standing in the courtyard directing the servants to move luggage.

Ruan Qiutang followed Si Yimian.

"Mianmian, have you brought everything?"

Si Yimian turned around and smiled at her.

"It's all here, Mom, don't worry."

Si Ningyou stood at the door, watching this scene, and the smile on her face froze.

"Mianmian".

She walked over quickly, her tone sincere.

"My sister was too impulsive last night, I apologize to you."

"That room..."

Si Yimian spoke first, her tone very sweet.

"Sister, you don't need to give up your room. I've decided to move out."

"You can continue living in this house."

After saying that, she waved to Si Ningyou, bent down, and got into the car.

The moment the car door closed, she stuck her head out of the window.

"Mom, I'll come back to see you this weekend!"

Then, they let the driver drive the car away.

Si Ningyou: "..."

Si Ningyou stood on the steps, turned to look at Ruan Qiutang, and squeezed out two tears.

"Mom, is my sister still blaming me?"

Ruan Qiutang rubbed her temples and turned to look at her.

"Don't overthink it, Mianmian isn't that petty."

Her tone softened as she walked into the house.

Si Ningyou choked for a moment.

Not that petty?

Who slapped her last night?

Who drove her to slam the door?

These words rolled around on her tongue, but she swallowed them all back.

Si Ningyou followed, her mouth moving faster than her brain.

"Mom, where is Mianmian moving to?"

Ruan Qiutang paused and turned to look at her.

"Guanlan Yipin"

"He Sichen has a spare apartment over there, so let her stay there temporarily to make it convenient for her to go to her clinical posts."

Si Ningyou lowered her eyes, adopting that gentle and worried expression.

"Moving across the hall from my fiancé's brother?"

"Mom, isn't this a bad thing to say? Mianmian is engaged to Nanxian after all..."

"Ning You, that's enough."

Ruan Qiutang abruptly interrupted her, her eyes showing no anger, only exhaustion.

"I saw everything that happened last night."

"Mianmian has been driven to the point where she can no longer stay in this house by you, what more do you want?"

Si Ningyou's lips trembled slightly, her lines stuck in her throat.

"Mom, last night..."

Ruan Qiutang turned away, no longer looking at her, and only said one sentence.

"Stay home and don't cause any more trouble."

Si Ningyou stood there, watching Ruan Qiutang's back.

My mind feels completely empty, like it's been formatted.

Grass.

I've fallen for their trap again.

That bitch threw a tantrum last night demanding a room, but that wasn't her real purpose.

It was to drive her crazy, to make her slam the door, and to make her reach the level of villain in front of Ruan Qiutang.

Si Yimian became the pitiful little thing who had to compromise, leaving her with a mess that put her in a dilemma.

This room is a dilemma: whether to stay in it or not.

If she stays, it will make it seem like she made a fool of herself last night.

Staying there would be more of a joke.

Si Yimian's move was incredibly vicious.

……

He Sichen returned to Guanlan Yipin at 10 p.m.

The motion-sensor lights in the corridor came on, he looked up, and stopped in his tracks.

There's something new on the door across the hall that was always bare.

A fluffy little sheep pendant, grinning at him with a silly smile.

He paused for a second, looked away, and pushed open his own front door.

In the empty living room, only the sound of his footsteps echoed through the room.

As usual.

But they're not quite the same.

There's someone living across the hall, and the air feels a bit more lively.

He ripped off his tie, threw it into the laundry basket, and went into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, he came out wearing a white T-shirt and gray lounge pants.

With half-dry hair and no glasses, she looked relaxed, less aggressive, and more languid.

I had just picked up my phone to check tomorrow's schedule when the doorbell rang.

At this hour, there's no one else around except that little rascal across the hall.

They came to my door on the very first day, so those three rules were useless.

It's like a fox spirit has entered the ancestral hall; the incense money will double.

He went to open the door, preparing his face with a cold expression beforehand.

The door opened.

A deliveryman in a yellow vest stood at the door, carrying a bulging plastic bag.

"Hello! Enjoy your takeout order!"

He Sichen was stunned.

I didn't order it.

The deliveryman looked down at the order form: "2702, that's right."

He Sichen took the bag and glanced at the receipt.

The person who placed the order: The Great Demon King.

Note: Add more chili and more cumin.

He stared at the line of text, his brow furrowing.

She even filled in her own house number wrong?

Pig brain?

"This is troublesome."

After the deliveryman left, He Sichen walked to the opposite door and knocked.

After a short while, the door opened a crack.

Si Yimian poked half her head out, wearing a cream-colored loungewear set.

Her hair was loosely tied into a bun, making her look chubby and fragrant.

She saw the takeout bag in his hand and blinked.

"Huh, how did my takeout end up with Dr. He?"

"You entered the wrong house number."

He handed the bag forward, his tone indifferent.

Si Yimian looked down at the bag, then looked up at him.

"That's perfect, Dr. He, please eat with us."

She opened the door wider and stepped to the side.

"They ordered so much, I can't finish it all by myself."

He Sichen turned to leave, but his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Caught off guard, he stumbled and was dragged through the door by her.

He Sichen: "..."

Is this girl a sumo wrestler?