The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

A few days later, under repeated urging from the doctor, Xu Xi reluctantly completed the discharge procedures for her brother.

"Brother, are you done yet?"

"Not yet... wait for me a moment."

Outside the bathroom, Xu Xi stood with her hands on her hips, stomping her boots on the ground, staring intently at the closed bathroom door.

Today she wore a cream-colored shearling coat, paired with a pink knitted skirt, and a woolen hat with a teddy bear on it. She looked very warm and cozy, and also like a fluffy and cute little kitten.

Because she was about to be discharged from the hospital, Xu Nian had to change out of her hospital gown and put on her own clothes.

His upper body clothing was fine, since his hands were free to move.

But my lower body suffered a lot.

With his legs in casts, he couldn't exert any strength, making it difficult to put on pants.

In response, Xu Xi thoughtfully offered to help her brother change his pants.

But Xu Nian refused.

To facilitate urination, he kept his underwear empty after the surgery.

This definitely can't be done by my sister.

So, he took his pants and, under his sister's resentful gaze, walked into the bathroom leaning on his cane.

Twenty minutes have passed by now.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before..."

Xu Xi pouted and muttered to herself.

Five minutes later, the door opened.

Xu Nian walked out of the bathroom, leaning on her crutches, drenched in sweat from exhaustion.

Xu Xi quickly pushed over a wheelchair and let her brother sit in it.

"let's go."

"Uh-huh."

Her friends had already picked up her luggage, so all she had to do was take her brother with her.

After saying goodbye to the doctors and nurses, Xu Xi pushed her brother in the elevator downstairs.

Strolling along the tree-lined path, Xu Nian turned around, looked at the lovely girl, and gazed at the hospital receding into the distance, her eyes seeming to shimmer with emotion.

This period of hospitalization was the only time in his busy life that he could take a break and relax.

The sapling in his yard has grown into a reliable, towering tree.

When he needed help the most, the lush canopy of trees could provide shelter from the wind and rain.

If it weren't for Xiaoxi giving him a blood transfusion, he probably wouldn't have made it off the operating table.

What's more, these past few days, despite her own anemia and weakness, Xiaoxi has taken meticulous care of him.

They are waited on hand and foot, with food served to them and clothes handed to them.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Xu Xi noticed her brother's unusual behavior.

Xu Nian's lips moved as if she had a thousand words she wanted to express at this moment.

Moved, gratified, grateful... a mix of complex emotions intertwined, I don't know how to express them.

In the end, it all boiled down to just five simple words.

"Little Creek, thank you."

A shy blush appeared on the girl's cheeks.

She didn't answer, but quietly pushed the boy forward.

For some reason, Xu Nian saw a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

After a long while, she sighed and said softly.

"Brother, actually, there was another person who helped you a lot in getting through this."

"Who?"

Xu Nian asked in confusion.

The girl slowly began to speak, word by word.

"Zhou Xiaoman".

"You were in the operating room at the time, and you needed 1200 ml of type O blood to save your life."

"I only received 600 ml; she received the other half."

As she spoke, the girl gripped the wheelchair with increasing force.

Despite Wen Yao and the others constantly advising themselves not to let their brother know that Zhou Xiaoman had been there.

What if my brother, upon learning this, feels grateful to Zhou Xiaoman and thus falls in love with her?

Furthermore, Zhou Xiaoman herself was highly likely to have ulterior motives towards her brother.

Once the two fall in love, Xu Xi will have nothing to do with it anymore.

However, Xu Xi still decided to tell the truth.

Kindness is kindness, and resentment is resentment.

She had done her brother a great favor, even saving his life, and he should know about it.

"Her..."

Xu Nian touched her chin, feeling both surprised and astonished.

This was the first time my younger sister had spoken Zhou Xiaoman's full name.

In the past, she was always referred to as "that woman".

He lowered his head, clenched his fists slightly, and quietly felt the flow of blood in his body.

Among them were his own, and those of two other women.

It seems I owe Zhou Xiaoman a considerable favor.

"Xiaoxi, I need to talk to you about something..."

"What is it?"

Xu Nian hesitated before speaking.

"I want to go to Zhou Xiaoman's house to thank her in person."

He was already keenly aware that his younger sister harbored unfounded hostility towards Zhou Xiaoman.

The last time he made dumplings for Zhou Xiaoman, his sister almost killed him.

Besides, he had promised his sister that he would no longer have contact with Zhou Xiaoman.

However, he felt somewhat guilty for not expressing his gratitude in person for saving his life.

"Um."

Xu Xi nodded, and then continued.

"I'll go with you."

......

Holding two boxes of milk in her arms, Xu Nian pointed out the way for her younger sister and pushed her to the neighborhood where Zhou Xiaoman lived.

As before, the neighborhood was quiet and secluded, with the shadows of the trees intertwined.

Following their memory of the location, they arrived at the foot of an apartment building.

As I took the elevator upstairs, the motion-activated lights in the hallway lit up with the creaking sound of the wheelchair.

"Little Creek, this house."

Xu Nian pointed to a tightly closed door.

Xu Xi walked to the front door of that house.

She probably wouldn't want to see herself.

The girl thought to herself.

After all, he had sent her threatening text messages.

Thinking of this, Xu Xi composed herself and forced a smile.

Besides monitoring her brother's conversation with Zhou Xiaoman, she also wanted to sincerely apologize to Zhou Xiaoman.

Regardless of any past grievances between the two, Zhou Xiaoman had saved her brother's life.

Her brother's benefactor was also her benefactor.

At worst, she would not stop her brother from meeting Zhou Xiaoman in the future, and they could compete fairly.

It's not really fair, because she's the one who spent the most time with her brother.

With her own little scheme in mind, Xu Xi stretched out her small hand and gently knocked on the door three times.

"Thump...thump...thump..."

Nothing happens.

"Thump...thump...thump..."

There was still no response.

Xu Xi knocked on the door harder.

A long time passed, and the inside remained completely silent.

"Not home?"

Xu Nian muttered to herself.

"Looks like she's not home, brother."

Xu Xi knocked on the door a few more times.

Seeing that there was still no response, she felt a sudden sense of relief for no reason.

Violet, oh violet, I brought my brother to see you, but I did give you a chance.

If you're not home, then you can't blame me.

"Xiaoxi, let's forget about it."

Xu Nian pointed to the two boxes of milk in her arms.

"Let's leave it at her door for now, and we'll come back to visit in a few days."

"it is good."

Xu Xi took the milk from her brother and stacked it in front of Zhou Xiaoman's house.

Just as she was about to push her brother away, the door opened.

However, it wasn't Zhou Xiaoman's door, but the door of the house next door.

A woman stuck her head out and sized up Xu Nian and Xu Xi for a while.

"Are you here to see my neighbor?"