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

"I'm back."

That day, Xu Nian, as usual, put the groceries she bought on her way home into the refrigerator.

He was in a good mood today because it was his weekly day to take Xu Xi out to eat.

The difference is that the little cat that used to cling to him as soon as he got home is no longer there at his doorstep today.

"Xiaoxi? Hurry up and change your clothes, we're going out for a buffet today."

He called out loudly, searching the house.

But I haven't received a response.

Xu Nian scratched his head, not finding it strange.

Xu Xi may have gone downstairs to play.

The military dependents' compound was relatively safe, so he didn't take it too seriously.

As he passed the bathroom door, he heard soft sobbing coming from inside.

"Brother...I'm here."

The sound was very soft, like the sound of a mosquito, extremely weak.

"Xiaoxi, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Xu Nian pressed her ear against the door and asked anxiously.

"I...I've started my period."

Which one?

Xu Nian was completely confused.

"Are you seriously ill? Should I take you to the hospital?"

There was a long silence inside before Xu Xi's weak voice could be heard.

"Brother, could you buy me some sanitary napkins?"

Sanitary napkins? What are those?

Xu Nian's head was filled with big question marks.

This is understandable, as he dropped out of school before finishing elementary school and had never been in contact with any member of the opposite sex other than Xu Xi.

Xu Nian knew absolutely nothing about female physiology.

However, he did as instructed and went out to find a convenience store outside the residential area.

"Hello, do you have sanitary napkins?"

"Yes, which brand do you want? Day or night use?"

The shop assistant was a girl who looked to be about the same age as Xu Xi. She was probably a part-time student or the owner's daughter helping out at the shop.

"Um...which one is better?"

Xu Nian was somewhat at a loss, as these issues all touched upon areas where his knowledge was lacking.

"Is the quantity large?"

Xu Nian didn't understand the meaning of the sentence and thought it was asking whether Xu Xi was old.

"Probably about the same age as you."

Now it was the female shop assistant's turn to be dumbfounded.

About the same as me? No, how do you know how much I take?

"If you're using a larger quantity, try this one. I use this brand too; I take one pack for both day and night use."

Although she felt that Xu Nian was acting strangely, the female shop assistant still took two packs of sanitary napkins from the shelf and handed them to him.

"Excuse me, could you tell me what this thing is used for?"

After paying the bill, Xu Nian couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"Huh? You didn't know?"

Xu Nian shook her head, looking serious.

He really wanted to know what was wrong with Xu Xi's health.

The female shop assistant's mouth bulged into an "O" shape.

How am I supposed to explain this to you?

She looked Xu Nian up and down; he looked like a man in his thirties.

How could you not know what sanitary napkins are for?

However, after hesitating for a while, she blushed and explained some female physiological knowledge to Xu Nian.

Xu Nian suddenly realized that in his nearly eighteen years of life, this was the first time he had ever known that women had their period every month...

So when she asked herself if she had a heavy flow, she wasn't referring to her age...

Thinking of this, Xu Nian's cheeks instantly flushed red with embarrassment.

He felt that if he stayed in the store any longer, he would be so embarrassed that he could dig out a three-bedroom apartment with his toes. He quickly thanked the staff and prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment."

The female shop assistant called out to Xu Nian and handed him a packet of brown sugar.

"Take a packet of brown sugar and cook it for your girlfriend when you get home. Girls are very sensitive during this time, so you should take good care of her."

"Oh, thank you."

After paying, Xu Nian, ignoring the correction that it was her younger sister, hurriedly left the convenience store with a flushed face.

......

"Xiaoxi, I bought it for you."

Xu Nian knocked on the bathroom door.

"Thank you, brother."

The door was opened a crack, and Xu Nian handed in two packs of sanitary napkins before closing the door again.

Xu Nian picked up the brown sugar and went to the kitchen to start boiling it.

Although he had never cooked before, it wasn't too difficult. Xu Nian searched for a tutorial online and started to cook it himself.

Pour brown sugar into a pot, add water and a few slices of ginger, bring to a boil, then crack an egg into it...

After a long while, Xu Xi finally came out of the bathroom, clutching her stomach.

She was pale, her legs were trembling, and she was carrying a bag full of trash.

This month has been full of ups and downs. Her health was already poor, and this time her period was exceptionally painful.

Not only was she a week late, but she also bled profusely.

"Xiaoxi, I made you some soup. Drink it while it's hot."

Xu Nian helped her sit down at the dining table and served her a bowl of steaming hot brown sugar and egg soup.

Looking at the bowl of soup in front of her, Xu Xi felt a surge of happiness.

After taking a few sips, the intense pain in my abdomen seemed to lessen somewhat.

"Thank you, brother."

Seeing Xu Nian sweating profusely as he cooked the soup, Xu Xi couldn't help but hug him tightly and snuggle affectionately against him.

Xu Nian smiled and patted her head.

"Your dirty clothes are still in the bathroom, right? I'll go wash them for you."

"No!! Brother, don't go! The stream will wash itself in a bit!!!"

Xu Xi quickly grabbed Xu Nian, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"What's wrong? You usually wash your brother's clothes, and now that you're not feeling well, it's only right that your brother washes them for you."

Xu Nian was somewhat puzzled.

Xu Xi's face was flushed, and she kept rubbing her fingers together.

She didn't want Xu Nian to see her dirty and disheveled appearance.

Xu Nian saw through her thoughts and helplessly pinched Xu Xi's little face.

"Silly girl, you didn't complain about your brother being dirty after work, so how could I complain about you?"

"Besides, you should avoid getting wet during this time, understand?"

Xu Xi nodded, blushing.

Entering the restroom, Xu Nian was still somewhat surprised, even though she had mentally prepared herself.

The pink pajama bottoms were now stained with large patches of bright red blood around the buttocks.

Her white panties were hidden in the middle of her pajama bottoms, and their original color was no longer visible.

As Xu Nian scrubbed the blood-stained pants, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

With so much blood lost at once, no wonder Xu Xi looked so weak.

After washing it several times, the pants finally showed their original color.

After hanging her wet pants on the balcony, Xu Nian returned to the dining room and saw Xu Xi lying face down on the table, one hand clutching her stomach.

"Does it still hurt?"

Xu Xi nodded.

Xu Nian bent down and gently rubbed her abdomen with his warm, large hands.

Feeling the warmth coming from her abdomen, Xu Xi let out a comfortable groan, and her tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little.

Xu Nian gently picked up Xu Xi and carried her to the bed in the room.

"Little Stream, open your mouth."

He fed Xu Xi the painkillers he had just bought from the pharmacy and poured her a glass of warm water.

After a while, seeing that Xu Xi was finally feeling better, Xu Nian breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brother, please stay with me?"