Chapter Seventeen: The Noodle Shop

"Wake up, you pig-head! How much longer do you intend to sleep?"

Bai Youqing had slept soundly last night, and waking up today to find that her self-reflection essay was finally finished put her in an even better mood. She skipped into her brother's room with a cheerful stride. It remained as clean and frugal as ever; his laptop was likely the most valuable item in the entire room.

Hearing the term "pig-head," Bai Yuze instinctively reached out his "godly right hand" to silence the alarm clock. He ended up landing on a soft, pillowy mound—small and supple—and subconsciously gave it a squeeze. He suddenly realized something was wrong; the alarm switch didn't feel like that.

"Thump!"

In the next second, the bleary-eyed Bai Yuze was kicked toward the corner of the room by a powerful, inexplicable force, rolling several times. Rubbing his fuzzy eyes, he looked at the young girl by the window with a bewildered expression.

"It's barely dawn, and you're already trying to murder your own brother!"

If Bai Yuze hadn't said anything, it would have been fine, but his words only made the girl more furious. She leaped onto the bed in two or three bounds, her slender, powerful, snow-white feet kicking wildly at the creature on the bed, forcing him to howl and yelp. She knew better than to kick other parts of him that might cause real injury, but this spot was soft and could withstand the impact.

"Get up! It's the weekend, come out and play with me!"

As she spoke, she delivered another kick. Bai Yuze finally managed to pry his eyes open, only to see Bai Youqing staring at him with a flushed, angry expression. As his groggy brain gradually cleared, the initial annoyance he felt began to fade, replaced by a sudden sense of awkwardness as he realized what had happened.

Although they were not blood-related siblings, they were closer than most. He held a clear conscience regarding his sister; he had never harbored any worldly desires toward her, only the deep, familial affection of a brother.

"Smack! Smack!"

Without a second thought, he slapped his own face twice, hard. He then looked at her with an expression of profound apology.

"Xiao Qing, I'm sorry. I stayed up late last night, so my brain was a bit foggy. I didn't mean to do that. If you're still angry, feel free to beat me up again like you did yesterday."

Bai Youqing had indeed been furious and embarrassed by her brother's sudden intrusion, but seeing the dark circles under his eyes and the red handprints forming on his cheeks, most of her anger and shyness dissipated. The thought that he had lost sleep because he stayed up all night writing her reflection essay made her mind go fuzzy. In its place rose an endless sense of guilt and heartache.

Back when she first learned that Bai Yuze was adopted, she had been filled with resentment, fearing he would steal her parents' love. After her parents passed away, she had come to deeply appreciate his meticulous care and the way he treated her like blood kin. Because of this, she had tried hard to change herself, to become more gentle and considerate. In her heart, Bai Yuze had long since become someone more important than any relative.

Seeing the guilt and self-reproach in her brother's eyes, she felt a strange sense of grievance. She was the one who had been here first, after all! She glanced at her own reflection in the mirror—she had the figure, she had the looks, a slim waist, and long legs. The only drawback was that her chest was a bit small... She shook her head, quickly casting those dangerous, dirty thoughts away.

She turned to her brother on the bed and stated the true purpose of her intrusion: "If you take me shopping today, I'll forgive you."

"But what time is it?! I've only had a few hours of sleep. I finally wanted to sleep in on the weekend." Bai Yuze looked at her, relieved to see the anger had vanished, replaced only by a slight flush. But seeing the morning sun rising outside the window brought a different kind of pain. Why did he have to get up so early on his only day off?

"I don't care, I don't care! You haven't taken me shopping in ages, Brother." Watching the agonizing look on his face, Bai Youqing suppressed her own guilt. She knew he hadn't slept well, but she wasn't going shopping for herself—she was doing it for him. Otherwise, she would have just gone with her best friend, Gu Xiaorou.

Her brother’s salary was quite high, yet he was incredibly frugal and stingy when it came to his own food, clothing, and travel. On the other hand, he was extremely generous with her allowance, sometimes even rivaling what her best friend Gu Xiaorou received. After seeing his shabby attire during their scuffle last night, she had decided to buy him something decent.

"Fine, fine. I need to get up and get dressed, so please go out for a second." Bai Yuze rubbed his backside, his face contorted in pain. He had to accompany his sister today and then go see Iris tomorrow; he felt like a host at a high-end club. He had no idea what had gotten into his sister.

Bai Youqing jumped off the bed and saw her brother rubbing his rear while trying to stand up, looking as delicate and fragile as a pampered lady. She couldn't help but snap, "Stop acting. I didn't even use any real force."

Bai Yuze remained unmoved, staring blankly at the ceiling. A long while later, after she had left, he pulled back the covers and got out of bed.

After washing up, his sister suggested eating out, claiming she didn't have the energy to cook, and Bai Yuze had no objections. When they left, he was dressed simply: a white shirt and black casual trousers—the standard "straight-man" uniform of black, gray, and white. Bai Youqing, however, was dressed exquisitely. Her hair was tied in double ponytails adorned