Chapter 13: You Be My Brother, I’ll Be Your Sister

This was all part of Xin Ling’s plan—she had intentionally created opportunities for the two of them.

Before long, the car arrived at Tianhe Palace Garden, a high-end villa district.

Xin Ling’s villa, a luxurious flower-roof design, was even grander than the Tang family’s. The estate boasted amenities like a tennis court and a swimming pool.

“Teacher Xin, is this your house?” Tang Xiao asked uncertainly.

“Of course! Who else’s house would it be?” Xin Ling replied nonchalantly.

Tang Xiao had no idea.

The Xin family was one of the most elite families in Jiang’an City.

Born into such privilege, Xin Ling had achieved financial freedom the moment she entered the world. Teaching was merely a hobby for her.

She had chosen to work at Second High School purely because it made it easier to hang out with Xia Yuxi.

At the elegant pearwood dining table, a feast of dishes awaited them.

Throughout the meal, Xin Ling kept serving Tang Xiao food. “Here, Tang Xiao, eat more of this. You’ve been overworking your brain lately, so you need to replenish.”

“Thank you, Teacher. You should eat too, don’t worry about me.” Tang Xiao, though polite, didn’t hold back. He ate as much as he could with a composed demeanor.

Between his rigorous studies and physical training, his appetite had grown significantly.

With so much food on the table, it would be a shame to waste it. Besides, it wasn’t a big deal to accept his class teacher’s hospitality.

Meanwhile, Xia Yuxi kept her head down the entire meal, speaking in a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

Tang Xiao eating looks… so handsome…

Despite having shared a desk with him for several days, Xia Yuxi was still too shy to talk to Tang Xiao much.

Once the meal ended, Xin Ling brewed an expensive pot of coffee for everyone. The three of them then began chatting.

“Tang Xiao, where did you learn those techniques? They’re amazing! I’ve tried plenty of renowned massage masters, both domestic and international, but none of them come close to your skills,” Xin Ling said, clearly impressed.

Xin Ling frequently suffered from shoulder and neck problems. Over the years, she had spent millions searching for relief, but nothing compared to Tang Xiao’s massage.

“I learned from an old neighbor. It’s not as amazing as you make it sound. It’s just basic traditional Chinese medicine massage techniques—just follow the acupoints and meridians.”

After gaining an extraordinary memory, Tang Xiao’s ability to study traditional Chinese medicine had skyrocketed, leaving even Gu Weiguo astonished by his rapid progress.

For Tang Xiao, it wasn’t difficult.

He could master anything simply by watching it once.

His learning speed was only limited by how quickly he could read, and even that was astounding—a pace Liu Zihao had dubbed “quantum learning.”

By now, Tang Xiao had thoroughly memorized all the acupoints and meridians, making techniques like massage and bone setting almost second nature to him.

“Tang Xiao… you even know Chinese medicine massage? That’s incredible!” Xia Yuxi finally mustered the courage to chime in.

Good grades aside, he even knew traditional medicine—this boy was simply too outstanding!

Xia Yuxi’s admiration was sincere.

“It’s nothing, really,” Tang Xiao said, his humility habitual.

Suddenly, an idea struck Xin Ling. “Tang Xiao, Xia Yuxi told me she wants to learn massage. Why don’t you teach her? You two can practice on me.”

Her suggestion left both Tang Xiao and Xia Yuxi stunned.

Xia Yuxi’s face turned crimson as she looked at Xin Ling in disbelief. When did I ever say I wanted to learn massage? I only found out today that Tang Xiao knows how to do it!

But Xin Ling shot her a knowing glance. Come on, don’t just sit there! Play along, silly girl.

“I… Alright, Tang Xiao, I’d really like to learn,” Xia Yuxi said hesitantly.

“Well, okay,” Tang Xiao agreed.

What followed was a slightly awkward scene.

The beautiful class teacher lounged comfortably on the sofa, happily volunteering herself as a “practice dummy.”

Meanwhile, Xia Yuxi learned the massage techniques from Tang Xiao.

Tang Xiao held Xia Yuxi’s hand, guiding it to press on an acupoint on Xin Ling’s shoulder.

“This acupoint is here. You need to press it like this. Don’t zone out—use more pressure. See? Teacher Xin is about to fall asleep…”

Xia Yuxi’s movements were stiff, much to Tang Xiao’s frustration.

He didn’t notice how her face, all the way to her ears, had turned as red as cherries.

We’re holding hands! We’re holding hands! Oh my gosh!

“Ah! That hurts!” Xin Ling suddenly cried out.

“Ling-jiejie, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to. Please bear with it for a moment!” Xia Yuxi quickly apologized, realizing she had pressed the wrong acupoint.

“How can I bear it? You try it! Tang Xiao, hold her down!”

“Let’s not. That doesn’t seem appropriate,” Tang Xiao said, trying to defuse the situation.

“Come on, give it a try. Once you do, you’re no longer a kid.”

“Uh…”

The two girls playfully pushed and pulled at each other, teasing as they went.

Tang Xiao found it amusing, the lighthearted atmosphere easing his mood.

To be honest, having such a lively class teacher and such an adorable school belle—he was probably the only student in the entire school who got to witness this side of them.

He couldn’t help but wonder how his buddy Liu Zihao would react if he knew about his current situation.

After some more playful banter, it was time to head home.

Xin Ling insisted on driving the two of them back.

Since Xia Yuxi lived relatively close, Xin Ling dropped her off first. Then, she turned to take Tang Xiao home.

However, after Xia Yuxi got out of the car, Xin Ling pulled over to the side of the road.

Tang Xiao sat in the passenger seat. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t we leaving?”

“Hold on a second.”

Xin Ling got out and retrieved a shoebox from the trunk. Inside was a pair of brand-new, trendy sneakers.

“This is for you. Consider it a thank-you gift for the massage,” Xin Ling said, handing the shoebox to Tang Xiao.

Tang Xiao immediately shook his head. “No, no, that’s not necessary. Teacher Xin, you’ve already treated me to dinner.”

“Dinner is dinner. A thank-you gift is a thank-you gift,” Xin Ling insisted, pushing the box toward him.

“You’re my class teacher. How could I accept a gift from you? That wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Tang Xiao tried to refuse again, pushing the box back.

“Oh? So it’s because I’m your teacher that you won’t take it? Fine then, think of me as your sister, and you as my younger brother. That way, we’re just siblings, and there’s nothing inappropriate about it,” Xin Ling declared.

She added with a grin, “Even Yuxi calls me ‘sis.’ From now on, the two of you can be my little brother and sister. Now, take it.”

“This…”

“You’ve been wearing the same old shoes always. They’re so worn out you’ve practically washed the color off them,” Xin Ling said as she firmly pushed the shoes toward him again.

She genuinely liked Tang Xiao and had come to think of him as a younger brother.

Having already gained a great little sister in Xia Yuxi, she was delighted at the idea of adding a younger brother to the mix.

Besides, wasn’t being their “older sister” the perfect way to play matchmaker for the two of them?

Tang Xiao felt a lump rise in his throat.

The fact that Xin Ling had noticed he’d been wearing the same old pair of shoes for so long showed she’d been paying close attention to him.

Although the shoes weren’t expensive, Xin Ling had carefully chosen them. She had considered giving him something pricier, but knowing he wouldn’t accept it, she opted for a thoughtful middle ground.

It was clear how much effort and thought she had put into this gift.

Over the past few days, Xin Ling had treated Tang Xiao with the care of an elder sister, even bringing him home without any reservations.

Tang Xiao, who had four biological older sisters, had never experienced such genuine sibling affection in his own family.

“Don’t just stand there. Little brother, this is a gift from your sister. Take it,” Xin Ling said firmly.

“…I…”

Tang Xiao’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

Unable to argue further, he finally accepted the shoebox as Xin Ling practically shoved it into his arms.

“That’s more like it! Hahaha! From now on, I’m your sister, and you’re my little brother. Plus, your sister happens to be your class teacher. Isn’t that awesome?” Xin Ling said, grinning from ear to ear, immensely proud of her “brilliant” idea.

What she didn’t realize was that her casual remark—“I’m your sister, and you’re my little brother”—had touched a sore spot deep in Tang Xiao’s heart.

To someone who had recently gone through a painful experience, her simple kindness carried an enormous emotional weight.

The stark contrast to his past left Tang Xiao momentarily at a loss.

While he hadn’t yet fully accepted Xin Ling as his “sister,” her kindness was something he’d never forget.

“Alright. Thank you, Teacher Xin.”

“No problem, little brother. Buckle up; your sister is about to hit the road!”

Whether Tang Xiao called her “sis” or not didn’t matter to Xin Ling.

As far as she was concerned, she had already claimed the role.

And as a sister, she would take good care of her little brother.