Chapter 17: The Younger Brother is a Bit Cute

“Li Li can’t do it, but I promise,” Qi Shenzhi reassured with a smile. “Even if he doesn’t like you now, if you spend more time together, he will definitely come to like you.”

“Mm, you’re right!” Su Baili clenched her small fist and waved it, as if encouraging herself.

However, at this moment, she couldn’t see the man’s face on the other end of the phone. Although his lips curled into a smile, that smile didn’t reach his eyes.

In fact, his dark and sharp gaze was like a blade, gleaming with cold light, as if he were staring at prey that hadn’t appeared yet.

He hoped this “younger brother” would be sensible and obedient. If he dared to make Li Li upset, he wouldn’t hesitate to use any necessary means to make him listen.

Of course, the whole Wang family was the same.

He wouldn’t be polite.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door—knock knock knock.

Su Baili gave a big kiss to the phone, “Someone’s knocking, let’s talk more when we get home tonight.”

Before Qi Shenzhi could respond, she tossed the phone aside, knowing he wouldn’t be angry. People who are favored are often fearless like this.

She walked over to open the door and immediately came face-to-face with a young man’s eyes, startling her.

The young man had short, neat hair with wispy bangs covering his forehead. His eyes were clear and bright, tinged with a trace of subtle nervousness.

He was a handsome young man, and upon closer inspection, he resembled Su Baili a bit.

The young man clearly hadn’t expected Su Baili to look like this. She was completely different from Wang Qiyan—no, wait, now it should be Lin Qiyan.

This gentle, delicate appearance gave off a protective vibe, just like the ideal sister he had imagined.

The young man lowered his head slightly and spoke in a quiet voice, “Are you my… sister?”

Su Baili paused for a moment and then smiled, “Mm, hello, I’m Su Baili.”

The young man nervously scratched his head, “I-I-I’m Wang Linfeng. You can call me Xiao Feng.”

Su Baili was a little surprised. This wasn’t what she had expected.

Where was the tension and hostility she had imagined?

She had expected him to point at her and say, “Get out! You’re not my sister, my sister is only Lin Qiyan.”

Yes, that would make sense!

Besides, a high school senior would be in the prime of his rebellious years, ready to act on impulse.

Shouldn’t he feel that his return had taken Lin Qiyan’s place?

Maybe the confusion in Su Baili’s eyes was too obvious.

Wang Linfeng froze, his brain whirling in rapid thought. What should he do? What if she misunderstood?

Had he done anything that could be misinterpreted?

Was he already going to be disliked before they had even really met?

No, not like this…

Wang Linfeng anxiously grabbed his hair, turning his cool, messy locks into a disheveled mess.

Su Baili didn’t expect the person on the other side to be more nervous than she was. She couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

Wang Linfeng, helplessly clutching his hair, explained, “Mom and Dad are really welcoming you back, and so am I… Don’t overthink it.”

Su Baili blinked, “Oh? You’re being so nice to me. Aren’t you afraid your previous sister won’t be happy?”

At this, Wang Linfeng instinctively replied, “I don’t have a good relationship with her. Whether she’s happy or not is none of my business.”

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately realized something was wrong…

…These kinds of crude words are fine when speaking with friends, but saying them in front of this seemingly well-behaved new sister—she wouldn’t think he’s rude and hard to get along with, right?

Oh no…

This is the consequence of speaking before thinking. The words are out, and now his brain is playing catch-up. Why can’t he change this bad habit?

As expected, Su Baili hesitated when she heard this, but she also felt like this younger brother seemed easygoing. She couldn’t help but tap his head, “No bad words.”

Wang Linfeng touched his head, eyes wide in disbelief, then broke into a silly smile. He knew when to act and when to be considerate. This intimate gesture clearly showed that she was willing to accept him.

He immediately made a face, “Okay, I won’t say it again.”

Seeing him so obedient, Su Baili couldn’t resist gently patting his head, “You’re really good.”

Such affection had never been directed at Wang Linfeng before, and for a moment, his brain went completely blank. Then, his entire body turned red.

Su Baili couldn’t help but feel that her younger brother was incredibly cute.

He was exactly the kind of brother she had always imagined!!!

It felt like the distance between them had shrunk in an instant, and she also became more relaxed around him, as she did with those close to her.

So, she couldn’t help but ask, “You and Lin Qiyan don’t get along?”

Wang Linfeng hung his head, unsure of how to answer.

Su Baili casually ruffled his hair again, “If you accept me as your sister, just tell me the truth.”

Wang Linfeng gritted his teeth and finally spoke up.

Indeed, his relationship with Lin Qiyan had never been good. Lin Qiyan had always been selfish and didn’t like having a younger brother who might take away her attention.

When Wang Linfeng was younger, he didn’t understand and tried to be close to her. But no matter how warm he was, she always responded coldly. Over time, his heart grew cold, too.

If they had only ignored each other, it would’ve been fine. But the sarcastic remarks were something Wang Linfeng could never tolerate.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen to stay in the dorms after entering high school. It was to avoid seeing Lin Qiyan as much as possible, to prevent it from ruining his mood.

He only returned home on weekends, and if Lin Qiyan didn’t want to see him, she would go to a friend’s house.

For the past few years, they had practically lived as strangers.

As for why such a cute brother was disliked by Lin Qiyan, it was all about her selfish personality.

From today’s events, it was clear: she was a meticulous egoist, and it was natural for her to not want to share anything with her younger brother.

She wanted to dominate everything.

Wang Linfeng considered himself a man, unwilling to compete with her, and she mistook that as him being afraid of her.

Not to mention, after Lin Qiyan entered middle school, her vanity grew. She demanded more and more things from the family, constantly asking for money. When she didn’t get it, she would throw tantrums.

This put immense pressure on their father, who worked construction. In his desperation for the overtime pay, he even worked extra hours during a rainy night.

Until one day, he slipped and fell from a height. Fortunately, he survived, but his leg was permanently injured.

Lin Qiyan felt no guilt whatsoever. Their father was in the hospital for a long time, borrowing money from everywhere, and she even stole the money for his treatment once.

Thankfully, Wang Linfeng managed to get most of it back, but their father still ended up unable to work at the construction site. He was considered useless, and no one wanted to hire a disabled person.

From that point on, the family’s finances depended entirely on their mother, who took on various odd jobs. Wang Linfeng would also work during summer and winter breaks, handing out flyers.

But Lin Qiyan? She continued as she always had, taking everything for granted. When she realized she couldn’t get anything more from the family, she became even more indifferent toward her parents.