An Older Sister Should Not Be the Grass Near One's Own Nest

The morning passed in a haphazard blur. During the lunch break, Shen Nian drove back to the residential complex.

He didn't know if Xia Yanchun had eaten, and he couldn't be bothered to text and ask. He just bought two portions. If Xia Yanchun had already eaten, then he'd reluctantly eat both himself.

An eighteen-year-old high school student, especially one like him who was constantly in peak physical condition, undoubtedly had massive energy expenditure. Consuming enough calories was crucial.

This was also why Shen Nian was growing increasingly averse to eating in the school cafeteria. Every time, he had to ask the lunch lady for an extra scoop of rice just to feel full. Since he started working out, even that extra rice wasn't quite enough.

In terms of appetite alone, he could easily match two Xia Yanchuns.

Moreover, he didn't have to worry about over-nutrition no matter how much he ate, given the physical demands he put on his body. His muscles had become quite noticeable lately; he hadn't been training his abs for long, but they were already starting to show.

No one was home. Shen Nian went straight to Xia Yanchun's place and knocked. He stood at the door for a good while before Xia Yanchun opened it a crack, looking surprised.

"At this hour, I wondered who it could be."

"Didn't check the peephole?" Shen Nian grinned.

"I did check, that's why I dared to open it. You just knock without saying a word; if I didn't look, I wouldn't dare let you in." Xia Yanchun walked with a slight limp. It didn't hurt much when she was still, but walking caused a dull, throbbing ache.

Still, it was much better than yesterday when she could barely walk. After showering, she had applied the medicine herself. It was the same palm, the same five fingers, yet it somehow never felt as comfortable as when Shen Nian did it.

Did Shen Nian actually have a technique?

Where on earth did he learn it? Just like with fishing—he just mysteriously knew how!

"Looks like it's much better?"

"It really doesn't hurt much now. How much was that medicine you bought? It's so effective."

"Just some twenty or thirty yuan bruise ointment."

Shen Nian entered, placed the lunch on the coffee table, and stared at Xia Yanchun's foot.

It was good that the miraculous healing wasn't instant. Otherwise, it would be too unbelievable if it was mostly better after just a couple of touches. This delayed, sustained effect seemed much more reasonable.

"One more application today and you'll be about seventy or eighty percent healed."

"I already applied some myself." Xia Yanchun sat on the sofa. "How did you know I hadn't eaten lunch? Considerate of you."

"No problem, no problem. After all, who knows a son better than his father?"

"Go die!"

Shen Nian bared his teeth in a grin and skillfully darted to the kitchen fridge to fetch the peanut-flavored ice cream bar.

He could have applied the medicine once more, but since Xia Yanchun had already done it, there was no need for him to step in. It looked nearly healed anyway, so he'd just let her recover naturally.

Trying on high heels before even graduating high school—let this be a lesson. You never see high school students wearing high heels or dress shoes anyway.

The takeout lunch was tomato and egg over rice, twelve yuan a portion. When eating this kind of rice dish, Xia Yanchun preferred using a spoon. She'd scoop up a spoonful, press it down firmly in the container with the rice, and then eat it in one bite. This gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.

Shen Nian ate quickly. By the time Xia Yanchun wasn't even halfway done, he had already polished off both his rice and the ice cream.

"Your stomach must be suffering with you," Xia Yanchun said between bites, unable to resist reminding him. "Hot one moment, cold the next. Don't come crying about stomachaches later. Lots of people get stomach problems from eating and drinking recklessly."

"It's fine. A robust body isn't afraid of such things."

"Just keep pushing it because you're young. Go on. I'll dance on your grave someday and burn two pictures of slobby men for you every Qingming Festival to keep you company down there."

"So vicious, huh? Asking to be put in your place."

Shen Nian scooted over, squeezing against her. Taking advantage of her holding the lunchbox and chopsticks, he quickly reached out to bother her. He liked pinching her earlobes, tugging her hair. The more Xia Yanchun sulked in silence, the more fun he had.

Even in the 20-degree Celsius weather where you needed a jacket, Shen Nian's movements inevitably caused a faint, sticky layer of sweat. Xia Yanchun, having stayed home all morning going nowhere, with the cool breeze blowing, had smooth, cool skin. It felt incredibly good to the touch, and Shen Nian couldn't help but lean in closer.

Inhaling the scent of my precious Chun Bao like a storm.

Seeing her only frown without saying anything, Shen Nian grew even bolder. His inhales became more audible, and his hand unconsciously drifted to the girl's waist, making Xia Yanchun bristle.

"Are you in heat or something? I'm trying to eat, and you're sniffing around like a horny little dog!"

"Damn, can't you talk more politely? That's way too crude." Shen Nian's mouth twitched, and he settled down. "I thought since you weren't saying anything, you were tacitly agreeing."

"Don't take my tolerance for granted. I'm only letting it slide today because you were so considerate yesterday. But you pushing your luck like this is definitely not okay."

"Alright, alright. Focus on your food. I'll stop messing around."

Annoyed by his clinginess, Xia Yanchun glared at him fiercely. "Move. Can't you show some respect for the injured?"

"The angrier the enemy gets, the more it proves I'm doing the right thing."

"Get lost, get lost, get lost! Is that even how that saying's used? Am I your enemy?"

"Didn't you say we were sworn rivals? How come we're not now?" Shen Nian brushed aside the hair at her temple, his thumb lightly tracing her youthful cheek. "Quite the double standard, Xia Yanchun."

"Talk less. I think of you as a little brother."

"Whatever you say is right."

Shen Nian didn't argue with her on that point. He watched her finish her meal and even helped her throw away the trash.

Xia Yanchun felt thoroughly satisfied. There was something enjoyable about having Shen Nian do things for her.

All girls like being an older sister. Who could resist wanting a well-behaved little brother?

After dealing with the trash, Shen Nian turned and asked, "Are you going to take a nap?"

"No, I only woke up around nine or ten."

"Okay. I'm heading back then. Get some rest, and don't hurt your foot again."

"Got it, got it. I'm not a three-year-old."

"If you're not a three-year-old, how did you manage to sprain your ankle trying on shoes? You're the most hopeless high school student I've ever met. Hopeless Xia Yanchun."

"You better hope you never get hurt in the future. Hurry back. You still have time to rest or play a game or something. Just stop bothering me."

She got up unsteadily and slowly made her way back to her room. She clambered onto the bed, covering her legs with the blanket. Noticing the window wasn't shut properly, letting a cold draft seep in and making the window rattle, she called out the moment she heard the door open.

"Shen Nian, come back here!"

"What now?" Shen Nian turned back, standing in the doorway, looking at Xia Yanchun lying soft and languid on the bed. He was utterly exasperated.

For crying out loud, I was already at the front door, one second away from closing it.

"Close the window for me."

"...You really are, a true disciple of Shen Yue."

"Hurry up, it's cold."

Xia Yanchun burrowed into her thin blanket. The lightweight cover couldn't conceal her figure. Though only about five foot three, her proportions were surprisingly good, making them even more apparent when hinted at beneath the fabric.

Her large, dark eyes followed Shen Nian until he shut the window tight and drew the curtains to block the daylight. Only then did she close her eyes contentedly.

Having a little brother is good!

Xia Yanchun didn't plan on napping, but she didn't plan on studying either. She wanted to curl up in bed and look at her phone.

Shen Nian, who had originally intended to leave, now didn't want to go back. He stood by the bed, looking down at Xia Yanchun from above. His sudden presence startled her, causing a momentary panic. She instinctively pulled the blanket tighter.

"What are you going to do if you don't go back?"

"You have to give me something in return for ordering me around like this."

"There's Peanut Da Shao in the fridge."

"Who's talking about that?" Shen Nian crouched down, his head still higher than Xia Yanchun's as she lay on the bed. He smiled, brushed aside her loose long hair, and gently pinched her soft cheek.

Xia Yanchun was annoyed and slapped his mischievous hand away with a smack. "Pushing your luck, are you?"

"You keep saying 'order around,' really treating me like a little brother now. Even my own sister doesn't dare order me around like this. Who's really pushing their luck here?"

Xia Yanchun felt a pang of guilt. "W-well, you could have refused. If you just left, I couldn't have stopped you."

"I wanted to leave too. What if the grass by my burrow wouldn't let me eat it anymore?"

"!"

Shen Nian twirled a strand of her hair around his finger, every word making her burn with embarrassment.

"Who's your 'grass by the burrow'? Please make a graceful exit from my home, okay?"

"Tsk tsk, wasn't it you who first called yourself the grass by the burrow? And now you're pinning it on me. How many more pots are you going to make me carry for you?"

"I don't know, I don't know! Just get out, get out! You're so noisy! I want to watch TV, I want to rest, stop harassing me!"

Xia Yanchun kept scooting backward until she was pressed against the wall without realizing it. She wanted to get far away from Shen Nian, yet felt no sense of security, needing to put even more distance between them.

She never thought there would come a day when she'd worry about whether Shen Nian might actually pounce on her. Her heart was unsettled. If Shen Nian did pounce, she would definitely give him a solid punch and tell him that Sister Chun cannot be treated as grass by the burrow! Even if there's no blood relation, even if the terms we use for each other are casual, even if it's a sister you've hugged, touched, held hands with, slept beside, or kissed... it's still not allowed!

Xia Yanchun's breathing grew rapid.

Really, really not allowed...

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