CH 101

Some problems could not be comprehended until it was too late. Once one started to notice them, they often grew to become too big to solve.

Miaomiao woke up the next day and noted a message from Zhou Yuan, “Are you up?”

“Yes. Just got up right now.” Miaomiao quickly replied, “Your brother lives with you now. You’re still not used to it, are you?”

“Yes. I’m not used to it.”

Hua Miaomiao didn’t expect such a direct, honest reply. She expected him to pretend that everything was fine. 

She was on her bed, holding her phone. She wasn’t cognizant of the silly grin plastered on her face, “Why aren’t you used to it? Does your brother pester you all the time?”

“He probably is of a husky breed because he woke me up at 4:30 this morning. Then, he asked me to make three dishes and a soup for breakfast.”

“So, did you wake up to make him the food?” Miaomiao pictured the scene in her head and thought it was quite funny.

“Although I didn’t want to get up, I had to since he was jumping up and down on the bed. I just finished cooking, and he’s eating like a pig.”

Miaomiao replied, “Do you want to go to sleep for a while? I could help you take care of your brother if you’d like.”

Miaomiao has already been to Zhou Yuan’s house, so it would not take long to reach her destination.

Zhou Yuan sent her a message.

“Okay.”

She changed her clothes and was about to head outside. She bumped into her mother who had just returned home.

“Are you going to Jingjing’s?” Mother Hua asked.

Miaomiao danced around the question, “I’ll be back by noon.”

When she departed her house, her face became as rubicund as an apple.

Why didn’t I tell my mom that I was going to Zhou Yuan’s place to help him take care of his younger brother?

When she reached Zhou Yuan’s house, she noticed Zhou Yuan’s lethargic face. But Zhou Yuan was still very exuberant and full of energy.

Miaomiao rarely if ever saw Zhou Yuan in such a state. She said to him, “You should go and take a nap for a bit. I’ll watch TV with Zhou Dun in the living room.”

“Thank you,” Zhou Yuan said. 

Zhou Yuan went to sleep, and Zhou Dun asked, “Are we going to watch TV? What are we going to watch?”

Miaomiao watched Zhou Yuan’s younger brother; she thought they were complete antipodes from each other. She remembered that Zhou Yuan didn’t enjoy speaking that much when he was young.

Miaomiao picked up Zhou Dun and carried him to the living room, “What show do you want to watch? We’ll watch it together.”

Miaomiao turned on the TV. As soon as it turned on, a TV show that wasn’t appropriate for small children to watch appeared on the screen.

She quickly switched to the news, which was all related to finance.

In order to avoid disturbing the sleeping person, Miaomiao lowered the volume.

“Zhou Dun quickly selected a cartoon to watch. As he watched it, he asked casually, “You were my brother’s elementary school classmate. Now, you’re my brother’s high school classmate. Is he very smart? Does he have any character flaws at all? How about physical or psychological flaws? Or an error with his beliefs? Anything? When he studies, does he make any errors?”

Miaomiao replied, “No. He’s completely perfect. He’s always been very smart. What’s the problem?”

“Nothing. If he’s really that flawless, then he definitely isn’t human at all.”

“It’s alright. He’s a genius,” Miaomiao confidently stated, boasting that Zhou Yuan could get straight A’s in physics and chemistry with only a few minutes of study.

He had a learning ability that she didn’t have. She dreamt of having the same ability as him.

Zhou Dun pursed his lips and was very dissatisfied. “What’s so great about him? He can’t even beat me in video games.”

Miaomiao now understood the reason for his incessant questioning. Since his brother was a genius, and since everyone knew about the fecundity of his abilities, people would inevitably begin comparing the two of them.

Miaomiao replied, “It’s nothing special. But there’s one thing he can’t match you in.”

Zhou Dun immediately turned his head, “What? What is the one thing he can’t match me in?”

“You have a big brother, but he doesn’t.”

Zhou Dun: “…Hua Miaomiao. Are you joking?”

Miaomiao looked at the little fatty, but she didn’t nod. She feared that she would just aggravate him even more.

As if faced with some insurmountable dilemma, Zhou Dun sighed, “Honestly, he isn’t a very good brother, and he never plays with me.”

“Maybe it’s because humans need to sleep sometimes,” Miaomiao said.

“He doesn’t like me.”

This somewhat surprised Miaomiao. She took him to go watch movies and play games, but she was incognizant of the troubles that lurked between these two.

“Why would he dislike you? You’re his only brother.”

Zhou Dun ceased with his chatter. When Miaomiao saw him pouting his lips, she knew that he was still angry.

No wonder why Zhou Yuan woke up so early today. Zhou Dun was indignant.

Miaomiao picked up a kiwi fruit from a nearby coffee table and stood up. She didn’t want to peel it at the coffee table, so she retired to the kitchen to get a knife.

As she passed by the bedroom, she heard Zhou Yuan talking on a phone inside.

She heard, “Of course. She’s good at everything.”

Miaomiao: “…”

I’ve never heard him use that tone of voice before. First time for everything, I suppose.

A strange, extrinsic feeling started to surge in heart as she wondered who the other person on the phone was. She was curious about this ‘she’ Zhou Yuan was referring to.

Miaomiao swiftly cut the kiwi fruit, and then she returned to the living room. Zhou Dun saw that there was food, so he ceased lancing anger out of his eyes and began eating.

It was now Miaomiao’s turn to casually ask, “Zhou Dun, does your brother usually talk on the phone when he’s home?”

“Sister Miaomiao. It sounds like you’re trying to find out if my brother has a girlfriend. Is that your goal?”

Miaomiao: “…” Such sagacity; he truly is Zhou Yuan’s brother.

“My mother mentioned that our family depends on him, so my brother is unlikely to marry in his lifetime.”

Miaomiao: “…”

Zhou Dun continued, “However, my brother did say that he liked a girl. My dad also mentioned that he had a childhood sweetheart when he was a child.”

Miaomiao was taken aback, and then she responded, “That’s good.”

Miaomiao heaved a sigh of relief.

I can’t let anyone find out about this stupid feeling within my heart. If someone finds out, I’ll never hear the end of it. I’ll be so embarrassed that my cheeks would become ruddier than a tomato.

Hopefully, Deng Feng doesn’t find out about it. But considering his IQ and EQ, he shouldn’t be able to infer anything.

Miaomiao looked out the window. She looked at the morning sun, which painted the sky with its aurulent luster; its golden radiance a sight to behold. The sun-kissed sky looked bright and dazzling, almost like a lucent work of art.