As the wind spread her arms, spinning around, she turned back and gave a playful smile, ‘Of course, can’t you see I’ve been smiling?’
‘You’re an easily satisfied woman!’ Qiu Chi remarked.
‘Yes, rather than thinking about what I can’t have, it’s better to be happy with what I already possess.’
‘So, you’ve given up on the unattainable me and are happy with the Si Tu Qi Feng you already have?’ He couldn’t help but ask.”
As the wind’s smile faded, she didn’t answer.
Qiu Chi stared at her intently. “What if Si Tu Qi Feng is involved with other women while being with you?”
Almost without hesitation, As the wind shook her head. “He won’t. Any man in this world might, but he absolutely would not.”
“You’re that certain?”
“Of course, because on other women, he simply cannot…” She suddenly stopped.
“Cannot see what?” Qiu Chi pressed.
As the wind realized that her second brother couldn’t see color on other women, so how could he appreciate other beauty?
“Little Wind?”
“Qiu Chi, if, hypothetically, one woman appears colorful and vibrant in your eyes, what would that mean?”
After a brief silence, Qiu Chi said, “Then this woman would be my destined partner.”
“Regardless of her identity?”
“Those identities are all bullshit.”
“What if she was your older brother’s wife? Your stepmother? Or your own sister?”
The smile at the corner of Qiu Chi’s mouth turned cold. “For people like us, playing along is easy, but believing in true feelings is difficult. If there was such a person, forget about those identities. Even if she were my own biological sister, if I loved her, I would love her. What of it?”
“These children of privilege, for whom money and beauty were readily available, might find such a unique love hard to encounter in several lifetimes. If they didn’t meet, they wouldn’t feel regret; but if they did, how could they possibly let go?
“As the Wind, what if I say I don’t want to let you go, what would you do?”
As the wind stopped, “I won’t do anything, but I think someone else might!”
Her flower-like smile was fixed on the person approaching.
“Wind’er, it’s already past midnight. The time for that wish has ended,” said the person with a warm smile. “Now, you can hug me.”
On a deep winter night, such a warm embrace was wonderful.
As the wind lay lazily in her second brother’s arms, Qi Feng looked down at her, a satisfied smile on his face. He tightened his arms around her and glanced at Qiu Chi.
Their gazes met; Qiu Chi raised an eyebrow, while Qi Feng calmly shifted his gaze, pulling As the wind. “Let’s go home.”
After a few steps, As the wind turned back; Qiu Chi was still standing, and she sighed softly.
Suddenly, her hand tightened, and Qi Feng said in a low voice, “You’re not Qiu As the wind.”
“Of course I’m not,” As the wind said with a smile, linking her arm with his. “Second brother, I just realized how cute you look when you’re jealous.”
Qi Feng lowered his head, his eyes sparkling in the night. As the wind tilted her head, “Don’t think I don’t know you were following behind, right?”
“Mm!” Qi Feng nodded. On such an enchanting night, how could he let her wander with a man of questionable intentions? He circled their home entrance several times, growing anxious before finally finding her, feeling satisfied as he watched As the wind keep a proper distance from Qiu Chi.
Situ closed the album, lowering his voice. “In the future, you and your second brother will each have lovers. He’ll have someone to care for, and you two won’t remain as close. As time goes on, he’ll be with his partner, while you, if you have your own family, won’t be able to stay by his side. You’ll grow further apart, like many brothers and sisters.”
He stood up, adding, “If you only see him as a brother!” After a few steps, he turned back. “Oh, Suifeng can come home and stay for a few days. Be careful when you’re at home.”
“Why are you sitting here alone? Where’s Dad?”
Qifeng came out after taking a shower and found Rufeng sitting alone on the sofa, lost in thought.
Rufeng looked up, “Dad has gone to sleep.”
Qifeng sat beside her and rubbed her hair, “What’s wrong?”
Rufeng shook her head, just looking at him silently.
Qifeng sighed, “Are you really angry? Let’s go for a walk to make up for earlier, okay?”
Rufeng shook her head, her eyes turning red.
Qifeng regretted, “If I had known, I wouldn’t have argued. I’m the one who feels bad! What will it take for you to stop being angry?”
Suddenly, Rufeng threw herself into his arms, tightly hugging his neck.
He was startled, “Fenger, are you crying?”
Rufeng held him tightly, her thoughts revealing a deep concern. If she married another man, could she still be close to her second brother every night?
She pondered whether she could ever love him the way a woman loves a man.
“Fenger, what’s wrong? Tell me!” Qifeng became flustered, unable to see her expression.
Rufeng took a deep breath and looked up. “Second brother, you’ll honestly answer anything I ask, right?”
“Yes, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
Rufeng nodded, nestling back into his arms. “Then you must keep your word. If you go back on your word, I’ll never talk to you again.”
“Okay, what do you want to ask?”
“I won’t ask now, but whenever I want to ask, you have to tell me.”
“Okay, you can ask anytime. Now, can you go take a shower and go to sleep obediently?”
“Mm! Then carry me.” Rufeng grinned, seizing the opportunity to act spoiled.
Seeing her smile, Qifeng’s worried heart gradually relaxed. He silently warned himself never to make her angry, or he’d be the one to suffer.
Pressing her ear against Qifeng’s chest, Rufeng closed her eyes, listening to his strong heartbeat.
Carrying her into the room, Qifeng found it amusing how she clung to him like a koala. “Time to shower and change clothes.”
Rufeng rubbed against him. “Help me wash.”
After a moment of silence, Qifeng reached to unbutton her clothes. “Okay!”
“Ah!” Rufeng grabbed his hand, jumping up with wide eyes. “Second brother!”
Qifeng looked innocent. “You asked me to help.”
Rufeng, not knowing how to respond, threw a blanket over his head. “Just because I ask for help doesn’t mean you should do it!”
Qifeng’s eyes held a hidden smile, “If I don’t listen, what if Fenger gets angry? I can’t afford to provoke you.”
Rufeng rushed into the bathroom, clutching her pajamas. In the mirror, her cheeks were red. Rufeng patted her face, “What am I being shy about? He’s my brother! Grow up!” She sighed, feeling increasingly strange since learning about her second brother’s feelings. She could blush and feel her heart racing around him. Could changing bodies really change one’s emotions?
Having not slept well the night before, Rufeng nestled into her second brother’s arms, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat, and soon felt sleepy. She tried to keep her eyes open. Qifeng noticed her unusual state, “Can’t sleep?”
Rufeng was about to doze off, forcing her eyes open, “Mm!”
“Shall I sing you a song?”
“You? When have you ever sung?” She had never heard him sing before.
Qifeng replied, “I can sing. You used to sing to me every night.” Sometimes, she would fall asleep while singing before he did.
Waking up in the middle of the night and finding him still awake, she would drowsily continue singing.
Day after day, her songs and image had been etched in his heart and merged into his blood. Those were lullabies; if she heard them now, she wouldn’t stay awake. Rufeng shook her head, “No.”
“Then I’ll tell you a story?”
Rufeng poked him. “Your stories are the ones I used to tell you. I don’t want to hear them.”
Qifeng fell silent. Could it be that singing and storytelling couldn’t help her sleep? He thought they always worked for him.
