After Song JinXing left, Granny Song hurried to ask Song Grandpa, “Did you tell him to bring his girlfriend home for us to meet? What did you say?”
Song Grandpa just harrumphed. He didn’t tell his grandmother that his grandson hadn’t even won the girl’s heart yet. That would be too embarrassing! The fewer people who knew, the better.
He equivocated, “Leave it to your grandson. He’ll handle it. Stop worrying so much!”
Granny Song swatted him. “What do you mean ‘your grandson’? He’s your grandson too! When he came home today, something felt off. He was quieter, didn’t you notice? Hey old man, do you think he and that girl broke up?”
They hadn't even started dating yet!
Song Grandpa grunted, “Don’t interfere too much with the young people’s business. If it’s meant to be, he’ll bring her home on his own.”
Granny Song sighed wistfully, “Knowing Xing’s personality, I’m worried the girl will get fed up after too long and leave him. I don’t even know what this girl is like, whether her personality is good, whether we’ll get along.”
Song Grandpa smoked his pipe and said vaguely, “Don’t worry, you’ll get along great.”
Just then, there were sounds from the front yard again. Granny Song thought it was Song JinXing returning and happily went to greet him, only to find that it was Song Shuling coming back. Seeing her granddaughter, Granny Song was naturally very happy. She took Shuling's hand and led her inside, “Your brother just left. How did you get back so quickly?”
Song Shuling’s previously cheerful expression froze. After a long pause, she uncertainly asked, “My brother was just back?”
Granny Song said, “Yes, he just left and you just came in. I was wondering why you siblings didn't come together today.”
Song Shuling felt her hands and feet grow cold.
She didn't know her brother had come back to visit Grandma and Grandpa. She didn't even know he was back in the capital.
He hadn't called her at all.
Usually when he came back to visit the elders, he would bring her along too, and prepare gifts for Grandma and Grandpa as well as one for her. Her house already had many gifts from her brother. She even set up a cabinet specifically for the things he gave her.
But now, he seemed to have reverted to how he was when he first returned from abroad.
Had she done something wrong?
Song Shuling went over it again and again, wondering if she had said something wrong, done something to anger her brother, which made him distance himself from her.
But no matter how much she wracked her brain until her eyes turned red, she couldn't figure out why things had become like this.
She didn't want Grandma and Grandpa to see her lose composure, so she didn't stay for dinner. After asking about their health, she hurriedly left.
Once in the car, the driver asked, "Miss, home?"
Song Shuling twisted her fingers anxiously. After much hesitation, she gritted her teeth. "Zhongting."
The driver acknowledged and started driving towards Song JinXing's home. Song Shuling stared blankly out the window, her mind a complete blank. By the time the car stopped at Zhongting, she snapped back to alertness. Looking at the lit-up house, she hesitated again.
The driver found it a bit strange but didn't ask.
After a long while, Song Shuling wiped the sweat from her palms onto her skirt hem. Taking a deep breath to calm her thundering heartbeat, she finally pushed open the car door.
She walked up to the door, breathing deeply. When she arrived, she plastered a somewhat stiff smile on her face and rang the doorbell.
After a moment, the door opened from inside. Song JinXing's shadowy expression was inscrutable as he stood silhouetted against the light.
The coldness that emanated from him like an icy gale made Song Shuling shiver slightly. She bit her lip and forced out a small, cautious smile. In a soft voice she called out, "Brother."
Song JinXing grunted in acknowledgement. After a pause, he stepped aside, "Come in, it's cold out."
Song Shuling slowly shuffled in.
The house was unchanged, the layout and furnishings still the same as before, yet it felt strangely cold and empty for some reason. The living room lights were all on. Song JinXing went back to the home office area by the window and sat down at his desk where his computer was open with documents laid out.
Song Shuling walked past the foyer and stood by the sofa, watching him work with his head lowered. Suddenly she felt at a complete loss over what to do. All the questions she had wanted to ask were now stuck in her throat, unable to say a single word.
Song JinXing glanced up at her, recalling Zhong Ruanxing's words. He pressed his lips minutely and asked, "Have you eaten?"
Song Shuling said, "I have."
He nodded, "There's fruit in the fridge, go help yourself if you want any."
Song Shuling responded with an "Oh."
Song JinXing returned to his work, the sounds of typing and paper shuffling filling the room. The familiar face and caring words did nothing to put Song Shuling at ease. On the contrary, this estranged version of her brother frightened her.
Barely holding back sobs, she said, "Brother, I'm leaving now."
Song JinXing glanced outside at the darkening sky. "Your driver brought you right?
Song Shuling said, "Yes."
Without looking up, eyes lowered as he swiftly flipped through documents, he spoke evenly, "Go home early and rest. It's dark out, don't go wandering."
Song Shuling didn't even respond. She fled the house as if desperate to escape.
Hearing the hurried slam of the door, Song JinXing frowned slightly. He put the documents down and carefully recalled his recent interaction with this younger sister.
He had said a lot to her, asked if she had eaten, told her to eat fruit, and as her elder brother told her to go home early since it was dark out. They interacted very well, so there shouldn't have been any issues.
...
From leaving Zhongting to getting home, Song Shuling's mind buzzed chaotically the entire time.
It was because she had experienced tenderness that the coldness now felt even more stark.
Why was the same person so drastically different? No...not different, this was probably the real him.
Then were those gentle, thoughtful months with her brother just her fantasy? A dream conjured up by her desperation for affection?
Song Shuling was terrified, terrified that she desperately needed evidence to prove it wasn't just a dream. That's right, sister-in-law! She still had sister-in-law! Song Shuling bolted up from the sofa and hastily wiped the tears from her face. With shaking hands she dialed the number in her phone that she had never called before.
Beep—
Beep—
Beep—
After three rings, a gentle feminine voice came from the other end. "Hello, Ah Ling?"
Ah Ling...
Ah Ling...
The name only her brother called her.
Had sister-in-law ever called her that before?
A flash of insight pierced Song Shuling's jumbled mind. In the light, she heard a childish voice from long ago, "I'll tell you a secret, my sister isn't my sister, my brother is my sister."
My sister isn't my sister, my brother is my sister.
The childish words echoed over and over, getting louder and clearer. Like a beam of light sweeping away the fog to reveal the truth hidden within.
Song Shuling's eyes were wide open. Listening to the increasingly anxious voice from the receiver, she murmured that she was fine and hastily hung up.
Her whole body was tense, and the unbelievable notion in her mind grew harder to suppress. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and booked the fastest flight to Su City.
