When Yuan Si caught Yuan Luoyi, she was still a little nervous.
Because she smelled the scent of blood, and it came from Yuan Si.
His hand was dripping blood downwards, a hideous wound wrapping around his wrist like a red thread.
The white shirt was soaked in blood, appearing in a faint red hue, clinging tightly to his body, faintly revealing the contours of flesh and bone beneath.
Water droplets kept falling from his hair, trailing down the curve of his neck, gathering at his collarbone, forming a pool of crimson.
All of this proved that just moments ago, Yuan Si had attempted to end his own life.
In Yuan Luoyi's memory, her fourth brother was a lazy person, constantly working away from home, seldom returning, but whenever he did, he would tightly embrace her, ruffle her hair, poke her little face, and give her some pretty little gifts.
But the current Yuan Si was very different from before, the flames suddenly ignited in his once indifferent eyes, and he stared intently at Yuan Luoyi, completely disregarding his injured wrist.
Yuan Luoyi said, "Fourth brother, your wrist is injured, quickly stop the bleeding and bandage it up."
Yuan Si felt no pain from his wound, nor did he have the mind to treat it, he gazed at Yuan Luoyi with an almost greedy look, completely immersed in the joy of their reunion.
He raised his hand, the pale back adorned with a few winding streaks of red.
When his icy fingertips pressed against Yuan Luoyi's skin, she couldn't help but shiver, that chill tracing the contours of her face, and when it reached around her eyes, Yuan Luoyi closed them, her thick lashes brushing against Yuan Si's fingers.
Yuan Si murmured, "You really exist, just like in my memory..."
The hand grasping Yuan Luoyi's arm suddenly tightened, as if afraid she would escape him.
His jet-black pupils abruptly dilated with excitement, compressing the brown irises into a thin ring, Yuan Si's handsome face bore a sickly gleeful expression, the flames in his eyes raging fiercely.
"This is a miracle! You've returned to my side!"
Yuan Luoyi struggled uncomfortably in small motions, but Yuan Si only grasped her tighter.
With a forceful tug of his wrist, the originally slender and petite Yuan Luoyi was yanked over, crashing headfirst into Yuan Si's embrace, icy cold, damp, reeking of blood.
Embracing his sister, Yuan Si lovingly stroked her hair, his cheek pressed tightly against Yuan Luoyi's, his soft breath caressing her neck.
Yuan Si smiled, "No one can take you away from me again."
In that moment, Yuan Luoyi understood that Yuan Si was the most dangerous brother to her, his desire for control was too strong.
In this suffocating embrace, she could not struggle, could not escape, nor could she bear to leave her injured fourth brother behind.
Yuan Luoyi resigned herself to Yuan Si's embrace, waiting for him to be satisfied.
In the past, the more Yuan Luoyi struggled, the tighter Yuan Si would hold her, but if she remained still and docile like a little rabbit, this ravenous python would gradually loosen its coils.
Finally, Yuan Si released her reluctantly.
Yuan Luoyi saw that his wrist was still bleeding continuously, so she said, "Fourth brother, let me bandage your wound."
Yuan Si said, "It's fine, as long as it's not soaked in water, the blood will clot on its own, and it will slowly stop flowing."
Despite his words, Yuan Luoyi couldn't bear to see her fourth brother keep bleeding.
Her little hand held his larger one as Yuan Luoyi led Yuan Si to sit on the soft, plush sofa. She rummaged through a cabinet for a while, taking out cotton and alcohol.
With the supplies in hand, she sat beside Yuan Si and began cleaning the wound, but as soon as she wiped away some blood, more would seep out immediately.
Left with no choice, she placed the cotton over the wound and pressed down firmly.
"Hiss!"
Yuan Si sucked in a breath, finally feeling the pain, but this was his sister stopping the bleeding, so he did not move. He watched Yuan Luoyi's every move with an intensely focused and domineering gaze.
After a while, Yuan Luoyi was certain the bleeding had stopped. She took the reddened cotton away, replacing it with a fresh piece over the wound and wrapping it with bandages.
The wound was treated, but Yuan Si was still drenched from head to toe.
Yuan Luoyi remembered that her fourth brother was someone who hated the cold, so she asked, "Are you cold?"
Yuan Si said, "A little."
Yuan Luoyi stood to leave, but Yuan Si suddenly grabbed her hand, asking, "Where are you going?"
Yuan Luoyi replied, "I'm going to turn on the air conditioning to heat the room, and fetch some dry towels."
Yuan Si released her hand.
Yuan Luoyi pressed the button on the wall.
"Ding!"
The air conditioning started, blowing out warm air.
There was a trail of water leading inside from the floor, Yuan Luoyi figured it must lead to the bathroom, so she went over.
As soon as she entered, Yuan Luoyi froze, staring at the pale red water filling the bathtub. Just moments ago, Yuan Si had tried to end his life here, his blood continuously mixing into the water, dyeing it a deeper shade of red.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied her emotions.
The current fourth brother was very weak, he needed care, she had to remain calm and not let her emotions overwhelm her.
She tore off a few towels and found a large bathrobe, then returned to the living room.
She placed the bathrobe in Yuan Si's lap, "Put this on, it will keep you warm."
Yuan Si did as instructed.
He was very thin, his raised arms revealing taut and elegant muscle curves, his rib cage protruding one bone at a time. His skin was pale, the thinner areas revealing faint traces of blue veins underneath.
After losing Yuan Luoyi, Yuan Si had not rested properly, his body rapidly weakening, and coupled with blood loss, he appeared as fragile as a sheet of paper.
But at this moment, his eyes were bright, like an excited nocturnal predator, his dark pupils glowing like fireflies in the night, eagerly sniffing the trail left by his prey.
His domineering gaze always followed Yuan Luoyi, ensuring she remained within his controlled range.
After tying the robe's sash into a knot, Yuan Si looked better, the loose garment concealing his gaunt frame, making him appear healthier.
He sat on the sofa as Yuan Luoyi used the towels to dry his hair, gradually transforming it from a damp mess into soft fluffiness.
When she was done, Yuan Luoyi looked up, their gazes meeting in the air.
Yuan Luoyi asked, "Fourth brother, are you broken?"
Yuan Si replied, "I probably am... but... this is a rebirth for me."
"I have truly been dissipated for too long, wasting a great deal of time, and only now do I have a direction in life."
"If I had awakened sooner, you would not have died..."
He sank slowly down, half-lying on the sofa, his movements graceful and languid. His robe was drawn open, hanging off the edge as he smiled and said, "This world is so dull to me. Money, reputation, power, beauty - none of it can stir my heart."
"People struggle and wallow in materialism and desire, covered in dust, having lost the form the Creator first bestowed upon them."
"They suffer unbearably, yet still press on. I cannot comprehend why they do this, when everything is but an illusion, a waking dream that will inevitably dissipate."
"After you left, I too wished to depart, for I suddenly understood..."
Yuan Si rose, taking Yuan Luoyi's small hand in his, slowly tightening his grip until he held it firmly, his gaze intense.
"You are the sole attachment I cannot let go of..."
"Without you, how could I live alone in this corrupt world?"
He stared at Yuan Luoyi intensely, sneering in a way that sent chills down one's spine. Softly, he said, "I should have fought, struggled, stopped at nothing - killed my elder brother, replaced my father, eliminated all resistance, controlled everyone, and possessed you."
