After New Year’s Eve, there was a three-day New Year holiday.
Pei Ruo’s fever had subsided, but she still had a bit of a cold and couldn’t go out to play, so she had to stay home and rest.
In the morning, after breakfast, the girl wrapped herself in a blanket and curled up on the long sofa. She looked at Pei Su, who was pouring her a glass of water, and blinked her bright eyes expectantly, asking:
“Big brother, will you stay home with me?”
Pei Su gently patted her fluffy head, and his warm, smiling voice flowed from his thin lips: “Yes, I’ll stay home. I’ll make you something delicious for lunch today.”
She smiled sweetly, her lips curling up: “Thank you, big brother.”
When the delivery call came, Pei Su went to the door to get it. Pei Ruo glanced at the boy with dark hair and sharp brows leaning against the sofa playing on his phone. She pouted and asked:
“Second brother, will you stay home with me?”
Pei Che turned his head and gave her a sideways glance: “Pei Ruo, how old are you now?”
“……”
She saw the mocking look in his eyes, and unhappily said, “It’s the first day of the New Year, mom and dad aren’t home, I’m sick and can’t go out, so I’m just pitifully stuck at home with no one to keep me company. It’s too miserable.”
“Isn’t having big brother with you enough?”
“But three people would be more lively.”
“Oh, so I’m just here to add to the lively atmosphere?”
“Hey, that’s not what I meant…”
Pei Che put his phone in his pocket and walked out of the living room. “Forget it, I’m going out to hang out with my friends.”
Pei Ruo: “……”
Pei Che went to find Pei Su, and the two of them took the delivered ingredients to the kitchen. Just then, Pei Che got a call from a friend. He put the phone to his ear, and a voice came from the other end: “Che, come on, aren’t we going out to have some fun today?”
Pei Che responded with a laid-back tone: “Not today, I’m busy. You guys go have fun without me…”
While he was on the phone, Pei Su was cutting the delivered fruits into a fruit platter and brought it to the living room for Pei Ruo. The girl pouted and complained to him, “Big brother, second brother is going out. He’s not spending New Year’s Day with us.”
Pei Su smiled, “He’s just teasing you. Didn’t you say last night you wanted sweet and sour pork ribs? He bought ribs today to make them for you.”
“See, I knew it…”
Pei Che is always the one who says one thing and means another.
All morning, Pei Ruo stayed curled up on the sofa reading a book, while Pei Su and Pei Che prepared the meals and handled their own tasks. But from time to time, the girl would call out to them:
“Big brother, I want to eat an apple.”
“Second brother, can you bring the trash can over here for me?”
“Big brother, can you take my phone to charge it?”
“Second brother, I’d like another cup of hot water.”
Finally, Pei Che sighed and got up to pour her some water, teasingly asking, “Is there no end to this? Constantly waiting on you.”
Pei Ruo raised her eyebrows mischievously and said, “Second brother, when you get sick and can’t move, I’ll wait on you just like this.”
“…Could you at least wish something good for me?”
She giggled.
At noon, Pei Su and Pei Che prepared a meal together: five dishes and a soup. Since Pei Ruo was still recovering, they kept the food light, though it was all dishes she loved.
After the meal, Pei Che loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, while Pei Su made her a strawberry milkshake. The girl leaned in with a smile and said, “Big brother, second brother, you two are too good to me.”
Pei Che scoffed lightly, his lips curling up, “In the future, if some other guy treats you a little better, don’t just go throwing yourself at him.”
Pei Su added that he hoped the boy Pei Ruo ends up with in the future will treat her even better than they do, so they can be at ease.
Hearing this, Pei Ruo smiled and linked arms with them. “That might be a bit difficult. After all, you two spoil me so much.”
Having such wonderful brothers was the happiest thing in her life.
—
After the New Year holiday, Pei Ruo’s cold was almost completely better. In the morning, the three siblings had breakfast at home before heading to school together.
When they arrived at school, Pei Su and Pei Che escorted Pei Ruo to the middle school building. At the entrance of her classroom, a classmate saw Pei Ruo and casually mentioned, “Ruo Ruo, some boys were just here looking for you.”
“Looking for me?”
“Seems like they’re friends with Luo Hongcai. You should ask him.”
Pei Che let out a sneering laugh. “How convenient, that’s exactly who I was looking for.”
“What should I do?” Pei Ruo asked.
Pei Che put away his smile and said, “Go inside and call him out.”
Pei Ruo hesitated for a moment before walking into the classroom and approaching Luo Hongcai.
“Luo Hongcai—”
“Hey, Pei Ruo, you’re here! How’s your cold?”
She didn’t answer. “Come outside with me for a moment.”
“Huh? What’s going on?”
“My brother wants to talk to you.”
Luo Hongcai, unsure of what was happening, stood up and walked to the classroom door. There, he saw two identical boys standing in the hallway. He remembered Pei Ruo mentioning that she had twin brothers, but this was his first time meeting them.
Both were tall, with long legs and sharp, handsome features, exuding an intimidating aura.
Luo Hongcai, much shorter than them, approached hesitantly and somewhat fearfully, “Hello, is there something you need from me…?”
“What do you think?” Pei Che asked coldly.
Luo Hongcai became even more confused. “I…”
“Your brother is Luo Hongbo from Class 8 in senior year, right? Or let me ask you this—what was your purpose in trying to get Pei Ruo to go out with you on New Year’s Eve?”
Luo Hongcai suddenly felt guilty. “I…I…I…”
“I what?” Pei Che grabbed Luo Hongcai by the collar and pressed him against the railing, his eyes cold as ice. “You think I don’t know what your brother has in mind for my sister? And you, playing the middleman, enjoying it, huh?”
Luo Hongcai’s eyes widened in shock, and he immediately crumbled. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything by it, I know I was wrong!!”
“Apologizing pretty quickly, aren’t you?”
At this point, several classmates noticed what was happening. Pei Ruo quickly ran up and grabbed Pei Che’s hand, afraid that he might start a fight. “Second brother, don’t fight…”
Pei Che turned to see Pei Ruo’s slightly reddened eyes. Worried he might scare her, he released his grip. Pei Ruo then turned to Luo Hongcai, holding back her anger:
“Luo Hongcai, did you ask for my opinion before bringing your brother to see me? Did you get my consent? I thought you wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with us as friends, but your real motive was this. And I actually considered you a friend.”
“I’m sorry… My brother just said he liked you and wanted me to set up a meeting on New Year’s Eve…”
Pei Che cut in, “Do you not know what kind of person your brother is? How many girlfriends has he had before?”
Luo Hongcai’s eyelashes trembled, and he couldn’t find the words to respond.
Of course, he knew his brother was just playing around, but when his brother kept insisting he wanted to get to know Pei Ruo, he had given in.
“Pei Ruo, I’m sorry, I’ll never do this again…” Luo Hongcai apologized repeatedly.
Pei Che looked at him, his gaze as cold as ice. “I’m warning you—if you ever help your brother do something like this again, I won’t just give you a verbal warning next time, got it?”
“Got it…”
After all, Luo Hongcai was just a middle schooler, and Pei Che wasn’t about to actually bully a kid. A warning or two was more than enough to scare him straight.
Just as Luo Hongcai was about to leave, Pei Su, who had been leaning against the railing in silence, suddenly spoke in a calm, steady voice:
“What was your brother doing at the classroom door this morning?”
Luo Hongcai hesitated for a moment before confessing, “He said he wanted to see Pei Ruo… and give her a New Year’s gift.”
“Where’s the gift?”
“It’s in my desk drawer…”
“Bring it out,” Pei Su ordered.
Luo Hongcai hurried back into the classroom and retrieved the gift, which was a finely wrapped box. Pei Su took it from him, and Luo Hongcai quickly made his escape. Pei Su and Pei Che then told Pei Ruo to go back to class, assuring her that she didn’t need to worry about anything else.
“Brother, please don’t get into a fight…” Pei Ruo said, still worried.
“We won’t.”
The two brothers then made their way to the high school building. As they walked, Pei Che glanced at the gift in Pei Su’s hand and asked, “What are you planning to do?”
Pei Su looked straight ahead, a faint smile on his lips. “Of course, I’m going to return the gift.”
In the high school building, at the back of Class 8, a group of boys in high school uniforms sat casually in their seats, eating breakfast with an air of arrogance.
“Hey, Hongbo, what does that little girl you’re interested in look like? Is she really that pretty?” one of the boys asked.
Another boy laughed, “What’s the rush? Once Hongbo gets her, you’ll see her soon enough.”
“It’s a bit of a shame, though. We could’ve seen her on New Year’s Eve if she hadn’t gotten sick,” one of the boys teased, patting Luo Hongbo on the shoulder. “So, how long do you think it’ll take you to get her this time?”
Luo Hongbo leaned back in his seat, smiling smugly. “Two weeks, maybe.”
“She’s just a middle school girl. A little gift here and there, and she’ll be yours in no time. It’s no challenge for you, Hongbo.”
“Yeah, our boy Hongbo is so charming, there’s no way she can turn him down.”
Just as Luo Hongbo was enjoying the banter, a cool and indifferent voice interrupted:
“Can’t turn down what?”
Luo Hongbo quickly looked up to see Pei Su standing by his desk, with Pei Che beside him.
Luo Hongbo was well aware of the power dynamics at school. While he had some influence, Pei Su and Pei Che were part of an even more powerful group. Due to some minor conflicts in the past, Luo Hongbo didn’t get along with them, but knowing he couldn’t win against them, he had adopted a live-and-let-live approach, keeping his distance.
Stunned by their sudden appearance, Luo Hongbo frowned and responded irritably, “What’s it to you?”
The next moment, Pei Su threw the gift onto the desk with a loud bang, startling everyone around. Luo Hongbo froze when he saw the finely wrapped gift box—the very one he intended to give to Pei Ruo—now lying on the table.
“Pei Ruo is my sister. Do you think this has nothing to do with me?”
Luo Hongbo hesitated for a second, then smirked, his tone dripping with disdain:
“Oh, really? So what? I like your sister. I want to be your brother-in-law. Is that a problem?”
Hearing this, Pei Che’s face darkened, and he was just about to speak when Pei Su suddenly grabbed Luo Hongbo’s head and slammed it onto the desk.
The usually gentle and calm expression on Pei Su’s face had transformed into something cold and menacing—a side of him that none of them had ever seen before. He spoke with chilling precision:
“Do you think I’m joking with you?”
Pei Su was always known for his reserved nature, so Pei Che knew that for his brother to react this way, it meant that Pei Ruo had crossed an unbreakable line.
“Fuck! Let go of me…” Luo Hongbo struggled desperately, but Pei Su’s grip was so strong that he couldn’t move. His face was squished against the desk like a piece of pork, and though the other boys wanted to intervene, they hesitated, knowing the power that the Pei brothers wielded. No one dared to provoke them.
Luo Hongbo cried out in pain as Pei Su looked down at him with cold detachment, “Do you still think I’m joking?”
The defiance drained from Luo Hongbo, replaced by a trembling voice, “Let’s talk this out! I haven’t done anything! I swear I haven’t done anything!”
“Didn’t you say you’d have her in two weeks?”
“I didn’t know she was your sister…”
He had no idea that Pei Ruo was the precious little sister of these two powerful figures!
“Pei Che, Pei Che! Get him off me!”
Pei Che chuckled, enjoying the spectacle, “I’m right here, but that’s my brother.”
“Pei Su, Pei Su, please, let me go! Damn, how does the top student in the grade end up fighting…?”
Pei Che laughed again, “Shouldn’t you feel honored?”
Luo Hongbo, realizing the gravity of the situation, quickly relented, “Alright, alright! I swear I won’t go near your sister ever again, okay?”
Pei Su’s cold voice cut through the air:
“You better remember what you just said.”
After a few more seconds, Pei Su finally released his grip and said, “Don’t ever try anything with my sister again.”
Even though Luo Hongbo was seething with anger, he knew he had no choice but to suppress it. He muttered an agreement, and Pei Che clapped him on the shoulder with a grin:
“My brother has restraint, but I’m not like him. Next time, I’ll just beat you up, got it?”
Luo Hongbo knew just how formidable Pei Che was in a fight, and the fear sent chills down his spine.
In the end, the situation was resolved with Luo Hongbo repeatedly promising to stay away from Pei Ruo. Pei Su and Pei Che walked out of the classroom together. As they passed the restroom, Pei Su went inside to wash his hands while Pei Che waited by the door, smiling as he watched his brother. “You really scared him just now.”
“Did I?” Pei Su replied calmly.
“It’s rare to see you get so fierce. It reminded me of when we were kids, and you used to bully me.”
Pei Su came out, looking at him with a faint smile. “Did I really bully you that much?”
“Yeah, like when I tried to take your toys.”
Pei Su smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets as they walked side by side. “Some people just pretend to be more refined than they really are.”
“Get back to class and study…”
Under the sunlight, the two brothers walked forward with smiles on their faces.
—
Luo Hongbo didn’t dare show up in Pei Ruo’s presence again, and with that, the issue was resolved.
Pei Su and Pei Che were very strict when it came to their sister’s interactions with boys. It wasn’t that they were completely against her having male friends; they just wanted to snuff out any chances of an early romance since Pei Ruo was still young and innocent.
A few weeks later, the final exams ended, and summer vacation arrived.
On the night of the Lunar New Year’s Eve, during a family dinner, the topic of early relationships came up again. Pei Ruo, grinning, asked her two brothers, “So, can I start dating when I’m in high school?”
Across the table, Pei Su and Pei Che both shot her cold, disapproving looks. Pei Che put down his chopsticks and said sternly, “In your dreams.”
She pouted, “Why not?”
“Have you seen us dating? You’re in middle school, and you’re already thinking about dating in high school? If you don’t focus on your studies, how can you be so confident?” Pei Che’s words were sharp and to the point.
“…”
Pei Che lifted his chin and gestured toward their parents, Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi. “Ask mom and dad. Were they thinking about dating in high school like you?”
Liang Zhiyi: “…”
Pei Chen: “…”
Pei Chen suppressed a smile, casting a knowing look at Liang Zhiyi. She was sipping her soup, and the comment made her choke, coughing awkwardly, “Cough, cough, cough…”
Pei Chen quickly handed her a napkin, his smile deepening. “Careful.”
Liang Zhiyi shot him a subtle glare, her cheeks tinged with red.
Was he doing that on purpose…?
Pei Ruo mumbled, “But I remember you two were classmates in high school, right?”
Liang Zhiyi met Pei Che’s gaze and quickly said, “Even though your dad and I were high school classmates, we didn’t get together until after we graduated. Right, honey?”
Pei Chen smiled and nodded, playing along. “That’s right.”
“Oh,” Pei Ruo replied with a knowing smile, pretending to understand, “So you were just flirting in high school and got together after the exams.”
Pei Che lightly tapped her on the head. “You’re pretty sharp, aren’t you?”
“Mom, Dad, see? Second brother is always so strict with me. Big brother, you’re still my favorite.”
Pei Su smiled and said, “I think the same way as your second brother.”
“…”
Fine, a whole bunch of devils.
Pei Chen chuckled. “Ruo Ruo, when you do start dating, you’ll have to get past your two brothers first.”
Pei Ruo sighed dramatically. “Then I guess I’ll be single for life.”
Everyone laughed.
After dinner, the housekeeper helped clean up the dining room and kitchen, while the three children went off to work on their winter break assignments. Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen took care of some company matters.
In the group chat with their old friends, Xuan Xia suggested that everyone get together for some fun during the New Year. The others agreed enthusiastically.
Now that Xuan Xia and Fan Gao were also married with children, the group had grown far beyond the original seven members, making their gatherings even more lively and heartwarming.
Later that evening, Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen went to the bathroom together to wash up. Liang Zhiyi suddenly sighed, “Honey, don’t you think time flies? In the blink of an eye, Doubao and Niangao are both in their senior year of high school.”
Pei Chen smiled and hugged her from behind. “It really does. We’ve been married for nearly nineteen years.” Time, like sand slipping through their fingers, had passed quietly over the years.
Liang Zhiyi held his hand and smiled warmly. “Aren’t you getting tired of me yet?”
“Not yet. Maybe in a few more years, we’ll see.”
She puffed out her cheeks and glared at him in the mirror. “What do you mean? So in a few years, you might get tired of me?”
Pei Chen laughed and turned her around, pulling her closer. His gaze softened as he said, “Silly, I was just joking.”
She smiled, her lips curling up. “Well, I’m so great that you’ll love me for a lifetime.”
He cupped her face with a smile. “Is someone bragging about herself now?”
“So, do you want me or not?”
“How could I not? You’ve been mine since nineteen years ago.”
She raised her eyebrows playfully, and as his lips brushed against hers, she stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and they shared a deeper kiss.
Considering that Liang Zhiyi’s period had started, Pei Chen was mindful and kept things gentle. After they finished their bath, they left the bedroom together. Liang Zhiyi walked up to the rooftop observation deck, where she could gaze out at the distant, rolling mountains and the night skyline of Lincheng. Sitting there, she felt a sense of being just a tiny speck in the vastness of the world.
She settled down on the plush carpet, and soon Pei Chen came up with a pot of ginger and brown sugar tea. Pei Ruo also joined them, cheerfully announcing, “Mom, Dad, I’m here to be your little third wheel!”
Liang Zhiyi laughed and patted her daughter’s head. “More like a big third wheel.”
“Hehe…”
Pei Ruo, being affectionate, nestled between her parents, wrapping her arms around them and started peeling nuts for them.
After a while, Pei Su and Pei Che, feeling bored and noticing that the other three were missing, came upstairs as well.
Pei Ruo shifted to sit between her two brothers and continued peeling nuts. Pei Che, leaning lazily against the backrest, looked at her and said, “I want some too. Peel a few for me.”
“No way, peel them yourself.”
“Ruo Ruo, big brother would like some too,” Pei Su said with a smile.
Pei Ruo, with a playful grin, handed the peeled nuts to him. “Big brother, take your time. If you want more, I’ll peel them for you.”
Pei Che responded, “Hey! What’s this supposed to mean? You’re playing favorites, aren’t you?”
Liang Zhiyi laughed from the side, “That’s what you get for always teasing Ruo Ruo.”
Pei Ruo nodded vigorously in agreement, “Exactly, exactly.”
“Pei Ruo, touch your heart and tell me—who treats you the best? Who carried you all the way to the hospital on New Year’s Eve?” Pei Che protested.
The girl burst into laughter and decided to stop teasing him. She handed over some nuts, “Yes, yes, second brother is the best.”
“And now you’re trying to win me over.”
“If you don’t want them, I’ll take them back.”
“Hand them over…”
As the two bantered back and forth, the others couldn’t help but laugh.
The five of them chatted and laughed together. Pei Ruo suddenly remembered something and asked her parents, “Mom, Dad, how did you two get together? I want to hear your love story.”
Pei Su chimed in, “I’d like to hear it too.”
Pei Che, cracking sunflower seeds, added, “Yeah, tell us—who made the first move?”
Pei Ruo quickly interjected, “Isn’t it obvious? It must have been Dad who pursued Mom.”
Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen exchanged a smile before Liang Zhiyi candidly explained, “Actually, at the beginning, I was the one who chased after him.”
The three siblings were shocked: “What?!”
“I’m telling you, your dad was so aloof back then. He turned me down several times. But luckily, I didn’t give up.”
Pei Chen gently held Liang Zhiyi’s hand and asked with a smile, “Was it really that many times?”
“You weren’t very interested in me at first, that’s for sure.”
“How could you reject Mom when she’s so wonderful?” Pei Ruo chimed in, feigning outrage.
Pei Chen smiled warmly and looked at Liang Zhiyi, “Yes, looking back now, I regret it deeply.”
Recalling the past, Pei Chen continued, “Your mom transferred into our class in our second year of high school. She instantly became the most beautiful girl in the entire school. At first, I thought I wasn’t good enough for her, so even though I liked her from the start, I didn’t dare to say anything. Because of that, she thought I didn’t like her and ended up getting hurt.”
“And then what happened?” Pei Ruo asked eagerly.
Pei Chen chuckled, “Eventually, I realized I couldn’t stop myself from loving her. So after we graduated from high school, I pursued her all over again.”
The three siblings had heard from their elders that their parents had faced many challenges in the past, especially since Pei Chen had a difficult upbringing, and there was a significant gap between their families. But in the end, they both had the courage to reach out to each other.
Pei Che, moved by the story, grasped Pei Chen’s hand. “Dad, we’re so grateful you had the courage to win Mom back. Otherwise, the three of us wouldn’t be here. We owe you everything.”
“Hahaha…” Pei Chen laughed as he wrapped his arm around Liang Zhiyi’s shoulders, speaking softly, “Maybe some things are just meant to be.”
Liang Zhiyi met his gaze with a warm smile, “Yes, meant to be.”
They were destined to fall in love.
They were destined to have a warm, loving family of five.
“Mom, Dad, I want to hear more about your love story,” Pei Ruo said, leaning in.
Liang Zhiyi leaned against Pei Chen’s shoulder with a smile, “There’s so much to tell. Let your dad take his time and share with you.”
“Dad, tell us more!”
Pei Chen smiled gently, “Where should I start?”
“From the very first time you met…”
The night grew deeper, the frost thickening under the pale moonlight. The silvery-blue night sky blanketed the neon lights of Lincheng, while the observation deck was bathed in the warm glow of orange lights. The three children sat closely together, listening intently as Pei Chen began recounting the story of how it all began.
The stories from the past will continue to accompany their family of five, bringing warmth and happiness to their lives.