Chapter 38

In this world, there might be many unexplainable things. If Shen Youwei hadn’t experienced them herself, she wouldn’t have believed them.
Falling from Qingjing Mountain at age ten was not a dream, and Guan Shanyan kissing her earlier was not a dream.
After a morning of reflection, Guan Shanyan still couldn’t find a proper reason for his behavior.
Infatuated? He should have realized he wasn’t a proper gentleman when he saw Shen Youwei in a camisole in the kitchen.
Yet he obviously wouldn’t admit it.
“I think it might be related to the meteor shower we saw at Luming Hot Springs fifteen years ago.” Guan Shanyan diverted the topic.
Shen Youwei chuckled. Playing this game, huh? Not so easy to fool her.
“Am I discussing this with you? I’m asking about the kiss just now.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
“Why are you silent? Haven’t thought of a defense?”
“…”
“Aren’t you supposed to be my brother? How can a brother steal a kiss while his little sister is asleep?” Shen Youwei fired off a rapid series of questions, giving Guan Shanyan no chance to breathe.
Guan Shanyan remained silent for a long moment, then looked at her and said: “You always say I act like your brother, but the first person to call me ‘brother’ was actually you.”
Guan Shanyan had always wanted a little sister. When he was in kindergarten, there was a classmate who constantly talked about his own sister and even secretly brought her photos to school to show off.
Guan Shanyan couldn’t remember exactly what the girl looked like in the photos, but the impression of her rosy, delicate face stayed with him.
Even just looking at the photos, he felt as if she smelled sweet.
Later, Shen Youwei’s family moved nearby, becoming their neighbors. The adults of the two families quickly became good friends. Guan Shanyan first saw Shen Youwei when the families ate together.
That day, she wore a little dress, looking very pretty, cuter than the girl in the photo he remembered.
Shu Ge led her to him and said: “This is Aunt Xie’s son, Guan Shanyan. Call him brother.”
Shen Youwei blinked her big eyes at him and in a babyish voice said: “Brother Guan Guan~”
At that moment, Guan Shanyan decided he would be her brother forever.
People really can’t empathize with their past selves.
Shen Youwei also remembered the first time they met. When her mother introduced Guan Shanyan to her, she was pleasantly surprised, having never seen such a handsome little boy before.
A boy like that would be highly sought after in her class, so she quickly “claimed” him for herself.
Thinking back now, she had been clever about looking out for herself even at that age.
No wonder.
“So what if I called you brother first? That was just polite!”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
“But you were the first to kiss me, or rather, sneak a kiss!” Shen Youwei had finally caught him red-handed and was relentless now. “Is that polite?”
“…” Guan Shanyan exhaled deeply and, in a tone of surrender, said: “I was indeed wrong. Maybe I really can’t continue being your brother.”
“Oh, finally admitting it!” Shen Youwei scrutinized him. “Is liking me something shameful? That’s why you’re so unwilling to admit it?”
Guan Shanyan pursed his lips. Liking Shen Youwei was certainly not shameful. But when she first called him “brother” all those years ago, he had secretly resolved to live up to that one word.
Over the years, he had devoted himself entirely to taking care of Shen Youwei like a real brother, better than most biological brothers. He had always carried the responsibility of being a brother in his heart. So when Shen Youwei confessed her feelings, he felt he had failed in his duty.
Shen Youwei was younger than him. If she developed feelings for him, it must have been because he hadn’t done something right.
During his three years abroad, Guan Shanyan often reflected on himself, until one day, seeing Shen Youwei’s camisole accidentally, he realized some very inappropriate thoughts had arisen.
Only then did he recognize that perhaps his feelings for Shen Youwei had long changed in nature, though he had been oblivious, or deliberately ignoring it.
No wonder she was so surprised when he initially rejected her.
Love, after all, cannot be hidden.
“I just feel like I failed at being a brother.”
He looked genuinely frustrated and disappointed. Shen Youwei lightly tugged the corner of her lips and said: “Wait, you really wanted to be her brother?”
“I didn’t want to be a brother. I wanted a little sister.” Guan Shanyan corrected her.
“Then you should’ve told your godmother.”
“I did.” Guan Shanyan paused subtly. “They officially took you as their goddaughter, saying from then on, you are my sister.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
Well, that counts as a sister.
“Since you failed as a brother, you can’t fail as a boyfriend too.”
“…” Guan Shanyan was silent for a moment. “Already that fast?”
Shen Youwei countered: “Didn’t it feel fast when you kissed me?”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
One misstep leads to another.
Just as he was about to say something, a passerby stopped, looking uncertain: “Excuse me, are you Shen Youwei?”
Shen Youwei came back to her senses and smiled at them: “Hello.”
“Hello! I’m your fan. You look even better in person than in the videos! Can we take a photo together?”
“Sure.”
The fan immediately walked over and took a selfie with her, leaving satisfied.
Guan Shanyan approached and handed her a mask: “Let’s go home.”
“Mm.” Shen Youwei put on the mask and walked home with him.
Guan Su went out for tea. Xie Mingqiu was watching TV alone and looked surprised seeing only the two of them return: “Just you two? Weren’t friends coming to pick up Tianquan’s things?”
Shen Youwei, changing shoes, said: “She took Tianquan to the pet playground.”
“Why didn’t you go with her?”
“I’m too sleepy. I want to nap.” Shen Youwei went to the living room and poured herself a glass of water.
Xie Mingqiu was surprised that both returned empty-handed: “Did you finish all the things you took out?”
Not to mention how much meat Lu Zhaoye prepared, yet even all the snacks and drinks they brought back had been eaten completely?
Guan Shanyan said: “Some was left. Lu Zhaoye took it back.”
“Oh right, godmother, we also lent him the cart.” Shen Youwei added. “He said he’ll return it to the guardhouse later.”
“Fine. I’ll tell your godfather to grab it when he comes back.”
“I’m going to sleep first. Been up early for two days in a row.”
Shen Youwei yawned and walked inside. Guan Shanyan reminded her: “Early again tomorrow.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
She suddenly felt like not dealing with the studio at all.
Shen Youwei napped for half an hour, and He Man arrived with Tianquan. Guan Shanyan had already tidied up Tianquan’s things and even tucked in a few small gifts. When He Man got home and opened the suitcase, she found several new dog toys inside.
She immediately messaged Shen Youwei: “Guan Shanyan actually put gifts in my suitcase! OMG, you have to see my reaction when I opened it!”
Shen Youwei: “…”
Guan Shanyan knew you called him “mi”?
He Man: [Help me thank him! Five-star review!]
Shen Youwei: [okkk]
She was preparing for the studio’s opening tomorrow and first relayed He Man’s thanks to Guan Shanyan: [He Man saw your gifts and said thanks, mi.]
Guan Shanyan: [? Mi? Cat?]
Little sister: [Mami]
Guan Shanyan: [???]
Little sister: [You don’t get it. That’s what they call it in 2D/otaku circles.]
“…” He really didn’t get it.
Guan Shanyan: [You 2D people have too many terms.]
Little sister: [Thanks, mi!]
Guan Shanyan: …
Little sister: [I was thinking during my nap just now. What you said makes sense. Maybe all of this is related to that meteor shower.]
Guan Shanyan: [That’s a sudden topic change.]
Little sister: [Go with the flow, mi.]
Guan Shanyan: …
Little sister: [I think we need to go back there sometime, but I don’t dare climb the mountain.]
Guan Shanyan thought for a moment, planning to go by himself. Just as he was drafting a message, Shen Youwei sent another:
Little sister: [But if my boyfriend went with me, maybe I’d dare.]
Guan Shanyan: “…”
Guan Shanyan: [Focus on the studio opening first.]
Shen Youwei raised an eyebrow at this message. Does it mean once the studio’s done, she can think about boyfriends?
Fine. She wasn’t in a rush. After all, he had stolen a kiss, there was no denying that.
She finished coordinating some tasks with Zhong Lingling for tomorrow and opened Weibo to check things.
Though the fan battles between Nan Xu and Huang Yiqin were still ongoing, Shen Youwei didn’t want to be affected, so she switched to her secondary account.
Guan Shanyan had messaged her over ten minutes ago:
[Have you ever been in a relationship?]
Shen Youwei’s eyes flickered. What now, asking an online friend for advice again?
He Zhou: [Why this question all of a sudden? Are you dating?]
Guan Shanyan: [No.]
He Zhou: [You’ve never dated?]
Guan Shanyan: …
He Zhou: [It’s fine. If you don’t know how to date girls, ask AI, it knows more than humans.]
Guan Shanyan was skeptical. He Zhou sent a link. Guan Shanyan clicked, news about someone falling in love with AI and wanting a divorce from their husband.
He Zhou: [Good luck.]
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He opened the AI software and typed: [How to date a girl?]
The AI responded with thousands of words of analysis. Guan Shanyan read carefully and asked further: [Explain how to go on a date.]
After reading the AI’s reply, he realized a fatal problem, they had known each other too long. Many suggestions were things they had already done together.
This discovery made him anxious. He furrowed his brows, thought for a while, and messaged He Zhou again:
Guan Shanyan: [Do two people who have known each other a long time lose the sense of novelty?]
Shen Youwei had been about to log off Weibo, but Guan Shanyan messaged again. After reading, she replied after thinking:
[You don’t have to find novelty in new people. You can do new things with old friends.]