Today is my first day as a sophomore in high school, and it's also the fifth year since I moved into this house. Five years ago, my parents divorced, and I followed my mom when she remarried, coming to live in this man's home. This man is a civil servant—wealthy and refined. My mom took a liking to him at first glance. I was still young back then, but I just refused to call him "Dad." No matter how bad a biological father might be, he's still more familiar than an outsider. The only dad I acknowledge is my real father.
After coming to this house, life suddenly became less financially strained, but also much emptier. His home is a large 200-square-meter apartment with a loft that overlooks the sea. Because of his high-ranking position, "social engagements" outside were inevitable, and the man often didn't come home. My mom, in turn, enjoyed her freedom, frequently staying out overnight. The two-story house quickly became quiet. Fortunately, the man had a son the same age as me, and we attended the same high school, so at least this "home" didn't feel completely lifeless.
At 6:00 AM, the alarm went off on time. I got myself ready and made a simple breakfast, then went downstairs to knock on my brother's door. Sure enough, this lazy pig was still asleep! Helpless, I had to drag him out of bed by force. Watching him curled up under the blankets, I couldn't help but sigh for the Nth time—this guy really was the epitome of a pretty boy. His skin was soft and pink, flushed from just waking up, with long bangs covering one eye while the other stared at me sleepily through a haze of drowsiness. I glared at him in exasperation. "Looking at me won't help. Get up and eat. I don't want to be late today!"
He didn't move, blinking slowly before flashing me a lazy smile. "You made breakfast again today? Smells delicious! Hey—! Sis, don't walk away~ Didn't you notice me trying to charm you?"
I rolled my eyes and strode out of the narcissist's room without looking back, tossing a cold remark over my shoulder. "Wasted effort. You know I don't like men."
Eating breakfast alone, I suddenly saw a tall figure emerge from the bathroom. The fried egg in my hand plopped into the milk, splashing it all over me. "Damn it, are you insane? Appearing out of nowhere!" This guy—showing up suddenly without a sound was startling enough, but it was already September, and he was wandering around shirtless! With his frail, delicate physique, he'd catch a cold sooner or later!
He sat down across from me nonchalantly and grinned. "Didn't you tell me to hurry up and eat? Here I am. Heh~ Why are you staring at my chest? I thought you didn't like men. Unless you..."
"Boring!" I put down my chopsticks and left, leaving him there with an awkward chuckle.
Though we were siblings, at school we always acted like ordinary classmates. Besides, we weren't in the same class, so we barely spoke. Apart from close friends, no one knew we were brother and sister.
Today was the official division into arts and science tracks, resulting in a massive reshuffle of all fourteen classes in our grade. Arriving at my new classroom, I scanned the room—none of my former classmates were here. However, one boy by the window stood out. He had headphones in, swaying slightly to the music, his entire demeanor exuding a kind of頹廢 (decadent) yet indescribable aura that clashed with the classroom atmosphere. Frowning, I averted my gaze and started reviewing my notes.
The first class was homeroom, taught by our biology teacher. Before starting, everyone introduced themselves. As a tomboy with a fairly androgynous appearance, the moment I stood up, skeptical glances swept over me. I smiled calmly. "Hello, my name is Zhang Shuoyang. You can just call me Shuoyang. I'm happy to join this new class and look forward to getting along with everyone." Before I could sit down, another commotion erupted—the next person to stand was the "頹廢 guy" who'd been listening to music earlier. He brushed his bangs aside and grinned brightly. "Hey everyone, I'm sure you've all heard of the undefeated top student in our grade? That's me—Chen Yu. If you ever have questions, feel free to discuss them with me. My door is always open." He casually winked at the girls before sitting back down, eliciting a wave of murmurs across the room.
Tch. Arrogant!
I shot him a discreet glare and was about to open my textbook when the door was suddenly kicked open. A panting figure appeared in the doorway. "Tea… Teacher… Sorry… Traffic… was bad…"
That voice! My head snapped up—Ugh! What rotten luck! I actually got placed in the same class as that narcissistic older brother of mine!
The teacher looked him over and said mildly, "Ah, just be more careful next time. Your name?"
"Qi Qianqi."
"Heh, nice name…" The teacher smiled, checking off the attendance sheet before pointing to the empty seat beside me. "You'll sit next to Zhang Shuoyang."
My brother's eyes instantly lit up when he saw me. I silently glared at him, and he quickly adopted an understanding expression, sitting down politely. "Qi Qianqi. Nice to meet you."
I nodded without a word.
After listening to the teacher's brief speech, I immediately felt like I'd encountered a wise leader. Our teacher was young, unmarried, and had a gentle appearance but a no-nonsense attitude. Though her academic standards were high, she was very democratic in daily life. According to former classmates, outside class she acted just like a kid, which put me at ease.
The day passed without incident. As usual, I went to pick up my girlfriend and walked her home.
On the way, she told me she wanted us to be together openly. Naturally, I couldn't give her any formal status, and she was understanding enough not to demand it. She said it was just because we were in different classes now and couldn't see each other as often, so she wanted me to think of a way to both silence the gossip and give us a legitimate reason to meet. That was when I thought of… him.
When I got home, the house was shaking with the blaring sound of rock music. Frowning, I headed straight for the narcissist's room. Seriously, when did he change his taste again?! Last time, he was belting out dolphin notes at home until the elderly neighbors reported him for noise pollution. And now this…! Ugh—
"Hey! Why's the music so loud? It's deafening!" I kicked the door open without mercy, only to find the room empty.
Just as I turned to leave, a pair of hands suddenly landed on my shoulders. "Looking for me?"
"Yeah, I need to discuss something with you." I suppressed my anger and spoke calmly. No choice—I was asking for a favor.
"Oh?" He turned off the music and smirked. "Wow, you even used the word 'discuss'~ Haha, what's up?"
Annoyed, I leaned against the doorframe and forced a fake smile. "How about I introduce you to a girlfriend?"
"Me?" His eyes widened in disbelief. "Did you take the wrong meds today? You know I'm not into—"
"I know you like men," I cut him off impatiently. "That's exactly why I'm introducing you to a girlfriend!"
"Huh?" He froze for a second before bursting into laughter. "Oh~ I get it. You want to use her as a cover for your little lover, right?"
"Damn it, she's my wife! Not some 'little lover'! Are you in or not? If not, forget it. I'll find someone else. No time to waste on you." I made to leave, though honestly, apart from my brother, I didn't have any other suitable candidates.
"Hey—" He grabbed my arm. "Wait! I'll help, okay? But… is she willing?"
"Duh. Why else would I agree to introduce her to you?" I emphasized the word "introduce."
He grinned and leaned in suggestively. "Alright, since it's my dear sister's request, how could I refuse?"
I frowned and stepped back. "I'll bring her to meet you tomorrow." Then I turned and headed to my room.
"Hey—! Just so we're clear, if she causes any trouble for me or my partner, I'm dumping her!" he shouted after me.
I paused. "You have a partner now?" My face was full of disbelief.
"Heh." He seemed caught off guard by the question, awkwardly running a hand through his hair. "Well… it's still in the observation phase."
"Tch~ Another one-sided crush, huh?" I started walking away again.
"Wait!"
"Damn it! What now?!" I hadn't even made it three steps before he stopped me again. So frustrating!
"Uh, well… don't get mad… Haha, I just wanted to tell you—Mom called earlier. She and Dad are going on vacation for a while. They won't be back anytime soon."
"Got it." I responded flatly before returning to my room to sleep.