Chapter 13: A Birthday Gift for My Sister
Listening to the sounds coming from the hotpot restaurant, Mi Xiaoyue’s expression suddenly froze, remaining dazed for a long moment before she finally came to her senses.
“Brother Yan... let’s go.”
She was about to turn away but was firmly grabbed by the wrist by Yan Xuan.
“Let’s go inside and take a look.”
“I…”
“I want to eat hotpot. Let’s go inside!”
Yan Xuan’s tone was almost like a command, leaving Mi Xiaoyue no courage to refuse.
He pulled her forcefully into the hotpot restaurant. As soon as they entered, they saw a circle of children around fifteen or sixteen years old sitting at the center, most wearing the uniforms of XX County No.1 High School.
At the main seat sat a young girl with long braided hair, surrounded by gifts of various sizes.
“Thank you all for coming to celebrate my birthday. Order whatever you want today, and don’t…”
Mi Xiaomao was politely speaking when she suddenly noticed her sister, Mi Xiaoyue, being dragged in by a stranger and sitting not far from her.
She hesitated briefly then continued, “Don’t be so formal. We’ll go to the KTV afterward.”
Yan Xuan handed Mi Xiaoyue the menu teasingly, “Didn’t you hear your sister? Order whatever you want.”
Mi Xiaoyue sat awkwardly, fiddling with the buttons on her uniform, silent.
Yan Xuan reminded her again, “Your sister’s signaling you; why not look up?”
Mi Xiaoyue raised her head and saw Mi Xiaomao pointing toward the restroom. After a moment’s hesitation, she got up and went.
Minutes later, the two sisters returned from the restroom, one radiant and glamorous, the other gloomy and despondent. Except for Yan Xuan, no one would believe they were sisters.
As soon as Mi Xiaoyue sat down, Yan Xuan spoke at once.
“Let me guess. Your sister will probably ask why you came, then warn you not to ruin her birthday party or let her classmates know she has an older sister like you.”
Mi Xiaoyue remained silent, confirming Yan Xuan’s near-accurate guess. He continued teasing, “You and your sister have quite a relationship!”
“Brother Yan, she just started high school; kids care about face. As her sister, I don’t need to take it personally.”
Yan Xuan laughed, genuinely amused by Mi Xiaoyue’s composure.
She went on, “Brother Yan, I’m telling you, my sister is much better than me. Her grades are excellent. She goes to our county’s prestigious high school and ranked in the top ten in last week’s baseline exam. She might even get into a top university someday.”
As she spoke, a hint of pride appeared on Mi Xiaoyue’s face, and even her usually slightly stooped posture straightened.
“Let’s eat hotpot.”
Yan Xuan clipped a large slice of lamb into Mi Xiaoyue’s bowl, effectively silencing her.
In Mi Xiaoyue’s worldview, it was only natural for an accomplished younger sister to disdain an incompetent older one.
It wasn’t Mi Xiaomao’s fault but Mi Xiaoyue’s own.
After all, she was just a vocational school student who spent her time playing online games with no future.
Time passed bit by bit; the two diners sat in silence, the atmosphere growing heavier, sharply contrasting with the laughter and chatter from the next table.
Just as Mi Xiaomao and the others were preparing to leave, Yan Xuan put down his chopsticks and said, “Mi Xiaoyue, how about a bet?”
Mi Xiaoyue looked up. “A bet on what?”
“I bet that as soon as you step outside, your sister will come over to you in front of her classmates, call you ‘sister,’ and act even more affectionate than usual.”
“Huh?”
“If I lose, I’ll cover all your expenses during the National Day holiday for eight days. If you lose, you’ll have to listen to me for all eight days of the holiday.”
“Brother Yan, I…”
“I take that as a yes.”
Yan Xuan stood to pay the bill, then half-dragged Mi Xiaoyue out of the hotpot restaurant.
Outside, Mi Xiaomao and her group were discussing their next plan. Several parents had already called, seemingly confirming they wouldn’t be going to the KTV.
Suddenly, car headlights lit up behind them. Yan Xuan, holding Mi Xiaoyue’s hand, strode past them toward a Bentley. Just as he was about to open the door, Mi Xiaomao suddenly jumped in front of Mi Xiaoyue, beaming, and called out, “Sister!”
Mi Xiaoyue looked at Mi Xiaomao in a daze.
For the first time in her life, Mi Xiaoyue heard Mi Xiaomao call her sister with such intimacy.
“Xiaoyue, who’s she?” Yan Xuan’s question snapped Mi Xiaoyue back to reality. Before she could answer, Mi Xiaomao took the initiative to introduce herself.
“Hello, brother, I’m Mi Xiaomao, Mi Xiaoyue’s real sister.”
“Real sister?”
“Yes, if you don’t believe me, ask my sister!”
Yan Xuan turned to Mi Xiaoyue with a cold sneer.
“Is that so, Xiaoyue?”
“It is…”
Mi Xiaoyue didn’t deny it, a pang of bitterness rising in her heart.
All her life, she had tried to win Mi Xiaomao’s favor, yet blood ties were never ignored.
But today, Yan Xuan only pressed the car key…
Yan Xuan feigned confusion. “Hey, you were just in the hotpot restaurant, right? Xiaomao, didn’t you see your sister?”
“Well…”
Mi Xiaomao was momentarily speechless.
They had gone to the restroom together and came out together — to say she didn’t see her was plainly a lie.
“Sis…”
Mi Xiaomao gave Mi Xiaoyue a pleading look.
Mi Xiaoyue didn’t want to embarrass her sister and was about to give her a way out when sudden pain shot through her palm.
Yan Xuan was pinching the web between her thumb and forefinger, warning her not to speak for Mi Xiaomao.
“Sister…”
Mi Xiaomao again signaled at Mi Xiaoyue, her tone dramatic.
Mi Xiaoyue endured the pain and said, “Brother Yan, it was me who told her to pretend not to see me in the restroom.”
Yan Xuan frowned. “Why?”
“Because…”
“Because today is my birthday, and my sister didn’t want you to spend too much,” Mi Xiaomao eagerly answered for her, eyes shining with hope as she looked at Yan Xuan.
After all, he was driving a Bentley and knew his girlfriend’s little sister’s birthday was today. Surely he had to show some gesture.
Yan Xuan couldn’t help but laugh. These two sisters—one sharp, the other naive—were putting on a perfect double act for him.
“Send me what you like on your sister’s phone.”
Yan Xuan waved generously and turned to get in the car.
“Goodbye, sister! Goodbye, brother-in-law!”
Mi Xiaomao waved obediently, even voluntarily changing how she addressed them.
As the Bentley drove away, classmates swarmed around, chattering excitedly.
Mi Xiaomao, basking in the glow of vanity, sent Mi Xiaoyue a shopping link.
In the car, Yan Xuan sighed, “Still don’t get what kind of person your sister is, huh?”
Mi Xiaoyue comforted herself, “She’s just a kid. I can educate her later.”
“Who, you? You can educate her?”
“Brother Yan, can we not talk about her anymore…”
Mi Xiaoyue tried to avoid the topic, but her phone suddenly lit up—it was the shopping link from Mi Xiaomao again.
Yan Xuan asked, “What does she want?”
“A backpack, a Groom brand double-shoulder bag, only about six hundred yuan. I’ll buy it for her myself.”
Six hundred yuan was less than what Mi Xiaoyue earned in a week playing games for others, yet she mentioned it so casually when talking about buying something for Mi Xiaomao.
“Only six hundred?”
Yan Xuan sneered, “If I’m not mistaken, that’s an Hermes Groom double-shoulder bag. Six hundred is a fake link. Do you think she wants a fake?”
A fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, calculating every penny.
If Yan Xuan were the kind of ostentatious nouveau riche, to woo Mi Xiaoyue, he’d buy the authentic one even if Mi Xiaomao sent a fake link.
“Brother Yan, how much is the real one?”
“Twenty thousand? Fifty thousand? A hundred thousand? I don’t know exactly.”
“Twenty thousand… Brother Yan, if I become the number one player in the national server, could you…”
“You’re not seriously thinking of buying it for her, are you?”
Yan Xuan was thoroughly amused by Mi Xiaoyue’s earnestness. He stopped the car at the entrance of a certain star-rated hotel, smiling playfully, “I can pay the bill, but I’m not interested in being number one on the national server.”
Mi Xiaoyue asked nervously, “Then Brother Yan, what do you want?”
Yan Xuan whistled softly toward the hotel entrance, the meaning clear without words.
Time ticked by. Mi Xiaoyue gripped the hem of her uniform tightly, silent for a long time.
Yan Xuan thought she had given up and was about to turn away, but from between clenched teeth, Mi Xiaoyue managed to utter one word.
“All right…”