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nPretending it never happened, what a childish idea. Do you think it’s like a wife finding out about her husband sexting another girl then acting generous and saying, “I’ll pretend it never happened if you don’t do it again”? We’re brother and sister, it’s not like it will go away just because you refuse to accept it.

n“That’s absolutely not okay.” My attitude gradually hardened, “It might not have been the best time, but since you know the truth, it’s better for you to accept it. My feelings for you won’t change…”

n“But my feelings for you…” Ai Mi suddenly shouted. After she knew she blurted out something she shouldn’t have, she fell silent for a while, then changed her tone and said, “There’s only feelings of a master and servant between you and me. I don’t want a sibling relationship, you should just remain as my manservant.”

nI was angry at Ai Mi’s unreasonableness. If she’s going to deny our sibling relationship, then what’s the point of all my previous efforts.

nI got heated up and began to speak louder.

n“Hey, can you not be so stubborn. Did you forget how I risked my life to save you? I can throw away my life, but I just want you to call me brother, is that an unreasonable request?”

n“It’s unreasonable, too unreasonable.” Ai Mi clenched her fists and shouted at me.

nI took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my mind, but failed.

nTo show I would never back down on this issue, I took a step closer to Ai Mi and looked down at her. She also looked at me like she was accepting the challenge and that she was even angrier than me.

n“Ai Mi, are you going to call me brother or not.”

nI couldn’t help but use a threatening tone.

n“No, I’m not.” Ai Mi stiffened her neck and headbutted me.

n“You…” I subconsciously clenched my right fist out of anger.

nAi Mi, who noticed it, wasn’t afraid. Instead, she brought her body even closer to me. She placed her hands at her waist and tilted her head.

n“Hmph, you lowly manservant, are you going to hit your master? If you have the guts, then hit me, hit me!”

nI unclenched my fist and put it down. I wasn’t going to hit my sister, it was only a subconscious reaction in the first place.

nI closed my eyes tightly in annoyance and squeezed out many wrinkles between my brows.

n“Ha, since you’re not capable of hitting me, why don’t you get on your knees and beg me?” Ai Mi said sarcastically, “All you have to do is press your head against the carpet and beg me sincerely, then maybe I’ll call you brother.”

n“Remember to say ‘Oh Great Miss Ai Mi, please grant this favor to your lowly manservant. Call me brother, so that I may die with content’.”

n“But you can’t get a single word wrong, how about it?”

nWho would agree to such a humiliating condition. If I have to act slavishly to get you to call me brother, then I would rather not.

n“Ai Mi, stop throwing a tantrum like a child. We could only continue our relationship if you first admit our sibling relationship…”

n“What do you mean?” Ai Mi interrupted me, “Are you threatening me? Are you saying you won’t see me again if I don’t call you brother?”

nI was going to nod, but seeing the fear and loneliness flickering in the depths of Ai Mi’s eyes, I had to change my words and said:

n“I don’t mind being called a manservant, or rather, I don’t mind being called that way because you are my sister. I won’t let other people call me that way…”

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n“So I don’t mind if you call me manservant outside, but you have to call me brother when it’s only the two of us, must be called my brother. It’s the only reason I protect you and care for you or are you going to deprive me of that too?”

nAi Mi hesitated a bit when she heard my sincerity.

nThen she shook her head violently like she was trying to reject one of her thoughts.

n“Let’s, let’s make a deal.” Ai Mi shouted. It was a familiar statement that couldn’t help but remind me of her mother, Ai ShuQiao.

n“Ye Lin you.. will continue to be my manservant. And I won’t call you brother when we’re alone…”

n“Hey, that’s the same as before, right?” I spat.

n“Don’t interrupt, I’m not done yet.” Ai Mi waved her small fist angrily, “If… if you’re okay with that, then I won’t give you any hard work in the future, basically you don’t have to do anything.”

n“I… I’m still not seeing any benefits.”

n“How are there no benefits?” Ai Mi had a red face, “You don’t have to work for the rest of your life. All you have to do is eat with me, play with me, and I will raise you… is that not enough?”

nHuh, although she’s young, she’s learned a little of Ai ShuQiao’s seduction skills. She wants me to give up my dignity and live off my sister the rest of my life. It seems like it would be an easy and comfortable life.

nI let out a sigh.

n“Ai Mi, do you still remember the second time we met by chance at the supermarket? You were going to buy the chips in my hand for a lot of money, but I didn’t take your money… from then onward, you probably felt I was quite different, someone who couldn’t be bribed by your mother. I’m still that same person and I won’t be bribed by you either. “

nAi Mi couldn’t hide her disappointment.

n“But.” I added, “I can serve you better, more attentively, more desperately than a manservant, on the condition that you just call me brother, is it really that difficult?”

nAi Mi was dumbfounded by my question, but she remained undeterred and continued to bargain with me:

n“Then… continue to be my manservant and I will still provide all your needs. Plus, if you perform well, I will… call you brother once, how about it?”

nBased on her expression, this was already the biggest concession she could make.

n“No. If even the word ‘brother’ becomes a reward, then what would my status be?”

n“You’re a manservant~~” Ai Mi shouted impatiently.

n“That’s the problem.” I shouted back, “You can use me like a manservant, but you have to call me brother. I’d rather have that than be treated like a prince, only to be called a manservant.”

n“Why do you care so much about the name?” Ai Mi was so angry and anxious that she was about to cry out again.

n“Because that’s what I deserve to be called.” I refused to give in either.

n“Let’s play rock-paper-scissors.” Ai Mi suggested, “If you win, I’ll call you brother, otherwise you’ll be a manservant for the rest of your life.”

nAi Mi said with a self-loathing tone.

n“That’s ridiculous.” I waved my hand in refusal, “How can you treat a brother-sister relationship like child’s play?”

nActually, another reason I refused was because I have bad luck. I usually only had a 25% win rate at rock-paper-scissors, so I didn’t want to lose my chance at being a brother because of my bad luck.

n“Why are you so stubborn?” Ai Mi’s face had turned red with anger and she was breathing heavily.

n“You’re the one who’s stubborn, right?” I retorted.

n“I’ve decided.” Ai Mi suddenly said loudly, “I’ll still call you manservant since I’m used to it. Besides, weren’t there movies where the brother acted as the sister’s servant? Although they were born from the same mother, there’s still a hierarchical difference…”

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nHer words pierced through my heart like a sword.

nMy tone quickly became colder.

n“What do you mean, do you think you’re more noble than me? Do you think the difference comes from having a different father?”

nAi Mi didn’t immediately notice my abnormality, still feeling good about herself, said:

n“Of course, America is more developed than China. So, of course, my American father compared to your Chinese father…”

nThat’s one point I couldn’t stand, I have no intention of comparing America and China, but you can’t insult my father. He especially can’t be insulted by you, the child of his ex-wife and her eloper.

n“Ai Mi, I don’t care if you say anything else, but if you say your American father is better than my dad and your looking down on him because of it, then I demand an apology.”

n“Why would I apologize?” Ai Mi still did not realize the seriousness of the situation and was still peeved at me.

nMy tone became as cold as falling into an ice cave.

nAt the same time, my anger had burned out the last trace of reason in my mind.

n“If you don’t apologize, then I have to assume that our relationship is over, and you don’t need to call me brother anymore.”

nAfter saying these words, I turned around and left.

nAi Mi froze in place and watched me walk out of her bedroom.

nMy chest was filled with anger, so my steps were swift. There was a rapidly expanding distance between me and Ai Mi seemed to indicate an insurmountable gulf between us.

nI had my back to Ai Mi, so I couldn’t see her expression, and she didn’t make any sounds either.

nSoon, I crossed the living room and walked next to the main entrance of room 101, which Peng TouSi had just left from.

nI will also leave, but unlike him, I will not come back.

nIt’s fine to say I was too hot-headed, but I have my own lines that can’t be crossed. The only thing that worries me was I didn’t know how to reply to Li CunZhuang’s parents. I was so confident and filled them with hope, but I couldn’t achieve my goals.

nMy hand gripped the door handle. Strange, it was clearly midsummer, but the handle was ice cold.

n“Clack”, the sound of the doorknob turning rippled through the silence of the room.

nThen another sound rang out behind me. It was the sound of a young girl running desperately across the carpet so eagerly that she almost fell over.

nBefore I could turn around, Ai Mi had caught up with me. She pounced on me from behind and wrapped her arms around my waist.

nHer petite body was pressed against my back. I felt the warmth of her body compared to the cold doorknob and could even hear Ai Mi’s frenzied heartbeat.

n“Don’t go, please don’t go. I’ll call you brother… I’ll always call you brother.”

nAlthough I didn’t turn around, I could tell her face was covered with tears based on her voice.

nI turned my face and looked at Ai Mi whose face was ruined by her tears. I could not help but feel love and compassion and I gave her an understanding smile.

n“Brother is a bad person… the worst.”

nAi Mi wiped her tears on my clothes. Her hair was messy, her little face was red, and she was full of childishness. I felt her current state was a hundred times cuter than on stage or in front of the camera, no, a thousand times cuter.

nDespite the shame, the only thought that occupied my mind was: this life was worth it.

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