Jiang Nan Fang Zhan Bei Jue

Chapter 416 Not Wanting to Go Home

The younger brother had just served one dish and was preparing another.

Lu Mingzhe walked over, took a piece, and popped it into his mouth. It tasted good.

The younger brother turned to look at him, his face full of smiles.

"Is it delicious?"

"Not bad. Quite capable for a young man."

"So-so. You seem to know my sister quite well. This is the first time I've seen her have someone over for dinner."

Lu Mingzhe found it hard to believe.

"Do you not visit often? That's impossible, with your sister's social circle, how could she only keep me?"

"I live here every day, I've been living here for over a year. Uh, are you my sister's boyfriend?"

Lu Mingzhe retorted, "You've lived here for over a year and you don't know if your sister has a boyfriend?"

"She's never brought anyone home, how would I know if she has one."

"Every time I ask her, she says no. My grandmother is urging me to get married."

The younger brother skillfully poured the vegetables into the wok and began to stir-fry.

"She's 30, and will be 31 in half a year. At that age, where I come from, if you're not divorced, you can't find anyone. Yet she's not worried at all."

Lu Mingzhe hadn't expected to be so honored.

She never brought men home, and he was the first?

Could it be that she really had no other men besides him?

However, he quickly dismissed this self-indulgent thought.

Xiang Wan was video-chatting with someone in the living room about her shop, and all the voices on the other end were from young men.

"You said your sister doesn't have a boyfriend. Listen to this, how many men do you think are on her phone?"

"Those are her studio colleagues. I've met them. They're all younger than her and call her 'sister'. My sister wouldn't take them seriously."

The younger brother immediately debunked the notion.

"What's your name? What do you do? How long have you known my sister?"

He felt like the kid was genuinely trying to take him as his brother-in-law.

Fearing misunderstanding, Lu Mingzhe patted his shoulder.

"Keep cooking, I'm going out. It's making me cough."

The younger brother stir-fried three dishes and a soup. They were served on the table, appetizing and well-presented.

As Lu Mingzhe ate, he couldn't help but sigh.

"At such a young age, your cooking skills are quite good. Usually, an older sister takes care of her younger brother, how come you're taking care of her instead?"

Xiang Wan shot him a look but said nothing.

The younger brother picked up the conversation.

"I'm just more free, and my sister has a lot to do. Besides, cooking isn't that difficult. It's what I should do."

So sensible.

Lu Mingzhe thought, if only Lu Qingxu were half as good as him.

"I've noticed you're particularly talkative today. I almost don't recognize you."

Xiang Wan put a piece of food into his bowl and urged him.

"Eat quickly, and then leave."

"I'm very tired. I have things to do tomorrow, so I need to rest early."

What a coincidence? Today he didn't want to be alone, but she had something to do.

She had chased him away multiple times.

If they had stayed in a cold silence, Lu Mingzhe might have truly left.

But now, with such a strong sense of home, looking at the table full of delicious food, and the sensible, well-behaved younger brother.

He shamelessly made his plea.

"After not seeing each other for so long, don't you miss me at all? Can I stay tonight?"

As expected, Xiang Wan rolled her eyes at him again.

"Don't force me to kick you out."

Lu Mingzhe winked at the younger brother.

"Look at your sister. What man would dare marry her? Only I would, and I don't mind her being so fierce."

It was almost like playful banter.

However, the younger brother opposite them seemed to be enjoying the display of affection.

After dinner, the younger brother cleared the dishes.

Xiang Wan continued to deal with her work.

Lu Mingzhe, feeling awkward being idle, followed the younger brother around.

After everything was tidied up, Xiang Wan yawned and headed to her room. Lu Mingzhe followed her in.

At the doorway, she turned back and was stunned.

"Why haven't you left yet? Can't you understand? How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Can't you see I have a special situation? I don't want to be alone."

"Don't worry, I won't disturb your sleep. I won't touch you, alright?"

Speaking so carelessly, Xiang Wan quickly pinched him.

"Where's your brother? Be mindful of what you say!"

Then, she unceremoniously pushed him out.

"No. If you don't want to be alone, find your friends. We agreed from the start that you wouldn't stay overnight."

Lu Mingzhe clutched his arm, feigning pity.

"How can you be so heartless?"

"Isn't this what you've always wanted? If I were too affectionate with you, I'm afraid I would have scared you away long ago."

"...Alright, alright, I'll sleep with your brother. You do your work, you super busy person."

The guest room where the younger brother slept didn't have as large a bed as Xiang Wan's.

Both of them were over 1.8 meters tall.

On the 1.5-meter bed, they lay pressed closely together.

The younger brother, as the host, didn't say anything.

But Lu Mingzhe became fussy.

He had lived alone in a spacious room since childhood and had never shared a bed with another man.

He felt strange and tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Even after the younger brother began to breathe deeply in his sleep, he was still wide awake.

The various scenes from the day replayed in his mind.

Chen Jiaojiao's merciless face and cruel words echoed repeatedly in his mind.

If he lay there any longer, he'd start brooding late at night. Unable to bear it any longer, Lu Mingzhe got out of bed.

Xiang Wan's door was unlocked, and he easily slipped inside.

A small lump was visible on the bed. Lu Mingzhe, guided by the faint moonlight outside, moved closer and lay down beside her.

Just as he pulled her into his arms, intending to sleep like that,

Xiang Wan was startled awake by him.

Turning around and seeing it was him, she gritted her teeth.

"You're really something. I knew you wouldn't behave. What time is it? Are you going to let me sleep or not?"

"Let you, let you. You sleep. I'll just hold you, can I not speak?"

"Get lost, I don't like you holding me, it's uncomfortable after a while."

"Nonsense. You slept for hours during the day, clinging to me like an octopus, and I didn't see you complaining about discomfort."

"You..."

"Don't move around. Otherwise, if this ignites something, we won't be able to sleep at all."

Xiang Wan was helpless and could only obediently let him hold her.

Both of them, lost in their own thoughts, lay with their eyes open, listening to each other's heartbeats.

Several minutes passed, and they remained still. Xiang Wan's whole body felt stiff.

She couldn't help but look up at him.

She found that his eyes were wide open.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Aren't you awake too?"

"Isn't it all your fault?"

She had taken another shower before sleeping, and her whole body was fragrant.

Now, speaking in a hushed voice, like a thief, revealing a soft and cute side, Lu Mingzhe found her incredibly endearing and his heart fluttered.

"How about I apologize? Let's do something, and you'll be tired enough to sleep."

"...How dare you! I really have something to do tomorrow, don't bother me!"

"It's precisely because you have something to do that you need adequate sleep. Alright, don't waste time."

After a flurry of activity,

Exhausted, she actually fell asleep.

She slept until her brother made breakfast and woke them up.

Xiang Wan heard the sound, opened her eyes, and grabbed her phone.

With a "smack," she hit Lu Mingzhe on the shoulder.

"It's all your fault, you made me late. Get up quickly, get up and go to work!"