C7 Little Clumsy Thing

"Who would do something so awful?!" Chu Zhiyuan, known for his kind heart and gentle nature, was the last person you'd expect to have enemies.

Forcing a smile, Chu Zhiyuan waved off Xiaoli's attempt to help and reached for the first aid kit himself. Xiaoli quickly stepped in to apply the medicine, her touch as gentle as possible, yet still causing Chu Zhiyuan to wince slightly.

Xiaoli's eyes were red with concern. "Who did this to you?"

"Maybe I accidentally upset someone. People can be pretty quick to anger these days," Chu Zhiyuan reassured her softly. "You know what they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Don't worry, tears don't suit you."

Xiaoli nodded, somewhat comforted, and finished bandaging him up. As she picked up her phone, she noticed a new text message from an unknown number. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it:

"Seen your brother? Remember, if you push me, I can't promise your loved ones will be safe. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

Xiaoli's grip on her phone tightened, her knuckles turning white. She didn't recognize the number, and she'd deleted Xiao Chen's contact, leaving her with no proof. Yet, she was certain it was him. She had angered him today, and now he was targeting her brother to punish her. It was infuriating!

Her fingers flew across the screen as she typed back quickly: "Xiao Chen, you're a complete psycho!"

The phone lit up almost immediately, indicating Xiao Chen had been waiting for her response: "And what if I am?"

Xiaoli gritted her teeth in frustration, unable to argue back. Even if Xiao Chen was being unreasonable, what could she do to stop him? Nothing.

In a fit of anger, she tossed her phone aside and walked barefoot into her bedroom. As her eyes fell on the large bed, a fresh wave of anger and resentment washed over her. It was here, just last night, that she had lost her innocence for no reason at all.

Xiaoli stripped the sheets off the bed and tossed them into the washing machine. When she caught a fleeting glimpse of red on the sheets, her frustration deepened. Thankfully, she had learned how to do laundry after that incident, and since then, all the household laundry had become her responsibility. Wait, which incident was it?

Xiaoli was a bit taken aback, staring at the sheets in the washing machine. Suddenly, she remembered the first time she did laundry—it was when the sheets were stained with blood. Was it the first time she got her period? She couldn't quite recall, perhaps because it was so long ago. But if she couldn't remember, maybe it wasn't worth dwelling on. Why was she so fixated, as if she'd forgotten something important?

Oh, she remembered now. She hadn't eaten.

...

The next morning, Xiao Jie arrived at the An family home, interrupting Xiaoli's peaceful dreams. When she appeared in front of Xiao Jie, she was still in her cartoon pajamas, her eyes dazed. Seeing her handsome and refined boyfriend at the door left her momentarily speechless.

Chu Zhiyuan hadn't left for work yet. Hearing the commotion, he got dressed with a toothbrush in his mouth. Seeing Xiao Jie, he raised an eyebrow teasingly and joked with his little sister, "Your boyfriend's here bright and early. You should make a day of it."

Xiaoli had no intention of going on a date. She still hadn't figured out how to tell Xiao Jie about what happened with Xiao Chen. All she wanted was to keep her distance from Xiao Jie for now.

"I thought... don't you have work at the hospital today, Xiao Jie?" Xiaoli apologized, shaking Xiao Jie's arm, trying to stay calm. "Let's go out in a few days when I have time off. Otherwise, what about my year-end bonus?"

"Little Clumsy Thing," Xiao Jie chuckled, tapping Xiaoli's nose. "Today is actually your day off at the hospital. Did you forget? You're all mixed up with your dates."

"..."

"But don't worry, from now on, I'll take care of everything for you," Xiao Jie said with a charming mix of elegance and affection. He turned to look at Chu Zhiyuan, "Are you really okay with entrusting your precious sister to me?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a touch of resignation, "You know how it is with sisters; they always seem to side with outsiders."

Xiaoli shot her brother a glare, unable to find another excuse to refuse. Even though her boyfriend was as gentle and graceful as ever, Xiaoli just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.