Lin Lu tied her apron and took out the many ingredients she had prepared in advance from the refrigerator: pork belly, lobster, chicken, duck, fish…
“Sister, do you need me to help?”
Xiaoxi’s voice came from the doorway.
“No, you go watch some television for a bit. It’ll be ready soon.”
“It’s alright, I’ll watch you cook.” Xiaoxi leaned against the kitchen doorframe.
“When I was at home, I often watched my mom cook, but unfortunately… no matter how much I tried to learn, I couldn’t do it. Every time I tried to cook, I’d blow up the kitchen, so Mom stopped letting me inside afterward…”
Lin Lu listened to Lin Xiaoxi tell stories from the past while cooking, and she felt an inexplicable sense of peace in her heart.
She couldn’t help but recall the days back in the countryside; although her sister often criticized her for being a brother, she actually cared more about Lin Lu than anyone else.
“However… Sister, the way you cook in the kitchen is just like my brother, though… Well, my brother’s cooking is definitely not as good as yours.”
Lin Xiaoxi suddenly said that, and Lin Lu couldn’t help but be taken aback.
“You two really look like a married couple!”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’m not talking nonsense! Sister and my brother really are quite similar!”
***
Lin Xiaoxi just kept chatting with Lin Lu like that while she cooked, and before long, Lin Lu had finished preparing every dish.
Setting the table full of food, Xiaoxi sat down, staring at the feast with her eyes wide, almost drooling.
“Sister, why isn’t my brother back yet? I can’t hold back anymore.”
Lin Lu untied her apron, sighed, and sat down in her chair.
“Well… Xiaoxi… I have something I need to tell you.” Lin Lu took a deep breath.
“Wha… what is it? Why are you so serious?”
Lin Xiaoxi was also made a bit nervous by this sudden change in atmosphere.
“Actually… I am your brother.”
For an instant, the scene was deathly quiet.
“Huh?”
Lin Xiaoxi had thought it was something very serious, but was Lin Lu just playing a strange joke on her?
“I’m serious, Xiaoxi.”
Lin Xiaoxi couldn’t help but burst into laughter, “Haha, Sister, stop trying to tell a joke with such a serious face!”
“I am really not joking!” Lin Lu stood up and took out the diagnosis certificate she had prepared long ago, placing it in front of Lin Xiaoxi.
“Xiaoxi, you… look at this first.”
Lin Xiaoxi skeptically took it and flipped to the first page.
She watched for a few seconds, seemingly having seen something unbelievable, then she widened her eyes, looked up abruptly at Lin Lu, and looked back down at the medical report.
“This… are you, are you really…”
Lin Xiaoxi looked in surprise at the comparison of Lin Lu’s photo on the report and the official red stamps of the institution.
“Yes, genuine and authentic… I am your biological brother.”
“EH!!!!”
Lin Xiaoxi’s voice instantly echoed throughout the entire room.
“Wow! Is it real? Is it really?”
Lin Xiaoxi rushed over at a speed Lin Lu couldn’t even track.
Her restless hands touched Lin Lu’s smooth, delicate cheeks, feeling the softness of her silver hair, and finally, she buried her head into Lin Lu’s soft, ample bosom, rubbing against her while her hands reached up to give a light squeeze…
“Wow! It’s real! Hehe~ Hehe~”
Lin Xiaoxi drooled and giggled, feeling absolutely no regret over the loss of a brother, only the delight of gaining a sister.
Looking at her sister, who was acting exactly like a hooligan in her arms, Lin Lu flushed red.
She swatted away Xiaoxi’s restless hands and glared at her.
“Aren’t you… aren’t you sad? Or perhaps disappointed…”
Before Lin Lu could finish her sentence, Lin Xiaoxi immediately interrupted, “Why would I be sad?”
Lin Xiaoxi giggled, “Isn’t a fragrant, soft sister much better than a stinky brother? Plus, you’re also a gentle, beautiful big sister, hehe~”
Not knowing what strange things she was thinking about, tears of unrequited emotion streamed down the corner of Lin Xiaoxi’s mouth.
“Brother… Sister!”
Lin Xiaoxi bounced up from Lin Lu’s arms, wiped the tears from the corner of her mouth, and put on a serious expression.
“Wha… what is it?”
Seeing her sister’s sudden serious expression, her heart tightened.
Could it be that Xiaoxi still thinks…
“Marry me!” Xiaoxi clasped her hands together, looking at Lin Lu with sparkling eyes, “My dear, I know this is a love that society does not accept, but… I love you, woman! From the moment I saw you, my heart~ my love~ my everything, were all stolen by you… I love you~ For you, I can defy the whole world~ So… Please marry me! My dear royal highness princess!”
“Huh?”
Lin Lu’s brain lagged for a full 3 seconds.
“What kind of strange books have you been reading!” Lin Lu couldn’t take it anymore and knocked her sister on the head, “I am your brother!!”
“Ah, it hurts, hurts, hurts!” Lin Xiaoxi held her head, saying righteously, “You aren’t a brother anymore, you’re a sister! Besides… aren’t sisters born to be wives to their younger sisters…”
Hearing this scandalous remark about her sister, Lin Lu almost lost her breath; she felt her blood pressure soaring.
“Hiss~ don’t get angry, don’t get angry… huff…”
She took a deep breath, and then sighed again.
“Lin. Xiao. Xi.” Lin Lu pointed to the chair and said with a neutral expression, “Sit down.”
Seeing her sister’s expression, Lin Xiaoxi knew she couldn’t keep joking.
She stuck out her tongue and obediently returned to her seat, but her eyes still held laughter, and she couldn’t suppress the smirk on her face.
“First of all, I am your brother… never mind, your sister now.” Lin Lu crossed her arms and stared into Lin Xiaoxi’s eyes and said, “If you say something so scandalous about your sister again, I will have to uphold the family order.”
“Mm-hmm~ okay, Sister~”
Lin Xiaoxi propped her head up and smiled indifferently.
Her sister had never had the heart to hit her since they were small; ‘family order,’ what a joke, it never even existed in the first place.
“Secondly…” Lin Lu paused, “About Mom and Dad… you help me explain it to them.”
“Eh~ why won’t Sister go explain it personally?”
Lin Xiaoxi was a bit confused.
“Sigh… you know what our dad’s personality is like…” Lin Lu sighed, saying helplessly, “Dad has been strict with me since I was a child. He even wanted me to join the military. Now that the only son in the family… has become a big daughter, I’m really afraid he’ll get so worked up he’ll beat me to death.”
“How could that be? No matter what, you’re his own flesh and blood. Besides, this isn’t Sister’s fault. You’re a patient, how could Dad possibly hit you? Even if Dad really wanted to lay a hand on you, wouldn’t Mom mince him into meat sauce first?”
Lin Xiaoxi waved her hand.
Although Dad’s temper was indeed bad, that was because he wanted his children to succeed, and since Lin Lu was the only eldest son, he was strict, but that didn’t mean he loved Lin Lu any less.
“Sigh, you tell Mom and Dad first when you go back.” Lin Lu rubbed her temples.
“Fine, fine.” Lin Xiaoxi’s eyes darted around, and not knowing what mischievous idea she had, a smile curled at the corners of her lips.
“Then if I help you explain, do I get… a reward~”