Xie Qi fixed his sharp gaze on his younger brother for a moment before asking deliberately, “You… want to… pursue… He Yu?”
Xie Xiaobao, still sweet and eager for his brother’s advice, blinked his round eyes and shyly wiggled his ears, “Mm-hmm.”
Xie Qi scrutinized Xie Xiaobao’s expression with twilight-like intensity.
Seeing the boy’s confused yet resolute look, he scolded, tapping his finger on his knee, “When did this start? Does He Yu know?”
Xie Xiaobao scratched his ears with his paws, staring at the tatami mat and replied, “I just realized it yesterday. Every time I see him, I… I blush and my heart goes BLAJ…”
He stammered, trying to explain his feelings to his brother, “He Yu doesn’t know yet. Should I tell him?”
Xie Qi sneered coldly inside but softened his expression on the outside.
“No need to rush. Are you sure this is really liking someone?”
Xie Qi coaxed patiently, “You two are so close; maybe it’s just friendship giving you the wrong idea.”
“Really?” Xie Xiaobao looked puzzled.
Before coming here, he thought he was certain, but hearing this from Xie Qi made him doubt again.
“But whenever I see him, my heart beats so fast.”
Xie Qi remained expressionless, “Maybe it’s just your adrenaline acting up. We should go to the hospital for a checkup sometime.”
Xie Xiaobao looked at him blankly.
He vaguely felt Xie Qi’s words might be true but couldn’t argue, so he drooped his ears in frustration.
Seeing his brother so downcast, Xie Qi realized he’d been too direct and added, “When you like someone, you get jealous. Have you ever felt jealous?”
Xie Xiaobao asked, “What does jealous mean?”
“Jealousy means… when you see him with someone else, you feel unhappy,” Xie Qi deliberately twisted the meaning.
“For example, if your brother-in-law goes to the store, I get jealous and upset. Or if he hangs out with others, I get jealous too.”
“Do you really get jealous over that?” Xie Xiaobao was shocked by his confident explanation.
Xie Qi, taking advantage of his brother’s ignorance, made up more, “Of course. Look at how close I am with your brother-in-law.”
Xie Xiaobao nodded; of course, they were close.
“So we get jealous of each other. That’s because we like each other.”
Xie Qi curled his lips and said, “You only get jealous when you really like someone.”
“Does that mean if He Yu goes to work, you get jealous?”
Xie Xiaobao honestly shook his head.
“What about when he spends time with others? Are you jealous then?” Xie Qi pressed.
Xie Xiaobao thought for a moment and shook his head again.
“See? You’re not jealous at all. You don’t really like He Yu,” Xie Qi concluded.
“No romantic love is without jealousy; only friendships don’t have jealousy.”
Xie Xiaobao was convinced by his logical argument.
“Maybe I was mistaken.”
Xie Qi nodded seriously, “You’re still young and don’t understand love. If you’re confused, you can always ask me.”
For the first time, Xie Xiaobao thought that his brother, who always bullied him as a Cat, was actually reliable.
He padded closer and rubbed against Xie Qi’s arm, meowing softly, “Second brother, you’re so nice.”
Xie Qi suppressed the smile tugging at his lips and picked up his pudgy little brother, stroking him.
The orange Cat was plump and soft, so easy to pet—he couldn’t let some scheming human take him away.
He shifted back to his Innate Form, curling the chubby brother under his belly and licking his fur.
Halfway through grooming, he suddenly remembered something and lifted his head, meowing, “Meili’s coming to stay for a few days. Are you waiting for her?”
“Meow?” Xie Xiaobao rolled over excitedly, his whole cat body radiating joy.
“Really?” Since Meili was sent back to the tribe to study, he hadn’t seen her for a long time.
Xie Qi nuzzled him with his head.
“Yeah, I heard her grades are the best among all the Cats, so she was granted a week off.”
Young Cats in the tribe couldn’t attend human schools because they were easily startled and might revert to their Innate Form.
Going to a human school would risk exposing their identities.
So the elder Cats, rich in knowledge, opened a school where all eligible cubs were sent for closed education.
Xie Meili was sent there when she reached the right age.
Only Xie Xiaobao, who had eaten the fruit and was forced to mature early, was spared from attending school.
Hearing Meili was coming made Xie Xiaobao happy all day long.
He cheerfully packed his things and settled into Jade Garden.
He Yu had contacted him a few times, but Xie Xiaobao, confused by his strange feelings, rejected the calls, saying the mountain signal was poor and inconvenient for video chats.
He Yu frowned lightly, staring at the abruptly ended call.
Two days later, Meili arrived at Jade Garden, just as Xie Qi had said.
Xie Xiaobao counted down the time eagerly.
When he heard the screech of brakes at the courtyard gate, he ran out happily.
The family driver had brought her.
Just as Meili’s hand touched the car door, it was pulled open.
Xie Xiaobao’s face appeared before her, “Meili!”
Now a grown young lady, Meili wore a simple dress and carried a small bag.
Her brows were cool and clear, but she smiled when she saw Xie Xiaobao.
“Xiaobao, you’ve gotten chubbier again.”
“Nonsense, I haven’t,” Xie Xiaobao panted, grumbling.
Everyone’s first comment was always this, but when it came from his sister, he couldn’t be mad.
Meili pressed her lips together and stepped down with her bag.
Xie Qi took her luggage inside while Xie Xiaobao followed Meili, murmuring, “It’s only been a little while, but you’re getting more like big brother and second brother.”
“Better to be like them,” Meili glanced at him.
“If you were like you, you’d be sold and owe money to someone else.”
Xie Xiaobao puffed up in anger, “You’re not cute at all anymore like when we were little.”
Meili’s lips curled with a sly smile, inheriting the true spirit of their two older brothers.
“As long as you’re cute, that’s enough.”
Xie Xiaobao had nothing to say.
Among the four siblings of the Xie family, only Xie Xiaobao resembled their mother after transforming into human form—gentle features, clearly a good temper.
The other three siblings all looked like their father—tough and unapproachable just by appearance.
Inside the house, Qu Yanning had already prepared the meal and invited them to wash up and get ready to eat.
Xie Meili took the suitcase from Xie Qi’s hand.
Inside were gifts for their brother and brother-in-law.