I am not ready yet

As the elevator came to a stop on the 34th floor, Zhan Yu Xuan turned to Zhan Wei Feng and nodded in acknowledgment of her request. He understood the weight of her emotions and the difficulty she felt about returning to a place that held both cherished memories and painful reminders.

Zhan Wei Feng remained silent, her head hung down like a child who had committed a transgression and was preparing for a reprimand. It was a stark contrast to the spirited and carefree girl she once was.

While the two turned around in the carpark lobby on the 34th floor, another elevator car came to a halt, and a man stepped out, following the path that Zhan Yu Xuan and Zhan Wei Feng had taken.

However, before they could enter the building, Zhan Wei Feng tugged at the sleeves of Zhan Yu Xuan's coat, her voice filled with resentment.

"Yu Xuan Ge*, can we not enter?" Her voice quivered with a mix of trepidation and sadness. The place they were about to enter had once been her favorite, but now, she couldn't summon the courage to step inside.

Yu Xuan halted in his tracks and turned to look at her, his eyes softening as he met her gaze.

"Are you still not getting over it?" he asked gently, his heart aching for his younger sister.

Her silence spoke volumes, confirming her lingering pain and apprehension. Zhan Yu Xuan let out a sad smile as he saw her struggle, and he reached out, wrapping his arm around her in a comforting embrace. It was an embrace of reassurance, an attempt to convey that everything would be alright.

However, the contrast between the once-energetic and vivacious Wei Feng and her current demeanor was stark. Her lack of spirit weighed heavily on Yu Xuan's heart, but he was determined to provide the support she needed. 

When he first saw her today, he thought that she got out of it. But who would have thought that deep in her heart she was still carrying the pain? What can he do? She was a kid back then and it must have had a big impact on her. As her brother, if she wants to play, he will play with her. If she wants a shoulder to lean on when she is sad. He will give it to her.

"You did nothing wrong," he assured her. "It was just an accident, and we all know you didn't mean what you did or said that day."

"But it was indeed me who was refractory and took things for granted," she replied, her voice tinged with self-blame.

"No, you are wrong in this," Yu Xuan countered gently. "You were refractory because you didn't want to take things for granted between us. You didn't want anything to come between us because we were the only ones for each other. We all understood it when we thought about it with a cool head. It's you, the hot potato that jumped out of the pot on a whim and rolled somewhere."

Wei Feng couldn't help but smile at Yu Xuan's metaphor. "What you said is reasonable. But why are you still weird when it comes to giving a metaphor? What hot potato? If I am a hot potato, then what are you—a slime that molds to the desire of the molder?" She teased, poking and tickling his waist with her fingers, causing him to squirm uncomfortably within their embrace.

"The defective genes and nature of the Zhan family," Yu Xuan replied with a chuckle, "We can't change anything. So let's leave it and talk about you. When are you planning to come home? Everyone is waiting for you, and I bet you know it very well, don't you?"

To avoid the topic, Wei Feng diverted the conversation. "Ah, Yu Xuan Ge, you didn't answer my question. Did you take over the hotel chains?"

Yu Xuan chuckled at her attempt to change the subject. "Don't change the topic," he admonished, though his tone was lighthearted. However, upon seeing her surprised reaction to his tone, he quickly adjusted it, his expression softening. "Did I scare you?"

"No, it's just... it's quite hard to get used to your voice. And nothing much," Wei Feng replied, offering a playful retort.

"Want me to hug you?" Yu Xuan teased, his eyebrows raised mischievously.

"Who wants your hug? Step back! Step back!" Wei Feng ordered, though her tone was filled with affection.

But as Yu Xuan began to comply, she couldn't resist stepping forward and giving him a tight hug, her arms wrapping around him. The warmth and familiarity of the embrace offered a sense of comfort and solace.

After a brief moment of shared embrace, Yu Xuan returned to the topic at hand. "A'Lu Ah, are you not gonna return home?"

"Ge, I know you guys don't despise me for my actions, and you don't resent me for what happened," Wei Feng began, her voice reflecting the weight of her emotions. "But you should know that I am quite sensitive to things that go wrong, and it won't be easy for me to get over it. In short, I'm not ready to face any of you. If not for you blackmailing me and dragging me here, with my abilities, I would have already escaped from here and gone into hibernation away from your eyes. Also, I still want to do a lot of things on my list. So, Ge, don't force me."

Yu Xuan listened attentively to her words, understanding her need for space and time to heal. He knew that Wei Feng needed to find her path, free from external pressures. With a nod, he replied, "I won't force you, A'Lu. Take all the time you need. But remember, no matter where you are or what you do, we're here for you. And when you're ready, we'll be waiting with open arms."

Wei Feng smiled, her heart warmed by her brother's understanding and support. It was a step toward healing, a step toward the day when she would be ready to return home. Until then, she would continue her journey, working through her challenges and pursuing the dreams on her list.

As they stood in the carpark lobby on the 34th floor, a decision was made. They would not enter the familiar yet daunting territory of their family-owned hotel just yet. Instead, they would share this moment, as siblings, outside the walls that held both memories and pain.

[Ge* in chinese is the word to address the elder brother]