Chapter 27

During the evening study break, Ruan Miao, carrying his chemistry paper, planned to visit the office to ask the teacher about the mistakes he didn't understand earlier. However, just as he reached the stairway, he heard someone calling him from behind. Ruan Miao turned around to see Sang Wei standing a few steps away on the staircase. The dim light on the stairs illuminated her beautiful but somewhat dejected face.

"You called me?" Ruan Miao tilted his head slightly, turning to look at her gently. "Is this about last night?"

Sang Wei paused for a moment, then hesitated before softly saying, "Thank you for yesterday."

Seeing her so seriously and solemnly expressing her gratitude, Ruan Miao was unaccustomed to this side of her. In his impression, Sang Wei was like a princess, always upright, confident, and gracious, an exemplary figure admired by all the students.

Now, she seemed like a helpless Cinderella with her gaze lowered, as if all her radiance had been suppressed by the night, making Ruan Miao feel a pang of sympathy.

"No need to thank me. It was just a small effort for me. Besides, we are classmates. You don't need to be so formal." Ruan Miao tried to avoid saying anything that might embarrass her, sensing that Sang Wei likely didn't want his pity. "But next time, don't be alone. Remember to go with more classmates after school."

Sang Wei silently nodded, perhaps taking his advice to heart. She then turned and went back upstairs, retracing her steps. Ruan Miao watched her dejected figure from the stairs and couldn't help but call out to her again.

"Um… I don't know what's going on at home, but you should try to stay positive. Things will get better."

Sang Wei stopped, standing with her back to him for a while. Only after a long moment did she softly respond with a faint, somewhat choked "Mm," and then she quickly disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

Ruan Miao sighed inwardly. They weren't exactly friends, and he wasn't sure if she would mind his extra words.

That evening, Ruan Miao was reviewing his homework in his room. It was past eleven o'clock when he felt thirsty and went to get a drink of water. Passing by the study, he unexpectedly noticed a light on inside and thought that He Shangye might have returned.

Ruan Miao hesitated, wondering if he should go in and say hello. After all, He Shangye had been away on a business trip for a while, and since he had encountered him, it would be polite to greet him.

Thinking this, Ruan Miao adjusted his pajamas and knocked on the door. To his surprise, the door was already slightly ajar, not locked. He peeked inside and saw that the desk lamp was indeed on, but there was no one at the desk. The room was quiet.

Was he not home?

Ruan Miao wondered who had turned on the light if He Shangye wasn't there.

Unable to figure it out, he decided it wasn't necessary to enter and cautiously stepped back, closing the door behind him. He then returned to his room after getting some hot water.

Just as he closed his door, a figure appeared at the end of the hallway. The person had been standing there for an unknown amount of time. If not for careful observation, Ruan Miao would not have noticed their presence. The figure remained silent, staring at Ruan Miao's door, deep in thought.

"Young Master, what are you doing here?"

In the dark, a maid who had gotten up during the night was startled by the figure in the hallway. She patted her chest, calming herself, and when she saw it was her young master, she felt relieved.

He Shangye glanced at her expressionlessly before entering the study and quietly closing the door behind him, not intending to respond to her.

____

The next morning, Ruan Miao woke up early as usual, finished his morning routine, and after reviewing vocabulary at his desk, went downstairs for breakfast. As soon as he entered the dining area, he saw He Shangye sitting at the table. It was true; he had returned last night.

"Good morning, Big Brother!" Ruan Miao cheerfully greeted. "You're back!"

He Shangye, dressed in a suit, was reviewing a financial report at the table. Hearing the greeting, he looked up, and with a rare smile, nodded and responded, "Good morning."

"How's your studying been lately?"

Ruan Miao appreciated his concern for his academic progress, as it gave him a chance to show off. He puffed up his chest proudly and said, "The teachers have been praising my rapid improvement. I believe I can advance at least fifteen spots in the class by the end of the semester!"

He Shangye raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yes!" Ruan Miao said confidently, his face glowing with enthusiasm. "I work hard every day, so of course, I deserve some rewards!"

At that moment, He Shanglu came downstairs. Hearing Ruan Miao's words, he snorted, "I see you're getting quite proud. Be careful not to end up with egg on your face."

"I won't!" Ruan Miao retorted. "Advancing fifteen places is just my conservative estimate. I'm being modest!"

He Shangye then put down the financial report and looked at Ruan Miao carefully before saying, "If you really manage to advance fifteen places this time, I'll grant you one wish."

"Really?" Ruan Miao's eyes lit up. "Big Brother, are you serious? Anything can be wished for?"

"Yes," He Shangye nodded, speaking lightly, "I never make empty promises."

Ruan Miao was thrilled and suddenly felt even more motivated. At the same time, He Shanglu wasn't too happy. "Big Brother, why does he get a reward and I don't?"

"What's your academic performance like? Don't you know?" He Shangye, casually sipping his coffee, added with a touch of ruthlessness, "It looks like you'll probably need to repeat the year next year. You might end up taking the college entrance exam with Miao Miao. Is there still a need to reward you?"

He Shanglu was left speechless, unable to retort. His poor grades were well-known throughout the school, and even pursuing an art path might not yield good results. Although He Shangye had arranged for numerous tutors, they had all been driven away one after another, leaving He Shangye increasingly annoyed with him.

Why is it that despite being siblings, Miao Miao is so much more endearing and obedient?

He Shangye glanced at Ruan Miao and then continued drinking his coffee.

He Shangzhi arrived late, and only then did the family begin to eat. Ruan Miao noticed her pale lips and dark circles under her eyes. After chewing on his sausage for a while, he asked softly, "Sister, are you feeling unwell?"

He Shangzhi wearily looked up and weakly shook her head. "I just didn't sleep well. Don't worry about it."

"But you look really unwell." Ruan Miao remembered her concern for him and wanted to return the favor. "How about you take the day off and rest at home? I can ask for leave for you."

He Shangzhi forced a smile, her hand gripping the fork tightly, betraying her inner anxiety. Even He Shanglu noticed something was off and asked, "What's wrong? If you're really feeling unwell, I'll ask for leave for you!"

He Shangzhi remained silent, staring intently at her fried egg.

She indeed hadn't slept well, haunted by another nightmare.

In her dream, she was back on that day. The sky was ablaze with fire, the flames reflecting a red glow in the sky, while she sat on the stairs in the blazing inferno, hugging her knees, with her phone right beside her but no thought of using it to call for help.

There seemed to be no meaning in surviving.

Because the only person who had ever warmed her and embraced her with a smile, Miao Miao, was lost in the fire.

And she was left with nothing.

Even though she knew it was just a dream, He Shangzhi still suffered in her sleep, feeling as though she was burning with heat and pain. Even after waking up, she felt as if breathing was difficult, and every step she took was like walking on sharp knives.

"Sister?" Ruan Miao noticed He Shangzhi's unstable emotions and worriedly waved his hand in front of her. "Are you okay?"

He Shangzhi came back to her senses, realizing her three siblings were all staring at her. Noticing her own lapse, she quickly loosened her grip on the fork, trying to hide her true feelings. "I'm fine."

She wouldn't reveal the reason, and Ruan Miao didn't want to press her. He Shanglu, oblivious to the deeper issues, only thought she was simply tired and kept insisting she shouldn't be so overly stressed. He thought there was no one at home forcing her to do anything and that being too nervous could lead to psychological problems.

He Shangzhi remained silent, cutting her fried egg without speaking, seemingly accepting He Shanglu's comments.

Ruan Miao was concerned and felt that He Shangzhi's condition was unusual. Since she wasn't speaking up, he couldn't do much, so he said, "Please take care of yourself. If you feel unwell, go to the health office."

"Mr. Yu in the health office knows me well. You can ask him to check on you."

He Shangzhi nodded and softly replied, "Okay."

After breakfast, Ruan Miao went out first and was delighted to see snowflakes falling on his shoulder. He looked up at the sky and excitedly called out to his siblings, "Look! It's snowing!"

"Stop making a fuss. Haven't you seen snow before?" He Shanglu, uninterested, followed behind with an umbrella, while also reprimanding Ruan Miao, "You didn't bring an umbrella for such heavy snow?"

He Shangye, standing under the eaves with his arms crossed, looked up and saw the large snowflakes falling. He said, "There's a snowstorm today. Be careful when walking."

Ruan Miao, who hadn't been allowed to have snowball fights since he fell ill, was still a bit mischievous and excitedly suggested, "After the snow stops, let's have a snowball fight!"

The others looked at him as if they had never heard such a suggestion before. Only Ruan Miao was enthusiastic, saying, "I'm going to buy those little duck molds and make rows of little ducks on the fence! And build a big snowman right here!"

Others had difficulty understanding Ruan Miao's obsession with snow. Despite He Shanglu's constant teasing, he still adjusted the umbrella over Ruan Miao's head and couldn't help but retort, "You're childish. Besides, even if we have a snowball fight, your small frame wouldn't stand a chance against me."

"Not necessarily," Ruan Miao argued, "Snowball fights are about strategy, not brute force! It's about intelligence, do you understand?"

"Indeed," He Shangye nodded approvingly, "Miao Miao is right."

He Shanglu: "…"

"I feel like you're implying something about me, but I don't have any evidence," He Shanglu muttered.