Brothers and Bargains

When Shen Zheng and Shen Nan arrived home that afternoon, they immediately noticed that their younger brother's bicycle was missing from the garage. That could only mean one thing: he was out on one of his usual errands. Just as they were about to close the door and head inside, they heard a familiar sound and turned to see their brother pedaling up on his small bicycle, a heavily-laden rickshaw in tow. The assortment of boxes and bags stacked high in the rickshaw left little room to maneuver, effectively blocking Shen Zheng and Shen Nan at the garage entrance.

As the delivery man unloaded the various items from the rickshaw, Shen Zheng and Shen Nan could only exchange helpless glances. Shen Zheng finally broke the silence with a bemused smile. "Hey, little bro, are you just rolling in cash these days with no idea where to spend it? If that's the case, let me be the generous older brother and help you lighten your wallet a bit. I wouldn't mind doing you that favor!" He glanced around the chaotic pile. "Look at all this junk! At this rate, Dad's car won't even have a spot in here. You think that's a great setup?"

Unperturbed, Shen Lang casually took off a new backpack he'd slung over his shoulder and handed it to Shen Nan. "Here, take it. If you think it's cute, I'll give it to you—free of charge."

She scoffed and took a step back. "Seriously? That bag looks ancient! No, thanks."

"Fine," he replied with a shrug. "Suit yourself." He shifted his attention to his brother with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, bro, you won't believe what I got my hands on today—a 1:25 scale special forces model set, brand new, perfectly intact, and still sealed in its original packaging. Let's see... it should be in one of these boxes here."

At the mention of the model, Shen Zheng's face lit up with unrestrained excitement. He had been coveting a set like this for ages, but it was a rare find that rarely sold in single pieces, not to mention the price—far out of reach for his budget. And now, hearing that Shen Lang had managed to get hold of one, he could barely contain his enthusiasm.

A dismissive "hmph" escaped Shen Nan, though she clearly registered the glint of excitement on her brother's face.

Shen Lang sighed, flashing a knowing smile. "Come on, sis, don't be sore about it. It's just that today, there wasn't anything I came across that was right for you. I genuinely thought this backpack was cool—and it was still sealed when I bought it. The old man who sold it to me almost looked heartbroken when I left with it. If you weren't my sister, I wouldn't even think about giving it to you. But wait, I did pick up a little something for you too."

With a teasing grin, Shen Lang reached into his leather satchel and produced a small, crystal apple. "Here you go. Enjoy it! And don't accuse me of playing favorites—being the little brother isn't easy, you know. I'd rather not have you painting me as the bad guy."

Shen Nan's eyes sparkled with delight as she took the crystal apple from him, her initial skepticism replaced with visible admiration. She held it up to the light, her eyes full of wonder. Then, a sudden thought made her pause, and she raised a suspicious eyebrow at her brother. "Wait a minute… little brother, are you collecting junk or something?"

Shen Lang rolled his eyes in mock exasperation and pulled a crumpled receipt from his bag. "Oh, ye of little faith! For the record, this was a legitimate purchase. You see? I even have the receipt. It's a good thing I didn't get you a teddy bear instead," he said with a smirk, holding up the proof of purchase.

Pleased with her little trophy, Shen Nan waved the receipt in front of her brothers, relishing her small victory. She was all too aware of her younger brother's thrifty ways, so even the smallest token gift from him felt like a minor miracle.

After dinner, Shen Nan looked across the room at Shen Lang, curiosity getting the best of her. "Hey, little brother, what's with that bag anyway? It's way too small for books."

"Do me a favor and keep your uninformed opinions to yourself, will you?" Shen Lang scoffed, tapping the bag lightly. "And anyway, when have you ever seen me bring a textbook home? That'd just be more dead weight to carry around. With the two of you around, it's not like I'm missing any spare books if I ever need them. One sibling's always around if I need to borrow something. You should learn to avoid unnecessary effort—aren't you tired of doing extra work? My bag will last me through high school, no problem. It's perfect for a pen and maybe a notebook," he added, nodding with satisfaction.

Shen Nan rolled her eyes with a sigh of resignation. There was no winning an argument with him today. She decided to let it slide, at least for now.

After watching a bit of television, Shen Lang eventually got restless and stretched. "I'm exhausted—absolutely beat! At least tomorrow I can sleep in a bit." He exaggerated his yawn, feigning drowsiness as he ambled off to his room.

Shen Zheng caught Shen Nan's raised eyebrow and glanced at her with mild surprise when she simply shrugged off her brother's theatrics, only twitching an eyebrow in response. Strange—she was usually quicker to call him out.

The next morning, the family headed out together as usual. It wasn't until they were a few steps from the house that Shen Zui, their father, noticed something unusual. He cast a puzzled glance at Shen Lang's bag, reaching out to feel the material with a slight frown.

Walking ahead, Shen Zheng didn't notice his father's reaction, but Shen Nan, who was walking beside Shen Zui and holding his hand, caught his look. "Dad, is something wrong?"

Shen Zui shook his head slightly, then turned to his younger son. "Hey, Lang, isn't that bag a little extravagant? I don't even think mine is this expensive. Where did you get it? I remember our old director had one just like that. He treats it like a family heirloom—wouldn't let anyone so much as touch it. Yours looks brand new though. Where on earth did you find it?"

Shen Nan's jaw dropped. Was he serious? That old-looking thing cost more than her dad's prized leather bag? She replayed the events of yesterday in her head and felt a pang of regret. That little scoundrel had clearly outsmarted her! He must have known she'd give up on the bag once he downplayed its value, and she'd fallen right into his trap. She could almost see the gears turning in his head, deliberately underplaying it so she'd lose interest. And, just to make sure she didn't feel neglected, he'd even gone to the trouble of giving her that crystal apple. Hmph! No wonder he'd been so quick to offer it to her.

Shen Lang, as if sensing her thoughts, shot her a mischievous smile and a slow, exaggerated wink. Shen Zheng, who had turned around to check on them, couldn't help but laugh, clearly finding the whole scene hilarious. Shen Nan felt her temper flare and immediately launched into a complaint, narrating the entire sequence of events from last night to their father.

Listening to her animated description of Shen Lang's "crimes," Shen Zui smiled with quiet amusement, while Shen Lang merely shrugged. "What can I say, Sis? It's not my fault you couldn't see its value. Yesterday, I spent ages haggling over it. It took all my negotiating skills to knock 50 bucks off the price, but it was well worth it. I figure this bag will last me a good ten years, at least."

Shen Nan fumed, feeling defeated by her brother's smug response. Yet, her father's chuckling only added to her frustration. In the end, she could only accept that her crafty younger brother had once again gotten the better of her.