Chapter 38: Unprecedented Warmth

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Unprecedented Warmth

Yan Li let out a laugh of pure fury. She stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Xiao Ran, her voice thick with unconcealable anger. "I’m dealing with my own sister, so why are you getting so worked up? And another thing—Yan Xici isn’t just some girl, she’s *my* sister! What right do you have to interfere with me?"

’This is just rich,’ she thought. ’My own sister, living with my ex-husband and refusing to leave. Who in their right mind would be happy about that? I’d have to be a saint!’

Since she was laying it all out, Xiao Ran wasn’t about to back down either.

"Oh, so you *do* remember she’s your sister? In all these years, have you ever actually looked after her? Have you ever cooked a single meal for her? Have you ever once comforted her when she was upset?"

Yan Xici had come to Shanghai at seventeen and had been here for three full years. In all that time, her older sister had never once taken her to see any of the local sights. Unfamiliar with her surroundings, the girl had gotten lost several times during her first year, and it was always Xiao Ran who found her and brought her back. Because of that, Xiao Ran felt he had every right to speak up on matters concerning Yan Xici.

Why else would Yan Xici rather stick with an outsider like him than her own flesh-and-blood sister? Wasn’t it because the companionship Yan Li offered her was pitifully scarce?

The girl behind him was startled to hear Xiao Ran say all this.

’This isn’t the time to be bringing this up,’ she thought. ’It’s only going to make my sister even angrier.’

’I was the one who didn’t think things through.’

’Besides, it really was wrong of me to lie.’

At this thought, the girl quickly reached out and tugged on the hem of his shirt.

She wanted him to stop talking.

But it was too late. The expression on Yan Li’s face visibly soured.

’She never imagined that Xiao Ran, who almost never disagreed with her, was actually fighting with her over her own sister!’

’What on earth is he trying to do?’

Yan Li sneered, "You seem to know her so well. Since when do matters between sisters require an outsider like you to butt in?"

After she spoke, she glared over at Yan Xici again.

Her voice was stern. "Is that what you think, too?"

’She wanted to know if this sister of hers still had any respect for her at all.’

The girl pursed her lips. ’She could do anything she wanted to me, but she couldn’t talk about Xiao Ran like that. In her heart, Xiao Ran was never an outsider; he was even closer than family.’

She was silent for a long moment before she finally looked her bossy sister in the eye, her own gaze firm with resolve. "Sis, Brother Xiao Ran isn’t an outsider. You can’t talk about him like that."

Yan Li looked ready to explode. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and her gaze was terrifyingly sharp.

"You’re still taking his side? What did you just call him? ’Brother Xiao Ran’? Why call him that? Is it because you also know we’re already divorced!!!"

Perhaps influenced by her sister’s aggressive attitude, the girl now felt a surge of anger and indignation herself.

As the saying goes, even a cornered rabbit will bite back, let alone a living, breathing person.

"You are divorced, it’s true! But you lived together for so many years. Is there not a single shred of affection left between you?"

"NONE!!!!"

Both sisters were now highly emotional, and the atmosphere was electric with tension.

This was the first time Xiao Ran had ever witnessed such a scene.

He had never seen Yan Xici dare to defy her sister like this, nor had he ever seen anyone make Yan Li tremble with rage.

As if fearing Yan Li might do something drastic, Xiao Ran instinctively pulled Yan Xici behind him.

He looked at Yan Li with a serious expression. "You need to calm down. Since you say I’m an outsider, then this outsider thinks it’s not exactly appropriate for you to be in an outsider’s home, either."

To be honest, he wasn’t sure why, but he couldn’t stand to see Yan Li treat Yan Xici this way.

Yan Li’s face was deathly pale with an indescribable rage.

’This wasn’t the first time he’d protected her sister!’

She roared at the girl, "You! Go upstairs and pack your things right now! I’m taking you to school!"

’She felt like her lungs were about to explode.’

At that moment, standing behind Xiao Ran, Yan Xici looked at her sister seriously. "Sis, I think you’re the one who needs to calm down."

’All these years, she was always like this, always ordering me to do this or that, never once considering whether I actually wanted to.’

’It was like this when I was choosing my school and my major, and it’s still like this now.’

’Why does my sister always have to force me to do things I don’t want to do?’

’Can’t I have my own thoughts and ideas?’

Yan Li probably never imagined that her younger sister would be so disobedient this time.

This was the first time in her memory that Yan Xici had ever stood up to her like this, and it actually left her—a woman who had always been as tough as nails—feeling a little flustered.

Her face was ashen as she stared at her sister.

"You’ve really got some nerve, Yan Xici. After all these years I’ve spent paying for your education, has it all gone to waste? Is this how you repay me? I’ll ask you one last time: are you leaving or not?"

’She’d paid for her schooling, given her a living allowance... after all these years, even if she didn’t get credit for a job well done, shouldn’t she at least get acknowledged for the effort?’

To be honest, having been with Yan Li for so many years, Xiao Ran knew her quite well.

But even he had never seen her in a state like this.

The girl blinked, her face tense. ’She had gone along with her sister far too many times over the years. This time, she wanted to follow her own heart.’

The girl pouted, her voice tinged with resignation. "I don’t want to leave..."

’She really didn’t want to leave. Even after such an ugly scene, she still didn’t want to go.’

’She couldn’t lie to her own heart.’

Yan Li was beside herself with fury. "Fine! If you’re so tough, then don’t you ever come back!"

After spitting out those harsh words, she slammed the door and left.

’Watching her sister’s retreating back, the girl felt incredibly sad. On one side was her brother-in-law, and on the other was her sister. Honestly, she didn’t want to hurt either of them. She felt helpless that things had come to this.’

A weary sense of powerlessness washed over her, so much so that she barely had the strength to stand.

She took a deep breath, her face growing slightly pale.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Ran’s heart went out to her. He gently ruffled her hair. "It’s okay. Your sister’s just like that. She has a big temper, but she’ll cool down in a couple of days. Don’t take it to heart."

’He knew Yan Li. She was the type with an explosive temper and a strong need for control, always feeling like she’d sacrificed a lot, and very prideful.’

’But when it came to her little sister, she really did care a lot.’

The girl lifted her head to look at him. The moment their eyes met, she clearly saw the concern in Xiao Ran’s gaze.

It was strange. In that one instant, an indescribable warmth spread from her chest through her entire body.

"Brother, thank you," she said earnestly, enunciating each word.

’Thank you for not throwing me out like a burden.’

’Thank you for unhesitatingly shielding me when I was helpless.’

’Thank you for letting me feel what it’s like to be protected for the very first time.’

Xiao Ran sighed and gently patted her shoulder. "Alright, don’t overthink it. Just stay here. If you don’t want to go, then you don’t have to go. Don’t worry so much."

’With a temper as stubborn as Yan Li’s, even if Yan Xici chased after her to apologize right now, she’d probably just get thrown out.’

’Let alone if she didn’t apologize.’

’It’s better to keep her here under my watch.’

"Brother, I want to go upstairs," the girl said, her head lowered and her voice muffled.

’After all that drama, her head was a mess. All she wanted was to go back and rest.’

’She felt there were some things she needed to think through properly.’

Hearing this, Xiao Ran immediately crouched down in front of her. "Come on, I’ll carry you."

’Her leg isn’t healed yet. I’d better carry her up.’

The girl didn’t refuse. She climbed onto Xiao Ran’s back with a practiced motion, her head involuntarily resting against him.

’Maybe it was because Yan Li’s words had been so cold, or maybe because she was in such a terrible mood, but at that moment, lying on Xiao Ran’s back, the girl felt an unprecedented sense of warmth and security.’

’Inexplicably, she was overcome with the impulse to lean on him like this for the rest of her life.’