When Zhao Meimei woke up, there was only herself left on the bed. She opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling, her mind momentarily blank.
Zhao Meimei collected her thoughts, got off the bed, and slipped on her slippers to go outside and find people.
Shi Yang’s father had already gone to work, and Shi Yang’s mother wasn’t home either. Zhao Meimei found her Brother Yangyang in the kitchen.
Shi Yang was standing with his back to the kitchen door, seriously stirring something in the pot, and he turned around when he heard Zhao Meimei.
Zhao Meimei was wearing a tank top and shorts, her hair was messy, and she stood at the kitchen door drowsily. She was just beginning to develop, with a small camisole under her tank top giving a slight curve. Her figure was slender, with long arms and legs, skin tinged with a light wheat color, and her lips were dry and peeling.
Zhao Meimei looked at Shi Yang eagerly, without blinking.
Shi Yang frowned, "Go back and put on your outer clothes by the bed, be careful not to catch a cold."
Zhao Meimei leaned over to take a look and grinned foolishly, "Bro, are you making century egg and lean meat porridge?"
Shi Yang reached out and touched her forehead, the temperature was normal, and a smile appeared on his face, "Feeling better?"
At these words, Zhao Meimei quickly acted spoiled, hugging Shi Yang’s waist from behind, and rubbing her face on his back, "Better, just a little hungry."
Shi Yang laughed, "The porridge will be ready soon. Go back to your room and put on your clothes, then come back to eat."
Zhao Meimei rubbed against him a couple more times before letting go and going back to her room to put on her clothes. After washing up, she sat by the dining table.
Shi Yang handed her a spoon, "Have some hot porridge first, then take your medicine."
Zhao Meimei blew on the porridge, then asked, "Where’s Auntie?"
Shi Yang peeled an egg, "She went to the supermarket, wanted to buy some loquats for you."
Zhao Meimei, having never eaten loquats or heard of them, asked, "Isn’t the pipa a musical instrument?"
Shi Yang laughed, "I’m talking about loquats, they’re sweet fruit."
Zhao Meimei let out an "Oh," losing interest. She wasn’t interested in fruit.
While blowing on the porridge, Zhao Meimei asked, "Bro, where are you going today?"
Shi Yang tossed the peeled egg into her bowl, "I’m not going anywhere, staying home with you."
Zhao Meimei bit the spoon, "Really?"
Shi Yang sipped the porridge from his bowl, "When have I ever lied to you?"
Zhao Meimei happily took a sip of porridge, "Then how do you plan to spend time with me?"
Shi Yang moved the porridge bowl away from his mouth, "How do you want me to spend time with you?"
Zhao Meimei wasn’t sure, just thinking this rare opportunity to be together shouldn’t be wasted, but she couldn’t think of what to do at the moment.
Zhao Meimei took a bite of egg, speaking unclearly, "I’ll think about it and tell you later."
Shi Yang laughed, "Okay, think about it."
Before Zhao Meimei had figured it out, Shi Yang’s mother returned, with the particularly perceptive and flattering Qu Chaozong helping her carry things.
As Shi Yang’s mother entered, seeing Shi Yang eating with Zhao Meimei, she approached with a smile, carefully looked at Zhao Meimei, and checked her temperature, "Alright, no fever."
Zhao Meimei obediently greeted, "Auntie."
Shi Yang’s mother smiled and patted her on the head.
Qu Chaozong took the things he was carrying to the kitchen, grabbed some fruit, and sat beside Zhao Meimei at the dining table, turning to ask her, "Sis, heard you went to the hospital last night. Gave me a scare. Are you feeling better now?"
Zhao Meimei grinned, "I’m better."
Qu Chaozong took a bite of the fruit, looked surprised, spit out the peel, and shouted towards the kitchen, "Auntie, this fruit you bought is really sweet! What is this? I thought it was an apricot before!"
Shi Yang’s mother cheerfully turned, "Loquats, good for coughs. Meimei caught a cold, thought eating these would help her throat feel better."
Qu Chaozong now knew to peel it, eating while saying, "Oh, loquats, I’ve only had loquat syrup before. Auntie, you really treat Meimei well, like a real daughter, huh?"
Shi Yang’s mother came out from the kitchen with a smile, giving everyone a box of milk she just bought from the supermarket, "Of course, like a real daughter."
Qu Chaozong, chatty and fond of joking, adopted a pretentious teaching manner, instructing Zhao Meimei, "Meimei, you see how good your Aunt is to you. When you grow up, you should also be filial to your Aunt, alright? As for your Brother Yangyang, you don’t have to worry; I’m sure he prefers to be filial to you."
Shi Yang, innocently implicated, was just about to deal with Qu Chaozong, to show him who’s boss, when Zhao Meimei happily agreed, "When I grow up, I’ll be filial to Aunt with my brother."
Qu Chaozong laughed, asking her, "When you grow up, you’ll get married, so how will you be filial to your Aunt with your Brother Yangyang?"
Zhao Meimei instinctively wanted to say that when she grew up, she’d marry her Brother Yangyang and naturally be filial to her Aunt with him.
In the past, she would have said this boldly and confidently, but now, she chewed on her words and swallowed them back, unable to say it aloud.
People grow up. Their personalities and temperaments change bit by bit over time, and the carefree Zhao Meimei was also growing, starting to have her own thoughts, her care-free mind slowly becoming more delicate.
Zhao Meimei turned to look at her Brother Yangyang and, for the first time in her life, had an overwhelming thought of panic. What if, when she grows up, she can’t marry her Brother Yangyang?
In Zhao Meimei’s concept, she was yearning to always be with her Brother Yangyang, living together, accompanying each other, from youth to old age, like her father and mother, creating a family and living happily ever after.
She had always thought this was natural and only lacking because she hadn’t grown up yet. But just now, Qu Chaozong’s words reminded her that growing up, she indeed had to marry, but the person she marries might not be her Brother Yangyang.
Zhao Meimei’s thin eyelids drooped, suddenly feeling a bit lost. She pondered, what if her Brother Yangyang doesn’t marry her in the future? What if Brother Yangyang finds another bride? What if Brother Yangyang has a new bride and doesn’t want her anymore?
As Zhao Meimei indulged in wild thoughts, a warm hand pressed against her forehead, checking her temperature, "It’s alright, no fever. Eat quickly, what are you thinking? You’ve spaced out!"
Zhao Meimei looked at her Brother Yangyang, blinked twice, silently moved her gaze away, feeling downcast, eating porridge tastelessly.
Zhao Meimei was deeply affected by her earlier thoughts, absent-mindedly finished eating, and was forced to take medicine before wrapping herself in a quilt to catch up on sleep.
Qu Chaozong stretched his neck, looking at Zhao Meimei’s bewildered expression, worriedly asking Shi Yang, "Is our sister’s cold really serious? Should we go to the hospital for a shot to strengthen it?"
Shi Yang shook his head, refusing, "No need. She probably didn’t sleep well last night. We were back from the hospital late at night. She woke up early this morning, a nap should be fine."
Qu Chaozong clicked his tongue, dragging an unnecessary long sound.