Chapter 45: I Am God’s Compensation to You
At 5 p.m., a gentle breeze drifted through the air.
Han Rou stood by the roadside, wearing an A-line dress and a champagne-colored crossbody bag, her fair legs exposed under the soft sunlight.
Her annoying brother had suddenly invited her to dinner, and she couldn’t figure out what had gotten into him.
Still, she dressed up excitedly and even put on makeup, arriving before 4:30 to wait for him.
But now, after all this time, there was still no sign of him.
As the student council president and a beauty from the medical school, her well-dressed appearance instantly drew countless stares.
“Is Senior Han dating someone? No way!”
“No chance. Even that rich kid who drives a sports car didn’t make the cut.”
“Right? I’ve never heard of anyone managing to ask her out.”
“Then who is she dressed for?”
Just as the whispers grew louder, Jiang Zhou drove over from the male dorms and picked her up from the roadside.
“Why are you suddenly treating me to dinner?” she asked as she got in.
“What’s so strange about a big brother treating his little sister?” Jiang Zhou replied casually.
Han Rou eyed him suspiciously. “No way. You’re definitely up to something. Are you trying to trick me again?”
“Don’t judge a gentleman with a petty heart. Your big brother isn’t that kind of person.”
With that, Jiang Zhou stepped on the gas and drove out of the school.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the most famous Western restaurant in Shangjing — Grey Whale.
The average cost per person here was around 2,000 yuan.
Given the 2009 cost of living, this was far from affordable for most people.
Han Rou clung to Jiang Zhou’s sleeve as they made their way to the reserved booth.
Even after sitting down, she still felt uneasy.
In the past, whenever her brother didn’t offer to treat her, he was scheming something.
Now that he was treating her to something this expensive, she felt like she was being set up for a major trap.
“What are you spacing out for? I’m treating you, shouldn’t you take the chance to really milk me?” Jiang Zhou handed her the menu.
Han Rou took it, still giving him a wary look. “You’re not gonna make me stay and wash dishes after the meal, right?”
Jiang Zhou almost choked. “Who would dare make you do that? Others might, but not me!”
“Today is simply a big brother treating his little sister.”
With her nerves slightly eased, Han Rou ordered a Wellington steak.
Jiang Zhou ordered one too, and added a bottle of red wine.
Han Rou picked up her knife and fork, looking at him thoughtfully. “I know you’re not a fortune teller. You were totally bluffing on the first day of school.”
Jiang Zhou gave a sheepish smile. “That old story? Why bring it up again?”
“But I’m still curious. How did you know I had a birthmark on my butt?”
“That’s my little secret. But I swear, I never peeked at you showering.”
Her cheeks flushed red. “Well… I have another question.”
“Go ahead. I’ll answer everything, no secrets.”
“Why are you so set on being my brother?”
Jiang Zhou took a sip of wine, and suddenly a memory from his past life surfaced.
It was a night with a bright moon, not too dark.
After a student council gathering had ended, everyone left, except him.
He had stayed behind to help a drunken Han Rou back to campus.
Along the way, she suddenly squatted on the sidewalk and started crying.
She had told him her family heavily favored boys over girls.
Her parents only cared about her older brother and ignored her.
That brother was a complete jerk, always messing around with shady people and buried in debt.
When her dad got drunk, he’d beat her, calling her a useless burden, taking out his anger over her brother’s mistakes on her.
She had said she wished she had been born a boy. At the very least, she wished she had a good older brother.
One who wouldn’t bring shame to the family.
So the family wouldn’t get angry, and she wouldn’t get hit.
But she knew that kind of dream was useless in her life.
So she focused on studying, saved her own tuition during breaks, and eventually got accepted into Shangjing to escape that home.
“Brother, why are you so quiet?” Han Rou’s voice brought him back.
Jiang Zhou set down his wine glass. “Actually, I had a dream.”
Han Rou blinked. “What kind of dream?”
“There was someone in the dream who told me I’d meet a girl in college named Han Rou.”
“Ugh, here we go again. You’re lying.”
“It’s true. He told me you had a terrible older brother who caused a lot of trouble, and that your parents took it out on you. He said your biggest wish was to have a good brother.”
Han Rou slowly put down her knife and fork, her eyes widening.
Jiang Zhou reached over and gently patted her head. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore. You have a big brother to care for you now.”
“You… what did you say?”
“I’m the brother that heaven gave you to make up for the one you got.”
A tear suddenly rolled down her cheek and fell onto the tablecloth.
Then, more followed, falling faster and faster.
“Don’t lie to me… please don’t lie.”
“I’m not. Didn’t I bring you to eat something nice? Even I can’t afford to come here usually.”
Han Rou looked at him through her teary eyes. “I’m not afraid of being unloved… I’m afraid someone will pretend to love me just to use me.”
Jiang Zhou quietly looked at her. “As a good brother, isn’t it my job to wipe your tears right now?”
He picked up a napkin and gently wiped away the tear trails on her cheeks.
And while he was at it, he pinched her soft, smooth face.
“Then I believe you,” she said softly.
“Good. Eat up before it gets cold.”
Han Rou nodded and quietly resumed eating her steak.
Truthfully, she hadn’t expected anything from Jiang Zhou.
In school, people calling each other “brother” and “sister” was common.
But those kinds of bonds usually vanished after graduation.
Yet today, she’d gotten an answer she never imagined.
Her wish had actually come true.
Heaven had really given her a brother to make up for the one she never had.
She could hardly believe it, but a part of her deeply wanted it to be true.
An hour later, dinner ended and the night began to fall.
Jiang Zhou drove Han Rou back to school.
Before she got out of the car, he pulled a chocolate from his pocket. It was taken from the reception room of the School of Economics.
“What’s this for?” she asked.
Jiang Zhou unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth. “After all that bitterness, you’re bound to taste some sweetness.”
Han Rou knew he was talking about her, but she didn’t want to cry again.
“Brother, you’re such a mess. Crude and annoying, yet trying to act all poetic.”
“Get outta here. Go wash off your makeup and get some sleep.”
Han Rou gave him a sweet smile and turned to leave.
Just then, Jiang Zhou called out, “Hey… if your brother ever needs a favor, will you help me?”
Han Rou looked back. “I knew it. You’re gonna rope me into something. What is it?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Go sleep, little sis.”
“Tch, so mysterious.”