TSFLIP Chapter 444

“Big Brother, I can’t sleep.”

“Mhm, I figured.” Ji Mian sat on the bed, rubbing his temples, suppressing his usual morning grumpiness even though it was the middle of the night.

Fengguang climbed into the bed and sat beside him, tugging at his sleeve. “I saw on TV… someone jumped off a building because of the pressure from the college entrance exams. I’m scared you might do that too.”

That reason caught Ji Mian off guard, and he couldn’t help but let out a helpless laugh. “So you came to check on me?”

“I want to sleep with you tonight.” Fengguang bit her lip. “Big Brother, if you’re not around anymore, I won’t be able to take care of Xiao You alone.”

Ji Mian glanced down at her bare feet. “Maybe you should start by learning how to care for yourself.”

“I am taking care of myself! Even the housekeeper auntie says I’ve gotten more and more sensible.”

As expected, talking sense into her was like playing a lute to a cow. Ji Mian sighed and pulled the blanket over her feet. If she caught a cold, it’d be a huge hassle. “Alright, you can sleep here tonight. But the usual rule—”

“I won’t kick the blanket, I won’t move around, I’ll be very quiet.” She recited the words like a ritual—the same thing every time she came to sneak into his bed.

Ji Mian reached out and gently stroked the top of her head. She closed her eyes, like a contented little cat. Normally, he never made such intimate gestures—he disliked being touched, and didn’t like touching others either. But for some reason, his hand paused.

He was starting to realize… his aversion toward her was slowly fading.

When he didn’t move for a long while, she peeked up at him. “Big Brother?”

It had been five years. She’d grown up a lot and blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Her puzzled eyes, paired with the soft, tender way she called “Big Brother,” made the words sound heartbreakingly sweet.

Ji Mian’s gaze flickered. He withdrew his hand and said coldly, “Time to sleep.”

Once the lights were out, the room was quiet for a few minutes until a soft voice broke the silence.

“Big Brother, are you asleep?”

A long time passed. Just as she was about to drift off, he finally replied, “No.”

“Big Brother…” Fengguang reached out and gently grabbed his hand under the covers. “I’m lending you all my good luck. You’re going to do great on the exam tomorrow.”

“You’re giving me your good luck… doesn’t that make you an unlucky girl?”

“It’s okay. If it helps Big Brother achieve his dream, it’s fine if I have some bad luck.” Her voice grew softer and softer until she eventually fell asleep.

She slept soundly. Ji Mian, on the other hand, found it hard to fall asleep.

After the college entrance exams came the long wait for admission results. Ji Mian, with no pressure at all, received an offer from the top medical university, located in the neighboring city.

Ji You didn’t want him to leave. She clung to Ji Mian, crying her heart out. And her crying set Fengguang off, too—two girls in full duet, practically shaking the entire Ji household with their wails.

Ji Mian finally managed to coax Ji You with promises that he’d come back often. But when he tried the same thing on Fengguang, it didn’t work.

Her reason for crying was different. She sniffled and said, “What if you meet a pretty girl at college and forget all about me?”

That question left Ji Mian speechless. He crouched down, gently wiping away the tears hanging on her lashes, and said patiently, “Don’t worry. Fengguang is the prettiest, so I won’t forget you because of any other girl.”

“Then… then will you miss me?”

“I will.”

Finally, she stopped crying. She shoved a Donald Duck piggy bank into his hands. “I said I’d take care of Big Brother. This has all my savings. Use it sparingly… I don’t have any more money.”

She was a little money hoarder, and giving it away clearly pained her, but she still handed over all she had saved over the years.

Ji Mian wanted to smile, but couldn’t. He cupped her cheek with a hand, feeling something even he couldn’t name as he said, “Okay. I’ll use it wisely.”