"Brother, go get me a cup of milk tea. You know the routine, less ice, half sugar." After finishing an apple, Ye Qing lazily lay on the sofa, bossing Ye Qiu around.

"Aren’t you on a diet?" Ye Qiu asked expressionlessly.

"So skinny, what’s there to diet for? Just go get it if your sister asks." Ye Peilin frowned at Ye Qiu.

"It’s so late, let’s just order delivery." Ye Qiu suggested.

"I don’t want to," Ye Qing refused. "The delivery guy might spill my milk tea, and who knows what they’ll do to it on the way."

"Exactly, it’s cleaner if one of us goes. Hurry, your sister’s leaving soon." Mom, Han Hui, chimed in to support her daughter. Ye Qiu reluctantly stood up and held out his hand.

"What?" Ye Qing looked at him blankly.

"Money."

"Don’t you still have money?" Ye Qing pouted, preparing to get her wallet.

But Ye Peilin stopped her: "Asking your sister for money to buy a cup of milk tea? What about the living expenses we give you? What have you been doing with it?"

Ye Qiu took a deep breath and defended himself: "You only give me US$ 500 a month. If Sis asks me to buy her things almost every day, how can I have any money left?"

Seeing him talk back, Ye Peilin became even more displeased and glared at him: "You blame your sister for using your money? Isn’t all your money given by me and your mom? What’s wrong with letting your sister use it? She never asks you to buy expensive stuff, how much can one cup of milk tea cost?"

Ye Qiu bowed his head, unwilling to argue with them anymore. He knew that speaking up would lead to this outcome, anyway, no one would take his feelings into account.

Walking along the path in the neighborhood, although the night was pleasant, his heart was as cold as ice. No one thought about him. Ye Qing might only ask for a cup of milk tea or a box of strawberries every time, small amounts of money, but how long could US$ 500 last under frequent demands? Who knows what he eats for lunch at school just to save money every day.

But every time he mentioned that he didn’t have enough money, Dad and Mom would dismiss it, saying that boys don’t know how to be frugal and just spend lavishly. If he remembered correctly, when Ye Qing was in high school, she had at least fifteen hundred yuan in pocket money every month, and their Dad would occasionally help her out. Now that she’s in college, her monthly allowance increased to three thousand yuan, yet she still expected him to pay for her milk tea.

Everyone envied him for having a smart and beautiful sister and said his good grades were due to her tutoring. But the truth was, it was good enough if she didn’t take up all his study time, tutoring him? She never had the patience.

Like this year, he was about to enter senior year, a crucial time for studying, yet she never stopped ordering him around.

Saying the delivery guy might tamper with her drink? Who would be so bored? Moreover, delivery men nowadays have good work ethics, don’t they? She simply got used to ordering him around, just to prove her status in this family.

"Dad, Mom, stop criticizing little brother all the time. What if he feels unbalanced in his heart?" At home, Ye Qing looked at her parents helplessly, speaking tenderly and charmingly.

"We’re not saying much to him. Boys should be raised rough; what’s there for him to feel unbalanced about?" Ye Peilin said nonchalantly.

Ye Qing looked worried: "I saw little brother wasn’t too happy about getting me milk tea earlier. Do you think I’m being too much?"

"Too much?" Ye Peilin’s eyebrows were virtually standing on end. "It’s only natural for a brother to buy things for his sister. Is it tiring for him to run a little errand? It’s just because you’re a considerate sister that he becomes sensitive, thinking that just because it’s senior year, the whole family should serve him. Our family doesn’t go for that."

"But during my exam year, you didn’t let me do anything besides studying." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"It’s different for you because you’re a girl. I’m anxious at the thought of you marrying off and suffering at your in-laws. While you’re still home, enjoy life more." Han Hui looked at her daughter with a face full of compassion. She’s been through it and knows the hardships of being a woman. If she could, she would keep her daughter at home forever.

Hearing this, Ye Qing truly smiled sweetly, holding both Ye Peilin and Han Hui’s hands: "Then I won’t get married in the future. I’ll stay and take care of you."

The two were elated by her words. Han Hui even tapped her nose: "What nonsense are you talking? How can a girl not get married? Besides, if you meet someone you love in the future, even if we tell you not to marry, you’d cry and insist on marrying."

"I won’t be like that. If I do get married, it’ll be because someone begged to marry me." Ye Qing said, full of pride.

Ye Peilin nodded in satisfaction: "Indeed, my daughter is the best."

When Ye Qiu returned with the milk tea, he saw the three of them huddled together, sweet as can be, as if isolating him, people from different worlds.

He was used to it. In a past life, he might have been jealous, but now there’s only calm left: "Here’s your milk tea."

"Thanks, little brother!" Ye Qing thanked him with a smile.

Ye Qiu replied quietly, "No need to thank me."

Han Hui immediately chimed in with a smile: "No need for thanks among family."

Ye Qiu didn’t respond. He remembered in a past life that when Ye Qing rarely came home and bought something, his mom would always remind him to thank his sister, saying she was the best to him. But now that Ye Qing didn’t need to, it seemed like his duty.

Why was it his duty? Just because he was born into this family? Because Ye Qing wanted a little sibling to play with, so he came into this world? Did anyone ever ask if he wanted it?

"Here, the money’s for you." Ye Qing handed him twenty yuan, making it seem like a favor, even though it was her responsibility.

"Hurry up and take it. Are you still going to complain about your sister using your money?" Ye Peilin glared at him, speaking with the usual bad tone.

Ye Qiu took a deep breath and accepted it, then said with lowered eyes, "I’m going to do my homework."

As he closed the door, he heard Ye Peilin saying: "Who knows whose temper he’s picked up, so difficult. What’s the use of good grades? Who will tolerate his attitude in the real world?"

"He’ll grow up, and if all else fails, I’ll find little brother a job through my friends." Ye Qing said nonchalantly.

Han Hui looked at her lovingly: "As expected of a big sister, make sure you take good care of your brother."

"Don’t worry, Mom and Dad. I won’t ignore little brother. After all, we’re siblings!" Ye Qing said boastfully.

"If only your brother were as sensible as you."

"It’s his adolescence. It’s normal to be moody."

"Whose adolescence lasts as long as his? I just hope he grows up quickly."