Xiao Bai Older Brother is a Great Person

Saturday

Jinghuai No. 1 High School suddenly notified its senior students that starting this week, they would also have classes on Saturdays.

After school in the afternoon, Ding Yebai, being a day student, naturally did not have to squeeze onto a bus. He rode his bicycle home alone in comfort.

When he was nearing Yang Zhi's house, he subconsciously glanced in that direction. His gaze lingered for about three seconds before he came back to himself.

Looking ahead, he spotted four children in front of him—three boys and one girl.

Wasn't that girl Qiqi?

Ding Yebai immediately squeezed the brakes and steadied himself with one leg. His gaze remained indifferent. He wanted to see what exactly these four kids were up to.

"Get lost! Stay away from us!"

Who would have thought that one of the chubby boys would actually shove the frail-looking Qiqi to the ground?

The moment Ding Yebai saw this, he jumped off his bicycle. Just as he was about to go over, he saw Qiqi get back on her feet.

Qiqi neither cried nor whimpered. She patted the dirt off herself, then suddenly shoved the boy who had pushed her.

Alright, that completely kicked off the "battle."

The three little boys prepared to gang up on Qiqi.

Ding Yebai could no longer bear to watch. With his schoolbag on his back, he walked over and stood between the two sides.

When he had no extra emotion on his face, he looked like a block of ice.

The three little boys were visibly frightened by his tall stature and gloomy expression.

Especially with the blue-and-white school uniform adding to the effect. Kids their age would inexplicably feel intimidated whenever they saw middle school or high school students.

Ding Yebai sighed, lowered his head to look at the three children, and said coldly, "A real man doesn't bully girls."

The three boys: "..."

Ding Yebai: "..."

The three boys: "Who are you?"

Ding Yebai: "I..."

He hesitated. He truly did not know what to say. Turning back, he glanced at Qiqi hiding behind him. Seeing her teary, pitiful little face, he immediately turned back to the three children and blurted out, "I'm her older brother. You—"

"Waaah!!! Run!"

He had thought they would be at a standoff for a while longer, but the three children were so frightened that they did not even dare listen to him finish. They turned and ran.

In the blink of an eye, they had vanished.

Ding Yebai touched his face in confusion, wondering whether he could play a mob boss someday.

"Thank you, Older Brother Yebai."

Qiqi said obediently.

Hearing her, Ding Yebai turned around and crouched down to meet her eyes. Seeing that she still had dirt on her, he took out a tissue from his pocket and handed it to her. "Wipe your face."

"Mm..." Qiqi replied with a sob in her voice.

Her tears were about to fall, but she stubbornly held them back.

As Ding Yebai watched her, he naturally clenched his fist and held it out before her.

Like a magic trick, he opened his palm and clenched it again, showing her that there truly was nothing in his hand.

Qiqi's attention was drawn over. She nodded obediently.

Biu~

A moment later, Ding Yebai opened his tightly clenched fist. A little rabbit charm lay neatly in his broad palm.

"Wow~" Qiqi was overjoyed.

Ding Yebai smiled faintly and hooked the rabbit charm onto her schoolbag. "It's for you."

"Thank you, Older Brother!"

The child had regained her energy.

After tidying themselves up a little, Ding Yebai pushed his bicycle along as he walked down the road with Qiqi.

"Why were they bullying you?"

"They said I don't have a dad."

"..."

"They said I don't have a dad to protect me... Mm, but it's okay. I can protect myself. If they hit me, I'll hit them back!!"

"Next time, if they say you don't have a dad, Older Brother will teach them a lesson for you." Ding Yebai spoke in a cold tone, with almost no hesitation.

Had he known that was the reason, he should have chased after those little brats and taught them a lesson.

Qiqi blinked her big, dark eyes, and her fondness for Ding Yebai grew a little more.

"What were you doing out here by yourself?" Ding Yebai asked her.

Qiqi immediately curved her eyes again and, grinning, lifted the plastic bag in her hand. "Grandma caught a cold and has a headache. There wasn't any medicine at home, so I came to buy some!!!"

Ding Yebai said, "I see."

He said nothing more and accompanied Qiqi all the way to her home. After a brief goodbye, he got back on his bike and continued riding forward.

But before he had gone ten meters, he looked back worriedly. Seeing that Qiqi was standing on tiptoe yet still couldn't reach the keyhole, he immediately turned around.

Yet just as he was about to ride up to the little girl, he saw her drag a chair over from the corner, climb onto it, and insert the key.

Creak—!!

He instantly squeezed the brakes and stopped awkwardly in place.

After opening the door, Qiqi turned her head and looked at him in surprise. "Eh? Older Brother Yebai? Why did you come back?"

Ding Yebai said, "..."

They stared at each other, and the air seemed to freeze at that moment. Every second felt like an eternity apart.

Standing on the chair, Qiqi pointed inside. "Would Older Brother Yebai like to come in and sit for a while?"

"No..."

His naturally aloof disposition made him refuse instinctively, but then he suddenly remembered that she was Yang Zhi's younger sister. Tugging at the corner of his mouth in a faint smile, he said, "Actually, sitting for a while would be fine too."

"Okay, okay! Then come in, Older Brother Yebai!"

"..."

He pushed his bike inside, looking extremely reserved.

He watched as Qiqi skipped through the courtyard, reached the rocking chair beneath the eaves, and climbed onto it.

"Sister Yang Zhi said not to bring strangers home."

"Then why are you—?"

"But Older Brother Yebai isn't a stranger, and he isn't a bad person either. Older Brother Yebai is a good person. Even Sister Yang Zhi says so."

"Huh?"

Ding Yebai's eyes lit up. After parking his bike, he asked curiously, "She praised me?"

"Sister Yang Zhi said you're a child who seems cold on the outside but warm on the inside. You look aloof, but you're actually a very kind person."

"A child???"

That word stabbed into Ding Yebai like a knife.

Slice, slice, slice—every cut went straight into his heart.

He couldn't help rubbing his throbbing temples and silently grumbled, "I'm already eighteen. Why does she still think of me as a child..."

"Older Brother Yebai is a very, very good person. You paid for Grandma, protected me, and even brought Sister Yang Zhi a phone!"

That angelic little voice was like a gentle breeze. Without realizing it, it could make one's heart tremble and soften one's gaze.

"Oh no, I can't keep chatting with Older Brother! Grandma's medicine!"

Qiqi jumped down from the rocking chair, straightened her clothes, and bounced into the inner room.

After a while, With the child's voice gone, the surroundings instantly fell quiet.

Ding Yebai stood in the courtyard. After looking around, he walked a few steps forward and came beneath the eaves.

Staring at the wooden rocking chair, he recalled Yang Zhi once saying, [I like listening to the rain and watching the snow beneath the eaves.]

So this was where you sat?

It would be inappropriate to actually sit on it, so he only imagined what it would feel like to lie there and look at the sky.

Lying back comfortably, rocking back and forth, back and forth. A light breeze brushed against him as he enjoyed the beauty of rain falling over Jinghuai. Turning his head, he could see her sitting in the rocking chair opposite him, keeping him company. She smiled softly, and the young man fell for her because of it...

Bang!!

Ding Yebai smacked his forehead and widened his eyes in disbelief.

"What are you even thinking..."

I'm crazy, I'm crazy. She's your sister's friend!!

He shook his head, trying to scatter all those strange thoughts.

It felt as though something was pressing on his chest—like... the pressure of river water.

"Older Brother Yebai, what's wrong?"

Qiqi suddenly spoke from behind him.

Ding Yebai turned around. "Nothing. By the way, where's your sister, Yang Zhi?"

Qiqi said, "Older Sister rarely comes home on weekends. She has to study. She does live at home from Monday to Friday, though. Sometimes she even has to pick me up from school. It's very hard on her."

Ding Yebai nodded as if he understood. "I see. Come to think of it—"

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle~~~"

Just as he was about to speak, Qiqi's stomach let out a hungry growl.

The two looked at each other, both a little embarrassed.

Qiqi stuck out her tongue sheepishly and obediently touched her little braid. Blinking her big eyes, she said, "Whenever I came home before, Grandma would already have the food ready. But Grandma is sick today, so there's no food..."

Ding Yebai sighed.

Qiqi rubbed her tummy and declared energetically, "In that case, I can only make it myself!!"

"You know how?" Ding Yebai asked, raising a brow.

"No."

"...Fine, I'll help you."

After quite a while, With Ding Yebai's help, Qiqi made the first meal of her life.

Though it was only plain rice porridge, it tasted absolutely amazing!!!

Qiqi drank a huge bowlful.

"Thank you, Older Brother Yebai!"

"...You're welcome."

"Older Brother Yebai, why aren't you eating?"

"I won't eat. I'll go home and eat."

"I see."

Looking at her sweet smile, Ding Yebai couldn't help asking, "Is it good?"

"It's very, very, very delicious~ It's the best plain rice porridge I've ever had!" Qiqi smiled sweetly, like a lovely, adorable orange candy.

Ding Yebai melted at her smile. Lowering his head shyly, he said, "As long as it tastes good. As long as you like it."

Night gradually fell, and the dark clouds hung lower and lower. Seeing that it was about to rain, Ding Yebai left a bowl of porridge for Grandma on the table, slung on his backpack, and prepared to leave.

When he turned back to say goodbye, he happened to see tiny, skinny Qiqi standing on a tall stool with her sleeves rolled up, slowly washing the pot.

The porcelain bowl looked like it was balanced right on the edge between breaking and not breaking, making his heart clench.

Ding Yebai: "..."

After watching for a few more seconds, he silently walked over to help...

By the time Grandma woke up, light raindrops had begun to fall from the sky.

With her back bent, she slowly walked to the dining table.

"What's this?"

"Grandma! This is the porridge Older Brother Yebai cooked!"

Then Qiqi chattered away, telling her everything from beginning to end.

Grandma was deeply moved after hearing it, and the smile on her lips never faded. She picked up a spoon and took a sip of the porridge, her eyes curving even more with her smile.

"What a good child. Just like his Older Sister."

Thanks to Sundy and Yin for the 1,500 Origin Point Coins.