When we started middle school, Jiang Linyuan and I ended up in the same class and at the same desk.
Part of the reason we became desk mates was that we were lucky enough to be assigned to the same class. The other part was that our homeroom teacher knew Jiang Linyuan had the temperament of a little tyrant and needed someone who could keep him in line.
She knew about my relationship with Jiang Linyuan, so she arranged for the two of us to sit together.
Jiang Linyuan was delighted:
"Little sis, remember to cover for me when I sleep in class!"
It was hard to believe that was something an older brother would say.
I didn't like watching him sleep with his eyes closed.
So whenever he slept in class, I pinched his thigh.
He grumbled that if I ever slept in class, he would pinch my thigh too.
I had secretly pretended to be asleep to see whether he would actually do it, but not once did he.
It was probably from that time onward that I felt he was deliberately putting some distance between us.
Not emotionally, but physically.
Middle school was different from elementary school. At first, I was still half a head taller than Jiang Linyuan, but within a few months, he had grown much taller and bigger than me.
During that period, he liked playing basketball, and his appetite increased considerably too. Apart from books, his desk was packed full of snacks.
Spicy strips, potato chips, and all sorts of strange braised snacks.
He bribed me not to tell the teacher that he ate snacks during class.
I nodded and accepted his tribute, then turned around and told our parents.
Half his allowance was deducted, and that portion was given to me.
Hehe,