With a Little Brother, Big Brother Doesn't Even See Me Anymore

105 was utterly dumbfounded as it listened to the tearful accusation. So when the host had said, "Keep making noise and I'll kill myself," on the night he first bound to the system, he had not been speaking casually. He really would kill himself!

"Now you know how miserable my life is, huh?" 001 wiped away a tear. "I'm warning you, don't say anything carelessly and upset him. He'll kill himself at the slightest disagreement. I'm his main system—if he doesn't die, neither will I. At worst, I'll just return to square one and start over. But you're different. You might not reincarnate with him, and you don't have points to exchange for a Revival Card. If you get erased, you're gone for good."

"!!!" Its round body trembled so violently it left afterimages. "Boss, save me! I don't want to die!"

"Don't worry. After dying so many times, the host probably doesn't want to return to square one again either. Isn't he doing missions now? Sigh, this host responds to kindness, not force. You have to coax him carefully. I've suffered so much over the years." It was not raising a villain—it was raising an ancestor.

105 was still scared. "Will the host really not kill himself or kill the protagonist anymore?"

"He probably won't kill himself, but whether he'll kill the protagonist is another matter. In his previous lives, he only took revenge on the protagonist gong, but the real culprit behind his miserable death was the protagonist shou. Think about it—the protagonist gong was only an accomplice at most, yet he killed him over so many lives. Would he let the real murderer go?"

"Ah..." It cried. "Then if he kills the protagonist shou, won't I still die?"

001 patted its head sympathetically. "So pray hard."

"Wuwu..."

Unaware that the two systems were gossiping about him behind his back, Xia Yu held a parasol as he rang the Chu Household's doorbell.

"Click..." The housekeeper came to open the door. When she saw him, she stared in confusion for several seconds before her eyes widened in delighted surprise. "Young Master Xiaoyu!"

He folded up his umbrella, his eyes curving into crescents. "Auntie Feng, long time no see."

Feng Ju hurriedly welcomed him inside. "When did you get back?"

"I arrived yesterday at noon."

"Oh my, Young Master has grown up and become handsome."

"You haven't changed at all, Auntie. You're still so young."

"HAHAHA!" Feng Ju beamed. "Your mouth is still as sweet as ever. I'll get you something to drink to cool you down. Orange juice is still your favorite, right?"

"Mm, thank you, Auntie."

"No need to be so polite..."

He glanced upstairs. "Auntie, where's my brother?"

"He's in the music room on the third floor, writing songs with his group members. I'll go call him..."

Xia Yu took the orange juice she handed him and took a sip. "I'll go up myself."

Feng Ju nodded. "All right, go on up. It's the room furthest to the side on the third floor. I'll prepare lunch—I'm making your favorite braised pork ribs. Stay for lunch at noon, okay?"

"Okay."

He slowly made his way to the third floor. As soon as he stood outside the music room, he heard piano music flowing from within—the stirring melody of Castle in the Sky.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

He knocked politely, but the piano piece continued.

Xia Yu curled his lips and pushed the door open directly, then slammed it shut with a heavy thud.

The music stopped abruptly. The two people playing a four-hand piano duet turned around at the same time.

"Big Brother, I'm here."

Chu Lan sprang to his feet and took two steps back. "Xiaoyu... y-you're here..."

[ Ding! Chu Lan's Fear Value +10. ]

The notification sounded in his mind. He paused, then chuckled. "Your album's title track is Castle in the Sky? I thought it was an original piece."

"N-no... We were taking a break and relaxing..."

Xia Wanqing stood up with a stern face and said irritably, "What did you come here for?"

"Can't I come?" Xia Yu walked over to the piano and casually ran his fingers over several keys, producing an unpleasant clatter. "Xiao Si, are you blaming me for interrupting your four-hand duet with Big Brother? Sorry, but I was so bored at home alone."

He frowned. "Don't call me Xiao Si!"

"What's wrong, Xiao Si? You don't like the nickname I gave you, Xiao Si? I think Xiao Si suits you very well. Big Brother, do you think Xiao Si sounds nice? Doesn't it sound very intimate?"

The corner of Chu Lan's mouth twitched. He changed the subject. "It's almost noon, Qingqing. Let's take a break, go downstairs for something to drink, and have lunch together..."

Thud! Xia Yu set his half-finished orange juice on the piano stand, looking somewhat displeased. "Big Brother, is something wrong with your ears? Why do you never hear what I say?"

"...I heard you."

"If you heard me, why didn't you answer? Big Brother never used to treat my words like they went in one ear and out the other. We haven't seen each other in four years, and we've grown distant after all. Now that you have a little brother, Big Brother doesn't even see me anymore."

"No, no!" Chu Lan was terrified. "It sounds nice! Extremely nice!"

[ Ding! Chu Lan's Fear Value +100. ]

Xia Wanqing stared at him in disbelief, tears welling in his eyes. He looked hurt and helpless.

Without looking sideways, Chu Lan silently said in his heart, I'm sorry.

Xia Yu smiled knowingly. "I think it sounds nice too. Xiao Si, you need to keep up with Big Brother's and my taste. Qingqing doesn't reflect your temperament at all. Let's call you Xiao Si from now on, okay? Big Brother."

"Whatever makes you happy..."

"I'm very happy. Xiao Si, are you happy?"

Xia Wanqing clenched his fists tightly, his breathing turning rapid with anger.

[ Ding! Xia Wanqing's Anger Value +285, Resentment Value +40. ]

Chu Lan truly could not bear to watch his teammate continue being humiliated, so he hurriedly said, "Let's go downstairs. Lunch should be ready soon..."

"Okay." Xia Yu turned and walked out. "Big Brother, help me take my cup downstairs."

Chu Lan dutifully picked up the half cup of orange juice from the piano stand.

"Brother Lan..." Xia Wanqing tugged at his sleeve, his voice tinged with a faint sob. "You..."

Chu Lan sighed, rubbed the top of his head, and apologized softly. "I'm sorry. Xia Yu has a terrible temper..."

Xia Wanqing's eyes instantly reddened. Just because he has a terrible temper, you have to go along with him and humiliate me?

"Don't be sad. In a few days, I'll give you that guitar you want most as an apology gift, okay?"

"I don't want it!"

"You don't want a guitar? Then a piano? A drum set?"

Xia Wanqing sniffled and said dully, "I don't want anything. I want to move out of the Xia Household."

"Move—move into our group's apartment."

"Will you move with me?"

"Of course, I'll move with you." Xia Yu would definitely be staying at the Xia Household, so Xia Wanqing moving out was the right choice. He would move too—the farther away, the better.

His mood improved a little. "Then I'll go back and pack later. Tonight, we'll move into the dorm."

"Okay. Let's go eat lunch first."

By the time the two went downstairs, Xia Yu was already sitting at the dining table, drinking the mung bean soup Feng Ju had made to beat the heat.

Chu Lan pulled Xia Wanqing into a seat as far from him as possible, looking so restrained that he seemed more like a guest than Xia Yu did.

"Big Brother, why are you sitting so far away from me? Come sit closer."

"Heh... hehe... No, it's too crowded and hot sitting close together..."

He swept his gaze over the two people who were practically glued together. "But you were about to put Xiao Si on your lap. You love him so much..."

"I don't! I don't love him!" Chu Lan hurriedly moved his chair and sat across from him, forming a three-way standoff around the table.

Xia Wanqing could not hold it in anymore. His nose stung, and he lowered his head to wipe away a tear.

Chu Lan was deeply remorseful. I'm sorry, Qingqing. I'm doing this for your own good. Back in elementary school, I'd only brought home a rabbit on a whim. Xia Yu had lightly said, "You love it so much," and that night, we had spicy rabbit heads for dinner. It's haunted me ever since.

Sometimes, Chu Lan felt that Xia Yu had an inexplicable possessiveness toward him. During puberty, he had even narcissistically imagined things for a while. Later, though, he ended up in the ICU several times indirectly because of Xia Yu, and he could not stay away from him fast enough. This person was born to curse him. If his life had not been tough, he had no idea how many times he would have already reincarnated.