Chapter 29: If Only You Were My Brother

Hearing this, Lin Feng suddenly looked up. He hadn't expected that someone as cheerful as Xia Qingqing would come from a single-parent family.

But didn't she have an older brother? No matter what, caring for her mother shouldn't have fallen on her shoulders alone...

"Doesn't your brother have a job?"

He thought this and asked aloud.

At his words, Xia Qingqing's eyes immediately darkened, a trace of sorrow flickering across her brows. She fell silent.

Perhaps there were other circumstances in her family.

Since ancient times, even upright officials have a hard time judging family affairs—why should he pry into hers?

Lin Feng let it go. "If you don't want to talk about it, forget it. Pretend I never asked."

At that, Xia Qingqing grew anxious, as if worried he'd misunderstood. She hurriedly said, "It's not that, it's not that I can't talk about it..."

She paused, then took the initiative to explain: "My brother went missing when he was a year old. I was born after that and have never met him."

"Missing?!" Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. Why did this all sound so familiar?

He suddenly looked up, meeting Xia Qingqing's downcast gaze. "What was your brother's name? How did he go missing? Where is your family from?"

His barrage of questions left Xia Qingqing a little dazed.

Was Lin Feng actually concerned about her?

She wasn't sure, but a secret she'd kept hidden for years was finally being shared with someone other than her mother. It felt... not bad.

Especially since it was Lin Feng, who'd always looked after her.

She didn't shy away, answering honestly, "I don't know. He was already missing before I was born, and my mother never told me his name. We're from Pingyang County in Haishi."

"And your father? Have you never met him?" Lin Feng wasn't sure what had come over him—this wasn't the right time to ask, yet the question escaped his lips.

Fortunately, Xia Qingqing seemed used to it and replied naturally, "He sends my mother money every year, but she never accepts it."

"Oh, I see." Lin Feng nodded. Between parents, after marriage, it's often only the children keeping things together. This wasn't uncommon.

He said no more, and gently took out the cooling gel pack from the plastic bag, wrapping it carefully around Xia Qingqing's foot.

Watching his earnest, attentive movements, Xia Qingqing couldn't help but murmur in a small voice, "Brother Feng, I wish you were my brother..."

Though her words were barely above a whisper, Lin Feng heard them clearly.

His hand trembled, a helpless look flickering across his lowered face. If he really had such a pure-hearted, innocent little sister, he'd probably have a headache every day.

He said nothing more. Once he'd finished tending to her, he placed her small foot on the little stool and reminded her, "Don't go out these next couple of days. Take some time off from work, and you can always order in if you need meals."

Hearing this, Xia Qingqing's nose tingled and her eyes turned red in an instant.

It was as if all the grievances she'd bottled up for years had finally found a release. Her bright, limpid eyes grew misty with tears.

How foolish she'd been just moments ago, wondering if Lin Feng disliked her. He clearly cared so much...

She didn't say anything more in thanks, just nodded obediently like a well-behaved kitten. "I’ll remember."

"Then I’ll get going. If anything comes up, send me a message. Eat while the food is still warm." Lin Feng pointed at the bowl on the table, then turned and left.

He'd originally intended to make things clear between them today, but after hearing her story, he simply couldn't be harsh.

A girl who grew up in such circumstances should have been timid and withdrawn, but every time he saw Xia Qingqing, her face was always alight with a lively smile.

And that smile always reached her eyes—it wasn’t an act.

Facing such a resilient, vibrant girl, he couldn't bring himself to be stern.

On the bus ride back to the office, Lin Feng suddenly had a thought.

Maybe he could search for his own biological parents.

Over the years, he'd tried. After building up the Xu family business, he'd used his connections to inquire, but the trail always led back to the orphanage and stopped there.

The orphanage director only told him he’d been brought in by a couple when he was two years old.

After that, the Xu family had treated him well, and he’d been busy with work. Eventually, he'd given up on the idea. After all, what was the point in finding parents who’d sent a two-year-old to an orphanage?

But now, with no burdens from work, he found himself wanting to understand why they’d given him up.

As he was mulling it over, his phone suddenly lit up with an incoming call.

It was an unfamiliar number.

The people he should have blocked, he already had. Without much thought, Lin Feng answered.

The next second, a familiar voice came through the line.

"Xiaofeng, how have you been lately?"

Lin Feng was stunned. That voice—it was his second sister, Xu Panzhi?!

Xu Panzhi had gone abroad for high school and, for some reason, changed her phone number often. Lin Feng had never saved her number.

He hadn't expected one to slip through and reach him.

But since the call was connected, Lin Feng simply asked, "What do you want?"

There was a moment's pause on the other end, as if Xu Panzhi hadn't anticipated his cold tone.

Still, she didn't dwell on it and got straight to the point. "Xiaofeng, do you still have any money? I'm running short this month..."

Lin Feng almost laughed aloud.

Seriously? He’d already been kicked out by the Xu family, and Xu Panzhi still had the nerve to ask him for money?!

"Doesn't the Xu family give you money?" Lin Feng asked with a cold laugh.

"No!" Xu Panzhi, thinking Lin Feng was concerned, hurried to explain, "Xiao Jie said he'd transfer it to me, but it's already halfway through the month and he hasn't replied to my messages. I only have enough for two more days, and the school says my tuition for this semester hasn’t been paid..."

Lin Feng raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.

In the past, he’d always sent money to Xu Panzhi on the first of every month. Studying abroad took a lot, with living expenses alone starting at a hundred thousand, and he’d never let her worry about tuition.

He hadn’t expected the Xu family to cut her off so completely.

But what did that have to do with him?

Lin Feng sneered, "Xu Panzhi, you seem to have forgotten—I’m no longer a member of the Xu family."

It was the first time he’d ever addressed her by her full name. Xu Panzhi was clearly uncomfortable; her heart skipped a beat and she complained, "Xiaofeng, is that any way to talk to your sister..."

"I know what happened at home. Mom and Dad were a bit heartless, but you shouldn’t have gone so hard on Xiao Jie..."