The chaos in Wang Xueying's room finally subsided, leaving a faint blush on her dry cheeks. She lay there, breathing heavily from the earlier scuffle with Wang Xiao, which she had inevitably lost due to her smaller size.
Wang Xiao, on the other hand, closed his eyes, enjoying the comfortable silence that enveloped them. However, the same couldn't be said for Wang Xueying, whose mind was in disarray.
The human mind, is truly unique.
It constantly seeks social connections, and when that need isn't met, the void in the heart eagerly latches onto even the smallest gesture of connection.
Wang Xueying's eyes subtly glanced over his face, which was now bathed in the dim orange light of the lamp. The more she looked at him, the more chaotic her thoughts became.
Wang Xueying couldn't help but think that Wang Xiao was right. Despite being surrounded by her family in her own home, she felt like a stranger living between these dark walls. Every day, she went to great lengths to avoid drawing attention to herself at school.
It had all started when she entered senior high. The constant gazes of her peers threatened to suffocate her, and she became the target of jealousy-driven bullying from other girls.
To shield herself from the torment, she resorted to wearing glasses that hid her appearance, along with a different hairstyle that covered most of her face.
A traumatic family experience combined with the relentless bullying at school had taken a toll on her mental health. The dramas she watched became one of her coping mechanisms.
So, whenever she was near Wang Xiao, these were the rare moments when she found joy. He didn't seem to judge her for anything or force her to do anything. These times with him were the best moments of her life, she could confidently say that.
In Wang Xueying's world, her relationship with Wang Xiao had always been purely sibling-like, a connection of trust and comfort.
But that certainty started to waver as the relentless image of Wang Mei's lips pressing against his replayed in her mind within the quiet confines of their home.
Today, an unexpected seed had been planted, and it was sprouting, slowly but surely.
Now, whenever she stole a glance at his face, an inexplicable sensation began to wash over her. The mental replay of the scene played again, except this time, she was the one standing in for Wang Mei.
In her daydream, she slowly leaned closer, feeling a rush of warmth as her tender lips brushed against his—
!!
Her fantasy was abruptly shattered, as she slapped herself back to the harsh reality of her own room.
She was suddenly aware of how rapidly her heart was pounding, and this realization made her gulp nervously, her mind now filled with fear and uncertainty about the unknown territory her thoughts had started to wander into.
"Hm? Are you alright?" Wang Xiao turned his head around and asked, concern in his eyes.
Wang Xueying's heart raced once more as she was caught off guard by his question. She smiled wryly, "I-its alright. Just a mosquito was disturbing me, much like how you keep disturbing me all the time!" She ended her sentence with a playful pout, masking her inner turmoil with a convincing act.
Women, she thought, are truly born actresses.
'She's lying; I didn't hear any mosquitoes!' A sudden shadow of doubt materialized in front of Wang Xiao, but he simply nodded in response.
He hadn't heard any mosquitoes either, but he was utterly clueless as to why else she would have slapped herself.
For now, he decided, it was best not to dwell on it.
The reason why Wang Xiao hadn't left her room was quite simple; he entertained the thought of spending the night there with her.
Perhaps, hidden desires similar to those that had motivated his actions with Wang Mei played a role in his decision.
"Brother..." Suddenly, a whisper-like voice echoed in the room.
"I wanted to thank you for helping me twice," Wang Xueying confessed, her voice quivering. "I-I went into your room earlier for that. I certainly didn't intend to spy on you."
"Really?" Wang Xiao turned to her, his face tinged with suspicion. "Are you sure you didn't want to catch me naked and then extort money from me?"
"What!?" Wang Xueying's mouth fell open in surprise, just as Wang Xiao flicked her head and burst into laughter. "Why are you so surprised? Obviously, you had no reason to spy on me, so why so serious? Just remember to knock next time," he reminded her.
Wang Xueying sighed inwardly. She wanted to point out that the door had been left open, and it was his mistake. However, that would inevitably lead to a discussion of the taboo topic she was trying her best to avoid.
As Wang Xueying gazed into his ever-charming eyes, she couldn't help but speak her mind. "I always thought you were the perfect brother, but it seems like you have flaws too," she said, her smile faint but genuine.
The flaw she referred to wasn't his mistake of leaving the door open; it was the fact that he had entered into a relationship with his own sister. This act, in no way, aligned with the societal norms upheld by the majority.
Wang Xiao simply nodded in response. "That's natural," he admitted. He had never deluded himself into thinking that his actions were universally seen as virtuous. As long as he could look at himself in the mirror and say that he did what needed to be done without cowering due to societal expectations, he considered it a success.
Wang Xueying was momentarily taken aback by his remarkably casual reply. She smiled bitterly and continued, "How can you be so unbothered? Don't you fear people hating you, brother?
You do know that you're going to receive a lot of hate in the future if you continue living like this." Her words weren't just out of concern for him but also a reflection of her own struggles with the overwhelming hate she had been enduring.
Wang Xiao chuckled, appearing somewhat surprised by the ignorance of human nature. "Do you know when people hate you?" he asked.
Wang Xueying shook her head, confessing, "No idea. Maybe they just don't like you?"
Wang Xiao smiled faintly and sighed. His eyes gleamed like orbs in the dimly lit room as he explained, "Not really. People don't hate you; they hate difference."
"When you deviate from their norms, they dislike you. If you differ from what they themselves consider noble, they dislike you. They dislike anything that doesn't mirror their own beliefs and values."
"People are drawn to those who resemble them, who share their beliefs. Every time you stand out from the crowd, you invite hate, not because you are wrong, but because you are unique."
"Unique people should be prepared to receive the disdain of those around them; it's the cost of being different."
Wang Xiao ruffled Wang Xueying's hair, his words directed more at her. "People at school may hate you because you stand out, because you look better than them. Now, it's up to you how you respond. Will you suppress yourself and let their views win, or will you assert yourself with confidence and push back? It's a game of who will come out on top."
!!
Wang Xueying's face suddenly bore the expression of realization. Her eyes became slightly misty as she unconsciously extended her arms, wrapping them around Wang Xiao's body in a tight hug.
She cried silently, her emotions welling up without a single tear, yet her expression spoke volumes about her feelings.
In this moment, Wang Xiao found himself playing the role of the protective elder brother. He stayed there with her until she released him, eventually walking out of her room.
His plan had been too risky today. If he had tried to take things further during the night, he might have needed time to recuperate.
However, witnessing how easily people could break down often surprised him. Even Wang Zhihao, who had always yelled at his family, was no exception.
Wang Xiao was convinced that he, too, was just another person who was mentally exhausted, struggling to survive.
He couldn't help but think that Xinyue Zhilan and many others weren't any different.
Most people are born into this world and simply fall into the pattern of society, taking from it and eventually giving back.
The monotonous repetition of this pattern often wears people down, and many never stop to ponder why they were brought into this world in the first place.
They lack their own goals, thoughts, or unique ideas. Instead, they merely embrace the ideas handed down by those who came before them.
With these heavy thoughts clouding his mind, Wang Xiao re-entered the room. However, the sudden burst of bright light startled him, causing him to reflexively shut his eyes for a moment.