There was a lot of dust being blown around on Sunday morning. Even though it was annoying, I still ran to Dong Shan lake and planned to train with gramps. He might get angry if I miss two days in a row.

But I didn’t see gramps when I arrived. Instead, I saw a piece of paper under a rock and it said, “You bailed on me on Saturday, so I’m bailing on you today.”

Please stop trying to act cute. If you didn’t come, then when did this piece of paper get here! Don’t tell me you wrote it on Saturday and no one moved it after being left here for an entire day?

Clearly you came today but went home after seeing all the dust and sand being blown around. Then, you left the note behind to purposely piss me off. Can you not act like a kid?

But today’s weather wasn’t really suited for outdoor activities.

Actually, I already had a gist of today’s weather based on last night’s weather report. Even Ai Mi canceled all her plans with the film crew for the day and stayed at home to protect her skin.

Strictly speaking, it’s not her home, but the VIP building at Qing Zi Academy.

Peng TouSi gave me a call this morning and told me Ai Mi wanted me to go over to her place. She also called Xiong YaoYue and told her to come with me if it was convenient.

I don’t even know where Xiong YaoYue lives, how would I know if it’s convenient to go together! Also, if Ai Mi personally called Xiong YaoYue, why did she make Peng TouSi contact me? Why couldn’t she tell her own brother to come over and play!

I headed home and took a shower to rinse off the dust and sand on my body. Then, I received a call from an unknown number.

I came out of the shower stark naked and made preparations to curse at them if they were trying to sell insurance.

In the end, it was from Xiong YaoYue. I guess Ai Mi told her my phone number.

“Ah, I’m really sorry.” The first thing Xiong YaoYue did was apologize.

Huh, what happened? Did she see me taking a shower? But this isn’t even a video chat! Otherwise, I would have been the one to apologize for showing you my mushroom.

“I originally agreed I would head over to Miss Ai Mi’s place, but I just got a call from the captain of the ‘Wasteland Wolves’. Something came up and I have to head to an internet cafe to assist my team in a team battle!”

“Wait, slow down. What’s ‘Wasteland Wolves’, and assisting what?

“It’s a team in a game.” Xiong YaoYue seemed to be in a rush, “Because the second best in our team was dragged home by their parents, the captain called me in to fill the vacancy. It’s a 5v5 ranked team battle. If I don’t go, then their going to lose to a group of elementary school students!”

LOL, so League of Legends? So Xiong YaoYue is the type of person Xiao Ding would never get along with. I never thought you would also be pretty good at games other than fighting games. Also, you said you guys were facing elementary school students, why does it feel like the main force of your team who was dragged home probably never even graduated from elementary school too…

“Anyway, I’m sorry, but I can’t let my teammates down. I’ll have to skip our meeting with Miss Ai Mi today. Please don’t hate me, I’ll make sure to visit and apologize at a later date.”

“It’s alright, it’s not like we had anything important.” I said, “Your team battle is more important, hope you guys win.”

“Don’t worry.” Xiong YaoYue said confidently, “I’ll definitely win. Watch me teach those elementary school students a lesson…”

Thus I put on my Qing Zi Academy uniform and slipped through the school gates. Then, I arrived at the VIP building.

Peng TouSi helped me open the door to room 101. I was shocked at the scene I witnessed as I entered the room.

There wasn’t a lot of sunlight today because of all the sand being blown around, but the curtains were drawn shut as if to prevent even a single ray of light from entering the room. (Although I could understand Ai Mi’s sensitivity to UV light)

But why did she not open the light? There’s no way Ai Mi was trying to save electricity like the class leader. What are you burning so intently while holding a lighter and standing barefooted in front of your dressing table?

When I took a closer look, it was fucking cash! Ai Mi had nothing to do and was burning money! Do you think you’re amazing because you have too much money?! It’s illegal to destroy currency, so please do not imitate her. If you have money you don’t want, then please mail it to me.

Every time she burned a bill, she would whistle with a joyous expression. She watched as the last corner of a one hundred dollar bill slowly fall onto her expensive carpet. Her stool was already surrounded with ashes.

“Do you have nothing better to do?” Ai Mi didn’t reply, she took out another bill from her drawer and began to burn it. The atmosphere was a bit strange.

“Xiao Xiong… Winnie, can’t make it today.” I said.

“I know.” Ai Mi’s voice in the pitch-black room seemed a bit cold, the only light source was when she used the lighter in her hand to burn money.

“Winnie already called to apologize. It’s fine even if she doesn’t come, it’s not like I was looking forward to you guys coming.”

Ai Mi said even though it differed from her real feelings. Then she almost got burned by the lighter and she began sucking on her pinky.

Ai Mi was clearly shrouded in an aura of disappointment. I don’t think Xiong YaoYue bailing on us would have such a huge impact on her.

She continued to burn money and she had already burned two thousand bucks since I arrived.

The atmosphere felt really awkward, then I coughed a couple of times due to inhaling too much dust on the way here.

“Did you take medicine?” Ai Mi didn’t turn around and her tone didn’t seem like she really cared.

“Why do I have to take medicine if I’m not sick. Even if I was sick, I wouldn’t take medicine. Usually, I would drink some hot water and go to sleep. Then, I would be better the next day. That’s how all warriors do it.”

Ai Mi laughed, but no joy could be seen on her face.

“You’ll die if you don’t take medicine when you’re sick…”

I disagreed, “Humans aren’t that weak.”

“It’s true. My grandfather refused to take medicine when he was sick and ended up going to heaven…”

Is your grandfather, the father of John, the one Ai ShuQiao eloped with? According to Peng TouSi, he was poisoned because he was against his son getting married to Ai ShuQiao. It was camouflaged as a heart attack because she used some sort of undetectable extract from tomatoes, so she was able to escape punishment. Why did Ai Mi say he died because he wouldn’t take medicine? Didn’t he breathe his last breath after he drank a bowl of tomato soup?

Ai Mi began to recollect past memories while continuously burning money.

Because the AC unit was filtering the air, the room didn’t smell like smoke. Nor did the smoke alarms in the room get triggered.

“I was four years old at the time… no, maybe a bit younger than four. According to my mom, my grandfather hated how she would always remind her to take his medicine, so he didn’t let her near him. My mom said he had heart problems and would die if he didn’t take medicine. I didn’t want my grandfather to die, so I asked my mom if she had any ways to prevent him from dying…”

“My mom told me the next time I go to my grandfather’s house, I could secretly slip some medicine into his food. She even gave me a convenient pendant to hold the medicine. But it seems I was too young, perhaps I forgot, so my grandfather still died…”

“Then the pendant my mom gave me also disappeared. I would sometimes doubt if my memory was wrong. Maybe I never even received a pendant, and my mom would always deny my claims. She said I was too young to differentiate between a dream and reality…”

It felt like I was struck on the chest.

I now understand why Peng TouSi siad John doesn’t want to reveal the details of the case even when he already has enough evidence. That’s why he said Ai Mi would suffer shock if the case was revealed.

Since Ai ShuQiao was hated by John’s father and he never let her get close to him, it was impossible for her to poison him.

Then the truth was: Ai Mi loved her grandfather, so Ai ShuQiao used her four-year-old daughter to poison him!

It’s… way too cruel. Ai ShuQiao, I don’t really care that you abandoned me since I don’t really want your love, but Ai Mi was the new life you chose. You watched her grow old from infancy!

Even if a four-year-old won’t be determined to be guilty by a jury, how could you let your own daughter murder her beloved grandfather? You’ve already all lost all qualifications as a human being.

And you even used this as a trump card against John? You probably knew John already kept evidence from those years and it would be troublesome if he started an investigation, so you decided to drag your own daughter down with you? If John decides to get justice for his father, then the courts would summon Ai Mi as a witness. Then she would have the face the truth of poisoning her own grandfather in court!

Ai Mi was raised in a sheltered environment. She’s allergic to almonds and sunlight, she has acrophobia and gets lost easily… How could a girl who seems tough on the outside but has a tender heart be able to withstand this shock? Do you want her to live the rest of her life while carrying the burden of knowing the fact she poisoned her own grandfather and was tricked by her own mother?

I’ve never felt this rash before. I even wanted to take the custody of my sister away from Ai ShuQiao.

That’s enough. How long are you planning to treat your own daughter as a chess piece? Ai Mi’s hands are already stained with her grandfather’s blood, what else do you still want her to do? Please leave Ai Mi’s life.

The darkness in front of Ai Mi couldn’t be removed regardless of how many bills she burned. It’s just like Ai ShuQiao’s evil cage that’s currently trapping her.

I have to rescue Ai Mi from her invisible cage. Regardless of how many years it takes, how much I have to sacrifice, or the dangers I have to face. Only then, would I be able to prove my worth as her older brother.

I made a vow.

My dear sister. Even if the only relationship between you and me is Ai ShuQiao’s wicked blood, but I decided I won’t abandon you.

Please give me a bit of time. No, it might take a lot of time, but I won’t give up halfway.

Because the job of an older brother is to protect a younger sister’s smile.

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