Her brother leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a grin tugging at his lips but never fully breaking free. "Just making sure this isn't a dream. You, actually inviting me in instead of shooing me away? That's rare."
A pang of guilt stirred in her chest. She remembered the memories of how the original Shen Ruyi had drifted away from him. At first, it was subtle. A little less time spent together, a little more time chasing after Jiang Yuanzhi. But then the distance hardened into walls, because everyone told her it was improper for the future Madame Jiang to be so close to her brother, lest it look childish or inappropriate.
And yet, she had never seen the pain behind her brother's forced smile, the way his eyes dimmed when she called off plans to instead wait for Jiang Yuanzhi's schedule. She hadn't seen it before, but now she did.
Ruyi patted the spot beside her on the bed. "If you're afraid this is a dream, come here and sit down to speculate all you want. That way, you'll know whether it's real or not."
He arched an eyebrow at her, still suspicious, but relented and crossed the room. "Don't regret this when Mother comes storming in tomorrow and scolds us for acting like children again."
"Then we'll act like children tonight," she countered, grinning. "One night won't hurt."
For a moment, silence stretched between them as he settled down beside her. Then he muttered, half under his breath, "You finally came clear of your feelings for him. I'm so glad, really."
She blinked, caught off guard by the lack of subtlety. "…You sound happy about that."
"I am," he admitted shamelessly, though his tone softened almost instantly. "But don't mistake me! I'm not celebrating your pain. I just… hated the way he was always there. Always... between us."
Ruyi tilted her head, studying him. His eyes, so much like hers, were sharper now than the playful gaze she remembered from childhood. There was something darker underneath, a competitiveness that had festered in silence for years.
"You thought I adored him more than you."
"You did." The words shot out quickly, as though he'd rehearsed them countless times. "It didn't matter what I did. Whether fetching you your favorite pastries from the market, or covering for you when you got in trouble, or even standing up to Father when you cried. None of it mattered. You'd brush me off the moment he appeared. And all he had to do was look at you once, and you'd forget I existed."
The bitterness in his voice startled her. For so long, he had worn a smile, laughed at her antics, even teased her when she gushed about Jiang Yuanzhi. But beneath it all… he had been bleeding.
Her throat tightened as she apologized. "I'm sorry."
It wasn't her fault, but the original owners. Even so, she felt like she owed him an apology that she couldn't help but give.
That small, earnest apology stunned him more than any denial could have. He turned to her, eyes wide, as though the words were foreign in her mouth. "You… what?"
"I said I'm sorry. For neglecting you, for not seeing you." Ruyi's gaze softened, warm with sincerity. "You were always there, and I took that for granted. Jiang Yuanzhi never cared the way you did, yet I…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "It was foolish. You deserved better from me, brother."
For a long while, he said nothing. His jaw worked, as though struggling to form words. Finally, his lips curved, not into a grin, but into a smile that trembled, almost boyish. "If you keep talking like that, I might forgive you."
"Only might?" she teased.
He chuckled, finally letting some of the tension ease. "Well, you'll have to work for it. Years of neglect don't just vanish overnight."
"Then I'll start working tonight," she said with mock solemnity, before shoving a pillow into his chest.
The unexpected attack made him laugh out loud, a genuine, unrestrained sound that she hadn't heard in years. He retaliated with his own pillow, and soon the room was filled with laughter, muffled thuds, and the rustle of silk sheets.
For that night, they weren't the heir and the heiress of the Shen family, nor the fiancée of Jiang Yuanzhi. They were just two siblings, tumbling about like they had when they were children, until their arms gave out and their cheeks ached from smiling.
Finally, breathless, they collapsed side by side on the bed. Ruyi felt his hand brush against hers tentatively, as though afraid she might pull away. Instead, Shen Ruyi laced her fingers with his.
"Do you remember when we used to sneak into the garden at night?" she asked softly.
He smiled faintly, eyes half-closed. "Yeah, to catch the fireflies. You were terrified of bugs, but you said fireflies didn't count because they glowed."
"You used to cup your hands around them for me."
"And you'd insist they were lanterns sent by fairies."
She laughed quietly. "We were ridiculous."
"No," he murmured, his voice fading as sleep tugged at him. "We were happy."
That night, they fell asleep like that, their hands entwined, breaths syncing, as though the years of distance had finally melted away.
.
.
.
The next morning shattered that peace.
"Ruyi! Get up, get up, you're going to be late!"
Her mother's voice was sharp, urgent, and the door banged open before she could fully rouse herself. Ruyi groaned, trying to pry her heavy eyelids open, only to be yanked upright by her mother's surprisingly strong grip.
"Mom—!"
"No excuses!" Her mother all but dragged her toward the dressing screen. "Do you think you can lounge around after a breakup? Do you want people to say the daughter of the Shen family is weak and pitiful? Absolutely not! Today you have to go to work, and you will show your face with pride."
Ruyi barely had time to protest as maids rushed in with armfuls of dresses, cosmetics, and hairpins.