"Haha, that brat's face looked like a poached pig!"
"You should've given him a couple more punches."
"Why not wipe out his entire family!?"
"Ah, you're still not strong enough for that."
"Ah, right, how can we forget, he is still weak!"
"Haha.."
With his inner monologues echoing, Wang Xiao said his farewells to Chen Li as they parted ways. Chen Li headed for the school bus, while Wang Xiao preferred to take the regular public bus, alongside Wang Xueying and Wang Jiarong.
Wang Mei, their younger sibling, was always dropped off directly by their father in his car.
As Wang Xiao stood at the common station, his attention was drawn to Wang Xueying approaching him. Her initial expression carried a hint of gravity, but as she spotted him, it swiftly transformed into a faint, warm smile. Wang Xueying had a certain elegance about her, with her slightly wavy, chestnut hair gently catching the sunlight. Her almond-shaped eyes were a deep, rich brown, full of both determination and charm.
"Where's Jiarong?" Wang Xiao inquired, raising an eyebrow, his skepticism evident, as they both stepped onto the bus.
"Sis is at the library, you know her, always the bookworm, always hardworking," Wang Xueying complained, pouting playfully. Her lips, a shade of natural pink, curved into a sweet smile, a striking contrast to her earlier expression.
Wang Xiao couldn't help but chuckle softly, familiar with the dynamic between them.
Wang Xueying's playful complaint was, in part, a reflection of her own occasional tendencies towards laziness.
As they nestled into the corner seat of the nearly empty bus, Wang Xueying's voice gradually dwindled into silence. She fixed her gaze on the passing scenery outside the window, lost in her thoughts.
Wang Xiao, on the other hand, found her quiet contemplation incredibly captivating. An unspoken desire to comfort her and share an intimate moment swelled within him.
"Then just do it, why keep hesitating?"
"He's being a coward, ignore him."
A frustrated sigh escaped Wang Xiao's lips as he wrestled with the conflicting voices of his inner shadows.
Undeterred, he maintained a determined expression and, with a surge of courage, extended his right hand to tenderly clasp Wang Xueying's delicate fingers.
The same shadows that had taunted him earlier now seemed to cheer him on, while a few whispered caution about potential repercussions.
"Brother?" Wang Xueying turned toward him, her eyes blinking in slight surprise.
Wang Xiao swiftly concocted a reasonable explanation, "You don't need to wear those glasses when you're with me." With a daring flourish, he gently removed her spectacles and set them aside. As he delicately rearranged her hair, her exquisite eyes locked onto him, a blend of mild embarrassment and astonishment at the sudden intimacy of the gesture.
Unlike Wang Mei, Wang Xueying didn't interpret his actions as something more, but she did find it as a caring and considerate gesture. However, she couldn't help but notice that her heart was slightly racing as she stared at his face.
"Now, would you tell me what happened at school, or do I have to check it myself?" Wang Xiao spoke with a bit more assertiveness, his hand gently wrapping around her shoulder in a comforting manner.
Wang Xueying was slightly taken aback, "You saw it?" she asked in response, realizing that her attempt to hide the incident wasn't as successful as she thought. Wang Xiao nodded, even letting out a small chuckle at her feeble attempt to deceive him.
Among his two sisters, apart from Wang Jiarong, Wang Xiao tended to be more assertive. Wang Mei, being younger, naturally looked up to him, and Wang Xueying, with her petite stature, often called him "brother," making it easier for him to influence her thoughts.
Wang Xueying's expression darkened slightly, her voice carrying a hint of vulnerability as she whispered, "It's Hao Zemin again. He's trying to make things difficult for me in class," she confessed.
Wang Xiao nodded knowingly, his thoughts echoing with the sentiment, 'Some people just don't learn their lesson the first time.'
He had already warned that troublemaker, but it seemed his caution had fallen on deaf ears.
"What about Jiarong? Is someone bullying her as well?" he inquired, concerned about his other sister's well-being.
Wang Xueying shook her head lightly, her disappointment evident. She had hoped to blend in and avoid being targeted, but it seemed that her efforts hadn't been entirely successful.
Wearing glasses and altering her hairstyle had been an attempt to make herself less noticeable, even though she didn't actually need the glasses.
For Wang Xiao, keeping a vigilant eye on his sisters' lives was both a responsibility and a challenge. Having beautiful sisters came with its own set of problems and concerns.
Among his sisters, Wang Mei had caused him little to no trouble so far, but given her age, he knew he couldn't predict what challenges the future might hold for her.
Among the sisters, it was Wang Xueying's gentle demeanor that seemed to attract conflict like a magnet, while Wang Jiarong appeared to glide through school life with ease.
As they arrived at their stop, they strolled along the familiar path, finally reaching home, where the warm presence of their mother, Xinyue Zhilan, awaited them.
Wang Xueying headed to her room, while Wang Xiao paused for a moment, his thoughts lingering on the scene behind her closed door. After a deep breath, he continued on, stopping at Wang Mei's room.
Without bothering to knock, he pushed open the door and stepped inside, the door gently closing behind him. The room greeted him with that familiar and comforting fragrance.
"Hm?" Just then, Wang Mei emerged from the bathroom, her petite form draped in a pristine white towel.
Her damp hair clung to her skin, and the chill in the room made her shiver slightly as she caught sight of Wang Xiao.
A brief moment of surprise flashed across her eyes, and then, as if anticipating the situation, she lowered her head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Unconsciously, the towel slipped from her fingers, cascading to the floor in a soft whisper.