After Jian Yuncheng finished giving instructions to Aunt An, his phone rang. It was an international call. He picked it up, and before he could say anything, a familiar voice greeted him on the other end.
"Hey, big brother, how's our little sister doing lately?"
The voice was calm and youthful—it was his second brother, Jian Yunmo, currently studying abroad for his graduate degree.
"You always ask about our little sister first. Why don't you just call her directly?" Jian Yuncheng retorted, slightly annoyed.
The person on the other end was indeed his second brother, Jian Yunmo. Unlike Jian Yuncheng, who handled family matters with a cold and strict demeanor, Jian Yunmo had a soft spot for their siblings, especially for their youngest sister, Jian Yiling. He doted on her endlessly and was always eager to please her.
This dynamic had long created a pattern in the family: Jian Yuncheng played the stern, authoritarian figure, while Jian Yunmo took on the role of the kind and gentle brother. This divide often led to Jian Yiling clinging to her second brother's leg, glaring at her eldest brother, calling him the "bad guy." With her second brother always shielding her, she knew her eldest brother couldn't discipline her, which gave her a sense of invulnerability.
Jian Yuncheng's comment was met with a brief silence from Jian Yunmo, before his younger brother finally spoke again.
"I won't be able to make it home for Christmas this year. I've already bought gifts for Yiling, for you, and for mom and dad. Since international shipping times are unpredictable, I've sent them out early. Please make sure they get there safely. When the holiday comes, hand Yiling's present to her for me."
"You're more concerned about Yiling's gift than ours, aren't you? You're just sending ours along as an afterthought," Jian Yuncheng quipped, calling out his brother's obvious favoritism.
There was a short cough from the other end, followed by a sheepish chuckle. "Big brother, you've got it all wrong. I put just as much thought into your gifts as I did for Yiling's."
"Sure, sure. We'll pretend we aren't just riding on her coattails," Jian Yuncheng said, though his tone had softened a bit, letting his brother off the hook.
Jian Yunmo then asked, "Is everything at home okay? When I called mom the other day, she didn't seem to be in the best of spirits."
"There's nothing to worry about. Mom's just been feeling a little under the weather, but it's nothing serious. You focus on your studies."
"Alright, good. How's Yiling doing in school? Any problems or things bothering her? She hasn't posted anything on social media in a while."
Jian Yuncheng paused before responding. "She's... fine. You should ask her yourself if you're that concerned. I'm sure she'd be happy to hear from you."
"Hmm... maybe I shouldn't. What if she's got a boyfriend now or something..." Jian Yunmo's voice trailed off, tinged with uncertainty.
"Do whatever you want," Jian Yuncheng replied. "Just make sure you take care of yourself over there. Don't worry about things back home—I've got everything under control."
"Brother, you take care of yourself too. Stop staying up so late all the time, or one day we'll stand side by side, and you'll look ten years older than me!"
Jian Yunmo was only three years younger than Jian Yuncheng, but he never missed an opportunity to tease him.
"Just make sure you don't end up looking older than me," Jian Yuncheng shot back, before promptly hanging up, not giving his brother a chance to retort.
After finishing the conversation with his second brother, Jian Yuncheng left his study and summoned Jian Yunnao and their mother, Wen Nuan, to their father's study.
Wen Nuan, puzzled by the sudden gathering, asked, "Yuncheng, what's this about? Why have you called us all here?"
"There's something important we need to discuss. Please, just sit down and listen first," Jian Yuncheng replied, his tone calm but firm. He then turned to look at Jian Yunnao, his gaze sharp.
"What's going on, brother?" Jian Yunnao asked, feeling a bit uneasy under his older brother's scrutiny. Something in the air told him that this wasn't going to be a simple conversation.
"Let's start with you. I'd like to hear your thoughts on what happened today," Jian Yuncheng said, giving Jian Yunnao the opportunity to speak first.