The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting warm streaks of light into the room. A light breeze drifted in from the slightly open window, rustling the papers on the wooden desk. The quiet ticking of the clock was the only sound accompanying the serene atmosphere.
Ye Qing slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times as he adjusted to the light. He let out a small sigh, stretching his arms before sitting up. His short black hair was slightly messy from sleep, but his sharp, well-defined features still carried a natural handsomeness.
Just as he was about to get out of bed, the door burst open.
BANG!
"Gege! Wake up already!"
Ye Xue's voice rang through the room, high-pitched and commanding, as if she were a general rallying her troops. Her eyes sparkling with mischief. She was already dressed in her school uniform, a light blue blouse with a dark skirt, and her long black hair was tied into twin ponytails.
Ye Qing sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What is it this time, Xue?"
Ye Xue placed her hands on her hips, pouting. "You're going to be late! Get up, get ready, and hurry downstairs! Mom made breakfast!"
Ye Qing let out a small chuckle. "Alright, alright, I'm getting up."
But before he could even move, Ye Xue grabbed his wrist. "Nope! You'll just laze around if I leave. Get up now!"
She tugged at his arm, but Ye Qing was much stronger. He smirked at her futile attempts and finally relented, getting out of bed.
"Happy now?" he asked.
Ye Xue grinned. "Very!"
With that, she dashed out of the room, leaving Ye Qing to get ready.
He grabbed his clothes and headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he put on his usual outfit—a blue, loose, long-sleeved jacket-like top with a raised collar over a short-sleeve white t-shirt, paired with black jeans. He ran his fingers through his damp hair and grabbed his watch before heading downstairs.
The smell of freshly cooked food filled the dining room. Ye Tianhong, their father, sat at the head of the table, reading the morning newspaper. Lin Ruoyue, their mother, was pouring tea into small cups. Ye Han, their younger adopted brother, was flipping through some papers, seemingly focused on his project.
"Morning, dad. Morning, mom," Ye Qing greeted as he walked in.
Ye Tianhong glanced up, giving a small nod. "Good morning, son. How's work going?"
Ye Qing sat down, picking up a cup of tea. "Same as always. Nothing too eventful, just the usual library routines."
Lin Ruoyue smiled. "Still, it's a peaceful job. You always loved books, so it suits you well."
Ye Tianhong folded his newspaper and looked at him seriously. "Any unusual activity near the library lately?"
Ye Qing raised an eyebrow. "You mean in terms of crime?"
His father nodded. "There have been some reports of strange individuals lurking around that area at night. If you see anything suspicious, don't hesitate to inform me."
Ye Qing leaned back in his chair. "I'll keep an eye out. But honestly, I think it's just rumors."
Ye Han, who had been silent until now, looked up from his project. "What kind of rumors?"
Ye Tianhong sighed. "Some people say they've seen shadowy figures moving near the old book storage behind the library."
Ye Qing smirked. "Ghost stories, huh? Sounds like something Xue would believe in."
"Hey!" Ye Xue huffed, puffing out her cheeks. "I'm not scared of ghosts!"
Lin Ruoyue chuckled. "Alright, alright. Enough talk about spooky things during breakfast."
Ye Qing reached for a piece of toast, but before he could take a bite, Ye Xue grabbed his wrist.
"No time to eat! We're leaving now!" she said, pulling him towards the door.
Ye Qing groaned. "At least let me take a few bites!"
"Nope! You can eat later!" she insisted.
She dragged him to the entrance, where he sat down and slipped on his blue-and-white sneakers.
"You're way too energetic in the morning," Ye Qing muttered.
Ye Xue giggled. "That's because I don't want to be late!"
"You act like you're the older sibling," Ye Qing muttered, tying his shoelaces.
"I have to, since you're so slow!"
He stood up, ruffling her hair. "Alright, let's go."
Ye Xue smoothed down her slightly messy ponytail and huffed. "No messing up my hair, gege!"
Once he was ready, they headed out to the garage. Ye Qing walked over to his motorcycle, unlocking it with a casual motion.
Ye Xue's eyes widened the moment she saw it. "Wait—gege, when did you get a new bike?"
Ye Qing smirked as he swung a leg over the motorcycle. "A few weeks ago. Noticed it just now?"
"I thought you still had that old one!" Ye Xue pouted. "And you didn't even tell me!"
"I didn't think you'd care," he teased, handing her a helmet.
"I do! This one looks cooler," she said, running her fingers over the red paint. "What's the model?"
"Honda CBR500R," Ye Qing said as he adjusted his gloves. "Smooth ride, great power, and easy to handle."
Ye Xue climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "It looks like something out of a movie," she muttered in awe.
Ye Qing chuckled. "Hold on tight."
With a twist of the throttle, the engine roared to life, and they sped off into the streets, weaving smoothly between cars.
The morning breeze was exhilarating as Ye Qing guided the motorcycle through the city. The towering skyscrapers glistened under the sun, and the air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread from passing bakeries.
Ye Xue, despite her usual chatter, was quiet, taking in the ride with wide eyes.
"Like it?" Ye Qing asked, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.
She grinned. "It's awesome! Gege, you should take me to school like this every day."
Ye Qing let out a laugh. "I'm not your personal chauffeur."
"But you could be!"
"No way."
She giggled, tightening her grip on his waist. "Fine, fine. But gege, do you ever get bored at the library?"
Ye Qing glanced at her through the side mirror. "Not really. I enjoy the quiet, and there's always something new to learn."
"But wouldn't it be cooler if you had a more exciting job?"
Ye Qing chuckled. "Excitement isn't everything, Xue. Sometimes, a peaceful life is better."
Ye Xue rested her chin on his back. "I guess… but still, it's a bit too ordinary for someone as smart as you."
The siblings continued their banter as they neared Ye Xue's school. Ye Qing pulled up in front of the grand entrance, where students were already filing in.
Ye Xue hopped off, taking off her helmet. "Thanks for the ride, gege."
"Be good in class," Ye Qing said, adjusting his gloves.
She saluted mockingly. "Yes, sir!"
Ye Qing smirked. "And don't get into trouble."
"No promises!"
With that, she ran toward the school building, waving at him before disappearing through the entrance.
Ye Qing watched her go, shaking his head with a soft chuckle. Then, revving the engine, he took off toward the house. By the time he arrived, his parents were already dressed for work.
"Ye Qing," Lin Ruoyue called out. "Your father and I have some bank work to take care of, so can you drop Ye Han at his school?"
Ye Qing nodded. "Sure, no problem."
Ye Han picked up his papers and stood up. "Thanks, Yè Gē."
Ye Qing smirked. "Don't mention it Xiǎo Hán."
Once again, he hopped on his motorcycle, and Ye Han climbed on behind him.
As they rode towards the senior school, Ye Han asked, "Did dad tell you about the rumors?"
Ye Qing nodded. "Yeah. You interested in that sort of thing?"
"Not really," Ye Han admitted. "But if something does happen, I know you'll handle it."
Ye Qing raised an eyebrow. "That much faith in me?"
Ye Han smirked. "Of course. You're my role model, after all."
Ye Qing felt a small warmth in his chest but masked it with a casual shrug. "Well, don't expect me to fight ghosts."
Ye Han chuckled. "Yeah, right."
After dropping Ye Han off, Ye Qing made his way towards the library. As he parked his motorcycle, he stretched his arms and exhaled.
"Another ordinary day, huh?" he murmured to himself.
Little did he know, this was the day his life would change forever.
[To be continued…]