Chapter 21: Cured
It was a little past five in the morning. Previously, I had always prepared Western-style breakfasts because they were simpler and took less time. But since I had so much free time today, I decided to make breakfast more elaborate.
Just as I started rinsing rice to make porridge, a yawning sound came from the living room doorway. Mom had entered the living room.
Her hair was a mess, her dark circles were as deep as ever, and her shoulders drooped. She looked utterly listless, as if she hadn’t slept enough rather than just poorly.
“Hmm? Juncheng? You’re up so early…”
“You’re the one who’s up early, Mom. Didn’t you say you could rest today? Why are you up so early?”
It was already half-past five, and I thought Mom would sleep until noon. I was planning to prepare Mom’s lunch when I made bento, but I hadn’t expected her to wake up so early.
“Ah, I thought since it’s a rare occasion to be home, I’d make you breakfast. You’ve been preparing breakfast for the past two years, haven’t you? I’m such an irresponsible mother…”
“Well, it’s nothing. I’m already used to it.”
Due to her work, Mom often came home late at night, making it difficult for her to wake up early to prepare breakfast for us.
However, she had persevered until the end of elementary school. It was only later that I couldn’t bear to see her work so hard and took over the task myself.
Housework might seem like a troublesome chore to others, and it did feel that way when I first started. But since I had plenty of free time, doing chores was a good way to pass the time. Moreover, it was good to acquire these household skills. Cleaning and tidying up, and seeing everything become orderly, made me feel happy. Cooking was the same. I particularly enjoyed making desserts. Kneading dough and baking cakes was actually quite interesting.
And what about slicing vegetables at lightning speed, carving radishes, and tossing a wok with one hand? Didn’t that look cool?
“Leave it to me today. What are you making, Juncheng?”
“Well, red bean porridge, stir-fried celery with cashews, stir-fried green peppers with eggs, fruit salad, and taro pancakes.”
“Eh? Red bean porridge? You mean adzuki bean porridge? Taro pancakes, uh…”
Mom awkwardly ran a strand of hair, possibly unfamiliar with the dishes I mentioned.
“Haha, I’ll do it. Mom, you should just lie on the sofa and get some more sleep.”
As I became the primary cook in the house, my skills naturally continued to improve. My parents gave me a generous allowance, and they even bought me an oven, so I frequently bought ingredients to try new dishes. My repertoire of recipes had also expanded considerably from what Mom initially taught me.
“Unconsciously, you’ve grown up so much, my precious son.”
Mom suddenly exclaimed, embracing me from behind and resting her cheek on my back.
The feeling of being hugged from behind reminded me of how Xinran had hugged me in the bathroom just now. I shivered, nearly cutting my finger.
“Uh, Mom? What are you doing…?”
“Just let me hug you for a bit. You won’t let me hug you when you’ve grown up? *Sniffle sniffle*, Mom’s going to cry, you know?”
“Stop joking around, it’s dangerous.”
“I remember when you first started, you only called me Aunt An Yue. The first time you called me Mom, you blushed, didn’t you? Hehe~ Ten years have flown by already…”
“Yeah…”
“Hmph hmph, Keling will definitely be ridiculously infatuated with you, her brother.”
“Eh?”
I was stunned by the fact that the problem I was worried about was being mentioned by Mom.
However, since Mom was facing my back, she didn’t notice my unusual reaction and continued in a cheerful tone, “After all, her preferred type is exactly the same as mine. You look so much like your dad, Juncheng, she’s bound to adore you.”
Phew… That scared me. I thought Mom knew something.
“Is that so?”
“Definitely! And Xinran too! Although she acts all cool and distant, she must like her brother, her good younger sister. After all, she is… coughing, in short, she definitely likes you.”
“Ahaha…”
Mom, you’re actually spot on. She is indeed a good younger sister who likes her brother, just a little too much…
“So, my precious son, you should be careful with that girl Keling. She might suddenly do something extreme one day.”
“No way, Keling is so well-behaved…”
Although the “black-bellied” descriptor in her title made me a little concerned, since the color was pink and it included “brother complex,” it should be fine… probably…
“Hmph hmph, who knows? When I was pursuing your dad, I used many tactics too, you know? That girl is my daughter…”
The implication was that Keling had also learned many tactics through osmosis?
Wow! Mom, what did you teach her!
Is that why she’s “black-bellied”!
Give me back my gentle, kind, cute, and clingy Younger Sister Keling!
“Well then, us useless mothers will just wait to eat the breakfast made by our beloved son~ Good luck, Juncheng~”
“Okay, okay…”
An hour later, around 6:20, I finished breakfast and my bento for lunch. It was time to wake up the two younger sisters.
After taking off my apron and hanging it on the hook on the refrigerator, I woke up my mom, who was snoring and drooling on the sofa. Then, I went upstairs to wake up my sisters.
As soon as I reached the second floor, I ran into Xinran, who was already dressed in her school uniform. She looked no different from before, but she felt completely different to me now.
“Breakfast is ready. Go downstairs and eat.”
“Mm.”
“Then I’ll go wake Keling up.”
“Brother.”
“Hm?”
“Keling… please comfort her properly.”
“Ah? Comfort? What do you mean? Ah, hey!”
Xinran didn’t give me an answer and walked downstairs, leaving only her back behind.
Why is she suddenly back to her cold demeanor? She should at least explain properly…
I shook my head and walked to Keling’s door, knocking lightly three times. However, I received no response, so I opened the door and went in. Just to clarify, I had Keling’s permission to open the door directly when waking her up in the morning. Otherwise, I would never do something as intrusive as barging into my sister’s room!
Entering the room, which was almost filled with dolls, I went to Keling’s bedside and softly called out.
“Keling, time to wake up.”
“Ugh…”
Keling responded vaguely, and the covers stirred slightly.
Hmm? This reaction is a bit strange. When I’ve woken her up before, Keling would always get up promptly and greet me energetically. But today, she’s reluctantly staying in bed.
“If you sleep any longer, you’ll be late. Breakfast is ready, hurry up and get up. I made your favorite red bean porridge.”
Even if Keling was reluctant to get up, I wouldn’t do anything as outrageous as pulling off her covers or lying on top of her. So, I could only lure her with food.
Although Keling is the same age as Xinran and me, she always felt much younger.
Both her petite body and her cute personality gave me that impression.
“…Brother…”
A voice, weaker than usual and slightly trembling, came from under the covers.
“What’s wrong?”
Keling revealed only half her head, clutching the top edge of the blanket with both hands, and said weakly.
“Keling is sick…”
“Eh eh?! Do you have a cold! Let me feel!”
I quickly placed my hand on Keling’s forehead to check if her temperature was abnormally high.
Hmm… It seems a little high. This is a slight fever.
“It looks like you really have a cold. I’ll get you a wet towel. Just lie there for now.”
“It’s not a cold… Keling has a heartache.”
“Hm?”
“Only when Brother holds me can this illness be cured…”
Ha… So she just wants to be doted on. And her forehead might be warm just from covering it up.
Thankfully, at least she’s not actually sick.
What a spoiled brat… Not really!
Keling’s title is “black-bellied”! Black-bellied!
Isn’t “black-bellied” someone who appears gentle, kind, and amiable, but is actually dangerous, evil, and full of tricks inside?
Does that mean she’s planning to do something to me?
“Brother?”
“Ah, ah?”
Perhaps because my mind was elsewhere, my reaction was a beat slower, and Keling started to tear up.
“Brother… do you hate Keling?”
“No! How could I hate you!”
“Then why don’t you want to hug Keling…”
“No! How could I not want to hug you!”
I quickly picked Keling up and gently patted her back, comforting her like I would a baby.
Ah, Xinran just told me to comfort Keling… so it was meant literally.
“Brother, do you like me?”
“Of course! I’ve always liked you, Keling.”
Keling wrapped her arms around my neck and said with a smile through her tears.
“I like Brother the most~”
“Mm-hmm!”
What was I suspecting earlier! Keling is my sister! Even if she’s “black-bellied,” she wouldn’t do anything bad to me! I have to trust her!
“Since that’s the case, will you be Brother’s wife, Keling?”
I never thought I’d hear my sister say something like “I’ll be Brother’s bride when I grow up~” These are the kind of lines you only hear in anime.
Ahaha, but marrying your sister is something that only happens in anime.
Since that’s the case, I’ll agree. Otherwise, she’ll start pouting again.
“Okay, Brother will marry Keling as his bride in the future.”
“Hehe, I like Brother the most!”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ah, I feel like I was cured while comforting Keling.
As expected, Keling is the only solace for my soul.
“Well then, let’s get up quickly, Keling.”
“Mm!”
Keling responded energetically. I patted her head and left her room.
My energy bar feels completely full!
Oh!
