[MXTX] Three Times the Love

Chapter 41 - You Look Good in Blue

By the bed, Hua Cheng watched with an expressionless face. Nobody knew what he was thinking.

Months passed. Ping Hai had finally earned enough money from the shrine. He pulled at his older brother's arm, which was so skinny that Ping Hai could directly snap it in half. "Brother! We can finally cure you! We'll go in the city and find a doctor for you!"

Ping Sha tiredly lifted his eyes. "Oh."

"Don't 'oh' me!" Ping Hai stated. "Once you get better, you can continue living an easy life-"

"Ping Hai." Normally, his older brother would call him 'Ah-Hai'. This time, it was his full name. This made the younger brother surprised. Ping Sha raised his head, showing a maniacal expression, "You've actually hated me all this time, didn't you?"

Hearing that had stunned Ping Hai on the spot.

He had no idea... that his older brother knew the truth all along.

"I've seen the way you look at me." Ping Sha croaked. "Every time I made that girl happy even though I was just messing around, you had this... terrible aura going on. Whenever I played with the girl's feelings, you made it feel like I was rebelling against the nation..." Ping Sha held a sharp glare in his eyes, "...What exactly... does that bitch mean to you?"

His collar was grabbed at, practically strangling him by the neck. "Don't..."

Ping Hai's eyes were red from anger. "Don't call her a bitch!"

"Ohh..." Ping Sha expressionlessly said. His voice was monotone as he smiled, "It turned out that the dragon wants to become the prince. How laughable."

Ping Hai felt like he was doused in cold water. He'd always been bullying Yi Ran in the background; calling her names, ruining her reputation, and trying to get his older brother to stop paying her any attention... to stop giving her any meaningless affection.

This was why he was the villain here.

And his older brother, who saved Yi Ran from the cold snow with a warm fire... he was the hero.

*****

Ping Hai tripped on the stairs. He ran out of the shrine, with his shoulder-length hair flying past the blowing breeze. He must tell Yi Ran his older brother's plans! He must let Yi Ran know once and for all!

"YI RAN!!!" Outside, Ping Hai yelled out the young girl's name.

He raced against the wind, while his steps grazed against the ground with pinpoint accuracy. "YI RAN!" Ping Hai's heart had thumped wildly against his own chest, only increasing the beats as his feet ran. His clothes brushed past the wind, and he tripped a few times.

However, he continued getting back up.

Ping Hai's throat began to hurt, but he continued yelling. "YI RAN! WHERE ARE YOU!?!"

All of a sudden, he tripped over something, falling forwards. Thankfully, the back of his clothes was caught by someone. "I'm right here." It was Yi Ran who tripped him and caught him as well. "What are you looking for me for?"

The unsettling panic in Ping Hai's throat began to die down.

He sighed, "Yi Ran, I've been looking for you to tell you something important."

Yi Ran let go of his clothes, allowing Ping Hai to stand on the ground. "What is it?" Yi Ran asked. In one of her hands was a stolen pen, and a stolen piece of paper. These few days, Ping Sha had been ignoring her. Yi Ran couldn't figure it out. Ping Sha has always been treating her as if she was the most important person in his life.