My Sister Ah Wan

Part 1

1

I thought I was dead.

But when I opened my eyes, I saw Xie Bo Yan again, still with that youthful face.

He said, "Yin Yin, be my girlfriend. Let me take care of you."

His tone was flat, his expression indifferent, and there was neither expectation nor nervousness in his eyes.

It didn't feel like a confession.

It was more like he was completing some kind of task.

Because he didn't love me.

The one he loved was my sister.

And my sister was dying.

The only thing she couldn't let go of was me.

So Xie Bo Yan carried me, a burden, on his back for eight years.

Looking at him now, I suddenly remembered what his friend asked him when we got married:

"Is it really necessary? Her sister has been gone for five years. Are you seriously going to sacrifice your whole life for this?"

Xie Bo Yan, smoking a cigarette, spoke through the swirling white smoke, "I promised for a lifetime, not a second less."

He had promised my sister.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Yin Yin, for a lifetime."

I let out a long sigh.

In my previous life, I lived according to everyone's expectations.
Now that I had the chance to do it over, things should be different.

"Brother Bo Yan, there's no need. I can take care of myself. You don't have to trouble yourself."

Xie Bo Yan seemed taken aback by my refusal.

His brow furrowed tightly, and he looked at me with a deep, intense gaze.

"Yin Yin..."

He wanted to say something, but I interrupted him:

"Brother Bo Yan, I'm going to see my sister now. Are you coming?"

Xie Bo Yan rubbed his thumb against his middle finger with his right hand; it was a sign that he was craving a cigarette.

"You go ahead. I'll be there in a while."

2

I was 18 years old now, just starting my senior year of high school.

There was less than a year left before the college entrance exam.

In my previous life, I missed the exam.

Because three months before the exam, my sister passed away.

My mother, in her hysteria, tore up all my textbooks.

"Do you have no conscience? Ah Wan is gone, and you still have the heart to study?"

"Ah Wan is gone, why are you still alive?"

During the exam days, she locked me inside the house.
She said, "Ah Wan's greatest regret in life was not being able to take the college entrance exam. If you can't do anything for her, at least don't make her sad in heaven."

At that time, I thought she wanted me to die.

She not only locked me in but also refused to give me any food or water.

In the end, it was Xie Bo Yan who broke in and took me away.

To be honest, I wasn't ready to see them again.

So I hid in a corner, and only after my mother left my sister's hospital room did I go in.

Xie Bo Yan was inside.

When he saw me, his face darkened. "Where did you go? Why are you only arriving now?"

I ignored him and fixed my gaze on my sister.

A surge of warmth rose from my heart, filling my eyes with tears.

It had been seven years. I missed her so much.

She gently patted Xie Bo Yan and scolded him lightly, "Why are you being so harsh?"

Then she waved me over, "Yin Yin, come here."

"Yin Yin, come here, sister will give you some candy."
"Yin Yin, come here, sister will tell you a story."

"Yin Yin, come here, don't be afraid, sister is here."

"Yin Yin, come here, sister will hug you."

...

"Yin Yin, if I leave, what will my little darling do without me!"

I quickly walked over and crouched beside her bed.

I gently wrapped my arms around her slender waist.

I buried my head in her lap.

Finally, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer.

I sobbed softly, as if I had been terribly wronged.

"What's wrong? Yin Yin, what's wrong? Who bullied you?"

"Yin Yin, don't cry, tell sister what happened."

"Yin Yin, don't be afraid, sister is here, sister is here!"