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With a feeling of nostalgia Su Mucheng stood in front of the wooden door. So many year have passed since she last stood here. Back then she had been a little teenage girl. No matter how bad thing may have been, she could only remember how warm her life had been. There had always been so much love around her.
Tenderly she opened the unlocked door. Stepping inside, she was overwhelmed with feelings and memories of a past long gone – a life long over.

The smell of burnt food tortured Su Mucheng's nose, when she entered the small apartment. She didn't know how her brother had been able to get the apartment, but she was happy with it. She even had her own room and it was warm during the cold winter. All she wished was for her brother Su Muqiu to not burn it down only after a few days staying her. However, ever since they moved in, he decided that they should eat healthier and cooking was healthier – at least theoretically.
At this point, Su Mucheng was sure she would die from smoke intoxication. Maybe she should take up the cooking from now on.

The kitchen had been replaced. Yet she could see that broken flagstone near the entrance.
An old man entered the flat and greeted her. It was the landlord. She also remembered him. Well, she remembered him as a younger man. Less wrinkles, less tired. But with the same kindness as now.

Everything seemed smaller now. As kid the apartment had appeared so big. Well, maybe it was due to her living in smaller and shittier places before moving in. Comparing her previous own bedroom with what was in front of her now, one could say she had slept in a storeroom. On that thought Su Mucheng had to giggle thinking of where Ye Xiu had slept for some time after being kicked out of Excellent Era.
Back then she had a bed, a wardrobe and a desk in her room. There hadn't been much more space for anything else. Yet she had never felt her room was small. She had spent a lot of time studying or playing outside with her friends, so her bedroom didn't need to be big.

Her brother had slept in the main room. There they were eating and living most of the time. Now this place was empty.

It became a regular thing that whenever she came home, her brother had cooked something for her. He got better with time. After eating she would do her homework, while Su Muqiu played on one of the two computers that he gotten from who-knows-where. Sometimes he would leave to take a job from elsewhere. Mucheng saw it as her duty to clean and do laundry. While she could survive a bad meal, she had no intention of running around in washed out clothes. Her school would not like it as well.
"Just tell me, when you need help with anything."
She never had asked him for help. As young as she may have been, she knew very well, how hard her brother was working.
"I will. You should do the same! I may be young, but I can do a lot of things!"
"Uh, you can? Who taught you?"
"Obviously, I am a genius. I don't need anyone teaching me anything."
He taught her well. However, it was better not to say anything. Teasing him was so much more fun. "Honestly, I think it is you who needs someone to teach him."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because you leave all you clothes lying around! I am fine with washing your underwear, but I don't want to sit next to it. And what if I bring over a friend? Show some decency in front of a young lady!"
Su Muqiu's face turn red and his response was just some unintelligible stuttering. Su Mucheng couldn't help but laugh. She indeed learned from the best!

When Ye Xiu had entered her and her brother's life, their small apartment got even smaller. Her life had become livelier – and their home had become cleaner. Su Muqiu probably wanted to leave a good impression on Ye Xiu, so he started to not leave his dirty clothes lying around everywhere. And Ye Xiu probably didn't want to cause trouble for the two, who were so kind to let him stay with them.
Su Mucheng could very clearly remember how Ye Xiu and her brother had made some space for a second bed next to her brother's. It was too funny, how both were so helpless in front of a simple folding bed. And it was even funnier to sit behind them, giving smart comments, while snacking on some sunflower seeds.

Su Mucheng looked through one of the small windows in the main room. The view was the same as years before. Just a street.

"Mumu, I' m back!" Su Muqiu announced loudly, when he entered their apartment with a small plastic bag in his left hand.
Su Mucheng, who had looked out of the window just now, turned around and greeted him back.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I am just bored."
"How about we play some games?"
"Sure."
Excitedly Su Muqiu turned on the computer and stated to list all the games they could play.

Ye Xiu later joined them until it was time for bed. The obedient child she was, Su Mucheng went to bed first, while her two brothers stayed awake until long past midnight.

At some point she had woken up and couldn't fall asleep again. So she got up and walked into the main room, where her brother was sleeping and Ye Xiu still playing a game.
Silently she walked up to Ye Xiu and watched him playing for a few minutes.
"Cannot sleep?"
Without looking at her, Ye Xiu asked her what was up.
"Yeah."
"Should I make you some warm milk?"
"No, I am not a baby anymore!" she protested weakly.
With a soft smile that would have caused others to be irritated, Ye Xiu got up and walked into the kitchen to warm up some milk.

The old man gave the key to the apartment to Su Mucheng. The contract had been signed. From now on, she would fill this place full of old memories with new ones.
From her pocket she pulled out a keychain. It looked worn out.
Su Muqiu had given it to her, when he had turned eleven. One for her and one for himself. Now she had both of them, but only used her brother's part.

She had no words to describe what she felt, when he put that old thing on the old key. After many years in the pro scene, she had finally returned home – returned to her brother.
A soft and nostalgic smile graced her face.

She had come home.