Embarrassed, Yi Jia glanced at that living ancestor, then at Shen Zhifan. Even she couldn’t help but find it a little hard to laugh.
Shen Zhifan looked at the cat, somewhat bewildered. Shen Zhirou bullying the cat was pretty normal, after all, there were holes in her brain. However, would a gentle and weak little girl like Yi Jia want to bully the cat?
How come the whole world was bullying the cat?
Shen Zhifan couldn’t really understand, excusing himself from Yi Jia and then going upstairs.
“Didn’t I already tell you,” Shen Zhirou watched Shen Zhifan taking the cat upstairs, then turned to Yi Jia, raising a proud eyebrow, “For this ancestor, to only be a cat is doing him a disservice.”
Yi Jia’s expression was of indescribable fright, “It really is a tragedy.”
After a moment, Yi Jia couldn’t help but add, “But it’s really too beautiful ah, I’ve never seen such a pretty cat. As expected, when it comes to competing for favour, we really don’t have any strengths!”
Shen Zhirou sprawled out on the sofa, bored to death, as she switched through TV channels. Right now, there was nothing good to watch, making her mood even more terrible.
“I don’t even know what breed of cat it is…”
“If you’re looking at today,” Yi Jia checked her watch, “There’s a replay of KK’s competition!”
Shen Zhirou let out a deep sigh at the sky, “No way! I’m already sick of watching it everyday!”
“Aah, who cares, I want to! I want to watch it!” Yi Jia cosied up to Shen Zhirou, tickling her, “Wanna watch, wanna watch!”
Shen Zhirou, “…You’re so annoying – ahahahahahaha – so annoying – ahahaha fine, fine!”
Shen Zhirou surrendered. Deadpan, she watched Shen Zhifan’s figure once more appear in her world.
Why on earth do I have to watch my brother on TV? Obviously, I could just yell and he’d eagerly (not) appear!
“Aah KK! He looked super handsome at this competition,” When talking about this, Yi Jia always had the gift of the gab, “It was a showdown with another one of Battlesquad V’s new trump cards, Yuyu!”
“…Why are all these contestant’s names so weird,” Shen Zhirou was still expressionless, “What ‘KK’, what ‘Yuyu’? They all sound so weirdly cute, not cool at all, alright?…Holy fuck so handsome ah! That – that – is that my brother?! Shit, this angle – they really know how to shoot ah! He looks too damn good aaaaah fuck!!”
The first event on TV was the light mech division. The moment that handsome youth with an indifferent demeanour appeared, Shen Zhirou exploded.
His features were like a piece of thin jade, fair and sculpted. Although he had a faint air of coldness about him, the light in his eyes was as bright as a burning torch.
Yi Jia looked at Shen Zhirou, who was slapping her own face, “…”
“Aaah, get rid of him ah! Aaah, so handsome! Why does he look so good – that’s it, I’m dead!” Shen Zhirou clutched at a pillow, her whole person unbelievably fired up, “Ah, wait a second, why is the other guy so hot as well?! Damn – goddamn! Aaah, this trick! The two of them are both so awesome and so handsome – ah shit, how can I pick one?? I’m gonna die!”
The ‘other guy’ was also an impressively handsome youth. He seemed quite young, to the point where he came across as innocently child-like.
Just based on looks alone, he probably didn’t reach Shen Zhifan’s level. However, he definitely seemed much warmer than Shen Zhifan.
Yi Jia, “…”
The other girl had suddenly gotten so excited, while she couldn’t help but sink into silence.
Shen Zhirou’s voice completely overwhelmed that of the commentator’s, although there wasn’t really anything good to listen to in the commentary.
She found it embarrassing to say that there was no difficulty in choosing. After all, one is your brother, there’s nothing to be choosy about…
“Has Rourou not even seen KK’s competitions on TV?” Yi Jia kindly explained a little, “Usually, competitive stars will have to use stage names ah. Although, since KK got popular, there’s been a lot of these kinds of names. Speaking of, Yuyu is also a devoted fan of KK. In his 183rd interview, he mentioned that he really likes KK.”
“Fuck, so it’s mutual love and mutual hate <sup>1</sup> she’s referring to the enemies to lovers trope ?” Shen Zhirou was completely energised. Yi Jia suspected that right now, she could probably tear the pillow in half with her bare hands, “This is too damn meng <sup>2</sup> moe, loanword from japanese , isn’t it?! Ahhh, this dog food, I’m eating it up! A younger gong offending his superior or whatever, that’s too cute, right? Ahhhh Yuyu I’m rooting for you, my brother is definitely a shou!” <sup>3</sup> gong – top, shou – bottom
Yi Jia, “ ? ”
Friend, is it really alright to say your brother is a shou?
“As if! KK is a gong, alright?” Yi Jia refused to accept it, “Yuyu is the shou – this kind of shou that wholeheartedly admires their senior is so cute, okay!”
“Humph!” Shen Zhirou snorted coldly, “I can tell that you don’t understand my brother, it’s because you didn’t see him when he was young. Don’t look at how handsome he is on the screen now – back then, he didn’t have one bit of a gong’s temperament, okay?”
Yi Jia’s expression practically screamed, ‘ Not listening, not listening, not listening, KK is the most handsome. ’
“Really, I’m telling you, when he was little,” Shen Zhirou began mysteriously, “Quite a few years ago, actually – at that time, my brother was only fifteen. I secretly saw it! My brother hid magazines of a man under his bed!”
Yi Jia, “…”
Shen Zhirou thought for a moment, “I might not remember who that man was, but my brother definitely likes men. Think about it ah, at that time, he was only fifteen. Isn’t that right? Tsk tsk, he was so beautiful.”
Yi Jia, “…” She couldn’t really tell where this was going.
“In conclusion, my brother is definitely a shou,” After spewing a whole lot of nonsense, she hammered the final nail into the coffin, “Why don’t we make a bet?!”
Yi Jia, “…”
Shen Zhirou poked at Yi Jia’s face, “What’re you doing, what’s up with this expression? You don’t believe me?”
Yi Jia softly greeted Shen Zhifan, who was behind Shen Zhirou, “KK, you came down ah.”
Shen Zhirou’s whole body froze, and she struggled to turn to look at Shen Zhifan, “…Ai, brother ah, you’re…”
Shen Zhifan glanced at Shen Zhirou coldly, not forgetting to stroke the cat in his arms, “You’re quite bored, huh?”
Shen Zhirou seemed to remember the fear from many years ago, when she was ruled by Shen Zhifan, and was almost scared to tears.
“N-no.”
At lightning speed, Shen Zhirou hid behind Yi Jia, carefully looking to see if Shen Zhifan would flip out.
“I was boasting about your looks!”
Shen Zhifan had a face full of detachment. Looking at the unlucky little sister who ruined his name everywhere, his heart was stifled.
“Meow~”
The cat rubbed against Shen Zhifan. The handful of soft fluff made Shen Zhifan feel just a little bit better.
“I’m not bothering with you today,” Shen Zhifan looked at her, “Next time, I’ll let you eat a night’s worth of magazines.”
Shen Zhirou hurriedly covered her mouth. Then, seeing Shen Zhifan hurrying out, she was somewhat shocked, “Brother, you’re going out again?”
Shen Zhifan casually threw on a coat, not even looking back, “En, Battlesquad V just called and asked me to go over.”
Shen Zhirou blanked. From Shen Zhifan’s tone, he didn’t seem to think much of it.
Battlesquad V, this malignant tumor ah!
Shen Zhifan thought for a bit, then let the cat down.
“I’ll leave the kitty here. Don’t even think about bullying it, Shen Zhirou,” Shen Zhifan kept stressing the point, “Otherwise I’ll have you eat a night’s worth of cat food.”
Shen Zhirou was wronged.
“How about you just take the cat away,” Shen Zhirou was obviously distressed, “I don’t dare to wait upon this old one, really.”
Shen Zhifan, “…No, if I don’t look after it, who will?”
Shen Zhirou had a face full of confusion, “This isn’t our cat ah.”
Shen Zhifan flushed faintly and righteously said, “Who said that? Not necessarily, en.”
Shen Zhirou, “ ? ”
Yi Jia watched Shen Zhifan’s figure thoughtfully, “How come KK seems to be in a bad mood? Doesn’t Battlesquad V treat KK very well? I heard that they throw all their best resources at him.”
“Who knows?” Shen Zhirou’s expression changed slightly, “I’m not too clear on it either. Actually, neither is my brother. It’s just that his attitude towards Battlesquad V has always been like that.”
Yi Jia paused, then suddenly asked, “Does Rourou know what KK was doing, back before he became part of Battlesquad V?”
Shen Zhirou blanked, “I’m actually not too sure. Back then, I was in the interplanetary orphanage.”
Yi Jia froze.
“You probably don’t know,” Shen Zhirou lifted her head to look at the delicate hanging lamp, “We originally came from N system. Seven years ago, N system was destroyed in an explosion, with probably only a few survivors out of the whole star system. My brother and I were two of those.”
“We were taken in by an interplanetary orphanage, and we managed to get by.”
She paused, then lowered her head, “It was really hard for my brother. An interplanetary orphanage, that kind of place…there were good kids and bad kids, as well as good caretakers and bad ones…Although I say we managed to get by…our time really couldn’t be considered easy.”
“At that time, he was only sixteen ah, forced to leave his home – ah, well, there was no home left.” In the midst of reminiscing, Shen Zhirou’s eyes became somewhat blank, “It was hard for me every time he returned, and even harder every time he left.”
The ears of the cat that’d been preparing to leave twitched, and pricked towards her.
“If he didn’t say anything, I wouldn’t know.” <sup>4</sup> yeah this is confusing but this is the actual tl lol Shen Zhirou suddenly buried her face in Yi Jia’s shoulder, “His body was covered in injuries. I saw them, but I didn’t say anything, I was scared that…I was scared that I’d become the straw that broke his back.”
Yi Jia fell silent and held Shen Zhirou gently.
“Rourou, don’t cry. It’s all in the past now.”
Shen Zhirou’s voice held a hint of roughness, “No – no way I’m crying.”
Yi Jia laughed a little, then came close and kissed her face.
“En, Rourou is the best.”
Shen Zhirou fell silent again, then spoke up, terribly aggrieved, “Actually, it’s also hard for me – really, really hard.”
Yi Jia’s thoughts melted, even as her body suddenly stiffened.
“Be good.” Something flashed through her eyes, “KK also cares for you, he cares for you the most.”
Shen Zhirou held onto her, “Really?”
“En, of course your brother is the one who loves you the most.” Yi Jia rubbed her head earnestly.
“Jiajia, you’ve suddenly become so normal,” Shen Zhirou sobbed and sniffled, “I’m so unused to it.”
Yi Jia, “…I was already very normal ah!”
Shen Zhirou glanced at her plaintively, expressing her disbelief.
The cat who’d been quietly sitting to the side suddenly lost the air of an ancestor as it soundlessly looked at the soft, cottony atmosphere between the two girls. One couldn’t tell its thoughts from its beautiful, fluffy face.
“Right,” Shen Zhirou suddenly thought of something, “Before, there was this one thing with Battlesquad V, I’ve always been a bit concerned about it.”
Yi Jia looked at her curiously.
“It’s just, there’s a higher-up in Battlesquad V, he’s already a middle-aged old man,” Shen Zhirou clicked her tongue in distaste, “Okay, he might not be ugly, but I think he’s almost forty or something – I heard that he’s already married – and there was this time where he ran over to our house every day…What do you think? He’s obviously not coming over for me, so?”
Yi Jia’s eyes widened.
“You’re saying that KK is under some unspoken rules <sup>5</sup> usually ones that codify improper behaviours such as leveraging connections for favourable treatment, or coercing employees for sexual favours ?”
“No no no! My brother’s popularity is so high and his temper is so explosive, there’s no way that old man can wrangle something like that,” Shen Zhirou was getting pissed, “But maybe he’d try some kind of sexual harassment or something, since he’s still a higher-up ah!”
Looking pensive, Yi Jia frowned, “If you say it like that, there very well may be a chance ah. KK’s so handsome…but isn’t that higher-up already married? He shouldn’t be bent, right?” <sup>6</sup> not straight – gay
“Not necessarily ah. Even though same-sex marriage is a pretty normal thing, there’s a few old planets that are still against it. Moreover, this might be a case of bisexuality or something.” Shen Zhirou then attempted to recall, “Aiya, anyways, I remember that he really annoys my brother. Every time that man came over, he would get me or the housekeeper to disinfect the whole house.”
“Since you said it like that, it seems KK really does think he’s annoying,” Yi Jia pinched Shen Zhirou’s cheek, a little worried, “Then, this time, isn’t KK also…”
The white ball over to the side suddenly became a blur.
As Shen Zhirou and Yi Jia watched on, stupefied, the cat ancestor fled.
1
she’s referring to the enemies to lovers trope 2
moe, loanword from japanese 3
gong – top, shou – bottom 4
yeah this is confusing but this is the actual tl lol 5
usually ones that codify improper behaviours such as leveraging connections for favourable treatment, or coercing employees for sexual favours 6