From as far back as Xue RenJie could remember, he had always survived on scraps, drank rainwater, and slept in back alleys. He was small for his age, malnourished, and covered in injuries. He was constantly on the run, fleeing shopkeepers who chased him off at first glance, escaping other homeless people who sought to claim his sleeping spot, and hiding from the people of the Xue Clan.
His mother, a lowly maid who had borne an illegitimate child, did everything she could to shield him. The circumstances of his birth were dangerous and disgraceful. Though she tried to conceal her pregnancy, she was eventually discovered. With the help of a friend, she fled the Glacier Sanctuary, risking everything to keep her unborn child safe.
She never stayed in one place for long, always taking jobs that allowed her to live within the shops she worked in. Yet fate was unkind—she passed away due to illness when Xue RenJie was just five.
Too young to understand his situation, he was thrown out of the restaurant where his mother had worked and lived.
"Utter bad luck, to have someone die in the shop," the owner spat, slamming the door in his face.
From that moment on, Xue RenJie wandered the streets, scavenging through trash for food, curling up wherever he could to sleep. It was during those bleak days that he met him.
Starving, he'd gone days without a proper meal. There was nothing in the bins that day. His eyes fixated on a loaf of bread on a vendor's cart. After scanning his surroundings, he gathered the last of his strength and dashed forward, snatching the bread mid-run.
The adults quickly realized what had happened and gave chase. Small and malnourished, his legs couldn't carry him far. It wasn't long before he collided with an older youth, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Panicked, Xue RenJie scrambled to get away, but the stranger grabbed his arm.
The youth gave him a reassuring smile and stood up, positioning himself in front of RenJie. He faced the irate vendors and negotiated with calm confidence. When the matter settled, he ruffled Xue RenJie's hair and told him to find him if he was ever lonely.
RenJie thought this older brother was a little strange… but also kind. He scurried off, slowly rationing the stolen bread. It was nearly a week later, when the last crust was gone, that he remembered the strange youth's offer.
He made his way to the teahouse and lingered at a distance, too ashamed of his filthy appearance to enter. Just as he was about to turn and leave, the older youth stepped outside. RenJie hesitated, biting his lip and preparing to run—only to hear a familiar voice.
"Little brat, I told you to come. Took you long enough. I was about to die of boredom."
An arm draped over his shoulders, startling him. RenJie shoved him off with a frown.
"Don't touch me."
"Don't like being touched?" the older youth asked, folding his arms.
"I'm… dirty," RenJie muttered.
The man gave him a once-over, then grabbed his arm. "Then you should take a bath," he said with a grin, dragging him up to the second floor of the teahouse before RenJie could even protest.
By the time he realized what was happening, his shirt was already being pulled off. Alarmed, he clutched the hem and tried to cover his chest.
"You can't just take off my shirt!"
"Are you planning to bathe in it?" the youth retorted. "Not only will I take your shirt, I'm taking your shorts too."
He released RenJie's shirt, and in that split-second, yanked down his shorts as well.
RenJie shrieked, trying to cover himself with trembling hands. But the older male simply lifted his small frame with ease and dropped him into the tub.
The warm water soothed his aching limbs, but embarrassment simmered under his skin.
"You're crazy. You're fucking crazy," he muttered under his breath.
The man flicked his forehead. "No swearing," he said sternly.
The sudden authority in his voice startled RenJie into silence. He obediently lifted his arms as the man washed him clean—quiet, anxious, and overwhelmed. The last time anyone had bathed him was his mother, but this… this was different.
Once scrubbed clean, the man handed him a towel. "Dry off. I'll find you some clean clothes."
RenJie could only nod, numb from fatigue. He barely felt human anymore. But then again—what dignity did he have to begin with?
When the man returned, they went downstairs. He cooked a simple bowl of noodles for RenJie, who watched from the side, unsure whether he should help.
So lost in thought, he didn't notice a young girl plopping into the seat beside him.
"Who are you?" she asked, poking him gently.
Startled, he jumped. "What?"
"I asked, Who are you?" The girl repeated.
"I'm RenJie."
"Why are you staring at my brother?"
"Your brother?" He frowned.
"Technically speaking, we're cousins," she said with a smile.
"Ling Gege…" RenJie repeated, savoring the name.
"I see you two are getting along," Ling Gege grinned, placing the noodles in front of him and ruffling the girl's hair.
"Ling Gege, you're so biased! You cooked for him and not for me!"
RenJie froze, guilt washing over his face. He set the chopsticks down and pushed the bowl toward her. She blinked, then laughed.
"I was kidding, please eat up." She chuckled as she pushed the bowl back towards him.
He looked at her, unsure, before slowly picking up the chopsticks again.
Ling Gege flicked his sister's forehead. "You scared him."
"You hit me… for him!" she gasped.
"You are bullying him because he is timid."
"A man shouldn't be timid!"
As they bickered, RenJie watched with wide eyes and a slowly growing smile. He had never felt anything like this.
"What are you smiling at?" Ling Gege teased.
"I'm not laughing at you, Ling Gege," he replied quickly.
Ling Gege raised an eyebrow, momentarily caught off guard. The way Xue RenJie said Ling Gege—so casually, as if they'd known each other for years—caught him by surprise. After all, this was the same boy who had just been shouting at him upstairs, embarrassed and defensive. The sudden change was a little unexpected, but honestly, it felt... oddly endearing.
Before he could respond, the girl pointed at herself with an exaggerated offense. "Then you're laughing at me?!"
RenJie grinned sheepishly, prompting her to launch into a mock-rant about rude people. He just chuckled.
"I'm not calling you Ling Gege anymore. Yao ZiXian, you're a big meanie!" she huffed, crossing her arms in mock defiance.
Ling Gege raised both hands in surrender, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "Alright, alright, you little monster. You've shouted enough. Come here, I even poured tea for you—be good and drink it while it's warm."
"Who are you calling a little monster?!"
Xue RenJie burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. As he watched the two siblings bicker, something warm bloomed in his chest.
Yao ZiXian… Yao Ling… Ling Gege…
He finally learnt the name of that strange, yet kind older brother.