My younger brother has grown up.
Su Tiantian and I were born in the same year. I was born on May 13th, the same birthday as Shakyamuni Buddha, while Su Tiantian was born on August 1st, Army Day.
It was this short gap of less than three months that made him have to call me Third Sister.
My dad was quite proud of this for a while. Finally, he also surpassed my third uncle in one thing: he became a father two and a half months earlier than my third uncle.
It's said that I was born chubby and fair-skinned, loved by everyone. But Su Tiantian was born dark-skinned and wrinkled, with a red mark on his chin. My third uncle only glanced at him in the nursery, turned around and left, then came back and said two words to my grandmother: "So ugly!"
Because of this, my third aunt cried several times during her postpartum period.
My mom was frail and didn't produce enough breast milk to begin with. Then I, a voracious eater from birth, was added to the mix. No matter how much milk-boosting food my grandma cooked for me, it still wasn't enough. I would cry incessantly when I wasn't full, and my family was heartbroken. Grandma tried to feed me formula and millet porridge, but I refused, pouting. Finally, my dad had no choice but to take me to my third uncle's house to beg for some breast milk.
My third aunt and third uncle were heartbroken to see me crying so pitifully. My third aunt was initially worried that I wouldn't nurse, but as soon as she held me in her arms, my chubby little hands clung tightly to her chest, and I opened my mouth, searching for milk everywhere. My third aunt was amused by my anxious appearance, put Su Tiantian aside, and focused on feeding me.
I ate from the left side, then the right. Finally, I was full and satisfied, and fell asleep. Meanwhile, Su Tiantian was crying loudly from hunger. Third Auntie quickly picked him up and fed him. Su Tiantian sucked hard, but after a while, he started crying again, pouting. I had finished all the milk; he was left with nothing.
That's when I started my feud with Su Tiantian, because I took his milk.
In the years that followed, Su Tiantian and I were always at odds, fighting whenever we met. He was a boy, only two and a half months younger than me, and I was no match for him. Once, I went to my dad crying, and he took me to the boxing class at the sports school, asking the instructor to give me two boxing lessons. When we met again, before Su Tiantian could even make a move, I knocked him to the ground with a beautiful left hook. Su Tiantian and I were six years old that year.
Human thought is truly peculiar; so many memories can all rush to mind at the same moment.
The moment the door opened and I saw Su Tiantian, tears welled up in my eyes.
"Su Yuanyuan!" Su Tiantian's long figure stood at the door, bathed in sunlight. I had never seen the anxiety on his face before.
"Su Tiantian!" I stared at him, tears streaming down my face.
Seeing that I was unharmed, Su Tiantian's expression softened considerably. She rushed in, only to find Qu Ling and me still embracing. Her face immediately changed color, and she grabbed Qu Ling's collar, yelling, "What did you do to Yuanyuan?"
Qu Ling was injured, and his face turned even paler as he shook her around so violently. I quickly slapped Tian Tian's hand and said, "Idiot, what can he do to me! He got his head smashed while trying to save me!"
Only then did Tian Tian notice the bloodstains and wounds on Qu Ling's side of the head. She reluctantly let go of his hand and said, "Really... I'm sorry!"
Qu Ling shook her head with a wry smile and said, "It's my fault that Yuan Yuan is locked up here."
"No, it was clearly my own recklessness!" I hurriedly defended Qu Ling, afraid that Su Tiantian would yell at him again.
Just then, a few more people entered from outside: Old Master Fang, Fang Qiming, and Xie Anxuan. The three of them looked at the door that had been damaged by Tian Tian and exclaimed in amazement, "What incredible brute force!"
Su Tiantian scratched her head a little embarrassedly and said, "I was so anxious looking for Yuanyuan just now..."
"Alright, everyone, quickly carry Yuanyuan and Quling out. They both need to be taken to the hospital immediately. Look at all the blood on the ground!" Grandpa Fang commanded.
Su Tiantian picked me up from the ground, while Fang Qiming and Xie Anxuan went to lift Qu Ling.
"Please lift him slowly, he has a head injury!" I repeatedly reminded Fang Qiming, afraid that he might hurt Qu Ling by handling him carelessly.
"I'm fine, Yuanyuan, don't worry." Qu Lingfei moved his body to cooperate, but his eyes were fixed on me. His head was covered in blood, which looked shocking, but he still had a smile on his face.
Su Tiantian carried me out quickly, making it impossible for me to see Qu Ling. Annoyed, I lightly slapped his face and said, "Why are you walking so fast? Slow down!"
Su Tiantian snorted through her nose and said, "Do you know how worried your family is about you? Do you know how frantic I've been looking for you?"
Su Tiantian's two long, dark eyebrows were furrowed together, and her expression was unusually serious. Suddenly, I realized that my younger brother had grown up. He was now a man who could easily lift me up in his arms and protect his family with his own shoulders.
A warm feeling of tenderness suddenly welled up inside me, and I gently patted Tian Tian's face, asking, "Tian Tian, why did you come to Beijing to find me?"
“After you arrived in Beijing, we lost all contact with you. We couldn’t get through to your cell phone. Grandma and the others were so worried they couldn’t eat. Fourth Uncle was planning to take leave to come to Beijing to find you. I happened to be on vacation and went home. When I learned that you had gone missing after arriving in Beijing, I bought a train ticket that very night and came after you.”
"So you've been here for several days now?"
"kindness."
"Then why did you only find me now, you idiot?"
"Damn it! Beijing is such a big city, do you think it's easy for me to find a little Su Yuanyuan like you? If I hadn't been smart enough to ask Qu Ling of the Qu family where he might be, you'd still be locked up in that dark room right now!"
He stares at me with wide eyes every day. I chuckle and reach out to poke his almond-shaped eyes, saying, "You little rascal! You dare to boast about your intelligence! Look at those eyes of yours. Isn't it only natural for you to come and save your sister?"
Every day, she strode into the living room, threw me onto the sofa, rolled her eyes, and said, "Why did I have to be stuck with three of you lively older sisters! What bad luck!"
Although Su Tiantian kept rolling her eyes at me, I knew that he still cared about us three lively older sisters.
Tian Tian, you are a good child, and your older sisters love you very much.
****
Qu Ling and I stayed in the hospital for three days. The examination results showed that Qu Ling had a mild concussion, while I was unharmed.
I asked Grandpa Fang about what happened after that day, but he stammered and couldn't explain clearly. I then asked Fang Qiming, who immediately slapped me back and said, "What kind of meddlesome nanny are you? Just stay in bed and rest!"
Finally, I asked Su Tiantian, who pulled out a train ticket and said to me, "This is a train ticket for tomorrow night. You go back to H City first. Leave things here to me. Qu Ling's matter is my matter. I'm here to help him on behalf of the Su family."
"I don't want to!" I yelled angrily. "Why are you kicking me out? I want to stay!"
“Yuanyuan, go back first,” Qu Ling also came to persuade me. “This matter has been almost resolved. Go back and wait for us obediently. We will definitely come back before the New Year.”
"I don't want it!"
Despite my crying, screaming, and shouting, Fang Qiming and Su Tiantian still forced me onto the train heading south the following night.
Before leaving, Qu Ling only said four words to me: "Yuanyuan, wait for me."
Of course I will wait.
Brother Qu, how many years have we waited, just for this reunion?
I will wait for you to come back, and we will never be apart again.
As the train started moving, I leaned against the window and yelled at Su Tiantian, "Tiantian, take good care of Qu Ling! And take good care of yourself too!"