*Chapter 61: Shadows of Care*
Li Xue woke to the soft light filtering through the penthouse curtains, but instead of relief, a dull ache settled in her chest. The days were blending together — school, numbers, rules, clauses, Zhao Liang's presence — yet today felt different. Today, a small voice lingered in her mind: her younger brother.
Her parents had left them when he was just a child, leaving Li Xue to shoulder responsibilities that had no place in someone so young. She had raised him, guided him, protected him — and though the burden had weighed heavily, it had also become a part of her identity.
The phone buzzed softly on the table. A message from him: Sister, come out! I have something for you.
Her heart lifted faintly. The world outside the penthouse had not forgotten her. She dressed quickly, slipping into her coat, her mind a mix of anticipation and worry. The streets were alive with the buzz of the festival, the faint red lanterns swaying in the wind. Today, her brother insisted, would be hers.
They spent the day walking through the city, laughing at street performances, sampling festival food, and avoiding the crowded fireworks. For the first time in weeks, Li Xue felt warmth untangled from fear. Her brother handed her a small box wrapped clumsily in paper, his grin wide.
"It's not much, but happy birthday!" he said proudly.
Inside was a simple necklace, its silver chain catching the sunlight. Li Xue's eyes watered. It was not the extravagance of wealth or fine taste, but it was love, effort, and thought — the kind of gift that made one feel remembered, valued.
Her mind briefly flicked to Zhao Liang. He had forgotten her birthday, as he often did, lost in the haze of his own mind, detached from the subtle rhythms of her existence. She shoved the thought aside, focusing instead on the simple joy her brother had given her.
By the time they returned, the apartment was quiet. Zhao Liang had not come home yet. Li Xue changed, setting the necklace carefully on her bedside table. Sleep came fast that night, and the penthouse remained silent, save for the distant hum of the city.
The memory of the day — the laughter, the small gift, the presence of her brother — stayed with her as she drifted, a fragile shield against the cold reality waiting when Zhao Liang returned.