Chapter 82: Handsome
Qin Min’s reward was simple and direct, but very effective. Qin Yue immediately turned and sent a “luck-based” red envelope to the class group chat, totaling 1,000 yuan.
Most of the classmates weren’t short of money, but seeing that Qin Yue had received a “bonus” made it special, so the group erupted in excitement as everyone scrambled for the red envelope.
The luckiest was Ming Xiaolan. With 22 people in the class, she grabbed 150.63 yuan. If they were still at school, everyone would probably pat her little “lucky hand” in envy.
Never mind the money—she just hoped it would help her guess a few more multiple-choice questions correctly on the next exam!
Qin Yue felt proud but also had to play it cool in front of Qin Min: [Brother, you know I did well on the exam, right?]
Qin Min: [Mom told me—you did very well.]
Hearing Qin Min’s praise, Qin Yue felt a little embarrassed. He slowly typed into the chat: [Actually, it’s still not great… you were always top three in the grade…]
After sending it, he immediately felt uneasy, about to retract it, when Qin Min called. Flustered, Qin Yue quickly answered.
“You don’t need to measure yourself by my standards,” Qin Min said straightaway. “I am me, and you are you. You have your own excellence.”
Qin Yue’s eyes welled up. He cleared his throat twice to suppress the emotions surging in his throat.
He whispered: “Brother, have I ever embarrassed you growing up?”
Before Qin Min could speak, he hurriedly continued: “You got so many awards when you were young—math competitions, English speeches, robotics… but I could never do those.”
That’s why he had always felt a little inferior.
The only thing he was confident about was his health; he rarely caught a cold. But when it came to sports, his athletic ability wasn’t exceptional either.
Why was someone like him born into the Qin family, and why was he Qin Min’s younger brother? It felt like the heavens were playing a joke with “mediocrity.”
Qin Min paused for a moment but changed the subject: “When we were little, Mom often took us to visit Aunt Zhu. Do you remember?”
“Of course,” Qin Yue nodded instinctively. Aunt Zhu was Jiang Chuchu’s mother.
Whenever they went to the Jiang household, Aunt Zhu would prepare their favorite snacks in advance.
Qin Yue’s favorite was a certain lollipop. At home, Mom worried about cavities and wouldn’t let him eat much, but at the Jiang house, he could eat three in a row.
Of course, once they returned home, Qin Min would watch him brush his teeth.
“After giving birth to Chuchu, Aunt Zhu’s health wasn’t great. It’s only these past few years that she’s been recovering,” Qin Min said reflectively.
“She loved you the most and let you play with Chuchu. Watching you two in the yard—walking the dog, teasing the cat, catching butterflies, feeding ants, climbing trees for fruit, building sandcastles and playing in the mud…”
“Cough! Cough!” Qin Yue coughed twice, a bit annoyed. Why so many details? He knew he had been mischievous as a child!
“In short, that was when Aunt Zhu had the most energy,” Qin Min said.
Qin Yue scratched his head: “Why?”
“Because you were Chuchu’s ‘younger brother.’ With you around, Chuchu became braver and stronger,” Qin Min said with a laugh.
Little Jiang Chuchu had been so fragile, like a breeze could knock her down.
In contrast, Qin Yue was robust and lively.
He couldn’t stand being indoors and always dragged Chuchu outside. At first, she didn’t want to, but after being called “sister” so often by Qin Yue, she instinctively took on the role of the older sibling and began to play along wildly.
Running around so much strengthened Chuchu’s body, and Aunt Zhu, who had been anxious, gradually relaxed. Her worries eased.
Qin Yue felt a little embarrassed and muttered: “I’m not the ‘younger brother’ anymore—I’m taller than Chuchu now!”
Qin Min smiled without responding, continuing: “Since then, I’ve admired you. You had exactly the energy Aunt Zhu needed at that moment. Perfectly timed, like a hero appearing in a critical scene of a movie. I thought it was really handsome.”
Heat surged from his heart upward.
Qin Yue felt his neck and head grow hot. If he looked in the mirror now, his cheeks and neck would be bright red.
Being told by his admired older brother that he was like a hero and that he was handsome… oh my god, it was exhilarating!
He fidgeted, smiling uncontrollably, trying to play it off: “Hero? That’s not true! Just… lucky timing, that’s all! Lucky timing!”
“So, Ah Yue, I’ve never thought you’d ever make me feel embarrassed,” Qin Min said solemnly. “You’re my most handsome little brother.”
Qin Yue wanted to shout and run, as if only the night wind hitting his face could calm his boiling blood.
“I…” Qin Yue swallowed, “Brother, you’re also… I think you’re really handsome. You can do everything, and everyone envies me for having a brother like you…”
Yes, he used to be proud to have such an amazing brother, and everyone envied him.
When did he start feeling otherwise? When did he begin to feel inferior to his brother?
Qin Yue didn’t know what to say. Flustered, he said: “I’ll do even better next time! Not just before—after this, I’ll make you proud too!”
After saying that, he quickly hung up, flopping onto the sofa with a pillow over his face, from which occasional silly laughs escaped.
During the call, Qin Yanxia had gone back to her room but came down to pour water. Seeing Qin Yue like this, she thought he’d taken some strange medicine: “What’s wrong with you?”
Qin Yue was startled, dropped the pillow, and his eyes darted around: “N-nothing…”
“Talking to your brother? So happy?” Qin Yanxia probed further.
Mentioning this made Qin Yue want to laugh again, but he had to maintain his “handsome” image in front of Mom: “Nothing! He just praised me a little!”
A little? Qin Yanxia eyed his stubbornly upturned mouth suspiciously. It probably wasn’t just a few words…
Qin Yue turned to his papers: “I’m busy! I have to organize my mistakes. Tomorrow I have tutoring at the school for the whole class, and they’re counting on me to explain…”
Excited, he ran upstairs, taking three steps at a time. Qin Yanxia watched behind him, thinking, if he missteps, would he tumble down the stairs?
Should she catch him? But now he was taller than her—if she tried, she might be the one ending up in the hospital.
Fortunately, Qin Yue didn’t misstep and reached his room safely.
He emptied the milk tea bag, dumping all his mistake papers on the bed, humming while using a sheet of paper to tally errors.
It was just an exam! With guidance from a top student, he could do even better next time!
He would become more outstanding—
A younger brother just as handsome as his remarkable older brother.
This is so 😍 😊