Sister’s Boyfriend

After work in the afternoon, Xiao Banxia entered the courtyard and immediately saw her lazy brother reclining on the leisure chair under the grape arbor, eyes closed, resting.

"Young Master Xiao, you're already a wealthy man now—can't you at least aspire to something more? Even if you don't want to pursue a grand career, at least go out, have some fun at a club, play some sports, flirt with pretty girls. That would be more interesting than daydreaming at home all day," Xiao Banxia said, exasperated by her brother's idleness.

"Isn't this just to spare you from worrying about me squandering my fortune? By staying home and barely stepping outside, I'm letting you rest easy," Xiao Yao replied, brushing her off.

He was helpless himself. He had been a nobody, and after a stroke of luck, he became a multimillionaire—this should have been the time to indulge, to enjoy life’s pleasures. That had been his initial plan, and he was prepared to do just that.

However, the knowledge and skills he’d mastered in Panwu for three thousand years were simply too enticing.

He only needed to recall them, and he could quickly grasp knowledge that others might never master in a lifetime. The process of rapidly absorbing and mastering a subject was incredibly addictive; once experienced, it was hard to resist!

He himself was amazed. At least for now, he’d transcended the base temptations of decadence and indulgence; he was now a noble man.

Such greatness!

His sole focus now was to integrate all the knowledge and skills from Panwu as quickly as possible. Except for occasional outings to relax, his most important daily task was to lie back in the leisure chair with his eyes closed, quietly meditating.

To him, this was vital work. But to the unknowing Xiao Banxia, her brother’s lack of ambition was deeply frustrating.

It wouldn’t matter so much if he lacked ambition; after all, he was now wealthy, and as long as he didn’t squander it recklessly, his assets were plenty to ensure a life of luxury. But what was truly hard to accept was this habit of lying in the leisure chair all day, not even stepping outside the doors.

"Are you still my brother? My brother Xiao Yao has never been this well-behaved. If you’re so obedient, why not give half your fortune to your sister?" Xiao Banxia retorted.

"Daydreaming again! Maybe if I lose my mind one day, I’ll do that. Why are you home so early today?" he replied.

Xiao Banxia hesitated slightly. "My boyfriend came back from a business trip yesterday. Tonight, his parents want to invite me to dinner. There wasn’t anything important at work, so I left early to prepare."

Xiao Yao sat up abruptly. "You have a boyfriend? How long have you been together? Such an important thing—you never mentioned it to me!"

A little guilty, Xiao Banxia said, "You’re just a kid, and you’re meddling so much. I’m your sister. Do I need to report whether I have a boyfriend?"

"You don’t have to report to me, and I don’t really care. But surely you should’ve told Mom and Dad? I bet they don’t know either, or else I wouldn’t be completely in the dark," Xiao Yao fired back, words rapid.

An older sister having a boyfriend was perfectly normal, but the fact that she’d kept it completely hidden from the family was a bit alarming.

"It wasn’t even certain yet, so I didn’t see the point in bringing it up. If I told you all, Mom and Dad would just worry and call me all the time, nagging me. If the relationship becomes more serious, I’ll definitely inform the family. I wouldn’t keep it from you all forever," Xiao Banxia defended herself.

"How you handle it is your business, I don’t mind. But right now, I’m your only family around, so I have to show some concern for your future," Xiao Yao’s tone softened. "Let me make it clear: I won’t interfere in your romantic life, but I will care."

Having made his stance clear, Xiao Yao continued, "Tell me, what’s your boyfriend like?"

Xiao Banxia sat down on a nearby chair. "His name is Zhao Yiming, two years older than me, local resident, graduated from the University of Posts and Telecommunications. He’s now a junior manager at Beijing Mobile. He’s decent-looking, we’ve been together for a year, has a good temperament, and is pretty tolerant of me. So far, I’m fairly satisfied."

"From what you say, he sounds alright. What’s his family situation? Have you met his parents yet?" Xiao Yao pressed.

"He’s their only child. His dad is a doctor, his mom works at the neighborhood committee. I haven’t met his parents yet; tonight is the first time they’re inviting me to dinner," Xiao Banxia answered honestly, withholding nothing.

Xiao Yao, inheriting Panwu’s experience and with a high emotional intelligence, frowned and said, "It’s your first meeting, yet they’re not inviting you to their home, but to a restaurant. Looks like his parents have opinions about you, probably aren’t too satisfied with your situation."

"Really? Aren’t you overthinking this?" Xiao Banxia hadn’t considered that. "Your sister is a beauty, and my job isn’t bad—I’m a young professional. Zhao Yiming is somewhat handsome, but compared to me, he’s lacking. I should be the picky one. Why would his parents dare to be picky about me?"

"Middle-aged people are pragmatic. Looks don’t matter much to them—they care about practical things."

"My situation isn’t bad, either. Their family isn’t much better than ours. If they’re not satisfied with my background, what kind of person are they looking for?" Xiao Banxia found it hard to understand.

"First, you’re not a Beijing native. You think your family’s conditions aren’t bad, but in their eyes, maybe you’re just a country girl. Perhaps they think their bathroom is worth more than our apartment. It’s not uncommon for them to look down on outsiders," Xiao Yao deliberately exaggerated the issue.

"His parents are educated—surely they’re not that snobbish?" Now a bit unsure, Xiao Banxia said.

"I’m just analyzing it for you. Be mentally prepared. What his parents are really like, you’ll know only after meeting them. But the fact they didn’t invite you to their home definitely means they have opinions—of that I’m certain."

Xiao Banxia grew agitated. "I was already nervous about meeting his parents for the first time, and now, after what you said, I’m even more anxious and lacking confidence."