“Yiling, you… What’s the matter?” Jian Yujie asked. His voice came out with great difficulty.
“The surveillance video.” Jian Yiling spoke.
“What?”
“The surveillance video. I have a copy of it. You don’t need to feel sad.”
“You… You mean that video… You…”
Jian Yujie couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Yiling had the surveillance video he had seen last night?
Then didn’t that mean she had the evidence to prove her innocence already?
And furthermore, it appeared as though she knew that he had seen the surveillance video already?
“You… Do you know that I’ve seen the video already?”
“Mhmm.” Jian Yiling nodded.
“I’m so sorry…” Jian Yujie’s eyes started to turn red, “I didn’t protect you… I’m not worthy to be your brother.”
“You are.” Jian Yiling responded.
Jian Yujie lowered his head before he started speaking again: “Yiling, you can choose to hate me. I learned about the truth. However, I chose to hide it. The moment I made that decision, I was no longer worthy of being your brother.”
Jian Yujie knew that his choice was despicable.
He also knew that he was a terrible person for making such a decision.
However, he still had made that decision.
“It’s fine,” Jian Yiling replied.
There was no hesitation in her response. She spoke in a simple and straightforward manner.
Jian Yujie couldn’t help but be stunned: “Yiling… You…”
“If you’re not sad, I’ll forgive you.”
Jian Yiling continued to speak in a simple and firm tone.
All of a sudden, Jian Yujie’s heart felt as though it had gotten struck by a blunt object.
It was heavy and painful. However, after the pain, he felt that there was fresh blood flowing through it again.
Jian Yiling paused for a moment. It appeared as though she still had something to say.
She opened her mouth but the words that came out sounded unfamiliar and out of practice to her: “You’re… my brother.”
The word ‘brother’ slowly came out of Jian Yiling’s mouth.
This was the first time Jian Yiling had ever called someone ‘brother’.
The word ‘brother’ hit Jian Yujie like a truck. He couldn’t control his tears any longer.
Once again, he looked at Jian Yiling’s fair face and her bright eyes…
The wall in his heart that he had just built last night had collapsed into ruins…
This was his sister. This was his beloved sister. This was his sister that trusted him…
She was the sister that he wanted to take care of and love for the rest of his life…
Jian Yujie started to laugh. He laughed like a fool.
His laughter broke the haze that had enveloped him.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he laughed.
As the tears rolled down his face, he wiped them away with his arms.
It felt as though he had freed himself from his heavy shackles. “Yiling, I’ll go back and retrieve the video for you immediately. Wait for me. I’ll show everyone the surveillance video!”
Maybe it wasn’t the right choice to betray his mother. Maybe his decision would destroy his family.
However, he had no right to hide the truth.
He didn’t want to hurt his sister nor his mother. However, his mother had done the wrong thing!
His sister had chosen to forgive him. She decided to believe in him. He couldn’t let her down again.
If he showed everyone the video, that would prove his sister’s innocence. Then, he would go and beg his grandfather and the rest of the family to forgive his mother.
He would do whatever was needed of him.
All of that struggle. The pain and suffering. The walls that he had built up had crumbled away under the unreserved trust of his beloved sister.
Jian Yiling grabbed at Jian Yujie once again, “There’s no need. I’ll take care of it.”
Her young and soft voice was full of strength.
Jian Yujie shook his head, “No. It’s not you who did something wrong. It’s us. We should make it up to you. That’s why I should go.”
Jian Yiling replied in a simple and concise way, “I’ll deal with it.”
After she finished speaking to her cousin, Jian Yiling turned around and walked towards the entrance of the school.
After being stunned for a moment, Jian Yujie caught up to Jian Yiling and stopped her.
