The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

I regretted it right after I said it.
It didn’t sound very fair.

Xing Lie had so many people by his side whereas I only had him.

“Goodness1…” Xing Lie heaved a long sigh.
He grabbed my head and brought it towards his chest, “Our little tree spirit is so pitiful.”

“I’m not called ‘little tree spirit’,” I frowned.
In an extremely low voice, I added, “And I’m not ‘yours’ [plural]2”.

“Holding a grudge?” Xing Lie, in a super mean manner, tousled my hair with great force3.
“Angry again?”

“I’m not angry!” I smacked his hand away, turning around and leaving.
“My hair is messy now!”

“Come, come, come.
Older Brother will help you fix it.” Xing Lie followed behind me, helping me fix my hair.

His fingers were very hot and bumped into mine.
He held them (my fingers) with a grin, “Look at your little fingertips.
They’re so cold.”

I lowered my hand and tried to pull it from his grasp, “Don’t hold (pull)4”

Xing Lie wouldn’t let go, “Why? Is your hand a little tree branch? Would it break if I pull on it?”

My heart was pounding furiously, and my face felt as hot as Xing Lie’s hand.

Just as I was about to answer him, Xing Lie let go of my hand.

“Your little hand is so soft that I’m afraid I’d break your skin with one brush (of my fingers).
Those who don’t know would really think that it’s the hand of a little girl.”

He said I was a little girl again! This time I was angry.

“I’ve never held a girl’s hand before,” Xing Lie was slightly wistful.
“I don’t even know if I’ll be able to hold one in the future.”

I glared at him, “You still think of holding a girl’s hand?!”

“Absolutely, if one’s a man.” Xing Lie grabbed my shoulder.
His arm was very long, straight-up helping me open the thick rubber doors of the mall.
“You don’t know, do you? Come, Older Brother will explain to you.”

“After a man and woman grow up, they will settle down and get married.
When they get married, they will buy a house and live in it together.
Then they will give birth to a little baby and raise them.
The whole family will live happily for a lifetime.
In this way, they wouldn’t have lived in vain.”

This was my first time learning of this.
I even forgot my earlier decision to be angry, “Are you going to find a woman to settle down with and get married to?”

Xing Lie paused, “Probably, yes.”

“Have you found one yet?”

“….haha.”5

There was no air conditioning outside the mall.
The cold wind blew against my face, lifting up my bangs.

Xing Lie seemed to be very cold.
When the wind blew against him, he couldn’t resist scrunching up his neck.

The furry scarf was pooled under my chin.
I reached up and unwrapped it, intending to give it to Xing Lie to wear.

“I don’t want it.” Xing Lie stopped my hand, rewrapping the scarf around my neck with one hand.
“You wear it.”

“I’m unable to feel the cold.” I insisted, “It’s useless if I wear it.”

Actually, I lied.
I could feel a little bit (of the cold).

Compared to when I first became human, I was already able to feel that little bit of sensation.

When I bumped against the table, it hurt.
When I held the pot directly, it burnt.

The frigid winter wind was very strong.
It stung a bit when it blew against my face.

But if I didn’t tell him, Xing Lie wouldn’t know.

If he knew, he was sure to spend money on buying me clothes in the future.

I would be spending Xing Lie’s money even though I myself was not earning any money.
After some time, he might not want me anymore.

“I told you to wear it, so just wear it.” Xing Lie patted the back of my head, “Where would there be an older brother who would snatch his younger brother’s scarf?”

I was taken aback.
“Are you my older brother?”

Xing Lie nodded, smiling.

I looked at his smile, feeling that any cold wind blowing would no longer feel cold6,”The—then, does the younger brother have to wear the scarf?”

“The older brother has to take care of the younger brother.” Xing Lie said, “I have to give the good stuff to you first.”

“Because we are family?” I asked carefully.

Xing Lie answered frankly, “Of course.”

“Yay, yay!” I was quite excited, speaking without rhyme or reason, “Then when will we give birth to little babies?”