Raiji Rakuyo’s Grudge

“Yao Yao-jie…”

“Hao Hao! Why aren’t you home yet! Do you know what time it is? Where are you right now? Do you want your sister to come pick you up? Hao Hao, why aren’t you coming home…”

As soon as the call connected, before Ye Hao could even say anything, his sister Luo Yao bombarded him nonstop.

“Stop! Calm down, calm down, sis!”

Ye Hao, whose head was spinning from Luo Yao’s string of questions, rubbed his temples.

“Yao Yao-jie, I’m staying over at a friend’s house tonight. I won’t be coming home.”

“Friend? What kind of friend, male or female? Where are you now?”

Faced with yet another round of interrogation, Ye Hao was drenched in sweat.

He absolutely couldn’t tell his sister that he was currently in a hotel with a girl.

“Of course a guy. Anyway, I’m hanging up. Sis, get some rest early, okay? That’s all, bye~”

“Ugh~”

Just as Luo Yao was about to believe Ye Hao’s lie, a soft muffled sound came from the bed — Chen Shirou’s groan.

Oh no!

“Ye Hao! Where are you right now! Why did I just hear a girl’s voice?!”

“No! Nothing! Sis, you must have misheard! How could there be a girl here! You’re hearing things, okay? Bye!”

Ye Hao quickly tossed the phone aside.

If Luo Yao caught him like this, he was done for.

Right now, Ye Hao seriously suspected that Chen Shirou was sent to ruin his life.

He told her to go home, yet she had to secretly follow him.

Not only did she follow him, but she even got herself knocked out.

Thankfully, it was Lei-shu who knocked her out — if it had been someone else…

She would’ve been in real trouble!

“Alright, let’s take a shower and check if there’s any new posts on the forum.”

For some reason, as Ye Hao looked at the unconscious Chen Shirou lying on the bed, he suddenly found her… irritating.

He couldn’t describe the feeling.

He shook his head, tossed his clothes aside, and walked shirtless into the bathroom.

At home…

Luo Yao stared at her phone after the call ended, her brows tightly furrowed.

Worry.

Anxiety.

Anger.

A flood of emotions filled her chest.

She could not shake off the clear sound she had just heard — a girl’s muffled groan through the phone.

She never imagined Ye Hao would stay out all night… and with a girl.

Looking at the table full of untouched food, Luo Yao had no appetite at all.

Her mind was filled only with Ye Hao’s panicked voice trying to explain.

That voice brought her back to years ago.

Back when she hadn’t gone abroad, and Ye Hao was still just an elementary school kid.

One day, she had stayed late at school, and as she walked out the gate, she saw her little brother Ye Hao laughing and chatting with a girl his age.

He didn’t even notice her.

Only when the girl patted his shoulder did Ye Hao finally turn around.

That day, after that moment, for a whole week, Luo Yao had felt something strange — a prickling feeling deep inside her chest.

And from that day on, she finally realized something she had always mocked others for — that an older sister could actually fall for her younger brother.

She had fallen for Ye Hao — her neighbor, her childhood companion, and her brother in all but blood — six years younger than her.

Because of that, she even went so far as to threaten the girl who hung around Ye Hao.

During vacation, she threw herself into martial arts, taekwondo, judo, and karate — anything that could make her stronger.

Even though Ye Hao ignored her for a week after finding out, kids were kids.

Time passed, and eventually, he forgot.

Now, Luo Yao felt the same burning jealousy she had back then, that same suffocating feeling in her chest.

“Who is it…”

The chopsticks in her hand bent under her grip.

Finally unable to control herself, she stomped off to the bathroom and took a cold shower.

Her long hair was soaked, her body trembling slightly from the chill, but her mind slowly calmed.

When the sound of water stopped, Luo Yao stepped out, drying her hair.

Her eyes fell on the untouched dinner table.

“I’ll find out who dared steal my little brother away…”

Throwing the towel onto the sofa, she quietly cleaned up the dishes.

“What a waste… I worked so hard on this dinner… Damn fox spirit…”

Meanwhile, completely unaware of the incoming storm, Ye Hao was soaking lazily in the hot bath.

If it weren’t for the unconscious girl lying outside, he might have started singing already.

Don’t ask — he only knows how to sing one song.

With a towel hanging around his neck, Ye Hao walked back to the big red bed and looked at Chen Shirou.

Honestly… things were a bit tricky now.

Her body was covered with a bit of dirt from when she was knocked out on the ground.

“Maybe… I should clean her up?”

No, no, no!

Ye Hao slapped his own face.

How could a man possibly bathe a woman? Impossible!

Bathing is something girls do for guys, not the other way around!

But still…

“She’s kind of dirty though…”

Finally, Ye Hao sighed and hoisted Chen Shirou up, carrying her into the bathroom.

The next morning, thanks to her habit of waking early, Chen Shirou woke up before dawn.

When she opened her eyes, everything was pitch black — she thought it was still night.

She reached out for her phone, but froze.

Her clothes… were gone.

And…

Why did it feel like there was someone beside her?

Suddenly, the memory of the previous day hit her.

“I followed Ye Hao to that abandoned factory, then… then I got knocked out…”

Could it be…?

Then, still half-asleep, Ye Hao was startled awake by a scream loud enough to wake the dead.

Damn!

Who’s yelling this early in the morning?!

He groggily turned on the lamp — and there she was: a pale body, a terrified face.

“Chen Shirou, seriously? It’s barely six o’clock… go back to sleep.”

After checking his phone, Ye Hao tossed it aside again.

He subconsciously pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes.

Being hugged like that, Chen Shirou froze — then her face hardened.

She bit his arm. Hard.

In her mind, she was sure.

This scumbag had taken advantage of her while she was unconscious!

Tears filled her eyes.

Even if she couldn’t win, she’d fight back!

Ye Hao! I was blind to ever trust you!

As she bit harder, Ye Hao finally opened his eyes.

He stared at her biting his arm, grabbed her chin, and said, “Hey, are you done yet?”

Something wet dripped onto his hand.

He lifted her hair and saw her trembling, crying silently.

Ye Hao froze.

What the hell?

Why is she crying? He didn’t even do anything!

He quickly let go, completely flustered.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Chen Shirou glared at him with hatred, tears streaming down her face.

Ye Hao tried to wipe them away, but she slapped his hand aside.

“I…”

“You bastard! Animal! You took advantage of me while I was unconscious! You deserve to die! Waaaah~!”

Ye Hao: “???”

Wait! What?!

At least tell me what I supposedly did first!

Then it hit him — oh.

He had carried her to the hotel, cleaned her up, couldn’t find any spare clothes, and just… fell asleep next to her.

“Beast! You monster!”

“Wait! There’s got to be some misunderstanding!”

He didn’t do anything improper! He was more righteous than a saint last night!

He didn’t even look!

“I don’t see how that’s a misunderstanding! You stripped me and slept beside me! What kind of misunderstanding is that?!”

Ye Hao: “Did it hurt?”

Chen Shirou: “…”

Her crying paused.

“…No.”

“See? If I’d really done anything to you, you think you’d still be yelling this loud right now?”

Exactly.

He wasn’t the type to take advantage of people.

And honestly… she wasn’t even his type.

“Then… why are we here…”

“Stop. Let’s start from the top. I’m Ye Hao, your name I kinda forgot, and this is a hotel. The front desk put us in some weird couple’s suite.”

“You… you really didn’t do anything to me last night?”

Chen Shirou pulled the blanket tighter around herself, wiping her tears.

“Of course not! I just washed you off and went to sleep.”

“Really…”

“Yes! What did you think happened?!”

“Then… you saw…”

“Saw what?”

Ye Hao rubbed his chin.

“Well… if you insist, you’ve got a nice figure.”

He didn’t even finish before a pillow slammed into his face.

“You pervert! You’re worse than a beast!”

Even though she strangely felt relieved he hadn’t done anything, his casual tone made her furious.

What did he mean, ‘nice figure’?!

What kind of attitude was that after doing such a thing?!