“So, you two called me out just to feed me?”

Two large food containers sat before Lin Ning. She eyed the pair standing before her with suspicion.

“Of course! We were just worried you’d go hungry~” Su Shui eagerly handed her chopsticks, watching with hopeful anticipation.

“But it’s not even mealtime! I just ate—I’m not hungry!”

Sensing something fishy, Lin Ning carefully set the chopsticks down and looked up at them, her expression clear: *Explain first, or I’m not eating.*

“Oh, sis, relax! Totally safe!” Lin Feng urged anxiously, face flushed with impatience.

“No weird seasonings or strange ingredients, right?”

“Promise! Totally normal food!” Lin Feng thumped his chest confidently. Su Shui, however, glanced away slightly.

“Fine… I’ll trust you two~”

Lin Ning opened the red container on the left. Inside lay Lin Feng’s fish-flavored shredded pork.

“Hurry, try it~!” Lin Feng hovered nervously, practically itching to shove her face toward the plate.

She picked up a tiny bite with her chopsticks and chewed slowly.

“Xiao Feng, you made this? Great improvement!” Lin Ning gave a thumbs-up, smiling warmly at her brother.

Beaming, Lin Feng’s grin stretched ear to ear. He shot a smug glance at Su Shui and started jiggling his leg.

*Smack!*

Lin Ning slapped his thigh. Lin Feng winced, eyes watering, lips trembling.

“Don’t act cute with me. Learn some manners from your brother-in-law. Why jiggle your leg?”

“Won’t do it again!”

“That’s my good boy~” She gently rubbed his leg.

Su Shui, who’d been watching with amusement, shoved the chopsticks back into her hand. “Kid’s tough—a tap won’t hurt! Now try this one~”

Lin Feng fumed. Just as he was soaking in his sister’s tenderness—ruined!

Glaring at Su Shui’s small container, he stormed over and yanked the lid open.

“Let’s see what *you* cooked up in this egg fried rice!”

Plain and simple: golden egg chunks blanketed soy sauce-tinted rice, dotted with fresh green scallions.

Honestly? Still just egg fried rice.

But seeing Lin Ning’s blissful smile as she ate, Su Shui felt a quiet warmth bloom inside.

Before she could comment, Lin Feng charged back with a giant spoon.

“I’ll taste it myself!”

“Don’t—!”

Too late. He shoveled a huge scoop into his mouth.

“Th-this…!” He chewed hastily, swallowed hard.

“I lose.” Lin Feng slumped into a chair, hollow-eyed, staring at the rice.

Su Shui snatched the container, frantically digging through the grains with the spoon.

“No… no no!”

Finding nothing, he grabbed Lin Feng’s head.

“Open up!”

“Mmm! Mmm!” Lin Feng shook his head wildly, teeth clenched.

Su Shui pried his jaw open and peered inside.

“What are you doing?!” Lin Ning pulled him away, worried.

“Damn it! Kid, is your throat a sewer?! My ring!” Su Shui nearly choked up, pointing accusingly.

“Ring? But it was in my pocket…” Lin Feng patted his jeans—empty. His face went deathly pale.

“You didn’t… put it *in* the rice?” He stared at Su Shui, horrified.

“Obviously! I took it back while you were gaming! Planned a sweet proposal—and you wrecked it!” Su Shui flopped onto the sofa, sulking. Lin Feng sat frozen beside him.

“Brother-in-law… what do I do? Am I gonna die?”

“*Now* you call me brother-in-law?” Su Shui nudged him lightly with his shoulder.

Lin Ning, phone in hand, moved to call an ambulance.

“Don’t panic,” Su Shui said calmly, pulling Lin Feng up. “I’ll drive him. It’s fine.”

Lin Feng followed quietly behind.

“Wait—I’m coming too!”

…

…

At the hospital, Lin Feng was wheeled into the procedure room.

Outside, Su Shui and Lin Ning sat side by side on the steps, shoulders touching.

“Honey, I’ve never actually met your brother before~”

“He was sent overseas to live with Grandpa and Grandma when he was little.”

“Ah… No wonder you two seem so close.” Su Shui rested his head on her shoulder.

“Jealous~?” Lin Ning chuckled softly.

“M-me? Never!”

They sat in silence, watching the sunset bleed gold across the sky.

“I’m sorry,” Su Shui whispered near her ear.

“For what?”

“If I hadn’t tried to be romantic… It was supposed to be our engagement moment.” His voice dipped low.

Lin Ning gently stroked his hair. “It’s okay. I liked that you tried.”

“Still… shame the ring’s gone.” He sighed, breathing in her scent.

“Who says it’s gone~?” Lin Ning removed one earring and placed it in his palm. “This is a ring too~ Same thing.”

Su Shui stared at the tiny hoop. Slowly, he knelt on one knee.

“Lin Ning… marry me?”

“Yes.”

The “ring” slid onto her finger. Tears traced silent paths down her cheeks.

“I love you~”

“Me too.”

They kissed beneath the dying sun, twilight wrapping them like a promise.

…

Outside the ward, love bloomed. Inside, Lin Feng endured his nightmare.

Strapped tightly to the bed, gastroscopy and colonoscopy underway.

Helpless. Pitiful. Powerless.

All courtesy of his *very* petty brother-in-law—who’d personally requested the full checkup.

Money was no object. Ruin a proposal? Pay the price.

From that day on, Lin Feng made a habit of dodging Su Shui in hallways.

You never knew when that grudge-holding brother-in-law might strike again.