Nightmare again. Waking up in the dead of night to nightmares had become routine. Then came the hours of staring at the pitch-black ceiling until dawn.

Qi Ran had long grown used to this life. But tonight was different. She’d had a nightmare unlike any before—not about the car crash, but about her brother.

In the dream, he abandoned her. He left DongSui Town with a faceless stranger, vowing eternal love at their wedding. They had sweet children. A perfect, happy life.

And she? Left alone in this cramped room. Her body slowly rotting away, turning to bleached bones, forgotten by all.

Her brother finally claimed the happiness he deserved. And she—the one who’d miraculously survived the crash, clinging to life—had found her rightful end.

It should have been that way. Yet when she realized it was only a dream, relief flooded her. The urge to see her brother surged, impossible to suppress.

It was the middle of the night. Her brother was surely asleep. She shouldn’t bother him. But she was greedy. Selfish. She wanted to cling to him, never let go, never be left behind.

The urge to pee wasn’t strong. She could hold it till morning. But fear gripped her. Was her brother really sleeping beside her? Guarding her?

She knew her endless demands would someday backfire.

But her arm moved on its own. The bell jingled…

She didn’t know how long she cried silently against her brother’s back. No sobs. Only cold tears.

Finally, she fell asleep in his arms. Deeply, peacefully. No nightmares. She even forgot to pee.

Truth was, she no longer feared the car crash. She feared losing her brother…

Dawn came. As usual, a full bladder woke her. Her brother helped her wash up. Last night’s tears seemed erased.

Memorizing English words. Reciting ancient poems. Breakfast. Qi Ran didn’t love studying. But what else could she do?

Return to school? She’d wondered. Could she ever fit into normal campus life? With this broken body, could she even take the college entrance exam? And if she did—tuition? University?

A mountain of problems. She couldn’t burden her brother further. Studying was just a way to reassure him. To prove she was truly living. Trying to live.

"Xiao Ran, I’m off to work. Guard the house well!"

Her brother left for his shift. Day after identical day. Was this living? Or just… moving? No. She couldn’t even move…

Qi Ran pulled *The Story of My Life* from a messy pile of books. *How the Steel Was Tempered* lay atop it. Famous works she’d once found dry as dust.

After the accident, rereading them felt different. Not because she shared their epic struggles or iron wills. Only because she had a brother who never let go.

A disability assessment might ease their finances. But her brother had refused the certificate once.

"I’ve never seen my sister as disabled," he’d said. "She’s just grieving. One day, she’ll live healthier than anyone."

With his trust, how could she wallow in self-pity?

Both authors shared something—blindness. Writing books…

*[A writer?]*

Qi Ran had entered essay contests. None made it into "perfect score" anthologies. Back when blogs thrived, she’d posted travel diaries. Mildly popular at best. Normal, really—her writing was average, and she only shared scenic photos.

Her family loved traveling. Yearly trips to new places, new cultures. The accident happened at one such spot.

*[Should I try writing something…?]*

*[How a Brother Complex Is Tempered]*

The title spilled onto her notebook before she could think.

Heat flooded her cheeks. Crimson. She clutched the notebook to her chest. Her heartbeat thundered, refusing to calm.