After a while, the sun set. I said: "Why don't you stay at my place tonight?"

  She said: "Okay."

  We both remained silent for a while, then I said: "You and Wu Miao sleep in one room, I'll make a bed on the floor in the living room."

  She almost immediately said: "Of course it's me and Wu Miao sleeping, what about at your place..."

  I stared at her, and slowly smiled. She also smiled, and then I hugged her onto my lap, the two of us leaning tightly against each other, speaking softly, kissing. Actually, I don't even remember what we said back then, it was just deep down in our hearts, all joy. Unstoppable joy. In the vast night sky, that joyful feeling was like soft and transparent silk, slowly wrapping us up, wrapping us into a small world that no one knew about.

  As the night deepened, Mother was not feeling well and had changed into clean bed sheets for Tan Jiao and Wu Miao before going to sleep. The two girls were both night owls, sitting in the room playing on their phones. Wu Miao's room was originally small, and I sat on the bed between them, which made Wu Miao a bit unhappy: "Brother, aren't you tired of our great god? It's too crowded! Go to sleep quickly, I still want to chat with great god!"

  Tan Jiao just smiled at me with a bit of mischief, but didn't say anything.

  "You guys go to bed early too," I said. "She has something on with me tomorrow and she's been pretty tired these past few days, don't keep her up chatting too late."

  "Look at you being so protective... Hmph, this is my room, you wouldn't think of driving me out to the living room to sleep and taking over my bed, would you?"

  Tan Jiao was still smiling, but that smile had a few hints of embarrassment, exactly the same as last night's expression. And what about me? Suddenly being told by my little sister that I'm the key to everything.

  I didn't say much, just lowered my head and chatted with Tan Jiao for a few sentences. Wu Miao naturally wouldn't come over to be a third wheel, continuing to play with her phone.

  It was already eleven o'clock, and the night was quiet. Wu Miao stretched her waist and looked at us. I just gently wrapped my arm around Tan Jiao's waist and watched her scroll through Weibo. Wu Miao said: "Hey, brother, I'm so sleepy, I want to sleep."

  I didn't move and said: "If you're sleepy, go sleep, I've already laid out the sleeping bag in the living room."

  Wu Miao: "......"

  Tan Jiao also felt a bit awkward, raised his eyes and looked at me: "Hey!"

  Wu Miao suddenly jumped up, pointing at me with her finger: "You... you..."

  I said, "What's wrong with me? Little kid, go to bed early." I stood up and pushed Wu Miao out the door. She looked at me with a gaze full of deep meaning and whispered, "Brother... I didn't think you were this kind of person. You actually already..." I also whispered, "Get up early tomorrow and change back."

  As I turned back, I saw Tan Jiao covering her face with her hand and lying in the quilt under the soft light of the room. I walked over, took off my shoes and got on the bed, pressing both arms against her sides.

  She didn't move, only muttering: "Hey, that's your sister, and we came this time just to save her. You kicked her out of your room to sleep on the living room floor... is that really okay?"

  I said in a low voice: "It's okay, actually she has always liked that sleeping bag. Sometimes she even runs to sleep in it instead of her bed."

  "But your mother..."

  "I've already told Wu Miao, tomorrow morning we'll switch back before mom notices."

  Tan Jiao still buried his head in the quilt and said in a low voice: "What do you want to do... is it soundproof or not..."

  One sentence made my blood boil, and I thought of last night's affair, and I couldn't help but feel a little excited. I leaned down and said: "I want to stay with you forever. And the old house... the soundproofing is actually pretty good..."