readease Chapter 358 - 167: Bro, It’s Delicious! [First Update!]
Chapter 358 - 167: Bro, It’s Delicious! [First Update!]
After listening to Liu Yu’s words, Li Younan drove the car silently, not responding immediately.
After turning a corner, he slowly asked, "Why suddenly ask this question?"
Liu Yu also paused for a moment.
The situation has to start from a few days ago.
His sister, Liu Li, due to agoraphobia, hadn’t officially stepped out of the house for a very long time.
Although for a long period previously, the siblings gradually adapted to this lifestyle, it wasn’t a sustainable solution.
They naturally sought out many excellent doctors and treatments.
Medication is ultimately just an aid.
The more important task is to gradually have his sister experience the outside world to slowly diminish her instinctive fear of it.
This isn’t an easy task.
It’s not as simple as stepping out today or going downstairs tomorrow to achieve an upgrade in conquering challenges.
For a long time previously, her initial fear of external spaces gradually evolved into fear of all people or things outside.
This fear is not rational awareness—"I find that very scary,"—it’s not like that. It’s an instinctive fear originating directly from the nervous system, bypassing rational thinking.
When a person is extremely panicked, adrenaline secretes, heart rate accelerates, and some might even directly weaken and faint.
Yet, ordinary people’s fear requires a cognitive process, such as seeing something terrifying or experiencing a frightening event, from cognition to physiological response.
But for an agoraphobic person, she bypasses this process. Whenever she interacts with the outside world, even knowing there’s nothing to fear, her body just secretes adrenaline, her heart rate accelerates, and breathing becomes difficult.
That day, the doctor suggested perhaps she could breakthrough gradually from another angle. Since space isn’t effective, maybe she could start by interacting externally with people, allowing her body to adapt unconsciously, reducing excessive physiological reactions, and then gradually adjusting spatially.
After much thought, Liu Yu could only think of Li Younan to play this role.
On one hand, naturally, Li Younan and his sister have been interacting for such a long time, yet he completely qualifies as someone external.
Liu Yu earnestly said, "I’ve mentioned my sister’s situation to you before. You don’t want her to remain like this either, right?"
Li Younan nodded, saying, "I understand what you mean. What can I do?"
Liu Yu thought for a moment and shook his head, "I don’t know what you can do, but subconsciously, I feel if you could appear before her, it might benefit her condition."
"Should I inform her beforehand?"
Liu Yu thought for a moment, "Find an irresistible reason."
Li Younan’s expression turned a bit strange, and he said, "What kind of reason is irresistible?"
The car had already left the highway, driving steadily on the national road.
Liu Yu looked out the window and said, "Besides me, my sister only interacts with a nanny. The nanny helps her with laundry and cooking, but most of the time, my sister doesn’t directly engage with the nanny. Often, the nanny prepares meals and leaves. If my sister needs anything, she tells me directly." He turned to look at Li Younan, "It could be like this..."
After hearing this, Li Younan’s expression turned peculiar, saying, "Can that really work?"
Liu Yu sighed slightly, "That’s the only way I can think of. This way, I feel it can establish in her subconscious that... see, the outside world isn’t so scary."
Li Younan thought for a while and nodded, saying, "Then I’ll give it a try."
Liu Yu’s expression turned serious, saying, "This matter is very important to me. She’s my only sister. Although this could inconvenience you, I still have to trouble you."
Li Younan said, somewhat amused, "Saying that makes it seem like you don’t consider me a friend."
Liu Yu leaned back in the seat, saying softly, "That’s a separate matter." Then his expression turned serious again, saying, "This is just the first step. If there’s progress, there’s much more where you’ll need to help later."
Seeing Liu Yu’s somewhat shy demeanor, Li Younan paused slightly before seriously saying, "Liu Yu, you know, I’m just like you, hoping your sister can get better too."
Liu Yu raised his eyebrows slightly.
Li Younan continued, "I wonder if your sister ever told you about when we first interacted... Back then, I had just made a few videos, with hardly anyone watching. They’re the earliest ones on my timeline homepage. Your sister anonymously complained, like a grumpy elder, saying my videos were poorly edited."
"Later, she offered to help me edit, and that’s how our collaboration officially began."
Li Younan maintained a calm tone as he spoke, and Liu Yu remained silent.
"To be honest, at first, I didn’t think much about it, nor did I have high expectations."
"But every video your sister sent surprised me."
Li Younan continued, "The videos your sister edited were all crafted with care."
"You’re aware of what happened afterward."
"The collaboration lasted a long time."
"When I first found out she was still quite young, I was genuinely surprised."
"She gives me a very reassuring feeling, even though she’s still so young..."
"In this collaboration, I was actually the true beneficiary."
"Your sister is inherently stubborn. Several times, I felt indignant on her behalf, wanting to give her more unsolicited... only to be sternly berated by her."
Li Younan lightly gripped the steering wheel, his gaze turned solemn, saying, "Although I haven’t formally met her, she’s already a very important friend to me in my heart."
Staring at the road ahead, Liu Yu abruptly said, "Li Younan."
Li Younan glanced at Liu Yu, "What’s wrong?"
Liu Yu, still gazing at the road ahead, said word by word, "Don’t, have any improper thoughts about my sister."
Li Younan blinked his eyes, slowly withdrawing his gaze, looking at the road ahead, saying, "Oh, your sister certainly isn’t 150 pounds and 1.5 meters tall."
"Didn’t we say before... she’s quite cute."
Li Younan shook his head, "She’s too young."
"It’s best that you think that way."
...
Today, there was no plan to go too far. Li Younan and Liu Yu drove to Peng Mountain below Meishan, following the river downstream.
There are quite a few places here suitable for wild fishing.
Li Younan naturally wasn’t prepared at all for fishing, but Liu Yu kept talking about the upcoming fishing master competition.
Li Younan mocked him, saying his obsession with fame was too deep.
Liu Yu snorted, somewhat indignantly, "Even if I’m just playing around, you have to take every single thing seriously to get results, even if it’s just for fun."
The fish in the river are naturally not as easy to catch as those in the reservoir.
But after fussing about all afternoon, they still had some harvest, each catching a few crucian carp.
Liu Yu wanted to toss these fish away, but Li Younan thought they could be kept, cleaned, and made into soup.
Liu Yu knew Li Younan’s cooking skills, so since Li Younan said so, he naturally had no objections.
...
Today’s short fishing trip ended hastily.
When they returned to Chengdu, it was still the afternoon.
Liu Li was still staying in her room, which was already the largest room in the house.
Most of the time, the nanny was busy outside, so Liu Li usually wouldn’t go out.
Only when her brother returned and confirmed the nanny had gone, would she move around the living room and other places.
Actually, she had briefly encountered the nanny a few times, and the short contact gave her a difficult-to-describe uncomfortable feeling, so later she tried not to go out if she could.
But having eaten food prepared by the nanny for so long, subconsciously Liu Li had already considered the nanny as "one of them," so she didn’t feel a physiological fear.
At this moment, she tidied her room once more, and most of the time when she was bored, she’d nicely organize the room.
A tidy house gave her a comfortable feeling.
Because her brother often reminded her to exercise, Liu Li had a treadmill in her room, alongside a small dumbbell rack.
She would work out every day, so strictly speaking, she wasn’t linked to being weak and sickly.
The sunlight would directly shine through the window, but generally, she didn’t sunbathe much, so her skin was pale, lacking some rosiness.
Her brother had criticized her about this several times.
So for the past few days, whenever the sun was out, she would move a rocking chair over by the window and quietly sunbathe, the sunlight warming her back, feeling quite comfortable.
At this moment, there was a noise outside. She knew her brother had returned.
She called out, "Brother, are you back?"
Liu Yu’s voice came through from outside, "Yeah, I’m back."
Liu Li returned to her rocking chair, comfortably settling into it, her body gently swaying in rhythm.
After a while, she said in a casual and carefree manner like a young lady, "Bro, I’m hungry."
Liu Yu said, "I’m preparing food right now. I’ll call you when it’s ready."
Liu Li nodded, "Okay, hurry up. Don’t keep your cute sister waiting too long."
After hesitating for a moment, Liu Li stood up and walked to the door, saying, "Bro, why don’t I... come out today?"
Liu Yu sounded a bit surprised, "Why?"
Liu Li lowered her head, thinking seriously, "I feel like it can’t go on like this forever. Maybe while the nanny is cooking, I could gradually get used to being outside the kitchen. I have to go out eventually."
Outside, Liu Yu was silent for a while, then said, "Let’s not do it today."
Liu Li found it a bit strange. Her brother usually encouraged her to go out, why didn’t he want her to go out today?
She then thought perhaps her brother was worried she might really interact with the nanny and experience physical discomfort?
She chuckled helplessly. What a conflicting brother.
The sounds of cooking outside didn’t last very long.
This time, it seemed quieter than when the nanny cooked before, and it finished more promptly.
She sat back on the rocking chair and watched two episodes of anime, thinking Zoro was so handsome... then Liu Yu called her to eat.
Liu Li pushed open the door; the dishes were already set on the table, the nanny was nowhere to be seen, probably already left.
Liu Yu sat in his place, had already served the rice, and beckoned her to sit down.
Once Liu Li sat down, her eyes were drawn to the dishes on the table.
They were rather complicated dishes; she hadn’t seen the nanny make these before.
She blinked and sniffed seriously, a smile spreading across her face, "Hey, the dishes have changed today. Did the nanny learn new recipes?"
Liu Yu simply nodded and said, "I had her learn a few new dishes, try the taste."
Liu Li picked up her bowl, grabbed a few bites with her chopsticks, and put them in her mouth. The next moment, her eyes lit up, her eyebrows curving slightly, "Wow, Bro, it’s delicious!"
Liu Yu smiled, his look a bit doting but also somewhat doubtful... is it really that good?
He also took a bite with his chopsticks, tasted it, and a moment later, his eyes glinted as he stared at the dishes on the table and suddenly realized something, his gaze becoming a bit complex.