The test

Junjie

Born to be Wild (Family WhatsApp group)

The family WhatsApp group was buzzing as usual, filled with chaos, banter, and teasing. As I scrolled through the messages, I couldn't help but smile. Typical family stuff, really—everyone seemed to be in high spirits. But in true fashion, things took a sudden turn for the dramatic.

Suyin: Someone hold me, please, or I might fall.

Jianyu: @Shishi, your wifey is acting again.

XM: Go back to your corner, grumpy monster! I'm coming for you, Susu! arms spread emoji

Zian: Just fall on me, Susu. I'm always ready.

Shishi: Stay away from my wife if you love your little weewee, Zian. scissor emoji

XM: RIP

Zian: crying emoji

I chuckled as I skimmed through the messages. This was classic sibling humor, and Jianyu, the eldest and most serious of us, always brought his signature dry wit. Then, just as I was about to switch back to work, Suyin dropped a bomb.

Suyin: @Jun, she's so beautiful! OMG, you both look so cute together! heart emoji

Jianyu: WTF

XM: What are you talking about, Susu?

Suyin: Jun's girlfriend. I just met her! Be ready to add one more to the group.

My heart dropped. Girlfriend? What the hell is she talking about?

Before I could even type a response, Shishi, the love of Jianyu's life, chimed in with a quick explanation.

Shishi: Long story short—Jun's "apparent girlfriend" got hurt. He called me for help, but I was in a meeting, so Suyin helped with first aid.

XM: Oooooh, #3rd couple in the making! Woot woot!

Jianyu: That's Jun. Must be a passing affair. Don't take it seriously.

Suyin: @Mei, did you feed him bitter gourd for breakfast today?

Zian: That's his default setting.

XM: laughing emoji

Shishi: I'm getting that on a t-shirt.

Jianyu: middle finger emoji

I was laughing at their antics when suddenly, I did the unthinkable. I sent a message to the group by mistake. Damn it.

Me: jsaaj

I frantically deleted the comment, but it was too late.

XM: Caught you, Mr. Lurker.

Suyin: Can't hide now. We saw it.

Me: Hi dolls.

Shishi: Look! He's alive!

Jianyu: Not for long.

Now, suddenly, I was no longer just a passive bystander in this crazy conversation. They all started jumping on the "girlfriend" bandwagon, and I felt like I was being thrown into the lion's den.

Suyin: @Jun, ignore them. Tell us about the real doll in your house. Ah, the way you were holding her was so cute—it reminded me of Shishi.

XM: Show me her picture! Where did you meet? What does she do? How long have you been dating? When can we meet her?

Zian: Ladies, ladies, let him breathe. Why do you think he's been living in New York all this while?

Zian. Damn that guy! I quickly switched over to private chat and sent him a message: [Stfu. You're digging my grave.]

Shishi: You've met her?

Zian: Yes. smirking emoji And our couple is madly in love.

Madly in love? I was about to strangle Zian through the screen. His meddling was making everything worse.

Jianyu: What's her name?

Zian: Ha, so you can dig up her details? Not telling you.

Suyin: Yiren.

Suyin: OOPS.

Zian: wide eyes emoji

I didn't even think twice before kicking Zian out of the group.

[Jun kicked Zian out of the group.]

[Suyin added Zian to the group.]

[Jun kicked Zian out of the group.]

[XM added Zian to the group.]

Zian: Dick.

Jianyu: Is that Hsu Yiren? Tall, brown eyes, wavy chestnut hair, multiple ear piercings…

XM: @Jianyu, you have some explaining to do.

Jianyu: Baby, it's not what you think. tears in eyes emoji

Shishi: Shares a picture Is that her?

Suyin: Yes! Now you have some explaining to do.

Shishi: rolls eyes She and Jun grew up together. Yiren was our house manager's younger daughter when we were in New York.

Mei: Aww, so it's a love story as old as them.

Suyin: Childhood lovers. #SwooningHarder

Jianyu: Trust me. They can be anything but lovers.

Finally, Zian checked my private message.

Zian: Oh shit.

Me: Take my advice—don't bother coming back if you want to live.

Zian: I think it's a good thing. I'll say go with the flow.

Me: I'll say go to hell.

Zian: Think about it. Yiren and you grew up together. She's the safest and best candidate for it.

My jaw clenched. The word candidate was terrible, but Zian wasn't entirely wrong. Yiren was safe—she knew my family, wasn't interested in my money, and definitely wasn't the romantic type. I'd seen her dump guys the second they got too attached. No strings attached, no emotional baggage. Perfect.

But would she agree? There's no way she'd go along with this. As my phone buzzed with a hundred unread messages, I winced.

Jianyu: @Jun, answer it, or I'm calling Yiren.

I had to stop this before it spiraled further out of control. If Jianyu or Zian got to her first, I'd be dead.

Me: It's true.

Shishi: You and Yiren? Really?

I grimaced at my phone, trying to figure out how to play this. I needed to talk to Yiren first, but my brothers were relentless. They'd call her themselves if I didn't give them an answer right now.

Me: True.

Jianyu: Answer in more than one word!

XM: Eye squinting emoji

Jianyu: Just asking, baby. He dropped a bomb after avoiding us for months.

Shishi: Why didn't you tell us anything before?

Suyin: facepalm emoji You guys are so scary.

Shishi: We're just trying to understand what's going on and why Jun keeps running away from us. The least we deserve are answers.

Me: We didn't want to do long-distance. That's why I'm here.

Jianyu: What about avoiding us?

Me: I wasn't. Just busy.

Jianyu: Oh really?

I gulped. Lying to Jianyu and Shishi was impossible—they raised me. I could never fool them. And, just as I feared, Jianyu wasn't letting this go easily.

Jianyu: Video calling.

I froze. Shit.

Jianyu: You better answer, or I'm calling the entire Hsu family to ask about you two.

My heart raced as I quickly ran a hand through my hair, fixing myself before swiping right on the call. I was met with not one, but four video screens staring back at me. Of course, Zian was there too, pretending to be in a bathtub to keep his camera off.

I waved nervously, trying to seem casual. "Hi, guys."

Jianyu's sharp eyes narrowed as he scanned my surroundings. "Where is she?"

"Who?" I asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Marilyn Monroe," he deadpanned, eyes fixed on me like a hawk. There was no fooling him.

I rubbed my neck. "She's in the bathroom."

Suyin quickly backed me up, chiming in, "Oh yes, I asked her to give herself a five-minute soak with essential oils."

Jianyu leaned in closer to the screen, voice low. "Put the phone on the nightstand, at an angle where we can see everything. Don't say a word to Yiren, and don't move away from our vision."

My heart pounded. They were testing me, and they knew me too well. XiuMei, always the reasonable one, interjected, "That's too much."

But Shishi wasn't backing down either, her eyes holding mine. "Just wait

The wheels of my mind races. Everything depends on Yiren, but I must play smarter as well. Do or die. Recalling her reaction at my naked chest , an idea struck….

*****