JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul>
    <li class="parent">green</li>
    <li class="parent">red</li>
    <li>ho ho ho</li>
    <li class="parent">green</li>
    <li class="parent">red</li>
    <li>ho ho ho</li>
    <li class="parent">green</li>
    <li class="parent">red</li>
</ul>

CSS

.parent:nth-of-type(odd) {
    background-color: green;
}

.parent:nth-of-type(even) {
    background-color: red;
}

li:not(.parent) ~ .parent:nth-child(odd) {
    background-color: red;
}

li:not(.parent) ~ .parent:nth-child(even) {
    background-color: green;
}

li:not(.parent) ~ li:not(.parent) ~ .parent:nth-child(odd) {
    background-color: green;
}
li:not(.parent) ~ li:not(.parent) ~ .parent:nth-child(even) {
    background-color: red;
}

ul {
    width:100px;
    height: 100px;
    display: block;
}