Chapter 183: He Protect, He Endure, He Siscon?
Hao began his usual yappathon.
Smooth, casual, and just a little smug in a way that wasn’t obvious. It was Hao’s signature routine whenever he had to walk soone through the fact that yes, this magical convenience store did exist, no, he wasn’t a scamr, and yes, they were actually safe here.
And all of what he said was true.
He’d done it with Mo Xixi, Kuro, and Tian Lu before.
Now it was Yan Zhi’s turn.
Just like the others, Zhi was eventually presented with the store’s contract – glowing scroll, elegant formatting, and totally non-suspicious clauses.
Yan Zhi didn’t sign.
Not yet. His reason?
“I want to talk to my sister about it first.”
He wasn’t suspicious of Hao. If anything, after everything they’d been through, Zhi believed all of it now.
He trusted Hao’s offer was genuine. That the contract was solid. That this place could bring them peace.
But Shu’er mattered more.
She always had.
Hao nodded with understanding on the outside.
But inside?
‘…Wait. Oh no. Is this another one of those?’
That look in Yan Zhi’s eyes. The way he said “my sister” like she was the only thing holding his soul together.
Landed right in Hao’s head. The emotional equivalent of stepping on a Lego barefoot.
Siscon alarm: moderately high. Potential ergency level if she ever smiles.
Hao sighed.
Please don’t let her be the kind of little sister who’s all sweet and fragile and sohow always at the center of a dozen disasters without aning to.
Ti flew by.
The sky outside had darkened, and the convenience store, now quiet, had settled into closing hours. Not a single custor in sight.
Kuro had just returned from her job, imdiately ambushed by her two fluffy kittens the mont she passed through the door.
Hao, anwhile, had spent a solid five minutes trying to coax Yan Zhi to co upstairs.
Which sounded simple, except it was not.
If Hao hadn’t ntioned that going upstairs would help Shu’er sleep better, he probably wouldn’t have gotten this guy to move at all. Zhi was really that stubborn.
Hao nearly ran out of patience. Nearly.
But he wasn’t heartless enough to throw two siblings out into the cold night.
Still, Zhi flinched when he saw the lights upstairs turn on by themselves, as if so kind of trap had just been set off.
Hao blinked. “…”
Did they still use torches back ho?
These two really had it rough.
Mo Xixi had already prepared the food on the table, acting all proud and mature while Kuro and the kittens watched lazily from the sofa.
As everyone sat down, Yan Zhi stood awkwardly near the edge of the room, unsure if he was even allowed to exist in the sa space.
Hi tried to excuse himself again, mumbling sothing about not being worthy and how he owed them too much already. He glanced back at Shu’er, still fast asleep on the sofa.
Then Tian Lu spoke.
“Eat.”
“Kid.”
Zhi froze.
The tone in that deep voice hit with the force of a direct order. He snapped into action and sat down properly, spine straight, hands ready.
The mont the Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles touched his lips, he forgot every thought in his head.
He didn’t know what he was eating. He didn’t know what heavenly place this flavor ca from. He just knew it was warm, aty, and perfect.
And for so reason, tears started falling down his cheeks.
Not from pain.
But because for the first ti in a long ti, soone had shown them this much kindness.
Across the table, Hao leaned back and nudged Tian Lu with his elbow.
“Lu, did you make the kid cry?”
Tian Lu stared. “Apologies.”
“Wait.” Hao tried not to snort. “Lu, no, he’s crying from the no – ”
Tian Lu nodded solemnly. “Next”
“Ti.” “I.” “Softer.”
“…Okay, sure.”
Mo Xixi quietly scoffed into her Li Fizz, and Kuro didn’t even bother hiding her laugh.
Once the cups were empty, enlightennt struck Hao, Yoru, Tsuki, and Yan Zhi.
The others? Nothing.
But that was normal. Their cultivation realms were too high. One cup wasn’t enough to trigger anything.
It had been around ten minutes.
A sudden scream shook the second floor.
“WHERE THE HELL AM I?!”
From the lounge area, a small female voice erupted.
Yan Shu’er had woken up.
The girl had gone full primal mode. Hair sticking up in every direction, eyes sharp and wild, crouched on the sofa with the energy of a feral kitten ready to kill.
Her entire posture scread: I bite.
“Where are those bastard cultivators?! I’ll skin their teeth and shove them in their own – ”
Her gaze landed on the table.
Her brother was sitting there.
Still.
Unmoving.
Silent.
She blinked.
“…Stupid Zhi?”
No answer.
That wasn’t right.
He always answered.
Even when asleep, even from far away – when she called, he ca. Their hearts were tied together by sothing invisible and unbreakable.
Now?
He didn’t even flinch.
“What the – what did you guys do to my idiot brother?!”
Her glare swept over Tian Lu, Mo Xixi, and the others.
“Who are you freaks?! What is this place?! And if you brainwashed my stupid brother I swear to the heavens I’m gonna make you regret being born with faces!”
“…”
The three of them awkwardly stared at each other.
Then slowly turned their attention to the raging little firecracker on the sofa.
A beat of silence.
Then –
Shu’er lunged.
Straight at Mo Xixi.
Mo Xixi flicked her sleeve without even spilling her Li Fizz. Shu’er’s attack missed by a wide arc as she stumbled to the side, nearly tripping over a floor cushion.
Mo Xixi didn’t even flinch. She took another sip, casually stood, and tilted her head with a smirk.
“Try better, brat.”
The way she said it was not just taunting. It was a full invitation to fight!
A gleeful one.
Tian Lu blinked, eyes blank as ever. He looked at Shu’er.
He wasn’t entirely sure why he was being yelled at in the first place. But since she was tiny and yelling, he figured it probably wasn’t that serious.
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