“Leave the dishes to me.” After Lu Ke finished, the golden-haired girl polished off her egg and downed the milk in one breath, like a clean stream.

“You cooked breakfast. Making you wash too would be overkill.” Lu Ke spoke fast, his guilt pebbling in his chest like a river stone.

“If we’re counting, Big Brother has done more for me.” Her tone was light as a breeze. “Go prep for going out, and find me an outfit.”

Xiao Qianxue rose and stacked the plates, one by one, like moon-white shells. The white shirt framed her tiny figure. Her bare legs swayed like willow.

Happiness struck Lu Ke like sudden spring sunlight, warm and a little blinding.

“Mm, then I won’t be fussy.” He carried the dishes in, then slipped into his room like a swallow and began rummaging.

“I remember a small hoodie from back then. Where’d I stash it?” He searched with stubborn hands, thoughts fluttering. A sister that cute—anime girls had nothing on her.

“I’m buying a mountain of clothes later,” he vowed, hot as a summer promise.

“How long has it been since I washed dishes myself...” The Little Loli dumped the plates into the sink and turned the tap. Water leapt like silver fish.

“Ah!” She’d opened it too wide. A spray jumped off the plate and splashed her chest, cool as rain. “So clumsy...” She closed the tap down and focused.

“Ha, found it at last!” Lu Ke pulled out a black hoodie, then a pair of jeans, old as last year’s leaves. “Childhood size. Hope it works.”

“Done.” The golden-haired girl dried the milk cups till they shone like pearls and peeked from the kitchen. No Lu Ke outside.

“Mm... my shirt’s soaked...” Hands pressed to her chest, she stepped out slow, like walking on soft snow.

“Qianxue, I found your clothes.” Lu Ke returned, his own outfit changed, voice steady as a calm lake.

“Eek!” The sudden call startled her like a bird. “Um... Big Brother, don’t look yet...” She angled away, shielding the damp spot with both hands.

“What’s wrong?” Confusion flickered, then he saw the water stain and understood. “I’ll put the clothes in the room. You change inside.”

He smiled, gentle as evening light, set the clothes down, then tried to rest a hand on her head. She didn’t mind. He ruffled once, then drew back.

“Head pats... only sometimes, okay.” Her serious tone rang like a bell.

“Got it. It was a whim. Didn’t think you’d actually agree.” Lu Ke’s face warmed. The touch lingered like jasmine on the breeze.

He glanced back at the golden figure, a soft aftertaste in his eyes.

“I’ll go change.” Holding down her hem, the golden-haired girl trotted into the room, a lone shirt fluttering like a thin cloud in front of a man.

The door clicked shut. “Whew, his self-control’s solid, and his character’s pretty good,” thought Xiao Qianxue, cool as an autumn leaf.

She shed the shirt and slipped into the hoodie and jeans, swift as a carp in water. “This look is too bold. Next time, maybe not...”

“Unexpectedly snug.” Dressed, the golden girl faced the floor-length mirror. She tucked all that soft gold into the hoodie and pulled up the hood.

The slightly oversized hood shaded most of her lovely face, like moon behind clouds, leaving pale skin and cherry lips.

The jeans hugged those long legs like a second skin. The cuffs were a touch long, so the Little Loli rolled them up, neat as bamboo shoots.

Overall, she looked like a cool tomboy, a wisp of gold slipping out from the hood like stray sunlight.

“Mm... perfect.” Outside still felt unsafe. Lu Ke’s name might be clean, but others might still know. The government wipes traces like wind erasing tracks.

Safety first, steady as a mountain.

She pushed the door open. A cool tomboy stepped into Lu Ke’s view like a fresh breeze.

“This outfit’s good.” Lu Ke nodded. Clothes saved for fun now found purpose, like old tools catching light.

He noticed her hair tucked away and her face hidden, but said nothing. He wasn’t in the know; he only felt she was dodging something.

“Big Brother, let’s go.” The Little Loli tugged Lu Ke’s sleeve, a sparrow urging flight.

Lu Ke wore hoodie and jeans too. At about one-seventy-eight, the height gap felt just right, like matched chopsticks.

Same style, different colors. They looked like siblings, a pair in soft morning hues.

“Sorry, I spaced out.” He laughed, breezy as spring wind, grabbed the cleaning kit, pocketed the keys, and opened the door.

The elevator doors slid open with a whoosh. The golden-haired girl followed quietly, shadow to his stride.

“Big Brother, do people here know you?”

“Hm?”

“I mean, if a little sister appears, will they think it weird?”

“I only moved in recently. Don’t worry.” His hand rose, then paused mid-air, remembering her rule, and fell like a leaf.

They reached the basement. A blue A5 rested in the corner, calm as a sleeping whale.

“Big Brother, is that your car?” She watched him walk straight toward it, steps sure as a compass.

“Yeah. I begged for ages to get one back then.” He unlocked the door. He opened the back seat.

A blood-scent rushed out, iron-cold as a winter knife. The cushions still held dark stains.

“...Sorry.” The golden girl flushed and stepped behind him, fingers twisting like vines.

“Don’t mind it.” Lu Ke started up the cleaner and bent to scrub, movements steady as rain. The Little Loli stood by, watching in silence.

Gotta say, luck’s decent—ran into someone not short on cash, drifted through her mind like a dry leaf.

“All set. Qianxue, get in. We’re heading out.”

“Okay, Big Brother.”