Xue’er, wearing so little—aren’t you cold, like a breeze cutting through thin silk? And watch your posture on the sofa, like a willow keeping its grace.
Just then, Lu Ke stepped from the bathroom, towel rubbing the rain from his hair. A blanket draped his bare frame, with abs and chest showing like rock under a stream.
Meanwhile, the Little Loli lay absorbed on the sofa, her iPad glowing like a small moon. Her gold hair spilled like honey across the cushions. Two pale legs flicked up like swallows, and her skirt lifted with each sway.
“So onii-chan cares that much about my body, huh~~~” The blonde girl turned, one hand guarding her skirt like a petal, the other braced on the sofa. A delicate face showed a wisp of fatigue, and she yawned, dew-bright tears beading at her eyes.
“Don’t talk nonsense; you’re this drowsy, so go sleep, like a cat seeking a warm patch.” Lu Ke turned and flipped open the laptop on the table, its screen blooming like dawn. School starts tomorrow morning, and I need to prep some materials.
“Ahh, onii-chan really is diligent.” The Little Loli stretched like a lazy kitten and slipped on her slippers. She wandered behind him, her small head sliding under his arm like a fish, peeking at the screen.
… After a moment, the Little Loli pulled back, confusion clouding her like mist. This was nowhere near something she could understand.
“Onii-chan, are you coming home tomorrow?” Her fingers tugged his neck towel like a ribbon, voice soft as cotton candy.
“Of course. The university’s close—ten minutes by car—and I’ll be back at noon with lunch.” His hands flew over the keys like sparrows, while jasmine drifted nearby like spring rain. He tilted toward the scent and stole two breaths, curious as a fox.
“Eek! You beastly onii-chan, what are you doing?!” The blonde girl stumbled back two steps, hands covering her chest like a shield. Panic fluttered across her face like startled birds.
“Ah… nothing. Little sister smells too sweet after a bath, like flowers in a warm bowl.” Lu Ke said it flatly, turned his head back, and returned to the glow of work.
“Tch, it doesn’t work anymore.” She saw her tease miss its mark, and she turned back like a small tide. She grabbed the tablet and slipped into her room, footsteps light as snow.
“Phew, that was close.” He wiped his forehead with the towel, letting out a thin thread of breath. He glanced at the retreating figure of Xiao Qianxue, then faced the bright screen. Better get to work.
The blonde girl pushed open her door, iPad hugged to her chest like a book. Two bedside cabinets held tiny ornaments like shells; the big bed wore pink sheets and a matching quilt. At the head, a giant bear cushion sat quiet as a mountain.
“Real care went into this.” She tossed the iPad onto the bed, and the Little Loli perched there like a sparrow. With one hand, she pulled the big bear close, soft as clouds.
“Sleep, then.” She lounged against the bear, tapped the iPad for a bit, and found nothing worth chasing. She clicked off the lamp, and burrowed into the quilt like a warm cave.
—
“Mm—!” She slowly opened her eyes and emerged from the quilt like a mole from earth. “So soon it’s morning…” She slid into her slippers and walked to the hall, the room empty as a quiet pond. A turn, and the table held a glass of milk and some bread, white as dawn.
“Big brother’s already gone.” She stretched, then spotted a white note resting on the table like a leaf. She picked it up and read: “Dear little sister, by the time you see this, your brother’s at school. Brush your teeth, wash your face, eat breakfast nicely. I’ll be back at noon.”
… She crumpled the note into a ball like a paper peach and flicked it into the bin. “Better grab another nap.” The blonde girl slipped back into her room and dived into sleep like a lake.
“I wonder if Xue’er ate breakfast.” Lu Ke moved through B City Medical University in shirt and slacks, steady as a boat. On the road, he passed all kinds of folk—some in suits and ties, some in white coats like cranes.
“Kezi, you made it!” Lu Ke stepped into an experts’ building, where a middle-aged man in a white coat greeted him warmly. Grey teased the man’s hair like frost, but his smile was spring.
“Yo, Second Uncle, you’re here this early?” Lu Ke smiled, the words light as steam.
“That’s right. A project wasn’t done yesterday, so I came early to finish it and check on you.” He tapped a stack of A4 sheets, wearing a wry smile like bent bamboo.
“Then I’ll stop bothering you and take a look around.”
“Alright, remember to register with your Eldest Uncle first.”
“Got it.” Lu Ke walked out and soon stepped into another building, pace light as wind.
“Isn’t this Little Ke? How’d you find time to visit your aunt today?” A woman in casual clothes looked up from her files and smiled.
“Ah… Aunt, did you forget it’s my first day?” Lu Ke scratched at his head, sheepish as a schoolboy.
“Looks like… it really is! I actually forgot something so big!” She patted the table, sound sharp as a clap.
“Aunt, where’s my Eldest Uncle? I need to find him to register.”
“Go straight, right turn, then right again—there’s a very obvious building.” People may be thick today, so I’ll call him to come meet you. She nudged her glasses and muttered, “Good medicine left undone, and he’s playing teaching director—aging backwards.”
“Ha-ha… yeah. I’ll head over first; I’ll drop by later—go ahead and work.”
Following her directions, a complex building rose ahead like a cliff. He went in and followed the signs to Admissions.
“Little Ke, you’re here—come with me.” At the Admissions door stood a very formal middle-aged man, stern as winter. Seeing Lu Ke, his face loosened like thaw, and a faint smile appeared.
“Eldest Uncle’s still bursting with energy.” Lu Ke quickened his steps to match. “Of course,” the man said. “Did you pass Second Uncle? That fool drank and lost again last night.” The thought amused him; his smile grew rich as tea.
As you can see, Lu Ke came from a medical clan, roots knotted like old trees. Many of his uncles and aunts worked here, at one of the country’s key medical universities. Others were hospital experts or ran private clinics like bright storefronts, business flowing strong.
After a bit, Lu Ke blurted, “Eldest Uncle, wrong way—this is the restroom!” The uncle, mid-sentence about Second Uncle, snapped awake and saw the door. “Ha-ha, your old uncle’s mind is slipping.” He turned and led Lu Ke toward another room, steps steady as a drum.
