“Xue’er?” The door clicked open, and Lu Ke saw Xiao Qianxue in a blue Mercedes, dressed skimpier than he’d ever seen, like moonlight pared down to a ribbon.

“Rest up for the next few days.” Bloo’s voice drifted through the underground garage like frost on steel. “Mhm, got it!” the blonde girl chirped, her tone a ringing bell. She stepped down, winced as if a stitch pulled, and clutched her belly. Bloo’s hand steadied her like a pillar in fog.

To Lu Ke, the scene twisted like heat over asphalt. His sister wore an off-shoulder, midriff-baring white tee, a mini-skirt, and black-and-white stockings—temptation dressed as snow and ink.

When she got out, still pressing her stomach, something in his head snapped like dry kindling. Anger roared up his body like fire climbing a pine. He dropped the parcel, sprinted full tilt at the blue-haired youth, fist raised to smash stars out of his face. “You bastard!”

The blonde hadn’t seen Lu Ke in the garage—Bloo’s frame was a wall of shadow. Then hurried footsteps hammered the concrete, and his shout cracked the air. Xiao Qianxue tilted her small head and saw her brother charging, fist cutting through the space in front of Bloo.

“Bro? What’s wrong?” Her voice wavered like a thin reed in wind. Bloo had already turned. Blue fire licked to life on his right hand like a ghostly tide. Those who dared strike at him had ended as ash—save one name in his heart.

“Bloo, don’t! He’s my brother!” Her soft, boneless hand fell on his, a touch like warm water over stone. The flame guttered out like a candle in a draft.

Lu Ke reached him in a rush, but Bloo moved first. He caught the punch and flowed into a lock, casual as turning a page. Pain clamped down like iron jaws, and Lu Ke saw sparks.

“Bloo, let go!” Xiao Qianxue wedged between them, pushing each apart like separating twin waves.

“Boring. I’m leaving.” For the sake of the lovely disciple before him, Bloo only flicked his hand and slid into the car like a knife into a sheath. The engine roared, then the blue Mercedes slipped away like a fish into the dark.

“Bro, what’s with you?” Xiao Qianxue thought back, threads weaving together like silk on a loom. She had a guess.

“What’s with me? You tell me.” His heart pounded like a sealed kettle at full boil, all steam and nowhere to flee.

“Bro, let me explain!” Her words fluttered like startled sparrows, but Lu Ke wasn’t listening. He grabbed her slim wrist and dragged her toward the elevator, temper a hard rain.

“Don’t—ow, that hurts!” Her body had grown stronger, but pain still bloomed like nettles. Tears shimmered at the corners of her golden eyes.

They reached home. He tossed her onto the sofa, and she landed with a soft “Oof,” a stab of pain flicking her belly like a hidden needle. “You—you in that getup, and that blue-haired guy—what are you two to each other?” His tone cracked like a teacher’s ruler on a desk.

“Bro, this is… hard to explain.” She curled into the corner of the couch like a small animal, ponytail drooping like a wilted tassel. “Didn’t I tell you not to ask too much about some parts of my life…”

Seeing his anger crest again like a storm tide, she hurried on. “But, Bro, it’s not what you think!” Her big golden eyes shimmered, protective instinct rising like spring sap.

Lu Ke forced himself calm, breath settling like dust. He thought of the blue-haired youth—no spoiled playboy air, only a crushing presence, a stormfront rolling off a lone peak. Ordinary people don’t carry that weight.

“Give me your hand.” His voice leveled out, smooth as still water. He sat beside Xiao Qianxue, leaving a sliver of space like a careful border. She stretched out her pale arm, and he set fingers to her pulse like touching a quiet stream.

“Mm…?” Eyes closed, he listened to the rhythm like rain on leaves—and found a different map. He’d feared she’d been defiled, hurt because it was the first time. Instead, the problem lay deep in the abdomen, an organ’s bruise, as if treated and left to mend.

“I’m sorry, Xue’er. This is my fault.” The regret hit him like a falling stone. He dropped to his knees, ready to knock his head to the floor. Since it wasn’t what he thought, the rest wasn’t his to pry into—especially with that blue-haired man in the picture.

“It’s fine, Bro. You did it because you care.” Xiao Qianxue’s smile was sweet, her voice pouring into his chest like honeyed tea.

“T-Then go change your clothes, okay? It’s not good to dress like that…” He swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing like a caught fish. The question of why she wore it drifted off like smoke; perks were perks.

“Hmph…” She slid off the sofa, one hand pressing her skirt like shielding a secret, unaware he’d already seen. Step by step, she disappeared into her room like a petal carried by a breeze.

--------------------

“Then it’s decided. In a day or two, I’m taking you two to the amusement park!” At dinner, Lu Ke stood up, words landing like a cheerful drumbeat.

“Really?” Gu Wen’s eyes lit up like twin stars, pure and bright.

“Then, Bro, get your wallet ready~” Xiao Qianxue’s grin curled like a fox’s tail.

“Don’t worry.” His answer came easy, a promise like sunlight on warm stone.