"Brother, seriously, who is that person?"

"Yage, get down first, okay? I can’t walk like this."

"I won’t let you go until you explain."

"She’s just my class monitor!"

"Class monitor? How are you even connected to her? Weren’t you just a background character?" Qin Yage yanked Qin An’s cheeks, furious. She felt utterly betrayed. Her anger was volcanic—no lollipop could soothe it now.

"Don’t talk to your brother like that. And I never said I was a background character." Qin An flicked her forehead, then pried her legs off his waist, shifting her to his back.

"You dared to hit me…" The little girl wailed, voice trembling. "You’re not my brother anymore! Some vixen’s stolen your eyes. Give me back my real brother!"

Qin Yage pounded his head, occasionally sinking her teeth into his shoulder.

Qin An croaked in a silly voice: "Hand over one hundred lollipops, and I’ll return your brother."

"One hundred? That’s too many! Fifty!"

"No bargaining. Is your brother worth less than a hundred lollipops to you?"

Qin Yage declared firmly: "He’s not."

*He used to be worth a hundred*, she thought. *But after he got too friendly with Wang the neighbor’s vixen, he dropped to eighty. Then that sweet-faced "desk-mate" who walks home with him? Fifty. Now he’s giving away my special seat on his back to other girls? Unforgivable. He’s not worth a single lollipop. Hmph!*

Qin An coaxed: "Maybe after you rescue him, he’ll be so grateful he buys you mountains of lollipops."

Hesitating only a moment for the sake of those mountains, Qin Yage finally gave in. Qin An sighed inwardly—what a failure of a brother, worth less than candy.

"Thanks for rescuing me, Yage. Too bad there’s no reward."

Qin Yage snorted. "Do I look three? I won’t fall for your silly games. Hitting your sister? That’s a one-thousand-lollipop fine."

"One thousand? How about I buy the whole candy factory instead?"

"Really? Yes! Yes!" Qin Yage cheered, bouncing on his back.

"Mhm. I’ll add a candy factory to our homemade Monopoly board tonight. Buy as many as you want."

"I’ll bite you for tricking me!" Qin Yage bared her tiny fangs, sinking them into his shoulder—then yelped, clutching her cheek in pain, tears welling up.

"Why’d you come to the shop?"

Qin Yage had already hopped down. Walking on streets, she felt too embarrassed to cling to his back.

"I can’t give you a thousand lollipops, but I can manage sweet and sour pork ribs. Happy?"

"Not at all. Your ribs taste awful—never sweet enough."

Remembering that heart-melting sweetness, Qin Yage’s lips curled into a smile, revealing pearl-white teeth.

"Brother Qin, buying groceries again?"

"Mhm."

"Little Yage, we meet again. You’re getting cuter every day."

"Thanks!"

Qin Yage shamelessly accepted every compliment, lacking the modesty expected of Chinese girls—but she had the looks to back it up.

At a shelf nearby, Qin Yage planted her hands on her hips, glaring at a girl by the radio. "Pervert Qin An! What’s your deal with Old Man Chen’s daughter? Her eyes lit up when she saw you, asking all those questions!"

"Since when am I a pervert? I’ve never even flirted with anyone! I only know she’s surnamed Chen—and we’re not connected at all."

Qin Yage fumed. *Not flirted? Who’d believe that!* She’d caught him red-handed too many times. How many girls was this now?

She glanced at the checkout counter. The girl was staring fixedly at Qin An. Whenever he turned, she’d blush and look away—only to stare again when he browsed vegetables. Qin Yage pinched Qin An’s waist hard. "Confess now, or you won’t sleep tonight."

Qin An surrendered: "Fine! Last time, I saved her from a chasing dog."

"That’s it?"

*She’s practically drooling over him. There’s no way that’s all.*

"Once, I caught a thief who snatched her purse. Another time, I fought off a robber. And once… I carried her to the clinic when she had a high fever. Old Man Chen couldn’t manage alone."

*Great. He gave away my special seat again—and played hero so many times? Any girl would fall for that!* If Qin Yage didn’t know his true nature, she’d think he staged those rescues himself.

"No more saving her. I’ll reduce your debt by eight hundred lollipops." Qin Yage puffed her cheeks, frog-like in her fury.

Qin An tugged her cheek. "Brat, you’re getting bold—ordering your brother around? Eight hundred lollipops for a human life?"

"They’re *that* valuable!" she yelled. *Yours always are*, she didn’t add—afraid he’d gloat all night.

Seeing her stubborn face, Qin An felt a headache coming on—and a strange warmth. These days without parents, their bond had deepened. Not perfectly smooth—they’d argue fiercely, twisting logic to win, then compromise—but real.

He ruffled her hair. "We’re no saints. We can’t save the world. But if someone needs help, and we can give it… why not? We lose nothing. A simple ‘thank you’ is reward enough."

*Why do I think this way?* he wondered. *Maybe because I killed too many in my past life. Time to earn some good karma.*

"Okay…" Qin Yage mumbled. His big speeches always left her defenseless—no counterarguments came to mind.

*He must help others purely out of kindness. Not because he likes their looks.*

At checkout, Qin An’s hand brushed the girl’s soft fingers. Her face flushed crimson. Qin Yage retaliated by twisting his waist—hundreds of times—until exhaustion stopped her. Still, he owed her ten more lollipops.

Back home, Qin An slipped into his homemaker role. Washing veggies, he hummed cheerfully, even juggling a fish while chopping. He turned to find Qin Yage staring blankly.

In shorts, a black tee, an apron, and slippers—wielding a cleaver like a circus act—he looked utterly ridiculous. At home, he never took himself seriously.

Qin Yage jumped to hug him. Tall for her age, she easily clung to his still body while he held the knife and fish far away. She cooed: "Make the fish extra sweet."

"Miss Qin, we’ve got plenty of sweets tonight…" His eyes drifted to a pile of green vegetables.

"Bitter melon again? And bitter greens too?" Her rosy cheeks drained to the color of unripe gourds.

"I’m skipping dinner! Ordering takeout!" she huffed.

Qin An teased: "What about sweet and sour ribs? Or fish so sugary it’ll rot your teeth?"

Her eyes widened. She swallowed hard, fingers tightening on his shirt.

"And the cake I baked this morning—it’s finally cooled."

Remembering that sweet, buttery aroma, drool escaped her lips, dripping onto his shirt. Her school-perfect ladylike act vanished.

"There’s a saying: ‘Bitterness first, sweetness after.’ Eat these…" He pointed at the bitter dishes. "And all *that*…" He gestured to the ribs, stir-fried chestnuts, kung pao chicken, and the cake. "...is yours."

Qin Yage nodded like a pecking chick. She’d even skip lollipops tonight—no room for waste.

The table overflowed with her favorite foods. The two green plates? She finished them with the solemn resolve of a warrior crossing the Yi River—eyes shut, face grim, fed spoon by spoon by Qin An.

Her teeth never stopped moving. Watching her eat joyfully, laughing between bites, Qin An’s eyebrows curved with happiness. His heart swelled. *For this smile, any hardship is worth it.*

Finally, the grand finale arrived. She’d daydreamed about it all through class. When she’d asked if she could have it, he’d dodged—she’d thought he’d give it to some vixen!

*They say to win a woman’s heart, win her stomach. To keep her faithful, guard her mouth.* That *this* was hers—not some vixen’s—proved she mattered most. Qin Yage lifted her chin, proud as a victorious hen.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Silence fell. Ten candles glowed like warm stars, sailing toward her from the darkness.

"Yage," Qin An whispered. "Happy birthday."