"Yage, come to the hospital with me!"

"Nope, nope, nope." Qin Yage buried her head under the quilt, rolling across the bed.

"Then come find Aunt Xia with me!"

"Also no, also no, also no."

"I’ll buy cold medicine for you. You *will* drink it all."

"No way, no way, no way! It’s bitter enough to kill—I’m not eating that!" Qin An stared helplessly at his sister, stubbornly hidden under the covers.

"I’ll get sweet medicine this time. Stay put while I’m gone. If you feel worse, go to Aunt Xia—she’s off today." Qin An fussed like a nagging housewife, needing to cover every detail before leaving.

Only then did Qin Yage peek out. "Fine... but bring me something tasty."

"I’m off."

After Qin An left, Qin Yage sighed in relief. She touched her lips, cheeks still burning.

Qin An first picked up herbal medicine—Yage feared injections so much, even a quick vaccine shot could make her cry all day. He wanted to cook her something nourishing but drew a blank on recipes. Glancing up, he spotted a bookstore across the zebra crossing.

He wandered in. The shop was tiny, nearly empty. Even the cashier dozed at the register. Browsing shelves, Qin An paused at a medicinal cookbook. Unnoticed, a girl his age stood opposite, flipping through the same book.

As he reached to reshelve it, he glimpsed her through the gap between shelves.

She wore a lotus-embroidered dress, a pink bow clipped in her hair.

"Qin An. Long time no see."

"An Qi. Yeah, it has been."

Qin An plopped onto the floor. "What brings *you* here? I’d expect a lady like you to have a whole library at home."

"*I* should ask *you* that. People like you don’t belong in places like this."

An Qi moved to sit, but Qin An slid a book under her just in time. She felt the silent care, lips curving faintly—though who knew what stirred beneath that smile?

"What kind of person am I?" Qin An pressed.

An Qi covered her mouth, giggling. Her eyes crinkled like crescent moons. "First, I thought you were a quiet bookworm. Then a tough street fighter. Now I know—you’re a tiger disguised as a pig. A... pig." She burst into laughter.

Qin An choked back a laugh. There was a grain of truth in that.

"You still haven’t answered *my* question."

"Hmm? I’m here for essay samples. Midterms are tomorrow! You didn’t forget our bet, did you?"

"Uh..." Qin An scratched his head. Without her reminder, he’d have buried that memory forever.

"Why weren’t *you* in class today? Ms. Lin Chunlan tore into you—said she’d kick students like you out for breaking rules!"

"My sister had a fever last night. I stayed to care for her. Came here looking for cooking books to make her something good."

"Your sister? The one who looks like a living Barbie doll?"

Qin An rubbed his nose. "Sort of. Not *that* exaggerated."

Suddenly, An Qi braced her hands beside him, face inches away. Their noses almost touched. Her wide eyes locked onto his, his reflection shimmering in their liquid depths.

"I’m coming to your house."

"*I’m coming to your house*," she repeated, voice firm—no room for refusal.

Qin An’s brain lagged. Only at her second sentence did he snap to attention.

"*My* house?" He pointed at himself.

An Qi nodded fiercely.

"It’s tiny. Messy. Dirty. Falling apart. Really not worth visiting." He turned away.

An Qi pinched his cheeks, twisting his face into a silly shape. "I. Am. Coming."

"But—"

Before he could finish, An Qi puffed out her cheeks like an angry frog, kneading his face into absurd shapes.

Qin An threw up his hands. "Alright, alright! I surrender! I’ll take you!"

"Good boy!" An Qi beamed, oblivious to how scandalous her pose was. From this angle, Qin An caught a peek of the pink camisole beneath her dress—still-developing chest barely covered.

He scrambled up, heart pounding. Memories of that blush-inducing dream flashed unbidden.

An Qi skipped ahead, hands clasped behind her back. Her camisole straps looped over her collarbones, tied behind her neck. Two bouncing bows—utterly adorable.

"Why *do* you want to come to my place?" Qin An asked.

"Well... we’re friends, right?" An Qi fidgeted.

"Yeah."

"Visiting a friend’s house is normal! And her sister’s sick—I should bring get-well gifts!" She patted her peach-colored waist bag. "Lucky I prepared! I’m so smart!"

"But—"

"Don’t you *want* me there?" An Qi spun around, cheeks puffed like a frog’s.

"It’s my first time visiting a friend’s home!" Her eyes sparkled with longing.

"Your house is... small."

Qin An’s temple throbbed. For someone who’d slept in alleys, *any* home was enough.

He opened the door, bowing like a butler. "After you."

Inside was tidy but dim, casting eerie shadows. An Qi felt the stark contrast—her own home bathed in perpetual daylight. As a child, she’d struggled to sleep in it. Her father insisted, "Light brings safety." She’d adapted, though never understood.

"Brother—" Qin Yage came flying downstairs barefoot at the door’s creak.

Her smile vanished seeing An Qi. *Not the neighbor’s fox spirit—even worse! His desk partner!* She’d already stolen a third of Brother’s school hours. Now invading her territory? Unforgivable.

She crashed into Qin An’s chest, hiding her face.

He stroked her hair, scolding gently. "Bare feet on cold floors? Want another fever?" He checked her forehead—cool. Relief washed over him.

"But I missed you!" Qin Yage cooed. Qin An shivered.

"You two seem close," An Qi observed. "Nothing like how you described her."

Behind Qin An’s back, their eyes clashed like dueling blades.

"An Qi, have a seat. Tea? Green or black?"

"Black, please."

An Qi sat rigidly on the sofa, hands folded on her knees—picture-perfect grace.

Qin Yage mirrored her posture instantly, chin high.

"Yage, heard you were sick. Feeling better?"

"No need to worry, *An Qi-jiejie*," Qin Yage chirped. "I’ll be back in class tomorrow!"

"Wonderful! I rushed over—didn’t bring gifts. But..." An Qi pulled a pink hairclip from her bag. Qin Yage froze. *Identical to the one Brother gave me!*

*Hmph. Free is free... but why the same one? Suspicious!*

"Thank you, An Qi-jiejie!" Qin Yage accepted it, dripping honeyed words. An Qi glowed.

When Qin An returned with tea, he blinked. The icy tension had melted. *How? I just boiled water!* Especially Yage—he’d expected tantrums, not this porcelain-doll act.

They chatted. An Qi shared travel stories. When asked about his May Day, Qin An skipped the haunted house horrors and park adventures, sticking to rollercoasters and cotton candy.

"My family owns Happy Land," An Qi announced. Qin An wasn’t surprised but still jolted. Qin Yage’s heart hammered—she kept her face serene.

"Brother," Qin Yage stood abruptly. "It’s late. Time to cook."

"Already?" An Qi rose. "I must go—Dad will call nonstop."

"Let me walk you out."

"Don’t forget our bet!" An Qi called from the steps.

"Got it. See you tomorrow."

"Bye!"

Qin An only saw her to the door. Her bodyguard waited at the corner.

A sharp gaze prickled his neck. He turned—just a flash of yellow fabric vanishing. Unseen, a dog-walking girl pounded her chest. *Qin An! Skipping class to... to... rendezvous with your desk partner?! Shameless!*

"Woof! Woof! Woof—"

"Eek! Da Huang, hush!"

"So it was just a dog!" Qin An no longer cared and turned to head back inside.

But once inside, Qin An saw Qin Yage standing by the shoe rack. She held a keyboard in one hand and a washing board in the other, a chilling smile on her lips. "Brother," she asked, "which one do you choose: the keyboard or the washing board?"

"Um, can I pick the remote control instead?"