By the time both were full, it was already late. Feeding each other had made the whole meal touchingly inefficient.

After paying the bill, they walked out of the restaurant hand in hand, bathed in curious stares. Only then did Nangong Shiyu let out a breath of relief, as if freed from a cage.

"Planning to keep holding hands all the way home?"

"Of course," Xia Zixin shot back.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Nangong Shiyu looked up helplessly. "If you're just playing with me, that's way too messed up."

Luckily, no one could recognize her current appearance. Her height, weight, and face had all changed with the gender reversal—anyone claiming to recognize her would be a ghost... except Xia Zixin.

"But you're so cute as a girl now," Xia Zixin said, reaching out to ruffle Nangong Shiyu's hair with her free hand. "Your hair feels way nicer than mine too, even though I already touched it while bathing you today."

"What?" Nangong Shiyu nearly jumped. "You bathed me?"

"Who else? You passed out in the lake after draining all your magic. Who do you think carried you home, bathed you, dried your hair, dressed you, tucked you into bed, and covered you up?"

That was true...

...

"Thanks..." Nangong Shiyu murmured, head lowered.

Sure, Xia Zixin had seen her naked without permission—but she’d only done it out of care. Nangong Shiyu couldn’t bring herself to stay angry.

"Hehe, no need to thank me," Xia Zixin grinned. "How could I not save you when you’re this adorable as a girl?"

"Am I really that cute?"

"Absolutely! You’re secretly happy but won’t admit it, huh?"

"I’m not!"

"See? Classic tsundere lines. Denying it while your heart’s all in, little sister Shiyu~♡"

"Hey... are you... a lesbian?" Nangong Shiyu finally asked her suspicion.

If Xia Zixin liked girls, she’d have to be careful from now on. At the very least, no sharing a bed while she was female—otherwise, who knew where Xia Zixin might grope her in sleep?

"Nope."

"Good."

Nangong Shiyu sighed in relief. If it wasn’t lesbianism, it must just be pure friendship between girls.

Yeah, pure friendship.

Sadly, Xia Zixin shattered that innocent fantasy the next second.

"Boy or girl, if you’re cute enough, you’re totally my type!" Xia Zixin declared seriously.

"A lover of all humanity..." Nangong Shiyu’s shoulders slumped.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No... but people will hate you for it. You’re basically a total flirt." Nangong Shiyu forced a bitter smile.

"Nah, right now I only like little sister Shiyu. Only you~"

That unexpected line made Nangong Shiyu’s heart race again.

"W-what... ugh, so you only like me now, but you’ll like others later, right?"

"Exactly!"

"Don’t admit that so proudly..."

"Jealous, little Shiyu?"

"Like I’d be jealous of you." Nangong Shiyu retorted weakly.

She had no idea what wires were crossed in Xia Zixin’s brain. The conversation felt utterly surreal.

"Denying again, tsk tsk. No sleep for you tonight."

No way. Nangong Shiyu wouldn’t allow that.

"Sleep on the floor tonight. Don’t even think about my bed."

"Eh? Why?"

"To stop you from doing anything illegal."

"But there’s no law against girls making love yet, right?"

Hearing "making love," Nangong Shiyu instinctively squeezed her legs together.

"Eh? What’s wrong?" Xia Zixin tilted her head as Nangong Shiyu froze mid-step.

"Nothing..."

Nangong Shiyu felt like she was talking to an alien. Xia Zixin seemed from another dimension—common sense didn’t just fail around her; it got crushed to dust.

"Just don’t sleep with me tonight."

"If little sister Shiyu bans me from the bed, I’ll just sneak in for a night raid after you’re asleep."

She wasn’t even listening. Nangong Shiyu sighed, too tired to argue.

If Xia Zixin really wanted to do something to her body, there was nothing she could do to stop her now. She was at Xia Zixin’s mercy anyway.

Ah...

Whatever.

Protesting was pointless.

Nangong Shiyu glanced down at their clasped hands, her expression softening.

Xia Zixin’s blunt personality wasn’t exactly likable. But holding her hand felt warm—like she was a real older sister, even without blood ties.

If only days like this could last forever, Nangong Shiyu thought.

Even dangerous battles, even becoming the Thunder God out of nowhere—she just wanted this life to continue.

She wished this moment could stretch endlessly, unbroken until time’s end.

Just a little more warmth... even one extra second would do...

Just then, a thud echoed from a nearby alley. Driven by instinct, Nangong Shiyu turned toward the dark lane—

There, a little girl lay motionless on the ground, her clothes soaked in blood.