—At the balloon shooting stall.

"Miss, please, just go easy on me," the stall owner in his thirties wiped sweat from his forehead with a paper handkerchief.

"Hmm? Why?"

"Well... you bought one bullet, and now you’ve popped over five hundred balloons straight..."

"Isn’t the rule that as long as I hit, I keep playing?" Xia Zixin tilted her head with a playful smile.

"Uh... but if you keep this up, I’ll go broke."

"I don’t care, big sister’s bullet *will* see this through."

—At the OSU! stall.

"HOLY CRAP! She just scored global #1 on the *Cry F○r Eternity* beatmap—with 100% accuracy!"

"No way! She broke the record just like that?!"

"Seriously?! I can’t even clear that map!"

"Master! Please, accept my worship!"

"Human auto-clicker! I bow to you!"

Soon, everyone at the stall knelt on the ground, worshipping Xia Zixin like a goddess.

—At the *The King of Fighters* stall.

"What the—? Are you kidding me?!" A bespectacled young man slumped onto the floor. "I got wiped out without landing a single hit?"

"Last year’s national runner-up got utterly crushed! Not a drop of HP lost by her!"

"Holy crap, she’s a legend!"

And so, Xia Zixin received another round of bows from the entire stall.

...

...

...

After about an hour, Xia Zixin had swept through every game stall in the zone. Not a single vendor let her leave without kneeling in surrender. Nangong Shiyu trailed beside her, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

"Aren’t you... going too far?"

Nangong Shiyu dabbed sweat from his brow.

"How’s this too far? Big sister’s playing seriously!"

"Way too serious. Just walking with you exhausts me."

"Eh? Really?"

"Really."

Nangong Shiyu sighed.

"By the way... you didn’t cheat with magic or anything, right?"

"Impossible! Someone as upright as me would never stoop to dirty tricks for admiration. It’s all skill! S-K-I-L-L! Say it three times for emphasis."

"Your skill level is terrifying..."

No matter how he thought about it, making a stall owner beg on his knees to stop her after popping 765 balloons with one-yuan bullets was just... horrifying.

What a waste she wasn’t recruited for the military. Nangong Shiyu couldn’t help but think.

"Well, I’m pretty much done playing. Time to head back, I guess."

Nangong Shiyu checked his phone—3:40 PM. Another hour on the bus would get them home by 5:00, just in time for dinner prep.

"Mm, I am a bit tired too." Xia Zixin stretched lazily and yawned wide.

"Need anything for the road?"

"Nothing. My pillow at night’s got you, after all."

"If you dare use me as a pillow again while sleeping, you’re sleeping on the floor."

"Waaah... Shiyu’s bullying big sister... *sniffle sniffle*."

"Cut the fake tears—I’m not falling for it." Nangong Shiyu gently tapped her head. "If you’re ready, let’s go."

"Wait!" Xia Zixin suddenly called out. "Big sister wants to check out the doujinshi area."

"Didn’t take you for that type."

"Just looking won’t kill me."

Nangong Shiyu recalled Luo Qitian mentioning he’d help a friend sell doujinshi today. They might even say goodbye in person.

"Alright, let’s go."

They headed toward the doujinshi zone. The small convention hall meant a short walk from the game area. Compared to the bustling games section, the doujinshi zone was wider but eerily quiet—few visitors, stalls barely doing business.

Thanks to the sparse crowd, Nangong Shiyu quickly spotted the figure in black holding a scythe. He waved, leading Xia Zixin over.

"Still here?"

"Nah, not the whole time. I wandered around earlier." Luo Qitian fiddled with his lighter. "Heard you two caused quite a scene in the game zone. Saw crowds gossiping about ‘big sister-in-law’ when I passed by."

"Ahaha... well... not exactly a mess. Let’s just drop it." Nangong Shiyu shot a nervous glance at Xia Zixin flipping through doujinshi, forcing a smile.

"Did you run into Shen Yining this afternoon? I didn’t spot her during my rounds."

"Mm, it’s settled."

"When?"

"Soon after you left. Xia Zixin and I met her."

*What a nightmare to remember*, Nangong Shiyu thought inwardly.

"And? What happened?"

"We showed off our love a bit and she stormed off." Nangong Shiyu grinned.

He’d never tell Luo Qitian the details—especially the kiss. That’d become a year-long meme.

"If only it were that simple." Luo Qitian sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Just... worried she might not give up. What if she tries to steal you as the ‘other woman’?"

"Impossible." Nangong Shiyu scoffed. "Who’d be that shameless?"

"But I think she might." Luo Qitian stared at the white ceiling, brushing his bangs aside.

"Really? That bad?" Luo Qitian’s words made Nangong Shiyu’s heart race.

Could someone really cling to one person like that?

"From what I know of her in otaku circles..." Luo Qitian hesitated, then swallowed his words. "Forget it. If Shen Yining chases you to the ends of the earth, I’ll stand by you. Don’t worry."

"If things get that awful... I’ll count on you, bro."

"Count on me." Luo Qitian flashed an "OK" sign.

*Having a friend like him is pure luck*, Nangong Shiyu thought warmly.

Though Luo Qitian had forgotten their past due to the Balancers, Nangong Shiyu knew: without his life-risking rescue, he’d be long dead.

Just as Nangong Shiyu savored this gratitude, a slender finger poked his back—lightly, unmistakably feminine.

"Huh? Done picking doujinshi, Xia Zixin?"

He turned. The petite figure before him was today’s worst nightmare.

"Can I... drain you dry?"