When class ended, Yichen looked utterly listless over what had happened with Zixuan. He desperately wanted to confront her right away, but Zixuan and her group had vanished somewhere. With such a short break, he’d have to wait until they got home that evening. For now, every minute felt agonizingly slow.

"Yichen, Yichen."

"...What is it?"

Yichen, head down, felt someone shaking him hard. He looked up to see Zhenghong gripping his shoulders.

"Yichen, who exactly is your sister?"

Before Yichen could answer, classmates swarmed around them. Only Zhenghong knew Zixuan was his sister.

"That white-haired girl is stunning! What’s your connection?"

"Do you know her? I saw you lock eyes earlier."

"What’s her role? Why was she with the principal?"

Yichen stayed silent under their barrage.

"Is she really the chairman’s mistress?"

A chubby boy blurted out the wrong thing.

Yichen froze, his expression darkening further.

Zhenghong shot the boy a glare, making him clamp a hand over his mouth.

As the chatter continued, Yichen suddenly stood up and turned to leave.

"Yichen, where are you going?" Zhenghong called.

"Bathroom."

Yichen tossed the reply over his shoulder and strode out.

Alone in the hallway, he didn’t head to the restroom. He just needed quiet to escape the noise. But the silence only made him dwell on Zixuan more. He knew she’d spoiled him since childhood. Back when he was little and made selfish demands, she’d refused almost nothing—except the impossible.

Yichen was certain: for his sake, Zixuan would do anything.

At the stairwell, a petite girl with twin tails and a playful, childlike face struggled down the steps. She carried three stacked boxes taller than her nose, blocking her view. The top box wobbled and tipped forward. She lurched to catch it, losing her balance.

Yichen instinctively rushed over. Boxes crashed to the floor as the girl tumbled into his arms.

"You okay?"

"Huh? Y-yeah, fine."

Flustered, she straightened up, cheeks flushed. She flashed a mischievous grin and stuck out her tongue.

"Thanks so much!"

She grabbed one box; Yichen took the other two.

"Let me help. Where to?"

"Oh, no, really—"

She shook her head quickly.

"It’s fine. These are heavy. How’d you manage three alone?"

"Hehe, no one else was free. Thanks! Just to the admin building. By the way, what’s your name?"

Du Xiaoyi accepted with a bright, slightly shy smile.

"Lin Yichen. And you?"

"Du Xiaoyi."

They walked side by side, moving fast with class about to resume. Yichen learned she juggled tennis club and student council duties. On the third floor of the admin building, they turned down a corridor.

"Almost there! Seriously, thank you."

"No problem. Next time, don’t carry three boxes alone—it’s dangerous."

"Hehe, got it."

Just then, a conference room door opened. A white-haired girl stepped out. Yichen stopped dead, staring in shock.

"Sister?"

"Yichen? What are you doing here?"

Zixuan’s surprise melted into a warm smile. She took one box from his arms.

"Where’s this going?"

"Sister, you..."

Seeing her filled him with joy, but his mind blanked. He burned to ask about her identity, yet couldn’t blurt out "Are you the chairman’s mistress?"

The principal emerged behind her.

"Chairwoman Lin, why are you standing here?" he beamed, then spotted the boxes and Yichen. "Lin Yichen! How dare you make the chairwoman carry your things!"

The principal knew Yichen—the student whose grades had skyrocketed from dead last to top of the class.

Yichen ignored him, eyes locked on Zixuan. *Chairwoman? That’s absurd.*

"Sister... you’re the chairwoman?"

Zixuan glanced away shyly, nodding.

"Mm. I am."

"R-really?"

"Mm."

Relief washed over Yichen. He smiled, tension melting away.

"Oh. That’s... really great."

Zixuan studied him curiously, then smiled softly.

"Thank you."

"Huh? For what?"

"Because you were worried about me."

"Geez," Yichen blushed. "Give me the box back. I’ve got class, and I’m helping someone."

"Huh? But—"

"Hand it over."

His tone held a hint of command.

Zixuan glanced at Du Xiaoyi, reluctantly passing the box back.

"See you tonight."

She smiled warmly.

Yichen nodded, flustered.

"Yeah. Tonight."

He gave the principal a polite nod and left with Du Xiaoyi.

"Yichen... your sister is the chairwoman?" Du Xiaoyi stammered, finally finding her voice.

"Yeah."

Yichen rubbed his neck awkwardly.

Nearby, the principal watched the scene unfold, utterly bewildered.

"Principal," Zixuan said gently, "weren’t you heading out?"

"Ah, right."

A strange hollowness filled him. Zixuan still smiled, but the tender warmth from moments ago was gone. He suddenly remembered: that smile resembled how his wife had looked when she confessed her love years ago.

***

Back in class, Yichen couldn’t wipe the relieved smile off his face. The moment he entered, classmates pounced like hungry wolves.

*What’s happening?*

He tried to bolt, but Zhenghong thrust a phone in his face.

"Yichen! She’s the chairwoman!"

The screen showed Skyvoid Group’s website: *Chairwoman Lin Zixuan*, beside her photo.

Questions exploded.

"Yichen! What’s your real relationship?"

"You hid this for so long!"

"Spill everything!"

"Our chairwoman’s a total goddess! Why didn’t you tell us?"

"Blame me for not knowing my own chairwoman?" Yichen shot back, turning to escape. He’d lie low for now.

Before he could dash, hands grabbed him. They pinned him to his seat.

"Alright! Confess!"

Zhenghong slammed his palms on Yichen’s desk like a gang boss.

"Since when did you join them?" Yichen accused.

"Payback for keeping secrets."

"But you knew she was my sister!"

"I didn’t know she was chairwoman!"

"Isn’t it your fault for not knowing your school’s chairwoman? I didn’t know either!" Yichen snapped.

Silence fell abruptly.

"Heh heh... so you’ve been hiding such a gorgeous sister."

"Tear you apart!"

"Five horses!"

"Castrate him!"

Yichen could almost see jealous flames flickering around the boys.

"Hey! What crime did I commit?!"

Ignoring his protests, jealousy-fueled classmates tormented him the entire break.

When the teacher arrived, the room fell silent—as if the chaos had been a dream.

Unnoticed, Yichen sighed, slumped at his desk. He glanced out the window with a bitter smile.

"Chairwoman? Sister... you’re ridiculously amazing."