“What was that just now?”

“Xiao Yu’s classmate.”

“A very pretty girl. How to put it? She feels so pure.”

Yeah, like a blank sheet of paper begging to be scribbled on. No wonder she caught the slave master’s eye. Having a baka friend must be fun.

“Mm.”

“By the way, Yan Qing and Baoyu went out—they said it’s a famous idol group’s concert. I’m surprised you stayed behind.” Nan Dongye’s lips, still dusted with milk foam, curled into a reserved smile as she absentmindedly stroked the cat’s ears.

Not just them—Xu Xian tagged along too, bored and eager. He even called me, thrilled about the tickets he’d snagged. As a noble otaku, how could I leave home? I disdainfully turned down this pilgrimage.

“Uh… I’m not really into that stuff.”

“Oh? I thought boys loved lively stage idols.”

“Mm…”

I rubbed my nose, thinking they just liked pretty girls.

Someone once told me never to brush off girls with one-word replies—it kills favorability in silence. Back then, I didn’t believe it. The girls around me weren’t the chatty type; my tsukkomi was enough.

I used to see Nan Dongye as my childhood bro and class monitor, bound by that cliché shonen manga bond. But now, I had nothing to say—especially after our rapport dissolved with that “sorry.”

Something had silently shifted with time.

I stole a glance at the girl across the glass table. The latte had gone cold. She, too, couldn’t find words to break the awkwardness.

Our detached Q&A felt calm but distant. This time, the gap between Yuzuru Sensei and me seemed wider.

Silence, ah, silence—burst or perish in it. At fate’s crossroads, I whispered, “It’s late. I’ll walk you home.”

Nan Dongye gently petted the kitten in her arms. Her lowered face hid her expression, but she seemed unsurprised. Carefully, she set the cat on the sofa, nodded, and flashed a bright smile.

Down the stairs, she chatted and laughed, glancing around like nothing had changed. But her hands, clasped behind her back, never neared me again.

In the noisy crowd, I sighed, head drooping, hands in pockets. So this one-day lover thing ends here? Fine.

At the entrance, two figures stood out in the rushing flow. The woman lounged elegantly, a charming smile on her face. The man strutted beside her, flashy and stuck like glue. My mouth twitched—I yanked Nan Dongye’s arm aside.

Too late. Before Nan Dongye could look puzzled, the woman’s lazy eyes lit up like she’d spotted prey. She charged over.

“Husband! Who’s this woman?”

Hands on hips, she glared at me, targeting Nan Dongye—practically begging onlookers to pull up chairs for the scandal show. My face went ashen. The worst had happened. Only the Ouyang family’s chaos demon could pull this off.

“Hu-husband!?”

Nan Dongye and the trailing man both gasped, staring at me.

The crowd swelled. Blushing crimson, I leaned close to Sister Xi’s ear. “Stop it, sis! She’s just my classmate!”

Ouyang Xi grabbed my collar, teasing in a mock-intimate pose. “Just a classmate? Then why panic?”

Duh—wouldn’t you panic if publicly framed?

“What do you even want!?”

“Listen,” she purred, fox-eyed and grinning, “don’t say I bullied you. Sleep at home tonight. Our home.” She stressed each word.

To escape, I nodded frantically like a pecking chick.

Ouyang Xi’s eyes gleamed with scheming triumph. She cleared her throat, beamed at Nan Dongye, and covered her mouth politely. “Xiao Lan’s classmate? I’m her sister. Just joking—don’t mind it!”

Nan Dongye glanced between us, nodding oddly. “I didn’t know Jiang Lan had a sister. Uh… hi.”

“Hi hi! Call me Xi Xi—or ‘sister’ if you like~”

The problem was solved, but that tone… I felt misunderstood into something worse.

Nosy onlookers rolled their eyes and scattered. The man, relieved, regained his polished smile. “So you’re Xi Xi’s brother! Truly impressive!”

Sister Xi crossed her arms, face frosting over. “Did I say you could call me that?”

He fell silent, cowed. I almost laughed—this flashy guy was no brother-in-law material.

Turning back to Nan Dongye, her face shifted like a warm March breeze. After studying her, she nodded firmly. “Hmm. Qualified!”

What? This sister was acting like a mom inspecting a daughter-in-law—like catching us in puppy love. I opened my mouth to protest but froze under a murderous glare, turning into a docile quail.

“Eh? Xi… sister, what are you saying?” Nan Dongye’s cheeks flushed as she fiddled with her ear hair. Then her smile dimmed. She bowed. “Thanks for today. I have things to do—goodbye, Jiang Lan, Sister Xi!”

“Oh. Bye.”

Nan Dongye hurried off, a light step leaving a brisk back view. I scratched my head, words stuck. Did she finally remember her unfinished work?

The silenced man blurted, “Your brother’s Jiang Lan? First meeting like this is wild. I’m—”

Who the hell’s your brother? Sister Xi’s face darkened, voicing my thoughts. “Who’s your brother? You—yeah, you. Leave.”

“Huh? But—”

Another icy glare shut him up. The arrogant man slunk away, tail between his legs.

“Who was that? So ridiculous.”

Watching him go, I laughed. The men fallen to the Ouyang sisters probably number a whole company.

“Just a playboy. A walking ATM, at best.”

A w-walking ATM? So blunt. No wonder she’s Ouyang Lian’s upgraded version—their cruel suitor-handling is identical. I pitied that young master; even his mom never spoke that harshly.

“So he wanted to ‘spend cash to boost favorability’ this time?”

“Mhm. Autumn new releases are essential. But with you here, we don’t need him. Wait—don’t dodge the topic!” Ouyang Xi poked my forehead hard. “The joke’s on you!”

“Ow ow ow! What now?”

She covered her forehead, exasperated. “My foolish brother—you just let her leave alone?”

“What else?”

“I give up. What did you two do today?”

“Ate, watched a movie, had coffee?”

Sister Xi patted my shoulder with a pitying look. “Society calls that a date.”

No—it was research. Even I didn’t buy that excuse. Sister Xi wasn’t stupid. I wasn’t. Nan Dongye wasn’t.

“How did I get such a dumb brother? Tonight needs a long-overdue training session…”

Ouyang Xi looked delighted, not regretful. Chills ran down my spine. I regretted leaving home for research—raising a flag and running into my least favorite sister.

She flicked her hair casually. “I don’t know what you did, but that girl looked really down.”

“You’re overthinking. I’ve known her forever. She left happy after a fun day.”

“That’s why you’re a fool. Tears aren’t always sad. Smiles aren’t always happy.”

I clenched my fists, speechless. My stubborn words were just fear of more awkwardness. But should some things stay unsaid?

“You’ve got things to do, right?” Sister Xi yawned, waving impatiently. “Go. I’ll shop alone. Walk her home, then hurry back to carry my bags. Try running… hmph.”

I stood dumbfounded, then nodded and chased after Nan Dongye.

“Explain properly, no matter what,” Ouyang Xi called after me, shaking her head with a soft chuckle.