Seeing Xinran’s expression, I almost instinctively opened my mouth to apologize and back down. Years of ingrained habit were hard to shake—I’d always lowered myself before my cold sister, desperate to avoid her complete disdain.
But not this time. If I let her lead me by the nose again, I’d sink deeper into an immoral quagmire. Getting lost in forbidden feelings would only bring disaster. Reality wasn’t as simple as TV dramas made it seem. The weight was too heavy to bear.
I had to draw a line. Siblings were siblings. Xinran had already breached too many defenses—I was in critical condition—but the final boundary must hold.
Before, I’d been asleep during her antics, with no memory to haunt me. But if she pulled those moves while I was conscious? I couldn’t promise I’d hold back. I was still a man, after all. Even post-orgasmic clarity had its limits. Expecting me to stay unmoved like some ancient saint? Only if I was completely impotent.
...Which the bathroom incident earlier had thoroughly disproven. *Yeah. My primal urges ran deeper than I’d thought.*
“E-even if you make that face, I won’t back down! This isn’t negotiable!”
Xinran studied me for a moment. Then the corners of her lips lifted slightly, her expression softening.
*Huh? Why’s she suddenly happy?*
*Women’s logic truly is a mystery.*
“You’re different from the usual Brother. So assertive.”
“I never knew you felt this way about me! I thought you hated me. You barely called me ‘Brother,’ always ignored me…”
“...Saying ‘Brother’ to your face felt embarrassing. And...” She paused, squeezing her thighs together, lips pressed tight. A shy flush colored her cheeks—something I’d never seen before. “Watching you look so miserable... got me a little excited.”
*A sadistic streak!*
*I was right all along!*
Xinran’s coldness really *was* just a hobby!
“Besides,” she added, “I don’t smile much. My face doesn’t show much. Just like you, Brother.”
“Ah... true. We inherited that from Dad.”
Now that she mentioned it, I realized I was the same. No matter how shaken or thrilled inside, my face stayed calm. Unflappable, even if mountains crumbled before me.
*Whew.* That covered everything. Dawn was breaking—I might as well get up. I pulled the curtains open, letting morning light flood the room. Xinran just burrowed back under my covers, eyes half-closed, ready to nap again.
“You staying in bed? Remember to tidy the blankets when you get up.”
I was wide awake. Sleeping beside my sister? No thanks. And after *that* bombshell? Sleep was impossible.
Since I was up early, I’d make breakfast—and pack my own lunch. After yesterday’s Jilianbing Cafeteria Incident, I’d never set foot in that zoo again. I refused to be a monkey on display during mealtime.
I threw open the window, gulping fresh air, and stretched hard. Energy surged through me.
“Brother.”
“Hm? Oh—cold? I’ll shut it.”
No long ventilation today. Xinran was still here; catching a chill would be bad.
“Brother.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Brother.”
“Just spit it out already...”
Every time she called me “Brother,” I hesitated. The title still felt foreign on her tongue.
“Nothing. It’s just... you answered. You never did before.”
*Of course I didn’t—I was asleep!* Only this body’s conditioned reflexes ever responded to her!
“Ah... I’ll answer from now on. But no more sneaking into my bed while I sleep, okay?”
“Mm.”
As I reached for the doorknob, I turned back. “Xinran—my jacket. The one I wore home. Where’d you put it after taking it off? I need to return it to Lili today.”
Instead of answering, she narrowed her eyes. “Brother... where’s your uniform? Why are you wearing a tracksuit jacket? And nothing underneath it...”
“Tore my uniform. Shirt too. A friend lent me this.”
I dodged the *how* and *who*. No exposing Lili. Not when she was tangled in weirdness—a Succubus, my powers... Things too dangerous to share. Especially with family. Dragging them into this chaos? Unthinkable.
But Xinran’s intuition struck true. Her gaze turned razor-sharp. She stepped close, looming over me. After a heavy silence, she whispered: “...Whose jacket is this?”
Something warned me not to tell the whole truth. I rubbed my nose. “A... friend’s.”
“Liar. You have no friends.”
“Uh...”
*Called out instantly.* Even I knew that excuse was pathetic. Lying had never been my strength.
“And this jacket smells like a woman. Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t interfere?”
“This is family concern. Your girlfriend could become your wife. My sister-in-law. She’d be family—and *I* decide who joins us.”
With each sentence, she advanced. I retreated.
Her face loomed inches away. The pressure was suffocating. Old habits of yielding to her made the truth spill out:
“It’s the teacher’s! Ms. Yang Lili from the library! You’re right—I have no friends, so I asked a teacher... She lent me the jacket...”
“Ms. Yang Lili... from the library.”
For some reason, she dropped it. Lifting her nightgown hem, she pulled the jacket from between her thighs and handed it to me.
*She hid it THERE?! Wait—how did it even FIT? Are women’s skirts pocket dimensions?*
*So mysterious... so alluring—NO. Bad thoughts!*
“Brother.”
“Hm? What else?”
I gripped the doorknob, half out the door.
Xinran tilted her head up. Her eyes glistened. She rose on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
“I love you.”
“...”
After a pause, I smiled naturally. I stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead.
“I love you too.”
*Just sibling love, of course.*
And so, a new day began with my sister’s good-morning kiss.
