Chuyun watched helplessly as his sister squirmed in his arms, fidgeting here and there. Couldn’t she just sit still?
But to his surprise, his words only made Xia Shiqi more restless.
“I’m gonna move! Gonna move!”
Xia Shiqi wriggled and rubbed against him like she couldn’t stay put for a second.
“Alright, alright. Do whatever you want.”
Chuyun realized her stubborn streak was still strong. Better to humor her now—otherwise, she’d only get rowdier.
“Xia Shiqi, turn on the AC. I’m sweating.”
His shirt was soaked through. No wonder—he couldn’t help sweating with her rubbing against him like this.
“Mm-hmm, turning it on!”
A soft *beep* sounded as the AC kicked in. The stuffy heat around Chuyun instantly gave way to cool relief.
*Ding. Xia Shiqi’s favorability +1.*
*Current favorability toward Chuyun: -5.*
Only five more points to complete the task? Chuyun checked the movie’s remaining time—56 minutes. That meant 56 more points to gain.
This was a massive win. Good thing he’d agreed. Otherwise, racking up this much favorability would’ve taken forever. Thinking this, his gaze softened as he looked down at his sister in his arms.
Even with negative favorability, she was already showing hints of thoughtfulness—caring enough to notice his discomfort. Sure, she still had her little tantrums, but she’d improved so much from before. Once her favorability rose higher, she’d surely return to the sweet, obedient sister he remembered.
Just as Chuyun daydreamed about that gentle girl, Xia Shiqi squirmed again in his lap.
The movie had hit its second climax.
“Chuyun! Chuyun! It’s coming again! Hold me tight—I’m scared!”
“How about I cover your eyes instead? Then you won’t have to see it.”
Chuyun felt awkward. Pressed so close in their thin pajamas, the contact was… intense. At his age, hormones made it hard to stay calm.
“No! No! I want a hug!”
“Xia Shiqi, we’re too old for this. You’re dressed lightly, and hugging this tight isn’t right.”
“I don’t care! I don’t care! I want it!”
“Fine, fine. You win. But don’t squeeze as hard as before, okay?”
Chuyun sighed. Arguing further was pointless. As long as she didn’t cling like last time, it should be manageable.
“Ugh, so annoying.”
Xia Shiqi rolled her eyes. Then she wrapped her slender, fair legs around his waist and pressed her delicate arms against his broad back. Her innocent face nestled into his chest, cherry lips curling into a sly smile.
“Like this?”
Her soft, honeyed voice always made Chuyun want to shield her—to protect her like a fragile vase that might shatter with a careless touch.
“Yeah. Exactly like this.”
This distance felt acceptable. Like a warm, familial embrace.
On screen, the movie reached its peak.
The hero’s modified bus plowed through a sea of zombies, crushing rotting bodies under its armored wheels. Guttural moans mixed with the sickening *crunch* of bones snapping, all underscored by heart-pounding music. Even Chuyun tensed up.
“Hey, buddy! Stop moping. Grab your gun and help me mess with these damn monsters!” A burly Black man slapped his assault rifle, nudging a slumped figure beside him.
When the man didn’t respond, the Black guy lifted his chin—only to freeze in horror.
The face was deathly pale, eyes rolled back, flesh rotting in patches.
Before he could react, the zombified man lunged, pinning him down and tearing into his neck with rotten teeth.
“Ahhh!!! Fuck!!! Help me!!!”
…
Chuyun jolted at the sudden scare. But Xia Shiqi’s whimper snapped him back.
“Mmm~”
“Chuyun! You’re crushing me! Why’d you squeeze so hard? I felt like I was melting into you!”
Xia Shiqi was pinned flat against his chest, no space between them. Her cheeks flushed crimson, her pink lips parted in breathless gasps from the tight hold.
“…”
“Sorry, Xia Shiqi. I got startled too. Didn’t mean to.”
Chuyun loosened his grip, flustered. He really had been scared out of his wits.
“Hmph. You lectured me about hugging tight? You squeezed way harder!”
“My bad. Totally my fault.”
Chuyun forced a dry chuckle. Could anything be more embarrassing? He wanted to vanish into the floor.
“Hmph. Next time I hug like this and you say no, I’ll bite you!”
“Got it. Let’s keep watching. That scene’s over.”
Chuyun couldn’t argue anymore—he’d already contradicted himself. Besides, this was a one-time thing. He rationalized it away and focused back on the film. Scary as it was, it was undeniably gripping.
Thirty minutes later…
Chuyun’s eyelids drooped heavily. He stifled a yawn.
Why was he so tired today? He blinked hard, forcing his eyes open. Just ten more minutes.
Hearing his yawn, Xia Shiqi’s clear eyes flickered with something unreadable—gone in a flash. She watched him fight sleep, a faint, lovely smile playing on her lips.
“Chuyun, are you that sleepy? Go rest if you need to.”
