"I never said you were family. Don’t push your luck, Lin Shu’s sister."

"But I’m Brother’s blood sister, and you’re his sworn sister. That makes us both his sisters—we’re family! Unless… Brother isn’t family to you? Even if you’re bad at studies, this should be obvious."

"Don’t treat me like an idiot. Lin Shu and I live under the same roof as family. I don’t see him as my brother, and you? We’re not even remotely related."

"Maaah… One day you’ll want to be Brother’s sister more than anyone. Brother, let’s go home for a nap. We’ve got exams this afternoon."

Lin Yiyi covered her mouth with a tiny hand, yawning.

"Right. I need to get my bike too."

*Gotta keep my promise about welding that rear seat.*

"We’ll head off then. See you tomorrow at lunch."

*Should grab lunch before walking her home.*

As Lin Shu and Yiyi stood to leave, noises erupted from the kitchen. Instinctively, Liang Caiyi bolted out of the shop too—anything to avoid her mom’s nagging.

Yiyi glanced back. Before she could speak, Caiyi blurted, "I’m just going the same way! Not following you or anything!"

After a few minutes, Caiyi’s eye twitched. Yiyi clung to Lin Shu’s arm, her head resting on his shoulder. *Siblings? They look more like a couple.*

"Aren’t you two… too close?"

"This is normal for siblings. You wouldn’t understand—you don’t have a brother."

*Not normal at all. Something’s fishy.* Caiyi had been killing time aimlessly, but now she had a mission: expose their secret. *Make Lin Shu owe me more.* Her mom’s heart belonged entirely to these two "siblings." *Am I even her real daughter?*

*I’ll tear off their goody-two-shoes masks.*

Catching up, Caiyi clasped her hands behind her back. "Lin Shu has a girlfriend. Aren’t you worried she’ll get jealous and dump him?"

"I met her this morning. She doesn’t mind. A girlfriend who gets jealous over her boyfriend’s sister isn’t worth keeping—she’d just turn the house upside down later." Yiyi shrugged.

"Tsk…" Caiyi clicked her tongue. *She’s elegant and gorgeous—shouldn’t she care?* She hadn’t suspected anything weird between them… yet. *Make Yiyi lose faith in him.*

"You probably don’t know—Lin Shu and I slept together."

"Oh, I know. Once on the couch, once in his bed, right?"

"He saw me change clothes!"

"So what? Brother sees me change all the time. It’s not like he peeks."

Yiyi’s small hand slipped under Lin Shu’s shirt, pinching the soft flesh on his waist. *Secrets keep spilling…*

"Well… it wasn’t exactly spying…" Caiyi mumbled, remembering she’d been half-asleep.

"Are you trying to seduce my brother because you like him?"

Caiyi’s mind went blank. She tripped over a crack in the pavement. *Who else would like him but you?!*

"Yiyi, don’t joke about that," Lin Shu cut in sharply. He wasn’t delusional—he’d only believed Su Nuan and Gu Chuchu liked him after Yiyi’s analysis. Even when Gu Chuchu confessed after he’d defended her from bullies, he’d thought they just used him as a shield.

"You’re siblings. That’s not allowed," Yiyi wagged a finger.

"We’re not blood-related. *You’re* the one who can’t—"

Caiyi froze. *That’s it. Something’s off with these two.* "Why would I want to? Brother and I have always been siblings. Past, present, future—nothing changes that."

*They’re siblings. That’s the foundation. No matter what happens later, that bond stays.*

"Won’t you get jealous when Lin Shu finds a girlfriend?"

"I’ll vet them for him. Keep the bad ones away."

*Not jealous at all… even wants more girlfriends?* Lin Shu felt the same. Rushing things would shatter everything. Just watching Yiyi grow up happy was enough. *She clings to me so much… this is what every brother dreams of.*

Caiyi dropped the subtlety. She grabbed Lin Shu’s other arm, clamping both hands around it like Yiyi did.

"What are you doing?!" Lin Shu stiffened. She’d made her disgust clear—why hold his hand now?

"Shut up. If your sister can do it, why can’t I?"

"You *do* want to be Brother’s sister! No need to hide it. We’re both sisters—I get it."

*Why aren’t you mad?!*

They reached Lin Shu’s gate.

"Thought you weren’t following us?"

"This’ll be my home soon too. I’m just going home." Caiyi lifted her chin.

"Can you both let go? I can’t get my keys."

Neither sister loosened her grip.

"I’ll open it for Brother!" Yiyi’s slippery little hand dove into Lin Shu’s school pants pocket, rubbing against his thigh through the mesh fabric. He held his breath, terrified she’d accidentally touch something inappropriate.

"Not here?"

"Must be this side."

Caiyi reached into the other pocket—only found his phone.

"Smallest pouch in my backpack."

They scrambled for the zipper. *Why’s everything a competition?* Among several keys, Yiyi snatched the house key first—Caiyi didn’t even know what it looked like.

Caiyi planted her hands on her hips, smirking at Yiyi. "I’ll rearrange the room. Move the bed, add another one—it’ll fit fine. Soon I’ll be sleeping in the same room as your brother."

Yiyi puffed her cheeks. "I’ve shared a bed with Brother since I was little. One room’s nothing."

"Then I’ll share his bed too. It’s huge—fits two easily. We’ve done it before." Caiyi shot back, caught up in the moment.

*What are you two even competing over?*