"So, where’s your sister? I did tell you today was about taking her out, right?"

"I know! But what can I do about it now?" I shrugged, looking at Jiang Chen in the passenger seat.

I might not know cars well, but even I recognized that logo—a B cradled between two tiny wings. Seriously, rich kids.

She’d called at dawn saying she’d arrived and to bring my sister. I checked the time: 8 a.m.? Don’t girls need beauty sleep? And I hadn’t even spoken to Xiaoxi yet. How was I supposed to drag her out?

"You just say ‘I can’t’ and that’s it? What was the point of me coming so early? Are you messing with me? Think I’m easygoing?" Jiang Chen’s face burned with anger.

"Jiang Chen-jie, let it go. Ye Xi didn’t do it on purpose. You can’t exactly tie his sister up and drag her here," Xia Tong spoke up from the backseat.

*Mental thumbs-up for Xia Tong.* A halo of holiness seemed to glow around her. *Finally, a normal person. Jiang Chen’s operating on another planet.*

"You! Always taking sides against me!" Jiang Chen shot Xia Tong a look of utter exasperation.

"Tch. Shouldn’t have trusted you." Jiang Chen shoved the car door open. Today’s outfit was... breezy: deep red hair in a high ponytail, a plain white tee, and jeans so tight and short they hugged every curve down to her thighs.

If Xiaoxi was "a lotus bud just peeking above water," Jiang Chen was "majestic peaks from every angle."

*Wait—does that mean Xiaoxi’s still below the ‘developing’ line? Should I buy her more papayas? Skip the durian though.*

"Ye Xi!!!" Xia Tong snapped, her voice sharp with disapproval.

I jolted back to reality, cheeks heating. *Can’t blame me. I’m not a saint.*

Ignoring my fluster, Jiang Chen ordered, "Get in the car. I’ll find your sister."

"Huh? *You’ll* find her?" I double-checked I’d heard right.

"Obviously! Did you think I’d still rely on *you*? Can’t even handle this! I regret recruiting you for the student council!" She stormed into my apartment, slamming the door behind her.

*Me?* I was more wronged than Dou E. If not for Xia Tong, Xiaoxi would’ve obediently called me "gege."

Xia Tong stepped out. Ink-black hair spilled to her waist. A sunhat shadowed half her face. Her black-and-white casual wear framed delicate collarbones, a dainty necklace resting above them. A gray mini-skirt showcased legs that made any normal guy’s pulse skip. My wrist bore a matching crescent-moon bracelet—just a different color.

She tugged me into the backseat. "Don’t be mad at Jiang Chen-jie. She’s just like that."

"...". I’d never even agreed to this, yet guilt prickled my neck. I stared toward my apartment, stomach twisting. *Xiaoxi’s in a mood. Please don’t let them clash.*

"Ye~e~e~ Xi~i~i~"

A hand snuck over, grabbing my arm. Xia Tong pressed her whole body against mine.

"Xia Tong...!" I tried shoving her off. *Why does she cling the second we’re alone? Doesn’t she care who’s watching?*

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror, then slapped on an eye mask and earplugs. *Not seeing, not hearing, not knowing.*

Spotting this, Xia Tong buried her face deeper into my chest. "Do you know how much I’ve missed you? I want to be with you every single day." She inhaled my scent greedily.

"Missed nothing! Get off me first!" Her perfume flooded my nose. *This is deliberate temptation! I’m a normal guy—have some crisis awareness!*

Just as I struggled to peel her off, noise erupted from my apartment. Jiang Chen emerged, smiling. Seconds later, Xiaoxi followed her out.

*What?!* She actually got Xiaoxi to come out? *How?!*

"Xia Tong! Xia Tong! They’re here...!" Panic clawed my throat. If Xiaoxi saw us like this, another icy war would begin.

Thankfully, Xia Tong finally listened, sliding back to sit properly. "Alright, alright. Got my hug. I’ll behave." *Why not earlier?!* I forced my heartbeat to slow.

Xiaoxi wore a knee-length white dress, a silver bow cinching her waist. Red ribbons tied her black hair into twin tails, adding a playful charm. The icy glare she usually gave me had melted into clear, calm eyes. *At least she’s in a decent mood now. Jiang Chen’s a miracle worker—fixed her mood AND got her out. I need her ‘sister-taming’ secrets.*

Jiang Chen slid into the front passenger seat, chuckling at the driver’s gear. "Let’s go!"

Xiaoxi sat beside me. Spotting Xia Tong, a flicker of displeasure crossed her face—but she hid it instantly.

"I’m Ye Xi. Xi as in ‘stream’," she greeted Xia Tong politely.

"I’m Xia Tong! Nice to meet you!" Xia Tong beamed.

*Did I hear that right?* Xiaoxi *initiated*? She’d always hated Xia Tong.

*(Unbeknownst to Ye Xi, two days prior, Xiaoxi and her friend Tang Tang had hatched the "Brother Defense Plan." Key principle: Better to divert than block. Instead of making him choose and causing stress, they’d pretend to reconcile—letting him see their "harmony" so he’d drift apart from Xia Tong naturally.

Xiaoxi had worried: "What if the ‘diversion’ sails straight to the finish line?"

Tang Tang waved it off. "You’re his sister! You live with him 24/7. Xia Tong barely sees him. Just... quietly sabotage the ship later."

"But if he finds out? He’ll be furious!"

"No pain, no gain. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. If things stay vague forever, you’ll *really* lose him."

"...Fine. I’ll wait for his apology. Give him an out."

"Exactly!"

But Xiaoxi hadn’t expected Ye Xi to stay silent for days. Last night, he’d finally spoken—only for her to think, *Make him beg twice more... or just once more before I open the door.*

Ye Xi, assuming she was still angry, had retreated to his room.

While he’d fretted, Xiaoxi had kicked her pillow: *Why didn’t I just let him in?! But... he was wrong first!*

Both wanted reconciliation. One was stubborn. One hesitated. Three days wasted.)*

"Uh..." I tried breaking the silence with Xiaoxi, then regretted it. *Where do I even start?*

Jiang Chen saved me. "Your sister’s fascinating! Nothing like you!" she teased me.

*Jiang Chen, you’re the best president ever. I’ll serve the student council till my dying breath.*

"Guess so. People always have fancy words for her. For me? Just ‘cute’." *I used to pity kids crushed by ‘other people’s children.’ Turns out being crushed by your own sibling hurts worse.*

"But Xiaoxi seems really interested in the student council?"

*Now I get it.* Jiang Chen had pulled Xiaoxi out because she was already a fan. *I forgot. Bad sign.*

"She’s only in junior three. She’d join next year at earliest." My hand moved to ruffle Xiaoxi’s hair before I could stop it. She didn’t pull away—just gazed out the window.

*Yes!* *She’s not mad anymore. Is this the first crack in our broken mirror?*

"Nope! Xiaoxi’s officially joined the student council *now*!"

"Huh?!" My ears must be broken. *The bad feeling was real. Jiang Chen actually did it.*

"Not a big deal. I asked. Her grades are stellar. Better to start early. I’ll be a senior next year—I’ve worked hard to fix that council. Won’t hand it to those unreliable brats. Xia Tong doesn’t want to be president... but Xiaoxi? She’s got real potential."

*You mean ‘potential to be scheming’? And since when did you get to decide?*

"Whatever makes you happy. You’re the president." I sighed at Jiang Chen.

"Where are we even going today?" *You never told me.*

"Why ask? Ever heard of ‘surprise’? Nap time. Wake up when we’re there!" She waved me off, turning back to chat with Xiaoxi.

*Why would I need a nap? Where are we going?!*

Xiaoxi hung on Jiang Chen’s every word, chattering nonstop. I’d never talked to her this much at once. A pang of failure hit me.

Xia Tong stayed quiet after Xiaoxi arrived, watching the blur of scenery outside. Relief washed over me. *All three goddesses in one car... and it’s peaceful? Unbelievable.*