“Ning’er, we’ll get going now. Please look after the house and Qin Heng for us.”

Qin’s mother and Muxuan’s father said their goodbyes to Ning Muxuan by the entryway.

Ning Muxuan gave them both a gentle wave.

“Mm. Have a safe trip.”

Muxuan’s father suddenly took a delicate little gift box from his pocket and handed it to her. Ning Muxuan accepted it, looking a little puzzled. Then he explained:

“Your Aunt Qin and I picked this out for you ourselves. It’s your birthday present. We’re going away for a while, and we don’t know when we’ll be back. Your birthday’s coming up soon, so we got it ready ahead of time.”

Qin’s mother smiled and stepped forward to give Ning Muxuan a gentle hug.

“Wait until your birthday to open it, okay? I hope you like it, Ning’er~”

Ning Muxuan looked at the gift box in her hands, and even her usually impassive face broke into a smile.

“Mm. Thank you, Father. And thank you, Aunt Qin.”

...............

The entryway was filled with a warm, touching farewell. In the kitchen, all you could hear was someone washing dishes.

The night wind felt especially cold against Qin’s face. Big Couch-Potato Qin sniffed.

People really didn’t share one another’s joys and sorrows. Right now, he wished more than anything that he’d been the one they found as a baby. At least then he could feel a little better about all this.

“Sigh.”

He sighed helplessly and went back to washing dishes without a shred of enthusiasm.

A closer look showed that Qin Heng’s once-fair hands were now covered in thin, pale-red scratches. There were several red marks on his neck, too, with faint little bite marks showing through...

Qin Heng had been dragged into the little black room, and he had no idea how long he’d been put through it. No matter what he said, his big sister wouldn’t listen. Only after quite a while, when Ning Muxuan had let off some steam and calmed down a little, did he finally get a chance to explain himself. Even then, he’d still been tormented for half the day...........

Qin Heng shook his head again, deciding not to dwell on any of that. He still had dishes to wash. That was what mattered.

Before long, there was another sound from the entryway. After seeing the two of them off, Ning Muxuan went straight to the sofa and sat down. Then she softly called toward the kitchen:

“Qin Heng, my shoulders are sore.”

After telling Qin Heng what she needed, she turned around and casually stretched her long, pale legs out across the sofa.

Qin Heng heard her and felt nothing at all. He absently wiped his hands on his clothes.

“Oh. Be right there.”

Only when he came to his senses did he realize these were his new clothes...

Whatever. Who cares? It’s fine like this ˇ△ˇ

Qin Heng walked over to the sofa. Ning Muxuan gathered up the long hair falling over her shoulders and tied it back, revealing her fair skin and the nape of her neck.

The moment Qin Heng rested his hands on Ning Muxuan’s shoulders, a chill ran from his fingertips. Her skin was as cool and smooth as jade. It wasn’t a normal human body temperature, but Ning Muxuan was the true heir to the Azure Silver Snake bloodline, so she’d been born with this temperature. Qin Heng had been used to it since they were children—

Ever since Ning Muxuan had joined the family, no matter how hot summer got, little Qin Heng never turned on the air conditioner. He’d just run straight into Ning Muxuan’s arms. That was the best place to cool off—and it was soft and comfortable, too.

He did it at bedtime, and even when he came back from playing outside, drenched in sweat. Whenever he got the chance, he’d burrow into his big sister’s arms...

But as he got older, Qin Heng gradually stopped doing it so often. His sudden change of heart left Ning Muxuan completely unused to it—and extremely unhappy!!!

She’d raised him to have this habit, and now he was selfish enough to just change it whenever he felt like it?! How could he?!

“Sis, I’m so hot~”

“Hehe~ Sis, hug me~”

“Whoa~ Your arms are so cool and comfy, Sis~”

“Sis, you’re so soft and bouncy! And you’re so big, I can’t even hold you with one hand—”

“Sis, look! I…”

“Sis…”

“Sis…”

Memories of their childhood came flooding back to Ning Muxuan. He used to cling to her so much, but now he wouldn’t even take her hand when they went out...

Looking a little displeased, she glanced back at Qin Heng, who was still massaging her shoulders, her eyes full of grievance.

Qin Heng: ???

What did I do now?

Qin Heng glanced around, then looked down at Ning Muxuan with a puzzled expression ⊙ˍ⊙

Ning Muxuan didn’t expect this big slacker to remember any of it. She quickly turned away, letting out a cold snort as she did.

Ning Muxuan’s inexplicable behavior left Qin Heng utterly confused. But she didn’t seem like she wanted to talk to him, so he let it go and continued gently massaging her shoulders.

Ning Muxuan sat on the sofa without saying a word, her face cold and still. Qin Heng had to keep an eye on her expression from time to time.

After a little while, Qin Heng spoke again.

“Sis, don’t you feel a little hot?”

!!!

At Qin Heng’s question, a glimmer suddenly appeared in Ning Muxuan’s eyes, though she’d looked utterly indifferent just moments ago. She instantly perked up. Her hands, which had been resting on the sofa, came back to her chest, and a smile crept onto her pretty face.

Ning Muxuan quickly stood and turned toward Qin Heng. Then she spread her arms and proudly puffed out her chest. A lovely smile warmed her usually cool face as she gazed at Qin Heng with hopeful anticipation—only to find no one behind her.

Ning Muxuan: ? Where’d my giant salted fish go?

“Sis, do you know where the air conditioner remote is? I thought it was on the table yesterday—”

Qin Heng: ?????

Qin Heng was still looking for the remote on the table. He turned around to ask Ning Muxuan about it—and found her gazing at him in the pose of Eren Yeager embracing freedom.

.........What the heck?

“Sis... what are you doing?”

Ning Muxuan slowly lowered her arms, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared. The moment she heard the words “air conditioner,” she wanted to go over and pin Qin Heng to the bed right there.

“Nothing. Do whatever you want.”

Ning Muxuan’s voice was ice-cold. Just hearing it was enough to send a shiver down your spine.

“What do you mean, ‘do whatever I want’...?”

Qin Heng stared at her, utterly bewildered. He had no idea what she meant.

Ning Muxuan ignored him and sat back down, her face cold. After that, no matter what Qin Heng said, she didn’t look up at him once. She either gave a simple “Mm” or ignored him outright.

Qin Heng looked helpless. He couldn’t figure out what he’d done to upset the young lady this time.

Was Sis trying to do something with that pose just now?........... He’d only gone to look for the air conditioner remote. He was gone for just a little while—was there really any need to react like that?

—The air conditioner...?

A few old memories flashed through Qin Heng’s mind as he thought back to Ning Muxuan’s pose just now.......

He thought he might have figured it out.

Surely not... right?

He glanced at Ning Muxuan on the sofa again. She sat there in silence, still as cold as ever. Qin Heng was at a loss.

He had to at least try. If this young lady stayed mad, he’d be in for a rough time, tooヽ(ー_ー )ノ