“Mom!”

“Nianyi, sweetie~ Come here and let Mom hug you! Honey, Nianyi’s home!”

“Hahaha, come here. Dad’ll hold you. Honey, go get dinner started.”

“Mmm~ Dad’s stubble~ It’s so scratchy!”

“Oh no, Nianyi’s starting to reject Dad! Dad’s heartbroken!”

“No! I love Dad the most!!!”

“Hahaha, all right, all right.”

“The way our Nian’er smiles is so cute, don’t you think, dear?”

“Mm-hmm, of course! Little Nianyi’s smile is the light of hope that saves Mom and Dad!!!”

“Hehe, I love Mom and Dad the most!”

“Nianyi, always face life with a smile, okay? It’ll bring you good luck.”

“Mm!!!”

……………

“Sis… Could you at least come help me? This stuff is really heavy!”

In the hallway, a young man complained to his “unarmed” older sister beside him.

He was carrying a huge stack of documents, piled as high as a mountain. His sister, meanwhile, was as empty-handed as an honest official from the history books, with the heaviest thing on her being—the lollipop in her mouth, which took all her effort to suck on.

“Come on, this lollipop’s really hard, and it’s kind of big. It takes so much effort to eat.”

“……”

If she’d kept quiet, he could’ve put up with her—she was his older sister, after all. But the moment she said that, the veins in his forehead nearly popped.

“Do you want to listen to what you just said?”

His sister tapped him on the head, looking like she couldn’t believe how hopeless he was, then began earnestly lecturing him.

“Hey, bro, I’m only doing this for your own good. Haven’t you figured that out?”

“And what, exactly, is your brilliant advice?”

The young man was already carrying a mountain of documents. Now someone was tapping him on the head, too. Even with his normally mild temper, he was starting to get irritated. He gritted his teeth and asked his sister, who was enjoying the show, one word at a time.

“Just think about it. You’re carrying a whole pile of documents. When you get back to the office, what will that show everyone? Your manliness!”

“We’re about to reach the Student Council office, and Nianyi’s probably already there as president. Just imagine—you take all the work on yourself…”

“Hehe, what do you think Senior Nianyi will think of you?”

The young man paused at that. When he heard the name “Nianyi,” a look of yearning appeared on his face. Then he gave a slight cough.

“Sis, you’re overthinking it. Senior N-Nianyi has never been someone who cares about appearances. What she’s always valued is a person’s inner abilities.”

His sister just snorted at that and kicked him in the shin.

“Oh, so now you know all about her? You make it sound like you understand her so well.”

“All you ever do is talk. I’ve never seen you actually put in any effort.”

“If you know her so well, why can’t you even talk to her without getting all tongue-tied?”

The young man looked utterly helpless.

“Senior Nianyi, she— Forget it. Just don’t get involved in my business. I know what I’m doing.”

“Heh.”

…………

From their conversation, it was easy to tell that they were both members of this academy’s Student Council.

The young man was Xu Mo, a newly promoted third-year student and a team leader in the Student Council.

He was over six feet tall, handsome, gentle in manner, and well-spoken. His grades were excellent, too. He was the kind of “dream boyfriend”—a warm, gentle guy every girl liked.

The lazy, carefree young woman beside him, lollipop dangling from her mouth, was his older sister, Xu Yan.

They were almost the same age, but Xu Yan was more lively. She’d been born a few seconds earlier, claimed the title of “older sister,” and had been ordering Xu Mo around ever since—as if she could command the whole world…

Xu Yan was very pretty, too. She was just a little short, like a middle-school girl, and had a pair of launch ramps that even a Boeing 747 would rave about…

Neither her personality nor her figure had even the slightest hint of an older sister about her.

The two walked side by side, with Xu Yan still trying her hardest to brainwash Xu Mo, rambling on about all the vast experience she’d gathered during her twenty years of being single.

Xu Mo, meanwhile, stayed perfectly calm, only answering every so often.

“Oh.” “Mm.” “Right, right.”

What Xu Mo hadn’t expected was that after finishing her lollipop, Xu Yan would stick the stick right into his mouth.

Then he heard a little chuckle from beside him.

“There aren’t any trash cans around here~ Mind tossing it for me later~?”

Xu Mo just stared at her blankly. Inside, he thought…

It’s fine. It’s fine.

I’m not mad. Not mad.

She’s your own sister. Your own sister.

You’re just unlucky. You deserve it. You deserve it ×n.

If anyone’s to blame…

Blame yourself for being so useless back then—for crawling too slowly!!

Xu Yan completely ignored Xu Mo, who was still muttering under his breath, and kept right on rambling.

“...Honestly, Xiao Mozi, it’s been two years. Why don’t you just go tell Senior Nianyi—”

“Oh! President! What a coincidence!”

Xu Yan’s startled cry suddenly snapped Xu Mo out of his muttering.

“Wha—!”

When Xu Mo saw the lovely figure up ahead, he panicked. The documents in his arms nearly slipped to the floor, his face suddenly began to burn, and the moment his eyes met the young woman’s, he had no idea where to look.

…………

The young woman standing beneath the cherry tree ahead was none other than the “Senior Nianyi” Xu Yan and Xu Mo had been talking about.

Her full name was Qing Nianyi.

She was tall and long-limbed, dressed in a flowing gown that faded from ink-black to white. Her beautiful dark-golden hair fell over her shoulders. Her face was fair as snow, her eyes clear as autumn water. Her slender brows curved like delicate crescent moons, naturally lovely without makeup. She had a high, shapely nose and soft red lips. When she spoke, her teeth gleamed white as jade. She was graceful and willowy, with willow-leaf brows veiled in a misty green and a red-sand touch to her lips. Her pale-violet eyes held a warm, hazy light. Bright yet deep, they were like a still, clear lake, radiating a gentle warmth. Every gesture she made was elegant.

What drew the eye most, though, was the row of translucent golden scales etched along her fair, snow-white collarbone. From a distance, they looked like a golden chain, adding another touch of splendor to her gentle, refined air.

And those scales were proof of Qing Nianyi’s noble status—dragon scales.

……

Qing Nianyi had naturally noticed the two beside the path. She gently smoothed her hair and smiled warmly; wherever her gaze fell, even the peach blossoms seemed to lose their color.

A smile touched the corners of Qing Nianyi’s eyes, and her cherry-red lips parted.

“Good morning, you two.”

Qing Nianyi gave them a gentle wave.

At the sound of her voice, Xu Yan eagerly rushed over, wrapped her arms around Qing Nianyi, and started snuggling up to her.

“Good morning, my dear President~”

Qing Nianyi looked down at the tiny Xu Yan in front of her and affectionately patted her head.

Xu Mo could only watch from the side, still holding all the documents and unsure what to say…