Even though she could sleep in on the weekend, Zixiao still woke up before seven.

That was just how her body clock worked. Going to bed late didn’t mean she could sleep in.

Of course, that wasn’t the main reason. The real reason was that Yuche had told her yesterday to come to Yuzhe’s door at nine.

What was she going to hear, exactly? Zixiao was actually pretty curious.

So she couldn’t sleep. She got up, washed up, and made herself something to eat.

Then she made a little extra and put it in the warmer, so her brother and Yuche could have something when they got up.

After that, there was nothing to do. She waited on the sofa until nine, then got up and headed for Yuzhe’s room.

She pressed her ear against the doorframe to hear what Yuche wanted her to hear.

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

Meanwhile, Yuzhe and Yuche were already up in the room.

Yuche was still clinging tightly to Yuzhe and wouldn’t let go.

That clingy little sister of his must’ve been the reason Yuzhe dreamed about an octopus last night.

There was nothing he could do. Looking into Yuche’s bright, watery-blue eyes, Yuzhe could only remind her, “Um... Yuche, it’s nearly nine, isn’t it? How about we get up now, get ready, and go shopping at the mall?”

Yuche looked reluctant. “Just five more minutes of hugging... No, ten...”

“Don’t push your luck! And why isn’t it five more minutes of sleep? If you’re not going back to sleep, then get up already!”

Yuzhe felt like his comeback game was getting stronger by the day.

At last, after they really did spend another ten minutes hugging, Yuche reluctantly let go of Yuzhe.

Finally free, Yuzhe quickly stretched. Being held in a tight hug all night really hadn’t been comfortable.

But even after letting go of Yuzhe, Yuche’s mind was already racing.

Then, as if she’d just thought of something, she smiled. “Big Brother, I think I’ve pinned my hand under myself and it’s gone numb. I can’t really move. Can you help me get dressed?”

Yuzhe glanced at Yuche’s loose pajamas, still hanging off her after she’d just woken up. The white T-shirt and black pleated skirt she’d picked out were folded on the bedside table, with a pair of white thigh-high socks on top.

Next to them were two more pieces of underwear... Yep, pure white, too.

Wait, what had she just said? She wanted him to dress her?

“No, if your hand’s numb, just wait a bit...”

“Hehe, I’m kidding. I knew Big Brother wouldn’t dare help me get dressed. It’s okay, I won’t make things hard for you. I’ll change by myself.”

Huh? It was rare for Yuche to show a shred of consideration. Just as Yuzhe thought she really didn’t want to make things awkward for him...

Yuche swiftly pulled off her pajamas before Yuzhe had even turned away. She’d clearly done it on purpose, and fast.

Seeing Yuche completely undressed made Yuzhe’s mind go blank. He instinctively turned his head the other way, and his silver hair brushed Yuche’s cheek, tickling her a little.

“You! At least tell me before you start changing!”

“Hehehe... Big Brother, did I scare you?”

“You nearly scared me to death!”

But since Yuzhe had turned away, he didn’t see Yuche’s face turn bright red. She really had gone for it!

Yuzhe could barely keep his composure. “Y-you’d better get changed. I’ll face this way. Let me know when you’re done.”

“Got it! You can sneak a peek, Big Brother!”

“I’m not going to!”

There was a rustling behind him. She was probably getting dressed. Yuzhe couldn’t believe how much trouble this was.

After a good while, Yuche’s light voice sounded from behind him. “I’m done changing, Big Brother. You can turn around now.”

“You’re done...? Then, next, I...”

Yuzhe slowly turned around, about to talk about what they’d do next, but he stopped before he could finish.

Yuche was standing in front of him in her underwear. She hadn’t put the rest of her clothes on at all!

“You’re not even done getting dressed!”

“Ehehe, mission accomplished! Seeing Big Brother make that face first thing in the morning is so satisfying!”

Little sister, you’re really something.

After a back-and-forth of wits, Yuche finally got dressed.

Yuzhe felt like she’d put him through the wringer—mentally, at least.

In the end, Yuzhe still had to help Yuche put on her white thigh-high socks, at her insistence.

Dressed and satisfied, Yuche left the room and ran into Zixiao, who’d been listening at the door the whole time.

After closing the door, Yuche looked at Zixiao, who seemed deep in thought.

Yuche figured what she’d told her yesterday had just been proven. “So? Big Brother’s calm act is just for show. I wasn’t lying, was I?”

“I mean, you’re not wrong.” After hearing their conversation, Zixiao couldn’t argue. “I’ve never seen Big Brother panic like that. You were right, Yuche. I think I could learn from you...”

“No, you couldn’t.” Yuche cut Zixiao off again.

“Why not?” Zixiao asked, confused.

“You’re asking why? Because you’re a total amateur.” Yuche gave her a dismissive smile. “Forget everything else. Would you dare take a bath with Big Brother?”

“No.” Zixiao answered instantly. Okay, she got it. Sometimes you just couldn’t copy an expert’s moves. She didn’t have the skill—give her the answers and she still couldn’t copy them.

Being a newbie is a crime!

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

By the time all three were ready to leave, it was already past ten in the morning.

That was perfect. They could head to the mall, have lunch, and then shop to their hearts’ content, with plenty of time to get back before evening.

But as the three of them stepped out of the apartment building, they suddenly ran into a problem.

Yuzhe pulled out his phone and checked the map, looking a little troubled.

“Unless I’m reading this wrong, the mall in West City is fifteen kilometers from here?! I thought it was close. Is Fenghai City really that big?”

Zixiao sighed. “Big Brother’s been cooped up inside for too long. You don’t even know what the outside world is like anymore.”

Yuche said nothing, just looked Yuzhe up and down.

“What?” Yuzhe started to feel uneasy under her gaze.

“Nothing,” Yuche explained. “I just think that trench coat doesn’t suit you at all. You could wear something much prettier, so why wear something so plain?”

“Doesn’t it look cool?!” Yuzhe didn’t get it. His trench coat was obviously so cool!

“...Big Brother looks good in anything, really. But if I had a choice, I think something pretty would suit you better.”

“Denied.”

Yuzhe quickly shot her down. He could tell what Yuche was thinking, and Zixiao beside her looked ready to agree at any moment...

Pretty clothes? He had a bad feeling about this.

But Zixiao was still focused on the problem at hand. “So how are we getting there? Should I call a taxi? I remember Big Brother doesn’t like having the family drivers pick us up... You said those luxury cars attract too much attention.”

Yuzhe shook his head. He’d already made arrangements.

“No need. A taxi isn’t necessary. I called Uncle Lin earlier and asked him to send a driver. I also asked him to find a car that wouldn’t attract too much attention. Anything that gets us there will do.”

The Uncle Lin Yuzhe mentioned was the Su Family’s old butler, whose full name was Lin Muan. He’d served the Su Family for decades. Though he was nearly seventy now, many of the family’s day-to-day affairs still had to be handled by Uncle Lin.

Yuzhe was used to calling him Uncle Lin. After all, many people in the Su Family called the old butler that.

Yuzhe had timed it just right. A few minutes later, a black sedan pulled up in front of them. It wasn’t cheap and could just about be called a luxury car, but it wasn’t flashy either. It wouldn’t attract much attention on the road.

The front passenger door opened at once, and an elderly man in a tailcoat stepped out.

His hair had turned white, and his neatly trimmed beard was almost entirely white as well.

But he didn’t seem frail or old. He stood perfectly straight, and his already tall frame looked even more vigorous in the tailcoat.

As soon as he got out, he hurriedly gave Yuzhe and the others a slight bow. “Young Master, Young Miss, and Miss Zixiao, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. As soon as I received your call, I hurried over, but it seems I’m still a little late.”

Yuzhe hurried over and helped the old butler straighten up. “Hey, Uncle Lin, how many times have I said this? You don’t have to be so formal with me every time. And you’re not late at all. You’re right on time.”

But Uncle Lin didn’t see it that way. “Young Master, the rules are the rules. Courtesy must be observed at all times. Showing you respect is something I must do.”

Uh... Better not say too much. Uncle Lin had personally taught Yuzhe etiquette back when he was learning it, so he was practically half a teacher. If Yuzhe kept talking, Uncle Lin would probably start lecturing him about proper manners again.

Despite appearances, he was the most rule-abiding person Yuzhe had ever met.

After exchanging a few more words, Uncle Lin returned to the front passenger seat, while the three of them climbed into the back.

Somehow, Yuzhe ended up in the middle again. The middle seat was the worst.

There was enough room for all three of them in the back, but for some reason, Yuche and Zixiao were both squeezing toward the middle. Yuzhe didn’t know which way to lean.

Whenever he leaned toward Zixiao, he could clearly see Yuche’s displeasure. And when he leaned the other way, Zixiao made the same face.

Forget it. He’d stay in the middle and let them squeeze in.

Uncle Lin glanced at the driver’s seat and signaled for him to drive extra carefully.

The driver was a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses, one of the Su Family’s professional drivers.

At that moment, he was sweating bullets. He knew who the three people in the back were. Even Lin Muan, his direct superior and the family’s old butler, treated them with such respect. Could they be the three children of the Su Family’s main branch?!

He’d never driven so cautiously in his life. One little accident, and his life would be over ahead of schedule.

All he could do was focus one hundred and twenty percent on the road ahead.

As the car rolled smoothly along, Yuzhe asked Lin Muan in the front, “Uncle Lin, is Auntie Lin doing well?”

“Thank you for asking, Young Master. Thanks to you, my wife is in fairly good health. Everything’s going well.”

“Ah, that’s good.”

It was only polite to ask, but whenever Yuzhe talked with the stiff and formal Uncle Lin, he found it hard to keep a conversation going. He hadn’t expected Uncle Lin to bring up a subject of his own so quickly.

“Young Master, there’s something I’m not sure I should say, but I feel I have to. About you and the head of the family... I still hope you’ll speak with him of your own accord. Given his temper, the head of the family won’t back down. If you refuse to budge as well, no one can say how long things will stay this way.”

He paused, then continued. “I don’t want to see things like this, whether for the head of the family or for you, Young Master. I’m getting old, too. I can’t keep helping you sort this out forever...”

“I understand, Uncle Lin.” Yuzhe’s expression grew serious. “It’s just that the reasons behind all this are complicated. Don’t worry, Uncle Lin. I’ll work it out myself eventually, but I can’t do it right now.”

“Exactly!” Yuche, who was holding Yuzhe’s arm beside him, sounded annoyed too. “Big Brother doesn’t need to say anything to Father. He’s the one who was wrong in the first place. How can he expect Big Brother to talk to him if he won’t apologize first?!”

Yuzhe lightly tapped Yuche on the head and chided her. “Mind your manners.”

Yuche didn’t pull away. Instead, she hugged Yuzhe’s arm even tighter.

Zixiao was only copying her. She was such an amateur that she didn’t dare hug him outright; she just moved a little closer to Yuzhe.

Lin Muan seemed to have expected that answer from Yuzhe. “As long as you know what you’re doing, Young Master. You and the head of the family can’t keep going on like this forever.”

Yuzhe nodded. Uncle Lin had always worried this much about his affairs.

But when it came to his father, it really wasn’t the right time to deal with things yet.

The car came to a stop in the underground parking garage of West City Mall. The three got out and headed for the elevator that went straight from the garage into the mall.

Zixiao and Yuche stood on either side of Yuzhe, like two guardian deities protecting him.

It made Yuzhe feel awkward, but there was nothing he could do about it. It might sound a little strange, but whenever he went out with the two of them, this was usually how things went—as if they were trying to hide him between them.

But before they could leave, Lin Muan called out to Yuzhe. “Young Master, the Su Family’s security system is all set. You can wait a little longer—the bodyguards will be here soon.”

“Huh?” Yuzhe waved a hand, indicating that there was no need. “It’s fine, Uncle Lin. Don’t arrange any bodyguards. We’re just going to the mall. There’s no need to make such a big deal out of it. You should go take care of whatever you need to. Have the driver wait here. We’ll probably head back this afternoon.”

“All right. As you wish, Young Master. You and the two young ladies should be careful.”

“I know.”

With that, Yuzhe led Yuche and Zixiao into the elevator.

Uncle Lin watched them leave. He might have said he’d follow Yuzhe’s instructions,

but that didn’t mean the cautious old butler was at ease.

So he took out his phone and dialed a number. “Hello, security? The Young Master and the two young ladies are at West City Mall now. Don’t follow them—the Young Master doesn’t like having people trail behind him. Your job is to screen everyone who enters the mall from now on. If you spot anyone suspicious, report it to me.”

His brisk, decisive tone sounded nothing like an old man’s. “You must ensure the Young Master and the young ladies’ safety. Nothing can go wrong!”

If Yuzhe were still there, he’d have been completely speechless.

We’re really just going to the mall!