"Elder sister, elder sister?"
The tender young man, who was almost ten, called out to her, making Xiao Xiao fall into a slight daze without realizing it.
"Mm—what is it?"
Xiao Xiao came back to herself as if waking from a dream.
"I just felt that elder sister was distracted. After elder sister falls asleep this time, I don't know how long it will be before you wake again."
Xiao Se's dim yellow eyes lowered slightly. Although elder sister had never said anything about his growth each time she woke, some things could be felt even without being spoken aloud.
There was a discrepancy between elder sister's perception of time and his own. To elder sister, he was growing every day, almost going from an infant to his current appearance in the blink of an eye.
This was something elder sister had never mentioned to him, but it was also something he had sensed long ago.
"Ah, was I too distracted? Mm, sometimes if I'm not careful, I easily end up like this—"
Xiao Xiao scratched her head, but she could not possibly tell him what she was really thinking. If this silly little fool misunderstood something, who knew what foolish thing he might do?
The worry in Xiao Se's eyes did not fade. Xiao Xiao could not help giving a soft cough. "Or is Xiao Se a little reluctant to part with elder sister?"
"Rather than reluctant, it is more like worried?"
"Mm... worried?"
Xiao Xiao could not help pinching Xiao Se's cheek and gave a soft snort. "You're still so little. Do you really understand what worry means?"
"Elder sister taught me that."
Xiao Se did not think there was anything inappropriate about what he said. With his cheek being kneaded by her, he replied somewhat indistinctly.
"Then