Su Qing'an Is an Older Brother

Su Qing'an looked at Seele was sitting upright opposite him, and didn't know how to start a conversation.

He glanced at the clock on the wall.

Eight o'clock in the morning.

At this moment, Seele was clumsily eating with chopsticks, staring intently at the green peppers on the stir-fried pork with green peppers, as if pondering whether it was safe to eat.

The girl recalled the taste of the vegetable-like dish when she ate green pepper beef yesterday. Thinking about it, she frowned, secretly brushed off the green pepper with her chopsticks, and then picked up a piece of shredded meat and put it in her mouth.

Su Qing'an watched the other person's subtle movements and awkwardly replied:

"... Children shouldn't be picky eaters, or they'll suffer from nutritional imbalances."

Although his words seemed somewhat unconvincing given the abundance of meat dishes on the table, Seele still hesitated for a moment over Su Qing'an's warning before choosing to continue eating meat.

After carefully chewing her food, she looked up at the boy's face, hesitated for a moment, and then asked the question that had been buried in her heart for a long time:

"You picked me up, are you going to take me in?"

When Seele asked that question, she had already weighed the options in her mind.

If given a choice, and assuming the person in front of me is an exceptionally stupid person, being adopted by him would undoubtedly be the best outcome.

Even knowing that this could potentially implicate the other party in contact with the research institute's forces, and that they would almost inevitably encounter a lot of trouble and even danger, Seele still had no intention of leaving immediately.

Having experienced such a life, the little girl who was pulled back to a clear-headed world by Su Qing'an from a state of confusion was no longer as innocent as she once was.

Or rather, she is trying to remind herself that she can no longer be so naive.

At the same time, Seele told herself that she didn't have to be as obedient as before; being a little willful and making herself happier would help her overcome the pain she had suffered in the past.

... The most obvious manifestation of this is that girls who would never be picky eaters because something tastes bad are now starting to refuse to eat foods they don't like.

For example, green peppers.

Her ability to execute these small details is, in a sense, surprisingly strong.

In short, from the little girl's current perspective, if we consider only rational thinking and personal interests, staying by the other person's side is the best solution.

Upon hearing Su Qing'an, Su Qing'an nodded in confirmation of her guess.

He had already made the necessary plans when he picked the other person up.

Handing Seele over to a local welfare institution or sending her directly to the police would be a direct route back to hell, and it's perfectly normal for a laboratory researching this mysterious power to have such authority.

Moreover, even if Seele is just an ordinary girl without any special characteristics, the treatment she receives without a registered residence is truly unsettling.

Therefore, adopting the other person yourself is the best option.

In fact, if Seele hadn't possessed sufficient Honkai Energy to survive Honkai outbreak, Su Qing'an might have handled the situation in a completely different way.

The boy understood his own personality deeply; once he spent time with this child, he would find it difficult to accept the child's inevitable death.

But now, Su Qing'an has already made it clear that she is still responsible for the adoption even after the Honkai occurs.

To be honest, it wasn't until Seele actually asked the question that he truly felt the reality of soon having another family member.

For Su Qing'an, who lacks this element, family ties are like an unbreakable bond.

Looking at Seele's puzzled and conflicted face, he suddenly understood a bit of the feeling that Murata Himeko had when she looked at him before.

[Little one, don't meddle in adult matters.]

Memories are always so cloying; in a fleeting moment of inattention, they can streak across the heart like a shooting star, revealing beautiful colors that may not have been shown at the time.

At that time, the red-haired woman rubbed his head and complained, spouting illogical nonsense. But before falling asleep, she gently whispered some tender, elder-like advice in the boy's ear.

It was a strange yet inexplicably warm relationship, and it was Murata Himeko's natural and unhurried attitude in stepping into his life that allowed Su Qing'an to quickly accept this destiny that had been passed down from his original self.

The conflicted expression on Seele's face suddenly vanished. As if she had figured something out, she asked frankly:

"Then... what should I call you?"

So that's what you were thinking about, that's why you looked troubled. Suddenly, Su Qing'an pondered Seele's problem and fell into deep thought.

In his mind, he could simply have Seele call him by his name.

Su Qing'an didn't care whether it was impolite or not, but when he put himself in the little girl's shoes, he immediately realized that the meaning of this form of address held drastically different weights in their hearts.

The boy himself understood that he would not choose to abandon the other person, so this form of address was just that—a form of address.

But Seele is different.

She felt genuinely confused and uneasy about why she had been rescued, why she had received such kindness, and why she had been treated this way.

The warmth without a source felt like it could be taken away at any moment, making the little girl inevitably feel anxious and insecure.

Seele needs concrete words and genuine validation to fill the void in this reasoning.

Under the gaze of those deep blue eyes, the boy opened his lips and said earnestly:

"If Seele is willing, you can treat me as your older brother."

The deep blue in the girl's eyes lit up and shone brightly the moment she heard the answer. She pursed her lips and said softly:

"My elder brother..."

The thought of relying on the other person to shelter from the storms of the outside world is undeniably present in one's heart; it is a utilitarian and realistic idea. At the same time, the warmth that overflows from one's chest when the answer is received is also a real and undeniable thing.

Seele looked directly into the boy's dark eyes without flinching, and said clearly and calmly:

"Then Su Qing'an is Seele's brother."

After the girl finished speaking, a pure and innocent smile appeared on her face.

Beneath this unashamed and hesitant speech and smile, however, lies an unavoidable deliberate attempt to ingratiate oneself.

After doing this, will I feel a little more at ease accepting the other person's kindness?

Even though she forced herself to become less naive than before, she still couldn't control her emotions.

These are clever words that contain elements of manipulation, but they are also Seele's true feelings.

Perhaps it's still difficult to completely transform into another version of herself, but Su Qing'an's help has subconsciously made her no longer afraid of being abandoned in the future.

It was as if just recalling this person's confident tone and smile was enough for her to know that he was worthy of her complete trust.

Having truly come to understand the wickedness of the world and the depravity of human nature, the gloom and darkness that had accumulated in Seele's heart gradually began to affect her original personality. However, Su Qing'an arrived as promised just as the girl's values were about to be reshaped, changing the girl's destined fate.

The boy gave her only a small amount of light and warmth, but that was enough to change so much.

Hearing the other person's unexpectedly straightforward and decisive response, Su Qing'an looked directly into the other person's bright eyes and felt that this child was really cute.

Brother? Perhaps this identity, which I've never held before, isn't so bad.

If Su Qing'an had any similar experience, it would be his attitude towards Bronya. Their relationship was more like that of siblings than friends.

Speaking of which... does the gift I put in the coffee machine count as a gift?

Recalling the little girl's disappointed yet faint smile as she hugged the gift, it seemed as if she had grown up a lot in that instant...

Does growing up always come at this price?

Su Qing'an ultimately disliked this ending, even though life was never his top priority, and in many things, it would be the last thing on his mind.

But the concern of others adds extra weight to it, making the meaning of death so heavy.

Su Qing'an immediately shook off these thoughts. He needed to take his conversation with Seele seriously. In a stage where neither of them knew each other well, being perfunctory would be disrespectful to both his own choice and the other person.

The boy smiled at the girl and said softly:

"You don't have to force yourself to call me that. It might feel strange to suddenly call a stranger 'brother,' so just call me by my name."

Seele paused for a moment, then nodded her head slightly, letting out a soft murmur to indicate that she understood.

Su Qing'an glanced at his silent phone, then rubbed his temples with his long, slender fingers in a troubled manner, and said:

"After we finish eating, I'll go see an older sister first. She can give you some clothes to wear for now, and then I'll take you to the mall to buy some more clothes."

Seele was stuffing a piece of braised pork and a spoonful of rice into her mouth, so her cheeks were slightly puffed out. In addition, the little girl tilted her head in confusion after hearing this, which made her look very cute.

Su Qing'an felt that Fu Hua would most likely like this little guy.

However, her confusion probably stems from a lack of common sense about the outside world. I'll find an opportunity to help her brush up on these basics later.

Su Qing'an stared at the little girl's dinosaur pajamas, his expression becoming somewhat subtle. He explained:

"After all, the only thing you can wear at home right now is your pajamas, but these aren't really suitable for wearing outside."

Seele swallowed her food, looked at her long tail and the little dinosaur hat draped behind her, and nodded in agreement.

This outfit makes me stand out from everyone else on the street, so just like Su Qing'an said, it's probably not suitable to wear it out.

Immediately, she asked curiously:

"Who is the older sister?"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment, but found it difficult to blurt out that it was the person she liked.

So he chose to answer with meaningful words:

"He's someone important to me."

"In any case, Seele will probably like her too."

Seele accurately caught the subtle changes in the other person's expression. She nodded as if she understood, and casually said based on her intuition:

"I know, it's my sister-in-law."

Having received a completely baffling and blunt answer, Su Qing'an choked on the rice in his mouth and coughed a few times. His expression stiffened, then he showed a helpless look, but did not directly deny it:

"Whether it's true or not, Seele shouldn't say that when she sees her."

The girl suppressed the unrestrained smile that was about to burst from the corners of her lips; so it really was true.

Will they actually say it when they meet...?

Seele did not answer the boy's question.

Su Qing'an vaguely sensed the little girl's true nature. Should she say that she had always been like this, or that she became like this after experiencing those things?

A little black devil seemed to slowly rise from beneath her adorable appearance; this Seele's personality was clearly very different from the Seele Su Qing'an knew through the game.

However, Su Qing'an could understand. Even if we disregard the fact that this was Seele Fulei from 55,000 years ago, they might not even be the same person in essence.

His own past experiences and testimonies alone demonstrate that the characters in games are very different from real people.

For example, the Yae Sakura that the boy once met.

That Miko was a complex being who could not be fully described in words.

Take Kiana, for example. She is quite different from the pure idiot I remember. Her past, which seems to be just a backdrop, is shrouded in a gray mist, making even her initial smile seem slightly distant and melancholic.

To truly know and understand someone, you can't judge them based on just a few words. This is a lesson Su Qing'an learned back in Changkong City.

Therefore, the boy was not surprised by Seele's personality.

On the contrary, he believes that this new aspect represents that he is gradually getting to know the other person.

This is a good thing.

These fragmented thoughts flashed through Su Qing'an's mind before he got up and took out a lunchbox with an insulated function from the kitchen.

When he came out, he was wearing an apron that was still on and was holding a lunchbox in a very serious manner. In Seele's eyes, this appearance was a bit out of character for him and seemed a bit too casual.

The boy earnestly instructed the little girl:

"I'm going out to find that older sister now. Seele, stay home and don't run around. I should be back soon, but if you're bored, watch some TV."

"I don't know if you know how to use the remote, but just say 'start' to the TV, and the smart features will respond automatically."

"Okay, just leave the dishes on the table after you finish eating, and I'll clean them up when I get back."

"By the way, is there anything in particular you'd like to eat tonight?"

Seele interrupted the boy's rambling, saying with displeasure:

"I'm 14 years old, I'm not a child anymore."

She recounted them as if they were her most treasured possessions:

"You don't need to say so much to Seele. I can wash the dishes myself."

"It's okay if I come back later. I'm used to it. I don't feel lonely even if I spend a whole day alone doing nothing."

"As for dinner, although she was a bit picky earlier, Seele can actually eat anything."

Su Qing'an chuckled to herself. Was this being strong-willed or being sensible?

It's really hard to tell just by listening to the tone of voice.

The boy reached out to stroke the girl's head, but his fingertips only touched her dark blue hair before Seele gently pulled them away. She stared at his face and lectured him:

"Don't touch Seele's head."

"Okay, okay, I got it. I'm heading out now."

As Su Qing'an answered, he secretly noted down the little girl's request.

Immediately, he took off his apron, put on his trench coat, and stepped out of the entrance hall with his lunchbox in hand.

Then... a small, fair hand tugged at the boy's clothes.