Hmm

Tang Yao took multiple transfers and finally arrived home a little past 2 PM, taking out her key to open the door.

Since it wasn't the usual time, unlike before, there wasn't a girl holding clothes and scrutinizing her.

Although Tang Yao always complained... Tang Xun's gaze was like she was confirming if her older sister was still alive.

But for the first time in a while, she was returning home without being scrutinized, and she actually felt a little unaccustomed to it.

You could only say that damn habits are truly terrifying!

"…Time to get to work."

Tang Yao looked at the clean room tidied up by Xun, and smiled faintly. While thinking about random things, she walked back to her room, ready to start working.

Time was tight and the task was heavy.

She had told Shang Tao that two manga would be moved up for early release, but she hadn't mentioned that one of them would require new art...

So she didn't have much time left. She had to finish the first few chapters of Fate Zero by Sunday.

If she couldn't finish it... if she couldn't finish it, she'd be doomed!

There was no possibility of that!

Although drawing so much in a short period was indeed a headache.

But luckily, Tang Yao had already started preparing. She had been pondering the storyboards for the past few days, so she wasn't starting from scratch.

She could only count herself fortunate.

"Let's burn the midnight oil."

Tang Yao sat at her desk, took a deep breath, and then leaned over to start drawing.

Soon, the room fell silent, with only the rustling sound of a pencil on paper echoing continuously.

Time slowly passed.

The afternoon sun spilled into the small, cramped living room, then gradually slanted and moved... eventually turning into the orange hues of sunset.

The only constant was the rustling sound of a pencil on paper, still echoing.

Crrrack--

As the sunset disappeared from the living room.

The sound of a lock turning echoed, and the front door opened again. A youthful girl with a high ponytail, wearing a loose school uniform, walked in carrying two plastic bags.

Upon entering, she first put down the plastic bags in her hands, then turned to close the door. After bending down to change her shoes, she picked up the plastic bags again, muttering softly, "Pork rib soup, garlic bok choy, bitter melon beef..."

Suddenly.

Tang Xun's muttering stopped because she reached the door of the room and saw her sister.

"..."

Tang Xun turned her head to look at Tang Yao, who was completely focused, and was slightly stunned, somewhat surprised... then as if she thought of something, her body tensed up, and she immediately scrutinized her sister from head to toe.

Tang Yao maintained excellent posture, so even while sitting, she was still eye-catching, her graceful curves were practically perfect.

...There was nothing strange, she had simply poured all her attention onto the drawing paper.

Noticing this.

Tang Xun slowly relaxed, then thought for a moment, walked over to Tang Yao's side, and looked down at the drawing paper—a woman in a flowing battle skirt, dignified and beautiful, stood before a church stained-glass window, turning her head to look at the camera, or rather, at someone, asking, "[Tell me, are you my Master?]"

...It seemed to be a line of dialogue.

Tang Xun looked at the heroic female character on the paper for a while, then shifted her gaze upward, focusing on her sister's soft, beautiful profile.

She couldn't quite understand her sister's thoughts. First it was heads and balloons, and now it was... a female knight?

She didn't understand.

"Why did you come back so early today?"

Tang Xun stood to the side, watching silently for a long time. Seeing that her sister hadn't noticed her at all, she could only speak up to remind her.

"!!!"

Tang Yao was completely immersed in the world of the manga. The sudden sound by her ear startled her... She clutched her chest with both hands and flinched to the side, looking a little scared.

Tang Xun: "..."

"Xun... Why do you walk so silently?"

A few seconds later.

Tang Yao finally saw clearly who was standing beside her. She gently patted her chest and let out a sigh of relief.

Tang Xun looked at her sister: "I've been standing next to you for almost ten minutes."

"Really? Then maybe I was just too focused."

Tang Yao sat up straight again... She probably knew how engrossed she had been just now, scratching her cheek sheepishly. "I had something urgent, so I came back early... Oh right, welcome home."

As she spoke.

Tang Yao suddenly thought of something... and raised her head again, beginning to scrutinize the girl standing beside her.

It was because Xun was standing so close that Tang Yao could only start from her flat stomach, slowly tracing the curve of her waist, then sweeping over her proud, ample chest that even her loose school uniform couldn't hide, finally settling on her cute, slightly childish face.

She had to admit.

Her own sister was truly beautiful.

Tang Yao sincerely exclaimed in her heart.

Tang Xun noticed her sister's gaze wandering over her. She didn't dodge, but a hint of confusion appeared in her eyes: "...What's wrong?"

"See, everyone would ask, right?"

Tang Yao put on a mischievous expression, propped her chin in her hand, and tilted her head, saying, "To be suddenly scrutinized from head to toe."

Tang Xun realized, "...Revenge?"

"Mhm."

"You're so childish."

"Right?"

"...I mean you, not the act of scrutinizing others. I scrutinize you every day for a reason."

"Oh, then tell me about it, sister."

"..."

"I know, don't worry about me."

Although Tang Xun remained silent and didn't speak, Tang Yao guessed her sister's thoughts. She removed her hand from her chin and leaned back in her chair, stretching her body as if to show the girl beside her that she was fine: "I've moved on. I won't break down like last week. Don't worry."

Speaking of which.

Tang Yao glanced at the manuscript she had drawn on the table, smiled softly, picked up one of the pages, and turned to show it to Tang Xun: "Your sister is working diligently every day now."

"..."

Tang Xun looked at the smile on her sister's face. After a long silence, she finally... gently nodded.

Then, her gaze slowly shifted down to the female knight on the drawing paper: "Is this a new manga?"

"Mhm."

Tang Yao put down the drawing paper, looking at the Artoria Pendragon depicted on it, also known as Saber, with a nostalgic expression. She said softly, "A new manga... Xun, do you believe I can make all the manga readers call her name next week?"

It was indeed quite nostalgic.

Even though Fate Zero's pacing, plot, and art were still excellent even after a few years.

But the world wasn't static, and the stories audiences wanted to see were constantly changing.

As time passed, the core themes of many anime stories were no longer accepted by newer audiences.

The most obvious example would be Toradora, perhaps. From the perspective of audiences back then, it was a masterpiece of school romance, and the female lead could have won "Moe King" in '09.

But many of the new generation of viewers weren't buying into it.

The phrase "tsundere is out of meta" wasn't just a joke.

It was truly out of meta now.

Times were changing, and everything was moving forward, regardless of human will... Of course, perhaps in a few years, when the economic situation improves, the tolerance and aesthetics of the new generation might return to that era.

And while Fate Zero wasn't completely out of touch with the times, it was indeed a product of the old era, facing criticisms like being overly pretentious and having a severe chuunibyou vibe.

By the time Tang Yao transmigrated, that IP was already in the category of "memories worth cherishing."

So, she was indeed quite nostalgic.

She was also a member of the old era.

All she could say was, thankfully... this world hadn't reached that stage yet.

Tang Xun heard her sister's words and was silent for a moment: "...Today is already Thursday."

"It's a fantasy, so you have to be bold."

Tang Yao turned to look at her sister, who was deflating her enthusiasm. She didn't mind, just smiled lightly: "Besides, if you don't dare to dream, how can you make big money?"

"Also, you have to remember this, Xun."

Speaking of which.

Tang Yao thought for a moment and decided to try and resolve the girl's inner conflict.

She directly turned her chair to face the girl beside her, then gently took her small hand and said softly, "If you have something you want to do, you must tell me. As long as it's within reason, I will support you no matter what. Don't worry about the money, and don't despair because your goal seems too far away.

Dreams, in the end, are expectations for the future. Once you despair, hesitate, or retreat, you'll quickly forget them.

At least, you have to try. Your sister will always support you, understand?"

In her previous life.

She was the one who hesitated, worried about this and that, and ultimately forgot her original dream, never even trying.

She didn't want the girl in front of her to be like her.

She'd earn the money later.

Even if she had to become a manga artist.

"..."

Tang Xun's small hand gently rested on her sister's palm, the usual cool demeanor fading significantly. She was like a well-behaved kitten.

She looked at her serious sister, pursed her cherry lips, and instead of her usual half-joking reply, she obediently nodded, "Mm."

"Also, thank you for your hard work during this time."

Tang Yao glanced at the plastic bag filled with vegetables and meat by her feet, a hint of apology in her voice as she said softly, "Even if I came back early, I couldn't help you share the burden..."

"..."

Hearing this, Tang Xun immediately put on an expression that said, 'You're talking nonsense again.' She then pulled her small hand away from her sister's palm, instantly reverting to her cool maiden persona. "You're my real sister."

As she spoke, she picked up the plastic bag by her feet, turned, and walked toward the door. "Even if you really become a shut-in and stop doing anything, I'll still take care of you."

Tang Yao blinked, feeling something was off. "Isn't it the other way around?"

"It's not."

"I'm the older sister, right?"

"It's not."

Tang Xun walked towards the semi-open kitchen on the balcony, her voice drifting back.