"Little brother, open the door. It's your big sister."
Early in the morning, Xuanyuan Sheng's half-closed eyes suddenly flew open.
The knocking and shouting from outside his door left him sitting up in bed, completely bewildered.
Hadn't Sister Lexuan just told him she'd gotten him excused from class, then said she was going to hand over her teaching assistant duties so she could prepare for his apprenticeship?
Xuanyuan Sheng rubbed his forehead. The feeling of her hand gently brushing it still lingered in his mind.
Could I have been dreaming?
Outside the door, Ma Xiaotao, dressed in the campus's uniform blood-red outfit, knocked nervously. It was her first time doing something like this.
With the noisy birdsong as cover, she'd even called out, "Little brother, open the door for your big sister."
Zhang Lexuan had only just left, and now Ma Xiaotao was here doing this...
Ma Xiaotao couldn't stop her heart from pounding. She pressed a hand to her chest; its powerful, earth-shaking thumps made it clear just how unsettled she was.
She'd spent last night making meticulous calculations. It had been almost as complicated as one of Xuan Zi's field missions.
Ma Xiaotao had gotten up early and hidden on her balcony, keeping an eye on the door of the attic across the way.
Just a moment ago, her long wait had finally paid off: Zhang Lexuan had left. Like a big bad wolf waiting for the door to open, Ma Xiaotao stood outside Zhang Lexuan's home, grinning smugly.
Lexuan, now that you're gone, I'll take good care of your little brother... No... my little brother.
She heard footsteps on the other side of the door.
Her joy was plain to see.
Come on, little brother. Open the door for your big sister.
Click.
Bang—
The gust from the door slamming shut froze the smile on Ma Xiaotao's face. This wasn't quite how she'd imagined things going.
But before long, the door opened again.
A sleepy-looking boy emerged, and Ma Xiaotao immediately understood why Zhang Lexuan had been hiding her little treasure away.
If she had a little brother that handsome, she'd protect him well too. She'd never let any nearby female wolves get close to him.
Looking at the boy, Ma Xiaotao extended her hand with easy confidence. "Ma Xiaotao, your senior sister. You can just call me Sister Xiaotao."
"Xuanyuan Sheng, your eldest senior sister's little brother. Just call me Xuanyuan Sheng."
He wasn't playing by the usual rules, but he wasn't wrong. Though she and Zhang Lexuan didn't interact much, Zhang Lexuan was indeed the eldest senior sister, a figure who towered over her peers.
[Limited-time mini-task: Start building a closer relationship with how you address each other. Successfully complete it to receive ten days' worth of Soul Power cultivation progress.]
It could even give him Soul Power cultivation? The system just kept coming up with surprises.
Ma Xiaotao raised an eyebrow at Xuanyuan Sheng. "What, you don't welcome your senior sister? Why are you looking so guarded?"
Xuanyuan Sheng rubbed his head and yawned, then let her inside.
His brain had only just booted up. The program hadn't even started responding yet.
The fact he could stand there and talk to her was already pretty good.
But had Ma Xiaotao come to see Sister Lexuan? Had she missed her when she left?
Ma Xiaotao acted as if she were in her own home. Like a lion inspecting its territory, she made a lap around the living room, then sat down beside Xuanyuan Sheng.
"Don't worry. I live right next door to you two, but I hardly ever come back, so you might not know me."
She wasn't lying. She usually had to suppress her Evil Fire, so she rarely had a chance to stay home.
She'd only come back to her attic for a few days of proper rest on a whim after being out and about for several days.
But... the name Xuanyuan Sheng seemed familiar. She just couldn't remember where she'd heard it.
Xuanyuan Sheng nodded.
So she lived nearby and had come over to say hello. Too bad Sister Lexuan wasn't home.
"Little guy, what's your relationship with the eldest senior sister?"
He then felt a hand settle on his shoulder. With an expression that said she was enjoying the gossip, Ma Xiaotao asked him.
"I call her Sister Lexuan. What do you think our relationship is?"
Xuanyuan Sheng gave her an exasperated look.
Hmph. So he's not her sweetheart?
Ma Xiaotao lightly tapped her rosy lips with her index finger.
But... Zhang Lexuan's little brother, and his name was Xuanyuan Sheng...
At last, she remembered where she'd heard the name. She'd heard it before.
Lately, her teacher had been talking about him nonstop.
Back then, she'd even wanted to sneak up and stuff the little guy into a sack, just to see what kind of genius had earned so much praise from her teacher.
So it was you, little guy.
Should I knock you out and lock you up at my place, or just take you home?
Xuanyuan Sheng felt a strange chill from the side, but the next moment, he felt warmth again.
Ma Xiaotao wrapped her arms around his head and rubbed his hair into a messy nest.
Her triumphant laughter came from above Xuanyuan Sheng's head.
"Little guy, hurry up and call me Sister Xiaotao, or I'll make Zhang Lexuan lose her little brother forever."
So childish~
Who threatens someone else in front of the person they're threatening?
Hey, friend... some air, please.
Xuanyuan Sheng gasped for breath. He'd nearly died just now under the weight of her formidable strength.
Ma Xiaotao gently smoothed the boy's hair, then cupped his face and gave his cheeks a squeeze. "Your big sister means what she says."
Afraid she'd do it again, Xuanyuan Sheng slapped her thigh to make her stop.
"Sister Xiaotao, stop."
[Task complete: Reward issued.]
Feeling the Soul Power in her body increase significantly, Ma Xiaotao excitedly squeezed the face in her hands. This much Soul Power was equivalent to ten days of nonstop cultivation at the Golden Ancient Tree.
Xuanyuan Sheng really was her treasure boy.
[I've learned something new. I never knew there was such an easy method.]
The system's admiring voice rang in Ma Xiaotao's mind.
Ma Xiaotao grinned. That's right, little system. You've got a lot to learn.
Being the thoughtful big sister next door to a boy was easy for her.
Watch me act innocent and give him a kiss.
"Xiao Sheng, look at this black speck on my hand. What is it?"
Xuanyuan Sheng lowered his head. A quick smacking sound came and went.
It was confirmed: Ma Xiaotao belonged at the same table as Xiao Xiao.
He gave the giggling Ma Xiaotao, who was covering her red lips, a dead-fish stare. The disdain in his eyes was unmistakable.
What a clumsy trick. Have you been reading too many romance stories?
Ma Xiaotao leaned back, closed her eyes, and spoke to the system in her mind.
Well?
She didn't need to open her eyes to know the boy beside her must be covering the kiss mark on his face, blushing bright red.
[Ahem. The system has an Evaluation System developed with the help of Humanity's Luck. You can take a look.]
An evaluation? That goes without saying. In the eyes of boys this age, I'm definitely their unattainable dream girl.
I've worn red dresses for years. Wherever I go, I'm always the center of attention.
Though I often keep to myself, I know these things perfectly well.
[What is this? I can only give her the same rating as Xiao Xiao.]
[Putting her face aside, she might be someone who doesn't like bathing. Other than her Inner Courtyard uniform, she wears the same red dress and red veil every single day.]
[So tacky.]
Before you continue