My Younger Sister, Tang Sanmei

Douluo Continent, southwest of the Heaven Dou Empire, Fasinuo Province.

The sun was setting.

At the entrance to Holy Soul Village, a little girl in a blue, coarse-cloth shirt crouched on the ground.

She looked about five or six years old. Her skin was wheat-colored, and she was thin. Beneath her tousled black hair, which partly covered her forehead, was a pair of bright, alert eyes.

At that moment, the little girl propped her chin in both hands and gazed toward the end of the road, her eyes full of anticipation.

"He's back!"

A glimmer of violet flickered in her eyes. The little girl murmured softly, her gaze far steadier and deeper than that of other children her age.

As if to prove her right, a bullock cart and two figures, one old and one young, slowly appeared at the end of the road in the evening glow.

"Brother!"

The little girl's lips curled into a smile. She sprang to her feet, and though she was thin, she moved incredibly fast, darting dozens of meters in an instant. In no time, she had reached the road.

"Brother, why did you come back so late this time?"

As she complained, the little girl threw herself at the boy beside the old man. But the boy planted one hand against her forehead, keeping her from getting any closer.

"Third Sister! How many times have I told you? I'm not your gege. Call me 'Your Esteemed Elder Brother'!"

The boy had a crew cut. He and the little girl looked somewhat alike, both in age and appearance, and wore matching blue, coarse-cloth shirts. At that moment, he looked at her with an exasperated expression.

"All right, Brother. Third Sister will remember, Brother!"

Tang Sanmei pushed the boy's hand aside and pouted, but quickly put on a smile again. "The vegetable porridge is still warm on the stove. You haven't eaten yet, have you, Brother?"

"Of course I haven't. I spent all day working with Grandpa Jack, and we only made ten Copper Soul Coins. I can't afford to eat out. Ow!"

The boy had only gotten halfway through his sentence when Old Jack, who had been smiling fondly, couldn't hold back any longer. He slapped the boy on the back, making him stumble. Tang Sanmei seized the chance to dart forward and catch him with remarkable agility.

"Tang Yin! You ungrateful brat! I kindly hired a six-year-old kid like you, and now you're implying I didn't pay you enough?"

Old Jack feigned anger, looking as if he were on the verge of flying into a rage. But Tang Yin knew him well, so the old man's act didn't intimidate him in the least.

Who knew that Tang Sanmei, standing beside him, would suddenly look solemn in a way that didn't suit her age? A hint of chill slipped into her voice.

"Grandpa Jack, do you know how hard my brother has worked for this family all these years?"

"How dare you talk about my brother like that? I think you—ah, ow!"

With a sharp flick to the forehead, Tang Yin withdrew his finger, his expression twitching.

"Grandpa Jack, my little sister is young and doesn't know any better!"

He glared at Tang Sanmei, who was clutching her forehead with tears in her eyes, then turned apologetically toward Old Jack.

Old Jack seemed used to this scene. He waved it off without a second thought, then took out his wallet and counted out ten Copper Soul Coins.

After hesitating, he added two more, making twelve in all.

"Little Yin, that old drunk in your family can't be relied on. Third Sister isn't wrong, either. It's thanks to you that she's grown up healthy. Take the extra two as pocket money from Grandpa for you and your sister."

At this, Tang Yin's smile faded. He didn't refuse, but solemnly accepted the coins with both hands and tucked them into his shirt. Then he placed a hand on the back of Tang Sanmei's neck, making her bow alongside him.

"We're grateful for all the care you've given us over the years!"

Old Jack looked at the two Tang siblings, who had been unusual ever since childhood, with deep affection and nodded.

"You've worked hard today, too. Head home early!" As if remembering something, Old Jack added, "By the way, a Lord Soul Master will come to our village in three days to help the children awaken their Martial Souls. Be sure to get some good rest."

"Got it. Goodbye, Grandpa Jack!"

As dusk fell, the siblings said goodbye to Old Jack and walked home. Neither spoke along the way.

Tang Sanmei seemed to sense the strange mood. She glanced at Tang Yin's expressionless face, then lowered her head, looking somewhat apprehensive.

"What were you about to say to Grandpa Jack?"

Tang Yin glanced sideways at his sister, who had her head bowed, his voice low.

"E-Esteemed Elder Brother!"

Tang Sanmei jolted at the sudden question, her voice catching.

"Th-Third Sister wanted to say that Esteemed Elder Brother has worked so hard all these years!"

"I'm asking about what came next!"

"I-I..." Tang Sanmei jolted again, but didn't dare say what she had been thinking. All she could do was admit her mistake. "Third Sister knows she was wrong!"

Though Tang Sanmei hadn't said it, Tang Yin knew her character all too well. After all, before he was reborn into this world, the phrase "seeking death" had been practically synonymous with Tang San.

Though her gender had changed, after spending all these years together, Tang Yin had confirmed that Tang Sanmei had still been that same outer disciple of the Tang Sect in her previous life.

"Third Sister, Grandpa Jack has taken good care of our family over the years."

Tang Yin spoke earnestly.

"Esteemed Elder Brother is right. From now on, Third Sister will show Grandpa Jack even more respect!"

Seeing this, Tang Yin's expression softened. He was a transmigrator from Blue Star. One day, after a stroke of sheer luck, he woke to find himself in a pool of thick, sticky liquid. At the same time, he felt violent jolts and heard faint arguing and fighting...

In short, he had been reborn on Douluo Continent as Tang Hao's son.

And his arrival had fundamentally changed the story he remembered.

Not only had he become Tang Yin, but the original Tang San had actually become Tang Sanmei. He just didn't know what she had been in her previous life...

"Bro~ther~"

Noticing Tang Yin's softened expression, Tang Sanmei was delighted. When she saw that he was still lost in thought and not speaking, she began to wheedle. She reached out with both hands, hugged his arm, and pressed her whole body against him.

"Yikes~"

Tang Yin, who had been wondering whether Tang Sanmei had been a man or a woman in her previous life, instantly tensed. He instinctively shifted aside and pulled his arm out of her embrace.

The thought that his little sister might have been a hulking man made goosebumps rise all over him.

"Brother! You!" Tang Sanmei froze, then gave him an indignant, coquettish look. But she quickly softened her voice again, taking his hand in both of hers and gently shaking it.

"Third Sister knows she was wrong~"

"Just forgive Third Sister, okay~"

She had no idea what Tang Yin was thinking. She assumed her beloved brother still hadn't forgiven her.

What a mess!

Looking at Tang Sanmei, who was acting like a little girl without a hint of awkwardness, and recalling that aside from being unlike other children, she had never shown any habits resembling a man's, Tang Yin finally stopped pushing her away.

"Don't let it happen again!"

"I knew you loved me most, Brother~"

Seeing that Tang Yin had finally stopped keeping his distance, Tang Sanmei couldn't help smiling. She hugged his arm and skipped happily toward their home.

"Old Drunkard! Why did you eat the vegetable porridge I left warming on the stove? I saved it for Brother!"

As soon as the siblings entered, Tang Sanmei spotted the clay pot on the table and the vegetable porridge that had been scraped clean. The delight on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a stormy scowl. She planted her hands on her hips and shouted toward the room beyond the ragged curtain.

Tang Yin watched Tang Sanmei transform in an instant from a sweet little girl into a fiery, bratty imp, and his mouth twitched again.

Neither in his previous life nor in this one had Tang Yin thought much of Tang Hao. Naturally, he had no respect for him and had never called him Dad.

Thanks to Tang Yin's subtle influence over the years, Tang Sanmei acted completely differently toward Tang Hao from the Tang San in the original story. She called him "Old Geezer" one moment and "Drunkard" the next.

"Why are you making such a racket?"

Seemingly roused by Tang Sanmei's shout, someone stirred in the room beyond the curtain. The ragged cloth was lifted, and a disheveled middle-aged man reeking of alcohol stepped out.