Lin Xuan lived closest, so he got home first.
When he entered the living room, he saw his father, Lin Ruiming, and Lin Yi sitting on the sofa, watching Star Sea News on a virtual screen. The atmosphere seemed perfectly calm.
His mother, Zhou Jinghua, was bustling about in the kitchen. The aroma of food filled the house, so she had clearly decided to cook herself today instead of letting the intelligent chef do it.
"Bro."
Lin Xuan called out a little awkwardly, his voice an octave lower than usual.
Lin Yi looked up at him. His expression barely changed; he simply pointed to the empty seat beside him and said, "Sit."
"Uh, okay, Bro."
Lin Xuan obediently sat down, careful to keep his back straight. He pretended to watch the news, but kept sneaking glances at Lin Yi.
Before long, Lin Yao came home too.
She entered with clear delight and enthusiasm on her face, her voice sweet. "Bro! You're back. Why didn't you tell me ahead of time? I could've come to pick you up!"
Lin Yi turned to her and gave her a faint smile. Compared to his indifference toward Lin Xuan, his expression was warmer. "It was a last-minute decision. I came back to visit. How's your training going?"
"Pretty well! I'm almost at the peak of Stardust Rank, and I've been working on a new Source Energy application technique lately." Lin Yao answered at once, her tone light and cheerful.
Lin Yi nodded without asking for more. He motioned for Lin Yao to sit down too, then turned his attention back to the news.
Before long, Zhou Jinghua had finished cooking, and the family gathered around the dining table.
During the meal, Lin Yi casually asked his younger siblings what they usually did.
Lin Yao