Taking Qing Lin as His Sworn Little Sister

Early that morning, Xiao Yan slowly woke from his bed and found that the sky was already bright.

Rubbing his slightly aching head, he gave a bitter smile.

After returning to Shimo City, Xiao Yan had reunited with his two elder brothers, and they had all been overjoyed.

Compared to Xiao Ning, Xiao Mei, and the other Xiao Household members, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were Xiao Yan's true brothers by blood.

In his childhood memories, his two elder brothers had cared deeply for Xiao Yan.

Thus, although Xiao Yan had already sworn off drinking, he could not withstand his two brothers' enthusiasm that night and ended up drinking too much.

At his brothers' mercenary group headquarters, Xiao Yan had let down his guard completely. He had even forgotten when he returned to his room the previous night.

Shaking his head, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged and formed seals with his hands, entering a cultivation state. He mobilized the Dou Qi within his vortex and expelled the remaining alcohol from his body.

The residual alcohol was forced out through Xiao Yan's right index finger, dripping onto the floor and releasing a strong scent of liquor.

As the alcohol left his body, Xiao Yan's mind cleared, and his pitch-black eyes regained their usual calm.

"Knock, knock."

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Xiao Yan got down from the bed, put on his shoes, and spoke.

The door was pushed open, and a delicate figure carrying a basin of water walked in.

She lowered her head slightly and bowed to Xiao Yan, her voice timid. "Young Master Xiao Yan!"

Xiao Yan nodded and looked over the girl who had entered.

She was not very old. She wore a simple, elegant light-green outfit. Though petite, her figure had developed where it should have.

Her cute, refined oval face resembled a beautiful porcelain doll. Her timid appearance made one unable to help but feel pity for her.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, I... I came to help you wash up?"

The girl placed the basin on a wooden stand and spoke softly, somewhat nervously.

"Hehe, no need. I can do it myself."

Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head. As he washed his face with a fine cloth, he asked with a smile,

"What is your name?"

The girl was momentarily dazed before replying a beat late, "I... I'm Qing Lin."

"Hm?"

Xiao Yan froze when he heard her name.

Qing Lin—wasn't she the girl with the Jade Snake Three-Flower Eyes?

Seeing that Xiao Yan had finished washing up, Qing Lin hurriedly picked up the basin, intending to leave.

Having met Qing Lin for the first time, Xiao Yan naturally wanted to learn more about her. He reached out and caught her sleeve.

As Qing Lin's sleeve was pulled up, a section of her snow-white wrist was revealed.

Yet there were traces of green snake scales growing on that fair wrist.

When Qing Lin saw that her snake scales had been exposed, the basin in her hands fell to the floor with a clang.

Her adorable little face immediately turned pale. She hurriedly pulled down her sleeve to hide the scales.

She cautiously stepped back twice, crouched on the ground, and clutched the basin tightly with both hands, her body trembling faintly.

"S-sorry... I... I didn't mean to scare you."

Qing Lin's timid voice carried a note of sorrow.

Xiao Yan looked at Qing Lin with some heartache.

She had clearly done nothing wrong, yet she was frightened enough to apologize.

Simply because she was the child of a human and a Snake Person, she had endured hatred from both sides since childhood.

Humans and Snake People bore an irreconcilable hatred in this desert.

But what did any of that have to do with a little girl like her? She was innocent.

Xiao Yan crouched down and gently stroked Qing Lin's head. Then, under her frightened gaze, he took hold of her arm, carefully lifted her sleeve, and said gently,

"Very beautiful scales."

Qing Lin was stunned. Xiao Yan was the first person to say that her snake scales were beautiful.

She asked timidly, "Young Master Xiao Yan, aren't you afraid?"

Xiao Yan helped Qing Lin to her feet, held her soft little hand, and smiled. "Qing Lin is so adorable. Why would I be afraid?"

Qing Lin's face flushed slightly. She tried gently to pull free, but found that she could not. Her voice became tearful as she said,

"Young Master Xiao Yan, let go of me. If someone sees us, I'll drag you down."

Xiao Yan lifted Qing Lin's chin, making her lowered head face him. He stared intently into her somewhat bewitching emerald-green pupils and said gently,

"I was looked down on before as well. I suffered a great deal of humiliation. Later, I came to understand one thing: I don't live for others. I live for myself, and for those who are worth protecting."

"So, Qing Lin, remember this. Do not feel inferior because of your birth. As long as your conscience is clear, do not care about other people's gossip."

"Today, I'll acknowledge you as my sworn little sister before everyone. Let's see who still dares to look down on you, and who dares to gossip behind your back."

Xiao Yan domineeringly took Qing Lin's little hand and led her out of the room, pulling her toward the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's plaza.

Whenever those mercenaries saw Xiao Yan, they stopped and greeted him respectfully. But when they saw Qing Lin, their smiles gradually cooled, and some even showed faint disgust in their eyes.

Some of these mercenaries had lost family, friends, or comrades to the Snake People, so they detested Qing Lin, a descendant of the Snake People, even more.

At that moment, Xiao Yan's cold gaze swept over the mercenaries, causing their disgusted looks to falter. Only then did they notice that Qing Lin was holding the hand of the two commanders' younger brother. They could only hide their disgust and force out mild smiles.

Seeing Young Master Xiao Yan stand up for her all the way, Qing Lin's initially frightened heart gradually calmed. She let Xiao Yan hold her little hand as her emerald-green eyes watched him, and she became slightly entranced.

Today was the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's once-every-three-months strength test.

Mercenaries who performed well in the test would earn the right to form their own squads and be promoted to captain.

Therefore, aside from a very small number of mercenaries still out on missions, every member of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had gathered here.

On the high platform, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and the mercenary group's higher-ups sat together, smiling as they discussed something.

When Xiao Yan arrived at the plaza holding Qing Lin's hand, he naturally drew everyone's attention.

After all, many people already knew that Xiao Yan was the two commanders' younger brother and that his strength was quite formidable.

Qing Lin, meanwhile, was a descendant of the Snake People and was fairly well known within the mercenary group.

If not for the two commanders taking Qing Lin in, she would have found it impossible to survive in Shimo City.

"Little Yan, what is this? Could it be that this girl offended you?"

Xiao Ding thought Qing Lin had failed to serve Xiao Yan properly and that Xiao Yan had brought her here to apologize to him. However, he soon shook his head.

With his understanding of his younger brother, Xiao Yan was not that kind of person.

Xiao Yan stroked Qing Lin's head, his gaze soothing her nervous heart.

He smiled and loudly said to Xiao Ding, "Big Brother, Second Brother, I am very fond of Qing Lin. I've decided to acknowledge her as my sworn little sister."

"You two brothers will bear witness."

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged a glance, smiles appearing on their faces.

They also pitied Qing Lin's circumstances. Otherwise, they would not have overcome all objections to take her into the mercenary group.

However, this had caused many mercenaries in the group to harbor grievances. They had merely endured it out of respect for the commanders' status.

Though they would not attack Qing Lin, they still treated her with disgust and distance, forcing her to live cautiously within the group.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had no solution to this. They had considered taking Qing Lin as their sworn little sister as well, but if they truly did so, they would surely disappoint some of the mercenary members and harm the unity of the entire mercenary group.

But Xiao Yan acknowledging Qing Lin as his sworn little sister did not involve such conflicting interests.

Because Xiao Yan was not a member of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

"Good, good, good! Little Yan, since you've acknowledged Qing Lin as your sworn little sister, you must treat her well from now on."

Xiao Ding laughed heartily.

"Big Brother, of course."

Xiao Yan smiled as well. He turned to Qing Lin and said, "Qing Lin, from now on, you are my little sister. Don't feel inferior. If anyone bullies you, tell me directly. I'll seek justice for you."

Tears welled up in Qing Lin's emerald-green eyes before rolling down, leaving two tear tracks on her fair face.

Xiao Yan reached out and wiped away her tears, smiling. "Girl, stop crying. If you keep crying, I'll think you don't want to be my little sister."

Qing Lin hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes with her little hands and said softly, "I do. Qing Lin is willing."