Three years minimum

Early the next morning, sunlight filtered through the thin mist, falling softly across the bluestone paths of the Xiao Clan Courtyard. After a night's rest, Xiao Yi felt full of energy, and the lingering fatigue from yesterday's tedious ceremonies had vanished like smoke.

Dressed in his brand-new Xiao Clan disciple's outfit, he followed the general directions the steward had given him last night, humming an off-key tune as he set out to find Xiao Yan's residence. He was rather interested in this nominal "brother" of his, especially that dejected expression. Today, he would try the transmigrator's secret signals on him again.

After winding through turn after turn, he finally found a rather elegant little courtyard. A few clumps of green bamboo grew inside, their leaves rustling in the morning breeze. Beside the stone table in the middle of the courtyard, a familiar figure lay slumped listlessly over the tabletop. It was Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan looked to be in terrible shape. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot, the dark circles beneath them so heavy they nearly reached his cheekbones. His whole body radiated exhaustion and despondency.

Xiao Yi softened his footsteps as he approached. Seeing Xiao Yan looking as though he had been drained dry, he couldn't help clicking his tongue twice. He walked over to the stone table, pulled out the stone stool opposite without ceremony, and sat down, looking at the back of Xiao Yan's head.

"Hey, buddy, were you up all night cultivating immortality, or did some she-demon suck out your yang energy? Even cultivation needs a scientific approach to development. Balance work and rest, understand? You've turned yourself into a walking corpse without gaining more than a few wisps of Dou Qi. You'll collapse before your cultivation improves. Not worth it."

Slumped over the table, Xiao Yan seemed oblivious to everything around him. Only when Xiao Yi's voice sounded beside his ear did he jerk his head up as though jabbed with a needle, then spring off the stone stool! His eyes were bleary with sleep, his gaze confused at first. Then it focused on Xiao Yi's face, and his pupils abruptly contracted, as though he had seen something impossible.

"Aah-!!!"

A short, strange scream shattered the courtyard's quiet. Xiao Yan staggered back two steps and pointed at Xiao Yi, his voice pitching out of control. "Y-you... why is it you?! How did you get in here?!"

Before he could recover from the shock, his gaze landed on the Xiao Clan disciple's outfit Xiao Yi wore, leaving him even more stunned. "And another thing! Those clothes... why are you wearing our Xiao Clan's clothes?!"

Watching Xiao Yan react so dramatically, as though he had seen a ghost, Xiao Yi couldn't help rolling his eyes and looking at him like an idiot. "Seriously, Xiao Yan, has cultivation turned your brain to mush? All this time has passed, and the clan made such a fuss, with meetings and ceremonies and everything. You didn't notice a thing? I, Xiao Yi"-he pointed at himself-"formally became your father's adopted son yesterday. Now I'm your bonus brother. Get it?"

Just then, light footsteps came from the courtyard entrance, accompanied by a clear, sweet call. "Brother Xiao Yan!"

Xun'er walked in carrying a food box, a gentle smile on her face. But the moment her gaze fell on Xiao Yi, that smile froze, and her clear eyes filled with the same surprise and bewilderment as Xiao Yan's. "Huh? Brother Xiao Yan, this dung-flinging... why is he here? And wearing..."

Seeing the almost perfectly synchronized bewilderment on this "brother and sister's" faces gave Xiao Yi a headache. He raised a hand to cover his face and sighed helplessly. "Say, little sister Xun'er, do you have eyes for nothing but your Brother Xiao Yan? You didn't even notice yesterday's formal adoption ceremony?"

At Xiao Yi's slightly helpless teasing, Xun'er's cheeks flushed faintly. Yet she showed no intention of reflecting on herself. Instead, she stamped her foot lightly and replied with a touch of petulance, "Hmph! Of course Brother Xiao Yan's affairs matter most to me!" As she spoke, she stole a glance at Xiao Yan, her eyes full of dependence.

Looking at the two of them, Xiao Yi felt his temples throb. As far as he was concerned, Xiao Yan, a transmigrator, was at least in his thirties. Carrying on like this-where was his sense of propriety?

At that thought, he shook his head helplessly and spoke earnestly, trying to bring them to their senses with his own "transmigrator" reasoning. "Look, our mental ages aren't exactly young anymore. We ought to know better. Little sister Xun'er, you're a girl. What kind of behavior is it to keep running into a boy's courtyard all day? As the ancients said, boys and girls should no longer share a seat after seven, and men and women shouldn't touch when giving or receiving things. Understand?" He worked hard to look like someone offering painstaking, heartfelt advice, despite having held the position of "adoptive elder brother" for less than a day.

Far from becoming embarrassed, Xun'er puffed out her little chest and retorted with complete confidence, "So what? I like being here with Brother Xiao Yan, and nobody gets a say!" Her tone carried a hint of girlish stubbornness and pride.

Xiao Yan, who had been hovering between bewilderment and anger all this time, finally came back to his senses. Hearing Xiao Yi "lecture" Xun'er immediately rubbed him the wrong way. He quickly wiped his face and glared at Xiao Yi. "Hey! Idi... Xiao Yi! What's it got to do with you? Xun'er is free to come here if she wants! If you've got nothing better to do, why don't you find somewhere else to sit?"

"Ha! Now you've got my temper going!" Xiao Yi bristled at Xiao Yan's attitude, but on second thought, he found it funny. He looked Xiao Yan up and down. The boy still looked haggard, yet his voice rang with vigor when defending Xun'er. Shaking his head, Xiao Yi turned to her and deliberately adopted an exaggerated tone. "I really don't know what you see in him, little girl. No strength, no spirit, drooping like a wilted eggplant all day long."

Provoked by Xiao Yi, Xun'er only grew more pleased with herself. As though determined to prove how "outstanding" Xiao Yan was, she raised her little head, her face sweet with memories and a trace of barely noticeable shyness, and said boastfully, "Hmph, what do you know! Brother Xiao Yan treats me better than anyone! When I was little, I was sickly, and my meridians were blocked. Brother Xiao Yan secretly used his Dou Qi to nourish my meridians. Every night, he would... would..."

At this point, Xun'er seemed to remember some detail. Her cheeks reddened further and her voice grew quieter, but the intimacy and special treatment her words implied were unmistakable.

Nourishing her meridians? At night? In secret? Those key words, put together, instantly set fire to the fuse labeled "modern legal awareness" in Xiao Yi's mind! His eyes flew wide, as though he had just heard some earth-shattering scandal. A second later, he shot up from the stone stool like a lit firecracker and raised his hand-

Smack!! A crisp, ringing slap landed hard across Xiao Yan's face, dark circles and all!

"You beast!" Xiao Yi roared, pointing at Xiao Yan, who had staggered from the blow, a trace of blood even seeping from the corner of his mouth. Brimming with righteous indignation, he blurted out modern terminology that left Xun'er utterly bewildered. "Three years minimum, death sentence maximum! Going rotten at such a young age, and laying your hands on such an adorable little girl! Does your father know?!"

The slap left Xiao Yan seeing stars, half his face burning and his head buzzing. He reached up with a trembling hand to touch his cheek, disbelief giving way to overwhelming humiliation and fury.