C6 East City Second Senior High School

Ling Tianxie's slap, infused with Profound Qi, was meant to jolt himself awake.

Seeing blood trickle from the corner of Ling Tianxie's mouth, Ling Yufei's radiant face was etched with concern. She tenderly stroked his slightly swollen cheek.

"Tianxie, why so rough? I know you didn't mean it. Just try to be less impulsive next time," Ling Yufei said in a gentle tone.

"Besides, we're not related by blood..." Her voice trailed off to a whisper.

Ling Tianxie, with his keen hearing, caught every word. A surge of shock ran through him as he gazed at Ling Yufei with incredulity. He pondered for a moment but decided to push down the myriad of questions bubbling inside him.

Now was clearly not the time for such inquiries.

Ling Tianxie surveyed the room that felt somewhat familiar. It was a modest space of about ten square meters, sparsely furnished with just a table and two chairs—the spot where he and his sister would dine.

The bed they once shared seemed more spacious now, thanks to an adjoining room. Ling Tianxie had spent some time in the neighboring room, where a single bed was adorned with a cute little bear doll—a sixteenth birthday present he had given his sister. She likely slept there now.

Despite its size, the room was neat and orderly.

"Come, Tianxie, can you tell me where you've been these past three months? Yue Er and I filed a report at the Police Station, and we've had no word from you. We even plastered missing person posters all over town..." Ling Yufei spoke as she led Ling Tianxie toward the room's sole bed.

Ling Tianxie listened, filled with remorse.

They sat on the edge of the bed, discussing the events of the last three months. When Ling Yufei inquired further, Ling Tianxie withheld the truth about spending nine hundred years in the True Profound Realm. It was a reality too fantastical to grasp, and he feared Ling Yufei was not ready to accept it just yet.

When asked why he hadn't been in touch with his family for three months, Ling Tianxie explained that he needed some time to clear his head, so he went on a hiking trip in the wilderness and ended up losing his phone.

Ling Tianxie had actually lost his phone on Langya Mountain before his journey to the True Profound Realm.

As for not using Qin Keqing's phone to call his sister, he believed it wasn't necessary to share his personal affairs with someone who was essentially a stranger, despite having just met her.

Ling Yufei believed Ling Tianxie without any reservations and didn't scold him. With a serious tone, she instructed, "Tianxie, promise me that no matter what happens, you won't just vanish without a word! Do you have any idea how worried Yue Er and I have been these past three months?"

Seeing the earnest look in Ling Yufei's eyes, filled with warmth and concern, Ling Tianxie assured her gravely, "Sister, I will never leave you or our sister. I will treasure and protect both of you for all my days, until my very last breath."

In his heart, Ling Tianxie made a silent vow that nothing in this lifetime would ever separate him from his sisters again.

Should gods stand in his way, he would defy them. Should Buddhas obstruct him, he would defy them too.

Ling Yufei's eyes welled up with tears upon hearing Ling Tianxie's vow, her gaze a mix of happiness and sorrow.

Noticing Ling Yufei's bittersweet expression, Ling Tianxie hurried to console her, as he couldn't bear the thought of his sisters being upset.

"Sister, look at me, I'm a man now. I can't stand to see you or our sister cry. It only makes me feel worse," he said, trying to lighten the mood by flexing his muscles playfully.

Ling Yufei couldn't help but let out a chuckle at Ling Tianxie's antics, playfully slapping his chest. She fondly recalled the feeling of embracing him earlier, his sturdy frame and firm chest muscles.

The thought made Ling Yufei's cheeks flush with a shy blush.

With tear-brimmed eyes yet a radiant smile, Ling Yufei's beauty was breathtaking, leaving Ling Tianxie utterly mesmerized.

Ling Yufei caught Ling Tianxie staring blankly at her and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She silently chided herself, "Tianxie can be so mortifying... I am still his sister, after all."

Ling Tianxie, too, recognized his lapse in decorum and internally berated himself for his beastly thoughts. She was his beloved sister, after all.

...

...

Sensing Ling Tianxie's discomfort, Ling Yufei tactfully shifted the conversation. "Tianxie, Yue'er will be out of school in a little over an hour. She'll be thrilled to know you're back."

Catching a glimpse of his sister's playful scolding, Ling Tianxie abruptly sat up, fearing that his blood would boil if he continued to gaze upon her beauty.

He hurriedly inquired about his sister's school and announced his intention to pick her up. With a quick farewell, he was out the door.

Ling Yufei noticed something peculiar and mused to herself that her brother had indeed grown up.

Ling Tianxie made a swift exit, but as he descended the stairs, he collided with a soft figure at the corner.

"Why aren't you watching where you're going? Ouch, that really hurts!" the girl rebuked Ling Tianxie.

"I'm sorry," Ling Tianxie muttered, his mind in disarray. He didn't even look up as he apologized and hastened away.

The girl massaged her sore chest and watched Ling Tianxie's retreating figure, then turned her gaze toward Ling Yufei's residence.

"Could it be that Ms Yufei has a boyfriend?" she wondered, noticing the man had come from Yufei's home.

Driven by curiosity, the girl made her way to Ling Yufei's door and called out softly, "Ms Yufei, are you there?"

At that moment, Ling Yufei was busy arranging her sister's bed, preparing it for Ling Tianxie to sleep in that night. Despite having little to move, she still had personal items to transfer. Hearing the familiar voice at the door, she promptly went to open it.

"Xue, what brings you here?"

The girl named Xue, Wang Xue, lived just across the hall on the third floor. She had a close bond with Ling Yufei and her sister, making them good friends.

Wang Xue's bubbly personality was on full display as she bounced into the room, unabashedly sizing up Ling Yufei with her eyes.

Wang Xue's gaze lingered on Ling Yufei with a peculiar intensity, prompting Yufei to wonder, "What's with her? Why is she staring at me like that?"

Observing Ling Yufei's rosy cheeks, Wang Xue noticed that Yufei's face radiated with genuine happiness, a stark contrast to the past when her smiles often masked a hint of sorrow.

The joy on her face now was unmistakably authentic, stemming from a deep sense of happiness and delight.

"Has Ms. Yufei actually found a boyfriend? Is this the sweet bliss of love? Is love truly this wonderful?" Wang Xue mused.

Teasingly, Wang Xue asked, "Ms. Yufei, I just saw a guy leaving your house. Is he your boyfriend?"

Ling Yufei's heart skipped a beat, but she managed to roll her eyes coolly and retorted softly, "What are you talking about? That was my brother, Tianxie."

Wang Xue exclaimed with excitement, "Ah? That was Mr. Tianxie! How wonderful! He's finally returned safe and sound!"

But her excitement quickly turned to disappointment as she lamented, "Alas! He didn't even recognize me."

Wang Xue had been classmates with Ling Tianxie from elementary school through to high school, and they had always been close friends. She had harbored feelings for Tianxie for many years but had never found the courage to express them.

After moving to the area with her mother due to family circumstances, Wang Xue was surprised to encounter Ling Yufei and her sister. Learning of Tianxie's disappearance, and that the Police Station was on the verge of issuing a death certificate, was a harsh reality that neither she nor the Ling sisters were willing to accept.

They all held onto the belief that Tianxie would return one day.

Since meeting the Ling sisters, Wang Xue felt like a spy, seizing every chance to inquire about Tianxie's life under the guise of caring for the sisters, yearning to understand him better.

Despite seeing him every day at school, Wang Xue's curiosity was insatiable.

Now, with a sense of vulnerability creeping in, Wang Xue worried, "If Ms. Yufei knew my true motives, would she feel betrayed?"

"Xue, why do you refer to Tianxie as Mr. Tianxie? Are you two acquainted?" Ling Yufei inquired with curiosity.

"Ah... Yes. Actually, Mr. Tianxie and I are classmates. I truly had no intention of deceiving you or Yue Er. It's just that I... I..." Wang Xue's face turned a shade paler as she timidly met Ling Yufei's gaze, yet she managed to get the words out.

Ling Yufei, picking up on Wang Xue's hesitance, contemplated briefly and had a good idea of what was on Wang Xue's mind. She surmised that Wang Xue might have feelings for Ling Tianxie and mused to herself, "That explains why Xue often brings up Tianxie in conversation."

"Xue, you have feelings for Tianxie, don't you?" Ling Yufei probed.

"How did you know? Oh no, it's not like that, Ms Yufei, you're reading too much into it. We're just... just really good friends."

Wang Xue's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as her thoughts were laid bare, and she responded in a fluster.

"Oh, I see, just really good friends. What a shame; I was actually considering playing cupid for you two. But if that's the situation, then never mind."

Ling Yufei spoke with a hint of playful banter.

"Hmph, we'll see if you'll still dare to tease me after this."

After her initial embarrassment, Wang Xue caught on to Ling Yufei's teasing grin and realized she was being playfully mocked.

"Ms Yufei, you're so naughty," Wang Xue said, her shyness making her voice almost a pout.

Once her feelings were out in the open, Wang Xue became more forthright. She and Ling Yufei playfully bantered for a bit before deciding to cook a meal together and wait for Ling Tianxie and Yue'er to return.

...

Meanwhile, Ling Tianxie was on his way to his sister's school by taxi.

He arrived at Mingjing City's Second High School with a look of concern. He remembered the school having a reputation for unruly students, like hooligans and delinquents. He worried whether his sister was being bullied there.

Checking his pocket, he found he had just over thirty yuan left. He entered a small supermarket, purchased an affordable box of heart-shaped chocolates, paid, and stepped out.

Just as Ling Tianxie left the store, he realized he didn't know when his sister's classes ended. At that moment, a girl walked past, her attention fixed on her phone. He approached her and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell me what time it is?"

No sooner had Ling Tianxie finished his question than the girl snapped at him with indignation, "You're the miss, you—"

However, as she looked up and caught sight of Ling Tianxie's striking features, she quickly softened her demeanor. Composing herself, she glanced at her phone and informed Ling Tianxie of the current time.

Without lingering, Ling Tianxie expressed his thanks and briskly walked away. The girl, who had assumed a handsome man was trying to chat her up, didn't expect him to leave so abruptly. She was left standing alone, her eyes filled with a wistful longing as she watched his retreating figure.

Ling Tianxie knew his sister would be out of school in just a few minutes; there was no time to dawdle. He was eager to see her and, thinking of her adorable and charming face, a gentle smile spread across his own.

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