Chapter 31: A Sister’s Dependence

In the taxi, the siblings sat in silence. Bai Youqing was scrolling through her phone, her expression shifting constantly—hesitant, conflicted, and uncertain. Bai Yuze gazed out the window at the passing traffic, equally mute; having been beaten up by his own sister for no reason, he was in a foul mood.

The atmosphere between them grew incredibly awkward. The taxi driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror, his mind racing. It was late at night, and given the age gap between the two and the location where they had hailed the cab—near the police station—he had already concocted several versions of the story: brother arrested for soliciting, boyfriend arrested for soliciting... Tsk, tsk, young people these days really have such elaborate ways of living.

"Brother, it's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on going out today, none of this would have happened," Bai Youqing said, her tone heavy with self-reproach. Today’s ordeal had taught her a harsh lesson: those villains would stop at nothing to achieve their ends. If Senior Violet hadn't appeared in the nick of time, both she and her brother would have been in grave danger.

"Try to go out less at night from now on. The society out there isn't very safe," Bai Yuze replied, shaking his head. Even if they hadn't gone out today, the Villainous Witch would have set this trap regardless; for all he knew, the rest of the magical girls in Bai Youqing’s squad might have been wiped out. In a way, his sister had accidentally foiled the enemy's plans.

"Oh, I understand, Brother." Bai Youqing nodded, though she only half-grasped the meaning. After a long pause, she looked up at her brother with concern. "Since we hurt them, we won't have to pay for their medical bills, right?"

"No, we won't. It was self-defense."

Upon hearing that she wouldn't have to pay, the look in Bai Youqing’s eyes turned resolute. "Brother, don't worry, I understand what you mean. The next time I see those people, I will definitely beat them to a pulp."

Bai Yuze’s mouth twitched. He realized then that all the worry she had shown on the ride home hadn't been for him at all—she was simply terrified of having to pay damages.

"Alright, that matter has nothing to do with us anymore. When you go for tutoring tomorrow, tell Xiaorou to be careful too; she isn't as skilled in martial arts as you are."

"Got it, I'll talk to her. By the way, Brother, did you take any photos today? Send them to me."

Bai Youqing had a private photo album on her phone, which she claimed was just for pictures from their childhood outings. It was one of her secrets, and to this day, Bai Yuze hadn't managed to crack the password. After receiving the photos, she opened the album with great excitement. A second later, her face crumpled as if she’d bitten into a bitter melon.

"Brother, you actually managed to capture the legendary 'death angle.' I’m not exaggerating, but even a random elementary school kid could take better photos than you. There’s a reason you haven't been able to find a girlfriend all these years."

Bai Yuze opened his own album. It was filled with photos of his sister, though often, he would find himself subconsciously shifting the focus to a pretty girl in a swimsuit nearby. Of course, he wouldn't admit that. He did a quick crop and sent them back. "Hah, I wouldn't even take photos for anyone else! Do you want them or not? If not, I’m withdrawing them."

Bai Youqing carefully selected the ones where she looked happiest from the dozen or so photos, saved them, and curled her lips, her tone full of disdain. "Fine, I suppose I’ll save these since I’m your sister."

"So, how was your day?"

"Hehe, it was alright." Today, not only had she reconnected with Uncle Li and bought her brother several new outfits, but she’d also played real-life CS:GO, rode the Ferris wheel, gotten a free barbecue meal, and even retrieved the Star of Green Ivy that Sister Yuyi had confiscated.

"That's good." After the emergence of the Abyss Gates, as a frontline magical girl, Bai Youqing would likely have very little free time to go out and have fun in the future.

The weather had been perfect when they left, but a light drizzle was falling upon their return. The summer rain washed away the heat of the night, adding a touch of cool comfort. Bai Youqing had fallen asleep, leaning against Bai Yuze’s shoulder, looking quite cozy.

This was tough on Bai Yuze. He carried his sister on his back, draped in a coat, with occasional raindrops splashing onto his face. Throughout the entire journey, the girl didn't wake up once. In the soft drizzle, Bai Yuze noticed that the vacant lot near their apartment complex had been cordoned off with green iron sheets. It used to be a weed-choked wasteland where people dumped trash, eventually turning it into a mountain of garbage that emitted a pungent, lingering odor every summer. It was good that someone had bought the land to build something new.

Entering the building, the hallway lights on the lower floors were temperamental, flickering in and out of existence. His luck was bad tonight; the staircase was pitch black. The rain continued outside, and the building was dark and silent, save for the sound of Bai Yuze’s footsteps... *tap... tap... tap.*

Bai Youqing was light, and her warm breath rhythmically brushed against his neck. Bai Yuze found himself reminiscing about Iris’s food preferences back in the Abyss, wondering what ingredients he should buy tomorrow. A moment later, he stopped abruptly, frowning, and glanced back. The dark hallway remained hollow and empty. He shook his head and continued climbing.

Back home, he flipped the switch in the living room. The bright light washed away the chill from the rain. "Wake up, go take a shower so you don't catch a cold." He pinched Bai Youqing’s nose, forcing her to wake up.

"I’m too lazy to move, carry me there."

"You're not a child anymore, mind your image. You’re all grown up now."

"No～ no, my legs are numb from sleeping, I can't walk." Bai Youqing had a slender and graceful figure—snow-white calves, small, budding breasts, long, upt