As Xuan Yan sat comfortably on the couch, the warmth of his childhood home wrapped around and he couldn't help but smile.
After months of being away at Spirit Hall, it felt good to return—to be surrounded by family, to hear the teasing voice of his mother, and to feel the familiar weight of his little sister clinging to him as if he might disappear again.
Xue Yin, nestled in his lap and refused to let go.
Her tiny arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, and her legs dangled over his thighs as she intertwined them around him, locking herself in place like a little koala.
Her small face was buried in his chest...
Xuan Yan gently patted her back as his little sister had always been affectionate, but this time, her grip was even tighter.
"You two are as close as ever," Xue Ling said as she looked at them with an amused smile.
"When I told Yin'er that you had been recruited by the Spirit Hall and that she wouldn't be able to see you for a long time, she caused quite a scene. She really missed you, you know."
Xuan Yan chuckled softly and glanced down at the small girl in his arms.
"I missed her too," he said, rubbing small circles on her back.
Xue Ling watched the tender interaction between her children and her eyes softened.
However, after a moment, her gaze shifted towards Hu Liena, who had been sitting quietly beside Xuan Yan.
The woman's lips curled into a teasing smile as she set her teacup down.
"By the way," she began, tilting her head slightly as she looked at the golden-haired girl, "you still haven't properly introduced your future wife to me, Yan'er."
Hu Liena stiffened in her seat and a deep blush crept up her cheeks.
"F-Future wife?!" she stammered and her usually confident demeanor crumbled under Xue Ling's amused gaze.
Xuan Yan sighed, rubbing his temple "Mom, Sister Nana is my senior sister and the first disciple of my teacher," he clarified.
"We are not in a relationship like that... So, don't misunderstand."
Hu Liena faintly nodded her head "Mhm.."
Xue Ling chuckled softly at the scene before her. It was rare to see a girl flustered in front of her son.
Most of the time, it was the other way around... Xuan Yan was usually the one making others speechless with his good looks and charm.
Xue Yin, who had been silent all this time, finally lifted her head from Xuan Yan's chest and shot Hu Liena a rather unimpressed look.
Her little green eyes narrowed slightly.
She did not like this golden-haired girl sitting so close to her big brother. Not one bit.
Xuan Yan noticed her glare and sighed internally.
"Great. Now Yin'er is annoyed," he thought.
Before things could get more awkward, Xue Ling leaned forward and smiled at Hu Liena.
"Well, since you're here, why don't you introduce yourself properly, dear?"
Hu Liena, realizing that she had been sitting there stiffly for too long, quickly stood up.
She took a deep breath, gathering herself, before bowing at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
"Hello, Aunt Xue," she said with as much composure as she could manage. "My name is Hu Liena. It's very nice to meet you."
Xue Ling's eyes twinkled as she assessed the girl in front of her.
Despite her earlier embarrassment, Hu Liena still maintained an air of grace and dignity.
"Oh, Yan'er," Xue Ling mused, turning her gaze back to her son, "your future wife is a well-mannered young lady. She knows how to show proper respect."
Hu Liena, who had just barely managed to calm herself, felt another wave of heat rush to her face.
"'Ahhh!! Aunt Xue, why do you keep saying that?' she screamed internally.
Xuan Yan shook his head helplessly. His mother was enjoying this way too much.
Seeing Hu Liena flustered, Xue Ling let out a small, satisfied hum.
"Well then," she said, taking another sip of tea. "Since you've come all this way, stay for as long as you like, Liena. Any guest of Yan'er is a guest of our family."
Hu Liena, despite still feeling overwhelmed, nodded respectfully "Thank you, Aunt Xue."
Xue Ling simply smiled in response before shifting her attention back to her son.
"Now then, tell me, Yan'er, how have things been in Spirit Hall? You've been there for four months, and I want to hear everything."
Xuan Yan knew that this conversation was going to last for a while. Taking a deep breath, he gently squeezed Yin'er's small frame before speaking.
And so, the long-awaited discussion began.
...
As the night deepened, the golden glow of the lamps in the mansion cast a warm and serene atmosphere throughout the halls.
After finishing dinner, Xuan Yan excused himself and retreated to his room, stretching his limbs as he stepped inside.
The room had not changed much since the last time he was here—it still held the familiar sense of comfort and warmth that only a childhood home could provide.
The bed was large and covered in soft silk sheets, and the gentle night breeze filtered through the slightly open window, rustling the curtains.
Letting out a slow breath, Xuan Yan changed into his nightwear and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment.
It had been an eventful day—reuniting with his mother and Yin'er, introducing Hu Liena, and dealing with his mother's relentless teasing.
Despite everything, he felt at peace here.
Just as he was about to drift into sleep, a soft knock echoed through the room, snapping him out of his drowsiness.
Knock. Knock.
Hm? It was already quite late—who could it be at this hour?
Pushing himself up, he ran a hand through his white hair and got up from the bed, walking over to the door.
As he pulled it open, he was greeted by the sight of a small, familiar figure standing there.
It was Xue Yin.
She was dressed in a simple white nightgown, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders.
Her tiny hands were clasped together in front of her, and she shifted slightly on her feet, looking up at him with an expression both expectant and a little hesitant.
Xuan Yan blinked, slightly surprised to see her standing outside his room so late at night.
"Yin'er? What happened?"
She hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Big Brother… can I sleep with you tonight?"
"We used to sleep together all the time when we were little," She continued, looking down at her feet.
"But now, you've been away for so long. I missed you, Big Brother…"
Her small voice carried a deep sense of longing, and Xuan Yan felt a gentle warmth bloom in his chest.
He could never refuse her.
She had always been attached to him, but after being apart for months, it was clear that she had missed their bond even more than he had realized.
Smiling softly, he reached out and ruffled her hair "Alright," he said warmly, stepping aside. "Come in."
Her eyes lit up, and without another word, she quickly stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
Xuan Yan walked back to his bed and lay down, adjusting the pillows.
Xue Yin, wasting no time, climbed onto the bed and snuggled close to him, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist as if making sure he wouldn't disappear again.
Her body was warm and soft, her head resting against his chest as she nestled into the crook of his arm.
Xuan Yan chuckled lightly, wrapping an arm around her small frame.
"You really missed me that much, huh?"
She nodded without hesitation. "Of course! I thought about you every day, Big Brother. When I woke up, when I ate, when I went to sleep—I kept wondering when you'd come back."
Xuan Yan's heart softened at her words.
He felt a slight pang of guilt for having been away for so long.
Though he knew it was necessary, he hadn't realized just how much his little sister had longed for him.
"You're such a silly girl," he murmured, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head.
She hummed in contentment and her arms tightened slightly around him.
A peaceful silence settled over them, the only sounds in the room being the quiet rustling of the night breeze outside and the rhythmic breaths of the siblings.
After a while, she shifted slightly, looking up at him with her bright green eyes.
"Big Brother, who is that sister?"
Xuan Yan chuckled, already "That's my senior sister, Hu Liena," he said, brushing a stray strand of hair from Yin'er's forehead.
"She's my teacher's first disciple, and she's been looking after me while I was at Spirit Hall."
She pouted "She likes you,"
Xuan Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise "Oh? And how do you know that?"
She huffed "It's obvious! She kept looking at you the whole time. And she blushed a lot!"
Xuan Yan couldn't help but laugh. She might be young, but she was perceptive.
"Maybe she does," he muttered, ruffling her hair. "But what's with that look? Don't you like Sister Nana?"
She pouted even more and grumbled, "Hmph. I don't know… She seems nice, but she was sitting too close to you."
Xuan Yan let out a helpless sigh. His little sister was as possessive as ever.
"Yin'er, I'll always be your big brother," he said, pulling her even closer.
"No one can take that away from you."
She smiled, finally satisfied with his answer.
She let out a small yawn, her body relaxed as sleep began to claim her.
"Good night, Big Brother..."
"Good night, Yin'er..."
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I hope you guys liked this chapter!