230: You've become bad.

Butterfly Mansion.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the layers of wisteria flower trellises, casting fragmented, swaying spots of light onto the corridor.

"Sister," Shinobu said as she lay on the floor, gazing at the purple flower clusters drifting in the courtyard, her voice sounding a bit muffled.

"What's wrong?" came Kochou Kanae's gentle and calm response from inside the room, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of a medicine pestle lightly pounding.

"Sister," she called out again, rolling over to lie on her side and look at that busy, quiet back inside the room.

"Shinobu, if you have nothing to do, come and help me sort the medicinal herbs." Kanae didn't look back, her voice containing a trace of indulgent laughter. How could she not know why her sister was restless? That gust of wind had not only stirred the flowers in the courtyard but also brushed against a similar, hard-to-calm ripple in her own heart. A flicker of worry passed through her eyes, but her movements in pounding the medicine remained steady.

"I don't want to." Shinobu curled her lip and shielded her eyes with the back of her hand, blocking out the somewhat piercing light. That inexplicable restlessness in her heart wouldn't go away, like a feather lightly scratching, making it impossible for her to settle down—especially seeing that her sister could still be so calm, which made her want to "disturb" her even more.

A shadow fell quietly, perfectly shielding her from the annoying sunlight.

Shinobu thought it was a passing cloud, but looking through the gaps between her fingers, the edges of the shadow were too distinct, carrying a familiar silhouette.

She moved her hand away.

Their eyes met.

A face with a mischievous smile was close at hand, looking down at her.

"Eh? Dazed?" The smile widened, carrying a long-lost, vivid aura that made one's teeth itch and heart race.

Shinobu's pupils constricted sharply, and she suddenly bolted upright from the floor—

"Ouch!" Her forehead slammed squarely into the newcomer's chin, the pain making her gasp, tears nearly welling up. The other person, however, just rubbed his chin, his smile undiminished.

"Long time no see, Shinobu." Lin Luo rubbed the top of her head and opened his arms, his tone light as if he had just gone out to buy something. "Want... a hug?"

"You jerk! Where the hell have you been all this time!!" All the restlessness, worry, and grievance burst forth at this moment. Shinobu's eyes reddened, and she threw herself at him regardless of anything, tightly clutching the fabric of his chest, her voice carrying a sobbing tremor.

Hearing the unusual commotion outside, Kochou Kanae stopped her movements inside the room and walked out slowly. She leaned against the doorframe, her long hair lightly brushed by the breeze. When she saw the familiar figure in the courtyard and her sister's uncharacteristic behavior of throwing herself into his arms, she was first slightly stunned. Then, a relieved, spring-flower-bright smile bloomed on her usually gentle and serene face, and genuine tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

"Mr. Lin Luo..." she called out softly, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremble.

Lin Luo steadily caught the pouncing Shinobu, his right hand soothingly patting her back, but his gaze looked past her shoulder toward that gentle purple figure by the door. The smile on his face became even brighter and warmer as he opened his left arm wider.

"Kanae," he called her name, his voice soft. "This side... is still empty."

The sunlight was just right, and the fragrance of wisteria flowers filled the air of the reunion. A single hug didn't seem enough to fill the long period of longing and worry, but at least, it was a warm enough beginning.

Kochou Kanae gently rested her cheek on Lin Luo's shoulder, her long hair cascading like flowing water as she leaned against him. In the courtyard, a wisteria flower petal drifted down quietly, landing right between the eyebrows of Shinobu, who was resting her head on Lin Luo's lap.

Lin Luo's fingertips brushed over gently, picking up that touch of pale purple.

"It's so good." Kanae looked at her sister's rarely relaxed features and sighed softly, her voice full of peace and contentment.

Lin Luo turned his face, his gaze falling on her gentle profile, his fingertips naturally sliding through the smooth hair by her ear. "I think so too," he responded in a low voice, his nose filled with the elegant and tranquil fragrance from her hair intertwined with the courtyard's scent, making him incredibly reluctant to leave this hard-won peace.

However, this peace was destined to be short-lived.

A forceful downward pressure, carrying a sense of protest, came from his lap. Lin Luo chuckled and lightly flicked Shinobu's smooth forehead with his finger. "What is it now, Shinobu?"

"I'm Life Qi at you."

"Kanae is still the best," Lin Luo deliberately rubbed against Kanae's temple affectionately, drawing out his tone. "She never gets Life Qi with me."

Kanae shook her head slightly and looked up at him. On that face that was usually as gentle as water, her cheeks actually puffed out slightly in a rare display, and although her voice was still soft, it carried clear dissatisfaction: "That's not right, Mr. Lin Luo. I'm also Life Qi."

Lin Luo immediately put on a pitiful expression, his eyes blinking like a large dog that had done something wrong. "Don't—Kanae! It's fine if Shinobu is Life Qi, I don't care. But what will it take for Kanae to forgive me?"

"Hmph!" Shinobu was even more dissatisfied upon hearing this and suddenly slammed her head against his leg, only to cry out "Ouch" again from the pain. "I heard that! I'm even more Life Qi now! The kind that can't be coaxed!"

"Serves you right." Lin Luo teased unceremoniously, earning a pinch on the leg from an irritated Shinobu.

"Hiss... Why is it so hard! It hurts so much!" she complained, rubbing the back of her head.

"Good for you." Lin Luo retorted with a laugh, but his gaze never left Kanae. He reached out with both hands and gently gathered Kanae's pale, soft hands into his palms, his tone becoming soft and clingy, full of flattery: "Kanae~ Good Kanae~"

Being gazed at and pleaded with so intently, and feeling the warm, steady heat from his palms, Kochou Kanae finally couldn't hold it anymore and let out a light laugh. That bit of feigned anger dissipated like morning dew under the sun. She gave him a gentle, sidelong glance and finally relented: "Alright... I'm not Life Qi anymore."

"I knew Kanae was the best." Lin Luo laughed as if he had succeeded, bowed his head, and placed a kiss on the back of her fair hand—light as a feather, yet full of treasure.

This sudden kiss made Kochou Kanae tremble slightly, and her fair cheeks were instantly stained with a touching flush, like red plums blooming in the snow. Her eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't pull her hand back, allowing that warm sensation to remain on the back of her hand and burn all the way into her heart.

Shinobu looked at their joined hands and the touching blush on her sister's face, and a faint sourness inexplicably rose in her heart. She didn't want to look at this increasingly ambiguous atmosphere anymore, so she turned her head and deliberately broke the silence with a prickly tone:

"Hey, what was with that high-and-mighty, overbearing look of yours before?" She was referring to their brief meeting at the campus not long ago.

The "Lin Luo" at that time had cold and distant eyes, as if they were nothing to them. That sense of distance made Shinobu both confused and secretly pained—thinking he no longer cared about them. But then, that "he" had obliterated the terrifying power of Upper Moon Two, Doma, with a single look, which made her heart race and her emotions hard to calm.

"Ah... that," Lin Luo showed a slightly embarrassed expression and gently squeezed Kanae's soft hand in his palm. "Because the one who met you then, strictly speaking... wasn't 'me'. If it were me personally..." He paused, his gaze falling tenderly on Kanae's face. "How could I possibly resist not getting close to Kanae?"

Feeling the unfriendly gaze from Shinobu, he immediately added in a drawn-out tone: "—And, of course, our little Shinobu."

"Hmph. Who cares." Shinobu curled her lip and gave him a roll of her eyes, but her tense shoulders seemed to relax a bit.

Lin Luo put away his joking expression and explained seriously: "I'm not very clear on exactly what happened. My memories after waking up are still stuck in the adventures of the otherworld; there's a gap in the middle, like a blackout."

Kochou Kanae raised her other hand and gently touched his cheek, her fingertips carrying a soothing warmth, her voice so gentle it could melt all unease: "It's fine if you don't remember. Those things aren't important anymore... Now, the best thing is that Mr. Lin Luo has returned safely."

Shinobu pursed her lips, her gaze shifting between her sister's gentle smile and Lin Luo's frank stare for a moment. Suddenly, without a word, she rose nimbly from the corridor floor and leaped back two steps, her figure as graceful as a butterfly, landing steadily on the soft soil of the courtyard.

"I'm taking the brewed medicine to the Master." Leaving those words, she turned and walked toward the back of the house, completely leaving this quiet space under the corridor to the two behind her.

Lin Luo watched her departing back, secretly praising Shinobu for being so understanding, and silently gave her a thumbs-up.

Once that purple figure disappeared around the corner, he withdrew his gaze and poured all his attention onto the woman in his arms. His arms tightened slightly, pulling Kanae closer into his embrace. He lowered his head, found her cherry lips as soft as flower petals, and gently covered them.

The moment their lips touched, a warm and soft sensation came through, carrying her unique, elegant fragrance.

Kanae was slightly stunned, her purple eyes widening a bit before slowly closing. She didn't resist at all; instead, she raised her arms and lightly circled his neck, responding crudely but sincerely to his gentle and deep kiss.

The afternoon wind passed through the wisteria flower trellises, bringing a rustling sound and a faint floral scent, swirling around the two people closely embracing and passionately kissing under the corridor. The sunlight stretched their shadows, blending them together as if they could never be separated again.

"You've become bad."

In the sunlight, amidst the fragmented shadows of the wisteria flowers, the girl coyly slapped away the hand that was restlessly moving on her chest. Her purple eyes were shimmering with moisture, the flush on her cheeks hadn't faded, but her tone carried a trace of indulgent reproach.

Lin Luo buried his face deeper into her hair, which carried a floral scent, his voice muffled and full of unabashed attachment: "Because Kanae is too cute... I couldn't help myself."

Kanae tilted her head slightly, blinked mischievously, and softly posed a "difficult problem": "Then what about Shinobu? Isn't Shinobu cute?"

Lin Luo looked up and quickly pecked her slightly pouting lips, smiling slyly: "Of course you are the cutest."

"Smooth talker." Kanae's fingertips lightly brushed through his hair, and she playfully poked his cheek, her purple eyes filled with a gentle smile. "But, you didn't answer my question."

Lin Luo met those gentle eyes that seemed able to see through one's heart, knowing he couldn't bluff his way out, so he had to confess with a smile: "Shinobu... of course she's very cute too."

"Then go and find her." Kanae pinched his face, her tone gentle yet beyond dispute.

"Aya..." Lin Luo scratched his head, trying to find an excuse. "Sometimes a sister wants to be alone for a while..."

Kanae stopped speaking and just sat up slightly straighter, her hands elegantly folded on her knees. She tilted her head and quietly looked at him with those gentle, smiling eyes, as if saying: Are you sure?

Lin Luo looked at Kanae's gentle, smiling eyes, feeling as if all his little thoughts were laid bare under that clear gaze.

He suddenly realized that Kanae might have already noticed—noticed her sister's subtle emotions mixed with dependence, and also noticed the special concern in his own heart.

"Kanae..." His voice dropped a bit, carrying the embarrassment of being seen through, and a hint of uncertainty.

Kanae's smile deepened; it was a gentle and inclusive smile after seeing through everything.

"Go on," Kanae leaned in slightly and whispered in his ear, her breath warm. "Don't leave her to overthink things alone."

Lin Luo looked at her gentle and firm smile, the last bit of hesitation in his heart vanishing. He leaned down, solemnly placed a kiss on her forehead, and whispered: "Thank you, Kanae."

This time, there was no hesitation in his steps as he turned to leave.

Under the corridor, Kanae gazed alone at the swaying wisteria flowers in the courtyard, a faint smile on her lips.