Tang Xinxin: “Of course, you could also lick it. It strengthens the soul.”
Lin Lue: “Principal Tang, I think you’ve misunderstood. I’m really not that kind of person!”
Lin Lue immediately straightened his expression, refusing with righteous indignation, but his eyes glanced at the small, clean, dustless foot resting on his leg.
His gaze landed on the milky-white bead in his palm, and Lin Lue fell into thought.
He was contemplating a familiar dilemma: power versus dignity.
They rarely aligned.
A few seconds later.
Lin Lue mentally slapped himself.
How could a person abandon power for the sake of dignity?
He decided to become a Taotie guest once more.
Time to feast!
That sticky-rice fragrance—he loved it!
“Pfft!”
An extremely soft, light laugh sounded by his ear.
Lin Lue: “…”
Lin Lue stared expressionlessly at Tang Xinxin.
She tilted her head, her face blank.
“Principal Tang, you just laughed.”
Tang’s tone was flat as she denied it: “I did not.”
“You did.”
“I did not.”
Lin Lue: “…”
“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you.”
Lin Lue breathed a sigh of relief, then laughed.
“So licking it to strengthen the soul was a joke…”
“It’s not a joke. It really works.”
Lin Lue’s voice cut off abruptly.
Tang Xinxin leaned close to his ear.
“Oh, and next time you come see me, remember to wash off the scents on you.”
Before Lin Lue could ask what she meant, Tang Xinxin’s small hand groped around on his body and pulled out two strands of hair—one jet black, one snow white.
Lin Lue found them very familiar.
He thought about his journey here.
He fell silent.
They were Luo An’an’s and Luo Miaomiao’s.
Lin Lue was baffled.
He’d checked himself thoroughly, made sure there were no stray hairs.
How could Tang Xinxin find two?
A chill ran down Lin Lue’s spine.
Luo An’an and Luo Miaomiao were too crafty.
Thank goodness Principal Tang had high stats.
Lin Lue thanked her solemnly: “Thank you, Principal Tang, for your help.”
If his sister had found those two strands, she’d probably go blank-eyed again, staring emptily as she reached for a knife.
Tang Xinxin nodded, accepting his thanks, then looked him over.
“Be careful on your way home. Stay safe.”
Lin Lue looked at the kind, beautiful little loli principal and found her exceptionally adorable.
“I will. Thank you for your concern, Principal!”
Tang Xinxin glanced toward the door, which had somehow opened a crack, and the corners of her mouth rose by a few pixels.
“Did you bring any hemostatic medicine?”
Lin Lue: “?”
What did that mean?
“…”
Afternoon.
The setting sun cast its glow everywhere.
The clear bell of dismissal rang through the academy.
Lin Lue finished the impromptu task of helping Tang Xinxin put on her shoes, put away the milky-white bead, and walked out of the office.
He headed to the school gate to wait for Lin Xue’er and Ye Beiming.
This trip to the Witch Academy had been incredibly fruitful!
He walked slowly down the stairs, recalling that before leaving, he’d asked Tang Xinxin how Lin Xue’er and Ye Beiming had spent their day at school.
She’d answered that they were fine.
Just as Lin Lue reached the stair landing, he stopped.
His heart stirred.
He turned around suspiciously.
A small figure stood silently on the higher step.
The orange-gold sunset behind her outlined her silhouette in a golden halo.
A long shadow stretched out, swallowing Lin Lue’s figure.
She had her head down, her expression a little unclear—maybe because the sunset behind her was too bright.
Lin Lue recognized her at once.
“Xue’er, what are you doing here?” he asked, pleasantly surprised.
Lin Xue’er walked down step by step and threw herself into Lin Lue’s arms, a sweet, obedient smile on her face.
“School’s out. I sensed you were nearby, so I came to find you.”
Her voice was gentle, carrying her dependence on him.
But Lin Lue inexplicably felt that something was off about her.
She was like she had a brother radar.
Also, the surrounding temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees…
Sniff sniff~
Lin Xue’er stood on tiptoe, leaned close to his neck, her small nose twitching as she sniffed carefully.
“Big brother came to school to pick me up?”
That action made Lin Lue’s heart clench.
He nodded imperceptibly.
“Of course. Big brother came specially to take you home.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Lin Xue’er blinked her pink eyes, her smile still sweet.
“Then can big brother explain…”
“Why there’s a very nice, sweet smell on you? It’s… the scent of a girl.”
His sister’s sense of smell was terrifying.
When he’d come out, Lin Lue had asked Tang Xinxin to wipe away the scent clinging to him.
In fact, he’d even been kicked in the knee by her for it.
Her pupils began to lose focus.
Lin Lue started sweating.
“I also went to Principal Tang’s office to settle Ye Beiming’s tuition.”
“It’s all taken care of now.”
After adding that, Lin Lue felt the temperature around him rise a little.
“Oh, I see.”
“So you accidentally picked it up while you were with the principal.”
Lin Lue nodded frantically. Exactly.
He thought his explanation was satisfactory, but why was his sister still so oppressive?
Her small, fair hand tugged at Lin Lue’s sleeve.
Lin Xue’er’s voice turned cutesy, sweet enough to stretch into strings.
“Big brother, isn’t Xue’er adorable too?”
“Xue’er is also light. I’m very light. I can sit on your lap and act spoiled too.”
Lin Lue nodded repeatedly, feeling an ominous ache in his leg bones, as if they were about to be broken.
She was hinting at something.
Had his sister… been standing at the door earlier?
That thought was way too frightening.
Because Lin Lue had once promised Lin Xue’er that his lap was reserved for her alone.
“Big brother~”
Lin Lue began to back away.
When danger looms, survival instinct’s first thought is to flee.
Running away might be shameful, but it’s effective.
“Let’s go home. Xue’er will step on your back.”
“Big brother, how about that?”
Lin Lue stepped back step by step.
Lin Xue’er stepped forward step by step.
Lin Lue descended the stairs until his back hit the wall.
There was no way to retreat.
Lin Xue’er pressed against him, her head resting on his stomach.
She wasn’t even standing on tiptoe.
Feeling Lin Xue’er’s breath seeping through his clothes, Lin Lue’s body went stiff.
Why did he suddenly feel like he was facing a top predator?
This was his sweet, soft, angelic little sister!
The atmosphere was bizarre and tense.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from below the stairs.
Like a golden ray of hope, it entered Lin Lue’s field of vision.
The blonde-haired little loli, Ye Beiming, ran up the stairs with her small backpack.
As soon as she saw Lin Xue’er, she immediately started complaining.
“Lin Xue’er! You left after school without waiting for me! That’s too much!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed Lin Lue beside her.
Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed in surprise.
“Oh, Lin Lue, you’re here too!”
“Did you come specifically to pick me up? I’m so happy! Seriously, everyone at this school is talented, they talk well, I love studying here!”
Lin Lue looked at the suddenly appearing blonde little loli, who was like a savior, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Perfect timing.
“Ye Beiming, I’ll add an extra chicken leg for you when we get home!”
Ye Beiming: “?”
She looked completely confused, not knowing what happened, but at the mention of a chicken leg, she cheered happily.
“Yay!”
The next second, her smile froze, and her movements stopped.
Because Lin Xue’er lifted her head from Lin Lue’s stomach and was staring at her with an icy glare, as if trying to bore holes through her.
What’s wrong?
Ye Beiming shuddered and scratched her head in confusion.
Who made her angry?
Lin Lue seized the chance to change the subject, turning his attention to Ye Beiming and speaking gently.
“Sounds like you had a pretty good day at school?”
Lin Lue shifted Lin Xue’er’s focus further onto Ye Beiming.
He mentally apologized to Ye Beiming.
He had to let her take the heat.
Ye Beiming nodded energetically.
“Of course! It was great!”