Chapter Ten: My Dear Good Brother
Bai Qiuchen was woken up.
It wasn’t a mosquito, because it wasn’t summer yet.
It wasn’t a construction crew, because there was no notice.
It wasn’t his sister, because his sister wouldn’t charge into the room early in the morning to flying-kick her sleeping brother and nag him to cook, especially since he couldn’t cook anyway.
What woke him was a pleasant singing voice.
Bai Qiuchen picked up his phone and glanced at it. 6:30 AM.
“Who’s singing in the middle of the night and disturbing the peace…”
Actually, he already had an answer in his heart.
He fought a bitter battle against the Sandman with all his might, but ultimately, under the increasingly clear singing, the Sandman was defeated.
“….”
‘I really want to die.’
‘Sandman, put some effort in!’
Bai Qiuchen struggled out of bed, pulled open the curtains, opened the window, and went to the balcony to look down.
Five diligent little lolis were in the spacious backyard preparing for their future livestreams.
‘Where’s my soundproofing magic… Oh, soundproofing magic only blocks noise from outside the house.’
“…Sigh.”
With a bitter sigh, Bai Qiuchen returned to his room, opened the door, and went down to the first-floor dining room.
His sister happened to be there too.
He sat down at the dining table and stared at his sister.
Bai Qiumu seemed to have also been woken up by the sound of them practicing singing.
“…What should I do if I want to curse at someone?”
Bai Qiumu looked at her brother with a face full of resentment.
“Bear with it.”
Bai Qiuchen sighed again.
“What adult would get angry at children? Especially such diligent and motivated children. Praising them isn’t even enough.”
He’d dug this pit himself, so no matter what, he couldn’t regret it.
“I want to curse at you.”
“…I refuse.”
Bai Qiuchen avoided his sister’s stabbing gaze.
“Bro, let me beat you up. Otherwise, I can’t vent my anger.”
“I don’t want to.”
“You don’t get a choice!”
Bai Qiumu grabbed her brother, who was trying to escape, and pinned him to the ground.
She clamped his head with her feet and pulled his right hand with both hands.
She tangled with him on the ground in this position for a full ten minutes before Bai Qiumu finally let him go.
Bai Qiuchen, who had finally escaped, crawled up, panting heavily and gasping for breath.
“Ugh! Ugh, ugh, ugh…! I feel like I’m about to see Great-Grandma…”
“Who told you to rent out the house yourself? Now I can’t even sleep in.”
Bai Qiumu propped herself up and stretched her body, letting out a long breath.
“Sure enough, bro is the most comfortable to use.”
“What’s with that suggestive way of putting it?”
Bai Qiumu deliberately ignored his words and continued.
“This morning, Li Ai said she’s cooking. Tell her not to make any for me.”
“Go tell her yourself.”
Bai Qiumu rolled her eyes at her brother, said nothing, and directly walked over and gave him a punch before heading back to the second floor.
“Ugh… Women are so hard to understand… Ugh.”
Bai Qiuchen collapsed onto the table.
After some more time passed, Li Ai returned home early from morning training because she needed to make breakfast.
“Teacher, what’s wrong?”
Seeing Bai Qiuchen slumped over the dining table, Li Ai walked over with concern and held his hand.
“Nothing.”
Bai Qiuchen gently shook his head and looked at Li Ai.
Li Ai stood in front of him with her back to the light.
From his angle, she looked like she was radiating a maternal glow.
‘I should warn them.’
“Li Ai, remember to tell everyone one thing.”
“Ah, okay. Please go ahead.”
“Don’t try to anger Xiaomu. She’ll eat people.”
“…Huh?”
Li Ai blinked innocently.
“Don’t try to anger Xiaomu. She’ll eat people.”
Bai Qiuchen repeated himself.
“Also, no need to make breakfast for her. She’ll handle it herself.”
Having said that, he collapsed again.
Li Ai held her teacher’s hand, her expression somewhat troubled.
But looking at her fallen teacher, she said nothing more and went into the kitchen to make breakfast.
Who knows how much time passed, but Bai Qiuchen’s sleeping consciousness was pulled back from the far reaches of the heavens by a delicious aroma.
He opened his eyes to a table full of dishes: sweet and sour pork tenderloin, chicken wings stuffed with potato, mixed shrimp with vegetables, fried pork cutlet, mashed potatoes, and a pot of pork rib and corn soup.
No need to think about it. This was the breakfast Li Ai had made.
‘Why is the whole table kid food?’
Bai Qiuchen thought.
‘Sure enough, even a child radiating a maternal glow is still ultimately a child.’
“Ah, Teacher, you’re awake. I was just about to call you.”
Li Ai stood by the rice cooker, smiling as she handed over a big bowl full of rice.
‘God, have I met the Holy Mother?’
Bai Qiuchen gratefully accepted that bowl of rice full of love.
“I’m digging in.”
While Li Ai and Jiu put their hands together, the others had already picked up their chopsticks and started eating.
Bai Qiuchen picked up a chicken wing stuffed with potato and put it in his mouth.
It was actually sweet and spicy!
The tender chicken wings paired with potatoes roasted crispy on both ends, combined with sweet chili sauce and black pepper, was simply flawless perfection!
He picked up another piece of sweet and sour pork tenderloin and put it in his mouth.
The instant it entered his mouth, a faint spicy sauce mixed with the tangy and sweet taste of tomato sauce slid into his stomach.
He scooped another spoonful of mixed shrimp with vegetables.
It was also mildly spicy.
If one dish was a coincidence, then this many definitely meant Li Ai had deliberately made them this way.
Bai Qiuchen was almost moved to tears.
Li Ai actually still remembered that he liked spicy food!
She was even closer than his own mother.
His own mother would disguise soy sauce as cola to trick him into drinking it, but Li Ai wouldn’t.
His own mother only ever ordered takeout every day, but Li Ai wouldn’t.
His own mother would kick him when he was down, but Li Ai wouldn’t.
Li Ai is great. No need for more words.
‘And it’s tastier than what my little sister makes—can I say that?’
Bai Qiuchen, at a speed much faster than the others, devoured the rice in his bowl like a whirlwind.
“I’m full.”
Bai Qiuchen put his hands together and bowed his head in gratitude for letting him eat such delicious food.
He had never felt so happy to be a magical girl’s teacher.
However, he ate much less than usual this meal, despite having eaten a big bowl of rice.
“Teacher, you’re only eating that little?”
Li Ai, who used to often feed her teacher, noticed that he ate little and looked at him with a face that seemed about to cry.
She must have thought her cooking didn’t suit her teacher’s taste.
“No, no, it’s absolutely not Li Ai’s fault! I’ve already eaten a lot!”
Bai Qiuchen hurriedly smoothed things over.
To reassure Li Ai, he said, “I’ll go call Bai Qiu down and let her prove that Li Ai’s cooking is delicious!”
“I’m already full. Li Ai’s breakfast has filled me with energy. Right now, I want to start working immediately!”
“I’ll go call Bai Qiu.”
That was his real purpose.
If he ate too much and couldn’t eat anymore when he transformed into Bai Qiu later, wouldn’t that hurt Li Ai even more?
“Yeah…”
Li Ai’s expression was still uneasy, which made Bai Qiuchen feel even more ashamed.
He fled the place as if escaping.
Watching Bai Qiuchen’s figure disappear at the stairwell, Li Ai wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and revealed a triumphant smile as she looked at the others.
‘As expected of Li Ai. She accomplished in one go what others couldn’t—admirable!’
The others looked at Li Ai with admiration.
Not long after, Bai Qiu came down from the second floor, rubbing her eyes like she’d just woken up.
“Haah~ Morning, everyone.”
She sat down in Bai Qiuchen’s seat.
Her spot already had a full bowl of rice.
“Smells so good. I heard from my brother that today’s breakfast was made by Li Ai-chan. Li Ai-chan is amazing.”
Bai Qiu dug a hole in the rice and scooped several spoonfuls of mixed shrimp with vegetables into the hole.
“Thank you for the compliment, Senior. I just don’t know if it suits Senior’s appetite.”
Li Ai replied obediently.
“Since my brother likes it, I definitely like it too. Our family’s tastes are all pretty similar.”
Bai Qiu tucked several chicken wings stuffed with potato and sweet and sour pork tenderloin into the hole.
Then she filled it with mashed potatoes and topped it with a fried pork cutlet to finish.
“Senior’s home is clearly so luxurious and looks like you have money, so why does Senior always say you’re broke?”
Alice suddenly asked.
“Because in our family, we have to earn our own money and spend our own money.”
Bai Qiu answered while eating.
“Only people who can earn money deserve to use money. That’s the Bai family creed!”
“…”
The little lolis all stopped their chopsticks and looked at her in surprise.
“What’s wrong?”
Bai Qiu was stunned for a moment, not understanding their expressions of confusion mixed with surprise.
“Um… This is my first time hearing such a family motto.”
“It is indeed a bit unique…”
Jiu echoed Li Ai’s words.
“So that means Senior has been giving Teacher living expenses all along? Sister Xiaomu didn’t do anything?”
Alice continued asking.
“After all, he’s my brother.”
Bai Qiu secretly pinched her thigh hard to force tears out.
“Since he was young, he scrimped and saved to raise me and Xiaomu. You probably know by now—the thing about my brother eating very little.”
“It’s because when he encounters something delicious, he thinks of us, and then he can’t eat anymore. It’s a habit he developed from back then.”
‘Whoa~ What a fake story~’
She regretted it right after saying it.
She herself felt the story was full of holes.
When she used to be fed by Li Ai, she always ate everything clean.
“Teacher…!”
But the little lolis were almost moved to tears by her fabricated story.
“So repaying him is only right. Even if we support him forever, that’s what we should do.”
“But even so, my brother still insists on going out to find work so we can live a better life.”
“So no matter how we repay our brother, it’s never too much!”
Bai Qiu continued speaking passionately, as if giving a speech.
“Don’t underestimate your Sister Xiaomu…”
Just as she said this, Bai Qiumu came down from the second floor.
She glanced at Bai Qiu, who was making up stories for the little lolis.
Bai Qiu, who had just been passionately boasting, froze and broke into a cold sweat.
She quickly shut her mouth.
She absolutely couldn’t let her sister find out about the story she was making up here, or else who knew how she’d be settled with afterward!
“What’s wrong with Sister Xiaomu? Keep going, Senior~”
Xilalite egged her on mischievously.
“Ahem~~! Don’t let your Sister Xiaomu’s stern appearance fool you.”
“In reality, she’s a person with a beautiful heart and kind soul, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted!”
“She’s extremely good to our brother, way better than me.”
“Many times, I even feel guilty and sad.”
“Clearly I like my brother just as much, but I can’t do as much for him as your Sister Xiaomu does.”
“Senior is already amazing too!”
Jiu hurriedly said.
“Exactly, exactly~ Senior is an outstanding magical girl. Teacher will definitely be proud of you~”
Shang Mengyou comforted her in her usual tone.
Bai Qiumu let out a light laugh, said nothing, took a box of ice cream from the fridge, and went back to the second floor.
“Phew…”
Bai Qiu let out a long sigh of relief.
She’d almost triggered a taboo and fallen into her sister’s kill zone.
“Pfft~”
“Xilalite.”
Bai Qiu looked at the one who’d almost gotten her killed and was now snickering.
Clearly they were silver eyes, but for some reason, they made one feel like they were glowing red.
“I’m going to tell Sister Xiaomu that Teacher said she’d eat people~”
Xilalite said as she jumped off her chair.
“Everyone too.”
Bai Qiu immediately swallowed the words that had rushed to her lips and changed her tune.
“You all worked hard in training this morning. Is there any dessert you want after the meal?”
“Want me to treat you to milk tea?”
‘Must maintain the Brother-Lover persona…’
“Senior, that’s my job…”
Alice said quietly.
“Ah… ah! R-right, that does seem to be the case.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Alice. I’m going to work. Bye!”
Bai Qiu gave Alice a thumbs-up and fled the dining room as if escaping.
“Pa.”
“Yay~”
Xilalite and Alice happily high-fived.
Joint attack complete.
Breakfast victory and defeat: Bai Qiuchen & Bai Qiu’s defeat / Nikaido Ria & Shirarito Akaosu & Alice Deloise’s victory.
Current score:
Nikaido Ria (1)
Shirarito Akaosu (1)
Alice Deloise (1)
Shang Mengyou (0)
Ri Bai Jiu (0)