Qi Sen smiled.

“Big Brother has to go to school today. Tonight, we’ll pick up Third Brother from the hospital. Then tomorrow and the day after, we’ll have time off. Third Brother is going to compete in the chemistry finals—we’ll go with him.”

Can-Can nodded solemnly. “Sister Tao-Tao’s still sleeping. Can-Can came out to eat bao-bao.”

Qi Sen opened the door.

The big one and the little one stood side by side in the hallway. Can-Can took the red bean bun from Qi Sen’s hand and with a heroic little grunt—“heeyah!”—she tried to tear it in half.

Unfortunately, her technique was all wrong. Her cheeks puffed up red with effort, but she just couldn’t pull it apart.

“Are you trying to share with me?” Qi Sen smiled, thinking she was trying to give him half.

Can-Can scratched her cheek in confusion, then mumbled with a soft baby voice, “Can-Can just wants the sweet part in the middle.”

Qi Sen blinked. Ah. So that’s what it was.

He chuckled and split the bun neatly in half for her.

“The sweet stuff in the middle is called red bean paste. This is a red bean bun,” he explained gently. “But Can-Can can’t just eat the sweet part. You have to finish the whole thing.”

Can-Can looked down at the bun and nodded earnestly, parroting his explanation, “Because if we don’t eat the white part, the bun will feel sad.”

“Exactly.”

Realization dawned on her little face. She let out a determined “Ah-woo!” and chomped down on the fluffy bun.

Qi Sen’s eyes curved into a smile.

She really was the cutest little sister.

—

While eating, Can-Can told him, “Can-Can thinks I had a dream last night.”

“What kind of dream?” Qi Sen asked casually.

Can-Can tilted her small face up, eyes clouded with concentration as she tried to recall it.

But like most people, dreams stuck with you only for that first second after waking. By the second second, they’d already mostly vanished.

She frowned, balled her fists, trying very hard to remember—but her little brain came up completely blank.

All she could recall was: “Second Brother, in the dream Can-Can had lots and lots of rainbow candy!”

In the underworld, the Reaper King was reviewing her dream through the Mirror of Mortal Fates and was so angry he wanted to smash his head against a wall. His eyes rolled so hard they nearly flipped into the ninth heaven.

This good-for-nothing disciple—always off-track.

Back in the heavens she’d been obsessed with gold and silver treasures; now in the mortal realm, it was all about rainbow candy.

Just like her absurd father, who at three years old was already comparing family fortunes with other toddlers. What a pair of oddballs.

Still, Can-Can did manage to remember something useful.

“In the dream, Third Brother looked really sad,” Can-Can’s little face scrunched up, her tone serious. “He was holding a bunch of papers and then suddenly fell down. That must’ve hurt a lot.”

Qi Sen’s expression stiffened. He suddenly remembered that chemistry teacher from yesterday at the hospital.

“Don’t be scared,” he said softly. “Dreams always mean the opposite. Second Brother and Can-Can will protect Third Brother together. He won’t fall like he did in your dream.”

Can-Can gave a determined nod. “Mm!”

—

The next day arrived in a blink.

Can-Can stood outside a large school gate, holding hands with Qi Sen and Tao-Tao.

The entrance was bustling with students and parents gathered in groups.

A long red banner stretched above the gate to Jin Yuan High School, bearing the words:
“38th Annual Chemistry Competition National Finals Testing Site.”

Pei Shen stared at the banner, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

This year’s chemistry finals were being held as province-based exams. The next two days would be theory exams, followed by results three days later. The day after that, there would be an award ceremony announcing who had made it into the national training team—and who had earned gold, silver, or bronze medals.

Making it into the national training team meant one thing: an automatic admission to either Beida or Qingda.

This exam was a big deal for Pei Shen. But he was confident.

Suddenly, Can-Can grabbed his hand and looked up at him with a candy-sweet smile.

“Candy?”

Pei Shen shook his head, but his gaze swept across Can-Can, Qi Sen, and Tao-Tao—and his heart filled with warmth.

In past years, he’d joined many big and small chemistry competitions. Every time, he stood alone at the entrance while other students clung to their parents, listening to their soft cheers of encouragement.

No matter how much he tried to act indifferent, hearing those gentle voices made his chest ache with jealousy.

But today… today, he had people waiting with him too.

The thought made him smile. Trying to act nonchalant, he said,
“What are you all doing here? The weather’s great. Qi Sen, you’re not even in school today—why not take Can-Can to the amusement park instead?”

Can-Can tilted her head, confused. “We shouldn’t be here?”

Qi Sen gave Pei Shen a calm glance, still holding Can-Can’s hand. “If we’re not supposed to be here, then let’s go.”

Pei Shen: !!

He immediately grabbed both Qi Sen and Can-Can by the wrist. His mouth said no, but his hands were very honest.

“Well, since we’re already here, it’d be such a waste to leave! Just find a shady spot to wait with Can-Can later. Parks are expensive, you know?”

Tao-Tao snorted quietly into her hand, giggling.

The way these two brothers interacted… was strangely hilarious.

Can-Can didn’t say anything else. She lowered her head and focused all her energy on peeling open a lollipop Pei Shen had refused.

But her tiny hands just weren’t strong enough to unwrap it.

Neither Second Brother nor Third Brother would help her. They’d said she’d been eating too much candy lately and that if she kept it up, black bugs would grow on her teeth.

Can-Can was aggrieved.

She’d looked in the mirror just this morning with her mouth wide open, checking very carefully.

Her teeth were white and shiny. There were no bugs.

Her little hands tugged and twisted at the lollipop wrapper.

By the time Pei Shen was about to head inside, she still hadn’t gotten it open.

Her little head drooped. She sighed.

Fine. She’d open it later after Third Brother was gone.

One by one, students said goodbye to their parents and slowly walked into the school, each carrying a subtle tension they didn’t even notice themselves.

They’d worked hard for so long—for this very moment. For the dream of making it into the national team.

Pei Shen followed the crowd, his hands tucked in his pockets, strolling like it was just another spring walk in the park.

His steps were light. He stood out among the crowd of stiff, nervous students—like a tiger among anxious deer, cool and confident.