Not only that— the little princess Can-Can, always surrounded by doting immortals like stars around the moon, in the years after the disappearance of the Emperor and Empress, did not throw tantrums or cry. Instead, she obediently stayed by herself at the edge of the Wuwang Sea.

How King Yama had managed to comfort her, to make her endure years of loneliness without shedding tears, became one of the great mysteries of the Nine Provinces and Four Seas.

The immortals speculated: “Maybe he bribed her with some rare and magical treasure she loved most?”

But only the immortal peach Can-Can always clutched close truly knew the answer.

Every day, Can-Can would sit at the entrance of the Wuwang Sea, hugging the peach her Second Brother had given her, staring blankly at the empty, endless sea path, and softly repeating the words King Yama had told her:

That day, King Yama had stood before her, holding a crab expressionlessly, watching her cry and wail for a long time before coldly saying:

“Stop crying. Just celebrate eighteen more birthdays… and you’ll see them again.”

**

King Yama hadn’t lied.

—

At Shangshi High School, the warning bell for class rang again and again.

Qi Sen began to lead Can-Can toward the nearby police station.

Can-Can panicked instantly.

After being rejected again and again, fear surged up inside her like a tide. She instinctively retreated several steps, dodging away from Qi Sen’s outstretched hand.

Tilting her head up pitifully, she pleaded:

“Second Brother, Daddy and Mommy aren’t here… Can-Can won’t be naughty ever again… please don’t leave Can-Can at the police station…”

Her soft, milky voice trembled with the beginning of tears.

No one could possibly understand—

how important this meeting was to Can-Can.

Memories of sitting alone at the entrance of the Wuwang Sea flooded her mind. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried over and over:

“Brother, don’t abandon Can-Can!”

She lifted her little arms and stumbled two steps forward, crying and trembling, begging for a hug.

Qi Sen instinctively scooped the little bundle into his arms, his warm palm gently patting her small back, over and over, soothing her softly:

“I’m not abandoning you.”

He repeated it several times.

Only after hearing it again and again did Can-Can finally believe it. She snuggled into Qi Sen’s arms, and the crying slowly ceased.

Wiping her tears roughly away with the back of her hand, Can-Can hiccupped and sniffled:

“You… you really want me?”

Qi Sen paused.

Seeing he didn’t immediately answer, Can-Can’s little mouth quivered, and just as she was about to let out a full-force wail, Qi Sen hurriedly said:

“I want you. I’ll want you, always.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want her. It was that he couldn’t.

From the moment he first laid eyes on Can-Can, he had felt a strange, natural pull toward her. And absurd as it sounded, he wanted to believe her ridiculous words— that he was her Second Brother.

But he couldn’t.

His foster parents would only see Can-Can as another burden. They would curse and hit her, polluting her world with their filth even if she hid away.

But now—

Can-Can had placed all her trust in him.

She treated him as the one and only she could depend on. The one whose existence alone made her happy.

Qi Sen had never experienced what it felt like to be needed.

Even if it was a naïve, innocent child needing him— it still warmed his frozen heart.

In that warmth, a reckless, absurd thought bloomed: Even if he had no home… he could create one for her.

Besides, Can-Can had said her parents were no longer around.

If no one else could stay by her side, then he would.

Qi Sen hesitated between the police station and the school for a few seconds, his gaze falling on Can-Can’s still slightly red eyes.

But little kids’ emotions came and went like the wind.

Though her eyes were puffy, Can-Can’s mood had bounced right back.

Within seconds, she was smiling again, waving her tiny hands excitedly at Qi Sen, signaling him to hold her hand.

The sharp ringing of the school bell hurt his ears.

Qi Sen took a deep breath, ignored her outstretched hand, and instead firmly gripped her arm.

Leading her, he turned and walked toward the bookstore next to the school.

While walking, he justified it to himself:

The next class was homeroom. He couldn’t afford to be late. And today was the last day before the National Day holiday. There would be plenty of time to deal with Can-Can afterward.

—

The bookstore owner, a young woman in her twenties, was someone Qi Sen often bought books from — they knew each other fairly well.

When she spotted Can-Can, she blinked in surprise and smiled:

“Who’s this little cutie?”

Before Qi Sen could answer, Can-Can puffed out her tiny chest and declared loudly:

“I’m Second Brother’s little sister!”

Tears still clung faintly to her cheeks, but she stood up straight, her expression proud— as if being Qi Sen’s little sister was the greatest honor in the world.

The owner laughed, amused by her serious, silly demeanor.

Teasing, she said:

“Looks like someone cried just now, didn’t they?”

Can-Can’s cheeks flushed bright red.

The Dragon Clan’s little princess— caught crying by mortals! Her pride was shattered!!

And this lady even said it out loud!!

Furious and embarrassed, Can-Can turned her head away and refused to look at the shop owner. Instead, she grabbed Qi Sen’s shirt and said in a tiny, determined voice:

“Second Brother, Can-Can won’t cry anymore. Can-Can is very strong!”

Her other hand clenched into a tiny fist, her face solemn as if making an important oath.

The sight was so ridiculously adorable that both the bookstore owner and Qi Sen couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

Such a serious little kid was just too cute!

The owner immediately treated Can-Can like a precious little treasure.

“Can-Can is amazing,” Qi Sen said warmly, going along with her.

“Now, I have to go to school. You’ll stay here with this big sister, and you’re not allowed to leave, okay? I’ll come pick you up after school. The outside world is dangerous.”

Can-Can nodded obediently:

“Mommy said that little kids wandering alone will get taken away.”

“Exactly. So you must stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”

After giving careful instructions, Qi Sen said a few words to the bookstore owner before turning to leave.

Before he went, he bought a copy of “Chemistry Test Research Workbook.”

His chemistry scores had been mediocre in the last exam. He needed to make up for it.

As he mentally planned out his study schedule, he moved quickly through the already empty corridors, shoulders brushing against someone at the corner.

Qi Sen instinctively looked up—

—and froze.

Standing in front of him was Shangshi High School’s famous chemistry prodigy—

Pei Shen.

Wearing headphones, Pei Shen looked like he had stepped straight out of a manga— delicate features, high nose bridge, pale lips, a flawless complexion. His hair was slightly wavy, parted neatly down the middle.

Both hands tucked casually into his uniform pockets, he looked every bit like an idol from the entertainment world.

The only flaw—

He was a little too thin, and his face had an unhealthy, almost porcelain-white pallor.