Su Qi, you jerk Come back here

The next day.

When Su Qi slowly opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was a pair of eyes brimming with emotion—unmistakable joy.

"Good morning, brother~"

"Morning."

Su Qi asked softly, "Have you been awake for a while?"

"...Not really. You woke up not long after I did."

Liu Yuan poked only her head out from under the blanket.

"I... growl... growl."

She had just opened her mouth to say something when her stomach betrayed her with two loud protests.

Su Qi glanced at his sister, noticing her flushed cheeks and the way her eyes darted away in embarrassment.

Casually retrieving his phone from under the pillow, he checked the time—10:00 a.m. Well, that still counted as early.

"What do you want to eat? Are there any ingredients left from yesterday?"

Su Qi yawned and threw off the blanket, preparing to get up.

Neither of them had eaten much the night before, so it was no surprise they were hungry.

Seeing Su Qi rise, Liu Yuan tried to follow suit, but a sharp twinge from yesterday’s sparring injuries made her freeze mid-motion.

It was a painful reminder that she couldn’t move freely right now.

Noticing Liu Yuan’s furrowed brows, Su Qi shook his head helplessly.

"You should stay put and rest."

Liu Yuan bit her lip lightly and nodded, though she clearly wasn’t happy about it.

Su Qi left the bedroom.

Upon opening the fridge in the living room, he found it nearly empty—no proper ingredients in sight.

Whatever leftovers he had were probably devoured by Liu Yuan the day before.

The only thing left was a lone box of strawberry cake.

Incidentally, the chocolate cake from yesterday had been Su Qi’s, while this one was Liu Yuan’s.

Their tastes differed slightly.

But obviously, something that sweet wasn’t suitable for breakfast.

He pulled out his phone and deftly opened a food delivery app.

Scrolling through the options, he bypassed ready-made meals and switched to the grocery section instead.

Millet, red dates, some vegetables… He quickly selected ingredients that were nourishing, blood-replenishing, and light—ideal for someone recovering.

Payment confirmed. Done.

Now, all he had to do was wait for the delivery.

Su Qi turned to check on Liu Yuan again.

As he approached the bedroom door, faint rustling sounds reached his ears.

Peeking through the crack, he saw Liu Yuan struggling to sit up slightly, but the moment she moved, her face twisted in pain.

"Stop fidgeting." Su Qi walked over and gently pressed her shoulders back down. "Your injuries haven’t healed yet."

Liu Yuan pouted and muttered, "But lying down is so boring… And I’m so hungry…"

Su Qi softened his tone. "I ordered groceries. I’ll cook something for you soon."

"What are you making, brother?" Liu Yuan’s eyes brightened with anticipation.

"Millet and red date porridge."

Liu Yuan tilted her head. "That… doesn’t sound very tasty."

She had always been a picky eater. "I want meat… I want brother to hand-feed me meat."

Su Qi ignored her. Hunger made anything taste good.

Before long, the doorbell rang.

Su Qi retrieved the groceries from the delivery guy and headed straight to the kitchen.

He meticulously rinsed the millet, then pitted and sliced the red dates to spare Liu Yuan the trouble of spitting out the seeds.

Standing by the stove, he stirred occasionally to prevent the porridge from sticking to the bottom.

The kitchen was quiet, save for the gentle bubbling of the simmering porridge.

After about half an hour, it was finally ready.

The millet had softened into a thick, sticky consistency, infused with the sweetness of the red dates. The porridge had taken on a faint reddish hue, looking utterly appetizing.

Su Qi ladled a bowlful, carefully carrying it as steam rose enticingly from the surface.

He blew lightly on the rim to test the temperature before bringing it to the bedroom.

"It smells so good…" Liu Yuan had already perked up at the aroma, straining her neck to look toward the door.

Su Qi set the bowl on the nightstand, then helped Liu Yuan sit up slightly, propping a pillow behind her back.

"Eat slowly. It’s still hot," he reminded her.

Liu Yuan picked up the spoon and took a small sip.

The porridge was warm, smooth, and just sweet enough from the dates. The comforting heat spread down her throat and into her stomach, instantly easing the discomfort of emptiness.

"Mmm… It’s delicious." Liu Yuan’s eyes closed in satisfaction, like a pampered kitten—quite the contrast from her earlier complaint about it sounding unappetizing.

Su Qi explained, "Millet is good for the stomach, and red dates replenish blood. This is perfect for you right now."

Liu Yuan ate daintily, spoonful by spoonful, warmth blooming in her chest.

Watching her obediently finish the meal, Su Qi felt his own mood lighten.

The bowl was soon empty.

Liu Yuan licked her lips, still craving more.

Now that she was full, some strength had returned—but so had another discomfort.

Shifting slightly, she realized how sticky and gross her skin felt.

Between yesterday’s sparring and injuries, she had worked up a sweat, and there hadn’t been a chance to clean up properly last night.

"Brother…" Liu Yuan hesitated.

"Hmm?" Su Qi was about to take the bowl away.

"I… I want to go to the bathroom…" Her voice dropped, cheeks warming again. "I feel really gross."

Su Qi paused.

Looking at Liu Yuan, he knew there was no way she could manage a shower—or even make it to the bathroom—in her current state.

Liu Yuan seemed to realize this too, her face falling as frustration filled her eyes.

She even started wondering if she’d have to trouble her brother to bring her some water for a quick wipe-down in bed…

While Liu Yuan was lost in thought, Su Qi suddenly bent down.

Before she could react, one arm slid beneath her shoulders while the other securely supported her legs.

The next moment, Liu Yuan felt weightless as she was lifted into the air.

"Ah?! W-wait!"

Amid her startled cry, Su Qi had already scooped her up.

Both feet off the ground again.

But this time, it felt far safer.

After all, during their sparring match, she had been utterly dominated—so thoroughly controlled that she never even got a proper look at Su Qi’s face before losing.

Literally 'beaten into the air.'

Now, the faint scent of Su Qi enveloped her, her cheek nearly brushing against his chest.

"B-brother?!" Liu Yuan’s voice trembled, a mix of shock and shyness.

But Su Qi acted as if this were completely normal, carrying her steadily as he replied, "Didn’t you want a bath? I’ll take you to the bathroom."

His movements were calm and secure, radiating reassurance.

Yet Liu Yuan’s heart refused to settle.

T-this… Was this a princess carry?!

Blushing furiously, she nodded. The sticky discomfort was unbearable, and besides… given their relationship now, maybe she didn’t need to be so reserved.

Su Qi carefully lowered Liu Yuan into the bathtub, where water was already drawn.

Old apartments had their perks.

Though the location wasn’t ideal, the rent was cheap—and they even had the luxury of a bathtub without worrying about space.

Su Qi placed the shower gel, shampoo, towel, and bath towel next to the bathtub before stepping out and closing the bathroom door.

"Call me when you're done, and I'll carry you out," Su Qi said.

"Ah, okay," Liu Yuan replied.

...

Liu Yuan curled up in the bathtub, blowing bubbles into the water.

Su Qi's presence had already become impossible to shake from her mind.

It was as if, in just one night, a seed had been planted deep in her heart—taking root and sprouting.

He wasn’t like some guys who were overly polite and eager to please.

Nor did he shower her with the usual sweet nothings when pursuing a girl.

In fact, Su Qi had never even tried to hide his desires from the start.

Yet in the small things, he was unexpectedly attentive, almost unbearably gentle.

The hot water washed away the stickiness and exhaustion clinging to her body, and Liu Yuan let out a long sigh, feeling as if she’d come back to life.

She leaned against the edge of the bathtub, her fair skin tinged pink from the heat.

Drops of water trailed down the ends of her hair.

Then came a new problem.

The bath towel had been taken back to her room the last time she’d used it as a "cover."

She lingered in the water for a while longer.

"G-Gege?" Liu Yuan’s voice, soft and damp with steam, slipped through the crack of the bathroom door.

Su Qi’s response came immediately from outside, steady as ever: "Hmm? Done?"

"Mm..." Liu Yuan answered, followed by a long silence as she searched for the right words—or perhaps mustered the courage.

"Um... I..." She hesitated, her voice barely louder than a mosquito’s hum. "I... forgot to bring... the clothes to change into... underneath..."

She couldn’t bring herself to say the word "underwear" outright.

Su Qi seemed to pause for a moment outside before quickly grasping her predicament.

"I’ll take a look," he said, his tone giving nothing away.

Footsteps echoed, followed by the sound of a bedroom door opening and closing.

Liu Yuan immediately sank deeper into the water, leaving only her head exposed.

Su Qi walked into Liu Yuan’s temporary room and opened the wardrobe.

He pulled out one of the drawers.

Then froze.

Inside, neatly folded, were various styles and colors.

The quantity... was indeed not small.

He idly brushed his fingers over the soft fabrics.

...

Ten minutes later.

"Knock knock."

Su Qi lightly tapped the door twice.

"Dry your hands. I’ll toss it to you."

After waiting about ten seconds, he pushed the door open a crack and flicked his wrist to throw something inside. "Catch."

"Ah—okay, thank you, Gege."

Liu Yuan’s voice from inside the bathroom was clearly relieved.

Then she looked down at the roll of bandages in her hand.

Liu Yuan: ???

"You jerk, Su Qi! Get back here right now!"