Brother and Sister-in-Law

In normal life, blatant bullying isn't actually that common.

Especially when the target is a strikingly beautiful girl with a slightly sickly temperament, someone who easily evokes a protective instinct in others.

Deep down, most children still possess a pure kindness untouched by the harshness of the world.

Watching Ning Qingcheng being surrounded by a group of peers with a relaxed smile on her face, Lin Mo felt very reassured as he observed her through his divine sense.

At noon, the school dismissal bell rang.

At the school gates, Lin Mo and Xie Yuling stood side by side. One was tall and straight, the other elegant and lovely. Amidst the coming and going of parents picking up their children, they were an undeniably eye-catching sight.

It did not take long for that small figure to appear in their line of sight.

The little girl was surrounded by several female classmates, chattering away happily. Her face bore a radiant smile that Lin Mo had not seen in a long time.

The warmth of her peers really did make the little girl act more like her age.

After all, being too mature for her age did have a slight impact on her life. She needed to interact with people her own age to regain some of her childhood innocence.

It seems our Qingcheng is unusually popular, Xie Yuling stood on her tiptoes, her tone full of gratification.

Lin Mo, however, simply nodded calmly and spoke in a mild tone.

Good-looking people usually don't have bad luck. Think about it differently: if she were a girl with a flat nose, asymmetrical eyes, and buck teeth, do you think there would still be people crowding around her?

As soon as he said this, Xie Yuling almost rolled her eyes into the back of her head. A small hand accurately pinched the soft flesh at Lin Mo's waist. The force wasn't heavy, but the threat was abundantly clear.

Can't you say something nice?

I am merely stating a hypothetical fact, Lin Mo said, his expression unchanged, acting as if the hand on his waist did not exist.

In the crowd, the sharp-eyed Ning Qingcheng locked onto the two of them almost immediately.

Her pace quickened instantly, like a little bird breaking free from its cage.

Brother! Sister Yuling!

Her crisp call made the girls accompanying her look over as well. When they saw what Lin Mo and Xie Yuling looked like, the young girls' eyes lit up.

One of the bolder ones leaned close to Ning Qingcheng's ear, her voice just loud enough for the group to hear.

Qingcheng, are these your brother and sister-in-law? My goodness, they are so handsome and pretty!

Sister-in-law?

These words were like a small pebble accurately tossed into the lake of Xie Yuling's heart, sending out ripple after ripple of burning heat.

Having awakened her divine sense meant her hearing and vision were greatly enhanced, so Xie Yuling heard it loud and clear.

Her cheeks flushed red, the color spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. However, she did not intend to explain anything and simply accepted the title with natural grace.

Ning Qingcheng showed no intention of clarifying either. As if she had received the greatest validation in the world, she nodded vigorously like a chicken pecking at grain. She even secretly winked at Xie Yuling, her little expression clearly saying: See, the masses have a discerning eye!

Watching Xie Yuling go from being momentarily flustered to accepting it with perfect peace of mind, Lin Mo found it highly amusing.

He took the initiative to step forward and naturally took over the conversation.

Hello, I am Qingcheng's brother.

His voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring power as his gaze swept over the young girls in front of him.

Qingcheng just transferred here, and her health isn't the best. For the next two years, I'll have to ask you all to take good care of her.

As soon as he finished speaking, as if performing a magic trick, he flipped his hand, and several bars of Dove chocolate appeared in his palm. He accurately handed one to each of the girls.

The motion was smooth and flowing, without the slightest hint of being forced.

Although it wasn't a particularly expensive snack, for middle schoolers in 2013, a Dove chocolate bar costing over eight yuan was considered a slightly premium treat.

Holding the chocolates, the girls were stunned for a moment before their faces bloomed with joy. Their favorable impression of Lin Mo instantly skyrocketed.

Of course, this primarily boosted their affection for Ning Qingcheng, since they only got to eat the chocolate because of her.

Don't worry, we are friends with Qingcheng. We will definitely take care of her!

Watching the girls happily wave goodbye to Ning Qingcheng, Lin Mo finally withdrew his gaze.

Turning his head, he met Xie Yuling's eyes, which were still practically steaming.

He leaned in a bit closer, lowered his voice, and spoke into her ear with a teasing smile.

Alright, time to go, sister-in-law.

Hearing this, Xie Yuling ruthlessly delivered two elbow strikes to Lin Mo.

Walking down the street, Lin Mo patted Ning Qingcheng's head.

So, how does it feel?

Everyone is very enthusiastic. Once they heard I just recovered from leukemia, they all treated me really well.

The leukemia was, of course, an excuse. Xie Yuling knew it was a cover story too. Although she was curious about many things regarding Lin Mo, she wasn't the type of person who had to interrogate everything to the bottom of it.

So, she just played along with Lin Mo.

Mhm, then get well acquainted with school life. If there's anything you don't understand, ask your sister-in-law, you hear?

Even now, Lin Mo couldn't resist teasing Xie Yuling.

Xie Yuling couldn't be bothered to respond to him anymore and simply turned her head away, though the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth betrayed her inner delight.

Ning Qingcheng didn't have to go back to school in the afternoon.

However, starting tomorrow, she would officially step into her school life.

Lin Mo still wasn't very worried.

August 29th.

The weather was muggy, the cicadas were noisy, and the air was filled with the unique scent of camphor trees typical of Guangba.

Today was the back-to-school day for Guangba.

Lin Mo and Xie Yuling dropped the little girl Ning Qingcheng off at the gates of No. 45 Middle School. Watching her small back blend into the crowd, the two finally turned around and walked unhurriedly toward Guangba, which was a kilometer away.

You really don't look worried at all, Xie Yuling glanced at Lin Mo beside her, who had his hands in his pockets and a relaxed expression on his face.

This was the third time she had said this.

From the moment they left the house until now, this guy's calmness was completely unlike that of a guardian.

Hearing this, Lin Mo lazily let out a yawn. What is there to worry about? She's an esper who can instantly turn a person into a pile of minced meat. Who wouldn't take a detour when they see her?

He spoke casually and breezily, as if discussing what to eat for lunch.

Xie Yuling's eyelids twitched slightly.

Although it wasn't the first time she had learned of Ning Qingcheng's abilities, it was still difficult for her mind to associate that soft, cute little girl with the phrase pile of minced meat.

She had only personally seen Ning Qingcheng instantly decompose a plastic cup into its most primitive plastic powder. That silent, traceless process of annihilation was far more chilling than any violent destruction.

This feeling of sharing a secret invisibly drew her and Ning Qingcheng closer.

And it was precisely because of this that Lin Mo had specifically instructed Ning Qingcheng not to let the people from Yanhuang Awakening notice Xie Yuling's uniqueness for the time being. Rather than dragging her into another world too early, it was better for her to remain an ordinary person in this normal world.