Brother, the melon is so sweet

Ordinary.

Quiet.

The hues of childhood had long faded.

But today, bathed in the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves and with Xu Xi by her side, her gray world bloomed into color once more.

Xu Moli was happy.

All worries forgotten.

All sorrows cast aside.

She immersed herself in a world shared only with Xu Xi.

Every heart holds its own utopia.

Gazing at the sky while gently stroking his sister’s silky hair, Xu Xi thought this might just be hers.

Unrelated to the pinnacle of immortal cultivation.

This was the precious fantasy Xu Moli, a mere mortal, had yearned for over countless years.

"Let me stay with Moli a little longer," Xu Xi mused, squinting against the glaring sunlight as his thoughts settled on plans for the future.

...

Nightfall arrived.

With practiced ease, Xu Xi prepared a table of exquisite dishes.

The ingredients were nothing special—just common vegetables—but under his miraculous culinary touch, the glistening surfaces of the dishes shimmered with a faint golden glow.

"Hmm..."

Xu Moli sat at the table.

Staring at the spread of radiant dishes, she fell into deep contemplation.

"Even though it’s not the first time I’ve seen this, it’s still... astonishing."

"Just how skilled is Brother’s cooking?"

"Ordinary ingredients, yet they produce such wonders."

The girl furrowed her brows.

Puzzled but undeterred, she took bite after bite of Xu Xi’s cooking.

"Brother, can you teach me how to cook?"

"Of course, but why the sudden interest...?"

Xu Xi was taken aback.

This was the first time Xu Moli had ever expressed a desire to learn cooking, and he couldn’t help but wonder what had sparked it.

Her answer was simple.

She said that Xu Xi had always been the one cooking for her, and she felt guilty about it.

"Brother, I’ve grown up now. Cooking should be my responsibility from now on."

With a playful grin,

she declared she would make the most delicious dishes.

Her confidence was so convincing that Xu Xi could only blink in surprise before finally agreeing to her request.

No time like the present.

After dinner, Xu Moli took to the stove, eager to test her skills.

She had some basic culinary knowledge, but she lacked the finesse of a seasoned chef or Xu Xi’s ability to make dishes glow.

"If Brother can do it, there’s no reason I can’t..."

She muttered to herself.

Weighing, pondering, experimenting—all to craft a radiant dish for Xu Xi.

About half an hour later.

Xu Xi witnessed the following scene:

Thick smoke billowed from the pan, the ingredients had twisted into grotesque shapes, and dark bubbles gurgled ominously, as if some eldritch abomination had taken form.

Flames licked the walls, leaving sooty streaks.

A pungent, acrid odor seeped into their nostrils.

Xu Xi chuckled. He neither criticized Xu Moli’s efforts nor scolded her, instead offering gentle reassurance:

"It’s alright, Moli."

"I believe one day, your cooking will catch up to mine."

Later.

Xu Xi and Xu Moli cleaned the kitchen together, restoring it to order.

In a corner where Xu Xi couldn’t see,

Xu Moli silently crossed off one of the strategies from 108 Ways to Win a Man’s Heart:

"The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach."

The advice wasn’t wrong.

But alas.

She saw no path to success.

...

The days that followed remained peaceful and ordinary.

In their free time,

Xu Xi and Xu Moli would sit at home, chatting and sharing stories from their lives after the first simulation.

Or they’d venture into town to explore the bustling market.

Sometimes, they’d hike into the mountains, gathering wild herbs and other treasures to sell, guided by Xu Xi’s otherworldly expertise.

Time flowed silently.

Leaving no trace.

Gradually, the locals became familiar with the siblings.

Some farmers brought them fruits as gestures of goodwill.

Others, arrogant and brash, eyed the pair as easy targets for mischief.

However.

Before such schemes could unfold,

the would-be troublemakers mysteriously vanished.

"Young Xi, you two are truly blessed. That Wang Erhu was a notorious scoundrel in these parts. Thankfully, the heavens swept him away before he could harm you."

An elderly neighbor sighed, praising divine justice.

Standing beside him, Xu Xi nodded in agreement. "Indeed, the heavens are kind."

So.

Who was this divine intervention?

As a being who held the titles of both True Immortal and Deity, Xu Xi found the answer far too obvious.

...

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since their arrival in this mortal world.

The scorching summer

had reached its peak.

The blazing sun seemed to set even the air aflame.

The stifling heat left people gasping, clad in thin garments in a desperate bid for relief.

Cicadas buzzed, and waves of green foliage swayed.

Even in straw sandals, the searing roads tormented every step.

Xu Xi ventured outside less often.

Most days, he stayed indoors with his sister, savoring chilled watermelon as they watched the summer heat ripple through the trees, waiting for the vivid dance of red and green.

"Brother, this melon is so sweet."

Cradling a cool slice,

she took a bite, relishing the grainy texture as sweetness burst across her tongue.

Xu Moli ate with delight,

her enthusiasm leaving a ring of juice and flecks of red pulp around her lips.

Xu Xi wiped her mouth clean.

Then, picking up his own slice, he joined her in savoring the fruit.

"Yes, it really is sweet."

The azure sky, the sweltering air, the rustling leaves—everything mirrored memories of the past.

Back in Blackstone City,

the siblings had once shared watermelon just like this.

But back then,

Xu Moli had been a tiny girl of four or five, her legs too short to clear the doorstep.

Now.

She had fulfilled her childhood wish.

Taller, wiser, she stood by Xu Xi’s side as an equal, sharing his burdens and paving the way forward.

"Brother, I’m sleepy~~."

Stuffed and content,

she flopped into Xu Xi’s lap, feigning drowsiness.

Her mannerisms reminded him of the loyal android maid, making him wonder if she’d been a bad influence.

"Then take a nap."

He played along.

After wiping his hands clean, Xu Xi gently dabbed Xu Moli’s face, removing traces of watermelon juice.

The lazy summer ambiance,

accompanied by the cicadas’ hum, soon lulled the pretending girl into genuine slumber.

Nestled in Xu Xi’s arms,

her breathing steadied into the rhythm of sleep.

Adjusting his posture for her comfort, Xu Xi brushed stray strands from her forehead, soothing her restless heart.

Outside, summer’s fury turned the world into an oven.

But inside their shaded home,

Xu Xi and Xu Moli found refuge in their little sanctuary, untouched by the scorching sun.

"Nothing’s changed..."

"Moli still relies on me just as much."