Once her brother signed her math test, Su Erke flopped onto the sofa with a cheerful grin, already engrossed in a novel.
Su Yan glanced at her phone screen. Is she still reading that trashy novel about putting a collar on her brother?
As it turned out, she’d switched to a novel titled "Invincible Starts from Female Top Student."
Seeing this, Su Yan found it somewhat amusing, yet also a bit exasperating. This silly Erke never seems to study properly. She can get a 38 out of 150 on a math test! Yet, she devours novels more enthusiastically than anyone, and this one even seems to be about a top student. I really don’t know what to make of her. She should switch to "Invincible from Hers to the Wretched Scholar." That would probably be more relatable for her and keep her completely hooked.
After mulling it over for a moment, Su Yan left the sofa and headed for his older younger sister Yike’s room.
This time, he was much more cautious.
To avoid a repeat of the previous foot-picking incident, he knocked softly before entering, rather than just barging in.
Soon, Su Yike’s pleasant voice came from inside. "Who is it?"
"Yike, it’s me," Su Yan said flatly.
"Oh, Brother, wait a minute."
Along with his sister’s voice, a flurry of rustling sounds came from the room. It sounded like she was tidying up. She must have been doing something embarrassing in there,
About two minutes later, the door opened, revealing his younger sister, Yike, her face flushed and dotted with beads of sweat.
She looked as if she’d just finished some strenuous exercise; her breathing under her dainty nose was a little ragged, and she was panting lightly.
Seeing his sister’s peculiar state, Su Yan couldn’t help but ask with concern, "Yike, what’s wrong? Why are you panting like that? Are you not feeling well?"
"Brother, I’m fine," Su Yike explained softly. "I was just practicing aerobics. There’s a school competition next week."
"Oh, is that so..." Su Yan mused for a moment, then stealthily retrieved a small box of trinkets and the Rare-level Soul Bead from his System Backpack.
Then, as if performing a magic trick, he produced them from behind his back and presented them to his sister. "Dear sister, these are gifts I picked out especially for you. Surprised? Aren’t you excited? Happy?"
Seeing the gifts from her brother, Su Yike’s face instantly lit up with joy, her cheeks flushing a rosy red.
The myriad of emotions in her heart condensed into a simple, "Thank you, Brother!"
"No need to thank me," Su Yan replied with a smile, then began to explain the uses of the Soul Bead, reminding her to take good care of it and not lose it.
Su Yike nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at grain as she listened, indicating that she’d sooner lose herself than the gift from her brother.
After giving Yike her instructions, Su Yan turned to leave, ready to deliver his heartfelt gifts to the next family member.
At that moment, Su Yike suddenly remembered something and quickly called out to stop her brother.
Her voice was soft and sweet as she said, "Brother, wait a moment. There’s something I’d like to ask you."
Su Yan stopped and turned around. "What is it?"
Su Yike pursed her lips, then said, "It’s... it’s just that I have a parent-teacher conference next week, and I want you to attend..."
After speaking, she looked down at the floor, her right hand nervously fiddling with a strand of her hair, as she quietly awaited her brother’s response.
Upon hearing this, Su Yan felt completely baffled. A parent-teacher conference? Isn’t that always Dad’s job? Why would I, a minor still a few months shy of eighteen, go to a parent-teacher conference? Am I bored or something? So, why on earth is Yike asking me to attend? This is really strange...
Thinking it over, Su Yan decisively, and perhaps a bit cruelly, refused his sister. "Ask Dad."
"Huh?" Su Yike was startled for a moment.
She then looked up at her brother with her pretty, wide eyes, thinking she must have misheard. Only when Su Yan repeated, "Ask Dad," was she sure.
Su Yan didn’t understand why his sister was acting so strangely today and turned to leave.
Seeing her brother about to leave, Su Yike hesitated for a moment, then said in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, "Dad... Daddy."
When her brother didn’t respond, Su Yike thought perhaps her voice had been too soft. Biting her lip, she raised her voice slightly. "Dad... Daddy."
This time, Su Yan was certain he hadn’t misheard. His own younger sister, Yike, was actually calling him ’Daddy’!
I’m speechless. My earlier ’Ask Dad’ must have caused this misunderstanding, right?
Realizing this, Su Yan said, somewhat exasperated, "Yike, I meant you should ask Dad to go to the parent-teacher conference, not that you should call *me* Daddy."
Hearing this, Su Yike was utterly stunned, freezing on the spot as if petrified.
She had already found the idea of calling her own brother ’Daddy’ incredibly embarrassing.