Chapter 13: The Date

After breakfast, the three of them walked out of the breakfast shop side by side, chatting idly.

“Is Xingling going to come out and play with us in a bit?”

Yi Shiyue tilted her head, looking at her curiously like an affectionate ragdoll cat.

“How could I? I don’t have some strange hobby of being a third wheel, especially not in front of you and my big brother, Sister Shiyue.”

Ye Xingling curled her lip. Although she knew Yi Shiyue meant well, she wasn’t a girl who lacked tact. She had always aspired to be a good younger sister… even if the process was a bit rocky. She had always been quite supportive of the feelings between her brother and Sister Shiyue.

“It shouldn’t matter. Little sister, you haven’t been out for a walk in a long time. Don’t just stay cooped up at home all the time when you aren’t at school.”

“Tsk, don’t interrupt when girls are talking, you stupid big brother!”

Ye Xingling shot her brother a fierce glare before turning to grab Yi Shiyue’s arm, saying mysteriously, “Sister Shiyue, I won’t go with you guys. I’ve already made plans to meet a classmate at a cafe… Um, I’ll transfer some money to you in a bit, Sister Shiyue. Why don’t you take my brother to buy some clothes?”

“Eh… there’s no need for that. Xingyao definitely won’t agree to it.”

“Little sister, where did you get the money?”

Ye Xingyao leaned in as well, speaking in surprise after hearing his sister’s plan.

“Hmph, your cute little sister has obviously been saving up her allowance. Don’t look down on me!”

Ye Xingling put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest, holding her head high like a proud swan.

“Oh, impressive, impressive. As expected of my sister.”

Ye Xingyao offered his praise quite perfunctorily.

“Ugh, brother, you sound like a straight man in a comedy duo… I’m really not used to it.”

“That’s why your even more impressive big brother doesn’t need his cute little sister to worry about him.”

“Xingling is right, though. Xingyao, you really should buy yourself some clothes,” Yi Shiyue said, rubbing Ye Xingling’s head and smiling at Xingyao.

“Mhm, mhm! Good luck, Sister Shiyue! Try to win over this idiot brother of mine in one fell swoop!”

Ye Xingling enjoyed Yi Shiyue’s head rubs for a moment before breaking free. She made a face at the two of them, stuck out her tongue, and skipped away toward home.

“Sigh, that idiot sister of mine.”

Ye Xingyao watched Ye Xingling’s energetic figure disappear, feeling a bit sentimental.

“Hehe, isn’t it nice to have a sister like that? Xingling cares about you a lot.”

The girl leaned closer to the boy, coming to an ambiguous distance where they could feel the heat radiating from each other.

“Yeah, it really is nice. She’s just too mischievous usually. If she didn’t annoy me, she would be perfect.”

“Mmm-hmm, that means you have a great relationship. All right, next up is our private time.”

Yi Shiyue nudged the boy beside her with her elbow.

“Yeah… but I haven’t really prepared a plan. I’ll just walk around with you. Is there anywhere you want to go, Shiyue? After all, we still have to face that guy.”

Ye Xingyao snapped out of his thoughts, putting his hands behind his head and observing the girl beside him out of the corner of his eye.

“I knew you didn’t have a plan. So, I’ve already planned it all out — just kidding! Actually, I haven’t really thought about what to do today, either. My mind has been on that guy the whole time. It’s so annoying that even our long-awaited time together has to be so restricted.”

Yi Shiyue felt Ye Xingyao’s gaze. She winked at him, gave a small smile, and reached out to straighten his collar, which had become a bit messy from his movements.

As the topic turned to “that guy,” she pouted unhappily.

“Ha… it can’t be helped. The more we grow and the stronger we get, the more we come into contact with these Secrets, not to mention our identities… Forget it. Let’s just have fun. We’ll just need to be a little cautious. I doubt he’d dare start a fight in the middle of Satellite City.”

Ye Xingyao sighed, shoving his right hand into his pocket.

Even if they had to fight, he had prepared quite a bit. At the very least, the magic that could be released from these two small bags of magic stones was almost enough to kill a Midnight-level Demonic Creature. It would certainly be enough for an elf, whose physical strength was weaker than a demonic creature’s.

“Then why don’t we follow Xingling’s suggestion? Let’s go buy you some clothes.”

“There’s no need, really.”

“This is a very important matter, okay? Let’s go.”

The girl took two steps forward before turning back gracefully and extending her hand to him. Ye Xingyao hesitated for a moment before slowly taking that beautiful small hand. Using her gentle tug as momentum, they walked toward a mall that had high-quality clothing stores.

Feeling the soft warmth of her small hand, memories of Yi Shiyue’s generous smile as a black-haired, black-eyed girl involuntarily surfaced in his mind, contrasted with her vulnerable gaze as a white-haired, purple-eyed Moon Elf who had finally found someone to lean on.

‘If she showed that kind of smile as an elf, it would surely be beautiful.’

He would protect that smile, no matter the cost.

“What are you thinking about, Xingyao?”

Yi Shiyue squeezed Ye Xingyao’s hand, pulling him back from his thoughts to reality.

“Nothing. Don’t worry.”

“Hmm… I’m actually quite worried…” Yi Shiyue shot the boy beside her a playful, annoyed look.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was thinking that if I dress you according to your usual style, Sister Xingling is going to laugh at you again when we get back.”

Ye Xingyao choked a bit at her words. ‘Is my daily appearance really that unbearable?’

However… even when he was “Ye Xin,” he had just learned everything step by step from online influencers.

‘In terms of aesthetics and fashion sense… it’s safe to say I haven’t made any progress at all…’

“Then how do you think I should dress, Shiyue? Just dress me up however you like.”

“Is that really okay?” Yi Shiyue blinked.

“Of course.”

“Hehe, then let’s hurry inside — !”

Hearing the unconcealed joy in her voice, Ye Xingyao felt as though he had probably fallen into a trap.

***

Ye Xingyao never expected that being a clothes horse would be so exhausting. Almost an entire morning passed, and he was now walking behind Yi Shiyue with a glazed expression, his hands full of bags.

His right hand carried more items; those were his.

His left hand carried fewer items; those belonged to Yi Shiyue.

Yi Shiyue had tested many different styles on him. She had pulled him into almost every clothing store they encountered, and then she had enthusiastically fussed over him in the fitting rooms. Even now, she still looked full of energy and satisfaction.

“Ugh… Shiyue, I’m so tired.” Ye Xingyao begged for mercy.

“Fine, I think we’ve shopped enough anyway. Let’s go back, drop off the clothes, and then have lunch.”

Yi Shiyue looked at his exhausted state and toyed with the ends of her hair, feeling a bit embarrassed.

‘It seems I went a little overboard…’

“Yes!”

Ye Xingyao celebrated with what little energy he had left.