"Why isn't she back yet? What on earth did Talulah go off to do?"
Chen Mo sat slouched on the sofa in the hotpot restaurant's waiting area, yawning as he stared out toward the entrance.
"She didn't go pick a fight with Exusiai, did she?"
"Oh?" Nian tilted her head, curiosity bright in her eyes. "What makes you think that?"
Chen Mo leaned back on the sofa beside her and stretched lazily.
"Because my phone's gone. My sister took it." He sighed. "And the only one who messages me all the time is Exusiai."
"Besides, Exusiai asked me to go out and play just earlier. So right about now, she's probably having a great time with my sister."
And he hadn't sensed any sky-high inferno erupting in Lungmen, so he stayed relaxed, chatting with Nian in that unhurried way he always did.
Nian threw her head back and laughed, taking a big swig of strong liquor.
"Didn't expect that Draco to be the type of big sister who actually cares about family, huh? Ha! Not like me at all."
Then she grinned at him, the alcohol on her breath unmistakable.
"So tell me, Chen Mo—Wei Yenwu's nephew, the last male Draco, the sole remaining royal bloodline of Victoria… do you think you could ever fancy a plain old Sankta like her?"
"Don't talk like I'm some tragic second male lead with an overpowered background," Chen Mo clicked his tongue. "That's weird."
"And yeah, I really don't feel that way about Exusiai."
He folded his arms, tail swaying as he lifted his chin.
"Put simply—I don't have that kind of desire for her."
"And if I actually cared about all those empty titles, I wouldn't be sitting here shooting the breeze with you this boldly."
Nian burst into hearty laughter, loud enough to rattle the place—yet the people around them didn't even look surprised, as if they were used to this sort of thing. Chen Mo couldn't help laughing too.
"What, don't tell me you've fallen for me as well?" he teased. "Planning to chase me like Exusiai does?"
"But I'll say this first—my difficulty rating is high. If this were a game, I'd be the hidden boss. You don't just walk in fresh from grinding and expect to clear me."
He nodded as if deeply satisfied with his own analogy.
"Exusiai's basically a blank-slate newbie who just left the tutorial. You, though—you're the newbie who bought the starter pack. Six credits. First top-up bonus. You've got an advantage."
Nian doubled over laughing.
"Ha—hahaha—cough, cough—stop, stop… don't make me laugh like that. I'm gonna throw up everything I ate at lunch!"
She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, still grinning. This man was just too entertaining. If she ever got the chance, she absolutely had to introduce him to that shut-in of a younger sister.
Once she finally steadied her breathing, Nian's gaze drifted to the sword at Chen Mo's waist. She pointed at it, smiling.
"Since you already know who I am… want me to upgrade that blade for you?"
Chen Mo's eyes lit up instantly.
"Really? For free?" He leaned in, rapid-fire. "No charge? If it's free, I'm in!"
He was flat broke these days. He'd blown all his money buying Penguin Logistics' vehicle—he didn't even have enough to properly maintain his weapon.
Now that a fragment of a Sui-beast was offering him a free upgrade, how could he possibly refuse?
"No charge, no charge," Nian waved it off. "Just play a few rounds of mahjong with me whenever we run into each other."
Seeing him agree so quickly, Nian didn't waste time. She drew his sword—Ashes—looked it over, then casually placed it behind her as if it weighed nothing.
"Raythean Heavy Industries craftsmanship?" she said. "Easy. I'll return it tomorrow."
"Then I'm counting on you," Chen Mo said with a grin, giving her shoulder a friendly pat.
Just as he was about to keep talking, a cool, restrained voice sounded behind him.
"Chen Mo. It's late. We should go."
He turned, brightening.
"Finally back, huh, Sis." He hopped up immediately. "Come on, come on—I'll take you to my place so you can rest."
Talulah stood there with a faint frown, her eyes fixed on Nian. Chen Mo, oblivious as ever, slipped into his usual routine—smiling, he hooked Talulah's arm and waved at Nian.
"Next time I'll find you for mahjong, Nian!"
"Yeah," Nian chuckled. "See you."
As she spoke, she felt that sharp, heated stare again. Turning her head, she met the eyes of the Reunion leader—Talulah—watching her without blinking.
Heh. So she really wasn't like Nian. At least Nian didn't have that kind of possessiveness toward her own siblings.
Even with Talulah's obvious wariness, Nian still offered her a cheerful smile and a polite farewell.
"Goodbye, Chen Mo's big sister, Talulah. If you've got time sometime, you can come hang out with me too."
"…Goodbye."
Talulah didn't linger. She pulled Chen Mo away at a brisk pace, practically marching him out of Nian's sight. The hurried way she left made Nian laugh again, amused despite herself.
Under the dim streetlights, Chen Mo tilted his head, studying Talulah's odd mood.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "You looked like you really didn't like Nian."
Talulah's tone stayed calm, but the edge of concern was unmistakable.
"Any older sister would worry when she sees her brother spending time with a heavy-drinking woman who doesn't care about the boundaries between men and women."
And that woman—Nian—was not simple. Even in that brief exchange, Talulah had felt a terrifying heat coiled inside her, the kind that stirred echoes of old legends from Yan.
That was why she'd dragged Chen Mo out so quickly.
Exusiai alone already required time to deal with.
Someone like Nian—someone who felt dangerous at a glance—was an entirely different category.
Talulah's brows knit. She increased her pace, lowering her voice in warning.
"Stay away from her in the future, Chen Mo. She's dangerous. I'm afraid—"
"Don't treat me like a kid, Sis." Chen Mo cut in, half-laughing. "Did you forget how I dragged you back from the brink?"
Talulah paused, then smiled—sharp, proud, and genuinely relieved. She lifted a hand and gently ran her fingers through his silver hair.
"That's right," she murmured. "I keep forgetting… my little brother has become an extraordinary man."
Even so, the worry didn't fully fade.
The sky darkened further. Streetlamps cast warm pools of light across the road, pushing back the night.
After walking beside him for a while, Talulah finally couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Chen Mo," she said quietly, "about Exusiai… what do you think?"
"I thought you'd hold that in until we got home," Chen Mo replied, grinning.
His tail flicked as he casually curled Talulah's long dragon tail with his own. The two Draco tails slid together, entwining and resting against each other as they walked.
"Exusiai's a friend. I know her well. Sure, she's chasing me, but I don't really feel anything back."
Talulah's body—tense from the start—gradually loosened at his words. Only then did Chen Mo continue, voice teasing, deliberately light.
"If she ever manages to make me feel even a little something… then maybe I'll let her have a good time too."
"Chen Mo!"
"Hey—hey—just kidding!" Chen Mo yelped immediately. "Sis, don't actually hit me—stop, stop! Don't squeeze my horn that hard! That feels weird—quit it!"
....
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