"There's most likely going to be an ambush from a nearby sect, the Crimson Lotus. I found proof in the garden. We need to do something before they hit us while the clan is gone!"
Meiling's red eyes snapped wide open, the sleepy haze vanishing in an instant. She sat up fast, her big tits bouncing with the sudden movement, one still spilling free from the slipped strap of her outfit.
Worry and fury mixed on her face all at once. "An ambush? Here? While the main clan is away?" Her voice cracked with real fear at first, then hardened into something fierce. She reached out and grabbed his bloody arm, fingers trembling as she pressed them to the wound.
"You're hurt, brother. Look at you, covered in blood. Who did this? Tell me everything right now."
Su Chen winced from the touch but didn't pull away. The pain in his shoulder and thigh throbbed deep, reminding him how close he'd come to dying out there.
'I can't tell her the full truth. Not about the fight or the Galeblade. She'd never let me out of her sight again if she knew I used real power.' He swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady even though his heart still raced from the adrenaline.
"I went out to the garden for some fresh air. Couldn't sleep after you dozed off. Found this girl in a mask sneaking around. She attacked me hard, but I managed to get the note off her before... before it got too bad."
Meiling's face twisted with protective rage. She looked ready to burn the whole estate down if it meant keeping him safe.
"A masked girl? From the Crimson Lotus? Those bastards have always wanted our lands. They think we're weak right now!" She stood up quick, not even bothering to fix her outfit.
Her nice round ass swayed as she moved, pussy still half-exposed and glistening from earlier, but she didn't care. All her focus stayed locked on him. She grabbed a small vial of healing salve from the bedside table and knelt in front of him, spreading the cool paste over his thigh wound with gentle but urgent fingers.
"You're not leaving my side again. Not tonight. Not ever if I can help it."
Her touch felt warm and careful, the kind of devotion that always bordered on obsession. Su Chen felt a mix of comfort and guilt twist in his chest. She was his step-sister, sure, but this level of care made his stomach flutter in ways he didn't want to think about too hard.
'She's happy when she can protect me. I see it in her eyes. But if I show too much of what I can do now, she'll lock me in this room and never let go.' He watched her work, her dark hair falling loose over her shoulders, red eyes flicking up to his face every few seconds like she needed to make sure he was still there.
"I have the note," he said softly, pulling the folded paper from his robe and handing it over.
"It lists the weak points in the outer arrays and the timing. They're planning to hit before dawn, while the estate is quiet."
Meiling took it with one hand while the other kept pressing salve into his shoulder cut. She read fast, lips pressing tight together. Anger flashed across her features, but underneath it was that deep happiness at being the one to handle this for him.
"They think they can just walk in and take what's ours!" She set the note down and cupped his cheek, thumb brushing a streak of dried blood away.
"I'll reinforce the arrays myself. My Qi is strong enough for that. You stay right here and let me take care of everything. No more sneaking out, brother. Promise me."
Su Chen nodded, but inside he wrestled with how much to share. The Galeblade Sword Art had saved his life, that flowing, wind-like precision turning his wooden sword into something deadly.
He could feel the silver Qi still humming quietly in his dantian, ready if needed. 'I have to decide now. Tell her I got lucky with a lucky swing? Or hint that I'm not as crippled as everyone thinks?' He chose his words carefully, keeping his tone tired and honest.
"I fought back the best I could. It wasn't pretty, but I'm here. We should set up some traps near the garden wall. Quiet ones, nothing loud that draws more attention."
Meiling's eyes softened with pride at his words, like hearing him want to help made her day. She smiled that possessive little smile and leaned in close, her bare tit brushing his arm as she checked another cut on his side.
"That's my brother. Always thinking ahead even when you're bleeding. It makes me so happy to see you strong like this." She finished the salve and wrapped a clean bandage around his thigh, her fingers lingering a second longer than needed on his skin.
The room felt warmer with her this close, her jasmine scent mixing with the metallic tang of blood.
They spent the next while planning slow and steady. Meiling pulled out a small map of the estate from a drawer, spreading it on the bed between them. She pointed out spots where her monitoring Qi could stretch further, explaining how the arrays worked in detail and how they fed on spirit stones and her own energy to create barriers that could stun intruders.
Su Chen listened close, adding ideas about hiding spots and simple distractions, all while keeping the new sword technique locked tight in his thoughts. He felt a quiet thrill at being useful, but the fear of the ambush kept it grounded. 'This isn't some big hero moment!'
Meiling looked almost excited now. "We'll make this place a trap for them!" She stood up and paced a little, fixing her outfit enough to cover herself but still moving with that urgent energy.
Her good feet padded softly on the floor, toes flexing as she thought. Every few steps she glanced back at him, making sure he hadn't moved or hurt worse.
Su Chen leaned back against the headboard, exhaustion settling in his bones now that the immediate panic had eased. His wounds felt better already from her care, but the night still pressed heavy.
'She's in overdrive, and I don't blame her. Part of me likes it. The other part knows I need room to use what I've learned.' He watched her work, feeling that mix of warmth and worry in his chest.
A faint sound broke the quiet. Footsteps. Multiple sets, light but steady, crunching on the gravel path outside the garden wall. They were coming closer, voices murmuring low in the dark. Meiling froze mid-step, red eyes narrowing toward the window. Su Chen's heart jumped again as the sounds grew clearer.