A Brother’s Quiet Vigil

A gentle breeze drifted into the room from outside, making the light blue curtains sway like a maiden’s skirt.

Ling Chen lay on his bed. From his vantage point, he could just make out the sparse stars, their brilliance stolen by the moonlight, peeking through the gaps between towering buildings.

In truth, he had no need for sleep. Yet, as he was playing the role of a normal human, he felt compelled to adhere to human habits. Tonight, however, he found himself inexplicably restless.

Ling Chen extended a slender arm, as if reaching out to touch the almost imperceptible starlight in the sky.

That solitary wisp of light resembled a tiny fish wandering through the Milky Way. It had swum through countless eons, darted past innumerable desolate planets, and finally plunged into the eyes of a young man burdened with unspoken thoughts.

A flicker of brightness crossed Ling Chen’s eyes. In the profound silence of such a night, he suddenly recalled the words his sister had recently posted online:

“You say you are lonely, just as long ago, Mars shone upon thirteen provinces.”

His sister, though seemingly carefree and occasionally eccentric on the surface, harbored a soft and delicate side within.

To whom did she wish to convey such sentiments?

Was it for her Goddess, Bai An An, or was she writing to herself?

Ling Chen could not be certain, yet it was possible he was among the intended recipients of her message.

In a sense, he possessed omniscience, but he chose not to wield such power.

If every question were instantly answered, one would gradually lose the joy of exploring the unknown, along with the thirst for knowledge and curiosity that propelled humanity forward.

He reveled in the delight that uncertainty brought him. Moreover, he preferred to speculate about people’s thoughts rather than simply knowing the answer to something.

The human heart was so intriguing. One heart might spend a lifetime trying to understand another, and in the process of drawing closer, even the smallest incident could shatter any attempt at comprehension.

For instance, Ling Chen knew his sister’s past and understood all her thoughts; they had once shared a single heart.

But the moment he severed his connection with her, he forever lost the right to access the depths of her inner world.

Thus, he understood his sister’s pain even more profoundly, despite her own unawareness of how it constantly gnawed at her.

Humans were social creatures, finding it difficult to detach from their social nature. Therefore, to survive, they constantly sacrificed themselves to gain acceptance and recognition from social relationships.

His sister, however, despite being fully aware of the world’s rules, refused to compromise with established norms.

She knew well that the price of adhering to her true self was becoming estranged from society, an anomaly in the eyes of others.

A person perpetually on the road would never reach the truth at its end. His sister, it seemed, was driving a car without brakes, pressing the accelerator in a frantic rush. She would either crash head-on into a wall and be shattered, or plummet into a chasm that had opened up before her.

Alternatively, she might reach life’s terminus alone, witnessing a landscape visible only to her.

To exist was to be solitary.

Perhaps people could not truly understand each other, but occasionally, exceptions arose.

In certain circumstances, the distance between hearts could shrink infinitely, and the barriers formed by the mind would dissolve through understanding. At such moments, a song from the deepest part of the soul would suddenly resound, bringing a fleeting tranquility amidst the clamor of the world.

Ling Chen had been waiting for that moment.

Only then would he not merely stand by his sister’s side, watching her make choices, but walk alongside her.

“Click.”

The faint sound of the door lock echoed. Ling Chen closed his eyes, feigning deep sleep.

Then, with a soft creak, the door was gently pushed open.

From the vibrations on the floor, Ling Chen could clearly feel his sister tiptoing closer to him.

He felt a touch of bewilderment. *Shouldn’t his sister still be up late playing games at this hour?*

Normally, Ling Chen would wake up at an opportune moment, catch his sister secretly playing games in the middle of the night, and send her to bed. Tonight, however, the script seemed to be amiss.

He decided to observe a little longer.

The golden-haired girl rummaged through Ling Chen’s room like a thief, seemingly searching for something. After her search proved fruitless, she muttered in distress:

“Ling Chen is already asleep. I can’t possibly wake him up, can I?”

Then, Ling Chen felt his face being poked several times by his sister’s fingers.

“Ah, he’s sleeping so soundly.”

What on earth was she doing? Ling Chen truly wanted to open his eyes and see what mischief his sister was up to—not playing games, not sleeping, but instead coming to his room.

In the next instant, the golden-haired girl made a startling move. She simply burrowed under Ling Chen’s covers, embracing him, her body pressed tightly against his back.

From the contact between the girl and his back, Ling Chen could tell that she wasn’t wearing a bra again.

*What was she thinking? Couldn’t she have a shred of modesty?*

His original intention was merely to have his sister possess a sense of shame, like a normal girl. Now, however, it seemed the effect was quite the opposite. Had she truly awakened some strange attribute?

“Mm, Ling Chen’s muscles are so firm; they lack the softness of my wife’s. But this feeling of security, it’s like my brother has returned to my side.”

“So warm, as if we’re about to merge into one.”

What kind of outrageous words were these?

The girl rubbed against him, and Ling Chen felt his face flush. Although he lacked reproductive functions, his body reacted as it physiologically should.

That meant, in front of his own sister, he had shamefully… well, become aroused.

“…”

He had to get this woman away, or his wise and mighty image would be utterly ruined.

Ling Chen had naturally inherited Ling Jiu’s rather terrible knowledge base. The current situation was practically identical to certain plotlines.

Regardless, his sister, Ling Jiu, was currently a beautiful girl—the kind who was utterly defenseless, delicate, and easily pushed over. Before the plot turned R-rated, he had to maintain his rationality.

Humans, it seemed, truly could not overcome their instincts. Perhaps this was the limitation imposed by the human body.

Perhaps mechanical ascension was the most appropriate choice for humanity to break through its limits in the future.

Should he activate his omniscient mode now?

Ling Chen was incredibly conflicted. If he did, he would temporarily lose his emotions, but if he didn’t, and his sister discovered his awkward predicament, it would definitely become his personal black mark.

At that moment, the girl spoke softly:

“Since you’re asleep, I feel comfortable enough to speak my true feelings. Otherwise, my words would be far too embarrassing.”

“I used to think death was very far away from me. It wasn’t until I saw that elderly woman’s ghost that I realized death had always been by my side, and very close.”

“There are too many tragedies in this world. My greatest fear is dying alone and silently, leaving no trace that I ever existed.”

“Even though I’ve become a girl, if it means I gain another family member, I think I can accept it. Although I won’t admit it out loud, I’m actually quite afraid of loneliness. I once thought I could live alone in solitude, but now I realize I don’t have that kind of strong resolve. It’s actually really good to have you here; this way, someone will definitely remember that I existed.”

“My life has been a failure, both now and in the future. So, as someone who has lost competitiveness in society, I’m likely to become an unfilial child, unable to carry on the Ling family line. If I can’t change back into a man, the heavy responsibility of continuing our genes falls to you. I don’t care if you have the ability or not; you can do it, after all, you’re my brother, and you’re omniscient.”

“In short, you must live a better life than me, living well for both our sakes. You are so outstanding, so I’ll rest easy for Dad. I’ll just be a slacker for life. If you can be happy, I’m sure I’ll feel happy too.”

“Sigh, when will I be able to tell you these words frankly to your face? But since you can’t hear me, I actually feel a sense of relief. Ah, I’m so pathetic, aren’t I?”

I already heard you.

Honestly, Sister, what are you saying? Pushing your responsibilities onto me—isn’t that asking the impossible…*

A strange emotion stirred within Ling Chen, words brewing in his mind. After a long silence, as tranquility returned to the room, Ling Chen finally spoke after much deliberation:

“Sister, actually…”

“Hoo-hoo-hoo…”

Just as Ling Chen was about to speak, he heard the shallow breathing of the girl behind him.

He gently extricated himself from her embrace, finding that the girl beside him had fallen into a peaceful sleep.

“An An… hehehe…”

She seemed to be having a wonderful dream, occasionally letting out a silly giggle, her drool even dripping onto Ling Chen’s pillow.

Witnessing this scene, Ling Chen’s gaze softened instantly.

The blanket was too small to cover both of them. Ling Chen had no choice but to get up, leave the blanket for his sister, and tuck her in.

Then, he suddenly realized his concern might be superfluous.

He had witnessed firsthand how terrible his sister’s sleeping posture was. He estimated the blanket would be kicked off to who-knew-where in no time.

Fools didn’t catch colds, and besides, his sister had undergone physical enhancement. Now, she no longer needed to fear catching a chill.

Ling Chen went to the window to draw the curtains. As the cool moonlight illuminated his face, he hesitated for a moment.

He turned his head. The golden-haired girl, curled up and sleeping soundly under the moonlight, resembled an angel descended to the mortal world, pure and beautiful.

If his sister could remain silent and maintain her image as a cold beauty, she would undoubtedly look more like a true divine apostle.

Alas, it was impossible for his sister to be such a pure and aloof character; she had long since become a chaotic evil presence.

However, Ling Chen found it somewhat amusing, remembering that his sister was afraid of the dark.

Even before his sister became Ling Jiu, she was far from the tough-guy image she proclaimed. Now, as the female Ling Jiu, perhaps this was her true, inherent form.

A look of confusion flickered across the sleeping girl’s face. She squirmed on the bed like some not-so-cute creature, intermittently mumbling in her sleep:

“Shoot, eggplant, it’s already withered… Huh, where’s my brother gone… Ah, Ling Chen, come back here!”

Ling Chen’s heart surged with emotion, but in the end, he merely smiled with a sense of release, suppressing the myriad words that welled within him.

He carefully tidied his sister’s messy hair, transforming all his ineffable emotions into a soft whisper by her ear:

“Sister, good night and sweet dreams.”

Having said that, Ling Chen, finally feeling drowsy, yawned and went to Ling Jiu’s room to sleep.

Passing through the living room, he glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall, a meaningful smile gracing his lips.

Sister, your challenge has only just begun…