“Indeed, I still want to stay,” Luo Tianchen said after a moment of hesitation.
“!” Luo Tianlian’s face registered pure shock. In stark contrast, Xia Luohua wore a triumphant grin.
“See? Didn’t I tell you he’d definitely stay?” She puffed out her chest, a look of smug certainty on her face, as if shouting, “I won!”
‘Hold on, you two are completely on par in this regard, aren’t you? You’re both just little girls whose bodies haven’t developed at all, so there’s absolutely no sign of ‘winning’ from either of you. If you’re so brave, go challenge Bingying to a comparison,’ Luo Tianchen mused internally.
“Why? Am I truly less important in your eyes than these two outsiders?” Luo Tianlian asked, gritting her teeth.
“Hmph hmph, that’s why I say the ‘heaven-sent’ type is the true path now. Sisters and childhood sweethearts have absolutely no future…”
“You shut up! Stop making things worse!” Luo Tianchen retorted at Xia Luohua, then turned to his sister, whose face was clouded with gloom. He looked earnestly into her eyes and said, “This has nothing to do with that woman. The only reason I’m staying is to find what I’ve lost.”
“Lost… things?” Luo Tianlian asked, puzzled.
“Exactly. What I want to recover is the person I once was, the true ‘brother’ you used to call me.” Luo Tianchen nodded. “I’m sorry for keeping this from you. In truth, beyond having no memory of that incident, my memories of you and our parents are also incredibly hazy, just fragmented recollections.”
“You’re lying, aren’t you? So everything before…”
“Actually, all the stories from the past were things I heard from other people. The current me is nothing more than a fictional ‘Luo Tianling,’ composed of fragments of others’ memories.”
“How could this be…” Upon learning the truth, Luo Tianlian looked utterly distraught. “Then, everything about me also…”
“Yes, I remember nothing at all,” Luo Tianchen confessed candidly. “I was somewhat dissatisfied with ‘Luo Tianling’ being such a feminine name, but my primary reason for changing it to ‘Luo Tianchen’ was to distinguish myself from the past.”
He continued, “Originally, I intended to keep this from you and our parents, fearing you’d worry needlessly. But it seems I have no choice but to tell you now. I’m truly sorry. Although I’ve tried my best to mimic my past self, I suppose there were always things that felt off.”
Luo Tianchen added, “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have become this way. I’ve heard others say that the Luo Tianlian of the past was supposed to be a very sweet child…”
“Huh? What do you mean by that? Are you implying I’m not cute now?” Luo Tianlian’s brow immediately furrowed in displeasure, her previous sadness vanishing. “My current self has nothing to do with you, Big Brother. It’s just that I… never mind, let’s not discuss it for now. If that’s the case, why are you suddenly revealing this now?”
“Because I’ve found the key to my recovery,” Luo Tianchen admitted.
“Recovery… are you saying it’s related to this incident?” Luo Tianlian immediately guessed his thoughts.
“Precisely. Six years ago, three years ago, and now—there must be some unknown connection between these three points in time. Based on the information we’ve gathered, the reason I was severely injured six years ago was my involvement in that year’s Witch Game.”
He continued, “That particular game also ended in failure, and it’s absolutely impossible to say I wasn’t the cause…” Luo Tianchen said, a hint of self-satisfaction in his voice.
“Hey, hey, hey, is it really okay for you to praise yourself like that?” Xia Luohua couldn’t help but retort.
Ignoring her sarcasm, Luo Tianchen pressed on, “The conclusion is quite obvious then. I disrupted that year’s Witch Game, but I likely also fell victim to some kind of witch’s curse, which led to my complete amnesia.”
He emphasized, “The crucial question now is, what exactly did my six-year-old self uncover?”
“Indeed, that’s a very high possibility,” Xia Luohua nodded in agreement. “Perhaps the reason you survived after swallowing the Witch Seed and even transformed into a girl is precisely because the Witch resented you for ruining her plans.”
She added, a hint of mischief in her voice, “Who knows, that Witch might even be watching you right now.”
Luo Tianchen couldn’t help but shiver. “That joke has gone far enough. Any more and it’ll be too much.”
Xia Luohua shrugged. “I’m not joking. Believe it or not. Many people in history have been targeted by Witches, and most met tragic ends.”
‘My God, could that actually be possible?’ He wondered why he’d been so unlucky lately. When it came to gambling and sheer luck, no one could surpass him, but a supernatural entity like a Witch… that truly *could* be the reason.
Shaking his head, Luo Tianchen pushed the terrifying thought from his mind. “A-Anyway, let’s focus on the present, shall we? If it were me, I would definitely hide any clues I found in some secret place known only to myself.”
He continued, “As long as we find what my past self left behind, we should be able to break through this current stalemate.”
“Haha, if it’s a place only you know, shouldn’t you be the one to look for it? What good does telling us do?” Xia Luohua asked.
Luo Tianchen spread his hands. “Unfortunately, I’ve already searched every place I know, but I haven’t found anything useful.”
“In that case, is it possible there are no clues at all?”
“Impossible. There absolutely has to be something somewhere that can break this deadlock. And if you ask why? Because I am Luo Tianchen!” he declared confidently.
Perhaps taken aback by his imposing aura, all four girls wore astonished expressions.
“However, since I haven’t found anything, it means the item isn’t with me. It must have been entrusted to someone I trusted…”
“Oh? Your parents, perhaps? Or…” Xia Luohua glanced at the darkened expression on Luo Tianlian’s face, covering her mouth with a light chuckle. “Puhuhu, it seems the answer is quite obvious.”
“Hmm… I suppose I must have given it to my girlfriend,” Luo Tianchen mused, accidentally letting it slip.
“…Eh?!” Everyone exclaimed in unison, startling Luo Tianchen.
“W-What’s with all these expressions…”
“Who is it? Who exactly? When did you secretly get a girlfriend behind my back?!” Luo Tianlian grabbed his collar and roared. Xia Luohua and Lili’s eyes sparkled with intense curiosity, while Bingying watched him with nervous anticipation, awaiting his answer.
“I just remembered it myself… She must have been a classmate from elementary school. I couldn’t stand to see her being bullied, so I unilaterally declared her my girlfriend, that’s all…”
“Eh? Are you some kind of feudal lord? Forcing a girl to be yours, I really misjudged you…” Xia Luohua said with disdain.
“No, not at all!” Luo Tianchen protested frantically. “Although I can’t remember, I have the impression she was quite happy about it! In any case, the clue is most likely in her hands!”
He added, “But that’s not the main point! The main point is that I’ve completely forgotten what she looks like!”
“What a scumbag,” Lili commented.
“A scumbag indeed,” Xia Luohua agreed.
“Um, I also think that’s not quite right…” Bingying said.
“All of you, that’s enough! It’s not like I wanted to forget!”
Luo Tianlian furrowed her brows, as if recalling something. “Come to think of it, the person who found Big Brother back then did mention seeing a girl weeping beside him, but she vanished instantly, making them think it was an illusion…”
She continued, “After that, we moved to America and only returned three years later. So much time has passed; even if you remembered what she looked like then, she’d be completely different now, wouldn’t she? And how do you know she hasn’t left this city either?”
“Ah, that’s alright. I just need to check the class records from the elementary school I attended back then,” Luo Tianchen said.
“I see. That’s certainly a lead worth pursuing…” Xia Luohua mused.
“So, Big Brother, are you truly planning to stay?” Luo Tianlian asked.
Luo Tianchen nodded. “Yes. After being harmed so many times, and nearly dying, I’m hardly a saint. I’m not the type to turn the other cheek, and it’s not in my nature to let grudges go unanswered.”
He added, with a playful glint in his eye, “Even if my opponent is a Witch, it makes no difference.”
“I understand. If that’s the case…” Luo Tianlian suddenly stood up, her gaze fixed on Xia Luohua with fiery intensity, her voice chillingly cold. “You said you’re a Witch Hunter, didn’t you? If you’re truly as formidable as you claim, then I entrust you with protecting him.”
She continued, “However, if any harm comes to him, I swear I will use everything I have to kill you!”
Xia Luohua met her gaze without a hint of fear. “Don’t worry. Since he has already acknowledged himself as mine, I will naturally protect him. With me here, he won’t be able to die even if he tries.”
She declared, “No one, not even a Witch, will snatch a single hair from him.”
“Then, I should get going too,” Luo Tianlian said, and proceeded to take off her clothes right in front of them.
“Idiot! What are you doing?!” Luo Tianchen frantically covered his face with his hands.
“Changing clothes, of course. You’re planning to be discharged too, aren’t you? How will you explain it if people see two Luo Tianchens?” Luo Tianlian said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“B-But you could at least find somewhere else to change! After all, I’m a man…”
“That’s too much trouble. Aren’t we siblings? You must be used to this by now.”
“No, I am *not* used to it!” Luo Tianchen retorted. “Even if we’re siblings, we’re almost adults! Acting like this will easily lead to ethical problems!”
“…If you don’t like it, why don’t you just close your eyes?”
“I already am!” Luo Tianchen said, eyes shut tight.
“Ah, all changed.”
“Oh, really.” He opened his eyes, then instantly squeezed them shut again. “You’re completely naked! How is that ‘changed’?”
Luo Tianlian giggled. “Just teasing you, Big Brother. Honestly, getting so flustered seeing your own sister naked? How unlucky are you with women? By the way, when you were a girl before, didn’t you take the chance to properly examine your own body?”
“I’m not that perverted! Hurry up!”
“Yes, yes, yes…” A rustling sound filled the air, and after a moment, Luo Tianlian spoke again. “All changed.”
To avoid being tricked a second time, Luo Tianchen chose to slowly open his eyes. Then he saw her: Luo Tianlian, sparkling like a princess.
‘So beautiful…’ he murmured to himself, lost in thought.
Previously, Luo Tianlian had been a complete homebody, spending all twenty-four hours in a white nightgown, her hair completely neglected. Now, in a fresh outfit, she had transformed into a beautiful young woman, no less stunning than Ye Siya or Xia Luohua.
Though the clothes seemed a little large, and the chest area somewhat loose, it didn’t detract from her overall cuteness.
“How about it, isn’t it pretty?” Luo Tianlian spun around like a princess in a movie, her skirt swirling with her.
“Yes, very beautiful,” Luo Tianchen praised candidly. “You look just like a real princess. Seeing my lazy, shut-in sister finally growing up makes me, your brother, so relieved…”
“Cut out that last part! What do you mean, ‘lazy shut-in’? I’m just too bothered to bother with dressing up!”
“But, I remember you didn’t have this dress, did you?”
“Ah, about this, didn’t I buy it for you a few days ago? I thought it would be a shame to waste it, so I just put it on myself.”
‘So that’s why the chest area was like that.’ He briefly imagined himself in that dress… No, it was too embarrassing. He couldn’t picture it any further.
“Hey, are you thinking something very rude?” Luo Tianlian asked, displeased.
“Haha, how could I be…”
Luo Tianlian walked towards the door, speaking as she went. “In any case, thanks to you, I have a lot to do. I need to cancel my train ticket, and as for the house, I’ll probably sell it after driving up the price a bit…”
“Actually, you don’t need to cancel the ticket or sell the house…” Luo Tianchen said.
“You’re trying to persuade me to leave alone, aren’t you?”
“…Yes. After all, I don’t know what the future holds, and if you stay here, you might be in danger,” Luo Tianchen admitted.
“Hmm, that sounds logical,” Luo Tianlian conceded. “But have you forgotten? It’s precisely because we’re together that we are siblings.”
She turned gracefully, revealing a dazzlingly radiant yet gentle smile he had never seen before. “So, please don’t die, okay? Otherwise, I would be very sad.”
‘Yes, it was to protect this smile that I decided to stay.’
‘I want to become her true brother.’
“Ah, right, remember to tell me all about your girlfriend when you get home, okay?” she suddenly said with a smile, as if remembering something. Yet, that smile, no matter how he looked at it, was utterly chilling.
‘How terrifying! So that gentleness was just an illusion after all! I knew my sister couldn’t possibly be that gentle! This must be her true self!’