After a tiring day, the two grabbed a quick bite downstairs and headed home.
It was already past seven in the evening when they arrived. Although Song Qi had insisted on not letting her carry the clothes, Shen Jianxi still felt exhausted. Her legs felt like they belonged to someone else after shopping all afternoon.
They moved all the clothes into the guest room. The walk-in closet wouldn't be ready for a few more days. Song Qi had already arranged for her room to be cleaned before they returned.
Shen Jianxi took a look. The decor was simple and elegant, which put her mind at ease.
Thank goodness it wasn't all pink and frilly.
Once everything was settled, she flopped onto the sofa, burying her face in a cushion and rubbing against it fiercely. Shen Jianxi sighed contentedly. Lying down was indeed what suited her best.
It was strange. If it were about food, she could spend all day without feeling tired. But when it came to shopping for clothes, the moment she stepped into a mall, her legs would feel too heavy to move.
Song Qi, sitting on a single sofa nearby, propped his chin and watched her every move. Hearing her sigh, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Is little cub this tired?"
"Yes~ Especially my legs, they're so sore," she replied weakly.
Even speaking felt like an effort for Shen Jianxi now.
After she spoke, Song Qi didn't immediately leave. A moment later, a pair of warm hands touched her calves. She instinctively tried to pull her legs away.
"Don't move." Song Qi held her ankle and gently began to massage her leg.
His expression was focused, and the pressure was so comfortable that Shen Jianxi wanted to close her eyes.
"Brother, your massage technique is very professional... Mmm~~"
The soft moan of pleasure from Shen Jianxi made Song Qi's fingers tremble, and his earlobes felt a distinct warmth.
"Cough, cough, cough... As long as you like it, don't talk anymore."
Silence fell in the room as Song Qi focused on his massage, his attention fixed on the legs beneath his hands.
So slender, soft, and smooth, it was intoxicating.
*Pah, pah, pah! What am I thinking?!*
This was his longed-for little sister, his *sister*!
Clearing his mind of inappropriate thoughts, Song Qi continued to massage her, listening to her steady breathing. A sense of contentment filled his heart.
This house no longer felt cold and empty. From now on, little cub would be with him.
They could get some small animals she liked and decorate the house together.
They could go traveling in the future, and then little cub would get married...
*Hmm... scratch that one.*
Song Qi silently envisioned their future, a warmth that he had always desired.
The smile on his lips deepened. He almost chuckled aloud, then quickly suppressed it. Glancing at Shen Jianxi, who was still asleep, he let out a relaxed sigh.
77 watched him and couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Was it being unkind to the host to find a target for the mission who seemed a little… off?
***
When Shen Jianxi woke up the next morning, she found herself already in bed.
Sunlight streamed in through the gap in the curtains. She rolled over comfortably, then sat up in bed, hugging the quilt, and stared blankly.
Until a deafening "BOOM!" echoed from outside.
She jumped, startled. *An attack?!*
Forgetting her slippers, she ran out barefoot to see what was happening.
The moment she stepped out, she froze. *I need to call the police. This house is on fire. Judging by that sound, it must have been a bomb.*
"Cough, cough, cough!" She had already typed in the emergency number and was about to press call when Song Qi, wearing an apron, crawled out from the kitchen.
That's right, *crawled*, not walked.
His head, face, and clothes were covered in unknown substances. His face, in particular, was black on one side and black on the other.
"Were you building a bomb in the kitchen?" Shen Jianxi stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the scene.
"I... *cough*... I just *cough cough cough* wanted to cook."
The way he spoke made him sound like he was on his deathbed.
Hearing Song Qi's words, Shen Jianxi hurried to the kitchen. *Whoa! You'd think it was a battlefield in here!*
The once white tiles were now pitch black, speckled with... bread crumbs?!
Her gaze landed on the toaster, which was still emitting black smoke.
The cute ceramic pot was now shattered into pieces, comparable to a dumpling filling. What was it boiling... perhaps noodles?
Probably noodles, but it didn't matter. Their fate, like the bread's, was the walls and the floor.
Shen Jianxi was filled with shock and confusion. Never mind boiling noodles, couldn't he just put bread in the toaster and wait for it to pop up? How did Song Qi manage to create something with the destructive power of a nuclear weapon?
She turned around stiffly, looking at Song Qi's sheepish grin. She didn't know how to react. She pulled at the corner of her mouth and said, "If you wanted to kill me, you could have just done it directly. There was no need to blow me up this early in the morning."
The response she got was Song Qi's awkward "Heh heh" laugh.
Shen Jianxi: *Stop laughing, sister is about to have a heart attack.*
In the end, they ordered takeout and ate quietly amidst the ruins. Strangely, in this atmosphere, Shen Jianxi felt a sense of peace.
With every bite, Song Qi would look up to gauge her expression. Seeing her indifferent face, he felt guilty and didn't know what to say.
"I..."
"Eat your food," Shen Jianxi interrupted him.
She hadn't fully recovered from the morning's chaos and didn't feel like talking.
"Okay!" Song Qi was exceptionally obedient this time and quickly lowered his head to eat.
He lamented inwardly, *Little cub is so fierce.*