As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

Li Xian leaned back on the sofa, watching his clone slowly finish his meal, slowly wash the dishes, and then slowly walk to the living room and sit down on the single sofa next to him.

After sitting down, he adjusted his posture, finding the most comfortable angle, and then—

Paralyzed.

Li Xian stared at him for three seconds.

The clone noticed his gaze and opened one eye.

"what?"

"You're lying down already?"

"Otherwise what?" the clone said matter-of-factly.

"I've finished my meal and my work, what else am I going to do but lie down?"

Li Xian opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end found that he couldn't refute it.

Because that's how he usually is.

"Fine," he waved his hand. "You can lie down."

The clone closed its eyes with satisfaction.

The living room was quiet for about five minutes.

Then Li Xian suddenly remembered a question.

It's almost five o'clock.

Li Yu should be back by the time she picks up Lingdang.

He stood up, walked to the balcony, and looked down at himself sprawled on the floor.

"It's gone."

The clone was taken aback for a moment: "Huh?"

"What do you mean, 'huh'? I told you to get rid of it," Li Xian said.

"When Lingdang comes back and sees two dads, won't she be terrified?"

The clone blinked, then suddenly realized.

"Oh, right, and that little girl too."

He slowly stood up and stretched.

"Should I come again tomorrow?"

Li Xian thought for a moment.

"It depends."

The clone nodded, and then its entire body began to become transparent.

A few seconds later, it disappeared completely.

All that's left on the balcony is the dent left by a fat orange cat.

Li Xian returned to the living room, sat down on the sofa, and continued to stare blankly.

At 5:30, the door opened.

"Old Deng! I'm back!"

The sound of bells came in first, followed by the sound of the little girl skipping and hopping.

With her schoolbag on her back, her little face flushed from running, she buried her head in Li Xian's arms.

Li Xian was knocked into the sofa by her and rubbed her head.

"How was your day?"

"That's good!" Bell looked up.

"In PE class today, we played a relay race, and our class won!"

"Oh? You ran away?"

"I didn't run," Lingdang said confidently. "I was cheering him on from the sidelines! Zhang Yu was running, and he's incredibly fast!"

Li Xian: "..."

Can cheering someone on be considered a merit?

Li Yu followed her in, changed her shoes, and put her bag down.

"elder brother."

"Um."

Li Yu walked over, sat down on the sofa, and glanced at him.

That look in his eyes was rather subtle.

Li Xian understood.

I have something to say in a moment.

Lingdang didn't notice the exchange of glances between the two; she looked around.

"Where's Fat Orange?" Bell asked, turning around.

Li Xian remained expressionless: "He went out to fool around."

Bell puffed out her cheeks: "Out gallivanting again! It hasn't been home for days!"

"A Class B beast, we can't control it," Li Xian said. "Let it be."

Lingdang snorted, threw her schoolbag on the sofa, and plopped down on it.

"When it gets back, I'm going to take away its cat food!"

Li Yu listened from the side, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

This girl is quite open-minded.

Lingdang looked around and then ran to the balcony to play with Xiaojin.

Li Yu watched her run away, then turned to look at Li Xian.

"elder brother."

"Um?"

"Tell me about what happened today."

Li Xian knew she would ask.

He leaned back on the sofa and recounted the whole story from beginning to end.

From Aunt Wang's phone call, to catching the thief at home, to discovering it was a woman, to her kneeling and begging for mercy, to her confessing that she came looking for him because she was following Li Yu.

As Li Yu listened, her brows slowly furrowed.

"You believed her just because she said that?"

Li Xian glanced at her.

"Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

Li Yu was stunned for a moment.

Li Xian continued, "Don't worry, what kind of person is your brother? Would she fool him? I've checked."

He didn't say how he found out.

Li Yu didn't ask.

But she still couldn't help rambling on.

"Brother, I'm not trying to be mean, but there are all sorts of people these days. She says it was her first time stealing, and you believe her? She says her parents died young, and you believe her? She says she's supporting her brother's education, and you believe her?"

Li Xian listened without saying a word.

Li Yu continued, "I know you have a kind heart, but this society is very realistic. There are many good people, and just as many bad people. You understand this principle better than I do: you shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you must be wary of others."

Li Xian nodded.

"I know."

"You knew that, yet you let her go so easily?"

Li Xian thought for a moment and said, "Her attitude was alright."

"As long as her attitude is okay?" Li Yu frowned. "What if she's faking it?"

"Then I'll just catch it again," Li Xian said calmly. "Where can a D-rank go?"

Li Yu opened her mouth as if to say something, but then realized that it seemed to be true.

With her brother's abilities, a D-level character really can't cause much trouble.

But she couldn't help but say a few more words.

"But brother, we still need to be more careful about these things in the future. This girl didn't mean any harm today; she just wanted to steal something. What if we run into someone who's planning something? What if she's a remnant of the God Group? What if her target isn't stealing, but is after you or Lingdang?"

"Um."

"And that Lin Xiaoqi, even though you've investigated her, don't trust her too much in the future. What if she encounters difficulties again and goes astray? What if she takes advantage of you?"

"Um."

"Her brother is at school, I'll keep an eye on him. But don't expect me to take special care of him, just keep things official."

"Um."

Li Yu rambled on for several minutes, and Li Xian just listened without saying a word in rebuttal.

He realized that his younger sister had really grown up.

The little girl who used to follow him around begging for candy.

She is now capable of standing on her own and knows to worry about her brother being deceived.

And what she said wasn't wrong.

In this society, not everyone is trustworthy.

He just happens to be able to see through people's hearts.

Li Yu finally finished speaking, looked at him, and waited for his response.

Li Xian nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll be more careful next time."

Li Yu stared at him for three seconds to make sure he was serious before she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, as long as you understand."

The two fell into an odd silence.

It wasn't awkwardness, but rather a feeling that... I don't know how to describe.

It's like many things don't need to be said; everyone understands.

The brother and sister had relied on each other since childhood.

We have experienced the hardest days and walked the most difficult path.

Now that things are better, Li Yu has become an S-level player.

But some things have never changed.

For example, her concern for him.

For example, his trust in her.

But if I don't say anything, I feel like something's missing.

Li Yu opened her mouth, as if to say something more.

Just then, Lingdang ran back from the balcony.

"Old Deng! I'm hungry! When are you cooking?"

Li Xian stood up and stretched.

"Do it now."

He went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and took out a few dishes.

Lingdang followed behind, peering through the door frame.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?"

"Braised pork belly, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and tomato and egg soup."

"Wow! Braised pork!" Bell's eyes lit up. "I haven't had it in ages!"

Li Xian started washing vegetables and cutting meat.

The bell was chirping away beside me, talking about school.

"Today Zhang Yu asked me, 'Why didn't you come to class today, Big Sister?' I said I did. He said, 'No, it's you, Big Sister.' I said, 'I am Big Sister.' He said, 'No, you don't look like Big Sister at all.' I said, 'Then what do I look like?' He said, 'Like...like...'"

She couldn't remember.

Li Yu, standing nearby, asked, "What does it look like?"

Lingdang scratched her head, and finally managed to squeeze out, "Like his sister."

Li Yu paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Zhang Yu, that kid, he's quite the smooth talker."

Li Xian didn't reply and focused on cooking.

Forty minutes later, dinner was served.

The braised pork belly is a bright red color, the stir-fried vegetables are fresh and tender, and the tomato and egg soup is steaming hot.

Lingdang couldn't wait any longer, so she picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a piece of braised pork.

"Hot, hot, hot—"

She chewed while exhaling, reluctant to spit it out.

Looking at her like that, Li Xian's lips curved slightly.

After the meal, Li Yu helped clear the dishes.

She had just finished tidying up when her phone rang.

"Feed? Hmm, okay, I'll be right there."

She hung up the phone and stood up.

"Brother, my friend asked me to go shopping. I'll be back later."

Li Xian nodded: "Go early and come back early."

Li Yu walked to the door, changed her shoes, and suddenly turned around.

"By the way, brother, about today... thank you."

Li Xian was taken aback.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for telling me," Li Yu said. "I'll be more careful in the future."

Then he looked at the bell.

"Lingdang, go to sleep early and don't bother your dad."

Bell was lying on the sofa, rubbing Fat Orange.

I don't know when that fat cat sneaked back.

Hearing this, he simply grunted "Mmm" without even looking up.

After saying that, she opened the door and went out.

The door closed, and the living room became quiet.

Lingdang hugged the chubby orange cat and tilted her head to look at Li Xian.

"Old Deng, why is your aunt thanking you?"

"It's nothing," Li Xian said. "It's an adult matter, kids shouldn't ask."

The bell let out an "oh" and continued to bully the chubby orange cat who looked utterly hopeless.