Nightwatcher

Chapter 242: Big Bwother, Am I Your Little Sweetheart

# 242. Big Bwother, Am I Your Little Sweetheart

Those two servants were familiar to Mr. Li; they were the household staff from the chubby boy’s residence, responsible for picking him up from school.

The two had apparently received word from some “little spies” outside, informing them that their young master had been beaten, and the situation seemed quite serious since the private school had called a doctor.

With a clear goal, they stormed into the inner courtyard and entered the house, immediately spotting the unconscious chubby boy lying on the bed.

“Young Master…”

One of the servants gasped and rushed to the bedside, checking for breath… he was alive.

Only then did their tense bodies relax, followed by a surge of anger. Even though the young master was beaten in the school, the master and mistress weren’t judges; they would only think that the young master was injured while studying, and the servants responsible for protecting him would be punished.

The two servants glared at everyone, focusing on Mr. Li, and shouted, “Which little brat beat our young master?”

Mr. Li coughed and calmly said, “This is a misunderstanding. Please take him home first, and I will personally visit later.”

He intended to mediate and resolve the matter peacefully.

After all, it was an incident of severe fighting among children in his private school, and it would negatively impact his reputation if it escalated.

Servants were cruder than martial artists.

“Spare me your excuses. All I know is that our young master was beaten. If you don’t hand over the culprit, I’ll report to the authorities,” the servant shouted.

Another servant blocked the courtyard entrance, preventing anyone from leaving.

Mr. Li sneered, “According to the *Imperial Statutes · General Provisions*: ‘Those under fifteen or with physical disabilities convicted of crimes punishable by exile or below may pay a fine. Those under ten, if convicted of rebellion or homicide and sentenced to death, shall be pardoned upon review; theft and assault are also subject to fines.’

“The government office is half an hour’s walk to the right from the school. Feel free to go and return quickly.”

In summary, children’s crimes could be substituted with fines.

The two servants, unable to argue with Mr. Li on legal grounds, were both furious and angry, rolling up their sleeves to fight.

At this Mument, a boy pointed at Xu Lingyin and shouted, “It was her who did it! She used the bamboo stick to beat him.”

“So, it was you!”

At this point, the servants finally noticed Mr. Li subtly blocking a little girl. In truth, they hadn’t noticed her at all, as their attention was focused on a few robust-looking boys.

The little girl, plain and not particularly clever-looking, was the last person they’d suspect of being the culprit.

However, upon realizing it, the servant noticed the girl’s sturdy physique, round face, round belly, and round hands and feet.

A bundle of strength…

“Take her away!”

One servant picked up the chubby boy, while the other moved to grab Xu Lingyin by the collar.

“What are you doing?” Mr. Li huffed, glaring at them.

“Move!”

The servant pushed him aside, yelling, “I don’t care about your laws; she needs to be held accountable. We’re taking her back to the estate for the master and mistress to deal with. You’d better notify this brat’s family to come to Zhao’s estate to bail her out.”

He sneered, “If they’re late, missing limbs won’t be our fault.”

At the very least, she’d get a beating. Hurting their young master couldn’t be settled just with money. Back at the estate, the girl would undoubtedly face a severe punishment.

“I won’t go; I won’t go! I want to wait for my Mum.” The little one was lifted, kicking in protest.

“tui, tui…” The little one spat at him.

“Behave.”

The servant, already seething, raised his hand to slap her.

But Mr. Li, quick-eyed and quick-handed, blocked the slap. His beard and hair bristled as he roared:

“I’m a scholar with academic credentials. If you dare lay a finger on her, I’ll sue you to high heaven!”

The servant scoffed, “So what if you’re a scholar? Every New Year and festival, plenty of scholars and even officials come to our estate. You, old man, are nothing. Move aside.”

He shoved Mr. Li aside and, with his companion, walked out.

…

Xu Qian rode his horse, trotting along under the warm sun, grumbling:

“All this fuss over a damned bracelet. Auntie’s been obsessing over it for so long. Why doesn’t she ask Uncle to handle it?”

Auntie still insisted on coming along, thinking about the bracelet she bought for Xu Lingyin that went missing. Now that Xu Qian was back, she wanted to rely on him to reason with the teacher at the private school.

“Recently, His Majesty held the Spring Festival. Your Second Uncle didn’t have time to deal with such trivial matters.”

She opened the curtain, revealing her sharp chin and lips adorned with bright red lipstick.

No matter the era, women confident in their beauty would always wear makeup when going out.

“Isn’t Erlang back?” Xu Qian casually replied.

She rolled her eyes at her nephew, “Erlang is preparing for the Spring Examinations. His mind isn’t on this. Besides, Erlang doesn’t have a title yet. He’s not like you martial artists who can fight. All he has is his eloquence.”

Xu Qian thought to himself, *Erlang’s “eloquence” could infuriate a martial artist to the point of spontaneous combustion; it’s very deadly*

Poor Erlang, despite Auntie’s constant nagging about how “Erlang needs to prepare for the Spring Exams,” and “Erlang, Mother will take good care of you.”

But in her everyday life, she’d go about her entertainment as usual.

At most, she’d give him an extra meal during dinner and offer some verbal concern.

*A mother as unique as Auntie in this era was truly rare…* Xu Qian kept quiet, taking in the scenery along the street.

He thought of his maternal grandfather, who probably knew his daughter wasn’t cut out to be a noblewoman in a wealthy family.

So, he married her off to a household of modest background that would cherish her beauty, rather than letting her suffer in a noble family.

Thus, she wasn’t taught to read or write.

Auntie closed the curtain, leaned toward Xu Lingyue, and whispered, “After picking up Lingyin, Lingyue, take your big brother to the jewelry store for a stroll.”

“And then help Mum buy some jewelry, right?” Xu Lingyue glanced at her mother.

“No need, I’ll choose for myself,” Auntie said.

“….” Xu Lingyue sighed, “Mum thinks big brother is more reliable, right? That’s why as soon as he’s back, you’re eager to have him stand up for justice.”

“I didn’t say that,” Auntie denied.

Xu Lingyue smiled, not exposing her. In this family, even though Second Brother had a promising future, he hadn’t yet made a name for himself. Father, after years in the bureaucracy, had become a seasoned official, not easily angered or prone to making enemies.

Relying on him to make a fuss over a bracelet was impossible.

Only Big Brother was bold and shameless. Plus, as a Nightwatcher, he held real power. Coupled with his extensive connections, he wasn’t afraid of trouble.

But after all these years of fighting with Big Brother, Auntie would never admit she relied on her unlucky nephew.

They soon arrived at the private school. The carriage stopped by the roadside, and the driver took down a small wooden stool, saying, “Madam, Miss, we’re here.”

Auntie and Lingyue lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage.

Xu Qi’an said, “I’ll go tie up the horse and buy some snacks for Lingyin, Auntie, and Lingyue; you two go in first.”

“Can’t you just buy them after we pick her up?” Auntie asked, holding her daughter's hand.

*The surprise is different, especially for a little foodie…* Xu Qi’an smiled and didn’t explain.

Auntie pursed her lips and, along with Xu Lingyue, entered the private school.

As soon as they walked in, Auntie heard her youngest daughter crying and saw her being carried out by a burly man.

Xu Lingyin struggled hard but couldn’t break free from the adult’s grasp.

“Who are you, and what are you doing with my daughter?” Auntie blocked the two servants, her eyebrows raised in anger.

“Mum, Mum, they’re bad people, they’re bad people. Tell Big Bwother to beat them up,” Xu Lingyin shouted, spitting enthusiastically at the servants in between her cries.

“Are you this girl’s mother?”

The servant looked Auntie up and down, unable to take his eyes off her; he had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life.

Then, his gaze fell on Xu Lingyue, and he was even more surprised.

However, seeing no servants accompanying Auntie and Xu Lingyue, the servant felt relieved and put on a fierce face:

“Your girl hurt our young master, so we’re taking her away.”

Of course, Auntie wouldn’t agree. She blocked their way, but the servant was more of a scoundrel. He deliberately used his body to push Auntie, forcing her to step back.

The other servant followed suit, pushing Xu Lingyue.

The two servants laughed wildly.

Xu Lingyue, flustered and panicked, backed up to the courtyard gate, stumbled over the threshold, and fell with a cry, bumping into a warm, solid shoulder.

She turned to see Xu Qi’an and immediately teared up, “Big Brother…”

Xu Qi’an, holding a skewer of fried fish balls and a meat pie, steadied Xu Lingyue and squinted at the two servants, “She’s my sister.”

With a man now supporting them, Auntie felt relieved and leaned towards her nephew.

The servants stopped their ruckus but remained adamant, glaring at Xu Qi’an: “Your sister injured our young master; he’s barely hanging on to life.”

In fact, the doctor had explained earlier that there was no danger to his life.

But the servants wouldn’t admit it; maintaining the moral high ground was the key to speaking with confidence. Even village bumpkins know that trick.

“A disgrace, a disgrace to scholarhood!”

At this moment, Mr. Li also came out, relieved to see Auntie.

“Mr. Li, what’s going on here?” Auntie asked loudly.

Mr. Li explained the situation and sighed, “Your family is indeed at fault. Please give this old man some face and resolve this matter peacefully.”

*So, it was about food being snatched away…* Xu Qi’an nodded and said, “Alright, put my sister down, and go call the boy’s parents over.”

He figured they’d have to pay compensation, but as long as the little one didn’t suffer, that was fine.

Xu Qi’an was always a reasonable person.

“Screw you you son of a …”

The servant holding Xu Lingyin let out a torrent of swear words and said, “What if you run off? We must take this girl. Even if the jade emperor himself came, it wouldn’t matter.”

“Don’t be rash, don’t be rash. How about this, I’ll go with you to the Zhao residence…” Mr. Li quickly tried to mediate.

Before he could finish, he felt a blur in front of his eyes; the young man’s figure disappeared.

Then, there was a loud slapping sound from behind, followed by a heavy thud, as if someone had fallen.

The old man immediately turned around and saw the young man holding Xu Lingyin under his arm, with a servant lying at his feet, unconscious. A few broken teeth were scattered on the ground, and blood was flowing.

“Pah, for a mere servant to be so arrogant. Let’s see who your master really is.”

Xu Qi’an was always a very reasonable person.

The other servant, holding a child, was spared Xu Qi’an’s wrath. He glared at him, “Go fetch your master.”

The servant, wary of Xu Qi’an, silently ran off.

“Big Bwother!”

Xu Lingyin stopped crying instantly. Held upside down under Xu Qi’an’s arm, she wriggled like a fish.

Auntie, displeased with how her daughter was being handled, took Xu Lingyin and carefully checked her, “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Xu Lingyin nonchalantly rubbed her head, “My head hurts. He punched me twice.”

Auntie’s face darkened.

Xu Qi’an’s eyes narrowed, “Who hit you, that little fatty or an adult?”

“The little fatty.”

Xu Qi’an let out a casual “Oh,” walked over to Li Bingyi, and asked, “Sir, how do you think we should handle this?”

He wanted to get the schoolmaster’s opinion first.

Li Bingyi pondered, “Zhao Que was somewhat injured; I reckon he’ll be bedridden for a few days. Be polite and compensate them to resolve it. That kid’s great uncle is a director of the Selection Division in the Ministry of Revenue.”

The implication was clear: you can’t match their background. If this escalates, you’ll lose.

“We’re not paying,” Auntie, hands on her hips, stood her ground with her nephew backing her up, “Who cares what director he is.”

“He’s a proper fifth-rank official,” Li Bingyi said.

“Xu Ningyan, let’s go home,” Auntie said, turning to her nephew.

*Do we really have to back down so quickly…* Xu Qi’an, annoyed, said, “Why go home? If they come to our house, it’ll be even more embarrassing. We should settle it here.”

After an hour, more parents came to pick up their children.

Xu Qi’an’s ears perked up, picking up on the sound of noisy footsteps.

The servant had returned, accompanied by a middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy gentleman, a woman adorned in gold and jewels, looking like a noblewoman in her thirties.

And about a dozen servants wielding sticks.

“Master, that’s the girl who hit the young master. And that guy over there, not only did he cover for her, but he also attacked one of us,” the servant complained.

As soon as the noblewoman saw Xu Qi’an and the others, she started hurling insults.

The middle-aged man, suppressing his anger, looked Xu Qi’an up and down, “Who are you, and which office does your elder work in?”

Xu Qi’an replied, “I am Xu Qi’an, and…”

He didn’t get to finish saying “Nightwatcher” before the middle-aged man cut him off coldly, “I asked about your elders.”

“My uncle, Xu Pingzhi, is a Baihu of the Imperial Guard.”

The middle-aged man dragged out an “Oh,” clearly unimpressed. Just the daughter of a mere Baihu of the Imperial Guard dared to injure his precious son.

This matter wouldn’t end so easily.

“I’ll give you two choices: one, pay 500 taels of silver in compensation. Two, I’ll take this girl to the authorities.”

“Five hundred taels?” Auntie exclaimed, “Even if your son were killed, it wouldn’t be worth that much. Don’t even think about it.”

“Wench, watch your mouth,” the noblewoman, who had just paused her tirade, was enraged again, pointing at Auntie and spitting out her words, “Look at this family, not a single decent person among them. No wonder the daughter is so wild, with a seductive mother like that. They’re all no good.”

Auntie, hands on her hips, retorted coldly, “Look at yourself, all twisted and ugly, and you still dare to show your face? Pah! I spit on you!”

The woman was furious and rushed forward, raising her hand to slap Auntie.

Auntie let out a sharp scream.

“Slap!”

Xu Qian slapped the woman hard, making her stagger and her face turn bright red.

“You…” The woman glared angrily.

“Slap!”

Xu Qian slapped her again.

The woman lost her balance, fell to the ground, and cried out, “Husband, why are you still waiting? I’m going to be beaten to death!”

The middle-aged man was already simmering with anger. Seeing that the situation couldn’t be resolved peacefully, he frowned and waved his hand, “Get them!”

The servants rushed forward.

The woman pointed at Auntie and screamed, “Beat this wench to death!”

Xu Qian pulled Auntie and Lingyue behind him and kicked the leading servant.

The baton flew out of the servant’s hands, and the over one-hundred-pound man was sent flying out onto the street.

He used a clever technique with that kick.

The group of servants all stopped in their tracks, gripping their batons and not daring to advance.

That kick’s power wasn’t something an ordinary person could manage—this guy was clearly trained.

*So, he’s a martial artist…* The middle-aged man whispered a few words to a servant beside him, who immediately ran off.

“This is the capital; violence won’t solve your problems. Young man, your sister injured someone; you have to provide an explanation,” the middle-aged man said with a dark expression.

“Your son also snatched my sister’s food,” Xu Qian smirked.

Auntie was soothing her youngest daughter while comforting the frightened Lingyue. She looked up at Xu Qian and felt a strong sense of security.

It wasn’t for nothing that I raised him.

“He’s just a child. What child doesn’t have a sweet tooth? Why are you being so petty with a kid? Aren’t you ashamed?” the woman said loudly, though she was somewhat apprehensive and didn’t dare to be too aggressive.

Xu Qian ignored her.

“So, what do you want?” the middle-aged man asked.

“Your son first stole my sister’s food and then hit her. Therefore, I’m only willing to pay ten taels of silver,” Xu Qian stated his stance.

He could reason things out both logically and physically, but it was a fact that Xu Lingyin had hurt someone, even if there was a reason. Based on his past experience as a police officer in his previous life, such incidents should be judged based on the extent of injuries.

However, it was just a matter of paying some compensation; there was no way he would pay more.

The middle-aged man sneered.

After a moment of confrontation, a team of city guards arrived. Leading them was a middle-aged man with piercing eyes and a serious face.

Three guards followed behind him.

He quickly surveyed the crowd in the courtyard and said in a deep voice, “What’s going on here?”

The servant who had reported the incident claimed that someone was causing trouble, but the constable of the guards hadn’t made up his mind yet.

“I am Zhao Shen, and my uncle is a bureau director in the Ministry of Personnel,” the middle-aged man said with a bow.

The constable of the guards quickly returned the salute, “Master Zhao.”

The middle-aged man nodded out of habit and pointed at Xu Qian, “This man is encouraging his sister to seriously injure my son and even attacked my servants. Please, officer, uphold justice.”

The constable stared at Xu Qian for a moment. The man was handsome and seemed familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen him before.

“Arrest him.”

Two guards pulled out ropes and approached Xu Qian.

“Constable, are you sure you want to listen to a one-sided story?” Xu Qian frowned.

The constable raised his hand, signaling the guards to stop, “Go on.”

“What else is there to say? My son just took a bit of his sister’s food, and that wicked girl beat him up. He not only refused to admit his mistake but also hurt my servants. Is there no justice?” the woman cried out.

The constable looked at Mr. Li and the doctor who hadn’t left yet.

“It’s true, but the Zhao family’s arrogance was also quite extreme,” Mr. Li gave a balanced response.

The doctor added, “That child will have to stay in bed for a few days to recover.”

The constable nodded slowly. It was normal for the family to be angry when their child was hurt.

“Arrest him!” the constable said sternly.

Seeing the officers trying to arrest her big brother, the little one got angry and shouted, “He was the one who first stole my food. Tui tui tui…”

She spat at the guards, trying to prevent them from arresting her brother.

“He even took my bracelet,” Xu Lingyin cried out.

“What?!” Auntie was shocked and furious. So, the one who stole the bracelet was that little boy from this family. Thinking about how he had snatched Lingyin’s food today and punched her, Auntie’s eyes turned red as she gritted her teeth:

“This is too much, too much.”

Huh?

Xu Qian was stunned. He turned and asked, “Was the bracelet also taken by that little brat?”

Xu Lingyin nodded vigorously, “Yes, Big Bwother.”

If this conflict was just a squabble between children, Xu Qian naturally wouldn’t hold it against a kid and would just pay some medical expenses to settle it. That’s why he hadn’t revealed his identity or used his status to oppress them.

But clearly, the situation wasn’t like that. That brat wasn’t bullying Xu Lingyin for the first time. He was clearly venting his violence on her because she seemed easy to pick on.

He just happened to hit a wall this time, triggering Xu Lingyin’s fierce retaliation.

This was bullying and couldn’t be tolerated.

“So, it was your child all along, bullying my sister and stealing her priceless bracelet. This time, seeing her food was expensive, he tried to snatch it and then hit my sister,” Xu Qian grinned:

“And now, you’re using your power to blackmail me for five hundred taels of silver.”

“What bracelet?” The middle-aged man snorted, “This is baseless.”

His wife’s eyes flickered as she seemed to think of something.

Xu Qian turned to the constable of the guards and said, “Officer, here’s what happened: the Zhao family’s boy repeatedly bullied my sister and stole her jade bracelet. This time, he snatched her food, and my sister couldn’t bear it, so she fought back.

“That bracelet was of considerable value. You should arrest them, not me. Please help me retrieve the stolen item.”

The woman shouted, “What bracelet? Nonsense! My son is well-behaved and educated. How could he do such a thing? Master, not only did they injure our son, but they’re also slandering us.”

The middle-aged man’s face darkened, and he bowed, “Officer, please arrest this man. I will ask my uncle to come and ensure justice is served.”

That last statement was crucial. The constable, upon hearing it, no longer hesitated and ordered, “Arrest him and take him to the magistrate’s office.”

Just as he finished speaking, he saw the young man in front of him take out something yellowish-orange from his pocket and toss it over.

The constable instinctively wanted to dodge, but as the golden object spun through the air, he caught sight of it. His face changed drastically, and as he caught it, he knelt with a thud.

He held the gold medallion in both hands, his voice trembling, “S- sir…”

As a constable in the city’s police force, he often assisted the chief constable in handling significant cases and had seen the palace’s gold token a few times.

*What’s going on?*

The Zhao couple's expressions changed instantly.

Although they didn't recognize the golden token, the head constable's reaction served as the best reference.

*Weren't the elders in the family said to be a Baihu in the Imperial Guards? What's going on? Does this kid have a high status? Why didn't he say so earlier?*

As these questions flashed through their minds, they quickly remembered their uncle, a fifth-ranked official in the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Division, whose authority could command respect even from fourth-ranked officials.

This thought brought them some peace of mind.

Xu Qi'an stared at the head constable and asked, "What's your name?"

The head constable kept his head down, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead as he reflected on his earlier choices. "This subordinate is Zhu Ying."

Xu Qi'an nodded. "I am investigating a case by imperial decree, and this is the golden token bestowed by His Majesty. Zhu Ying, you are a talented person. I appreciate you and have decided to involve you in this case. You will safeguard the token for me."

He paused before adding, with a hint of menace, "Lose the medallion, and your entire family will face execution."

A bead of sweat the size of a bean rolled down, hitting the ground.

Zhu Ying trembled as he responded, "This subordinate accepts the order."

Xu Qi'an nodded in satisfaction. "Continue kneeling."

Then, he pointed to the Zhao couple and commanded, "Take these two away."

This order was directed at the three bailiffs.

The three young bailiffs looked at Zhu Ying, who kept his head lowered, both angry and anxious. His voice trembled as he barked, "What are you standing around for? Carry out the order!"

The bailiffs quickly restrained the Zhao couple.

"My uncle is a fifth-ranked official in the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Division! Fifth rank!" Zhao Shen exclaimed in a mix of anger and shock.

One bailiff hit him with the scabbard, and only after being struck did he quiet down, turning to shout at his family servants, "Go fetch my uncle!"

Xu Qi'an, leading his aunt and sisters away from the school, sighed, "We can't play today. I need to go back to the Nightwatchers Constabulary to handle this matter. Auntie, would you like to come with me, or return home first?"

Auntie glanced at Little Pea, and considering it involved her daughter, she gritted her teeth and said, "To the constabulary."

Those two earlier were too hateful. Going home now would only make me angrier.

…

After they left, Mr. Li reflected on his earlier actions, feeling somewhat relieved as he confirmed he had not made any mistakes. He approached the constable, still kneeling, and asked, "Sir, that esteemed… gentleman earlier, which department is he from, and what rank?"

"I don't know," Constable Zhu, filled with regret, wished he could draw his sword and end it all, muttering, "What does rank matter? That was a golden token, do you understand?"

*A golden token...* Mr. Li's body trembled, and his hands shook.

*That silly girl's family has such a person?!*

He felt incredibly fortunate for his fair treatment and lack of bias towards the Zhao family, otherwise, his reputation and life might have been forfeit.

With this realization, he looked at Constable Zhu with a gaze full of pity.

…

On the way to the Nightwatchers Constabulary, Xu Qi'an rode with Xu Lingyin in his arms.

She held a meat pie in one hand and a bag of fried fish balls in the other, eating happily.

"About what just happened... Lingyin, do you feel satisfied?" Xu Qi'an tested, "Big brother helped you beat them. They won't escape unscathed."

In cases of bullying, the most upsetting part isn't just the physical hurt but the psychological scars left on a young heart.

"Lingyin, Lingyin?"

Xu Qi'an nudged his sister.

Xu Lingyin looked up from her food with her big, bright eyes, "What did Big Bwother say?"

"Do you feel satisfied?"

"Mhm."

"Do you know what satisfaction means?"

"Mhm."

"Big brother helped you teach a lesson to that chubby kid's parents."

"Mhm."

"Your second brother died."

"Mhm."

"…"

*She's just brushing me off. I'm so foolish, really. I can't believe I'm worried about this silly child's mental health.*

They continued for a while, and after Xu Lingyin finished eating, she frowned and looked up, saying, "Big brother, I…"

Xu Qi'an lowered his head, concerned, "What's wrong?"

Xu Lingyin suddenly vomited into his arms, then looked regretfully and said, "I feel like throwing up."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Xu Qi'an's mouth twitched.

"It's the same if I say it after."

"It's not the same at all."

"I think it is."

"No, it's not about what you think, it's about what I think. You should have mentioned feeling uncomfortable because of the horse ride… Forget it, I'll deal with you when we get home." Xu Qi'an was exasperated.

"Then I'll just eat again." Xu Lingyin blinked her eyes, seeking her big brother's approval.

"You…" Xu Qi'an was heartbroken, "How could my Xu family have such a silly, greedy child?"

He turned his head towards the carriage and shouted, "Auntie, your daughter just vomited on me. Pass me your handkerchief."

Auntie lifted the curtain, gave a disdainful look, and handed over a handkerchief.

Xu Lingyue was shocked, "Mom, that's my handkerchief!"

"I know, Lingyin vomited, so let Dalang wipe himself."

"… Why not use yours?" Xu Lingyue complained.

"It’s gross."

"…"

Auntie changed the topic, frustrated, "I was just too soft-hearted earlier. I should have blocked that shrew's slap and hit her back, instead of hiding behind your big brother. The more I think about it, the angrier I get."

Many people often regret not responding better during such moments, leading to increasing frustration.

Xu Lingyin watched her big brother clean off her mess and lamented, "They came out on their own."

"Don't worry, you got your money's worth." Xu Qi'an patted her head, "You can have lunch again, unlike usual when it's just once. From now on, eat and throw up; your belly will never be full, so you can always keep eating."

"Really?"

Xu Lingyin's eyes sparkled with excitement, thinking her big brother was indeed smart.

"Really." Xu Qi'an nodded.

*Although, you might end up being scolded half to death by your mother.*

"Big brother, am I your little sweetheart?" Xu Lingyin asked.

Xu Qi'an was surprised, "Where did that come from? You’re blunter than big brother."

Little Pea replied, "Last night, I heard Dad call Mom 'sweetheart,' but no one ever calls me that."

"That's because you're not a little sweetheart."

Little Pea looked disappointed, "Then what am I?"

Xu Qi'an lowered his head, scrutinizing his chubby little sister, "You're a fatty sweetheart."

…

Before long, they arrived at the Nightwatchers Constabulary.