"Seeing my sister like this, as her elder sister, I feel very happy, even though in her heart, she probably never really saw me as her sister..."

"..."

The wind was gentle, brushing past Dan Wuque's words and echoing softly in Dan Wulan's ears.

The setting sun, slanting through the treetops, bathed the forest path in a resplendent golden glow. A splash of vibrant color seemed to softly split the sky in two. In its midst, one vista was particularly magnificent—the last rays of the sunset.

Golden hues mingled with deep reds. The final moment seemed reluctant yet incomplete, as if the eye of heaven suddenly contracted and then expanded, setting the vast horizon ablaze.

They were fiery clouds.

Dan Wulan bent down slightly, a smile curving her lips, a smile that shone brighter than any she had shown before.

Memories of all the silent things Dan Wuque had done for her flooded her mind.

My innocent elder sister... the sister I always wanted to protect. To shield me, she buried everything deep within her heart, facing the world with a frosty demeanor. And I? I, who always wanted to be the one standing in front to protect her...

So, it turned out that in her heart, she was still silently protecting me, just like when we were children.

The tender sunset draped a layer of red light over Dan Wulan's violet garment. Then, as the sun closed its eyes, the surroundings fell into vast obscurity.

Dan Wulan gently lifted her head and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, forcing herself to appear as cold and detached as usual.

Then, under the somewhat astonished gazes of Su Bei and Dan Wuque, she stepped out from behind the large tree. Her eyes calmly met Dan Wuque's, then flickered towards Su Bei before she spoke, "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Sister. Unfortunately, I won't be free tomorrow!"

"I have to take care of the peach trees."

"..."

That "Elder Sister" was uttered with profound weight.

This time, it was the first time she had truly, meaningfully, called her "Elder Sister."

She turned and walked away with an air of elegant detachment.

But, from an angle unseen by anyone, tears streamed uncontrollably from Dan Wulan's eyes, transforming into frost and snow that dissipated into the heavens.

Elder Sister, to protect me, are you willing to sacrifice even the affection in your heart?

What does that make me, then? I even swore to myself that I would protect you!

And what have I actually protected?

...

Dan Wuque's eyes flickered. She swallowed hard, tugged at her boyfriend's arm, and whispered, "Senior Brother, did my little sister hear all that... Is she angry?"

Su Bei looked tenderly at Dan Wulan's retreating figure, then turned, patted Dan Wuque on the head, and said softly, "She's not angry. How could she be angry at her elder sister?"

Dan Wuque looked up into Su Bei's eyes, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "Really?"

The moon had risen, casting its second kind of gentle light upon No-Sword Peak.

Su Bei smiled gently, his gaze lingering on those clear, autumn-water-like eyes as he whispered, "Really."

He paused, then reached out to smooth Dan Wuque's wind-tousled hair. "Not only is she not angry now, she won't be in the future either..."

"Oh..."

"The Upper Yuan Festival is tomorrow. Let's go together."

"Okay!"

...

Su Bei yawned and looked up at the moon. He figured it was about time and guessed his two prodigal disciples must have finished making the dumplings.

He stretched and began walking towards the thatched cottage.

Before he even reached it, he heard sounds of a scuffle from inside, apparently mixed with all sorts of strange noises...

"Let go!"

"AH—"

"Do you give in?"

"PAH—"

Su Bei hurriedly strode towards the cottage and rushed in. The scene that greeted him instantly stunned him, and he swallowed hard involuntarily.

Xiao Ruoching was on top of Mo Li. Her clothes were in disarray, revealing large patches of fair skin. Her delicate hands fiercely gripped a certain sensitive spot, her body as supple as a serpent... Meanwhile, Mo Li, pinned on the ground, had her legs locked tightly around Xiao Ruoching's waist..., her own hands clamped firmly around Xiao Ruoching's neck, clearly determined not to release her grip unless Xiao Ruoching did so first.

Silver and black hair were tangled together. Their clothes were torn, and both girls had bruised and swollen faces, with more marks faintly visible on their bodies.

Flour was scattered all over the floor, and lumps of dough lay discarded. The room was a complete mess.

Startled by Su Bei's sudden entrance, the two women nevertheless continued to glare fiercely at each other, neither willing to release her grip.

"You let go first, then I'll let go!"

"Hah! If I let go, what if you squeeze me to death with your legs? No way!"

"I'm not letting go either! What if I let go and you strangle me to death?"

Dark lines etched Su Bei's face. He stepped forward, raised his hand, and brought it down with a smack!

SLAP—

SLAP—

The sounds were crisp and clear, accompanied by two yelps of differing intensity.

Su Bei's brow twitched. A strange thought suddenly occurred to him—

Is this the real-life version of 'when disciples fight, the master profits?'

Feeling the lingering, delicate softness on his palms and looking at the two he had just separated, Su Bei snorted coldly. His gaze fell upon his shattered medicine jars in the room, and feeling increasingly incensed, he launched into a fierce reprimand:

""What did I tell you two this morning? Huh?"

"Fellow disciples should look out for each other, be friendly, and share joys and hardships together!"

"That's why I specifically had you make dumplings together—to foster affection between you as martial sisters!"

"And look what you've done! Huh? Is this how you make dumplings? I ought to take a huge lump of dough and wrap both of you up in it, make one giant dumpling out of the pair of you!""