Chapter 160. Daily Life at Cocolia Orphanage
"Phew, so stuffy..."
Drowsy eyes slowly opened, and Xander Masato felt his whole body wrapped in softness.
His blurry vision gradually focused, and soon that radiant, golden long hair—and the gentle expression beneath it—entered his sight.
"Ah—Aponia?!"
"Good morning. How did you sleep last night?"
Her voice was as soft as her expression, the kind that seemed to melt one's heart just by listening.
Only then did Xander realize he was being held in Aponia's arms, with his face buried against her chest.
No wonder it felt so stuffy...
"P-pretty good. By the way, why are you here, Aponia?"
Quietly slipping out of her embrace, Xander awkwardly put a bit of distance between them.
Hearing that, Aponia tilted her head, then smiled lightly.
"You fell asleep soon after you lay down last night. So as not to disturb you, I slept here in my clothes for the night. Did I bother you?"
"N-no, not at all. Absolutely not."
"Is that so? Then that's good."
He propped himself up to sit, and the undeniable sway before his eyes drew his gaze.
Tsk. Every time he saw it, it still felt absurd. Is this the power of a nun?
"Yawn~ Since you're awake, I should go check on the children."
Aponia gave a tiny yawn, sat at the bedside, slid her white, black-stockinged feet slowly into her shoes, then stood, straightened her clothes a little, put on her coat, and walked out of the room.
Watching her departing back, Xander let out a breath.
He shook his head slowly and began to change and get up.
Stepping outside, the cold air sobered him instantly.
Hearing the children doing morning exercises in the yard, he jogged over to join in and move around.
Bronya and Seele had chatted with Cocolia late into the night—who knew how late—so they still hadn't gotten up.
After breakfast, with nothing much to do, he was naturally a bit bored.
He went to the lounge chair from yesterday, shooed Pardofelis off it, and then lay back on the already warmed chair to relax again.
The catty someone could only move another chair over with resignation and warm it up anew.
Speaking of which, what's everyone doing for the New Year?
Opening the "One Big Loving Family" group chat, Xander tapped into the input box.
"Sexy handsome guy online for chat—type 1 if you need company."
Elysia: "11111111111"
Sirin: "? What weird thing are you saying again."
Kiana: "111. Any pretty girls? I don't want to look at guys."
Griseo: "1"
Xander: "?"
Seeing everyone show up, Xander simply started a video call.
Soon, his phone screen split into panels, and one familiar face after another appeared.
"Aiya, gone only two days and you already miss me, Xander? Not bad~ Come on, hurry and come to Elysia-sis for some cuddles~"
She posed as if to hug the screen, her smile bright as blooming flowers.
His heart fluttered for a split second.
Xander hurriedly coughed twice.
"I was just a little bored at home, so I wanted to see what everyone was up to."
"No need to hide it. When you're back, I'll let you cuddle to your heart's content~"
As soon as she finished, Elysia switched topics.
"Waa—Griseo, you look so cute today~"
On screen, Griseo wore a sky-blue padded coat, a scarf wrapped around her neck, and a cute triangular hat on her head, with only a pair of bright eyes visible.
At a glance she looked like a little water bucket.
Honestly, very cute.
"Mm. Elysia-younger-sister is very pretty today too."
"What about me, what about me? Griseo, look at my new outfit~"
In Sirin's camera, Kiana suddenly pushed the not-yet-speaking Sirin aside, stood in front of the lens, and happily spun around a few times.
She wore a fitted scarlet qipao with gilt patterns.
Her hair was styled into two cute buns.
The tight fabric perfectly traced her increasingly alluring curves, and as she swayed, the slit hem fluttered, revealing a pair of long, toned legs sheathed in white stockings.
"Hey, don't shove me."
Shoved aside, Sirin puffed her cheeks and pushed back.
At this point, Xander also noticed Sirin's outfit.
It was a dress with a distinctly Chinese flair—black and white panels beneath soaring immortal birds among auspicious clouds.
As the two tussled, the golden tassels and jade pendants on her back swayed into view against a glimpse of delicate skin, elegant and splendid.
After a bit of scuffling, the two made a temporary truce and squeezed into the frame side by side.
One had bun hair and a qipao; the other wore a classical-style long dress.
Piled together, it was truly a feast for Xander's eyes.
"Um—how do I look in this outfit?"
Sirin didn't name names, but everyone present knew exactly whom she was asking, so naturally, no one tactless spoke over it.
"Very nice. Really nice. That classical elegance suits you perfectly."
"R-really? Hehe..."
Sirin smiled shyly and fidgeted a little.
Kiana, seeing this, pointed to herself at once.
"What about me, Xander? How about mine?"
"Not bad. The qipao is quite... spicy."
"?"
Kiana choked for a moment, then grumbled.
"Hey, is that how you compliment someone?!!"
"You don't get it. That's the highest tier of praise among guys."
"Huh? Really?"
Head tilted in confusion, Kiana felt something was still off.
But things she couldn't figure out, Kiana usually couldn't be bothered to think about.
She tugged the slightly bashful Sirin over and, snickering, sold her out.
"Xander, listen, Sirin specially picked this outfit because she heard you're from the East. So? Touched, right?"
"Hey—what are you saying? I did not pick it specially for him!!"
Sirin was instantly flustered, glaring at her with a red face in shy protest.
"Oh, so it was specially for Xander."
Everyone present had the same line pop up in their hearts.
"Heh~"
Ignoring Sirin's rebuttal, Kiana folded her arms and sneered.
"Then say it to the camera. Say, 'This outfit isn't for Xander. It has nothing to do with him.' What, don't dare?"
"..."
Sirin's face turned crimson.
She could no longer hold back and launched into a sisterly wrestling match with Kiana—and right then, the screen conveniently went dark.
"Those two are still so noisy."
The voice at his ear made Xander jump.
He turned and saw Bronya standing behind him.
She wore a white, thick winter jacket with pale-blue pinstripes, her long curls loosely tied back.
Hands in pockets, she had the breezy look of an urban beauty.
"Up already?"
"Mm."
Bronya bent down, brought her head close to Xander's, and smiled at the screen to greet everyone.
"Happy New Year, everyone~"
"Happy New Year, Bronya~"
"Happy New Year, Bronya-sis~"
"Duck, Happy New Year~"
"Where's Seele?"
"She went to stroll by the gate."
"Okay."
He stuffed the phone into Bronya's hands to let them chat while he stood, patted the snow off his rear, and headed for the door.
The orphanage stood in a wilderness area, with basically no other buildings nearby.
Stepping outside, he soon spotted Seele standing on a small rise not far away, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.
He'd wanted to sneak up on her, but the crunch of shoes on snow was too obvious.
Seele turned.
Seeing it was her brother, her face blossomed into a happy smile.
Since he'd been found, there was no need to tiptoe.
Xander strode over and slipped an arm around her shoulders.
"What are you doing out here in the morning? Isn't it cold?"
"Not cold."
She waved a thick sleeve and answered with a smile.
Then, bundled up like a little water bucket much like Griseo, Seele leaned against her brother and spoke as if reminiscing.
"Brother, do you remember this place?"
She pointed at her feet.
Before Xander could answer, Seele continued.
"Yesterday while chatting with Mom Cocolia about childhood, we talked about how it was winter then too. You dragged me out here in the middle of the night, wrapped in a blanket, to stargaze."
There was such a thing?
As Seele finished, a hazy memory surfaced in his mind.
"And you had a fever the next day, and got a beating from Mom Cocolia, who happened to be back."
Xander, who had been pondering, instantly darkened in the face and, a bit miffed, pinched at Seele's cheek—everywhere else was too thickly wrapped to pinch.
The once fuzzy memory became clear.
"Ah, I remember now. It was you who said you wanted to see the stars, so I took you out. In the end, I caught the fever and I got the beating. How's that fair?"
"Isn't protecting your little sister normal? Or do you want to let me come out all alone on such a cold night to watch the stars?"
Seele batted her big eyes and put on a fragile, pitiful look.
Oh, so now we're playing the emotion card?
A smirk tugged at Xander's lips.
He rolled up his sleeves and stalked toward the retreating Seele.
"Looks like it's time to beat you up on behalf of my younger self today."
"Bleh~"
Giggling with her tongue out, Seele backed up step by step in time with him.
Suddenly, her heel bumped a jutting stone.
Seele's smile turned to panic in an instant.
Xander's heart lurched and he lunged forward.
He didn't notice the sly curl of Seele's lips.
Her tilting body twisted lightly and stopped.
Her outstretched hand naturally landed on her charging brother, borrowing his momentum to press him into the snow with ease.
Then, with a small step over, she sat astride him, and with both hands pinning critical joints, Xander couldn't get up at all.
"Hehe~ Seele wins~"
"..."
Xander fell silent.
Where did my well-behaved little sister go?
Since when did she start playing tricks on me?!
After a moment's thought, face down on the ground, he suddenly murmured.
"Seele, I'm very disappointed in you."
"Mm?"
He kept going, his voice lower and more dejected.
"I believed in you so much, Seele, and yet you tricked me like this..."
At that, Seele panicked a little.
"S-sorry, Brother. Seele, Seele..."
Feeling those small hands easing off his joints, Xander seized the moment and pushed up hard.
"Seele, you're still too na—mmph..."
Those retreating hands arrived—almost foresighted—at the point where his strength was loosest.
With a light push downward, Xander's balance vanished and he flopped back to the ground.
"Seele wins again~"
Seated on his back, Seele smiled sweetly.
"..."
"It's called tactics. You taught them to me, Brother."
So I teach you, and you use them against me, huh.
Giving up on forcing himself upright, Xander simply rolled in place, reached up, and hugged Seele.
This time, Seele didn't resist.
She let her brother hold her, lying on top of him.
Staring at the boundless sky, Seele seemed to remember something and spoke softly.
"I think that's how we watched the stars then too. Brother held me, I looked at the sky. I remember there were so many stars that night—sparkling, filling the heavens—even covering up the moon."
"Why are you already reminiscing about childhood? We've only just become adults. Isn't it a bit early?"
Following her gaze to the sky, Xander teased with a smile.
"This is a very important memory for Seele. And if you hadn't held me tight back then, I probably would have gotten a fever too. In my heart, this place gets a big bonus, you know~"
"Bonus? What's my score now?"
"Secret~"
"Hmm?"
Xander arched a brow, and his hands around her slid stealthily to her underarms.
"Are you going to tell me or not?"
"No—hehehehe—B-Brother—don't—it tickles..."
"Talk! If you don't, I won't stop!"
"I refuse!!"
Creak—
The orphanage's main door opened from inside.
Holding the phone, Bronya listened to the chat as her eyes scanned for Xander and Seele.
It had been a while.
Why weren't they back yet?
Don't tell me they're out here in this cold looking for thrills.
Aren't they afraid of freezing themselves useless?
Soon, her gaze locked onto two figures rolling about in the snow.
Watching them tickle each other, laughing non-stop, Bronya's mouth twitched.
Then she flipped her phone to the rear camera.
"Everyone, come look at something good."
On screen, Xander was relentlessly tickling Seele, while Seele rapidly shoveled snow down Xander's collar with her small hands.
Peak plastic sibling relationship.
Fresh from finishing her duel on Mount Hua with Kiana and securing a temporary victory, Sirin rejoined the call.
She saw the scene the moment she entered and couldn't hold back a "pfft," then quipped.
"Are those two still children?"
"Husband looks like he's having fun~"
Kaguya knelt seiza in a tatami room, sipping tea with a gentle smile.
"How nice, how nice. I really want to join in~"
Elysia tapped her lips, eyes shining at the scene.
She really wanted to join, but through a screen, there was nothing she could do.
"Looks... very fun."
Griseo's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"All right, enough. Time to come back."
Bronya walked over and gave Xander's rear a nudge with her foot.
The two immediately stopped, flopping on their backs in the snow, laughing and catching their breath, then slowly climbed up.
No sooner had they stood than Seele gave a soft "heave-ho" and hopped onto her brother's back.
Xander obligingly reached back to hold her thighs to keep her from slipping.
Arms around his neck, Seele's cheeks were rosy, her expression relaxed and content.
"Let's go back~"
"Okay~"
"There's snow down your neck. Want to take a bath?" Bronya suggested casually as she walked beside Xander.
"Sure. Together?"
"Seele too!"
"Won't three be too cramped?"
"Then let's go to the big bath. I remember it just got fresh hot water."
"What if someone else comes in?"
"Aponia has the key. We'll lock it from the inside. Oh, and it's the big bath, Xander—you're not allowed to do anything naughty~"
"You sure I'm the one who makes the first move most of the time?"
"..."
She promptly ended the call, cutting off Miss Pink Elf's impending complaint.
Smiling, Bronya wrapped herself around Xander's arm, and the three of them chatted idly as they strolled back into the orphanage.
Soon, the outside of the orphanage returned to emptiness, only rows of crisscrossing footprints left as faint traces of what had just happened.
Gradually, drifting snow covered them over.
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