Principal Zheng had dedicated his entire life to First Experimental High School. The reason he knew Qin Yusen was because, five years ago, Qin Yusen had launched a charity program at their school, donating money to help underprivileged students continue their education. Thanks to him, many students had been able to secure better futures.

Though Mr. Qin was known for his philanthropy, Principal Zheng never thought of him as a particularly easygoing man.

Now, watching Qin Yusen dump a tray of food over a student’s head, Principal Zheng finally spoke—but not to Shi Yating. His words were directed at Qin Yusen.

“Mr. Qin, regarding the incident involving your sister, the school will conduct a thorough investigation. I urge you to show some mercy and let this child go.”

He had lowered himself for this. His old face, lined with years of experience, now carried a rare hint of weariness.

Qin Yusen said nothing. In his mind, if Shi Yating had the audacity to bully someone like this, she should be prepared to face the consequences.

Gu Yingying watched her brother with curiosity. She wasn’t sure how he had figured out her identity so quickly. But the moment she realized she had family—someone who would stand up for her—her heart melted. Looking at Qin Yusen now, she felt nothing but joy.

Seeing how tense the situation had become, Principal Zheng understood that Mr. Qin had no intention of forgiving Shi Yating. His own plea had been useless. So, he turned to Gu Qingrang instead.

“You’re in the student council, aren’t you? Since Shi Yating publicly bullied Gu Yingying, handle this according to student council protocol. Issue a school-wide notice.”

A school-wide notice—an official announcement to the entire student body exposing Shi Yating’s actions.

Gu Qingrang nodded, satisfied with this outcome.

Unfortunately, just because others were satisfied didn’t mean the person in question would be.

The moment Shi Yating heard those words, she forgot all about the mess of soup and sauce dripping down her body.

A school-wide notice? That meant everyone—everyone—would know she had a crush on Gu Qingrang.

Her legs went weak at the thought.

The next second, right in front of the entire crowd, Shi Yating collapsed.

The students around her froze, unsure of what to do. No one could tell if she had genuinely fainted or if it was just an act. Regardless, Principal Zheng quickly ordered someone to carry her to the infirmary.

In the chaos that followed, Shi Yating was taken away. The students of Class 2 had originally wanted to check on Gu Yingying, but the sheer presence of her so-called brother was overwhelming. In the end, they could only step back and leave space for the siblings.

Principal Zheng, however, still felt the need to plead on behalf of his student.

“Yingying,” he said, choosing his words carefully, “Shi Yating only bullied you because of certain… personal reasons. It was a moment of jealousy, not malice. Do you think you could forgive her?”

The second those words left his mouth, Qin Yusen’s gaze turned ice-cold.

Even Gu Yingying found the statement odd. She blinked at the principal, confusion written all over her face.

“Principal, so as long as it’s ‘not intentional,’ that makes it okay to bully me? I won’t forgive her—whether she meant it or not.”

Gu Yingying’s delicate face was unusually firm, her resolve unwavering. Principal Zheng hadn’t expected this seemingly soft and gentle girl to have such a strong will. At that moment, he knew—there was no turning this situation around.

Hearing his sister’s words, Qin Yusen stepped closer, his stance solid, like an impenetrable wall standing guard beside her.

“Principal Zheng, instead of pressuring the victim into forgiveness, perhaps you should focus on the offender. I have no problem transferring my sister to another school if necessary. It seems your institution isn’t as exceptional as I once believed.”

His words were laced with warning, and Principal Zheng’s face paled. He thought of the countless students whose education depended on Mr. Qin’s funding each year. If that financial support disappeared…

“Mr. Qin, please rest assured. I will handle this matter properly.”

Schools had a way of downplaying major incidents and sweeping minor ones under the rug. But this time, Principal Zheng knew—if he didn’t deal with this properly, Shi Yating would end up paying a far steeper price.

That afternoon, Qin Yusen arranged for Gu Yingying to take the rest of the day off and personally escorted her out of the school.

She obediently followed him, slipping into the car after stepping outside the gates. As soon as she sat down, she was greeted by the sight of the kind-hearted driver from earlier.

“Little girl, you’re amazing!” the driver exclaimed. “There was a massive pile-up on Yong’an Road—dozens of cars crashed into each other. Lucky for me and the boss, we didn’t take that route. You’re our lifesaver!”

Driver Wang had a soft spot for girls this age—his own daughter was around the same age—so his gaze toward Gu Yingying was filled with warmth and affection.

“That’s only because you listened to me, Uncle!” Gu Yingying chirped, her voice bright with happiness. From the moment she first saw her brother, she had been certain he was fine. Now, seated beside Qin Yusen, she glanced toward the driver with a cheerful expression.

Without a word, Qin Yusen pulled out a folder—the documents he had obtained from the police station—and handed them to Gu Yingying.

“I’m Qin Yusen. Your brother. Your biological brother.”

The sudden statement made Gu Yingying turn her head sharply. She met Qin Yusen’s striking yet unreadable face. No matter how nervous he felt inside, his expression remained impassive.

But if anyone had been close enough—really close enough—they would have noticed the way his heartbeat was racing.

For the first time in his life, Qin Yusen had family. And now that she was sitting right next to him, he didn’t quite know what to do.

Gu Yingying took the documents and skimmed through them before deliberately pretending to have just understood the situation. Lifting her head, she turned to face him properly.

“Nice to meet you, Brother. I’m Gu Yingying, but you can just call me Yingying.”

Up front, Driver Wang was still processing everything. The girl who had unintentionally saved both him and his boss earlier just so happened to be his boss’s long-lost sister? What were the odds?! This had to be fate!

“Hmm.”

After that brief introduction, Qin Yusen fell silent again, slipping back into his usual taciturn state. He sat there without saying another word.

Gu Yingying, unsure how to talk to this newfound brother of hers, stole glances at him every few seconds.

It was strange.

It wasn’t like meeting a friend. It wasn’t just a matter of feeling comfortable.

It was something deeper—something instant.

A feeling that told her, without a doubt, that she could trust him.

And before she even realized it, the corners of her lips had curled into a smile.

This must be what it feels like to be connected by blood.

Gu Yingying had the sudden urge to share this news with her senior brother. If only… he were here.

Qin Yusen’s gaze occasionally drifted toward her. He was well aware that she had been sneaking glances at him, and for some reason, it made him unconsciously sit up straighter—as if afraid of ruining the image she had of him.

Then, he thought back to what he had done earlier. Losing control, flipping a tray of food over a girl’s head. Since when had he acted like that? Not since he was ten years old.

But the moment he heard his sister was being bullied, all reason had gone out the window.

That girl… perhaps it was best if she no longer attended First Experimental High.

But more importantly… what do girls even like? Clothes? Shoes? Bags? Makeup? Or should he just buy her a house? A bank card?

Qin Yusen felt a headache coming on.

The car ride continued in silence until they neared a familiar residential area. Just as the vehicle was about to pass a particular villa, Gu Yingying quickly spoke up.

“The villa next to us—that’s my house! Brother, can we stop there?”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to visit her biological brother’s home. But Bastet was still waiting for her. She had been gone the entire day—was he okay? Had he eaten the meat she left for him?

“Hmm.”

Qin Yusen had no objections and gave a small nod.

The car pulled up in front of Gu Yingying’s villa. She and Qin Yusen stepped out while the driver went to park.

As they walked toward the house, Gu Yingying turned to her brother and said, “You probably looked into me already. I grew up with the Gu family, but a little over a month ago, we found out I wasn’t actually their child. My parents felt bad about me having to leave, so they gave me this villa. Besides this place, I also have an apartment near my school…”

Gu Yingying chattered on, recounting everything that had happened to her.

Qin Yusen simply listened, quietly following behind her. The once-cold look in his eyes had softened, tinged with something almost unfamiliar—warmth, maybe even… concern.

Just a short while ago, they had been complete strangers. And yet, somehow, the space between them now felt undeniably familial.

Gu Yingying led Qin Yusen into her villa. As soon as they stepped inside, his sharp gaze instinctively swept across the interior. The décor was clearly dated, but he made no comment.

“Brother, have a seat! I’ll make you some tea.”

She beamed at him, settling him in the living room before hurrying off to the kitchen.

She reached for the rose tea she had set aside for special occasions—only to suddenly realize something.

Wait.

Brother showed up at school out of nowhere… does that mean he skipped lunch?

Qin Yusen sat in the living room, maintaining his usual composed demeanor, but his mind was already racing with thoughts.

A villa this big, and not a single person here?

A young girl living alone in a place like this—how was that safe?

She should be living with him.

Just as he was contemplating this, Gu Yingying returned with the tea. After setting it down, she casually asked if he had eaten yet.

Under her persistent urging, Qin Yusen finally gave in and called Driver Wang, instructing him to pick up some food and bring it over. It was already close to 1 p.m.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he pulled out his wallet, took out a black card, and handed it to her.

“This is my card. No password. No limit. Use it however you like.”

Gu Yingying blinked, momentarily stunned.

A black card?!

Her senior brother was wealthy, sure, but even in Anlan Continent, there was no such thing as a black card…

Still, she wasn’t one to overthink generosity. With a bright smile, she accepted it.

“Thank you, Brother!”

Seeing her take the card so naturally, Qin Yusen struck while the iron was hot.

“I have several villas in this area,” he said. “It’s not safe for a young girl to live alone. Why don’t you move in with me?”

Gu Yingying had no objections whatsoever. She had been looking for family all this time—now that she had found her brother, it was only natural to live together.

“Mm-hmm! Sounds great~” she agreed without hesitation.

=^_^=