Chapter 10: The Collar and the Choice

“That was the time… you protected me, Sister. What were you thinking back then?” Xiao Xi asked, pulling himself from the memory.

“Hmm…”

Shi Yuan looked up, lost in thought for a moment before offering a faint smile. “I don’t really remember, to be honest. But I imagine I must have been furious.”

“After all… the only one who gets to bully you is me.”

As she spoke, she slowly leaned in, bringing her face so close to his that only millimeters seemed to separate them. Their eyes met, and Xiao Xi felt his heart seize.

‘Sister…’

Suddenly, she kissed him. It was not a playful peck, but a deep, wet kiss thick with emotion. Caught completely off guard, with no chance to resist, Xiao Xi was trapped. Their tongues intertwined.

He lost himself in the sensation, a feeling as if the world around them had dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the two of them. Yet, when he slowly opened his eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person before him, he saw only a pair of eyes lost in obsession.

‘No, it shouldn’t be like this.’

‘Sister’s gaze should be firm and bright, not… not like this.’ The way she was looking at him in that moment…

She felt like a stranger.

An unconscious restlessness stirred within him, like a caged beast that had just spotted a fleeting exit. He wanted to escape, terrified that this sliver of light would vanish as quickly as it had appeared.

Just as his mind descended into chaos, Sister Yuan pulled back. Xiao Xi could clearly see a thin, glistening thread of saliva connecting their lips. The passionate kiss had flushed her cheeks crimson. She hugged him, smiling happily.

“Xiao Xi, you’re so adorable. You were born to be a girl, you know? Even your voice sounds like one… From now on, you’ll be my exclusive girl, alright?”

Her tone was gentler than he had ever heard it. Her enchanting voice seemed to hold a magical power, like the serpent in Eden, luring one down an irrevocable path.

But Adam and Eve had chosen resistance. By eating the apple, they at least escaped their ignorance, no longer mere facsimiles of God to be manipulated. And him…?

“But… Sister, I can’t go to school in girls’ clothes. I have classmates… and friends. The school won’t allow a boy to dress like a girl.”

Xiao Xi shook his head in fear, his voice tinged with tears, as if she were bullying him. He wasn’t sure who he was talking to—was it his sister, or perhaps himself? He was just searching for an excuse.

School. That was the best place to start, followed by a torrent of associated thoughts. He barely knew what he was saying anymore. Anything… anything to make her stop.

“Oh—” Her voice remained bewitching. She didn’t reject his plea. Instead, she pulled him tighter and, from somewhere, produced a collar. Without a word of warning, she fastened it around his neck, then patted his cheek in satisfaction.

“Then… just don’t go to school. Stay home with me, Xiao Xi. Or I can take you to my company. I love you, Xiao Xi. I’ll spend the rest of my life spoiling you. You don’t have to work hard anymore, just stay home and be good. We… we can even have a few children. You can take care of them, and if you get bored, you can…”

She went on, painting a beautiful picture of their future. After a long while, she turned, stroked his head, and spoke gently, “Even if you’re a good-for-nothing, Xiao Xi, I’ll still dote on you for a lifetime. So it’s okay. This collar is proof of our bond. From now on, you’re mine. Do you accept?”

‘Even if… even if I’m useless, Sister will… dote on me for a lifetime?’

Xiao Xi stood frozen, unable to answer, but his heart was already wavering violently. His sister continued to smile. “You can call me whatever you want from now on. Sister, Hubby, Master? Anything is fine. I’ll spoil you the most, Xiao Xi. Even if you make a mistake, I’ll only punish you gently.”

“I…”

He sighed. Was this his destiny? He didn’t understand how everything had come to this. Things had been fine before, perfectly fine, but really…

‘I should have been prepared for this, shouldn’t I?’

He laughed bitterly to himself. He should have known. From the moment his parents had sent him to live with Aunt Shi, he realized that every gift from fate comes with a hidden price tag. If this was his destiny…

‘But…’

Ah!

A sudden, sharp pain lanced through his heart, as if an invisible force had squeezed it mercilessly. The agony plunged him into a haze of confusion, and his will, which had been leaning toward his sister, was once again thrown into turmoil.

‘What are you waiting for?’

A voice echoed from within. In the world of his mind, Xiao Xi stared blankly into the surrounding darkness. A shadowy figure materialized beside him, looking at him with scorn.

“What are you waiting for?” it asked.

…

Before Xiao Xi could process it, his sister kissed him again. This time, it was more feverish, more dominant, more unreasonable, as if she were determined to conquer him completely. With this resolve, Shi Yuan pressed forward.

‘Xiao Xi… belongs to me. I haven’t forgotten what happened back then. How could I forget? If anything, that was my awakening!’

A nearly imperceptible smile graced Shi Yuan’s lips. Just as Xiao Xi was about to close his eyes and accept it all, suddenly…

Bang!

The bedroom door was kicked open. Shi Meng stood in the doorway. She glanced at the two of them in the room, but instead of the shy retreat Xiao Xi had expected, she let out a deep sigh. Then, with a burst of anger, she stormed into the room and yanked him up.

Shi Yuan was stunned, seemingly unprepared for Shi Meng’s fierce action. Have you ever seen an enraged rabbit? That was Shi Meng in that moment. She turned, staring calmly at Sister Yuan, a flicker of panic barely visible in her eyes.

Then, her voice filled with sorrow, she yelled at Xiao Xi, “Brother, let’s go! We… we have to go to school.”

Her voice trailed off, as if her earlier actions had been a moment of pure impulse. Now, facing the potential consequences, she seemed afraid. But in the end, her resolve hardened. She pulled on Xiao Xi’s arm, determined to leave the room.

Stumbling, Xiao Xi followed her lead. Sister Yuan could not remain seated. From behind them, she spoke, her voice no longer gentle but laced with ice. “Xiao Xi, come back…”

Xiao Xi glanced over his shoulder. Disappointment was etched onto his sister’s face.

To go, or not to go?

That was the question.