Chapter 25: A Sister’s Care, A Brother’s Secret

Liu Ruyan swiftly procured porridge from a shop close to the hospital.

However, chicken cutlets and barbecue would necessitate venturing a little farther, as establishments of that nature rarely choose locations adjacent to medical facilities, preferring the bustling foot traffic of pedestrian streets.

Despite the slight inconvenience, Liu Ruyan successfully acquired all the dishes Liu Xingluo had requested.

“Here, Xiaoluo, these are the things you asked for.”

“Oh, thank you, sis. Truly, you’re always the kindest to me. But I wonder, how could such a perfect woman like you possibly be without a boyfriend? It’s quite peculiar, isn’t it? *Ribbit!*”

The instant those words left his lips, Liu Xingluo received a swift punch to the head from a glowering Liu Ruyan.

“Utter another word about my single status, and next time, it won’t be a mere punch.”

“Alright, alright, I promise I won’t mention it again. But seriously, sis, did you only get yourself some bread? Is that truly enough for dinner?”

Glancing at the lavish meal Liu Ruyan had bought for him, then at the modest bread she’d chosen for herself, Liu Xingluo couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

“Don’t trouble yourself over it. After all, your sister is a model, and I maintain a very strict regimen for body management. Did you truly believe I chose this bread merely for convenience? If so, you’d be gravely mistaken. In reality, I opted for this after extensive deliberation and meticulous calculations. Now, come, drink some porridge first.”

Even as she nibbled on her bread, Liu Ruyan held the bowl of steaming porridge to Liu Xingluo’s lips, watching him carefully blow on it until it cooled enough to consume.

As Liu Xingluo had yet to fully recover, the meal stretched on for an unexpectedly long duration. By the time he had eaten his fill, the clock had already chimed half-past eight in the evening.

“Phew, I’m utterly stuffed and content. Sis, perhaps you should head home tonight? There’s no need for you to stay here at the hospital with me.”

‘Considering Liu Ruyan’s work schedule for the following day, Liu Xingluo couldn’t bring himself to let her remain by his side in the hospital. This sterile environment offered no suitable conditions for her to rest properly, and he knew that without adequate sleep, she would surely lack vigor for her job tomorrow.’

‘He had already become such a burden to his sister; he couldn’t possibly drag her down any more.’

“If I were to leave, and something unexpected happened tonight, who would be here to look after you? With your current inability to move, you wouldn’t even be able to press the nurse call button by your bed, would you?”

“Ugh…”

Liu Xingluo found himself unable to argue. ‘After all, his physical condition was precisely as Liu Ruyan had stated. A sigh escaped him; never, from childhood to adulthood, had he detested his own helpless body so profoundly, constantly burdening his sister with inconveniences.’

“So, just surrender to it and simply accept my care. Besides, Xiaoluo, I have a question for you.”

“You’re wondering how I ended up in this state, aren’t you?”

‘She was his sister, after all. Liu Xingluo had long anticipated the question Liu Ruyan intended to pose. His current immobility, after all, stemmed from severe overexertion. To transform from vibrant and energetic to completely paralyzed within a mere two hours was an feat utterly beyond the capabilities of any ordinary person.’

“It’s good that you’re aware. Now, tell me everything truthfully. You know the consequences if you dare to conceal anything, don’t you?”

To underscore her warning, Liu Ruyan even retrieved a slipper from her bag and playfully dangled it twice before him.

“Of course, I wouldn’t conceal anything; you are my sister, after all. It’s simply that I fear you might not believe me when I tell you.”

‘After all, the events of this morning had been even more outlandish than those of yesterday. Though they were his own actions, looking back now, Liu Xingluo himself found the entire progression utterly preposterous—the sort of thing a novelist wouldn’t even dare to commit to paper.’

“It’s alright, just tell me. After all, your sister has witnessed everything imaginable since childhood. I even believed the things you recounted to me yesterday, so surely nothing could be more outlandish than that, could it?”

‘After all, their world was not merely plagued by the invasion of alien beasts, but also protected by super-powered individuals who battled them. These phenomena, typically confined to the pages of fiction, had become stark realities. Liu Ruyan genuinely believed there was nothing left that could truly shock her.’

Yet, Liu Ruyan had, in fact, overestimated her capacity for acceptance. After Liu Xingluo finished recounting the astonishing events he had experienced that morning, her mind struggled to process the information, feeling as though her brain might spontaneously combust.

“No. Xiaoluo, just a moment. Please, let me collect myself and try to make sense of everything you’ve just told me. I can’t quite process all of it at once.”

Instructing Liu Xingluo to remain silent and not interrupt her, Liu Ruyan began to contemplate deeply, attempting to unravel the tangled narrative in her mind.

First, her brother was on a bus, en route to report for his inaugural day of work. However, upon entering a tunnel, a chasm excavated by an alien beast caused his bus, along with several other vehicles, to plummet into the depths below.

This much, at least, seemed a relatively plausible development. The true issue, however, lay in what transpired next.

As Liu Xingluo found himself noticed and subsequently ambushed by three alien beasts, a mysterious bracelet manifested a wall of light, repelling their assault. It then transformed Liu Xingluo into an incredibly formidable girl, one capable of wielding the very abilities of the alien beasts themselves, effortlessly crushing them with naught but her fists and feet. Ultimately, she was led to the beasts’ lair by their leader. There, utilizing the drill-like appendage of an alien beast she had previously vanquished and absorbed, she single-handedly carved a path through every single beast, save for the leader. The leader, seizing the opportunity while she was consumed by her berserk rampage, managed to escape, leaving her unable to pursue.

Subsequently, wielding that same drill, she returned to the surface and successfully reverted to her original form, only to collapse into unconsciousness shortly thereafter. Upon reawakening, he found himself within the confines of a hospital room.

As for his current state of immobility, Liu Xingluo himself conjectured that it was likely the physical toll of the battle manifesting in his body. After all, he had single-handedly annihilated an entire nest of drill-rats; such an endeavor surely demanded immense energy. Though he had felt nothing amiss in the heat of the moment, the profound exhaustion had immediately set in upon reverting to his original form.

“Hmm… I truly find this rather difficult to accept. Xiaoluo, are you absolutely certain you’re telling me the truth? That you transformed into a girl to battle alien beasts and all…?”

‘Liu Ruyan prided herself on having witnessed countless grand spectacles; what manner of tumultuous events had she not weathered? Yet, the tale Liu Xingluo spun was genuinely unlike anything she had ever encountered.’

“Of course it’s true. If you remain unconvinced, I shall transform right here, before your very eyes.”

Though uncertain of success, Liu Xingluo nevertheless replicated the mental process he had used to revert from his previous transformation. ‘If I focus my thoughts on transforming into that girl once more,’ he mused, ‘perhaps it truly will happen.’

The bracelet, indeed, responded to Liu Xingluo’s mental command, emitting an intense radiance from its amethyst setting, compelling Liu Ruyan to shield her eyes with her hand, convinced that otherwise, the blinding light would surely damage her vision.

“Well? Sis, you see? I wasn’t deceiving you, was I?”

As the dazzling light dissipated, a female voice, one utterly unfamiliar to Liu Ruyan, reached her ears, prompting her to lower her hand and gaze upon the transformed Liu Xingluo.

In stark contrast to the Liu Xingluo she knew so well, the person now seated on the hospital bed was a girl she had never before laid eyes upon.

‘Indeed, if not for the familiar clothes Liu Ruyan had brought her still adorning her, Liu Ruyan would have found it utterly impossible to reconcile this girl with her own brother.’