Chapter 125: The City in the Sky

Ever since she caught a glimpse of the silhouette of Su Tong’s "little Su Tong," Li Wen had been restless all day, frequently losing focus and harboring a deep-seated fear of him in her heart.

Su Tong had been wearing silk shorts all morning. At home, he usually didn't bother wearing underwear underneath, and since it had grown by ten centimeters, he certainly wasn't about to start now; that would only be asking for discomfort and risking strangulation. Consequently, that basin of water had left "little Su Tong" almost entirely exposed to Li Wen.

After the afternoon livestream and dinner, it wasn't yet seven o'clock when Su Tong saw Gao Litong and Li Wen off to their car.

"Su Tong, give me some time. I'm not afraid," Li Wen said, her face uncharacteristically flushed just before getting into the car.

Su Tong, thick-skinned as he was, had long since let the morning's awkwardness fly to the winds. Understanding what she meant, he replied in a way only the two of them could comprehend: "That was just his resting state. Are you really not afraid?"

Li Wen’s face turned pale instantly. She had heard from some female classmates that the first time was incredibly painful, and she knew that no average man could possibly be as "exaggerated" as Su Tong. If those girls were in agony with smaller partners, then if she were with Su Tong, wouldn't she... die?

Gao Litong, who had been behind Su Tong the whole time, hadn't seen or heard what was being said. Curious, she asked, "What are you two talking about? Why can't I understand?"

"Nothing," Su Tong said with a wave of his hand. "Wenwen, it’s getting late. Take Tongtong home quickly and drive safely."

In Li Wen’s car:

"Tongtong, you aren't a good match for Su Tong," Li Wen said, uncharacteristically worried for her friend. Gao Litong was delicate and fragile, a golden branch and jade leaf; she wouldn't be able to withstand Su Tong’s "devastation."

"Don't look down on people. Who isn't a match for whom remains to be seen. I think you're too superficial; you’re definitely not a match for him," Gao Litong retorted.

Li Wen felt agitated again. She wanted "deep," not "shallow."

...

After the two women left, Su Tong returned to continue his livestream. The sensation from the previous night had brought immense rewards. After nine in the evening, the viewer count in the "Nian Nu Jiao" room broke the three-million mark and was still climbing rapidly.

Viewers who came out of curiosity were left dumbfounded after watching the stream. "Damn, how can such a person exist? He can mimic over twenty different male and female voices."

"I’m bowing down. This can't be voice synthesis software, right?"

"Are you blind? Even the best software isn't this advanced; you can't hear a single fake note."

"This is too heaven-defying. Shouldn't a guy like this be struck by lightning?"

"Gege already said he only became like this because he was struck by lightning."

"That works too? Don't mislead people—you’re making me want to go get struck by lightning."

"Haha, you should only believe one out of every ten things Gege says."

"Anyway, I believe it."

...

Just before eleven-thirty, Su Tong announced that he was going to participate in the program "The Voice of Great Qin."

The room erupted, and the news quickly spread to various forums in the web-novel community, not to mention the "Nian Nu Jiao" headquarters of the League of Heroes.

"Is this for real?"

"Gege, are you going to go bully the kids?"

"Haha, Gege should have gone a long time ago."

"Go, Gege! Punch the North Mountain Nursing Home, kick the South Lake Kindergarten!"

"With his ability, winning the championship should be a piece of cake."

"Heh, don't be so optimistic. There are plenty of backroom deals. Winning isn't about skill; it’s about luck and other factors."

"Regardless, supporting Gege is a must."

"Is there any online voting to support our favorite contestants?"

...

With the announcement made, Su Tong ended the stream. He had to return to school the next day, so he stopped browsing the web, turned off his computer, and went to bed.

In the middle of the night, Su Tong woke up. It was Xiaoyu, who had crawled into his arms and was sobbing quietly.

After shaking off his grogginess, Su Tong understood. "Don't cry, don't cry. Big brother will come home often from now on. Our family isn't short on money anymore; we can take planes or high-speed trains home—it’s very fast, less than five hours. I got paid yesterday, haha. Guess how much from the show and the gifts, Xiaoyu? Heh, over a million. Shh, don't tell Dad. Just know that I know; this is a secret between the two of us..."

Xiaoyu nodded in his arms, laughing and crying at the same time.

"When I'm not here, make sure you lock the door when you sleep. Especially if Dad doesn't come home to cook for you, or if he goes out after dinner, you must lock the door before you sleep. If a monster comes knocking, don't open it—just cover your ears and keep sleeping. If it sees you won't open the door, it will go to sleep or call someone else to chat. You don't need to worry about it..." As he spoke, Su Tong held Xiaoyu tighter. In the darkness, his eyes grew moist; the little person in his arms felt incredibly fragile.

She was still very thin. Even after a month of improved nutrition, she only looked healthier; she hadn't gained much weight.

"Mm," Xiaoyu nodded obediently and whispered, "Big brother, when will you take me and Xiaoxiao to Yandu? We really want to see the capital and the Great Wall."

"This winter break, big brother will come to pick you up. We'll climb the Great Wall, see the Forbidden City, and later, big brother will take you to many, many places..."

The two siblings whispered to each other, while Xiaoxiao slept soundly nearby. Before they knew it, they drifted off to sleep while chatting.

The next day at noon, a car was parked outside Su Tong’s house.

"Xiaoxiao, once you master your drawing, big brother will come back. Mm, just finish drawing all ten characters like the Snake Spirit, and have sister take photos with her phone and send them to me. If you pass, I’ll come back," Su Tong said, crouching down and cupping Xiaoxiao’s crystal-clear little face with a smile.

Then, he turned to Xiaoyu. "Xiaoyu, remember to drink milk every morning and night. When you're out, tell Dad to buy more. You have the money—you know where it’s hidden, so don't tell him. Also, if you want something to eat, go to the village shop, but make sure you eat your proper meals on time. Don't replace meals with snacks, and don't eat anything unhealthy. I trust you, but keep an eye on Xiaoxiao..."

Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly. "I know, I'll spend plenty of money." That was what Su Tong had taught her. Adhering to the principle of raising girls with abundance, he encouraged her to spend more. He had bitter memories of his own; in kindergarten, to get a lollipop, he hadn't just agreed to kiss a girl, he had even agreed to take off his pants to show her his "little bird."

"Hehe, they really are two cute little darlings. I want to take them to Yandu to raise them," Yang Feifei said with a grin as she walked over. Su Tong was returning to school with the three of them.

However, Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao held a grudge against Yang Feifei. This woman wasn't nice to their brother and was always bossy toward him, so the sisters didn't like to interact with her. Yang Feifei felt wronged; just like Li Wen, she was not favored by the two sisters.

"Give big sister a kiss; she takes good care of big brother," Su Tong told them.

Xiaoxiao covered her mouth with her little hand and blew a kiss.

"Ugh, not a flying kiss, a real one," Yang Feifei said, frustrated by the cold shoulder. Su Tong wanted to step in and comfort her, but that obviously wouldn't work, so he had to let the girls handle it.

After Yang Feifei was finally satisfied with a kiss from the sisters, Su Tong took the girls back inside, leaving the others outside.

"Xiaoyu, play a song on the piano for big brother. Xiaoxiao, you sit next to sister." In the study, Su Tong stood by the piano. "Xiaoyu, play that 'Castle in the Sky' I taught you. Imagine a mysterious castle above the white clouds, floating eternally in the sky."

Xiaoxiao was born for painting and dance, but Xiaoyu was born for music. She had a special talent for the piano and violin. She had learned piano years ago, and after a few days of Su Tong’s careful guidance, she could play several pieces; "Castle in the Sky" was one of them. It wasn't difficult—quite simple, actually.

The sisters sat at the piano, and Su Tong stood behind them.

When "Castle in the Sky" finished, Xiaoyu turned around.

Big brother was gone.

The sisters ran out of the house. Outside the gate, it was empty. The person was gone, and the car was gone.

"Big brother..."

"Gege..."

The two sisters sat on the ground and burst into tears.