The Years I Raised Strange Creatures
When I gazed into those eyes, I knew I had already gone mad.
“Brother, the moon is so big tonight!”
The girl in the bear pajamas leaned over the windowsill, gazing up at the night sky through the thick security bars. Her clear, bright eyes sparkled with delight, and the furry bear ears on her hood wobbled as she moved her head.
“Since I started school here, I haven’t seen such a big moon in ages. Don’t you think so too, brother?”
Her voice was full of innocent charm. When Mu Qing didn’t hear a reply for a long moment, she turned around in confusion—only to see her silly cousin standing behind her, motionless, as if spellbound.
The dim light made his expression impossible to read.
“Brother?” Her tiny, adorable hand waved vigorously in front of Mu Yu’s eyes, pretending to be fierce with claws bared. But there was nothing threatening about her—she was more like a kitten bluffing, impossibly cute.
Usually, as a devoted big brother, Mu Yu would clutch his chest and put on an exaggerated face of being overwhelmed by her cuteness. But tonight, he only drew back his gaze stiffly, his face frozen.
His trembling hand pinched the side of his thigh, trying not to let it show, forcing himself to lean against the balcony door so he wouldn’t collapse.
He slowly managed to squeeze out a smile.
“Be good, it’s late. Time for bed.”
Mu Qing tilted her head quizzically. His voice didn’t seem to come from his vocal cords, but from every ounce of strength in his muscles—each word faint and firm as if spoken with finality.
“Brother, you—”
“Oh, right, go take care of anything urgent i