Nina pretended not to hear. The moment Luo Qi turned his head, she secretly kissed his cheek and then ran away before anyone could react, her voice filled with glee:
"Luo Luo, wait for me! I'll go change first!"
Luo Qi touched his face and smiled helplessly, "Little brat."
When he turned back, he found everyone staring at him with rather… indescribable expressions.
Especially Ye Mu, whose face had visibly darkened. Recalling Ye Mu's previous advice, Luo Qi explained, "She's just a child. Why are you all looking at me like this?"
The others remained silent. Only Mo Xuan's eyes flickered as he tentatively asked, "A child who's only half a head shorter than you, always calls you Luo Luo, and claims she'll marry you every day?"
Luo Qi blinked, not understanding what was wrong. He thought about it carefully. Although Mo Xuan's tone was strange, his words were accurate. Nina was four or five years younger than him, so she was indeed a child. What was there to explain?
Moreover, Luo Qi suddenly thought of a very convincing angle:
"You don't think I have any improper thoughts about Nina, do you? How could that be? She's just trying to show affection.
Besides, didn't you all kiss me when you were little?"
Everyone: "..."
Luo Qi felt his reasoning was perfectly sound, crossing his arms and huffing, "How can you be so hypocritical? Who didn't kiss me on the cheek when they were little?"
Mo Xuan covered his face, Lei Wa was speechless, He Yuan almost choked with laughter, and Ye Mu's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
Luo Qi blinked, not understanding why his friends were reacting so strongly. He believed his logic was flawless.
Ye Mu was completely exasperated with this simpleton and gritted his teeth, "Didn't you promise me you wouldn't hug and cuddle with that little rascal Nina anymore?"
Ye Mu couldn't understand. Although Nina was young, a child raised with the bloodlines of two insect generals wouldn't be weak. At this age, she could already fight on the battlefield independently. Only Luo Qi would still consider her a child and be completely unguarded.
Luo Qi said with great righteousness, "I wasn't hugging and cuddling."
Ye Mu's head ached with anger. Just as he was about to say something else, he saw Nina run out of her room again, cheering. As soon as she arrived, she occupied the spot next to Luo Qi, clinging to his arm and nuzzling him incessantly.
Luo Qi felt a bit awkward, being proven wrong immediately after saying he wouldn't hug and cuddle…
He coughed lightly, trying to push Nina away to prove his innocence(?), "Nina, sit properly. We have guests, you need to be polite."
When they were young, Liya and Bosya often went out on missions, and Nina was also very attached to Luo Qi. Therefore, whenever there was a holiday, Nina would follow Luo Qi.
Little Nina was always clingy and followed Luo Qi, melting his tough guy heart into sugar water. So now, no matter how unrestrained Nina was, Luo Qi still saw her as just a child.
In front of Nina, Luo Qi always unconsciously acted as an elder, showing enough affection and also exercising restraint.
However, Nina had already found a way to break through his defenses over the years.
Nina lowered her head slightly, revealing only a small swirl of hair to Luo Qi. She released his hands and spoke in a low, fragile voice:
"Nina hasn't seen Brother Luo Luo in a long time. I just missed Luo Luo a little. Is that not allowed?
I understand. Luo Luo must think I'm too young and doesn't want to play with me. It's okay, Nina won't be sad."
Everyone else, plus a system: "..."
Luo Qi himself: "!!! I didn't mean it like that..."
Luo Qi instantly felt like he was a terrible person. What bad intentions could a child have? He was overthinking it.
He put Nina's hand on his arm and patted it, "That's not true. Hug! Nina can hug all she wants!"
Nina's eyes were watery, "Really?"
Luo Qi felt even worse, "Of course!"
Only then did Nina relax and hug Luo Qi's arm again, holding on even tighter than before. She glanced at Ye Mu, who was sitting to the side, with a smile.
This look was a blatant provocation in Ye Mu's eyes. Ye Mu almost stood up and threw the brat out.
Fortunately, his finely-tuned reason pulled him back. Ye Mu pursed his lips and looked coldly at Luo Qi, whose ears were as soft as cotton candy.
He could make Luo Qi scold Nina with a few words, and Nina could also make Luo Qi soften with a few words.
Ye Mu was furious but could do nothing. So, he secretly tried to sow discord with Luo Qi:
"Nina, why are you back so early today?"
The silly Luo Qi finally remembered what Ye Mu had said earlier. He sternly looked at Nina with a straight face:
"Nina, did you skip class again? And the assessment? Why didn't you pass?"
Nina was stunned, "Huh?"
Ye Mu felt smug, being a master of sarcasm, "No way, no way? Nina is so smart, how could she fail the assessment?"
Luo Qi looked at her intently. Everything else was negotiable, but not school. Although he knew school was boring and homework was tedious, failing an assessment was unacceptable.
Nina smiled fawningly, "Brother Luo Luo, I really can't memorize those scholarly words and sentences."
She called him Luo Luo when things were good and Brother when they were bad. Nina was adaptable and knew how to play her cards, but this excuse clearly wouldn't work with Luo Qi.
Luo Qi snorted, "No need to act cute, it's useless. Starting today, you have to write an essay every day, and show it to me when you're done.
Also, starting next semester, I'll have Aunt Liya contact your teacher. Your most important thing right now is to study at school, don't always follow Uncle Bosya around."
Luo Qi knew Nina too well. What Ye Mu said might not be entirely true, but if Nina went out, Uncle Bosya must have agreed, and Aunt Liya would definitely not know.
With the prospect of writing essays every day and potentially losing her freedom, Nina's eyes dimmed. She nestled pitifully beside Luo Qi, glaring hatefully at Ye Mu.
It must be this bad human who was always snatching Luo Qi from her. Don't think she didn't know about this human's little schemes. She would never let him get his way!
Nina thought for a moment, then suddenly wasn't so angry anymore. She rested her head on Luo Qi's shoulder and sighed with a look of helplessness:
"Forget it, I'll do whatever Brother Luo Luo says. After all, I'm going to marry Brother Luo Luo in the future."
With a "bang," Ye Mu crushed the water cup in his hand.