Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

For example, the "Onii-chan" that Shen Liang wants is usually an affectionate term of endearment used by a younger sister to address her older brother. It's typically a family term of endearment that highlights the close bond between siblings. If a stranger calls him that, it's often an attempt to get closer, and it can have a sweet, almost cloying feel, like calling him "little brother."

Overall, it's a way of addressing siblings that reflects their close and intimate relationship.

There are actually many other ways to address siblings. For example, "Ni-san" and "Onii-san" are more respectful ways for a younger sister to address her older brother, and can be used in any situation. These are also the most common ways for Inazuma to address their older brother. "Ani" is a more colloquial term, equivalent to how people from Liyue directly call their older brother "brother." Although it is affectionate, it lacks the sweetness of a younger sister pouting at her older brother and is more like a young couple addressing each other as brother and sister.

There's even the "Onisama," a term familiar to noble families, similar to "elder brother" in Liyue dialect. It's a respectful pronunciation that completely abandons any intimacy and is used entirely as a social etiquette address.

Theoretically, given Shen Liang's status, even if he viewed the general as a brother, he should address him as "Onisama." However, Shen Liang disliked this form of address. It wasn't that he particularly disliked such a clear distinction between superior and inferior—after all, everyone in Inazuma called him "Your Highness" so naturally that he didn't feel anything amiss—it was just that he didn't want to use any unfamiliar words when it came to the concept of "brother."

The only thing that Shen Liang felt was the bond between "brother and sister" was that they should be intimately close, without any reservations or distinctions of rank.

—A younger sister is born needing her older brother's love...An older brother should protect his younger sister...

Shen Liang didn't know why he had such a sudden thought, even though he knew that the general was actually there to protect him.

But it doesn't matter.

Shen Liang supported the general's smooth armpits with both hands and lifted her out of the wooden box, looking up at her pretty little face. The general was a little shorter than him, a complete teenage girl, and even when lifted up and standing on the bed, she was only a little over 1.4 meters tall.

"You don't say anything when her clogs are on the bed..." Mistilen complained.

The general isn't dirty.

【I'm not dirty! I'm a ghost!】

Perhaps because he had been staring at Shen Liang for a while, the general finally looked away with his cold and indifferent eyes and spoke softly.

"Ah..."

"Ok?"

“...Ani.”

"Can't hear me? Speak louder! I want to hear you call me brother! Hey, who are you trying to hear by speaking so softly? If you keep speaking softly, we'll go out onto the deck and shout it out to me in front of those sailors who are training. Shout it ten times!" Shen Liang held up the general's small body and laughed loudly.

"Ani!" There seemed to be a change in the general's tone.

"That's more like it. Little sister should respect her brother." Shen Liang put down the 1.4-meter-tall little general and rubbed her head with satisfaction. The general glanced at him indifferently with her lifeless eyes, without saying a word, letting him press her down on the bed and position her in a kneeling position.

Although both "Ani" and "Onii-chan" mean "older brother," it's clear the General wouldn't use such a sweet and affectionate term, but that's enough. People from Liyue might find it strange that they speak the common language except for "older brother," which is spoken in Inatsume language.

But for a brother, hearing girls from different places call him "brother" in different languages ​​is one of life's greatest joys. For example, those little rascals shout "Brat Brat!" with boundless energy, their voices both noisy and sweet. They shout and leap over, transforming into koalas, blinking their beautiful big eyes and yelling, "Brother, brother, I want to buy that new game! I want three copies, one for missionary work..."

Damn.

Shen Liang found that his memory was starting to go haywire again. This hysteria always flared up at inexplicable times. Those bizarre memories and knowledge would appear and disappear, and the thought of them made his blood feel like it was about to boil.

He glanced at Mistelin, trying to suppress his thoughts. Over the years, he had learned to control his hysteria on his own; if all else failed, he would pull on a straitjacket and exhaust himself.

If the hysteria is left unchecked, my holy blood will start to flow faster and become scorching... It can't continue to scorch like this, there's no Fox Palace on this ship.

“I can’t understand,” the general said calmly. “This body is a puppet, and has no human rights under the laws of the seven kingdoms. If you want to gain respect for this body, you can simply treat it as a puppet or a slave. Besides, the ‘master’ shows far more respect than ‘brother’ does. So what exactly does brother want to gain from this body?”

"What I want is the affection a sister has for her brother, not the affection a slave has for her master."

“But I understand that this body is just a puppet, without feelings. Whether it is brother and sister or master and slave, it is all the same to this body.” The general’s tone was calm and composed. “This body does not understand or can provide the feelings that a sister has for her brother. Therefore, it is just a way for the brother to satisfy himself.”

Unlike the Thunder Kingdom's Collapse, the General was created without any "emotions," a setting from the Thunder movie. This is because the General is destined to assist him in becoming the ruler of Inazuma, making him an unconditionally loyal subject.

Only a true doll can be unconditionally loyal, so the general cannot have human emotions. She is cold and powerful, and everything operates according to a predetermined program. Lei's film even envisions Shen Liang becoming a hands-off manager, able to control the shogunate through the general's impartial operation... This makes it even more crucial that the general not exhibit human emotions; a ruling machine cannot afford to be biased.

Shen Liang certainly knew all this.

But he doesn't care.

"It doesn't matter what you say, anyway you're my sister now. Hmm, Sister Ying said you'll be my page when I go to school, so you'll have to come with me to meet people often." Shen Liang looked at the general's attire, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Although you look quite pretty in this outfit, you look too much like Sister Ying and my mom. You look exactly like them when they were young, so having you around with me like this puts too much pressure on me."

The general looked down at his attire.

She was a character created by Raiden based on her younger self. At this moment, she was also wearing a luxurious pale purple kimono, with wide sleeves bearing the inscription of Japanese characters that reached past her hips; the workmanship was exquisite, even adorned with jewels. The kimono's hem was short, revealing slender, delicate legs, and she wore wooden clogs. Essentially, her outfit was quite similar to Raiden's everyday attire; the sisters' sense of aesthetics hadn't progressed much in thousands of years.

Indeed, there's no need for improvement; natural beauty is hard to ignore. Even in a kimono dress that doesn't accentuate her figure, she's still radiant and stunning.

"Aren't you cold?" Shen Liang asked, looking at her thighs.

The hem of the young woman's royal robes barely reached her thighs, and like those in cheesy movies, her legs would be adorned with knee-high stockings to flatter her figure. But the young general didn't; he was barefoot, wearing wooden clogs that completely exposed his feet in this weather—it was simply... ugh...

"This body is a puppet, its temperature is no different from mine."

“If I remember correctly, you can feel things, so you’ll still feel cold.” Shen Liang frowned, took off the wooden clogs from the little general’s tender little feet, and tossed them aside. Then he jumped off the bed, opened the coffin he carried with him, rummaged through the interlayer for a while, and pulled out a few leather bags.

The general tilted his head slightly, but remained obediently kneeling on the bed.

Shen Liang untied the leather bag and took out several folded, soft, and smooth silk fabrics.

The general's lifeless eyes suddenly widened slightly, and then he subconsciously pulled his legs back and brought them together behind him.

Shen Liang excitedly spread the silk fabric on the bed.

"These are various precious fabrics that my brother researched and developed in Inazuma."

"I was the one who taught you!" Mistelin couldn't help but exclaim.

Shen Liang ignored him and continued, "The fabrics we use on the Teyvat continent haven't made much progress in the last hundred years. Fontaine was the first to liberate the efficiency of looms with steam looms, but the fabric produced is still inferior to hand-woven fabrics. Perhaps it will take another hundred years or so for fabrics to improve. But look at these—"

He picked up a pair of white pantyhose, slightly sheer, and tore at both sides of the sock with both hands. The fabric was stretched far but still did not break.

"Look, these are stockings I named 'Velvet.' They're not hand-knitted or pure silk; they're made from silk and cotton yarn with a velvety finish. The texture is amazing! The elasticity is excellent too! They're comfortable and warm, and the white color suits your age perfectly." Shen Liang boasted like a salesperson enthusiastically promoting a product. "And I had someone try them on; they don't snag easily, which is perfect for your leg shape!"

[I was the one who tried it on, Pandora, are you really not going to mention my contribution at all? I was the one who invented the velvet cutting technique first!] Mistelin glared resentfully at Shen Liang's stupid way of showing off to his sister.

Those stockings were originally meant for Mistelin to try on. It's unlikely that Shen Liang would let the Fox Palace and the others try out those little tricks and inventions he made in the castle tower; otherwise, they would have casually mentioned them to his mother over afternoon tea with his best friend. Who knows, Raiden might really think these little gadgets are too unambitious and stop his research altogether?

To study these things, Shen Liang got along very well with the maids of the Sky Keep.

The general was clearly somewhat stunned.

"What...does my brother want to do?"

"Of course you should wear thicker socks! I have over-the-knee socks and pantyhose in different materials and thicknesses. Girls who don't keep warm will get rheumatism in the future!" Shen Liang said matter-of-factly. "And these white nylon stockings are super cute. They're not very transparent and don't show through at all. General, you can wear them with confidence! Plus, they feel great, with a rough, frosted texture!"

The young general looked up, staring expressionlessly at her brother who was trying to get her to put on more stockings. "How does it feel?"

"That's right, the feel of stockings made of different fabrics is very different. For example, velvet is soft and smooth, with a layer of warm and comfortable fleece; nylon has a rougher feel like cotton and linen, but it's also very comfortable; these knitted stockings look very noble, with a Lolita vibe. That silly little white-haired queen likes to wear these hand-knitted wool stockings; glass stockings are too sheer, even the purest white stockings are a bit sexy. General, you're still young. In a few years, when you have a figure like Sister Fanan, you can try them."

The general didn't ask him who "Silly White Hairy Little Queen" was. She knew that Shen Liang seemed to have an incurable illness, and that he should relax and not ask questions if he occasionally uttered something incomprehensible. Asking questions would only make Shen Liang subconsciously think about it, and once he started thinking about it, he would get agitated.

"Brother...do you really like the feel of the socks?"

"It has to be long stockings, long stockings are the best!" Shen Liang held up one finger. "I'm a traditionalist. Compared to delicate bare feet and short socks, I prefer long stockings that cover the thighs. I like them all, whether they're over-the-knee stockings, thigh-high stockings, or even pantyhose that go all the way to the waist!"

Because it looks good?

"It's not only pretty but also warm. I've never understood why people wear short skirts without socks, especially the young girls in Inazuma. They all do this while they're young, and then they start to feel uncomfortable after they turn twenty. I've been advising my mother to require women in Inazuma to wear long socks with short skirts, but she rejected my suggestion..." Shen Liang said, puzzled. "She even said that I have the signs of being immoral and confused, and that I'm trying to change the system of the world because of my own likes and dislikes, which is not the behavior of a wise ruler... But I'm clearly doing this for everyone's good."

"I believe it would be more convenient to mandate that women in Inazuma wear trousers."

“That won’t do,” Shen Liang refused decisively.

The young general's lifeless eyes were still silently fixed on his older brother. Shen Liang sensed a hint of disdain in his gaze and awkwardly turned away.

The general withdrew his gaze and looked at the dozen or so stockings of various styles that Shen Liang had laid out. After a long silence, he finally spoke softly, "I understand. So, brother... which kind of feel do you prefer?"

"This is for you, of course you can choose whichever you like." Shen Liang's eyes lit up and she said happily, "What does it matter what I like the feel of? It's not like I'm wearing it."

The general was taken aback.

She looked at Shen Liang again and saw the innocent gaze of the handsome boy with white hair and red eyes.

"Brother...do you like watching this?"

"It's because you like it. This is a futuristic fabric that no one else in the world has ever worn. Even Sister Ying has never worn it. General, you can't always look exactly like Sister Ying. You're the little general, my sister. Of course you should have your own style. Let's start by differentiating yourselves through your clothes." Shen Liang patted his chest. "Wear whatever you want. If it gets dirty or torn, I'll replace it for you. Hmph, only your brother in the whole world can provide this kind of clothing. All the girls in the world will envy you!"

—It depends on your preference.

—Of course you should have your own style.

—In the whole world, there's only your brother...

It wasn't the delusions and blasphemy of a teenage boy towards a pretty girl, but simply... his clumsy attempt to take care of you.

The little doll sat quietly on the bed, silently watching the smiling boy. Then she stretched out her beautiful, white jade-like right leg, her delicate pink toes resting on Shen Liang's palm.

She looked at the puzzled boy and said softly:

"Then brother... please help me try them on one by one."

----------

The hot spring pool inside the Ooku is, in a way, a public bathhouse for girlfriends.

The three demons were enjoying the romance of the royal hot spring. Before Shen Liang left, this hot spring was usually prepared for the three with the surname "Thunder and Lightning" because of Shen Liang's needs. After Shen Liang left, the Fox Palace and the others finally had the opportunity to enjoy themselves. They drank wine with towels on their heads, and the courtyard was filled with steam and mist.

Sisters who haven't gotten together in a long time usually strengthen their bond by taking a bath together. In a way, the atmosphere of the women's bathhouse in Inazuma is similar to that of the large public bathhouse in Northeast China in Liyue. The only difference is that one is a gathering of girls and the other is a gathering of men.

"Shadow, did you use your own blood essence to give Liang'er this doll?" Tiger Chiyo asked casually while shooing away the eight large tails of Fox Palace that took up a lot of space in the water. "Giving away your blood essence must have consumed a lot of your divine power. That stuff is the real source of your physical body. It's like you're missing a part of your body."

Lei shrugged.

She was holding a bath towel and carefully wiping her older sister's back as she sat in the tub. When the sisters bathed together like this, Raiden would usually wash her first, and then the younger sister would wash the older sister.

As twins, such intimate daily interactions were commonplace; the two sisters often slept together, let alone being completely open with each other. Inazuma didn't actually care much about girls being open with each other; for example, it was common for people like Kitsai-gumi to scrub their backs... just like in the public bathhouses of Northeast China.

Lei Dianzhen smiled and said, "Aying's thoughts are not just about giving a little bit of her essence blood to the puppet. Aying even wants to use half of her essence blood to shape the puppet's body, so that the puppet will have half of her power. When Liang'er ascends the throne one day in the future, Aying and I will retire behind the scenes, and there will be an incomparably powerful general to assist Liang'er at any time, making us a force to be reckoned with."

"A figure maniac... If you ask me, you might as well just transplant your entire body into the puppets. Then you can leave everything to the puppets, and she can become the Thunder General." Torachiyo shrugged. "Anyway, power doesn't matter to you, as long as you keep control over the puppets. By the way, little general, you did keep the ultimate control, right?"

“Of course.” Lei Yingdong smiled slightly as he combed his sister’s long hair. “The general’s programming requires her to maintain absolute loyalty, just in case. I can take over her and reclaim my power anytime, anywhere.”