Regarding the question of whether one thousand lives are enough to beat Honkai Impact 3rd.

"Then... what should I call you?"

So that's what you were thinking about, that's why you looked troubled. Suddenly, Su Qing'an started thinking about Xi'er's problem and fell into deep thought.

In his mind, he could simply have Seele call him by his name.

Su Qing'an didn't care whether it was impolite or not, but when he put himself in the little girl's shoes, he immediately realized that the meaning of this address held a completely different weight in their hearts.

The boy himself understood that he would not choose to abandon the other person, so this title was just that—a title.

But Seele is different.

She felt genuinely confused and uneasy about why she had been rescued, why she had received such kindness, and why she had been treated this way.

The warmth without a source felt like it could be taken away at any moment, making the little girl feel anxious and insecure.

Seele needs concrete words and genuine validation to fill the void in this reasoning.

Under the gaze of those deep blue eyes, the boy opened his lips and said earnestly:

"If Seele is willing, you can treat me as your older brother."

The deep blue in the girl's eyes lit up and shone brightly the moment she heard the answer. She pursed her lips and said softly:

"My elder brother..."

The thought of relying on the other person to avoid the storms of the outside world definitely exists in my heart. It is a utilitarian and realistic thought. At the same time, the warmth that overflows in my chest when I get the answer is also a real thing.

Seele looked directly into the boy's dark eyes without flinching, and said clearly and calmly:

"Then Su Qing'an is Xi'er's brother."

After the girl finished speaking, she revealed an innocent smile.

Beneath this unashamed and hesitant speech and smile, however, lies an unavoidable deliberate attempt to please.

After doing this, wouldn't you be able to accept the other person's kindness with a little more peace of mind?

Even though she forced herself to become less naive than before, she still couldn't control her emotions.

These are clever words that have an element of manipulation, but they are also Seele's true feelings.

Perhaps it's still difficult to completely transform into another version of herself, but Su Qing'an's help has subconsciously made her no longer afraid of being abandoned in the future.

It was as if just recalling this person's confident tone and smile was enough for her to know that he was worthy of her complete trust.

After truly understanding the wickedness of the world and the depravity of human nature, the gloom and darkness that had accumulated in Xi'er's heart gradually began to affect her original personality. However, Su Qing'an arrived as promised just as the girl's values ​​were about to be reshaped, changing the girl's destined fate.

The boy gave her only a small amount of light and warmth, but that was enough to change so much.

Hearing the other person's unexpectedly straightforward and decisive response, Su Qing'an looked directly into the other person's bright eyes and felt that this child was really cute.

Brother? Perhaps this identity that I've never held isn't so bad.

If Su Qing'an had any similar experience, it would be his attitude towards Bronya. Their relationship was more like that of siblings than friends.

Speaking of which... does the gift placed in the coffee machine count as being given away?

Recalling the little girl's disappointed yet faint smile as she hugged the gift, it seemed as if she had grown up a lot in that instant...

Does growing up always come at such a price?

Su Qing'an ultimately disliked this ending, even though life was never his top priority, and in many other things it would be the last thing on his mind.

But the concern of others adds extra weight to it, making the meaning of death so heavy.

Su Qing'an immediately shook off these thoughts. He needed to take his conversation with Xi'er seriously. In a stage where neither of them knew each other well, being perfunctory would be disrespectful to both his own choice and the other person.

The boy smiled at the girl and said softly:

"You don't have to force yourself to call me that. It's still not comfortable to suddenly call a stranger 'brother,' so just call me by my name."

Seele paused for a moment, then nodded her head slightly, letting out a soft murmur to indicate that she understood.

Su Qing'an glanced at his silent phone, then rubbed his temples with his long, slender fingers in frustration, and said:

"After we finish eating, I'll go see an older sister first. She can give you some clothes to wear first, and then I'll take you to the mall to buy some clothes."

Seele was stuffing a piece of braised pork and a spoonful of rice into her mouth, so her cheeks were slightly puffed out. In addition, the little girl tilted her head in confusion after hearing this, which made her look very cute.

Su Qing'an felt that Fu Hua would most likely like this little guy.

However, she might be confused because she doesn't understand common sense. I'll find an opportunity to help her brush up on these things later.

Su Qing'an stared at the little girl's dinosaur pajamas, his expression becoming somewhat subtle. He explained:

"After all, the only thing you can wear at home right now is your pajamas, but it's not really appropriate to wear them outside."

Seele swallowed her food, looked at her long tail and the little dinosaur hat hanging behind her, and nodded in agreement.

This outfit makes me stand out from everyone else on the street, so just like Su Qing'an said, it's probably not suitable to wear it out.

Immediately, she asked curiously:

"Who is the older sister?"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment, but found it difficult to blurt out that it was the person she liked.

So he chose to answer with meaningful words:

"She is an important person to me."

"In any case, Seele should like her too."

Seele accurately caught the subtle changes in the other person's expression. She nodded as if she understood, and casually said based on her intuition:

"I know, it's my sister-in-law."

Having received a completely baffling and blunt answer, Su Qing'an choked on the rice in his mouth and coughed a few times. His expression stiffened, then he showed a helpless look, but did not directly deny it:

"Whether it is or not, Seele, don't say that when you see her."

The girl suppressed the unrestrained smile that was about to spill from the corners of her lips; so it really was true.

Will I actually say it when we meet...?

Seele did not answer the boy's question.

Su Qing'an vaguely sensed the little girl's true nature. Should she say that she had always been like this, or that she became like this after experiencing those things?

A little black devil seemed to slowly rise from beneath her adorable appearance; this Seele's personality was clearly very different from the Seele Su Qing'an knew through the game.

However, Su Qing'an could understand that, even if they didn't mention that this was Seele Voller from 55,000 years ago, they might not even be the same person in essence.

His past experiences and observations alone demonstrate that the characters in games are very different from real people.

For example, the Yae Sakura that the boy once met.

That priestess herself was a complex being that could not be fully described in words.

Take Kiana, for example. She is quite different from the pure idiot I remember. Her past, which seems to be just a background wall, is shrouded in a gray mist, making even her initial smile seem slightly distant and melancholic.

If you want to get to know someone, you can't judge everything based on just a few words. This is a principle that Su Qing'an already understood back in Changkong City.

Therefore, the boy was not surprised by Seele's personality.

On the contrary, he believes that this new side of the other person means that he is gradually getting to know them.

This is a good thing.

These fragmented thoughts flashed through Su Qing'an's mind before he got up and took out a lunchbox with an insulated function from the kitchen.

When he came out, he was wearing an apron that hadn't been untied and was holding a lunchbox in a very serious manner. In Xier's eyes, this appearance was a bit out of character for him and seemed a bit too casual.

The boy earnestly instructed the little girl:

"I'm going out to find that older sister now. Seele, stay home and don't run around. I should be back soon, but if you're bored, watch some TV."

"I don't know if you know how to use the remote, but just say 'start' to the TV and the smart system will respond automatically."

"Yes, just leave the dishes on the table after you finish eating, and I'll clean them up when I get back."

"By the way, is there anything in particular you'd like to eat tonight?"

Seele interrupted the boy's rambling, saying with displeasure:

"I'm 14 years old, I'm not a little kid anymore."

She recounted them as if they were her most treasured possessions:

"You don't need to say so much to Seele. I can wash the dishes myself."

"It's okay if I come back later. I'm used to it. I don't feel lonely even if I spend a whole day alone doing nothing."

"For dinner, although she was a bit picky just now, Seele can eat anything."

Su Qing'an chuckled to herself. Was this a sign of being strong-willed or sensible?

It's really hard to tell just by listening to the tone of voice.

The boy reached out to stroke the girl's head, but his fingertips barely touched her dark blue hair before Seele gently pulled them away. She stared at his face and began to lecture him:

"Don't touch Seele's head."

"Okay, okay, I got it. I'm heading out now."

As Su Qing'an answered, he secretly noted down the little girl's request.

Immediately, he took off his apron, put on his trench coat, and stepped out of the entrance hall with his lunchbox.

Then... a small, fair hand tugged at the boy's clothes.

36. Seele is going out too.

...Ah, I've been pulled back.

Before Su Qing'an could even turn around after realizing this, she heard the little girl's clear voice.

“Xi’er thinks there’s nothing wrong with wearing this outfit out, so I’m going out with Su Qing’an.”

The boy looked at her earnestly tugging at his clothes and felt a headache coming on. She hadn't been like this before, so how did this little one change her mind so quickly?

He earnestly reminded him:

“We’re living in the teachers’ apartments right now, which means the school is right outside. There are kids everywhere who aren’t much older than Seele. Don’t you feel uncomfortable wearing this out?”

Upon hearing this, she seemed to understand but not quite, and continued to gently tug at the hem of her clothes, clearly not intending to let go.