As the older girl spoke, Yueshi finally grasped what sort of situation he was in. At first, it was hard to accept it, but the lingering headache and the soft, warm and caring touch of the girl told him this was not just a dream of his.

The truth was that he was no more on Earth. Instead, the place was in was called the 'Heavenly World'. Yet, despite being called a world, it seemed more like a boundless and infinite realm. For one, it was flat in shape, instead of round; moreover, it was said it constantly expanded itself.

Yueshi doubted it was truly endless, and guessed people just did not know how vast it truly was. However, as someone not of this world, he could not be sure of it.

Other than that, here, in this place, cultivation was a thing. Flying blades and mystical scrolls, mysterious arrays and ages-old diagrams, weapon refinement, and pill concoction… they were all fundamental parts of this world.

Leaving that aside, he gazed at the mature young woman in front of him. Before even noticing, a long and exasperated sigh escaped his lips. After all, who would think they were brother and sister? Yueshi wondered if that was why he got that 'forbidden fruit' feeling whenever he looked at her. Maybe it was because they shared the same blood.

To be honest, he felt it was all too confusing. His feelings and this world, that is. He looked exactly the same way he was back on Earth, too; that made him wonder if this was another him, or some sort of strange coincidence.

The only thing he was sure of was that the person to which this body belonged had disappeared completely and he was the one in control.

He looked toward the girl's eyes and then saw the concern and worry. A pang of guilty echoed deep down his soul as he cheerfully smiled. "Hey, big sister! Don't you know who I am? This injury is nothing at all!" He tried his best to hide his doubts and fears, and yet… she seemed to catch onto something.

As her gaze became softer and more worried, Yueshi felt the strings of his heart tremble and thrum.

In the end, he had to ask for some time for himself. If he didn't, he was afraid he would either break down from the stress or throw himself at her.

After leaving the house, Yueshi stood outside quietly while gazing at the faraway sky. The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky in a blood-red color. Despite the calmness and stillness of the world, his heart and mind were in great turmoil. He really wanted to know why things ended like this, and why him, of all people.

His expression crumbled and turned sour as the figure of his mother flashed past his mind. They only ever had each other to rely on, would she be okay now, all alone? His chest tightened at the thought.

'It's okay. She is strong; there is no need to worry.' Yet, those words were only half-truths. As strong as she was, there would always be the need to worry.

Not finding any comfort in his lies, he clenched his hand into a fist. Unconsciously, he clenched so hard that his nails pierced his flesh, making tiny droplets of blood drip to the ground. However, with his mind wandering afar, he did not even notice it.

He had been living a fairly ordinary and uneventful life, away from his and his mother's past. Yet, that peace was broken abruptly and he was thrown into another world without consent, also being forced to live a life that was not his… thinking that, he breathed in and closed his eyes.

'There is no use in brooding over it. That being so, what choices do I have?' He asked himself with a derisive smile, not really sure about what to do next.

To move forward and only forward, never giving in… he could not be sure he could muster that sort of determination. As he gazed at the sunset once more, Yueshi let out a long and heavy breath. Throwing his worries to the back of his mind, he decided to see where this path would lead him.

Then maybe, just maybe, he would be able to see his home again someday.

As his emotions calmed down ever so slight, he grimaced as he finally took note of the prickling pain in his palms. Yueshi could not help but give a wry smile. 'Well, before thinking about the future, I think it is better to deal with this first.' Thinking so, he made his way back inside, with a newly-found resolution.

What he did not know and could not know was that his decision, today, would send many waves across the entire realm. Moreover, little did he expect that his hardships were merely starting and that the storm had yet to come.

After going inside the house, Yueshi immediately went toward the room. He did not search for the girl from before, afraid of having to make more lies and excuses. Yet, just as the door creaked open enough for him to peek inside, his body immediately froze.

He hadn't noticed before, but the bed he had been lying in was not the only one in the room. Instead, there was one more bed and a single wardrobe. That, however, was not important. Instead, what made him stand there with eyes gleaming was the fact that the young lady from before was sitting with her back toward him. She was now wearing a nightgown and, as she slowly combed her hair, her nape was exposed.

His imagination started to run wild as he gazed, mesmerized, at her.

He had heard that, sometimes, seeing little is even more enticing than seeing everything. He had never understood that, not up to now. For a moment, he stood there dazed, his body heating up as a bulge formed on his robe. He could only shamefully cover it with a hand.

'Damn it, you have not been yourself lately.' He berated himself, yet his eyes refused to leave her beautiful figure.

It wasn't until she turned and noticed his presence that he recovered from his fantasies, laughing awkwardly.

"Why aren't you coming inside?" The girl, however, seemed to not have the same concerns.

Well, they were brother and sister, after all. Or so she believed. Chastising himself, Yueshi walked inside, taking care so she did not notice his excitement.

Xuehua could only shake her head, not understanding his odd behavior. Then, climbing on her bed and covering herself, she said. "Sleep well!" His eyes lingered on her for a while more, feeling just a bit disappointed inside that he could not see more.

"Hm. You too." Saying so, he laid on his own bed.

The day had been long and tiring, so just as his head touched the not-so-comfortable pillow, he fell asleep.

That night, however, had yet to end for him. For the following hours, his dead-tired body twitched in its sleep, his mind dreaming of sweet and lustful dreams with this new sister of his. Dreams which he would forever be ashamed of sharing with others.

Hours later…

When the first rays of sunlight burrowed their way through the hole-filled ceiling, Yueshi was forced out of his wet dreams. To his surprise, his sister was up and kicking already, and nowhere to be seen.

Despite feeling stifled and lethargic, he jumped out of the bed and prepared himself for a brand new day. However, first, he noted, it would be good to change his clothing. He was not a clean freak, but he had not changed clothes since his arrival. Moreover, he had to way to know when this world's Yueshi had put on his current robe.

Opening the wardrobe, he saw but a few pieces of clothes. He noticed, with a single glance, that this wardrobe was shared between the two of them, making him once more painfully aware of their financial condition.

His eyes did not linger for long on her undergarments, as he was not the kind of man that would passionately grab and store a girl's panties.

Shaking his head, he started to undress. However, just as he was in the middle of it, the old door creaked open.

Looking over there, he caught sight of gentle eyes peeping at him, and that almost made him jump in fright.

Just as he started to undress, the door creaked open. Catching sight of the pair of gentle eyes gazing at him almost made him jump in fright.

"What is it… hum… big sister….?" Despite feeling awkward calling her so, Yueshi had to resign himself to it. However, the feeling of resignation and impotence disappeared when she smiled at him.

Well, it really wasn't that bad having to call her so. Getting her to smile was also a big plus.

"Breakfast is ready; you should come and eat while it is still warm." Saying so she left, giving him space to get changed.

When she closed the door, his gaze fell upon his own body. The old, gray robe he had been wearing hanged from his waist down, leaving his chest bare for anyone to see. Although he felt fortunate that his lower half was hidden, his face still turned deep red, almost crimson.

'Com'on, Yueshi! You are reacting the wrong way!' After complaining to himself, with his face buried in his palms, he put on any random clothes he could find at the fastest speed.

It took him a minute of breathing in and out to get rid of the shame, and it was only then that he was able to step out of the bedroom.

The other room was a mixture of a kitchen and dining room. Other than a small, four-people table, there was something similar to a stove and a big balcony.

Hearing the door make its habitual noise, the girl turned toward him.

Until now, Yueshi had been extremely worried and concerned about the future and his mother. He had indeed decided to live in this world, still, his heart could not settle down. Yet, oddly, at that very moment, every worry seemed to disappear – as if washed away by the endless sea waves.

"Como eat." Placing two bowls of rice porridge atop the table, she smiled tenderly at him. Yueshi blinked and stood there, frozen for a second. In the end, he decided that, even if for just a moment, he wanted to focus solely on her, and nothing else.

"What is it?" Noticing his deep stare, she asked.

"Nothing~" With his worries fading away a bit, he spoke in a joyful tone.

For some reason, he felt really at peace with her. Awkward at the situation he was in, but, somehow, happy. It was an odd feeling he could not properly convey. As he sat on a chair and got ready to eat, he saw that this time she was the one staring.

"Hm? Is there something in my face?" He scratched his cheek, embarrassed.

"Nothing~" She copied him, laughing a bit at the end.

Yueshi shook his head and smiled, relaxing even more. Well, ignoring the fact that he was in a completely unknown corner of the universe, this was really not that bad. For some reason, despite having just known her yesterday, Yueshi felt really happy in Xuehua's presence.

What came next was the most peaceful time he had experienced since he was born on Earth. For minutes that looked like hours, his troubled heart came to peace. Looking at her, while she silently sat there eating, he thought for the first time that it was not that bad living in this world.

He was well aware that it was too soon to speak of how deep his feelings were. Nonetheless, whenever he interacted with her, he could not help but wish... wish that moments like this existed by the millions in the future.

"Why don't we go sightseeing after eating? Maybe it will help with your memory loss." At her words, he nodded in approval. He did not deliver some corny pickup line like 'I will go wherever you want me to go', only committing to memory to make it an enjoyable experience.

After they cleaned everything - and after Yueshi shamefully took advantage of it to touch hands with his new sister - they decided to leave.

Little did he know what was waiting for him in this outing.

Allchemic

Thanks for reading, and hope you have enjoyed it! Another chapter will be coming out soon (in at most an hour), since the story was published on Scribble one day after it was on Webnovel '3'~ So, see you soon! o/

Obs: I am still too embarrassed to read the comments, but I swear I will answer them eventually...