Chapter 8: The Grown-Up Little Sister

Staten Island, New York – Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

Driving an Audi R-Zero, Zhou Yi slowly pulled up to the entrance of Xavier's School. As a concept car rarely seen on the market, it naturally caught the attention of many students.

That was exactly what Zhou Yi wanted. If he was going to go through the trouble of borrowing this car from Tony's collection, it had to be worth it.

Sure, as a Stark Industries board member, getting his hands on a concept car wasn't difficult. But he preferred motorcycles, so after some consideration, he decided it was easier to just "borrow" one from Tony instead.

Parking in front of the school's main building, Zhou Yi stepped out in a well-tailored suit, holding a bouquet of fresh red roses.

It was around 3 p.m., right as classes ended, and the campus was filled with students moving about. But this wasn't just any school—it was a school for mutants. Naturally, there were quite a few unusual-looking individuals, but Zhou Yi didn't care. His sister was one of them. Discriminating against them would be plain stupid.

His arrival didn't go unnoticed. Everyone here knew each other; Professor Charles didn't allow students to leave freely, so new faces stood out.

Though Zhou Yi was ethnically Chinese, his tall, muscular build and sharp features made him stand out. He didn't fit the stereotypical image most Westerners had of Asians—just as, to Asians, many Westerners looked the same.

To most students, he was a stranger. But to some, he was very familiar.

"Hey, Yi! When did you get back?"

A shimmering purple screen suddenly appeared in front of him, followed by a heavy weight crashing onto his body.

It was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl with long, wine-red hair braided into a thick plait. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with liveliness, and intricate markings around them gave her an almost mystical appearance. Combined with her pointed ears, she looked like an elf straight out of a fairy tale.

"You jerk! You went to China all by yourself and didn't take me with you! What kind of irresponsible brother does that?"

Her long legs locked around him like a koala, and the stack of books in her hands thumped against his forehead. The playful scene made quite a few of the teenage boys around glare at him with jealousy.

A single thought went through their minds: Who is this guy?

Zhou Yi sighed, shifting the roses behind his back to keep them safe from his sister's antics. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pried her off, setting her back on the ground.

"Clarice, you know I've been busy. Besides, I gave you the keys to my Upper East Side apartment—wasn't that enough?"

Clarice pouted. "First of all, don't call me Clarice in front of others. Call me Blink. Second, that apartment is boring. No swimming pool, no game room, and the takeout options suck. Third, dear brother, do you think Professor Xavier gives us long vacations?"

Zhou Yi chuckled, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "First, 'Blink' is a ridiculous codename. Second, I can give you my Long Island mansion—it has a swimming pool, game room, and even a kart track. But you'll have to convince Mom first. Third, I have no idea how long your school breaks are. What I do know is that I was called here for a parent-teacher conference because of you. Care to explain?"

"That was just a misunderstanding!" Clarice huffed, bumping her forehead against his shoulder. "I just... accidentally opened a portal in the middle of the street. You can ask Kitty—she'll vouch for me! Right, Kitty?"

At the mention of her name, a brunette girl with a stack of books hurried over. She had soft, wavy brown hair and an innocent face.

"Yes! Yes! I can vouch for Clarice! I swear, sir!"

Zhou Yi glanced at his sister, who looked smug, then at Kitty, who seemed a little nervous. It was obvious Clarice had dragged her into this. But he wasn't here to make a big deal out of it.

He smiled warmly at the girl. "Relax, kid. I'm not some drill sergeant. I'm Zhou Yi, Clarice's brother. You can call me Zhou Yi, or just Yi. I'm guessing Clarice has mentioned me before."

Kitty hesitated before shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhou. Clarice talks about you a lot. I'm Kitty Pryde, her friend. You can just call me Kitty."

"Nice to meet you, Kitty." Zhou Yi ruffled his sister's hair. "I'm glad Clarice has a good friend like you. She can be a handful—always messing around and acting spoiled—but she's fiercely loyal."

Clarice punched him in the side. "Idiot! You're my brother! Are you trying to announce to the world how annoying I am?"

"Of course. Too bad no journalist would find it worth reporting."

Clarice tackled him again, flailing her arms like a wild animal.

Kitty giggled at their antics.

"Kitty! Whose side are you on?" Clarice protested, still clinging to Zhou Yi.

Kitty covered her mouth shyly. "Sorry, Clarice. But I promise, I didn't mean to!"

Clarice appeared behind Kitty in an instant, linking arms with her. "Forget it. I'm not wasting my time on you. I hope Ororo throws you out a window, Yi."

"Hey! I'm your brother!" Zhou Yi called after her.

"I'm on the side of women." Clarice flipped her braid dramatically and walked off with Kitty.

Zhou Yi sighed, shaking his head.

"Family troubles?" A smooth, melodic voice asked from nearby.

He turned to see a striking red-haired woman leaning against the doorway.

"Not really. Just realizing how fast kids grow up."

"You're as charming as ever, Yi." Jean Grey smiled as she approached. "The roses are beautiful. Thanks for the gift."

"It's been a year, and you're still as stunning as ever." Zhou Yi smiled. "I thought red roses would suit your hair, but... someone else might not appreciate it. And I'd rather not see my gift reduced to ashes the next day."

At the mention of a certain someone, Zhou Yi's expression turned slightly amused.

Jean chuckled. "I don't think red roses suit me. They're too... passionate."

"That's just the surface." Zhou Yi stepped closer, his gaze locked onto hers. "The Jean I see is like fire—bright, untamed, and full of life. You light up the world around you."

His voice dropped, his presence overwhelming. Over the years, he had grown, and now, he was the taller one, standing over her.

Their faces drew closer until Jean abruptly pushed him back.

She glanced around nervously, relieved that most students had already scattered when they saw her coming. At least no one had witnessed that moment.

She sighed. "Yi, do you even know what you're doing? Or are you just playing around?"

"I'm dead serious," Zhou Yi said, his smile fading. "I always have been. You just refuse to see it."

Jean turned away, taking a few steps before pausing.

"You're being reckless. And don't say anything foolish." With that, she hurried off.

Zhou Yi watched her leave, exhaling with a smirk. "What a complicated woman."

He adjusted his grip on the roses and kept walking.

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