Honorable Sacrifice - FIYS

Mischief didn't mean to say that!

The morning was peaceful as usual. Tong Yao hummed to herself while sipping her coffee, enjoying the quiet before the rest of the team stirred awake. Her back was turned when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.

It was Lu Yue, shuffling groggily toward the kitchen, looking like a sleep-deprived zombie. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were barely open as he blindly searched for a glass of water. Tong Yao raised an eyebrow, confused for a second. Who is that?

Curiosity piqued, she walked over and gently tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, who—"

Lu Yue jolted as if she had electrocuted him. He gasped, his arms flailing wildly as he stumbled backward into the counter. "AHH—"

Startled, Tong Yao screamed too, leaping back and accidentally letting go of her coffee cup. The porcelain mug slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor, shattering with a loud clatter.

For a moment, they stood frozen in shock, eyes wide, staring at each other as the shattered cup lay between them.

The noise was enough to wake the entire household. Doors flew open, and footsteps thundered down the hallway. In seconds, the kitchen was filled with a bleary-eyed, confused crew.

"What the hell is going on?" came a deep, irritated voice from behind them.

Everyone turned to see Lu Sicheng standing at the kitchen door, arms crossed, looking like a storm cloud ready to strike. His expression was dark, and his usual intimidating aura made the room drop several degrees in temperature. Everyone went dead silent.

His expression was a mix of cold fury and exhaustion, the kind of look that sent chills down their spines. Everyone held their breath as they waited for the captain's inevitable outburst.

But instead of immediately snapping, Lu Sicheng's dark eyes softened as they fell on Tong Yao. His brows furrowed slightly in concern as he approached her. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle.

He carefully took her hand, inspecting it for any cuts or injuries from the shattered cup. The others watched, wide-eyed and completely stunned. Since when was their Captain ever this nice? Especially in the mornings, when he was notorious for his foul mood?

"I'm fine, really," Tong Yao said with a small smile, shaking her head. "Just startled, that's all."

The tenderness with which Lu Sicheng treated her was baffling. Old Cat nudged Little Fatty, muttering under his breath, "Is this... really our Captain?"

Little Fatty, equally shocked, whispered back, "Maybe we're still dreaming."

The entire team exchanged bewildered glances, half-expecting their captain to suddenly snap back to his usual irritable self. But as Lu Sicheng brushed a stray piece of glass away from Tong Yao's feet, his concern for her seemed genuine.

"Maybe he's got a fever," Xiao Rui joked quietly, still unable to wrap his head around the scene unfolding before them.

But as quickly as the softness had appeared, it vanished. Lu Sicheng's gaze shifted,

But then, Lu Sicheng's gaze sharpened again, locking onto his younger brother. His voice turned cold, razor-sharp. "Lu Yue, explain. Now."

Lu Yue gulped, clearly nervous under his older brother's icy stare. "I—I was just trying to get some water... and then she tapped me... and I got scared, and then she got scared, and then... well, the cup—" He gestured helplessly toward the broken shards of the coffee mug.

The silence was thick, and Lu Sicheng's eyes narrowed. His cold, deadly stare made Lu Yue squirm uncomfortably.

Before the tension could escalate further, Tong Yao, still trying to wrap her head around the situation, blurted out, "Wait. Did I hear that right? Lu Yue?" She blinked, then turned to look at the younger brother. "You're his younger brother?"