The full manuscript is complete and ready to go. It will begin publication in September 2026.
Original title: The Moon Has Its Phases
--
After Yue Man was surrounded by cloaked figures everyone avoided like the plague, she spotted the uncle at their head, a born office drone.
He explained, "Miss, we're here to invite you aboard."
The captain of the spaceship was Yue Man's long-lost brother, Yue Que.
Yue Man hated that bastard of a brother more than anything. He was the one who had abandoned her in the first place, and now he had the nerve to leave her a whole mess to clean up.
Even though she kept saying it had nothing to do with her, Yue Man still took on the job of pretending to be her brother and acting as captain without hesitation.
But when her idiot brother Yue Que finally came back from the dead and stood before her, Yue Man kicked him square in the head.
Yue Que, in turn, cheerfully punched Yue Man.
"Well, if it isn't my idiot little sister!"
Her idiot brother had returned to her side, and the two of them began a life of space travel, "tormenting the crew below them and their clients above them."
The crew, worn out by their antics, complained, "They really are alike. Is this what people mean by a married couple's resemblance?"
"Idiot, they're siblings!"
Just as Yue Man truly thought their relationship had returned to the way it used to be, and that they had grown close again, she heard Yue Que say, "Sister? I don't have a sister. A weakling like her is completely useless to me."
Yue Man had heard those words before. The first time had been over a decade ago.
So this time, she chose to leave of her own accord. She didn't want to play at being siblings anymore.
--
Yue Que is one of the oldest bloodlines of the Teng Snake Clan. He was told that he must restore the clan, even if it meant giving up everything.
But his sister is nothing like him. She is so gentle she seems fragile, yet every now and then she stirs a tender feeling in his heart.
"Stay with your big brother forever, Yue Man." Yue Que said it with blood still running from his nose, courtesy of Yue Man's headbutt.
"Huh? Haven't we always been together?" Yue Man didn't understand what he meant.
Yue Que happily pinched her cheek and pulled her close.
"Together as a married couple."
Yue Man stared at him in shock.
"Do you even remember that I'm your sister, Yue Que?"
"Does Yue Man not know her big brother is crazy?"
Yue Que hates Yue Man, and Yue Man hates him too.
Yue Man loves Yue Que, and Yue Que loves her too.
1. They have an antagonistic relationship, with verbal abuse and physical fights. The Teng Snake Clan is powerful and has exceptional self-healing abilities. Most of them are solitary and violent, and prefer communicating through fights. Their morals and values can't be judged by the standards of ordinary people.
2. They are a nonhuman species, so human concerns don't apply. They are aliens! Please don't judge them by human moral standards, but don't imitate them either!
3. For special reasons, the two are not genetically or biologically related.
4. A tough-talking, softhearted younger sister x a tough-talking, hardhearted older brother. Both are tsundere types who can't say nice things.
Theme: Even when you argue and fight, don't forget to express your love
