In the protective embrace of Han Yanyan, little Tang Ke enjoyed a smooth and carefree life. Only occasionally did Han Jin and a few others tease him with sharp words or play childish pranks, which seemed harmless enough. But what truly troubled Tang Ke were Han Yanyan’s occasional mood swings. At times, for no apparent reason, she would act coldly towards him. The longest stretch lasted three days without a word from her.
During those moments, he would feel a deep confusion. Yet, when Han Yanyan suddenly returned to her kind self, his heart would swell with gratitude, leading to even greater obedience. He began to resemble a small white rabbit more and more.
In the end, Xin Ya was not allowed to work. The head of the Han family entrusted her with managing a gallery, providing her with a valid reason to deal with Tang Ke. Although Xin Ya was older, the Han family head found joy in her company. Yet, he was aware that this little white rabbit was too fragile, so he took care not to break her.
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, two years had gone by.
At the age of fourteen, Han Yanyan welcomed her first menstrual cycle, marking the long-awaited second awakening of her abilities. She transformed into an SS-level spiritual power wielder, causing quite a stir among all the families.
Of course, Tang Ke was happy for Han Yanyan, but he never anticipated that her attitude towards him would drastically change from then on.
After her first cycle, the young lady suddenly lost interest in adorable little Tang Ke, instead favoring handsome and robust young men. The little white rabbit had lost his cherished place, and his entire world turned upside down.
Friends who once surrounded him quickly abandoned him, and those who had merely regarded him as an acquaintance began to look down on him. Even the servants in the estate began to show him contempt, for he wasn’t as generous with tips as the other young masters and misses.
The harmless pranks turned into cruel mischief, clearly driven by malice. If not for his A-level spiritual power protecting him, he might have suffered serious harm more than once. But he dared not retaliate. The children who harmed him were all from the Han family.
Whenever he was at school or the estate, he relied on the healing chamber to mend his injuries, returning home without a single scar. In front of Xin Ya, he would share stories of amusing events from school, keeping quiet about everything else concerning himself.
Tang Ke became more silent than before. Yet, since he was a boy, this silence made Xin Ya feel he was growing up and becoming mature. Besides, Tang Ke's excellent grades reassured her, as he was a sensible child.
Both mother and son worked hard to make each other believe that everything was just fine.
In this suffocating undercurrent, the only being that could console Tang Ke was the little fairy. She never appeared but always offered a few words of encouragement when he needed it the most:
“Their hatred towards you stems from their jealousy of your gifts.”
“What can’t defeat you today will become your strength tomorrow.”
“No matter when, I am always here with you, little star.”
Tang Ke no longer pursued her identity. The girls of the Han family were all exceptionally cold towards him and kept their distance. She was simply one of them.
He believed that her actions were meant to protect herself. If others discovered that she associated with him, she would be alienated by her peers. He understood.
All the children were growing up. Little girls became young women, and little boys turned into young men, blossoming into the feelings of youth.
At seventeen, Han Yanyan had transformed into a breathtaking beauty, pursued by young men and teenagers alike. Thirteen-year-old Tang Ke had completely shed his childhood, becoming a silent yet reflective young boy. But like any other boy, he couldn’t tear his gaze away when Han Yanyan was near.
When he looked at her now, it was no longer with the innocent admiration of his younger days. He felt strange sensations; his heartbeat would quicken, his body would tense, and his throat would inexplicably dry. Deep down, he could feel unfamiliar desires stirring within him.
Yet Tang Ke dared not confront those desires.
Han Yanyan treated him much like she treated the other children. The unique warmth and kindness she once showed him faded away with time, as if they had never existed at all. Only a few, like Han Wei, Han Jing Shan, and Han Jun, were granted special treatment.
Tang Ke longed for the same distinctions that those few received from Han Yanyan, but he didn’t know how to achieve that.
Han Jin’s bullying worsened with time. This brother of Han Yanyan seemed born with foolishness, and the only thing that grew alongside him was his stupidity.
Tang Ke's spiritual power had long surpassed Han Jin's. Yet, he could not fight back. Han Jin was the biological son of the Han family head, Han Yanyan's brother. The life he lived today, the best education and training in Dongchen, were all thanks to the generosity of the Han family head.
Once, when Han Jin and a few A-level spiritual power bullies had him beaten black and blue, Han Yanyan stumbled upon them.
“What are you doing?” she coldly asked, her SS-level spiritual pressure making them tremble.
Even as foolish as Han Jin was, he feared his sister greatly. The others shrank back, afraid to speak.
Was Yanyan here to save him? Tang Ke struggled to lift his head. The blood streaming down his forehead blurred his vision, leaving only a slender yet commanding silhouette in sight.
“While others are working hard, you waste your limited time on such things?” Han Yanyan continued coldly, “Do you think being your father’s child means you can live carefreely all your life? There are many children of his, and you're not irreplaceable.”
As Han Jin stammered responses, Han Yanyan's voice gradually faded away. She ignored the boy lying on the ground, treating him like a younger brother she could only shake her head at in disappointment.
Had all those moments of tenderness, the sweet smiles that once brushed his hair and called him little white rabbit, been mere dreams?
Tang Ke lost consciousness and awoke inside the healing chamber at the academy. The administrator said, “A girl brought you here.”
A girl… was it the little fairy?
“That’s impossible,” the administrator chuckled, “How could I not recognize the young lady of the Han family? It was just a girl. She looked… quite lovely in a quiet and gentle way.”
“Oh, she left you a note.” The administrator rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
It seemed hastily torn from somewhere, written in handwriting he recognized.
“The clouds will clear, and the stars will shine. Your journey leads to the vast ocean of stars; don’t let the stones before you trip you up.”
Tang Ke’s eyes warmed with emotion.
It was the little fairy.
She didn’t show herself, but she quietly cared for him and supported him.
For the first time, Tang Ke found himself wanting to know who the little fairy was. He asked the administrator to check the surveillance footage.
“I can’t. It seems there was a glitch, and the entire system went down just now,” the administrator replied.
The identity of the little fairy remained a mystery.
After school, as he boarded the Han family’s boat, Tang Ke sat at the back, staring at each girl who stepped aboard. The little fairy was among them, he just didn’t know which one she was.
Finally, a familiar figure appeared. She was slightly taller than other girls, with a slender waist and confident posture.
Tang Ke’s gaze landed on her. It couldn’t be her, he thought. But as always, the moment she appeared, he was drawn to her.
“Xiao Ke—” she suddenly called, “Come sit in the front.”
Tang Ke stiffened for a moment before refusing, “No, I’m fine sitting here.”
Han Yanyan didn’t say anything more; she nodded and took her seat.
When they arrived at the estate, everyone disembarked and headed to their rooms. Han Yanyan stopped Tang Ke.
“Why don’t you fight back?” she asked.
Tang Ke replied, “He is your father’s child. My education at Dongchen is because of your father.”
“Ha…” Han Yanyan turned away, leaving him with just her back, not casting him another glance, “Little white rabbit.”
Tang Ke was left in a daze. Did she think his tolerance was a mistake?
Han Yanyan suddenly disappeared for a while after that. When she returned, Tang Ke heard discussions about two pieces of news.
The first was the current head of the Yin family had passed away.
The second was Han Yanyan’s mother, Yin Wei, hastily divorced the Han family head and returned to the Yin family, rejoining the struggle for the family head position.
“She hopes we can lend her more manpower,” Han Yanyan said languidly, as if discussing someone completely unrelated, “As my mother, how could she be so naive? She cares for the present and neglects the future?”
“That’s why she lost to Yin Heng previously,” the Han family head commented, “Only seeing the short-term gains, even if understanding the endless repercussions, she still can’t let go.”
He asked, “What do you think about this matter?”
“Of course, we need to support her strongly. One by one, we stab nails into the Yin family; the more nails we have, the deeper they go. This will make it easier for us to move when we take action,” Han Yanyan replied.
“This matter is entrusted to you.” Her father was very reassured.
At only seventeen, his daughter was already more cunning than the young heads of some families. Most importantly, she was an SS-level spiritual power wielder, rarely encountering a match on the battlefield.
The head of the Yin family, her cousin, had lost to her.
“By the way, it’s been a while since I saw Aunt Xin Ya,” Han Yanyan suddenly mentioned.
This name held little significance for the Han family head, who merely responded with a grunt.
Han Yanyan closed all the screens before her and stood up, tidying herself up. “I heard a certain accountant is pursuing her. Will Aunt Xin Ya remarry? Dad, your little white rabbit is about to be taken away.”
The Han family head didn’t even lift his eyelids.
Han Yanyan shrugged in boredom, “I’m off to sleep now, good night.”
After she left, the man finally looked up.
“Find out about Lin Xin Ya’s recent situation.” He opened communications and ordered his confidant.
In the evening chapel, Xin Ya sat in the back row, with her eyes closed in prayer. The light shone upon her face, casting a gentle glow over her features. When she opened her eyes after finishing, she wore a peaceful expression.
These past two years had treated her well.
Tang Ke had grown, coming and going from the estate without needing her to accompany him. She no longer had to proactively visit there. And slowly, the head of the Han family had lost interest in her. It had already been a year and three months since they last shared intimacy; she had not seen him since.
He was always surrounded by beautiful women. He had forgotten her, just like he had forgotten his other past loves.
She had heard that those women received generous settlements upon leaving him. They could then marry and live their own lives. Among them were even those who had borne children; they could leave their child behind, as he never cared for the woman.
Just earlier, she had been praying to become such a lucky woman. It had been a year and three months, and she hoped that fortune was finally about to greet her.
A man entered the chapel hurriedly, scanning the room until he located her and quietly took a seat beside her.
“Why are you so late?” Xin Ya asked in a hushed tone.
“There’s a difficult client to handle,” the man replied, lowering his voice.
Xin Ya pressed her finger to her lips, “Shh…”
They both fell into silence, quietly listening to the clergyman’s sermon.
Religion can become a haven for the soul. Xin Ya had begun embracing faith years ago to seek inner peace.
The man was an accountant, successful in his career with a generous salary. His family had been believers for generations, and he had embraced faith as a child. They met at the church after the man’s wife passed away years ago. He had moved to this district and met Xin Ya, falling in love at first sight, pursuing her for two years.
Xin Ya had never dared to respond. She knew she didn’t have the right to return anyone’s feelings.
They only saw each other at the chapel or during church-organized activities. But whenever she attended an event, he would be there.
After the sermon, the clergyman offered a blessing and then departed. The congregation began to disperse, and Xin Ya was preparing to leave.
But the man called out to her, wanting to walk her home. Xin Ya, as always, refused, turning to leave.
Suddenly, the man grasped her wrist.
“Xin Ya, is there something about me that displeases you?” he earnestly wanted to know why she continuously rejected him.
“No, of course not,” Xin Ya replied.
He said, “Then why don’t you try going out with me for a bit?”
Xin Ya hesitated, saying, “I’m sorry, this isn’t something I can decide on my own.” This wasn’t solely her decision.
“Are you talking about your son?” The man breathed a sigh of relief. “You could try discussing it with him; I believe he wants you to be happy too.”
Xin Ya could not explain herself and silently accepted his misunderstanding.
“Xin Ya, I genuinely want to build a family with you. I can treat your child as my own. You, me, and him, I believe we could create a happy family together. No child should be without a father. I haven’t been a father before, but I will try my best to be a good one. Wouldn’t you want such a complete family?” he said.
Of course, Xin Ya wanted that—a normal life more than anyone.
“Xin Ya, I don’t know what you fear, but I hope you can be braver and give it a try, okay?” the man urged.
Be braver...
Xin Ya recalled her prayer from earlier. It would soon be a year and four months since she last met the Han family head. It had been so long… he should have grown tired of her, forgotten her completely, right?
Could she be a bit braver?
...No, she couldn’t.
“I’m sorry. I cannot go out with you. Please do not bring this up again,” she stated, attempting to break free from his hold.
The man tightened his grip on her wrist, suddenly leaning forward to kiss her lips, then released her.
“I’m sorry for not asking your permission...” he spoke softly, “I just wanted you to understand… matters of the heart cannot be brushed aside simply because you wish it so.”
Xin Ya stood there in shock.
“Please… consider it again, no matter what. If you have troubles, please let me know. Perhaps what you find difficult may not be as hard as you believe. Two heads are better than one...”
He was a warm and polite man, and even this previous action was out of line for him, yet he did it to demonstrate his determination.
Xin Ya understood he was someone who could provide a woman with happiness. But did she deserve such happiness?
She bowed her head deeply.
A faint sound came from her wrist device, notifying her of a message from a confidant. Opening it revealed a photo of the man kissing Xin Ya on the lips.
The Han family head froze.
After a moment, he lit a cigarette, leaned back in his chair, and began reading the accompanying report beneath the photo…