Chapter 117
Xue Wei gazed blankly into the girl’s eyes, lost in a trance as if she were once again seeing that beautiful and kind-hearted madam.
But the madam’s eyes had been weary and sorrowful, brimming with an unshakable sadness. Only when she looked at Xue Wei did they carry a hint of warmth and joy.
The eyes in front of her now, however, were innocent and carefree, filled with pure curiosity as they looked back at her.
“Madam? What does that mean?”
Little Li Hua tilted her head in confusion at Xue Wei’s soft mutter.
She thought the strange older girl was looking at her in a peculiar way, as if she weren’t really seeing her but someone else.
Still…
This big sister was so cute and pretty! Little Li Hua’s gaze lingered on the long ears drooping behind Xue Wei’s head, covered in soft white fur. She had an almost irresistible urge to reach out and touch them.
And she was a girl too!
It was her first time meeting someone of a similar age and the same gender, so Little Li Hua instinctively felt drawn to Xue Wei. Her eyes curved into cheerful crescents as she smiled.
Xue Wei stared at her, realizing that her smile made her look even more like the madam!
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she couldn’t be bothered to answer Little Li Hua’s question. She turned her head to look at Rong Heng, who was standing nearby.
After carefully examining him again, she finally understood the sense of familiarity she had felt when she first saw this boy.
Isn’t he a younger version of the Marshal?
Not that their facial features were identical, but he had that same unique aura, that righteous and commanding presence.
Xue Wei glanced between Rong Heng and Little Li Hua, her astonishment leaving her momentarily speechless.
Could they be the madam’s missing children?
The Marshal of the Ters Empire was a young, promising leader. Not only was he highly respected, but he was also deeply trusted by the Emperor. However, ten years ago, this esteemed Marshal had lost two children.
Xue Wei had heard the butler talk about it before. The two children were abducted, and at first, everyone thought it was a kidnapping for ransom. Yet no demands ever came from the abductors. In the end, they concluded it must have been the work of an enemy.
Although the chances of the children surviving were slim, the Marshal and his wife had never given up searching. But finding two children in the vastness of the interstellar realm—with countless nations, planets, and populations—was an almost impossible task.
Eventually, the madam fell ill and could no longer travel across the stars. She was forced to return home to recover. It was then that the Marshal adopted Xue Wei, hoping she could keep the madam company and bring her some joy.
The butler had once told her that even after all these years, the Marshal had never stopped gathering clues, hoping that one day he could find his lost children.
Xue Wei could understand their feelings. After all, she had just lost her own beloved parents.
Although she couldn’t fully see the madam as her real mother, their shared understanding of pain had drawn them closer. They comforted each other, gradually forming a deep bond.
That was why, after accidentally injuring the madam during a fit of frenzy, Xue Wei felt such deep guilt. When the Marshal sent her back to the orphanage, she hadn’t complained.
She sincerely wished them health and happiness and that they could find their children soon.
But now…
Her heart was pounding like a drum. However, as her emotions calmed slightly, she noticed something didn’t add up.
She scrutinized Rong Heng and Little Li Hua, her brows furrowing slightly.
The ages don’t match.
The madam’s children had been lost ten years ago, and the story was that the younger daughter hadn’t even been a year old at the time. So the madam’s daughter would be at least ten years old now.
But Little Li Hua appeared to be only four or five.
And her brother didn’t seem like a teenager either.
The initial surge of excitement and joy within Xue Wei slowly faded, replaced by disappointment.
She also noticed the furry ears on the heads of Little Li Hua and Rong Heng. Remembering what Lu Jiao had told her—that they were lion siblings—she became more convinced that she had been mistaken.
The madam was of an ordinary bloodline, and while the Marshal was a powerful beast-blood warrior, he wasn’t a lion.
The Ters Empire was famous for its avian beast-blood warriors, and its Marshal was one of the Top Ten Fierce Beasts: a Peregrine Falcon. Xue Wei had known this even when she lived in the Aixi Empire.
Given the Marshal’s formidable status, it was highly unlikely that his children would have a lion’s beast bloodline.
Xue Wei’s changing expressions naturally caught the attention of the lion siblings. They exchanged glances, and Rong Heng spoke first. “Are you the new cub?”
His question snapped Xue Wei out of her thoughts. She quickly nodded and forced a smile. “Yes, I’m the new Number Nine. My name is Xue Wei.”
She then took out two candy boxes and handed them to the siblings. “I brought you gifts.”
Rong Heng initially didn’t want to accept, but seeing the girl’s slightly reddened eyes and pitiable expression, he eventually took the box.
“Thank you. I’m Rong Heng, but you can call me Xiang Yang.” He then introduced Little Li Hua and hesitantly asked, “What happened just now? You seemed like… you knew us?”
“I must have mistaken you for someone else. I’m sorry…” Xue Wei blinked rapidly, trying to suppress the sudden wave of sadness swelling in her chest.
Even though she knew these lion siblings likely weren’t the madam’s children, looking at them reminded her so much of the madam and the Marshal. Her longing and guilt toward the madam resurfaced strongly.
Xue Wei forced a smile and was about to leave. In her current emotional state, she felt she wasn’t ready to make new friends.
However, Little Li Hua stood up, tilted her head to look at Xue Wei, and asked softly, “Big Sister Xue Wei, you seem really sad. Are you okay?”
The little girl’s voice was soft and tender, like a gentle breeze, but her concern was heartfelt.
Looking into those eyes that so closely resembled the madam’s, Xue Wei felt as though she were once again gazing at her adoptive mother. It was as if the madam’s warm, caring presence was right before her, making her feel human warmth once more after losing her parents.
But then, the memory of how she had hurt the madam resurfaced, and Xue Wei could no longer hold back her tears.
“I’m sorry…”
She extended her arms carefully, hugging the little girl in front of her. Burying her face into Little Li Hua’s small shoulder, she whispered tearfully, “I didn’t mean to… I’m so sorry…”
Hearing her muffled sobs, Little Li Hua froze. She raised her head to glance at her brother, but he looked just as perplexed as she was.
With no guidance, Little Li Hua returned her gaze to Xue Wei. After some thought, she reached out a small hand and gently patted Xue Wei’s hair, just as her brother did for her when she cried.
“It’s okay, I’m here,” Little Li Hua said softly, her tone comforting.
Her words only deepened Xue Wei’s emotions, and tears continued to fall uncontrollably despite her attempts to stop them.
Little Li Hua could feel her sadness.
Recalling what Xue Wei had said earlier, Little Li Hua spoke again, “You mentioned mistaking someone… Do you miss the person you thought we were?”
“Mm…” Xue Wei nodded, her tears still flowing.
Little Li Hua hesitated, knowing that once someone came to the nursery, they couldn’t leave, and no one would come to visit them either.
After thinking for a moment, she said, “When we grow up, we can go see them together, okay?”
“They wouldn’t want to see me anymore…” Xue Wei said sorrowfully.
Hearing this, Little Li Hua let out a breath of relief.
Having experienced the loss of so many caretaker robots, she firmly believed that as long as someone was alive, there was always hope. Just like how 4583 had eventually returned to her side.
“That’s not true,” Little Li Hua declared with conviction. “You’re so sweet and pretty; they’d definitely want to see you again. Don’t worry!”
Hearing the compliment, Xue Wei’s cheeks turned slightly pink.
She wiped her tears, looked up at Little Li Hua, and stared into those familiar eyes. It felt as if she were speaking directly to the madam.
“Really?” she asked hesitantly.
“Of course!” Little Li Hua nodded emphatically. “I promise!”
And if they didn’t want to, she’d just make them want to! Although Su Su had said not to use her abilities casually, surely this wouldn’t count as “casual,” right?
Under Little Li Hua’s firm reassurance, Xue Wei finally calmed down and smiled through her tears.
The other cubs, who had been watching the scene from afar, let out collective sighs of relief. Even the Crimson Flame Tiger, who had risen to his feet at some point, lay back down again.
He glanced over, saw that everything was fine now, and let out a small huff. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he froze.
From Xue Wei’s pocket, the tiny, sleepy Fat Chirp, which had been dozing off amid all the commotion, finally woke up. Hearing Xue Wei’s tearful tone, it flew out in a flurry.
“Chirp, chirp! Chirp, chirp!”
It circled anxiously around Xue Wei, chirping loudly.
The cubs were immediately drawn to the sound. Little Li Hua turned her gaze to the plump little bird and was instantly captivated by its soft, round, and adorably cute appearance.
“So cute!” the little girl exclaimed with delight.
Little Li Hua had no resistance to beautiful or cute things.
“Big Sister Xue Wei, what is this?” she asked, snuggling up to Xue Wei with an affectionate tone.
When Fat Chirp had flown out, Xue Wei’s face had changed slightly. But she knew it was too late to hide now, so there was no point in pretending. She decided she’d just need to be more careful in the future.
However, after her first interactions with the nursery’s cubs, she felt they were all friendly and unlikely to harm Chirp Chirp.
“This is Chirp Chirp, my good friend,” Xue Wei said, extending her hand. The little sparrow immediately flew down and perched obediently in her palm, chirping up at her.
Sensing its concern, Xue Wei couldn’t bring herself to scold it for ignoring her warnings and flying out.
“I’m fine; you don’t need to worry,” she said softly, gently stroking Chirp Chirp’s tiny head with her finger.
Fat Chirp didn’t resist; instead, it closed its eyes and nuzzled against her fingertip, looking utterly adorable and affectionate.
“It’s called Chirp Chirp? It’s so cute! I… I love it!” Little Li Hua said warmly, her enthusiasm shining through.
Hearing itself praised as cute, Chirp Chirp immediately puffed up its chest, looking proud and pleased with itself.
“Can it understand what I’m saying?” Little Li Hua asked in amazement.
“Yes, Chirp Chirp is very smart,” Xue Wei replied.
Just then, she noticed that Lu Jiao and Lang Ze had also come over.
The little wolf cub stared at Chirp Chirp with curiosity, his big tail wagging back and forth behind him, betraying his excitement. Pointing at Chirp Chirp, he said, “That’s a bird, right?”
Xue Wei nodded. “Yes, Chirp Chirp is a sparrow.”
“A bird…” Lang Ze murmured, swallowing hard. “Birds are… edible.”
The moment he said this, the atmosphere went still, and everyone turned to him with accusing looks, especially the two girls.
Xue Wei glared at him angrily, while Little Li Hua declared outright, “Lang Ze, you’re mean!”
Lang Ze blinked, looking confused and a little hurt. He turned to Lu Jiao for help. Birds are edible, after all—he wasn’t wrong…
Lu Jiao sighed helplessly. Lang Ze might mean well, but he clearly lacked tact. Teaching him was a necessity.
“Chirp Chirp is Xue Wei’s good friend,” Lu Jiao said patiently. After a pause, he added, “If a monster tried to eat Xing Xing or me, how would you feel?”
“Of course, I’d be really worried and angry!” Lang Ze said matter-of-factly.
“Then you understand how Xue Wei feels, right?” Lu Jiao spread his hands.
The example was vivid and relatable. Lang Ze let out an ah of realization, glancing between Xue Wei and the little sparrow perched indignantly on her shoulder. Scratching his head awkwardly, he said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean I wanted to eat your friend…”
Xue Wei had already seen his blunt and straightforward personality in action. In her view, addressing things openly like this was actually better.
In the orphanage, it was the seemingly kind and gentle cubs who had caught Chirp Chirp off guard and shown their true colors when it was too late.
Lang Ze, on the other hand, wore his thoughts openly on his face. While it could be uncomfortable at times, it made him easier to deal with. Plus, clearing the air in front of everyone now meant Chirp Chirp’s safety was better guaranteed.
Xue Wei sneaked a glance at the Crimson Flame Tiger lying not far away, feeling a hint of worry.
She didn’t have anything against Lie Lie, but she knew how much cats loved catching birds. Although Lie Lie was a tiger, he really did resemble a giant cat…
Thinking this over, Xue Wei spoke earnestly, “Yes, Chirp Chirp is my best friend. We’ve grown up together, and I see him as family.”
“If anything happened to him, I’d be heartbroken.”
Her words weren’t scolding, but her tone and demeanor were so pitiful that Lang Ze couldn’t help but feel guilty.
What hit him most was the word family.
For Lang Ze, everything he knew about family came from the lion siblings. He admired and yearned for that kind of bond. After Xue Wei described Chirp Chirp as her family, his gaze softened.
“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt Chirp Chirp. If anyone tries to harm him, they’ll have to answer to me!” he declared, thumping his chest with conviction.
Over in the greenery, where Xing Xing was hiding under the vines, two little ears had popped up on his head.
He was peeking out, seemingly drawn by something, but when he heard Lang Ze’s bold statement, his body stiffened slightly. The furry ears on his head twitched before he retreated into hiding again.
Meanwhile, the Crimson Flame Tiger lying by the wall let out a heavy snort through its nose, clearly uninterested. It closed its eyes once more and resumed silently reciting its cultivation mantra.
With the tension resolved, Chirp Chirp no longer needed to hide.
It flitted happily through the air, hopping and flying around. Soon, it was playing with Lang Ze and Lu Jiao as if nothing had happened, holding no grudges.
As Chirp Chirp darted through the vines of the star chain fruit and played among the leaves, Xue Wei’s mood lifted.
Maybe it was because a weight had been lifted from her heart, or perhaps it was just the joy of being in nature after so long. Whatever the reason, she felt lighter, even happier than when she had first arrived yesterday.
Meanwhile, Little Li Hua had pulled her down to sit beside her and was eagerly unwrapping the gift Xue Wei had brought.
“Wow, the candy wrappers are so pretty!”
Little Li Hua felt like it was the happiest day ever. Not only had she met a lovely big sister and an adorable Chirp Chirp, but she’d also received such a beautiful gift.
She was absolutely delighted!
Rong Heng looked at his sister’s smiling face, and his mood improved as well. Though he remained curious about Xue Wei’s earlier behavior, he decided not to press her about her sadness.
No matter what happened before, coming to the nursery marked a new beginning.
After all, with Su Su now at the nursery, everything was different. Xue Wei was already incredibly fortunate to have arrived at such a time.
Thinking about Su Su, Rong Heng was reminded of the mantra he was learning.
He had managed to memorize half of it so far. The slow progress wasn’t because his memory was particularly poor, but because every time he recited the mantra, he experienced moments of insight. Digesting these insights took time, which affected his pace.
Rong Heng glanced at the Crimson Flame Tiger resting in the corner, his eyes blazing with determination.
He knew that Ran Lie had also received a mantra from Su Su, though it might not be the same as his own. Both of them were training under Su Su’s guidance.
This naturally spurred Rong Heng into a competitive mindset against Ran Lie.
Despite his usually calm demeanor, Rong Heng was still just shy of nine years old. Ran Lie had always been his rival—and even his “enemy.”
Under such circumstances, he was even more unwilling to lose to Ran Lie.
So instead of joining the two girls’ conversation, Rong Heng refocused on his studies. Seeing them laughing and chatting, he called upon the base AI once more and resumed his learning.
Meanwhile, Little Li Hua unwrapped a piece of candy and popped it into her mouth, savoring it. The delightful flavor instantly won her over.
“This is so yummy! It makes me feel so happy,” she exclaimed.
Then, catching sight of the unwrapped candy wrapper, her spirits soared even higher.
Seeing how much joy such a simple candy brought to Little Li Hua, Xue Wei couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
Noticing that Little Li Hua’s hair had been tousled by the wind, Xue Wei offered, “Shall I brush your hair for you?”
“Yes!” Little Li Hua agreed without hesitation, then added, “But I didn’t bring a comb.”
“Don’t worry, I have one.”
Xue Wei reached into her paper bag, discreetly pulling a comb from her spatial button.
The comb wasn’t particularly large but was exquisitely designed, with a pink-and-white color scheme and inlaid with pearls of varying sizes. It glistened beautifully under the sunlight.
Little Li Hua was momentarily mesmerized.
The elegant bunny-like big sister began gently brushing her hair with the gorgeous comb. The comb’s soft teeth glided through her locks effortlessly, soothing her scalp without causing any discomfort.
Little Li Hua couldn’t help but close her eyes.
“Big Sister Xue Wei, you’re so kind,” the girl murmured softly, snuggling into Xue Wei’s arms, her voice as sweet as honey.
Xue Wei gently stroked Little Li Hua’s furry ears, her heart softening.
“Little Li Hua, how old are you this year? And how long have you been at the nursery?” she asked casually.
“I’m five this year, and I’ve been at the nursery for… over four years now,” Little Li Hua replied.
Having never had the chance to play with a girl her own age, Little Li Hua found talking with Xue Wei incredibly fun.
However, Xue Wei froze slightly at her words.
Tentatively, she asked, “Have you been living here the whole time?”
“Yep!” Little Li Hua nodded enthusiastically. “Do you see that big tiger? He’s older than us and has been here even longer. I think it’s been seven or eight years.”
That’s longer than I’ve been alive…
When Little Li Hua noticed that Xue Wei had stopped brushing her hair, she looked up to see the girl’s reddened eyes again.
“Big Sister Xue Wei, what’s wrong?” Little Li Hua asked, confused.
“Nothing,” Xue Wei replied, taking a deep breath. She was simply overwhelmed by how blessed her past life had been. Compared to Little Li Hua, she had had so much more…
Though Little Li Hua wasn’t the missing child of her foster mother, Xue Wei made up her mind then and there: from this day forward, she would care for Little Li Hua as if she were her little sister.
Resuming her gentle brushing, Xue Wei finished with an intricate hairstyle for the girl.
When Little Li Hua ran over to the pond to see her reflection in the water, she immediately fell in love with the result.
She rushed back, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “Big Sister Xue Wei, the hairstyle you gave me is so pretty! It’s even prettier than—”
Little Li Hua paused, stealing a glance at her brother before leaning in to whisper into Xue Wei’s ear, “Prettier than the ones my brother does.”
Xue Wei couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s because I’ve practiced before!”
Although her practice had been on dolls during tea parties, Little Li Hua was far cuter than any doll. Her sweet smile filled Xue Wei with a sense of accomplishment.
“I want to learn too. Once I do, I’ll style your hair, okay?” Little Li Hua declared. “We’ll both look beautiful!”
“Okay, I’d like that!” Xue Wei agreed.
At that moment, she retrieved a pair of hair clips from her spatial button. As she gazed at them, a hint of sorrow flickered across her eyes, but she quickly concealed it.
These hair clips were a gift from her foster mother—their first outing together, bought from a shop. Xue Wei had worn them almost every day.
After being sent back to the orphanage, seeing the clips brought her so much sadness that she had put them away.
Now, she fastened one of the clips into Little Li Hua’s hair and said, “I’m giving this clip to you.”
Little Li Hua touched the clip in her hair and glanced at the matching one in Xue Wei’s hair. The new big sister felt like a treasure chest, always pulling out beautiful surprises.
“But I don’t have anything pretty to give you in return…” Little Li Hua said with a pout. Her red flower hairpin had already been gifted to Su Su.
Besides, it wasn’t as lovely as the clip Xue Wei had given her.
“Brother always says things should be exchanged equally, so I can’t accept this.” Reluctantly, Little Li Hua removed the clip and handed it back.
Candy could be repaid later with roasted meat and fruit, but such a beautiful clip… she truly had nothing equivalent to offer.
Xue Wei stood still, staring at her in astonishment.
Was this a coincidence? She couldn’t help but wonder. After all, the principle of equal exchange was something her foster father always emphasized.
