Na'er, Unlike Any Other

"I've watched you grow up day by day over these years. If you run into any difficulties, remember to call me. I may have only taught for a few years, but I know quite a lot of people."

"I know."

"And one more thing—if you get into trouble out there and people ask who taught you, don't you dare say it was me. Say it was Director Shen, understand? But if you do something good and people ask, then it's fine to say I taught you."

"..."

"Sigh, you really are the most hopeless child imaginable. You're infuriating.

"I've been angry with you for three years. I feel like I've lost ten years off my life, but now that you're leaving, I won't even have anyone to scold anymore." As Lin Ximeng spoke, she unexpectedly seemed a little lost.

Meng Li listened quietly. Though Lin Ximeng had plenty to say about him and Na'er over the years, she often had him take food and fruit home.

She had even celebrated his birthday for him in the second year.

It was the first birthday anyone had celebrated for him in five years.

"I know. I'll come back to see you often. If I get into trouble later, I definitely won't say you taught me. I'll say it was that bald Shen guy who taught me. And if I do something good, I'll say you taught me." Meng Li smiled.

"Koi, you're mature enough to make people's hearts ache. Na'er is lucky to have you. Go without worry. I'll look after your little sister for you during this time."

"No, I'll take my sister with me. I'll handle her schooling myself." Meng Li shook his head.

Lin Ximeng took a deep breath and nagged Meng Li for two whole hours.

By the time Meng Li emerged from the office with his admission invitation, school had already let out. The elementary school students playing near the entrance unconsciously moved farther away from him.

Meng Li touched his rather satisfying perm and walked out of the teaching building. The moment he stepped outside, a streak of silver light came running over from the comprehensive building.

"Brother, I learned a new dish recently." Na'er affectionately took Meng Li's hand.

Three years had passed, yet Na'er still had short silver hair and had not changed much. She was only a little taller than before, still as pretty and adorable as ever. But no matter how one looked at it, she and Meng Li did not seem to be only a year apart. She was practically a little loli who would never grow up.

"Forget it."

"No."

"Let's eat out."

"You don't believe in Na'er's cooking."

"I believe you. Of course I do." I'd be a ghost if I believed in a nine-year-old girl's cooking. Meng Li grumbled inwardly, and could only secretly pray that Na'er would perform beyond her usual limits that night.

When the other elementary students saw the two of them, they silently stepped aside and made a path. These two were not people ordinary folks could afford to provoke.

After three years together, their relationship had become even closer, and they had developed an even stronger Telepathic Connection. A single glance was enough for each of them to understand what the other was thinking.

Although Na'er had not had her parents' company, she had still experienced the warmth of a home with Meng Li, her older brother who had crossed over from another world. As the saying went, an elder brother was like a father.

"Na'er, we'll be moving to Eastsea in a few days." The two walked along the road home, Meng Li carrying a large bag of snacks and a silver backpack with Na'er's name on it slung over his back.

"Ah, why? Isn't it nice here?"

"I don't want to go either, but Eastsea Academy is there. After graduation, I'll be going there once I've had two months to relax."

Na'er thought for a moment. "All right, then. I'll go with you.

"You know about my studies. Going to school would just mean learning things I've already learned before."

"I'll enroll you in a school there when the time comes.

"Don't you think your brother is especially selfish? I have to take you with me wherever I go."

"No. Brother is worried about leaving me here alone. Besides, didn't I say it before? Wherever you go, I'll go too."

"I also have you to thank for all the self-criticisms over the past two years."

"It's what I should do."

"Mm, Na'er is so filial. When vacation comes, I'll take you to the amusement park for five days, and I'll take you to watch a circus performance.

"Mm. When we get back, write today's homework first. I'm going to cancel the lease on the stuffed pancake shop."

"Boss." Meng Li walked into a breakfast shop.

A bald middle-aged man in slippers was slurping down a huge bowl of noodles. Hearing the familiar voice, he looked up in confusion.

"Isn't this Koi, the one who made our neighborhood rich? What brings you here?" The middle-aged owner was quite surprised.

"I'm leaving for Eastsea. I came to cancel the lease." Meng Li explained, taking out a rental contract.

"You're leaving?" The middle-aged owner felt inexplicably sad.

"I'm taking my little sister to study in Eastsea too."

"Eastsea is good. It's a big city." The middle-aged owner revealed a rather longing expression. Since Meng Li was leaving, he could not try to persuade him otherwise. He could only say as many pleasant things as possible.

"With your ability, it'll be easy for you to carve out a place for yourself there. By the way, thank you for all your ideas over the years."

"Here's the deposit." The middle-aged owner put away the rental contract and handed Meng Li three thousand Federal Coins.

"You don't want to inspect the place?"

"You rented that place. I trust you."

By the time Meng Li left the breakfast shop, it was already dark. The owner had wanted to keep him for a meal, but he declined. Still, he and Na'er had eaten at the man's place plenty of times.

That night, in Na'er's room.

Bright moonlight spilled through the window into the room and fell upon Na'er. The moon was exceptionally bright that night, illuminating her silver hair until it shimmered.

Under the moonlight, a faint halo suddenly emerged soundlessly from Na'er's body. Yellow, green, red, blue, purple, gold, and silver—seven colors flickered in alternation.

If Meng Li had still been in the room at that moment, he would definitely have witnessed this extraordinary sight. Na'er's body began to tremble slightly. After the seven-colored halo flickered for a while, it began to merge into the space between her brows. Only after a long time did she become still again.

The moonlight remained bright as the gentle halo around Na'er receded. Her petite body seemed to have grown just a little larger, as though the height that had barely changed over the past three years was about to make a breakthrough overnight.

The trembling faded, and Na'er's breathing became even again. Yet at some point, her brows had furrowed, as though she were having an unpleasant dream.

"Na'er, you got taller." The moment Na'er came out of her bedroom, Meng Li noticed the change in her.

"Ah, did I?" Na'er replied somewhat guiltily.

They had lived together for three years and knew each other far too well. They could detect even the slightest thing out of the ordinary.

"Mm, something's off about you today." Meng Li nodded.

Na'er smiled. "What's off?"

"I can't tell." Meng Li shook his head.

"It's fine, Brother." Na'er's heart tightened.

"I'm still me. I'm just a little taller."

"Maybe I haven't been in a good state of mind lately." Meng Li searched for an explanation. Some people and things from his previous life were gradually fading from his memory.

I need to write more in my diary lately and record everything that happened before.