A Heart for a Heart

Over the next three days, Xue Ke gave Xue Qinghe a profound understanding of what "a little sister's love" truly meant.

Every day after morning court, when Xue Qinghe returned to his residence, he would see that tiny figure waiting anxiously at the gates.

Whenever he became so engrossed in reviewing memorials that he forgot to eat, there was always a girl by his side to remind him.

Whenever he was thirsty, there was always a freshly brewed cup of hot tea at hand.

Whenever sitting too long left his back aching and sore, there were always little hands behind him kneading his shoulders and pounding his back.

Whenever he wanted to play chess to relax, he no longer had to play against himself as he once had. Across the board, there was always a "not-so-bright" little girl amusing him with her clumsy chess skills.

Before bed each night, there was always someone sweetly wishing him good night.

Xue Ke's meticulous care and concern gradually melted the ice around Xue Qinghe's heart.

Whenever he looked at little Xue Ke's flower-like smiling face, Xue Qinghe felt deeply moved. The bitterness and loneliness that had plagued him in the past were swept away like fallen leaves before an autumn wind.

Like a dazzling new star, Xue Ke brought color back into Xue Qinghe's once monotonous routine of three points and one line. Xue Qinghe felt that the entire Prince's Mansion had been transformed, shedding its cold exterior and becoming warm as spring.

"Xiao Ke, you possess such remarkable cultivation talent. Can you tell your brother what your dream is?" Xue Qinghe asked seemingly casually as he played chess with Xue Ke in the courtyard pavilion.

It's here—the ultimate interrogation! Xue Ke's heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained calm. After pretending to think for a while, she slowly voiced the explanation she had rehearsed countless times over the past few days.

"My dream is to always stay by Brother's side. Wherever Brother is, I will be there too. No matter what happens, I will never leave Brother. Whatever Brother wants, as long as it is within my ability, I will definitely help Brother achieve it! I will always support Brother, listen to Brother, and be Brother's thoughtful little padded jacket for the rest of my life!"

As she finished, Xue Ke skillfully raised three fingers and swore with a solemn expression.

"What a wonderful little sister you are! If only you were truly my blood sister!"

Xue Qinghe was deeply touched by Xue Ke's earnest expression. Then he remembered that he had once wanted to harm a little sister who loved him so wholeheartedly, and he felt immense shame and guilt.

Xue Qinghe gave Xue Ke a heartfelt smile. Xue Ke swore that in all the time she had spent with Xue Qinghe, this was the first time she had seen him reveal such genuine emotion. It seemed her plan was beginning to bear fruit. Xue Qinghe should have temporarily set aside his intent to kill her, so she no longer had to worry about suddenly dying one day.

Xue Qinghe slowly walked over to Xue Ke, who was seated across from him, and lifted her around the waist. Leaning close to her ear, he softly said, "Thank you, Xiao Ke. Thank you for the happiness and warmth you've brought me these past days. Brother is willing to spoil our little Princess for the rest of his life. From now on, whatever you ask for, as long as it isn't excessive, Brother will do his best to grant it."

Hearing Xue Qinghe's sincere words, Xue Ke was briefly dazed, and something in her heart stirred.

Sigh, Qian Renxue has finally been moved by me. She thinks she's the only one deceiving me, but little does she know that I've been deceiving her too, haven't I?

Over the course of their time together, Xue Ke had inevitably begun to feel sympathy for Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue was a lone, brave warrior, spending every day between the frigid imperial palace and the Prince's Mansion, maneuvering through the deceitful court and engaging in endless schemes. For Spirit Hall's plan to usurp the nation, she had sacrificed her unparalleled cultivation talent and devoted the most precious years of a woman's life.

Although the Douluo Continent anime Xue Ke had watched before her rebirth had not yet ended, Qian Renxue was one of the major "villains" naturally opposed to Tang San. Her eventual fate was easy to imagine—she certainly would not meet a good end.

Take the Heaven Dou Palace Coup, for example. Qian Renxue's painstaking efforts over more than a decade ultimately could not overcome the protagonist's halo surrounding Tang San, the "child of fortune." Her entire plan fell apart at the final step, and she could only return to Spirit Hall in disappointment, shedding tears of regret, only to be harshly rebuked by Bibi Dong.

This favored daughter of heaven, blessed with both beauty and wisdom, possessed everything most people could spend their entire lives pursuing without ever attaining. Yet she had also lost many things that ordinary people could obtain with ease, things that remained forever out of her reach. After all, nothing in this world could be perfect, and one could not have both the fish and the bear's paw.

An uncontrollable desire arose in Xue Ke's heart—to change this favored daughter of heaven's fate.

While I've been carefully plotting to win her over, I've also fallen in too deep myself! Who is the hunter, and who is the prey? She treats me sincerely, so I should repay her with sincerity. Only sincerity can earn sincerity; all false affection will eventually be exposed one day.

Xue Ke swore that Qian Renxue's looks were only part of the reason she had such thoughts. She was absolutely not shamelessly lusting after Qian Renxue's body. Rather, Qian Renxue's tragic life had genuinely stirred Xue Ke's compassion, and she could not bear to see this "fragile" woman, whose beauty surpassed flowers and whose life had been so difficult, ultimately brought to ruin by Tang San.

Besides, in Xue Ke's eyes, Tang San was not exactly a "good person" either.

Only those with narrow worldviews simply divided people into "good people" and "bad people" through binary thinking. People were multifaceted individuals; defining someone purely as good or evil was an extremely immature way of thinking.

Since I've chosen Qian Renxue, then Tang San, sumimasen—in this life, I won't let you hurt her again! Xue Ke clenched her little fists and secretly swore in her heart.

My life of slacking off should come to an end. I need to start striving hard, or else what will I use to fight Tang San, the child of fortune? Hehehe, this young master finally has an ambitious goal to strive for in this life!

Xue Qinghe gently set Xue Ke down and affectionately rubbed her little head.

"Brother, why do you always rub my head? I won't grow tall if you keep doing that!" Xue Ke pouted unhappily.

"Haha, it's because Xiao Ke is just too adorable. Brother can't help himself! Hahahaha—" Xue Qinghe had completely opened his heart to Xue Ke and burst into laughter.

No feast lasted forever. Xue Ke could not stay in the Prince's Mansion forever. Though unwilling, after staying for several days, she could only obediently return to her own Princess's Mansion.

"Starting today, Brother Biao—ah, ptooey, I, Xue Ke, will study hard and improve every day! Since I've been given another life, how could I not live it brilliantly!"

As a young woman who had received higher education in her previous life and experienced the fiercely competitive life of endless rat races, Xue Ke possessed strong drive and execution. Once she made up her mind to do something, she would never give up easily.

Besides eagerly studying the lessons Emperor Xue Ye arranged for her every day, Xue Ke spent nearly all her remaining time cultivating. The former Xue Ke, who fished for three days and dried nets for two, was gone for good. Ever since returning from the Prince's Mansion, she had suddenly become diligent and ambitious.

Xue Ke's remarkable transformation truly surprised everyone around her. Yet no one looked into it too deeply. Perhaps little Princess Xue Ke had finally "come to her senses" and grown up?

Thus, Xue Ke endured pain and happiness alike as six years swiftly passed...

There was not much worth writing about from ages six to twelve. I'm sure everyone does not particularly want to read about hunting spirit beasts to obtain spirit rings, and I do not want to pad the word count either, so let's skip over it.