Little Girl: Zheng... Li

In the Gold and Silver Space, the blurry figure remained unmoved. To put it simply, she was just going through the motions. It wasn't as if she wanted things to be this way.

The middle-aged woman grew annoyed by the questions. "No! There, happy?"

Her answer sent Chen Biao's heart plunging into an abyss.

"Who is he?"

Before Chen Biao could say anything, the now-cold voice asked first.

Naturally, that was what Chen Biao wanted to know, too.

"..." The middle-aged woman.

"Wang Ping."

The middle-aged woman slumped to the ground, apparently having given up. She answered the questions mechanically.

"Pfft..." Chen Biao was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Who was Wang Ping? He was Chen Biao's sworn younger brother, a Soul Elder, and his neighbor.

Chen Biao had helped Wang Ping when he was weak, and Wang Ping had shown him great respect after growing strong. He never would have expected this.

"You beast..."

You could know someone's face but not their heart... Chen Biao wanted nothing more than to rush back and fight Wang Ping to the death!

Seeing Chen Biao like this, the middle-aged woman looked ashamed.

The next moment, the cold voice sounded beside Chen Biao's ear. "You've heard what she said. Do you still love her?"

"Love?" Chen Biao gave a scornful laugh, then his expression turned savage. "Right now, I want to kill her!"

At his words, the middle-aged woman's body trembled.

"Do you have no regard for the years you spent as husband and wife?" The cold voice asked a question that should never have needed asking.

It sounded like it was trying to reconcile them...

"She was the one who betrayed me," Chen Biao gritted out.

"Then, do you love anyone else?"

The middle-aged woman froze at the question.

Chen Biao stared blankly for a moment. Only after several seconds did he answer, "Yes..."

The middle-aged woman: "..."

Damn it! If you'd cheated too, why the hell were you reacting so strongly? Were you trying to make me feel guilty?

"Who?"

"Bei Yan..."

Damn! Bei Yan was her good friend... The middle-aged woman's mouth twitched.

"Would you be willing to die for each other?"

"No!" Chen Biao and the middle-aged woman answered in unison.

The cold voice: "..."

"Your answers are truthful, but the Valley of Love and Emotion seeks true love. Betraying the person you love makes you the sort of people this Valley despises most!"

"This Valley isn't unreasonable. You'll enter an adventure. If you make it out, you pass. If you fail, you'll remain in the adventure forever!"

Chen Biao and the middle-aged woman's mouths twitched. The way you put it, how is that any different from dying?

"Begin the adventure."

Golden and silver light fell over Chen Biao and the middle-aged woman.

"Wait, my lord! If I die, please tell my son that Wang Ping is his real father, and have him seek his biological father's protection..."

"Pfft..."

Hearing the middle-aged woman say this, Chen Biao spat out another mouthful of blood. He'd had his son late, and now this... Damn it!

Then the two of them disappeared.

The cold voice: "..."

Then the cold voice seemed to be so enraged that it fell silent for a long while.

When the golden light spun around again, it came to rest on Wang Xin'er's bubble.

The small platform lifted the bubble.

Inside, Wang Xin'er was fast asleep, breathing evenly, a sweet smile on her lips. She even murmured, "That feels so nice..."

If Zheng Li had heard her, who knew what expression he would have made?

The cold voice was speechless again at the sight of Wang Xin'er. It felt so nice? How could that be? The bubble was her doing, and she certainly didn't think it felt that nice.

The bubble burst, revealing the lovely girl inside. Gentle golden light lifted Wang Xin'er and laid her on the small platform, then stroked her pale green hair in an attempt to wake her.

But who would have thought...

Wang Xin'er nuzzled against the golden light and murmured,

"That feels so nice! Mom, stroke my hair some more~"

"..."

The little girl: "Zheng... Li"

In the Gold and Silver Space, the figure shrouded in hazy light seemed to tremble. She was utterly speechless. This little girl was far too carefree...

Also, who was her mom?!

In the Transparent Space, the gentle golden light patted Wang Xin'er on the head.

At last, Wang Xin'er opened her jade-green eyes, rubbed them with one hand, and slowly sat up.

Her face was full of confusion.

She didn't seem fully awake...

How long had it been? Had she really slept that deeply?

Whatever the case, the cold voice resumed its questions, its tone once again calm.

"Do you have someone you love?"

"Someone I love? What do you mean?" Wang Xin'er answered groggily.

The calm voice seemed much more patient this time. "Someone you love."

"Of course! I love my great-grandmother, my mother, my grandmother..."

The now-calm voice was at a loss for words. What could she say?

"Wait. I mean someone you love romantically, someone you hope to become partners with in the future."

"Oh... Someone I hope to become partners with? I have someone like that, too!" Wang Xin'er replied, still a little groggy.

"Who is he?"

"It's... Hmm?"

Wang Xin'er suddenly widened her eyes and glanced around, looking confused.

"Where am I?"

The calm voice seemed at a loss for words again. After a moment of silence, it said, "The Valley of Love and Emotion. Answer this Valley's questions. If you fail to answer three times, your punishment will be death!"

Wang Xin'er furrowed her brows, recalling what had happened before. She remembered Zheng Li saying she had to tell the truth, or she would die.

The voice had just asked about a partner. That meant someone she liked, right? But who did she like?

Confusion returned to her jade-green eyes.

"Who could it be?"

The calm voice felt like it was about to lose its composure.

How would I know? You tell me!

"Ask your own heart."

"My heart..." Wang Xin'er pressed a hand to her chest and tilted her head, thinking. Tentatively, she said, "Zheng... Li?"

As the little girl's voice fell, the platform beneath Zheng Li rose, and his bubble burst. The calm voice's exchange with Wang Xin'er echoed in his ears.

That meant the little girl hadn't lied.

"..."

He'd thought it was his turn.

Seeing Zheng Li, little Wang Xin'er cheerfully waved at him across the space between their platforms.

"You heard her, too. What do you think?"

"Think about what? You mean, does Wang Xin'er like me? I don't have an opinion. She's a seven-year-old girl. At most, I see her as a little sister."

Zheng Li answered calmly.

Xiao Nai, in the Sea of Consciousness, wholeheartedly agreed.

Wang Xin'er, however, wasn't pleased. Her cheeks puffed up at once, and she said angrily, "Zheng Li! I told you, I'm not a little girl! And calling me your little sister is fine, but what do you mean, 'at most'? Do you dislike me?"

"Hmm..." Zheng Li rubbed his chin. "No."

He'd said "at most" because their bond wasn't that deep yet, and because she was his benefactor's great-granddaughter.

Wang Xin'er's anger eased a little, but she still snorted.

Deep down, she was still a bit unhappy.

She'd always thought Zheng Li was pursuing her. Now that she'd developed feelings for him and admitted them, he should have been happy. She hadn't expected him to react like that!

They couldn't lie here, so Zheng Li had to mean what he said.

After hearing Zheng Li and Wang Xin'er's exchange, the calm voice immediately asked, "Wang Xin'er, you've heard him. Do you still love him?"

Wang Xin'er raised an eyebrow. "Correction! I have feelings for him. It hasn't reached the point of love. Feelings don't just disappear that easily."

"...Why?"

"The reason... is simple." Wang Xin'er glanced at Zheng Li. Whatever she thought of made her voice soften from its earlier coldness. "When we were kidnapped, he gave me most of his food. I know he only ate a little himself. When I was cold, he gave me his clothes. And... he let me lean on his shoulder?"

Xiao Nai: "..."

That's it? Little girl, aren't you falling for him a little too easily?

Why was the last sentence a question? The calm voice seemed too tired to argue, so it went straight to the next question, asking Zheng Li and Wang Xin'er both.

"Would you be willing to die for each other?"

"No!" Zheng Li and Wang Xin'er answered together.

"Why?"

There was some surprise in the calm voice.

"Our bond hasn't reached that point."

Zheng Li answered first.

"Same."

This time, Wang Xin'er didn't get angry. She felt much the same as Zheng Li. Besides, she was only seven. She hadn't had enough of life yet!

"Your love is still budding. I hope that next time, you'll understand your own feelings and find your true love. First trial: sincerity. Passed..." The calm voice delivered its verdict.

Before Wang Xin'er could say anything else, the bubble wrapped around her again, and her small platform descended.

Back inside the bubble, Wang Xin'er rolled her eyes and said, "Next time? I'm never coming back to this awful place!"

"Did the little girl pass?"

Watching the platform descend, Zheng Li muttered to himself.