A little while later, Na'er lifted her head and looked at Chu Yan. Her voice was quieter than before as she asked,
"Big brother, is that really okay?"
"It is."
"Then... will you throw me away?"
Her voice was very soft, and she seemed a little afraid of the answer.
At that, Chu Yan looked into her earnest eyes and said gently, "I won't."
After hearing that, Na'er fell silent for a moment, then nodded. Her voice was just a little louder than before as she said, "Okay, big brother. I'll go back with you."
Chu Yan smiled and said no more. He simply turned and started back the way they had come.
"Let's go. It's getting dark."
Na'er froze for a moment at that, then hurried after him, coming to walk by his side.
The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder along the streets of the seaside town.
"Big brother, where's your home?"
"Eastsea City. It's much bigger than here, and it takes about an hour and a half to get there by car."
"Is it far?"
"Not really."
They chatted on and off as they made their way back along the road they had come by.
Chu Yan opened the car door and let Na'er climb in first, then walked around to the other side and got in himself.
Pang Shan closed the door beside them, returned to the driver's seat, and started the engine. A low hum filled the car.
"Young master, straight back to Eastsea City?" Pang Shan asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
"Yeah, straight back."
The SUV drove smoothly out of Aolai City and headed north along the coastal highway.
Na'er sat by the window in the back seat, her little face pressed against the glass as she watched the scenery fly past, as if she were riding in a car for the first time.
Chu Yan didn't disturb her. He leaned back in his seat and rested with his eyes closed, his fingers tapping out a quiet rhythm against his knee.
After about an hour on the road, Chu Yan opened his eyes and looked at Na'er.
"When we get home, I'll introduce you to my family. From now on, you'll live in my courtyard."
At that, Na'er turned to look at him. A hint of bewilderment showed in her purple eyes, as if the idea of "home" was still a little vague to her, but she nodded all the same.
"Okay."
The hour-and-a-half drive passed quickly.
By the time the car entered Eastsea City, the sun was already sinking toward the horizon. Orange-red light slanted across the streets, bathing the whole city in warmth.
The gates of the Chu Clan estate gradually grew larger in view.
Pang Shan parked in front of the estate gates, turned off the engine, and got out.
Chu Yan opened the car door and looked back at Na'er. She got out from the other side and stood before the gates, gazing up at the vermilion doors. Her purple eyes held a trace of unfamiliar curiosity.
Chu Yan walked over to her and pointed at the plaque above the gates.
"This is my home. From now on, it's your home, too."
Na'er looked away from the gates and glanced at him. She said nothing, but she walked a little closer to his side than before.
Chu Yan led Na'er through the front courtyard and central courtyard toward his own.
Along the way, they passed several servants from the estate. Seeing their young master bring home a little girl with silver hair and purple eyes, they all looked curious.
But he offered no explanation. He simply led her straight to the main room in his courtyard.
He opened the door. The room was simply furnished but clean, with bright windows and spotless surfaces.
"Na'er, you can stay in the west wing of my courtyard for now." Chu Yan pointed to the room across the courtyard. "I'll have someone bring in fresh bedding. If there's anything you need, just tell me."
Na'er stood in the middle of the courtyard and looked around at the tidy, spotless place, cleaner than any house she had seen in Aolai City. A faint glimmer stirred in her purple eyes.
She turned to Chu Yan and said softly, "Thank you, big brother."
"You don't have to keep thanking me."
After saying that, Chu Yan turned to ask the steward to prepare the things Na'er would need.
Toward evening, Chu Yuntian and Qin Mengyao returned.
Chu Yuntian had just stepped into the main hall when he saw the silver-haired little girl sitting inside and drinking tea with Chu Yan. His steps faltered slightly.
He looked at Na'er's silver-white hair and purple eyes, then at his own son. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Who's this?"
"Father, Mother, this is Na'er. I met her in Aolai City."
Chu Yan gave a brief introduction to Na'er's situation without going into much detail. He simply said she had been wandering outside alone with no family, so he had brought her home.
Chu Yuntian fell silent for a moment and looked at Na'er a few more times. He didn't object, merely nodding as he said, "Since you've brought her home, let her stay for now. We'll have someone register her information later, then see what we can arrange for her schooling."
Qin Mengyao had already walked over and crouched in front of Na'er. She gently stroked the girl's silver-white hair, her eyes soft with maternal warmth as she smiled kindly. "What a lovely child."
Na'er seemed unused to being touched and tensed slightly, but she didn't pull away.
After dinner, Chu Yan walked Na'er back to the west wing.
The steward had already arranged for fresh bedding and pillows. A little potted plant sat on the windowsill, its pale yellow flowers in full bloom.
Na'er stood in the middle of the room and looked at her little space. She remained still for a long time.
Chu Yan stood in the doorway, looking at her back. His voice was gentle as he said, "Get some rest. If anything feels strange or uncomfortable, you can tell your big brother."
With that, he turned to leave.
He had just reached the doorway when Na'er's voice came from behind him.
"Big brother."
At that, Chu Yan turned around.
Na'er stood in the middle of the room. The last trace of twilight outside fell across her silver-white hair, and her purple eyes shone especially brightly in the dimness.
Her lips moved. In the end, she softly said just three words.
"Thank you."
Chu Yan looked at her, smiled, and nodded. Then he gently closed the door.
Back in his room, Chu Yan sat down at his desk.
The day had gone more smoothly than he'd expected—so smoothly that it left him feeling a little unaccustomed to it.
From finding Na'er to bringing her home, nothing unexpected had interfered. There had been none of the run-in with the street toughs from the original story, nor had he felt the gaze of any powerful figure.
But Chu Yan knew very well that it was only an appearance.
Na'er's presence in Aolai City could not have been a coincidence. The fact that she had appeared there meant that someone must have been watching her from the shadows. They simply hadn't shown themselves or interfered with his actions.
And there was another person in Aolai City who was no ordinary figure: Tang Wulin.
Chu Yan leaned back in his chair and gazed out at the night, breathing out softly.
His strength was nowhere near enough to deal with changes on that level. All he could do was grow stronger as much as possible before those people made their move.
He sat at his desk for a while longer, then washed up and went to bed.
The days passed quickly. Before he knew it, September thirteenth had arrived.
That morning, Chu Yan woke before dawn.
He got out of bed, washed up quickly, then changed into a clean, practical black training outfit and stepped into the courtyard.
He stood in the center of the courtyard, took a few deep breaths, and loosened up. Then he took the Ironwood Staff from the nearby weapons rack and began practicing the basic movements of the Hunyuan Staff Technique.
After nearly half a month of repeated practice, his opening stance was as steady as a rock. His basic movements—chopping, sweeping, lifting, and thrusting—had also become extremely fluid.
Every strike carried a solid burst of force. The Ironwood Staff hummed as it cut through the air, no longer awkward and clumsy like it had been at the beginning.
After practicing the basic movements three times, he switched to the Yan Divine Weapon. He held the dark golden staff in his hands and stood still for a moment, then began working on smoother transitions between offense and defense.
The movements still flowed a little stiffly from one to the next, but he had improved a great deal since the first few days after his awakening.
Just as he was about to practice the sequence for a fourth time, faint footsteps sounded at the courtyard gate.
Chu Yan lowered his staff and turned his head. Na'er stood at the gate, wearing the pale blue dress Qin Mengyao had had someone buy for her a few days earlier. Her short silver-white hair glowed softly in the morning light.
She stood quietly in the doorway, as if she had been watching for a while.
"Morning," Chu Yan said.
"Good morning, big brother," Na'er replied softly. She walked into the courtyard and sat on a stone bench nearby.
She said nothing, only sat there quietly and watched him practice.
Chu Yan didn't ask anything. He simply continued.
After practicing the movements twice more, he set down the Yan Divine Weapon and walked over to the stone table in the corner of the courtyard to pick up a towel and wipe away his sweat.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out from outside.
"Brother Yan! Little sister Na'er!"
The voice was bright and clear, brimming with energy. The next moment, Xu Xiaoyan appeared at the courtyard gate.
Today, she wore a pale yellow short-sleeved top, white capri pants, and a pair of low-cut cloth shoes. Her light blue twin ponytails were tied high, bouncing behind her as she ran.
She dashed into the courtyard and spotted Na'er sitting on the stone bench at once. Her eyes lit up, and she bounced over to her.
"Little sister Na'er! You're up so early today!"
Na'er stood up from the bench, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile. "Sister Xiao Yan, you're here."
Xu Xiaoyan plopped down on the stone bench beside Na'er without a trace of hesitation. Tilting her head, she looked her over and grinned. "That dress looks so pretty on you! My mother bought me one almost exactly like it yesterday. I'll wear it over next time so you can see!"
"Okay." Na'er nodded, her purple eyes full of earnest anticipation.
Chu Yan watched them from a few steps away. He hung the towel back on the rack and didn't interrupt.
Ever since he had brought Na'er back to the Chu Clan, Xu Xiaoyan had come to visit the very next day.
At first, the little girl had felt a little possessive. After all, Chu Yan had always been her Brother Yan alone. He had suddenly brought home a strange, pretty girl; the fact that she hadn't made a fuss was already a sign of maturity.
But on her first visit, she had only looked Na'er over a few times and hadn't said anything unkind. By her second or third visit, the two girls were already huddled together whispering.
Now Xu Xiaoyan came running to Chu Yan's courtyard every few days, mostly to play with Na'er—though whether that was really the case was hard to say.
Chu Yan didn't know how Xu Xiaoyan and Na'er had gotten along so well. At any rate, whenever the two five- or six-year-old girls got together, they always had plenty to talk about.
Chu Yan walked over to the stone table and sat down. He poured himself a cup of cold tea, took a sip, and asked casually, "Xiao Yan, don't you have to practice today?"
"I practiced this morning!" Xu Xiaoyan turned to him and said with righteous conviction, "I got up before dawn to train my Soul Power. I practiced for a whole hour before coming out!"
Chu Yan looked at her and smiled. "So diligent?"
"Of course!" Xu Xiaoyan puffed out her little chest proudly. "I'm going to become a powerful Soul Master. I can't be lazy!"
Chu Yan smiled without replying and took another sip of tea.
Xu Xiaoyan sat on the stone bench for a while. Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she turned her head toward Chu Yan and asked, "Brother Yan, we're going to register this afternoon. Have you packed your things?"
"It's only a few things. There's not much to pack." Chu Yan set down his teacup and continued, "I've read through the list in the new student handbook from the academy. I've packed everything I need."
"Me too!" Xu Xiaoyan nodded, then turned and took Na'er's hand. Her eyes curved into a smile. "Little sister Na'er, when I get back from school, would you like me to tell you about the academy? I heard Tianheng Academy is huge, and it even has a dedicated training ground!"
Na'er let her take her hand and nodded obediently. "Okay."
At noon, Xu Xiaoyan stayed for lunch at the Chu Clan estate.
At the table, Qin Mengyao had prepared a few extra dishes. Smiling, she watched the three children sit together, the two girls chatting on and off as they ate.
The more Qin Mengyao watched, the more pleased she felt. Her son was only six, but he was so steady and reliable. He would surely know how to take care of others when he grew up.
After resting for about half an hour following lunch, Chu Yan went back to his room and changed into clean clothes.
The uniforms for Tianheng Primary Academy had been issued two days earlier: a dark blue shirt and trousers, with the academy's emblem embroidered over the chest—a rising sun beneath an open book.
By the time Chu Yan came out in his uniform, Xu Xiaoyan had changed into hers as well and was waiting in the courtyard.
Na'er stood beside the courtyard gate, holding a few candies Qin Mengyao had given her that morning. When she saw Chu Yan come out, she took two steps forward and looked up at him.
"Big brother, when will you and Sister Xiao Yan be back from school?"
"After four in the afternoon."
Then Chu Yan looked down at her, his voice gentler than usual. "You can stay here at home. Mother will be here, too. If you need anything, go to her."
Na'er nodded and didn't ask anything else.
Xu Xiaoyan came over and bent down to wave at Na'er with a grin. "Little sister Na'er, wait for me to come back! I'll tell you all about the fun things from class today!"
Na'er smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Okay."
Then Chu Yan led Xu Xiaoyan out. The steward had already brought the car around to the estate gates.
The two of them got in, and the car drove smoothly out of the alley toward Tianheng Primary Academy.
Tianheng Primary Academy was located in Eastsea City's education district. Its grounds covered a wide area, and the main entrance was an ornate iron gate, with the academy's nameplate set into the pillars.
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