Once a Teacher... Once a Teacher, Indeed!

Lin Xia gave herself a stern warning in her heart, and even secretly pinched her palm.

"This is your master! Your mentor! Lin Xia, wake up! The world is vast, there are plenty of fish in the sea! Besides, some boundaries, once crossed, are doomed!"

Just as Lin Xia's heart was churning with emotions and she was trying to calm her breathing and heartbeat, a soft laugh, tinged with amusement and a barely Frisk hint of mockery, rang out.

"Oh..."

Bibi Dong had somehow appeared in front of Lin Xia, her deep purple eyes revealing an all-knowing understanding as she scrutinized his barely concealed embarrassment with great interest.

Bibi Dong leaned slightly closer, and a faint fragrance wafted into Lin Xia's nose, making his body tense even more.

"What's wrong, little one?"

Bibi Dong's voice carried a hint of languor and mockery, a stark contrast to her usual Pope.

"A seven-year-old child, does he already know the difference between boys and girls? He doesn't even dare to look at his master?"

The tone was as if he were teasing an overly shy little pet.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xia felt a chill run down her spine, realizing that her little tricks couldn't possibly escape the notice of this shrewd and calculating Pope.

He raised his head, forcing an awkward yet slightly ingratiating smile, avoiding direct eye contact. His gaze darted to a spot an inch in front of Bibi Dong's shoulder, and he quickly explained:

"Master... you jest. It's not that I'm afraid to look, it's just... it's just..."

Lin Xia took a deep breath, her tone becoming solemn and sincere, carrying a kind of wisdom rarely seen in children of this world.

"A teacher for a day is a father for life. The kindness a teacher shows to their students is as heavy as a mountain, imparting knowledge and skills. The students feel only reverence and gratitude, and dare not harbor the slightest disrespect. To regard one's teacher as a father—this respect comes from the bottom of the student's heart."

"A teacher for a day is a father for life..."

When these eight words clearly reached Bibi Dong's ears, the playful smile on her face suddenly froze.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Those Viola eyes, which had just been gleaming with a playful light, instantly lost focus, becoming empty and distant.

Like exquisite glass suddenly covered with a thick layer of frost, all the light was absorbed, leaving only a bottomless darkness.

"Father..."

A barely audible syllable, almost a whisper of air, escaped from her lips, carrying an indescribable tremor and... an icy, bone-chilling hatred.

Lin Xia clearly saw that Bibi Dong's body swayed almost imperceptibly, as if she had been struck hard by an invisible force.

His fingers, which had been casually resting at his side, suddenly tightened, the veins on the back of his fair hand bulged instantly, and his nails dug deep into his palm, leaving several glaring crescent-shaped marks, even carrying a faint, almost imperceptible smell of blood.

An indescribable, almost tangible sadness, pain, and deep-seated resentment silently emanated from her, instantly replacing her previous ease.

The warm morning light seemed to suddenly drop in temperature, and the air became thick and heavy, making it hard to breathe.

Lin Xia's heart sank.

Lin Xia knew that her heartfelt words, spoken in the name of upholding ethics and expressing respect, had inadvertently pierced Bibi Dong's heart like the sharpest dagger, precisely targeting the unhealed, festering wound— Qian Xunji!

That mentor she once revered like a god and relied on like a father!

The one who gave her power and status, yet dragged her into hell in the most cruel and vile way when she was most vulnerable and defenseless, utterly destroying all her faith and life... the devil!

Lin Xia could understand.

No, he might not be able to fully empathize with that kind of excruciating pain and betrayal, but he could imagine it.

A man she regarded as her father took everything from her: love, innocence, dignity, and even hope for the future.

This kind of damage is enough to crush any heart into dust, turning it into the most desperate ice and poisonous fire.

The saying "A teacher for a day is a father for life" is a kindness to others, Bibi Dong, it is the most vicious Curse and irrefutable proof of her lifelong nightmare!

The air outside the palace was deathly still, with only the occasional chirping of birds in the distance adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Ivysaur seemed to sense the heavy, suffocating emotion as well, and emitted an uneasy croak.

"Da na..."

I don't know how much time has passed; it may have been just a moment, or it may have been a long century.

Bibi Dong finally broke free from the Abyss memories that seemed to freeze her soul, and a sliver of clarity emerged.

Bibi Dong slowly, extremely slowly, loosened her clenched fist, and the trace of blood in her palm was quietly evaporated by her powerful Soul Power.

Those empty purple eyes refocused, their gaze falling on the boy before them, who had his head bowed, his eyes filled with understanding, worry, and a hint of self-reproach.

In those eyes, there was no fear of her loss of composure, no curious prying into her secrets, only pure... worry and sadness for her.

An extremely complex emotion welled up in Bibi Dong's heart.

Is it a sting? Is it solace? Or is it a long-lost warmth, like a faint candlelight shining into the depths of ice?

Even Bibi Dong herself couldn't tell the difference.

Bibi Dong stopped speaking, but took a step forward. The movement seemed abrupt, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

To Lin Xia's slightly surprised gaze, Bibi Dong extended her hand, which had been clenched so tightly it was bleeding, and calmly and gently took Lin Xia's wrist.

Bibi Dong's palms were icy cold, like the finest jade, but within that coldness lay an indescribable resolve and...

A trace of almost fragile dependence that Lin Xia had never felt from her before?

It was as if it were confirming something, or perhaps Absorb some kind of power.

Bibi Dong lowered her head, her gaze falling on Lin Xia's upturned, still somewhat immature face, her clear eyes reflecting her complex expression.

Bibi Dong's voice deepened, with a feeling of exhaustion and a heavy emotion that seemed to have traveled through a long time, and she repeated clearly word for word:

"Yes... a teacher for a day... a teacher for a day..."

The voice no longer held its previous mockery, nor its usual cold authority; instead, it carried an overwhelming sadness, self-mockery, and a profound sense of powerlessness in the face of fate's capriciousness.

It was as if the repetition of these few words fully expressed the pain and struggle of her life.

The grip on Lin Xia's wrist tightened unconsciously, as if grasping something real, dispelling the icy rage brought on by his words "a father for life."

Lin Xia didn't speak, but silently felt the coldness and pressure on her wrist, conveying her understanding and silent companionship with her eyes.

Lin Xia knew that any words would be inadequate at this moment.

After a long while, the turmoil in Bibi Dong's eyes gradually subsided. The suffocating sorrow and resentment receded like the tide. She took a deep breath, and her gaze became sharp and firm again, as if the vulnerability she had just experienced had never happened.

Bibi Dong released Lin Xia's wrist, and the heavy atmosphere dissipated.

Let's go.