Robin of the Big Waves: Robin's Past

Morning light filtered through a gap in the inn curtains, casting a golden band across the wooden floor.

Robin stood before the room's only full-length mirror, holding a small makeup brush and awkwardly dipping it into blush.

The woman in the mirror still had picturesque features, but her entire aura had changed—the straight black hair that had once fallen to her shoulders had been permed into voluminous, elegant waves, with the ends resting naturally against her shoulders. Her bare-faced look had also become a carefully crafted professional style: natural foundation, perfectly placed eyeliner, and lip color that brightened her complexion.

"A little softer on the brows..." she murmured, lightly adjusting their shape with a brow brush.

Three days earlier, Robin had been deeply surprised when Yang Yunzhi sent her a complete makeup tutorial through DD chat.

She had read widely and understood Poneglyphs, ancient writing, nautical charts, and even the political structures of various countries, yet she had never imagined that something as seemingly simple as makeup could form such a vast and profound system of knowledge.

From the materials Little Bean compiled, Robin systematically learned for the first time:

The endless variations of base makeup techniques—foundation not only had to match the right shade, but also had to be selected in different textures according to skin type, whether oily, dry, or combination. Concealer was not merely for hiding flaws; contrast between light and shadow could also reshape facial contours. The amount of setting powder used and the technique for applying it directly determined how long makeup would last.

The intricate subtleties of eye makeup—eyeshadow color combinations and blending layers; the thickness and direction of eyeliner and how it altered eye shape; mascara application and false lash techniques; and how eyebrow shape influenced the overall impression of a face.

The three-dimensional sculpting of contour and highlight—how shadows could narrow cheekbones and refine face shape; how highlights could brighten the bridge of the nose, brow bones, and chin, giving the face natural dimension under the light.

The overall coordination between hairstyles and makeup—hairstyles suited to different face shapes; the principles of matching hair color with skin tone; and the differences and styling techniques for everyday, professional, and formal-event hairstyles.

The seasonal theory of clothing colors—color systems suited to spring, summer, autumn, and winter skin tones; as well as identifying and combining cool and warm shades.

The unity of accessories and overall style—how earrings, necklaces, and bracelets could complement an outfit's style; and how the colors and materials of bags and shoes could elevate the overall texture of an ensemble.

This entire system of knowledge was as vast as an ocean, completely overturning Robin's understanding of the word "makeup."

Following the "professional elite" template from the tutorial, she had spent two days practicing over and over while taking her own features and temperament into account.

Now, the woman in the mirror had changed from a melancholy, mysterious historian into a confident and dignified career woman—if she swapped the white shirt for a business suit and added a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, she would look exactly like the senior secretary of a major corporation.

"So mastering makeup, becoming prettier is only the most basic result."

Robin put down her makeup brush and sighed softly. "With simple adjustments to makeup, along with changes in clothing and hairstyle, and perhaps the right temperament training... someone really can become another person."

She thought of her ten years on the run, and complicated emotions welled up inside her.

"If I had known these things earlier," she said to her reflection, "would I really have had to flee for ten years?"

There was a light knock on the door.

"Come in."

Yang Yunzhi pushed the door open. The instant he saw Robin, his eyes visibly lit up. "Wow."

Robin turned around, her large waves swaying gently with the movement. "Well?"

"Perfect." Yang Yunzhi walked closer and studied her carefully. "Your whole temperament has changed. Even if Aokiji stood right in front of you now, as long as you didn't use your ability, he might not recognize you at a glance."

He pulled a pair of rimless clear glasses from his pocket. "Try these?"

Robin took them and put them on.

Her eyes behind the lenses appeared even more intellectual, and she gained an added scholarly air.

"That makes it even more convincing." Yang Yunzhi nodded in satisfaction. "From now on, you're my personal assistant and executive secretary—Miss Rebecca."

"Rebecca..." Robin repeated the name, smiling faintly. "Not a bad name."

The two sat down at the small table by the window.

Yang Yunzhi made two cups of tea and pushed one of them toward Robin.

"Want to talk?" he asked.

"What do you want to know?" Robin asked.

"For example, how have you lived these past ten-odd years?"

Robin held her teacup, warmth passing through the porcelain into her palms.

She fell silent for a moment, then began to speak.

"After Ohara was destroyed when I was eight, I relied on my cute appearance and went to a remote village where news traveled slowly. The villagers pitied me and took me in. I lived there for six years, helping with housework and farm labor."

She took a sip of tea. "But as I gradually grew up, my figure... developed. Quite a few people in the village wanted to marry me or arrange a match for me. One old bachelor even wanted to abduct me outright. So, when I was fourteen, I could only leave that village."

Yang Yunzhi frowned. "You were only fourteen then..."

"Yes." Robin's tone remained calm, but the fingers around her teacup tightened slightly. "After that, I went to the Kingdom of Carlisle and applied for a position as a female tutor, responsible for teaching the kingdom's young prince."

"The prince was only ten at first. He was very well-behaved, and we got along quite well. I taught him reading, arithmetic, and history, while he treated me like an older sister."

Robin's gaze darkened. "But when he turned twelve... I don't know what happened, but he started becoming interested in women's bodies."

Yang Yunzhi could more or less guess what came next.

"He had seven or eight maids. Logically speaking, that should have been enough for him to play with." Robin continued, "But for some reason, he set his sights on me. One night, he slipped into my room..."

She paused. "I used the Flower-Flower Fruit's power to bind him and threw him outside. The next day, I packed my things and left Carlisle. That was a year ago."

"Last year, I arrived on Ghost Mulberry Island," Robin continued. "When several thugs harassed me at the docks, I happened to save Oniki Nobuko—the third young lady of the Oniki Clan. Seeing that I could read and had knowledge, she asked me to help manage the hotels, flower houses, and casinos under her command."

"Under my management, Oniki Nobuko's businesses tripled in a year. She originally had little standing within the clan, but with those achievements, she now had the qualifications to compete for the position of clan head."

Robin gave a bitter smile. "But that was where the problem arose. Her father, Oniki Isshin, did not want his three children killing one another, so Oniki Ichiro and Kijiro Oniki sent people to assassinate me—the 'strategist' who had greatly increased Oniki Nobuko's power."

"Within half a month, I faced two assassination attempts. Each one was stronger than the last." She looked at Yang Yunzhi. "It wasn't that I was afraid of dying. I was afraid that the next assassin would force me to reveal my true strength, exposing my identity as the Demon Child."

"Then, Aokiji came to this island for some unknown reason. I sensed his presence, so I took the opportunity to leave and planned to hide out in South Blue for a while."

Yang Yunzhi listened quietly to the end, understanding everything.

In the original story, Robin had spent those ten years in an endless cycle of seeking refuge, betrayal, seeking refuge again, and betrayal again—she had trusted others time after time, only to be used or betrayed each time.

But judging from her experiences so far, that "cycle" did not seem to have truly begun yet.

She had always wanted to live a good life, yet because she was too beautiful, she had never been able to get what she wanted.

She had also worked under Oniki Nobuko for more than a year. Although she had faced assassination attempts, they had arisen from a conflict of interests, not because she had been used and discarded.

"The suffering is already over." Yang Yunzhi suddenly reached out and pulled Robin into his arms.

Robin's body stiffened, but she quickly relaxed.

She could feel the strength in this man's embrace—not the oppressive force of possession, but the solidity of protection.

"The days ahead may be very busy," Yang Yunzhi whispered by her ear, "but you will absolutely be safe."

Robin's face rested against Yang Yunzhi's chest, and she could hear his steady, powerful heartbeat.

After a long while, she asked softly, "Did you really take an interest in my talent? Why do I feel like... you also took an interest in my body?"

Yang Yunzhi chuckled softly, the vibration in his chest carrying to Robin's ears. "Why can't it be both?"

Robin rolled her eyes, but she did not push him away.

The reason she had left the first two times was not because she did not want a relationship or marriage, but because those people would have stopped her from pursuing her dreams—the villagers wanted her to serve her husband and raise children, the Carlisle prince wanted to lock her away in his harem, and although Oniki Nobuko valued her, she essentially treated her as a tool.

But Yang Yunzhi was different.

Not only would he not stop her, he would help her fulfill her dreams.

Besides... the guy was quite handsome.

Robin suddenly hugged him back tightly, wrapping her arms around Yang Yunzhi's waist.

She buried her face in his embrace, her voice muffled.

"I haven't trusted anyone this much in a long time."

"Don't make me lose, okay?"

Yang Yunzhi tightened his arms around her and answered with great solemnity. "I won't."

The two simply held each other in silence.

Morning light slowly moved through the room, climbing from the floor to the walls before finally falling across the two embracing figures.