Forget-Me-Not

The little girl pulled out a short dagger and held it across her chest, seemingly unwilling to leave with the man in white.

The man in white sighed helplessly, then moved. At the same time, the little girl sprang into action as well, and their speeds were surprisingly almost identical.

Even so, it could not bridge the enormous gap between them. In just one exchange, the man in white easily subdued the little girl, tucked her under his arm, and confiscated her dagger.

Long Haochen wanted badly to save the little girl from the man in white, but this was a matter for the Assassin Temple. How could an outsider like him interfere?

Besides, he did not have the strength to interfere. Though he had stepped forward to protect the little girl at the critical moment, that did not mean he was reckless.

The man in white clearly had no intention of harming her, so there was no need for Long Haochen to fight him head-on.

"Senior, you won't hurt her, right?"

The man in white frowned. "For the sake of you risking your life to save her today, I can grant you one reasonable request."

Long Haochen considered it for a moment before saying, "My request is to say a few words to her. Is that all right?"

The man in white was somewhat surprised. Most country children would feel more or less afraid after seeing him fight, yet Long Haochen remained perfectly calm and even dared to make a request of him. He truly did not know whether Long Haochen was genuinely bold or simply fearless through ignorance.

"Fine."

The man in white set the little girl down, and Long Haochen hurriedly helped her beneath a large tree nearby.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you," Long Haochen said apologetically.

The little girl shook her head and wrote on Long Haochen's hand, "It's all right. You guessed correctly. He won't hurt me. I just don't want to go home with him."

"Will I be able to see you again?"

Though he had only met the little girl by chance, her stubborn, unyielding spirit had deeply moved Long Haochen. He could not imagine how such a frail little girl had escaped the pursuit of eight men in black, never giving up even after suffering serious injuries.

The little girl did not continue writing. Instead, she removed a ring from her finger, blue in color and covered in strange patterns, then placed it on Long Haochen's left middle finger. Strangely, the tiny ring automatically expanded until it fit his finger perfectly.

"Cai'er, you..." the man in white cried out.

Cai'er ignored him and continued writing in Long Haochen's palm, "Forget me not."

Long Haochen held Cai'er's little hand and nodded firmly.

Reluctantly, Cai'er returned to the man in white. Long Haochen smiled and waved goodbye to her.

The man in white frowned, grabbed Cai'er's hand, and leaped into the air. Before long, they disappeared into the depths of the forest.

After seeing Cai'er off, Long Haochen raised his hand and stared blankly at the ring on his middle finger. Only then did he realize that the patterns engraved upon it formed the three words, "Forget me not."

Feng Xiu had once said that girls generally would not casually give rings to boys unless...

At that thought, Long Haochen's little face instantly turned red.

"Cai'er, the Assassin Temple..." Long Haochen murmured.

Perhaps they would have another chance to meet someday.

"Mom, I'm back!"

Hearing Long Haochen's call, Bai Yue walked out of the house.

"Chenchen, why are you so late today? Did something go wrong with the assessment?" Bai Yue asked in confusion.

Long Haochen took Bai Yue's hand and led her inside, then told her everything that had happened that day. Other than Cai'er giving him the ring, he hid nothing.

After listening to Long Haochen's account, Bai Yue smilingly took hold of the left hand he had been hiding. The Forget-Me-Not Ring was immediately exposed before her eyes.

"This ring is so pretty. That girl must have given it to you, right? My Chenchen has actually learned to be shy!"

"Mom..."

With the secret between him and Cai'er discovered by Bai Yue, Long Haochen's face flushed crimson.

Bai Yue released his hand and covered her mouth as she giggled.

After dinner, Bai Yue took Long Haochen back to his room.

"Chenchen, he's here."

Long Haochen did not understand. "He?"

Bai Yue sighed deeply. Her loving eyes seemed to conceal a measure of pain and helplessness.

Seeing this, Long Haochen finally guessed who "he" was.

"Mom, has Dad come?"

Bai Yue nodded lightly, then said, "He said he would meet you as your teacher and does not plan to tell you that he is your father for now."

"Why?" Long Haochen asked in confusion.

A strange light flickered in Bai Yue's eyes, and she sighed once more.

"He doesn't know how to face you, so he wants to spend time with you as your teacher first, then tell you the truth."

Long Xingyu had already found Bai Yue the night before.

The two had not seen each other for many years. When they finally met again, they naturally poured out their hearts and spoke of how much they had missed one another.

Bai Yue could tell that Long Xingyu had many questions he wanted to ask her, but he could not bring himself to voice them.

Even if Long Xingyu had asked, Bai Yue would not have known how to answer.

Bai Yue could not bear to tell him that she was the Demon God Emperor's daughter.

The wife of the Knight Temple's once-in-a-century genius, the Judgment and Trial Divine Seal Knight, was actually the daughter of Demon God Emperor Feng Xiu. This would not only disgrace Long Xingyu, but also the Long Family.

Besides, for the sake of Long Haochen's undercover plan, Bai Yue would not tell Long Xingyu the truth either.

She only needed to know that Long Xingyu still loved her. That was already enough.

Looking at Long Haochen before her, Bai Yue's gaze softened once more.

"Chenchen, I know you have always minded growing up without a father's love. Since he has come, you father and son should get along well. No matter what happens in the future, he is still your father."

Long Haochen nodded solemnly.

"Mom, go to sleep. Good night."

The next day, Long Haochen went to the Odin Sub-Hall as usual for training.

Instructor Balza called Long Haochen aside. A middle-aged man stood ramrod straight before him.

"Haochen, this is Lord Xingyu. From now on, he'll be your new instructor."

The moment he heard the name "Xingyu," Long Haochen immediately understood the man's identity.

Long Haochen stared blankly at Long Xingyu. The man before him was the father he had longed for day and night.

Long Xingyu was not exceptionally handsome. With swordlike brows and starry eyes, he carried an imposing air even without anger. Though his bearing could not compare to Feng Xiu's, Long Xingyu possessed a unique charm that ordinary people lacked.

"Haochen, what are you standing around for?" Balza urged.

Only then did Long Haochen come back to his senses. He raised his right fist to his chest and bowed slightly to Long Xingyu.

"Teacher Xingyu."

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