Mu Ningxue's New Look

At dawn, a sliver of sunlight slipped through a gap in the curtains, bringing a little light to the dark room.

On the bed, silver hair lay scattered around the sleeping beauty's serene, delicate face.

A song suddenly began to play, a lovely male voice filling the room.

"When your eyes crinkle as you smile, when you drink cola, when you make a fuss, I want to be good to you, but you never know. I miss you, miss you..."

The sleeping beauty stirred. Her shapely brows drew together, and she slowly raised her right hand to turn off the alarm.

Sunlight fell across the bedside table, where a framed photograph stood.

In the photo, a little boy and a little girl stood before the gate of a castle at an amusement park, beaming.

The silver-haired beauty pushed herself upright, her hair a little tousled.

The sleepy haze in her eyes lent a touch of cuteness to her breathtaking, cool beauty.

She got out of bed in her robe and went straight to the bathroom to wash up. When she finished, she returned to the bedside.

She slipped off her robe and picked up the clothes laid out beside the bed.

After putting on her top and skirt, she picked up a pair of black tights and pulled them on.

Her delicate feet slid into the tights. The fabric climbed past her calves and thighs, then disappeared beneath her skirt.

That simple act of putting on tights would have set countless homebody boys' hearts racing and sent blood rushing to their noses. They would have worshipped her as a goddess.

The silver-haired beauty walked to her mirror and studied her outfit.

A white shirt hugged the curves of her upper body, with a satin bow tied at the collar. Over it, she wore a black uniform jacket that ended at her waist.

Below was a black pleated skirt. Solid black tights covered her long, straight, pale legs, and brown leather shoes completed an outfit brimming with youthful energy.

The contrast between her silver hair and her long legs wrapped in black tights gave her a mature allure beyond her years.

Her face was cool and beautiful, making people hesitate to approach her, much less sully her. She had once seemed ethereal and untouched by the mortal world.

But now she no longer seemed distant from it. She looked like a temptress fallen to earth, radiating an enchanting charm.

"Ice Queen Upperclassman in Black Tights" suited her perfectly.

She ran a comb through her long silver hair, then left her room and went downstairs.

At the dining table, Mu Zhuoyun heard her approach and looked up from his newspaper.

When he saw the young woman's outfit, he raised an eyebrow but said nothing about it.

"Ning Xue, you're up. Why so early today?"

Mu Zhuoyun set down the newspaper and smiled at Mu Ningxue.

"Mm. I got up early to cultivate."

Mu Ningxue pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down, answering in an even tone.

She picked up the millet porridge in front of her and drank it in small sips.

"You've finally come home for summer break. Don't think about cultivation all the time. You need to rest now and then."

Seeing how hard Mu Ningxue worked, Mu Zhuoyun could not help expressing his concern.

Mu Ningxue nodded and said no more. Their conversation ended there.

Father and daughter ate in silence.

Mu Zhuoyun sighed inwardly. Ever since her mother had given her a fragment of the Ice Crystal Bow when she was twelve, Mu Ningxue had gradually grown colder.

Their relationship had not changed much, but they spoke less often because of it.

Sometimes, when Mu Zhuoyun saw how desperately she cultivated, his heart ached. He even wondered if it would have been better not to make his daughter bear the family's burdens.

But she was his daughter, and those burdens were hers to bear. Born into a family like theirs, she had no way to escape them.

If we were an ordinary family, Ning Xue and that boy might already have...

After a moment's thought, Mu Zhuoyun looked up at Mu Ningxue, who was quietly drinking her porridge.

"Ning Xue, if you see Mo Xie, tell him I'm sorry."

Mu Ningxue's hand paused, then she went on drinking as though nothing had happened.

"I won't be seeing him."

Mu Zhuoyun smiled and picked up his newspaper again.

If she isn't going to see that boy, why did she dress like that today? Who does she think she's fooling?

"Then if you happen to run into him, pass it along for me. I haven't had a chance to go in person these past few years."

Mu Ningxue shook her head at first, then nodded. What she meant was unclear.

After breakfast, Mu Ningxue sat on the sofa and entered meditation.

She meditated for an hour, until loud laughter from the distance drew her out of it.

"Hahaha!"

In the main hall, Mu He excitedly clapped Mu Bai on the shoulder.

"Good, good! This is wonderful!"

"What happened? What's got you so happy?"

As Mu He laughed, Mu Zhuoyun entered with Mu Ningxue.

Mu Bai froze for a few seconds when he saw Mu Ningxue dressed so differently from usual.

Then something occurred to him, and he understood.

Because of Mo Xie, he and Mu Ningxue had never been close, though they could still exchange a few words.

But after that incident, his opinion of Mu Ningxue had plummeted, and he had chosen to keep his distance.

It had been Mu Ningxue's fault. As Mo Xie's friend, he ought to stand by him.

"Big brother, Mu Bai awakened the Ice Element! The Ice Element!"

Mu He grinned as he told his older brother.

"He awakened the Ice Element... Wait, isn't magic high school still two months away?"

Mu Zhuoyun stared at Mu Bai in astonishment.

"Family Head, Mo Xie helped me awaken early," Mu Bai explained, stepping forward.

"What?!"

Mu Zhuoyun stared at Mu Bai, dumbfounded as he tried to absorb the startling news.

Mu Ningxue's lips parted too, and she covered her mouth with a hand. It was the mention of Mo Xie that had surprised her.

"An early awakening? That's..."

Mu Zhuoyun could scarcely understand it. Mo Xie had paid to help a friend awaken his magic? He could only marvel at how wealthy Mo Xie must be.

And what would Mu Zhuoyun think if he knew Mo Xie had helped three people awaken their magic at once?

"Mu Bai, you must thank him properly for such a generous gift. I'll visit Mo Xie's home myself in a couple of days."

"Uncle, I promised Mo Xie I'd repay the favor."

Mu He nodded and patted Mu Bai on the shoulder.

"Then you'll have to cultivate hard. But we still need to show our gratitude."

After speaking, Mu He turned to Mu Zhuoyun.

"Big brother, Mu Bai has awakened two months early, and it's the Ice Element. Could we discuss cultivation resources for him?"

Mu Zhuoyun considered it for a moment, then nodded.

"All right. Mu He, come with me."

A two-month head start meant Mu Bai was already well ahead of the family's other young members.

Mu Bai might belong to a branch of the family, but as Family Head, Mu Zhuoyun was happy to nurture an outstanding mage for them.

After Mu Zhuoyun and Mu He left, only Mu Ningxue and Mu Bai remained in the main hall.

Mu Bai glanced at Mu Ningxue and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Mu Bai stopped. Before Mu Ningxue could ask anything, he spoke first.

"If you want to ask about Mo Xie, I can tell you he's at home. But I'd advise you not to go. Nothing good will come of it."

With that, he walked out of the main hall.

Mu Ningxue did not linger. She ran toward Mo Xie's home.