Listening to the conversation between the two, and seeing Ling Xiaoyou’s stiff expression, Bai Shuanglian couldn’t help but let out a light laugh.
The moment she heard the laughter, Ling Xiaoyou immediately glared angrily at Bai Shuanglian, then turned to look at Xiaoyu, organizing her words before speaking:
“Maybe her whole family isn’t human like you thought, Xiaoyu, but a race similar to Fairies.”
“Eh! Fairies?!”
Hearing this, Xiaoyu’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Xiaoyou-jie, do Fairies really exist in the world?”
How could they?
Don’t even mention our Eastern Radiance, in the West, at most, there are only Magicians, Dragons, Goblins, Vampires, Devils, and such—there’s simply no such creature as a Fairy.
Ling Xiaoyou paused, looking at Xiaoyu’s childlike and innocent gaze.
No matter what, she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth.
So, under that gaze, she could only helplessly nod.
“There are.”
“Then, Xiaoyou-jie, can you take me to see a Fairy?”
Xiaoyu clung to Ling Xiaoyou’s hand, shaking it pleadingly.
“This…”
Ling Xiaoyou felt her head spinning.
Where was she supposed to find a Fairy—did in-game ones count?
She really didn’t know what to say, so she could only look at Bai Shuanglian, meaning—help me out here!
Seeing Ling Xiaoyou’s pleading look, Bai Shuanglian smiled, came over to the two, and first rubbed Ling Xiaoyou’s head, then Xiaoyu’s, speaking:
“Of course, but Fairies all live in very dangerous places. Xiaoyu, if you want to see one, you’ll have to wait until you grow up.”
“Eh, wait until I grow up again…”
Xiaoyu pouted, clearly having heard this excuse many times before.
Seeing Xiaoyu’s attention shift, Ling Xiaoyou breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Bai Shuanglian, and gave her a ‘you’re actually pretty useful’ look.
Bai Shuanglian smiled brightly and nodded.
***
“Time to eat, Xiaoyu!”
About half an hour later, Xiaoyu’s bedroom door was knocked, and Aunt Liu’s voice came from outside.
“Oh! Coming!”
As if worried that Aunt Liu would come in, Xiaoyu hurriedly scribbled down the last answer, then dashed to the door, opened it a crack, and slipped out.
Actually, even if Xiaoyu didn’t do this, it wouldn’t be a problem.
After all, Bai Shuanglian’s magic was still in effect—Aunt Liu wouldn’t be able to see Ling Xiaoyou and the others even if she came in.
“Let’s go, Aunt Liu, let’s eat.”
“Okay, be careful going downstairs.”
“I know~”
The voices of the two faded away outside the door.
Ling Xiaoyou glanced at the door, then at the homework on the desk.
Since she had nothing else to do, she decided to help Xiaoyu check her answers.
***
“La~ La la~”
With her small hand on the railing, Xiaoyu bounced down the stairs, her happiness so evident that Aunt Liu was a little surprised.
During this time, as her mother’s friend, Aunt Liu had been helping take care of Xiaoyu for several days.
She’d noticed Xiaoyu’s low spirits.
After all, her mother had suddenly been hospitalized—it was natural for Xiaoyu to feel down.
But today, Xiaoyu seemed different from before.
“Did something happy happen, Xiaoyu?”
Aunt Liu looked at the lively Xiaoyu, asking softly.
“Ah?… Yes… That’s right, I was thinking about something happy at school.”
Xiaoyu’s steps froze for a moment, then she replied, sounding a bit guilty.
It was clearly a lie, but Aunt Liu just smiled gently, without exposing her.
As long as Xiaoyu was happy, did the reason really matter?
***
“Eat slowly, don’t choke.”
Aunt Liu reminded Xiaoyu as she wolfed down her food.
But Xiaoyu didn’t slow down, quickly finishing a whole bowl of rice.
She let out a long breath, with even a grain of rice still clinging to the corner of her mouth.
“Want another bowl?”
Aunt Liu stood up, looking at Xiaoyu.
“No, I’m full!”
Xiaoyu grabbed a tissue, wiped her mouth, left her seat, balled up the tissue, threw it in the trash, and ran upstairs.
Watching Xiaoyu’s energetic figure, Aunt Liu shook her head helplessly and continued eating dinner.
***
Standing in front of her bedroom door, Xiaoyu slowly pushed it open.
She saw Ling Xiaoyou sitting at her desk, checking her homework.
Bai Shuanglian was leaning against the wall, quietly reading a book.
This scene made Xiaoyu feel a fleeting illusion—as if both her father and mother were still home.
But Ling Xiaoyou’s voice quickly broke the feeling.
“Bai Shuanglian, Bai Shuanglian, look at this question.”
She smiled, her eyes curved.
Even Xiaoyu, standing at the door, could see her amusement.
“What’s wrong? Let me see.”
Bai Shuanglian closed her book, walked over to Ling Xiaoyou, and looked at the workbook in her hand.
[Can you solve the answer to these special addition and subtraction problems?]
[Example: Dad + Mom + Me = (The Auspicious Trio)]
[1. Foot – Shoes and socks + Grassland = ( )]
“Look at what Xiaoyu wrote.”
Ling Xiaoyou laughed and pointed at the space in the parentheses.
There, in shaky pencil writing, was the answer—(Barefoot Immortal).
Seeing this, Bai Shuanglian couldn’t help but smile gently.
“The correct answer should be ‘down-to-earth,’ right?”
“That’s probably it.”
Ling Xiaoyou nodded, ready to keep checking the homework.
Just then, a small figure darted over and snatched the workbook from Ling Xiaoyou’s hands.
Xiaoyu’s cheeks were as red as a ripe apple, baby fat and all.
She quickly stuffed the workbook into her backpack.
“Don’t look at that, Xiaoyou-jie, homework is the Big Demon King!”
Then, as if trying to change the subject, she looked at Bai Shuanglian.
“Bai-jie, let’s start today’s cultivation lesson, I can’t wait any longer!”
“Alright.”
Bai Shuanglian nodded, took out an ancient-looking book from the Space Ring, and handed it to Xiaoyu.
“This is the technique I picked for you, 《Sutra of Qi Nurturing and Spirit Transformation》.”
“Spirit Transformation? Are you going to turn me into spirit energy?!”
Ling Xiaoyou walked over, understanding the meaning, but still intentionally playing along.
“Confess, what are your intentions!”
“The ‘Spirit Transformation’ here means channeling spiritual energy into your body.”
Bai Shuanglian leaned down and whispered in Ling Xiaoyou’s ear.
“But if you want me to melt you with a lick, I’d be happy to oblige.”
In an instant, Ling Xiaoyou’s face turned red.
She really shouldn’t have thought she could win against Bai Shuanglian in this area!
Ling Xiaoyou, sunk—defeated!