In a cold, icy room, blood-red moonlight seeped in through a half-open window, spilling across the floor.
A thin figure curled up at the head of a messy bed.
In the silence and darkness, memories always stirred the deepest parts of the heart.
Ding. Ding. Beep.
The metallic notification sounded especially sharp in the stillness.
The person on the bed shifted slightly, revealing a slender wrist buried beneath them. Looking at the small light-brain displaying a message, a pale, delicate hand selected “accept.”
“Wife…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s figure appeared on the virtual screen. The faint smile in his eyes had not yet fully spread before it disappeared.
Seeing the frail figure curled in the darkness, the slight joy in his heart faded, and his brows slowly furrowed.
“Wife, what happened?”
His deep voice carried the calm before a storm.
“Nothing.”
Lian Qiguang slowly raised his head and looked expressionlessly at the man on the screen.
Nothing had happened.
He had simply been reminded of memories that should have long been gone.
Or rather, he had seen them again.
A cramped earth hut.
A wooden plank that had held that small body for five years.
And a woman whose face he could no longer remember.
“Wife.” Xiahou Shaoxuan’s brows tightened, anger surfacing in his eyes.
“Shaoxuan…”
Lian Qiguang lowered his gaze, lips pressed together.
“I… want to see you.”
This man.
A man stronger than his past self.
He liked strong people.
Respected strong people.
So he allowed this man’s “rudeness” toward him.
This man treated him well.
No one had ever treated him like this before.
Except one person—the woman who had already died.
In everyone’s eyes, he was a strong man who should always stand in front of others.
Protection, injury, even death—all of it was taken for granted.
They feared him, respected him, revered him.
But they never knew that he also had fear and helplessness.
But in front of this man, he was the weak one.
The one who needed protection.
Something had changed without him noticing.
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan did not feel joy at this sudden “confession.”
Instead, his worry deepened.
If Lian Qiguang used to live in his own world, now he looked like a lost cub.
And that made Xiahou Shaoxuan’s heart ache.
“Wife, come find me.”
His voice softened.
The cold and bloodthirsty sharpness in his eyes slowly faded.
His gaze locked onto Lian Qiguang like an endless wall—giving him support, giving him protection.
Lian Qiguang’s eyes slowly gathered a faint light.
“I am strong. I will become stronger.”
“You don’t need to do anything. Even if you are truly useless…”
“I will raise you, wife.”
Warmth spread through Lian Qiguang’s chest, slowly dispelling the cold inside him.
A faint, stiff smile slowly appeared on his face.
Xiahou Shaoxuan froze.
Even though it was only the second time seeing it, he still could not control the violent surge in his chest.
He felt like a young man just coming of age.
“…”
“I will come back to find you soon.”
Lian Qiguang returned to his usual expressionless face.
“I fought someone today,” he said suddenly.
Xiahou Shaoxuan immediately set down his cup.
“You got hurt?”
“No.”
He calmly recounted everything—from the incident at the seed shop under Master Yuan to the destruction of Qi Ying’s ability.
Xiahou Shaoxuan remained silent for a long time after listening.
“…Is it serious?” Lian Qiguang tilted his head.
Xiahou Shaoxuan swallowed the words that almost came out and forced a relaxed tone.
“It’s fine. I’ve got it.”
Then his expression turned serious again.
“Wife.”
“That wooden-type ability of yours—hide it as a void rank like the person told you.”
“Wood-type abilities are hard to detect, and not very destructive. No one will notice.”
“Leave the rest to me.”
“Okay.”
Lian Qiguang nodded.
“And one more thing.”
“Don’t casually tell others about your mutated ability again.”
“Okay.”
“Wife…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan stared at him deeply.
“If I’m not by your side, be careful.”
Lian Qiguang looked upward blankly, distracted, then hummed a soft response.
“Also…”
Lian Qiguang lowered his head again, expression serious.
“That boy called Ji Renlin… he used to be the person I liked.”
“……”
“Wife.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan gritted his teeth, his face freezing over.
“From now on…”
“If you see anyone who doesn’t know their place trying to get close to you…”
“Beat them to death.”