037 : The meaning of Belonging.

The next day at school, something felt different.

Su Yun still smiled like always, still spoke softly to her friends, still acted as if nothing was wrong. But when her eyes met Lin Tian's—she hesitated.

She didn't look away immediately.

She didn't hide.

And Lin Tian knew—something had changed.

He didn't say anything about it. Didn't acknowledge it outright. But as he walked past her desk, he muttered, "You look better today."

Su Yun blinked in surprise.

Then—a real smile touched her lips.

"Maybe."

And for the first time—she didn't fake it.

Lin Tian smirked as he sat down.

"Step one complete."

During lunch, as Lin Tian sat in his usual spot, Su Yun approached his table.

This, in itself, wasn't strange. She had spoken to him before. But today—she wasn't alone.

Two girls and a boy stood behind her, their expressions a mix of curiosity and nervousness.

Su Yun cleared her throat. "Lin Tian."

Lin Tian glanced up. "Hmm?"

She hesitated for a brief second, then smiled. "Do you want to eat with us today?"

Lin Tian blinked.

Eat? With people?

He had been eating alone all this time, mostly because socializing wasn't something he ever cared about. But now—Su Yun was inviting him.

Lin Tian exhaled. This world was really testing him.

"Sure," he said, standing up.

Su Yun's smile widened slightly.

As they walked toward her usual table, Lin Tian could feel the curious stares from the other students.

"Great. More attention."

One of the girls, a short-haired student with glasses, leaned closer to Su Yun. "Are you two… close?"

Su Yun glanced at Lin Tian, then chuckled. "Something like that."

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

As they ate, the conversation flowed naturally—or at least, it did for everyone else. Lin Tian mostly listened, watching how people interacted.

Friendship. Bonds. Social connections.

This was a battlefield he didn't understand yet.

But he was learning.

And Su Yun—she was at the center of it all.

As lunch ended, Su Yun and Lin Tian walked back to class together.

Then, out of nowhere—she asked something unexpected.

"Lin Tian."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you helping me?"

Lin Tian stopped walking.

Su Yun turned to face him, her expression gentle—but serious.

"You didn't have to step in that day. And you didn't have to sit with me just now. So… why?"

Lin Tian had no answer.

Not a real one. Not yet.

But instead of lying, he just smirked.

"Because I felt like it."

Su Yun blinked—then laughed softly.

"That's such a Lin Tian answer."

She didn't press further. Didn't push for more details.

And somehow—that made Lin Tian even more curious about her.

Who was she, really?

Why was she the focus of his trial?

And what did "finding his destiny" truly mean?

As they entered the classroom, Lin Tian decided—he was going to find out.

That evening, Lin Tian walked home alone, deep in thought.

He had started to understand this world, started to see the small connections that made people who they were.

But he still had no idea why he was here.

Or why Su Yun was so important.

Then—he sensed it.

Even without Qi, without divine senses—his instincts were sharp.

Someone was following him.

Lin Tian turned a corner, then abruptly stopped walking.

A moment later, a shadow moved.

From behind a streetlamp, a man stepped out. The same man Lin Tian had seen talking to Su Yun before.

Lin Tian's golden eyes narrowed.

"So we meet again."

The man adjusted his tie, his sharp gaze unreadable. "You're Lin Tian, aren't you?"

Lin Tian didn't answer. "What do you want?"

The man exhaled. "Stay away from Su Yun."

Lin Tian's expression remained calm—but his fingers tightened slightly.

"Why?"

The man's eyes darkened. "She doesn't need you interfering in her life."

Lin Tian smirked. "She seems to think otherwise."

The man's jaw tensed.

For a moment, silence filled the air.

Then, finally, the man spoke again.

"You don't know anything about her past."

Lin Tian's smirk didn't fade. "Then tell me."

The man stared at him for a long moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

Lin Tian watched him disappear into the night.

More questions.

More secrets.

And now, Lin Tian was sure of one thing—this trial was far from over.

That night, as Lin Tian lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, he thought about everything.

Su Yun's pain.

The man's warning.

The feeling that this world held something more than what he could see.

He had five years to figure it out.

And now, he had his first real mystery to solve.

Lin Tian's golden eyes burned with determination.

"Fine."

"Let's see what secrets you're hiding, Su Yun."

And with that—his trial continued.

---

The man's warning echoed in Lin Tian's mind.

"Stay away from Su Yun."

As if that would stop him.

If anything, it only made him more determined.

Why was Su Yun so important?

What was she hiding?

And more importantly—why did this trial revolve around her?

Lin Tian had spent centuries shattering destiny, rewriting fate, and bending the laws of the universe to his will.

This world was different.

Here, strength meant nothing.

But that didn't mean he was helpless.

If he couldn't use power—he would use intelligence.

And the first step?

Finding out who that man was.

The next day, Lin Tian kept his usual calm demeanor at school. He didn't let Su Yun notice anything was wrong.

But he was watching.

Listening.

Looking for clues.

At lunch, while sitting with Su Yun and the others, he casually asked, "Hey, Su Yun. Do you have any family in the city?"

Su Yun froze—just for a second.

It was quick. Almost unnoticeable.

But Lin Tian saw it.

Then, just as quickly, she smiled. "Just my adoptive parents. Why?"

Lin Tian shrugged. "Just curious."

Su Yun laughed softly. "That's rare. You're usually not curious about anything."

Lin Tian smirked. "I'm full of surprises."

But inside, he was thinking.

She was hiding something.

That reaction wasn't normal.

Which meant… he was on the right track.

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