038 : Unraveling the Past.

After school, Lin Tian walked toward the school gates when he heard a voice behind him.

"You're looking into Su Yun, aren't you?"

Lin Tian turned, raising an eyebrow.

It was Zhang Rui.

A boy from their class, known for being a bit of a troublemaker—but also for knowing everything about everyone.

Lin Tian crossed his arms. "And if I am?"

Zhang Rui smirked. "I figured. You're not exactly subtle."

Lin Tian said nothing.

Zhang Rui leaned against the gate. "You're not the first person to be curious about Su Yun, you know."

Lin Tian narrowed his eyes. "Explain."

Zhang Rui glanced around, then lowered his voice.

"She was adopted, right? But before that—there were rumors about her real family. About why they abandoned her."

Lin Tian's fingers tightened slightly.

"What kind of rumors?"

Zhang Rui smirked. "I could tell you… but information isn't free."

Lin Tian exhaled. "What do you want?"

Zhang Rui grinned. "Help me pass the next math test."

Lin Tian stared at him.

Then, after a moment—he smirked.

"Deal."

That night, Zhang Rui met Lin Tian at a small café near the school. He slid his phone across the table.

"Here. This is what I found."

Lin Tian glanced at the screen.

It was an old newspaper article.

[ Famous Business Family Caught in Scandal—Daughter Sent Away ]

Beneath the headline was a photo.

A couple. Rich. Powerful-looking.

And between them—a small girl.

Lin Tian's eyes sharpened.

It was Su Yun.

He kept reading.

The article talked about a business scandal. Some kind of illegal deal, corruption, and betrayal. And in the middle of it—Su Yun's real parents.

Then, buried at the bottom of the article—

"The family has chosen to send their daughter away to avoid public scrutiny. She will be placed under adoption and removed from all records."

Lin Tian stared at the words.

They didn't say it outright.

But it was clear.

Su Yun wasn't abandoned.

She was erased.

Her family had cut her off to protect themselves.

Lin Tian's fingers curled around the phone.

No wonder she felt like she didn't belong.

Her own parents had thrown her away.

And now, years later—someone from that past was watching her again.

Lin Tian exhaled.

"So this is your past, Su Yun."

But why was it connected to his trial?

He had five years to find the answer.

And now—he had taken another step closer.

Later that night, Lin Tian found himself walking toward the park.

He wasn't surprised when he saw Su Yun sitting on the same bench as before, staring at the night sky.

Without a word, he sat beside her.

She didn't ask why he was there.

Instead, after a long silence, she spoke.

"Lin Tian."

"Hmm?"

Su Yun smiled softly. "Do you ever wonder… what it would be like to have a different life?"

Lin Tian leaned back. "I think about it all the time."

Su Yun laughed lightly. "That's surprising."

Lin Tian glanced at her.

"Do you?" he asked.

Su Yun hesitated—then nodded.

"Sometimes, I wonder… if things had been different, would I be happier?"

Lin Tian was silent for a moment.

Then, he said something he hadn't planned to.

"You can still be happy."

Su Yun blinked, turning to him.

Lin Tian met her gaze. "Your past doesn't decide who you are. You do."

Su Yun's eyes widened slightly.

Then—she smiled.

Not forced.

Not fake.

A real, genuine smile.

And for the first time, Lin Tian felt like he wasn't just observing this world.

He was a part of it.

The trial continued.

But now—he had a reason to keep going.

And her name was Su Yun.

---

The air was cool that night, the moon casting a soft glow over the city. Lin Tian sat on the park bench beside Su Yun, her quiet presence beside him both familiar and strangely comforting. It had only been a short time since he arrived in this world, but already, things felt different. He had fought against gods, immortals, and cosmic rulers before, yet here he was, facing a challenge he could not overcome with strength alone.

Su Yun's past was clearer now, the pieces falling into place. Her real parents were powerful figures, wrapped in scandal, who had chosen to erase her existence rather than face the consequences of their actions. She had been abandoned, but not because she was weak or unwanted—but because she was inconvenient. Lin Tian had met countless people in his life, but Su Yun's pain was something he had never fully understood before.

She had grown up in the shadow of rejection, carrying a wound no amount of physical strength could heal. Even now, as she sat beside him, staring at the stars with a wistful expression, he could see it—the lingering doubt, the quiet sadness, the loneliness she tried to hide behind her smile. It was something deeper than what he had ever encountered before.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Lin Tian didn't push her for answers, and she didn't try to fill the silence with meaningless words. It was a fragile moment, a rare pause in a life filled with unanswered questions. Then, finally, she sighed softly, breaking the silence.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this," she admitted, hugging her knees. "Maybe because you're the first person who doesn't look at me like I'm broken."

Lin Tian's gaze didn't waver. "You're not broken."

She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Then why do I feel like I am?"

Lin Tian leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, his golden eyes reflecting the moonlight. He could have given her an answer that sounded wise, something poetic or philosophical. But that wasn't what she needed.

"Because people made you feel that way," he said simply. "But that doesn't mean they were right."

Su Yun turned her head slightly, studying him. There was something in her expression—curiosity, hesitation, maybe even a little hope. "And what if I can't change it?"

Lin Tian smirked. "Then I'll just keep reminding you until you do."

Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but then she simply shook her head and let out a quiet laugh. "You really are impossible, Lin Tian."

He shrugged. "I get that a lot."

The moment lingered between them, heavy yet comforting. But before Lin Tian could say anything else, he felt it—a presence.

Someone was watching them.

His golden eyes flickered toward the darkness beyond the trees, and there, standing beneath the dim glow of a streetlamp, was the man from before.

The same man who had warned him to stay away.

And now, he had come again.

---