Growth

(Two Years Later)

In the quiet morning, mother and daughter sat together in the garden, basking in the warmth of the sun. Golden rays filtered softly through the leaves above, dancing across their faces.

Li Anqi swayed her little feet as she sat on a low chair, humming to herself. Next to her, Lin Shuang was carefully threading a few jasmine flowers, just the way her little princess had instructed.

Li Anqi watched her mother with wide, gentle eyes, her heart full of love. Sometimes, in these moments, she remembered her mother from her past life, especially when she saw how lovingly Lin Shuang looked at her. Her real mother had been the same when she was small, and her father was still alive. She had also made her a crown of flowers, just like this.

"Anqi, look," Lin Shuang said, holding up the small floral loop with a proud smile. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, Mama, I like it very much," Li Anqi said in her soft, cute voice, nodding eagerly.

"Really? Then let me put it on your head..." Lin Shuang said, her tone full of delight.

"No, Mama! I want to make a crown for you too. Then we'll wear them together," Li Anqi replied sweetly, puffing her cheeks a little.

Though her mental age was over twenty, in front of her parents, she was always their little princess, soft-spoken, adorable, and full of innocent charm. She didn't want to miss even a single moment of being pampered and loved. In her past life, love had been rare, fleeting. But now… she wanted to soak in every drop of affection from her parents.

"No, what if the needle pricks your fingers?" Lin Shuang asked gently, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Mama, I'm a big girl now, two and a half years old! How could a tiny needle hurt me?" Li Anqi huffed in mock protest, puffing her cheeks even more.

Lin Shuang laughed at her daughter's puffed cheeks and exaggerated seriousness. "Alright, alright, Big Girl Anqi, come here," she said, passing her a few jasmine flowers and a dull needle with a thick thread.

Li Anqi carefully took the needle between her tiny fingers, her lips pursed in focus. She leaned closer, her legs swinging under the chair, and slowly began to thread the blossoms together just like she had seen her mother do.

"Like this?" she asked, her voice full of anticipation.

Lin Shuang leaned in and smiled, her eyes full of warmth. "Mm, just like that. You're doing so well."

The two sat side by side in the soft morning light, mother and daughter threading white jasmine flowers into tiny crowns. The quiet sound of birds chirping filled the background, and a light breeze played with the petals.

After some time, Li Anqi held up her work proudly. "Mama, it's done! For you!"

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Lin Shuang asked, pretending to be surprised.

Li Anqi nodded furiously, grinning widely as she leaned over to place the crown gently on her mother's head. "Now we match!"

Lin Shuang pulled her close into a hug, her eyes misty with emotion. "Yes, my little princess. We match."

In that soft, peaceful moment, Li Anqi let herself melt into her mother's embrace. A small part of her still ached for the mother she had once known, but Lin Shuang's gentle warmth made her feel whole again.

Later that day, after lunch and a nap, when the house had gone quiet and her parents were busy, Li Anqi slipped away into her room and locked the door.

In the blink of an eye, she was inside the space.

Over the past two years, this secret place had become her world of growth. Books, scrolls, digital lessons, and martial arts, she had explored them all. The computer room had become her nightly classroom, and the training hall her quiet companion in the early mornings.

Time flowed differently here, stretching and bending to her will. With no rush from the outside world, she had all the time she needed.

She had already memorized the basics of three different martial arts styles. Her movements, once clumsy and uncertain, had become smoother, more fluid. Her punches no longer felt like a baby's soft taps, but carried real weight and focus.

Every night, after her parents fell asleep, she would sneak into the space to study more. Language lessons, self-defense, herbal knowledge, even cooking! Everything she thought might help her in the future.

And every day, as the pages of ancient manuals turned and her little limbs moved through practiced stances, something inside her grew stronger and more certain. Not just knowledge. Not just strength. But a steady belief in herself.

Once quite strict, Xiao Bai had softened over the years. At first, he used to puff himself up, his tone sharp and majestic, correcting her posture and every mistake with stern precision. But now, after watching her tireless efforts, her tiny form practicing even when sleepy, his edges had quietly melted.

He sat near the edge of the practice hall, his white fur gleaming under the soft lantern lights.

"You've improved," he said in his usual calm voice, but this time, there was a faint warmth in it, a thread of quiet pride.

Li Anqi, a little breathless, strands of hair sticking to her forehead, turned toward him. "Really?"

Xiao Bai gave a small nod. "I don't speak without reason. You still stumble here and there, but you're learning fast. And more importantly, you don't give up."

She smiled widely at the rare praise and walked over, flopping down beside him on the warm floor.

"Thank you, Xiao Bai," she said softly.

He glanced at her, then huffed lightly through his nose. "You're too small to be this stubborn. But maybe that's your strength."

She leaned against his soft side with a sleepy yawn. "I just want to get stronger... so I can protect the people I love."

Xiao Bai was quiet for a long while. His golden eyes drifted upward, watching the floating symbols glowing like gentle stars in the air above.

"You remind me of someone," he murmured. "Someone I served long ago. She, too, was soft on the outside, but strong where it counted."

Li Anqi blinked slowly. "What happened to her?"