Chapter 10: Whispers of Change

That evening, after school, little Heqing got picked up by her mom and headed home.

Back home with her little backpack, she planned to ask Lin Zheng Ran right away, but then she spotted a comb in the bathroom by chance.

Little Heqing dragged a plastic stool over to the vanity and climbed up.

She grabbed the comb and fixed her stray hairs into a neat ponytail, checking herself in the mirror.

Once she was mostly satisfied, she went to the kitchen and told her mom, “Mom, I need to ask Lin Zheng Ran something. I have to go see him.”

Aunt He was in the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge for veggies, and she replied, “Okay, I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

Then her phone rang. Aunt He glanced at the number, puzzled, but answered quickly: “Mom? Why are you calling so late? Is everything alright?”

A moment later, Aunt He’s face turned pale with worry: “Are you okay? Should I come over and take you to the hospital? Alright, alright, I’ll bring her with me.”

As Heqing was about to head out, Aunt He, who had just hung up, called out, “Heqing, wait a second!”

Little Heqing turned back, confused: “What is it, Mom?”

Aunt He shut the fridge door, untied her apron, and said, “Don’t go to Lin Zheng Ran’s just yet. Your grandma seems sick. Grab a few things quickly—we’re going to her place tonight. I’ll handle your school absence.”

“Grandma’s sick? Is it bad?” Little Heqing asked, her voice full of panic.

Aunt He rushed to the bedroom to pack clothes: “She says she’s too weak to get out of bed, and she really wants to see you.”

Little Heqing was good at reading faces; she saw her mom’s tense expression and the worried air, so she didn’t ask more.

She glanced helplessly toward Lin Zheng Ran’s house, then packed her things to go with her mom and check on Grandma, planning to ask about the rumor later.

On the drive back to their old hometown, Little Heqing noticed her mom on the phone nonstop, arranging time off and contacting the hospital.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Little Heqing twisted around to stare out at the dark night.

Her innocent eyes blinked as her young mind raced with thoughts.

Luckily, it was just a false alarm. After a hectic night, the next morning Little Heqing saw her mom in the hospital with tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips.

The nurse explained, “It’s nothing serious, just a few minor issues. You’ll need to keep an eye on her though—make sure to visit every week to avoid any accidents.”

Aunt He nodded: “Got it, thank you, nurse.”

“We’ll keep her here for observation this week. If she improves, she can go home. Looks like she fell a few days ago, and her leg injury is why she can’t get up. Don’t worry too much.”

“Okay.”

After the nurse left, Aunt He let out a deep breath and turned to her cheerful mom lying in the bed.

Grandma was gently stroking her granddaughter—little Heqing’s—head.

With a happy smile, she asked, “Heqing, it’s been half a year since you visited Grandma. Did you miss me?”

Little Heqing nodded at the bedside: “I did!”

“I heard from your mom that you’re learning Taekwondo and getting really good at it. Show me sometime when you’re free?”

“Sure! Once you’re out of the hospital, I’ll practice for you!”

Aunt He asked, “Mom, why didn’t you call me when you fell a few days ago? You waited until you couldn’t get out of bed?”

Grandma glanced at her daughter and chuckled warmly: “I thought it was nothing. Everyone falls sometimes. Who knew getting older meant a little injury lands you in the hospital?”

Aunt He sat by the bed and sighed, suddenly feeling emotional, her voice choking up: “Dad left us early, and Heqing’s still growing up. You’re all I have left. On the way here, I was so scared.”

The sweet little Heqing tore off a couple of tissues and handed them to her mom: “Don’t cry, Mom.”

Aunt He wiped her tears and smiled, patting her daughter’s head: “You’re such a good girl, Heqing.”

Grandma kept smiling: “Why cry? The doctor said it’s not serious. I’m not scared, so why are you? Heqing’s tougher than you anyway.”

Aunt He shot her mom a playful glare, not sure what to say, and the two just shared a laugh.

Just like old times.

Though Grandma turned out fine, Little Heqing and her mom soon returned to the small town.

But Grandma’s health was fading, and she couldn’t be left alone.

Without much thought, Aunt He decided to quit her job, find remote work back home, and take care of her mom while settling in their southern hometown.

Little Heqing would transfer schools and go with her.

Little Heqing understood; her mom needed to care for Grandma, and she had no objections. But when she overheard her mom calling the school about transferring, she couldn’t help but shed silent tears.

It wasn’t the school she’d miss—it was the neighbor who’d teased her since kindergarten, Lin Zheng Ran.

Aunt He knew Lin Zheng Ran was her daughter’s only friend, so she hugged her: “Heqing, I know you don’t want to leave your brother Lin Zheng Ran, but Grandma needs us. We have to go.”

Little Heqing buried her face in her mom’s arms: “Mom… we’ll come back someday, right?”

“Of course. You can return for middle school if you want. I’ll enroll you here so you can be with Lin Zheng Ran again—it’s just a break until then.”

Little Heqing loosened her grip on her mom’s clothes a bit, her eyes trembling: “Okay… so when do we leave?”

“In a month. Use this time to say goodbye to Lin Zheng Ran properly and tell him you’ll see him when you’re older.”

Aunt He stroked her daughter’s hair, gazing out the window at the town they’d lived in for years, her heart mixed with emotions.

“Or you could video chat with him now and then—that works too.”

Adults often see friendships as fleeting; once apart, they’re usually gone for good, maybe just a vague memory of a playmate from childhood whose face you can’t recall.

But for Little Heqing, Lin Zheng Ran held an irreplaceable place in her heart.

Whether Aunt He would return, she wasn’t sure, but Little Heqing would.

Saturday rolled around again.

Lin Zheng Ran lay in bed, reading a book.

The system’s voice chimed in during his cultivation, announcing he’d reached level twenty, unlocking a second skill.

[Cultivation Doubler—Your path of fate has reached mastery. From now on, any fairy you’ve bound will gain double the cultivation progress and learning speed under your guidance.]

[Note—This only activates when you’re personally teaching them; it won’t work if they’re cultivating alone.]

This ability… it feels like it’s pushing me toward founding a sect.

My disciples get double growth from my teaching, and thanks to my first ability, I gain double their cultivation in return.

It’s like compound interest—multiplying four times over!

[Fairy He is here to see you again, looking travel-worn as if she has urgent business.]

The next moment, a knock echoed at the door.