"ow~"
As the evening sun cast its reddish glow over the corridor, the handso young man carrying a schoolbag was trailed by a black cat. Yatsuhashi had already disappeared.
Since school was officially over, what ca next was no longer Yatsuhashi’s concern. After replying to the group chat to express his thanks, Yan Huan had declined further assistance.
On reaching the floor where the principal’s office was located, the silence was profound. He could faintly make out voices coming from inside the office.
He stopped before advancing, turning toward the window to adjust his appearance. He switched his bag to a cross-body position and glanced back at ow-chan, who was seated on the floor grooming itself.
"ow-chan, wait here until I co back to get you. Don’t wander off—it’d be bad if soone spotted you."
"Don’t worry. You don’t have to babysit ."
Though ow-chan didn’t seem thrilled about the na, it wasn’t the type to make a fuss. Its clear erald eyes blinked as it spoke telepathically.
"If necessary, I can ensure that only you can perceive my presence. You won’t need to worry about where I am—I’ll appear anyti you call
in your mind."
"That’s pretty convenient... alright then."
"ow~"
Satisfied, Yan Huan nodded and turned toward the principal’s office, a place he’d visited countless tis.
As he approached the door, the faint sounds of conversation inside made him hesitate.
A sudden appearance of soone claiming to be his mother, given his background as an orphan, was either a bizarre urban legend or sothing connected to the Modifiers.
Curiosity won, and he leaned closer to listen.
“Yes, yes, he’s exceptional. He’s the president of the Yuanyue Academy Student Council. Despite his responsibilities, we’ve provided tuition waivers, recomndation letters, and reserved spots for relevant universities...”
That voice belonged to Principal Hers. His high-pitched tone was easy to identify.
"But even with the waivers, doesn’t that cover only two-thirds of the fees? How does he manage the rest?"
The other voice, a warm and soothing female tone, was harder to place. It carried a gentle cadence, like a breeze brushing one’s cheek.
"Well... while the school doesn’t prohibit part-ti work during free hours, I’ve been considering proposing a scholarship fund to the board to ease financial burdens, especially for such exceptional students."
"I see. As it happens, I’m here on behalf of Ye International to establish a Dragon Nation Immigration Scholarship Fund at Yuanyue Academy. I hope it will support your proposal. Our team will handle the fundraising logistics..."
"You’re too generous, Ms. Ye... Ah, forgive
for keeping you waiting. The students had exams today, so he might have had his phone on airplane mode."
"It’s no trouble."
Hearing no decisive clues, Yan Huan resolved to face the mystery head-on.
With a soft knock, he called out,
"Principal, you wanted to see ?"
"Ah, here he is..." Principal Hers chuckled and addressed the woman before raising his voice.
"Co in, Yan Huan."
Opening the door, Yan Huan found himself in the lavishly furnished office. Principal Hers sat on a leather sofa directly facing the entrance.
He was dressed formally, his neatly combed white hair and elegantly styled goatee lending him a classical air.
Opposite Hers sat a woman with her back to Yan Huan. Her hair was styled in a black chignon, adorned with a jade hairpin that seed naturally part of her elegance.
Her figure radiated a subtle charm, enhanced by the soft lines of a dark green floral cheongsam. One lock of her hair was tucked behind her ear, revealing a fair lobe adorned with a dangling erald earring that swayed gently.
As Yan Huan entered, she turned to look at him, revealing a face poised between youthful vitality and mature grace. Her pupils briefly contracted as her gaze locked on him.
A stunning woman.
Standing gracefully, she carefully examined Yan Huan, her focus lingering on his face.
Her eyes reddened almost instantly. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, her voice trembling.
"It’s uncanny... you look so much like her... so much..."
What is this? Who looks like whom?
Startled, Yan Huan alternated his gaze between the emotional woman and the cheerful Hers, completely baffled.
Once again, that peculiar sensation he’d experienced with Bai Yi surfaced in his mind.
Who are you? I’m pretty sure we’ve never t.
Seeking clarification, Yan Huan glanced at Principal Hers, who smiled warmly and introduced the woman.
"Yan Huan, this is Ms. Ye Lan, the new representative of Ye International here at the Mariti Gate."
The Mariti Gate was a highly modernized and prosperous independent city-state on the sea, known for its economic vibrancy and multicultural population—a place that hadn’t existed in Yan Huan’s previous life.
Ye International was one of the top enterprises in the Dragon Nation, which itself seed parallel to his past life’s Celestial Empire.
While the context clarified Ye Lan’s impressive status, Yan Huan was still puzzled by her earlier reference to being his “mother.”
"Uh, Ms. Ye... nice to et you. But... have we t before?"
Tears welling in her eyes, Ye Lan strode toward him, clearly trying to speak but reduced to choked sobs.
Before Yan Huan could react, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.
Startled by the sudden closeness and the soft warmth pressing against him, Yan Huan froze, his body rigid with alarm. His thoughts raced—was this another Modifier at work, one requiring physical proximity?
Just as he considered pushing her away, Ye Lan’s trembling voice reached his ears.
"Sorry... you just look so much like your mother... so much..."
"...Mother?"
Yan Huan blinked in surprise, his tension easing slightly. Though still cautious, he didn’t dare move.
After a mont, Ye Lan composed herself. She stepped back, her hands gripping his shoulders as she t his gaze with red-rimd eyes.
"Yes, your parents were my dearest friends from the Dragon Nation—especially your mother, Wang Yulu. She was my closest friend...
"We were university classmates. After graduation, they ca to the Mariti Gate while I stayed behind. I hadn’t heard from them in so long. How could I have known they..." Her voice broke again.
So, she was a friend of his parents in this life?
Hearing his mother’s unfamiliar yet familiar na, Yan Huan felt a weight lift from his heart.
Honestly, he’d paid little attention to his parents’ social circles after transmigrating. It wasn’t apathy; he simply had minimal mories of them.
As a baby, his underdeveloped brain had left him in a daze, only for him to learn later that they’d perished in a plane crash.
Stranded as an orphan in a foreign land, he’d watched as distant relatives descended like vultures to claim his parents’ assets—a shaful practice commonly called “inheritance looting.”
By the ti his soul fully integrated with this life, the scavengers were long gone, leaving him to grow up in an orphanage.
For years, he’d grown accustod to being alone. Now, suddenly, his deceased parents’ real friends had appeared, albeit belatedly.
Changing his tone, he addressed her respectfully.
"Aunt Ye."
"Good boy."
Ye Lan wiped her tears, her joy evident as she spoke.
"Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought up such sad mories. After arriving at the Mariti Gate, I’ve been searching for you. I’m so proud of how strong and outstanding you’ve beco—managing on your own, excelling at such a prestigious school. Your mother would’ve been so proud..."
Her words steered the conversation back to his mother, leaving Yan Huan little choice but to respond tactfully.
"I’m sure she’d have been very happy to see you again, Aunt Ye."
Unfortunately, his words struck another emotional chord. Tears threatened once more as Ye Lan’s lips quivered.
Alard by her reaction, Yan Huan quickly waved his hands.
"Sorry! I didn’t an to upset you further."
"Little Huan... may I call you that?"
"Of course."
He glanced at Principal Hers, who stood nearby, beaming with his signature investnt-securing smile. This expression was unmistakable—Hers always looked like that when soone pledged money.
Sensing Yan Huan’s gaze, Hers belatedly handed Ye Lan a tissue.
"Ms. Ye, please."
"Thank you, Mr. Hers..."
Ye Lan wiped her tears and blew her nose before offering Yan Huan a slightly forced smile. Still, her lips trembled as she struggled to regain composure.
Yan Huan, now equipped with his newly acquired Perfect Expression Control, masterfully adjusted his deanor.
His lips pressed slightly together, his brow furrowed with subtle confusion, and his eyes flitted awkwardly around her tear-streaked face.
"Aunt Ye..."
His expression radiated a blend of empathy and uncertainty, perfectly reflecting soone touched by her emotions yet grappling with faint, incomplete mories of his parents.
Seeing his reaction, Ye Lan’s heart ached. Realizing her display had burdened him, she quickly straightened up and offered a suggestion.
"It’s alright, Aunt Ye is here now. From today on, I’ll take care of everything for you, Little Huan. Let’s go ho for dinner later—I’ll introduce you to your sister. Mr. Hers, thank you for your ti this afternoon."
Seeing Ye Lan calm down, Yan Huan felt so relief.
Though unfamiliar with dealing with elders this emotional, he was confident Ye Lan was just a genuine family friend, unrelated to the Modifiers.
"No trouble at all, Ms. Ye. Yuanyue Academy is honored by Ye International’s support and recognition."
Ye Lan smiled warmly, retrieving her phone from her bag and typing out a ssage. Turning to Yan Huan, she added,
"By the way, your sister recently arrived in the Mariti Gate. She doesn’t know many people here, so I’ll introduce you two tonight. You’ll be classmates soon, too!"
Wait... what?
A sister?
Yan Huan blinked, his unease rising once again. With precision, he focused on a key word from Ye Lan’s statent.
"Sister?"
"Yes!" Ye Lan nodded happily. "My daughter. She’s a year older than you and was studying her second year of high school in the Dragon Nation. She’ll be attending Yuanyue Academy with you soon. I’m sure you’ll get along splendidly!"
Ye Lan’s hopeful gaze left Yan Huan unable to object to such a reasonable arrangent.
But deep inside, perhaps influenced by ow-chan’s earlier warnings, he felt an ominous sense of foreboding.
Nevertheless, his smile remained perfectly polite.
"Of course, Aunt Ye."
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