[Age 3: You grow up healthy and strong.
Whether it’s Realm technology, swordsmanship, universal physics, or any other subject, you display astonishing natural talent.
The neighbors throughout the Realm praise you as a child prodigy.
Your parents are quite pleased and reward you with your favorite snack—Momo Rolls.]
[It’s also during this year that you finally learn the truth: Jing Liuliu isn’t actually named Jing Liuliu.
Her real name is Jingliu.
Perhaps you misheard it as a child.
Or perhaps Uncle Jing and Aunt Liu decided “Jing Liuliu” sounded a bit too childish.
Or, most likely of all, Jingliu herself lodged a formal protest with her parents.]
[Although the name on the family register has been changed to Jingliu, you still call her “Liuliu” just like always.
You keep doing it because every time you do, Liuliu’s little face turns bright red.]
[And immediately afterward, she gives you a very “affectionate” pat.]
[Watching her flushed cheeks, you become even more convinced that this nickname is the correct choice.]
[After all, you once heard the storyteller say: A maiden’s blush surpasses all else!!!]
[Age 4: You visit Liuliu’s house, wanting to compare heights.
So the two of you stand back-to-back, pressed close together.]
[Then you decide to compare hand sizes.
So you press your little palms together.]
[The adults watch the two of you getting along so wonderfully and simply chuckle to themselves, not bothering to interfere.]
“Liuliu, let’s compare lips…”
Liuliu’s lips were soft too.
But why did Liuliu smell so nice?
Bai Qiong’s eyes were filled with genuine confusion.
[Uncle Jing and Aunt Liu laughed heartily.
Your father, on the other hand, turned redder than a monkey’s backside and kept shooting apologetic glances toward Uncle Jing.]
[And you happened to catch this exact moment.]
[Suddenly, the storyteller’s words echoed in your mind—A maiden’s blush surpasses all else!!!]
[You stared at your father’s deeply flushed face as he looked at Uncle Jing, and a jolt of alarm shot through your tiny heart.
You immediately ran to your mother’s side, tugged urgently at the hem of her clothes, and reported your discovery.]
[After returning home, you experienced your first-ever “mixed doubles” beating.
Amidst the pain, a profound realization dawned upon you—so this is what they mean by “men and women working together makes the job effortless.”]
[You also came to understand the true meaning of “a father’s love is like a mountain.” That mountain, as it turned out, could also be the one that delivers a good slap…]
[Age 5: You and Liuliu have finally reached the minimum age for private tutoring.]
“Qiong, hurry up!”
Jingliu tugged Bai Qiong along as they ran down the road home.
Her delicate little face was dotted with fine beads of sweat, and a few stray strands of hair clung to her forehead, making her look even more adorable.
Bai Qiong let himself be pulled forward, his chubby little face wearing an expression of helpless resignation.
On his back, he was carrying two small schoolbags.
The sight of two cute kids sprinting through the streets drew frequent glances from passing pedestrians.
After a while, just as they reached the alleyway closest to home, Jingliu suddenly slammed on the brakes and whirled around to face Bai Qiong.
Bai Qiong’s big round eyes seemed to carry the weight of several years’ worth of exhaustion.
Without a word, he handed Jingliu her little backpack.
As the two of them entered the alley, the dynamic shifted—Bai Qiong walked in front, while Jingliu followed behind like a little shadow, clutching the hem of his shirt.
“Little Bai Qiong and Little Jingliu are back!”
The elderly men playing chess beneath the banyan tree and the elderly women sitting nearby enjoying the shade all turned their gazes toward the pair.
Looking at the two adorable children, their expressions seemed to soften with warmth.
Some of them even had the unmistakable curl of an auntie-like smile tugging at their lips.
It was clear—these folks were seasoned veterans of the shipping wars.
“Hello, grandpas and grandmas,” Bai Qiong said, struggling slightly under the weight of their teasing stares.
“Our aunties and uncles are waiting for us with dinner ready at home.
Goodbye, grandpas and grandmas!”
Barely arrived and already saying goodbye.
But what else could he do?
The elderly of this generation…
sigh.
He just couldn’t handle them.
Jingliu’s little face was flushed red.
She didn’t understand why, but whenever those grandparents looked at her and Little Bai with that particular smile, her face just felt hot all over.
When they got home and found that Uncle Jing and Aunt Liu weren’t there, little Jingliu rushed excitedly into the bedroom.
Bai Qiong watched the small backpack she had tossed carelessly onto the floor.
His tiny face assumed an expression of maturity far beyond his years, and he let out a sigh in perfect imitation of the old folks at the village entrance.
Perhaps it was because he’d been able to form memories since birth.
Over five years, he’d read quite a lot of books.
That was why he always carried himself like a miniature adult.
His parents had taken him to the Alchemy Commission for a checkup.
The doctor said he was born with an exceptionally strong soul, which was why he picked up everything so quickly.
Bai Qiong picked up Jingliu’s little backpack and walked into the bedroom.
Inside, there were two small beds, and mounted on the wall across from them was a television.
Jingliu was brimming with excitement as she grabbed the remote.
Today was the premiere of her absolute favorite show—Young Manbo.
“The Ma family’s youngest Dou Zhe—the prodigy Manbo—was once the hope of his clan’s revival.”
“Unexpectedly, for reasons unknown, he became unable to condense his ManQi.
Over three years, his cultivation base plummeted to the third stage of Man Qi.”
“The Ma clan could not accept the changes that had befallen Manbo.
In the Oma Inspiration Continent, where strength reigns supreme, the former genius Manbo has fallen to become a worthless laughingstock…”
Jingliu’s eyes flickered with worry.
She murmured under her breath—Little Horse is definitely going to get stronger!
Bai Qiong tossed Jingliu’s backpack onto her bed, then made his way to his own desk and got down to business—grinding in secret!
Five years old was supposedly the age when kids were annoying enough to drive both people and dogs crazy.
This rule seemed to apply just as well to the long-lived Xianzhou Natives.
Bai Qiong considered himself practically an adult already.
So when it came to the current Jingliu…
all he could say was: strategic retreat is the better part of valor.
Jingliu was born with a freakish amount of brute strength.
When she hit, it hurt.
So it was best not to provoke her.
Besides, if he secretly grinded his way past Jingliu, he could turn her into a useless little rice worm who depended on him for everything!
Then she’d never be able to leave him!
And it couldn’t stop there!
Every morning, I’ll grab the milk for her.
I’ll walk those extra steps.
Over time, Jingliu will grow lazy.
Every day, I’ll carry her backpack.
I’ll bear that extra weight.
Over time, Jingliu will have no choice but to rely on me!
A grin spread across Bai Qiong’s chubby little face.
He took a deep breath, spent a few minutes finishing the homework assigned by the teacher, and then pulled out a book—A Brief Introduction to Special and General Relativity.
[Age 6: The years pass by in a blur of warm, simple days.
Your parents remain as busy as ever with work, but they always manage to set aside a day or two each month to come home and spend time with you.]
[Your skills in swordsmanship, Realm technology exploration, and universal physics continue to advance at a steady pace.
Moreover, you display astonishing talent across a wide range of fields—information electronics, myological engineering, artistic aesthetics, structural history, and more.]
[Your teachers believe you are destined for great achievements.
You become the proverbial “somebody else’s child” that all your classmates’ parents love to bring up, and you gain the admiration of the other children.]