Earth, 2103.
Human beings possess an insatiable desire to obtain something or another.
Yet, in this selfish world, not every desire can be fulfilled.
In a place where people are willing to sink to any depth to satisfy their own ambitions, there existed a heart that desired nothing for itself.
It wished only for the happiness of others.
His name was Lan Hai.
Technically, Lan Hai was born into one of India’s wealthiest and most influential families.
However, fate never allowed him to inherit even a fraction of that immense fortune.
Years ago, when his father, Vasudev, and his mother, Lan Xiuan, chose to marry for love, both families immediately disowned them and cast them out without hesitation.
By birth, Lan Hai’s real name should have been Krishn Rawat, but circumstances never allowed him to carry his father’s ancestral surname.
After being abandoned by their families, Vasudev was left without a single penny to his name.
Yet instead of despair, a quiet sense of peace remained on his face.
Standing beside him was the woman who had chosen him over everything else—Lan Xiuan.
Together, they turned their backs on the past and began a new life in China.
Starting from nothing, they slowly rebuilt their lives with their own hands.
A few years later, the laughter of a newborn child echoed through their humble home.
Keeping his spiritual beliefs close to his heart, Vasudev named his son krishn, while Lan Xiuan wished for the child to remain connected to her own heritage.
She gave him the surname Hai, a name symbolizing the vast azure ocean and its endless horizon.
From that day onward, the child became known as Lan Hai.
Unfortunately, destiny had no intention of letting their small family enjoy happiness for long.
When Lan Hai was only five years old, tragedy struck.
Vasudev lost his life in a construction-site accident, leaving behind nothing but memories and an unfulfilled future.
After her husband’s death, Lan Xiuan carried her son back to India with a fragile hope still lingering in her heart.
She believed that, at the very least, Lan Hai’s grandparents would accept their grandson.
Reality proved far crueler.
Those proud and wealthy elites refused to even hear her out.
Without a trace of compassion, they turned both mother and son away.
With nothing but a broken heart, Lan Xiuan returned to China.
Time slipped by, and before anyone realized it, Lan Hai had reached the age of thirteen.
His intelligence was exceptional, allowing him to graduate from high school at such a young age.
Meanwhile, his mother supported their modest household by running a small food stall.
Seeing her work tirelessly every single day, Lan Hai made up his mind to help her and give her a better life.
At school, Lan Hai was admired by his classmates and highly respected by his teachers.
His outstanding academic performance and humble personality earned him everyone’s appreciation.
Life seemed peaceful, but peace was never a guarantee that the road ahead would remain free of hardships.
Among all his friends, there was one person who was far more than a friend.
His name was Mu Chen.
Mu Chen was the young master of the prestigious Mu Family, one of the wealthiest families in the city.
Although he had everything money could buy, he had never experienced the warmth of a mother’s love.
After his mother’s passing, his father, Mu Tian, devoted himself entirely to business, leaving Mu Chen to be raised by the family’s loyal butler, Mu Ji, and his wife.
To Mu Chen, they were the closest thing he had to family.
Ironically, the friendship that would one day become stronger than blood began with a fight.
When Mu Chen was only five years old, he happened to see a group of older boys surrounding a young Lan Hai and mercilessly bullying him.
Without the slightest hint of fear, Mu Chen walked straight toward them.
“Hey! Let go of my friend!”
One of the bullies turned around and sneered.
“And who the hell are you?”
Mu Chen crossed his arms and replied with absolute confidence.
“If I told you, you wouldn’t even have the dignity left to stand here.”
The bully’s face darkened with rage.
“Beat him up too!”
Mu Chen let out a helpless sigh.
“No matter how much I try to stay peaceful, people always seem determined to pick a fight with me.”
The moment one of the boys rushed toward him—
CHAAATAAAK!
A loud slap echoed through the street.
The bully was sent flying several meters away before crashing onto the ground.
The one who had struck him was none other than Mu Ji, the Mu Family’s butler.
The moment the remaining bullies recognized him, every trace of arrogance vanished from their faces.
“T-The Mu Family’s Butler… Mu Ji!”
Their faces turned deathly pale.
Without hesitation, every one of them dropped to their knees.
“Sir! Please forgive us! We swear this will never happen again!”
Mu Chen looked at them coldly.
“You don’t owe me an apology.”
His gaze shifted toward the injured Lan Hai.
“You already know who deserves it.”
The terrified boys immediately crawled over to Lan Hai and apologized repeatedly.
However…
The moment their apology ended, Lan Hai collapsed unconscious.
Without wasting a single second, Mu Chen lifted the unconscious Lan Hai onto his back and rushed him to the nearest hospital.
By the time Lan Xiuan arrived, everything had already been taken care of.
The very first thing she did was thank Mu Ji for saving her son.
Mu Chen stood quietly in the corner, saying nothing.
Noticing him, Lan Xiuan smiled warmly and beckoned him over.
As soon as he approached, she gently pulled him into a motherly embrace.
For the very first time in his life, Mu Chen experienced the warmth of a mother’s hug.
The emotions he had buried deep inside his heart for years finally overflowed, and tears silently rolled down his cheeks.
As Lan Xiuan turned to leave, Mu Chen hesitated for a moment before asking softly,
“Auntie… can I call you ‘Mother’?”
Lan Xiuan looked at him with gentle eyes, stroked his hair, and smiled.
“Of course. You are my son too.”
From that day onward, Lan Hai’s tiny home and his mother’s food stall became Mu Chen’s second home.
Whenever he had free time, he would visit them, help Lan Xiuan with her work, and spend the rest of the day with Lan Hai.
Mu Tian was overjoyed to see the change in his son.
Knowing that Mu Chen had finally found someone he could truly call family brought him immense happiness.
He deeply admired Lan Hai and quietly supported both boys whenever they needed help.
As time passed, Lan Hai’s life gradually became more stable, and three more friends joined their circle.
Mu Chen — Young Master of the Mu Family.
Xia Qinue — Young Miss of the Xia Family.
Feng Hui — Young Master of the Feng Family.
Qin Shen — Young Master of the Qin Family.
In a world where most relationships were built upon wealth and personal gain, the bond shared by these five youngsters was something truly rare.
There were no hidden motives, no selfish ambitions, and no greed between them.
What united them was nothing but genuine friendship.
No matter what difficulties Lan Hai faced, they always stood beside him without ever looking down on his humble background.
After school ended one afternoon, the group made their way home on foot, just as they always did.
Following quietly behind them was a convoy of luxurious cars, moving at a leisurely pace and drawing countless curious stares from everyone passing by.
Lan Hai glanced helplessly at the convoy behind them before letting out a sigh.
“Seriously… how many times have I told you guys? Whenever you come to my place, come on foot. Stop bringing this entire convoy behind us. Everyone is staring at us.”
Mu Chen chuckled.
“Then why didn’t you accept the car I bought for you?”
Lan Hai rolled his eyes.
“You idiot. You know perfectly well there’s no parking space near my house. Where exactly was I supposed to park it?”
Mu Chen shrugged.
“I wasn’t buying it for you anyway. I bought it for Mother, but you made me return it.”
Lan Hai sighed in defeat.
“And thank goodness I did. If Mother showed up at the food stall in a luxury car, every auntie in the neighborhood would surround her. She’d spend more time gossiping than working.”
Mu Chen placed a hand over his chest dramatically.
“So what? My Mother is beautiful enough to deserve all that attention.”
Xia Qinue, who had been listening to the two of them bicker the entire way, finally lost her patience.
“Will you two idiots stop arguing already? I want to eat Auntie’s handmade noodles as soon as possible. If you’re done talking, start walking faster.”
The moment Feng Hui and Qin Shen heard her complaint, they burst into laughter.
Qinue immediately shot them an icy glare.
The two of them instantly looked away and pointed toward the sky.
“Look! Something’s flying over there!”
Seeing their terrible attempt to change the subject only made Mu Chen laugh even harder.
“Oh? Why don’t you just admit the truth, Qinue?”
He grinned mischievously.
“You’re not in a hurry to eat noodles… you’re in a hurry to meet your future Mother-in-Law.”
Xia Qinue’s face instantly turned bright red.
“W-What nonsense are you talking about?!”
She stammered in embarrassment.
“Lan Hai is just… a good friend!”
Mu Chen folded his arms with a smug expression.
“Stop pretending in front of your master. I know exactly what’s going on inside your little heart. During class, you spend more time staring at Lan Hai than at the blackboard. And whenever another girl gets close to him…” He couldn’t help but laugh.
“…your expression is priceless.”
Qinue immediately lowered her head, too embarrassed to say another word.
Just then, Lan Hai spoke in a calm but serious voice.
“Enough, Mu Chen.”
Everyone fell silent.
“Nothing can ever happen between us. We come from two completely different worlds.”
He looked ahead quietly before finishing,
“We’re better off remaining friends.”
Those simple words pierced Xia Qinue’s heart like a knife.
She loved Lan Hai deeply Not because of his talent.
Not because of his appearance.But because years ago, just as Mu Chen had once saved Lan Hai…
Lan Hai had also saved her from a group of bullies.
Without anyone noticing, she silently forced a smile onto her face and continued walking beside the group.
While chatting and laughing along the way, the group finally arrived at Lan Xiuan’s food stall.
Mu Chen cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted loudly,
“Mother! Where are you?”
From inside the kitchen, Lan Xiuan’s cheerful voice replied,
“I’m coming! I’m coming! What happened?”
A moment later, she stepped out with a warm smile.
“What is it, child?”
Mu Chen grinned mischievously.
“Look what I brought for you.”
Lan Xiuan looked around curiously.
“What did you bring?”
Mu Chen puffed out his chest proudly.
“Your future daughter-in-law.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Lan Xiuan rushed out of the kitchen with sparkling eyes.
“Really?! You actually found yourself a girlfriend?”
Mu Chen instantly smacked his forehead.
She’s hopeless…
Standing nearby, Lan Hai had just taken a sip of his cold drink.
Lan Xiuan glared at Mu Chen and scolded him.
“What do you mean ‘hopeless’? Is that how you speak to your mother?”
A wicked smile slowly spread across Mu Chen’s face.
“Mother… not mine.”
He pointed straight at Lan Hai.
“Our Lan Hai’s future wife.”
PFFFFFFFFUTTTT!
The drink in Lan Hai’s mouth exploded out in a spectacular spray, splashing directly across Mu Chen’s entire face.
Silence.
Mu Chen slowly wiped the drink from his face before glaring at Lan Hai.
“You bastard…”
“You spat the whole drink on me?!”
For a brief second…
Everyone stared at the two of them.
Then the entire food stall erupted with laughter.
Lan Xiuan laughed so hard that tears formed in her eyes.
Feng Hui and Qin Shen were clutching their stomachs, while even Xia Qinue couldn’t stop herself from laughing despite the deep blush covering her face.
Lan Hai looked at Mu Chen’s drenched face, tried to hold back his laughter…
…and failed miserably.
Seeing Lan Hai laugh, Mu Chen finally gave up as well.
Soon, the five friends and Lan Xiuan were laughing together, their joyful voices echoing throughout the small food stall.
Life was never destined to be filled with sorrow alone.
No matter how dark the road ahead might seem, moments like these always found a way to shine through.
They became precious memories that people carried in their hearts for the rest of their lives.
Sometimes…
The greatest treasures in life were not wealth, fame, or power…
But the people who laughed beside you before destiny changed everything.