Pei Ji stood alone in the bathtub. Under the steaming hot air, the boy's pale and thin skin gradually tinted with a light pink hue. He awkwardly raised his hand and touched the warm water beside him. His mother detested dirtiness and made him bathe every day. Bathing required a lot of water, and she was reluctant to waste time heating it up, so Pei Ji mostly had access to cold water directly drawn from the river. Compared to the scars, the cold was nothing. Pei Ji shivered at first, but gradually got accustomed to it. He had gotten used to the cold water, so now, being in a warm bath felt somewhat uncomfortable and awkward. It was no longer a chilling torture; instead, warmth enveloped every corner of his body, bringing comfort that felt unreal. His body became strange. The blurry wounds vanished, replaced inexplicably by many dark brown scars—none of them a pleasing sight. "Have you not touched hot water in a long time?" A voice resounded in his ears, and Pei Ji looked up to see the pitch-black long sword placed on the table. Ning Ning said he had lost some memories, and during that forgotten time, the spirit of the sword, Cheng Ying, had left his body and transformed into its true form of a sword. She did not deceive him. When he grew up, he could wield a sword like Ning Ning. "Ah, it's been a long time since I've seen you like this. I-I really miss it." Cheng Ying's form changed, still enthusiastically teasing him, "Come on, call me Brother Cheng Ying!" Last night, Pei Ji and Ning Ning made a pact, and ever since he returned home, he had been smiling secretly. Cheng Ying immediately saw through his thoughts and couldn't resist teasing him. Amid the laughter, Pei Ji stashed him away in the sword case. If it weren't for Ning Ning letting Cheng Ying out later to keep Pei Ji company and chat, Cheng Ying wouldn't have seen the naive and ignorant side of the brat. Cheng Ying was in high spirits, planning to continue teasing when he suddenly heard Ning Ning call from outside, "Pei Ji, are you done? If you stay any longer, the water will get cold." The boy, lost in thought, blinked and tried to speak louder so she could hear, "Um....Yes." Pei Ji wore a nightgown that Ning Ning had specially bought for him from the mountain below. When his body suddenly shrunk in size, it was impossible to make the child wear an adult's oversized robe. Therefore, before finding his mentor, Ning Ning went down the mountain to buy some essential items suitable for children, such as shoes, snacks, and various clothes. This nightgown was made of silk and cotton, with a natural warmth-retaining effect, feeling soft and gentle to the touch, like tiny fluffy balls. When it touched the skin, it felt as warm as being wrapped in clouds. Ning Ning waited outside for a long time. When Pei Ji stepped out, she glanced at him and found him so cute that her mind went blank. Compared to the later teenage years, the boy's features were not as strikingly handsome; his face carried more of the innocence and tenderness unique to children. He was frail, with a thin face, enveloped in the soft white gown, resembling a cat retracting its claws. His excessively white skin seemed as if washed by snow, with wet remnants on long eyelashes, followed by pure black pupils and tightly pursed thin lips. Sensing her gaze, Pei Ji shyly lowered his head, revealing a hint of red on his earlobe in his scattered black hair. Too cute! Ning Ning almost reached out to pinch his cheek but restrained herself from scaring the child and managed to hold back her right hand. Despite her playful intentions, she took a few steps closer to him and chuckled, "I've been playing with you all day today. Shouldn't Pei Ji show some gratitude?" The boy hesitated for a moment and timidly replied, "Tha-thank you." Besides this "thank you," he had nothing else to offer her. This fact made him somewhat sad, feeling a pang in his heart, and soon after, he heard Ning Ning's response, "Just a thank you is not enough."
The overwhelming sense of loss rushed in, but before this emotion could spread, Ning Ning reached out her right hand and wiped away a droplet at the corner of his eye. She looked into Pei Ji's eyes, and when she smiled, her pupils sparkled like rippling springs, "You should say, 'Thank you, sis.'" It was really strange. Everyone he met today seemed eager for him to call them "brother" or "sister." Cheng Ying couldn't bear it any longer and shouted, "Ning Ning! You're taking advantage of him! Pei Xiao Ji, don't call her that, Mommy does not allow it! Not! Allow!" The boy's long lashes trembled as his pale lips, tinted with moisture, parted slightly. Even if he was truly being taken advantage of... once it was her, it seemed there was no reason to refuse. Or perhaps, the idea of being taken advantage of by Ning Ning didn't bother Pei Ji at all. "Thank you—" Ning Ning listened intently, watching as a blush rose on Pei Ji's face, and in a very soft and slow voice, he called her, "Sister." Cheng Ying grumbled in extreme resentment while Ning Ning, full of herself, gently touched the child's damp black hair. Ah. Ning Sheng was satisfied, only hoping that Pei Ji would treat this matter as if it never happened once he regained his memories. Today, Ning Ning took Pei Ji to see the mountains and snow, and later accompanied him to the mountains to practice swordsmanship. After eating and drinking, with the night growing late, it was time for him to wash up and go to bed. "Remember not to kick the blankets, if you're afraid of the dark, the candle in the corner won't go out." Ning Ning watched the child obediently get into bed, reaching out to tuck the bedding tightly around him, "Are you scared being alone here?" She thought Pei Ji would shake his head. But the boy on the bed looked quietly at her, his eyes appearing round and big on his small face. After a moment of silence, seeming hesitant, he nodded silently. There was a faint hope in his eyes. With no memories left, the girl in front of him was just a stranger sister he had met less than a day ago. Ning Ning thought that if she suggested sleeping together, Pei Ji might feel uncomfortable. Knowing how to maintain boundaries, she lowered her head and said, "You sleep on the bed, and I'll sit at the table to rest, alright?" Pei Ji fell silent for a moment, and with a dark glint in his eyes, he murmured, "Um." The candle in the corner was shielded by a screen, casting a faint, ethereal light. Pei Ji behaved well in bed, lying quietly without making a sound. Today's events were too overwhelming, and Ning Ning couldn't sleep for a while. She rested her head on the table, lost in thought, when suddenly she sensed a very weak magical aura. Oh, right. Due to his heritage, Pei Ji was susceptible to magical influences. The drowsiness that had been building up dispersed in an instant, and Ning Ning looked towards the bed not far away, "Pei Ji?" But there was no response.
She felt anxious and approached, only to discover that Pei Ji had curled up entirely under the covers, just like in the morning. In the flickering candlelight, wisps of dark energy clung to his long hair, seeping out from the bedding. The surge of dark energy tortured every meridian in his body, and even the young Pei Ji from his past would have gritted his teeth to endure this, let alone the child who didn't even know how to cultivate qi.
Ning Ning reached out to lift the quilt, but found another force holding it down— Pei Ji was clutching the blanket tightly, not letting her uncover him. "Pei Ji." Her tone held no impatience as she coaxed him gently through the blankets, very close, "Come out, be good." This voice was like a charm, and the boy, tormented by intense pain, was almost obediently lifting the covers. But he didn't want Ning Ning to see him like this. In the current climate where everyone despised the demon race, wishing only for their swift demise, and his current horrifying appearance, if seen by others, would only evoke more disgust. Pei Ji didn't want to scare her, nor did he want her to despise him. The surging dark energy violently assaulted his internal organs, causing sharp pains throughout his body. Pei Ji didn't know how to alleviate it, so he could only grit his teeth and endure. He had tried so hard not to make a sound, why did she still notice something was wrong? The agony and darkness filled the bedding, intensifying the pain, and the boy began trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly, something gently slipped under the covers by his side.
