The next morning, the Lu family woke before dawn.
Kelly stood in the courtyard holding three neatly folded sets of clothing.
The boys stared.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Lu Chuan rubbed his eyes.
Then rubbed them again.
"Stepmother..."
His voice was small.
"Are those ours?"
Kelly smiled.
"Come and see."
The three boys approached cautiously.
As if afraid the clothes would disappear if they moved too quickly.
The uniforms were simple.
Blue cotton jackets.
Matching trousers.
White shirts.
Nothing luxurious.
But compared to the patched clothing they had worn before, they looked brand new.
Lu Tuan carefully touched the fabric.
His fingers trembled.
"It's really for us?"
Kelly nodded.
"Who else?"
Little Lu Chuan immediately hugged the uniform to his chest.
His eyes sparkled brighter than Kelly had ever seen.
Even Lu Cheng stood frozen.
For years, he had watched other children receive new clothes.
He had told himself it didn't matter.
That clothes were only clothes.
Yet now, staring at the uniform in his hands, he realized he had been lying to himself.
He wanted it.
He wanted it very much.
Kelly pretended not to notice the redness in his eyes.
"Go change."
The three boys disappeared into the room.
A few minutes later—
they emerged.
Kelly's breath caught.
Lu Cheng looked handsome and mature.
Lu Tuan looked bright and energetic.
Little Lu Chuan practically glowed with happiness.
The boys stood awkwardly.
Not knowing where to put their hands.
Not knowing how to react.
Because nobody had ever bought something new just for them.
Kelly smiled.
"You look wonderful."
The three boys froze.
Then looked away at the same time.
Embarrassed.
But happy.
Very happy.
---
Before leaving for school, Kelly handed each child a lunch box.
The boys blinked.
Lunch boxes?
Those were expensive.
Most village children wrapped food in cloth.
Many had no lunch at all.
Kelly opened one.
Inside were slices of pork.
Half an egg.
A steamed bun.
And pickled vegetables.
The boys stared.
Completely stunned.
Lu Chuan swallowed loudly.
"Stepmother..."
"Can I really eat this?"
Kelly laughed.
"Of course."
The little boy almost cried.
---
The moment they arrived at school, the entire courtyard fell silent.
Children stopped playing.
Parents stopped talking.
Even the teacher looked surprised.
The Lu brothers stood there in matching uniforms.
Clean.
Neat.
Healthy.
Nothing like the neglected children everyone remembered.
Whispers immediately spread.
"Are those the Lu brothers?"
"They got new uniforms?"
"Look at their shoes!"
"How did they afford that?"
Jealousy quickly appeared.
Especially among some students.
A fat boy named Zhang Wei stared at Lu Cheng's clothes.
His face darkened.
"My father said your family is poor."
He pointed at the uniform.
"Where did you steal that?"
The schoolyard went silent.
Lu Tuan clenched his fists.
Lu Chuan immediately lowered his head.
Only Lu Cheng remained calm.
His eyes became cold.
"We didn't steal anything."
Zhang Wei snorted.
"Then how can you afford it?"
Nobody answered.
Because the question hurt.
The boys remembered years of poverty.
Years of being looked down on.
Years of being laughed at.
Then suddenly—
a familiar voice spoke from behind them.
"Because I bought them."
Everyone turned.
Kelly stood at the school gate.
The morning sunlight illuminated her face.
For a moment, the entire courtyard froze.
Kelly walked forward calmly.
Her gaze swept across the students.
Then landed on Zhang Wei.
"Do you have proof they stole something?"
The boy immediately shook his head.
Kelly smiled.
"Then don't accuse people."
Zhang Wei lowered his head.
Embarrassed.
The teacher quickly stepped forward.
"Enough."
The students scattered.
But many continued stealing glances at the Lu brothers.
Some with admiration.
Some with jealousy.
Some with disbelief.
---
At lunch break, the boys sat together beneath a large tree.
Around them, children opened simple lunches.
Sweet potatoes.
Corn cakes.
Plain buns.
Then Lu Chuan opened his lunch box.
Silence.
The smell of pork drifted through the air.
Children nearby turned instantly.
Eyes widened.
Pork.
Actual pork.
Lu Chuan stared at the food.
His small hands trembled.
Yesterday he would never have imagined this.
Slowly, he took a bite.
His eyes immediately turned red.
Across from him, a student whispered:
"Your family must be rich."
Lu Chuan quickly shook his head.
"No."
The student looked confused.
"Then why do you have all that?"
The little boy looked down at his lunch.
Then smiled.
A pure, proud smile.
The kind only a child could make.
"Our stepmother loves us."
Silence.
The words spread through the group.
Several children froze.
Even Lu Cheng stopped eating.
His heart shook violently.
Because for the first time—
he realized he believed those words too.
---
School ended in the afternoon.
The boys were preparing to leave when the teacher suddenly called out.
"Lu Cheng."
The eldest stopped.
"Yes, Teacher?"
The teacher hesitated.
Then opened her desk drawer.
She removed a sealed envelope.
Old.
Yellow.
Official.
"I was asked to give this to your family."
Lu Cheng frowned.
"Who left it?"
The teacher looked uncertain.
"A military officer."
The entire room went silent.
Lu Cheng's expression changed.
Slowly, he accepted the envelope.
Then his eyes landed on the seal.
His pupils contracted.
Stamped on the front was a soaring eagle surrounded by wheat.
The exact same symbol Kelly had seen before.
At that exact moment—
far away in the village—
the jade pendant around Kelly's neck suddenly became scorching hot.
The system exploded.
[WARNING]
[SECOND FRAGMENT RESONANCE DETECTED]
[THE TRUTH IS APPROACHING]
And somewhere beyond the village—
someone smiled.
Because the game had finally entered its next stage.