"Good morning, Mother~ It's been so many days since we last saw each other. Did you miss me?" As soon as Chu Lian came downstairs and saw her mother sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, she rushed over, laid her head on her mother's lap, and asked playfully.
"You didn't say that when you came back last night. Waiting until you've had your rest before asking—don't you think that's a bit late?" Wearing a pair of rimless glasses, Li Mingxue looked far more intellectual than usual. Hearing Chu Lian's words, she lowered her newspaper and gave her daughter a brief glance.
"Ahem... that's because I was too tired last night! But I'm here now, aren't I? To pay my respects to Mother Dearest~" Feeling a bit awkward under her mother's gaze, Chu Lian buried her face against Li Mingxue's abdomen, inhaling her familiar scent and instantly feeling relaxed.
"Come, Inori, sit with me." Amused by her daughter's antics, Li Mingxue turned toward Inori, who had been standing a short distance away, looking slightly uneasy.
"Thank you, Aunt Mingxue." Inori let out a quiet sigh of relief and came over to sit beside her, eyes fixed on Chu Lian, lost in thought.
"You girls have worked hard these past days. The most important thing is that you came home safely." Setting the newspaper aside, Li Mingxue gently stroked Chu Lian's hair, her lips curving into a warm smile.
She savored the feeling of having her daughter close. Even more than the pride she felt knowing they had defeated powerful enemies and returned safely, she cherished this peaceful moment together.
If it hadn't been for an unexpected incident that had required her intervention two days earlier, she would have flown to Britain herself to bring Chu Lian and the others home. There had been no need to worry for so long.
Ever since that one careless mistake years ago—an incident that nearly cost her both of her daughters—Li Mingxue had carried deep guilt and regret. From then on, she had been overprotective, unwilling to relax her guard over their safety.
This trip had been the first time in years her daughters had gone far beyond her reach. And then, an incident had nearly kept them from returning at all.
Thankfully, Chu Xiao had arranged for protection in advance. Without that, she didn't know how she could have faced the future.
For the sake of her family, she had given up nearly everything. Other than the monthly affairs she had to handle for the Li family, she rarely involved herself in outside matters—devoting herself entirely to ensuring her daughters' safety and a peaceful environment for their growth.
Yet over the past year, things had begun to drift from her expectations—heading in a direction even she couldn't predict.
Once quiet and reserved, Chu Lian had grown lively and dazzling, time and again showing brilliance beyond what Li Mingxue could have imagined.
But with that brilliance came danger—and endless worry. If Chu Lian and Chu Xiao hadn't repeatedly stopped her from acting, those who had dared to harm or slander her daughter would never have lived comfortably afterward.
The older she grew, the more Li Mingxue realized how precious her daughters were to her—and the stronger her desire became to keep them safe by her side. Even if it was just wishful thinking, she still hoped for the best.
As Li Mingxue's thoughts wandered, Chu Lian—who knew her mother too well—nudged her stomach lightly to bring her back and asked, "Mom, what did you talk about with Satsuki last night? I didn't see her this morning."
Patting her daughter's head, Li Mingxue smiled softly. "That girl's fast asleep in her room. I made her rest properly this time—she won't be waking up until the afternoon. Pushing herself so hard all the time isn't healthy." She avoided mentioning the details of her conversation with Kurosaki Satsuki, smoothly shifting the subject to something Chu Lian cared more about.
As expected, her mother wouldn't reveal the details, so Chu Lian didn't press further. "But she always rests properly, doesn't she? When we live together, I can tell she's careful about that."
"That's only what you see on the surface. In reality, even when she's asleep, she forces herself to keep training within her spiritual world, never relaxing for a moment. Why do you think she always looks so cold and expressionless? It's because she doesn't want you all to see her fatigue—so she forces herself to maintain that facade."
Li Mingxue was no ordinary woman—her insight as a peerless expert let her see things that the inexperienced Chu Lian could not. With one glance, she had recognized the exhaustion hidden beneath the white-haired girl's icy exterior.
"So I sealed her spiritual space yesterday and locked her in her room. She needs to understand that sleep is for resting—not for training. She should return to normal by this afternoon." Li Mingxue twirled a lock of Chu Lian's hair between her fingers, playing with it absently. "But that ice-cold face of hers... that'll take time and warmth to melt. That's your job, Lian'er—good luck."
Her words made both Chu Lian and Inori laugh. Indeed, that perpetually stoic expression on the white-haired girl's face made everyone who knew her well want to tease her.
"Ah, Inori, your condition seems much better now. Your strength grows in sync with Lian's, doesn't it?" Li Mingxue could see right through the subtle bond between them—an invisible thread connecting the two. Chu Lian's energy constantly flowed toward Inori, nourishing her body and strengthening her little by little.
The phenomenon intrigued Li Mingxue. In all her years of cultivation experience, she had never encountered anything quite like it.
Still, since it was her daughter's private matter, she didn't pry.
"Well, if my growth rate is too fast, Inori's tends to slow down. Only when our strengths are close can she catch up quickly. It's... a bit complicated." Chu Lian didn't know how to explain it clearly, so she simply shared what she had observed.
"I see. That's quite an interesting bond you two share," Li Mingxue mused thoughtfully. She had already guessed the nature of their connection, so she didn't ask further and instead shifted the conversation.
"Alright then, Lian'er, Inori—tell me about your journey this time. You've both grown a lot. I won't keep secrets from you anymore. If there's anything about cultivation you don't understand, feel free to ask."
Her expression was soft and kind. It went without saying that she adored Chu Lian deeply—but she was also very fond of Inori.
Even knowing that their relationship went beyond mere friendship, she didn't mind at all. In fact, she welcomed it.
After all, she had never forgotten what happened years ago—the incident that left Chu Lian terrified of men, scarred by trauma and resentment toward all males.
That had been her own mistake—her own failure. Perhaps out of guilt or the need to make amends, she had since resolved to support her daughter in whatever made her happy.
Besides, she had poured so much of her energy and care into Chu Lian. If any man dared to try and take her daughter away, Li Mingxue would be the first to fight him to the death.
Now, though, the people closest to her daughter were all girls—and she found that rather nice. It meant more daughters to love. What was there not to like?
As for continuing the family line, she already had her son, Chu Ren. The daughters, she thought, were better off staying by her side forever.
And after this trip, didn't her daughter now have a "daughter" of her own? Even if not by blood, Anna was still her granddaughter in name—and that was good enough.
"We really did go through a lot, but honestly, most of it could've been avoided. Guess I'm just unlucky, huh?" Chu Lian lifted her face from her mother's lap, only to find her view completely blocked by that majestic maternal chest.
"I still wonder if I'm really your biological daughter. Same genes, same family—so why is it that I'm flat, while Chu Chu and Sis are both blessed beyond reason? Fate is cruel!" she complained internally, though her lips curved into a happy smile. It felt good—having her mother right there.
For the next few hours, Chu Lian recounted their journey, with Inori occasionally chiming in to fill in the gaps.
When they reached the part about Gan Yixue and Miss Sakurako's father, Chu Lian noticed her mother's expression change—softening with nostalgia and reminiscence. It was clear those names stirred memories of her youth—moments she had never quite forgotten.
"In a few days, I'll go to Japan with you. There are some old friends I need to meet again—and a few youthful mistakes I need to make right," Li Mingxue murmured as she gently stroked Chu Lian's hair.
Her expression grew most serious when she heard about Chu Lian's battle against the brute from the Otherside and the three fierce fights in Miami—each time her daughter was wounded.
Though her heart ached at what her daughter had endured, those days were now behind them. Chu Lian had grown—becoming, in such a short time, an undisputed leader of the new generation.
Even that Earth-tier peak dragon that had descended from the Heaven-tier realm had been slain almost single-handedly by her. Could there be anything more for a mother to feel proud and fulfilled about?
Still, it was time to start guiding her daughter's cultivation properly. If this pattern of coming back covered in injuries continued, Li Mingxue knew she'd die from heartache sooner or later.
"So, you're planning to create a game that connects to all worlds? Do you have a plan yet?" Chu Lian had shared much with her mother—but kept certain things hidden. The system, her suspected connection to her past-life friend (referring to Ying Zheng), the Divine Spirit Art, Tírnas, and her ability to travel between worlds—all of those were left unmentioned. Everything else, she explained as best as she could.
Thus, their conversation ended with Chu Lian's explanation of her vision for this interdimensional game.
Though Li Mingxue could tell her daughter was withholding some details, she didn't mind. She was simply happy to see her daughter growing up.
Her girl was no longer a child. If she didn't want to talk about something, Li Mingxue wouldn't force her. She had never once made Chu Lian do anything against her will. She had spoiled her beyond measure—why would she start worrying about such trivial things now?
As long as she knew her daughter's intentions were good, that was enough.
"It's just a concept for now. It'll take a lot of preparation, and there are plenty of problems to solve before it can be realized. But I don't think it'll take too long. After all, I'm your daughter—if I can't soar to the skies, wouldn't that be wasting your genes?" Chu Lian grinned playfully.
Right, there it was again—that word, genes. Sorry, Mom, but when it comes to my chest, I really did waste some of those genes...
"If you run into trouble, remember to come to me. Your father's busy lately and won't be home often, so it's best not to disturb him. Now that I've stopped keeping things from you, remember—your mother will always be your strongest support." Li Mingxue pinched her daughter's cheek, her eyes full of pride and anticipation for what Chu Lian might accomplish next.
"Mm-hmm. Once Inori and I finish our initial preparations for the game, if we run into trouble, I'll definitely come to you for help." Chu Lian smiled, reaching over to take Inori's small hand. "Right, Inori?"
"Mm..." came the soft, happy reply.
That morning passed in gentle warmth and laughter—a mother and daughter sharing a quiet, tender peace.
And until noon, when Chu Chu still hadn't woken up and Li Mingxue went upstairs with a knowing smile, that serene happiness lingered through the house.