Beautiful nights are always short. You look at little Madam Herta beside you with affection, as if she were your biological sister.
Whether she is biological or not does not matter. You only know that she is your sister.
Holding the specially packaged document in your hand, you look at the two stars in the sky, your heart full of emotion.
A gentle breeze blows across the rooftop, and you carefully tuck the document into your clothes.
"Pfft…! Stupid, it's just a piece of paper! What matters is that everyone knows those two stars are called the 'White Star' and the 'Black Tower Star'!"
Little Madam Herta could not help laughing when she saw how much you cherished that piece of paper.
"Even if it's just a piece of paper, it's from my sister."
You remain unmoved, still carefully protecting the paper, afraid that it might suffer even the slightest damage.
As you spoke, the wind gradually grew stronger. It was always like this in the second half of the night.
"Oh… my flower."
Little Madam Herta hurriedly protected the purple bellflower that had just bloomed, afraid that the sudden wind might damage it.
"It's just a flower."
You pretend to be relaxed, smiling as you watch little Madam Herta, whose movements were even a bit nervous.
"Hmph! Stupid, you can't say that. I think this is the most beautiful flower in the world."
Madam Herta snorted softly, turning her face away, yet still fully protecting the delicate newly bloomed flower.
You smile. You feel that being valued like this is truly wonderful.
The wind seemed to grow stronger and stronger, so you and little Madam Herta went down from the rooftop.
At this hour, it should already be time for bed.
You return to your room as usual, carefully put away the birthday gift, and then take out a notebook.
That was the diary you had been writing ever since you could remember.
How can one live without regrets? You often thought about this, so you listed the regrets of your previous life.
Writing a diary was one of them.
Moreover, it was something you had to do every night before going to sleep.
Opening the diary as always, you softly sang to little Madam Herta while recording the day's significant events with pencil and paper.
[Today, two stars received their own unique names…]
"Stupid! Writing in your diary again?"
Those small, cool hands climbed onto your head once more, gently massaging your temples.
"Yes. Aren't you going to sleep yet?"
You were a little confused. At this time every night, shouldn't little Madam Herta already be in bed, listening to you sing and falling asleep?
"I've decided, brother. We can't sleep in the same room anymore."
The little hands did not stop, but the words spoken by their owner made you freeze.
"Mm? Our little Madam Herta has grown up…"
You could not help but feel a bit relieved, like a parent watching a child grow up and develop her own small secrets.
"What if you can't fall asleep?"
After the relief, you were still a little worried. After all, the brain of this little genius was becoming more and more active, and falling asleep was becoming increasingly difficult for her.
"Stupid is so dumb. I have this!"
Little Madam Herta took out a recorder and placed it in front of you.
"All the songs you've sung are in here…"
When did you record this? How do I not know?
You were a bit surprised.
"Otherwise, why would they call you 'stupid'?"
Madam Herta tilted her small head up. Her proud expression made you smile.
That was fine too. You did not doubt her and helped Madam Herta move all her things into the room next door.
That would be her new bedroom.
Soon, with the help of Herta's mother, the room was neatly arranged. You looked at the purple bellflower Madam Herta had left on the bedside table, wished her good night, and left the room.
From that moment on, your sister's small room became forbidden territory for you and for Dad.
Thinking of Dad, you passed by his study and were about to open the door to wish him good night…
Your hand had barely touched the doorknob when you heard a "bang!"—something being thrown from inside the study.
What was going on?
You were confused and about to open the door, but Herta's mother, who had hurried over, stopped you.
"No, Xiao Bai. Your father is busy."
Herta's mother gently took your hand, wanting to lead you away.
You did not understand why…
Then the father's frantic roar was heard from inside the study.
"Why!"
Why? They're all pure contradictions and paradoxes! This…
You were about to speak.
"Shhh!"
Herta's mother gently covered your mouth. You became even more confused when you saw the worry in her eyes. A sense of unease ran through your heart.
"Xiao Bai, I know you're a bit more mature than little Madam Herta…"
Herta's mother said softly.
Your father has been facing some difficulties lately. Although I don't understand it, his friend told me that his research is expanding the limits of human scholarship. So let's not disturb him too easily, alright…?
Herta's mother spoke gently and tenderly, affectionately patting your head. You nodded obediently.
So it turns out Dad is also a genius, just like Madam Herta.
Expanding the limits of human scholarship sounds like a remarkable feat.
No wonder Madam Herta later became the human with the highest IQ on Zhanlan Star, and even received the gaze of the Aeons, becoming an Emanator of Erudition.
"Xiao Bai is the best. Go to bed early. Good night."
Herta's mother gently kissed your forehead and closed the door to your bedroom.
You returned to your desk. Naturally, another memorable event was added to today's record.
[Her father is expanding the limits of human scholarship. It's amazing. Madam Herta will surely be like him in the future.]
You put away your diary and placed it, together with the gift, into your school backpack, a bag you never carried when going out.
It contained what you considered your most important possessions.
After everything was done, you turned off the light and lay down on the bed.
Everything seemed normal, nothing different, and little by little you drifted into the land of dreams.
The days that followed were just as you expected. Aside from no longer sleeping in the same room as Madam Herta, and Dad often locking himself in his room all day, everything else remained normal.
After your seventh birthday, it was time to go to school.
Herta's mother contacted a nearby primary school, similar to an elementary school on Earth.
You and little Madam Herta entered that school, in the same class, at the same desk.
The school curriculum was very simple for you, and even more so for Madam Herta.
You had accumulated nine years of compulsory education from your previous life, while Madam Herta, at an age when most children had not even started school, had already discovered the phenomenon of gravitational lensing between planets…
She always silently read the books she brought, filled with characters you could not even fully recognize.
What was even funnier was that when a teacher asked her why she did not look up and listen, her answer was always indifferent:
"What you're saying is pretty good, but I already know all of it."
"I'll look up—unless you make a mistake…"
In fact, there was once a teacher who taught more advanced content, seemingly to challenge little Madam Herta.
As a result, the teacher's explanation was completely wrong, and he ended up receiving a lesson from little Madam Herta…
From then on, whenever the teachers taught, their gazes would occasionally land on Madam Herta. Only when they saw her with her head lowered would they breathe a sigh of relief and continue the lesson…