The next day dawned softly, a gentle Sunday morning washing over the Bai courtyard. The sun spilled golden light across the courtyard, glinting on the dew-soaked grass, and for the first time in a long while, peace reigned. Yesterday, when Bai Xuan, Bai Yang, and Bai Xin had returned, Chu Sun had chosen not to burden them with the endless whirl of family affairs. Yet, the whispers of those matters found their way to their ears anyway, threading into their thoughts like persistent threads of smoke.
The morning unfolded quietly, no urgent calls to chores, no nagging reminders, just a rare, uninterrupted stillness. Early in the afternoon, Bai Xia wandered to a secluded corner of the courtyard, her mind craving solitude. She stepped into her space, the familiar calm washing over her, when suddenly a face loomed close, startling her.
"Stella!" Bai Xia recoiled, pushing her robot back by the shoulders. "Don't do that again!"
Stella's expression was fraught, as though she bore some unspoken grievance. Bai Xia straightened her clothes, her pulse slowing. "Status," she murmured, grounding herself.
---
Host: Bai Xia
Height: 5'5
Stamina: 10
Strength: 10
Intelligence: 10
Charisma: 10
Beauty: 13
Skills: Business Tycoon, Frost Eyes, Reaper Tears, Crystal Tears
Knowledge: Master of All Tongues (MAT)
EXP points: 80
Mission points: 65
Space size: 2,000 acres
Money bag: 30,000
(Missions)
Accumulate net worth of 100 million yen
Rewards: EXP 100, Mission Points 50
(Notifications)
Congratulations on completing mission; buy item from system store: EXP +10, Mission Points +5
Congratulations on upgrading skill (Frost Eyes)
New skill obtained (Crystal Eyes)
Congratulations on reaching max level on (Frost Eyes): EXP +50, Mission Points +25
Bai Xia's heart swelled with joy. Points had always trickled in sporadically, barely enough to purchase new skills or knowledge. Today, she had more than enough to indulge herself. She opened the system store.
"System, can you find me a skill related to martial arts?"
"They are no skills about martial arts, but there is knowledge about it," the system replied.
"I'd like to purchase it."
"It's done. It costs 40 EXP points."
Bai Xia blinked, almost choking on her own surprise. Forty points—it was exorbitant.
"System, why didn't you tell me before purchasing?"
"You asked me to buy it," the system reminded simply.
Deciding to strengthen herself further, she commanded, "System, add 10 points to each of my statuses."
"Done," the system replied, and a sharp wave of pain surged through her, vanishing almost instantly.
---
Determined to step into the modern world she had once known, Bai Xia decided to make a small indulgence. She made her way to the Everything Mall, a sprawling structure of glass cement and steel glittering under the sun. Inside, Bai Xia turned to the screen leather school bags, and suddenly everything in the mall changed to leather school bags of different colors and designs. Bai Xia's eyes scanned the shops, finally settling on a display of leather pink school bags, the kind popular in her past life.
She selected the soft, polished leather bag, the kind that could hold books and gadgets with effortless elegance it had a cute bunny hanging at the side with pink, white and green beads and charms. Holding it, she whispered, "System, claim my daily reward and activate the martial arts knowledge skill."
"Claimed and activated," the system confirmed, and a rush of warmth filled Bai Xia, a tangible sense of readiness.
Carrying her new bag, she returned to an empty space, unrolling the knowledge like a scroll of ancient wisdom. She began her first training session, muscles flowing with the unfamiliar rhythm of martial arts movements, fists and legs slicing through the air with precision, every motion steeped in grace. Her Frost Eyes skill subtly enhanced her focus, letting her perceive each micro-movement and energy shift. Hours passed as she practiced tirelessly, each strike, kick, and stance melding into her growing mastery.
By evening, sweat slicking her forehead, Bai Xia stretched and inhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling. She felt stronger, lighter, more attuned to the potential simmering inside her. Gathering her belongings, she returned home, the courtyard bathed in the fading amber of sunset. Her family unaware of the first step she had taken toward breaking free from their suffocating hold, she climbed into her room and rested. Sleep claimed her, a peaceful but vigilant slumber, dreams weaving the possibilities of tomorrow into her mind.
The first step had been taken, and with it, the road toward her independence, her freedom from the Bai family, and the life she truly desired had begun. The morning would come again, carrying the promise of school, but also the promise of a future forged by her own hands.