CHAPTER 41: CALM BEFORE THE STORM

She looked like the picture of innocence, curled up in a blanket, hugging a stuffed bunny as she watched cartoons. But behind those large, glimmering eyes, her mind was far from idle.

Her thoughts drifted to the "big brother" she had met earlier, the calm boy with the mature eyes who had quietly shielded her when she needed him to.

He wasn’t loud like Song Jue, nor arrogant like the others she’d seen.

There was a serene steadiness in him, a kind of quiet strength that reminded her of her father, though younger and unpolished.

"Big brother..." she murmured softly, pressing her cheek against her bunny. "Next time, I’ll give you more candies. The good ones."

It wasn’t a promise born of romantic affection or childish crushes; it was a vow of repayment, made by a girl who remembered all kindness, no matter how small the help was.

When Yuanfeng came to tuck her into bed, Huaijin blinked up at him with sleepy eyes. "Daddy, can we go to the park again someday?"

"Of course," he said, sitting beside her. "But only if my little princess keeps being good in school."

"I will!" she said immediately, snuggling into the covers. "I’ll listen to my teachers and be nice to everyone. But... Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"If someone bullies me, can I fight back?" she asked with perfect seriousness, her expression as calm as an old monk’s.

That caught Yuanfeng off guard. He stared at her for a long moment before letting out a small sigh. "Only if you have no other choice, Huaijin. But I trust you to know when that time comes."

"I’ll be smart, Daddy," she promised, closing her eyes with a faint smile. "Just like you."

Yuanfeng reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "You already are."

When he finally left her room, Huaijin’s eyes opened again, her innocent façade fading into something sharper and more calculating.

She knew peace like this never lasted long.

Her mind wandered to what lay ahead, the Chi family, and their oppressive wealth and politics that she thought she’d escaped. The mere thought of that grand mansion made her small fists tighten under the blanket.

In her previous life, that place had been the stage of her misery.

Grandfather Chi’s stern voice, Yunying’s constant taunts, and the suffocating sense of inferiority that haunted her every step it was a gilded prison, no matter how many flowers bloomed in the courtyard or how grand the feasts were.

Now, she knew things were changing. Her father’s quiet life wouldn’t last forever.

Soon, Grandfather would call again. He’d use his usual excuse, her "education," her "future," her "upbringing."

He’d say she needed to return to the mansion for her own good, that she’d have better opportunities there.

But Huaijin wasn’t naive. She understood it was just another way to control her father and force him back into the Chi family fold.

Yuanfeng might not care about wealth or power, but the old man’s influence was terrifyingly deep-rooted.

’He’ll use me to try and suppress Daddy,’ Huaijin thought grimly.

Her father would be torn between his desire to protect her and his sense of duty as a son. And when that time came, Huaijin had to be ready.

"Grandfather won’t stop," she whispered under her breath. "But I won’t let him win again."

As for Chi Yunying... Huaijin’s lips curved into a faint smirk.

That spoiled brat still thought she could trample over anyone just because she carried the Chi name.

But Huaijin had seen enough to know that Yunying’s arrogance would be her downfall.

Yunying loved attention, power, and the feeling of being "special." She played dirty, bullied others, and strutted around as if the world revolved around her.

And yet, Huaijin couldn’t bring herself to fully hate her; she was too pathetic for that.

In her past life, Huaijin had been the easy target, the quiet "extra" who never fought back. But this time? She had no intention of standing in anyone’s shadow.

"Let Yuanying bark," Huaijin murmured, hugging her bunny tightly. "I’ll just smile... and wait for her to trip over her own leash."

Her laughter was soft and brief, fading into a hum as she turned to face the window.

The city lights shimmered in the distance. Somewhere out there, the mysterious "big brother" was probably asleep too, unaware of the little girl who had quietly decided he was her future ally.

And though she didn’t know his name, Huaijin felt an odd certainty that their paths would cross again.

In the following days, life returned to a gentle rhythm. Huaijin went to kindergarten each morning with her father, bringing homemade lunchboxes filled with little sandwiches cut into stars and bunnies.

She greeted her teachers with her sweetest smile, helped her classmates when they struggled, and even politely ignored Song Jue’s occasional grumbling.

To everyone, she was the model child, bright, kind, and well-mannered.

But every now and then, when the teachers weren’t looking, her sharp eyes would flick toward Chi Yunying.

The girl had been restless lately, clearly annoyed by Huaijin’s growing popularity among the teachers and other kids.

Huaijin could see the jealousy simmering beneath Yunying’s practiced smile. It was only a matter of time before she tried something stupid again.

Still, Huaijin didn’t rush. She was patient.

Because the real challenge wasn’t Yunying’s childish tantrums, it was what loomed beyond the kindergarten gates.

Three days later, as expected, the summons came.

Yuanfeng received a formal letter from the Chi Manor, sealed with the family crest.

He sat in his office late into the night, the letter resting unopened on his desk. He didn’t need to read it to know what it said.

Meanwhile, Huaijin peeked through the slightly open door, her small face illuminated by the faint desk lamp glow.

She saw the weariness in her father’s eyes, the weight of obligation pressing down on his shoulders.

"Daddy..." she called softly, stepping inside. "Are you sad?"