"Liang Yi, what's your younger brother's name? I overheard earlier, but I couldn't hear it clearly,"
Xin Tingting asked as she leaned forward slightly, her face showing intense curiosity. Her large, jewel-like eyes sparkled as if catching the light. The more she looked at Bai Wangyan, the more she wanted to know about him.
"Tell me what's his name?"
A small smile appeared on her lips, her expression bright like a flower blooming in the wind. Bai Wangyan glanced at Xin Tingting briefly before turning his face away in silence. Yet his eyes remained as cold as ever…
"His name is Bai Wangyan... Our father and mother were the ones who named him,"
Liang Yi said softly, her gaze fixed on her younger brother as if trying to engrave his name into her heart. But as faded memories of their family surfaced, painful fragments of the past flooded into her mind.
"But Father… he never even got to see you..." she paused for a moment before continuing, her voice trembling,
"He… vanished before then..."
As the final words slipped from her lips, a heavy feeling spread throughout her body. She felt a sudden pressure in her head, as if something were clamping down on her temples. Her brows furrowed unknowingly. The memories of the past blurred and obscure like reflections on water were desperately trying to drag something back…
"What does 'vanished' mean?"
Xin Tingting asked innocently, her voice pure and curious. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she looked between Liang Yi and Bai Wangyan, genuinely waiting for an explanation.
"You really don't know?"
A soft whisper came from behind. Lan Chanzhun leaned in close and replied with a flat tone,
"Vanished means… died."
His words caused a momentary silence to descend. Xin Tingting blinked again, then slightly opened her mouth as if just realizing the deeper meaning of the elegant yet sorrowful word. She fell quiet for a moment before muttering softly,
"Oh... I see..."
Though Lan Chanzhun's explanation was simple, Xin Tingting felt the full emotional weight behind the word vanished…
"Why did our father... why did he end up like that?"
Bai Wangyan asked in a low voice, his eyes trembling slightly as he looked at his real sister. Sadness spread across his face, as if a heavy storm had begun brewing in his heart. Even though he had never met his father, just knowing he was gone was enough to stir an emptiness within him.
Liang Yi gazed at her younger brother and sensed the deep pain hidden in his eyes. She pressed her lips together slightly, as if there was something she wanted to say but in the end, all she could do was sigh softly.
She looked at Bai Wangyan, then turned her gaze toward the vast sky above. She herself wasn't even sure what had happened before their father disappeared. The memories of the past were foggy, like mist one could not grasp only fragmented images and a few lingering words echoed in her thoughts.
No matter how hard she tried to dig deeper into her memories, she couldn't recall the full truth. She couldn't give Bai Wangyan any answers... because she too was still searching for them.
In the end, all Liang Yi could do was sigh softly, letting the breeze carry the silence that surrounded them…
"Xin Tingting! You ran so fast, I could barely catch up!"
Ye Juan's voice rang out as she came running to a stop beside Xin Tingting, slightly out of breath but still managing to lift her head to look at her friend in confusion.
Xin Tingting turned to her with a wide grin before saying excitedly,
"Ye Juan, you arrived just in time!"
She swept her gaze across everyone before announcing with a serious tone,
"Everyone, I have something important to tell you! The butterfly gate the one that leads to different places it's now working!"
She paused and crossed her arms with pride.
"Last night, while you were all asleep, I secretly sprinkled a special magic potion into the portal!"
Everyone furrowed their brows in confusion. Xin Tingting's grin widened before she continued confidently,
"This magic potion will make us grow three years older! If you don't believe me… just look at Bai Wangyan!"
She pointed to Bai Wangyan, who stood not far away. Everyone stared at the boy in astonishment just earlier he had been a baby, but now he had become a young man, nearly the same age as the rest of them!
Xin Tingting placed her hands on her hips and nodded proudly,
"See? He was just a baby, but now he's our age! That means the potion definitely worked!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as everyone slowly processed what they had just heard…
"Three years? Really?"
Lan Chanzhun asked with interest. He slowly stepped closer to Liang Yi, his eyes filled with curiosity and awe at what Xin Tingting had claimed.
"Yes, three years,"
Xin Tingting replied confidently, lifting her chin slightly to show her pride in her achievement.
Ye Juan, who had been listening, opened her mouth in slight shock before turning to study Bai Wangyan more carefully.
"So… Bai Wangyan really was that baby?"
Her eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe that the boy standing before her had been a tiny infant just a short time ago. That he could grow so much so quickly was beyond imagination.
"Unbelievable…"
Ye Juan muttered, her gaze shifting back to Xin Tingting with newfound admiration.
"Your magic potion really is something else!"
She spoke with a tone full of wonder, already pondering whether this potion could be useful in other situations as well…
"Wait here for a moment. I'll activate the butterfly gate,"
Xin Tingting said confidently before stepping slightly away from the group. She took a deep breath, then slowly raised her hand and touched the butterfly tattoo on her wrist a butterfly painted in shades of pink and purple.
Instantly, a soft light began to glow from the artwork. The butterfly gently fluttered its wings, as if alive, then gracefully lifted off her wrist, as beautiful and delicate as a real creature.
"Go,"
Xin Tingting whispered softly as the butterfly gradually grew larger, its wings spreading wide and shining like jewels under moonlight. Eventually, it transformed into a glowing butterfly-winged portal standing right before them. A gentle breeze blew through, echoing the mysterious power of the gate…
"Wow! So that drawing on your wrist was actually a dimensional portal!"
Ye Juan exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement. She stared at the butterfly-portal in disbelief, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"I really didn't expect that!"
Her expression was full of wonder. Her small fists clenched in excitement the tattoo that looked like mere artwork on Xin Tingting's skin had become the key to unlocking another dimension in the most magical way.
Everyone's eyes focused on the portal that had formed before them, its pinkish-purple glow casting a mesmerizing light. A soft breeze passed through, carrying the mysterious and alluring aura of the gateway…