072 â Shinian misses
After taking bath and thoroughly drying his body, he changed into a long white gown his mother specially prepared for him.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Li Muyang felt somewhat unfamiliar.
No, quite unfamiliar.
Li Muyang can hardly recognise himself, from the surprise in his parentsâ eyes he knows exactly how much he had changed recently.
Just as Li Shinian had said: he achieved the first place in the exams of the entire kingdom and he was able to punch through a wall with merely a few months of practicing âThe Art of the Breaking Bodyâ. Do you know that would give me a lot of pressure?
The person who said this is precisely Li Shinian, a talented girl well known in Hubu lane. Before when Li Muyang was being ridiculed and bullied she was the secret weapon Luo Qi used to counter-attack, with just a simple sentence âthe kid in your house is not doing so well, our Shinian said she had never seen his name on the listâ, this immediately made the other side speechless and surrendered immediately.
But now even Li Shinian noticed Li Muyangâs rapid progress, then that means Li Muyangâsââskills are really terrifying.
âHave to be low-key.â Li Muyang grinned at the mirror while patting his face and said: âHave to be stupid-cute.â
Li Muyang pushed open the door, in front of him was Li Shinian sitting in his room eating fruits.
Seeing Li Muyangâs tall and straight stature and his fluttering white gown, Li Shinianâs eyes were glistening brightly; she couldnât finish off the apple in her hand.
âWho are you?â Li Shinian finally swallowed the piece of apple in her mouth and asked aloud.
âIâm your brother. Have you gone crazy?â Li Muyang was bewildered, this little girl doesnât even recognise him?
âImpossible. My brother is black and ugly, people call him a charcoalâââ Li Shinian threw the apple onto the table, casually wiped her hands on Li Muyangâs quilt and ran over to stroke Li Muyangâs face and nose: âHurry up, tell me who the hell are you? Where did you hide my brother?â
âLi Shinianâââ Li Muyang is speechless in front of his precious little sister. From when they were still little she had always bullied him. Of course, she had also protected him.
Li Shinian circled around Li Muyang, uttering sounds of amazement: âOoohh I did not expect thisâ-a pheasant can also become a swan, a toad can turn into a prince. Brother, do you have any idea how handsome you are now?â
âReally?â Li Muyang flushed with excitement, then touched his face in embarrassment and said: âMaybe recently, my skin is a little whiter?â â
Li Shinian closely inspected his face and said: âYouâre really much whiter, but this is not the most important. You may not have noticed yourself but your body has grown and youâre not as thin as before, now you have muscles. It feels good to touch tooâââ
âLi Shinianâââ Li Muyang pushed away Li Shinianâs hand and said: âYouâre a girl.â
âSo I touched you. Donât tell me you like men touching you?â
ââââ
âAlso youâre taller, before you were a similar height to me, although Iâm not short but as a man you looked quite short. Now youâre half a head taller than meââAlso the expression on your face, you used to be constantly in a daze, like you stayed up all night stealing cattle. Now youâre energetic, spirited, and full of confidence. Oh, even your smile looks more charmingâââ
Li Muyangâs heart was pleased to hear this, but his mouth deliberately tried to be modest: âIâm not as good as you say, in fact Iâm not that good-lookingâââ
âDonât be so modest, youâre already very good.â Li Shinian patted Li Muyangâs shoulder. âContinue to grow more and try your best to become like me. The moon is right in front of your eyes, is that not enough motivation for you?â
âââ-â
âBut really, if you head back to school now, you would definitely become the schoolâs idol, countless girls would chase after you.â
âForget it. You can be the schoolâs idol.â Li Muyang said with a smile. âMy goal is to be the star of the sea.â
Li Shinian pursed her lips and said: âHey, youâre looking down on the schoolâs idol, you want to be the kingdomâs idol?â
âI just donât want to compete with you.â
âHmph, itâs not like if you want to compete with me then you can win against me.â
ââââ
Luo Qi was in the kitchen cooking while Li Yan was standing at the side helping her.
âI really canât bear to separate with him.â Luo Qi said in depressed tone. âI did not expect a day like this would come, Muyang is leaving to somewhere far. He had never been that far away from home, I donât know if he can adjust.â
Li Yan helplessly looked at his wife. âYou always worry. When you took him home, you were worrying day and night that he wonât survive. Then when his body slowly became better, you kept worrying that his IQ wonât be high enough. Now his IQ is high and he achieved first in the exams. Also heâs much stronger than before, he was able to punch a gigantic hole in the wall, but youâre worrying that heâll be leavingâââ
âWhich mum isnât worried about their kids? Now I worry that heâll be leaving us, later we still have to worry about his wife and kidsââunless I die, or I will always worry about him. â
âYou make it seems like I donât worry about him? Itâs just that I worry in my heart.â Li Yan said in a low voice: âDo you thinkââthe Lu family did something?â
Luo Qi pondered for a moment. âI think they did. Before Muyang were clamoring to attend West Wind University. I also specifically asked him, he said he only applied to West Wind Universityââbut in the end heâs enrolled into Starry Sky Academy. Although I donât know why the Lu family wants to send Muyang to Starry Sky Academy, but I know for sure, they must have tampered with the enrolmentsââOtherwise, with Muyangâs results he definitely could attend West Wind University.â
âYes.â Li Yan let out a long sigh: âJust a while ago we were worried that Muyang wonât do well in the exams and hoped that the Lu family will help him out. Now Muyang did well, but we start to worry that the Lu family is watching Muyang closelyââIs this good or bad for Muyang?â
Luo Qiâs face was filled with worries as she said: âWe should look on the good side, after all according to Shinian, Starry Sky Academy is also pretty good.â
âYes.â Li Yan nodded. âWe should think on the good side. If we really canât deal with it, we can go and ask Miss for help. She definitely will be on our side.â
âHmm.â Luo Qi pondered deeply then continued: âIf we really canât handle it, Iâm going to Tiandu to find Miss.â
The brother and sister came over to the dining room; Luo Qi already prepared lunch.
Li Muyang tried to help wash the dishes and set the table but Luo Qi pushed him out.âYou just changed into new clothes, donât let it get dirtyââLi Shinian, come over and wash the dishes.â
âMum, I also changed into new clothesââ
âIf it gets dirty you can wash it, itâs not like you donât have any hands.â
ââââ-â
Father and mother constantly added food to Li Muyangâs bowl, Li Muyangâs rice bowl had to be swapped for a large plate.
Very quickly his plate was also piled high up, Luo Qi then began to prepare to swap it for a pot.
âYouâre biased towards the son.â Li Shinian angrily ate the green vegetables and said with a face filled with injustice.
âYouââ-â Luo Qi used the chopsticks to hit Li Shinianâs head. âYour brother is going away to study tomorrow, he needs energy. Boys at this age is growing a lot, so will need to eat moreââ-When your brother leaves, I can cook for you every day.ââ
âIâm jealous of you.â Li Shinian said meaningfully to Li Muyang.
âIf you continue to eat like that youâll become a fatty. When you come to find me, I wonât admit youâre my sister.â
âLi Muyang you heartless person, when others were calling you a charcoal I also did not turn my back on you ââââ
âLi Shinian, how can you say that to your brother.â Luo Qi was ready to hit her again.
âMum, why are you so biased towards him? I wonder if Iâm really your daughter?â Li Shinian reached out to cover her head and said snappily.
With the chopsticks Luo Qi hit her even harder while scolding: âYou said youâre not my daughter? You said youâre not my daughter?â
âMum donât hit anymore, Iâll become stupidâ-â
âââ
Li Muyang lowered his head to eat dinner, while feeling the warmth of home.
Father is kind, mother is loving and his little sister is so cute, he really is reluctant to leave the house.
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âââ-
Maple Forest Crossing, Li Muyang was getting ready to travel by ship to Tiandu.
This made Li Muyang extremely unsatisfied towards Starry Sky Academy, they sent someone on a crane to deliver the good news of enrolment. Then they can also send someone over to collect him on a crane, wonât this save some poor students a lot of money from travel expenses?
At Maple Forest Crossing, the whole family came to see Li Muyang off.
Mother Luo Qi held tightly onto Li Muyangâs hand not wanting to let go at all. On her way here, she had already secretly wiped away her tears several times.
âMuyang, take care of yourself. Have your meals regularly; if youâre cold then you have to wear more clothes, if youâre hot then wear thinner tops. Did you bring enough money? Iâll give you another one hundred gold coinsââ-â
âMumââ-â Li Muyang also tightly held on to his motherâs hand. âI know, I know. Iâm not a baby anymore. Iâll take good care of myself. I have brought enough money, you already gave me three hundred gold coinsââWhat students would bring so much money to study?â
Father Li Yan patted Li Muyangâs shoulder as encouragement: âMen should have huge ambition to conquer the world. Continue to learn and train, so everyoneââ-make everyone proud of you. â
âDad, I will.â Li Muyang was able to feel the strength of his father from his palm. âYou should also take care your body and look after mom.â
âDonât worry about home.â Li Yan said.
Li Muyangâs eyes shifted over to Li Shinian who was standing far away, unwilling to come over. He shouted: âLi Shinian, if you donât come over, Iâll be boarding soonâââ
âGo, go, who wants to come over?â Li Shinian stood underneath the willow tree with her back facing Li Muyang, refusing to say goodbye.
Her hand was clutching tightly onto a willow tree branch and beating the air, as she stubbornly shouted: âitâs not like you wonât come back, so why say goodbye?â
From the side where Li Muyang couldnât see, both her eyes were red and swollen, and beads of tears were slipping down her flawless white little face.
There was a type of feeling, that before you had even gone far, called Shinian[1].
[1] Shinian means to miss.