Mo Xuan returned home. The moment she stepped inside, Su Yi greeted her with a sharp gaze.
"Mo Xuan," she said with clear displeasure, "Li Bing fang told me you refused to befriend Shui Lan and join the group of children."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"How long are you going to stay like this? Ever since your parents died, you haven't tried to get to know anyone. You spend all your time locked in your room, staring at four walls."
Su Yi sighed, lowering her voice slightly as if trying to reason with her.
"Don't you realize how wealthy they are? Shui Lan even has an older brother. If our family name becomes connected to theirs, our social standing and financial situation will greatly improve."
Mo Xuan stood silently.
She did not answer.
Yet deep inside, a faint smile appeared… a smile that never reached her lips.
And then what?
The question echoed quietly in her mind.
Does status truly matter? Is existence measured by gold and family names?
To her, everything was painfully clear.
Poverty and wealth.
Social values.
Titles.
Fortunes.
All of them were nothing more than illusions.
Most humans live inside a play they mistake for life, she thought.
And joining it only means drowning one's mind in meaningless noise.
Her thoughts turned colder.
This entire world, with its false ambitions and empty desires… means absolutely nothing to me.
Without saying another word, she walked upstairs.
This time she wasn't avoiding the conversation.
She had something else in mind.
She wanted to explore what lay within herself… perhaps find some clue that could explain everything.
Su Yi watched her silently from below.
The truth was…
Mo Xuan was not their real daughter.
After the horrific death of her parents, these relatives had taken her in.
But it was not out of kindness.
It was greed.
The fortune her parents had left behind was enormous—large enough to turn even relatives into wolves.
If Mo Xuan were to die…
Or disappear somehow…
Every last coin would belong to them.
That thought had never truly left their minds.
Su Yi and Dong Fang had two children of their own.
Their daughter Li Bing fang, seven years old, was slightly younger than Mo Xuan.
She looked like a delicate pearl.
Her eyes resembled a quiet winter sea, and strands of her hair flowed like the flames of autumn.
Their son, Hao Jing fang, was ten.
A boy gifted with remarkable talent and a cunning mind far beyond his age.
His eyes were like silent ice, and his hair was dark as night.
But to Mo Xuan…
Their existence barely mattered.
To her, they were simply obstacles.
Obstacles that would eventually need to be overcome.
.....
Within the Ming Lan Clan, an ancient
tradition existed.
Every ten years, when winter arrived, a grand festival was held.
The people believed the heavens would bless them during that time, granting years filled with abundant resources and wealth.
They believed the coming winters would be gentle, free from disaster.
Every member of the clan participated.
It was not merely a celebration.
It was a ritual that had to be upheld.
During the festival, women wore a traditional garment known as Vali.
It was woven from fine silk and accompanied by a tall headpiece that wrapped elegantly around the head.
A thin silk ribbon extended behind it like the tail of a bird.
To them, the attire symbolized the refined thought and culture of the clan.
The men wore a robe called Qing Fu.
A long, carefully tailored garment that covered the entire body, with wide sleeves that allowed free movement.
It symbolized authority, discipline, and dignity.
Delicate silk bands decorated the shoulders.
At this time, the entire clan was busy preparing for the upcoming festival.
But the Ming Lan Clan did not celebrate alone.
They invited neighboring clans as well.
Not out of generosity…
But to strengthen alliances and relationships.
Meanwhile, inside her room, Mo Xuan continued searching.
Exploring the depths of her mind.
After all…
She had awakened in this world suddenly.
Eight years of memories had been forcefully implanted in her mind.
Memories of this world.
Yet the memories of her previous world
remained intact.
They had never disappeared.
"Mo Xuan!"
A voice echoed from downstairs.
"Mo Xuaaaan!"
She opened the door slightly.
"Come here,"
Su Yi called.
"You need to prepare for the festival. Do you even have suitable clothes?"
Mo Xuan answered calmly.
"No."
"Wait here," Su Yi replied. "I'll go find something appropriate for you."
Mo Xuan returned to her room.
Perhaps this will be my chance to understand this place better, she thought.
And see who the true figures controlling this clan are.
As her gaze wandered across the room, it stopped on an old book lying on the table.
She picked it up slowly.
The title read:
"World of Shards."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"What…?"
She murmured softly.
"Shards…?"