She says to me, "Sigh... how could I forget—you were kidnapped when you were merely an infant."
I look at her, eyes wide in shock and confusion. "What are you talking about? I… I'm nothing but an orphan. How could I have parents?"
She lets out a long, sorrowful sigh, her eyes soft with pity. "Kid, you've had that jade pendant with you since birth, haven't you? There should be a single word engraved on it—'Yun.'"
My hand instinctively reaches for the pendant that's always hung around my neck. I clutch it tightly. A wave of realization hits me.
"I... I'm not an orphan?" My voice trembles. "I have a fat… father? A mo…ther?"
She nods. "Yes. You're not alone, child. You have a mother and father who love you very much. They've been searching for you for the last twelve years."
Tears erupt from my eyes, unbidden and unstoppable. It feels as though the crushing weight I've carried since birth has suddenly been lifted.
I cry—not in pain, but in joy.
"Hahaha... I have a mother… and a father. I'm not alone in this world anymore!"
She pulls me into a gentle hug, softly patting my head. Her kindness makes me cry harder.
"I—Yun Shuyi—have a mother and father!"
I weep until I can't anymore. Finally, after half an hour of tears, exhaustion overtakes me. I slump into her arms, and sleep claims me.
She looks down at me with tender eyes, presses a kiss to my forehead, and gently lays me back on the bed. Drawing a blanket over me, she whispers, "Yes, child. You're not alone. Not anymore." Then she silently leaves the room.
Three Hours Later
I wake slowly. Sitting up groggily, I look around the room. I spot her seated across from me, legs folded, deep in meditation.
She opens her eyes the moment I stir. They meet mine with calm clarity.
My stomach rumbles. Embarrassed, I blush. "Sorry…"
She says nothing—just lifts a hand. A small pill materializes between her fingers, which she tosses toward me. "Eat it. It's a food pill."
I catch it and nod, popping it into my mouth.
It tastes… unexpectedly good. Warm. Familiar. As it dissolves, I feel energy coursing through my body, and my hunger vanishes.
I look up at her. "Umm… may I ask your name?"
She answers evenly, "Vaelora Xianwu. Vaelora, meaning 'High Lady.' Xianwu—'Immortal Without Limits.'"
I nod slowly, absorbing the weight of her name. Then, with a sheepish smile, I ask, "Can I call you Big Sister Vaelora?"
She chuckles—a soft, melodic sound like wind in spring—and simply nods.
Then, her expression sharpens. "They are here."
Her voice is low, but the meaning is clear. I freeze.
They. I understand instantly—she's talking about my parents.
My heart races. My breath grows short. My hands start to fidget uncontrollably. The moment I've unknowingly longed for… is now.