"I... what should I call you?"
Feeling her hand held so firmly, Na'er's dazed expression shifted into a soft flush. She looked up at him, her amethyst eyes searching his face.
"Xie Xie," he replied.
"Ah...?" The sudden name left Na'er bewildered. She tilted her head, confused by the repetition of the word for "thanks."
"I said my name is Xie Xie—the 'Xie' for an unexpected encounter... never mind, it's a bit complicated to explain." He looked at her with an earnest, slightly helpless expression. "I'm a bit older than you, so just call me Brother Xie Xie."
"Okay... Brother. Brother Xie Xie."
Gurgle—
Na'er nodded thoughtfully, but before she could finish her sentence, an untimely sound erupted from her stomach. It was a deep, insistent growl of hunger. Embarrassment flooded her face, turning it a deep crimson as she stared at her feet.
"Hungry?" Xie Xie wasn't surprised. He reached into his spatial spirit tool and pulled out a vibrant, rainbow-swirled lollipop. He had come prepared. "They say you shouldn't trust strangers who offer candy, but I'm the exception to the rule. Here, this is for you."
Na'er's eyes locked onto the treat instantly. She took it with trembling hands, her eyes sparkling. After just one lick, the sugary sweetness painted a look of pure bliss across her face.
"Thank you... Brother Xie Xie," she beamed, her smile as sweet as the candy.
"Haha, no need to be polite." Xie Xie smiled gently and began leading her toward the hotel.
From a distance, a young boy with large, expressive eyes watched them leave, a hint of envy in his voice. "Are those two siblings? I wish I had a cute little sister like that..."
The boy—Tang Wulin—felt a strange, hollow sensation in his chest, as if something vital had just slipped through his fingers. "Forget it. I want candy too. I'll go ask Mom and Dad if I can have some!" He giggled and ran off, unaware that his destiny had just been irrevocably altered.
Back at the Hotel.
When Xie Tianhai and Jiang Yun saw their son return holding the hand of a silver-haired girl, their minds, already reeling from the day's events, froze once more.
"You... why did you bring home a little girl?" Xie Tianhai blurted out. Was this some sort of legendary "daughter-in-law from heaven" scenario?
"She's as beautiful as a porcelain doll, but... son, you're only six!" Jiang Yun added, her thoughts racing.
Feeling the weight of their stares, Na'er grew flustered and hid behind Xie Xie's back. To her, he was the only safe harbor in a world of strangers.
"Dad, Mom, her name is Na'er. I found her near the academy; she seems to be lost." While calming the trembling girl, Xie Xie gave his parents a concise, clinical account of the rescue.
"What irresponsible parents!" Jiang Yun's heart ached for the child. "With so many crooks around, if you hadn't stepped in, she could have been trafficked!"
"Little girl, don't be afraid," she continued, her voice softening into a maternal warmth. "Uncle and Auntie will help find your family. For now, let's get you cleaned up. Auntie will give you a bath, okay?"
Na'er looked toward Xie Xie for permission. Only after he gave a reassuring nod did she obediently follow Jiang Yun into the bathroom.
"Nice going, son," Xie Tianhai chuckled once the women were gone. "Heroically rescuing a beauty at such a tender age—truly a chip off the old block! But," his face turned serious, "your safety comes first. I'll arrange for some bodyguards once we're back in Donghai City. We can't have our genius blacksmith getting into scrapes."
Soon, the bathroom door opened, and Jiang Yun emerged with a freshly bathed Na'er.
Without the grime and dust, her beauty was breathtaking. Even dressed in Xie Xie's oversized clothes, she looked like a goddess in the making—a "kingdom-toppler" in the nascent stage.
"Na'er is so pretty, just like a little angel," Jiang Yun chirped, her smile stretching from ear to ear. Na'er was so shy she couldn't speak; she simply blinked at Xie Xie, her eyes begging for rescue from the overwhelming praise.
"Dad, Mom, let's go eat. Na'er is starving," Xie Xie intervened, taking the girl's hand.
They headed to a high-end specialty restaurant nearby. Jiang Yun, familiar with the menu from her youth, ordered a spread: explosive-roasted king crab, aromatic roast duck, and several side dishes.
"Something's wrong..." Jiang Yun whispered a few minutes later.
She watched in dazed silence as Na'er polished off two main courses and eight steamed buns, yet still looked expectant. Even Xie Tianhai was worried; eight buns for a six-year-old was a medical concern.
"Na'er, how long has it been since you last ate?"
"I don't know," Na'er said, shaking her head. Her memories were a hazy fog. "Maybe a day? Or two?" She looked at the empty plates and then at the bun in her hand. "Brother Xie Xie... did I eat too much?"
"Not at all," Xie Xie replied firmly. He knew her Silver Dragon King bloodline required immense energy. "Eat as much as you want. Being able to eat is a blessing."
"That's right! We have plenty," his parents echoed, though they were privately marveling at her appetite.
An hour later, they visited the Aolai City Law Enforcement Bureau. The results were grim.
"I'm sorry," the officer sighed. "There are no records of a child named Na'er in Aolai City, nor any reports of a missing child matching her description."
Jiang Yun and Xie Tianhai shared a look of profound sadness. A child this beautiful appearing out of nowhere with no records could only mean one thing: she had been abandoned by someone who didn't want her found. They couldn't bear the thought of sending such a gentle soul to a cold welfare home.
On the walk back to the hotel, the atmosphere was heavy.
"I don't have a family..." Na'er whispered, her voice cracking. Her mood hit rock bottom; a dark realization seemed to be clawing at her mind—the feeling that she might not even belong to this world.
Just then, Xie Xie's hand closed around hers.
"Na'er," he said, his voice cutting through her despair like a blade of light. "Would you... be our family?"
Na'er froze. She blinked, her amethyst eyes wide with shock. She hadn't expected the offer, especially not from someone she had just met. But as she looked into his steadfast, golden-flecked eyes, she felt a surge of warmth that eclipsed the coldness of her lost memories.
She bloomed into a radiant smile, the first true smile they had seen. "I will!"
She wasn't just willing; she was home.