Chapter Twenty-Five: Beneath the Blooming Garden
About six months later…
Su Ling Tian sat in the Shao Family's garden, surrounded by the gentle breeze and the sweet scent of flowers — yet he saw none of it.
His eyes were fixed on only one person — Shao Nan, the daughter of the Shao Family.
The girl with long, silky brown hair and those golden, mesmerizing eyes — the one who had stolen his mind from the very first moment…
Even though she hadn't shown him the slightest bit of interest!
But that didn't stop him from trying — again and again, with a persistence that knew no exhaustion.
Running up to her with a bright, eager smile, he called out,Shao Nan! Do you need anything? I'll get it for you!
Moments later, he followed with the same enthusiasm,Shao Nan! It's hot today… would you like a fan?
And before she could even answer, he continued,Shao Nan! Did someone bother you? Just tell me — I'll handle it myself!
He acted as though he'd become the king of bootlickers — no,perhaps even the emperor of flattery!
And every time she ignored him, his enthusiasm didn't fade — it grew.
It was as if some mysterious force compelled him to keep going…
as though the fate of the world itself depended on seeing one single smile from her!
But then… something strange began to happen.
At first, Shao Nan paid him no attention at all.
She ignored him completely, her demeanor cold and indifferent.
Yet as time went on, she started to feel something unusual inside her —a faint sense of unease, though not quite dislike.
It was more like a quiet confusion, as if her thoughts began to waver in the face of his relentless presence.
She knew his behavior was foolish, even annoying…
And yet, there was this subtle pull — a gentle warmth that brushed against her heart for just a moment before fading away.
Shao Nan thought to herself, struggling to fight off the feeling: He's… not that bad, is he?
And for the first time… she stopped ignoring him completely.
She looked at him and spoke in a calm, almost dry tone — her gaze not quite meeting his eyes.
It's fine. I don't need anything. I didn't ask for your help, but… thank you."
Su Ling Tian froze where he stood — his face lighting up with stunned joy.
She… she talked to me!
Her words were simple, but to him, they were a monumental victory.
If it had been any other girl, she would have fallen under the influence of his charm aura the moment their eyes met.
But Shao Nan was different — she was the Heroine of Fate.
That meant the effect of his "Aura of Attraction" worked on her differently — not in an instant, but slowly, gradually,like droplets of water carving their way through stone — gentle, patient, unstoppable.
Meanwhile…
From behind one of the stone walls in the garden, Gu Yue and Su Mi were watching the scene with tense expressions and visible irritation.
Gu Yue's face was flushed red with anger, her golden eyes burning like a dormant volcano ready to erupt.
That idiot! Why is he acting like some obedient servant in front of her?!
Since when did he become like this?! Where's that arrogant bastard I used to know?!"
Beside her, Su Mi bit her lip in silence,thinking the exact same thing —
but unable to say a word.
Because just like Gu Yue, she could feel it too…
Something new — something dangerous — had begun to stir deep inside Su Ling Tian's heart.
Su Mi bit her lip lightly, her eyes glimmering with jealousy.
Hah! Why is he being so kind to her? she thought angrily. He never acts that way with me!
But what neither she nor Gu Yue realized… was that both of them were beginning to feel it — that something about Su Ling Tian was changing.
He… wasn't the same as before.
A quiet year passed — a year that changed everything between them.
Despite the tensions and rivalry, the bond linking Su Ling Tian, Su Mi, and Gu Yue didn't weaken.
Instead, it grew deeper… and far more complicated.
Every moment they spent together tightened the invisible thread that bound them — creating a feeling that could no longer be called mere friendship, yet wasn't quite love either.
It was something in between — fragile, powerful, and impossible to define.
Su Mi, who had once relied on Su Ling Tian for everything, was no longer the clingy little girl who hid behind his shadow.
Now, as she stood beside him with a newfound maturity, she was bolder in her actions —more willing to stand with him rather than behind him.
Gu Yue, on the other hand, was different.
Though her "tsundere" nature remained, the icy wall she had built between them had begun to melt… slowly, imperceptibly.
She no longer minded sitting close to him — or speaking with him for long hours.
Sometimes, when exhaustion crept in, she would even lean quietly against his shoulder.
And though she still tried to hide her feelings behind sharp words and feigned pride,the faint blush that colored her cheeks always betrayed her.
As time passed, everything changed.
Their emotions were no longer the innocent affections of childhood —
they had grown… deeper, more complex, and far harder to control.
The fleeting glances they exchanged, the unconscious closeness between them — even those quiet, unguarded moments when their actions slipped beyond innocent bounds — all hinted at something rawer, more intimate.
And one evening, under the calm veil of twilight,Su Ling Tian sat atop one of the old buildings within the Su Family estate.
The sky above was heavy with clouds, and the wind brushed through his long black hair like a whisper from the past.
He closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on the path he had walked until now.
Years ago, he could never have imagined himself here — surrounded by people whose hearts carried such tangled, uncertain feelings for him.
But now, at eighteen, he understood something.
Life would never again be simple.
He was no longer the boy who walked blindly toward his fate…
He was a young man standing at the edge of a new road —one where emotion, power, and destiny intertwined into a single thread…
a thread that could never again be separated.
Below, Xiao Nan was quietly strolling through the garden, chatting with a few maids, a gentle smile curving her lips. When Su Ling Tian's eyes fell upon her, he couldn't help but smile as well.
She had become a part of his life now… not just some fleeting or superficial relationship, but something far deeper — a bond he had never expected.
She was the only one who had crossed every boundary with him, and yet, instead of pulling away, her attachment to him only grew stronger with each passing day.
On the other side, Gu Yue stood at the courtyard entrance, arms crossed, her blue eyes gleaming sharply as she silently watched him. When their gazes met, she immediately flinched and turned her face away, her cheeks flushing a faint pink as she mumbled shyly,W-why are you looking at me like that, you idiot?!
Su Ling Tian chuckled softly, then leapt down gracefully from the rooftop, walking toward her with quiet steps. When he reached out to touch the silky strands of her silver hair, she turned her head away sharply — yet… she didn't stop him when he leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss against her lips, fleeting as a whisper of wind.
Her eyes widened in shock before she gently pushed him back,whispering in a flustered voice,Stop… don't do that in front of others…!
He smiled calmly, replying in a low teasing tone,So you mean… it's fine as long as no one's watching us?
But of course, it hadn't escaped everyone's eyes…
From another corner, Su Mi watched the scene with her dark eyes, a complex expression that couldn't easily be read. Years ago, she wouldn't have felt anything seeing Su Ling Tian spending time with another girl — but now… she could no longer understand her own emotions.
Later, when Su Ling Tian approached her, she placed her hands on her waist and stared at him with a mix of anger and mockery.
You care about her more than me, don't you?!
He smiled quietly, then raised his hands, cupped her cheeks gently,and gave them a light squeeze, making her frown slightly in annoyance. He whispered warmly,Don't be silly… You've always been special to me, Su Mi.
Then he slowly leaned forward and kissed her lips.
Her face flushed red instantly, but she didn't pull away. And when he felt the warmth of her cheeks and the tremble in her breath, he lifted his hand to softly brush her hair — as if that moment alone was enough to melt away every doubt between them.
At that moment, Instructor Ling Xuan was silently watching everything from afar.
At first, she had thought his behavior was nothing more than what you'd expect from a young man his age — but she couldn't deny that strange feeling that crept into her heart every time he came near her.
He had matured… far more than she'd realized.
Sometimes, when he smiled at her or approached her seeking guidance, she felt more nervous than she ever should have.
Ling Xuan whispered to herself, trying to suppress the turmoil within,
It's fine… he's just my student.
Yet no matter how hard she tried to convince herself of that, deep down she knew — things were no longer that simple.
Su Ling Tian stood in the center of the courtyard, his gaze sweeping across those around him with quiet contemplation.
Much had changed in his life, and yet one thing had become undeniably clear — he was no longer just a background character in this world.
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