Jade Reflection Author: Gensama & rikatsudon
CHAPTER 1: THE WEIGHT OF NAMES
The routine bustling of the city seemed muted within the quiet walls of Yuan Jian’s small apartment. He laid on his bed, head hanging on the edge, staring at the jade pendant hanging from his hand, its surface smooth and has a glisten to it. It had been two years since his mother passed away, five since his father vanished out of nowhere first, but the memories of those final days lingered, sharp and clear as ever.
His father had given him the pendant on his thirteenth birthday. The older man had held it up, letting the morning light filter through the faint green stone before placing it in Yuan Jian's hands. His father’s voice, calm yet filled with meaning, still echoed in his mind.
"This pendant belonged to your ancestors," his father had said. "I hope it will serve as a reminder of who you are and where you come from."
Yuan Jian had been too young to fully grasp his father’s words at the time, but his father wasn’t finished.
"Your name, Jian’er," his father had continued, with a look in his eyes that seemed to carry the weight of the world. "It contains the characters 'origin' and 'mirror (reflection).' It’s more than just some words—it's a path. Your mother and I named you that because we believe you'll have the wisdom to see through illusions and find the truth, even when it's hidden." His father added, with a more solemn tone. “In the near future, if ever we get separated, look at the pendant and remember the name we gave you. Even while we are not together, you should have a clear vision of yourself and others. Got it ‘kiddo?”
At thirteen, Yuan Jian hadn’t understood the significance, but now, at eighteen, the words resonated more deeply. Especially now, with both his parents gone, leaving him and his younger sister, Yuan Mei, to fend for themselves. His father’s words were like a compass in a world that felt increasingly directionless.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Yuan Mei was sitting across the room, curled up on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her, focused on her phone. She had inherited their mother's fierce independence, though Yuan Jian knew she carried her own grief quietly. The two of them rarely spoke about their parents’ death and disappearance—it hurt too much—but the loss was ever-present, a shadow in the corners of their small apartment.
“You’re staring at that thing again,” Yuan Mei said, not looking up from her screen. Her voice was light but carried a hint of concern.
Yuan Jian slipped the pendant back under his shirt and smiled faintly. “Just thinking.”
“About Dad’s stories again?” she asked, reminiscent of their father, her tone softening slightly. “You always said they were a little too childish for your taste.”
“Maybe,” he admitted, leaning back against the wall. “But... I don’t know. Lately, they’ve been on my mind.”
Yuan Mei looked up from her phone, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re not planning on going all ‘Namu Namu’ on me now, are you?”
He laughed, though it felt forced. “No, nothing like that. It’s just... I can’t shake this feeling that there’s something I’m missing.”
His sister shrugged, returning to her screen. “Well, Dad did always say there was more to the world than we knew. Maybe after 5 years he’s rubbed into you.”
Yuan Jian didn’t respond, but her words hung in the air. His father had often spoken about the mysteries of the world—of forces and truths hidden just beyond the reach of normal people. Back then, Yuan Jian had brushed it off as fanciful musings, tales meant to inspire imagination. But now, as he fingered the jade pendant, something about those old stories felt different.
He stood up and crossed the room, looking out the window at the sprawling city below. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the streets. Despite the familiar view, something stirred deep inside him—something that made the city seem both close and distant at the same time.
"Origin and reflection," Yuan Jian thought to himself. His father had been a man of many secrets, and the older Yuan Jian grew, the more he suspected there was truth buried in his father’s cryptic words. Perhaps it was time to find out what that truth was.