"Wait a moment." The success was still a crucial step away. Huayan handed the jade back to the esper warriors once more. "Try again. Check the results in ten minutes."

Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the two espers closing their eyes to absorb the jade.

Perhaps they were too anxious about failure, as the intended ten minutes stretched into half an hour before they stopped. Huayan herself had already seen the jade's energy flow into their arms, completely reassured.

The others remained on edge, fearful and uneasy. Lao Qiao asked the two espers how they felt. They mumbled for a while, unsure how to respond, afraid a single word could ruin everything.

Turning to Huayan with hopeful eyes, Lao Qiao asked, "Xiaoyan, is the problem solved?"

Huayan nodded. She took the jade from one of the espers and, after inspecting it with X-ray vision, raised her eyebrows happily and confirmed, "The problem is solved."

After the initial shock wore off, smiles reached everyone's faces, reaching their hearts.

"After the two espers left, Huayan said, 'The jade needs me to absorb it first before other espers can use it.'"

"Is it really that simple?" Lao Qiao couldn't believe his ears. Lao Yang also looked at her curiously, waiting for more.

Huayan rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, *As simple as it seems, it's not easy at all.* Each piece of jade used by the espers required her absorption first, even if it only took a minute. However, the sheer quantity – thousands, tens of thousands of pieces of jade – sent chills down her spine. In terms of time, it was a monumental task, spanning months, years...

"Yeah."

"Lao Qiao, you better be prompt with your fine wine deliveries in the future, or else..." With the problem solved, Lao Yang seized the opportunity to assert his demands.

"You're taking advantage of the situation. Moreover, by doing this, Xiaoyan can save a considerable amount of jade consumption in the future."

Lao Yang chuckled to himself. He said, "We don't care about your little benefits, Xiaoyan. Don't forget, Xiaoyan also has a stake in that small Burmese mine."

Watching the banter between the two old men, Huayan didn't interject. After observing them for a quarter of an hour, Huayan instructed Lao Qiao to bring in the jade that the espers would use within a month.

Before addressing the main issue, Lao Qiao and Lao Yang refrained from their banter. It took Huayan ten hours to complete the task. After absorbing the last piece of jade, Huayan sighed to herself, "Sore back, cramped hands. Doing the same thing over and over again, like eating the same delicacy until you want to vomit."

After disappearing for about an hour, Lao Yang finally appeared, his face filled with undisguised happiness. Looking at the wine barrel he held in his arms, Huayan smiled knowingly. It seemed another barrel of vintage wine from Lao Qiao's cellar was now missing.

In the following days, after finishing the exams, Huayan rested at home. Occasionally, she visited the Department Three to chat and exchange skills with the esper warriors. Among the most interesting events was the little boy who stuck to Huayan like glue whenever he saw her, teasing from the others.

Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and Huayan hadn't decided how to spend it yet. She knew Hu Li's company was busy nearing year-end, leaving her with little time. Unexpectedly, the little boy who had taken her phone number called, his voice tinged with unease. He asked cautiously, "Huayan, how about I take you out to play tomorrow?"

This resilient and mature esper boy had been calling her by her full name since their first meeting. Despite being taught manners by older brothers and sisters, he refused to call her "sister," always addressing her like a small adult, using her name.

Sometimes, the little boy would get angry, furrowing his brows and tensing his face, his demeanor making Huayan momentarily see a mature man before her.

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. You should spend it with your girlfriend. I won't meddle," he said.

"I don't have a girlfriend!" The little boy seemed particularly annoyed at Huayan's earlier remark, raising his voice in frustration. Then, feeling he shouldn't have lost his temper, he lowered his voice. "Sorry... Tomorrow, it's just me... spending the holiday alone. Can you accompany me skiing?"

There was a tinge of loneliness in the boy's subdued voice, evoking memories for Huayan from before her rebirth. Back then, the last thing she wanted was to celebrate any holiday. Regardless of the occasion, large or small, Huayan didn't want to see them. Watching others reunite with their families, enjoying warmth and laughter, only deepened the loneliness and pain in her heart.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Caught between the world and her frozen heart, memories of being isolated from the crowd softened Huayan. Eventually, she agreed to the little boy's request. His joyful voice on the phone stirred a clear sky in Huayan's mood.

On December 24th, just after lunch and still bantering with Big Fatty to aid digestion, Huayan was interrupted by an urgent ringtone. Seeing the little boy's name, Huayan felt a slight disappointment but answered the phone.

"Huayan, I'm all set. Shouldn't we leave now?"

"Isn't it too early? The Christmas Eve activities at the ski resort are liveliest and most fun in the evening. Going so early, there won't be much to do." Normally, she would be sleeping by now.

But the little boy was firm in his decision. "Today is a holiday. Besides skiing, we can also stroll around and have tea in the afternoon..."

Despite feeling a bit sleepy, since she had promised the little boy, Huayan eventually agreed.

Listening to their conversation, Little Fatty teased, "Is this little boy trying to pursue you?"

Huayan had never thought about it, but upon reflection, she didn't think the little boy could like her. After all, in her heart, he was still a child.

At the designated spot, Huayan saw the tall, handsome, phoenix-eyed little boy looking around at the passing cars and crowds.

"You're here early."

With a sunny smile, the little boy said, "Not early. Let's go. Accompany me to shop."

Infected by his enthusiasm, Huayan also felt energetic and ready to explore. After browsing half a floor, whenever Big Fatty went into a shop and took a turn, he would ask if Huayan liked anything.

If Huayan shook her head, he would hold her hand and take her to the next shop. If he saw Huayan eyeing something, he would buy it directly, and Huayan couldn't stop him. In the end, the little boy had a dozen bags filled with items for Huayan.

"What are you doing? Didn't you want to buy things? Why is everything mine now?" Huayan pointed to the things in the little boy's hands and asked.

"I originally wanted to buy them for you." Seeing Huayan frown, almost unhappy, he immediately pretended to be weak and said, "I just wanted to thank you for helping me restore my abilities. You're not upset, are you?"

The little boy's explanation made sense, and Huayan felt she had overreacted. She glared at him and said, "I didn't expect you, little guy, to be quite rich!"

"Buying you things is no problem."

"You little brat." After being scolded by Huayan, the little boy wasn't angry. He just smiled foolishly.

After tea and a rest for over forty minutes, the little boy smiled and suggested, "Are you hungry now? How about we go eat?"

With darkness still a couple of hours away, it was perfect timing for a meal. Huayan gladly agreed. The little boy then asked, "Shall I decide where to eat?"

"Sure."

Seated in a place with beautiful music and elegant surroundings, Huayan glanced questioningly at the little boy. He signaled with his eyes to wait. Soon, a waiter came over and said, "Sir, everything is ready."

"Then, let's have the dishes served." The little boy's manners were impeccable. Huayan looked around and thought to herself that this little guy wasn't simple at all.

While they were waiting for the food to arrive, the little boy suddenly left Huayan to speak with the waiter they had spoken to earlier. The waiter seemed very puzzled and surprised, casting a complex glance back at Huayan.

"Are you really going to change the carefully prepared candlelight dinner?"

"I'll still pay for it. You don't need to say more."

After dismissing the waiter, the little boy took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "A frog in warm water is the best approach. It wouldn't be good to scare her off." The sunny boy from earlier momentarily flashed a different light.

After enjoying delicious food, Huayan was in high spirits. She dragged the little boy straight to the ski resort. They got their skiing gear. The little boy noticed Huayan suddenly stopping and asked in surprise, "Huayan, why aren't you moving?"

Huayan forced a smile and whispered, "I don't know how to ski."

"What?" The little boy exclaimed, pointing at Huayan and laughing as he said, "You agreed so readily earlier. You didn't mention this in the afternoon."

"I was having so much fun in the afternoon that I forgot about it." Huayan glared at the little boy who was laughing loudly.

Seeing Huayan's straightforwardness, the warmth in the little boy's eyes deepened. He resisted the urge to rush forward and embrace her. In an instant, he pictured in his mind and eagerly said, "Then let me teach you how. My skiing skills are no worse than the instructors here."

"Alright, as long as you're not afraid of me making us both fall."

Night had already fallen. The expansive ski resort was covered with white snow, reflecting numerous colorful lights. The large pine forest was adorned with strings of twinkling lights, and staff in various parts of the ski resort wore Santa Claus hats and clothes. The music played was filled with different styles of Christmas joy, and even the windows were adorned with snowflake patterns and Santa Claus images.

The laughter of tourists filled the air, making this night brim with songs and laughter. Huayan walked cautiously with the little boy's careful guidance. Her steps were small, but because she was afraid, her legs trembled fiercely. After only a few steps, her feet stumbled for some reason. She fell forward, her whole body falling down, and the little boy reacted quickly, grabbing her and stopping her fall. However, a moment later, the little boy also fell to the ground with Huayan.

The ground was covered with soft artificial snow. Wearing tight ski suits, Huayan, with a face full of white snow, did not feel pain, but after tossing for a while, she was a little tired and lay directly on the ground, panting. The little boy looked at Huayan's blushing face, his heart beating faster, and he felt something unusual in his lower abdomen.

He didn't let go of the hand holding Huayan, and even tightened it while Huayan wasn't paying attention, burying his face in her scattered hair and taking a deep breath of the fragrance.

Meanwhile, while Huayan was far away in the coastal city, Huli appeared at Huayan's home, where he was received by Lao Yang. Dabang saw Huli coming and thought it was a bad thing. He secretly called Huayan several times, but no one answered, causing him to sweat.