Chapter Text
Hua Lei woke up before dawn.
There was hardly any light that couldn't descend upon the little Huli Jing. The dim rays of the early morning sun barely showed past the window above the bed, casting a faint glimmer to display the shadows that crept around his room, taunting his laziness. But, his body felt physically incapable of tolerating the many inconveniences of the day ahead, as if every muscle and bone were weighed down by the school within him that curled around Hua Lei's muscles.
Hua Lei wasn't as strong as others tried to suggest. He was pathetic in how little he could handle. Even in this moment of solitude, Hua Lei found himself unable to muster the strength to get up from his place of slumber. It was far from what he loved, and despite its half-soft cotton and plush pillows, the bed was not truly his in name or spirit.
It held no genuine warmth, no comforting embrace that whispered of home. They didn't even have his scent, a reminder of his own essence, which made the entire atmosphere feel even more hollow and foreign. Hua Lei couldn't deny how he missed his family.
How pathetic. The great Huli Jing that was supposed to hold so much knowledge and power ends up being the thing that can't go a week without his A-die and Baba. He missed them deeply. There was an ache around his body that twisted and curled in a sweet manner but he knew the stinging sensation was burning the edges of his scars of sorrow.
Each passing minute felt like an indefinite amount of time that bordered on , as the weight of socialising pressed down on him. The day ahead was rife with obligations and social encounters that he dreaded, and the thought of facing them filled him with a sense of unease. It was as if the world outside was a cacophony of noise, while he remained trapped in a silence that felt … bad. There was no other way to describe it. He couldn't even say to anyone he didn't wish to hear their stupid voices.
Their naive minds believed that everyone was, in some way or another, in need of a good conversation. This notion stemmed from their genuine belief in the false idea that everybody wishes to speak and be understood through conversing. Even Ning Yingying, who had often struggled with social cues in her younger years. She was a girl who hardly ever grasped the fine distinction of communication, frequently misreading expressions and gestures.
However, as time went on, she slowly matured and developed into a master of her face and appearance to others. With diligent effort taught by the original Shen Qingqiu, she learned to navigate social situations more adeptly, honing her ability to read the room and respond appropriately to those around her. This transformation allowed her to connect with others in a way she had never imagined possible, turning her initial naivety into a profound insight into the nature of human interaction.
Hua Lei sighed deeply as he turned onto his side, feeling the familiar weight of the day ahead pressing down on him. The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across his room, yet it did little to lift his spirits. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, debating whether rolling out of bed and landing on the floor might somehow be the best strategy for facing the challenges of the day. The idea seemed absurd, yet there was a strange comfort in the notion of starting from a low point, as if it would allow him to rise up with renewed determination.
He could almost hear the world outside bustling with life, people beginning their day as the sun was now fully risen, and Mountain Tonglu would open in two days. The bed felt like a sanctuary, yet he knew he couldn't linger here forever. With a heavy heart, Hua Lei weighed his options, trying to muster the motivation to face whatever awaited him beyond the warmth of his blankets. Perhaps it was time to embrace the day, no matter how daunting it seemed.
Hua Lei was abruptly interrupted by the System, which barged in with an overwhelming presence as it had just barged in. Its obnoxious attitude was impossible to ignore, and it cast a heavy shadow over the moment. The sensation it created was so intense that it felt as if tears were already welling up, ready to spill over. Yet, despite the emotional turmoil it stirred, the tears held no value or significance in this context.
Instead, they seemed like a manifestation of frustration and helplessness, a response to the unwelcome intrusion. Hua Lei found himself grappling with a rush of conflicting feelings as he tried to process the situation. The System’s relentless demands and condescending tone only added to his distress, making it clear that this confrontation was far from over. The weight of the moment pressed down on him, leaving him to wonder how he would navigate the complexities of thisu unexpected interaction.