HLnovel Chapter 3 New Identity
Chapter 3 New Identity
After hearing the story, the children sitting around the old man excitedly started discussing it.
"When I grow up, I want to be a hero too!" a child exclaimed with anticipation.
"Me too! Me too!" another child eagerly joined in, his eyes filled with longing.
"I want to become a general, go to the battlefield, and defeat the monsters!" A boy clenched his fist, his expression resolute.
"I hope everyone can live happily and freely." A girl rested her chin on her hand, her voice soft and sweet, yet filled with a beautiful wish.
"I want world peace, and no more wars," the youngest child said in a childish voice, his words revealing a simple yet firm conviction.
After the children finished speaking, a little girl who was sitting crookedly, leaning most of her body against a boy who looked somewhat like her, and leisurely eating an orange, suddenly stood up.
She looked to be about six or seven years old, with beautiful, almond-shaped eyes that were bright and captivating yet tinged with a touch of languidness. Her lips were slightly upturned, and her skin was as white as snow. She wore a bright red dress. Her entire being was radiant and flamboyant, like the summer sun, dazzlingly beautiful.
She swallowed the orange in her mouth, cleared her throat, and said with a smile, "It's been so long since I've heard such innocent and simple dreams. My children, you must work hard and strive to make your dreams come true as soon as possible! As your eldest, I have high hopes for you!"
After hearing her words, a little boy looked up at her, blinked his eyes, and asked curiously, "Sister Qiuchi, don't you have any dreams?"
Chu Qiuchi smiled smugly, her eyes sparkling with a hint of playfulness and confidence. "Of course I have dreams! What's the difference between someone without dreams and someone who's carefree?"
Hearing this, the children felt something was wrong, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.
A little girl smiled and asked, "Sister Qiuchi, what is your dream?"
"My dream..." Chu Qiuchi's voice floated out softly, her mind filled with countless thoughts—she, Chu Qiuchi, a transmigrator who caught the wave of fashion. Now, she is the eldest daughter of the City Lord's Mansion in Xiyue City on the Magic Continent, the apple of the eye of City Lord Chu Siyuan and his wife Qiu Jingya, and she also has a mischievous younger brother, Chu Yichen, who is one year younger than her.
Indeed, being born into the right family is a skill. Fortunately, God did not treat her unfairly, transforming her from an ordinary, chosen working-class woman into a true "rich, beautiful, and successful" woman, successfully achieving a great transformation from the proletariat to the bourgeoisie.
Her original name was Shi Qi, a name that had once been familiar but hadn't been uttered for six years. Those six years were enough for her to understand and adapt to this magical new world. It was a magical world where strength reigned supreme, which directly led to the ruthless abortion of her original plan to retire peacefully and live a carefree life.
Last year, in particular, when she failed to awaken her magic for the first time, the pity and sympathy in the eyes of those around her, and the subsequent change in their attitudes, fueled her competitive spirit. It made her truly realize that in this world, one must possess sufficient strength to earn the respect and recognition of others.
Just as she was lost in thought, Chu Yichen, who was next to her, tugged at her clothes with displeasure. "Sis, what are you thinking about? What exactly is your dream?"
Chu Qiuchi snapped out of her daze, glanced at him, and then turned to find everyone else staring intently at her. A slight smile played on her lips, a mischievous glint in her eyes, as she casually said, "My dream is—to wake up naturally every day, count money until my hands cramp, be surrounded by handsome men and beautiful women, and be so powerful that no one can rival me!"
As soon as she spoke, the children around her were stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter.
However, at that moment, a harsh, mocking voice shattered the relaxed atmosphere: "Heh, our Miss Chu really knows how to dream! How dare you, someone who failed to awaken on your first try, say such things? It's truly laughable!"
The speaker was a girl of about six or seven years old. She had a contemptuous smile on her face and her eyes were full of sarcasm as she slowly walked towards Chu Qiuchi.
The children around her all turned to look at her, and a sense of tension filled the air.
The girl's smile grew increasingly sarcastic. "Look at your confident demeanor, it's utterly laughable. Tsk tsk, the young lady of our dignified City Lord's Mansion can only indulge in empty talk with a bunch of little brats here."
Before Chu Qiuchi could speak, Chu Yichen, who was standing next to him, sprang up from the ground. His peach blossom eyes, which were just like Chu Qiuchi's, were full of anger. "Shao Yuping, you better watch your mouth, or I'll be rude to you."
The other children also stood up and said in unison, "That's right, don't even think about bullying our leader."
Looking at their indignant little expressions, Chu Qiuchi felt a warmth in her heart and smiled slightly, "Oh dear, a mad dog has accidentally come along. Children, do you still remember the dog-beating stick technique your sister taught you?"
The children shouted in unison, "We remember!" Then they all struck a pose as if they would charge into battle and beat the drowning dog at Chu Qiuchi's command.
Upon hearing this, Shao Yuping's face turned green, then red, then green again, more dramatic than a traffic light.
"Chu Qiuchi, who are you calling a mad dog!"
Chu Qiuchi turned around, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Didn't you already assume it was you? Why are you still asking? With your IQ, even a dog would feel insulted if you called it that."
At this moment, the traffic lights on Shao Yuping's face changed color again, successfully activating the black.
"You... Hmph, no matter how eloquent you are, so what? You're destined to be nothing but a good-for-nothing in the future."
"Useless." Chu Qiuchi uttered these two words lightly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. His voice was neither hurried nor slow, yet it instantly chilled the surrounding air.
"Looks like the lesson we taught you last time wasn't enough! Tell me, every time we painstakingly teach you how to be a person, you never pay your tuition. You've gotten addicted to freeloading, haven't you?"
Recalling the scene of being beaten by Chu Qiuchi and Chu Yichen with a sack over her head, Shao Yuping shuddered, her face growing even more ashen. She forced a semblance of composure, her lips trembling slightly: "I'm warning you, you... you better not do anything reckless!"
Seeing her like this, Chu Qiuchi sneered, his voice contemptuous yet threatening: "We are always very serious in our teaching, and we never mess around."
Her smile deepened. "What, you don't remember? Do you want me to help you remember?"
Shao Yuping gritted her teeth, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes. "Hmph, I won't stoop to your level." She snorted coldly and, before Chu Qiuchi could react, she quickly left as if being chased by a wolf.
Hearing the laughter behind her, Shao Yuping gritted her teeth so hard they almost ground to powder. She silently vowed in her heart: Chu Qiuchi, you just wait, one day…
After she walked away, Chu Qiuchi slowly walked towards the old man watching the show, and said with a light laugh, "Grandpa Luo Lin, I'm sorry, you must have found this amusing!"
The old man smiled gently, his eyes filled with a hint of appreciation for Chu Qiuchi, and waved his hand casually, "It's nothing, it's nothing, it's just good for this old man to have some fun!"
Just then, a guard's shout came from afar: "The city lord and his wife have returned to the city!"
"Wow, Mom and Dad are back!"
The children instantly erupted in excitement, jumping and skipping around with joy on their faces.
Chu Qiuchi looked excitedly toward the city gate, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She then turned around and said goodbye to the old man with a hint of urgency, "Grandpa Luo Lin, we'll be going now. We'll come back to hear your stories again next time."
Goodbye, Grandpa Lorraine!
The children waved goodbye excitedly, then quickly followed Chu Qiuchi toward the city gate.
The old man watched their cheerful departing figures, a kind smile appearing on his face. He waved his hand slightly and softly instructed, "Go on, go on, come again next time. Slow down, don't fall."
After he finished speaking, he watched the children gradually disappear into the distance, but the smile on his face lingered for a long time.