Four years later:
Currently, a 7-year-old boy could be seen walking through the huge house of the Yun family. His black hair had become longer and was tied in a ponytail, while his eyes were calm and serene, exuding a sense of peacefulness and connection. It felt as if he had woven a web that had already ensnared several people.
The little boy, Xiao, had just finished his class and was on his way to his sister's room. Although not much had changed over the years, there were some noticeable differences. A month ago, his father's wife from the Min family gave birth to his half-brother. However, Xiao didn't care about the new addition to the family as he knew how the boy would turn out. For now, he chose to ignore him and treat him as if he didn't exist.
Xiao had also started to change his behavior gradually, shedding his childishness. He didn't want to arouse suspicion, so the transition was subtle. However, this change earned him the reputation of being a weirdo among others. Some even pointed it out to his sister, but he swiftly silenced them. His main goal was to present himself as a young genius with his own unique quirks. It was well-known that every genius had their own peculiarities, particularly in their way of thinking.
Xiao aimed to be a child prodigy who understood the world in a more mature manner than expected. This would alleviate some burdens from his mother, who was delighted by his progress. If he hadn't stopped, she would have boasted about him in all her business ventures, and she owned quite a lot.
As for his sister, she behaved just as he remembered her. His baby sister barely spoke, only doing so with him and their mother. Moreover, she seldom cried or made demands. Despite her young age, she displayed a remarkable level of intelligence. This set her apart from the rest of the family.
Additionally, she periodically emitted cold yin energy from her body, causing others to keep their distance. Some children even made fun of her and tried to bully her, but Xiao, being the protective older brother, would always intervene and defend her. Of course, this led to him getting punished by his father.
Apart from these occurrences, not much else of note took place. One small detail was that Xiao had slowly begun to gain control over the servants who worked for his mother. He won them over with strategies he had learned from his previous world, ensuring their well-being. This, in turn, made the servants more loyal to Xiao's mother, who didn't mind the idea.
Xiao had attempted to awaken his other skills, but so far, he had only managed to use one of them. However, he had a faint feeling that he would be able to use all of his skills when he turned ten, which was the age when children awakened their skills in Ingrid. Ten was also the age at which a person could start cultivating.
Feeling a sense of anticipation, Xiao entered his mother's courtyard. Along the way, he encountered several servants who bowed or smiled at him, appreciative of his efforts. Giving a nod to each of them, Xiao entered his mother's room. Inside, he saw his sister surrounded by toys. Her silver hair had grown into a bob, her chubby cheeks were adorable and squishy, and her flawless white skin was blemish-free. Her apathetic blue eyes made one wonder.
Upon seeing Xiao, Xuanyin's apathetic eyes lit up, and she stood up awkwardly before running toward him with her arms open. A wide smile appeared on Xiao's face as he lifted his sister into his arms, cradling her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder, her apathetic eyes filled with happiness.
"So, how was your day?" Xiao asked as he held his sister in his arms. Xuanyin raised her head and looked at him with her cute little eyes.
"Oh, it was boring."
"..."
"So, you felt bored without seeing me?"
"..."
"Okay, I'll stop. I'm just teasing you."
If someone else were to witness this, they would be completely bewildered. After all, Xuanyin wasn't even speaking, yet both Xiao and she were effortlessly communicating. This was made possible by Xiao's skill, {Connection,} which allowed him to understand his sister's thoughts and intentions easily.
While they were engaged in their silent conversation, Xuanyin suddenly started shivering, and cold yin energy emanated from her body. Sensing her discomfort, she clung to Xiao for comfort. Xiao, feeling the cold, hugged his sister tightly and activated his skill to share the pain between them.
Xiao's body grew colder, feeling as if countless ice-like needles were piercing him. However, he didn't cry out. He had endured worse. His main concern was his sister's well-being, and he could see that she clung to him without making a sound.
Xiao endured the cold, which felt like an eternity, for a few seconds until it finally dissipated. He was left trembling from the cold, but he refused to let go of his sister. He desperately tried to provide her with the warmth she needed. After a few minutes, everything returned to normal, and Xiao felt more at ease as he looked at his sister in his arms. Composing himself, he asked her a question.
"Are you okay, Xuanyin?"
She raised her head and nodded. Seeing her response, Xiao smiled. However, his sister continued to gaze at him intently.
"Um, are you angry?"
"..."
"Sorry, Xuanyin. I can't let you suffer alone."
"..."
"Why? Because you're my family, and I love you. I would never let you suffer."
"..."
Xiao kept looking at his sister for a few seconds before she averted her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. Even though she didn't respond verbally, he could still sense through their connection that she was happy. Xiao chuckled as he held his sister with one arm and gently patted her back with the other. It was at that moment when his mother entered and spoke.
"Ayee~~. It looks like both of you are as close as ever. You know, you're making your mother jealous~~"
Xiao's mother pouted as she uttered those words, trying to conceal the sadness she felt upon seeing her children endure pain. Xiao noticed this and smiled wryly, responding to his mother with a smile.
"You don't have to be jealous, Mother. You know I love you too."
Hearing Xiao's words, his mother walked up to him and pinched his cheeks while speaking.
"Ah, you're getting good with your words."
"Well, I learn from the best."
His mother's face brightened upon hearing Xiao's words. Currently, Xiao's way of talking and behaving was far from that of a child. He had already demonstrated his "genius" self to his mother. Of course, he didn't disclose anything about his past or true identity. He merely presented himself as a child prodigy.
Even so, he couldn't simply showcase maturity and advanced thinking. He had to experience "terrifying" events, such as his father ignoring or punishing him. Afterward, Xiao would run to his mother and share his problems with her. In his previous life, his mother had concealed her true ruthless nature from him until later on.