Lin Xiao sat in Li Jing's office, still gazing at his badge. Curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "Do you have a domain?"
Li Jing sighed, a hint of frustration in her voice. "It's very hard to get a domain. Some people are born with them, but others need to train extensively for it. I am one of the latter."
"Why do you ask?" she inquired, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Lin Xiao hesitated, considering whether to reveal his secret. After a moment, he decided to trust her. "I have a domain."
Li Jing's eyes widened in shock. "Show me," she demanded.
Lin Xiao nodded and activated his domain. A grayish area enveloped Li Jing briefly before fading away. She knew immediately that it was a domain.
Li Jing sat back down in her chair, still in shock. She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I've been training for almost five years now, and I still don't have a domain. Yet, a student I just took on has one faster than me."
Despite her initial shock, a smile crept onto her face.
She stood up, walked over to Lin Xiao, and placed her hands on his shoulders. "This is incredible. With your domain, you can participate in the Supernatural Association Tournament and remove the shame from the Li family lineage."
Lin Xiao asked, "Shame? What kind of shame?"
Li Jing sat back in her chair and turned to face the window, her voice tinged with bitterness. "One of my ancestors used his memory manipulation powers for nefarious purposes and was caught. He was publicly humiliated and put on a cross beside the tournament stage. That incident brought great shame to the Li family. Because of it, I am stuck in this city, banished from the main family."
Lin Xiao furrowed his brow. "But I'm not part of the Li family."
Li Jing turned back to him, a determined look in her eyes. "Since you are my student, you are now part of the Li family. Our powers are so similar that we must have a common ancestor."
Lin Xiao began to sweat, remembering that he got his powers from the system and likely had no common ancestor with her. Quickly, he made an excuse. "There's no need to go through all that hard work. Just make up an ancestor or something."
Li Jing shook her head, a hint of a smile on her lips. "It's not that simple, Lin Xiao. This is about honor and redemption."
Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Lin Xiao decided to play along, though his true motivations were driven by the system's mission. "I'll participate," he said.
At first, Li Jing couldn't believe Lin Xiao had agreed to participate. Her eyes widened with excitement as his words sank in. "Really? You're serious?" she asked, a smile creeping across her face.
Lin Xiao nodded, "Yes, I'll participate."
Her excitement was palpable. "Show me your domain again!" she insisted, almost bouncing with anticipation.
Lin Xiao complied, activating his domain once more. The grayish area enveloped them both, and he could see her memories as if they were playing on a screen.
Li Jing closed her eyes, fascinated by the peculiar sensation of someone seemingly touching her brain. She sat cross-legged, completely absorbed in the experience.
"This is incredible," she murmured. "I can feel...everything."
After a while, she opened her eyes, her face glowing with excitement and newfound understanding. "I think I'm having an epiphany. Lin Xiao, you should go home for now. I need to process this."
Lin Xiao nodded and quietly left the office, making his way back home.
...
...
As he entered his house, he greeted his mother with a warm "Hello," before heading to his room to see his cats, Xiao Bai and Lil' Blackie.
Both cats perked up as he entered, stretching and yawning. "Hey there, you two," Lin Xiao said, smiling as he bent down to pet them.
Xiao Bai nuzzled his hand, purring loudly. "We were bored," the cat complained.
Lil' Blackie rubbed against his leg, echoing Xiao Bai's sentiment. "Yeah, it gets lonely without you."
Lin Xiao chuckled, sitting down on the floor to give both cats some well-deserved attention. "I'm sorry about that,"
Lin Xiao lay on his bed, his thoughts drifting over the day's events. Xiao Bai and Lil' Blackie settled comfortably on his chest, their warmth and gentle purring providing a soothing backdrop to his contemplation.
It had been an eventful day, to say the least.
He had interacted with Chen Manyao, a girl who had sparked his interest, and now he was committed to participating in both the basketball tournament and the Supernatural Association tournament.
However, the thoughts of Chen Manyao brought a wave of insecurity.
Was her interest in him genuine, or was it because he had become more handsome and charismatic due to the system's influence?
Lin Xiao sighed, placing an arm over his forehead. "I shouldn't be so insecure," he thought to himself. "What's wrong with me? If she likes me, she likes me. I should just focus on being myself."
Before he could delve further into his thoughts, his mother's voice called out, summoning him downstairs for dinner.
Gently moving his cats off his chest, Lin Xiao got up and headed to the dining room.
Dinner was a simple affair, filled with familiar and comforting dishes.
Lin Xiao enjoyed the warmth of his family's presence, even as he kept his recent experiences and new responsibilities to himself.
His mother and sister chatted about their day, and he joined in, feeling a sense of normalcy amid the chaos of his evolving life.
After dinner, Lin Xiao felt a deep weariness settle over him. He said goodnight to his family and returned to his room.
The moment his head hit the pillow, he felt the exhaustion from the day's events catch up with him.
His thoughts briefly flickered to the challenges ahead like the tournaments, the responsibilities as a member of the Cleaning Bureau, and his feelings for Chen Manyao before sleep claimed him.