The next day.
It was a sunny and pleasant day, with the temperature just right—not too high nor too low, making it feel incredibly comfortable. Shanter stretched lazily and tried to sit up, but he forgot that little Robin was still asleep next to him, her body half lying on his chest. This caused both of them to wake up.
"Hey, girl, I didn't notice it the night before, but you smell so nice. It's so pleasant that it's almost intoxicating!" Shanter made an exaggerated expression and then got up to heat some cow's milk.
Noticing that Robin wasn't as happy as expected, Shanter asked, "The milk's ready. Do you want bread or a sandwich?"
"Sandwich," Robin replied.
"Third drawer from the top on the right side of the cupboard. Help yourself. Don't laugh, I made the cupboard myself. It might look ugly, but as long as it works, right? You're laughing again! Laughing!" Shanter glared at Robin, who was holding her mouth, trying not to show her teeth, pretending to look fierce.
Shanter made all of his furniture himself. The bed, desk, and chairs had all been painstakingly crafted after a lot of effort and constant revisions. But the cupboard was strangely designed—an oval shape, almost like an elongated egg.
But let's not get sidetracked about this little breakfast incident. After the meal, Robin, as usual, went to the Tree of Knowledge, while Shanter continued his near-torturous self-training, which had been ongoing for nearly two years.
When Shanter had first drifted to this island, he began pushing his physical limits with various exercises. Though there were times he couldn't keep going and collapsed, unable to get up, the thought of his destroyed hometown and dead relatives, the desire for revenge, and the justice burning in his heart, would always fuel him to rise again and press forward with renewed strength.
Hatred and dreams—these two forces were perhaps the strongest in the world, capable of supporting Shanter to keep moving forward without stopping, without hesitation.
And the soul from his past life, originating from the Central World, subtly influenced him. The Central World was the center of the entire multiverse, a place where the strongest beings of all races and disciplines converged—be it magic, cultivation, martial arts, superpowers, or technology. Gods, demons, immortals, witches, monsters, and saints all coexisted. To stand out from that vast world and impose one's own Dao [path] was no small feat. Even though Shanter had lost his memories and the precious Dao that had once been his, the tenacity and persistence within his soul had not disappeared.
Shanter relentlessly battered his body, torturing himself until he was almost unrecognizable, refusing to stop. This was why his physical fitness had improved so rapidly.
After his training, Shanter would then push himself further, doubling his workload. His finances weren't exactly tight, but they were not in great shape either. Despite being only six years old, Shanter's mental and physical abilities far exceeded those of an average child. At this point, he could no longer be considered a child in any sense.
Truth be told, Shanter was happy about Robin's arrival. He automatically ignored the increased burden it brought him. Before Robin had come to live with him, Shanter used to be scolded by his aunt for coming home late every day. He was uncomfortable with this, but now that the issue was resolved, he didn't mind the extra exhaustion.
Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, half a year had gone by.
"Girl, how do you like the cake? I specially ordered it for you," Shanter asked Robin at lunchtime.
"Mm," Robin looked at the six candles on the cake with surprise. "But won't this cost a lot of money?"
"Only once a year, so it's fine. Now, girl, close your eyes for me, will you?"
Robin obediently closed her black eyes, leaving Shanter fumbling around in a bit of a panic.
"Alright, open them."
Robin opened her eyes, and before her stood a new and beautiful purple dress.
"Is this for me?" Robin asked, her voice filled with joy.
Shanter's heart swelled with affection. "Of course, who else would it be for? Today's your birthday. You didn't forget, did you? Last year, I only gave you an ordinary hairpin, so this year, of course, I had to get something better."
"It's so pretty, but… won't this cost a lot of money?"
"Money is nothing you need to worry about, little one. Just focus on your studies," Shanter said, in a tone that made him sound quite old.
"You're only a year older than me, but you always treat me like a kid, as if you were my parent," Robin muttered softly.
"Tch, little girl, you want to be an adult, huh?" Shanter chuckled and ruffled Robin's hair. "Besides, I am your guardian, I'm your older brother, and the older brother is like a father."
"You're not my real brother."
"That's it! Say it again! Saying that really hurts my feelings!" Shanter put on a pretend pout, though his voice betrayed his amusement.
"You're not my real brother, but… it's not a big deal… I mean, you're better than a real brother," Robin said quickly, seeing that Shanter seemed a little upset. She then changed the subject. "Brother, when's your birthday?"
"Eleven days later."
"Ah? I'm so sorry, I've never given you a birthday gift, and I don't even know when your birthday is." Robin felt a little guilty.
"That's because you're heartless!" Shanter laughed, playfully.
"I'm sorry, brother…"
"It's fine, I should apologize. I shouldn't have called you heartless," Shanter said, seeing Robin look so guilty. He chuckled at his own words, thinking, Look at that bratty mouth of mine. "Today's your birthday, so let's just focus on that!"
"Brother, even though you're only a year older than me, I always have to rely on you. I can never help you with anything..." Robin's voice trailed off, her head lowered.
"You being with me is helping me. We might not be related by blood, but I've always treated you like my little sister, you silly thing." Shanter pinched Robin's cute, delicate nose. Surprisingly, Robin didn't push his hand away this time.
"You're so strong, you're good at everything. Compared to you, I'm so far behind," Robin said, finally lifting her head. Her bangs fluttered gently in the breeze, looking utterly adorable.
Seeing Robin's cute expression, Shanter's mischievous side came alive again. He pulled her into his embrace and began to caress her smooth, delicate cheeks while proudly boasting, "I'm a man with the will of d!"
"Hehe, brother, you really know how to boast. So what if you have the will of d?" Robin leaned against Shanter's chest, enjoying the affection, but she wasn't impressed by his words.
"A family that inherits the will of d is a great family. Many remarkable people have come from such families, and those who inherit the will of d will never be ordinary," Shanter explained, his voice softening as he absentmindedly touched the white jade pendant his mother had left him, which hung around his neck. "These are the things my parents told me."
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Little girl, blow out the candles." Shanter wanted to keep his memories from dampening Robin's birthday spirit. He stood up and drew the curtains to block out the midday sunlight.
"Ha!"
"The birthday girl is cutting the cake."
"How does it taste? I know you don't like cakes that are too sweet."
"Brother, you even remember that?" Robin felt a warm sensation in her heart, filled with the joy of being cared for in silence. A sweet smile spread across her face.
"There's a surprise tonight too," Shanter said, looking at Robin's smile. He reached out to ruffle her hair and gave her a kiss on her cheek.
"What is it? Tell me, brother."
"Fireworks."
"Really?"
"Of course. Brother would never lie to you. When have I ever lied to you?"
"You lie to me all the time… You're always playing tricks on me."
"That's not true…" When Shanter heard the words "play tricks," he couldn't say anything more. "Sorry."
"It's fine, brother doesn't need to apologize. Actually, I don't mind. Do I do that too?" Robin said, smiling.
Suddenly, Shanter's body sprouted a multitude of hands, and they began tickling him, causing the two of them to fall into a playful scuffle.
---
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