Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Lin Zhengran walked down the street, carrying a large slice of strawberry cake.

Using a fork, he slowly scooped bite after bite, savoring the sweetness as he swallowed.

Tasty, but a bit too sweet.

【Today is Miss Jiang’s birthday. As your longtime companion in this journey through the martial world, she spent a hefty sum to acquire two prestigious theater tickets and invited you to join her. After watching the performance, your Charisma +2, Stamina +1.】

【Miss Jiang has also gifted you the rare Seven-Colored Snow Oil Paste, something she only allows herself to eat once a year. This delicacy is of supreme quality—after consuming it, your cultivation increases, Spirit Level +1, Strength +1, and Energy +1.】

After finishing the cake, Lin Zhengran found the lingering sweetness cloying, so he decided to stop by the nearby mall for a bottle of water.

He had only walked a few steps when he suddenly heard a heated argument in the distance.

It seemed to be a young couple quarreling over something serious.

The woman’s voice was filled with disbelief. "I can't believe you secretly raised a daughter behind my back! And to hide it from me, you even sent her away to study in another city?! If I hadn’t found out myself, how much longer were you planning to keep this from me?! How am I supposed to marry you after this?"

"Oh, so now you remember you're just her uncle?!" The woman’s voice dripped with sarcasm. "She has a mother, doesn't she? Why is it your responsibility to raise her?"

The man hesitated, seeming somewhat guilty. His voice lacked confidence. "Y-You're being unreasonable… I raised her because my sister wanted to abandon her back then. I pitied the kid, so I supported her education and helped her grow up."

The woman lifted a hand, as if trying to keep herself from getting angrier.

"You don’t need to explain. I'm not being irrational—I actually understand your reasons. I even acknowledge that you meant well. But Han Cheng, as long as you keep raising that girl, my parents will never agree to our marriage."

She tried to reason with him. "Han Cheng, you’ve already done enough. This is just the way things are. In two years, she’ll graduate from middle school. At that point, I can even help by giving her some money so she can support herself.

If she has the ability to continue her studies, she can work part-time, and we can offer financial aid. But if not, she’ll have to find a job after graduation. Either way, she cannot keep living with you. Otherwise…"

She placed a protective hand over her belly. "Otherwise, when I give birth to our child… what will people think of me? How will I explain this to my parents? Do you really intend to take care of that girl forever?"

"I..."

"Since we’re already here, let’s just be honest with her." The woman continued decisively, "We raised her until middle school—that’s enough. We’ll give her some money, and she can visit us during holidays, but she can’t live with us anymore. She needs to stand on her own. If you can’t say it, I’ll say it for you."

Since this road led to the supermarket, Lin Zhengran happened to pass by and overheard the entire conversation.

Then, he noticed the woman turning her head, looking at someone in the distance.

"There she is. I’ll talk to her—you just stand by and watch."

She sounded like she was comforting her fiancé, but also convincing herself.

"I don’t think we’re being unreasonable. After all, she’s old enough to understand, right?"

Lin Zhengran had already walked ahead, but when he heard that, he instinctively turned back.

And when he saw the girl they were talking about, he was shocked.

At the same time, his system chimed in.

【The Demon Cult Maiden has been appearing around you quite frequently. Today, you set out for training, but unexpectedly stumbled upon this scene. You overheard her true origins—her guardian intends to cast her out. You know this is a sensitive matter, and whether or not you intervene will lead to different fates.】

The girl walking toward them wore a school uniform, her slender frame exuding grace.

It was, of course, Han Wenwen.

As always, she carried a faint smile.

Her fox-like eyes were captivating, as if nothing in the world could truly affect her.

When she reached the couple, she even bowed politely. "Uncle, you’re here. And you must be Auntie? It’s nice to meet you."

The woman was momentarily stunned by Han Wenwen’s beauty.

She really did take after her mother—gorgeous but utterly wretched.

Glancing back at Han Cheng, she then stepped forward and smiled.

"Wenwen, you’re such a lovely girl. Since this is our first time meeting, there’s something I need to tell you. Normally, I wouldn’t bring this up right away, but I have my own difficulties too. If you have any thoughts after hearing me out, feel free to share them with me..."

Lin Zhengran didn’t hear the rest.

By the time he finished buying water and stepped out of the store, Han Wenwen’s uncle and soon-to-be aunt had already driven away.

She stood by the roadside, her expression unchanged, as if she had already expected everything that had happened.

She turned to leave, passing by the supermarket.

When she spotted Lin Zhengran, she tilted her head and smiled playfully. "Lin Zhengran? What a coincidence."

Lin Zhengran smiled back. "Yeah, pretty coincidental."

Han Wenwen’s expression showed a trace of fatigue. "It’s just like last year. No matter where I go, I always seem to run into you. But I’m a little tired today, so I’ll head back to school first. See you tonight."

She waved casually, her fox-like eyes glancing toward the distant school as she walked away.

It was impossible to tell that she had just gone through something so heavy.

Lin Zhengran twisted open his bottle of water, took a sip, and walked off without a word.

That afternoon, Jiang Xueli was excitedly hiding in her bedroom, carefully unwrapping the gift Lin Zhengran had given her.

A pair of yellow over-ear headphones—simple and stylish.

She put them on and tested the sound.

Absolutely perfect.

Lying on her bed, she reminisced about the day's events. Raising her hand, she declared, "So what if I’m tsundere?! I, Jiang Xueli, will never be a loser in love! I’m definitely going to win!"

She clenched her fists determinedly.

Sunday night, middle school had mandatory evening classes, so everyone except day students had to attend.

When Jiang Xueli and Lin Zhengran arrived at school together, both He Qing and Han Wenwen were waiting at the school gate.

Each of them held out a small gift.

"Jiang Xueli, happy birthday."

Jiang Xueli was stunned. "Y-You two… how did you know…?"

He Qing, looking demure, spoke softly, "I followed Lin Zhengran home on Saturday. He mentioned that today was your birthday, so I bought you a little present. It’s nothing fancy, just a small token of appreciation."

Han Wenwen smiled. "Same here. We’re all friends—giving a birthday gift is the least I can do."

"Th-Thank you…" Jiang Xueli accepted the gifts, feeling flustered.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhengran quietly observed Han Wenwen’s seemingly composed demeanor.

At just twelve years old, her mental fortitude was already on a completely different level compared to He Qing and Jiang Xueli.

But no matter how strong a façade might be, it was still just a mask.

The armor shielding her heart was paper-thin.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have worn that expression when she left this afternoon.