As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

After Li Xian left, Lingdang followed the maid through the ridiculously long corridor and finally arrived at Lin Wanwan's "observation room".

As soon as the door opened, Lingdang froze.

The room was bigger than their entire living room.

A real astronomical telescope sits in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, not a toy one, but a big, expensive-looking device that can rotate and focus.

The walls were covered with various hand-drawn star charts, some of which were quite realistic, while others were completely incomprehensible.

The entire wall-mounted bookshelf was crammed with thick books.

From "Basic Supernatural Abilities Theory" to "The Relationship Between Astrology and Energy Fluctuations", and then to "How to Become a Qualified Starry Sea Witch (Handwritten Edition)".

This last one was clearly written by Lin Wanwan herself.

In the center of the room, there was a huge circular carpet with constellation patterns printed on it.

Lin Wanwan stood in the very center of the carpet, wearing her signature gothic tutu, holding a magic wand, posing like a wizard in a movie.

"Observer, you've finally arrived!"

Lin Wanwan's voice was full of ritualistic feeling.

"I have waited long enough! Today marks the historic moment when you will step into my 'Astral Observatory' for the first time!"

Lingdang stood at the door, her little face saying, "Although I don't understand much, I'm used to it."

"Wanwan, your house is so big!" she couldn't help but say. "It's so much bigger than my old Deng's shabby house."

Lin Wanwan's magic wand paused for a moment.

"Uh... the residence of the contracted guardian, though simple, has its own warmth."

She tried to smooth things over.

"The cultivation of powerful beings in the Astral Realm does not concern itself with external forms!"

"But you have peacocks at home," Bell said.

"..."

"And there's a swimming pool," Bell continued. "My old Deng doesn't even have a bathtub, only a shower."

"..."

Lin Wanwan was silent for two seconds, then quietly put down her magic wand, walked up to the bell, and took her hand.

"Come on, I'll show you around."

Her tone returned to the excitement a normal child should have.

"My house is huge! There's even a little maze in the backyard, which my mom built especially for me! The swimming pool water is always heated! And there's an auntie in the kitchen who makes desserts; her puddings are a hundred times better than anything you'd find in a bakery!"

Bell's eyes lit up.

"pudding?!"

"Yes! And ice cream too!"

The two little girls held hands and rushed out of the "observation room," running wildly all over the manor.

---

In the living room, Su Wenjin stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Looking at the two small figures chasing and playing in the back garden, a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

The butler silently walked up behind her and bowed slightly.

"Miss, Mr. Li has already left."

"Hmm." Su Wenjin nodded. "He seems like a reliable person."

"That Mr. Li..." the butler paused, "is not simple."

Su Wenjin didn't turn around, her tone remaining calm: "I know. Someone who can gain Wanwan's approval can't be simple."

She looked out the window and saw Lingdang being pulled by Lin Wanwan as they ran into the maze; their laughter could be faintly heard through the glass.

"Wanwan has been...special since she was little."

She looked at the two children silently, as if talking to herself.

"She could say things like 'energy fluctuations' when she was three, started drawing star charts when she was five, and believed she was the 'Starry Sea Witch' when she was six. I took her to see so many psychologists and experts on superpowers, and they all said there was nothing wrong with her, that she just had a vivid imagination. But I know that's not imagination."

The butler listened in silence.

"She can see things that I can't."

Su Wenjin said softly.

"Those things...scare me. I'm afraid she's too special, that she'll be targeted by malicious people, that she'll be treated as an outsider, that she'll..."

She didn't finish speaking.

The butler gently added, "But that little girl, Li Xiaoling, seems completely unconcerned about Miss Wanwan's 'special' status."

Su Wenjin smiled.

"yes."

She smiled happily, genuinely happy for Wanwan.

"This is the first time I've seen Wanwan have so much fun with someone, without having to explain or pretend, saying whatever she wants. That little bell... seems to completely understand her, yet doesn't find it strange at all."

She paused, looked out the window, her eyes as gentle as melting honey.

"Just for this reason, donating that ten million to the school is worth it."

The butler's lips twitched slightly.

Miss, isn't your standard for "value" a bit too high?

But he said nothing, only nodded respectfully: "Miss is right."

-

In the back garden, the two little girls had just emerged from the maze and ran to the edge of the swimming pool.

The pool water was crystal clear, shimmering in the sunlight.

"Wanwan, you really can't swim?" Lingdang squatted by the pool and reached out to splash some water.

"No," Lin Wanwan said matter-of-factly. "My mission is to observe the celestial realm and protect the world; swimming is not a required skill!"

"But you have a swimming pool at home."

"That's...that's used to observe starlight reflected in water!"

Lin Wanwan racked her brains to find a reason.

"Sometimes the stars are reflected in the water, and I need to observe them up close!"

Bell looked at her and blinked her big golden eyes.

"Wanwan."

"Um?"

"You just can't swim, right?"

"..."

Lin Wanwan was silent for two seconds, then plopped down on the edge of the pool, dipped her feet into the water, and kicked up a splash.

"What's the use of swimming once I've learned how to fly!" she muttered.

"If it falls from the sky and lands in the water, it will drown!"

"So, have you learned the art of flying?"

"……not yet."

Bell sat down as well, dipped her feet into the water, and kicked the water.

The two little girls sat by the pool, competing to see who could kick the water the highest, laughing loudly.

After kicking for a while, Lingdang suddenly asked, "Wanwan, have you seen your father?"

Lin Wanwan paused for a moment while kicking the water.

Noticing her reaction, Lingdang quickly said, "I was just asking casually, you don't have to tell me."

"It's nothing." Lin Wanwan shook her head, her face unusually free of any childish expression, just a little... empty.

"I've never met him," she said. "My mother said that my father...left before I was born."

Lingdang paused for a moment, then reached out and took Lin Wanwan's hand.

"Do you miss him?"

Lin Wanwan thought for a moment and then shook her head.

"I don't know," she said. "I've never seen it before, what do you think?"

She looked down at her reflection in the pool, where the shadows of two little girls were close together, swaying with the ripples.

"Mom never mentions him," she said softly. "I asked her once, and she cried. After that, I stopped asking."

Bell gripped her hand tightly, without saying a word.

After a while, Lin Wanwan suddenly turned her head and looked at her.

"Lingdang, where's your mother?"

The bell paused for a moment.

This was the first time someone had asked her this question.

She thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I don't know either. I've never seen my mother since I was a child. I was raised by a grandfather, but unfortunately, he's already gone..."

She seemed a little sad when the grandfather was mentioned.

Bell wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye and continued, "But thankfully I met Old Deng. Although he can be unreliable at times, he's incredibly good to me! Pudding, chocolate—these are all delicious treats I'd never seen before. This has been the happiest time of my life!"

Lin Wanwan looked at her, something flickering in her purple eyes.

"So we... are all the same?"

"Yes." Bell nodded. "We only have one of each."

The two girls stared at each other for a few seconds.

Then Lin Wanwan suddenly stood up, raised her magic wand, and shouted at the sky:

"In the name of the Starry Sea Witch! From this day forward, the bell is mine—"

She hesitated, tilted her head, thought for a long time, and finally managed to utter:

"He is my best friend! A friend more important than any star!"

Bell also stood up and raised her hand, imitating her:

"Then I'm—I'm Wanwan's best friend! Whether she can swim or not!"

"Hello!"

"Hahahahaha—"

Laughter echoed around the swimming pool.

In the distant pavilion, Su Wenjin watched this scene, her eyes slightly red.

The butler stood behind her and said softly, "Miss, Miss Wanwan... she's very happy."

"Yes." Su Wenjin nodded, her voice slightly choked. "I know."

She sniffed, trying to calm herself down.

"Uncle Wang."

"exist."

Su Wenjin said softly, "What do you think... if her father saw this scene, what would his expression be?"

Old Zhou was silent for a moment, then said, "The gentleman will be very happy."

Su Wenjin shook her head and remained silent.

She looked at the two small figures continuing to chase and play in the distance, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

The Su family.

The second largest conglomerate in the country, a behemoth with two S-class superhumans.

Even an island nation like that, with all its resources combined, only has two S-class members.

The Su family has two members in each family.

What profound cultural heritage this is!

She should have been in the capital, in that center of power, enjoying the protection and glory of her family.

But she chose Jiangcheng.

This city is neither a first-tier city, nor a bustling one, and it doesn't even have much of a presence.

Why?

Because of that person.

Wanwan's father.

The man who made her fall in love at first sight, but then suddenly disappeared after she became pregnant.

He said he had things he had to do.

He said he would definitely come back after he finished.

He told them to wait for him.

And then, that was it.

Six years.

She arrived in Jiangcheng.

Because of him... the last place he appeared was Jiangcheng.

Even though I can't find you, I feel closer to you here.

Su Wenjin stood there blankly, as if lost in thought.

"Wanwan, Mom doesn't know if your dad will ever come back."

She said in a low voice.

"But Mom will always be with you, watching you grow up and become whoever you want to be."

She paused, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.

"Even if you want to be some kind of 'Starry Sea Witch,' Mom will support you."