The Zhao Manor was unusually quiet that morning.
Not the peaceful kind of quiet — but the heavy, suffocating silence that pressed against the chest, as though the air itself was holding its breath.
Even the sparrows perched upon the carved stone railings seemed to sense it. Their usual chirping was replaced by the rustle of feathers and the faint creak of swaying bamboo from the courtyard. The koi pond — usually rippling with movement — lay still beneath a thin veil of mist, reflecting the somber sky above.
Inside, servants moved like ghosts. Their silk shoes whispered against polished floors as they darted through the corridors, clutching trays of tea they forgot to drink. From time to time, one or two exchanged nervous glances — but none dared to speak too loudly.
And in the midst of it all, Zhao Lian sat at the edge of the stone steps leading to the front gate, elbows resting on her knees, chin tilted toward the horizon.
For once, the chaos incarnate — the wild, untamed Zhao Lian — was silent.
Her usually playful amber eyes were trained on the massive wooden gates that guarded the manor. Those gates had never looked so tall, so foreboding. Each grain of wood seemed to hum with tension, as though they, too, awaited judgment.
Behind her, pacing across the tiled courtyard, was Zhao Mei — her elder sister.
Her pale pink robe fluttered around her like anxious petals caught in a storm. Every few steps, she would pause, clench her fists, and glance at the gate, her breath uneven.
"Why is it so quiet…" Zhao Mei murmured, half to herself, half to no one at all. Her voice trembled like a reed in the wind.
Zhao Lian turned slightly, her hair sliding over one shoulder like black silk. "Because everyone's waiting, jie," she said softly. "Even the house itself is listening."
Today was the announcement of the second trial results for the Spirit Healing Exam — a day that could make or unmake futures.
And Zhao Mei, composed and determined, had given everything she had to it.
The silence stretched on. Then —
A sharp knock at the gates.
Once. Twice.
Zhao Mei jumped, her entire body stiffening as if lightning had struck her spine. Her wide eyes darted between the servants, the gate, and finally — to her sister.
"jie…" Zhao Lian said softly, rising from the steps. Her tone was calm, but her hands were clenched at her sides.
"Mei-mei… what if I—"
"Shh." Zhao Lian stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her sister before she could finish. Zhao Mei froze at first, then leaned into the embrace, her forehead pressing against Zhao Lian's shoulder.
"Winning or failing is nothing," Zhao Lian whispered, her voice low but steady. "What matters is that you tried. You studied. You worked hard for this. Your knowledge, jie-jie — that's something no result can take from you."
Zhao Mei's trembling eased slightly, and her lips curved in a weak smile against her sister's shoulder.
But Zhao Lian — behind that calm facade — felt her throat tighten.
She had said those words for her sister's sake… yet they echoed like a cry from somewhere deep inside herself.
A place long hollowed out by neglect and disappointment.
If only someone had said that to me…
If only someone had told her that trying was enough. That her worth didn't need to be proven, measured, or earned.
If only someone had hugged her — not for show, not because they were told to — but because they cared.
But no one ever had.
The embrace lingered, warm and fragile, like sunlight through cracked glass.
For a brief moment, Zhao Lian wished the world would stop moving — that she could just stay here, holding someone who saw her not as chaos or trouble, but as family.
Her gaze drifted to the horizon, to the faint shimmer of mist rising beyond the manor walls.
This was just a game, the system had told her.
A world of illusion — quests, ranks, trials.
But how could something unreal feel more real than her own life?
How could a fabricated world give her the affection her real family never could?
Some people in this realm mocked her — called her reckless, impulsive, too brash to survive.
And yet, others… others saw her.
They believed her. They stood beside her.
For once, she wasn't an inconvenience.
She wasn't someone to be dismissed, ignored, or ridiculed.
Here — in this strange, coded world — she was needed.
She was wanted.
She was alive.
The system often spoke in emotionless tones, assigning her quests and cryptic rewards she barely understood.
[Complete Sub-Task: Comfort Zhao Mei — 50 Affinity Points gained.]
The voice chimed in her mind.
Zhao Lian blinked, a small, bittersweet smile tugging at her lips.
Even its robotic tone couldn't erase the warmth in her chest.
Annoying, yes… but somehow, comforting.
She didn't know what this world truly was — or why she had been chosen to live inside it — but for the first time in a long time…
It felt like home.
A home she had never known.
A home she was terrified to lose.
Zhao Lian's grip around her sister tightened ever so slightly.
Whatever came next — whether joy or heartbreak — she silently vowed she would not let her sister face it alone.
___
The second knock came like thunder against the stillness.
It rolled through the Zhao Manor's great hall, echoing down the corridors, past the red lanterns and carved pillars, until even the birds in the eaves startled into flight.
Every member of the household flinched. The air seemed to freeze mid-breath.
But Zhao Lian moved.
Her hair swayed like dark water as she strode toward the door, one hand tightly gripping Zhao Mei's wrist. Her sister followed reluctantly, her steps slow, her gaze vacant. Zhao Lian could almost feel the tremor running through Mei's fingers — the quiet panic that refused to show itself on her composed face.
And together, they reached the massive wooden gates of the manor.
When Zhao Lian pulled the latch, the doors opened with a heavy groan.
Sunlight spilled in, cutting through the shadows like a blade of gold.
Standing outside were two figures.
A young man — tall, with sharp, composed features — and an older woman whose presence carried both dignity and quiet power.
The woman's hanfu shimmered in hues of pale jade and mist-grey, embroidered with intricate threads that seemed to shift like clouds. Her sleeves were wide and draped with faint silver dust, the kind used only by healers of high rank. Around her waist hung a thin belt of spirit beads, and pinned to her hair was a small golden lotus — the mark of the Medical Pavilion. When she breathed, faint white vapor rose from her body, the aura of cleansing qi used in sacred medical arts.
She bowed with calm grace, the young man following suit.
"Good day, noble household of the Zhao Manor," she said, her tone light but carrying the firm cadence of someone used to being obeyed.
Zhao Lian blinked once, her mind scrambling to keep up. "Good… day," she replied, forcing the words out smoothly.
Because Zhao Mei — her brilliant, composed elder sister — was standing beside her like a doll, utterly absent-minded, eyes unfocused, lips slightly parted.
Zhao Lian sighed inwardly. If she didn't handle this, the whole exchange would turn awkward.
"May I ask which of you is Zhao Mei?" the young man spoke next, his voice low and respectful.
"That is her," Zhao Lian said at once, pointing gently toward her sister.
The two strangers turned toward Zhao Mei and performed a formal greeting — both clasped their right hands into their left fists and bowed slightly, their robes swaying like calm waves.
Then, the young man smiled faintly.
"Congratulations, Zhao Mei of the Zhao Manor, for passing the second round of the Spirit Healing Exam. You are expected to report to the North Cave for the final round of the examination."
Before Zhao Lian or Mei could even respond, the woman formed a swift hand seal, her fingers moving like flowing water. A circle of light spiraled beneath their feet — and in the blink of an eye, both figures vanished, leaving behind only a faint ripple of spiritual energy and the scent of lotus mist.
Silence.
The gate remained half-open, the air thick with disbelief.
Zhao Lian stared at the empty space where they'd stood, her eyes wide.
The servants and maids behind her looked equally stunned — frozen mid-breath, as if they hadn't fully processed what they had just heard.
Even the wind seemed to pause, reluctant to disturb the stillness.
And then—
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Zhao Lian's scream broke the quiet like thunder shattering glass.
Everyone jumped. Even Zhao Mei blinked, startled, as though her soul had been jerked back into her body.
Zhao Lian spun toward her sister, her expression pure chaos — a mixture of disbelief, pride, and wild excitement.
"Jie! Jie, you passed! You PASSED!!!"
Zhao Mei's lips parted slowly. "I… passed?"
"Yes, you did! You passed the second round! Only one more to go — the final one! Don't worry, I'll root for you! Win or lose, you're still my brilliant, incredible, spirit-healing sister!"
Zhao Lian beamed so brightly it was almost blinding. Her joy was raw, unrestrained, the kind that made her eyes glisten.
And then, as if her enthusiasm had broken a spell, the manor came alive.
"Congratulations, First Young Mistress!"
The servants erupted, their voices overlapping.
The maids clapped their hands together, some of the younger ones bouncing on their toes in excitement. Others rushed off toward the inner kitchens — bringing trays of sweet cakes, jars of plum wine, and colorful ribbons from the last festival.
It didn't matter that it was just the second round — joy was joy, and it had been so long since the Zhao Manor had seen laughter without tension.
Xu, once Zhao Mei's maid, now Zhao Lian's maid, approached gracefully, her eyes shining with pride. In her hands, she carried a small velvet box.
Inside lay a jade necklace, delicately carved into the shape of twin lotus blossoms.
"For you, First Young Mistress," Xu said, bowing low.
Zhao Mei accepted it with trembling hands. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft, eyes glistening.
She turned toward everyone, that rare, almost mythical smile gracing her face — the kind that melted even the most rigid hearts. Her expression was calm, serene, her beauty magnified by the sunlight streaming through the courtyard.
"It's only the second round," she said gently. "We can celebrate fully when I pass the final one."
A playful groan came from one of the younger servants.
"But it won't be as fun then! Second Young Mistress and the Master and Mistress will be back by then."
Zhao Lian cocked an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Why can't we celebrate with them around?"
"Isn't it obvious?" another maid replied, her voice hushed but edged with frustration. "Master and Mistress will make everything about Second Young Mistress again — even if this was First Young Mistress's victory."
"Exactly!" another chimed in bitterly. "When Third Young Mistress had her birthday, it turned into a celebration for the Second Young Mistress. When the First Young Mistress went for her first exam, she made the Third Young Mistress do all the chores!"
Zhao Mei's face softened, her gaze flickering to Zhao Lian. She didn't speak, but her expression said enough — she understood now what her sister and the servants endured while she was away.
"First Young Mistress," one of the older maids added carefully, "you might not know this, but ever since you returned, the Second Young Mistress hasn't dared to bully Third Young Mistress anymore."
"She acts like the whole world belongs to her," another muttered. "If not for Master and Mistress's protection, she wouldn't dare."
The room filled with murmurs — quiet but honest, the kind of truth that had long been stifled beneath obedience. Their faces twisted with resentment, exhaustion, and cautious relief at finally being able to speak.
Zhao Mei stood there, eyes softening. Then, suddenly — she smiled.
"You fools," she said lightly, shaking her head. "Who said you can't celebrate?"
She raised her hands. "As long as I'm here, there will be equal joy for all. Let's laugh, let's eat, let's dance until our lungs ache. Let's live, just for tonight."
Her words were a melody — pure and bright.
For a moment, it felt like even the heavens themselves leaned closer to listen.
"Then let the celebration begin!" Zhao Mei declared.
Cheers erupted instantly.
Lanterns were lit, ribbons unfurled, and laughter filled the once-stifled air of the Zhao Manor. For the first time in years, the estate wasn't weighed down by comparison or fear — only the sound of clinking cups, guqin strings, and the echo of joy reborn.
And somewhere near the center of it all, Zhao Lian looked around at the glowing faces and thought —
Maybe this world isn't a game after all.