Chapter 21: Stars in the Eyes

As the only major city within a hundred miles, houses in Maple Forest City were naturally not cheap.

Ling He's financial assistance was a mere drop in the bucket, and Jiang Wang had no savings of his own. Fortunately, there was a wealthy patron available.

Carrying Jiang An'an, Jiang Wang went straight to find Zhao Rucheng.

"Give me some silver," Jiang Wang said, getting straight to the point.

Zhao Rucheng was currently locked in a staring contest with Jiang An'an. Hearing the voice, he replied casually, "How much do you need?"

"How much silver does it cost to buy a small courtyard near the Dao Academy? It's just for me and my sister."

"Why bother buying a courtyard? Why don't you two just live with me? I have plenty of empty rooms." Zhao Rucheng winked at Jiang An'an with his left eye, then his right, occasionally flashing what he considered a handsome smile. To be fair, his appearance was indeed quite handsome.

Jiang Wang glanced at Jiang An'an before saying, "We need a home of our own."

It didn't matter where he lived, but little An'an was different. The young girl had only just been sent here; no matter how strong she acted, her heart was inevitably fragile and sensitive.

"Oh." Zhao Rucheng rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I think my family has a few properties near the Dao Academy. Let me ask around."

He turned his head and shouted, "Uncle Deng!"

A moment later, a middle-aged man with a gentle temperament walked in, bowing meticulously. "Young Master."

"Do we have any suitable houses near the Dao Academy? Vacate one and hand the property deeds over to my third brother."

The butler, called Uncle Deng, replied, "There is no need to vacate one specifically; there are currently three that are empty. Which one would you like?"

Zhao Rucheng looked back at Jiang Wang. "Third Brother, what do you think?"

Jiang Wang gave the butler a gentle smile. "Sorry to trouble you, Uncle Deng. The house doesn't need to be large; just enough for me and An'an. The most important thing is that it's close to the Dao Academy, so it's convenient for me to come home to her at any time."

The butler returned the smile. "There is a small single-entry courtyard in Flying Horse Alley, just behind the Dao Academy. I am not sure if the layout will suit your preferences."

"Let's go! Let's go take a look!" Zhao Rucheng said immediately. "Just give me the keys."

Although Jiang An'an was not talkative and rarely interacted with others, her delicate, doll-like face was naturally endearing.

Along the way, Zhao Rucheng couldn't stop teasing her.

"An'an, who do you think is more handsome, Brother Rucheng or Brother Wang? Sigh, I've asked an impossible question. There's no comparison!"

"An'an, An'an, see those candied haws over there? Come into my arms, and we'll buy the whole bunch! How about it?"

"An'an, do you know how heavy you are? Look how chubby you've gotten! Your brother's arms are about to snap! Why don't you switch and let your Brother Rucheng hold you?"

Little An'an had been silently enduring it, but upon hearing the last remark, she tilted her head and glanced at Jiang Wang.

"Are you tired?" she asked softly.

Jiang Wang smiled warmly. "Not at all. I could hold you until next year without letting go."

The small courtyard in Flying Horse Alley was quite nice. It consisted of a main house, a southern room, and two side wings to the east and west. Although it was unoccupied, it was fully equipped with all necessary facilities; they would only need to purchase some daily necessities to move in immediately.

The interior decoration was elegant and comfortable.

Jiang Wang held Jiang An'an's hand and toured every room, ensuring she showed no signs of resistance.

"Alright, this is the one." Jiang Wang gave a bright smile to Zhao Rucheng, who was still chattering incessantly around An'an. "Give me the keys, and you can go back now."

"You got it!" Zhao Rucheng turned to leave with great cooperation, but as he crossed the threshold, he suddenly turned back to wave at An'an. "Your Brother Rucheng is leaving! Don't miss me too much~"

Little An'an scurried over and, amidst Zhao Rucheng's brilliant smile, slammed the courtyard gate shut.

***

At night, the bustling Maple Forest City grew quiet.

Inside the Heaven-Reaching Palace, the little earthworm completed its final struggle, spitting out a round Dao Essence into the Starry Array.

Jiang Wang opened his eyes, concluding his day of meridian-clearing cultivation. The accumulation of Dao Essences, day after day, bit by bit—none of the effort would be in vain. They would eventually transform into a foundation array to unlock the extraordinary.

It was precisely through these countless days and nights of tedious cultivation that the brilliance of traversing the heavens in the future would be possible.

The room was very quiet. Jiang An'an lay on her small bed, her tiny hands placed neatly outside the quilt, motionless.

Because An'an was so young, Jiang Wang had specially commissioned a small bed so she could sleep in the same room as him. Two beds, one large and one small, were placed on opposite sides of the room.

Listening quietly to the sound of her breathing, Jiang Wang said softly, "An'an, aren't you asleep yet?"

A slightly panicked little girl's voice immediately rang out in the room, "I... I'm asleep."

Jiang An'an's nervousness caused a pang of heartache in Jiang Wang. Such a young child had already learned to read people's expressions. Simply because Jiang Wang had reminded her to go to sleep early before his cultivation, she was now filled with anxiety because she wasn't asleep yet.

A girl under five years old, suddenly arriving in a strange place and suddenly separated from her mother—the fact that she hadn't burst into loud wails already showed how strong she was. How much terror was she feeling in her heart?

But, of course, these things should not be brought up again.

"Mhm, Brother can't sleep either," Jiang Wang's voice grew even softer. "Do you want to look at the stars?"

After a moment, a tiny, mosquito-like "Mhm" sounded from the room.

"Then let's get up." Jiang Wang rose to light the oil lamp, then walked to the small bed to help An'an put on her outer coat.

Those hands, which were so agile when wielding a sword, were exceptionally clumsy when caring for a child.

"That's not how you put it on, Brother, you put it on backward..."

Jiang Wang sheepishly withdrew his hands. "Then put it on yourself, An'an."

The two of them busied themselves for a while before stepping out of the room.

The bright moon hung in the sky, scattered with starlight. The empty courtyard was filled with clean moonlight, making this night, which should have been lonely, feel warm and soft.

"Are we going to look at the stars right here in the courtyard?" Jiang An'an asked, tilting her small head.

"Of course not." Jiang Wang suddenly scooped her up, leaped from the ground, and landed on the roof.

Jiang An'an let out a small scream, her face turning red by the time she landed on the roof.

Jiang Wang looked down at her, feeling somewhat guilty. "Did I scare you, An'an?"

Jiang An'an blinked her large eyes, appearing somewhat excited. "Brother, you can fly?"

Although she seemed eager to try, Jiang Wang had no intention of jumping around the roof like a monkey and drawing laughter. "Not yet. Once Brother's Dao arts are successful, I certainly will be able to. When that time comes, wherever An'an wants to go, we'll fly there, okay?"

"Okay."

Jiang Wang took off his outer coat and spread it on the roof, then lay down beside it, resting his head on one hand behind his head. He beckoned, "Come, do like Brother. Lie down and watch the stars."

Little An'an obediently lay down on Jiang Wang's coat, her tiny hands also tucked neatly under her head. She opened her dark, round eyes and stared straight into the starry sky.

The vast night sky was dotted with stars that seemed to shimmer. In the endless darkness, countless lights were born; the galaxy was vast, containing countless dreams and memories.

"That one is the Ziwei Star, that one is called Yuheng... the Southern Dipper is over there, see, right there..."

"They're twinkling, like they're blinking their eyes."

"Only a cute An'an blinking her eyes looks like a star. Like your Brother Yahu—that bearded man you saw during the day—when he blinks, it just looks like a cowbell."

Jiang An'an burst into giggles.

"Do you know, An'an, these stars are hundreds of millions of miles away..."

"How far is hundreds of millions of miles? Is it further than from Fengxi Town to here?"

"Much further, countless times further. If there were a road leading to the stars, a normal person walking it from birth to death might only be considered to have just set out."

"Ah?" An'an was startled. "That far?"

"Yes, that far. They traverse such immense distances through the endless darkness to bring light to your eyes. They offer you a beauty that may have already been extinguished tens of thousands of years ago."

"They are so kind."

"Father was like one of those stars. He may have left a long, long time ago, but he is still in a very, very far place, working hard to shine, and accompanying us with that light. So, no matter when, don't be afraid, okay? Brother will always be with you, and so will the stars."

"Brother," Jiang An'an's voice was very small. "My mother doesn't want me anymore, does she?"

Jiang Wang fell silent for a moment.

Should he tell her the truth? Should he tell little An'an that she was a burden that affected her mother's life?

Should he denounce Auntie Song's selfishness and make An'an hate her biological mother from now on?

How should he answer?

He didn't have time to dwell too long, for silence was also a form of harm.

In the end, he simply turned on his side and took An'an's small hand in his, with seriousness and tenderness.

"An'an is so lovely, how could anyone not want you? It's just that Brother wanted so badly to live with you, that he insisted the Auntie send you over. When the Auntie left, she cried so sadly; she couldn't bear to part from you either."

"Really?"

The starlight and moonlight rested on Jiang An'an's small face, caressing the traces of tears that had not yet faded. She was as beautiful as a sprite of the stars and moon.

Though her face still carried a lingering sense of bewilderment, her large eyes suddenly lit up.