The crowd dispersed. Chen Que pushed open the door to her childhood home, now dilapidated and in ruins. Apart from the traces of children’s drawings that once covered the walls—left by her family long ago—nothing remained but desolation, echoing the bleakness of her memories.
Chen Que had returned, but where were the family members who once lived here?
She pushed aside a bluestone slab by the wall. A strange, chittering sound emerged, and the mice beneath dragged a metal box up for her. Sitting in the middle of the empty, crumbling house, Chen Que pried open the lid. Inside lay the last ten yuan she had hidden away as a child, a silver whistle, and a shattered jade pendant. These were the things she had specifically gathered, things she couldn't bear to throw away back then.
Desert Kitty suddenly popped its head out. "Chen Que, you really had to make this trip just for these scraps? We were doing so well being bosses out there." The round, fuzzy head belonged to a creature smaller than an average cat, yet its paws were powerful. It leaped down, landing directly on Chen Que.
Chen Que was used to it and let the Desert Kitty stay where it landed.
"I wanted to know what deep grudge this family held against me, enough to abandon me on the Abandoned Planet to fend for myself while they suddenly found the money to move away from the border district."
"The big tiger is gone now, so we can keep expanding our territory. Being the boss—how great is that?" The ambitious cat looked at the mouse pups peeking from the corner and let out a sudden "Hah!" scaring them into a frantic scramble.
Chen Que’s expression stilled. They, too, were but tiny lives beneath the gravel of the Abandoned Planet. If even a massive tiger could be snatched away by others, what chance did they have? She had to find a way to break this cycle and protect her family back there.
She rubbed the money sewn into her pocket—the savings left for her by her friends on Blue Star.
"Once you get out, don't come back. If you can stay in the big city, live well," the voices of Grandpa Ming and Grandma Ming echoed in her mind, leaving a pang of sadness in her chest.
Suddenly, the howling of wild dogs erupted outside.
"People, a whole bunch of people are coming."
"Stay away from us, they have knives!"
"Don't kick us!"
Coming to her senses, Chen Que immediately leaped up and ran. Desert Kitty pointed the way along the roofline. But she hadn't expected to be ambushed on all sides. She vaulted over a low wall, but as she landed, a figure emerged, forcing her to stop.
"Little girl, still running?" The man was the same one who had been brandishing a knife earlier that day.
Chen Que watched him warily, stepping back. On the eaves, Desert Kitty found a short blade, baring its teeth and tracking the man’s position.
"Why kill me? I don't know you."
The man didn't care about her answer. He crushed his cigarette butt under his boot. "Better that you don't. I'm not the one who wants you dead. You shouldn't have offended the big shots in the upper districts."
"Offend people you shouldn't, and you're as good as dead."
*People from the upper districts.* Chen Que’s nerves tightened. The fact that there were eyes everywhere just to wipe her out made her suspect this was a "gift" left for her by her original family before they departed.
Just as the long blade was raised to strike, the burly man suddenly collapsed to the ground, motionless.
Chen Que’s eyes didn't flicker, though she quickly hid the short blade she had been holding. There was someone more dangerous here; she couldn't let her guard down.
A man emerged from the black shadows, dressed in a black suit. A luxurious brooch and cufflinks adorned his attire, and his red-soled leather shoes glinted in the dim light. He kicked the man on the ground aside with indifference.
His refined hair and tailored, ornate clothing were entirely out of place in the border district. "Chen Que."
The clear, powerful voice reached her, like cold stones colliding in a forest, or the song of a lyrebird. Chen Que looked up, meeting his gaze. He had the temperament of a dangerous animal, but Chen Que’s expression did not change. She could not show weakness; facing an enemy bravely was the first rule of survival.
"You don't need to fear me. I am here to help you."
A beautiful male—not to be trusted.
The man opened a black box he had been carrying. Inside were an invitation and a set of clothes.
"Angel Noble Academy, the top private elite school on Yunfu Planet. You only need to get in and live peacefully for three years without getting expelled. After three years, I will come back to find you."
"People, he has many of his own men outside," the cat whispered.
Chen Que was a pragmatist; this was a perfect way for her to find out who wanted her dead. Still, she asked, "Why? What is your objective?"
The elegant man looked at her wary expression, his eyes filled with complex emotions. So, this was what she looked like as a child. Outwardly timid and vigilant, but agile and decisive, and remarkably stubborn. Then again, only such a woman could be called a creator, his goddess.
"Give me a name."
His voice lowered, as if discussing a major matter with her, yet tinged with a flicker of hope. "Consider it a thank you, all right?"
Seeing she still didn't trust him, the man looked slightly hurt and volunteered, "Mr. Ming Fu sent your exam information to me."
Ming Fu? Grandpa Ming. A soft light flickered in Chen Que’s eyes, and her vigilance relaxed for a moment.
Chen Que looked at his face, half-hidden in the shadows, his eyes filled with intense, unfathomable emotions. Her eyes darted, and she quickly said, "Chen Lvheng."
For some reason, as the name left her lips, Chen Que hadn't even reacted, but the man before her burst into a happy laugh.
"Good, good, good. Chen Lvheng." It was his name after all. He now bore her surname as well. As for the rest of that trash, they could all go to hell.
The person standing before her gradually vanished into the darkness. "Wait for me."
Chen Que picked up the invitation. The name on it was hers, and the identification documents had been replaced with new ones—prepared for her by her family on Blue Star.
Once everyone had left, Desert Kitty sniffed the items. "Human, he doesn't have bad intentions toward you."
"We're going to the big city." Her voice filled with joy. Chen Que scooped up the fluffy Desert Kitty. "Shaqiu Baobao, once we get to the big city, we’ll bring everyone over."
Pressed against Chen Que’s waist, the cat felt like it was going to throw up from the jolting. "Human, the cat is going to kill you. *Urgh!*"
Chen Que took all her spare clothes from the house and sprinted through the city in the dead of night.
Reaching a small inn, Chen Que pulled out the Desert Kitty and gave it a rough, vigorous rub. The cat squinted, its eyes reflecting a deep blue, its fluffy tail perked up. Its round, palm-sized head looked like a fuzzy chestnut, blending wildness with cuteness.
"Shaqiu, tomorrow we buy tickets for the fastest train to Angel Noble Academy."
Chen Que pointed to the date: Stardate 666, May 1st. "We arrive the day after tomorrow, and then we can head to Mo'an City, the most prestigious city on Yunfu Planet."
"Human, do you believe him?"
Chen Que sat on a wobbly chair, took out a thick notebook and a pen with a tattered casing, and recorded her journey of the day.
"I don't believe him, but trading a name for a new life is a great deal."
Her face was smudged, but she grinned, showing all eight teeth, laughing adorably.
Chen Que held the Desert Kitty and fell into a deep sleep on the bed, smacking her lips. The only clean things in the cramped room were the noble leather suitcase left by Chen Lvheng and the small, carefully packed parcel from Grandpa and Grandma Ming.