Tianyu furrowed his brows. Huo Yunxi's trembling voice, broken words, and deeply fearful expression weren't just a typical reaction from someone being bullied at school. This was something more.
"Your mother will what?" he asked gently, his voice shifting from cold to full of concern.
But Huo Yunxi only bit her lip hard, as if afraid that if she said it out loud, something terrible would happen. Her eyes were wet, but she remained silent. Tianyu knew he couldn't push her now, so he let out a slow sigh.
"Alright. I won't force you," he said at last. "But starting today, I won't let them lay a hand on you again. If you can't talk now, that's okay. But when you're ready one day, I'll be here to listen."
Slowly, Tianyu extended his hand. Huo Yunxi hesitated for a moment before finally accepting the gesture. Her hand was cold and weak, but a faint warmth trembled through as she held his.
"I'll take you to the infirmary," Tianyu said calmly.
"I-I can go by myself—"
"I know. But you're not alone anymore."
Huo Yunxi didn't reply, only lowered her head further, but her footsteps began to follow Tianyu.
Once they arrived at the infirmary, Tianyu made sure Huo Yunxi's injuries were properly treated. He waited patiently, standing beside the examination bed without saying much. After the nurse finished and left, Tianyu asked for a moment alone with her. When it was just the two of them, he leaned his back against the wall, gazing at Huo Yunxi seriously.
"I know this isn't really my business… but is your family involved with Dai Huabin?" he asked quietly.
Huo Yunxi tensed. Her fingers immediately clenched the fabric over her lap.
"No… I mean… not directly. But…" She bit her lip, then lowered her head deeply. "My mother is a maid in the White Tiger Duke's palace. And my father… he is the White Tiger Duke himself."
Tianyu's brows furrowed deeper. When Huo Yunxi said the word "father," he caught a flash of restrained anger in her eyes. But he stayed silent, allowing her to continue.
"But I… I'm just an unwanted child," Huo Yunxi went on, her voice trembling. Her hands balled into fists, her nails digging into her sleeves until they turned pale. "The White Tiger Duke doesn't even know I exist. My mother gave birth to me in secret while the Duke was away at war. Since then, we've lived in the shadows. The Duchess—his legal wife—found out about my birth and exiled us to a secluded part of the palace. She's never let us live in peace."
Tianyu lowered his gaze for a moment, his eyes sharpening before he asked, "Then why don't you just run away from that place?"
"I want to… really. But we can't. If we run, the Duchess will use it as an excuse to accuse us of treason. And if that happens… she'll be free to kill us without consequence." She let out a bitter sigh. "My mother… she still holds on to hope. She believes that one day, that man will return and save us."
Tianyu understood without needing to ask who that man was. Huo Yunxi still referred to him as "father," even though the man didn't even know he had a child.
"Then how did you manage to get into this academy?" Tianyu asked, his tone flat but full of concern. "If you had extraordinary talent, I could understand. But from the test results, your soul power fluctuations weren't particularly strong. In fact, you were the only student with just level two soul power at placement."
Huo Yunxi nodded slowly. "I was sent to the academy by one of the Duke's concubines. She's one of the few people who showed my mother and me any compassion. She couldn't bear to see us constantly abused. Coincidentally, the headmaster of the junior academy in Xing Luo is one of her close relatives. So she used that connection to get me accepted… even though I didn't actually qualify."
Tianyu nodded, beginning to understand the web of power and intrigue that shaped their world.
"At first, I thought I could start over at this academy," Yunxi continued. "But I was wrong. On the very first day of class, Dai Huabin found out who I was. Maybe he didn't recognize me at first… to him, I was just the daughter of a servant. But one of his senior lackeys recognized me. He used to beat me back at the residence. He's the one who told Huabin."
Huo Yunxi's voice began to tremble. She took a deep breath before continuing.
"Then that incident happened. You saved me… and the teacher punished Huabin and gave him a warning. I really hoped it would all stop after that. But I was wrong again. Huabin didn't stop. He even started threatening me—saying that if I ever told anyone, he'd kill my mother in the White Tiger Duke's estate."
Tianyu slowly clenched his fists. His expression remained calm, but his eyes radiated a cold fury. His gaze was fixed on Huo Yunxi, who was now sobbing uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking violently.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the storm of anger rising in his chest. Right now, Huo Yunxi didn't need his rage—she needed comfort. And Tianyu knew he was the only one who could give it to her.
With slow steps, he approached the girl. Huo Yunxi looked up as Tianyu's shadow fell over her, revealing a pair of wide eyes red from crying. Tears continued to stream down her pale cheeks, leaving wet streaks on her school uniform.
For a moment, Tianyu felt something stir in his heart. Without saying a word, he opened his arms and pulled Huo Yunxi into a hug. Her body stiffened for a moment before going limp, surrendering to the warmth he offered.
"It's okay now\..." Tianyu whispered as he gently patted her back. "You're not alone anymore."
Huo Yunxi's sobs grew louder. Her hands, which had hung limp before, now clutched tightly at Tianyu's shirt, as if afraid this embrace would vanish. Tianyu let her cry, continuing to offer steady comfort through a firm but gentle hug.
In the quiet clinic room, only the sound of Huo Yunxi's sobbing could be heard, gradually fading. Tianyu remained silent, a steady presence for the girl who had borne such a heavy burden alone for far too long.