Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

In the Zhu family, she witnessed the arrogance of the noble children, the rigid authority of the elders, the heaviness and helplessness of her father as the clan leader, and the complex and twisted struggle of her sister Zhu Zhuyun under the heavy weight of fate.

Those "big shots," whether high above or mired in trouble, always carry the heavy burden of shackles and the calculation of interests.

But the Lin Xia brother in front of me is completely different.

He was only a year older than me, yet he was already able to stand in the center of this boiling, molten furnace, becoming someone that countless adult blacksmiths looked up to.

Those muscular men, who wielded their giant hammers with ease, looked at him with eyes full of heartfelt respect, gratitude, and even dependence!

That wasn't fear of his identity, but a heartfelt recognition of his abilities and the hope and future he brought to the entire group!

She watched him calmly handle all sorts of toasts and conversations, saw him effortlessly clarify complex orders, mining rights, and technical issues, and watched him soothe the doubts of the old craftsmen and ignite the passion of the young people with his gentle yet firm words.

His smile was sincere and infectious, and his words were full of wisdom and foresight.

He seemed to possess a unique aura, able to blend into the rough and noisy atmosphere of the square, yet subtly transcend it, like the brightest star in the night sky, illuminating the entire bustling plaza.

"Clearly... he's only one year older..."

Zhu Zhuqing murmured softly, her voice so low that only she could hear it.

Her small hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, her heart pounding violently in her chest, as if trying to break free from its restraints.

An indescribable heat surged through her small body.

In that cold room in the Zhu family's West Garden, she cultivated under the moonlight, her heart filled only with the obsession to become stronger and the solitary courage to break free from her fate.

At this moment, looking at the radiant Lin Xia, she saw a possibility for the first time so clearly—a power strong enough to control destiny and even illuminate others!
This kind of strength is not a cold hierarchy, nor is it ruthless killing. Rather, it is like Brother Lin Xia, where wisdom, strength, responsibility, and the light that ignites hope in others are all integrated into one!
"I can too..."

She made a silent vow in her heart, and the coldness that belonged to the Netherworld Cat in the depths of her eyes was replaced by an almost fanatical determination.

"Be as strong as Brother Lin Xia! No, be even stronger!"

She no longer craved power merely for survival and revenge, but rather for the leadership aura that Lin Xia was displaying at that moment—the power to break free of shackles and forge a future!

Lin Xia seemed to sense this unusually focused gaze. In a break from talking with an elder, he slightly turned his head, passed through the noisy crowd, and accurately caught sight of the small figure hiding in the shadow of the grill.

Through the flickering light and billowing smoke of the campfire, he saw Zhu Zhuqing's strikingly bright eyes, filled with undisguised, almost devout worship and longing.

Lin Xia was slightly taken aback, and then a knowing and gentle smile appeared in his deep eyes.

That smile, like a warm breeze passing through a steel forest, dispelled the last trace of unfamiliar timidity in Zhu Zhuqing's heart.

He didn't stop talking to the blacksmith, but gave her a barely perceptible, encouraging nod in her direction.

This subtle gesture, this understanding look, instantly warmed Zhu Zhuqing's heart like a gentle spring.

Her face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head somewhat flusteredly, pretending to concentrate on eating the sesame seed cake in her hand. However, her rapid heartbeat and the uncontrollable upward curve of her lips betrayed the surging excitement and unprecedented sense of belonging she felt.

In this steel city full of power and warmth, in this place illuminated by Lin Xia's brother's light, she seemed to truly touch the shape of "hope" for the first time—solid and scorching, like the iron helmet sesame seed cake unique to Gengjin City in her hand, with a crispy outer crust and a scalding hot interior.

As the banquet reached its climax, the drunken blacksmiths snored loudly, but in the center of the square, the flames and jubilation symbolizing Lin Xia's return still burned brightly in the metallic night sky of Gengjin City, illuminating the path to the future paved with steel and sparks in the eyes of countless craftsmen. Zhu Zhuqing's gaze remained fixed on that young yet reliable figure, and the fervent admiration and determination to follow him in her heart burned ever brighter, like a newly born flame in a furnace.

The boisterous victory celebration was like a furnace of lava burning to its limit, which eventually extinguished slowly in the dead of night.

The clamor of voices dwindled to a few snores and hiccups. The vast furnace square was filled with satisfied, drunken blacksmiths lying haphazardly. The air was thick with the smells of alcohol, the lingering aroma of roasted meat, and the faint scent of cooled metal.

Zhu Zhuqing sat quietly in the shadows of the corner, her small figure almost blending into the darkness, only her strikingly bright eyes still closely following the figure surrounded by people in the center of the crowd—Lin Xia.

Watching him surrounded by enthusiastic artisans, watching him handle the situation with composure, watching his young yet already charismatic face gleam in the campfire.

A surge of scalding warmth coursed through her small chest, a mixture of relief at surviving a disaster, ecstasy at breaking free from her cage, and an overwhelming adoration and dependence on the person before her.

"Brother Lin Xia is the best!"

She could almost hear the sound of herself rushing into his arms with tears in her voice not long ago.

That sense of reliance, that warmth, that strength that pulled her back from the abyss of cold despair...

At the peak of her excitement, a thought, like lightning, suddenly cleaved through her consciousness, exploding clearly and intensely in her mind.

"If Lin Xia were my husband... how wonderful that would be!"

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Zhu Zhuqing froze instantly!

A surge of scalding heat rushed from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, instantly turning her delicate face into the color of a ripe apple!

Those deep, cold eyes widened in disbelief, filled with shyness and panic.

My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, as if it were about to break free and jump out.

"What...what am I thinking?!"

Zhu Zhuqing screamed inwardly, panicked and at a loss for what to do. She quickly buried her head, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

She felt her ear tips burning hot, and her little hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly until her knuckles turned white.

The innocent feelings of a six-year-old child, mixed with extreme admiration for heroes, were brewed into a strong liquor that made her dizzy.

"Zhuqing?"

Lin Xia's gentle voice, tinged with a barely perceptible weariness, sounded above her head.

He finally escaped the encirclement of enthusiasm and found this quiet little corner.

Zhu Zhuqing trembled like a startled kitten, hurriedly raising her head. The blush on her face had not yet faded, and her eyes darted away, not daring to meet Lin Xia's gaze.

"Brother Lin... Brother Lin Xia... You... You're done with your work?"

Her voice was barely audible, tinged with obvious nervousness. (End of Chapter)