Replace me as the top scholar? Go talk to my Marshal Grandpa!

Wang Xian straightened up, waved to Aunt Li and Uncle Zhang behind her, and greeted them with a smile:

"Aunt Li, it's been so long! I've been craving your braised pork all this time."

"Uncle Zhang, you're still so healthy! Oh, and I brought you your favorite Blue Tower cigarettes!"

"Sister Zhou, you cut your hair short? It looks great!"

Aunt Li laughed and cried at the same time, nodding repeatedly, "Good, good, it's good that you're back! Auntie will go buy groceries today and cook you a big feast!"

Uncle Zhang grinned, "This kid, he still remembers the brand of cigarettes I like to smoke!"

Ms. Zhou touched her short hair shyly, her face turning red.

The atmosphere instantly became relaxed and warm.

Wang Xian was about to say something more.

Sudden--

"Little fairy—!!!"

A deafening roar came from the orphanage!

Immediately afterwards, a series of heavy footsteps, like the beating of drums, came from afar and grew closer!

Before anyone could react, a huge figure, like a moving mountain, rushed out of the courtyard!

He was a burly man, at least 1.9 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a thick waist.

He wore a loose gray short-sleeved shirt and shorts, revealing his dark, muscular arms and calves.

His face was square, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he looked somewhat honest, even a little... silly.

But at this moment, his honest face was filled with ecstatic joy!

The burly man's eyes were fixed intently on Wang Xian, their light astonishing!

He spread his arms wide and pounced on Wang Xian like a bear hug!

"Little fairy! I've missed you so much—!"

Before Wang Xian could react, the huge figure scooped her up in one gulp!

The strong man was incredibly strong; he held Wang Xian like a rag doll and excitedly shook her up and down!

"Ahhh, little fairy, you're really back! Am I dreaming?! Little fairy, little fairy, little fairy!"

Wang Xian was so dizzy from being shaken that she felt like all the bones in her body were creaking.

He quickly punched the burly man's shoulder and shouted:

"Daichongzi! Let go! Let go! I'm dying! I'm really falling apart!"

Upon hearing the words "about to die," the burly man was startled and reluctantly let go of Wang Xian, putting him down.

He scratched his head, a sheepish, apologetic smile spreading across his face.

"I'm so sorry, little fairy, I didn't mean to... I was just... just too happy..."

Wang Xian took a few breaths, rubbed his chest which was aching from being constricted, and then looked up at the burly man in front of him who was much taller than him but was smiling like a child.

He reached out and punched the burly man hard in the chest.

"fine."

"It's my own fault for being too weak, it's not your fault."

The burly man chuckled, his eyes crinkling into slits.

His gaze remained fixed on Wang Xian, as if he were afraid that Wang Xian would disappear if he blinked.

Qin Chong.

Looking at that honest and familiar face, Wang Xian felt a complex and warm emotion welling up inside her.

Qin Chong was one of the most important people to him in this world.

They grew up together in an orphanage.

Qin Chong was a few months older than him, but he had intellectual disabilities and the mental capacity of a five or six-year-old child.

He was naive and kind, like a blank sheet of paper, unable to distinguish between good and evil, and unaware of how to protect himself.

When she was a child, Wang Xian was often bullied by some of the older children in the orphanage because she was small and thin.

They stole his food, tore up his books, and pushed him against the wall.

Qin Chong, being strong but not very bright, was often tricked by those bad kids.

They made him bark like a dog, made him lie on the ground like a horse, and made him do all sorts of stupid things.

The two weakest children should have each borne their own suffering.

until that day.

That day, a few naughty kids cornered Wang Xian again and stole the pencil he had painstakingly saved up to buy.

Wang Xian gritted her teeth and refused to cry.

Qin Chong was tricked into picking up something that didn't exist, and ended up falling into a stinking ditch.

Wang Xian, emboldened by some unknown source, rushed forward and smashed a stone over the head of the leader of the children.

The child clutched his bleeding forehead and let out a pig-like scream.

Then, Qin Chong climbed out of the stinking ditch and saw Wang Xian being surrounded and beaten by several people.

He let out a roar and charged forward.

He didn't know any fighting techniques, but he was strong and had thick skin.

He was like a raging bull, knocking one person away, then another.

Finally, those naughty kids ran away crying.

That night, Wang Xian and Qin Chong sat on the steps behind the orphanage, looking at the stars.

Qin Chong had a large bump on his forehead, and Wang Xian had a cut on the corner of his mouth.

Qin Chong turned his head, looked at Wang Xian, and smiled foolishly, saying:

"Little fairy, from now on... I will protect you."

Wang Xian paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Okay, then I'll protect you too."

From then on, they became best friends, brothers even closer than blood brothers.

Wang Xian taught Qin Chong to recognize characters, but even after being taught a hundred times, Qin Chong could not remember many of them.

When someone bullied Wang Xian, Qin Chong rushed forward and used his bull-like body to block Wang Xian.

They ate together, slept together, and spent those cold and long nights together.

Until Wang Xian was twelve years old.

That year, Wang Xian realized a problem—

Qin Chong had absolutely no ability to survive independently.

With his mental capacity, he simply couldn't survive in this world after leaving the orphanage.

He will be deceived, bullied, and exploited by those with ulterior motives, who will squeeze every last bit of value out of him.

Wang Xian thought about it for a very long time.

Then, he found Dean Zhong.

"Dean Chung, I want to make a deal with you."

"trade?"

"I am twelve years old this year. According to the Daxia's 'Law on the Care of Special Groups,' I can stay in the orphanage until I am fourteen. However, I am willing to leave two years earlier."

"I go out to work and support myself."

Zhong Weiguo was stunned.

Wang Xian continued:

"In exchange, I hope the orphanage can continue to take care of Qin Chong."

"After he turns fourteen... take care of him for two more years, so that he can stay until he's sixteen."

"I promise, once I've saved enough money, I'll take him out."

Zhong Weiguo remained silent for a very long time.

Looking at the small, thin child with incredibly determined eyes, he felt a surge of indescribable emotions.

Finally, he spoke.

"Child, it won't take two years."

He crouched down, looking Wang Xian straight in the eye:

"The orphanage can take care of Qin Chong until he turns eighteen."

At that moment, Wang Xian's nose suddenly felt sore.

He nodded vigorously, trying not to let his tears fall.

After that, Wang Xian left the orphanage and began a life of struggling on her own.

He worked three jobs, lived frugally, and desperately saved money.

Every now and then, he would come back to visit Qin Chong, bringing him delicious food and chatting with him.

Every time Qin Chong saw him, he was as happy as if it were New Year's Day.

Until Wang Xian turned fifteen.

That year, another immortal king transmigrated and inherited this body, as well as all the memories.

He remembered Qin Chong's simple and honest smile, the nights they spent together enduring hunger and cold, and the words, "Little fairy, I will protect you from now on."

He inherited the original owner's will and emotions.

Then, he awakened his S-level talent.

With his S-level talent, his path suddenly became much wider.

He was admitted to Jinwu Academy, ranked first in his grade every time, and even became the top scorer in the province!

Until they were targeted by the Bai family father and son...

Everything changed dramatically from that day on.

And now, he's finally back.

He returned to this dilapidated but warm place, back to the people who watched him grow up, and back to his best brother.

……