Chapter 3: A Lifetime of Being His Little Girl

The Li family holds a unique position within the economic system of Maple Sugar City and even the entire Dongjiang Province. You might simplistically call them a financial conglomerate, but saying so online tends to get posts deleted, and repeated mentions could even attract the legal department of Maple Sugar Heavy Industries knocking on your door.

“Maple Sugar Heavy Industries” is the name of the Li family’s enterprise. Although it’s called a heavy industry company, its business scope is vast, especially locally in Maple Sugar City, where it permeates nearly every aspect of daily social life. However, all this has little to do with Li Xingming.

The current head of the Li family, Li Shunzhe, has five children—three sons and two daughters. Among the second generation, his third son is Li Xingming’s father. Due to a series of complicated and melodramatic family scandals, the third son has been almost completely estranged, severed from the family ties. Naturally, Li Xingming, as the grandson, is likewise unwelcome.

Grandpa and grandma only occasionally provide him with pocket money out of the old saying “grandparents love grandchildren,” but beyond that, he barely enjoys any family resources—he’s essentially an outsider. Moreover, Li Xingming spends his days at school dabbling in abstract pursuits, neglecting serious matters, and even sent his childhood friend to an art institution for training... In this era, art institutions often carry a hint of canary training.

“They even claim they’re going to explore ruins to find a true magical spirit for her. Can he even do that? He doesn’t have the capability. Such things require professional expedition teams,” a group of young women in identical professional attire whispered in the tea room less than five minutes after iced lemon water was set on Li Xingming’s table.

They were all employees of the training institution, stealing moments at work to gossip—a perfect way to slack off during the day.

“But hasn’t Li Xingming even awakened his supernatural aptitude? How can he enter ruins?” someone asked in doubt.

“It’s allowed now under this year’s new regulations. Even zero-level mortals can enter ruins, though no one actually goes because the risks are too high. What if something happens and you lose your life?” another replied.

“Probably just trying to appease that silly Jiang Qianqian. She’s naive and easy to trick...”

The gossip abruptly stopped when the subject of their talk suddenly appeared at the tea room door.

Jiang Qianqian entered with a bright smile, her steps light and almost silent thanks to her dance shoes—like a cat’s.

Grabbing a bottle of sugar-free tea, she gave a gentle bow to the female employees.

“I’m done with class, heading home now. Thank you, ladies, for all your hard work~”

“No trouble at all!”

“Take care, Miss Jiang.”

“Be sure to spread the word among your classmates later—help us bring in more students...”

Only after a long while did the women finally exhale and return to their gossip.

“That scared me! She walked without a sound?”

“She’s a great actress; I could hear her.”

“Maybe rich young masters just like that kind of thing—pure and innocent.”

“Pure? More like pure green tea, if you ask me.”

“Hey, what do you think would happen if Li Xingming got hurt in the ruins? How would Jiang Qianqian react?”

“Then she’d just find a new target.”

Jiang Qianqian stood in the corridor, overhearing the gossip and shaking her head with a smile.

Such foolish women.

This was a good thing—the average intelligence of the employees at the training institution was low, meaning none of them would have a chance to flirt with A-Ming. After all, Li Xingming disliked foolish women.

As for their slander behind his back, Jiang Qianqian didn’t care at all.

As long as they weren’t plotting anything harmful against A-Ming, it was fine.

Taking a sip of the chilled sugar-free tea, the fatigue from dance training eased considerably. Jiang Qianqian adjusted herself to a perfect state and cheerfully pushed open the door to the VIP lounge.

“A-Ming! I’m so tired, come massage my feet~”

Her dance outfit perfectly accentuated the girl’s curves, and the sweat-soaked parts made her all the more alluring.

Jiang Qianqian deliberately didn’t wipe off the sweat so that when she threw herself into Li Xingming’s arms, he would be even more moved.

She slid over and sat sideways on Li Xingming’s lap, her small bottom wrapped in white silk stockings pressed against a familiar presence. Her eyes grew dreamy as her temple brushed against his chin.

Comfort.

At moments like this, Li Xingming felt as if Jiang Qianqian had become a little creature returning home,安心 back in her master’s embrace.

In the first few years after his reincarnation, Li Xingming spent his days as the Li family’s little boy in kindergarten, mentally confused from the reincarnation’s effects, dazed, naive, and often bullied.

The only one willing to befriend and stand up for him was Jiang Qianqian.

Her kindness was something he could never repay.

Coincidentally, Li Xingming discovered Jiang Qianqian’s hidden talent and considered nurturing her to repay her kindness.

Repaying kindness was one aspect; another was that Li Xingming, reincarnated into this world, dreamed of assembling a powerful team of supernatural beings.

After all, in his previous life, his team had been too incompetent, leading to the failed demon king hunt.

Jiang Qianqian was perfect to cultivate as a teammate—he knew her inside out, trusted her completely, and she had potential to become a rare “Life Singer.”

The “Life Singer” was a rare and difficult path to cultivate, even the seasoned supernatural veteran Li Xingming, reborn from the Sixth Era, found it tricky.

But it didn’t matter; for Jiang Qianqian’s kindness and the team’s future, the trouble was worth it.

Today, Li Xingming had transformed from the little boy protected by Jiang Qianqian in kindergarten into the rich benefactor funding the poor girl’s artistic studies.

He had protected Jiang Qianqian well. Compared to girls her age, she was clearly pure and energetic, her psychological age still that of a little girl—quite childish.

Like now.

After each dance practice, Jiang Qianqian would twist her slender waist and jump onto Li Xingming’s lap, demanding foot massages, her feet wrapped in white silk stockings swinging in the air...

It was said that girls who studied dance often had stockings with a distinctive scent after training.

Jiang Qianqian seemed unaffected by this. She always smelled sweet, like high-quality fruit candy. Her sweat had a sugary fragrance, perfectly embodying the phrase “fragrant sweat streaming.”

Li Xingming cupped her feet and expertly massaged them, making Jiang Qianqian feel extremely comfortable. She hummed softly, a sound both tender and enchanting.

After all, as a future “Life Singer,” her voice was naturally beautiful.

Moreover, she subtly added a touch of flirtation.

“Why is there still no reaction...” Jiang Qianqian wondered, feeling the utterly unresponsive “cushion.” Weren’t teenage boys supposed to be very sensitive?

But Li Xingming always remained indifferent to her, seeming to have adapted to contact with his cute childhood friend without ever thinking of it in an ambiguous way.

Sigh.

A-Ming still seemed to treat her like a little girl.

Jiang Qianqian felt a bit melancholy, but then her mood sweetened again.

What’s wrong with pretending to be a little girl? She could embrace and cling to A-Ming without any reservations.

Childhood friends were like that—just lazily nestling in the lap of their childhood sweetheart.

If she graduated from that role and pursued becoming Li Xingming’s girlfriend, there would be so much more to consider.

Romance was always full of uncertainty. Perhaps their relationship would deepen into a love as strong as gold, but more likely, failure could create distance and estrangement.

Jiang Qianqian couldn’t bear the risk of drifting apart from Li Xingming.

So.

She would remain a little girl forever.

Yes, that’s right. She’s just naive and easy to deceive, teehee.

Her chin rested on Li Xingming’s shoulder, her doll-like, delicate, and pure face written with stubborn attachment.

Li Xingming, however, remained completely unaware of his childhood friend’s inner thoughts.

Unconsciously, their feelings diverged in a subtle misalignment.

After massaging her feet for a while, Li Xingming asked,

“Feeling better?”

“Mmm.”

“I’ll get you a jacket, then take you to the car and bring you home.”

“Okay.”