Outside Sword and Rose Sorcerer University in Jialesi, capital of the Starry Country.
With summer approaching, the radiant stars across the canopy had increased from two in spring to two and a half; looking closely upward, one could spot a tiny radiant star. Consequently, the temperature in Jialesi had risen, bathed in bright radiance, and taking just a few steps would bring out a light sheen of sweat.
Taking quick, delicate steps, Sonia emerged to see her mother, Martha, standing beneath the radiant stars, drenched in sweat. Pained by the sight, she pulled her toward the shade of the nearby trees. "Mom, why are you standing out here like a fool? You didn't even think to go under the tree-lined path inside the school to get out of the sun..."
Martha smiled foolishly. "I was afraid you wouldn't see me, Linda..."
"How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Sonia, not Linda!"
Sonia suddenly flared up. Martha nodded timidly again and again. "Sorry, sorry, I forgot again. Oh, right, I brought the soufflé you love the most..."
Seeing Martha's eager-to-please look, Sonia felt guilty again. Taking her hand, she led her outward. "I won't eat it. I'm trying to lose weight lately; I can't eat things that sweet."
"You're already so thin, what weight are you trying to lose? Looking at you, I'm scared a gust of wind will blow you over. You remember Uncle Elmer, right? His son fell terribly ill and never got better, his body so light and flimsy like a scarecrow in the fields. You're even thinner than him..."
Martha had spotted Sonia's figure from afar—hardly thicker than a tree branch—and her heart ached terribly. All her life, she had been a farmwife in a rural town of the Starry Country, completely unable to appreciate the big city's aesthetic of slender beauty. From the bottom of her heart, she wished her daughter were sturdier.
Sonia did not interrupt her mother's ceaseless rambling. Only when Martha stopped did she say, "It's rare for you to visit Jialesi. Let me take you around the capital..."
"No need, no need!" Martha hastily waved her hands and shook her head. "Don't waste money. When I walked over, I saw a park over that way..."
"Walked over!?" Sonia's voice jumped an octave. "Didn't I tell you to take the tram after getting off the train? The station is so far from the school—"
"It's fine, it's fine. I arrived early, and with so much time, a walk counts as exercise. I'm not old yet; walking won't hurt me..."
Only then did Sonia notice that both of Martha's sleeves were stained dark. Today the sun was bright and the temperature warm; students across campus were dressed for summer. Her mother, however, had taken the train to Jialesi last night, coming from a hometown already chilled by autumn winds, so naturally she wore multiple layers. Just walking for a bit had brought beads of sweat to her forehead, which she had instinctively wiped with her sleeves, soaking the cuffs dark.
Sonia wanted to tell her not to scrimp on such small sums, but the words turned into: "I'll take you to buy some clothes."
Martha reflexively shook her head. "There are plenty of clothes at home..."
"Today, you listen to me!"
Sonia Servi hailed from an impoverished village in the Starry Country that couldn't even be found on a map. For her to take the train to the capital, Jialesi, she had first had to walk a full day along mountain trails to reach the nearest town where trains stopped.
Among the children in the village, only Sonia in the past twenty years had relied on the miracle bracelet freely distributed by the country to complete the basic education curriculum provided within, and before reaching the age limit, sat for the Starry Higher Education Online Unified Entrance Examination, successfully earning admission to Sword and Rose Sorcerer University in Jialesi—referred to for short as Sword Flower University.
Her father had drunk himself to death when she was very young. In her memory, he was merely a useless drunkard who threw violent tantrums, and it was entirely her mother, Martha, who had raised her.
It was precisely because of this that she had been able to step away from physical labor for a time and focus on studying, rather than going to work in a factory by day and watching the Meteor Channel—the only channel receivable in the village—by night like other children her age, drifting through life in that tiny town.
When she first arrived in Jialesi, her eyes reflecting the pristine streets, towering buildings, rushing luxury cars, polite and well-mannered civilized folk, and giant light screens broadcasting promotional clips day and night, she knew that even if she were to die, she must die in this city.
The hometown where she had lived for over a decade wasn't even fit to be her graveyard.
And so she changed her name to Sonia, rather than Linda—a name that any common waitress might answer to.
In no time at all, she learned makeup and styling, and corrected her accent within a month of enrollment.
Relying on her striking looks, she landed multiple part-time jobs while never falling behind in her studies, using scholarships and wages to expand her social circle and attend various events... On top of that, having hosted multiple campus events last year, she had gained immense visibility and was already quietly regarded by many as the Sword Flower of the 67th class.
So many people in this world could attain happiness—why shouldn't she?
Throughout the afternoon, Sonia showed Martha around Jialesi. At Sonia's insistence, Martha reluctantly accompanied her into an expensive-looking boutique to try on clothes.
Without her daughter there, the female clerk's subtle, contemptuous smile alone would have sent Martha cowering away.
Yet as the price for buying clothes, Sonia didn't spend a single copper for the rest of the afternoon. Martha had even filled her water bottle ahead of time.
"This is clean water provided by the train station; this is fine for me. Don't buy those flashy colored drinks—I'm not used to them," Martha said.
Even for dinner, Martha insisted she hadn't finished the bread she brought, and leaving it would be a waste. Sonia knew taking her mother into an upscale restaurant would only make her suffer, so she sat in a park with her, eating the bread.
Before six o'clock, Sonia accompanied Martha to the train station.
The return ticket had long been purchased and linked to Martha's bracelet; she only needed to scan the bracelet at the gate.
As they drew near the turnstile, Sonia suddenly said, "Why don't you stay the night? I don't have classes tomorrow either, so I can spend another day with you."
Martha looked blankly at Sonia, her lips moving, but in the end, she shook her head, her eyes narrowing into fine slits. "No need. Refunding the ticket would waste money, and I wouldn't feel at home here anyway. I can't even understand what people are saying, and I have to hurry back to feed the chickens at home... Oh, look at my memory, I almost forgot..."
From deep inside her clothes, she produced a tightly wrapped little pouch and, without opening it, pressed it straight into Sonia's hand. "There are three silver coins inside..."
"Mom, I—"
"I know you don't lack money, but I won't have any use for it at home either."
Martha held Sonia's hands tightly. "Your mother is useless; I can't help you with anything. But don't worry, Linda, I won't hold you back. You just focus on living your life here in the capital. I get along fine in our hometown. If anything happens, the neighbors help me out. Just remember to write back, but whatever you do, don't send money. Keep it for yourself to spend. Besides, who knows if the post office might steal it..."
This time, Sonia did not correct Martha for calling her by her childhood name, "Linda." She listened quietly to her mother's ramblings, suddenly understanding why Martha hadn't waited for her inside the school. When Martha finished, Sonia said calmly, "Someday I will bring you to Jialesi to live the life of the wealthy."
Martha smiled and nodded. "Mom believes in you. But remember, no matter what happens, your mother will always have a meal ready for you back home. The big city is too complicated. Wouldn't it be nice to come home and live a peaceful life..."
Sonia watched her mother's slightly hunched back move further and further away, finally vanishing into the crowd.
Suddenly, she side-stepped sharply to the right, dodging a man who was about to bump into her. Surprise flashed in the man's eyes; he muttered something under his breath and hurried away.
"Indeed, the big city is too complicated," Sonia murmured softly. "But I'm exactly that kind of complicated person."
She turned and left the train station, striding with head held high back toward the glittering, sleepless city of Jialesi.
Chapter 6