Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: MĀMĀ’S GIFT

After their meal, the family quickly cleaned up and prepared for their evening baths. Li Hua and her mother shared theirs together, as had become their custom. Though still somewhat awkward, Li Hua found herself growing more comfortable with these intimate family moments.

Steam rose around them as her mother gently scrubbed her shoulders, the warm water carrying a faint scent of herb-infused soap. The peaceful atmosphere shifted when her mother spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Hua’er, this world is vast and filled with selfish people.” Her mother’s hands remained gentle, but her words carried weight. Li Hua felt herself instinctively tensing, her awareness of danger sharpening her focus. “You are truly special, and there will be many who covet what you possess—the white dragon, the golden core, your affinity for all elements, and your ability to walk every cultivation path this world offers.”

Her mother turned her around in the bath, and as their eyes met, a gentle smile warmed her face. Li Hua found herself smiling back instinctively, then, remembering her role as a four-year-old, let her smile grow a bit more childish and innocent.

Behind her carefully crafted expression, though, lay deep understanding of her mother’s warning. Her past life had taught her well about the burdens of exceptional talent and the greed it could inspire in others. She was no fool—she had seen firsthand how greed could twist the human heart, turning even the most principled souls into desperate hunters of power.

“Your Bàba believes we have plenty of time,” her mother continued, her voice carrying a hint of urgency that belied her calm demeanor. “But I disagree. While you must start slowly to build a proper foundation, I believe you should undertake twice the challenges of your brothers, if not more.” She cupped Li Hua’s face with wet hands, her eyes reflecting both love and determination. “You will need to grow up quickly, my precious daughter. This world will not wait.”

As the steam swirled around them, Li Hua recognized in her mother’s gaze the same steely resolve she’d once seen in her own mirror reflection before each mission. Yet where Li Hua’s eyes had held a killer’s focus, her mother’s carried the fierce determination of a protector.

Her mother reached for the jade pendant that hung from her neck, carefully lifting the thin silver chain over her head. She held the pendant in her palm as she infused it with spiritual essence. After a breath, something materialized briefly before falling into her mother’s palm.

Li Hua’s brows furrowed slightly as she tried to make out what it was. Seeing her curiosity, her mother chuckled softly, bringing her palm up to Li Hua’s eye level.

“These are the Celestial Diamond Earrings,” her mother said. In her palm lay a pair of small star-shaped celestial diamonds, roughly three millimeters across, with delicate gold inclusions that seemed to dance in the dim light. Beside them lay a long, thin needle.

“Be good, Hua’er,” her mother said gently as she picked up the needle. “Māmā is going to pierce your ears, okay?”

Li Hua nodded without hesitation. She wasn’t afraid of needles—in her previous life, she had gotten several ear piercings and multiple tattoos.

She leaned into her mother’s touch, feeling the warmth of maternal care. There was a moment of silence as her mother focused, starting with the left ear. A slight pinch, then the cool touch of the earring, followed by the soothing warmth of her mother’s spiritual essence as it healed the small wound. She repeated the process with the right ear, giving Li Hua perfectly matched flat piercings on both sides.

Once finished, her mother breathed a sigh of relief before letting out a soft chuckle. “Some mothers dress their daughters in jewels to show the world their worth or value, and here I am, giving you jewels so you can vanish from the world in an instant, if needed. Other children wear their precious stones as decoration, but these, my dear daughter, are your battle armor—far more elegant than any warrior’s steel, and far rarer too.”

Li Hua’s confusion must have shown on her face, for her mother continued before she could ask questions.

“These earrings are made of celestial diamonds—a rare treasure indeed. I received them from a remarkable woman in the Grand Eternal Realm. She was as beautiful as she was wise, a former blacksmith who had discovered a passion for creating jewelry that could rival the power of any weapon or artifact. She told me our meeting was fated and gifted these to me.”

Her mother’s fingers gently brushed Li Hua’s newly pierced ears, where the star-shaped diamonds sparkled like captured starlight. “But they require both wind and light affinities to unlock their true potential. My affinities lie with wood and fire, your Bàba’s with fire, water, and earth—which is why I’ve never been able to witness their full power. You, my dear daughter, are the only one in our family blessed with both elements they require.”

Li Hua’s instincts stirred at these words. In her past life, speed and stealth had been her greatest allies—achieved through years of training and expensive technology. Now, these small stars promised power beyond anything her old world could offer.

Her mother’s voice took on a tone of wonder as she continued. “The woman said when activated, these earrings allow movement so swift it defies mortal understanding. The celestial diamonds harness wind essence for pure speed, while the gold inclusions channel light essence to bend reality itself around the wearer. Together, they create an effect that makes the user appear to simply fade from one location and materialize in another, leaving behind only the faintest trace of golden light on the wind.”

Little Firefly stirred in her consciousness, his presence radiating intense interest at the mention of such speed. Li Hua could almost feel the possibilities unfolding in her mind—the advantages, the escape routes, the strength and speed she could offer her family.

Her mother’s fingers gently pushed the small strands of hair behind Li Hua’s ears. “When you channel your spiritual essence into them, your body will briefly transform into pure energy—a perfect fusion of wind and light. In that state, you’ll move faster than most immortal artifacts can track. But remember,” her mother’s voice grew serious, “true mastery isn’t about how quickly you can move, but knowing precisely when to move at all.”

The words resonated deeply with Li Hua’s experience. As an assassin, she had learned that timing often mattered more than speed—a lesson that apparently held true across worlds and lifetimes.

“Once again, Happy Birthday, my little Hua’er,” her mother said, her smile deepening.

“Thank you, Māmā.” Li Hua said with a child-like happiness, flashing her mother her pearly white baby teeth.