Evening had quietly settled over the beachside cabin.
The sky had turned a deep shade of orange and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. Throughout the day, Jin Kai and the children had enjoyed each other's company building sandcastles in the morning, splashing in the shallow waves after lunch, and listening to Jin Kai tell simple stories about faraway lands in the afternoon. For the first time since his arrival, the day had passed without worry or tension, filled instead with laughter and simple joy.
Now, with dinner finished and the dishes cleared away, it was time for the children to sleep.
One by one, the little ones began to grow sleepy. Little Mei was the first to yawn, rubbing her eyes with her tiny fists. Little Ling helped her wash up, while Little Jian and Little Hao dragged their feet but still wore big smiles from the day's adventures.
Ruo Lan gently guided them toward their shared room, her voice soft and soothing. "Alright, everyone. Time to sleep. You've all had a long, fun day."
Jin Kai had helped tuck the children in, adjusting blankets and listening to their sleepy goodnights. Little Mei had insisted on holding his hand until she started drifting off, and Little Jian made him promise they would build an even bigger sandcastle tomorrow.
Once the last child had finally settled and the room grew quiet, Jin Kai stepped out of the children's bedroom and closed the door gently behind him.
Ruo Lan was waiting in the main room, wiping her hands on a small cloth. She looked at him with warm, appreciative eyes.
"Thank you, Jin Kai," she said softly. "For putting the children to bed tonight. They really enjoyed having you with them today. I could hear them laughing from the kitchen… It's been a long time since they were this energetic."
Jin Kai gave a small nod, his expression gentle. "It was my pleasure. They're good children. Full of life."
A brief, comfortable silence settled between them. The only sounds were the distant waves and the soft crackle of the small oil lamp on the table.
Ruo Lan glanced toward the children's room, making sure they were truly asleep, then turned back to him.
"You wanted to talk tonight…" she said quietly, almost shyly. "Shall we sit outside? The sea is beautiful under the moonlight, and we won't wake the children."
Jin Kai met her eyes and nodded. "That sounds good."
They stepped out of the cabin together and walked a short distance to a flat stretch of sand near the shore. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the gently rolling waves. A cool breeze brushed past them, carrying the fresh scent of the sea.
Ruo Lan sat down on the sand, smoothing her plain dress beneath her. Jin Kai sat a respectful distance beside her, though not too far.
After a moment, Ruo Lan spoke first, her voice soft against the sound of the waves.
"So… what did you want to talk about, Jin Kai?"
"Thank you for saving me," he said quietly, his voice steady. "It's probably not easy saving someone randomly, especially since you have children to look after. You can never tell if I was a bad or good person."
Ruo Lan listened in silence, her hands resting lightly in her lap. A small, understanding smile touched her lips as she tilted her head slightly, the breeze lifting a few strands of her dark hair.
"You're right," she replied softly, her gaze meeting his without wavering. "I was quite skeptical at first. But I remember what my parents taught me about being kind. I don't know how much of the world you know we live in, but the majority of people's views are tied to power."
She paused, looking out at the shimmering sea for a moment before continuing.
"Those with strength or status are seen as worthy of trust… or fear. The weak or unknown? Often cast aside or suspected. It's a harsh way to live, but it's how many survive. When I found you on the beach that day… injured, alone… I didn't see power in you. Just someone who needed help. My parents always said kindness isn't about what you gain, it's about who you choose to be, even when no one is watching."
Ruo Lan's voice softened further, a gentle melancholy threading through her words.
"This is something I'm grateful for from my mother and father. Growing up, they always seemed different to others I saw. They had a genuine kindness about them, not something tied to power or pride. Unfortunately… they're no longer here."
A heavy silence settled between them after her words. The only sounds were the rhythmic whisper of the waves and the faint rustle of the breeze across the sand. Jin Kai remained quiet, respecting the weight of what she had shared, while Ruo Lan stared at the moonlit water, her expression distant for a moment.
Then, as if shaking off the sorrow, Ruo Lan suddenly tapped her cheeks twice with both hands — a quick, light motion — and straightened her posture. Her face brightened with determined positivity as she turned to him, offering a warm, genuine smile.
"I have to keep moving forward," she said brightly, though a trace of resolve lingered beneath the cheer. She smiled at Jin Kai, her eyes reflecting the silver moonlight. "The children need me to be strong, and dwelling on the past won't bring my parents back. So… I choose to smile, for them and for myself."
The atmosphere lightened slightly with her words. She tilted her head a little, still smiling, and added more gently, "Besides, having you here these past days has made things feel a little less heavy. The children adore you already."
Jin Kai watched her for a moment, his expression soft with sympathy. He could sense the quiet strength behind her smile, but also the lingering pain she tried to push aside. Wanting to understand her better, he asked quietly, "If you don't mind… I wonder what happened to your parents? From what you've said, they were good people — even I feel like I would have wanted to meet them."
Ruo Lan turned her gaze to him, her smile fading slightly as she seemed to weigh her words. She searched his face, uncertain whether to say more, but the gentle honesty in his eyes and the calm flow of their conversation made her decide to open up just a little further.
"I don't want to go too much into details… maybe in the future I can tell you more. It's not a memory I want to bring up often." She paused, then continued in a quieter voice, "My parents were killed. Or, to be exact… the whole town was murdered."
She leaned back, resting her weight on her arms as she tilted her head toward the star-filled sky. The moonlight bathed her face, highlighting the subtle sadness in her eyes as she spoke.
"Five years ago, I was only fifteen at the time. My parents and I were living peacefully in a town called Mingyue Town, known for its Bright Moon. At night, the moonlight would illuminate the whole town so beautifully… it felt almost magical. The streets would glow silver, and people would gather by the river to watch the reflection on the water. It was a quiet, gentle place."
"Every morning I would go down with Mum to the markets while my dad would work. He was part of the town hunters, responsible for hunting down demonic beasts nearby. Everything was so… normal. Until one night the town was woken up by the northern side bells that alerted us of beasts. Except that day, it wasn't beasts."
She paused, her fingers digging lightly into the sand as she continued.
"My family home was in the southern part of Mingyue Town. I saw cultivators in black casting their techniques, flying in the air, destroying the northern wall and the people there. From one moment it was quiet and peaceful… the next, there was only destruction and screams."
Ruo Lan's gaze remained fixed on the starry sky, as though she could see the memories playing out above her.
"My mum hid me under the small storage container hidden underground — it was only meant for food storage. But I was small enough to fit inside. My mum and dad placed me there before they left. My last memory of them was Mum hugging me tightly and Dad looking at me one last time before they left through the front door."
Her voice trembled just slightly.
"Suddenly, I heard a massive explosion… and I blanked out."
The silence that followed felt heavier than before. The cool sea breeze whispered across the sand, and the waves continued their steady rhythm, indifferent to the pain in her words. Ruo Lan stayed leaning back on her arms, chest rising and falling with slow, controlled breaths as she fought to keep her emotions steady.
After a long moment, she finally lowered her head and turned toward Jin Kai. Her eyes were glistening, but no tears fell. Instead, she gave him a small, weary smile.
"That's all I remember clearly. When I woke up… the town was gone. Burned. Most of the people… gone. I was one of the very few who survived that night. After that, I wandered for a while before finding the children — orphans like me, in different ways. We've been together ever since."
She sat up a little straighter, brushing a few grains of sand from her plain dress.
"I don't speak of that night often. It still hurts too much. But… somehow, sitting here with the sea and the moon, it felt a little easier to say it out loud tonight."
Ruo Lan looked at him directly, her expression gentle yet vulnerable.