[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith":3,"chapter-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-252":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Childhood Friend of the Zenith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1240078,1667,"Chapter 252: Lady Of White Flowers, Mi Hyoran (2)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-252",252,"\u003Cp>How long has it been?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hasn’t been that long ever since this happened, and judging by the moon in the sky, it must have just passed midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a rather late time for a guest to visit, but Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t say anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was a very special guest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Namgung Bi-ah searched everywhere, the lady who sipped the tea she had somehow found carried herself with profound grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite her age, she was maintaining her great beauty, and the clothes she wore were clearly not ordinary, as Namgung Bi-ah could tell from a mere glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The continuing silence felt heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should she start a conversation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she fidgeted with her lips, reluctant to speak, the lady seated across from her broke the silence first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry for visiting you so late at night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady smiled lightly as she spoke,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>her smile brimming with an indescribable elegance that only made it harder for Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh… I… was in the middle of training anyways… so… you don’t need to worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for understanding. Training huh… Do you always train at this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah, yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. How diligent of you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After her remark, the lady began to write something on a paper she had laid out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Training… at night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to be writing something very important, and Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t dare to take a peak despite being very curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing Namgung Bi-ah’s attention, the lady cleared her throat slightly before speaking again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, I had to write something down for a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it fine if I call you Young Lady Namgung?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah nodded at the woman's question, instantly regretting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She should have replied verbally. Was it nervousness that made her feel as though her brain had malfunctioned?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can just call m-”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady suddenly stopped midway into her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like she had something she wanted to say, but had trouble saying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Lady Mi. Yes, that’s it. You can call me Lady Mi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry I visited you so late. I heard that a blood relative of the great Namgung Clan was here, so I really wanted to have a conversation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah nodded, but was that really the reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed she wanted to talk, but perhaps not just because Namgung Bi-ah was from the Namgung Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah didn’t know why she was thinking in such a way, but she just felt that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, her intuition was rarely wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Lady Namgung is very calm I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that a roundabout way of saying she was too quiet and boring?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was the case, Namgung Bi-ah wanted to change it herself, but she had no way of doing so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She actually didn’t talk much after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It would be nice if my daughters… had taken after you in that regard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she okay?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t understand the way this conversation flowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Struggling to suppress her nervousness, she observed the lady in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…The stench is… light…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so light that she couldn’t even notice it unless she tried to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This subtlety, however, was a testament to Namgung Bi-ah's own advancement in skill, which enhanced her sensitivity to such details. Yet, the faintness of the lady’s presence remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This realization alone was comforting to Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the silence continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah didn’t know what to say as she wasn’t the talkative type, and more than anything, she didn’t know how to treat her guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering that Gu Yangcheon was born of a concubine, and the woman in front of her was the legal wife, Namgung Bi-ah pondered her role in this complicated social situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then remembered what Gu Yangcheon once mentioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You have a need to study common sense sometime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this a situation where common sense was needed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, then she should’ve listened to him way before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially if she had anticipated being in such a situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Mi broke the silence once again, causing Namgung Bi-ah to tense up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…What…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she said that child, it sounded like she was referring to Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to be referring to Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Criticism…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Typically, when a legal wife spoke of a concubine's child, it was rarely positive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Namgung Bi-ah herself witnessed it many times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she going to criticize Gu Yangcheon for his wrongdoings in the past, or wrongdoings he’s never done?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How should she respond if that were the case?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I… be angry at her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, she might have drawn her sword without hesitation, but now she needed to consider her actions carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she acted recklessly, she was the only one going to be the one responsible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing this, Namgung Bi-ah had to think deeply, for any action she took should not harm Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t afford to do anything reckless if she wanted to stay near him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she braced herself for what might come next, tensely awaiting Lady Mi's words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does he treat you well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That child, does he treat Young Lady Namgung well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was way too unexpected of a question, which made Namgung Bi-ah’s blank head even more blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does he… treat me well?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pondered the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, things had improved slightly, but he still avoided her when she approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He promised he wouldn’t disappear, yet often did without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he comes back with a big injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He speaks rudely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also has no sense…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt increasingly odd the more she thought about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Namgung Bi-ah's expression grew more perplexed, Lady Mi spoke with a gentle smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can tell just by looking at your expression.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah…! It’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She should have managed her expression better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah hated herself for letting her guard down at a time like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s a kid covered in thorns as you know already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Lady Mi's words, Namgung Bi-ah stopped herself from making any excuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He's clad in thorns to cover his scars, so please, don’t hold it against him. It’s the fault of adults, not his...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice remained steady and calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her emotionless voice was filled with coldness, but Namgung Bi-ah felt like she was beginning to feel more at ease after hearing each and every word that came from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was way too different from the woman Namgung Bi-ah expected her to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for having me this late at night. I shouldn’t take up any more of your time, so I shall be taking my leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Mi stood up and gently lowered her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah quickly stood up after her, but Lady Mi gestured with her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like she was saying that there was no need for Namgung Bi-ah to send her off, but Namgung Bi-ah felt like she couldn’t just afford to stay seated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she really come here for this small conversation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did Lady Mi come here to see what kind of a person Namgung Bi-ah was?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah didn’t know as their meeting was too short and she lacked understanding in this regard, but she felt like she couldn’t let her leave like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He’s… a good person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Namgung Bi-ah’s words she barely managed to get out, Lady Mi’s steps suddenly stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Lady?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Despite pretending to not care, he takes care of everyone around him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s previously hesitant speech flowed more smoothly as she spoke of Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was very fascinating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For her to change this much when it came to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Even if it looks like he’s acting recklessly, he always does it for someone else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his temper was harsh and his actions sometimes extreme, and despite his daily declarations of only living for himself, Namgung Bi-ah knew his concern extended beyond himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn't understand why, occasionally, his gaze towards her was tinged with guilt and regret, but since he never addressed it, she didn’t bother asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the case, knowing he cared was enough for Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He’s a good person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke clearly, but still failed to deliver everything she wanted to say due to her quiet nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Mi, who was deep in her thoughts after listening to Namgung Bi-ah, soon offered a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is that so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, Lady Mi slowly exited, her figure vanishing into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left alone, Namgung Bi-ah felt as if she had weathered a storm, finally allowing herself a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In future reflections, she would remark that this day had been the most tense of her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She walked through the night path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was moonlight, yet it remained dark and hard to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an ordinary person without QI, finding the way without a light would be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Mi Hyoran calmly walked through the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew this path well, having walked it many times before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had been a flower on the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t here anymore, but there used to be a flower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn't memorized its name, but it was certainly a white flower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grass was long due to the path not being managed and the trees grew in an ugly way as well, but Mi Hyoran didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She already knew why her husband didn’t take care of this path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s because he didn’t want to touch the garden that she made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regretful person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what Mi Hyoran felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Mi Hyoran slowly walked through the garden,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mujin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly called for someone,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…Yes, Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a voice shockingly came from nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfazed, Mi Hyoran asked calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…Like they said, it seems like a lot has changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-For example, I think they noticed my presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the words of the man named Mujin, a spark of interest flickers in Mi Hyoran's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They noticed his presence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you sure of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Yes. To be more specific, I believe they noticed my presence ever since I’ve encountered you, Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He noticed Mujin’s presence ever since entering Gu Yangcheon’s room?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That child?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Because of that, I couldn’t approach easily, but from a distance, he seemed to have changed a lot from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mi Hyoran wondered after hearing Mujin’s words, and she grappled with her swirling emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was it joy, confusion, or perhaps regret?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emotions were still a complex matter for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was very concerned about the child’s growth, wondering if perhaps he had overcome his past scars. For Mi Hyoran, could this also be called hope?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard to identifywhat her emotion was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, so he’s called the True Dragon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Yes. His name has been spread throughout the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She heard that the child was given a title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew he was much talked about among the young prodigies, and that he had taken a place in their minds as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That child has achieved such a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wondered when the crumbling child that couldn’t win against his scar had transformed so, despite her absence, as if she had fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, while Mi Hyoran was lost in these indescribable feelings,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mujin was reflecting on their meeting he had earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t mention it to his Leader, but Gu Yangcheon had done more than just sense his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t believe I was caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he realized that the other had sensed his presence, he thought about gaining some distance, but Gu Yangcheon was looking at Mujin with a very annoyed expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At such a long distance at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You are rather bothersome, so please stop.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mujin was very surprised when he heard him speak to him telepathically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…How?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when Mujin saw his Leader’s son last, he had seemed irreparably shattered, in Mujin's view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentally, not physically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what about now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contradicting to his clear presence, the impression was too shallow to discern the person’s true nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant that Gu Yangcheon was very skilled in hiding his power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was this possible in only a few years’ time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Leader may have left the clan, but even that was only a few years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, in that short time, Gu Yangcheon had transformed everything about himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he really able to do that all by himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was there help from other sources?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mujin abruptly erased the thoughts he had been lost in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, there was no way his Leader wouldn’t know what he was pondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. Good work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…Not at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mi Hyoran then decided to ask Mujin a different question as she started walking slowly again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that I think about it, is your son doing well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Ah…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mujin seemed momentarily flustered by Mi Hyoran’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because he didn’t expect his Leader to remember such a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, Mujin responded in an awkward tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-He seems to be doing well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like his son happened to spend his time near Leader’s son, and he seemed to be doing well, judging by his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s good to hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-May I ask how your meeting from earlier went?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Mujin, Mi Hyoran stopped her steps at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Interesting, for you to ask me a question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…I apologize if it’s a sensitive topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you needn’t apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fleeting emotion on Mi Hyoran's face faded, and she returned to her cold expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She didn’t look to be the best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was talking about Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She may have had an extreme beauty, yet she seemed to be lacking for her to be from a noble clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had talent and also had a title for herself, but this didn't satisfy Mi Hyoran enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world is full of talented individuals; thus, in this matter, something other than martial arts talent was more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was going to take action myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They may have been the center of the Four Noble Clans from the prideful Orthodox Sect, but it was also a place deeply entangled in countless dirty deeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The darkness that lied there was so dense that she was able to put an end to the engagement if she wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the White Flowers merchant association had many things when it came to this regard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Mi Hyoran, who was awkward in expressing herself, this was all she could do for her children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mi Hyoran could’ve stopped this engagement if she wanted,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…He is a good person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after hearing what Namgung Clan’s child said at the end, Mi Hyoran put a pause on her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She may have been lacking, but she wasn’t a bad child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying those words, Mi Hyoran walked slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t hear any response from Mujin, but she didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s still difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wished she could do for her other children as much as she did for the daughters, but she found it exceedingly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know if she could even dare to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she wasn’t their biological mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moving slowly, she again looked toward the spot where the white flowers once bloomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The which that used to have white flowers in that spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not too long in the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remembered a child approaching her, pushed forward by a friend's hand, his face full of fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of how he had a similar face to her husband, she found it funny that he had tears filling his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While reaching his small shaky hand out towards her, the child said this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-L-Lady Mi… this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hand, was a white flower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the flower that her friend grew in her garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wondered what response she gave to the child while accepting the flower from his shaky hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did I say thanks?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way that I said such a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I said that, then he wouldn’t have run back to his mom with tears flowing down his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How disappointing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mi Hyoran didn’t know what she was disappointed in, despite saying those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those words just came out \u002Fgenesisforsaken\u003C\u002Fp>",2705,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","bc91a7366d3633ca1b0a3b4ae6936cfe17a841b581260a63b90a3d8aa75e53a5","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-253","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-251",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]