Chapter 55: Is she her mother’s favorite child?

However, that sentence was far too quiet; Liang Lai hadn’t caught it clearly, and she couldn’t recall spotting anything around Therilens when she’d picked her up.

Therilens, hearing Liang Lai hadn’t noticed anything about her, clearly exhaled in relief.

Liang Lai felt Therilens was such a lively, adorable little girl; she figured this child would sweet-talk everyone equally once settled.

And sure enough, things unfolded just as Liang Lai predicted—at the dinner table, Therilens didn’t wait for an intro; she stood beaming, bowing to all with a grin.

“Hello, everyone~ I’m the new one~ Mom picked me up—my name’s Therilens. Hoping… we can all get along~”

Her final words carried a loaded edge, but her smile stayed wide—pretty as a porcelain doll.

The table’s vibe hung heavy; Duoluosa eyed Therilens cool and blank, silent through.

Iluci stole a few peeks toward Liang Lai, then waved a timid hand at Therilens.

Only Asteris and Delucia stayed their sunny selves, greeting the newbie warm.

“Our new sis is so pretty!” Delucia rose graceful, waving at Therilens.

Asteris stood too—but said nothing, just dipping a slight nod to Therilens.

The air chilled some, ‘specially under Duoluosa’s stare.

Therilens seemed to clock Duoluosa sharp; she flashed her a smile, saying no more.

Iluci, though, went full hermit post-meal—hugging her knees in the practice room’s corner, fiddling who-knew-what.

Liang Lai poked in once, only for Iluci to brush her off with “Assessment’s soon—kinda nervous.”

The nerves were real, sure—but the real churn? New kid’s arrival spiking her threat radar.

“Therilens is so cute, so pretty—lively too, sweet-talker supreme… The saintess’ll like her way more, right?”

“No way… No way…!”

Like steeling for battle, Iluci shot up sudden, hyping herself.

“Gotta… gotta snag the saintess’s eyes on me! Then… then I get the care, the love…”

But Iluci beamed these days—assessment looming meant Liang Lai’s focus locked on her.

Case in point: evening check-ins on her progress.

Liang Lai stayed stunned at Iluci’s crystallization knack; the kid spent half her time bed-bound from “tumbles,” skipping lessons here and there… yet she seemed born to it—nailing entry-level tests flawless.

Just now, Iluci stood practice-room central, hands clasped light at her chest.

She drew deep breath; fingertips bloomed faint crystal glow.

Palm to wooden target: surface etched fine veins instant, rippling out from contact.

Under three seconds, the whole target gleamed half-translucent lattice.

Liang Lai clocked the color shift: starting clear, tinting soft pink haze.

Easy explain: moods colored crystallization.

Iluci was a kid with feelings—so pink flush? Normal.

Hand pulled away: the crystal target bore a crisp palm-print outline.

Next: finer finesse.

Fingertip grazed floor—a crystal vein snaked ahead, air congealing stair-step platforms.

Each tread gossamer-thin, yet rock-solid.

Liang Lai arched a brow.

“Wow, Little Xi—impressive.”

Pure praise, heart-said.

But she wasn’t done.

Touched wall burst in crystal blooms—each petal heart-shaped.

Iluci snuck a peek at Liang Lai, turning all coy—hoping she’d catch the hint.

No dice; Liang Lai just clapped delighted.

Iluci deflated a touch—but pressed on.

She gripped air loose; distant cup frosted in flake-shell sudden.

Surface iced to snowflake filigree—yet liquid swirled free beneath.

“Woo~”

Liang Lai thumbs-upped again. “Amazing, Little Xi.”

Compared to Duoluosa and Asteris’s edge, Iluci’s crystals ran milder—no bite.

Probably personality tie-in.

“You’ll crush the assessment! So no need holing here forever—get out, stretch. Worry you’ll molder…”

Iluci’s eyes sparkled; she clutched Liang Lai’s hand careful, piping shy: “Th-Then… Mom, walk with me? Alone… it’s kinda lonely…”

“Of course~!” Liang Lai greenlit bright.

Assessment eve: nothing’d mar the kid’s focus.

Assessment day dawned; Liang Lai looped last-minute briefs, then hand-in-hand with Iluci, headed field-ward.

“You three—be good at home~” she called back.

But Liang Lai’s front foot out—Duoluosa’s bland smile vanished cold.

Her mood’d soured lately; she’d banked on bedridden “lung-mist” Iluci flunking hard.

But two days back, she’d spied the girl’s drills: progress nipping at her and Asteris’s heels.

Crisis sense creeping up.

So no more slacking for Duoluosa—she’d grind every spare tick.

Therilens, watching Liang Lai and Iluci’s backs fade, stroked her chin thoughtful.

“Is Iluci… Mom’s favorite?” she tossed out casual—right in front of the other three.

“Mom’s always with her—feels like all her attention’s there.” She tacked on.

Duoluosa halted mid-stair, turning slow—glare drilling Therilens.

Asteris and Delucia twisted too, eyes odd on the newbie “sweetie.”