Chapter 1 - Where it started

Chen's mansion was far from the neighbouring villages. It can be said that, upfront the hill after the outskirts of town, that's where their mansion located, the only mansion that build firm and tall. Since a long time, there has been a very lively and loving family lives. A complete family with a hardworking father, caring mother and five siblings. However, no one would have imagined that a story behind it would exist, hauntingly lingering in the shadow.

Through the seemingly lively mansion, it was night, when incessant wailing resounded eerily inside. A woman was getting beaten, harshly showing a marked on her back. The woman was ( 李安娜 )Li Anna, whereas the man who beated her was none other than the current head of the family,( 陈熙 ) Chen Xi. The other siblings long have ran away due to the dangerous circumstances, every single night, leaving only Chen Xi who was drunk, Li Anna and the six year old ( 陈暖暖 ) Chen Nuan Nuan who got locked in her room.

Hearing the hurted shrieking of her mother downstairs, Nuan Nuan curled herself in her embrace. Inside her room was utter darkness, without a slightest of light beside the dimness of moon passing through the window. A while passed before the sound finally ceased. Nuan Nuan gradually let herself ease, only to hear her father's footsteps keep coming closer. She remembered it too well that her certainty was without a second thought, as for her, it was deadly, whoever might not have known if she still be alive tonight or not.

Panicked, she grab all of the heavy thing she could and put it in front of the door, with all might hoping that she will passed by tonight safely. Just when the object putted right on the door, a hard ramming relentlessly banging the door, like a monster desperately searching for the remaining hiding prey.

Nuan Nuan, in the corner of her room, despite the lowering might of her body and the frantic shaking, she remain frozen in her place. 'Dear God, protect me as you may', she prayed hard in her heart, constantly, so that her fear may ease. Thankfully, tonight the danger were quite shorter, unlike any other night that she would undoubtedly have not taken any sleep, and unable to.

A while passed by again, this time, her door let out a sound again. It was the door's handle, as if someone was trying to unlock the handle she once locked inside. In circurmstances, Nuan Nuan shortly filled with sheer horror. Her eyes gradually lost its light, 'is it time?'

And then, the door finally opened with a click at last. Her mother's shadow appeared, along with her first brother,( 陈楠 )Chen Nan. They were looking at her with a somewhat pitiful expressions. Yet, Nuan Nuan happily thought, 'It' s mother! And big brother! Everything is safe now!'. Then, stupidly, she ran towards them, easing away the overwhelming fear she had earlier, mindlessly thinking that they came for her. As it turns out, that they long have prepared to leave her, alone, in that unceasingly dark abyss.

Nuan Nuan gets closer and saw a big sized luggage tightly held in her mom's hand. Those time, perhaps she already got the feeling when she slowly asked in a trembling voices, "Mom....can you bring me along?". Seeing her daughter, Li Anna let out tears, yet she stood firm in her place. It was like a waves of ocean crashed onto her but she still stay the course. Not much to reply, she just promised with, "Later", without much thought before walking away, far from the room.

Upon hearing that, Nuan Nuan cried her heart out. Cried until her throat sore, desperately hanging on her mother's pity, and yet, she coldlessly left her. Her mind showed no sanity, rather, crazily keep pursuing her mother which was getting further away. Unfortunately, she was no longer able to ran any longer. Her neck, was tied by a restraint chain, tightly bounding her with her bed's stand. The limit of those things restraining her at most, only a step outside the room. It was her mother's doing, as for the reason, nobody know why, and nobody even find a logic for chaining a child.

Inside the darkest abyss on black, countlessly she hoped for a slight hope, "Someone..... Help...". Her voice were audibly heard, followed by the strength that was slowly fading. Perhaps the only thing that would alleviated her pain and comforted her mind, was the sky outside.

That....was her at eight.

Time gradually passed by, at long last, she successfully gained her father's care, but carelessly leading to her other siblings showing a discrimination towards her. There's time, they would harshly treated her, "We don't know you. Go away! Didn't you was father's favorite?!"

However, little did they know... That care was not for free. In fact, it was due to her excellent achievement that Chen Xi would finally treated her good and showered her with care. Despite the fact that, a little mistakes would undoubtedly led to a tragic consequences.

In spite of that, she has a good friend, called ( 吴月 )Wu Yue which she thought that she finally will be able to lead a normal life, however, good things really were not fated to her. She betrayed her, telling the others how much she'd suffered, despite the fact that Nuan Nuan really put her utmost trust on her. Consequences were harder to bear than ever. Her seemingly 'normal life' somewhat vanished, crushed apart to pieces in front of her.

At the age of ten, Li Anna come back, this time, bringing with her a child custody after the successfull divorce.

Though, it did not last long. Li Anna felt that it was utterly hard raising alone a child, and that led her to the thought of getting back with Chen Xi. As a result, nightmare arise. The same circumstances, where everyone in the house ran away, leaving her to do the housework before she slipped away in her room, hiding from her father's crazedness. Night began engulfing the world, and a familiar footsteps arose, walking near to her room.

After the loud ramming, a blasting bang replaced. Nuan Nuan stuck herself behind the dark shadow on the corner of her room, incessantly shivering and crying numbly. Her emotion and body long get used to it, however, some of her distinctly showed helplessness. As she tried to heard it, the loud bang were actually a dull blade, because she saw it, that a light was peeking through the door's slits.

Chapter 2 - High school art

In those grave circumstances, Nuan Nuan can only put herself at stake, replying with a shout, "What are you doing father! It's me! Your most excellent and your pride daughter!"

In short span of time, the unrecognizable Chen Xi suddenly put an immediate stop to what he was doing. "Oh, it's you", he steadily replied with a calm and audible tone before he gone away. Surprisingly, he lowkey loosen up at the moment.

The other night again, a sudden very soft voice would calling out for her, and as she glanced at the door, a pair of eyes were pointed out, peeking through the slit that were made. Thankfully, she would lied down a heavy object on her door before she move far away from that door, and the person will undoubtedly let out a sound if he was to open the door.

"My daughter", the soft voice was relentlessly calling out for her, as if, it want to lure her out with care. The point was, there's no response from her daughter. He's getting angry. His voice changing to a very high-pitched hoarse sound, ones that would made people's blood run cold. He clearly representing a demon that sniff on their prey scent behind the slitted door.

Despite all that, Nuan Nuan truthfully was scared. Utterly scared. The only thing that her body can do as of now was curled in her own embrace, putting her utmost faith on her pray; that she will be alright till the dawn arrived.

Not passed even three months, Li Anna at long last couldn't hold any longer, thus, she ran away again, but this time, Nuan Nuan was tightly hanging onto her, refusing to be let as the older time. It was unfortunate that Li Anna would slumbered into a heavy depression, completely unable to differentiate things. The only things she do was working, working and keep working despite her current unstable situation, without any glance to her daughter, Nuan Nuan. In the end, the emotional distance between them, create a whole new kind of her, which was rigid. Looking like an empty, living doll.

Time continue tickling and at long last, she chose to transfer and live in an art high school dorm.

That was the starting point of her life, The so-called doll; Chen Nuan Nuan.

Have you ever experienced a total excludement in your life? A phase where you no longer long for something nor a bond. What pass may passed, what come may come. Time and things keep circling around, yet, you no longer attached to it. 'Right now, the most important things was....my peace. I..was born to be free!', was what keep you living, was what become the reason of your existence. And that's what happened to Nuan Nuan as of the moment, hopelessly hanging on a single thread of life, cause it was a sin, to have your life ended in your own hands.

A whole new surroundings, enhanced by students with diverse styles. What called as art, undoubtedly will be different for sure. Be it for the school self styles or the decoration of the school itself, everything was enough to bring a pair of wide-eyed in awe.

Along with the pathway, followed by the lake which slowly flows alongside, a green-ish leaves keep falling out of branch, fluttering as the winds blows before it landed onto the earthy road. Nuan Nuan was walking by it with many students which also passed by, marking the beginning of the new year for school. Just like her usual self, she wore an earphone on her ears and with the casual flipping towards each pages of books on her hands. A large bag was clinging onto her shoulders, ready to get into the school's dorm. In spite of that, she absent-mindedly walked along the road, as if she has been through a motion for quite a long time. Her focus were utterly putted on the music replaying and the story of the book she read.

[ Class 3-1 ] : Year two, class one ( total of four years and each year has three section of classes; for normal lesson )

Arriving at class, with a tired body,she walked through the empty room, and gradually rested herself onto the empty chair, and her head to the desk. Before long,she finally slumbered into a deep sleep, so soundly at that.

Not long after,the world conventionally would let out a harmonious surrounding, which made Nuan Nuan even with songs ringing on her ears, would awaken by such a reminder for sure. Classes will start shortly after.

Hence, with eyes that still fluttering on it heaviness, and mind that still not fully functioning, Nuan Nuan rubs her eyes lazily, trying to adjust her sight on the surrounding. Gradually after, she heaved her body up and made her ways to the toilet to freshen up with a splashing on her face.

Then, her thought reminded her, 'Today is an usual day, however, I must endure until it reached the end of the day.'

That being said....today...was rather unusual. Despite the fact that she would encountered somehow a familiar senior, yet she couldn't bring herself to recognize him. Nonetheless, it seems rather different from the other side, though he simply uttered an apology towards her before continuing his friendly talk towards the unknown others, happily glued to each other by hands on each shoulders.

It was when Nuan Nuan walked through that both of the seniors stopped in place and turned their face to her side. "Who's her?", demanded the others. He was called ( 范明旭 )Fan Mingxu and the ones that bumped into Nuan Nuan was called ( 欣宇泽 )Xin Yuze.

Upon hearing that, Xin Yuze slightly slapped the back of his head. Fan Mingxu stuck in a completely baffled expression, saying, "Why would you slap my head?".

Xin Yuze without the real intention replied, "That's your sister in-law to be. Shouldn't I slapped you?".

Hearing such a response, Fan Mingxu eyes widened in surprise. "Have you finally lost your mind?."

Despite the continues inquiry of interest from Fan Minxu, Xin Yuze however keep avoiding the question. Along with that, he just twisted the topic to the earlier ones, which was their current competition for art canvassing; Ones that would figure their current assessment. Thankfully, Fan Mingxu was not smart enough to comprehend his intention, thus, he just blindly led into the topic once again, and with a dumb smile at that.

While on the other side, Nuan Nuan was already seated on her place, peculiarly focusing on the class, unlike her usual self that she would rather sleep her brain off than listening to a whole new chapter of complicated explanation of the class' lesson. Nonetheless, the other found her quite annoying, truly nauseating her sight. Her name was ( 华依依 )Hua Yiyi, well-known as the school's candy; a person so sweet that she would always caught many attention due to her sweet and lovely personality and looks. What she hates the most were Nuan Nuan simple looks, totally didn't take more care about her appearance, and yet, that doll-like appearance effortlessly managed to shift away some of the attention which originally was hers.

As a result, she can only looked at her with a dark, hateful gaze. Nuan Nuan's appearance inside the class utterly become her number one nemesis. She loathe for her, who at a certain time, being the center of attention despite how cold she was. Other than that, she would always slippped a time to silently criticize her, for example; being nice to her, and yet, badmouthing her at the back, saying that she's totally not amusing and quite a boring person. Nuan Nuan hadn't yet to know. By the time she knows, who could possibly predict how she would react about it?

Chapter 3 - An encounter

As time passed by, the loud rang of the bell finally resounded throughout every corner of every hall, indicating that it was the time which normal study alternated with artistic time. Wether everyone gone to their own places or doing their own things, it was all a free choices. Yet, even so, instead of packing her things, Nuan Nuan stayed in place for a while. She looked puzzled. Must be because it's her first time here, that's why she looks just as.

Later then, an old man look like on his thirty something came to her, "Oh there you are! It's taken me quite a while to find you! Chen Nuan Nuan, am I right?"

Nuan Nuan who was frozen in place remain flat-faced and just replied with nodding once.

"Just like the description",the man demanded as he already know her by the information she got from her previous school. That man name was ( 白真 ) Bai Zhen, the school manager. Thus, he demanded again, "Come, let me take you to look around the school". Nuan Nuan still replied with a nod.

Not wasting more time, both walked out from the class and make their way to the dorm. Passing by the road of school to the dorm, Bai Zhen spent his time to explain everything about the school and its rules and anything that should be keep in mind. Apparently, that school were quite similar to a free school. Every student has the full rights on themselves; to be precise, on how they dressed up, how they spent their time or anything about themselves, as long as it's out from damaging the school's name. Other than that, despite of the free rights, the grade however was totally strict out of ordinary. Be it an academical grade or their choosen field's grade, they must score at least to the grade that has been set, and it was rather high.

Upon hearing that, Nuan Nuan showed no anxiety. Bai zhen, upon seeing her was a bit taken aback by her calm reaction towards the strictness. Still, he for sure knew it through by the information and how, from his side of view, she was totally, totally in a calm demeanor, except for the things that she looks a bit....clueless.

Looking at her again, Bai Zhen breathe a sigh of relief and said afterwards, "we've arrived."

Nuan Nuan slowly took a glance in front of her and saw a rather cozy type of building. Though it were not that tall, there were so many of it in one line. It seems that it still can accommodate many student including herself.

Finished looking, Bai Zhen took the permission to leave her to herself after telling her the dorm she in. Each dorm has its own name and number, and the one she was in were Room Lychee 112. Each building has a total of five floor, named Apple, Lychee, Orange, Peach and Guava. And then, each floor has a five dorm. For example, the dorm she'd got admitted for. Building one, floor 1, and Lychee dorm 2. Therefore, her room was on Lychee room 112.

After confirming her room, the door gradually let out a sound, alarming the ones that's inside the room. Then, they spotted Nuan Nuan who's getting in. There were four people in each room and just right, there a complete of four people in, in addition of her.

Not long after Nuan Nuan got inside, the three of the girl had the time to glance at her for a while before continuing to whatever they were doing earlier, not taking attention to whatever she's doing afterwards. Nuan Nuan also didn't take it seriously and just silently arranged her place.

Two hour passed by and it was nearly dark. Nuan Nuan finished showering and now, drying up her hair by a towel. She was walking on every corner room while the others were out to somewhere they wanna go. Since all of the building were placed in the other side of the road along on the way to school, with a lake parting it a bit; her sight of view from where her window was, can easily overlooking the view outside.

Her study table, as if it were always meant for her, it was beside the wall and a window. It was a far away road to the school, with green-ish trees along the way, enhancing more the scenery beyond the window. That time, Nuan Nuan thought to herself that she after all was quite lucky in terms of seat.

Lost in her thought for a while, she then drop the thought and went to sleep so that she can wake up early tommorrow. Hence, she climb the stairs to her bed and laid herself onto those cozy bed of hers. A while on glancing towards the dark ceiling, she finally slumbered to a deep sleep at long last.

Dark alternated quite fast. It was dawn already. Nuan Nuan also already finished showering herself and was getting ready for school.

As early as six o'clock, Nuan Nuan arrived at the school. One hour and thirty second left before the lessons started. From her side of view, it was the most important time of her day, because as early as that was her moment of peace, to set out her mind and heart on everything that might happen through the day.

As usual, wether it were on her recent school or late school, she would storm her brain out and work her finger to study the piano at the music room. She asked the school manager yesterday before so she remembered it. However, after having studying it herself a long years before, proven by the way she played it, she can be said as already mastered it on a medium level. Hence, ultimately there was nothing else can she studied on her own from it. Maybe, she can try the other after.

That being said, today, she stick on her choices; that was to play the piano.

The piano which positioned alone before the room's window. Turned upfront towards door of the hall and facing away from the windows. Whereas, Nuan Nuan were already sit herself on the chair of the piano, ready to play it thoughtfully.

Now, her finger pushed in one key, and played the instrument skillfully gradually after. Every inch of her finger looked so elegant as it danced freely on the string; it as if....her soul was being freed, that she can finally let out the nerve she've been hiding. Her hands know no fear nor anxiety. It keeps brazenly moving, letting out a wave of feelings that gushed up and down through the entire silent hall. Momentarily, her world revolved with only her and the tranquility that emerged, totally out of connection from the reality.

In result, she completely doesn't aware of her surroundings. It was then, a man opened the door and saw her sitting there, drifting elsewhere in a dreamscape. However, not only did he not disturb her, he even silently arranging his way towards the end of the hall. Choose a random chair and sit on it, quietly observing her from afar.

Those moment, he was utterly focused. His eyes were rather unusual. Just like...it was blooming. His iris grew bigger in each moment that passed, as if in a slow-motion of time. Meanwhile, on the other side, Nuan Nuan still failed to notice, even with that fixedly intense stare far beside her, anyone which attentive enough would surely notice it. Well, except for Nuan Nuan as of now. Not until, a group of voice that finally snapped her out from her space.

By the time she looked around, the man finally spotted. Turns out the man was Xin Yuze. He looked cool and chill in position. His domineering aura that emerged surrounding him, complemented by the mysterious presence he didn't realize on him, silently captivating. Nevertheless, it momentarily broke out when he had the time to flinched a bit before gradually let out a smile, followed by his eye that's also radiated the same smile. No, even sweeter when it were to put together. He showed that cute two teeth when his lips curved slightly. It was the kind of smile that hinted pureness and naivety, and yet, somehow, you couldn’t shake what it drifted through. For a moment, all those matured aura and presence he emitted quickly dissipated and changed to something new, a freshly new presence, like an innocence whole being.

His features seems like it was on a race, pointing out who's the sweetest out of those all. That led to Nuan Nuan, being totally frozen in place. Her body was as stiff as tree, showing a bit of movement that somewhat rigid, and her mouth unconsciously showed the signs of not opening, as if it has been glued together.

At long last, a silence fell, hanging onto the awkward atmosphere which somehow....increasingly solemn in each passing moment. Yet, both somewhat being caged in place, unable to make it out of it and start a conversation between them. They can only shouted in those cage, frustrated on oneself.

Regrettably, both didn't even make a sound until a surge of people went inside.