Today is Yan Sui's birthday.

She came to be the scapegoat.

[1]

Today is Yan Sui's fifth birthday.

Her usually stern mother was now smiling at her.

Yan Zhi bent down and reached out to touch the little girl's head.

"Happy birthday, Xiaosui. Mom has a present for you."

Yan Sui was still young at the time and didn't really understand what a birthday was or what a gift was. All she knew was that her mother smiled.

Her mother rarely smiled in front of her.

So five-year-old Yan Sui smiled brightly, her two little braids swaying with her movements, she was extremely cute.

"Okay, Mom."

Yan Zhi picked up Yan Sui, her movements a little clumsy. Yan Sui wasn't very comfortable being held like that, but she didn't utter a sound.

"Mr. Yan." Butler Li stepped forward upon seeing this, "Everything is ready."

Yan Zhi nodded, and carrying Yan Sui, they walked through the antique garden buildings. After about five minutes, they arrived at a wooden door.

Butler Li, who had been following behind, strode to the door and opened it for the two of them.

Yan Zhi looked at the gift placed in the center of the room, extremely satisfied. She put Yan Sui down and asked with a smile, "Xiao Sui, do you like it?"

At that time, Yan Sui had no idea what this thing in front of her was.

She glanced at her mother, who seemed to expect her to do something.

Yan Sui blinked her big, watery eyes, walked up to the thing, and carefully sat down.

"Mom, I really like this low stool," Yan Sui said with a smile.

Children don't know how to hide their feelings, so Yan Sui didn't know that her smile couldn't hide her ingratiation and cautiousness.

Yan Zhi frowned and took a deep breath. "Xiao Sui, this is a nutmeg chessboard, not a stool."

A Torreya wood chessboard?

Yan Sui had absolutely no idea what this was.

But she understood her mother's displeased look, so she immediately got off the chessboard, stood awkwardly to the side, and fidgeted with her fingers. "Mother, I'm sorry."

Yan Zhi nodded and then began to explain to Yan Sui what a chessboard, chess pieces, and Go were.

She said, "Xiaosui, you will become a chess player who is much better than me."

Yan Sui stared blankly at her mother.

Her mother rarely spoke to her, let alone spoke so much at once.

Yan Sui thought to herself, "I'm so stupid."

My mother finally tried to talk to me, but I couldn't understand her.

The five-year-old girl could only continue the conversation by repeating what her mother said.

"Okay, Mom, I will definitely become a great chess player."

[2]

Nine-year-old Yan Sui stood under the spotlight. She was thin and small, wearing a white dress that went past her knees, and her little red leather shoes were particularly eye-catching under the strong light.

Surrounded by a group of adults much taller than her, Yan Sui stood on the podium without the slightest sign of panic.

"Yan Sui, what are your thoughts on becoming the youngest Go player in China to achieve professional status at the age of nine?"

"Yan Sui, do you think your current success is related to your mother, Yan Zhi? Has she had a significant influence on your Go career?"

"Yan Sui, in the match just now, although your opponent was six years older than you, you still remained calm and composed. How do you usually train your mentality?"

The reporters bombarded her with questions, and it would be difficult for even an adult, let alone a nine-year-old girl, to keep up.

Yan Sui remained calm and answered everyone's questions.

"My mother has indeed had a great influence on my Go career. She is not only my mother but also my mentor. My success in achieving professional status today is due to a combination of favorable timing, location, and personal connections. Thank you for your questions."

When Yan Sui left, Butler Li, who had been waiting in the lounge for a long time, immediately came up and said, "Miss, let's go home."

Yan Sui followed obediently behind Butler Li without saying a word.

The black Bentley appeared just as they arrived at the door. Uncle Wang rolled down the window and said, "Let's go."

The two adults in the car seemed much happier than Yan Sui. They chatted about Yan Sui's match that day, while Yan Sui silently looked out the window.

Not long after Yan Sui returned home, her mother, Yan Zhi, rushed back, looking travel-worn.

"I've been incredibly busy at the company these past few days, so I couldn't attend your professional ranking tournament, Xiaosui. I'm so sorry."

Yan Zhi apologized, but there was not a trace of remorse in her voice.

She couldn't suppress the smile on her lips. "I knew you'd be a genius! Xiaosui, you achieved professional status at just nine years old. Do you know what that means for a Go player?"

What does it mean?

It means that if I achieve my goal at age nine, my mother will be happy, the housekeeper will be happy, and the driver will be happy.

As for whether I'm happy or not...

That's not important.

Three-year-old Yan Ye also babbled out from some unknown room nearby.

She was still unsteady on her feet and staggered toward Yan Sui and the other person.

Yan Zhi was in a great mood today. She picked up her youngest daughter and said, "Xiao Ye, your older sister is really amazing. You should be just as amazing as your sister when you grow up, okay? When you turn five, I'll give you some really high-quality chess pieces, okay? I'm sure you'll love them."

Yan Ye laughed sweetly in her arms.

“But Mom…” Yan Sui hesitated.

Yan Zhi immediately looked at her eldest daughter: "What's wrong?"

How can you be so sure that your sister also likes Go?

Yan Sui ultimately didn't ask the question. She paused for a moment, then changed the subject, "I'm hungry."

Playing chess is a very mentally taxing activity, and you'll get hungry very quickly as a result.

Yan Zhi waved her hand and said, "The chefs have prepared your favorite dishes. Let's go."

But Mom, those aren't things I like to eat. I only "like" them because you think they're nutritious.

Yan Sui followed quietly behind her mother, remaining silent despite her many thoughts.

Yan Zhi prefers quiet, intelligent children.

Nine-year-old Yan Sui went from amateur Go competitions to professional ranking tournaments, showing her talent all the way through. In her public Go career, she has never lost a single game.

In addition, her mother, Yan Zhi, was also a renowned chess player who almost won the Grand Slam of all awards.

Fate played a cruel trick on her. At the age of twenty-two, Yan Zhi was in a car accident and hit her head. Although her daily life was not affected, she could no longer have the same calculation ability and concentration as before.

Fortunately, her daughter is also very talented in Go.

One could even say that the student surpasses the teacher.

Therefore, everyone naturally assumed that it was reasonable for Yan Sui to follow in her mother's footsteps, and that it was inevitable for Yan Sui to become a rising star in the Go world.

Yan Sui certainly lived up to expectations.

But no one ever asked Yan Sui if she wanted to learn Go, or if she liked playing Go.

Even Yan Sui herself was mostly in a daze; she neither liked nor disliked Go.

As long as my mother is happy, that's all that matters.

In Yan Sui's memory, her mother always had a frown and rarely smiled.

Her mother only smiled when she won a match.

Nine-year-old Yan Sui is an unhappy little Go prodigy.

[3]

"Xiaosui, what do you want for your thirteenth birthday? Does Yunzi like it? These chess pieces feel great to the touch; they look like jade when viewed from above and like polished lacquer when viewed from below. I'm sure you'll like them."

It's Yan Sui's birthday again.

At the age of thirteen, Yan Sui was already a seventh-dan Go player.

She was invincible on the chessboard. Although she was still young, she always appeared calm and composed. Even adults couldn't tell what Yan Sui was thinking when she played chess.

Every year, the birthday gifts she receives are related to Go, and this year is no exception.

Before Yan Sui could answer, Butler Li entered from outside. "Ms. Yan, excuse me, the flowers and plants in our garden need to be pruned again, and then we need to buy some new landscaping plants. What do you think..."

"Anything is fine, you can arrange it," Yan Zhi said calmly.

At this moment, Yan Sui stepped forward and said, "Mom, I want to go out with Butler Li."

Yan Zhi frowned. "You want to rest?"

Yan Sui had just won an award, and Yan Zhi was exceptionally forgiving towards her at this time.

Yan Zhi thought for a moment and said, "Okay, but Butler Li has work to do, and this will affect her. If you want to go out and have fun, just tell the driver and he will take you."

Butler Li stepped in to smooth things over, "It's alright, Miss, if you want to go out with us, then let's go, Miss."

Butler Li took Yan Sui's hand, and Yan Sui felt the palm of his hand.

The woman's palms were somewhat rough, but they gave people a sense of familiarity and reassurance.

Yan Sui was even closer to Butler Li than to her mother.

Butler Li led Yan Sui to the flower and bird market. "Miss, there are a lot of people here. If you feel uncomfortable, just let me know."

Yan Sui shook her head, curiously observing the noisy scene. "It's okay."

After achieving professional status, Yan Sui did not attend school like her peers, but instead went to a famous local Go academy founded by her mother to study.

She was a genius among geniuses; none of the other Go players in the academy could match her, and they all held her in the highest esteem.

Along with reverence comes alienation and maintaining distance.

Therefore, Yan Sui had no friends; the only things that accompanied her every day were the cold chessboard and chess pieces.

Yan Sui is lonely; she neither enjoys nor fears loneliness.

In Yan Sui's life, apart from Go, she knows very little about anything else.

This trip with Butler Li was a completely new and exciting experience for her.

The crisp chirping of birds reached Yan Sui's ears, and the girl stopped in her tracks out of curiosity.

Butler Li noticed it too, "You like birds?"

Yan Sui didn't say whether she liked it or not, but simply said, "I want to go and see."

So Butler Li instructed the other servants to purchase the items on the planned list, while he led Yan Sui into a flower and bird shop that sold parrots.

The shop owner was an old man who sat in a recliner with a palm-leaf fan, casually fanning himself. He was also lazy when the two of them came in.

Yan Sui walked straight to the birdcage and looked at the chirping birds inside.

These birds are of different breeds, ages, colors, and sizes, but they all look incredibly cute.

When they saw someone coming, the birds in the cage chirped even louder.

Yan Sui walked past each birdcage, finally fixing her gaze on a large white birdcage:

There were about seven or eight small birds in the cage, which appeared to be the same species but different colors.

Yan Sui pointed to the smallest, thinnest-looking white bird in the far corner: "Can I have this one?"

Butler Li had already called Yan Zhi when Yan Sui was making her selections. Although Yan Zhi was somewhat reluctant, she still agreed.

“Of course, Miss,” Butler Li replied with a smile, then added, “Boss, come and see how much this parrot costs. We’ll buy it.”

The old man put down his palm-leaf fan and came over. "A white monk parrot? This parrot will be very beautiful when it grows up. It can even talk. Young lady, you have a good eye for choosing."

However, the price is also quite attractive.

But this price was nothing to the Yan family, so Butler Li paid the bill readily and listened to the old man give him a long list of precautions.

Yan Sui listened attentively from the side. She solemnly greeted the little bird in the cage: "Hello, my name is Yan Sui."

When the group returned home, Yan Sui was holding the birdcage, which was much wider than her shoulders, as if it were a precious treasure.

The little white bird stood quietly in the corner of the cage, without saying a word.

Yan Zhi didn't interfere much, but simply said, "Xiao Sui, I don't object to you keeping pets, but don't let them distract you from your studies."

Yan Sui quickly replied, "No, Mom, even if I raise a little bird, it won't affect my Go playing."

Yan Sui's bedroom contained no dolls or toys. Apart from the bed and desk, the only other items were ancient books on Go, a Go board, and Go pieces.

Yan Sui placed the birdcage in her bedroom.

The bird was surprisingly quiet and wouldn't disturb her.

Yan Sui was usually quiet and reserved at the Go academy, but in her bedroom when she was alone, she often liked to chatter to the birds.

This white monk parakeet is simply called Little Bird.

Yan Sui thought it was a good fit.

"Little bird, I made my brother, who is seven years older than me, cry again today while playing chess," Yan Sui said to the little bird in the cage with some melancholy.

"And that older sister who's eight years older than me yesterday, and that uncle who's more than ten years older than me the day before yesterday... Why do these people feel so upset and want to cry when they lose a game? Me... should I not have won?"

The bird continued to stare at her quietly.

"Little bird, little bird, what do you like?"

Yan Sui, of course, did not receive an answer; birds at this age cannot speak.

She continued, talking to herself, "I still don't know what I like. I think I like Go."

"Everyone says I'm a Go genius, that I was born into this world just for Go."

Yan Sui smiled, but the girl's youthful face couldn't hide her disappointment and bitterness.

"They are right."

As the days went by, the little bird's feathers gradually grew stronger, and it was able to utter some simple words.

The words the little bird says, such as "Yan Sui," "eat," "happy," "sleep," and "thank you," are all very everyday and simple words that have nothing to do with Go.

Yan Sui was very excited. She bought professional books to study and planned to try flight training.

That day, after finishing her daily Go training, she had just arrived home when she saw Housekeeper Li carrying a birdcage upstairs.

"Butler Li," Yan Sui called out to her, "what's wrong?"

Butler Li turned around and said, "Miss, Mr. Yan specifically instructed that the parrot's wings need to be clipped, so we hired an experienced parrot breeder who just came and clipped some of its flight feathers. But you don't need to worry, Miss, this won't affect the parrot's health."

Yan Sui was silent for a few seconds, then walked towards Butler Li, "I'll take it back to my room."

The bird had its flight feathers clipped and was kept in a cage.

Thirteen-year-old Yan Sui was also trapped in this chessboard with its nineteen lines.

[4]

"Yan Sui, do you have anything to say about successfully achieving the ninth dan rank today?"

"Yes, as far as we know, today is also your seventeenth birthday. First, you became the youngest player in the country to successfully achieve professional status, and now you have become the youngest player to achieve 9-dan status. Yan Sui, is there anything you would like to say to everyone and your fans?"

The girl's bones were not yet fully developed; she was still in the ambiguous zone between a naive girl and a mature woman. Although her figure alone could not be described as that of an adult, her eyes and brows were both firm and gentle.

Yan Sui smiled and said, "As I said before, everything I have today is due to a combination of favorable timing, location, and people. If I can make everyone more interested in Go, or even fall in love with Go, I will be very happy."

Although she is only seventeen years old, Yan Sui has given countless interviews over the years, and such eloquent official language comes naturally to her.

A somewhat grating male voice rang out, "Yan Sui, but as you've grown up, your father's identity has always remained a mystery. For someone who grew up in an environment lacking paternal love, don't you feel a little regretful?"

Everyone fell silent.

The identity of Yan Sui's biological father has always been a subject of much speculation, but that person has never appeared, and Yan Sui's mother, Yan Zhi, has never spoken about it in public. Therefore, people who love gossip are always curious.

Yan Sui's expression remained unchanged. "Whether my father exists or not, it will not affect my decision to pursue Go, nor will it affect my becoming a fairly good Go player."

Yan Sui actually knew about this a long time ago.

She didn't know who her biological father was, and neither did her mother—

Because she and her sister were both conceived and born after their mother selected sperm from the most prestigious anonymous sperm banks abroad.

If we had to say, based solely on her and her sister's physical characteristics, we could only deduce that her biological father was of Asian descent.

But none of this mattered to Yan Sui. As a mother, Yan Zhi may not have given Yan Sui enough love, but she never mistreated her in terms of material things or Go.

Yan Sui represents Yan Zhi's unfulfilled obsession; she carries not only her own life but also Yan Zhi's unfinished dream of playing Go.

Yan Sui had no choice but to accept it.

But she couldn't bring herself to hate or despise her mother because of this.

Seeing that his question hadn't hit the nail on the head, the man raised his voice, "Yan Sui, your playing style hasn't changed over the years, but with the development of the times, everyone now prefers an aggressive, win-win style. But you..."

The man couldn't hide his malice as he chuckled, "While the approach was steady and methodical, it was also rather bland, like plain water. In the end, you didn't lose many pieces, but you didn't capture many either. Many fans jokingly say that you've created a unique 'saintly' style. What do you think?"

The female reporter next to him had already frowned deeply.

Who is this lousy reporter? Does he even know how to ask questions?

It was clearly the place where the Holy Mother placed her piece, yet the chessboard overflowed with compassion.

If you can't speak, then shut your mouth.

The female reporter rolled her eyes at the male reporter without any politeness.

Yan Sui straightened her expression.

"It is my honor to be called the Madonna style."

The male reporter's words became increasingly offensive. "But there's a saying that goes, 'In times of chaos, the saintly are killed first.' Now, with the popularization of Go, more and more people like it. Yan Sui, if you continue to maintain this style of playing, are you worried that one day you will be utterly defeated by a new and strong competitor?"

Yan Sui glanced at the man; his face was full of fat, and his small, beady eyes gleamed with an undisguised sharpness.

The saying "your appearance reflects your inner state" is sometimes quite true.

Faced with the man's increasingly pointed questions, Yan Sui's smile became even more polite and appropriate. "That statement is a stigmatization of the Virgin Mary. I think you should first distinguish between the standards of kindness and stupidity. A true Virgin Mary not only has a kind heart, but also wisdom, courage, strategy, and perfect organizational skills."

“I know I’m far from being a true saint, but it’s an honor for people to think I have this style.”

“Furthermore,” Yan Sui changed the subject, “I try my best not to let my pieces get captured. You may not understand, but I don’t need your understanding. Because this is my way. I hope to win, and I also hope to bring every piece I put down to victory with me.”

The idea that one must make choices to win is something Yan Sui would not agree with.

There are gains and losses; ultimately, it all comes down to one's own lack of strength.

She has become powerful enough to protect her own pieces.

She hopes that every piece she has is not a discarded piece that will be eaten.

Seventeen-year-old Yan Sui is a talented chess player with her own persistence and pride.

[5]

In five days, it will be Yan Sui's eighteenth birthday.

"Yan Sui, Yan Sui".

The little bird was chirping in the cage. Yan Sui put down the ancient book, smiled, and walked over to open the birdcage.

The little bird hopped and skipped out, then nestled into Yan Sui's palm.

Yan Sui held the little bird in her left hand, and with her right hand, she first stroked the bird's head, then chuckled and began to rub its soft, warm belly.

"You really like calling my name, little bird~"

Yan Sui was born with a perfect bone structure, and her originally calm eyes were now smiling with her eyebrows curved, her eyes full of doting affection.

The girl carefully held the little bird, as if holding the most beautiful treasure in the world.

Yan Sui couldn't help but kiss the little bird, then laughed to herself, "Why do I seem a bit like a pervert?"

"Yan Sui, Yan Sui," the little bird chirped again.

“Yes, I’m here,” Yan Sui replied.

"Yan Sui, are you tired?"

I don’t know if it’s because of her own filter, but Yan Sui really thinks that her little bird is very smart. She used to tell her little bird that she was very tired when she was reviewing chess games in her room at night and was so tired that she kept yawning.

Surprisingly, the little bird not only understood correctly, but also liked to ask her questions.

"Yan Sui, are you tired?"

Seeing that Yan Sui did not answer, the little bird lying in Yan Sui's palm asked again.

Yan Sui snapped out of her daze, her voice unconsciously becoming higher: "Not tired at all. As soon as the little bird asked, Yan Sui wasn't tired anymore."

The little bird rolled around in her palm. "Yan Sui, beautiful."

Yan Sui's eyes widened. "Where did you learn that word? I haven't taught you yet! Did Butler Li teach you?"

The little bird, of course, couldn't answer; it just kept repeating the same sentence.

Yan Sui chuckled, "Okay, okay, I got it, thank you, little bird."

The little bird then surprised everyone with its words, "Yan Sui, I like her."

Yan Sui was completely stunned, "What exactly are you...?"

Where did you learn these words?!

The two of them chattered away for a long time, and even long afterward, Yan Sui still remembered their words and the soft feel of the little bird.

Much later, Yan Sui learned that some of the words were taught to her by Lu Shutian.

It turns out that she and Lu Shutian had already met so long ago.

A knock sounded at the door. Yan Sui put the bird back in its cage. Butler Li stood at the door and said, "Miss, President Yan wants you to go to her study."

Yan Sui suppressed her smile: "Okay."

Just as Yan Sui entered the study, Yan Zhi closed the folder.

She looked at Yan Sui and said, "You've done a great job this year, winning quite a few awards. Based on your past experience, your university admission was arranged recently."

Yan Sui nodded, "Okay."

Yan Zhi sighed, "But your sister is really giving me a headache. She's eleven years old and still hasn't achieved her goal of becoming a professional. She's far behind you."

Yan Suineng was able to achieve mastery of the highest level of martial arts at the age of nine, not only because she was a genius, but also because she was a genius among geniuses.

Yan Sui's younger sister, Yan Ye, was already considered one of the best among her peers who were learning Go, but unfortunately, the person she was compared to was Yan Sui.

Yan Sui lowered her eyes, "My sister has already tried her best, please don't blame her. Besides, I think she's better at painting than Go..."

“You are all my daughters,” Yan Zhi interrupted sharply, “of course you should all learn Go, otherwise it would be a waste. Other children who want to learn Go don’t have the same resources as our family.”

waste?

Yan Sui once again clearly felt that Yan Zhi was treating her as a tool to maximize her interests, rather than as a person.

She naturally changed the subject: "Did you call me here for something?"

She doesn't have any competitions to compete in recently, and her university studies have been taken care of, so Yan Sui can't think of anything else.

Yan Zhi's tone softened somewhat, "Recently, a team has developed an artificial intelligence that can play Go, and I've heard it's very powerful. Some of my friends and their students have already secretly played against the AI—"

"They all lost."

Yan Sui's expression remained unchanged. "You want me to give it a try?"

Yan Zhi hummed in agreement. "After they found out it was you, they wanted to do a live stream, since it would be quite a buzz. But I think it would be better if you played a game with the AI ​​privately first."

As Yan Sui grows older, Yan Zhi also needs to start considering Yan Sui's commercial value, in addition to her professional awards.

Once the live stream starts, it will definitely attract a lot of viewers. If Yan Sui can beat artificial intelligence, her commercial value will naturally rise.

Yan Sui will become the most successful chess player.

Looking into Yan Zhi's eyes, Yan Sui knew that her mother was probably thinking about those things again.

She nodded slightly, "I will follow your arrangements."

Yan Zhi rarely smiled. "Yes, you will definitely continue to win countless trophies, study at the top universities in the country, earn lots and lots of money, and become the most successful Go player."

"Why don't you go to the next city tomorrow? Their research center is there. Go and test your skills with artificial intelligence."

Don't let me down.

"I know you won't let me down."

Yan Zhi kept talking, while Yan Sui remained silent, seemingly just listening with her eyes lowered.

In reality, her thoughts had already drifted far away.

She hadn't been to the neighboring city yet, but she knew it was famous for its black beans.

Black beans are the bird's favorite food.

After we finish playing chess with the AI, let's buy a bag of black beans; the little bird will definitely love them.

As Yan Sui was thinking this, she heard her mother say, "Alright, I have something to do, you can go out now."

Yan Sui nodded and left.

The next morning, Yan Sui packed her luggage and then opened the birdcage door. The little bird obediently stood on her index finger.

"Little bird, I'll bring you some delicious black beans when I come back."

"Black Bean, I like it!" the little bird chirped.

Yan Sui chuckled, "You little glutton, I know you like them, I'll definitely bring you lots and lots of black beans, okay?"

The little bird flapped its wings, calling out, "Yan Sui, Yan Sui."

Yan Sui hummed in agreement, "Yan Sui is here."

"Yan Sui, when are you going home?"

Yan Sui felt like she was being completely charmed by this little gadget. "I'll be home soon, tomorrow... no, I'll take the bus back tonight."

"Yan Sui, little bird, I miss you."

"Yan Sui, come home soon."

The little bird spoke haltingly, and Yan Sui instantly understood. She simply held the little bird in her hands and rubbed her cheek against its head, saying, "I'll be back soon, little bird."

[6]

There are four days left until Yan Sui's eighteenth birthday.

Yan Sui never imagined that she would one day voluntarily concede defeat in the world of Go.

But the truth is, she placed the two chess pieces on the chessboard with trembling hands and bowed to the staff member opposite her.

"I'm sorry, I can't continue this game. I concede defeat."

The staff who were playing chess according to the AI's commands were dumbfounded, even though the AI's current win rate calculations showed that Yan Sui's side had a higher chance of winning.

This was the first time the staff had encountered such a situation. Previously, when playing against other chess players, the AI's win rate calculations were always much higher.

Why did Yan Sui take the initiative to admit defeat?

One minute ago.

Since it wasn't an official match, Yan Sui hadn't left her phone in the lounge, and just now, her phone was vibrating.

She frowned. Very few people knew her contact information, and these people generally wouldn't call her unless it was an emergency; at most, they would send a WeChat message to ask.

Just as it was the AI's turn to think about its move, Yan Sui took out her phone and said, "Excuse me, I need to take this call."

The staff member smiled and agreed, "No problem, Ms. Yan."

Anyway, this wasn't a formal live broadcast; it was just the first time both sides were testing each other.

The moment the call connected, Yan Ye's heart-wrenching cries came through: "Sister, come back quickly! The house is on fire!"

Yan Sui froze, then asked, "Has the fire truck arrived?"

"They're here, but we can't kill them... Sister, Mom ran into the house..."

Yan Ye was only an eleven or twelve-year-old girl at the time, and she was completely helpless in the face of this situation.

Yan Zhi told Butler Li and the others not to contact Yan Sui, saying that she could handle this matter. However, she did not expect that Yan Ye, who seemed to be the most obedient and timid, would secretly contact Yan Sui.

The house caught fire... and her little bird was still in its cage.

The cage was locked, so the little bird couldn't fly out.

Will someone rescue her little bird?

This thought completely occupied Yan Sui's mind, and she could no longer think about how to play chess.

She wanted to go back to see her little bird.

Yan Sui asked, "Where's the little bird? Was it rescued?"

Yan Ye cried, "I don't know, I don't know..."

Yan Sui's unease grew stronger, so she did something that would earn her a stern reprimand from Yan Zhi—

He conceded defeat.

Yan Sui urged the driver to get home as quickly as possible.

The once quaint and elegant garden residence is now completely charred.

Everyone in the house—Yan Zhi, Yan Ye, Butler Li, and the other servants—was covered in dust and dirt.

Yan Zhi was holding a stack of ancient books in her arms. Although she was dirty, the books were still intact.

Perhaps because she had just gone inside to get the books, Yan Zhi had exhausted herself, so she didn't notice the person approaching from behind.

Yan Sui heard her mother speak to Butler Li in an extremely calm tone.

"Yan Sui's parrot couldn't be saved; it died. She's out of town on business today and shouldn't be back until tomorrow. Butler Li, go to the flower and bird market right away and buy an identical one."

"Mom." Yan Sui's voice trembled uncontrollably.

Yan Zhi turned around in disbelief, and Yan Sui saw panic on her mother's face for the first time.

She didn't even realize that tears were already falling. "What did you just say?"

Her smile was extremely awkward. "I didn't hear you clearly. Could you repeat it?"

Yan Sui prayed to Heaven with utmost sincerity at that moment, insisting that she must have misheard.

Yan Zhi's lips moved, but in the end she became furious and embarrassed: "It was just a little beast! It's dead, so be it! If you can't bear to part with it, I'll have Butler Li buy you a better and more expensive parrot!"

Yan Sui opened her mouth, her vision blurred by tears, "But Mom... in your hand, you're holding that stack of ancient Go books that's in my room."

This proves that Yan Zhi must have been to her room.

Then, between the precious ancient Go books and the lively little bird, he chose the former.

Yan Zhi's face showed an unnatural expression, and she rarely softened her stance. "This was my fault, but as you know, these ancient books have been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years. I can't let them be destroyed in my hands."

The situation was urgent, and Yan Zhi risked her life to rescue these ancient Go books. She went in and out many times, and finally went to Yan Sui's study.

She heard the white parrot calling.

"Yan Sui, Yan Sui".

Black smoke had already filled Yan Sui's bedroom, and Yan Zhi's vision had become distorted and blurred.

It's too late.

In that moment of crisis, Yan Zhi did what she instinctively wanted to do most—

She picked up the heavy books, intending to leave.

After hesitating for less than a second, Yan Zhi decided to open the birdcage, leaving it to fate whether the parrot could fly out.

She put down the book, but her right hand was burned and bounced away as soon as it touched the birdcage.

Yan Zhi cried out in pain, disregarding everything else, and left with the ancient book in her arms.

But Yan Zhi wouldn't tell Yan Sui any of this.

In any case, she eventually gave up on the parrot, didn't she?

Upon hearing her mother's words, Yan Sui suddenly turned and ran towards the burnt and collapsed ruins. Butler Li quickly stopped her, saying, "Miss, don't go! This place is now a dangerous building; you can't go in!"

Yan Sui was incredibly strong at this moment. She broke free from Butler Li's restraints, but more servants surrounded her and held her down.

Everyone was trying to persuade her to calm down.

Everyone says it's just a little bird, and you can buy a new one, a better breed, with more beautiful plumage, and a more obedient and sensible bird.

Yan Sui finally relaxed.

It wasn't that she chose to give up, but rather that the dizziness in her brain forced her to lose her strength.

They loosened their grip on her, and Yan Sui, losing her strength, knelt down, dazedly reaching into her pocket.

In my pocket was a small bag of black beans that I had bought at the supermarket when I first arrived in the neighboring city today.

...

When Yan Sui woke up again, she was lying on a clean white hospital bed.

It's absurd that everyone in the Yan family was safe and sound during the fire, but she, who had rushed back from out of town, fell ill and ended up in the hospital.

Butler Li breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she was awake. She took out her phone and said, "Oh right, Second Miss, your sister is awake. Come over quickly."

Then, Butler Li rang the bell to call the doctor to come and examine him.

As it was a VIP ward in a private hospital, the doctor naturally arrived as quickly as possible and concluded that Yan Sui had fainted due to emotional fluctuations, but was now out of danger.

Yan Sui remained silent throughout, her eyes vacant, like a soulless puppet.

Yan Sui felt she must be dreaming; she had a very, very terrible nightmare.

But dreams are all illusions; and every dream eventually ends...

"elder sister."

Yan Sui heard her younger sister's clear, crisp voice.

Yan Ye carried a birdcage, looking somewhat uneasy. "My mother asked me to buy this; she said it was for a gift..."

"Take it away!" Yan Sui shouted.

Inside the cage was a white monk parrot that looked almost exactly like the little bird.

Seeing this, Butler Li quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Miss, Mr. Yan meant well."

Yan Sui turned her head away, gazing at the blue sky outside the window as she gasped for breath. The immense sorrow once again transformed into a tangible blade that pierced her heart.

“It’s different…” Yan Sui’s voice was almost squeezed out of her throat, “It’s different… This isn’t my little bird.”

Her little bird will never come back.

[7]

There are three days left until Yan Sui's eighteenth birthday.

Yan Zhi has been extremely busy these past two days. She is investigating the cause of the fire at the old house, handling the salvaged Go books, and moving the Yan family's servants to their new residence.

After the fire, everyone was busy—

Except for Yan Sui.

She hasn't had a drop of water since she woke up.

It wasn't that she was deliberately starving herself; it's just that no matter what she ate or drank, she would eventually vomit it all up.

Yan Zhi interpreted this as Yan Sui's rebellion and provocation.

Therefore, Yan Zhi chose to let Yan Sui suffer a bit before discussing the rest.

Yan Sui sat on the hospital bed, staring blankly at the IV needle on the back of her left hand. Only two days had passed, but her face already looked somewhat withered.

Yes, it was just a little bird.

Everyone says that.

But that was also a life.

Since she brought it home from the flower and bird market, she should be responsible for its life to the end.

Yan Sui imagined countless possibilities: what if she hadn't gone to play chess with the artificial intelligence this time, what if she had brought the little bird with her this time, what if she hadn't bought the little bird in the first place...

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs".

But can she blame Yan Zhi?

It seems unlikely. After all, for Yan Zhi, the most important thing is only related to Go, and the reason why Yan Sui is able to become Yan Zhi's daughter is only because she is a Go prodigy.

"Young Miss..."

Butler Li entered at some point. She carefully handed the phone to the pale-faced girl in front of her, saying, "This is the video you requested."

There were no cameras in Yan Sui's room, but there were in the hallway outside. Yan Sui deduced that her bedroom door must have been open after Yan Zhi left.

"Thank you." Yan Sui took the phone and thanked him softly.

She tapped the screen, and the video started playing.

This is a video that is only a dozen seconds long.

The scene was filled with black smoke, and the camera showed Yan Sui's bedroom and the white birdcage.

Inside the birdcage, a tiny figure fluttered up and down incessantly.

Yan Sui felt her heart clench tightly. She unconsciously held her breath and stared intently at the small figure on the screen.

However, the bird's figure was too small. Even if Yan Sui opened her eyes wide and looked carefully, she could only see its blurry, fluttering figure.

The bird should have its beak open.

Yan Sui knew the other person must be saying something.

"Butler Li, why is there no sound in this video?" Yan Sui asked after watching it three times.

Butler Li stammered, "Because of the fire, the camera was burned, so there is no sound. I have asked the repairmen, and it cannot be repaired in this condition."

Yan Sui watched the video more than a dozen times.

She gazed at the pure white figure and murmured, "Little bird, what did you say?"

Are you saying, Yan Sui, why haven't you come back yet?

Or, Yan Sui, why didn't you save me?

Or perhaps, Yan Sui, I hate you?

Yan Sui will never know the answer.

And that sentence she didn't know would, when Yan Sui was sleepless, anxious and in pain, turn into any sentence and repeatedly torture her heart.

She returned the phone to Butler Li, then everything went black, and she lost consciousness.

[8]

Today is Yan Sui's eighteenth birthday, and also the day she was discharged from the hospital.

She was finally able to eat a little bit, and Butler Li breathed a sigh of relief. When he told Yan Zhi about it, Yan Zhi dismissed it with disdain.

"I don't know what she was arguing with me about before. Isn't she the one who's suffering physically? Anyway, she'll forget about this pain in the end, so why did she have to go through all that trouble? Alright, Butler Li, bring her back."

Butler Li dared not say these words to Yan Sui; she simply smiled and told Yan Sui to go back to the new home.

Yan Sui hummed in agreement. "I left something at the Go academy. I need to have Uncle Wang take me there first, and I'll go back later."

Butler Li thought Yan Sui had really come to her senses, and she breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay."

When Yan Sui arrived at the Go school in Uncle Wang's car, she changed her tune, saying, "Uncle Wang, I haven't practiced Go for several days, so I'm a bit rusty. You can go back first, and I'll contact you after I've finished practicing."

Uncle Wang nodded and drove away.

Yan Sui watched Uncle Wang leave, then boarded a bus without looking back.

This is a bus heading to the suburbs. It runs infrequently and is rarely crowded.

Yan Sui sat by the window. She opened the car window, and a not-so-gentle breeze rushed in her face.

A wave of nausea rose in her stomach, and Yan Sui pressed her lips tightly together, trying to suppress the discomfort.

Almost there, just hang in there a little longer, just a little longer.

Thinking about what she was about to do, the joy it brought overshadowed the original pain, and Yan Sui found herself feeling increasingly better, with no more discomfort in her body.

"We are approaching the final destination..."

The bus announcement came on, and Yan Sui stood up to get off.

This was already a deserted suburb. Yan Sui walked to a roadside convenience store and bought a lighter.

She walked for about half an hour, her legs were getting weak, and finally she arrived at a river.

Yan Sui sat on the riverbank, taking out a lighter from her pocket and playing with it.

She was very sparing with words when she was in the hospital ward these past few days, but now she's talking a lot.

"They all said I had a saintly chess-playing style. I was so arrogant back then, I actually accepted the challenge..."

"I can't even protect my own little bird, so what kind of saint am I?"

Yan Sui's tone was calm yet desperate.

"Little bird, were you in pain back then?"

Yan Sui lit the lighter and watched the flame flicker.

"Everyone says that when you die, you go to another world. I've seen other cats and dogs visit their owners in dreams after they die. But little bird, you haven't come to my dreams even once these past few days."

Are you still blaming me?

"You really should blame me."

Yan Sui held the lighter in her right hand, and the flame got closer and closer to her left arm. Yan Sui could even feel the scorching energy.

A gust of wind blew by, carrying a faint scent of lychee, extinguishing the flames and ruffling Yan Sui's hair.

"What?" Yan Sui chuckled, then suddenly realized, "Oh right, I forgot about that."

Yan Sui took out the small, unopened bag of black beans from her bosom, then carefully opened it and placed it on the stone steps beside her.

"Little bird, these are your favorite black beans, would you like to try some?"

Of course, there was no response.

"If there is a next life," Yan Sui's voice choked up, "don't choose me as your master."

She wiped away her tears hastily. "Forget it, let's not talk about these unhappy things. Little bird, you are the first treasure I've ever received, which I chose myself."

Although Yan Sui has now lost her treasure.

"Today is my eighteenth birthday, and I want to give myself a birthday present, a birthday present that I really like."

Yan Sui continued talking to herself, "Actually, after I woke up in the hospital, I knew I couldn't play chess anymore."

Let alone playing chess, she probably would tremble even if she picked up a chess piece now.

Once she starts playing chess, the image of a bird perishing in a sea of ​​fire will involuntarily appear in her mind.

“I will lose all the glory I have now, but the more I think about it, the more I feel a strange and morbid sense of relief.”

“I can finally… let go of all of this. To my mother, I am finally a useless child.”

"She doesn't need useless children."

Yan Sui breathed a sigh of relief. "I can finally have other choices. But it's such a pity that I still don't know what I like. I had actually started to like Go."

"But I don't like it at all now."

Yan Sui forbids herself from liking Go, and she also forbids herself from being happy again.

In that case, she would feel sorry for the little bird that relied on her so completely.

The little bird died in extreme pain, so Yan Sui had no right to want to be happy.

That's fair.

Yan Sui stood up, picked up the lighter, and the flame reappeared.

She walked into the river, holding the lighter close to her skin, the water already submerging her ankles.

"Burning yourself to death would attract too much attention. I can only get a glimpse of how you felt back then. I'm sorry, little bird."

Just as Yan Sui finished apologizing, another gust of wind blew away the flames.

She frowned, "What do you mean..."

A white object appeared in her peripheral vision.

Yan Sui instinctively looked in that direction and saw a white feather floating in the air on the opposite bank of the river.

Yan Sui's heart skipped a beat. Ignoring the icy river water, she went straight in and stretched out her hands, trying to grab the feather.

And the feather drifted towards Yan Sui on its own.

In the blink of an eye, the feather gently landed in Yan Sui's palm.

Yan Sui, who used to be an atheist, now asked in a trembling voice with hope, "Is it you, little bird?"

In response to her, a breeze carrying the sweet scent of lychee blew through the air.

Yan Sui carefully held the feather, her hands covering her chest. "Little bird, I miss you so much."

"Don't be afraid, little bird, I'm here to keep you company."

Yan Sui carried the feather into the river. There were no passersby, so no one noticed anything unusual about her.

The river water had already reached Yan Sui's waist.

Despite the clear and windless weather today, a gust of wind suddenly picked up around Yan Sui, and this time the wind even made her skin sting.

Yan Sui could inexplicably sense that this wind seemed to carry... anger?

Overwhelmed with joy, she cried, "Little bird, is that you?"

"It must be you, it must be you." Yan Sui cried and laughed. "Okay, I won't commit suicide anymore. I'll live, I'll live well."

"Please come to me in my dreams, please? I beg you."

There was no further response.

Yan Sui clung to the feather as if it were her last lifeline, and climbed ashore, soaking wet.

It must be her little bird that's back.

Eighteen-year-old Yan Sui didn't give herself a gift, but she found salvation in surviving.

Much later, she learned that the feather was indeed a bird's feather...

But those gusts of wind belonged to Lu Shutian.

So she knew that she couldn't let go of this person.

[9]

It was another quiet night.

Nineteen-year-old Yan Sui lay on her bed in her university dormitory. The lights were off, and everyone was quiet.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing was calm, and she looked as if she were asleep.

On her eighteenth birthday, she originally planned to go and keep the birds company, but instead she received a feather that drifted down from the sky. A few gusts of wind blew her from the river to the shore.

She started trying to live well.

Yan Sui began her university life as a group, and on weekends she would rest in the single apartment that Yan Zhi had bought for her.

Yan Sui learned many things that she couldn't do before she turned eighteen.

She discovered that she could actually live even without the bird.

But she could no longer pick up a chess piece, nor could she like anything or anyone anymore.

All the joys and sorrows turned into a calm, long, and damp sadness.

Despite being in the prime of her youth, Yan Sui was like a stagnant pool.

Those bright, lively eyes have now become lifeless. After she entered university, not a single classmate who saw her thought she wasn't pretty.

But no one said she was beautiful in a vibrant way.

It is beautiful, but soulless.

At first, Yan Zhi was unwilling to give up, thinking that Yan Sui was just throwing a tantrum. But later, when she forced Yan Sui to pick up the chess pieces again and play chess, Yan Sui's hands trembled so much that she couldn't hold them steady and even fainted next to the chessboard. Only then did Yan Zhi have to give up.

If the main account is ruined, there's always the smaller one.

Yan Zhi completely neglected Yan Sui, focusing all her attention on her youngest daughter, Yan Ye.

Everyone's opinion of Yan Sui turned to pity.

Yan Sui, once a rising star in the Go world, has transformed from a renowned Go prodigy into an ordinary adult.

The person involved didn't care about any of that. Her obsession shifted from hoping the bird would appear in her dreams to what the bird had said in the video recorded by the security camera during the fire.

In fact, birds only know a limited vocabulary and can't say anything very long.

But Yan Sui just wanted to know.

Driven by her obsession, Yan Sui drifted through her junior year of college until a car accident completely disrupted her life.

After realizing she had been in a car accident, Yan Sui even felt a moment of relief.

She thought that this time it wasn't her own choice to die, but an accident.

The little bird can't stop me from seeing it, can it?

She was then told that she had transmigrated into the book.

Influenced by her college roommate Lily, Yan Sui was quite knowledgeable about transmigrating into books, but she had absolutely no interest in doing missions to save others—

She couldn't even save her own little bird.

But the system said it would let her hear that sentence.

The system even transformed into the shape of her little bird.

How could Yan Sui possibly refuse?

[10]

Yan Sui was kind to Jian Liyun at first because Jian Liyun was the person she needed to save.

But gradually, she realized that her kindness towards Jian Liyun was not just because of the mission, but because she genuinely wanted to be good to her.

Although when Yan Sui first met Jian Liyun, the aloof beauty exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay—or rather, kept living people at bay—the more she got to know her, the more she discovered that Jian Liyun was a very gentle person.

Yan Sui is a Go prodigy, and Jian Liyun is an exceptional actress; they are both geniuses among geniuses in their respective fields.

The difference is that Jian Liyun loves acting, while Yan Sui can no longer love Go.

So Yan Sui actually envies Jian Liyun, who was able to find a career she loved, and what she loved was exactly what she was good at.

It can be said that Jian Liyun has no flaws except for being love-obsessed.

How could such a good person end up with depression and suicide?

Yan Sui hopes she can recover and become a spirited and radiant actress.

Jian Liyun did indeed become a film queen later on, but she was a film queen who couldn't have the love she desired.

Yan Sui finally realized that the person Jian Liyun couldn't have wasn't that disgusting male lead, but herself.

However, it seems that Yan Sui no longer has the ability to reciprocate other people's affections.

It's too late.

[11]

To be honest, Yan Sui didn't have a good impression of Lu Shutian at first, as the female protagonist in the novel.

On the surface, she appears pure and sweet, but in reality, she is incredibly cunning and prone to going crazy. After only a few meetings, she threatened to kill the female supporting character and the male lead.

Yan Sui doesn't like people like that.

Until Yan Sui learned about Lu Shutian's true past...

It's quite remarkable that Lu Shutian can maintain such a mental state despite being tormented by the so-called world consciousness.

Yan Sui's saintly heart kicked in again. Even though she was in dire straits herself, she still wanted to protect Lu Shutian as well.

Later, Lu Shutian said to her with red eyes.

"Sister, you are such a kind and soft-hearted person. No matter how bad I am, no matter how stubborn Jian Liyun is, you can save us without any prejudice."

"How can you be so heartless? You can forgive everyone else, so why can't you forgive yourself?"

"Please, let me love you."

[12]

In the past, when Yan Sui played chess, she would try her best to protect every piece she placed.

Life is like a game of chess; there will always be pieces that are sacrificed or captured.

In this transmigration into the book, she is both the player and the pawn.

Yan Sui, having entered the game herself, saw herself as her last line of defense.

In this war without gunfire, if someone has to sacrifice, if a pawn has to be sacrificed—

She was chosen to be the scapegoat.

[Author's Note]

The chess piece is my wife (a burst of energetic electric guitar music)

I've thought about it and decided to put this chapter in the main text, but you can also consider it a personal side story for Xiao Yan! [heart emoji]

Although the content is a bit angsty, it's packed with information. Xiao Yan and Xiao Lu aren't as unrelated as they seem on the surface, which is why Xiao Lu is constantly vying for their attention throughout the story.

I've seen some readers discussing Xiao Lu's identity. Although I can't give away any spoilers, I can tell you that Xiao Lu is not Xiao Yan's sister from the original world.

Hey Jian, keep it up! You're still in the lead, hehe [sprinkling flowers]

And the ending is definitely a happy one! Moreover, it's a very perfect, mutually redeeming ending with multiple happy endings! Don't worry about any of the heroines being left behind; everyone will be happy! [Pleading][Please][Please][Heart emoji]