After Saving the White Moonlight, the Black Moonlight Went Crazy - Chapter 23.1

Chapter 23.1: Today is Yan Sui’s Birthday

◎She became the forsaken pawn◎

[1]

Today was Yan Sui’s fifth birthday.

Her mother, who was always so serious, was smiling at her.

Yan Zhi bent down and reached out to pat the little girl’s head.

“Xiao Sui, happy birthday. Mom has a gift for you.”

Yan Sui was still very young at the time and didn’t really understand what a birthday or a gift was. She only knew that her mother was smiling.

Her mother rarely smiled in front of her.

So five-year-old Yan Sui smiled brightly, her two little pigtails bouncing with her movements. She looked absolutely adorable.

“Okay, Mom.”

Yan Zhi picked up Yan Sui. Her movements were a little unfamiliar. Yan Sui wasn’t very comfortable being held like that, but she didn’t say a word.

“Madam Yan.” Housekeeper Li, who was standing nearby, stepped forward. “It’s all ready.”

Yan Zhi nodded. She carried Yan Sui through the ancient-looking garden. After walking for about five minutes, they arrived in front of a wooden door.

Housekeeper Li, who had been following behind, stepped forward and pushed the door open for them.

Yan Zhi looked at the gift placed in the center of the room and was extremely satisfied. She put Yan Sui down, her voice filled with a smile. “Xiao Sui, do you like it?”

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

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

Yan Sui blinked her moist, big eyes, walked over to the object, and carefully sat down on it.

“Mom, I really like this short stool,” Yan Sui said with a smile.

Children couldn’t hide their feelings yet, so Yan Sui didn’t know that her smile was full of a desire to please and a cautiousness she couldn’t hide.

Yan Zhi frowned and took a deep breath. “Xiao Sui, this is a Kaya wood go board, not a stool.”

Kaya wood go board?

Yan Sui had no idea what that was.

But she understood the dissatisfaction in her mother’s eyes, so she immediately got off the board, stood awkwardly to the side, and pinched her fingers. “Mom, I’m sorry.”

Yan Zhi hummed and then began to explain to Yan Sui what a go board was, what go pieces were, and what the game of Go was.

She said, “Xiao Sui, you will become a much better player than me.”

Yan Sui stared blankly at her mother.

Her mother rarely spoke to her, let alone this many words at once.

I’m so stupid, Yan Sui thought.

Mom finally talked to me, but I don’t understand.

The five-year-old girl could only follow her mother’s words.

“Okay, Mom. I’ll definitely become a great Go player.”

[2]

Nine-year-old Yan Sui stood under the spotlights. She was small and thin, wearing a knee-length white dress and little red leather shoes that shone brightly under the intense lights.

Facing a crowd of adults much taller than her, Yan Sui stood on the podium without a hint of panic in her expression.

“Yan Sui, what do you think about successfully achieving your Dan rank at the age of nine, becoming the youngest person in the country to do so?”

“Yan Sui, do you think your mother, Yan Zhi, has anything to do with your excellent achievements? How much has she influenced your professional Go career?”

“Yan Sui, in the recent match, even though your opponent was six years older than you, you remained calm and composed. How do you train your mindset?”

The reporters’ questions came one after another. It would be difficult for a nine-year-old girl to handle, let alone an adult.

Yan Sui answered the questions calmly.

“My mother has had a great influence on my professional Go career. She is not only my mother but also my wise mentor. The fact that I was able to successfully achieve my Dan rank today is due to a combination of favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human relations. Thank you all for your questions.”

When Yan Sui left the stage, Housekeeper Li, who had been waiting in the lounge for a long time, immediately walked up to her. “Young Miss, let’s go home.”

Yan Sui obediently followed Housekeeper Li without saying a word.

A black Bentley appeared at the door just as they arrived. Uncle Wang rolled down the car window. “Let’s go.”

The two adults in the car seemed much happier than Yan Sui. They talked back and forth about Yan Sui’s match today, while the person in question stared silently out the window.

Not long after Yan Sui got home, her mother, Yan Zhi, rushed back.

“The company has been incredibly busy these past two days, so I couldn’t go to your Dan rank match, Xiao Sui. I’m sorry.”

Yan Zhi apologized, but there was no hint of guilt in her expression.

The smile at the corner of her lips was irrepressible. “I knew you would be a genius! Xiao Sui, achieving your Dan rank at nine years old, do you know what that means for a Go player?”

What did it mean?

It meant that if she achieved her Dan rank at nine, her mom would be happy, Housekeeper Li would be happy, and Uncle Wang would be happy.

As for whether she was happy…

That didn’t matter.

Her three-year-old sister, Yan Ye, also toddled out from some other room nearby.

She was still a little unsteady on her feet, and she stumbled toward Yan Sui and their mother.

Yan Zhi was in a great mood today. She picked up her younger daughter. “Xiao Ye, your sister is so amazing. You have to be as amazing as your sister in the future, okay? When you turn five, I’ll give you a set of high-quality go pieces. I’m sure you’ll love them.”

Yan Ye’s laughter was clear in her arms.

“But, Mom…” Yan Sui hesitated.

Yan Zhi immediately looked at her elder daughter. “What is it?”

How can you be so sure that my sister will also like Go?

Yan Sui ultimately didn’t ask the question. She paused and changed the subject. “I’m hungry.”

Playing Go was a very mentally draining activity, which also made her feel hungry quickly.

Yan Zhi waved her hand. “The chefs have prepared your favorite dishes. Let’s go.”

But, Mom, those aren’t my favorite dishes. Those are just dishes that you think are nutritious, so I’m forced to ‘love’ them.

Yan Sui quietly followed her mother. Although her mind was filled with a million thoughts, she remained silent.

Yan Zhi liked quiet, intelligent children.

Nine-year-old Yan Sui, from her initial amateur Go matches to her later professional Dan rank matches, had won every single one. In her public Go career, she had yet to lose a single game.

Furthermore, her mother, Yan Zhi, was once a famous Go player who had nearly achieved a Grand Slam of all major awards.

Fate had other plans. At the age of twenty-two, Yan Zhi was in a car accident and suffered a head injury. While it didn’t affect her daily life, she could no longer possess the same level of calculation and concentration she once had.

Fortunately, her daughter also had a great talent for Go—

It could even be said that she was even better than her mother.

So everyone took it for granted that it was natural for Yan Sui to follow in her mother’s footsteps and that it was inevitable for her to become the next prodigy of the Go world.

And Yan Sui certainly lived up to their expectations.

But no one had ever asked Yan Sui, Do you want to learn Go? Do you like playing Go?

Even Yan Sui herself was often in a daze. She didn’t exactly love Go, nor did she hate it.

As long as Mom is happy, that’s all that matters.

In Yan Sui’s memory, her mother was always frowning and rarely smiled.

Only when she won a match would her mother crack a smile.

Nine-year-old Yan Sui was an unhappy Go prodigy.

[3]

“Xiao Sui, what do you want for your thirteenth birthday? Do you like the Yunzi go pieces? They feel great in your hand. They look like emeralds from above and lacquer from below. I’m sure you’ll love them.”

It was Yan Sui’s birthday again.

Thirteen-year-old Yan Sui was already a seventh-Dan Go player.

She was invincible on the go board. Although she was young, she always had a calm and composed demeanor. Even adults couldn’t tell what Yan Sui was thinking when she was playing.

And every year, the birthday gifts she received were all related to Go. This year was no exception.

Before Yan Sui could answer, Housekeeper Li came in from the door. “Madam Yan, I’m sorry to interrupt, but the plants in our garden need to be trimmed again, and we need to buy some new landscape plants. What do you think…”

“That’s fine. You can handle it,” Yan Zhi said indifferently.

Yan Sui took a step forward at this moment. “Mom, I want to go out with Housekeeper Li.”

Yan Zhi frowned. “Do you want to rest?”

Yan Sui had just won an award, so Yan Zhi was especially tolerant of her at this time.

Yan Zhi thought about it. “You can, but Housekeeper Li has work to do, and you’ll be distracting her. If you want to go out and play, just tell the driver, and he’ll take you.”

Housekeeper Li tried to smooth things over. “It’s fine. If the Young Miss wants to come with us, she can. Let’s go, Young Miss.”

Housekeeper Li took Yan Sui’s hand, and Yan Sui felt the other person’s palm.

The woman’s palm was a little rough, but it felt familiar and reassuring.

Compared to her mother, Yan Sui was even closer to Housekeeper Li.

Housekeeper Li took Yan Sui to a flower and bird market. “Young Miss, there are a lot of people here. Let me know if you feel uncomfortable.”

Yan Sui shook her head. She curiously looked at all the bustling things around her. “It’s okay.”

Ever since she successfully achieved her Dan rank, Yan Sui hadn’t gone to a regular school like her peers. Instead, she went to a famous Go dojo founded by her mother.

She was a genius among geniuses. The other players at the dojo were no match for her and had a lot of respect for her.

With that respect came distance and a sense of alienation.

So Yan Sui had no friends. The only things that accompanied her every day were the cold go board and pieces.

Yan Sui was lonely. She didn’t enjoy loneliness, but she wasn’t afraid of it either.

In Yan Sui’s life, she knew very little about anything other than Go.

So being able to go out with Housekeeper Li this time, everything was new to her.

The clear chirping of birds entered Yan Sui’s ears, and the girl curiously stopped.

Housekeeper Li noticed. “Do you like birds?”

Yan Sui didn’t say if she liked them or not. “I want to go see.”

So Housekeeper Li instructed the other servants to buy the items on the planned list, while she took Yan Sui into a flower and bird shop that sold parrots.

The owner was an old man with a palm-leaf fan, sitting in a reclining chair, lazily fanning himself. When he saw the two of them walk in, he was also very laid-back.

Yan Sui walked straight to a birdcage, looking at the chirping little birds inside.

The birds were of different species, ages, colors, and sizes, but no matter which one, they all looked adorable.

Seeing that someone had arrived, the birds in the cages chirped even louder.

Yan Sui walked past one cage after another, and finally, her gaze settled on a large white birdcage.

There were about seven or eight little birds in the cage, and they seemed to be the same species but different colors.

Yan Sui pointed to the smallest and thinnest white bird in the corner. “Can I have this one?”

Housekeeper Li had already called Yan Zhi while Yan Sui was choosing. Although Yan Zhi was a little displeased, she still agreed.

“Of course you can, Young Miss,” Housekeeper Li said with a smile. She then called out, “Boss, come and see how much this parrot costs. We’ll buy it.”

The old man put down his fan and walked over. “A white Quaker parrot, huh? These parrots are very beautiful when they grow up, and they can even talk. Young lady, you’ve got a good eye.”

However, the price was also quite high.

But for the Yan family, that price was nothing. Housekeeper Li paid cheerfully and then listened to the old man give a lot of care instructions.

Yan Sui also listened carefully. She gave the little bird in the cage a solemn greeting. “Hello, my name is Yan Sui.”

By the time the group returned home, Yan Sui was carrying 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 birdcage, not saying a word.

Yan Zhi didn’t interfere too much, only saying, “Xiao Sui, I don’t object to you having a pet, but don’t let it distract you from your main goal.”

Yan Sui quickly said, “I won’t, Mom. Even if I have a little bird, it won’t affect my Go playing.”

Yan Sui’s bedroom had no dolls or toys. Other than a bed and a desk, the rest was filled with ancient Go books, go boards, and go pieces.

Yan Sui put the birdcage in her bedroom.

The little bird was unexpectedly quiet and didn’t bother her.

Yan Sui was always reserved at the Go dojo, but in her bedroom, where she was alone, she would always mutter to the little bird—

The name of this white Quaker parrot was “Little Bird.”

Yan Sui thought it was very fitting.

“Little Bird, today I made a boy seven years older than me cry from losing a match.” Yan Sui said to the little bird in the cage, a little sadly.

“And yesterday, I made a girl eight years older than me cry. The day before that, an uncle ten years older than me… Why do these people get so upset that they want to cry when they lose? Should I… should I not win?”

The little bird still stared at her quietly.

“Little Bird, Little Bird, what do you like?”

Yan Sui of course didn’t get an answer. The little bird couldn’t talk yet at this stage.

She continued talking to herself. “I still don’t know what I like. I should like Go, right?”

“Everyone says I’m a Go genius and that I was born into this world just for Go.”

Yan Sui smiled, and the disappointment and bitterness on the young girl’s naive face were unmistakable.

“They’re right.”

Days passed, and the little bird’s wings gradually became full. It also started to say some simple words.

“Yan Sui,” “eat,” “happy,” “sleep,” “thank you,” and so on. The words the little bird could say were all very daily and simple, and completely unrelated to Go.

Yan Sui was very excited. She specially bought professional books to learn how to train the bird to fly outside.

One day, she had just finished her daily Go practice and came home when she saw Housekeeper Li carrying the birdcage upstairs.

“Housekeeper Li,” Yan Sui called out to her. “What’s wrong?”

Housekeeper Li turned around. “Young Miss, Madam Yan specifically instructed me to get the parrot’s wings clipped at a certain time. So we hired an experienced bird breeder, and she just came and trimmed some of its flight feathers. But don’t worry, Young Miss, it won’t affect the parrot’s health.”

Yan Sui was silent for a few seconds before walking toward Housekeeper Li. “I’ll carry it back to my room.”

The little bird’s flight feathers were clipped, and it was locked in the cage.

Thirteen-year-old Yan Sui was also trapped in this 19×19 go board.

[4]

“Yan Sui, what do you want to say about successfully achieving your ninth Dan rank today?”

“That’s right. As far as we know, today is also your seventeenth birthday. First, you were the youngest person to successfully achieve your Dan rank, and now you’re the youngest person to achieve your ninth Dan rank. Yan Sui, what do you want to say to everyone and your fans?”

The girl’s bones had not yet fully developed. She was still in that ambiguous zone between a young girl and a mature woman. Although her figure wasn’t that of an adult, her eyes were determined yet gentle.

Yan Sui smiled. “It’s the same thing I always say. The fact that I have everything I have today is due to a combination of favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human relations. If I can get more people interested in Go, or even fall in love with it, I’ll be very happy.”

Although she was only seventeen, Yan Sui had already given countless interviews over the years. This kind of beautiful, official speech was second nature to her.

A somewhat grating male voice rang out. “Yan Sui, but your father’s identity has always been a mystery. Do you feel any regret about growing up without a father’s love?”

Everyone fell silent.

There had always been many rumors about Yan Sui’s biological father, but the man had never appeared. Yan Sui’s mother, Yan Zhi, had also never said anything about it in public, so people who loved gossip were always curious.

Yan Sui’s expression didn’t change. “Whether my father exists or not doesn’t affect my path in Go, and it doesn’t affect me becoming a decent player.”

Yan Sui had actually known about this for a long time.

She didn’t know who her biological father was, and even her mother didn’t know—

Because she and her sister were both children conceived by her mother after picking sperm from the most prestigious anonymous sperm bank abroad.

If she had to guess, just by looking at her and her sister’s physical features, she could only deduce that their biological father was probably of Asian descent.

But none of this mattered to Yan Sui. As a mother, Yan Zhi may not have given Yan Sui enough emotional care, but in terms of material things and Go, Yan Zhi had never been stingy with her.

Yan Sui was Yan Zhi’s unfinished obsession. She carried not only her own life but also Yan Zhi’s unfulfilled Go dream.

Yan Sui had no choice but to accept it.

But she also couldn’t bring herself to hate or resent her mother for it.

The man saw that his question hadn’t hit a sore spot and raised his voice. “Yan Sui, your playing style hasn’t changed all these years, but with the development of the times, everyone now prefers a style that is aggressive, decisive, and takes risks. But you…”

The man let out a malicious laugh that he couldn’t hide. “Although your style is steady and solid, it’s also too bland and tasteless, like plain water. In the end, you don’t lose many pieces, but you don’t capture many either. Many of your fans jokingly call your style ‘The Holy Mother.’ What do you think about that?”

The female reporter next to him frowned deeply.

What kind of garbage reporter is this? Does he even know how to ask questions?

It was clearly “where the Holy Mother’s piece falls, the board is filled with mercy.”

If you can’t speak properly, just shut up.

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

Yan Sui’s expression turned serious.

“It is my honor to be called ‘The Holy Mother’ style.”

The man’s words became more and more outrageous. “But there’s a saying, ‘In times of chaos, kill the Holy Mother first.’ Now, with the popularization of Go, more and more people are getting into it. Yan Sui, if you keep this playing style, are you worried that one day in the future, a new strong competitor will utterly crush you?”

Yan Sui glanced at the man, who had a fat face and cunning eyes the size of mung beans.

The saying “your face reflects your heart” sometimes holds true.

In the face of the man’s increasingly sharp questions, Yan Sui’s smile became even more polite and appropriate. “That saying is slandering the Holy Mother. I think you should first distinguish between kindness and foolishness. A true Holy Mother not only has a kind heart but also has wisdom, courage, strategy, and perfect organizational skills.”

“I know I am still a long way from being a true Holy Mother, but it is my honor that everyone thinks I have this style.”

“Also,” Yan Sui’s tone changed. “I try my best not to let my pieces be captured. Maybe you don’t understand, but I don’t need your understanding. Because this is my way. I hope to win, and I also hope to take every piece I’ve placed with me to victory.”

The idea that it was better to take risks and be aggressive to win was something Yan Sui did not agree with.

Taking risks, in the end, was just a sign that you weren’t strong enough.

She was already strong enough to protect her pieces.

She hoped that every piece she placed would not be a forsaken pawn.

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

[5]

There were five days until Yan Sui’s eighteenth birthday.

“Yan Sui, Yan Sui.”

The little bird was chirping in its cage. Yan Sui put down her ancient book and walked over with a smile to open the birdcage.

The little bird hopped out and landed in Yan Sui’s palm.

Yan Sui held the little bird with her left hand and first patted its head with her right hand. Then she giggled and started to rub its soft, warm belly.

“You really like calling my name, Little Bird~”

Yan Sui was born with a perfect bone structure. Her once calm eyes were now smiling, with a look of pure doting affection.

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

Yan Sui couldn’t help but kiss the little bird, then laughed to herself. “I’m starting to sound a little perverted.”

“Yan Sui, Yan Sui,” the little bird chirped again.

“Yes, I’m here,” Yan Sui replied.

“Yan Sui, tired?”

Maybe it was a biased perception, but Yan Sui truly thought her little bird was very smart. She had once told the little bird that she was tired when she was reviewing her matches late at night and yawning nonstop.

She didn’t expect the little bird to not only understand correctly but also love to ask her that.

“Yan Sui, tired?”

Seeing that Yan Sui didn’t answer, the little bird, lying in Yan Sui’s palm, asked again.

Yan Sui snapped out of her daze, and her voice unconsciously became a little squeaky. “No, I’m not tired. As soon as Little Bird asks, Yan Sui isn’t tired anymore.”

The little bird rolled over in her palm. “Yan Sui, pretty.”

Yan Sui’s eyes widened. “Where did you learn that word? I never taught you! Did Housekeeper Li teach you?”

The little bird of course couldn’t answer. It just kept repeating the phrase.

Yan Sui laughed. “Okay, okay, I get it. Thank you, Little Bird.”

The little bird then said something shocking. “Yan Sui, like.”

Yan Sui was completely stunned. “What on earth…”

Where did you learn those words?!

The person and the bird chattered for a long, long time. Yan Sui still remembered those words and the soft feeling of the little bird.

Even later, Yan Sui found out that some of those words were taught by Lu Shutian.

She and Lu Shutian had already met so long ago.

A knock sounded on the door. Yan Sui put the little bird back in its cage. Housekeeper Li was at the door. “Young Miss, Madam Yan wants you to go to her study.”

Yan Sui’s smile faded. “Okay.”

When Yan Sui arrived at the study, Yan Zhi had just closed a folder.

She looked at Yan Sui. “Your performance has been good this year. You’ve won a lot of awards, and with your past record, your admission to the university was arranged a while ago.”

Yan Sui nodded. “Okay.”

Yan Zhi sighed. “But your sister is giving me a headache. She’s eleven and still hasn’t achieved her Dan rank. She’s far behind you.”

The reason Yan Sui could achieve her Dan rank at nine was not just because she was a genius, but because she was a genius among geniuses.

And Yan Sui’s sister, Yan Ye, was actually already outstanding among her peers who were learning Go, but the person she was being compared to was Yan Sui.

Yan Sui lowered her eyes. “My sister is already working very hard. Please don’t blame her. Besides, compared to Go, I think she has more talent in painting…”

“You are both my daughters,” Yan Zhi interrupted sharply. “So you both naturally have to learn Go. Otherwise, it would be a waste. Other children who want to learn Go don’t have the same resources our family does.”

A waste?

Yan Sui once again clearly felt that Yan Zhi was treating her like a tool that needed to maximize profits rather than a person.

She naturally changed the subject. “Did you call me here for something?”

She didn’t have any matches coming up, and her university admission had already been taken care of. Yan Sui couldn’t think of anything else.

Yan Zhi’s tone softened a little. “Recently, a team developed an AI that can play Go. I heard it’s very good. Some of my friends and their students have already secretly played against the AI—”

“And they all lost.”

Yan Sui’s expression was as usual. “You want me to try?”

Yan Zhi hummed. “When they found out it was you, they wanted to do a live broadcast. After all, it would be quite a spectacle. But I think it’s better for you to play a game against the AI in private first.”

As Yan Sui got older, Yan Zhi not only had to consider her professional awards but also her commercial value.

If this live broadcast were to happen, there would certainly be a large number of viewers. If she could beat the AI, Yan Sui’s commercial value would naturally skyrocket.

Yan Sui would become the most successful Go player.

Looking at Yan Zhi’s eyes, Yan Sui knew that her mother was thinking about those things again.

She nodded slightly. “I’ll follow your arrangements.”

Yan Zhi rarely smiled. “Mm. You’ll continue to win countless trophies, go to the top university in the country, make a lot of money, and become the most successful Go player.”

“Go to the next city tomorrow. Their research center is there. Go and play against the AI.”

“Don’t disappoint me.”

“I know you won’t disappoint me.”

Yan Zhi kept talking. Yan Sui remained silent, seemingly just a listener with her eyes cast down.

In reality, her thoughts had long drifted away.

She had never been to the next city, but she knew it was famous for producing black beans—

Little Bird’s favorite food was black beans.

After I finish playing against the AI, I’ll buy a bag of black beans to bring back. Little Bird will definitely like it.

Thinking this, she heard her mother speak again. “Okay, I have things to do. You can leave now.”

Yan Sui nodded and left.

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

“Little Bird, I’ll bring you back some delicious black beans when I return.”

“Black beans, like!” the little bird chirped.

Yan Sui laughed. “Little greedy one. I know you like them. I’ll definitely bring you back lots and lots of black beans, okay?”

The little bird flapped its wings. “Yan Sui, Yan Sui.”

Yan Sui hummed. “Yan Sui is here.”

“Yan Sui, when, home.”

Yan Sui felt like she was about to melt from this little creature’s cuteness. “I’ll be home very soon. Tomorrow… no, I’ll take the car back tonight.”

“Yan Sui, Little Bird, miss you.”

“Yan Sui, soon, home.”

The little bird spoke in broken sentences. Yan Sui instantly understood. She simply cupped the little bird in both hands and rubbed her cheek against its head. “I’ll be back very soon, Little Bird.”

[6]

There were four days until Yan Sui’s eighteenth birthday.

Yan Sui never thought there would be a day when she would voluntarily forfeit a Go match—

But the fact was, she trembled as she placed two pieces on the board and bowed to the staff member across from her.

“I’m sorry, I can’t continue this game. I forfeit.”

The staff member, who was playing Go according to the AI’s commands, was dumbfounded. Based on the win probability currently calculated by the AI, Yan Sui’s side had a greater chance of winning.

This was the first time the staff member had encountered such a situation. In previous matches against other players, the AI’s win probability was always much higher.

Why did Yan Sui voluntarily forfeit?

One minute ago.

Since it wasn’t a formal competition, Yan Sui didn’t put her phone in the lounge. But just now, her phone vibrated.

She frowned. There were very few people who had her contact information, and those people would not normally call her unless it was an emergency. At most, they would send a message on WeChat.

It was currently the AI’s turn to place a piece, so Yan Sui took out her phone. “Sorry, I need to take a call.”

The staff member smiled and replied. “No problem, Miss Yan.”