webnovel

Tides of the Hidden garden

Author: Suhana_singh
LGBT+
Ongoing · 3.2K Views
  • 21 Chs
    Content
  • ratings
  • N/A
    SUPPORT
Synopsis

Chapter 1Chapter 1: The Boundaries of the Garden

The sun hung low in the sky, painting the horizon with hues of orange and gold. Inside the tall, stone walls of an elegant yet somber household, a young boy sat by the edge of a koi pond, watching the fish glide through the water. **Yin Zian**, no older than eight, dipped his fingers into the cool water, yearning for something beyond the quiet solitude of his home.

"Zian!" his mother's sharp voice broke the silence, making him flinch. She appeared in the doorway, her expression stern. "How many times have I told you not to sit idle? Practice your calligraphy. Your future depends on discipline, not daydreaming."

Yin Zian obediently stood, bowing his head. "Yes, Mother."

His father, a towering figure draped in fine silks, added, "And no playing with the village children. They will distract you from your studies. Remember, you carry the weight of our family name."

Zian nodded silently, retreating to his small study. Yet, as he passed the garden's gate, his gaze lingered on the world beyond—the bustling village he could only glimpse through cracks in the stone walls.

---

The next day, while practicing his calligraphy under the shade of a cherry blossom tree, Zian heard a rustling noise. Startled, he turned to see a boy his age climbing over the garden wall. The boy's grin was as bright as the sunlight filtering through the trees.

"Hey!" the boy whispered, brushing off the dirt from his simple yet vibrant clothes. "I'm **Hua An**. You live here, right? This place is huge!"

Zian blinked in surprise, unsure how to respond. "You… you're not supposed to be here," he stammered.

Hua An laughed, unconcerned. "Rules are boring. Besides, I saw you yesterday by the pond. You looked lonely."

"I'm not lonely," Zian replied quickly, though his voice betrayed him.

Hua An tilted his head, studying him. "Then why are you talking to me?"

Zian hesitated but eventually smiled—a small, shy curve of his lips. "Maybe I am a little lonely," he admitted.

From that day, Hua An became a regular visitor. He came from a different sect, one known for its free-spirited ways, unlike the strict and reserved environment Zian was raised in. Hua An would sneak into the garden, bringing small gifts like wildflowers or fruit from the market. Together, they laughed, played, and shared stories under the cherry blossom tree.

For Zian, Hua An's presence was like a ray of sunlight piercing through the dense fog of his life. For Hua An, Zian's quiet and thoughtful nature felt like a calm harbor after the storms of his own chaotic world.

---

But happiness is often fleeting. One day, as they sat by the koi pond, Hua An's usual smile was absent.

"My parents found out I've been coming here," he said quietly, avoiding Zian's gaze. "They said I'm not allowed to see you anymore. Our sects… they don't get along."

Zian's chest tightened. "But you'll come back, right? You promised you'd show me the festival lights next month."

Hua An forced a smile. "I'll try."

Days turned into weeks, but Hua An never returned. Zian would sit by the garden wall, hoping to hear the familiar rustling of leaves or see the bright grin that had brought color to his gray world. But the silence remained.

Trapped by the walls his parents had built around him—both physical and emotional—Zian couldn't even leave to search for his friend. And so, the garden, once filled with laughter and companionship, became a place of bittersweet memories.

You May Also Like

The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'

~Updates Daily~ (usually near 8PM ET / 1AM GMT) Other Tags: #GL #Slice of Life #Comedy #TheStrongActingWeak #ChildhoodSweethearts (It counts!) Single love interest Yuri! No lengthy misunderstandings over this fact~ --- After failing to ascend to the heights of Divinity despite all her preparations, an ancient cultivator finds herself not embracing the emptiness of the void - but the interior warmth of a womb. Her memories intact despite her spirit being a merest fraction of her height - and her trusted Astralism unchanged - she carefully starts over from an infant. How to navigate her family: [really easy with only two parents and an estate full of servants!] How to portray herself: [everyone likes 'sweet' kids and trusts (underestimates) 'weak' girls!] How 'quickly' to reveal the power she gathers: [this region is a 'backwater', let's just take it slow~] How her marriage was arranged before birth: [my parents adore me so at an appropriate time I'll just have it cance- oh?] Dealing with an 'amusing' deceit: ['he' looks worried still, but 'he' doesn't have to worry from me!] Confronting the 'boy' in private: [whatever their iffy plan is, I just obtained a husband-wife~] Even in a new life, | Elua er Goltbred | can't and doesn't *want* to change who she really is. A scheming cultivator. A possessive lover. Neither of those things had been a real hindrance to the Peak of Demi-God. Balancing the two in this life - without driving away the young 'boy' she decided would be hers - centers as much around helping | Qatrand er Yecine | find herself... as it is hoping to ease the fiance into how messed up the 'younger' girl honestly is. It's a good thing that the reborn cultivator can improvise with her ridiculous control of an Illusion Astralism - because plans fail and unexpected things happen when you're not *really* a genius. Like her Physique in this life allowing the lightest 'grip' to crack stone... | Qat | (the nickname picked almost instantly!) despite being a little stunted by her family environment early on, finds her future wife to be 'cute' on their first meeting. ... she really shouldn't have let on. It made her | El | kind of vain. Oh, and muscles. | Elua | : I just like looking at them, okay!? Is it so weird? People can have hobbies... - - - > Types of Cultivation // Spiritual (Soul), Physical (Body), Essence (Qi) > Aspect Trinity // Astralism, Physique, Element 'Ranks' Initial - Early, Mid, Late Lower Realms // Enchanter, Primalist, Breacher Upper Realms // Defier, Demi-god, Divinity - Echelons (First -> Seventh[Peak]) - - - Cover Art: AI Text Prompt Generation + title (etc.) added with an image editor. I also tend to do other 'fixes' in post! Potential trigger warnings: > A FL that may seem (to some) like they are being groomed due to 'true age' difference. > A MC that gets a little 'thirsty' a little 'young' but tries to 'keep her own pants on' until the proper age. > A toxic family environment willing to force an unloved child into the role of a crossdresser. A child that grew more than okay with it. > 'Pretty Good Dad' intentionally 'picked on' by his 'sweet daughter' for being a relatively 'minor obstacle'. Seriously, you were warned, average fathers with teenagers. Do not engage your trauma.

Seraphelki · LGBT+
Not enough ratings
250 Chs

ratings

  • Overall Rate
  • Writing Quality
  • Updating Stability
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • world background
Reviews
WoW! You would be the first reviewer if you leave your reviews right now!

SUPPORT