Chapter 374: Changes in Xianthera!
Eleanor\'s face went blank again. Why was she being blamed yet again?
Noticing her daughter\'s wary expression and Wang Xiao\'s smiling face, she felt a surge of annoyance.
This father and daughter duo had really decided to team up against her today.
"Xuelan, who is spreading these false rumors? When did your mother become scary?" Her smile faltered as she spoke, a hint of resentment coloring her tone, her eyes piercing.
"Gasp!"
Xuelan didn\'t reply under her scrutinizing gaze.
Instead, she shrank back and sought refuge under Wang Xiao\'s arms.
Eleanor gritted her teeth; she was usually the epitome of calm, but around her daughter, she inexplicably transformed into someone else, a reaction she couldn\'t quite understand.
And now, watching Xuelan flee toward Wang Xiao after essentially insulting her, Eleanor felt as if she had been slapped across the face yet again.
In fact, the root of this tension was a bet.
Wang Xiao and she had wagered that if Xuelan showed a greater affection for her, Wang Xiao would take the seat of the ethics committee leader and lead the village in the future.
Eleanor had never anticipated losing, confident in her vast experience.
But the stark reality was now staring her in the face!
However, Xuelan\'s next words stopped Eleanor cold.
"Mother... Why have I never seen you and father together? Aren\'t you two supposed to be closer!" Xuelan grumbled.
Normally, she was quiet and obedient, but being near Wang Xiao seemed to multiply her boldness exponentially.
\'You troublesome girl! Just wait until he\'s gone, and I\'ll show you!\' Eleanor\'s face burned bright with shame, but she maintained a calm voice, even as it quivered slightly. "Xuelan... How can a mother get closer to a father?"
"Kiss!" Xuelan\'s tiny mouth opened, and the word burst forth.
Eleanor\'s expression soured, but Xuelan remained unfazed.
For a child of her age, adult concerns held little significance.
What they saw and heard was their reality, and Xuelan had read that when two people are close, they kiss.
Wang Xiao couldn\'t help but smile, struggling to suppress his laughter.
"Haha..." His gentle chuckle pricked Eleanor, prompting her eyes to narrow at him.
Yet, in the next moment, she noticed Xuelan, perched on Wang Xiao\'s chest, staring at her with wide eyes, creating a sense of unease within her.
\'Did she truly expect me to kiss him in front of her?\' Eleanor observed the hopeful look in Xuelan\'s eyes and considered that the situation could have been far less awkward.
Yet Wang Xiao seemed intent on making things awkward for her by laughing at her!
Eleanor, infact, possesses a wealth of experience in raising children.
Despite it being her first time raising her own, she had nurtured many others in the past, including Amelia, whom she rescued and subsequently raised single-handedly.
Victoria was also, in a sense, molded by Eleanor\'s careful guidance.
Eleanor meticulously ensured that all key positions within her circle were occupied by individuals she had personally mentored.
This approach, however, emerged as a significant drawback in the societal framework she had constructed.
With Xianthera harboring numerous dark secrets, Eleanor needed to make certain that those in positions of power were adept at maintaining these secrets.
Since Wang Xiao\'s arrival, she had initiated gradual reforms, though they proved less effective than hoped.
Where could she begin?
The progression of technology and science continued apace, with Rebecca collaborating with Amelia, but as for revolutionizing the societal norms?
Eleanor found herself struggling mightily.
Children who failed to manifest psychokinesis by a certain age were no longer pursued by demon cats, a practice once overseen by the department of education.
Instead, these children had their memories erased and were relocated to orphanages beyond the sacred barrier.
Wang Xiao still aspired for a community composed solely of \'pure breeds,\' individuals capable of wielding psychokinesis.
Until now, the region was ostensibly governed by various organizations with publicly elected officials, yet the true authority rested with the Ethics Committee, helmed by Eleanor herself.
Another prominent organization was the Security Council, headed by Shin, once the strongest man in Xianthera.
During Wang Xiao\'s absence, he was defeated by Chris, a former classmate of Wang Xiao and the crush of Emma.
Reflecting on it, Wang Xiao hadn\'t anticipated such an event during his absence.
Eleanor later informed him about the incident, which led to Chris disappearing forever.
Shin has now chosen Ray to train as his successor, but Ray is struggling with the responsibility.
Emma occupies the chair of the Foreign Affairs Council, which is in charge of maintaining relations with communities of ratwalkers.
Interestingly, she has no recollection of any man named \'Chris.\'
As it turns out, the memories of \'Chris\' have been erased from everyone\'s mind.
Other councils like the Board of Education, Occupation Council, and Agricultural Council also play significant roles.
In fact, many of Wang Xiao\'s former classmates are now occupying these crucial positions.
This realization struck Wang Xiao profoundly, highlighting how much time has truly passed since he first arrived in this land...
He first arrived here at the age of twelve...
After spending five years lost in a coma, followed by another five years rigorously training, he departed...
His year outside—owing to the curious nature of time dilation within Xianthera—translated into an additional five years passing within its borders.
Then he returned, and now another five years have slipped by...
For the inhabitants of Xianthera, a full twenty years have passed...
Both Amelia\'s and Eleanor\'s daughters were blossoming into young women.
Reflecting on the days when he once addressed Eleanor respectfully as \'Senior,\' Wang Xiao couldn\'t help but offer a wry smile.
Time had indeed brought profound changes.
Now, Eleanor begs him not to instigate their daughter against her.
She had long since conceded defeat and abandoned the notion of Wang Xiao taking the helm of this land.
Xuelan, in particular, demonstrated remarkable promise; her insistence on starting school at the age of three was driven solely by her desire to access the library, an evidence to her keen intellect.
Wang Xiao believed that if she harnessed and trained her psychokinesis, she could be a prodigy.
Yet, she chose to bury herself in books instead, rendering him somewhat exasperated.
It wasn\'t just her—none of his daughters took much interest in training, leading Wang Xiao to adopt a laissez-faire attitude.
They would pursue training if they wished, and if not, so be it.
He supposed that was the privilege afforded to them as his daughters.
Thus, they could do as they pleased.