My name is Ethan, and in this world where power and prestige reign supreme, I am a humble existence. Born into a poor family, I inadvertently became the son-in-law of this prominent clan. My wife, the family's eldest daughter, is beautiful and kind, but under the weight of family expectations, she must keep her distance from me. I am painfully aware that within this family, I am merely a despised son-in-law.

　　Every morning, before the first rays of sunlight break through, I wake from my dreams to begin my day as a servant. Today is no exception; I arrive early at the family hall, awaiting the elders' commands. Inside, the elders are gathered, discussing important matters, while I quietly stand to the side like an invisible man.

　　"Hmph, look at this useless waste, doing nothing all day," a sharp voice cuts through the air—my mother-in-law. Her disdainful gaze pierces me like an arrow, sending chills down my spine.

　　I lower my head and cautiously respond, "Mother-in-law, I will work hard and never slack off."

　　But she retorts mercilessly, "Work hard? What can you do? You're just a poor boy. If our family hadn't taken you in out of kindness, you would have starved on the streets long ago."

　　A surge of humiliation wells up inside me, but I dare not retort; I can only silently endure it all. In this family, I have no standing, and any resistance would only bring me more trouble.

　　"Alright, let him clean the underground storage. It hasn't been tidied up in ages," my father-in-law, the clan leader, finally speaks. His tone, while not as cutting as my mother-in-law's, is still far from friendly.

　　I feel a wave of relief wash over me and quickly accept the task. The storage area is dark and damp, filled with a musty odor. Armed with a broom and cloth, I begin to clean diligently. Every corner and every item receives my careful attention; I dare not slack off for even a moment.

　　"Hey, move faster, stop dawdling," a family servant barks as they pass by.

　　"I'll speed up," I reply, increasing my pace.

　　As I clean, thoughts about my fate swirl in my mind. Why am I so unfortunate to be a son-in-law in this family? Why do I lack the ability to change my situation? I cannot accept being looked down upon and bullied for the rest of my life. But what can I do? I have no power, no wealth, no background—only a heart unwilling to settle for mediocrity.

　　While cleaning, I stumble upon a strange box hidden in a corner cluttered with debris. The box is covered in dust and cobwebs, indicating it hasn't been touched in a long time. Curiosity compels me to open it, and a faint light immediately bursts forth. Peering inside, I see what appears to be an ordinary stone, but for some reason, it emanates a mysterious aura.

　　Just as I am about to examine the stone closely, I suddenly hear footsteps approaching. I quickly close the box and pretend to be engrossed in my cleaning. A few servants enter the storage.

　　"Hey, what are you doing?" one of them asks.

　　"Nothing, just cleaning," I respond nervously, my heart racing.

　　"Hmph, work properly and don’t slack off. If you get caught slacking, you'll regret it," the servants warn before leaving.

　　Once they are gone, I reopen the box and gaze at the mysterious stone. I gently touch it, feeling its unique texture. I have no idea what it is, but my intuition tells me it is special. Perhaps it is the key to changing my destiny. I decide to hide the stone for now and study it later. I quietly slip it into my clothing and continue cleaning the storage.

　　After several hours of hard work, I finally finish cleaning. Dragging my exhausted body back to the family hall, my mother-in-law spots me and launches into another tirade.

　　"You useless fool, it took you so long to clean a storage room. Do you even want to eat?"

　　"Mother-in-law, I did my best," I reply, filled with helplessness.

　　"Your best? Look at you—completely useless. How could our family have such a son-in-law?" she continues to berate me.

　　I silently endure her scolding, my thoughts lingering on the mysterious stone. I have a nagging feeling that this stone might change my fate.

　　Back in my shabby room, I carefully take out the stone and examine it closely. The stone is pitch black, smooth to the touch, and radiates a mysterious energy. I try various methods to understand it, but to no avail. I don’t know what it is or what it can do, but I have a strong feeling that it is not ordinary.

　　That night, I lie in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. My mind races with thoughts of the day’s events and the mysterious stone. I wonder, if this stone can truly change my fate, what should I do? How should I face the people in my family?

　　As I am lost in thought, I suddenly hear a faint sound of footsteps. My heart skips a beat, and I quickly sit up, watching the door warily. The footsteps grow closer, and my heart races faster. Has someone discovered the stone I hid? Or is something else happening?

　　The footsteps stop at my door, followed by a gentle knock. I tense up and ask, "Who is it?"

　　"It’s me, the eldest daughter," comes a soft voice from outside—my wife.

　　I breathe a sigh of relief and quickly open the door. My wife stands there, a hint of worry on her beautiful face.

　　"What’s wrong? Is there something you need at this hour?" I ask.

　　She steps into the room, closes the door, and looks at me intently. "Ethan, I heard you found something strange in the underground storage today?"

　　My heart tightens. Does she know about the stone? I hesitate before saying, "It's nothing, just an ordinary stone."

　　She studies me, her eyes filled with doubt. "Really just an ordinary stone? I heard it emits a mysterious aura."

　　I’m unsure how to answer her. I don’t want her to know about the stone because I’m uncertain of its implications. But I also don’t want to deceive her.

　　"Honestly, I don’t know what that stone is. I just found it strange, so I hid it," I admit.

　　She falls silent for a moment before saying, "Ethan, I know life is tough for you in this family. But be careful; many people here don’t want to see you do well. If you discover anything important, make sure to keep it safe and don’t let others find out."

　　I feel a surge of gratitude; I didn’t expect her to care so much. "I understand, thank you."

　　She lets out a soft sigh and adds, "Ethan, I hope you can grow stronger and no longer be bullied. But remember, don’t take the wrong path."

　　With that, she turns and leaves the room. I watch her retreating figure, filled with emotion. I know that despite the pressure from the family keeping her at a distance, she still cares for me. I must work hard to change my fate and alleviate her worries.

　　In the following days, I continue my servant duties while secretly studying the mysterious stone. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t unravel its secrets. Doubt begins to creep in; perhaps the stone is just an ordinary rock, and I’m overthinking it.

　　However, just as I am about to give up, an unexpected event occurs. One day, while working in the garden, I suddenly feel a powerful force surging from within me. I stare at my hands in astonishment, unsure of what is happening. At that moment, the mysterious stone flies out from my clothing, hovering in the air and radiating a brilliant light.

　　I watch in terror as the stone's light intensifies, the air around me thickening with an unusual heaviness. I feel a crushing pressure bearing down on me, making it hard to breathe.

　　Just when I think I might be overwhelmed by this force, the stone suddenly bursts forth with a blinding light and then vanishes. I stand there, stunned, unsure of what just transpired. After a while, I come to my senses and realize my body has changed; my strength, speed, and perception have all significantly improved.

　　My heart swells with shock and confusion. What is this stone? Why does it possess such incredible power? What does its disappearance mean? I don’t have the answers, but I know that my destiny will no longer be ordinary.