At the same time, on the Shiguang Sea outside the western Chaogang port.
If you could part the mist, you’d see the silhouette of a region wrapped deep within its folds, a place called Shilang Bay.
Along its outer edge, beneath towering poetry walls and steles, amidst vibrant coral reefs—
Yosena spun around in the shallow sea, then poked her head above water with a sigh, trying to comfort her friend: “Suo Liuxiang, Sister Xi and that Xiao Huangmao she likes have both been healed, so why are you still so downcast…”
“Even if you hadn’t left that day, you couldn’t have helped. I was there and only made things worse. I’m not blaming myself, so you don’t have to, either.”
“I’m not blaming myself, I’m just really sad… I—I couldn’t make my beloved stay!”
The girl called Suo Liuxiang crouched down, sobbing, “She still left. I’ve already lost my father, and she ignored me too. It feels like I’ve really lost her now…”
“Only after losing something do people realize its value,” her tone gradually shifted, “My father was like that, and she’s the same. I won’t let myself regret it again!”
“I’m going to look for her again!”
“…”
Yosena’s knuckles cracked as she clenched her fists, seeming to force down a curse before continuing to persuade, “Suo Liuxiang, did you forget why you started learning Magic in the first place?”
“You’re right, I love her!”
“If I lose her, what’s the point of mastering countless Magics!”
“…”
‘Ah, my hopelessly lovesick bestie!’
Watching Suo Liuxiang dash off again, the mermaid Yosena sighed helplessly: “Sister Xi could really teach her a thing or two. She hasn’t learned a single bit.”
“By the way… Sister Xi seemed to summon all the Paper Angels of Shilang Bay in an instant!”
“If she wanted to use them for that sort of thing… someone’s probably in for a real ordeal tonight, might even be played to pieces!”
For a certain unlucky soul destined not to escape disaster tonight, for those two kidneys sure to be wrung dry and left feeble tomorrow, Yosena observed three seconds of silence.
Then she spread her hands with pride: “Sister Xi is so direct—if she likes someone, she just takes them away. That person’s going to be utterly devoured tonight, I bet…”
“A perfect Sister Xi, what a steal for that guy… Though that Xiao Huangmao isn’t bad looking either, pretty smart, and, well, his dimensions are quite impressive.”
Blowing bubbles underwater and poking just half her face above the surface, Yosena’s gaze grew even more disdainful as she watched Suo Liuxiang’s figure recede:
“Not like this empty-headed fool!”
***
Morning light flooded in.
With wobbly legs, Lin Nuo came out of the bathroom and made his way to the bed.
Even for that short distance, he had to lean on the wall; if he didn’t, his knees might just buckle.
“Chirp chirp chirp…”
“Chirp chirp?”
Fatty Bird flew down from his perch and cocked his head at Lin Nuo, then, as if amused, he followed Lin Nuo, mimicking his unsteady steps—hobbling along on bird legs, even limping ahead as if to show off his imitation and wait for praise for outpacing Lin Nuo.
“Out of my way…”
Seeing the bird had the nerve to mock him, Lin Nuo flung a pillow, sending Fatty Bird fluttering off.
He flopped onto the bed and burrowed into the covers, finally starting to feel better.
But Lin Nuo thought, as for last night, he probably wouldn’t forget those memories for the rest of his life.
And in the end, he still hadn’t revealed that he hadn’t actually been hypnotized…
He never even got the chance to say a word!
One round of verbal sparring followed the next.
And it wasn’t just the mouth above…
Sigh!
Lin Nuo didn’t want to remember— ‘shameless, she’s truly shameless!’
Now he finally understood why one White Snow Princess and seven dwarfs was a fairy tale, but seven White Snow Princesses and one dwarf was a horror story…
“Rustle rustle rustle…”
The sound of pages turning behind him, then a crack appeared in the wall between the bathroom and bedroom.
A girl threw herself onto his back, clinging to him with sticky affection.
Xi’s face was radiant—entirely at odds with Lin Nuo’s exhaustion and weakness. .
Her cheeks were rosy, as if she’d been lavishly nourished, glowing with dewy softness.
“Didn’t you tell me someone wanted you to leave?” Lin Nuo asked.
“Why? Do you not want me to go?” Xi smiled.
“If I hadn’t said that, would you have listened to my long-winded talk last night? They tried to make me go back eight years ago—I just never listened…”
“…”
“Is the Noble Young Master going to ask if I really had the Maid test the medicine, and that’s why you trusted it and drank it…?”
Xi revealed her secret like a winner: “Actually, you’re pretty naive once you let your guard down. The one who tested the medicine for you was me.”
“Even though you noticed my racing heart, to put you at ease, I held back my excitement so well, I didn’t even give myself away with a single facial twitch…”
“…”
‘Damn, I was tricked! It was all a setup!’
“Don’t look so resentful~” Xi said softly.
“Didn’t I give you a choice last night? You insisted on the solo match…”
‘That’s right! She gave me only two options: ‘group fight’ and ‘solo.”
‘Group fight, meaning all seven of you against me—that was obvious.’
‘But who could have guessed her so-called ‘solo’ was actually me soloing all seven of you? Listen to that—how is that even humanly possible, wuwu…’
“I’ve already told the maids not to disturb us today, so nobody will come. But your legs are trembling so much, I doubt you could go out anyway…”
Xi said, “I even prepared all the food in advance, kept it hot with Magic. Noble Young Master must be hungry after all the effort last night, let me feed you…”
As the girl’s smiling spoon approached his mouth, Lin Nuo sighed, trying to compose himself and assert who the real head of the house was!
“Xi, you can’t do this next time—at least let me finish what I want to say…”
“Open your mouth, ah.” Xi interrupted.
“Are you even listening…mmph!”
“I’m listening, I’m listening. Let’s eat first, open up…ah.”
“You’re totally not listening…mm mm!”
“We’ll talk after you finish eating, now open up…ah. Mm… Noble Young Master is so obedient.”
“…”
After eating and drinking his fill, the girl pulled him back under the covers.
Completely spent from a whole night of labor, Lin Nuo couldn’t muster any energy and had no choice but to let the satisfied, softly smiling Xi snuggle him tightly.
“Rustle rustle rustle…”
The faint sound of rain drifted from outside.
“Chirp!”
Fatty Bird, imitating how Xi would usually help Lin Nuo tidy up in the morning, fluttered its wings, grabbed the curtain with its beak, and did its best to pull open a thin slit.
Raindrops slanted down, steadily growing heavier.
Emerald leaves were battered by the fat droplets, sending pieces flying everywhere—the sound surely meant a patch of muddy ground was being splashed outside…
Sensing Lin Nuo shifting to watch the rain, Xi patted him, telling him not to move.
“After this kind of thing, you’re supposed to say something sweet… Noble Young Master, I’m feeling full and content thanks to you. Will you tell me how you feel?”
“…”
‘Say what, exactly!’
A girl who eats a man whole and doesn’t even spit out the bones—such a rogue!
‘What could I possibly say… Should I praise you for queuing up so obediently, each taking a turn?’
Seeing him silent, Xi kept drawing circles on his chest with her finger, determined to wait until he spoke.
“…Last night, you mean?” Lin Nuo feigned confusion, “What happened again? Nothing special—I barely remember it.”
“Really?”
“For example…” Xi thought for a moment, then stretched her delicate hand from the cozy covers, pointing at the rain outside: “Doesn’t this rain remind you of yourself last night?”
Watching the rain splash fiercely against the windowpane, streaming down in torrents, Lin Nuo recalled something and replied: “Clearly it looks more like you, doesn’t it?”
“Mhm, so you do remember everything, don’t you?”
“…”
Lin Nuo immediately realized and, for the third time, couldn’t bear to recall—
‘Shameless, she’s so shameless!’
Watching Xi’s teasingly satisfied smile as she hugged him even tighter, Lin Nuo’s mouth twitched, and his heart filled with loneliness.
Her schemes run too deep!
‘I’m completely defeated—she’s got me in the palm of her hand, wuwuwu!’
“Shh, sleep now, Noble Young Master…”
Xi, a bit bashful for her earlier words, gently pressed her finger to his lips, telling him there was no need to say anything.
Then Lin Nuo noticed her delicate hand prying his own open, entwining their fingers together, her warmth mingling with his.
“Rustle rustle rustle…”
Listening to the soothing rain, the girl, for the first time ever, boldly nestled against him, gradually drifting into sleep—at last, quietly enjoying this rare peace and warmth.
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