bookbashuk Page 89
Page 89
It's as if I can truly see stories from a very, very long time ago through your dance!
Hearing his sincere praise, Yura's heart started beating faster again, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
She tried to remain calm and asked in a low voice, "...So?"
Yi Chen's smile widened even more.
"So now I can finally relax!"
Yura looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Of course I trust your plan to turn your reputation around!"
Yi Chen spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable.
"Just imagine! On the day of the Tvalin return ceremony, you'll be wearing your most formal attire, dancing this dance in front of everyone!"
So breathtaking, so beautiful! Who would remember those messy prejudices anymore!
Everyone will surely only remember how outstanding Yura Lawrence was, how much she inherited the ancient glory of a knight!
The more he talked, the more excited he became.
"At that time, you might be even more popular than Barbara!"
Become the new superstar of Mondstadt!
Hehe, then I can tell everyone about it.
'Look! That amazing Yura! I was her first fan! The first person to see her perform the Ritual Dance solo!'"
Yi Chen looked smug, as if he could already see that scene.
Yura listened to Yichen's plan and smiled.
Is there really no room in my mind for anything other than friends and these straightforward thoughts?
"…Fool."
"Celebrities... I'm not interested in them at all."
"...If that day ever comes."
"The location of the initial fans..."
"...I'll leave it to you, alright."
"You should really thank me for this privilege."
The setting sun cast their long shadows across the grass, as if they were intertwined.
The evening breeze carried Yura's very soft, almost whispered words:
"...After all, you were...the first one to see it."
A few days later, the Dongfeng Guardian Return Ceremony was held in grand style.
Crowds gathered, flowers lined the road, and all the Knights of Favonius stood solemnly. When the enormous dragon Dvalin folded its wings and descended with the solemnity of a deity from ancient mythology, thunderous cheers and applause erupted from the crowd, and all fear and barriers vanished.
And at the moment when Dvorin landed and shone at his brightest—
Yura Lawrence, dressed in ancient and gorgeous ceremonial attire, dances gracefully on the high platform.
Her dance was no longer cold, but full of the solemnity of recognition and the glory of blossoming. Every movement seemed to resonate with the wind, telling of the revival of an ancient covenant.
The sunlight gilded her, and the family dance steps that were once seen as a mark of "sinners" have now become a bridge connecting the past and the present, winning everyone's admiring gaze!
Applause and gasps of amazement rose and fell.
Inside the commander's office, Yi Chen leaned most of his body out of the window, excitedly watching the grand scene below and seeing Yura shining in the crowd, his face beaming with a proud and radiant smile.
"Hahaha! This is what Mondstadt should be like! Freedom, happiness, and inclusiveness!"
He waved his arms, wishing he could fly down and join the celebration.
Qin stood behind him, watching his dangerous move that almost caused him to fall. She sighed helplessly, reached out and grabbed the back of his collar, pulling him back steadily.
"Be careful."
Her voice carried a hint of barely perceptible worry, then she softened her tone and asked casually.
"I heard... you're leaving Mondstadt again tomorrow?"
Yi Chen turned around and answered crisply.
"I promised my senior sister I'd go back to Mt. Aozang in Liyue to help her resolve the issue of the evil energy within her, so I can't delay any longer! But don't worry, I'll be right back after I'm done!"
Chapter 49, a long chapter of three thousand words.
Qin's gaze fell on Yi Chen's pure and innocent smile.
"So... what do you plan to do after you get back?"
Her voice was very soft, with a hint of barely perceptible probing.
Yi Chen answered without hesitation.
"Of course, I'll continue to be your little assistant, Qin Tongzhang! What else can I do?"
He smiled broadly, as if this was the only and best option in the world.
Qin paused slightly, but still pressed on, "...Haven't you thought about doing something else? With your abilities..."
Yi Chen interrupted her without hesitation, turning his gaze back to the lively scene outside the window.
"Helping Jean by her side, handling all the big and small matters in Mondstadt, and being with everyone... that's when I feel happiest and most fulfilled!"
His words were straightforward and passionate, like the purest sunlight, expressing without reservation his affection and appreciation for the people before him and for this city.
Qin stood behind Yichen, watching his unguarded back and listening to his words of dependence that could almost be called a "confession," but the expression on her face became complicated.
An overwhelming warmth and joy welled up from the bottom of her heart, almost overwhelming her.
To be needed by him so much, trusted so much, and chosen so unconditionally by him…
Just thinking about that night when Barbara looked at Yichen with teary, adoring eyes…
That joy was instantly cooled, as if doused with a bucket of cold water, turning into a heavy sense of guilt and inner turmoil.
Jean clenched her fingers slightly, but in the end, she just stood there silently, gazing at the dazzling sunlight that belonged to Mondstadt outside the window, and the unsuspecting young man in the center of the sunlight, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Should she reach out and grasp this overwhelming warmth?
Qin could clearly hear her heart pounding, a voice screaming frantically—Grab him! Keep him! This warmth, this acceptance, this unique gaze she had subconsciously longed for for so long…
She was the acting head of the delegation, but first and foremost, she was also an ordinary woman who felt lonely and tired.
With each heartbeat, what comes to mind is Barbara's tearful eyes at the concert that night, and the clumsy yet pure feelings that she, as the older sister, had to protect.
How could she... how could she... take away the happiness her sister might have had?
That heavy sense of responsibility as Gunnhildr's eldest daughter, and the protective instinct of an older sister, tightened around her heart like the strongest shackles, forcefully suppressing the budding stirrings of "selfishness."
The warm sunlight suddenly seemed to turn icy cold.
Qin suddenly took half a step back, as if trying to escape the overly dazzling and alluring aura surrounding Yi Chen.
She turned her head slightly, avoiding any probing gaze that Yi Chen might cast. Her long eyelashes drooped, casting a faint shadow beneath her eyelids, concealing all the complex emotions churning within.
She couldn't stay here any longer.
We can't listen to him anymore.
Otherwise, she feared that her shameful wavering and greed would break through all the defenses of reason.
"…Yeah."
Qin heard her own voice ring out, unusually calm, even carrying a deliberate sense of detachment befitting the acting leader, completely opposite to the turbulent emotions within her heart.
"It is truly a blessing for the Knights of Favonius to have such a capable assistant as you."
She forced herself to turn around and walk toward the pile of documents that would never be finished, pretending that she needed to review them immediately, leaving Yichen with only a seemingly focused and busy profile.
Her fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly, so she gripped a pen tightly, using the cold touch to calm herself.
"There are still many follow-up matters to be handled after the ceremony, so I won't keep you any longer."
Qin stared at the dense text on the document, but couldn't understand a single word, and tried her best to keep her voice steady.
"Since you're going on a long journey tomorrow, go back and rest early today. And please... be careful."
She told him to leave.
I used work and distance to build a temporary, fragile defense for myself.
She avoided his possible questions, and even more so, she avoided... that expectation within her that shouldn't have arisen, yet had already begun to stir.
That warmth, which was just within reach, along with the noisy celebration outside the window, was left behind.
Inside the office, only the rustling of turning pages and her own heartbeat, like a drumbeat, could be heard only by herself.
......
The grand Dongfeng Guardian Return Ceremony concluded successfully amidst cheers from the crowd.
Yi Chen returned to the villa with a satisfied expression, his face still flushed with excitement.
Pushing open the door, one sees that Shen He has already neatly packed their luggage in the living room, with a few simple packages placed by the door.
She stood quietly by the window, gazing at the night sky of Mondstadt, exuding an air of eager anticipation.
Meanwhile, Ying and Paimon were sprawled out on the large sofa in the living room, looking completely drained of energy by their intense work and the lively atmosphere of the ceremony.
Paimon even floated on the back of the sofa like a little balloon, his eyes looking like mosquito coils.
"I'm back!"
Yichen's cheerful voice broke the silence in the room.
"Today's ceremony was a huge success! Did you see it? Yura looked absolutely amazing!"
Paimon waved his hand weakly: "I...I saw it...the sound was so loud...Paimon's ears were almost deafened by the cheers..."
Ying nodded lazily in agreement.
Yi Chen looked at the two of them, his eyes darted around, and suddenly he thought of something, so he extended an invitation warmly.
"By the way! My senior sister and I are heading back to Liyue tomorrow! Aren't you still searching for the Seven Gods and inquiring about your brother? Your next stop should also be Liyue, right? Why don't you just come with us? It'll be good to have someone to look after you on the road!"
However, Ying shook her head, propped herself up a little, and explained.
“Thank you for your kindness, Yichen. However, we asked Venti before, and he said that there are still more than half a year until Liyue’s annual ‘Invitation Ceremony’. If we go now, we may not be able to see the person we want to see.”
She paused, then pointed to herself and Paimon.
"So, we plan to take on more commissions in Mondstadt during this time and save up some Mora. We'll definitely need a lot of money for the journey ahead, and we can't be as broke as before."
Paimon also flew up a little and nodded vigorously.
"That's right! Paimon doesn't want to go hungry anymore! We need to earn lots and lots of Mora! To buy lots and lots of delicious food!"
Although he was rejected, Yichen felt that what they said made a lot of sense, so he did not insist.
"Oh! I see! That's true! You can't get anywhere without money! Good luck to you guys! When you come to Liyue, be sure to come visit me! I'll be your guide!"
Ying smiled and agreed.
At this moment, Shen He, who had been standing silently by the window, slowly turned around and reminded him.
"Junior brother, it's getting late, you should rest. We need to set off as early as possible tomorrow."
Her gaze swept over Ying and Paimon on the sofa, she nodded slightly as a farewell, then picked up her luggage and headed to her room on the second floor first, her demeanor decisive and without the slightest hesitation.
Yi Chen smiled at Ying and Paimon: "Then you two should get some rest too! Don't work too hard!"
After saying that, he picked up his small bag and followed Shen He upstairs, humming a cheerful tune.
In the living room, only Ying and Paimon remained.
Paimon floated to Ying's side and whispered, "Traveler, I don't know why, but I always feel like Miss Shenhe seems... in a particular hurry to take the mysterious man from the plane crash?"
Ying gazed in the direction of the stairs and nodded thoughtfully.
"maybe."
"However, the savings plan remains unchanged."