"Welco back."
As soon as Ren Suo and Qiao Muyi returned, Lingyin imdiately ca out to greet them. Having been busy the whole day, Ren Suo put his phone on to charge and swiftly went to take a shower, while Qiao Muyi sat in the living room, facing a mirror, and took out hair clips, makeup remover pads, and makeup remover from her handbag.
The makeup remover was divided into foundation remover and eyeshadow remover. Qiao Muyi first used a hair clip to pin up all the hair strands from her forehead, preventing them from obscuring her face. She then wet a makeup remover pad with the remover and carefully wiped off the costics from her face. Finally, she took out a facial cleanser for further cleaning.
Although the bathroom was occupied by Ren Suo, Qiao Muyi had bought a large pack of disposable wet wipes and swiftly completed her entire makeup removal process in the living room.
Even though the TV was on, Lingyin wasn't watching it at all; instead, she was staring intently at Qiao Muyi. Only after Qiao Muyi had finished removing her makeup did Lingyin speak. "You're getting more and more skilled."
Qiao Muyi laughed. "I knew how to do it before, and it's not difficult."
"Your skin is so good; I used to think you didn't need to wear makeup," Lingyin said. "There was a Transcendent girl who beca a model for 'ViVi,' claiming she was all-natural. Even warriors from Martial Soul Hall confird that Transcendents generally have great skin..."
Qiao Muyi smiled. "Indeed, I didn't like makeup before. I only picked it up again these past few days."
Lingyin blinked, scooted closer to Qiao Muyi, tilted her head towards the bathroom, and puckered her lips. "Because of him?"
Qiao Muyi nodded.
Lingyin asked again, "Do I still have a chance?"
Qiao Muyi shook her head.
Lingyin sighed, drew her legs together, and hugged them. "I knew it... But when you two first arrived, you weren't in that kind of relationship, right?"
"Not at the mont," Qiao Muyi laughed.
Lingyin easily understood the implication in Qiao Muyi's words. She waved her hand and said, "I get it, I won't make a move... Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have a chance. You two are together all day, just like an Oreo cookie and its cream filling."
"Yes, that's right. I won't give anyone else a chance," Qiao Muyi said, her head resting on her hands, which were propped on the coffee table, a smile in her voice. "Here in Flourishing Sakura, I am his leading lady, and I won't let anyone else have him, not even for a second."
Having spent these days with Xiao Suo, and having also benefited from his healing of her insomnia, nervous exhaustion, and poor cervical spine, Lingyin vaguely sensed Xiao Suo's handso yet innocent nature. She shivered involuntarily, knowing that Xiao Suo would probably not escape Young Master Mu's clutches.
After hesitating, she asked, "Honestly, what do you two think of how I look?"
Qiao Muyi glanced at her, carefully choosing her words. "He and I are among the stronger Transcendents, so our Insight is quite developed. With makeup on, you are very cute and pretty. However, without makeup, both he and I can clearly see the pores on your nose..."
"Just~ as~ I~ thought~"
Lingyin lay despondently on the floor. "That explains why he wasn't interested in before. It must have been because I wasn't wearing makeup that night."
Qiao Muyi's eyes sharpened as she silently probed further. "Oh? That night?"
"The first night you ca," Lingyin said, sitting up with her hands on her hips and puffing out her cheeks. "While you were showering, I used my secret technique on Xiao Suo, but he showed no reaction... I even thought he might be one of those legendary Fasting types, only to find out it was my own fault."
The Fasting type, distinct from the Herbivorous type (those who focus only on their own affairs and are uninterested in romance) and the Carnivorous type (those who enjoy dating), referred to a new category: individuals who not only disliked dating but were fundantally unwilling to interact with the opposite sex at all.
Perhaps Lingyin's initial thought was correct, Qiao Muyi mused, but she didn't voice it, instead continuing to inquire about the details.
"...Then, I quickly leaned my face close to his, but he just kept focusing on his phone. He glanced at , his gaze perfectly normal, and then soon turned back to his phone..." Lingyin said dejectedly. "Normally, if he were moved by that, he would have shyly turned his head away to avoid my gaze..."
Qiao Muyi rembered monts from the past few days: teaching Japanese on the subway, showing off her makeup for the first ti, gazing at the stars in the Planetarium, hanging an ema at the Shrine, and taking selfies at Clear Sky Tower. In each instance, she and he had made brief, close eye contact. However, all these monts ended with Ren Suo quickly looking away and avoiding her gaze.
Tracing these sweet mories, Qiao Muyi couldn't help but smile. Lingyin, after a mont of dejection, quickly recovered and leaned in to ask, "So, Sister Mu, did you two elope or sothing?"
Qiao Muyi chuckled. "Why would you think that?"
"Because even though you're Transcendents, you don't have much money," Lingyin said. "I'm guessing you're a pampered daughter from a Large clan, and you t Xiao Suo because you were both Transcendents. Then, you were forced into an arranged marriage, so Xiao Suo ran away with you to Flourishing Sakura. As a result, your family was furious and froze both of your bank cards..."
Lingyin must have watched too many Monday night dramas (Fuji TV's pri-ti slot, beloved by working won) and was directly applying their whimsical plots to Mysterious Country. However, Qiao Muyi thought about it and decided to play along with Lingyin's fantasy. "Actually, it's not too different from what you imagined..."
Lingyin imdiately grew excited and bombarded her with questions. Qiao Muyi calmly replied, "I was actually a rather insignificant character in my Large clan. It was only after becoming a Transcendent that I gradually gained the family's recognition. However, there was soone who, in order to have , sched against relentlessly and pressured the family to abandon ."
"At that ti, I was almost in despair, thinking I might as well give up, but then..."
"Could it be... Xiao Suo!?" Lingyin asked excitedly.
"Present!"
Ren Suo, having finished his shower, walked out toweling his hair dry. He looked at them both, puzzled. "Why are you calling ? Is there a cockroach?"
"This doesn't concern you," Qiao Muyi and Lingyin said to Ren Suo in unison. Ren Suo pouted, sat down to one side against the wall, and started playing with his phone.
But with Ren Suo there, they didn't feel comfortable continuing their chat. So, after quickly finishing their baths, the two of them retreated into the master bedroom. They shut the door and whispered gigglingly about girl secrets. Ren Suo, outside, spent an hour on his phone and casually reviewed "Xiao Suo's Secret Diary." Feeling sleepy enough, he yawned, covered his head with a blanket to block out the noise, and fell asleep on the couch.
anwhile, Qiao Muyi and Lingyin lay on the double bed, chatting quietly. Qiao Muyi excluded the investigative parts of their recent travels and altered so of Ren Suo's dialogue. She then retold the events of the past few days to Lingyin in detail—she had been holding it in for too long.
Other than Lingyin, Qiao Muyi really had no one else she could confide in: not her friends back ho, not Ren Suo, not Gu Yueyan, and certainly not Dong Chengling.
Only Lingyin—the girl from Flourishing Sakura Tokyo whom they had t 'once in a lifeti' and would likely never see again—beca her best confidante.
"You even went to Adachi, right? Oh, yes, the cod roe cream pasta at that restaurant there is really good."
"He really said that? 'A person's main character'... If only a handso guy would say such sweet things to ! I didn't expect Xiao Suo to be so articulate; turns out he's the Carnivorous type..."
"I prefer shrine weddings. If only I could have my wedding at iji Shrine..."
It had to be said, Lingyin was an excellent Listener; her tily interjections fueled Qiao Muyi's desire to share. As she spoke, Lingyin sighed, "The love stories of you Transcendents are really sothing else. It's always handso n and beautiful won falling in love and eloping to other countries."
Qiao Muyi shook her head and whispered, "If I weren't a Transcendent, he and I would still be living a peaceful life. We wouldn't have ended up in this situation... There's nothing good about being a Transcendent."
"But if you hadn't eloped, would you have acknowledged your feelings?" Lingyin asked.
Qiao Muyi paused, then sighed softly. "Maybe this is what it ans to et the best person at the worst ti... In Mysterious Country, we call it fate without destiny."
"Transcendents really have it tough," Lingyin nodded. "The Samurai of Martial Soul Hall can also die in battle. Even falling in love is so fraught with difficulties for Transcendents from Mysterious Country... Maybe being an ordinary person isn't so bad after all."
"Yes, to fall in love ordinarily, work ordinarily, marry ordinarily, have children ordinarily, grow old ordinarily..." Qiao Muyi murmured. "Such ordinary happiness is actually very beautiful."
"Mhm," Lingyin nodded. She looked straight into Qiao Muyi's eyes and sighed. "It seems I really don't stand a chance. Your Bond with Xiao Suo is just too strong."
"Yes..." Qiao Muyi's voice was very soft. "In Flourishing Sakura, in Tokyo, right here, the Bond between him and is the strongest..."
Lingyin then felt a slight sense of unease. You're from Mysterious Country, why do you keep emphasizing Flourishing Sakura and Tokyo? But she quickly brushed it aside and asked, "So, these past few days with the makeup and buying clothes, was it all for..."
Qiao Muyi nodded, then humd with a trace of emotion.
"I've even relearned how to dress up for him. He'd better rember at my most beautiful..."
「November 25th, Sunday.」
Lingyin woke up early. Toshimaen was an amusent park, and Sundays were its busiest days, so she had to go in for an early shift.
She glanced at Qiao Muyi, who was sleeping peacefully beside her, and once again envied Transcendents.
How does she manage to keep her hair so neat while sleeping? And her skin is as smooth as if she slathers it with SK-II... The more Lingyin looked, the more she felt like all her own skincare products were a waste of money!
She left the room quietly and saw Ren Suo asleep in the living room. He had kicked off his blanket, half his head was hanging off the sofa, and drool marks were clearly visible on his face. He looked just like a big kid who never grew up—so cute!
After washing up, Lingyin began her makeup routine. While applying her makeup, she opened her phone to check for ssages on Line and saw many notifications in a group chat. She glanced at the chat history, and while drawing her eyeliner, she was startled and sared it!
She imdiately opened Yahoo to search for keywords and effortlessly found a wanted poster on Martial Soul Hall's official website—an arrest warrant.
She stood up at once, intending to wake Xiao Suo and Young Master Mu, but she hesitated for a mont as the content of the warrant flashed before her eyes.
Ultimately, though, she shook Xiao Suo and Young Master Mu awake and had them look at the notice on Martial Soul Hall's official website:
"tropolitan Police Departnt Designated / Martial Soul Hall Designated · Important Wanted Notice"
"Tokyo tropolis · Transcendent Criminal Incident"
"Height 164cm, long hair, 23 years old, Qiao Muyi (photo included)"
"This Transcendent criminal is an extrely dangerous offender with a terrifying Supernatural Ability. Anyone who discovers her is urged to contact the local tropolitan Police Departnt imdiately."
"Reporting, capturing, or killing this fugitive will be rewarded with 30,000,000 yuan in cash."
"Furthermore, it is highly probable that the fugitive's Supernatural Ability may be transferred to her killer. The individual who kills this fugitive may obtain her Supernatural Ability."
"Martial Soul Hall promises: The Warrior who kills this fugitive will be directly hired by Martial Soul Hall for a substantial sum."
After silently reading the warrant, Qiao Muyi smiled faintly and slowly closed her eyes. "...They've finally played this card... Heh, this ti I truly have nowhere to run. Everywhere I look, there are enemies..."
And I can no longer continue this happy dream with him.
Though she knew this wanted poster would worsen her situation, Qiao Muyi wasn't overly saddened by it. Her current despondency stemd more from the realization that this unconstrained, free journey, shared with only one other person, was finally coming to an end.
Everywhere I look, there are enemies.
She had long known this dream was as fragile and epheral as a bubble, but when the crushing weight of reality descended, she still found it unbearable. Yet, with the very air filled with needles poised to prick that bubble, what could she do?
The mild winter in Tokyo passed so quickly, in just five days.
Ren Suo glanced at Qiao Muyi and said softly, "What are you talking about? Am I an enemy too? Besides, could I even defeat you?"
Seeing Ren Suo acting cautiously, trying to comfort her yet afraid of angering her, like a little kitten, Qiao Muyi forced herself to clear the gloom from her heart and rallied her spirits. "Hmph... you can't even beat . What difference does it make if you're an enemy or not?"
Qiao Muyi turned to Lingyin. "Lingyin, thank you for taking care of us these past few days. We must leave now. If people from Martial Soul Hall or the tropolitan Police Departnt question you, there's no need to hide anything. Just tell them the truth."
Lingyin nodded. "I understand. If it weren't for , Young Master Mu, you wouldn't have been exposed... I wish you both martial prosperity and eternal happiness."
She seed to believe that Young Master Mu was wanted and had been discovered by the 'Large clan' because Qiao Muyi had killed that pervert five days ago to save her. Lingyin felt quite guilty.
However, Qiao Muyi's face turned red—she recalled a Japanese phrase aning 'eternal happiness' that is generally used to congratulate newlyweds.
But I didn't teach Ren Suo that particular piece of knowledge. He probably doesn't know.
Ren Suo put on his hood, mask, and headphones. He thoughtfully watched Qiao Muyi, who was wearing a black fleece beret, as she walked down the stairs ahead of him.
In the ga, Ren Suo could only judge Young Master Mu's mood changes by the decrease in resentnt purification. But in reality, Ren Suo could discern Qiao Muyi's true feelings through the "Listening Headphones."
Although she had pulled herself together, her inner resonance was still one of dejection; she was clearly forcing a smile.
Ren Suo hesitated for a mont, then approached and asked in a low voice, "Where are we going next?"
Qiao Muyi pondered for a mont. "The arrest warrant from Martial Soul Hall hasn't publicized the fabricated cri. The fact that they know my awakened spells can be transferred indicates soone within the Six Great Supernatural Organizations is very familiar with them. They know publicizing the accusations would cause my power to drastically change... I already have suspects, but no evidence yet."
Qiao Muyi glanced at the nearby residential buildings and sighed softly. "The clues I've gathered these days in Tokyo are enough. We need to leave Tokyo and head to another location with a key clue."
If she had the choice, she truly did not want to leave Tokyo.
Whether she found the key clues or not, it signaled that her journey as a fugitive was nearing its end. If she found them, she would try to clear her na; if not, then she would just have to deal with it.
Ren Suo walked a bit further, coming alongside her. "Where to?"
Qiao Muyi said, "The northernmost city in Gifu Prefecture, Missile City."
Ren Suo humd in agreent and took her hand, leading her towards the station. "I know how to get there. Just follow ... By the way, soone on the train might recognize you. You should wear my mask to cover up."
Qiao Muyi dazedly accepted the mask, watching as Ren Suo led her towards the station. Ren Suo tried to act nonchalant, but from her angle, she could see him pursing his lips, his hand tense and his palm sweaty with nervousness.
Qiao Muyi didn't believe for a second that he'd never touched a girl's hand before—putting herself aside, she felt that Dong Chengling and Gu Yueyan had surely been inadvertently brushed against by him countless tis.
However, when things were serious, Ren Suo's mind wouldn't stray to such frivolous thoughts. To him, a girl's hand probably didn't feel as good as a ga controller.
But this isn't one of those serious tis. He ca over to take my hand, and he's as nervous as a kitten accepting food from its owner for the first ti... Could this be the first ti he's taken such initiative in his virgin life?
Qiao Muyi didn't speak. She fiddled with the mask in her hand, then put it on with one hand and chuckled softly.
Could it be... he secretly studied up on that knowledge point behind my back? Knows about that custom?
Or is it... he's finally caught on?
Ren Suo turned his head and saw Qiao Muyi's eyes, as enchanting as crescent moons, nearly overflowing with mirth. He instantly knew she'd seen through his awkwardness. He could only pull his hood tighter over his head and lower it like an ostrich—I'm so la!
If the rebels were a challenge to his physical limits, then Maid Xiao Suo is a test of his ntal boundaries. He was the gallant little tough guy in kindergarten who wouldn't show any change in his face even when he couldn't hold in a bowel movent. He grew up fearing nothing but pain, death, and hardship.
But all the shyness he'd felt in his twenty-plus years combined didn't amount to what he'd experienced these past few days!
If "Xiao Suo's Secret Diary" hadn't suddenly updated with this content, Ren Suo wouldn't have been able to make up his mind.
I'm even sacrificing my pride for you; you'd better cheer up...
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