Chapter 733: Best Partner (3k)
As their eyes met, a tacit understanding seemed to form between them, and both chuckled in unison. Despite harboring different thoughts, they had encountered each other again through a twist of fate, a kind of unspoken romance.
A silent atmosphere settled between them. Weir nodded slightly and walked towards the railing in front of Su Jiu. She carefully untied the black ribbon, muttering to herself, “When I was little, I didn’t like to tie my hair, so my grandmother used this little ribbon to tie it for me. I can’t lose this ribbon…” “If I lose it, I won’t like tying my hair anymore.”
With that, she tilted her head, gathered her long golden hair that reached her calves, and gently tied half of it up. From a noble princess, she transformed into a capable Phantom Thief, her exquisite face exuding confidence and heroism. “This Eastern dawn is red and huge. Where we’re from, you can only see such a pure sun on the sea, and it has to be at night.”
With her back to Su Jiu, the female phantom thief looked towards the east, placing her hands on the railing again as if for a final farewell.
“Um…”
Su Jiu watched her retreating figure for a while before remembering her purpose. She quickly picked up the bunch of “rose flowers” from the ground, tidied her attire, pursed her lips, and nervously offered them with her right hand, “Here, take this as a return gift for the hairpin.”
Just as Su Jiu finished speaking, Weir turned around. She looked at the roses, stunned for a full ten seconds, before slowly reaching out, gently touching the ice crystal roses, and feeling the violent aura emanating from within. The roses were magnificent and delicate, with crystals reflecting the sunlight, shimmering brightly.
“This is…” As her fingertips felt the cold touch, the girl’s beautiful eyes lifted. She looked up in surprise and then laughed softly, “Is this an Alchemical Bomb?” She couldn’t understand why the descendant of “Night” would give her such an alchemical bomb, but this one looked more exquisite than those stored in her family’s arsenal, like a dessert made by a cake decorator, with every detail showing care. As a farewell gift, she quite liked it.
“Well, I received your gift yesterday, and I didn’t know what to give back. I didn’t have anything of comparable value on me…” Su Jiu retracted her hands, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the smile on the girl’s face. She quickly lowered her head and fumbled to point at the still dim rose, explaining, “These improved versions of [Fusheng] were just made by me. To make them look better, there’s an unfinished one inside. I hope you don’t mind.”
Weir didn’t reply but lowered her head, quietly looking at the unfinished rose. Her blue eyes scanned the engraved marks, observing the incomplete alchemy lines. Her slightly dark lips straightened, then curved slightly upwards… The girl smiled. She felt sincerity within it. Born into a major family like Lucas, a [Fusheng]-grade alchemical bomb wasn’t much to Weir, but sincerity was rare. However, with the early death of her parents and the immense pressure of being the last heir falling upon her, the girl had grown up fiercely from a young age, understanding that she could only rely on herself to continue the family legacy.
In her childhood, her peers didn’t like her because she was too precocious. Although they were made to include her due to their elders’ teachings, they often formed small cliques to exclude her. As she grew up, her peers still disliked her, finding her personality eccentric, but out of respect for her strength and status, they could only offer smiles of flattery. Throughout her life, she only felt sincerity from her grandmother. Of course, if the monsters left behind by those Black Sorcerers counted, she had quite a few “alternative” friends.
“You… don’t like it?” Seeing the girl in front of her not respond, Su Jiu’s heart sank. She then looked up slightly, only to be met by a face blooming with a smile. “I like it very much.” The latter shook her head, reaching out to flip through the bouquet, then pulling out the slightly dim rose from it. She gently pulled it free and held it towards the direct morning sun, the Tyndall effect of the crystals fully displayed at this moment. “And, this rose, it’s not a half-finished product…”
As she spoke, a beam of light refracted through the crystal towards their hearts. Dust motes danced in the light, looking somewhat romantic. “Not a half-finished product?” Looking at the girl bathed in light before her, Su Jiu blinked, unable to discern her exact expression clearly… “Of course not.” Weir took a step forward, her smiling face reappearing in Su Jiu’s eyes. The sunlight was blocked by her not-so-tall figure, but the light refracted by the rose still shone on both of them, only slightly higher. It hit their shoulders, like the light before their farewell. “This is the most beautiful rose; it’s more valuable than any other…”
The girl’s gentle voice sounded in Su Jiu’s ears. She suddenly hugged her, their temples touching, a crisp, cool fragrance emanating from her hair, warmth passing between them. No lust, no blushing, no wild thoughts. “If you like it, that’s good.” Su Jiu felt her hands had nowhere to go. After a few seconds, she gently placed them on the girl’s arm and patted it twice. She didn’t dislike being hugged by her. It was a feeling of security, like what the other person had said when they first met— “You can always trust me.” Before, it was the friendship between seniors; now, it was their friendship.
“Whew…” After an unknown amount of time, Weir slowly released her arms, turned away, and looked at the completely risen sun. She slightly turned her head and chuckled, “I should be leaving too. If you have the chance, you can come find me in France.”
“Mm.” Looking at the side profile illuminated by the sun, Su Jiu was stunned for a moment before replying. The girl possessed the warmth of a mature woman, understanding and knowing her limits—a subtle and hazy feeling. She suddenly thought of a question she had pondered for a long time. Perhaps because the other party’s back was turned, reducing the awkwardness, she found the courage to ask, “So… can we be considered friends?”
“Friends?” Weir blinked, then quickly shook her head under Su Jiu’s gaze, crossing her hands behind her back and looking into the distance as if contemplating something. Seeing her shake her head, Su Jiu felt a pang of disappointment but said nothing, shifting her gaze from the girl’s long golden hair to where she was looking. A flock of Gugu Birds (white doves) was floating in the air, flying slowly, stirring up a slight breeze that blew towards them. They were adults, and they hadn’t known each other for long, so it was normal not to be friends…
As Su Jiu watched the flying birds, the blonde girl suddenly spread her arms and leaped from the edge of the tower, soaring into the sky like a white dove with outstretched wings. She left behind a somewhat ethereal voice, “Shouldn’t we be partners?” “Putting the position behind you for your partner.” Hearing this, Su Jiu was stunned again. She saw the girl’s figure glide down with the wind, gradually approaching the flock of white doves, and finally, with a “bang!”, she spread a wing and flew into the distance, through the clouds, like a white dove in a dream.
After the white silhouette completely disappeared, it took a long time for Su Jiu to snap back to reality. She smacked her lips, as if savoring something, as if she had experienced another dream. A gust of breeze suddenly blew up her Qing Si (green silk/hair), and she shook her head, then leaped downwards…
…
Upon arriving at the original inn, Su Jiu found the sleeping Zi Yi. After recounting what had happened earlier, she booked a flight back to Huainan and made another call—to Bai Zhi.
“Ring, ring…” The phone kept ringing. After a long time, it was finally answered, but it was Aman’s voice on the other end. He said lazily, “Hello, is this Big Brother?” “Aman, what’s wrong with Bai Zhi? Isn’t she going to answer the phone?”
Leaning on the inn’s sofa, Su Jiu held E Huo’s small pet, Popcorn, while E Huo was gnawing on the leg of some demon. She had been exhausted these past two days, especially by Su Jiu’s “dream.” “Sister-in-law, after she was promoted to War God Level, she left with an old man wearing a tattered vest.” Aman said unhurriedly, chewing on something that sounded like dried meat, his voice muffled. “I heard she’s going to a designated secret realm for special training, something about a second life-and-death reversal. There’s no signal there, so she left her phone with me.”
“Second life-and-death reversal?” Hearing this, Su Jiu didn’t say much. When he mentioned the “old man in a tattered vest,” she already knew it was Mr. Li Er, an ancient figure who had survived since the era of invasion by The Others. Bai Zhi’s skill was related to “Night,” and the “Night Watcher” had a strong connection with “Night.” As an elder, Old Man Li would naturally know many things.
Aman’s chewing sounds came through. He paused and then asked softly, “When are you coming back? That little maid told me Xiao Yezi misses you a lot.” “I’ll be back in a couple of days. I’ll also ask Old Man Li some things and see Xiao Yezi and that fool brother.” Hearing “Xiao Yezi,” Su Jiu’s heart softened. Her daughter hadn’t been with her for more than a few days since birth. In fact, after returning from Night Peak last time, she had been eager to learn about Old Man Li. And according to Ren, above these elders who served her, there was a Senior Brother. That Senior Brother had also learned “Elegy” and was exceptionally talente, but for some reason, she had never been able to find him, as if he had vanished into thin air.
…Spiritual Dream 79#7679 (Qii)…
Far away in the south, a small island trembled again. The small demons on it even showed signs of panic, but soon the island returned to peace, leaving only a low hum like a large bell: “Those who betray their vows shall receive the punishment of the raging waves.” The voice powerfully stirred up waves, and further away from the island, the sea was a red tide, a result of eutrophication.
