Lin Xia looked at the little girl's face, which was as red as a boiled shrimp, and at the embarrassed expression that made her seem as though she wanted to curl up into herself. His handsome brows rose ever so slightly.
A young girl's thoughts were already difficult to understand, let alone those of Zhu Zhuqing, who had just experienced such a tremendous upheaval and emotional turmoil.
Although he hadn't heard her earlier murmuring, her unusual reaction still left him somewhat puzzled.
"Mm, more or less."
Lin Xia didn't press the matter. Instead, he reached out and gently rubbed the top of her soft hair in a comforting gesture.
The black cat-ear hair accessories brushed lightly against his fingertips.
"You've been sitting here all by yourself, spacing out, and your face is so red. Did the crowd make you feel stuffy? Or did you eat too much roasted meat and upset your stomach?"
His tone was filled with the concern of an older brother.
"N-No, I'm not feeling unwell!"
Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly shook her head. Feeling the warmth from his hand on her head made her heart beat even faster, but her panic also strangely eased.
She tried her best to make her voice sound normal.
"It's just everyone looked so happy and I felt a little hot."
"That's good, then."
Lin Xia smiled and didn't pursue the matter.
"Come on. Get a good rest tonight. I've already arranged a room for you, right next to mine. Starting tomorrow, Gengxin City will be your new home."
He took her still slightly cool little hand and led her across the sleeping plaza toward the interior of the Blacksmith Association headquarters.
Zhu Zhuqing followed closely behind him, keeping her head lowered as she tried to calm herself. However, the blush on her cheeks and the pounding of her heart refused to subside.
In the darkness, she secretly raised her eyes and looked at Lin Xia's tall and dependable back. The lingering echo of the words "my husband" still seemed to circle in her heart, bringing waves of sweetness and shy excitement.
Five Years Later
At the edge of the Norton Volcano Range.
The scorching wind carried a heavy sulfuric scent as it swept across the jagged black volcanic rocks.
The sky was a gloomy leaden gray. Only the distant rim of the massive crater emitted a faint, ominous crimson glow, like a restless heart beating deep within the earth.
Five years was enough time for a sapling to grow branches and for an uncut jade to reveal its brilliance.
The once frail and tiny girl had now blossomed into a graceful young maiden.
Zhu Zhuqing wore a perfectly fitted black outfit that outlined her slender waist and figure, which nevertheless contained astonishing explosive power.
She stood quietly atop a protruding volcanic rock, her posture as straight as bamboo.
The last traces of baby fat had vanished from her delicate face, revealing clear and coldly beautiful features.
Her skin possessed the healthy fair complexion that came from years of cultivation. The youthful innocence between her brows had been replaced by calm maturity. Only her eyes remained as deep as ever, though the frost that had accumulated within them over the years seemed to have melted considerably, leaving behind a restrained brilliance.
Her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail, the ends swaying gently in the hot wind. The iconic cat-ear hair accessories on her head remained as playful and adorable as ever, standing out vividly against the gloomy backdrop.
Standing beside her, Lin Xia had also changed tremendously.
The boy had fully grown into his frame, his shoulders broad and his posture straight as a pine tree.
The last remnants of childishness had faded away. His facial features had become sharper and more defined, sword-like brows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and a firm jawline.
Five years of tempering had made his calm and restrained temperament even deeper, like a sheathed sword.
His gaze was tranquil, yet it seemed to contain wisdom that could see through everything and endless reserves of energy. Occasionally, his eyes would flash with a sharpness like lightning.
Even the simple gray training clothes he wore could not conceal his extraordinary bearing.
Five years.
A full five years!
Lin Xia's gaze, almost tangible in its intensity, remained fixed on the deep volcanic cave ahead, from which terrifying waves of heat constantly poured forth.
It was the very entrance through which he had watched his teacher, Lou Gao, step inside all those years ago to undertake the life-and-death trial of the Phoenix God.
Time itself seemed frozen here.
Only the sulfurous fumes and the faint rumbling emanating from the cave served as reminders of the passage of time and the dangers lurking within.
Worry, anxiety, anticipation…
Countless complicated emotions churned within Lin Xia's chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.
For five entire years, there had been no news.
The divine trial of the Phoenix God was far more difficult than ordinary people could imagine.
Was his teacher still safe?
Was he still persevering?
Or had he already...
Lin Xia unconsciously clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as an invisible pressure spread around him.
A slightly cool yet exceptionally soft hand suddenly reached over and gently, but firmly, grasped his tightly clenched fist.
Lin Xia was startled and turned his head.
Zhu Zhuqing was looking up at him.
During five years of living together and countless days and nights of training side by side, she had long since become keenly aware of every fluctuation in his emotions.
In her eyes, his reflection was clearly visible.
There was not the slightest trace of panic within them, only calm comfort and complete trust.
Her fingertips carried a slight coolness, yet they strangely soothed the restlessness churning within his heart.
"Big Brother Lin Xia."
Her voice was still as cool and clear as ever, yet it was like a mountain spring flowing over scorching rocks, washing away the burning tension.
"It'll be alright. Grandmaster Lou Gao he's so powerful and his will is so steadfast. Since the Phoenix God chose him, then it will definitely protect him and help him succeed."
Her tone was firm, and her eyes were filled with unconditional trust in Lin Xia's judgment.
Over the past five years, she had personally witnessed miracle after miracle created by Lin Xia, from repairing the Star Luo Empire's national treasure, to igniting the heart of the mecha Chixiao, and then leading the Blacksmith Association to unprecedented heights.
In her heart, Lin Xia's judgment was almost equivalent to the truth itself.
If he said that Grandmaster Lou Gao had a chance, then he definitely had a chance.
Feeling the coolness and firmness coming from her hand and seeing the pure trust and concern in her eyes, the tightly drawn strings of Lin Xia's heart finally relaxed a little.
The tension in his jaw softened, and the worry deep within his eyes was replaced by a trace of warmth.
In five years, the little girl who had once timidly hidden behind him had grown into a companion who could share his burdens and give him strength.
He raised his other hand. The movement was natural and familiar, carrying the unspoken understanding and closeness that had developed over the past five years.
He gently placed it atop her head.
His fingertips did not touch her hair. Instead, with almost indulgent gentleness, he precisely pinched the pair of small, fluffy cat-ear hair accessories in her hair.
This had almost become an unspoken gesture between them.
Whenever she made progress through hard work, or whenever he needed a little warmth and comfort, this gesture of pinching her cat-ear hair accessories would appear.
It represented approval, as well as a silent form of closeness and protection.
Feeling the familiar touch, Zhu Zhuqing's body relaxed ever so slightly. She even unconsciously leaned half a step closer toward him, like a small beast seeking the safety of its harbor.
Her long eyelashes trembled lightly, and two faint blushes quietly appeared on her cheeks. They were not obvious beneath the dim volcanic light, but they truly reflected the emotions stirring within her heart.
Over the past five years, this gesture had long since surpassed the meaning of simple comfort, leaving behind an even deeper and more secret mark in her heart.
"Mm!"
Lin Xia's voice was low and gentle, carrying a trace of relieved amusement as he responded to her comfort.
"You're right. Teacher will definitely succeed. We'll wait for him here until he comes out."
He withdrew the hand that had been pinching her hair accessories and turned his gaze once more toward the deep volcanic crater.
The worry in his eyes had not completely disappeared, but it had been replaced by an even firmer resolve to wait.
He believed in Zhu Zhuqing's judgment, and even more so in Teacher Lou Gao's craftsman's soul, as blazing as a furnace, and his unyielding will.
Second by second, time passed.
The sulfurous smell drifting from the volcano grew stronger and stronger, and the air became increasingly scorching and oppressive, as though even breathing carried sparks of fire.
The oppressive atmosphere was like an invisible boulder, weighing heavily upon their hearts.
Just as Lin Xia's nerves were about to be tightened once more by worry.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!!!
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