That night, in Shimen Town, inside the Shimen Inn.
Mona huddled cautiously in the corner of the bed, her eyes fixed on Lin Mo with a mix of wariness and vigilance.
"It's just sleeping, that's all~"
Seeing Mona's cautious demeanor, Lin Mo smiled wryly. "With how tense you look, anyone who didn't know better might think I was planning something improper~"
"Sharing a room... is something only intimate people do..."
Mona replied, still on high alert.
"So? You're not planning to sleep tonight?" Lin Mo asked, his expression turning odd.
Mona nodded firmly. "Yeah, I can sleep just fine leaning against the wall. Don't worry about me."
"Why put yourself through that..."
Lin Mo sighed helplessly. "If it's really an issue, how about I book you another room?"
"No... it's too expensive..."
Mona lowered her head and whispered, "Just for one night's sleep, it's twenty thousand Mora—that's what I earn after a full day of work..."
Lin Mo chuckled bitterly. "Look, we have to travel tomorrow. Let me cover the cost and get you a room so you can rest properly?"
"No~"
Mona refused immediately, guilt flashing in her eyes. "It's because I got bullied by those brats and you stood up for me that you're out here wandering. How could I spend your money?"
"Then use yours?"
Lin Mo asked with a laugh. "Didn't you make over a hundred thousand Mora today~?"
"But... I can't bear to part with it."
Mona hugged her knees tightly and murmured, "Let's just leave it like this. I can sleep, don't worry about me~"
"Fine, fine~"
Lin Mo didn't push further. He draped his coat over her and reminded her, "If it gets cold at night, remember to slip under the covers. My arms are pretty warm, you know~"
"Who... who would slip into your arms~"
Mona buried her face in her knees, ignoring his teasing completely.
Lin Mo smiled as he adjusted the coat over her. "Alright, I'm turning in. Good night~"
"Good... night..."
Mona's response was soft and faint.
With that, Lin Mo felt reassured enough to slide under the covers and drift off.
After a day of exhaustion, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Whether it was subconscious or not, Lin Mo rolled over several times in his sleep, ending up right next to Mona, who was curled up in the corner.
"Ah! This guy's so annoying..."
"There's so much space... and he still crowds over here..."
"And... he's touching me..."
Mona, who had been on the verge of sleep, was suddenly wide awake from Lin Mo's unconscious movements.
She tried to scoot back, but the wall was right behind her—where else could she go?
Her only option was to move to another corner of the bed without a wall.
Just as Mona started to get up, intending to step over Lin Mo...
An idea suddenly popped into her mind.
"Why... not take this chance to scry for him?"
The thought took root instantly and wouldn't let go.
So she settled back into the corner.
Facing Lin Mo, she summoned her hydro scrying disk.
With a gentle tap of her fingers on the disk...
The foretelling of Lin Mo's fate began to emerge on its surface.
"How... how is this possible..."
Mona stared at the result, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"The destined one..."
"Lin Mo... is actually my destined one."
This was the first time Mona had seen such an outcome in her scrying.
The meaning of a destined one...
It signified that the person being scried would be entangled with her for life.
She didn't know if the end would be good or bad.
But... her future life...
Would be intertwined with this man until they grew old...
In that moment, Mona recalled her teacher's warning.
"If you ever meet your destined one, cherish and seize the opportunity."
"I, your teacher... because of my pride and stubbornness back then..."
"In the end... I missed my destined one, altering what should have been fated. That's why I'm like this now, alone in my old age..."
"Teacher..."
Mona thought back on those words.
She glanced at Lin Mo, who at some point had wrapped his arms around her legs in his sleep, snoring peacefully.
"My destined one, huh..."
"Well... I guess there's no helping it..."
Mona made her decision.
In the next moment, she slid into the covers along with his embrace.
Shimen Town lay in the valley between two mountains, where the night winds were biting.
But in Lin Mo's warm arms...
Mona slept soundly.
From that night onward, their relationship warmed up quickly.
Together, they traversed the lands of Liyue and arrived at Liyue Harbor.
With their combined savings of nearly two hundred thousand Mora, they rented a modest house in the harbor.
Mona loved the little place.
Because opening the window gave a perfect view of the sea.
Every time she stood by the window gazing at the waves, Lin Mo would gently hug her from behind, joining her in the gentle sea breeze.
But...
Two hundred thousand Mora in rent wasn't cheap.
So, over the past six months, they'd become regulars at the Liyue Harbor Adventurers' Guild.
With Lin Mo's agile skills, their life had been comfortable enough these months.
However...
Mona felt a pang of guilt and self-blame.
Her own combat abilities were lackluster at best.
Though they took on commissions as a pair, it was mostly Lin Mo shielding her from all sorts of dangers.
She truly wanted to share the burden with him.
And today, she finally got her chance.
"Toward the stars and the—"
"Alright, we're old friends here, no need for the formalities." Lin Mo smiled, cutting off Katheryne.
"Mr. Lin Mo, as eager as ever~"
Katheryne smiled wryly. "What kind of commission are you looking for today?"
"What's available?" Lin Mo asked curiously.
Katheryne glanced down at the list, then looked up with a smile. "Mostly the usual, but... there's one special request."
"What is it?"
Mona asked, intrigued.
"It's like this: a household in the western part of Qingce Village needs to hire a housekeeper for a month."
"The pay is... twenty thousand Mora per day, with room and board provided."
Mona's eyes lit up. "I... I want to take this commission!"
Beside her, Lin Mo frowned slightly.
The western part of Qingce Village...
An ordinary household...
Why would they spend six hundred thousand Mora to hire a housekeeper?
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T/N:
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