"Fulfill... your promise..."
Shenhe's eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, began to tremble slightly.
In her heart,
she was already certain that Lin Mo had intended to deceive her from the very beginning.
And now, Lin Mo was still talking about fulfilling promises... How could a lie be fulfilled?
"To prepare a residence and farmland for me..." Shenhe asked cautiously.
"Done."
Lin Mo smiled slightly, raising the Serenitea Pot. "This is the Serenitea Pot given by Madame Ping. You've likely heard of it. It contains various pavilions and towers—you may choose whichever you prefer."
"And... you said... once I completed my studies and returned, you would propose to me in Liyue Harbor..."
"Mhm, after the Lantern Rite ends," Lin Mo replied with a gentle nod.
"You said many of your close friends and family would raise their glasses in celebration... toasting our everlasting union..."
"They will."
Lin Mo smiled. "My friends have all come to Liyue for the Lantern Rite."
"You also said... we would have a lovely child... we would raise the child together... and grow old side by side..."
By now, the resentment and grievance in Shenhe's eyes had transformed into joy and anticipation, softened by Lin Mo's renewed promises.
With Yae Miko present, Lin Mo felt a bit embarrassed.
But he still spoke to Shenhe tenderly, "Aren't all those things meant for after the wedding night? A young lady like you shouldn't be more impatient than me~"
The tears in Shenhe's eyes finally found their rightful release.
In the next moment, she took a step forward and embraced Lin Mo,
as if afraid he might leave her side once more.
This long-awaited embrace
was something Lin Mo savored deeply.
Mainly because...
with his current strength, Lin Mo feared no demon god.
But against a Cryo Slime, he was utterly defenseless~
(cadd) "Ahem~ Seems you're quite enjoying it~"
A sour remark drifted into their ears.
Yae Miko stood to the side, casting a disdainful glance at the embracing pair.
Prompted by the comment, Shenhe slowly withdrew from Lin Mo's arms and turned her gaze toward Yae Miko, her eyes carrying a hint of hostility.
"Lin Mo, who is she?"
Shenhe asked coolly.
In that moment,
she seemed to revert to the solitary, aloof disciple of the mountains.
"Uh... She's..."
"Who I am isn't important,"
Yae Miko interjected, turning a gleeful, teasing smile toward Lin Mo. "What matters is that I know why the man you've yearned for all these years deceived you back then~"
"..."
Shenhe shifted her suspicious gaze to Lin Mo.
Indeed, no matter how Lin Mo tried to make amends, what happened back then was still a deception.
She desperately wanted to know the reason behind Lin Mo's actions.
Why did he save her?
Care for her?
Share hardships and joys with her in the wilderness, becoming inseparable companions.
Only to push her away in the end.
These swirling doubts led Shenhe to turn back to Yae Miko and ask coldly, "Tell me. Why?"
Yae Miko did not answer immediately.
Instead, she looked at Lin Mo with keen interest.
Her captivating eyes seemed to speak, as if saying: *Shall I recount the story of how you've hidden your many red-haired confidantes?*
"Sigh..."
Lin Mo let out a soft sigh.
What was there left to hide?
Shenhe would find out sooner or later anyway.
Rather than letting her suffer repeated blows,
it was better to tell her everything at once.
If she could accept it, all would be well.
If not, there was truly nothing more Lin Mo could do.
After a hundred cycles of reincarnation leading to this, the hundredth life, many things were beyond his foresight.
Lin Mo could only say, "You tell her."
"Oh~"
Yae Miko's eyes sparkled with interest.
She could see that Shenhe was not an easy woman to deal with.
So she hadn't expected Lin Mo to confess so honestly to Shenhe.
And through a third party like herself, no less.
That left no room for evasion or concealment.
But seeing the resolve in Lin Mo's eyes,
Yae Miko knew this was his decision.
She turned back to face Shenhe, whose gaze was sharp and penetrating,
and began to recount the secret of Lin Mo's hundred cycles of reincarnation.
She explained how, in each life, Lin Mo would reach a certain point where he had no choice but to depart and enter the cycle anew under a different identity.
The more Shenhe listened, the tighter her pale, slender fists clenched.
By the time Yae Miko had only mentioned Ganyu, Shenhe could no longer hold back. She turned her cold eyes toward Lin Mo and asked faintly,
"Lin Mo..."
"Just how many red-haired confidantes do you have...?"
"On our wedding day, when our close friends and family raise their glasses in celebration..."
"Is that blessing meant only for you and me... or does it include your red-haired confidantes as well?"
As Shenhe spoke,
tendrils of dark smoke could be seen swirling around her.
This was clearly an omen—the Lonely Star and Calamitous Omen were on the verge of breaking free!
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T/N:
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