Lovia clutched the bundle of "apology gifts," her heart thumping loudly in her chest.
She didn't dare look back, pushing her short little legs to their limit. Relying on her petite Melusine build and her budding familiarity with the back alleys of Liyue Harbor, she darted into the crowd like a startled fish before quickly ducking into a narrow, deserted alleyway.
Only when she was certain no footsteps were following her did she dare to stop. Leaning against the cold, rough brick wall, she gasped for air. The paper and brushes in her arms emitted a pleasant woody fragrance, yet at this moment, they felt like a hot potato.
"That... that was too close..." Lovia muttered, raising a hand to wipe away non-existent cold sweat (Melusines have a different physiological structure). "I almost got 'traced back to the source'... Young Master Xingqiu certainly lives up to his reputation; his hospitality is terrifying!"
Is this what Liyue people mean by 'wealth and status being overwhelming'? It's so overwhelming I just want to run away!
She poked half her head out, warily looking back the way she came for a moment. After confirming those two "kind-hearted" boys hadn't followed, she finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Once her tensed nerves relaxed, the aftereffects of the intense sprinting set in—her legs felt a bit weak, and... "Gurgle—"
Her stomach let out a protest. From morning until now, she had been too busy being nervous and running for her life to eat a single thing.
Lovia resentfully patted her uncooperative belly and weighed the expensive bundle of stationery in her arms.
The image of Xingqiu's bulging bag of Mora when he paid flashed through her mind.
"It must be nice to be rich!" she sighed once more, the lament of a pauper.
"Mora-power" truly is the strongest elemental power in Teyvat!
These brushes and papers were of the highest grade. With her meager savings, she definitely wouldn't have been able to justify buying this kind, let alone so much of it!
Regardless, her goal was achieved. High-quality stationery—get!
[Starter Equipment: Worn Brush + Scratch Paper] has been upgraded to [Legendary Equipment: High-grade Brush + Premium Xuan Paper]!
Perfect!
The joy of regaining safety and the excitement of obtaining her desired tools slowly outweighed her lingering fear. Lovia clutched her "spoils of war" tightly again, carefully adjusted her hood to ensure she was still completely covered, and then slipped out from the other end of the dark alley. Taking a long, circuitous route, she headed toward her hidden "little home."
This time, she was even more vigilant, stopping and starting as she went, occasionally using the glass reflections of shops to observe behind her, just like an experienced counter-surveillance expert (or so she thought).
Meanwhile, back at the stationery shop, Xingqiu and Chongyun were preparing to leave.
Chongyun watched the direction where Lovia had disappeared, his face still showing a hint of bewilderment and guilt. "She runs so fast... Xingqiu, did we take things a bit too far? I feel like we really were like bullies scaring off a small animal."
Xingqiu nodded, his tone carrying a touch of apology. "We were inconsiderate. She clearly doesn't want much contact with others. Our offer to walk her home, though well-intentioned, likely put pressure on her."
He looked at the Shopkeeper and asked casually, "Shopkeeper, has that young lady ever visited before?" His tone was conversational, as if merely chatting.
The Shopkeeper thought for a moment and shook his head. "Second Young Master, that face is very unfamiliar; I've never seen her before. And being wrapped up so tightly, I couldn't see her features clearly. However, she seemed very sensitive to prices; earlier, she appeared to be looking at the cheapest paper."
The Shopkeeper almost blurted out: she might as well have had the word "poor" written on her hood.
"It seems she is a fellow enthusiast of modest means," Xingqiu nodded understandingly. He didn't ask further, turning to Chongyun with a smile. "No matter. Let us treat today's events as a chance encounter with a shy fellow book lover. If we are fated to meet again in the future, we must be more mindful of our boundaries and not startle her again."
Chongyun nodded vigorously. "Yeah! If we meet again next time, I'll definitely stand further away and not be so reckless."
The Taoist Practitioner's intuition allowed him to sense emotions more keenly; he could feel that Lovia's fear had been very real.
Xingqiu smiled and stopped focusing on uncovering Lovia's identity. He had already made up his mind to respect this fellow traveler's wish for seclusion.
The connections of the Feiyun Commerce Guild would naturally not be used to pry into the life of a stranger who simply wanted to write in peace.
————————————————————————————
Meanwhile, Lovia, completely unaware of Xingqiu's thoughts, had finally returned safely—after much "hardship"—to her tiny, low-rent apartment tucked away in a remote corner of Liyue Harbor.
As soon as she entered, she double-locked the door and leaned against it, letting out another long sigh of relief. She was finally completely at ease.
She couldn't wait to tear open the exquisite packaging, taking out the fine paper, the delicate brushes, and the bottle of pitch-black ink one by one, stroking them over and over again, unable to put them down.
Good stuff, truly good stuff. No wonder it's so expensive!
*Eyes shining.jpg*
The Qingxin Talisman Chongyun had given her emitted a faint, cool aura. She placed it solemnly on a corner of her desk; it seemed to truly bring a sense of calm to the air in this small space.
"All right!" Lovia clenched her small fists, fighting spirit reigniting in her emerald eyes. "Equipment upgrade complete! Next, it's time for the final sprint!"
She sat down at her desk, which was piled high with messy manuscripts, pulled out a fresh sheet of top-quality paper, and soaked her brush in ink.
The tip of the brush glided across the paper with incredible smoothness, no longer having that previous sense of resistance, making a faint, pleasant sound.
Inspiration surged forth like a floodgate being opened.
She was completely immersed in the world of her creation, occasionally frowning in thought or wiggling her body in excitement, her tail swaying gently behind her in tune with her mood.
Before her transmigration, Lovia had been a fanfiction author. Although she had serialized online using a keyboard, she personally preferred handwritten drafts and would usually jot down the little inspirations that popped up daily in a notebook she carried with her.
Lovia had excellent handwriting, and it was precisely because of this that she was able to adapt to the Liyue-style of writing so quickly.