Escaping Xingqiu's sight, Lovia swam frantically back to the vicinity of the small shed where she was hiding in one breath.
She didn't even dare to come ashore from the beach directly in front, instead circling around to a more concealed shallow area shielded by reefs before scrambling onto the shore in a panic.
She acted like a thief, barefoot, her wet hair and swimsuit constantly dripping water, rushing into her small shed in a flurry, slamming the door shut with a 'bang,' and leaning against it to calm her rapid breathing.
Safe... temporarily safe.
The shed was cramped and dim, with only slivers of afterglow from the setting sun filtering through the window cracks.
After the initial rush of adrenaline subsided, a feeling of exhaustion washed over her. She slid down to the floor, hugged her knees, and her body still trembled slightly. It wasn't from the cold, but from the lingering terror.
Xingqiu... how much did he see?
He must have seen everything!
The tentacles, the tail, and... and this strange body!
"Wuwu..." Lovia buried her burning face deep into her knees, letting out a sound of frustrated whimpering.
Icy water droplets dripped from her hair tips, sliding down her calves, bringing a slight chill, but completely unable to dispel the high heat on her face.
So careless!
So completely exposed!
She had always hidden herself meticulously, precisely because she feared attracting strange looks, scrutiny, or even... trouble.
But now, Xingqiu, a young master who was clearly full of curiosity and widely read, not only knew she was a Melusine but had also seen a form completely different from what was recorded!
Would he tell others? Xingqiu wasn't a bad person, but the curiosity and scrutiny in his eyes were too obvious; he had even invited her for tea just now!
Was that... a test?
Lovia's brain turned into a chaotic mess, with all sorts of terrible possibilities flooding in.
She had finally found this quiet place to write... Outside the window, the wail of the sea wind suddenly grew louder, startling her into shrinking back violently, curling up into a ball, as if this could shield her from all potential danger.
Time passed slowly in silence and fear. Lovia sat on the ground for a long time until the water on her body was half-dry, and the cold finally forced her to sober up.
I can't keep sitting here.
She struggled to get up, her limbs still a bit weak. She fumbled to light the small oil lamp on the table (it wasn't actually necessary, as she had night vision, but lighting a lamp at night was a habit).
The dim yellow light illuminated the small room. In her peripheral vision, she saw the neatly folded hooded cloak on the bed and her eyes instantly widened, as if she had seen a lifeline.
She practically lunged over, grabbing the large, thick cloak, and impatiently wrapped herself tightly within it, hiding her wet hair and sensitive tentacles deep inside the Hood.
The familiar sense of being enveloped and concealed arrived, as if separating her from the prying eyes of the outside world, which finally allowed her pounding heart to calm down slightly.
But Xingqiu's amber eyes, filled with astonishment and curiosity, remained stubbornly fixed in Lovia's mind.
His last words, "I won't disturb you," and the suggestion to have tea, upon reflection now, seemed... indeed not malicious? Instead, they carried an apology? And a sense of appeasement?
"Maybe... he isn't that dangerous?" A tiny, rational voice surfaced in her heart. Lovia vigorously shook her head, trying to fling the blue figure out of her mind.
Once her emotions settled slightly, she changed out of her soaked, simple swimsuit, dried her body, and put on dry sleepwear, but she still refused to take off the cloak.
She needed that feeling of being wrapped up.
Night fell completely.
Lovia sat at the small desk, facing the open manuscript, but she couldn't write a single word. The tip of the pen hovered in mid-air, and a drop of ink fell, blooming into a small smudge.
The sea breeze swept past the window, emitting a faint wail. Every slightly stronger gust of wind made her jump up like a startled small animal, looking warily toward the door, as if someone would knock at any moment.
Lovia knew her reaction was excessive, but she couldn't fully relax.
Tonight's experience was truly unexpected.
She deeply regretted it; why did she impulsively go for a swim in the sea?
She clearly knew that Liyue was full of prying eyes... "It's over..." She slumped onto the desk, burying her face in the crook of her arm, letting out a listless sigh, "I've really been targeted now... What am I going to do in the future..."
"Maybe... I should just run off to Fontaine? I have money now anyway, going over there isn't an issue."
"When I get there, I'll just seek refuge with Lord Neuvillette, and see who dares bully me then!"
Once this thought appeared, it quickly wrapped around her heart.
That's right, go back to Fontaine! Back to the side of her Melusine kin, back under the protection of that majestic and just The Iudex!
In Fontaine, everyone was used to Melusines; no one would look at her with that kind of expression.
Although Liyue was nice, for a Fontaine creature like a Melusine, it was ultimately a foreign land, full of unknowns and scares.
The temptation to flee was so strong that she almost wanted to start packing her bags immediately.
But...
Her gaze fell upon the manuscript spread out on the desk; next to the smudged ink marks was the article she had just begun.
She looked around the small Shack again. Although simple, she had furnished it piece by piece. It was her small nest for writing in peace, and also her cozy little home in this world.
The rhythmic sound of ocean waves drifted in from outside the window. She had gradually grown accustomed to everything here... Did she really have to give up the tranquility she had finally found and rush off to Fontaine because of one accident?
What would Neuvillette think? He didn't know her at all; would he accept her? Accept a strange and peculiar Melusine?
And a humanoid Melusine at that... Lovia buried her face deeper into her arms, letting out a groan of frustration.
Running away sounded tempting, but upon closer thought, it felt rather shameful.
She was a Melusine who aspired to become a great writer, even if the subject matter she wrote about was a bit... well, peculiar.
How could she be scared off by a small setback (okay, maybe a big setback)?
Moreover, Xingqiu... would he really cause trouble?
When he stumbled upon her identity before, he seemed to have helped calm Chongyun and kept quiet. This time, although he saw much more, his attitude... besides shock and curiosity, there seemed to be no disgust or fear, but rather more apology?
He even offered to treat her to tea as an apology... Lovia's antennae tangled anxiously beneath her Hood as reason and fear battled in her mind.
On one hand, her self-preservation instinct screamed at her to immediately get away from the potential danger. On the other hand, that faint intuition from being a Transmigrator suggested that Xingqiu wasn't as 'dangerous' as she imagined.
Besides, what if he really told people? If she ran now, what if she was caught in the act... it might be better to hide first. No one knew about her little Shack anyway, and the 'Landlord' just thought she was a wandering child.
"Argh! So annoying!" Lovia pulled at her hair, feeling like these chaotic thoughts were driving her crazy.
Finally, she suddenly lifted her head, as if she had made up her mind.
"I can't just run away like this," she whispered softly but firmly to the empty Shack, "At least... at least I should observe the situation first!"
Right, observation! See what Xingqiu does next.
If he really spreads rumors everywhere, or brings people to bother her, it won't be too late to run then!
Slipping into the sea to escape would not be difficult for her.
Once she settled on the plan of 'If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move; if the enemy moves, I'll slip away immediately,' the heavy pressure on Lovia's heart eased slightly.
She took a deep breath, picked up her pen again, and tried to pull her attention back to the manuscript.
However, after writing only a few characters, she couldn't help but prick up her ears, listening carefully to the sounds outside the window. Nothing but the waves and the wind. Yet, she kept feeling that the next moment, a knock would sound on the door.
Perhaps the Second Young Master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, whose gentle smile unsettled her, would be standing outside.
The small oil lamp flame flickered, casting her shadow long and making it sway on the wall, adding a touch of loneliness and unease... For the next few days, Lovia acted like an overly startled Troglodyte, huddled in her small den.
Although Lovia stayed indoors and had ample time to write, her writing efficiency plummeted to rock bottom.
Every day, she was on edge, and any unusual sound would make her jump. But days passed, and everything remained calm.
No strangers came asking about her, no Millelith showed up to interrogate her, and she didn't see Xingqiu suddenly appear at her doorstep with a curious smile, as if the accidental encounter by the bay that night had never happened.
This made Lovia feel slightly relieved, yet simultaneously filled with a strange sense of confusion.
Did Xingqiu really keep his promise and not reveal her secret?
Was he not curious at all? This didn't align with her perception of him as 'well-read and full of curiosity.'
So, Xingqiu actually had a good sense of propriety?
Amidst this intertwining of apprehension and doubt, several more days passed. The peaceful life greatly soothed Lovia's over-frightened nerves.
She lay listlessly on the bed, lost in thought.
That Xingqiu... really hadn't come to block the door, nor had he brought a large crowd of onlookers to gawk at a 'rare creature.'
Perhaps... probably... maybe... he was genuinely just surprised.
Although his gaze had made her very uncomfortable.
And so, the optimistic nature buried deep within Lovia's bones stubbornly resurfaced after the fear had receded slightly.
She cautiously peered out through the crack in the window for a long time. The sun was shining brightly, the waves were lapping gently, and the indistinct calls from returning Fishing Boats drifted from the distance. Everything was normal, with no sign of an ambush.
Perhaps... Liyue could be tolerated for a while longer?
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