Life returned to its former tranquility.
Lovia spent several days observing cautiously, confirming that Xingqiu truly hadn't taken any further action. No one had come to "arrest" her, nor were there any rumors about a "strange sea creature" spreading through Liyue Harbor.
Her heart, which had been hanging by a thread, finally slowly settled back into her chest.
"It seems... that Second Young Master is actually quite honorable?" She sat cross-legged on her small bed, mumbling self-consolations while munching on an Apple. "Maybe a busy man like him just forgot about me already!"
Yes, that must be it! The young master of a major commerce guild must be busy all day with business and martial arts practice (or reading wuxia novels?). How could he have the time to keep thinking about an insignificant Little Melusine like her?
Thinking this way, Lovia suddenly felt much more relaxed, and even the fruit in her mouth tasted a bit better.
With the crisis (as she perceived it) resolved, her creative urge, which had been suppressed by fear, sprouted like bamboo shoots after a rain, impatient to resurface.
However, after the incident at the bay, she wasn't planning to continue writing "Secret History of Wanmin Restaurant: Is Guoba the True God of Cooking??" for the time being, despite her previous enthusiasm.
Lovia's gaze involuntarily drifted toward the direction of Liyue Harbor, her lips slowly curling into a mischievous smile filled with the pleasure of "revenge."
"Second Young Master Xingqiu of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, is it..." she hummed softly, her sapphire-blue eyes full of cunning. "Seeing things you shouldn't see comes with a price, you know."
Although her reason told her that Xingqiu probably, likely, maybe had no ill intent and was even quite polite and considerate.
But!
He had given her a massive fright! He'd made it so she couldn't eat or sleep for days (not really) and almost forced her to abandon her cozy little nest to flee to Fontaine in a panic!
And what bothered her most was the look in Xingqiu's eyes when he saw her.
That gaze was filled with an overly intense curiosity, as if he wanted to see through everything she was trying to hide.
That kind of look made Lovia extremely uncomfortable.
Having once been human, she knew all too well what that curiosity behind humans' view of "non-human" strange creatures often led to, even if this was Teyvat.
Who said everyone in Teyvat was good? Had they not done the side quests properly? There were so many messed-up people in Fontaine... What if Xingqiu accidentally let it slip?
So, once exposed... it might be ostracization, a hunt, a sense of alienation as an anomaly, or worse, being scrutinized like a rare exotic beast.
When she was human, she had never been looked at with that gaze reserved for "strange existences." Now that she had transmigrated into a Melusine... this feeling made her skin crawl and filled her with more panic than being directly hated would.
She knew Xingqiu meant no harm, but... she had intended to write unofficial history anyway. If she didn't write about him now, she would eventually. Writing it now would serve as "revenge."
Hmph! You brought this on yourself by becoming material!
Even though it felt a bit like "spreading rumors"... there wasn't much difference between unofficial history and "rumors," right? After all, the story of Mora and Kexi could be considered "rumors" too!
Furthermore, was she, Lovia—the grand transmigrator, self-proclaimed gourmet, and the famous author "Lovia"—so easily "scared"? (Even though she knew Xingqiu didn't mean it.)
Second Young Master Xingqiu of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, is it? Soon you'll be the Second Miss!
A brilliant title gradually took shape in her mind, accompanied by the excitement of causing trouble and a readiness to try.
The title would be: "Secret Tales of Feiyun: A Beauty Hidden in the Inner Chambers, the Second Miss's Sword Shadows and Book Fragrance"!
Lovia rubbed her hands together excitedly and tossed the Apple core accurately into the trash can. She hopped off the bed, pounced onto the small desk piled with manuscripts, picked up her pen, her face full of mischief.
"Hehehe..." she let out a low chuckle. "Second Young Master Xingqiu—oh no, Second Miss Xingqiu—this is material you delivered yourself. It would be a waste not to use it!"
The nib of her pen swished across the paper, driven by the creative thrill of "retaliation."
[The following is a fragment of the novel written by Lovia]
[Chapter 1: Secrets of the Inner Chamber]
As everyone knows, the wealthy Feiyun Commerce Guild of Liyue Harbor has two sons... oh no, to be precise, in the public eye, there are two young masters.
The elder brother is steady and capable, having long since assisted his father in managing the guild's affairs; he is the undisputed heir.
But the Second Young Master, Xingqiu, whose whereabouts are occasionally mysterious and who often avoids guests under the pretext of "secluded study" or "traveling for learning," is the most acclaimed "pearl" of the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
Of course, the word "pearl" must be put in quotation marks, for this is actually a carefully woven dream that has lasted for over a decade.
The public only says that Young Master Xingqiu is handsome and refined, loves reading, and has a gentle temperament. Although the son of a merchant, he lacks any air of greed, appearing instead like a graceful noble from a scholarly family. Moreover, he possesses exquisite swordsmanship, making him a rare talent in both the literary and martial arts.
Yet very few know what delicate curves are hidden beneath those elegant male clothes. That clear voice, with a little adjustment, could transform into a feminine voice like a clear spring. Those eyes that occasionally look up from a scroll to gaze out the window are as clear as water, containing not just literary thoughts and sword intent, but also the faint melancholy and cunning of a young lady in the inner chambers who must temporarily hide her beauty.
Why is this so?
Rumor has it that when the Matriarch of the Feiyun Commerce Guild was pregnant, a master diviner predicted that if the child were a girl, her destiny would be extraordinary. However, she would need to present herself as a male until the age of sixteen to avoid a fated calamity. Only after reaching adulthood could she reclaim her true identity and enjoy lasting blessings.
The Guild Master and his wife loved their daughter dearly and preferred to believe it. Additionally, since Xingqiu showed great interest in male clothing and chivalrous tales from a young age and didn't show much resistance, this plan of "substituting the peach for the plum" was quietly implemented.
The guild members were strictly tight-lipped, only announcing to the outside world that they had a Second Young Master, successfully deceiving the entirety of Liyue Harbor.
Thus, our "Second Young Master" Xingqiu grew up in this strange situation of being both male and female.
She didn't read elegant poetry or literature, but rather martial arts novels and chronicles of chivalry. She didn't practice embroidery or cooking, but rather the family's Guhua Sword style.
At times, she had to play the role of a refined young master in public, while at others, in the privacy of the inner courtyard, she could change into light silk dresses before her personal maid, apply makeup to her face, and complain: "This chest binding is truly more exhausting than a day of sword practice."
...Writing to this point, Lovia couldn't help but burst out laughing.
She fully utilized her imagination as a transmigrator, adding flourish and detail to depict Xingqiu as a "Second Miss" of the inner chambers who had to cross-dress as a man due to some "destiny," appearing slightly melancholic yet full of contrast.
She emphasized how the "Second Miss" skillfully used loose robes to hide her figure, how she used a lowered voice and mimicked male mannerisms to get by, and how, in private moments known to no one, she would reveal the charm and worries of a young girl.
She even hinted in the text that the reason the "Second Miss" was so obsessed with martial arts novels and chivalry was perhaps a form of compensation and release for her restricted identity.
"Perfect!" Lovia looked at the story born from her pen with satisfaction. The more she thought about it, the more she felt this setting was incredibly compelling. "Predictions of destiny, cross-dressing, calamities, secrets—heehee, all the elements are here! The readers will definitely love it!"
She could almost imagine what kind of waves this "Secret Tale" would cause in Liyue Harbor's gossip circles once published.
Although there was a high probability it would be treated as absurd unofficial history, it would be enough for people to talk about over tea and meals for a while.
As for what Xingqiu himself would think upon seeing it?
Lovia didn't care about that!
"Hmph, this is called 'mental distress compensation'!" She shook her head triumphantly and continued to write feverishly. "That's for scaring me! Now you get to experience the subtle feeling of'social death' too!"
She even mischievously planned that the next time she went to Wanmin Restaurant to eat, she might "accidentally" let a draft of this manuscript fall in a crowded place... As for whether she'd be caught?
Liyue Harbor was full of loose tongues and countless rumors anyway. This was just something she had "occasionally heard" and "artistically processed a bit"!
Besides, she wrote it with a mix of "truth" and "lies"; who could trace it back to her? At most, Liyue Harbor would just have another harmless anecdote about the Second Young Master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
She was actually helping Second Young Master Xingqiu increase his popularity!
Yes, that was it!
Unfortunately, at this moment, Lovia didn't know that Xingqiu wouldn't care about this "rumor" at all and might even "enjoy it."
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