"Not even a cup of clear tea?" A-Lan turned her head to look at her, a hint of inquiry in her eyes. "I remember that day at the Jade Chamber, you didn't refuse to enjoy the scenery with me."
"That day was different." Nickname paused slightly. "Master once said that cultivating in the mundane world is also cultivation. Observing the myriad forms of human life and listening to the hustle and bustle of the market are all for tempering the heart."
"If that's the case, isn't observing the myriad forms of human life in a restaurant also a form of cultivation?" A-Lan chuckled softly, her fingertips brushing against the drooping branches by the roadside. "The window seat in that restaurant offers a view of Liyue Harbor's most bustling street. The passersby, the hawkers' cries—it's all more real than what you see from the Jade Chamber."
A-Lan's persistence surprised Nickname. She was about to refuse again, but then she saw the freshly bandaged spot on A-Lan's arm. Immediately, she recalled the cool touch she had felt earlier.
"If you insist," Nickname replied softly. "But I only need a cup of plain water."
She saw a flash of triumphant amusement in A-Lan's eyes, as if she hadn't expected her to actually agree.
"Alright, as you wish."
Chapter 4: Tea Fragrance Lingers, Affection Quietly Blooms
The myriad lights of homes lit up one after another.
A-Lan led Nickname through the bustling market to a restaurant that seemed ordinary but exuded elegance. Just as A-Lan had said, it offered a view of Liyue Harbor's most prosperous street.
The waiter enthusiastically greeted them. A-Lan skillfully ordered several dishes, finally adding, "And a pot of your best Qingxin tea, brewed with mountain spring water."
Nickname sat quietly by the window, watching the crowds below.
The hawkers' cries, the children's laughter, the sound of carriage wheels rolling over cobblestones—all of this was very unfamiliar to her.
Years of cultivation had accustomed her to maintaining distance from this worldly clamor.
"Look," A-Lan poured a cup of freshly delivered clear tea for Nickname, her fingers gently covering Nickname's hand when handing over the cup. "These ordinary bustling scenes are sometimes harder to comprehend than any Immortal art."
Nickname took the teacup. The steam blurred her vision, but she couldn't ignore the lingering sensation on the back of her hand.
"Why are you so insistent on treating me to this meal?"
A-Lan rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on Nickname's face, not moving for a long time: "Perhaps because I'm very curious how someone who doesn't partake in worldly affairs views these most ordinary worldly affairs."
She leaned forward, lowering her voice so only the two of them could hear, her eyes holding a deeper meaning that Nickname couldn't decipher: "Or perhaps, I just wanted an excuse to spend a little more time with you."
Nickname lowered her eyes to the clear tea in her cup. A-Lan's words stirred ripples in her heart. The cultivation path she followed emphasized purity and detachment, but at this moment, A-Lan's elusive closeness and meaningful gaze made her feel a long-unfamiliar sense of disquiet.
She subconsciously glanced at the red ropes on her body, but they showed no signs of loosening.
"I don't understand." Nickname looked up, meeting A-Lan's gaze directly. "Why do you want to spend more time with me?"
A-Lan gently swirled her teacup, a faint smile playing on her lips. Hearing Nickname's direct question, she countered, "What do you think?"
The lights outside the window twinkled, reflected in A-Lan's deep eyes like a galaxy. Nickname suddenly remembered the night sky she occasionally saw while cultivating in Jueyun Karst.
"I don't know," Nickname answered truthfully, her voice a few shades softer than usual.
A-Lan leaned forward, her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at her: "Nickname, have you ever seen glazed lily Bloom under the moonlight?"
Nickname shook her head; she never cared about flowers blooming.
But she had eaten glazed lily. Upon tasting, it had a delicate floral fragrance and sweetness. After swallowing, a faint coolness and sweetness lingered in her throat, and her mood became calm and pleasant.
"They emit a faint glow under the moonlight, indescribably beautiful." A-Lan's voice was low and gentle. "But if no one stops to appreciate it, that beauty loses its meaning."
Nickname frowned slightly: "Flowers Bloom and fall, never for the pleasure of others."
"You're right." A-Lan chuckled. "But wouldn't appreciation make that beauty even more complete?"
Just then, the waiter brought several exquisite vegetarian dishes, breaking the subtle atmosphere between the two.
"Today, thanks to you, things went so smoothly." A-Lan saw that Nickname had no intention of picking up her chopsticks and didn't press her. She raised her cup, toasting Nickname with tea instead of wine.
"It was my duty," Nickname responded calmly, her gaze unconsciously falling on A-Lan's bandaged arm. "Your injury..."
"It's fine now." A-Lan smiled, but deliberately gasped softly as she raised her hand, successfully catching a fleeting look of worry in Nickname's eyes. Then she very naturally changed the subject. "Speaking of which, your skill is even more impressive than the rumors suggest. True Monarch taught you well."
At the mention of her Master, a soft light flickered in Nickname's eyes: "Master treats me exceptionally well."
"I've heard." A-Lan nodded. "Immortals raising mortals isn't rare in Liyue, but every such bond is unique."
Nickname was slightly startled: "You... don't find it strange?"
"Why would it be strange?" A-Lan countered, her fingertip slowly tracing the rim of her cup. "The people and things in this world are inherently diverse. Forcibly measuring them by common sense is foolish."
The words were spoken casually, yet they brought a touch of Warmth to Nickname's heart. Since returning to the human world, she had heard too many people express surprise and incomprehension about her, but few had accepted it so frankly.
"Thank you," Nickname said softly.
A-Lan smiled, not asking why she was thanking her, but simply poured her another cup of tea.
During the meal, Nickname occasionally looked up, always meeting A-Lan's gaze fixed on her.
That gaze was gentle, focused, as if she were the most intriguing puzzle in the world.
"Do you always look at people like that?" Nickname finally couldn't help but ask.
"Look at people how?"
"As if... you want to see through them."
A-Lan gently swirled the teacup in her hand, a smile appearing in her eyes: "No, only you."
This statement was too direct, leaving Nickname unsure how to respond. She put down her chopsticks, her gaze returning to the window, yet she could feel A-Lan's gaze still lingering on her profile, a heat that was impossible to ignore.
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