The next morning, soft sunlight filtered through the window of the Silver Lantern Inn. Luo Feng and Miya woke together, still wrapped in each other's warmth under the shared blanket. They dressed quietly, sharing a gentle smile, then went downstairs with Kael and Lin Wang.
Little Lila was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs, her braided hair bouncing as she beamed up at them. "Good morning, travelers!" she chirped politely. She led them to a corner table and began serving breakfast herself—warm bread, fresh cheese, boiled eggs from the inn's hens, and steaming bowls of fragrant soup. Her mother watched from the desk with a proud smile.
Luo Feng thanked the little girl with a gentle nod, then looked at his three companions as they ate. "This is good," he said calmly. "Let's head out after breakfast. We'll look around the market and shops and buy everything the village needs—cloth, silk, salt, medicine, tools, anything that will make life better back home."
Miya's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Yes! The children will love new clothes, and the elders need medicine."
After the meal, the four of them stepped back into the bustling streets of the capital, the heavy pouches of gold safe inside Luo Feng's Storage Bag. They spent the morning moving from stall to stall in the Grand Market, choosing carefully but generously. They bought bolts of sturdy cloth in every color, fine silk for special occasions, sacks of pure white salt, jars of healing ointments and rare medicines, iron tools, cooking pots, warm blankets, and even a few small toys for the village children. Kael and Lin Wang carried the growing pile back to the inn with happy grins, joking about how heavy the cart would be on the return journey.
While the others were busy loading the latest purchases, Luo Feng slipped away for a moment to a small jewelry stall tucked between two larger shops. His eyes fell on a beautiful hairpin—delicate silver shaped like a blooming lotus, with a single tiny purple gem that caught the light like captured starlight. It reminded him of the grapes they had grown together in Eden Village.
He bought it without hesitation.
Later, when the group paused near a quiet fountain to rest, Luo Feng turned to Miya. He took her hand gently and placed the hairpin in her palm.
"For you," he said softly, his young face warm with quiet love. "It matches the flowers you planted with me back home."
Miya's cheeks flushed deep pink. She stared at the hairpin for a heartbeat, then looked up at him with shining eyes. Without a word she threw her arms around his neck, rose on her toes, and kissed him—soft, full of joy and gratitude, right there in the busy street where no one paid them any mind.
"Thank you, Luo Feng," she whispered against his lips, voice trembling with happiness. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever owned. I love it… and I love you."
He held her close for a moment, smiling against her hair. Kael and Lin Wang pretended to be very interested in a nearby stall, hiding their knowing grins.
The sun climbed higher as they finished their shopping, the ox-cart now loaded with everything Eden Village could possibly need. Luo Feng looked at Miya—her new hairpin gleaming in her black hair—and felt a deep, steady warmth in his chest.