Chapter 11
End of the year.
Snow had been falling all day outside, and fine frost flowers clung to the windows, but the room was quite warm. Pei Jian picked out a suitable outfit, and bursts of laughter could be heard from downstairs.
She breathed a sigh of relief, pushed open the door, and saw A Luo leaning against the wall. Hearing the sound, she looked at Pei Jian with a faint smile on her lips, "Ready?"
“Yes,” Pei Jian nodded, still somewhat nervous.
After all, it's not easy to get them to accept her from the bottom of their hearts.
A Luo noticed her subtle nervousness, gently took her hand, and squeezed her fingers between Pei Jian's fingers, their fingers intertwined tightly. "Don't worry, I'm here," he said in a low and gentle voice, with a coaxing tone. "If you're unhappy, we can leave anytime."
“Hmm,” Pei Jian wasn’t worried that anyone would be foolish enough to make things difficult for her; she was mainly worried about the ‘estrangement’.
I remember that she transferred schools once in fourth grade. The teacher and classmates in the new class were very nice, but they had already formed a stable clique over the past four years. She always seemed to be on the outside of them and couldn't fit in. Many years later, this feeling of being 'invisible' and 'isolated and helpless' is still clear to her.
She was afraid of repeating the same mistake.
“Jane,” Alo whispered to her, “I will always be by your side.”
A Luo's sudden confession calmed Pei Jian's heart a little.
"Let's go." So what if she can't fit in with them? She's here to complete a mission, not to make friends.
Pei Jian stepped down the stairs.
The first floor has been completely transformed, decorated like an old tavern in a working-class neighborhood. Cases of beer are stacked in the corner, old-fashioned posters are pasted on the walls, and two huge wooden barrels are placed on the table. The lighting is dim and hazy.
A Luo led Pei Jian to the two reserved spots.
“This is Pei Jian,” A Luo introduced her to everyone, “she is the person I am currently pursuing.”
The entire room fell silent for a moment.
A cacophony of noise erupted immediately.
"Hello everyone," Pei Jian said, waving her other hand a few times while one hand was tightly gripped by A Luo. "It's nice to meet you all."
A tall, burly man grinned and defused the situation, saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you too."
Perhaps it was because A Luo had given prior notice, or perhaps they were just naturally friendly, but Pei Jian didn't feel any rejection or coldness. On the contrary, they would proactively bring up topics, yet never curiously probe into her past, making Pei Jian feel a long-lost sense of ease.
The flames in the oven leaped excitedly, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of butter and caramel.
Would you like some bread?
Alo brought her a plate of bread slices spread with cheese, and a plate of smoked ham sliced into translucent thin slices.
"This is delicious."
Pei Jian sandwiched two slices of ham between bread slices, dipped them in meat sauce, and the taste was savory and rich.
not bad.
After a few rounds of drinks, A-Luo, encouraged by the crowd, drank quite a bit. Someone suggested playing a game of "Truth or Dare," or "Whatever You Say."
Once the tip of the empty wine bottle placed in the middle of the table stops spinning, whoever it points to must answer a gossip question. You can't lie. If you don't want to answer, you have to accept a drinking punishment.
Pei Jian was fearless; she was a woman who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.
A Luo seemed to be somewhat drunk.
They had dodged the first few rounds, but Garr spun the bottle again, and it slowly came to a stop under the intense gazes of the crowd, the bottle opening facing Alo.
"oh!"
Everyone exclaimed in unison, "We've finally caught you!"
Pei Jian inexplicably felt like she had made a plate of dumplings just for the sake of this dish of vinegar; it seemed that everyone's original intention in playing the game was to prank A Luo.
One of them said shamelessly, "Your Highness, we won't make things difficult for you. Why don't you tell us how you fell in love with Miss Pei?"
A Luo leaned back casually in his chair, his left hand resting on Pei Jian's chair back, encircling her with a possessive gesture, a slightly tipsy smile on his face.
Pei Jian assumed he would only offer a few platitudes like, "Because he's good-looking," "Because he's kind," or "Because he's brave."
“Because the weather was so nice that day,” Alo suddenly said in a low voice, “I followed her to a clear stream in the east of the city. There was a shelter along the stream, and she was playing with the children there.”
The following words were not so much an answer to that person's question, but rather a confession from A Luo to Pei Jian under the influence of alcohol: "When I was a child, I rarely saw my parents because of the frequent wars. I could count the number of days I sat down to eat with them on one hand. I thought to myself, how wonderful it would be if someone could play with me."
"When I saw those young children that day, it was like seeing myself more than ten years ago."
Pei Jian finally understood where Alona's inexplicable affection came from.
...
The bottle was turned on again.
Each time, the bottle passed Pei Jian by, until the tenth round, when the bottle finally pointed at her.
"Your Highness should ask that question."
A Luo moved the peanuts that had just been served as a snack with drinks to a distance, lightly tapping the rim of her glass with her fingertips. "Pei Jian, would you like me?"
He leaned close to her ear and whispered the question.
Pei Jian swirled her wine glass, the amber liquid gently swaying with her movements, but she didn't answer the question immediately.
She thought about it carefully for a moment, then said, "I don't know."
Maybe yes, maybe no.
But perhaps it's just beginning.
Pei Jian truly did not know.
Alo didn't dwell on her answer; he just smiled, as if maintaining the status quo was already a perfect outcome.
The game continued, and the laughter persisted.
As the night wore on, everyone was completely drunk, sprawled out on the tables and chairs, except for Pei Jian, who remained somewhat sober.
A Luo was already quite drunk and had refrained from drinking in the later rounds. Now that the hangover soup was served, he downed three cups in a row. "Let's go, I'll take you upstairs."
"them..."
Pei Jian pointed at the unconscious crowd.
"Don't worry, the servants will bring out blankets to cover them."
...
Things often veer off course unexpectedly or from a fleeting thought.
In short, A Luo and Pei Jian slept in the same bed.
The night was deep.
Although Pei Jian prided himself on being able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, he hadn't had any for a long time and drank a bit too much, so he was a little tipsy.
She had that dream again.
She dreamt that nearly a year ago, she was captured by Alo, trembling and hiding beside a cave, her eyes fixed longingly on the blazing flames inside, hesitant to go in; she dreamt that Alo held a gleaming dagger viciously against her neck, bright red blood dripping down and soaking into her collar; she dreamt that she leaned against an old, weathered tree, dizzy and vomiting repeatedly...
Pei Jian knew for certain that this was a dream.
She struggled to wake up from the dream. She really didn't want to relive that experience of the water-related fever again.
A Luo woke up earlier than her, opening his eyes while Pei Jian was unconsciously muttering in her sleep. He sensed Pei Jian's unease and gently patted her back with his large hand.
However, Pei Jian, who was still half asleep, could not immediately distinguish between reality and dreams, and she immediately pushed A Luo away.
Pei Jian seemed to still be trapped in that damp and cold cave, his breathing rapid and cold sweat beading on his forehead.
A Luo moved forward half an inch, wanting to hug the person again, but Pei Jian pressed against her chest, "I...I want to calm down first."
Alo then stopped approaching and lit a lamp. "Are you feeling unwell? Should I go call the doctor?"
"Need not."
He hugged her again through the blanket.
She was trembling.
It trembled very slightly.
Alo reached into the blankets; they were dry and warm.
Pei Jian's body temperature was not low, so it wasn't cold.
Considering her reaction, Alo belatedly realized that she was afraid of him.
This realization made his heart skip a beat, as if something heavy was pressing down on his chest, or as if something was trying to burst out of it.
Alo released his hand.
He carefully got up, trying not to make a loud noise that would disturb Pei Jian. Then, he sat down on the sofa chair at the foot of the bed.
A gust of wind slipped in through the window cracks, and moonlight slanted onto the half-empty, messy bed. A Luo stared at Pei Jian's figure curled up under the covers.
He suddenly realized that he hadn't smelled Pei Jian's seemingly innate fragrance—the sweet scent of candy and cookies—for a long time.
-
Pei Jian woke up at noon the next day.
She was alone in the room.
The system suddenly announced: [Congratulations, host, on completing the mission.]
?
Pei Jian then noticed that she was wearing a white crescent-shaped object around her neck. It looked like jade, but was thinner than jade, and resembled fish scales, but its color was purer than fish scales.
It was a nearly transparent, milky-white dragon scale.
Are these dragon scales?
System: [Yes, congratulations, host. You have completed your mission and can return to your original world at any time.]
【good. 】
That was so unexpected.
A few months ago, Pei Jian would have pressed the "Return" button without hesitation. However, now, she cannot treat A Luo and Ze Yi as simple NPCs, nor can she regard this 'absurd' journey as a game.
She had always thought that the mission had been holding her back, but now she realized that perhaps it was her heart that was pulling her along.
Pei Jian rolled over, just about to get out of bed to find A Luo.
Alo had already brought in a breakfast. "Did you sleep well?"
"good."
"Come and have some breakfast."
On the pristine white porcelain plate lay several crisp biscuits and a small, slightly cracked piece of chestnut cake, revealing its filling.
"It smells so good."
"Really?" Alo sat in the single sofa furthest from her. "Did you have a nightmare last night?"
"Mmm," Pei Jian mumbled, chewing her food.
“By the way,” she said, holding up the scale, “why did you give it to me?”
Alo said out of the blue, "No one will be able to bully you anymore."
“But I remember that these scales were very important to you.”
"No matter how precious an item is, if it cannot be used, how can it be considered important?"
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