After spending more than a month together, she and Xuan Yuanlie had become quite familiar, if not completely inseparable. Coupled with Xiang Wan's very outgoing and friendly nature, people around them assumed they were a couple. Xiang Wan never said anything about it, which troubled Xuan Yuanlie for a while, but seeing Xiang Wan simply laugh it off, he gradually let it go.
The people who were coming to pick him up wouldn't arrive for a few days. Although Xuan Yuanlie's subordinates had branches stationed at some important military bases, the nearest planet was still several light-years away, requiring several space jumps in between. This showed how remote Xiang Wan's planet was; it lacked even basic amenities like electricity, television, and telephones. She was able to manage all of this thanks to her time travel. Otherwise, she would have had to stay with Xuan Yuanlie for several years, like the original owner, before being taken back by his subordinates. During that time, feelings naturally developed, but the original owner was too deeply involved, and Xuan Yuanlie, having experienced so much hardship, only felt these feelings temporarily. Once he left this environment and returned to his original world, it became a dispensable memory for him.
However, to be fair, the original owner of this body didn't do anything that Xuan Yuanlie would never forget back then. She only thought of him without expecting anything in return. Over time, Xuan Yuanlie took her efforts for granted and it was inevitable that he would overlook her.
People you spend every day with can be easily forgotten, let alone those you haven't known for long. It's necessary to reinforce Xuan Yuanlie's impression of him once again.
That day, Xiang Wan didn't accompany Xuan Yuanlie to the beach. She said she had some personal matters to attend to, and after handing over the tools to Xuan Yuanlie, she went to the trading market. Upon returning, she visited the homes of all the villagers Xuan Yuanlie had helped before, discussing matters with them.
When they returned home that evening, Xiang Wan didn't cook. Instead, she took out a grass skirt and told Xuan Yuanlie to change into it as soon as he entered the house. Xuan Yuanlie, puzzled, stared at the item in Xiang Wan's hand, unable to understand its meaning.
Xiang Wan didn't say much. She took out another grass skirt, tied it around her waist, twirled around, and gestured for Xuan Yuanlie to tie it as well. Xuan Yuanlie held the grass skirt and struggled for a while before finally managing to wrap it around his waist. Xiang Wan sighed, helplessly untied his grass skirt, re-tied it into a bow, and then smiled with satisfaction.
Xuan Yuanlie looked at Xiang Wan, seemingly wanting to say something but then hesitated. Xiang Wan pretended not to see him and pulled him outside.
Not far from the beach was a very large lawn, where many people were gathered around a large bonfire, grilling fish on a rack. Seeing them arrive, someone invited them to sit by the fire, while another generously offered them a large handful of grilled fish and shrimp. Xiang Wan grabbed a handful of condiments from the nearby container and sprinkled them on the skewers, then devoured them one after another, slurping as she ate, so delicious she almost swallowed her tongue.
Following Xiang Wang's example, Xuan Yuanlie grabbed a handful of fish and sprinkled it on the grilled fish. After blowing on it to cool it slightly, he took a bite. Xiang Wan had already emptied her mouth before he opened it to eat, and secretly stared at Xuan Yuanlie.
A moment later, Xuan Yuanlie strained to breathe, his mouth agape, tears and snot streaming down his face. He had no choice but to close his mouth tightly, barely daring to breathe. He was stuck in this position, unable to exhale or not, his face turning a bluish-purple from the effort. If he told anyone now that he was General Xuan Yuan, they would probably think he was a fraud.
Xiang Wan laughed so hard she could barely breathe, almost dropping the skewers. People around them watched with curiosity. Aunt Liu handed Xuan Yuanlie a handkerchief to wipe his face, muttering, "You know, even if we were to throw you a bonfire party, there's no need to be so emotional. Look at those tears! Even when someone died in the next village, I never saw anyone cry this hard..."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Wan's laughter, which she had managed to suppress, started again.
Xuan Yuanlie cleaned his face and stared at Xiang Wan silently for a long time until she was tired of laughing. Then he said in a low voice, "You made such a big fuss just to mess with me, right?"
She absolutely couldn't let him misunderstand. If he took his anger out on the villagers later, that wouldn't have been Xiang Wan's intention. She quickly said seriously, "You're definitely overthinking it. We knew you were leaving, so we moved the annual harvest celebration bonfire festival forward to thank you for your help these past few days. The seasoning you just ate is a local specialty. Adding it little by little makes it taste great. But if you add too much at once, well, pfft, something like what happened to you just now will happen."
Xiang Wan would never say that she deliberately mixed wasabi powder into the condiment just to give him an unforgettable memory. Her own portion also contained wasabi, but she sprinkled it selectively, scattering it on the ground. Moreover, she was mentally prepared, so how could she be as honest as Xuan Yuanlie, taking a solid bite and eating nothing but wasabi?
To help him forget about it as soon as possible, Xiang Wan handed hers to Xuan Yuanlie, gesturing for him to try it. This time, Xuan Yuanlie had learned his lesson. He took a small bite, tasted the flavor, and found it to be indeed fresh and tender, so he ate it boldly and without restraint.
After eating and drinking their fill, they danced around the campfire. Xiang Wan was the first to run into the circle of dancers, joining in their movements and singing songs often sung by fishermen, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Xuan Yuanlie watched from the sidelines. Xiang Wan called him several times, but he refused with a stiff expression each time. He was too proud to join in the fun with the people. No problem, Xiang Wan ran over and practically dragged him into the group. Even without doing any dance moves, just walking around with them was quite an experience.
From a young age, Xuan Yuanlie's life revolved around studying and physical training. As he grew older, he began receiving special training to hone his mental strength and reaction abilities. Later, after gaining the ability to control his mecha independently, he frequently participated in combat training. Reaching the position of Grand General was the result of relentless daily training and combat experience; he had never felt so relaxed and at ease before.
Watching Xiang Wan run and play wildly, Xuan Yuanlie felt she was very, very far removed from his life, not like a real person, like a dream that would vanish upon waking. He felt a mix of fear and relief; this wasn't the life he should have. But Xiang Wan had pulled him into that dream, where he could forget everything, prepare nothing, and simply run, jump, and spin along as he pleased. For a moment, Xuan Yuanlie almost forgot the responsibilities on his shoulders and the mission he carried.
As the campfire slowly died down and the crowd gradually dispersed, only Xiang Wan and Xuan Yuanlie remained, lingering over the burning fire, unwilling to leave.
As Xuan Yuanlie looked around, he vaguely sensed something was amiss. Turning his head, he saw that Xiang Wan was already in tears. He frantically searched his body for a while but found nothing. He could only extend one hand, letting Xiang Wan wipe her tears with his sleeve.
Xiang Wan stared at the campfire and slowly said, "A Lie, take me with you, okay?"
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