After bandaging Ayaka's injured finger, Jingchen instinctively raised his hand to pat her head, just as he used to. But his hand froze mid-air, and he quickly withdrew it.
Little Ayaka had grown up. She had Columbina now. He couldn't be so familiar anymore.
To ease the awkward tension, Jingchen picked up a piece of saury and offered it to Ayaka.
"Little Ayaka, here, have some saury."
Ayaka nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on Jingchen.
"Brother Jingchen, do you know the symbolism of saury?"
"The symbolism of saury?" Jingchen racked his brain, trying to think of any possible meaning. "Reunited friendship?"
Kamisato Ayaka shook her head.
"Or perhaps blessings, or the autumn harvest?"
Ayaka's lips curved into a smile, her eyes closed as she continued to shake her head.
Jingchen sighed in defeat. He truly had no idea what saury could symbolize.
"Little Ayaka, my knowledge is shallow. Just tell me directly."
Ayaka retrieved her folding fan, using it to conceal her face as she tried to maintain her usual refined demeanor.
"Simple and unadorned, a lifetime of companionship."
Jingchen, who was mid-bite of Sakura Mochi, froze momentarily. He choked, and Ayaka hurriedly offered him water.
After drinking the water, Jingchen paused to catch his breath, then said helplessly, "This... Come on, let's continue eating. Let's continue eating."
Ayaka lowered her gaze, a hint of frustration in her eyes. *I've given him such clear hints, and he still doesn't get it?!*
"Brother Jingchen, do you remember my happiest moments?"
Jingchen lowered his head in silence, unsure how to respond.
Kamisato Ayaka gazed into Jingchen's eyes, her blue eyes reflecting his image.
"Brother Jingchen, the calligraphy, music, painting, chess, swordsmanship, tea ceremony, and flower arranging... they exhausted me as a child. But you were always there for me.
We played shogi, chased fireflies, played hide-and-seek with fireworks, and read light novels from Yae Publishing House together. Brother Jingchen, do you remember this talisman?!"
Ayaka carefully retrieved the talisman from her spatial pouch, clutching it tightly in her palm.
Seeing this, Jingchen felt even more helpless.
"Little Ayaka... *sigh*... I..."
"Brother Jingchen, even my single ponytail is styled after yours. I... I..."
Ayaka lowered her gaze again, her words faltering.
Jingchen shook his head, still at a loss.
*Sigh... I've confessed to four girls, and they've all rejected me.*
It turned out that Hu Tao from Liyue and Little Ayaka from Inazuma both seemed to have feelings for him.
But he couldn't betray Columbina, no matter what. He needed to make things clear to Little Ayaka as soon as possible.
Just as Jingchen was about to tell Ayaka everything about his relationship with Columbina, Kamisato Ayaka suddenly stepped forward and tightly grasped his hand.
"Brother Jingchen, for over a decade, I've thought of you every moment of every day. I... I'm ready to be yours~!!"
Before Ayaka could finish the last two words, Columbina burst out of the Serenitea Pot, glaring daggers at Ayaka.
"What the hell?! I dozed off for a minute, and someone's already trying to steal my home?!"
Ayaka tried to push Columbina away while demanding, "Who are you?! Let go of me immediately!"
Columbina's anger twisted into a mocking laugh. This home-stealing Kamisato Ayaka actually had the nerve to ask who she was?!
"My Jingchen, tell her! Who am I?!"
Ayaka froze, her gaze trembling as she turned to Jingchen.
Jingchen nodded slightly.
"Little Ayaka, I've been trying to tell you about Columbina and me, but you kept interrupting. *Sigh*..."
Ayaka stared at Jingchen in disbelief, her voice cracking with tears as she choked out,
"Jingchen, you... you're lying to me! This girl... she can't be your wife, right?!"
Jingchen summoned wings identical to Columbina's, leaving no room for doubt.
"Aya, let go of Ayaka."
Kamisato Ayaka's pupils dilated, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
She had imagined that ten years later, with her hair grown long to her waist, she would reunite with Jingchen and their story would unfold like the protagonists in a Yae Publishing House light novel.
But she was wrong. Beside him stood a girl even more beautiful and endearing than herself.
Three pairs of holy wings adorned her head, her black-to-crimson hair cascaded down her back, and her face radiated peerless beauty.
Columbina, noticing Ayaka's stillness, was taken aback.
*That's odd. Hu Tao fought me tooth and nail last time. Why does Ayaka seem so... fragile? Vulnerable?*
Columbina gently turned her head, her expression blank, and said to Jingchen, "See, Jingchen? I didn't even touch her. Kamisato Ayaka is crying all by herself."
"Sigh, come down first."
"Okay."
Jingchen stepped forward and helped Ayaka to her feet.
"Little Ayaka, are you alright?"
Ayaka nodded through her sobs, her voice choked with emotion. "Brother Jingchen... Jingchen, I'm fine. I need to go back to the Kamisato Estate now."
Jingchen took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears.
Ayaka shakily rose to her feet, stumbling as she tried to leave.
Columbina stopped her. "Kamisato Ayaka, if you leave like this, people will say the Fatui Harbingers are bullying you."
Ayaka froze, stunned. *Fatui Harbingers?!*
She knew two Fatui Harbingers had arrived in Ritou, but she never imagined Jingchen and Columbina would be among them.
"Jingchen, Columbina... you're really Harbingers?!"
"Yes."
Ayaka bit down hard on her thin lip. The man she had waited ten years for had become a Fatui Harbinger?!
Everything pointed to the Five Visions of the Raiden being connected to a Harbinger. Her parents had been framed and worked to death for failing to protect the Five Visions and the National Blade.
The man she had always longed for had become a Harbinger. Why did this world betray her so cruelly?!
It's all the world's fault! All the world's fault!!
But I am the eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan, the White Heron Princess.
I cannot, I must not let my personal feelings bring shame upon my family.
In an instant.
The hesitation vanished from Kamisato Ayaka's brow. The icy tears ceased to fall, replaced by a cold, merciless glint in her eyes.
She fixed Columbina and Jingchen with a frigid stare, her voice devoid of emotion.
"After ten years apart, you've become a Harbinger, aiding tyranny. Is that right?"
"Little Ayaka, I... The Fatui also have ordinary people, those who don't want to fight, who just want to live peacefully."
"Enough!"
Kamisato Ayaka gripped Mistplitter, cleaving the wooden table with a single strike. After casting one last icy glance at Columbina, she turned and strode away.
(Brothers, could you leave a five-star review? Not a serial one. Any suggestions can be shared in the book's discussion forum.
Clues about Jingliu will appear within the next ten chapters.)
...................
Completed Uncensored Eng PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
New My Brothers YOOOOO!!!!!!!High Quality english Translated Genshin Impact fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out—if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanficson my patreon shop:
" Genshin Impact: After Marrying All the Female Characters, I Started Living a Blissful (18+) "
" Genshin: Married Into Fontaine, and Navia Overhears My Inner Thoughts "
" Genshin Impact: This Teyvat Is Not Right "
" Genshin Impact: Save You? It Was Just a System Task "
" Just Arrived in Genshin, and I'm Already Blind "
" Genshin Impact: My Confession Was Rejected, So So I Traveled to the Seven Nations "
" Genshin Impact: A Casual Journey for Minecraft Players"
" Genshin Impact: The Fatui Harbingers Are Pregnant… and Now They Regret It "
" Genshin Impact: Reincarnation Exposed, the Heroines Break Down Crying as They Chase Their Husband " many more are available for you, Your support means a lot—thanks in advance, legends!
Patreon.com/UIShahbaz
(End of Chapter)