Time passed.
In a flash, the lingering glow of the setting sun vanished completely from the horizon.
Night fell upon the land of Liyue.
The lights of Liyue Harbor began to shine. Lights from ten thousand homes lit up one after another, and curling smoke from cooking fires rose amidst the city.
The entire city was a scene of peace and harmony.
The worldly smoke and fire of Liyue Harbor was caught by a gust of wind and blown up to Yujing Terrace, onto the large terrace on the top floor of Yuehai Pavilion.
Two women sat facing each other across a table.
One woman wore a luxurious cheongsam weaving together gold, black, and white colors. Her platinum-blonde hair was pinned behind her head with a precious hairpin, and her golden sleeves swayed gently with the wind.
Her figure was graceful, her beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.
At this moment, she leaned back in her chair. Her hand, clad in a black glove embellished with gold, held a cup of fine tea emitting light white steam and a rich fragrance. She took a shallow sip, raised her eyes to look at the woman sitting opposite her, smiled faintly, and said, "It's your turn."
The woman sitting opposite her wore dark black and red martial attire, with an eyepatch in the style of a pirate over her left eye. Her right hand, clad in a fingerless glove, was currently holding a black stone, which she placed onto the chessboard.
"That was a good move."
Ningguang smiled faintly.
"Your turn," Beidou said with a calm expression.
"There is no need to continue playing. This game is caught in a cycle of endless Ko; a winner cannot be determined."
Ningguang shook her head and spoke.
"I've finished reporting the matters regarding Inazuma to you, and I've kept you company for a game of chess. I'll head back to The Alcor now," Beidou said, standing up.
"Won't you stay for dinner?" Ningguang asked.
"We can't eat from the same plate," Beidou waved her hand and said.
"Then, I won't see you out."
Ningguang was not the least bit surprised by Beidou's answer. She took another shallow sip of tea and spoke.
"Suit yourself."
Beidou didn't care either; she got up and started to leave, but halfway there, her figure paused.
"What? Is there something else?" Ningguang asked.
"Speaking of which, I brought you a gift this time," Beidou said, turning around.
"A gift?"
Ningguang raised an eyebrow, smiled, and said, "I am somewhat curious as to what kind of gift you would bring me."
"It's nothing extraordinary. Just two books written by a friend of mine."
As she spoke, Beidou took out two books and tossed them directly to Ningguang.
Ningguang caught them effortlessly.
"Whether you read them or not, whether you want them or not, is up to you. I'm leaving first."
Beidou smiled faintly, turned, and left.
It was not until Beidou had departed that Ningguang cast her gaze upon the two books in her hands.
Your Lie in April.
The Eternal.
"I remember that these were the two books Keqing and Ganyu went to Wanwen Bookhouse to buy together a few days ago, weren't they?" Ningguang murmured to herself, her eyebrow twitching slightly.
It wasn't that she had specifically sent people to investigate what books Ganyu and Keqing had bought. She wasn't bored to that extent.
She had simply heard the secretaries at Yuehai Pavilion discussing it and learned of the matter.
She hadn't paid much attention to it then.
But she hadn't expected Beidou to actually buy these two books to give to her, and even mention that they were written by a friend. This aroused a bit of interest in her.
"Able to be friends with Keqing, Ganyu, and Beidou at the same time? Fang Qiu? Interesting."
Murmuring, Ningguang lay back gently on the chaise lounge. She lifted her fair, slender legs lightly, crossing one over the other, and then gently opened one of the books.
...
Meanwhile.
At the entrance of the tavern downstairs from Wanwen Bookhouse, a woman of about thirty, dressed in a purple cheongsam with an excellent figure and exuding an intellectual aura from head to toe, was leaning enchantingly against the doorframe.
"Sigh."
She looked back at the less than half-full guests in her own tavern, then looked at the tea house on the second floor opposite, where a crowd of novel enthusiasts were reading with rapt attention, and sighed faintly.
A bit melancholy.
A bit sorrowful.
However, the business at the tavern opened by the bald, sturdy man opposite was even more dismal. She had been standing at the door for so long, and she had only seen a few men, equally sturdy, walking into that tavern with their arms around each other's shoulders.
Apart from that, there was no other business.
"Let's go upstairs and see what's happening."
The proprietress pondered for a moment, then lifted her foot and walked towards Wanwen Bookhouse upstairs.
Wanwen Bookhouse was very quiet.
Under the bright lights, everyone was reading with focused expressions.
Even Jifang, the boss of Wanwen Bookhouse, was holding Sword and Fairy, reading in a trance. Her brows were slightly knitted, and she felt a bit hesitant in her heart.
Should she buy a set to see the ending behind it?
For today, she had specifically imported a batch of special wine from Mondstadt that girls particularly liked!
If Fang Qiu's Sword and Fairy had a grand reunion ending, wouldn't she be losing out big time?
This...
Just as she was feeling a bit of a headache, a voice speaking through gritted teeth rang out.
"Fang Qiu, you old thief! Long Kui, my Long Kui!"
One of the young men had an ugly expression on his face, and the hand holding the book trembled slightly.
A thousand years of obsession, scattered in a single morning.
A thousand years ago, Long Yang told Long Kui that without that sword, he could still annihilate the enemy army.
A thousand years later, Jing Tian also told her that without that sword, he could still defeat the Evil Sword Immortal.
A thousand years ago, Long Yang died in battle.
But a thousand years later, she was unwilling to see Jing Tian die again.
Thus, taking advantage of a moment when Jing Tian and Tang Xuejian were not paying attention, Long Kui pushed them away and jumped into the casting furnace.
Fang Qiu wrote this section very sensationally, displaying Long Kui's reluctance to part vividly and thoroughly.
It couldn't help but make sorrow rise from the heart, reddening one's eyes.
________________________________________
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