Walking out of those grand gates and merging into the bustling streets of Liyue Harbor, Lovia did not return directly to her small house. Instead, she headed toward Chihu Rock.
The closer the departure grew, the more she wanted to take one last look, to feel once more the warmth of the people and events on this land. At the thought that this might be their last meeting, the hesitation born of her social anxiety was suppressed by a stronger sense of reluctance to leave.
Her farewell to Xingqiu and Chongyun, though mixed with a little "prank" of her own, had been warm and pleasant. Now, she wanted to see the good friend who had accepted her with delicious food and passion.
But halfway there, Lovia realized with a start that saying goodbye seemed to involve exchanging gifts! Since it was her first time doing such a thing, she hadn't prepared anything at all!
Lovia couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated. Her steps faltered, and she thought about turning back to buy a gift for Xiangling. However, she didn't know what to buy. After hesitating for a moment, she ultimately braced herself and continued looking for Xiangling.
Aaaaah! What would Xiangling think about having such a reckless friend... Before she even got close, a familiar spicy aroma wafted toward her, occasionally mixed with the sizzling sound of various ingredients popping in hot oil and Master Mao's energetic shouting.
"Welcome! Oh—Lovia!"
Xiangling, who was tossing a wok in front of the stove, spotted the familiar figure wrapped in the hooded cloak at a glance. She deftly plated the dish—perfect in color, aroma, and taste—handed it to Shenhe nearby, then wiped her hands on her apron and ran over with a bright smile.
"Want to try my new dish?" Xiangling leaned in and lowered her voice, with a hint of pride and anticipation. "I've recently researched a dish called 'Double Heavens of Ice and Fire.' The taste is very special!"
Looking at Xiangling's eyes full of a desire to share, Lovia couldn't help but smile. A trace of the sorrow of parting in her heart seemed to be dispersed slightly by this enthusiasm.
Then, she gently pulled her Hood back a little, exposing more of her face to Xiangling's gaze.
She shook her head slightly and, imitating Xiangling, leaned in a bit closer and whispered, "I'm not here to test dishes today, Sister Xiangling. I'm here... to say goodbye to you."
"Goodbye?" The smile on Xiangling's face froze instantly, and her eyes widened. "You're leaving? Leaving Liyue?"
"Yes." Lovia nodded. Feeling the weight of the gaze made her instinctively want to shrink back into the shadows of her Hood, but she resisted. The Hood swayed gently with her movements. "My journey in Liyue is coming to an end. I... I'll probably be going back soon."
"Ah... why so sudden..." Xiangling's tone immediately dropped. She instinctively grabbed Lovia's hand, her palm still carrying the heat of the cooking fire. "I was thinking that when you weren't so busy, I'd take you to Qingce Village. The bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest and the fresh river shrimp there are amazing for cooking!"
Feeling the warmth on the back of her hand, Lovia squeezed Xiangling's hand in return. The last bit of hesitation in her heart vanished, and she couldn't help but speak her true feelings: "Thank you, Sister Xiangling. Getting to know you and eating so many of your incredible delicacies is the thing that has made me happiest."
"But, but I didn't prepare a gift for you..."
"Oh, we're friends, aren't we? Don't worry about those formalities!" Xiangling didn't mind at all, then asked urgently, her eyes full of reluctance, "Will you come back in the future?"
"...I don't know," Lovia answered honestly. Who could say for sure what the future held? But seeing the light in Xiangling's eyes dim instantly, she quickly added, "But I will definitely miss you, the taste of Wanmin Restaurant, you... and Guoba."
As if understanding that someone was calling him, Guoba, who had been following at Xiangling's feet, made a few "gulu gulu" sounds and rubbed his furry head against Lovia's calf.
Xiangling looked at Lovia, then at Guoba, and suddenly turned around, running back to the stove and quickly starting to rummage through things.
"Xiangling?" Lovia was a bit confused.
"Wait for me! It'll be ready in a second!" Xiangling replied without looking back, her hands moving non-stop.
A moment later, she ran back clutching a package wrapped in oil paper and stuffed it into Lovia's arms without letting her refuse.
"Here! This is for you to eat!"
Lovia took the package. It felt warm to the touch, and she could smell a unique scent—a mix of the toasted aroma of grains and the savory saltiness of dried meat.
"This is..."
"It's my special 'Jianghu Dry Rations'!" Xiangling stood with her hands on her hips, her face once again wearing a confident and slightly proud smile. "It has crushed jerky, dried jueyun chili powder, matsutake bits for flavor, and toasted wheat flour! It's delicious and very filling! It's much better than ordinary dry rations! If you get hungry on the road, or if you miss the taste of Liyue, just take some out and eat!"
She paused, her eyes exceptionally serious: "Just think of it as... taking a part of me and Liyue with you on your journey."
Holding the package of 'Jianghu Dry Rations' that still carried the warmth of a person and the stove, Lovia felt as if something was blocking her throat, and her eyes grew slightly hot. She nodded vigorously, clutching the package tightly to her chest.
"Thank you, Xiangling... This, this is wonderful."
"Hehe, no need to be polite!" Now it was Xiangling's turn to be embarrassed. She scratched her head, then opened her arms and gave Lovia a firm hug. "Take care! No matter where you go, remember to eat well!"
"Mhm!" Lovia hugged Xiangling back tightly, feeling this unreserved warmth. "You too, Xiangling. Keep making more delicious food!"
Just then, Shenhe, who had been quietly standing by the stove wiping utensils, walked over with light, silent steps.
"Leaving?" Shenhe's voice was cool, like a mountain stream, but it was not devoid of emotion.
Lovia turned around, met Shenhe's calm gaze, and nodded: "Yes, Shenhe. I'm leaving. I'm here to say goodbye. Thank you for taking care of me during this time!"
Shenhe was silent for a moment, then took an exquisitely woven red string knot from her sleeve and held it out to Lovia. The knot had a complex and beautiful structure, with a glossy white jade buckle at the end.
"This is for you," Shenhe explained. "I have added a slight blessing using Adepti sigil arts. Although it cannot drive away powerful enemies, it can calm the mind and protect you for a peaceful journey."
Lovia took the knot, somewhat overwhelmed by the favor. She could feel a gentle, moist coolness upon touching it, as if it could wash away the unease and anxiety in her heart. She looked down and realized this wasn't just any knot; it was clearly a white jade Ping'an buckle pendant woven with red string!
This gift was a token of deep sincerity! She clearly wasn't that well-acquainted with Shenhe, yet Shenhe... "Thank you! Shenhe." Lovia carefully held the white jade buckle in her palm and thanked her sincerely. "I will cherish it."
Shenhe looked at Lovia, and her frozen expression seemed to soften for an instant: "Take care of yourself. If fate permits, we shall meet again."
She said no more and turned back to continue wiping the stove. Her figure was aloof and cool, yet appeared reliable.
Looking at the warm package of 'Jianghu Dry Rations' Xiangling had stuffed into her arms and clutching the white jade Ping'an buckle Shenhe had given her, a surge of warmth and guilt intertwined in Lovia's heart, nearly overwhelming her.
They had both prepared such thoughtful gifts for her, yet she was empty-handed... This intense unease made her speak almost without thinking, with a hint of awkwardness and the courage of someone throwing caution to the wind: "Xiangling, Shenhe... thank you for your gifts. They are truly precious, but... but I wasn't able to prepare anything for you..."
She lowered her head slightly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of her cloak. Her voice grew smaller, but she finally summoned the courage to look up, her eyes sparkling with sincerity and a slight blush: "If... if you don't mind, my... my tail, or the antennae on my head... you can touch them."
"As a... parting souvenir?"
[Update Progress Bar: 64%]
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"