Under the cover of the night, Jams quietly left Mondstadt with Noelle. They arrived at a pile of rocks near the Fruit Wine Lake, where Jams had prepared their night fishing gear in advance.
Oil lamps, a small stove, a small stool, and fishing tools were all laid out by Jams in an orderly manner. Noelle tilted her head curiously and asked, "Mr. Jams, do you always hide your fishing equipment in the stone mill by the lake?"
"A real man is always prepared. It's quite frustrating to be in the mood for something but not have the necessary equipment," Jams replied.
He handed a fishing rod to Noelle and smiled, asking, "As an all-around maid, I don't think I need to teach you how to fish, right?"
"You're overestimating me. I only have a little knowledge about fishing," Noelle humbly replied, holding the fishing rod.
Observing Noelle's earnest expression, Jams carefully examined the maid and said, "Well, don't be so modest. Your confident gaze shows that you have faith in your fishing skills."
"Um..."
Noelle pursed her lips and didn't respond. Instead, she asked somewhat uncertainly, "Mr. Jams, can fishing really help me gain the recognition of the Knights of Favonius?"
"At least there's a 99% chance," Jams replied, withholding part of his words.
"Ninety-nine percent?!" Noelle's eyes immediately lit up with hope.
"Yes, as I mentioned before, your current issue is not a lack of excellence but rather your sharpness being too obvious. Fishing can help you calm down and conceal your sharp edges," Jams patiently explained.
"I understand. I will study diligently!" Noelle exclaimed, bowing deeply to Jams. Due to her enthusiastic gesture, her ample bosom also trembled slightly, causing quite a commotion.
Jams waved his hand and said, "Words are meaningless. Let's begin directly. While fishing, try to clear your mind and find the harmony between yourself and the rod."
"Harmony between myself and the rod?" Noelle gave a puzzled expression but decided to give it a try.
For someone who had failed the Knights of Favonius selection seven times, Jams might be her last hope.
So, no matter how absurd Jams' methods seemed, Noelle was willing to give them a try.
Seeing her hopeful expression, Jams couldn't help but sigh inwardly. "After completing the 'Passing on the Flame' task, I should talk to Jean about it."
Having Noelle join the Knights of Favonius would be beneficial for both Jean and Noelle. It would also be a way of repaying the favor for completing the mission.
Rustling sounds filled the air as they sat by the lake, lit the oil lamps and small stove, and quietly watched the bobber on the water's surface.
The night fishing bobber was treated with a special substance, causing it to emit a faint fluorescence under the moonlight. Someone as experienced as Jams could easily discern the various states of the bobber.
Although Noelle had mastered the fishing techniques quite well, she clearly lacked practical experience.
When the fishing hook sank into the water and the bobber appeared and disappeared on the lake's surface, Noelle's heart inexplicably tightened.
Various distracting thoughts were pushed aside, and gradually, only one image remained in her mind—the glowing bobber in the darkness of the night.
"Mr. Jams..."
"We're fishing together now, so just call me by my name," Jams winked at Noelle, half-jokingly saying, "Or do you think I'm not worth being friends with?"
"No, that's not it. Mr. Jams... Jams, you're a good person!" Noelle exclaimed loudly.
"Lower your voice; you'll scare away the fish," Jams gestured for her to keep quiet.
Realizing her lapse in manners, Noelle blushed, and her fair and delicate face appeared even more charming under the dim light.
"Jams, thank you," Noelle whispered.
"By the way, you all seem to have the same approach. Klee says I'm a good person, Jean thanks me, and now you're following the trend," Jams looked at the young girl next to him, feeling somewhat speechless.
With a hint of shyness, the girl with her silvery hair gently brushed away a strand and said softly, "I don't know what Jean and Klee think, but I find the current situation quite peculiar."
Noelle raised her hand, gathering the strands of hair in front of her forehead and tucking them behind her ear. She gazed at the lake's surface and said in a gentle tone, "When I see the tiny bobber rising and falling on the pitch-black lake, my attention is instantly captivated. I can't help but watch... and unknowingly, many worries fade away."
"I understand that feeling," Jams nodded with a smile.
The bobber on the lake's surface resembled fireflies in the dark night. When most people suddenly spot a light point in the pitch-black night, their attention is naturally drawn to it—this is a common phenomenon.
When Noelle's attention was captivated by the fluorescence, she naturally didn't have the inclination to think about other things.
"If observing the bobber can bring peace to your heart, then continue doing it. No one will disturb you," Jams reassured her.
"Mm..."
Noelle nodded, her light green eyes earnestly fixated on the small, glowing bobber, her gaze growing increasingly hazy.
She felt that she had formed a connection with her fate through the fishing rod and the bobber.
In the thick, impenetrable darkness, the same loneliness, the same helplessness—if the fish didn't take the bait, all she could do was wait forever.
Jams smiled and also looked at his own bobber, his eyes bright.
He, too, was waiting for his "fish" to take the bait.
However, his "fish" wasn't in the water; it was by his side.
During this short fishing session with Noelle, Jams never received any system prompts for online connection or team formation.
This indicated that there were certain requirements for the online mode.
"Only those who genuinely want to fish with me will be considered invite-worthy teammates by the system. And it seems that Noelle hasn't been completely won over yet," Jams analyzed the current situation in his mind.
Although Noelle had agreed to night fishing with him, she wasn't interested in fishing like Jean and Klee were. Her goal was to become a knight through fishing.
"I need to make Noelle interested in fishing for the online mode to be triggered. How should I do that..."
Jams maintained a serious expression on the surface, but his mind was filled with mischievous thoughts.
Perhaps due to excessive mental exertion, he gradually felt a wave of fatigue, his eyelids starting to fight, and his consciousness becoming increasingly fuzzy.
Swoosh...
The evening breeze by the lakeside felt like a lover's hand, gradually wearing down Jams' will.
And he was never the type with strong willpower; he believed in taking a nap when faced with difficulties, not allowing himself to suffer.
Splash!
"Jams, you! How did you fall asleep..."
Noelle, who was focused on fishing, suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. When she turned her head, she discovered Jams' handsome face just inches away, his warm breath brushing against her lips, causing her heart to race uncontrollably.
"What should I do now? Does this count as being taken advantage of? Ahh..."