A gentle breeze swept across the fields, the grass swaying endlessly, like waves on the sea.
A young boy, looking to be no older than his teens, was walking along the road.
The scenery around him was beautiful, and the boy couldn't help but glance around a few times.
But how he had ended up here, the boy didn't remember. He only recalled that it felt like he had been asleep for a long time, and when he woke up, he was already under a tree in this vast field.
The breeze had roused him, and everything around him felt unfamiliar.
[Your life has begun anew. Good luck.]
The system's prompt flashed through his mind, but the boy didn't pay much attention to it.
Right now, his priority was finding a place to stay. There didn't seem to be anyone living around here. From the position of the sun, it was already afternoon. If he didn't find shelter before nightfall, he would have to spend the night in this desolate place.
As he walked, the boy noticed someone standing by the side of the road.
The person wore a green hat, their face was delicate, almost feminine, and the hair at their temples was tied into braids. A cloak billowed behind them, and they held a harp in their hands.
The strings of the harp were plucked, and beautiful music floated on the wind, reaching the boy's ears.
"Venti..." the boy murmured.
The person seemed to hear the boy's words. He stopped playing the harp and turned to look at him.
For a moment, the person was stunned. His pupils trembled slightly, as if he had seen something unexpected.
"Yu Xie... how could it be...?"
Hearing his own name being called, the boy was surprised and slowly walked over.
"You know me?"
Venti didn't respond immediately. Instead, they carefully examined the boy from head to toe, their trembling gaze still not calming.
After a long pause, they softly spoke.
"You've... become younger."
"I've become younger?" Yu Xie was momentarily stunned, but quickly responded, "It seems we really knew each other, but I'm sorry, in my memory, today should be the first time we've met."
The wind didn't carry the scent of lies, something Venti, as the Anemo Archon, could clearly feel.
"Is that so..." Venti's expression was one of regret. After so many years, meeting a friend again, only to find that the other person didn't remember them at all.
"Then, do you remember Vennessa?" Venti asked again, a hint of expectation in their eyes.
"Vennessa..." Yu Xie whispered the name.
He knew Vennessa. She was the first "Dandelion Knight," the one who saved Mondstadt, founded the Knights of Favonius, and became a great hero of Mondstadt.
But his impression of Vennessa was limited to just that.
What Venti meant by "remember" probably wasn't as shallow as just knowing her name.
Yu Xie shook his head.
"If she knew you even forgot her, she'd probably force you to remember," Venti suddenly smiled, his expression a mix of helplessness and joy. "But no matter what, it's good that you're back. Yu Xie, what really happened?"
This question made Yu Xie fall silent for a moment.
He couldn't bring himself to tell the truth.
Venti noticed Yu Xie's slightly troubled expression and seemed to understand.
"I'm sorry, you probably don't even remember how things were before, so I must be asking strange questions," he said apologetically.
"…Were we very close before?" Yu Xie asked.
"Very close. You, me, and Vennessa, the three of us used to drink together a lot," Venti replied. "I could hold my liquor well, Vennessa, not so much, but she was always determined not to lose. In the end, she'd be completely drunk, and it was always you who had to take her home. And…"
Yu Xie listened quietly, but he couldn't recall any of it. There was nothing in his memory to connect with Venti's words.
"That's about the gist of it. So, have you remembered anything?" Venti asked, watching Yu Xie expectantly.
"No," Yu Xie shook his head again.
Though he expected this answer, Venti still looked a little disappointed.
But he quickly adjusted himself and smiled.
"That's fine. If you can't remember, don't force it. I don't know what you've been through all these years since you left, but the important thing is that you're back now!"
Yu Xie wasn't sure how to respond to Venti's words.
For him, today was the first time he had met Venti, but for Venti, he was an old friend who had returned after a long time.
He couldn't remember any of the past, and yet here was a former friend standing before him.
The feeling was strange.
"Mondstadt is a lot different from how it used to be," Venti said. "By the way, do you have a place to stay?"
"Not yet," Yu Xie replied.
"In that case…" Venti hesitated, a little awkwardly.
He had intended to suggest that Yu Xie stay with him, but then realized he himself didn't have a permanent place to stay.
"How far is Mondstadt from here?" Yu Xie asked.
"To the north, it's still a bit of a distance. If we hurry, we should make it before nightfall," Venti replied.
"I'll go to Mondstadt and see if I can find a place to stay."
"I'll walk you there," Venti offered.
He couldn't provide a place for Yu Xie to stay, but at least he could accompany him to Mondstadt.
At that moment, a caravan slowly appeared from the distance, heading in the direction of Mondstadt.
Yu Xie turned to look at the caravan, and an idea suddenly popped into his mind.
"Venti, you don't have to escort me. I'll hitch a ride with the caravan," he said.
"I still think I should accompany you. It'll be much faster than hitching a ride," Venti said confidently.
"I want to enjoy the scenery along the way and get to know the people of Mondstadt a little better," Yu Xie replied.
Venti hesitated for a moment. Even though Yu Xie no longer remembered the past, he was still the same Yu Xie—his tone of speech hadn't changed at all.
"Alright then. But what if they don't let you hitch a ride?" Venti asked.
"I'll sneak in if they don't let me," Yu Xie joked. "Do you want to join me?"
"I'll pass. I have somewhere to go first. See you in Mondstadt," Venti smiled.
"Alright, see you in Mondstadt."
As soon as his words finished, a gust of wind blew by, and Yu Xie raised his hand to shield his eyes.
When the wind subsided, Venti's figure had already disappeared.
"So this is what it means to come and go like the wind," Yu Xie murmured.
Then, he made his way to the path the caravan would take.
The caravan wasn't very large—it seemed to be a merchant caravan, with several armored figures among them.
If Yu Xie was correct, those armored individuals were likely the Knights of Favonius.
The caravan slowly approached, and before Yu Xie could speak, it came to a stop.
"You there, young man. What are you doing all alone out here? This is far from the city—be careful of monsters," a voice called out from the front of the caravan. The voice belonged to an older man sitting on the leading cart. Though his age showed, the armor he wore clearly marked him as a knight.
End of chapter
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