On the table, there was a bowl of noodles. The noodles were submerged in soup, garnished with chopped green onions. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary bowl of noodles, nothing particularly special about it.
"Eat up," said Buer, sitting across from Yu Xie.
"Thank you, I'll start eating now," Yu Xie said, picking up his chopsticks and taking a bite.
The taste wasn't exceptional, just average, but for Yu Xie, who hadn't eaten all day, it was a treat. As the saying goes, hunger is the best seasoning.
"Why did you run from Liyue all the way to Sumeru?" Buer asked, resting her chin on her hand, her beautiful face illuminated by the light.
"Because... I wanted to come here and see it," Yu Xie replied.
"You're lying," Buer said.
Yu Xie was startled; this development was a bit unexpected.
It wasn't because he simply wanted to come and see Sumeru that he arrived here, but he couldn't exactly say it was because his new life had started in Sumeru, could he?
"Forget it, no big deal," Buer smiled gently. "Everyone has their own problems, things they don't want to share with others. There's nothing strange about that. I also have a lot of things I don't want others to know."
Yu Xie didn't feel any malice from Buer; in fact, he could sense more of the sympathy emanating from her.
"Thank you for understanding," Yu Xie smiled back and continued eating his noodles.
"How's the taste of the noodles?" Buer asked again.
"Maybe it's just because I'm hungry, but it tastes really good."
Buer furrowed her brow slightly.
"I have a friend who always says my noodles don't taste good."
"Maybe she just doesn't appreciate them?"
"You're not trying to compliment me, are you?"
"Well... maybe one day when I'm not hungry, I'll try your noodles again and give you a more objective evaluation."
"You really are different from others," Buer smiled.
"Am I?"
"At least, I find being with you quite enjoyable."
"Should I thank you for the compliment, Miss Buer?"
"It's not a compliment. I'm just speaking from the heart." Buer glanced out the window, where the night was deep and the moonlight cast over the streets outside, like salt sprinkled over the ground.
"By the way, you've just arrived in Sumeru, right?" Buer asked again.
"Yeah," Yu Xie nodded.
"Have you found a place to stay yet?"
"Not yet."
"Well, then stay here. Just clean up this place every few days, and consider that your rent."
Yu Xie was a bit surprised; the offer sounded like a great deal.
"Don't you suspect I might be some shady person?"
"Don't underestimate the gods. If you were suspicious, I'd have tied you up by now." Buer stood up. "Alright, you eat slowly. I'll be leaving."
"Where are you going?"
"Back to my palace, of course. If I'm gone too long and people notice, someone will come looking for me..." Buer looked a bit troubled. "Make sure you take care of this place. If I come back one day and find it a mess, then you'll be in trouble!"
Although Buer's tone sounded serious, for some reason, Yu Xie still felt her warmth.
This gentle Achon, beloved by the people of Sumeru, perhaps doesn't even realize that beneath her stern tone, there's still a unique tenderness only she possesses.
"Thank you, Miss Buer, for offering me a place to stay," Yu Xie responded with a smile. "I'll make sure to take care of this place."
"Then I'll be going," Buer smiled, and in the blink of an eye, her figure vanished into the light of the room.
Only Yu Xie was left in the room.
A gentle breeze from outside blew in, and the light flickered.
In the blink of an eye, the days passed—sunrise and sunset, a few days had gone by.
Yu Xie had developed a preliminary understanding of Sumeru. The city was experiencing an unprecedented prosperity.
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, the Goddess of Flowers, and the King Deshret Al-Ahmar had formed an alliance, and the lives of Sumeru's people were peaceful and prosperous, with a harmonious government and society.
This could be seen in the everyday lives of the citizens.
Walking on the streets, you could hear people laughing and talking cheerfully wherever you went.
That day, after breakfast, Yu Xie watered the vegetables in the garden behind the house.
These vegetables were all personally planted by Buer and were growing quite well.
As the Lord of Dendro, gardening was surely a simple task for Buer, though Yu Xie hadn't expected her to have such an interest in it.
As an ordinary person, having a small cottage in a corner of the city and living self-sufficiently—it seemed like the kind of life Buer might have preferred, if not for the heavy responsibilities she carried.
By the way, Miss Buer hadn't come back for several days since she left last time. But that was to be expected; after all, she was a Archon of Sumeru and must have been busy with many affairs.
During this time, Yu Xie, out of curiosity, had tried to seek Buer, but had not found an opportunity to meet her.
For ordinary people, seeking an audience with a Archon wasn't such a simple matter without a special reason.
Oh well, with food and shelter, what more could one ask for?
He just needed to take care of the house and fulfill his part of the agreement.
At this moment, a pleasant voice came from outside the house.
"Buer, I'm here."
Hearing someone calling, Yu Xie stopped his weeding and walked out. The moment he saw the other person, both he and the stranger were slightly surprised.
The stranger seemed surprised to see a man come out of this house, while Yu Xie was taken aback by the other person's stunning beauty.
Her beauty was on par with Buer's—flawless, whether in her face or figure.
She wore an exquisite dress that highlighted her outstanding grace, the hem of her skirt swaying gently in the breeze, and her long hair fluttering lightly in the wind.
"Are you looking for Buer?" Yu Xie spoke first.
"Yes, where is she?"
"It's been several days since she came. She must be busy with something, so she probably hasn't had the time to come back."
"I see. Well, we made an appointment to meet here today, so she should be arriving soon."
"Sorry to ask, but who are you?"
"My name is Nabu Malikata. I'm Buer's friend. You can call me Nabu," the woman said with a friendly smile. "And you? What's your name? Did Buer ask you to stay here?"
"My name is Yu Xie. It's similar to what you said—Buer asked me to stay here and take care of the place."
"I see. Thank you for your trouble." Miss Nabu flashed a captivating smile and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Since Buer isn't here yet, I'll help out as well."
Like Buer, Miss Nabu also carried a unique warmth about her, making one feel naturally inclined to rely on her.
Yu Xie recalled that last time, Buer mentioned she had a friend who always complained that her noodles didn't taste good.
It was probably this very Miss Nabu.
And given her straightforwardness, Miss Nabu's background must also be extraordinary.
End of chapter
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