The girl's gaze began to change.
From the initial mix of 30% confidence, 30% excitement, 30% nervousness, and 10% an indescribable expectation, it had now fully transformed into joy.
In all the novels Mo Bai had written before, he never believed that someone's eyes could reflect such a pie chart.
But after today, he realized—it actually does.
At least, that's how it seemed to him.
Yet right now, all he could feel was an ominous sense of foreboding.
Moments ago, under some strange influence, perhaps bewitched by a peculiar force, he had blurted out a line. A line so corny that it now gave him goosebumps just thinking about it.
"After saying that, she probably thinks I'm just like him now, doesn't she?
Does she think I didn't give her my name because I want to keep chatting with her?
No way, right? Surely she's not oblivious to how awkward this is?!"
As this thought crossed his mind, Mo Bai's eyes darted back to her, sneaking another glance.
The joy on this literary maiden's face had grown even more radiant than before.
"Damn it, she's loving every moment of this! If I let her get the upper hand, she'll definitely keep dragging this awkwardness on forever!"
"Calm down. Let's first see if there's a time machine around here…"
"Wait, a time machine?"
Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind, though only a fleeting second passed in reality.
By the time he returned to his senses, he had regained his former composure.
The only difference was that his body had stopped trembling.
Because he had found a way to break this enchantment!
After a series of discreet actions, he tucked away the jade token hidden in his sleeve.
Raising his head slightly, he gazed at the summit of the mountain.
"Master, hurry up and come! Your disciple needs you now…"
Though it might feel like he was retreating in disarray, he could no longer afford to care about appearances.
Being the one to make the first move here felt far too cruel…
The girl's boundless anticipation, her pure and sincere feelings, and the kindness subtly woven within all of it—he just couldn't bring himself to crush them.
But if this kept going, he wouldn't be able to hold back!
When that happened, if he ended up bursting out laughing, it would likely hurt her even more.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Shi Ci's emotions were completely different.
"Am I shining that brightly? People have praised me countless times before, but why does it feel so exhilarating now…?"
"Still, he seems to have begun opening up to me. I need to keep talking and pull him out of his loneliness!"
"Since he's showing this kind of expression, perhaps our meeting was destined after all…"
…
Watching from the sidelines, the tiny sprite responsible for the ongoing BGM grew even more excited.
Mo Bai might not have noticed, but she had recognized Shi Ci's identity the moment she appeared.
Though not the female lead, Shi Ci's presence and popularity rivaled, if not surpassed, some of the main heroines.
She was, after all, the canon love interest of Mo Bai, the great antagonist.
The "Literary Fairy," famed for her stunning beauty and unmatched talent, the dream girl of countless male cultivators across the Eight Wastelands.
In the original story, her connection with Mo Bai began due to some books, leading to a few coincidental encounters thereafter…
In the end, she became something akin to a confidant…
When Mo Bai fell into the demonic path, she never gave up on their bond. She even left the Wangyue Sect, which had nurtured her for years, in order to search for him tirelessly, hoping to bring him back.
Unfortunately, by then, Mo Bai was already deeply consumed by his battle with Xiao Han.
Her attempts at persuasion had no effect whatsoever; in fact, Mo Bai even used her efforts to his advantage.
In the climactic battle of the ages, she ultimately sacrificed herself, hoping to awaken Mo Bai with her death.
Regrettably, this didn't snap him out of it. Instead, it drove him further into madness, making him an even greater threat to the protagonist.
It could be said that her actions played a part in pushing the world into its eventual state of chaos, all orchestrated by Mo Bai.
Even so, her popularity among readers remained higher than some of the main heroines. Her gentle and kind nature left an indelible mark.
So now, faced with such a character, how could the little sprite possibly let this opportunity slip?
This was a perfect ally! With her around, the antagonist value would undoubtedly soar!
And as for this current situation? What could be better than this for forging a connection between them?
Without hesitation, the sprite triggered the BGM, offering its full support to the two of them.
From the looks of it, the results weren't bad at all…
Although Mo Bai and Shi Ci had spent less than a day together, the sprite had already grown very familiar with his personality.
Without its subtle guidance, this guy would never follow the plot!
With a sigh, it thought to itself, "Ah, life is tough. Even a system has to hustle…"
Still, the music continued to play.
Then, the sprite turned back toward Shi Ci, who was now fully prepared, her mood readjusted. Her cherry-red lips parted slightly:
"The wind rises..."
But before she could finish her sentence, a somewhat immature yet undeniably authoritative voice rang out from above.
"Xiao Bai, let's go."
Startled, she turned to look. There, floating in mid-air, was a young girl in red, carrying a giant brush.
It was Xiaoyaozi.
Shi Ci froze, an inexplicable panic rising in her heart. Was this dreamlike scene about to end?
But she hadn't even saved this young man yet…
Mo Bai, on the other hand, was overjoyed.
He had never found his master's perpetually indifferent face so reassuringly beautiful!
Seemingly aware of his gaze, Xiaoyaozi tilted her head slightly, looking into the distance.
At that moment, a gust of wind swept through, and she spoke with perfect timing:
"The wind… is getting stronger."
Mo Bai: (꒪⌓꒪)
Master, I called you here to save me, not to outdo me in theatrics!!
Still, this was reason enough. Time to leave. It would be better for everyone this way.
With that thought, he yanked his sleeve free from Shi Ci's grasp and prepared to leave.
Shi Ci's expression shifted instantly from disappointment to joy.
Judging by his behavior, she might still have a chance to learn more about him! Perhaps even figure out the best way to heal him.
She just needed to approach him in a way he preferred.
With that in mind, she moved swiftly, grabbing the sleeve he had just freed, and spoke:
"I heard it too. The wind is calling our names. I caught 'Shi Ci.' Did you hear the rest?"
Mo Bai froze, his heart trembling inexplicably for a moment.
Then, with a shrug of his shoulders, he shook the little sprite off.
What the hell? Why did my heart suddenly skip a beat just now?
This is absolutely the fault of that BGM!!
Shi Ci didn't stop. She slightly narrowed her eyes, extending a hand to tuck back the strands of hair fluttering in the wind, assuming a serene listening posture.
After a long pause, her lips moved slightly as she murmured:
"I heard another word… 'Bai.'"
Mo Bai was taken aback. Though he knew she was only guessing based on his master's earlier words—Xiao Bai—he couldn't stop his heart from stirring. Instinctively, he turned to look at her.
At that moment, Xiaoyaozi, standing not far above them, extended her delicate hand.
The wind stopped.
Shi Ci, mid-performance, froze in place. Her hair, which had been dancing dramatically in the breeze, now quietly settled back down.
The air fell silent.
Shi Ci's expression stiffened, her previous grace and composure dissolving in an instant.
"This… this is so awkward!!"