Chapter Text

Read from Left to Right

⋆˚꩜｡ Chapter 3 ˚꩜｡⋆

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I like you

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The warmth of Shunguang’s lips lingered on Wise’s cheek, and in that quiet heartbeat between sea and sky, time seemed to have stilled. His breath was caught between joy and disbelief. As the gentle pressure faded, Shunguang pulled back just enough for him to see her face. Her eyes shimmered in the dying light of the sunset, tears clinging to her lashes, yet her smile was steady—braver than she felt.

“Uhmm,”   Wise shyly scratches the back of his head. “So—are we… an item now?”

“I–I guess?”  Shunguang flustered.

“What…” He paused, “What should we do now?”

 She struggled to maintain eye contact. Her ears bopped up and down, while her tail lightly swayed.

“I never really dated anyone before…”  Shunguang put two of her fingers together.  “So I’m unsure myself.”

“Ha ha–”

“He he~”

Silence settled between them again—not awkward, just tender. The sunset painted her hair in warm gold, and Wise found himself thinking that this moment didn’t need fixing. After admiring her even more, he finally dared to speak up.

“Uhm, we should probably eat the food.”

 Wise diverted their attention to the meal basket to ease the tension.

“Senior Yinhu worked hard to prepare that for us.”

Shunguang eyed the food; she smelled the faint aroma emanating from the basket. Pan Yinhu always cooks with the people in mind; the meal was bound to taste delicious.

“Ohh~ I wonder what it is?”  Shunguang’s ears twitched in anticipation. “Oh my, this smells amazing!”

“I know, right?”  Wise affirmed, “Although it’s a bit cold since we kinda played around. But it should still taste great!”

“Then what are we waiting for?”  Shunguang clasps her hands together, “Let’s dig in.”

Wise and Shunguang turned to face each other.  They unwrapped the basket, slowly freeing the fragrant smell of the food.

One by one, they took the containers out, starting with the small ones at the top and moving to the larger ones at the bottom.

The meal is now set down, prepared.

Shunguang opened the first container, revealing the crab that Wise snuck out this morning before his sister got to eat all of them.

“Wow, look at that crab!” Her eyes sparkled in excitement, “and that crab roe, oh~ this is going to be so yummy.”

“Mmhmm,” Wise handed her a small container of rice. “You should let the rice soak some of that crab juice, then follow it with a bite of crab meat. Belle says it’s the perfect combo.”

With one hand, Shunguang effortlessly cracked open a crab, revealing a generous portion of glistening meat. Wise let out a soft chuckle, clearly impressed by her strength. 

“Void hunters are really something,” he muttered.

Shunguang took the rice he handed her, and then she poured some crab roe into it. She took a spoonful, then quickly followed it with a bite of crab meat.

“Mmmm~” She savored the flavors. “Junior Belle really knows her stuff. The rice perfectly complements the crab, and the roe adds such a rich layer to it.”

She didn’t hesitate to take another bite.

“Mmmm~ It’s so good, I can’t get enough.” Her ears twitched happily.

“Hahaha,” Wise let out a hearty laugh. “I know, it’s a great combination. I enjoyed eating it, but I struggled opening some of the crabs. Senior Fufu had to help me out.”

“Yeah…” She cracks open another crab with ease. “Failume heights’ crabs have tough exterior, here I opened one for you.”

Holding out a piece of crab, she extended her hand toward him—an unmistakable invitation. Wise froze, staring at her fingers as he swallowed nervously.

“Uh… yeah.” Nervous, he hesitated, his cheeks flushing faintly. “You go eat first, I–I already had plenty earlier.”

“Hmph,” She pouted. “You brought this food for both of us, right? It’s not fair if I’m the only one eating.”

Inside her mind, Shunguang knew exactly what she was doing. Feeding one another—wasn’t that something couples did?

“Am I not giving him enough hints? It’s only normal for people to feed their lovers, or is that only seen in books? Kyaa~ I am so nervous, please accept it, Wise!

Her thoughts raced.

“Hey, now,” She gestured again. “Come here, I know you're probably hungry by now.”

Wise glanced at her hand once more. They were already a couple—yet his heart still raced. She was giving him a clear green light, and he knew it wouldn’t be right to turn away from her sincerity.

“Sighs, alright,” he smiled softly, “I will take you up on that offer.”

He leaned in, moving slowly toward her hand. After a brief hesitation, he finally took the bite. The food was delicious—but what lingered most was the sensation of her fingers against his lips: soft, delicate, nothing like what one would expect from a swordswoman.

Shunguang stiffened. Her ears stood straight up, her tail flicking sharply.

“Kyaa! He actually went for it.

His lips were so soft—not too wet, just… warm.

It feels strange… tingly—but I don’t hate it at all.

Flustered, she mumbled under her breath, cheeks burning as her thoughts spiraled.

Wise, still close, noticed the sudden change in her expression. Panic was written all over her face—but not the kind born of fear. It was the panic of surprise, of emotions arriving all at once, unprepared and overwhelming.

Wise noticed Shunguang tensing up and quickly pulled back. He looked into her ruby eyes, assessing her expression.

“Shunguang?”  He asked, his face still flustered, “Uhm, did I do something wrong ?”

“Uhhh…”  Her words are being twisted on her lips. “No… I was just… a little surprised–that’s all.”

Her defense broken, she tried to regain composure. To avert his attention from her, she grabbed the dimsum platter. This time, she used chopsticks to grab a piece of dim sum.

“Whew, good thing these chopsticks are here, I can avoid that dangerous sensation of his lips in my fingers, but next time for sure… I wouldn’t be so flustered!

Shunguang murmured to herself, but deep down, she wished she could feed him again directly with her hand.

She raised the dim sum close to him, expressing her desire to feed him once more. Wise noticed her gesture. He leaned closer, then swiftly took the bite she was offering him.

*Nom “Mmm…”  He chewed, “This also tastes great, the savory of the meat filling complements the chewy exterior.”

“Really?” She expressed a feeling of enticement. “I wonder what it would taste like if we dip it into some soy sauce?”

“I figured you may look for one.”  Wise took a small bottle from the basket. “Here, this soy sauce comes with the additional flavor of dried garlic and lime.”

“Oooh~ that’s perfect, now the saltiness of the soy sauce would be balanced with the fragrance of the garlic and sourness of the lime.” She muttered in excitement.

“Alright, let me prepare a bite for you.” 

Excited to see her reaction, Wise hurriedly opened the bottle. With his hand, he picked up a piece of dim sum and drizzled some of the special soy sauce Pan Yinhu made. 

He gestured with his hand towards Shunguang, repeating the earlier incident, only this time their roles are reversed. He didn’t pay attention to his bold action, as he only wished to see her having a great time eating.

“Huh?

Wait, is he going to feed me with his hand, too?

No way!

Shunguang squealed inside her mind. 

Taken aback by Wise’s sudden assertiveness, her ears tensed up and her tail erected. She didn’t expect him to use her own spell against her. With her face flustered and ears throbbing, she could only mutter a few words.

“Are you sure?”

“Eh?”  Wise, confused with the question she gave him.

“キャー！ バカ春光 (Kyaaa! Baka na Shunko) Idiot Shunguang, don't ruin this moment! This is an opportunity that doesn’t come by often! 

Another inner turmoil occurred in her mindscape.

“Ahh, Wise… What I mean is, shouldn’t you have the first bite?” She stuttered to explain herself.

“Ohh, it’s fine, I already had a bite earlier.” Insisting, Wise leaned his hand closer.

“Besides, you were the one who proposed this; it’s only right for you to have the first bite.”

“Aww, that’s very thoughtful of you, sweet junior, but–”

Before she could finish her sentence, Wise interfered.

“Hold up, Imma stop you right there. Fine, this isn’t just about letting you have the first bite.”

He paused, then he locked eyes with Shunguang, sincerity engraved on his eyes.

 “You see, when you are eating, you have this warm vibe that I really like.”

One of Shunguang’s ears twitched in curiosity. “Warm vibe?”

“Exactly.”  A soft smile formed on Wise’s lips. “You close your eyes to savor good food properly, then you will follow it with an enthusiastic ‘mhmm’ sound, and then your fluffy tail and ears move in delight.”

“What…” Her cheeks plumped, feeling flustered.

“That amazing expression of yours.”  He said, “I like it, since it really puts me at ease.”

Butterflies sprouted in Shunguang’s stomach, and her surroundings blurred as her attention fixated only on him. Instinctively, without warning, Shunguang has taken the bite. Wise was taken aback by his cute partner’s sudden impulsiveness, but he didn’t really mind.

“Shunguang… heh… ha ha ha ha. So, how was it? Did you like it?”  He heartily laughed.

“Mmmm,”  Her face lit up with delight. “Yup, the dimsum is so juicy, and the sauce is very savory. I like how the texture and flavor blend so well together~.”

“Well, I’m glad that you liked it.” His heart felt full as he watched her smile again.

They held each other’s gaze, letting the moment settle between them as gentle silence took over.

“Kyaaa! I did it again.

My heart was racing, and I just went for it!

While her emotions ran wild, Wise turned his attention briefly to the ocean, continuing his meal. Beside him, Shunguang kept staring, trying to process the overwhelming joy swelling in her chest.

“When he said those things… I couldn’t stop myself. I just let my body move.

Wise is just so sincere, and his care for me is all genuine. That’s why he’s irresistible… he still is now.

And here I am having impure thoughts earlier, forgive me, junior, your senior has become very naughty.

She reflected on her rather sudden behavior. It didn’t take long for Wise to notice his partner’s silence. He looks back towards her, only to see her still staring at him. It surprised him, leaving his cheeks flushed.

“Umm… Shunguang? Is there something in my face?” He tapped his cheek.

“No.” She paused, eyes soft. “I’m just admiring who you are, and how much I like you.”

“Huh?!” Wise stiffened at her sudden confession. Dating was still new territory for him.

“Ehem.. I.” He swallowed, then gathered his courage. “Shunguang, I really like you too! I admire every aspect of your personality; your courage, your selflessness, and you just being you.”

“Wise,”  She placed a hand over her chest.  “I…  there's still so much left for me to say, I feel like it would take time to get them all out.”  

“Really? I also have a lot to say.” He rubbed his chin. “But the food has been sitting here for a while. How about we finish it first, then let’s keep talking.”

"I agree,” A small smile returned to her lips. "There is still much to discuss."

As they finished their meal, the sky gradually deepened in color. The golden yellow from earlier had melted into a rich shade of orange, stretching across the horizon like a painted farewell.

The atmosphere is not too dark; there is still a hint of brightness, wrapping the shoreline in a serene, almost dreamlike calm. Sitting beside each other, Wise and Shunguang marveled at the scene in front of them.

Slowly—almost hesitantly—a hand inched closer to the other.

She gasped softly at the sudden warmth that landed on her hand. She glides down her gaze towards the source of the warmth. Greeted by Wise’s hand resting atop her own.

Wise slightly turned his head in her direction, their gaze meeting, welcoming each other with a smile.

“So, about what we were discussing earlier…”  Shunguang fidgeted, her ears twitching. “Should we… continue?”

“Moments like this make me like you more.” Wise slightly tightened his grip. “Just having your company already makes me happy and at ease.”

“Huh?” Her face immediately heated, turning red. “He-heyy! That’s not fair. I was not… I wasn’t ready!”

“Hahaha, sorry I–I wanted to give you a surprise.” He laughed warmly, teasing her.

“You…”  She puffed her cheeks in a small pout, though her tail betrayed her, swaying happily behind her.

“Believe me, Shunguang,” Wise’s tone softened, growing serious yet warm. “What I said earlier is all but true, since I met you, every day is happier and livelier.”

“Alright, my turn.” Her eyes locked with his, resolve visible. “Meeting you for the first time was like magic. There is this overwhelming joy that I had to scream—

“I have a junior now!”  Wise quoted her exact words.

“Hehehe. Exactly!” She laughed.

As the laughter settled, Shunguang gently lifted Wise’s hand. She flipped her own palm to face his, letting the warmth settle against each other before interlocking their fingers.

“Shunguang, I am glad to have been your junior.” 

“Me too, Wise! I am glad to be your senior.” Shunguang paused, rubbing her thumb against his. “But even if you hadn’t been my first junior…  I wouldn’t have fallen for anyone the way I fell for you.”

“Hey… now,” This time his ears burned red, “That… is quite the statement.”

“Hehehe~ I told you, it’s my turn,” She teased gently. “But something about my heart tells me that even if things were different… fate would have found another way for us to meet.”

Wise pondered the days he and Shunguang spent together, from the moment they first met to the present, where they are now a couple. He recalled the words he heard in his head when he was meditating.

Somehow, all the words and phrases he heard were connected to Shunguang, even hearing her name mentioned in the end, before snapping out. There is this feeling that their connection towards each other is deeply rooted, but how?

The answer did not matter. As he sees it, this only proves that his affection towards her is genuine, for the yearning in his heart reaches all corners of his brain.

“I agree,”  He paused. “If by any means we did not meet right away, I am sure that my career as a Proxy would have still led me to meeting you.”

Shunguang grew flustered at his words, her ears fluttering along with her tail.

“Oh really…”  She tapped her fingers, blushing. “I was the one who proposed the idea, but hearing it come from you is still something…”

“Hehehe, I thought you said it was your turn? So why are you embarrassed?”  Wise teased her.

“He–heyy! This dating thing is also new to me,”  She pouted. “I spent most of my time training in the mountains, so most of my review materials are novels and some half-baked advice from Shifu.”

“Really? I am in the same boat! Haha,” Wise chuckled. “ Honestly, I am a nerdy guy, naturally, my romantic knowledge is limited, mostly from the internet and unfortunately…. from my sister.”

Shunguang and Wise shared their idea of romance, talking about the movies or novels they “researched” to prepare for the scenario where they date someone, which is each other.

“Well, I guess that's the reason why we get along hehe~,” She laughed. “You're awkward, I am awkward, so our awkwardness canceled each other out.”

“That… makes sense, I guess?”  Wise scratched his head. “Looks like we kinda had the same energy, so some sort of  resonance happened.”

“Mmhmm, That’s true.”  She affirmed. “Although we are not the same in every aspect, our past experiences and struggles allowed us to understand each other.”

“You hit the spot! For example, our families, I was a worrywart brother to Belle, and you were a reckless sister to Sr. Ye, we really are—”

“Two negatives that made a positive.” Shunguang finished the thought. “I said this to you before when we went out to Sixth Street, right?”

“From the moment we first met, to our relationship now. All of it has been a positive experience, don't you agree?”

A smooth and chill breeze swept past them, accompanying her words. It was such a simple statement, yet it carried weight. Wise’s cheek grew warmer, leaving a faint blush to his face. He carefully thinks of his next words, wanting to return Shungaung's sentiments.

He took a deep breath to stabilize his words.

“Yeah…” his tone reflective. “Every day I see you, Ye Shungaung, unexplained happiness starts to fill my chest.”

With his second hand, he reached for her other hand, gently grabbing it. This small but meaningful gesture allows him to convey his emotions more clearly.

“Tha–that’s…” Shunguang stuttered, “Wise… thank you.”

She gleans joy, and happiness echoes in her heart.

“Hehe~ I feel the same way.”

Her smile tugged the strings in his chest. It was a beautiful smile, as beautiful as the sunset in the background. He can’t help but gaze at its magnificence, yet the view feels fleeting.

“Wise…” Shunguang’s eyes were watery but resolute.

“I’m glad, I’m happy, and I'm thankful that I met you.”

Wise was in awe of her words; he couldn’t believe that the person fate led him to was someone like Shunguang, and if you take off her title as a sword master, her great strength, and her heroic spirit.

She’s just a regular girl; she has flaws like everybody, and she feels fear, much like everyone else. How can someone like her be burdened with the responsibility to wield the sword and be a savior to everyone when she herself needs to be saved?

As fragile as she may be, she is stronger than most of us. To willingly bury your own weakness to play the role of a protector.

“Shunguang…” Wise tightened his grip on her hand, “Can I… be your strength?”

She gasps, and a steady stream of tears drips from her eye.

“Yes! Yes, you can.”

Wise pulled Shunguang into a tight hug; he enveloped her, who is way stronger than he, with a sense of security. Whenever she feels lost, he swore to himself that he would pull her out of the void and fill in the gaps where she may fall again.

*sniffle *sniffle “I… I will hold onto that promise, see, okay.” Shungu tightened her hug. “So make sure not to forget.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wise gently stroked her brown, silky hair, her ears fluffy ears relaxing with each stride. 

“I will always be here for you, Shunguang. I promise.”

They indulge in each other’s embrace, with the horizon and the sea as the witnesses. They let time pass them by as their warmth sinks deeply into each other. 

But as Wise held her, he noticed something off—Shunguang’s body felt too warm. He gently pulled back, concern immediately filling his eyes.

“Shunguang! Are you okay?” He voiced out his concern.

“Hehe, looks like my fever is burning up again.” She let out a small, nervous chuckle.

Without hesitation, Wise took off his jacket and carefully draped it over her shoulders, wrapping her in its warmth.

He glanced around. “It’s getting darker; the wind will only get colder from here.”

“Yeah… you're right.” Her voice got weaker, “We should head back.”

Wise stood up and offered his hand. When she reached out, she ended up holding onto his arm instead. Gently, he helped her to her feet.

“Are you okay?” He asked.  “You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine,” She wiped off the sand from her dress. “I can still walk back to the temple.”

“Really? I’m not convinced.” He dusted off his own clothes, still eyeing her carefully.

Wise turned his back to Shunguang and then leaned forward, offering his back.

“All right, let me carry you.” 

“Huuh–?” She got flustered, “Wait! No, seriously, I’m fine.”

Her face burned with embarrassment, though the subtle wag of her tail betrayed her true feelings.

“Hmm, your face tells me you're not fine.” Wise insisted.

“Well, that’s because…” Her blush deepened, *sigh. “Uh, never mind.”

“Is there something wrong?” He smiled at her, “You know, it’s a boyfriend’s duty to carry his girlfriend when she is tired.”

“Oh, you, you're teasing me again.” She protested, “Fine, but once you get tired, I will walk.”

“Alright, alright, but don’t worry—Shifu has been training me, so I should be fine.” He let out a confident smirk.

Shunguang hopped on Wise's back. The sudden added weight surprised him a little, but he quickly steadied himself.

“Alright, let’s go.”

 He gently rose from the ground, getting a better feel of her weight.

“Mmhmm.” 

She settled in comfortably, she lay her head on her back, feeling his warmth.

They began their walk back to the temple. Wise couldn’t help but notice how light Shunguang felt on his back. For someone who trained relentlessly with the sword, he had expected more weight—but she was far lighter than he imagined.

As they moved along the brick road, their steady footsteps created a soft rhythm. The distant chatter of townsfolk blended with the sound, forming a calm, almost soothing atmosphere.

“Wise, when did you start liking me?” Shunguang asked, laced with curiosity.

“Hm, what brought this up?” Wise replied, not avoiding the question.

“Well… There is still some time before we get back,” She pondered. “So I thought this was a good opportunity to continue our conversation.”

“Hmm, that is complicated.” He gathered his thoughts, “If I were to pick when I liked you, probably during the end of Sarah’s subjugation, but–”

“But?” She tensed slightly, eager for him to continue.

“If we are talking about the time I started developing feelings for you, it’s when we first met.” Wise blushed at his recollection, “I can still remember it, you were stunning back then.”

“Huh? Our first meeting?” She grew flustered, “I mean, back then, I was just super excited to have a junior, but I didn’t consider you the dating type, I–”

“Hahahaha, but that’s the thing,” He chuckled, “Senior Shunguang’s enthusiasm was adorable. And with your expressive ears and fluffy tail? It was just too cute.”

“Kyaa, Wise! You're such a tease.” Shunguang buried her face into his shoulder to hide her embarrassment.

“But even if you did fall for me first…” She paused briefly, “I was the one who fell for you harder.”

“That… I,” Wise was speechless for a second. “Shunguang, I believe that love is not just about how deep your affection for the other person is.”

She tightened her arms around him slightly, listening closely. 

“Loving someone is to keep making memories with the person you like,” He reflected. “And treasuring your affection for one another.”

“Memories, huh…” she whispered. “They really are priceless.”

There was a mix of fear and resolve in her voice. Shunguang’s experience with memories is not the prettiest, but she wants to keep making and treasuring them.

“I want to continue making memories, Wise.” She looks up at the night sky. “Those irreplaceable treasures, I want to keep them.”

He smiled, “Yup, and I will make sure that I’m right beside you while you do.”

“Hehe~” She chuckled. “Yeah, just stay with me, and be my strength.”

They continue walking, but Wise's legs are starting to feel sore with each step, getting more unsteady.

“Hmph.”

“Hmm?”

“Wise, put me down. Your legs are shaking.” She grunted.

“Eh? But I can keep going, ouch!” He groaned.

“I said put me down already.” She frowned, “You almost tripped!”

“Alright, alright. It would be troublesome if I tripped.” Wise sighed, “Looks like I need more training from shifu.”

He came to a stop and carefully leaned forward,  allowing Shunguang to dismount.

“I told you when you're tired, put me down.” She pouted, “Look, the temple is already near here, just a few more steps.”

“I was just trying to be cool.” He admitted,  “Now that we are dating, I want to make myself more reliable.” 

Shunguang smiled knowingly. She stepped closer, then gently reached up and placed a hand on his head, softly patting it.

“You don’t need to make yourself look cool.” She stroked his hair gently. “There is more than enough reason for me to like you.”

“He-hey!” Wise’s face reddened, “Now it’s you who is teasing me.”

“Hehehe~” Shunguang giggled, clearly proud of herself.  “Consider this as payback for all the teasing you did earlier.” 

Wise let out a small, helpless sigh. He reached for Shunguang’s hand, gently grabbing it. He intertwines their fingers.

“Wi-Wise? What is this all of a sudden?” She reacted, flustered.

“We have already stated multiple times that we liked each other.” He glanced at their joined hands. “I guess this much isn’t too bold?”

Shunguang looked at him quietly, her expression softening. He made a valid point; their relationship has exceeded that of normal friendship. 

They are no longer just junior and senior; they are now a couple.

They held each other's hands firmly as they walked back to the temple.

They arrived at the temple gate, and the smell of incense enveloped the surroundings. The courtyard was quiet; it seemed the disciples had already gone back to their respective homes. It was a quiet welcome, but still homely nonetheless.

“It is late, huh?” Shunguang observed the place. “Everyone must have gone home already.”

“Well, the training was pretty tiring.” Wise rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “They probably headed back to rest.”

Then all of a sudden, a tiger thiren, a panda thiren, and an enthusiastic girl jumped at them.

“Surprise!”

Ju fufu, Pan Yinhu, and Belle all ganged up to give Shunguang quite the shock.

“How was it? Was the sunset beautiful?”  Fufu asked eagerly.

“How was the food I cooked?” Yinhu chimed in. “It was pretty tasty, right? The ingredients I used were superb.”

“Uh, uh, what were you and big bro doing?” Belle smirked mischievously. “What was this little outing all about~?”

Shunguang’s eyes spun as questions came at her from all directions. She raised a hand, trying to regain control.

“Geez, everyone, one at a time, we just arrived.” Wise stepped in, attempting to calm the chaos.

Not a while, the grand master of the Yunkui summit, Yixuan, descended to the courtyard, her aura immediately put everyone in order.

“Settle down, everyone. Shunguang just recently got a fever.” Yixuan interjected, “She may be standing her ground right now, but pushing her around like this…”

Everyone calmed down, and they gave Yixuan a slight bow.

“Thank you, Shifu.” Shunguang gestured, “I was getting overwhelmed there for a second, but I’m fine now. As for everyone's question…”

She turned her face to her friends, ready to quench their curiosity.

“Senior Fufu, the view was amazing as ever. The sea was like liquid gold and shimmered like a pearl. It was indeed a remarkable sight.”

“Really?” Ju fufu’s ears puffed. “Oh man, I want to see it myself again.”

“And for the food, it was delicious.” Shunguang tapped her belly, “The flavors all mesh well together.”

“Hahahaha,” Yinhu let out a hearty laugh. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Then, sister Belle, hehe…” She chuckled nervously, “Wise just wanted to take me to the beach because I missed out in todays training… that’s all.”

“Oh, really? If you say so.” Belle grinned.

She was clearly aware of what happened on the beach earlier, and she knows that the two probably want to keep their newfound relationship a secret.

Belle side-eyed her brother and gave him a smug look.

“Belle… is there something wrong?” A bead of sweat formed on Wise’s forehead.

“Oh~ it’s nothing, I’m just glad that you guys got back safely.” There’s a hint of teasing in her eyes.

Wise nervously looked away from Belle, while his eccentric sister is far too please of herself.

Sensing the rising tension, Yixuan stepped in at just the right moment.

“Ehem… anyways, Shunguang, your fellow disciples have prepared a small gift for you. " Yixuan handed her a stack of photos.

“Huh? This is… whoa!”  Shunguang flipped through them, her eyes lighting up. “These are pictures from this morning’s trip!”

“Yup, and you have your junior Belle to thank for that.” Yixuan patted Belle’s shoulder, “She was the one to propose the idea.”

“Oh really?” Shunguang rushed to Belle, giving her a tight hug. “Thank you so much, this means a lot to me.”

“Ahh, it’s nothing,” Belle scratched the back of her head. “I know how much you value photos. Besides… we’re family, aren’t we?”

Belle cast another glance toward his brother. Meanwhile, Wise is still confused about why his sister is giving him this look.

When Shunguang pulled away, Yixuan stepped closer and placed a hand gently on her forehead, checking her temperature.

“Looks like you're still burning up.”  Yixuan expressed her concern, “Want me to help you get settled in?”

“Ah, there’s no need for that, shifu,” She waved her hands. “I–I can manage.”

“Alright, but make sure you go rest afterwards, okay.” She made sure to remind her.

“Alright, everyone,” Ju Fufu clapped her hands. “Looks like junior Shunguang needs to rest. Time for us to head home.”

“Understood.” Yinhu adjusted his hat. “Shunguang, don’t forget to drink the herbal tea I prepared before bed. It’ll help with your recovery.”

“Mmhmm~ goodbye, senior Fufu, goodbye, senior Yinhu.” Shunguang waved at them, “Make sure you guys get home safe.”

“Big bro, your clothes are all sandy and stuff.” Belle grabbed Wise, “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Alright, I get it.” Wise looked at Yixuan and Shunguang, “Shifu, Shun- I mean, senior, we will be on our way.” 

The proxy sibling waved to them and went back to their respective room to get changed.

“Alright, Shunguang, I will leave you to it. Make sure to get some rest.” She left her with one more reminder before leaving.

“Yes, Shifu, I will be on it.”

The courtyard grew quiet once more as the last footsteps faded into the night. Shunguang gently slid her door shut behind her. Her room welcomed her with stillness—the faint scent of incense lingering in the air, the soft glow of lantern light casting warm shadows across the walls.

She took a few steps forward and sat by the edge of her bed, carefully placing the stack of photos beside her. For a while, she just stared at them—fingers hovering, hesitant—before finally picking them up.

One by one, she flipped through them.

Smiling faces. Goofy poses. The shimmer of the sea. The golden glow of the sun.

Moments she hadn’t been there to witness… yet somehow, she could feel them.

“Hehe…” A small laugh slipped from her lips. “Everyone really went all out…”

Her fingers paused on one photo longer than the rest.

“…Wise.”

The name lingered in the quiet room.

Almost instinctively, her free hand rose to her chest. Beneath her palm, her heartbeat was steady—but warm, so very warm.

“I made so many memories today…” she whispered. “Even the ones I missed… somehow, I still feel them.”

Her gaze softened. “And the ones we made together…”

The ocean. The sunset. The laughter. The promise.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the photo. “…I don’t want to lose them.”

*Knock *knock

Shunguang quickly composed herself and moved toward the door. With a gentle slide, it opened—revealing a familiar, comforting figure.

“Wi-Wise?”   Her eyes widened in surprise, though warmth quickly followed. “What brought this on? Is there something you wish to discuss?”

“Nope… nothing too serious.” He tried to look away from embarrassment, “I… I just want to see you before going to bed.”

A brief pause hung between them—then Shunguang suddenly broke into a soft, cheerful laugh.

“Ahaha… you can be really cheesy sometimes, you know that?” She teased. “So… are you satisfied now?”

“Hm, yeah.” He smiled, satisfied. “Seeing you, and hearing you laugh, is enough.”

A faint blush crept across Shunguang’s cheeks. Her ears perked, and her tail swayed gently behind her. Without a word, she opened her arms slightly, expectant.

“Aren’t you gonna give me a goodnight hug?”

Wise almost lost his composure and rushed Shunguang for a hug, but quickly he managed to keep himself together.

Slowly, he approached her before gently pulling her into a tight hug. They lingered there, holding each other—quietly learning the comfort of one another’s warmth, as if committing it to memory.

“Good night, Shunguang.”

“Good night, Wise.”

Wise began walking back to his room. He looked back at Shunguang one more time to wave farewell, and she returned the gesture at him before sliding her door closed.

Before fully immersing herself in sleep, she opened the old drawer, taking her diary out; it was time to write an entry.

“Today, the Yunkui Summit went to Sailume Bay to train; unfortunately, I was not feeling well, so I had to stay.”

“I was sad that I was gonna miss out, but fortunately, my junior Belle decided that I’m not missing this day.”

Shunguang collected the photos everyone had taken during the trip, and she organized them, writing down notes about the people in the photos and her personal thoughts before pinning them to her diary.

“I’m once again thankful to Yixuan Shifu, senior Fufu, and senior Yinhu for preparing all of this for me.”

“And to junior Belle, who didn’t want me to miss out on these memories.”

Shungunguang flipped through the pages of her diary, reaching the page where there was a special bookmark with girly and colorful designs, combined with flower motifs.

“My memories with Wise.”

“Once again, Wise has provided me with many more wonderful memories. Every time he is involved, each moment is bound to be meaningful.”

“When I was feeling down about not being able to join the trip, He went to visit me in my room, so we could witness the sun set beach together.”

“Despite feeling ill that time, I couldn’t feel more alive. In that moment, we felt free. I was neither burdened with responsibilities as the Qingming Arbiter nor was Wise duty-bound to his proxy endeavours.”

“I was just me, Shunguang, a girl who yearns for romance and enjoys life normally.”

“Then Wise was just himself, not as the legendary proxy Phaeton, just Wise.”

“In that moment, our hearts were full of all sorts of wonderful emotions.”

“And we…”

“we…”

….

Her eyes began to grow heavy, but even as sleep crept closer, her hand reached out—resting lightly over the diary beside her.

As if holding onto something precious, not wanting to let go.

Outside, the night deepened, quiet and endless.

She drifted into a quiet sleep.