He Yuying, still leaning against the wall, muttered without looking up, "We're going to need earplugs for this conversation."
Shen Zhenyu, who had been silent the whole time, finally shifted his gaze toward Linyue. Her expression hadn't changed at all. Calm, flat, unbothered. He concluded she was just stating a fact earlier. No feelings. No secret longing hidden in her eyes. Nothing. Just pure observation.
Linyue gave a small shrug. "Of course. My eyes work fine."
Song Meiyu clasped her hands, nearly bouncing in place. "Indeed! He is handsome. But now that I know you, Sister Linyue, I realize my standard has risen too high. No one can possibly compare with your beauty!"
Prince Lu added proudly, "You're right. Even my sister fell in love with her at first sight."
Linyue nodded without hesitation. "Good taste runs in your family."
He Yuying gave a quiet snort that sounded suspiciously like laughter. Shen Zhenyu turned his head away quickly, the corner of his mouth twitching before settling back into a straight line. Song Meiyu, on the other hand, looked ready to burst into applause at Linyue's shameless composure.
And then, as if none of this had been unusual in the slightest, Linyue tilted her head, her calm eyes sweeping over the group. "So, where are we going?" she asked, her tone smooth and light.
Prince Lu straightened up instantly. "I'm thinking of what to bring back to the East for my sister. You know, like a souvenir."
"Souvenir…" Song Meiyu repeated in a whisper. Then she leaned forward eagerly, eyes sparkling. "Do you want something beautiful? Or edible? Or terrifying?"
Linyue folded her hands neatly behind her back, her face thoughtful. "Something edible is safest. Beautiful things get stolen. Terrifying things explode."
He Yuying finally lifted his head, chewing on a dried plum like he was already bored of them all. "Knowing you people, it will explode anyway."
Prince Lu nodded, taking this grim prophecy as solid advice. "Then we bring her something edible. Something no one else has tasted before."
Song Meiyu gasped, her eyes shining. "A marvelous idea! What about candied lotus petals? They're rare, delicate, and very pretty."
He Yuying shook his head, not even pausing between bites. "Too sticky. By the time it travels East, it'll look like melted glue."
Song Meiyu clutched her chest. "You have no appreciation for beauty."
"I appreciate things that do not turn into glue," He Yuying replied calmly.
Prince Lu grimaced, already imagining the horror. "No melted glue."
Shen Zhenyu, who had been silent, finally spoke in his even tone. "If it must be edible, perhaps dried fruit or preserved tea leaves would survive the journey better."
Song Meiyu groaned, spinning in place with her sleeves flying dramatically. "Practical but boring! We cannot just give a princess a bag of dried leaves." She tapped her chin, then snapped her fingers. "What about smoked meat? Meat is universal. Everyone loves meat."
He Yuying gave a slow nod. "Yes. Nothing says thoughtful souvenir like sending your sister a slab of dried animal carcass."
Song Meiyu placed a hand on her hip, glaring. "It's practical! She can eat it during long travels."
Linyue, who had been quietly observing, tilted her head. "That's true. But she could also mistake it for battlefield rations. It might set the wrong mood."
Prince Lu looked horrified. "Absolutely not. My sister must not think I view her as a soldier."
He Yuying popped another dried plum into his mouth, chewing lazily. "You want fancy but edible. Bring her pastries. They go stale quickly, but at least they look good before they rot."
Shen Zhenyu pinched the bridge of his nose as if all of them were beyond saving.
Meanwhile, Prince Lu still looked lost, his brows furrowed in deep, tragic confusion. "Then… what else is there?"
Linyue thought for a moment, then said simply. "Why not flowers? Easy to carry. Symbolic. They wilt, but so do most good memories."
The group stared at her.
Song Meiyu blinked rapidly, as if unsure whether to applaud or cry. "…Sister Linyue, that is both poetic and depressing."
He Yuying gave a slow nod. "Mostly depressing."
Even Shen Zhenyu turned to look at her directly. Then, without changing expression, he said flatly. "Let's just stroll around and see."
Which, in the unspoken code of this group, meant: We have no idea what we're doing, but we'll pretend we do until fate throws something in our path.
And so, the elite group of half-heroes, part-time troublemakers, and full-time food enthusiasts continued wandering the road on a noble quest for… a souvenir. Or maybe snacks. Or maybe just a good excuse to waste time. Whatever it was, it sounded important, so they walked like people with purpose. A very questionable purpose.
The group wandered left. Then right. Then left again. Staring at anything shiny, colorful, or edible. The area was full of small stores and market stalls selling everything from swords so shiny they could double as mirrors. Earrings shaped like tiny daggers. Daggers shaped like giant earrings. It was hard to tell which was which.
Then suddenly they stopped. Or rather, Prince Lu stopped, and the rest nearly bumped into him.
Song Meiyu made a squeaky noise of protest. He Yuying just side-stepped lazily. Shen Zhenyu let out a quiet sigh of long-suffering patience. And Linyue just tilted her head at Prince Lu's back.
In front of them stood a doll store. Its window display was packed with the most beautiful and slightly unsettling dolls any of them had ever seen. One doll in particular caught their eyes. It was the size of a small child, maybe four or five years old, with long shiny hair, big glassy eyes, and calm expression that looked like it was quietly judging them. Very lifelike. Very expensive-looking. Possibly alive. Who could say?
Prince Lu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, chin slightly raised. "What do you think?" he asked in a deep, thoughtful tone.
Song Meiyu gasped, clutching her cheeks. "No way. It's so beautiful. I've never seen a doll this beautiful. It almost makes me want to start collecting dolls instead of herbs!"
Linyue squinted at the doll. Her voice calm, but her eyes sharp. "Why does it look like it knows too much?"
He Yuying muttered darkly. "I don't trust dolls that look smarter than me."
Meanwhile, Shen Zhenyu stayed silent. But he subtly shifted his stance, positioning himself so no doll could ever sneak up behind him. Just in case.
Still, curiosity won over caution, and they stepped inside the store.
A polite middle-aged man immediately bowed so low it looked like he might fold in half. "Welcome, honored customers! What kind of dolls are you looking for today? We have the finest collection across the realm. From gentle companions to terrifyingly realistic royalty."
Prince Lu blinked, his smile twitching. "Terrifyingly?"
The man's grinned. "Realism is a form of art," he declared.
He Yuying, standing near the door, leaned toward Song Meiyu and muttered darkly, "If one of them moves, we're burning the place down."
Song Meiyu whispered back, "Deal."
Inside, it felt like stepping into another world or perhaps a mildly cursed one. There were dolls everywhere. Tall dolls, short dolls. Dolls dressed like noble ladies, dolls dressed like warriors. Some looked like children, others like adults. A few had such… unique designs that Linyue couldn't even tell if they were supposed to be male, female, or a fashion experiment gone wrong. It didn't help that all the dolls had big watery eyes that seemed to follow their every move.
Linyue frowned slightly. "They're staring."
The glassy eyes on the dolls didn't blink, but somehow… she felt judged.
Song Meiyu, on the other hand, was in full exploration mode. She zipped from shelf to shelf, poking one doll's cheek, lifting another's sleeve, and peeking under a tiny hat. "This one has real eyelashes! And—oh! This one has gray eyes!" she squeaked, delighted.
He Yuying wasn't delighted. He moved cautiously, every creak of the wooden floor making his hand twitch toward the hilt of his sword. "If one of these things starts talking, I'm setting the whole place on fire," he muttered.
Shen Zhenyu stayed calm, as always, hands behind his back, eyes scanning the room. He didn't say anything, but he was definitely standing closest to the door.
The shopkeeper, who was watching them all like a hawk, finally stepped forward with a sharp smile. "Do you have something specific in mind, honored customer?"
Prince Lu nodded. "I'm looking for a gift for my sister. She's fifteen. Something elegant. Beautiful. Not creepy."
The shopkeeper's eyes gleamed. "Ah! What a coincidence. We just received a rare collection this morning. Not on display yet. Very exclusive. We're keeping them in the back for now, only for special customers. But I believe this noble customer might be… suitable."
He made it sound like Prince Lu was about to be inducted into a secret cult.
The group exchanged wary glances.
Song Meiyu's eyes sparkled. "Ooh! Let's see!"
He Yuying muttered, "Let's not."
Shen Zhenyu sighed deeply.
And Linyue, already imagining lost hours of peaceful sleep, muttered under her breath, "No nap. Again."
The shopkeeper's grin stretched even wider. "Follow me, please."
Prince Lu nodded at the shopkeeper. "Lead the way."