As night deepened, Mondstadt fell into a deep slumber.
The statue of the anemo archon emitted a gentle glow under the moonlight.
Lying on the soft, clean bed, Lu Hongze was not at all sleepy. His physical exhaustion was suppressed by mental excitement. With his eyes open, he replayed everything that had happened today in the darkness: from the danger in the wilderness to being saved by Amber, then meeting Acting Grand Master Jean, and finally this warm dinner and temporary shelter.
Amber's kindness was real, but it was also fragile, unable to withstand the rules of an entire society and potential financial pressures. He had to find his own value as soon as possible, or... at least figure out exactly how these rules operated.
He rolled over, the scent of sunshine lingering on the sheets, which relaxed his tense nerves slightly. Regardless, he had survived the first day. This was a good start.
Amidst his chaotic thoughts, extreme physical fatigue eventually triumphed over his mind, and he fell into a deep sleep, though his brow remained slightly furrowed.
Unlike the chaotic thoughts in the next room, Amber lay in bed with her heart pounding like a jumping Slime, unable to calm down at all.
As soon as she closed her eyes, she saw the boy's tearful eyes, the way he ate so carefully, and his figure standing quietly by the kitchen door... The thought of being like an "old married couple" surfaced uncontrollably again, making her bury her face in the pillow and let out a muffled whimper.
She shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off the strange thought. "He just needs help! Amber, you are an Outrider of the Knights of Favonius; protecting the people is your duty!"
But... would protecting the people involve clearing the table and washing dishes together? Would her heart race just because of a grateful look from him? Would she feel an inexplicable sense of peace and... joy because there was another person's presence in the house?
Various thoughts battled in her mind until the latter half of the night, when she finally drifted off into a daze.
Perhaps because he had experienced too much during the day, or perhaps because of the unease brought by the new environment, Lu Hongze's sleep was restless.
Meanwhile, Amber in the next room vaguely heard a dull thud, as if someone had rolled off the bed. She was startled awake instantly, her Outrider instincts bringing her to full alertness.
Amber came to his door.
"Hey? You okay?"
She asked in a low voice, feeling somewhat worried. Had something happened to the boy?
There was no response from the room, only silence.
Amber hesitated for a moment before gently pushing open his door. Under the moonlight...
The black-haired youth was curled up on the cold floor like an abandoned kitten.
The moonlight gently enveloped him, casting a faint silver glow on his soft black short hair, with a few strands damp with sweat sticking to his smooth forehead. His face was small, his chin pointed, and his skin appeared even more fair and translucent under the moonlight, even revealing faint blue veins.
He was currently curled in a ball, the collar of his loose clothes having slipped down to reveal a slender, fragile neck and a small, delicate collarbone. Below the bridge of his nose, his lips were slightly parted, letting out light and irregular breaths.
His exposed ankles were slender and fair, and his toes were slightly curled from the cold, as round and cute as pearls.
Most of the quilt had slipped to the floor, piled messily by his legs.
Amber's heart softened instantly. She walked over quietly and picked up the quilt.
Amber carefully leaned down, her arms gently sliding under his knees and back. When her fingertips touched the cotton fabric of his pajamas, she could feel the slight trembling of the thin body beneath.
He was lighter than he looked, and soft. "Are men made of water?" Amber wondered.
She adjusted her posture, letting his head rest naturally in the crook of her shoulder. His warm breath brushed against the side of her neck, carrying the clean scent unique to a youth.
She slowly straightened up, trying her best to remain steady.
His soft black hair brushed against her cheek, tickling her. When she reached the bed...
She bent her knees slightly and laid him down with the gentlest force. The moment he sank into the soft bed, he unconsciously curled up like a small animal that had found its nest.
Amber pulled over the quilt and carefully covered him, tucking the edge gently under his chin.
She didn't leave immediately but leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching for a while until she confirmed his breathing had become steady and long again. Only then did she quietly exit the room and gently close the door.
Returning to her own bed, Amber fell asleep quickly this time.
When the first ray of morning light shone through the gap in the curtains, Lu Hongze woke up. He only remembered having a nightmare but didn't remember what happened afterward.
He walked out of the room and found that Amber was already up, preparing a simple breakfast in the kitchen.
"Last night... did you fall? Are you hurt?"
Lu Hongze saw the worry in her eyes and understood what she meant. He shook his head to indicate he was fine, then returned a submissive smile with a hint of apology.
Amber breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as well, pointing to herself.
"Amber."
Then she pointed at him, making a puzzled gesture.
Lu Hongze watched as Amber pointed to herself and said "Amber"...
...and then pointed at him with a puzzled expression, immediately understanding that she was asking for his name.
This was a critical moment.
Several thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
Tell her his real name? In this world where he didn't know the language, an exotic name might invite more unnecessary scrutiny. Make up a pseudonym? With his current language skills, it would be hard to do naturally, and if he were caught later, it would seriously damage the fragile trust that had just been built.
In a flash, he made a decision—the safest course of action was to maintain the "know-nothing" persona.
A look of blankness and a hint of painful effort to remember appeared on his face at just the right time. He furrowed his brow slightly and raised a hand to gently press his temple, as if struggling to search for something in a blank mind. Then, he looked at Amber and slowly shook his head with apology and confusion.
This action and expression clearly conveyed a message: he didn't know, or didn't remember.
"Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." She waved her hands hurriedly, her tone full of apology, no longer asking about his name.
Lu Hongze felt a slight relief, knowing he had made the right move. He lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes hiding the complex emotions that flashed through them. Exploiting her kindness and sympathy caused a faint, imperceptible pang of guilt in his heart, but this guilt was quickly suppressed by a stronger desire for survival. In this strange world, he had to be cautious, and then cautious again.
He looked up and gave Amber a somewhat fragile yet reassuring smile, as if saying "It's okay, I don't mind."
Seeing this smile, Amber's heart softened even more. After a moment's thought, she decided to give him a temporary name to make daily communication easier.
She looked around, her gaze landing on a green plant on the windowsill stretching in the morning light. Its leaves were round and full, exuding vibrant vitality—much like what he needed right now: resilient life force.
She walked quickly to the window, carefully pointed at the lush green plant, then looked back at him with sparkling eyes. She tapped a thick leaf gently with her finger, making a crisp sound, and then looked at him with an encouraging smile.
"Leaf!" She uttered the word crisply, her tone light. "I'll call you Li Fu! Okay?"
"L—e—a—f—," Amber repeated once more.
Fearing he wouldn't understand, she gestured the shape of a leaf swaying gently in the wind, her movements gentle and full of life, then pointed at him again, her eyes full of expectation.
Lu Hongze watched her movements, the vivid greenery at her fingertips, and the life-filled smile on her face. He instantly understood the meaning of the word "Leaf" and the beautiful sentiment she had imbued in the name—hoping he could be like a leaf, taking root and growing in this strange land.
A complex warm current surged through his heart. He had exploited her kindness, yet she had responded with such simple and sincere wishes.
He lowered his eyelashes, and when he looked up again, there was only total acceptance and a hint of shyness from being touched by this gentleness. He nodded very seriously and slowly at Amber. Then, he tried to repeat it with a raw, strangely accented pronunciation:
"Le...af?"
His pronunciation was not standard, but it carried a sense of cautious earnestness.
Hearing him try to say the name, Amber's eyes lit up instantly, as if they had been ignited. She nodded vigorously, her smile becoming even more brilliant.
"Yes! Li Fu! That's you!"
From this moment on, in Mondstadt and with Amber, he had a new identity—Li Fu.
A name like a newborn green leaf, which she hoped would grow tenaciously and find its place. And Lu Hongze knew he had to play the role of "Li Fu" better, letting this tender leaf grow quietly under the protection of the great tree named Amber, until he was strong enough to face the storms of this world.