"You... you really are..." Chongyun's voice was dry. Looking at Xingqiu, who was shivering slightly in the cold water yet forcing herself to remain calm, the impulse to protect her instantly overwhelmed everything else.
He hurriedly untied his outer robe, reached out, and said incoherently, "The w-water is cold! C-come up quickly! Don't catch a cold!"
Seeing that his first reaction was to worry about her catching a cold rather than questioning or distancing himself, Xingqiu felt a slight Warmth in her heart. With the help of Chongyun's hand, she climbed out of the pond with some effort.
Chongyun immediately wrapped her tightly in his dry, warm outer robe, his movements even a bit clumsy and flustered. In that moment of proximity, the scent of the Damselette—a mix of the pond water's crispness and a faint ink fragrance from books—wafted toward him. It caused his Pure Yang Constitution, which had just slightly settled, to stir once more, his heart beating like a drum.
Wrapped in the robe that carried Chongyun's body heat and crisp scent, Xingqiu felt a rare sense of Warmth, and a blush unconsciously crept onto her cheeks.
She lowered her eyelashes, not daring to meet Chongyun's burning gaze, and said softly, "This matter... is a long story. It was not an intentional deception; there were unavoidable difficulties..."
"I understand!" Chongyun blurted out, his tone exceptionally firm.
Though he was simple-minded, he knew that a great family like the Feiyun Commerce Guild must have many secrets. Xingqiu had presented as a male for over ten years; even if he couldn't fully empathize with the hardships involved, he could imagine them to some extent.
"You... as long as you are alright, I-I won't tell anyone! Not a soul!" He raised his hand, as solemn as if he were swearing an oath.
Seeing him like this, the heavy stone in Xingqiu's heart finally fell, followed by a deeper sense of apology and a tingling Warmth.
She looked up into Chongyun's eyes, which were exceptionally bright with excitement and sincerity, and couldn't help but smile softly: "Thank you, Chongyun."
This smile, like a Lotus blooming for the first time under the moon, was so beautiful it was beyond compare, and it was etched forever into the depths of Chongyun's heart.
The Little Daoist Priest's face turned even redder. He hurriedly fumbled another popsicle out of his shirt (it surprisingly hadn't melted yet) and stuffed it into Xingqiu's hand. "Quick, eat some to... to calm your nerves... No, to drive away the cold!"
Can this... really drive away the cold?
Looking at his adorable attempt to cover things up, Xingqiu took the popsicle. Their fingertips accidentally brushed against his palm, and both of them trembled.
The moonlight softly bathed the pair of soaked young people by the pond. One was wrapped in a large robe, nibbling on a popsicle with a faint smile in her eyes. The other was red-faced and at a loss, yet couldn't help but steal glances at the person beside him, his heart a mixture of ice and fire, a tangle of complex emotions.
A corner of the secret had been unveiled, and the path ahead seemed to have become somewhat different.
[Chapter 9: Tacit Understanding]
Since that accidental night by the pond, the relationship between Xingqiu and Chongyun had become subtle.
But on the surface, everything remained as before.
They would still discuss sword manuals and ancient texts together and travel through the mountains and rivers of Liyue as companions. Xingqiu was still that elegant "Second Young Master," and Chongyun was still that serious Little Daoist Priest.
But some things were different, after all.
Chongyun's gaze would unconsciously follow Xingqiu's figure. He would notice the fine beads of sweat on her forehead after practicing her sword for a long time and silently hand over a clean handkerchief. When tasting new tea, he would subconsciously swap the cup she might find bitter with his own. After she stayed up late writing web novels, he would bring his specially made "Qingxin Vision-Clearing" formula and sternly tell her to rest.
These subtle bits of care were more than just concern between friends; they were mixed with the clumsiness and sincerity of a young man's first awakening of love.
And Xingqiu, naturally, was keen enough to notice these changes.
At first, she was a bit anxious, but seeing that Chongyun always kept his promise and did not reveal her secret at all—and that while his attitude toward her was more considerate, he always maintained proper respect and distance (at least on the surface)—she gradually felt at ease.
In fact... Xingqiu began to enjoy this Tacit Understanding that belonged only to the two of them.
She would still tease Chongyun as before, watching him turn red-faced and desperately gnaw on popsicles because of her jests. Only now, this playfulness held a few hints of tenderness and sweetness that even she hadn't noticed.
Sometimes, she would use "discussing the plot of a new novel" as an excuse to ask Chongyun about details that others might find too much like "Damselette's sentiments," such as: "If a woman had no choice but to hide her identity while befriending a man, how would the man feel after learning the truth?"
Chongyun would listen very seriously every time, then knit his brows and think for a long while before giving some straightforward answers that often made Xingqiu unable to help laughing, yet she found him exceptionally adorable.
[Chapter 10: Unsent Letter and Shared Umbrella]
This day, Xingqiu was in her own study at the Feiyun Commerce Guild, staring blankly at a newly written letter.
The letter was to a pen pal far away in Mondstadt, discussing some insights on novel writing.
But as she wrote, her brush had involuntarily flowed into some trivial chatter about her "friend."
How that friend, because of her saying "I heard the fireflies in the bamboo groves of Qingce Village are beautiful on summer nights," actually went to watch for three nights just to verify if the fireflies were as dreamlike as described in books.
How that friend, when she caught a slight cold, not only brought a cold-dispelling medicine said to be a family secret but also a large box of cloyingly sweet candies, saying "the medicine is too bitter, this is needed to neutralize it."
...Looking at these words she had written unconsciously, Xingqiu's cheeks felt slightly warm.
How could these private thoughts be sent to an outsider?
She gently crumpled the letter into a ball and held it over a candle flame, watching the fire lick across it and turn it into fine ash.
Some secrets and feelings can only be hidden in the heart, or... shared in a moment of Tacit Understanding with the only person who knows the secret.
The sound of pattering rain outside suddenly interrupted her thoughts.
Xingqiu remembered she had an appointment with Chongyun this afternoon to go to Wenyensuite to hunt for new books; the rain came at an unfortunate time.
When the time arrived, Chongyun's figure appeared punctually outside the side gate of the Feiyun Commerce Guild. He held a light blue umbrella, standing in the continuous drizzle, his bangs stirred by the breeze, his eyes clear as he looked toward the door.
Xingqiu walked out quickly and naturally ducked under his umbrella.
The umbrella wasn't very large; as they stood shoulder to shoulder, their sleeves inevitably rubbed against each other.
"Let's go," Xingqiu said, turning her head to smile at him.
"...Mm," Chongyun responded. His hand on the umbrella handle tightened slightly, and he subconsciously tilted the umbrella more toward Xingqiu, completely unaware that half of his own shoulder was exposed to the rain.
The two walked slowly along the wet bluestone path.
The rain pattered, but the small world under the umbrella seemed exceptionally quiet, with only the sound of each other's light breathing and footsteps.
Xingqiu could feel the slight tension in the young man's body beside her and his cautiousness. Her heart softened, and she quietly reached out, her fingertips lightly touching the back of his hand as it held the umbrella handle.
Chongyun jolted violently, almost losing his grip on the umbrella.
"Hold the umbrella straight," Xingqiu's voice carried a hint of a smile. "You're getting wet."
"It... it's fine!" Chongyun's ears turned red as he forced himself to stay calm. "My constitution is naturally hot; a little rain is just right to... cool me down."
Hearing this, Xingqiu couldn't help but burst into laughter, her eyes shimmering as she glanced at him: "Is that so? Then aren't I getting a huge bargain?"
Her words had a double meaning. Chongyun's heart beat even faster, and his Pure Yang Constitution showed signs of acting up again. He hurriedly produced another popsicle from his other hand as if by magic, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled, "W-we're almost there!"
Looking at his almost instinctive "cooling" action, Xingqiu stopped teasing him. She just walked quietly under the rainless sky he held up, her heart filled with peace and Warmth.
[Final Chapter]
Neither of them took the initiative to break this thin layer of window paper between them.
For Xingqiu, maintaining the identity of the "Second Young Master" was still the best choice for now; she was not yet ready to face the massive changes that might come with restoring her female identity.
As for Chongyun, he respected Xingqiu's choice. As long as he could protect her like this and see her smile like a flower, he was already satisfied.
That growing affection was carefully cherished in the depths of his heart, turning into an even firmer protection.
Perhaps for them at this time, this state between being confidants and having a vague romance was the best.
The martial world is vast, and secrets remain hidden.
But the sword shadows under the moon, the startling beauty by the pond, and the quiet heartbeat that even a popsicle could not suppress, have all written the most moving footnotes for this story beyond the inner chambers.
(Note: Everything stated in this text is fictional and has nothing to do with real people. It is for entertainment only; please do not take it seriously!!)
(The End)
[Annotation: Graceful and delicate, the depiction of the characters' thoughts, especially the portrayal of the Damselette's state and the young man's ignorant heart, is penetrating. The pace of the narrative is steady, and even more tense because of this delicacy.]
[In just a few chapters, the plot progresses like peeling silk from a cocoon, yet it stirs up waves at critical moments, making it fascinating. The reaction of Chongyun's Pure Yang Constitution is a stroke of genius, both reasonable and interesting.]
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