“Take a guess,” Chen Mian said, looking at Loviki with a slightly helpless tone.
“Is it because I said I'm going back to the Royal Capital?” Loviki's face flushed even redder. However, instead of turning away like before, she leaned in closer, her voice stubborn and persistent.
“Loviki, did you take the wrong medicine today?”
“I didn't take any medicine! Y-you answer me... Do you not want me to leave?”
“Yes.”
“A-are you reluctant to let me go?”
“You're going to scare the fish away with all your shouting.”
“Hmph!” Loviki turned her head away and went back to watching her fishing rod, though she was clearly in high spirits.
The bobber on her fishing rod twitched on the water's surface a few times before sinking completely, but she still didn't move.
Chen Mian glanced sideways at her. “A fish bit.”
“I know.”
“You know and you're still not pulling it?”
“...I don't want to,” Loviki said, her voice sounding much lighter. “When you said 'yes' just now, you were serious, right?”
“What 'yes'?”
“The part about not wanting me to leave.”
A breeze swept across the lake, messing up Loviki's hair. She didn't bother to smooth it down, choosing instead to look at Chen Mian with her head tilted.
“I was serious.”
Loviki's hand holding the rod stiffened for a moment. Then, she quickly snapped her gaze back to the bobber and yanked the rod up. A palm-sized fish burst from the water and landed on the grassy bank.
She bent down again to unhook the fish and placed it into the bucket.
“Caught another one.” She cast her line out again, her tone returning to its initial, slightly smug self. “How's that?”
Looking at the six fish in the bucket, then at her flushed face, Chen Mian smiled and said, “Yeah, very impressive.”
“That's more like it.” She crouched by the bucket, watching the newly caught fish swish its tail in the water. Her voice softened slightly. “Then you must remember to accompany me to the Royal Capital. Once we return, I won't leave again.”
“Alright. Once things here in the forest are settled, I'll take a trip to the Royal Capital with you,” Chen Mian agreed with a nod.
“Mmh!” Loviki responded, then whispered, “Also... it's not like I don't want you and Flora to be together... but... you two aren't allowed to leave me behind.”
“We won't.”
“And you're not allowed to tell Flora what I just said!”
“Sure.”
“And don't tell Louise either!”
“Alright, I won't tell.”
By the time Chen Mian reeled in his seventh fish, the two of them were carrying the bucket back toward the apartment.
“Loviki, do you think Melo and the others saw you crying and throwing a tantrum just now?” Chen Mian teased with a smile.
“I-I was not crying and throwing a tantrum!” Loviki retorted, her face flushing crimson.
A rich, milky aroma had already filled the apartment's living room.
Louise was taking a freshly baked cake base out of the oven. Her silver-gray hair was tied up in a neat bun, adding a touch of gentleness and cuteness to her look.
She looked up at the two of them, her gaze lingering on Loviki's eyes for a moment. A knowing smile played at the corners of her lips. “Your eyes are all red from fishing? Was it the sun?”
“No! It was...” Loviki opened her mouth, but finding herself completely unable to come up with a plausible excuse, she simply set the wooden bucket on the floor and quickly changed the subject. “Where's Flora?”
“She's upstairs getting a change of clothes for Velyan.” Louise placed the cake base on a cooling rack. “Velyan is recovering well. After a few more treatments, she should be completely healed.”
Loviki breathed a sigh of relief. Walking over to the cooling rack, she stared at the golden-brown cake base. “It smells so good~ and there's a really fresh, fruity scent too.”
“Yes, I added some fruit flavoring to it. In a bit, Flora and I will frost it with cream and add some toppings, and then it'll be done.”
“Then I want to watch you guys make it later,” Loviki said with great interest. “I'm going to change my clothes first. Remember to wait for me!”
“Alright, don't take too long,” Louise replied.
“No problem!”
Meanwhile, Chen Mian carried the wooden bucket over to the sink and began cleaning the fish they had caught. Louise stood by his side, watching.
“Let's save these fish for a barbecue on the rooftop tonight,” Chen Mian said as he scraped off the scales.
Louise didn't answer right away. Her gaze slowly drifted from the fish to his profile. After a moment, she spoke up. “Loviki seems to be in a much better mood since she got back.”
“What about you?”
“I'm in a great mood too,” Louise said with a smile, stepping a bit closer. “Do you need any help?”
Chen Mian glanced at her. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I am.” As she spoke, Louise rolled up her sleeves, walked over to the sink, and picked up a second fish. Mimicking Chen Mian's technique, she used the back of the knife to scrape against the direction of the scales.
With her first scrape, a fish scale flew off and stuck to her cheek.
Chen Mian couldn't help but chuckle. Reaching out, he peeled the scale off her face. “Be a bit gentler.”
Louise pouted and lowered her head to continue scaling the fish. She was a bit more careful this time, but water still splashed everywhere.
“Louise, how about I do it instead?” Chen Mian took the fish from her hands and resumed scaling. “In the past, you used to stew the fish with the scales still on.”
“Could it have tasted good otherwise?”
“That's why I ended up taking over the cooking.”
...
The sky gradually darkened, and a charcoal fire was lit inside the iron grill on the rooftop.
Chen Mian skewered the cleaned fish one by one onto sharpened wooden branches and rested them on a makeshift rack set up on both sides of the fire.
The fish had already been marinated with spices. Under the roasting heat of the charcoal, they slowly changed color, their oils seeping from the cuts and dripping into the fire with a sizzling hiss.
Loviki pulled up a low stool and sat by the fire. Resting her chin in her hands on her knees, she stared unblinkingly at the color-changing grilled fish. “How much longer?”
“Just a bit longer.”
“You said that just now too.”
“You're such a glutton.”
Louise walked out of the apartment carrying a large platter containing several slices of cake and a small dish of fruit.
She set the platter on a nearby table, then naturally sat down beside Chen Mian, tilting her head to watch the fish on the grill.
Flora and Luolin came up next, followed by Miya who was holding the rabbit. The treasure-hunting rabbit had practically become Miya's stuffed animal by now.
Flora carried over a small table and set it down next to the fire, arranging tableware and several cups of iced Moonlight Grass tea on top.
Luolin followed behind, cradling a small clay jar in her arms. “Mr. Chen Mian, Sister Tina said this batch of fruit wine is ready to drink.”
As soon as the clay jar's lid was opened, a sweet, refreshing fruity aroma mingled with a faint scent of alcohol wafted through the air.
“We'll drink it once the fish is done,” Chen Mian said, reaching out to flip the fish on the grill. A drop of oil fell onto the charcoal, igniting a tiny spark.
“Flora, come help me grill.”
“Okay~” Flora replied. She walked over to the fire and sat down next to Chen Mian, helping him flip the fish on the grill. She stole a glance at him, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
Watching the two of them sitting side by side in front of the fire, Loviki's eyes flickered. She quickly turned her head away, pretending to be deeply engrossed in observing the fish on the grill.
“Loviki, your fish is going to burn,” Louise remarked casually, holding her teacup.
Loviki looked down and saw that the edges of her skewer were indeed turning black. She hurriedly flipped it over.
Velyan was the last one to come up. She wore a light-colored, loose-fitting top, and her golden hair was tied up, draping over her shoulder.
Velyan hadn't passed out during this treatment session. Although her face still carried a noticeable trace of weakness, her overall condition was much better.
She slowly walked over to the fire, hesitated for a moment, and then sat down next to Loviki. Her golden eyes stared at the fish on the grill, a hint of anticipation in her gaze.
Rate on N.U.
