The lights were brilliant and the sounds of people drifted over, but that bustle belonged to others; she only felt more lonely and difficult.
"Whatever... go!" Miss Luvia grit her teeth and took the first step, almost staggering down.
She walked very slowly, her footsteps light and unsteady, needing to lean against the nearby walls or railings from time to time.
The night market in Liyue Harbor was as lively as ever, but all of this became blurred and distant in Miss Luvia's eyes. All her attention was focused on fighting her body's weakness and maintaining her disguise.
She kept her head down, trying to shrink into the shadows, moving toward the place in her memory where she could buy special ore.
If anyone saw her now, they would surely find her very suspicious. Fortunately, although Miss Luvia was lightheaded, she still knew to walk through deserted areas.
What was usually a ten-minute walk felt exceptionally long tonight.
Just as she was about to reach her destination, a familiar, clear, and laughing voice came from not far away.
"Boss, two servings of Lotus Crisp, one to go and one to eat now."
It was Xingqiu!
Why was he everywhere! He's like a ghost that won't leave!
Miss Luvia's heart skipped a beat, and her body tensed. She instantly pulled her hood down a few more inches, wishing she could shrink entirely into her cloak. She instinctively wanted to turn and avoid him, but because of her weakness, her movements were a beat too slow.
At that moment, Xingqiu seemed to notice this "little figure" at the mouth of the alley, wrapped exceptionally tight and walking unsteadily. She was even deliberately hiding in the shadows, making her hard to spot.
However, looking like this, there was no way she didn't seem suspicious.
Miss Luvia could feel Xingqiu's gaze linger on her for an instant.
Her heart immediately leaped into her throat. Feigning composure, she kept her head down and quickened her pace (though it was still very slow), hoping to slip past him.
Just as she brushed past Xingqiu, he suddenly spoke softly, his tone concerned: "My friend, the night is deep and the dew is heavy. Seeing your unsteady steps, are you perhaps feeling unwell?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it reached Miss Luvia's ears clearly.
Miss Luvia's body froze, and her footsteps stopped.
Did he find her out?
Had he noticed something, or was it just ordinary concern?
The immense panic and the vulnerability of her illness left her mind blank; she had no idea how to respond.
Should she pretend she didn't hear and walk away quickly? Or use her disguised voice to brush him off with a "I'm fine"?
But her hesitation and slight trembling seemed to catch Xingqiu's attention even more.
Xingqiu turned slightly, his eyes, which always held a hint of a smile, falling on her overly large hood.
Their eyes met.
Miss Luvia's heart skipped a beat.
To Xingqiu, the unusually petite stature of the person before him and the tightly wrapped posture instantly overlapped with the panicked blue figure in his memory.
More importantly, those emerald eyes he glimpsed from the shadow of the hood—he could not be mistaken.
It was Miss Luvia, and she looked... very wrong. Despite wrapping herself so tightly, she couldn't completely hide her weak movements.
In their previous encounters, although she was panicked, her movements were agile. But now, she walked unsteadily as if she might fall at any moment, and even her breathing carried an abnormal weakness.
"My friend, are you perhaps feeling unwell?" Seeing that she didn't answer, Xingqiu asked again, his voice a bit gentler than before, deliberately reining in any probing that might cause alarm, leaving only concern.
Miss Luvia froze in place, her brain a chaotic mess from the fever. Words of refusal were on the tip of her tongue, but were interrupted by a sudden wave of dizziness. She instinctively reached out to steady herself against the nearby wall.
This action undoubtedly confirmed Xingqiu's suspicion.
Xingqiu's brow furrowed slightly, and he immediately took a step forward, yet he cautiously maintained a proper distance, showing concern without making her feel her privacy was being invaded.
He lowered his voice, ensuring only the two of them could hear: "Miss Luvia, it's me, Xingqiu. You seem to need help."
Hearing her name spoken, Miss Luvia's last bit of wishful thinking vanished. She looked up, her eyes under the hood clouded with a layer of moisture from physical discomfort, her gaze a mix of wariness and unmaskable vulnerability.
She wanted to say "No need," wanted to say "I'm fine," but her body's powerlessness and the waves of chills left her without even the strength to act tough. Her lips trembled, and in the end, she only let out a faint wheeze.
Seeing her like this, the bit of curiosity-driven investigation in Xingqiu's heart had long since been replaced by worry. He could see she was pushing herself, and he understood her wariness toward him.
"Please don't worry, I mean no harm." Xingqiu's tone was sincere and his speech slowed, trying to make her understand. "You seem quite ill. Although Liyue Harbor is lively at night, being alone is ultimately inconvenient. If you are willing, may I..."
He weighed his words: "...escort you back? Or, help you call for a reliable doctor?"
He knew she was likely extremely resistant to exposing her identity, so he deliberately left the choice to her.
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