On this day, the sun was shining brightly. After Yelan finished his business, he came to the vicinity of the Sanyu Bookstore.
He did not go in directly, but as usual, found an inconspicuous corner nearby from which he could observe the entrance of the Bookshop. Leaning lazily against the wall, his gaze swept across the area with apparent indifference.
The "a bite of liyue" series was still displayed in a prominent position, with customers occasionally stopping to browse or purchase. Seeing these consistently good sales, a flicker of satisfaction passed through Yelan's eyes.
He truly held a sense of appreciation for that Little Melusine who, hidden under the pseudonym "Housewife Cook," was both cautious and exceptionally hardworking.
Initially, it was out of an intelligence officer's curiosity. However, after sorting through the logic and confirming that this author was most likely the hiding Little Melusine, Lovia, this interest transformed into a certain degree of appreciation and a desire to protect.
A Little Melusine from Fontaine, relying on her own observation and learning, not only attempted to understand Liyue culture but also managed to write such influential works. This temperament and ability made her worthy of his high regard. Furthermore, news had come from Ningguang's side that even the iudex of Fontaine was searching for her. Whether for public or private reasons, he felt he should take even better care of this special "author."
Just then, the idle chatter of two young women at the bookstore entrance drifted faintly into his ears.
"Hey, have you read that new book 'for whom the love trap is set'? It's so well-written!" a woman in an apricot-colored dress said to her companion.
"I've read it! It's about the story of A-Lan and A-He, right? I didn't expect the affection between two women to be written so movingly. I used to think only those of the opposite sex could... That author named 'Hanabi' is truly amazing." Her companion, a woman with a blue hairband, nodded repeatedly, her tone filled with excitement.
Then, she asked doubtfully, "But isn't this an old book? It's been out for a while; I only heard about it two days ago."
The woman in apricot was a bit surprised. "Really? I only saw it today; I thought it was a new release. Even though it doesn't have any illustrations, it brings Lord A-Lan's mysterious laziness and Lord A-He's cold, ethereal nature to life."
"Yeah, I really like Lord A-Lan. Mysterious and powerful, lazy yet elegant, calculating, yet she ends up losing her heart to the worldly-naive A-He... Ah, this setting is just so perfect!" The blue-banded woman clasped her hands, eyes sparkling. "Do you think such a woman really exists in reality?"
The woman in apricot laughed. "How could it be such a coincidence? It's all made up. But the author's portrayal is indeed vivid. That A-Lan, I heard she always wears deep blue clothes, with a cloak draped precariously over her shoulders, and uses silk threads as weapons... The details are so well-depicted, it's as if such a person truly exists."
"Exactly! Especially the part where they first meet at the Jade Chamber and fight side-by-side in the bamboo forest—the imagery is so strong!"
"And the part during the Lantern Rite Festival where they exchange clothes and release sky lanterns together! Heavens, I can just imagine Lord A-Lan wearing Celestial Robes; she must be stunning! It's such a shame the author didn't include illustrations!"
Deep blue clothes... cloak on the shoulders... silk thread weapons... Yelan was only habitually listening to others' conversations, but these keywords struck his heart, piquing his interest. His posture leaning against the wall didn't change, but his eyes suddenly sharpened.
He calmly cast his gaze toward the distant crowd while his ears captured every word from the two women beside him.
"There's more," the woman in apricot continued enthusiastically. "The book says A-Lan is a subordinate of the Tianquan Star, Ningguang. Her movements are unpredictable, her methods extraordinary, and beneath her lazy exterior lies deep calculation... Tsk tsk, such a high-ranking and secret-filled character is truly charming!"
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"