The old milkman was walking on the road carrying a heavy box of milk.
It was her job to deliver milk every morning in this wealthy area.
Although the salary was meager, it was not easy to find a job in Kyoto these days. She worked hard regardless of weather conditions and never slacked off for a single day.
The uphill road was a bit steep, and beautiful rose branches stretched out from the courtyard. This was a family she liked very much.
The door opened and a little girl with a bob haircut came out with a smile, took the milk and gave her a tip.
"Is there something good?" The old man thanked him cheerfully, "You seem to be very happy these days."
"My young lady is back from out of town." Guo Suo said with a smile while holding a bottle of milk.
"Is that so? That's something to be happy about."
In this era, leaving Kyoto was very dangerous and would make family members worry.
It is a great joy to be able to come back safely.
When the milk was first delivered, the maid was always timid and would only hide behind the door and stretch out a hand.
Now she is much more cheerful. She goes out to meet people openly, always smiling, and often gives warm snacks and tips to lonely old people like her.
The house where a girl like this works must have a very good owner.
The old man was sincerely happy for her and also happy for the young lady who returned home safely.
The rose branches in the courtyard stretched out into the yard, blooming brilliantly. The moist air in the early morning was filled with a faint floral scent.
There are not many yards that can produce such beautiful flowers at such an early season.
When the old man walked back, he saw a gardener wearing a silver mask standing on a ladder beside the flower tree, cutting a few dew-covered flowers with scissors.
The old man sighed. This house was a famous haunted house about a year or two ago.
It is desolate, silent and lifeless, and it is scary to pass by it early in the morning.
Today, with the increasing population, the courtyard is bustling and becoming more vibrant day by day.
Must have had a very good owner.
Lin Yuan turned over in the warm quilt and vaguely heard the sound of Xiaosuo running through the courtyard. He drowsily turned on his personal terminal and checked the time.
The breeze blew through the string of wind chimes hanging on the window, and the sparkling glass beads swayed in the soft light of the early morning, reflecting colorful luster.
Among the many beads, there is a small round bead like a cat's eye. The clear stone like an eye is now stained with the morning light, gazing at the colorful world outside the window.
It had been many days since returning from the Land of No Pupils, and Lin Yuan had spent most of his time curled up in bed sleeping. He didn't know why, but he just felt particularly sleepy, as if he had been missing out on sleep for many days and needed to make up for it.
"You seem to have become stronger." Xunhua said once.
"Did something happen in the Pupilless Land?"
"Your spiritual power used to be within my acceptable range, but now it has made me feel awe."
When Xunhua was speaking, Lin Yuan was busy finishing the large bowl of beef ribs that Guo Suo had prepared for her. Her cheeks were puffed up and she had no time to speak.
She didn't know if she had gotten stronger.
But after coming back, I always feel empty inside and need a lot of sleep and food to fill myself up.
Unfortunately, she might not be able to sleep so late today, as Her Majesty the Queen has received a summons to see her in person again.
Had to get up early to prepare.
His Majesty has rarely seen outsiders in recent years, and even members of the royal family cannot enter without being summoned, but he summoned Lin Yuan twice in succession. This honor has attracted the attention of many people.
During the days when Lin Yuan was sleeping soundly, invitations to appointments came to his house like snowflakes.
Fortunately, she was no longer a student at the Guidance Academy and had the power to refuse.
Lin Yuan struggled to get up in a daze, leaning against the windowsill to look at the courtyard in the early morning.
It felt good to be home, but for some reason, Lin Yuan felt something was not right.
It feels like something is missing. Something that I'm used to, that always stays by my side, that we rely on each other every night, is missing.
The courtyard is beautiful in the early morning, not in a neat and tidy way. After Xunhua's tidying up these days, it presents a kind of vibrant and contented beauty.
The flowers are gorgeous, the greenery is lush and moist, and the scenery is wild and natural.
In the corner of the wall, tough vines are lush and green. They are obviously slow-growing, but no one knows when they have quietly climbed all over the stone wall and silently penetrated their roots into the deep cracks in the wall.
And Stonewall didn't know that.
Lin Yuan yawned and sat at the dining table eating breakfast.
[I've been feeling really down lately]
[Me too]
[Probably because I didn’t catch any fish]
[Why hasn’t Xiaoyu come these days?]
The tentacles were as listless as she was.
Lin Yuan drank hot fresh milk while opening his personal terminal to check messages.
Now, the number of messages left in her personal terminal has gradually increased.
The message sent by the bird expressed a little concern about the current situation.
"Recently, there have been more mutants roaming the wilderness. The contaminated area also seems to be more active than before. We are a little worried."
"We heard that you have come out of the Pupilless Land. We are all happy for you. Please be safe, my dear friend."
Roy's message is this,
"I found some information about your mother. It seems that she had been to that place as you asked me last time."
Cao Yunyun sent her a message telling her that she had learned to resist her husband.
"I suddenly realized that you were right. He is not as powerful as I thought."
"Thank you, Xiaoyuan. It's you who allowed me to see a new world and get to know myself in a new way."
"I'll visit you in a few days with your favorite snacks. You should take a good rest first."
There are hundreds of messages from Nicole, and it’s impossible to read them all.
"Oh my god, Yuanyuan, you've become famous."
"A guide can actually unlock the Pupilless Land!"
"Oh my god. Do you know how many people are talking about you lately?"
"I'm going crazy. I must let everyone know that you are my friend."
"You really make our guide proud."
"Even my father began to waver. He said he would consider my request to go to the sentry post again."
"Many of my classmates, like me, have been secretly asking about you. We think we might also be able to have a brighter future like you."
"I love you so much, I'll kiss you ten thousand times..."
Message from Ms. Panda Du Yuanyuan: "I heard that you came back safely. If there is an expansion of the exclusive sentinel position, can you consider me first? Rolling cute, pen refill~~"
Among the many enthusiastic or exciting messages, Ni Ji's is the most lukewarm one.
His greetings are brief, one or two sentences, never too many, but they are there every day.
"I wonder if the headache has eased?"
"Are all your injuries healed?"
"Today I was commended, received a bonus, and my salary is a little higher than before."
"I was out on a mission today and found a nice dessert shop. I bought some with my last bonus and have had them delivered to your house. I hope you like them."
After coming back, he was much busier than Lin Yuan. From the various messages he sent, it seemed that he was valued by the leaders, received commendations, and participated in several overseas missions. It was likely that he was very busy.
But I remember to send greetings to Lin Yuan every day.
When Lin Yuan was browsing the history, he saw his own reply.
"Is your headache better?"
"have"
"Please take more time to rest."
"Um."
"I'm going out on a mission"
"oh"
"I sent you some delicious food."
"Thanks!"
No matter what Ni Ji said, he basically just replied with one word, "Oh", "Yeah", "Ah", "Okay".
"Isn't this a bit bad?" Lin Yuan gulped down the milk, accompanying it with the hot snacks on the table. These were some rare handmade traditional desserts that were crispy, delicious and sweet.
They were all sent by Ni Ji silently.
[In fact, the subject is the most impolite person among us]
[Yes, and a bit scumbag]
[No wonder Xiaoyu hasn’t come these days]
"I'm being polite. I always reply." Lin Yuan retorted, "I'm just not very good with words."
She is not very good at oral expression, and her written language is even weaker.
[I come, I come, I am good at typing]
A tentacle rolled up its sleeves and came up. The soft tentacles tapped on Lin Yuan's personal terminal for a while, and before Lin Yuan could see clearly, it had already finished typing and clicked send.
"Hey, baby, do you want to come to my house for dinner tonight~~"
There is also a pink glittering heart-shaped symbol hanging behind the word "meal".
Lin Yuan saw the words the other party was typing on the communication page of the terminal.
The input disappeared, and the input disappeared again, repeating back and forth several times.
It was not until the other tentacles rolled up their arms and legs and struggled to come up and prepare to send again that the other side finally sent a word.
"good."
Lin Yuan doesn't like to express things in words. If you just read the words, you can't see the other person's emotions at all.
It was difficult for Lin Yuan to read the other person's true meaning from such flat strokes.
But this time, Ni Ji only said one word.
She inexplicably read a lot of emotions from this simple word.
(End of this chapter)